Customer Reviews

Crimson

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

As a long time fan of horror, I found this book to be exceedingly average in every department. The narration itself is as plain and literal as can be... don't even bother looking for a higher meaning. No clever phrasing or play of words, no subtle allusions or ambiguity. Generic story with generic characters. It's not bad, but I look for something more than "competent" when I'm committing the time.

As a big fan of Jigsaw Man, I expected something more than what I got. I read the back and fell for the comparison to the book It, however, and that got me going. I figured G. Rollo to be someone that might be a nice craftsman in that regard and, honestly, I wanted a new It because of the impact that book had. The delivery was anything but what I expected, and I think that made me a little bit frustrated as I forced myself to go on.

I've read a lot of horror and I know when I am bonding or when I am being forced to stomach a character. Topping that part off was also the length of the book itself, which came in at a little less than 300 pages. Considering the book it sought to try and be like was over three times that size, it is easy to see how characters might fall short and how the character could also fall somewhat short as well.

When the bok came out it seemed to have a lot to offer. It seems seductive still, sounding really nice but not really coming across like you would want it to. If you feel that you might find something in it and this is wrong, you can always sample a little piece of it and see what everyone else sees. That said, I am giving this 2/5 stars and I rarely do that. I simply recall what the author is capable of doing and, well, this is not a great or even modest showing.

Sad. Really sad.

This is dark and relentless stuff, from someone who doesn't want to give you too much time to catch your breath. Author Gord Rollo is obviously someone knows and loves the horror genre, and that makes "Crimson" a lot of fun to read. Sure, it has some flaws (a first novel in the small press always does) but the author's intensity and wicked gleefulness more than compensate for them. For a macabre, Halloween-style kick in the butt, try "Crimson." It's a blast.

I had read Rollo's previous book, Jigsaw Man and loved it (I recommend THAT one). And so, when I saw Crimson was coming out, I couldn't wait for it.

When it was finally published, I quickly felt deception. I couldn't even get in the first part of the book where they are children. I tried and tried to finish it, and I am one to finish books, even when they are horrible because sometimes they end out better and I like to know the ending when I get into a story. This was probably harder to get into than some other books I've read, but in the end, I did waste my time. Even the ending isn't worth reading.

As a previous reviewer has mentioned, I, too, didn't feel as though it was even the same author as Jigsaw Man. Crimson left me with such a bitter taste that I don't even want to try him again, which is unfortunate, since Jigsaw Man was great.

I have lent Jigsaw Man to family members who loved that book and wanted more. I then lent them Crimson, and none of them could finish it.

Don't waste your time or money, this book is horrible.

I have to say I really did try to finish this book, three times I picked it up and read and read and just could not get into it. I gave the book two stars because the first 80 pages or so were kind of creepy and the main characters being children at the time made it kind of fun. I just could not get around the idea of this "creature" and where on earth did he come from. The story does give you a few hints but I am scratching my head trying to make sense of what this thing is and why is it there in the first place. I have to admit I felt like I was reading the Wizard Of Oz a few times because of some of the silly characters involved.
I do not like giving negative reviews on "horror" books because "horror" is my favorite choice of reading however, I had to add my two bits on this one so you won't spend money on it. I hate to say this but I would put this in the "really bad"list of books to avoid! I am going to try reading Mr. Rollo's "Jigsaw Man" because I heard so much about it in a good way.

I absolutely loved Gord Rollo's last book, "The Jigsaw Man", and recommended it to all my friends, but I thought his latest book, "Crimson", was a considerable step down. Granted, those were mighty big shoes to fill since Jigsaw was one of the best books of that year, but had I not known, I never would have guessed this book had the same author.

The first third of "Crimson" follows four ten-year-old boys and their accidental awakening of a long-dead creature that had caused a terrible massacre two decades prior. This portion of the book had some great moments that were original and suspenseful. However, once the jump in time occurred and we begin to follow them as teenagers, the atmosphere seemed to dissipate a bit. Scenes started almost immediately with the action and didn't allow for the creepiness to set in. I'm also not a fan of creatures that talk with an attitude. It reminds me too much of Freddy Kruger or the doll Chucky from "Child's Play". It's simply not scary.

A couple other issues I had was the glowing red eyes - not red, but actually glowing to the point of illuminating things in the room - like Rudolph's nose from the animated cartoon. Being red or having a dim glow is one thing, but lighting up like a beacon was too much. I also thought the characters, in general, were not very intelligent, making decisions that didn't quite feel right. For instance, when the Police Chief catches a character in a lie that proves his guilt as a serial killer, the Chief doesn't see fit to continue the interrogation or have officers tail him after leaving the police station. I mean, we're talking over a half dozen bodies here and the police knowingly let this guy just walk away. There is also a scene where a rather large fight ensues and at the end, we find out that one of the participants had a cigarette in his mouth. It was never described until the moment the character needed it and I thought that was just too convenient.

