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Summary: Great debut novel from Harry Shannon
Review: I'd read and enjoyed quite a few short stories by Harry Shannon, but now I've finally gotten around to reading one of his novels. I don't know why I waited so long--this is a very compelling story, with great characters and a fully-realized small town where the horrors all converge. The author is a therapist in real life, so as you might expect the characters are realistic and sympathetically drawn--which makes it all the more involving when you just *know* that bad things will happen to most of them. This novel's plot burns on a slow fuse, which is something I like very much in a horror/suspense novel: the sense of dread builds very subtly as the book moves forward. And when things explode, it's a huge, satisfying payoff. I'm really looking forward to the other novels in this series (which I hear are even better!).
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Summary: The Perfect Halloween Companion
Review: If you are looking for a fun, page-turner to scare your pants off - this is it. Harry Shannon's story of murder, ghouls and antiheros in a small desert town is nothing short of mesmerizing. There's something here for every horror afficianado - vampires, zombies, spiders and things with no name. Shannon's writing is stellar, suspenseful and at times amusing. This is horror "pulp" at it's finest! I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: old-fashioned gory fun
Review: If you are looking for an old-fashioned kick you in the teeth gorefest then NIGHT OF THE BEAST is the book for you. It is obvious that the author had a good time writing this and I think that his enthusiasm bleeds into the work. Highly recommended!
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Summary: Best new novel...
Review: If you did not like this book contact the publisher and I'm sure they will refund your money. This book is pure horror in the tradition of the 60's Ace paperbacks... I enjoyed the heck out of it. The publisher can be found at mediumrarebooks dot com.
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Summary: Night of the Beast guarantees sleepless nights
Review: Night of the Beast by Harry Shannon drags all the monsters out from under your bed and makes you confront the fears you thought were safely confined to the nightmares of childhood. What more can you ask from 384 pages?
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Summary: Must Read
Review: Night of the Beast is a big book, stuffed with every Class B Horror movie trope known to man, but also packed with fully-fleshed out characters, both good guys and bad guys. A compelling read. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Taut & Visceral - This is great horror!
Review: One of the best things about Harry Shannon's book NIGHT OF THE BEAST, is that he is supremely adept at drawing the reader into their own memories while a character goes through the same. One of the earliest examples of this occurs when a character comes across a dead dog and recalls his own childhood experience with a mangy mutt and the perfect little girl who helped him care for the animal. In the short space of two pages, Shannon plunges your emotions on a roller-coaster ride of happiness, excitement, love, heartbreak, and agony - and that's just one simple flashback! Throughout this fine book, Shannon weaves a tale of horror - yes - but this book is also a masterpiece of human condition. The intricate and interesting lives of several characters coincide beautifully, producing a scary page-turner reminiscent of the great horror novels of yesteryear. This is a multi-layered book that reaches into the hearts and minds of all readers, leading them along a twisted maze of chills and excitement. Don't miss this excellent read by one of horror's brightest new stars.
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Summary: The Beast is Out!
Review: There is a bright new voice in horror fiction. His name? Harry Shannon. Author of the great collection Bad Seed and of numerous short stories (ALL OF THEM GREAT, I have to add), Shannon's first novel does everything except disappoint. It is a horror tour de force that brings you back to what horror is all about; being scared and having one heck of a great time! An evil force settles over a small American town, taking every citizen in its thrall. This evil thrives on bad dreams and nightmares, on fears and sadness. It plays with your mind in the worst of ways, making you see and experience your most darkest, inner fears. It is up to Rourke and a few other citizens (like Maggie, the young woman who steals Rourke's heart and her brother Michael, Timmy, a little boy who's family is about to be touched by the evil, and the Sheriff himself, a man who's demons are too powerful to withhold) to try and put a stop to the strange things happening all around them. But how do you fight an evil that can't be seen? An evil that gets you when you least suspect it? Night of The Beast is classic horror at its best. But the most surprising thing about the book is how Harry Shannon is able to take you right into these characters' minds, to make you feel and experience everything they feel. It's a rare thing to find a horror book where the writing seems to be singing to you. Night of the Beast does for this small town what Stephen King did to his Castle Rock. It is a story with dozens of characters, all of them believable, all of them completely real. Their lives become entangled in this nightmare, up to the final, amazing finale that will leave you breathless. Don't read Night of the Beast in the Dark. Or better yet, do! This is one frigthening story I won't soon forget! And mark this name in your mind: Harry Shannon. You will see much more of him in the future, you can be sure of that. With this kind of talent, the guy is bound to break through at any time.
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Summary: Horror that doesn't quit
Review: This book is thrilling terrifying. And, it doesn't just scare you while you are reading it. It sneaks up on you later when you are driving around or doing the dishes. Very creepy. Shannon threads the horror elements through such a richly constructed and identifiable world, it's hard to leave it behind when you put the book down. I'm still trying.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining solid first novel
Review: This is an interesting and well written book. I read the book in a week, which is fast for me. I thought the characters were very well developed and the story moved along at a quick pace. The atmosphere the author sets up through the novel is great. This is a no holds barred horror novel. I found it an unperdicatble fun read. If you are looking for new authors to try out I would recommend giving this book a try. It is Shannon's first novel and in my opinion shows alot of promise. I have already bought his second book and plan on starting that one soon. I am always trying to find new authors of horror fiction to read. the most recent ones I have tried were Bentley Little and Douglas Clegg. I found Shannon to be a far superiour story teller to these two writers. Check this one out.
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