Rating: 
Summary: McCammon's Back!
Review: I have just completed a welcome reunion with Robert McCammon. In SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD he has created a novel of epic status that engages the reader immediately and doesn't let go. Despite the length of the book, it is no chore to read. Though I am not a great fan of period novels, I found difficulty letting the people of Fount Royal rest.McCammon's use of language and historic, scientific, religious and psychological detail is without parallel in anything I have read in years. The words are lyrical even when describing the most disturbing circumstances. It is, however, the depth of his characters that supercedes the average author's abilities. The reader lives within them. As a published author, I cannot imagine the awesome task Mr. McCammon undertook when beginning this book. It is truly a masterpiece! Carl T. Smith
Fripp Island, SC
Rating:
Summary: ROBERT MCCAMMON'S BEST NOVEL TO DATE!!!
Review: It's been ten long years since Robert McCammon's last published book, but I'm happy to say that the author is finally back in full form with SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD, a novel that tackles the injustice of the witchcraft trials in Colonial America and how one young man dares to resist the mob mentality in order to save the woman he loves. It begins in 1699 when Magistrate Isaac Woodward and his clerk, Matthew Corbett, are called to the small town of Fount Royal, which is on the coast of the Carolinas, to investigate the accusations of witchcraft and murder against the beautiful Rachel Howarth. She has been accursed of killing her own husband, Daniel, and the Reverend Grove, as well as having sexual intercourse with the Devil, and causing the slow demise of the community. The town's people are ready to lynch Rachel, but Magistrate Woodward uses the power of his position to insist that a fair trail takes place before anything is done to the woman. As the witnesses are called forth during the days ahead, each one describes in explicit detail how they saw Mrs. Howarth in the throes of passion with her supposedly dark Master. Woodward firmly believes that the witnesses are telling the truth, but young Matthew begins to suspect that there's someone else behind the scenes-someone who's pulling the strings of the local town's people, intent of destroying Fount Royal and making Rachel the scapegoat to divert attention from his evil plans. When Rachel is sentenced to burn at the stake, Matthew's left with only a few days to prove her innocence and to find out the identity of the real murderer. SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD clearly surpasses any of Robert McCammon's earlier novels in sheer scope and craftsmanship. In fact, I consider it to be his crowning achievement in the field of fiction. Unlike his previous work in the horror genre, this is a historical novel of grand proportions (729 pages of small print) that delves into the hardships of day-to-day living during Colonial times, along with the fears and superstitions that caused many people to behave in the most hideous manner toward their fellow brothers. Mr. McCammon takes us into this desolate world, creating a murder mystery of such complexity that the reader is kept on his toes in a futile effort to guess who the killer really is. One can't help but be delighted in the multitude of characters that come alive within this story, each with their own uniqueness, perversity, and hidden agendas. It isn't long before you realize that almost everyone living in the town has something to hide and a strong reason for wanting Rachel to be convicted. Of course, it's Matthew Corbett who's the real star of the story as he quickly makes the journey into manhood, trusting his own instincts for discovering the truth and refusing to give up when faced with the impossible, believing in the power of justice and love. But, is he strong enough to take on the whole town and risk being burned at the stake with Rachel? SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD is a true masterpiece of literary fiction that's filled with nail-biting suspense and hard-hitting intrigue. This is the kind of novel that's sure to keep you up till the wee hours of the night, turning the pages in a hurried frenzy to find out what happens next. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Rating:
Summary: A great novel from a superb author !
Review: I'm sure this novel will be compared to Miller's "The Crucible" because of it's theme, but trust me, it's definately a Robert R. McCammon novel, written in his unique and beautiful style that he demonstrated profusely in his later work. It's not so much a horror novel, but rather a highly involving and well crafted tell that revolves around very horrific events that actually took place. I don't want to get into the actual story or characters because I don't won't to give anything away, but, this is one of those rare novels that should appeal to a wide spectrum of fans. McCammon is an extremely gifted author that puts you THERE, smack dab in the middle of things, and creates characters so vivid.....surely they must be real. If any reader enjoys atmosphere, and a story that truly takes you away, then grab a copy of "Speaks the Nightbird." You'll discover how McCammon is that rarest of authors who is as intelligent as he is 'down to Earth." Rare indeed !
Rating:
Summary: McCammon's back and started where he left off
Review: McCammon is probably my favorite author and I was elated to find him back from a 10 year break. It's seems with Nightbird he hasn't missed a beat and is back to his old form. As in his previous works the characters are beautifully done and believable. Each character has multiple layers and even the villain of the text you find yourself feeling a little sorry for at the end. The plot is also multi-layered and just when you think you figured out who-done-it he springs another surprise on you. The setting is also wonderfully done.
Nightbird isn't horror as McCammon's early work is but rather a sort of gothic/dark mystery. There is a feel of horror in it with the witch craft trial and the visions of the devil but it should be noted that it's not a horror novel per se. Still this is probably one of the author's best works and well worth the wait.
Rating:
Summary: Best book I've read in 10 years!
