Stranger

Rating:
Summary: Blew me over - in a good way. Recommended
Review:
Strangers is chocked full of action, mystery, intrigue, creepy as hell moments, strong-willed characters with concrete goals, and a
few moving, emotional moments. The ending is a little too convenient in a way, but it doesn't bring down the rest of the book.

I love apocalyptic tales; this one certainly didn't dissapoint. Clarks words flow together well to weave a story that's full of tension and angst. As for pace, something is always happening.

I recommend this to everyone - even though it DOES have holes, who cares when its this good?? Pick it up immediately!

Rating:
Summary: Better than "Blood Crazy"
Review: "Stranger" is a completely satisfying read from beginning to end. I agree with the first reviewer that this is better than "Blood Crazy". It had more believable characters, more realistic situations, and a convincing ending that I thoroughly enjoyed. Not everything is spelled out for the reader -- which is where your imagination takes over. My only two problems were (don't worry -- no spoilers) the two things I didn't buy... (1) the towns punishment and (2)Mel's discovery. Everything else was quite nice. However, this wasn't a scary book, but if you enjoy apocalyptic epics, this is a fun ride. Chalk up another victory for Simon Clark.

Rating:
Summary: Better than "Blood Crazy"
Review: "Stranger" is a completely satisfying read from beginning to end. I agree with the first reviewer that this is better than "Blood Crazy". It had more believable characters, more realistic situations, and a convincing ending that I thoroughly enjoyed. Not everything is spelled out for the reader -- which is where your imagination takes over. My only two problems were (don't worry -- no spoilers) the two things I didn't buy... (1) the towns punishment and (2)Mel's discovery. Everything else was quite nice. However, this wasn't a scary book, but if you enjoy apocalyptic epics, this is a fun ride. Chalk up another victory for Simon Clark.

Rating:
Summary: Amazingly, on a par with "Blood Crazy"
Review: A few years ago Simon Clark released a post-apocalyptic horror novel entitled "Blood Crazy" that quickly became a favourite with many horror fans myself included. It was a fascinating tale set in England's rural countryside where all adults turned into zombified creatures seeking to kill all young people under the age of eighteen including their own children. Especially their own children. With "Stranger" Clark once again revisits the post-apocalyptic field, this time set in America, and does so with brilliant results.

A bizarre plague has swept South America. Nobody knows exactly how the plague started, some people believe it had to do with the air or a bug in the water system. As more people started dying, many of the South American populace started to flee north into Mexico, and finally into the USA. As the infected populace became more and more desperate and dangerous entire cities were destroyed and overturned. The infected South Americans, nicknamed "bread bandits" by the American populace, soon developed an insatiable appetite for killing and for devouring human flesh. It wasn't long before "bread bandits' stopped being a term for the South Americans, as the American populace also became inflected with this strange virus.

Not everyone became infected however. The infection rate is approximately 90%, leaving a number of survivors. Introducing the town of Sullivan. This island town of approximately 5000 has barricaded itself from the rest of civilisation and has become entirely self-sufficient and infection free. Nobody is allowed in or out of Sullivan. Compared to the rest of the country Sullivan is a peaceful oasis. However Greg Valdiva(narrator of this tale) is starting to see things in a different light. The residents and city counsel are acting increasingly paranoid and desperate whenever the slightest thing goes wrong or whenever one of the town's many rules is bent. As Valdiva decides to set sail and explore the world outside of Sullivan he discovers much more than he bargained for.

Like many end of the world novels Stranger has a grim tone but there is always an underlying recurrent theme of hope throughout. The narrating title character Greg Valdiva is someone with a very unique personality. I like how Clark painted him not as a heroic saint but as a flawed hero, who in his own way is capable of monstrous action when pushed to the brink. The first 150 pages or so are set in the town of Sullivan and are fascinating but things get even better after that once the events take place throughout the rest of the country. It becomes a sort of desparate roadtrip through a desolate landscape as Greg Valdiva and friends pillage through deserted town after deserted town in hope that they will finally find peace and salvation from the ever-looming menace of the zombefied population.

This is really a great end of the world horror novel. Clark's prose is simple and engaging making this fast, compulsive reading on a par with Blood Crazy. The only drawback I found was that Stranger is missing a lot of the scientific explanations and reasonings behind the nature of the plague that made Blood Crazy such a fascinating read. However anyone looking for fast-paced gory zombie action will not be disappointed. Comparisons between this novel and the movie Day of the Dead would not be unwarranted. Stranger is a story of hope, survival, desperation and claustrophobia as the zombies multiply in numbers and the number of uninfected continually decrease every day. I will definitely read more of Simon Clark in the future for everything I've read from him so far has been gold.

Rating:
Summary: Amazingly, on a par with "Blood Crazy"
Review: A few years ago Simon Clark released a post-apocalyptic horror novel entitled "Blood Crazy" that quickly became a favourite with many horror fans myself included. It was a fascinating tale set in England's rural countryside where all adults turned into zombified creatures seeking to kill all young people under the age of eighteen including their own children. Especially their own children. With "Stranger" Clark once again revisits the post-apocalyptic field, this time set in America, and does so with brilliant results.

