Rating: 
Summary: One of the best horror authors around!
Review: You can name the contemporary horror classics without using all your fingers and toes, and for the true afficianado "Carrion Comfort" is probably in that top twenty, along with "The Exorcist," (Blatty) "Salem's Lot" (King) and a host of others like "Swan Song" by Robert McCammon. This one doesn't have the relentless pulp drive of, say, Harry Shannon's new "Night of the Beast" but it is far more literate, i.e. wonderfully conceived and deftly written.
Rating: 
Summary: Addictive even after 4 reading!
Review: This is the best SciFi or Horror book I've ever read. And I've read many over the last 25 years. King, McCammon, Barker, Cussler, Asimov, Heinlen, etc. The book has a horror tone, but the "abilities" of the characters seems more in line with SciFi and "mental mutants." The amount of detail, combined with the fast pace of this book and total depravity of the characters make it nearly impossible to place down once you get past the first 15 pages. It just pulls you in. Interestingly, this is one of only two books by Simmons that I've been able to finish -- but this one I couldn't stop reading. Most writers can't seem to develop characters without the story really slowing down. But in Carrion Comfort, these sections of the story are especially captivating. I've read this 4 times over the last 10 years -- more than any book other than a couple by Niven.
Rating: 
Summary: I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF BEST
Review: In the first 200-300 pages, I thought this might possibly be the best book I ever read. Then, the book turned from a horror book to a predictable "clive cussler" adventure - without the genius writing. The last 500 pages were truly boring. The author had a great thing going - at least for a while.
Rating:
Summary: Mind Blowing Horror
Review: With so many reviews on the book, I don't want to recap what everyone has said. Sure, this is a long novel but is it worth reading? You bet. Dan Simmons again proves what a dynamic and versatile writer he is. His characterization is top-notch and the ideas are nothing short of brilliant. The intensity of this novel makes the length a non-issue. Overall, this is a stellar effort from a talented author.
Rating: 
Summary: Great idea but very poorly executed
Review: Being a huge fan of Simmon's "Hyperion" series (the first two only), it was with some anticipation that I began "Carrion Comfort." But however interesting the 'mind vampire' idea is, Simmons takes what was a tightly written novella and explodes it into a bloated, poorly executed horror epic. The first clues come in the acknowledgement section: "To Ellen Datlow, who said there couldn't be a sequel to the novella." Well Ellen, you were right; there should not have been. First of all, Simmons is under the impression that by amassing pages and pages of unexpurgated background detail on a character, that this is in fact "deep characterization." This is often a failing in genre writers who are told that great books are all about 'character, character, character.' But as genre writers, their instincts (and talents) lay elsewhere: mainly in ideas and storytelling, which Simmons should have wisely stuck to here. Had he taken a Michael Crichton-esque approach here, a writer who boils his stories down to only the essentials like a watchmaker, the book would have had a far greater impact. There are endless digressions on miniscule character actions which do neither of the two things that they should: 1. further the plot or 2. enhance the character. They are often found blank-spaced between what I suppose were the bare-bones of the novella, and possibly added afterwards. Where another novelist (with the help of a good editor) would use three or four sentences, throwing into high relief one or two very clear details to evoke a scene, Simmons dumps an un-edited fifty. And even after trudging through these 'rough draft' background sections you still do not come away with the sense that you really know these people any better - you never get inside them. Yes, you've got a year-by-year dossier, but no unique insight, which could have been accomplished with far less - and is the ultimate goal of any novelist. This compost heap of 800+ pages could have been boiled down (with the help of a stern and caring editor) to a solid, un-put-down-able 400 (as evidenced by the strength of the opening 50 pages). Why this was not done is beyond me, although fantasy and horror fans' willingness to indiscriminately gobble up any massive-looking book makes big house editors care less and less about turning out tight works and more about 'by the pound' writing (Mr. Spell Check seems to be the sole current editor at some of these imprints). But enough of my ranting... In short, what you have here is a great idea, a great opening, then hundreds and hundreds of pages of overwritten story that destroy what once was a solid pace which all leads to a pretty anti-climactic ending. Read the novella instead. Mr. Simmons should re-read his first two "Hyperion" novels again and see what good writing is all about.
