Under the Overtree

Rating:
Summary: Reviews from professional publications and authors
Review: "The woods around Lake Overtree, near the small town ofSummitville, CO. hold dark and ancient secrets, and the Folk of thewoods have chosen teenager Mark Howell as their emissary of vengeance and fulfillment. Moore's dark version of a young man's coming of age resonates with psychological tension and supernatural overtones that form a vivid contrast to the minutiae of everyday small-town life. The author's ability to depict scenes of graphic violence as well as moments of quiet horror make this title a strong candidate for most horror and dark fantasy collections."-LIBRARY JOURNAL, March 2000

"A gawky and impatient young teenager yearning for acceptance from his stepfather and romantic affection from a female classmate undergoes a bodily transformation that enables him to realize his dreams in James A Moore's UNDER THE OVERTREE. Mark soon learns that his metamorphosis comes with a devilish price in this creepy novel recalling vintage Stephen King."-PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, February 28, 2000

"One of the signs of a truly remarkable book, is that it makes you completely forget that you are really good friends with the author. Such is the case with James Moore's UNDER THE OVERTREE. After page 2, I found myself completely forgetting I was reading "Jim's Book", and instead enjoying the tale that he has brought forth. What follows, is my (Scout's Honor!) completely objective, and brutally honest review:

UNDER THE OVERTREE takes place in Summitville, Colorado, an extremely isolationist small town that ritually goes out of its way to discourage newcomers. Thrust into this environment is Mark Howell: "the new kid at school". Mark is overweight, shy, and quick to cross paths with the local bullies... Shortly after his first run-in, things begin to change. Mark loses some weight, makes some friends, lands the prettiest girl in school, and The [bullies] slowly begin to disappear, as does anyone else who might even think of crossing Mark's path. What's the connection? I can't tell you everything, now can I?

Moore provides us with a number of memorable and well-rounded characters throughout his book. It is a credit to him that these characters are instantly recognizable but have an added depth to them that completely avoids stereotype. Of note are the local famous horror writer P.J. Sanderson, and the unforgettable Jonathan Crowley (whom I sincerely hope makes more appearances in Jim's work in the future). Crowley is an especially intriguing and well-handled character. It would be overly tempting to give him a DC Comics "Secret Origin of Jonathan Crowley" treatment, but we are only left guessing at how he came to be who and what he is. While Moore's talent firmly resides in his ability as a storyteller, he also knows that some stories are better imagined. Bravo, Jim!

UNDER THE OVERTREE is full of complex plot twists, and gets deliciously creepy at times. (That's what I want my blurb to be on the movie poster: "...Deliciously Creepy..."). Unfortunately we're going to have to wait until spring before the book sees general release (one of the perks of knowing the author, is that you get access to Advance Copies). I hope that when this book does hit, it hits with its feet running... This is one book that deserves to be picked up and enjoyed. Don't miss it!"-Kevin Kovalasic at DangerMedia

"UNDER THE OVERTREE is as wonderfully twisted and dark as the deep roots of an ancient tree, steeped in secrets and dripping with evil. James Moore knows how to grab to reader's nerves and squeeze until the sweat pours down and their eyes bug out. This is "horror" fiction-or "dark fantasy"-at its dazzling best. Wonderfully human and touching and frightening, Under the Overtree is everything a good novel should be."-Rick Hautala author of BEDBUGS and TWILIGHT TIME

"An ambitious novel with echoes of Bradbury and King and McCammon, UNDER THE OVERTREE treats us to fully-fleshed characters, an engrossing storyline crammed with surprises, and a sensational finale. James A. Moore has arrived."-F. Paul Wilson

Fans of THE SHINING and PHANTOMS will welcome James A. Moore into the ranks of horror master. UNDER THE OVERTREE is fresh, complex, and totally enthralling. Summitville is an intriguing town that should serve as the backdrop for future novels. Though the characters are fascinating, what makes Mr. Moore's novel so entertaining is the author's ability to make the supernatural seem so scientifically natural. Fans of urban fantasy and horror need to put this on there must read list."-Harriet Klausner, MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW March 2000

"James A. Moore has a produced a fat treasure chest of a novel with his oddly titled UNDER THE OVERTREE. The Overtree is a lake in the insular small town of Summitville, Colorado. What's under it causes major problems for new residents and townies alike.