Review: I've been waiting for this book for awhile now and man, was it worth the wait. McCammon draws you into his world from the beginning and you spend several days and nights immersed in the story. I read the whole book in one long weekend, as I couldn't stop myself. As usual, he does a great job with descriptions of the characters. The plot is so intricately woven together, and the ending is fantastic. He's definately become my favorite writer of today. This book is my 3rd favorite of all time, behind Boy's Life and The Stand. Can't wait till his next book, hope the time interval isn't so long next time. I may have to re-read this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A welcome return for a great horror writer
Review: I have always maintained that there are three great modern American horror writers: Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Robert McCammon. King and Straub, of course, have been churning out books of varying quality for the last twenty-five years - but McCammon inexplicably vanished from the scene ten years ago and hasn't been heard from. Until now. And he marks his return with a different kind of horror story. At the turn of the 18th century a magistrate and his clerk ride toward a recently established village in the Carolinas to deal with a charge of witchcraft. But all is not as it seems. I won't spoil the plot except to say that if you're a McCammon fan this novel is not what you're expecting; but it's great nonetheless. If you haven't realized it already this novel has been split into two separate books. Part I is titled "Judgement of the Witch" and part II is "Evil Unveiled". The two books need to be read in order to avoid any confusion.
Rating:
Summary: Still my favorite author
Review: It's been ten long years since Robert McCammon published a novel, and I've been waiting impatiently the whole time. I read every McCammon novel when I became a fan in 1990, and by the time "Gone South" was published, I had caught up and had read everything he'd written to that point. Little did I know that I'd be waiting TEN YEARS for another foray into the world of RRM's imagination. "Speaks the Nightbird" was worth the wait. I plunged into this lengthy, satisfying novel and it was like speaking with an old friend after a long absence. This novel is a bit of a departure for the writer, as it's every bit a historical novel as it is a mystery story. The closest McCammon came to a historical novel was the WWII setting for "The Wolf's Hour", so I was a bit skeptical about him trying a "period" piece such as this. Thankfully, his knowledge of storytelling keeps "Speaks the Nightbird" from becoming an overly-descriptive "wow look how I can apply the research I've done" bore, like many historical novels unfortunately are. Nay, dear reader, the 1699 southern colonial setting makes for a well-conceived backdrop for a compelling tale in RRM's hands. As you probably know, this novel concerns the incarceration of an accused witch in a fledgling southern town by the name of Fount Royal. The townspeople believe that the witch has been responsible for multiple murders and a number of arson cases in the town, and while the town is falling to pieces the remaining residents want her burned at the stake for her crimes. Enter the Magistrate, who has been sent from neighboring Charles Town to act as judge, lawyer, and jury in her case. The Magistrate's clerk, Matthew, is the star of the story and we follow his interactions with the townspeople. We learn that Matthew's free-thinking and stubborn nature lead him into all sorts of conflict with the supporting cast, mostly centered on his belief that the witch may have been wrongly accused. That's all the plot synopsis I'm going to give you, sorry. Robert McCammon shows us a world in which people behave in ways you would expect based upon their surroundings. Some scenes seem a little over-the-top, and there are a few times during this novel when I scratched my head a bit trying to follow the motivations of certain characters (there is one scene I didn't agree with, but it DID make sense in context.) For the most part, however, the story is crisp and the plot absorbing. Don't go in expecting to get the usual, heavy-handed treatment of "Puritanical witch-burners" like you've read before; I respect the fact that the writer has decided to make these people act in logical ways rather than like overly religious backwoods fools. The characters act according to the way they understood the world at that time; their reasoning when it comes to right and wrong concepts are consistent and makes sense for 1699. The Magistrate, for example, is quite firm in his judgments regarding the guilt / innocence of the witch, and is able to back up his arguments convincingly, even to a reader like myself who knows better than to swallow the archaic beliefs of that time. Robert McCammon is BACK. This novel was a pleasure, and I would rate it 4+ stars. I'm giving an extra star for the simple fact that I am biased toward McCammon. Hey, at least I can admit it! Sue me.
Rating:
Summary: Good Witchcraft
Review: This was a very long book but worth every page. It was my first book by Mr McCammon but, I'm sure, not my last. The author can weave a tale! I loved it all, from all the descriptions to the intrigues and the Indians. It starts as a tale of witchcraft but ends up being much more. I love the way the tale starts on the periphery and works its way in and, at the end, all the threads come together in a beautiful tapestry. Great book!
Rating:
Summary: Woohoo, McCamon is back!
Review: A magistrate and his clerk are summoned to the Carolinas in 1699 to try the case of an accused witch, who appears to have a damning case against her. Matthew, the clerk, is not convinced that the woman is actually a witch, but may simply be the scapegoat in an elaborate plot to cause the fledgling town of Fount Royal to fail.
This novel is a well-written mystery that, despite it's length, kept me on the edge of my seat, so to speak. McCammon captures the time period without bogging the reader down in it. I enjoyed the book, and thought it to be one of McCammon's best, though it is very different from his other novels. There are very few horror elements in the story, so I can see how it might alienate a few long-time fans of the author's. But my advice (as a longtime fan myself) is to give it a chance --- you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing read
Review: As I sit down to write a review on this novel, one word seems to epitomize how I feel about this book. Beautiful. It has some of the most gorgeous prose I've ever seen in a horror novel. Stephen King writes amazing characters, when you want a fantastic good versus evil storyline you go to Dean Koontz. Bentley Little is your guy if you want to read about a mundane subject that becomes evil. But if you want to read a book that transports you, a book that is more like a beautiful painting than a simple novel -- then you need to read Robert R. McCammon. His books, this one in particular, are simply breathtaking.
|
