Rating: 
Summary: Finally, a book I couldn't put down!
Review: I started this book on New Year's Eve 2004 and finished it in 2005, so it qualifies for the BEST BOOK I read in 2004. Move over King and Koontz, make room for Christopher Golden! I'm not going to do what most reviewers do and tell you what the book is about. If you want to know that, read the back cover. What I will tell you is that this book is a perfect blend of thriller, mystery, and coming-of-age novel. It is the most fun I've had with a book in a long time. Christopher Golden does not wear you down with lengthy descriptive narrative. He moves the story along with what I like to call cinematic prose. Do yourself a favor. If you like early Stephen King and early Dean Koontz, check this out. This is my first Christopher Golden and won't be my last! I hope his publisher releases this as a mass market paperback so Golden's audience can grow.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Horror
Review: The Boys are back in town is a truly exceptional horror novel. The villains aren't doing things because they are evil the heroes aren't just fighting the villains to stay alive or because they are evil. Unlike so many books in this genre the characters in this book actually have motivations for their actions. Along with a story that incorporates consequences, regrets, revenge, redemption and forgiveness, which resolves satisfactorily with out breaking it's own rules (also very rear in this genre). Even though this is a book that you can, and will want to read quickly it will give you a lot to think about for a long time.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad, but I couldn't put it down!
Review: This was a fast read, an engrossing read, but wow, was it badly written. The prose was awful: "As he was responding to his e-mail, Will ruminated on the events of the day thus far." Ruminated??? who uses an SAT word like that outside of an English 101 paper? Lots of clunky prose throughout. I did enjoy the story though, fast-paced and an interesting take on magic. But someone else should've written it, and better.
I must guiltily admit that I couldn't put it down, despite feeling that the prose was really cheap.
Buy this book used.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast paced story - Disappointng ending
Review: This was an interesting fast paced story which unfortunately ran out of steam as Golden tried to wrap it up - and boy was the ending a disappointment. Overall though, a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Days later I'm still wrapped up in the story...
Review: Very atmospheric, really pulled me in. Fast read, good ending.
Magic plays a major role in the story, which is a big plus for me, since I'm a big fan of the paranormal and supernatural suspense. One phrase, though, bothered me: "Magic always costs," used in the latter part of the book. I agree that nasty magic always costs, but good magic (healing, helping) doesn't, and can just imagine the opponents saying, "See, see! Magic always costs!"
But maybe I'm being too picky. I mean, this is fiction, after all, and this story wouldn't have a plot if the lead character had gotten into good magic while he was in high school. He wouldn't have had any reason to time travel back to fix things. And people often do things in high school that they later wish they hadn't, right? So I should chill out about worrying that this sheds a bad light on all magic.
The magic in the story isn't realistic, either (I know, some of you think that *any* magic isn't realistic), but I got caught up in the story enough to willfully suspend my disbelief. I prefer books that make the magic realistic enough that you think, "Gee, maybe that could happen!" but let's face it, magic *that* close to reality isn't anywhere near as exciting as the magic that has people levitating, creating flames in the palms of their hands, or traveling through time.
All in all, it's a good book. I've never been a teenaged boy, but I've thought that he captures youth and the "coming of age" very well in his books, and here he captures well how one might look and feel reflecting back on high school days.
A good read.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking... thank you Mr. Golden
Review: What starts as a normal day quickly turns into a whirlwind of events that will drag you along into the wee morning hours - just couldn't put it down! First you read because you're confused and you 'must' find out what's going on. Then you must continue to see what they're going to do about it!
The style and story are so perfectly matched that you don't even think about it, it flows like a well directed episode of Twilight Zone, with no commercial breaks! The atmosphere puts you solidly in the center of the action. You can easily imagine Will's confusion, frustration, pain, and fear. The characters quickly find a home among your own friends, likeable and understandable they carry the story well. And the pace? If you really wanted to, you could 'stop for the night' up until about chapter 3, after that just plan on staying up until you've finished!
It's difficult to discuss it without giving anything away, you'll just have to read it for yourself! I don't know if it was intended or not, but I caught this interesting aesthetic - the chapter titles are done in a blurred font, makes you want to rub your eyes... and is the perfect compliment to Will's fuzzy memory - nice touch!
I definately give this one a five!-Horrorwench
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking... thank you Mr. Golden
Review: What starts as a normal day quickly turns into a whirlwind of events that will drag you along into the wee morning hours - just couldn't put it down! First you read because you're confused and you 'must' find out what's going on. Then you must continue to see what they're going to do about it!
The style and story are so perfectly matched that you don't even think about it, it flows like a well directed episode of Twilight Zone, with no commercial breaks! The atmosphere puts you solidly in the center of the action. You can easily imagine Will's confusion, frustration, pain, and fear. The characters quickly find a home among your own friends, likeable and understandable they carry the story well. And the pace? If you really wanted to, you could 'stop for the night' up until about chapter 3, after that just plan on staying up until you've finished!
It's difficult to discuss it without giving anything away, you'll just have to read it for yourself! I don't know if it was intended or not, but I caught this interesting aesthetic - the chapter titles are done in a blurred font, makes you want to rub your eyes... and is the perfect compliment to Will's fuzzy memory - nice touch!
I definately give this one a five! -Horrorwench
Rating:
Summary: golden is good
Review: Will cames to his high school reunion thinking that he is somewhat of a loser. But that all soon changes when he told that one of his friends died in high school, which is odd because he knows his friend just e-mailed him a couple of days ago. Will though is the only one that remember his friend living past high school. Soon other horrifing changes start to happen, and he the only the knows the true past. A great book to read.
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