7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent novel packed with the black arts, October 20, 2001
This review is from: The Beast That Was Max (Mass Market Paperback)
Max is back making his first full-length novel appearance. Here you'll meet the mystical assassin, his two lovers, and the Beast that reigns in his soul. Watch as Max battles mystical enemies and gods from a legion of religious belief systems, fighting them all in an effort to give birth to a creature that might save or destroy the world. Houarner's powerful writing style is fluid and gripping, drawing the reader (sometimes against his own will) into a strange and bloody story that will leave its imprint on you. Definitely give it a shot.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Three Wicked Tales of Weirdness, June 19, 2003
This review is from: The Beast That Was Max (Mass Market Paperback)
Gerard Houarner appears to be a bright new face in the horror genre. A quick search about him revealed some interesting tidbits about this author's life. His parents were Breton immigrants, and Houarner didn't speak much English until he went to school. His educational background is impressive, with a trip through CCNY where he took a writing class taught by Joseph Heller. Since he heard time and again that his writing didn't fit a particular classification, Houarner decided to get a real job and began working in the mental health profession. He spends his days dealing with methadone patients, and at night (apparently) writes gory horror stories steeped in esoteric religious themes and darkly erotic relationships. This book, "The Beast That Was Max," consists of three tales about a government assassin/serial killer and his various misadventures through both the real world and the realms of the spiritual.
Max's existence is tenuous at best. His primary job is working as a highly trained killer for the government. Max has to live each day of his life with the knowledge that at any moment the government could put out a contract on his head. His wet work for the federales has taken Max around the world, from South America to Asia. Everywhere he goes he leaves behind a mound of corpses that serve as a grim testament to his killing abilities. Occasionally, Max works with Lee, another government agent as deep in blood as Max. Max kills for the government because it allows him to give vent to the powerful, screaming, bloody beast that lives inside of him. This beast, who never takes a definitely recognizable form in this set of stories but who appears to resemble a wolf-like creature of some sorts, constantly drives Max to further mayhem. Every second of the day and night finds Max wrestling with this inner demon in order to prevent non-stop carnage that could easily envelop even those he cares about. But in those times of need, when a mission presents a real danger to Max's well being, the beast roars forth with superhuman strength and a killing hunger. In short, Max is a tortured soul always teetering on the outer edges of sanity.
In the first story, entitled "To Dance Like Mist in Moonlight," Max and Lee embark on a mission to protect a Cambodian woman from what turns out to be a sorcerer of sorts. Max is at first troubled to discover that this woman, named Mani, has the ability to get inside of his mind and stir up a mess of trouble with the beast. More trouble emerges when Max and Lee discover that this sorcerer, named Rithisak, has the ability to animate the dead and use them to attack his enemies. There is a fair amount of gore in this story, plentiful references to Eastern spiritual practices and rites, and good atmosphere in the "nowhere house." I spent most of this story just trying to get a feel for the various characters and history of Max.
The second tale, "The Beast That Was Max," introduces us to Max's twisted "nieces," Alioune and Kueur. The product of a union between two supernatural entities, these twins share Max's appetite for violence. Max discovered them in France and has had a fondness for their strangeness ever since. This story also introduces us to the ghosts of Max's female victims as well as the "father" and "mother" of the twins. Houarner continues to rely on extreme gore and arcane religious themes here, this time Vietnamese and African tribal gods. Again, I had some difficulty at times following the story. I thought it would really help to read the earlier Max stories contained in the collection called "Painfreak" in order to better understand what exactly is going on until I found out that the stories here are the ones that appeared in "Painfreak." Hopefully, Houarner will one day write a prequel to explain why Max is the way he is.
The final story is arguably the best one. Called "Truth and Consequences in the Heart of Destruction," Max discovers he is pregnant (yes, pregnant) and must deal with the consequences of parenthood. Alioune and Kueur, now erotically tied to their dear "Tonton," serve to protect Max from government agents interested in studying the assassin's unusual condition. They also call in a host of oddball spiritual advisors, from Navajo Indians to an African holy man, to help give Max relief and to deliver the baby. This story drips with obscure theological allusions mixed with gun battles, a knife fight, and an avenging angel who shatters bodies with the flick of his wrist. There is so much going on here it is difficult to keep track of it all. But at least by this time the reader has a familiarity with the characters and recognizes the offhand references to past events.
Overall, I rate this book better than average even though a few of the situations Max found himself in were ridiculous. "The Beast That Was Max" contains some intriguing ideas and good prose work, but at the same time the pacing is a bit slipshod and characters appear almost as if by magic throughout the stories, with little explanation for why they appear. Certain sections of these stories reminded me of Charlee Jacob's work, specifically the heavy reliance on non-western religious traditions as a basis for horrendous events. Ultimately, Gerard Houarner shows great promise with the grim trio of stories collected here. There is already another collection of Max stories, "Road to Hell," with more supposedly on the way. For fans of extreme horror, Houarner fits the bill nicely.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A unique and fascininating voice in horrror, June 9, 2001
This review is from: The Beast That Was Max (Mass Market Paperback)
Beware of Max who brings death and destruction wherever he goes. He is a paid assassin for a covert government agency, a perfect position quite suitable for an individual with blood lust flowing though his veins. For within Max resides the Beast, a demon who thrives on the blood and souls of the innocent. The only individuals who have felt a glimmer of feelings from him are the twins, Kueur and Alioline, mirror images of mad Max.
It is only when Max somewhat subdues the Beast he can share his feelings with the twins. By doing this confession, Max and the Beast begin to change, but that leads to new trouble because the spirits of his victims cry out for vengeance. If he wants to live a safe happy life with the twins, Max must confront gods, spirits, an angel, and his former peers.
Gerard Houarner combines the elements of a techno-thriller with that of a horror novel to create an original riveting tale. The engaging anti-hero hooks the audience in spite of his profession and the blood lust that consumes him. THE BEAST THAT WAS MAX is a strong candidate for a Bram Stroker award.
Harriet Klausner
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