Rating: 
Summary: Aging well
Review: In the twelfth-century ruins of the Abbey, it is said that every stone was cemented in blood...December starts with the words; `By the time he makes the doorman's office, his glasses have come off, and blood and tissue and stuff are emptying urgently from his mouth.'... Do you want me to go on? If yes, you'll be hooked by `December', a chilling tale of a young band calling themselves The Philosopher's Stone, who gather at The Abbey (now a recording studio) to tap into the site's dark history. One member of the band dies horrifyingly and the band members agree to destroy their tapes and never meet again. Thirteen years later, the Abbey tapes resurface and the members of The Philosopher's Stone know that it's time for another reunion. Time to return to that dark December night for one last performance. If you can stand the suspense, you'll be hooked. `December' is a thoughtful, meandering novel that moves around in time, keeping only the thread of The Abbey to hold it together. But, once started you'll not want to put it down until you know how it will end.
Rating: 
Summary: More Titles Are Available!!
Review: My wife and I recently "discovered" Phil Rickman's novels, when we picked up his latest ("Midwinter of the Spirit") in a bookstore in Tokyo. We have since ordered all of his other books. We both find his writing style to be engaging and suspenseful. His characterizations have the ring of truth; he has a keen ear for dialog. His 2 most recent novels, "Wine of the Angels" and "Midwinter of the Spirit", have a woman Anglican priest as the protagonist. (He is also working on additional titles with this character.) While the new titles have not been picked up by an American publisher, we can thank Amazon.com for making them available to us. I ordered them from Amazon.co.uk, and received them with the usual Amazon.com promptness. The titles not available in the US are: The Man in the Moss; The Chalice; The Wine of Angels; Midwinter of the Spirit And there is a new title coming out in February, 2001!
Rating:
Summary: Imagine...
Review: Phil Rickman writes lengthy novels. But, in my opinion, long, labyrinthine texts are the hallmark of most good novels of the horror/supernatural genre. His writing style mirrors the twists and turns of the plot, and December is a great example of Rickman at his tortuous best. The title hints that the action of the story is moving toward a crisis in "December", perhaps more horrific than the events of Decembers past. This novel incorporates events and intrigues that span hundreds of years, some fact, some fiction, but by the middle of the book, I was so entangled in the narrative intricacies that the blurred boundaries of the real and the imaginary just made the tale more delicious as it unravelled. Having lived with a musician for ten years, I could appreciate Rickman's careful development of that theme, and as one who is still "stuck in the 60s", I could relate to the almost cosmic significance of John Lennon's life and death. Yes, Rickman takes his sweet, twisted time getting to the climax of the story, but I rather enjoy a writer with a slow hand.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent! Hard to put down.
Review: Put a band psychic musicians to record in a haunted Abby with a bloody history and hang on! Based on real places and events. You can't miss the Beatles reference as well as parallels with other popular artists. The characters pull you into a fast moving, spine-tingling plot that won't let you go.
Rating: 
Summary: good stuff, bad ending
Review: The actual writing of this book was very good. Some great imagery here and a completely unique and inventive style. However, the plot needed work. When writing a book that is already tough to follow because of the alternative writing style the plot should be a bit more solid. The ending was extremely dissatisfying as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Does this guy ever get to the point?
Review: This was one of the most drawn out books I have ever read. Like "Curfew" this book held great promise, but just didn't deliver the goods for me. A good writer, but the author has a major problem focusing on the main plot.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely brilliant
Review: When I first got this book, I read about 80 pages and found it to be, well, confusing, so I put it down for 6 months. Last week, I picked it up again, and after about page 150 or so, could not put it down again. I definitely recommend this book, even though it may take some time to get the hang of the story. The book may not be a fast read, a la the abovementioned Koontz and King (whom I also admire), but it's a great story filled with amazing detail, and one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. Phil Rickman and this book are definitely in my top 10. No, on second thought, my top 5. No, top 4..
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