A bizarre plague has swept South America. Nobody knows exactly how the plague started, some people believe it had to do with the air or a bug in the water system. As more people started dying, many of the South American populace started to flee north into Mexico, and finally into the USA. As the infected populace became more and more desperate and dangerous entire cities were destroyed and overturned. The infected South Americans, nicknamed "bread bandits" by the American populace, soon developed an insatiable appetite for killing and for devouring human flesh. It wasn't long before "bread bandits' stopped being a term for the South Americans, as the American populace also became inflected with this strange virus.

Not everyone became infected however. The infection rate is approximately 90%, leaving a number of survivors. Introducing the town of Sullivan. This island town of approximately 5000 has barricaded itself from the rest of civilisation and has become entirely self-sufficient and infection free. Nobody is allowed in or out of Sullivan. Compared to the rest of the country Sullivan is a peaceful oasis. However Greg Valdiva(narrator of this tale) is starting to see things in a different light. The residents and city counsel are acting increasingly paranoid and desperate whenever the slightest thing goes wrong or whenever one of the town's many rules is bent. As Valdiva decides to set sail and explore the world outside of Sullivan he discovers much more than he bargained for.

Like many end of the world novels Stranger has a grim tone but there is always an underlying recurrent theme of hope throughout. The narrating title character Greg Valdiva is someone with a very unique personality. I like how Clark painted him not as a heroic saint but as a flawed hero, who in his own way is capable of monstrous action when pushed to the brink. The first 150 pages or so are set in the town of Sullivan and are fascinating but things get even better after that once the events take place throughout the rest of the country. It becomes a sort of desparate roadtrip through a desolate landscape as Greg Valdiva and friends pillage through deserted town after deserted town in hope that they will finally find peace and salvation from the ever-looming menace of the zombefied population.

This is really a great end of the world horror novel. Clark's prose is simple and engaging making this fast, compulsive reading on a par with Blood Crazy. The only drawback I found was that Stranger is missing a lot of the scientific explanations and reasonings behind the nature of the plague that made Blood Crazy such a fascinating read. However anyone looking for fast-paced gory zombie action will not be disappointed. Comparisons between this novel and the movie Day of the Dead would not be unwarranted. Stranger is a story of hope, survival, desperation and claustrophobia as the zombies multiply in numbers and the number of uninfected continually decrease every day. I will definitely read more of Simon Clark in the future for everything I've read from him so far has been gold.

Rating:
Summary: A heavyweight from Britains finest purveyor of eerie thrills
Review: As I sit in my stale fifth floor flat my naked girlfriend refuses to roll me yet another drugged cigarette to take away the horrors of the day. I have to resort the expenentially fascinating struggle of Greg Vladiva in Clark's latest macabre offering.
From the start this gorgeous display of horror has you firmly in it's claws and subsequently tightens it's grip throughout and refuses to relinquish until the very last page.
This divine trawl of violence and subsequent gore covers just about every emotion, whether it be the sheer blood- lust, the meandering but precise love interest between Greg and Michaela or just the good ol' fashioned action.
Clark never lets a scenario dwell for too long, just as you finally start to relax and get comfortable you are once again thrown into an all new element or aspect of genuine horror pleasure.
Whether you be an avid fan of the old school horror, or leaning towards more modern tales from the black hearted this would be for you.
Clark seems to have genuinly found his niche with this one.
Should Clark carry on this good form I wouldn't hesitate to suggest that there must be a secured place in the dark annals of horror heaven.

Rating:
Summary: Memorable page-turner, but SO flawed...(maybe spoiler)
Review: Despite the easy writing sytle this writer employs, this book never really goes anywhere in regards to plot. Many interesting plot potentials are brought up but never explored. Perhaps he wrote it this way for a sequel? If not, save your time.

Rating:
Summary: Not even close to Blood Crazy
Review: I agree with the Publisher's Weekly review of the book. I enjoyed reading Stranger, but felt that it fell short, especially compared to Blood Crazy. Clark didn't really cover a whole lot of new ground, and his reason for the apocolypse seemed a little weak to me. Also, Clark's Americans seemed more British than anything, and I can't for the life of me remember a 19 year-old using phrases like "Boy, that sure was a close one." The whole deal with the hives and what they were, I felt, was unresolved. Regardless, there was plenty of action, suspense, and gory violence, which would entertain just about any horror fan.

Rating:
Summary: Not Blood Crazy but close
Review: I am really into End of the World novels, and Stranger didn't let me down. I liked the storyline, and the pace of the book. I liked the characters, and the storyline most of all.
It isn't as good as Bloodcrazy though. It has some similar features that Blood Crazy had, but I felt that Stranger had some loose ends in it. You never fully understand the hives, and what man was evolving into, or at least I didn't.
That aside though I liked Stranger, and I recommend it to anyone who likes a good End of the World book.

Rating:
Summary: Not Blood Crazy but close
Review: I am really into End of the World novels, and Stranger didnt let me down. I liked the storyline, and the pace of the book. I liked the charaters, and the storyline most of all.
It isnt as good as Bloodcrazy though. It has some similar features that Blood Crazy had, but I felt that Stranger had some loose ends in it. You never fully understand the hives, and what man was evolving into, or at least I didnt.
That aside though I liked Stranger, and I recommend it to anyone who likes a good End of the World book.