Rating: 
Summary: That does it: another writer falling back on previous fame
Review: Once upon a time, "Michael Slade" wrote original, interesting stories with well-nuanced characters in a sub-genre of "splatterpunk". But that was 20 years ago, and the original authors behind the Slade name (John Banks, Jay Clarke, Lee Clarke, Richard Covell) have dispersed, leaving the father-daughter team of Jay and Rebecca Clarke to trade in on the earlier "glories", and all we get are the now-standard "Special X" characters and a franchise name. Pity. OK, I'll concede that there is a veneer of intelligence usually lacking in graphic (as in "gore-riddled") crime fiction, but just sticking a bibliography at the end of every book doesn't necessarily make that book intelligent in and of itself. "Death's Door" is the most egregrious example of laurel-resting I've come across in a looooong time, worse even than Stephen King's last two or three thousand books. Not only are the major characters recycled, including the villian ("Mephisto", oh, dear.....), they are now recycled cardboard. Zinc Chandler gets to bang his head (again - poor man would be in an institution by now), DeClerq gets to act the swell and brood (alternately), "Ghost Keeper" is even more of a stereotype than his last appearance, as is Ed "Mad Dog" Rabidowski (full-blown psychotic now), and the rest of the crew, well, what did you expect? I really hate it when an author can't break new ground and instead feels entitled to dish out familiar material to an apparently easily-satisfied fan-base. Believe me, if this was "Michael Slade's" *first* novel, no publisher would touch it. Do yourself a favor: if you've already read the first four Slade books ("Headhunter" through "Cutthroat"), you've read all that's *worth* reading. You can stop now and pick up something else, something different, original, and not continue to encourage sloppy, condescending, franchise gunk. Slade, if you come up with something OFF of the "Special X" gravy train you've been riding a little *too* long, I'll be delighted to check it out. Otherwise: you've sold me your last book.
Rating: 
Summary: Wicked!!!
Review: Possibly his very best offering yet. Following close on the heels of Hangman but a little bit more intense and nasty. Those who liked his previous material will definitely not be disappointed. I could not put this book down!! Michael Slade has (erroneously) been compared to Stephen King by some people who should know better. These idiots don't know what the hell they're talking about! It's obvious that they have either never read Stephen King or else they haven't bothered to check out Michael Slade! It's like saying that Chaucer and Keats are similar because they both wrote prose! Stephen King writes fiction in a sort of grown-up horror fairytale style. Michael Slade writes horror thrillers based on REAL human experience...no magical, mythical creatures nor any witches or dopplegangers there ... All that Michael Slade writes is based on a combination of things or parts thereof, which human beings have actually done to each other at one time or another. That's what makes him so effective!
Rating:
Summary: I really didn't get it.
Review: This thriller/horror novel begins with a stolen Mummy and ends with an archfiend serial killer. How it gets from point A to point B is unclear, and at least a little bit uninteresting. _Death's Door_ seems to me as though the goal of the writer was to become known for the most gory and graphic set of serial killers on record. In this, Slade succeeds admirably-- the abominations range from particularly nasty snuff to child torture to necrophilia-- all in a mere 368 pages. Unfortunately, the book is less successful in creating coherent characterization or plot. I never fully got the Special X thing, and the serial killer is so over-the-top bad he brought Boris Badinoff to mind more quickly than Hannibal Lector. And as for a good explanation of the whole Mummy thing? Forget it. It never arrives. _Death's Door_ will probably succeed in keeping you awake while waiting for a delayed bus at a Greyhound station, but I would suggest that you pick it up second-hand.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This was the first book I read by Slade, and I was surprised how amatuerish it was, being their tenth book. There was a considerable amount of research put into this book, and it was appreciated, but it's no substitute for good storytelling. A good story should draw you in, making you feel like a part of what's going on. Slade makes you feel that you're being told about something they experienced themselves, and the occasional personal opinions they throw in only only pull you farther away. They draw heavily from Stephen King, but they should leave it to those who do it well. Allusions are made only to have them immediately explained in detail. Slade must think we're ignoramuses! They also kept beating us over the head with the idea of how important beauty is in Hollywood. Enough already! We get it! We were aware of it long before Death's Door was written!
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This was the first book I read by Slade, and I was surprised how amatuerish it was, being their tenth book. There was a considerable amount of research put into this book, and it was appreciated, but it's no substitute for good storytelling. A good story should draw you in, making you feel like a part of what's going on. Slade makes you feel that you're being told about something they experienced themselves, and the occasional personal opinions they throw in only only pull you farther away. They draw heavily from Stephen King, but they should leave it to those who do it well. Allusions are made only to have them immediately explained in detail. Slade must think we're ignoramuses! They also kept beating us over the head with the idea of how important beauty is in Hollywood. Enough already! We get it! We were aware of it long before Death's Door was written!
Rating: 
Summary: Enough already!!!
Review: This was the first Michael Slade book I read and it will definitely be my last. I bought this book because I was intrigued by the promise of blood, gore and suspense. Instead I suffered through a history lesson on every new topic that came up. It's as if the authors thought the readers were so stupid that we needed to be educated on the origin and entire background of every new subject. I also found myself disgusted with the way EVERY time Gill is mentioned in the book, there's also either a description of how wonderful she looks since her surgery or she's described using a word such as "revamped" or "rejuvenated." We get the picture. There's no reason to have to remind us constantly that the plastic surgery was a success. I know that this ties into the end but BARELY... That got really old really fast. And was she supposed to be likable? If so, I did not get that at all. After I read a few chapters I started skimming each page looking for something that wasn't a history lesson or was at least a little interesting. Bottom line, I hated this book.
Rating:
Summary: Enough already!!!
Review: This was the first Michael Slade book I read and it will definitely be my last. I bought this book because I was intrigued by the promise of blood, gore and suspense. Instead I suffered through a history lesson on every new topic that came up. It's as if the authors thought the readers were so stupid that we needed to be educated on the origin and entire background of every new subject. I also found myself disgusted with the way EVERY time Gill is mentioned in the book, there's also either a description of how wonderful she looks since her surgery or she's described using a word such as "revamped" or "rejuvenated." We get the picture. There's no reason to have to remind us constantly that the plastic surgery was a success. I know that this ties into the end but BARELY... That got really old really fast. And was she supposed to be likable? If so, I did not get that at all. After I read a few chapters I started skimming each page looking for something that wasn't a history lesson or was at least a little interesting. Bottom line, I hated this book.
Rating:
Summary: miserably bruised book
Review: What a miserably bruised book. In place of intelligence we get hijacked history, forensic-behavioral extracts, cartoon character development and the adolescent clutter of the authors' sexualities. The rotten-souled villains all speak in the authors' bleak one-note calligraphy (a father daughter team no less). No de sade here. Only duh-sad.
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