Finally, the third portion of the book follows the boys (the ones that are left alive) as adults and we spend most of the time in a maximum security prison. These scenes showed nothing we haven't seen before. The big baddies, the jail fights, the token thief, and the friendly 'Green Mile' giant with a heart of gold. The biggest disaster here was the 30 or so pages of explanation as to why the creature has been doing all these evil deeds. It felt as if the author had dug so many holes throughout the book that he was simply, and desperately, trying to fill them back up by this exposition, regardless of how utterly convoluted and far-fetched it may seem, even in this supernatural world.

While some might compare "Crimson" as a mix of Stephen King's "It" and Brian Keene's "Ghoul", this is nowhere near either of those fine books. For me, this was one of the biggest disappointments in the last two years of horror, because Gord Rollo's book, "The Jigsaw Man" was so amazing. Apparently "Crimson" was Rollo's first book, even though it was published by Leisure books second. That's a good thing, though, because I'm not sure I would have picked up "The Jigsaw Man" had I read "Crimson" first.

I have read both of Gord Rollo's books and he is a really good writer. His books flow and are hard to put down. I can't wait for his next book.

This is one of the books that seemed to change a little during the course of reading it. At times the story and character progress was being pulled in directions that I didn't see coming, and for those reasons I was very pleased and happy. What started out as an entertaining coming of age horror story turned into a suspenseful race to the end of two (three) of it's characters. I still feel sorry for David.

When I was still relatively new to horror fiction, I had an assumption that every horror writer needed to write a kids vs. a monster story. Stephen King did it with It (among other stories) and Dan Simmons did it with Summer of Night. Of course, there is no such requirement, and most authors have not written such a book. Gord Rollo, however, has given it a shot with Crimson, a book that owes at least a little to It.

In a small Canadian town called Dunnville, Mary Page and her ten-year-old son Johnny have moved into the notorious Harrison house, where decades earlier, the patriarch did some horrible things to his family. The evil thing that sparked this murderous rampage is now sleeping in a well, but the Pages' presence has reawakened it. When Johnny has some friends over, the monster torments them all, occupying their nightmares and threatening their waking world as well. Soon enough, one boy will be dead, and one will strike an unholy bargain with the monster.

Crimson is divided into three parts, following the characters as pre-teens, nineteen year olds and as adults. Between the parts, the monster lies dormant, plotting its next moves. In the second part, it will initiate a serial killing spree, and in the third part, its full plan will become known.

While Rollo has stuck to horror for his second novel, Crimson is quite different from his previous book, The Jigsaw Man. It's the sign of a good writer when he shows true variety in story. While generally good, however, Crimson has its flaws, primarily in the final section, where there is a lot of exposition to explain what the monster truly is, which both slows the pace down and overly complicates things. Overall, however, Crimson is entertaining and shows that Rollo is someone to watch in the world of horror.

Last year, Gord Rollo debuted with his first novel "The Jigsaw Man" and established himself as a premier voice in horror fiction. Though his follow-up effort "Crimson" lacks some of "Jigsaw's" emotional punch, it's still a frightening ride. His voice is strong and he continues to frighten and entertain. The novel begins with a jolt: an unthinkable, bloody act, and then settles into a haunting tale that ends with a twist.

From the moment Johnny moved to Dunnville, he and Pete, Tommy and David were best of friends. They hung out, talked about "guy stuff" and did things that boys do. The only problem? Johnny and his mother moved into Old Man Harrison's place; an old house haunted by the legend of a man who murdered his whole family. They avoid playing there for awhile, but a Saturday afternoon outing there is inevitable.

What they find is unspeakable evil. A being of incalculable malice has slept in an old well since the horrible day of Old Man Harrison's slaughter. All this time it's been waiting for new flesh to play with. When Johnny and his friends accidentally disturb its underwater sleep, they're exposed to an evil that will torment them for the rest of their days.

In many ways, "Crimson" displays Gordo's versatility. While "The Jigsaw Man" offered wrenching questions about quality of life, "Crimson" is a classic tale that never looses its strength: how timeless evil follows unfortunate souls and dominates their destiny. His characterization of four boys faced with a horror their parents dismiss is authentic, and he doesn't take this novel to its expected "childhood friends band together to destroy evil" conclusion.

A few reviews may be overly enthusiastic, however. One claims "Crimson is (Stephen King's) It's superior in every possible way." This isn't quite accurate, because "Crimson" doesn't have the same depth as It...but then again, what recent novel does? Aside from that, Gord Rollo's second outing is perfect to curl up with on late, cold winter nights. It'll make you wonder what's hiding at the bottom of your well.