Rating: Summary: Jolt of reality Review: This book had me hooked from the first chapter. I read other books by this author, and decided to try it out of curiosity. With all the political tension in the world, this is a book that made me really look at things around me on the world wide stage. Don't be surprised if you find yourself stockpiling food and a few other necessities by the tenth chapter. Gone South and Boys' Life were good reads- this one was a must read.
Rating: Summary: Huh? Review: It's kinda hard to write a review of this one, because so many people obviously love this book to the ultimate degree. Unfortunately, I can't say that I'm one of them. There's one major thing at the very heart of Swan Song that made me not like it at all, no matter what -- it feels fake. It reads exactly like what you'd get if a very enthusiastic but not very talented teenage fan finished reading The Stand and got all excited and just had to write a book just like it. My impression is that the author didn't really write a story of his own here, but instead wrote a story about someone else's story. So this book really lacks heart in my eyes. It feels more like a comic book written by someone whose only knowledge of life comes watching TV and from reading other comic books, not from reading real books and more importantly living a real life. (This is no comment on the author himself, by the way. I have no idea what Robert McCammon is like at all or what sort of life he's lived. All I'm going by is my impression of reading this book.)On the plus side, I do have to say that as bad and derivative as I found this book, I also ended up reading the whole thing. Obviously if the author could keep me going page after page even while I was shaking my head and wincing at how much he was ripping off The Stand over and over again, he must have been doing something right. This book does provide one core value -- it has a good sharp narrative hook that snags you and keeps you going, wanting to find out what happens next. So I read all 900+ pages. I just didn't feel good about it afterwards.
Rating: Summary: Epic!!! The best ever Robert R. McCammon! Review: Oh Man! A must read for those of you who like the Steven King 'The Stand' type of stories... You won't be dissapointed or able to put it down!
Rating: Summary: Swan Song Review: This was by far one of the best books ever written. In my opinion, it blew "The Stand" away (and I love Stephen King!) The description of the characters was wonderful! Swan, Josh, and Sister took you on an emotional roller-coaster. If I survived World War 3, I'd follow Swan and her friends. This book has it all, comedy, horror, love, and mystery. Its well worth your time, you will be swept away!
Rating: Summary: CREEPY and DISTURBING. A fantastic adventure! Review: I first chanced upon RRM's fantastic "Hour of the Wolf" (see my review). Before purchasing Swan Song, I read a lot of the reviews and hoped Swan Song would be worth it. Just reading these more in-depth reviews made me BUY THE BOOK. You will not be let-down. Swan Song has to be one of the most disturbing and scariest yet uplifting books I've read. As far as apocalypse novels go, this one is IT! My only criticism is that RRM's ending, once again screams "Sequel." BUY THIS BOOK and be greatful we live in a fairly "normal" world (for now at least).
Rating: Summary: Perfect in every way. Review: I read this book and I honestly cannot find any faults with it, although I did try. Every chance I got I was reading it, and when I was not I was thinking about it, wondering what was going to happen next. I dont really think that any book I ever read will compare to this work of sheer perfection. There is not one instance where I got bored, or skipped a few pages, like I do in most books. Every one of the characters was interesting. I will tell you straight. Words cannot describe this book. When I read the back, I instantly thought of the stand. But pretty soon into the book I realised it is not in the same league. The most frustrating thing is that My friends keep saying 'I'll read it' but they never do. If you do not read this book, you are definitely miising out on something fantastic.
Rating: Summary: It has its moments . . . Review: This is not a bad book, although its not what you would call a "power" novel. As an alternative, or in addition to, I would recommend not only Stephen King's "The Stand," but even more, what I found to be the most definitive Apocalyptic novel of all, Glen Kleier's "The Last Day," which is indeed a powerful and scary suspense thriller. But Swan is not a bad read, as most books go.
Rating: Summary: Swan Song Review: This is a *good* book, especially if you have already Stephen King's The Stand and you wanted to see how someone with less talent and less style would have done it. The two stories are very parellel, even specific details (navigating the tunnels to get out of NY). I do not regret reading this book, although if you are interested in this and you have not read The Stand, I would strongly urge you to buy the best first. While S. King keeps you in his world, R. McCammon is just telling a story. Swan Song has many unbelieveable details (everyone is almost completely covered in 3rd. degree burns, but yet nobody needs medical treatment and they all seem to survive). If you feel like a little "Dukes of Hazard meets Stephin King", this is the book for you.
Rating: Summary: A Nuclear Holocaust , Already!!! Review: We have the Planet Earth devestated by disease, comets, and now The Bomb. This offering by Robert R. McCammon differs from the 'Supernovels' of Niven/Pournell and King in that this scenario is a man-made (man-preventable) killing field. RRM has presented a story horrifying because it is more to the heart of the darkside of the Human race than Events Beyond Our Control. The scare is not in the happening itself or the aftermath, but in the loss of reason the Powers-That-Be exibit in the opening of SWAN SONG. I like the way RRM presents his storyline and the way he develops his characters. There is as a required villian, some kind of supernatural 'walkin'dude' type, but it is not the focus of the tale. I don't fault the book for miracle scenes, because the act of surviving this horror is a miracle in itself. As I stated, the characters are well developed, with no one persona becoming too overpowering. I like the way the work keeps its level of suspense steady, with no filler-type dialogue leaving the reader to wonder 'what was that?' Read SWAN SONG. Add it to the Apocalypse Collection...You'll be glad you did.
Rating: Summary: Brilliant Review: Almost perfect. What great story-telling is supposed to be like. Pass it around.....
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