Rating: 
Summary: Think "IT" without pre-teen gang-bangs
Review: After the turgid and overblown Carrion Comfort I approached this weighty tome with a certain degree of caution. No worries, an excellent read with a incident about half way through involving one of the major characters that rocked me to my roots. Ending was a bit kitchen sink but I would recommend this highly, also the "Prayers to Broken Stones" short fiction collection which contains some absolutely beautifully written work.
Rating:
Summary: Good up until the end.
Review: I read this book a few years ago and really enjoyed the story and characters until the end. The villan at the end felt contrived, like the author got there and realized he had to give it some form. It reminded me of the monster in the TV production of 'IT'. Really scary until the monster is unveiled!
Rating: 
Summary: Horror--riffic!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Every few summer vacations, I've taken the time to read this book. If you're looking for a good mind-scare this is the book for you.The supense is far better than a horror movie.!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: One of the, if not the, greatest horror novel
Review: Finally Summer of Night has been reprinted. For long periods I have told people they must read this book if they are a fan of, not only horror, but a great story with flowing language. Simmons stands out amongst his contemporaries as the best and Summer of Night only raises him one notch higher. Summer of Night runs in the same vein as another modern classic of horror, Stephen King's It. It has a group of children banding together to destroy a greater evil. But it's more than that. Many themes, beautiful word pictures...I could go on for a long time, so I will end abruptly and say buy the book and you will be entirely impressed.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional book by an exceptional writer...5+STARS!
Review: Simmons stands out as one of the most talented authors of our time. His style shows a great deal of similarity to Bradbury and King. In fact, this book has many of the same elements of "It" by Steven King but I think Simmons did a much better job with this(and the story was not a "rip off" by any means).Summer of Night vividly brings to mind all the old forgotten fears from childhood. Through the eyes of five small town boys, you will relive the terror of an unseen creature lurking in the shadows of your bedroom and the thing hiding under your bed just waiting for the chance to grab an unwary foot or arm. That wonderful creepy feeling would make it worth the price for me, but that's not all that Simmons did with this story. There is also a sweet (but not syrupy) nostaglia in this book that will make you remember the other really great things about being a kid like summer break and playing baseball or king of the hill. Even though I enjoyed some of Simmon's other books, I have to admit that I really was not that enthusiastic about reading a novel centered around the lives of five Midwestern boys in 1960. But, by the end of the first chapter, I could not put the book down. It was wonderful. I feel I'm a pretty tough judge of novels and I think this may be the best horror novel I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Simmons is a Writer's Writer
Review: I nearly feel silly adding my review to this immense list. Still, when a book as special as Summer is written, it deserves every accolade one conceives to bestow upon it. I will admit that I purchased a lone hardback copy of Summer because of an effulgent blurb on the back cover of the dust jacket by Mr. King. Glad I did. It is a beautiful book. Often, I personally resonate to novels whose characters haven't forgotten how to bear the weight of imagination, IT - King, Boy's Life - McCammon, and since its release, Summer has remained one of my favorite novels. What's more, I peruse its pages often to absorb the elegiac and engaging quality of the narrative. As a writer, I find it useful to read Simmons, because, for me, there simply isn't anyone working right now, be it category fiction or mainstream and lit'ry, who is better than Simmons. You should read this book, post haste. Then add your review here. Summer is a treasure chest of reinvented gothic conventions. Simply put, you will be sad it is only a book. For such work, despite its beasties, describes the places and people you would like to make your home. Peter Orullian voice@wolfenet.com
Rating:
Summary: The best horror writer today...period.
Review: Dan Simmons is, without a doubt, the best horror writer working right now, and this is his finest work. The writing and story are beautiful and nostalgic one minute, suspenseful and horrifying the next. I could not put this book down. Read this book. Read everything simmons has written, especially his Hyperion novels, which rank as some of the best science fiction ever written. Stephen King has said that he is in awe of Dan Simmons. I know just how he feels.
Rating:
Summary: Simmons' Best
Review: To say this is one of Dan Simmons' best books wouldn't be saying much; after all, he has written some incredible horror novels (Song of Kali, Carrion Comfort), an amazing mainstream meditation (Phases of Gravity), two science fiction series that completely blew me away (The Hyperion Cantos and The Endymion Sequence), and two collections of short stories (Prayers to Broken Stones, Lovedeath) that are light years away from anything else you'll find in genre fiction today. No, this one tops all of these novels, a feat I would deem impossible. But top them he does. There's a lot of King influence here. Almost everything about it--plot, characters, situations--might remind you of King, at least superficially. But it's never derivative. This is Simmons' novel, Simmons' vision. Bradbury's here, too, but again, Simmons build on the lessons of these masters; he never imitates them. Read. Shudder. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Simmons is King
Review: Allthough I had strong flashes of deja-vu while reading this book, (Haven't Stephen King written this tale several times?) I still have to admit to mysleft that I enjoyed it immensley. Comparisions many has made to Stephen King I feel are not fair on Simmons. He is -- In My Humble Opinion -- a far better writer on average than King ever was. But even though I fealt the story to be compelling and lovingly told, I can't help but think it a bit childish. The superb build-ups kind of broke down when they exploded into the monster movie stereotype. Maybe that was Mr. Simmons' intention. Simmons does however impress in that he manages to convince in every genre he so far has tried on. But up until this point in time, it may be his science fiction work that impresses me the most. His vampire books "Carrion Comfort" and "Children of the Night" and the immensley disturbing "Song of Kali" are all thouroghly entertaining and strongly reccommended reads. But it is the Hyperion series (Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion and Rise of Endymion) you will NEVER be able to forget. All my copies of these books have scratchmarks and have travelled around the world with me. And I strongly reccommend checking out some of his short story collections! I feel very lycky and fortunate to have accidentally pulled a Dan Simmons book out of a bookstore shelf some 5 years ago. It has become a whole new love-affair with The Book. Read Dan Simmons, or you will miss out on one truly spirited experience (and gost and ogres will hide under your bed!)
Rating:
Summary: Without question *****FANTASTIC*****
Review: A wonderful adventure with all the trimmings. Horror, Wonder, Fantasy, and all the fun of being a child growing up. When life wasn't so serious. I did not want this story to end. I love to read horror fiction. (and non-fiction for that matter) This book filled that order from page one. But its refreshing once in a while to read a book like this that deals with the trials of youth. How trivial they were compared to now. This book made think about life and what it means to be a kid again. (it also gave good cause to leave the light on)
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