Fifteen-year-old Mark Howell and his family move to Summitville, which regards people not born there with suspicion. Mark is chased through the woods by a pack of bullies, falling on an ancient stone. His virgin blood awakens the Fairy Folk and he becomes their Chosen One. Unbeknownst to Mark the Folk are responsible for his miraculous transformation from pudgy nerd to handsome stud. The Folk are also responsible for the violent deaths of anyone who threatens their plans for Mark. Despite earning friends and a steady girl, Mark is in serious danger. It's up to his mentor, best-selling horror novelist P. J. Sanderson, who is responsible for awakening the Folk with a ritual as a boy, and the mysterious John Crowley, who stopped the Folk back then, to put a stop to it.

Moore takes a large group of well-developed characters through their paces in this involving tale. Whenever he flirts with predictability he finds a surprising twist to keep it lively. The result is a thriller loaded with suspense and mainstream sensibilities. Under the Overtree has potential to be a breakout book for Moore. He's already writing at a level equal to many of his more successful brethren."-Garrett Peck, CEMETARY DANCE.

"There's something nasty in Summitville. Moore's first major horror novel combines characters you can care about, a wicked sense of humor, and some good old fashioned scares."-Craig Shaw Gardner

"Jim Moore's UNDER THE OVERTREE is a wonderfully creepy, well-written book with engaging characters and a forward rushing narrative drive that keeps you plowing through the pages. The best book of the dark fantastic that I've read in ages."-Joe R. Lansdale.

"UNDER THE OVERTREE is a spine tingler. I devoured the book and then slept with the lights on. James A. Moore is a true master of horror fiction."-Owl Goingback, author of DARKER THAN NIGHT

"This novel by James A. Moore is the first of his that I have seen and it says on the back that he has written four others. I'm going to have to look for them, as I'm sure you will as soon as you have finished this one."

"This is the story of Mark Howell and the events that take place after he moves to Summitville, Colorado and goes through the problems associated with being the "new kid". After a beating in the woods where he is scarred by a rock, strange things begin to happen to him. He begins to loose weight and get into shape. The prettiest girl in school becomes his girlfriend. And someone is getting even with those who picked on him. There are strange goings on in the woods near Lake Overtree. People are dying and the sheriff and coroner are baffled."

"This novel of dark fantasy fits into a niche with Dan Simmons's SUMMER OF NIGHT and Robert McCammon's BOYS LIFE and tells the story of a group of friends who become involved with the unusual that will change their lives forever."

"This should be a sure winner for James A. Moore and a best seller for Meisha Merlin...

Rating:
Summary: This author demonstrates enormous promise in this genre
Review: After finishing this very satisfying book, I realized that the core story was actually a little more than silly, but, James Moore somehow made it all work, and it's due to his incredible gift as a great writer. In all honesty, I can say that if King or Koontz even attempted to tell this tale, I probably wouldn't have made it a quarter way through. Mr. Moore not only made me want to read it, he made me anticipate every page. People, this is truly a farfetched story that is made believable because of the author's intelligence and style. That he forced me to suspend my disbelief and have a great time is such a welcome, because so many new authors can not do that for me. I was so impressed with his intelligence, his prose, his humor and his "down to earthness," I actually considered highlighting several lines and passages from this book. He is indeed a very quotable author. So, in a nutshell, we have a somewhat silly tale that is told so brilliantly, that I would highly recommend this novel to all horror lovers in general. I believe it will satisfy the most demanding horror lover. Readers, keep in mind that the ending is somewhat of a letdown, and in the last six chapters or so, he uses the word "proper" extensively, but, it is indeed his first novel and these minor quirks can easily be overlooked. Mr. Moore, I welcome you and salute your arrival....and I truly look forward to your next offering.

Rating:
Summary: Under the Overtree Description
Review: Can you hear it? The whispered laughter carried by the wind?

Can you see Them? The faint shadowy forms that move through the woods near Lake Overtree. The ones whose very presence is silencing the wild life?

Can you feel the changes in the air? The changes taking place in one young man whose entire world is shifting, changing to accommodate his desires. The girl of his dreams is his for the taking, the kids who bullied him are going away one by one, and even his worst enemies are seeing him in a different light. His body, once soft and flabby, has grown strong and lean, something he never expected would happen. His stepfather, Joe, has finally stopped looking at him like garbage and started treating him like a real son. Every hope, every wish that Mark Howell has known in his lonely life is coming true. Can you hear it? The mournful wails of families torn apart by the loss of their loved ones? The faint screams of the damned, of those foolish enough to cross his path?

