The Uncanny

Rating:
Summary: Ultimately, Who Cares?
Review: I finished "The Uncanny" last night. After a promising start the book became long, mysterious (not in a good way), muddled, and boring. Although there were flashes of good descriptive writing, I didn't feel that the story held together. The characters were vague and uninteresting people. And no final, acceptable explanation of the "why" behind the mystery emerged. Who was Iago? How/why did Storm's movie create him? How did he react when the triptych burned?? Who--or what--was "the Uncanny?" I was left feeling like I'd walked into a private conversation and was never included in what was going on, and ultimately I grew tired of reading and didn't care. Klavan needs to be a little less mysterious in future efforts to hold me as a reader.

Rating:
Summary: Not horror-story scary, but interesting nonetheless
Review: I too bought this book based on the positive reviews posted. I was looking for a good scare and a good story. ...Well, the story was pretty good -- there were interesting characters and events, but nothing in the book "scared" me. The book was entertaining enough that I don't feel as if I wasted my money, but it is by far not the best nor the scarriest book I've ever read -- keeping in mind, this is only MY opinion. Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, but I'd suggest they get it from the library.

Rating:
Summary: Better than its reputation here....
Review: I'd like to preface this by saying that this is the first of anything that I've read by Andrew Klavan; thus, I'm not burdened by Klavan's other novels. Hey, "True Crime" may be a masterpiece, and "Animal Hour" could be fantastic, I don't know. I did read this novel, "The Uncanny", however, and I was very pleased with it.

I profess a weakness (like Storm in the novel) for English ghost stories, so perhaps the novel spoke to me more so than my fellow reviewers here. Overall, I found the book to be well-written and very interesting. It wasn't scary, as some of the others have pointed out, but I don't think Klavan was trying to upstage King here. What he's written is an interesting and entertaining thriller, filled with some clever supernatural / occult additives, and the result is entirely pleasing.

Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: a spoof ?
Review: Impossible to take seriously as a ghost/horror story, Klavan must be poking fun at the genre with this one. The characters are stereotypes, the love story sappy and the underlying premise way over the top. I was reminded of that episode of The X-Flies (the last of one their seasons) where it made great fun of itself.

It's written well enough to be readable and might have been enjoyable if it hadn't dragged on for so long.

Rating:
Summary: A DELICIOUS FEAST FOR THE MIND
Review: It's been a long time since I delved into a novel where all my senses are satisfied. I felt like I was there in England, witnessing all the drama, the horror and the endless discoveries.

I never realized I had a fetish for a good ol' fashion creepy on the moors, ruined abbey, moon illuminating story, but after reading THE UNCANNY I can't wait for the next installment! Andy, are you listening? Can we get a sequel. I know you can pull it off!

This is my first Klavan book. I went out and bought two previous releases I enjoyed this book so much.