Rating:
Summary: Good Story - Bad editing
Review: After Reading his Hyperion series a friend suggested I read this book. (Didn't like Hyperion) I read it and was liking it...until they got to Philadelphia. Once they got to Philly, the story bogged and bogged. It seemed like Philly was supposed to be the climax and Simmons decided to carry the book on even further to a penultimate ending instead of the simple one he'd originally envisioned. I liked this book, but it was overly long. To me, if they had cut out half of the [stuff] in Philly, the rest of the book was okay.
Give it a read. Its at least as good as most other books out there. Simmons is no King, not many are.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Horror Novels of all time
Review: Dan Simmons is a great joy to read particularly his earlier work. This one in particular is a great ride and a original concept. If you want create characters, a great story, and great writing then this book is a most.
Rating:
Summary: The War and Peace of the Horror Genre
Review: What if you could control the minds of others. And not just simply control their minds, but make them physically do anything you wanted them to. What type of person would you be? Well Mr. Simmons tells us in breathtaking detail. The story revolves around Sal Laski, a Jew who survived the Nazi death camps of WWII. He came into contact with one of these Mind Vampires (as we come to know them) that he nick-names 'The Oberst.' Having his mind touched and his body controlled is worse than being 'raped.' And Mr. Simmons shows us exactly how that would feel. Chillingly! Mr. Laski becomes fanatical about finding his Oberst and giving him back what Sal had felt all those many years ago during the War. Mrs. Melanie Fuller is a Mind Vampire also, and she and a few of the others with the Ability meet every year to discuss their scores (i.e. how many people they controlled and killed and how much publicity it got). They are so nonchalant about their controls and killings that it is almost maddening to the reader. They have absolutely no empathy for anyone or anything which makes them all the more horrific. Amazingly, the reader eventually becomes comfortable with these characters and wants to know if they will survive their own failings in humanity. Terrific stuff! Mr. Harod is a slime-bag producer of B-movies Hollywood who also has the Ability. He uses it to control women specifically and solely (because he feels that touching a man's mind would be to homophobic for him). Mr. C. Barent is a billionaire with the Ability who owns a mythical Island off the coast of Florida. Once a year 'The Island Club' meets and plays a game: they bring lost souls to the island and Use them to kill one another. The last Mind Vampire with a player still alive at the end of the week wins. (spoiler) Incredible as it may seem, Mr. Simmons has the ability to write in many different genres...and capably so. He received a Hugo award for Science Fiction for his Hyperion novel. And received the Bram Stoker Award for Horror for this one. Truly fantastic. An incredible novel and quite lengthy. At almost 900 pages, it kept me interested the entire time and rarely, if ever, lagged. Highly recommended reading for those who enjoy the written word and not just bland novels with mindless killing.
Rating:
Summary: mixed feelings on this book
Review: After reading a few reviews of this book, I see that most people either loved it or hated it. I guess I fall somewhere in the middle. While Simmons does a pretty good job of developing characters, I feel that the story they are placed in tends to drag a bit. Melanie is by far the most complex character of the book, however, I went back and forth between whether I should pity her or hate her. The book is quite long and easily could have been pared down a little to make it flow better. The final scene is somewhat confusing and pointless as well. But, as a whole, I didn't dislike this book. Just expected it to grab my attention a little better than it did. I have read one other Simmons book, Hyperion, and found it a bit more enjoyable a read. As for a horror epic, I would lean toward McCammon's "Swan Song" or King's "The Stand" over this effort.
Rating:
Summary: If this is what horror fiction is then I pass
Review: I read Simmons other work of Horror "Song of Kali" and thought that it was ok. So I tried another one of his works. Carrion Comfort was supposed to be a magnum opus and at over 800 pages it was certainly an opus. Unfortunately the book, while having a great premise devolves into predictable and repeated acts involving knives, guns, and body parts to the point of nausia. The first use of each of these devices is clever and interesting however repeated use dulls the effect and drags the story out too long. This would have been a superior 300 page book if only the author and the editor could control themselves. While not the Heavens Gate of books, a very weak, predictable ending and too much racist overtones -- yes racist -- makes this book one to pass on. I am finished reading Simmons, now and for a long time. If this is what passes for the genre, then you can keep it. Sorry to be harsh but I would not waste your time here.
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