Listen carefully.

It's happening.

Mark's world is changing, regardless of the cost. It's happening.

Under the Overtree.

Rating:
Summary: MOORE ALITY TALE
Review: Considering this is a first novel, UNDER THE OVERTREE comes out a winner, if an imperfect one. Moore knows his horror compatriates well, mirroring King, Koontz, McCammon, Little and Bradbury. Without rehashing the plot, let me offer you my pros and cons on this both mesmerizing and disappointing novel.
Pros first: Moore gives us a small town that seems to have all the elements of a small town. Being xenophobic, they don't like newcomers, and only accept them on their own terms. This gives our hero Mark Howell his first problem. Moore has a keen understanding of a teenagers' psyche, although at times, his handling of the adult characters isn't quite as sharp. Jennifer Howell is one of those we fail to truly understand, and by the end, when we realize her agenda, it seems unfair and out of sync. Moore though does build some suspenseful scenes, and his imagining of the fairies is quite entertaining. The way Moore handles friendship among the teens is commendable, and his allowing darker characters to come to a more affable personality is also rare and enjoyable.
My main disappointment with this novel is that Moore gives us a hero, Mark, who is really a victim of what happens and even after the possession begins, it's not Mark who's evil...it's the creatures that have molded him. By the end of the novel, Mark and Cassie are relegated to supporting roles, and all of a sudden, Tyler (who is an enjoyable character) and Lisa (who is not) come out as heroes. We put our stakes in Mark throughout most of the book, and then he is put to blame. Also, the character of Jonathan Crowley seems too heartless and uncaring to really be the "hero" he is painted to be. Oh, well, guess I'm just a little too particular ?
Anyway, this is a good involving book and despite my disappointments, was enjoyable to read.

Rating:
Summary: MOORE ALITY TALE
Review: Considering this is a first novel, UNDER THE OVERTREE comes out a winner, if an imperfect one. Moore knows his horror compatriates well, mirroring King, Koontz, McCammon, Little and Bradbury. Without rehashing the plot, let me offer you my pros and cons on this both mesmerizing and disappointing novel.
Pros first: Moore gives us a small town that seems to have all the elements of a small town. Being xenophobic, they don't like newcomers, and only accept them on their own terms. This gives our hero Mark Howell his first problem. Moore has a keen understanding of a teenagers' psyche, although at times, his handling of the adult characters isn't quite as sharp. Jennifer Howell is one of those we fail to truly understand, and by the end, when we realize her agenda, it seems unfair and out of sync. Moore though does build some suspenseful scenes, and his imagining of the fairies is quite entertaining. The way Moore handles friendship among the teens is commendable, and his allowing darker characters to come to a more affable personality is also rare and enjoyable.
My main disappointment with this novel is that Moore gives us a hero, Mark, who is really a victim of what happens and even after the possession begins, it's not Mark who's evil...it's the creatures that have molded him. By the end of the novel, Mark and Cassie are relegated to supporting roles, and all of a sudden, Tyler (who is an enjoyable character) and Lisa (who is not) come out as heroes. We put our stakes in Mark throughout most of the book, and then he is put to blame. Also, the character of Jonathan Crowley seems too heartless and uncaring to really be the "hero" he is painted to be. Oh, well, guess I'm just a little too particular ?
Anyway, this is a good involving book and despite my disappointments, was enjoyable to read.

Rating:
Summary: A nice change of pace from typical horror novels
Review: Horror fiction, like so many genres, is frequently dismissed because of the repetitiveness of themes that plague the genre. Sturgeon's law, of course, ensures that most "typical" vampire or post-apocalypse novels do more damage to the genre's reputation than good. But every once in a while, one of the top authors takes a classic plotline and tells a tale that makes you completely reconsider everything you know about the genre. James Moore's Under the OverTree is one such novel.

Moore's tale is a variation on the classic power-comes-with-puberty theme explored so well in Stephen King's Carrie and Bentley Little's Dominion, and which has become cliché thanks to the likes of John Saul. But Moore takes this classic theme and twists it in some truly unique ways, and his vision turns a familiar subject into one of the most original and enjoyable horror novels I've read.

