Rating: Summary: No Vampire Novel Review: I was surprised people think that this novel is about vampire. It is definitely not, although it uses the term "strigoi." I am a great fan of a vampire novel, and so this novel is certainly not among those I would recommend to vampire novel lovers. I also read some of the reviews here, and I wonder why some of them want a "happy ending." This is a horror novel; one cannot expect a "happy ending" here. Nevertheless, that does not mean I like this novel, for this is surely one of the worst novel I have ever read, regardless of its having no connection with the vampire topic I mentioned above.
Rating: Summary: Oozes Atmosphere Review: I'm not sure what the others here were expecting. Perhaps Anne Rice or some such. I found 'The Lost' to be one of those 'I can't wait to get home from work and finish it' titles. When I did finish the book, laying on the couch at five A.M., I was actually frightened to get up and walk through the empty house, something that rarely happens to me with horror. Aycliffe is a master.
Rating: Summary: Oozes Atmosphere Review: I'm not sure what the others here were expecting. Perhaps Anne Rice or some such. I found 'The Lost' to be one of those 'I can't wait to get home from work and finish it' titles. When I did finish the book, laying on the couch at five A.M., I was actually frightened to get up and walk through the empty house, something that rarely happens to me with horror. Aycliffe is a master.
Rating: Summary: You Owe Me One Star Review: If there were zero star or even minus one star, this book will certainly get it. As it is, I am forced to give it one star. This book is totally a waste of time.
Rating: Summary: Truly Scary Review: If you like your horror novels with a ton of gore, don't read this book. If you have imagination, and enjoy suspense, then this is for you. Although the writing style is quite different, the storyline reminds me of King's The Shining. A man comes to an exotic and forboding place, and is possessed and completely corrupted by evil. The author understands that there is one thing more frightening than losing your life: losing your soul.
Rating: Summary: Avoid reading this one Review: If you want an enjoyable horror book, this one is a must avoid and definitely is not one of those books you can't put down. I suggest those by Stephen King or Robert R. McCammon if you are looking for good horror books. This book, The Lost, by Jonathan Aycliffe, is definitely a terribly poor horror book.
Rating: Summary: Extraordinarily Disappointing! Review: The beginning and the middle are not that bad, actually. But the ending of the story is very bad. No conclusion, no happy ending, just cruel and meaningless intentions. If you want to read good horror books with happy ending, also with the same format (using letters and journals to tell the story), Jeanne Kalogridis' trilogy of The Diaries of the Family Dracul is a good choice.
Rating: Summary: A Must-Avoid Review: The content of the book is different from what is written in the back of the cover. I bought this book in the bookstore and I was interested with the short synopsis in the back cover, but then I found out that the real story is not as mentioned and that it turned out real disappointing.
Rating: Summary: Derivative but eminently readable... Review: The debt to Bram Stoker is immediately evident but this shouldn't entirely detract from what is, in its own right, a genuinely disturbing story, set in a Carpathian castle and featuring a spinechilling and gratifying remorseless conclusion. The structure - a series of letters, journals and transcripts - obviously and unapologetically owes much to Bram Stoker. The language is unspectacular but effective; he has a spare and quite classically Gothic style which ensures that the pages keep turning over. Not an epoch-marking book, but certainly worth reading.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Horror In a Subtle Vein Review: THE LOST is billed as a Novel of Dark Discoveries and is a subtle horror that continues right to the last page.A prep school teacher in England learns that he is descended from Romanian nobility. This knowledge puts him on a quest to reclaim his heritage. There is talk of a family castle. Considering the situation in Romania after the collapse of Russian Communism, the teacher thinks about turning the castle into an orphanage. While pleading his case he enlists the aid of a young woman who tells him his claim will be processed more quickly if he claims he wants to start a hotel. But the castle is very remote and the two are cut off for the winter. Slowly the teacher learns the true heritage of his family. A dark heritage involving the strigoi -- the undead (but not vampires). The book is laid out as a collection of letters, journal entries and transcripts from taped logs. This format actually adds additional depth to the story. It sort of reminds me of the original The Books of Magic when the battle for the world happens off stage. This book is a lot like that. But remember, this is subtle horror. If you are looking for blood, gore and body parts then this is not for you. But if you like a classic style in a modern setting, then you should definitely take a look at this book.
|