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Summary: A stylistic, unique inspection of evil
Review: Just a brief glance at all the previous reviews wills how you that Piccirilli's HEXES is a novel you'll either love or hate. For my tastes, I found it a winner. The author goes to extremes to make sure the story line is fresh and freaky. While his poetic language and frequent flashbacks might annoy readers more used to Koontz and King, for those looking for writing willing to break the envelope you'll find the language dazzling and the plot almost surreal at times. There's a pervasive sense of dread throughout the novel even while the author offers a good deal of humorour underpinnings. This is just a weird fusion of elements that you'll either find innovative or difficult. I say give HEXES a shot and you'll find it a rewarding piece of occult literature.
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Summary: You guys are kidding, right?(Debbie is dead)
Review: I had to read the other reviews for this book. Scary? (Debbie is dead).This was so boring I actually fell asleep a few times reading it. (Debbie is dead). Scattered through the book (Debbie is dead). I believe we got it the first time we read Debbie is dead. Tom Piccirilli's overuse of metaphors had me thinking he should write poetry instead of horror. He finally got around to that poem half way through the book. The way Mr. Piccirilli jumps back and forth in time, through the character's flashbacks, and the nightmare scenes, can make your head spin. Scary to me is the Exorcist, even the sequel to the Exorcist, I Am Legion. The only way I'd recommend this book is for insomnia. By the way, Debbie is dead!
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Summary: One of the eeriest books I've ever read
Review: This novel puts classic horror elements to great use: a small town stalked by great evil; an insane asyulum where something inhuman prowls; and occult forces that only one man can fight. This is a very human and humane story, filled with sorrow and anguish and the terrible fears of childhood. Not the boogeyman but the loss of parents and friends. The overwhelming feeling I got from this novel was "haunted." It's an unsettling plot that will draw you in and tear away at your resolve.
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Summary: Weird, wild novel
Review: Man, I've heard a lot about this book, and now that I've read it I wholeheartedly agree that it's deserving of all the attention it's gotten--including the fact that it was a Bram Stoker final nominee for Best Novel of 1999. The story moves so quickly, bopping and weaving between the fantastical, phantasmagorical, and sleepy little town facades, that you'll be swept along into a plot that works on a number of levels. You'll definitely be affected.
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Summary: Delightfully twisted
Review: I've been a hardcore fan of the horror genre since I was a teenager, and I'm always glad to see a writer who's willing to stretch the boundaries of the field. Piccirilli writes with a real touch of poetry in a highly atmospheric and stylized fashion. His style won't be for everyone, but for those who are looking for a unique voice in the field (think Dennis Etchison, Gary Braunbeck, and with a touch of Shirley Jackson thrown in) and you'll find plenty here to keep you absorbed. Ghosts, demons, a haunted insane asylum and other occult forces all create a heady brew.
Rating:
Summary: Huh?
Review: Okay, maybe I missed something. Maybe I'm not the horror audience that Tom Piccirilli was looking for when he wrote this book. I'm a horror fan, have loved anything by King or Koontz since I was in junior high. I read at least a book a week and consider myself to be fairly intelligent. This book, however, lost me in the first 100 pages and I just never seemed to find my way back to the author's train of thought. Perhaps my tastes are better suited to the writings of King, Koontz, McCammon and Little, because this book bored the daylights out of me.
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Summary: Literate horror at its best
Review: The narrative in HEXES is evocative, literate, and ambitious. It won't be for everyone, especially those who like "quick reads" filled with gore, boogeymen, or serial killers knocking off cannon fodder in chintzy ways. This is powerful stuff with genuine scenes of poignancy, heartbreak, and anguish. The prodigal son returning to the place where he knows he will meet his doom is done with plenty of effective stylish touches. Make sure you give this one a try if you want an adult-oriented horror novel that doesn't give all its secrets away on a silver platter and actually attempts to make the reader think a little.
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Summary: Hexes, literally gave me a headache....
Review: If you enjoy an 'alleged' horror story, stocked with flowery words, lacking intriguing plot,unbelieveable, boring characters, and mix-matched ideas of the occult, in which the author threw in his story, (comparable to an apple and broccoli dish,) this is THE book for you... A waste of time and expense...I've read numerous horror stories, most kept my interest, scared the living daylights out of me, but I have to give the author credit for one thing: his writing style gave me a migraine. If I had to write a report on Hexes I'd have a blank sheet staring me in the face...Horror? Where, what did I miss? There wasn't one paragraph throughout the entire 359 pages that chilled my bones, or even a miniscule goosebump. And to compare Piccirilli's style to King's is absurd. King's words flows, Piccirillis's blows. THE ENDING: What happened? What was his point? Where was he heading? Hello! And where do the 'Praises' from various newspaper reviews come from. Did he pay them? Are they friends of his, drinking buddies, old classmates? What more can I say? So, to those who enjoy a thrilling horror and must purchase the book, contact your doctor, ask for a prescription for the strongest pain-killer, preferably something with codeine, and read on.
Rating: 
Summary: Substandard Horror with Occult Edge
Review: I'm surprised at the enthusiasm this book is generating. I didn't find it to be anything special. The plot was needlessly convoluted, the characters were - aside from Matthew Galen and Gusto - poorly drawn, and there was nothing scary about it. The climax seemed thrown together and out of character with the rest of the book. I didn't believe the outcome of the final battle. It was weak. Two-thirds of the characters seemed to be thrown in just so the author could attach names to the victims in the climax. Basically, the plot is that Matthew Galen returns to his hometown where his best friend has been imprisoned in Panecraft (get it?), the asylum that Galen's father built and his mother died in. His best friend is the prime suspect in whole bunch of missing children cases. But did his friend do it or is there some greater evil lurking about the town? Galen's the right man to find out. Why? Because as a teenager he got involved with the occult and became quite powerful. So what made him successful at it when a million heavy metal kids who dabbled in Crowley and other Occult stuff throughout the 70's, 80's, and 90's weren't? Read the book, see if you find the answer. See if you buy the answer. I didn't. Even the two scenes other reviewers are throwing their accolades at were dull. Neither the train station or the house scene was anything special. Not that the book was all bad. To me, the creepiest part of the book were finding out about the chess players in the boarding house. For some reason I also liked Disgusto the dog. I hoped it would survive. Otherwise I didn't care about one single character.
Rating:
Summary: A total waste of time
Review: The glowing reviews of "Hexes" are either written by the author himself, or by those who have not had the pleasure of reading a truly engrossing story. When reading about the occult, one expects a wild ride of thrills, fright, evil, and the macabre. None of these attributes are found within the pages of "Hexes.""Hexes" is just one long cliché after another. The development of the plot and characters are virtually non-existent. The author fails miserably to grab the readers interest. No intrigue, no suspense. So predictable is the story line that it's just pathetic to read. I was never "shocked" or "frightened" by the "unspeakable crimes" alleged to be found between the covers of "Hexes." When reading "Hexes" you get that familiar feeling of having "seen" this somewhere before, then you remember those "B" movies shown after midnight on your local TV station. I do believe this might be the place where the author got his inspiration for this book.
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