Under the Overtree tells the story of Mark Howell, an awkward teenager who has just moved to the Colorado town of Summitville. He's not exactly the most socially adept teen anyway, and the local bullies are naturally drawn to him. And, of course, the beautiful girl of his dreams isn't. With the usual teen desires of revenge and sex, he's the perfect conduit for a supernatural force that wants revenge.

That's when Moore adds an urban fantasy (although, given the small-town location, count this as another argument for Windling's "mythic fantasy" term fazing out UF) layer to things, as, instead of the usual suspects -- the ghost of a witch, or a Manitou, or Satan -- we have the local Fae, awakened by the spilling of Mark's pure blood. They help Mark get all that he wants, as they groom him to be their instrument of revenge, eliminating anyone who gets in their way.

Although the various twists and turns are always enjoyable, what makes Moore's novel really shine is his ability to create intriguing and original characters. Mark is aided in his journey by P.J. Sanderson, a local horror author (tempting as it is to play guessing games here -- is Sanderson an avatar for Moore? Is he a nod towards a fellow author? -- Moore makes him a fully-realized character in his own right) and John Crowley, a magical troubleshooter who is the only one who knows how to defeat the Fae. The entire supporting cast, down to the last bully, is fully realized -- each of them is someone you could easily know (well, maybe not Crowley). The essence of a great horror novel is making sure that the characters encountering unbelievable situations are themselves believable, and Moore accomplishes this with craftsman's precision.

Jim Moore has come a long way since his early White Wolf days. With Under the OverTree, he has leapt into the forefront of the horror genre, establishing himself as a writer to be reckoned with. He has told one of the best horror stories of the last few years, and proven that a good author can turn a clichéd plot into something truly special. Anyone looking for a change of pace from the typical horror novel would be well-rewarded by picking up this novel

Rating:
Summary: Good effort, very promising talent
Review: I can't delude myself into thinking this was a great read, but there are enough nuggets here to make it an entertaining and marginally satisfying way to spend a few afternoons.

First, the bad stuff. Moore attempts to present a panoramic cross-section of small-town characters here, but juggling the enormous cast is a bit beyond his ability at this point. As a result, the plot jumps in fits and starts as the main character is left out of the story for many pages at a time, and actually becomes more of an afterthought rather than a driving force by the book's final third. In fact, I cared little about him (and as a result, about any character) by the end of the story. Beyond a general lack of character development and care, Moore brings us yet another "alien meteor come to earth" centerpiece, although he does handle it with more skill than a lesser writer might. Finally, this book was in dire need of an editor with an ear for the cliche. Moore has a tendency to write like he's authoring a bad D&D module rather than a novel. An experienced editor could have challenged his creaky and lazy prose in a good many spots.

But there are many bright points here as well. Moore handles action scenes as well as anyone. He has that real writer's ability to give just enough description to throw you into the scene, but not so much that the action slows. Despite the fact that his characters are kind of lifeless, he does have a great knack for using character actions and decisions to advance the plot. His ear for dialogue is a little tinny, but his characters are always doing something that makes the story move. Moore also has a nice way of tossing around the gore, which I always appreciate. I hope he plays to this strength in the future, and here's my advice: "More Gore, Moore!"

Rating:
Summary: great book....
Review: i thoroughly enjoyed this book, and, even though it is not my style to read horror books, i will read the rest of Mr. Moore's books, starting with Possessions and working my way backwards. i have heard that fireworks is an amazing book, and I know that Serenity Falls has been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award!!!!!!
This seems to be an author to keep one's eyes on!
bye
randy

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly imaginative chiller
Review: James Moore gives us a powerful story involving the adage of getting what you wish for and follows it down a course of wonder, violence, horror and magic. The prose is sharp and clear, with a narrative voice that will rock your socks off. His imagination is unique and the novel goes so far as to work as a fable of sorts. There are several messages to be found within the novel's pages. Just look for yourself!

Rating:
Summary: Chilling and thrilling
Review: Jim Moore is an excellent writer with the ability to not only make characters and situations leap off the page, but cause a reader to dive into a book from start to finish. I devoured this book during a long flight home and even mentioned to the complete stranger sitting next to me, who admired the book's cover, what a wonderful title this was.