Customer Reviews

The Hyde Effect

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm not surprised by the overwhelming acclaim for this little known author. I first read "HYDE" over 12 years ago, and it remains the most horrifying and enthrawling tale I've ever read. From the opening pages of the prologue, the suspense builds thru the cycles of the moon, climaxing first on an unforgettable Halloween that haunts me even today at any roadstop. Yet that is only the beginning. What follows defines terror, as Vance captures the essence of fear -- helplessness -- the thing nightmares are made of, when the indiscriminate violence unleashes its fury in Part Two. This book is stand alone, although it's sequel "Shapes" provides more insight into the characters. Film prospects have been discussed, but no movie could possibly do these 400 pages justice. Vance sets himself apart, proving himself amongst the best of Koontz and King.

I'v had the pleasure of owning this book twice and the horror of losing it twice to friends that also lost themselves in the story.After nearly 5 years,it still stands out as the best example of why werewolves are such a facinating antagonist and why the myth of the werewolf has stood the test of time. This book is what I think of when I think of a werewolf story that I would love to tell.Too often the werewolf of most modern stories are weak examples of the raw power that can be found in the subject.But,thankfully this splendid tale puts them back where they belong...As a rending,slavering,howling nightmare that has us all with our heads under the sheets and silently begging for more.

I'm not surprised by the overwhelming acclaim for this little known author. I first read "HYDE" over 12 years ago, and it remains the most horrifying and enthrawling tale I've ever read. From the opening pages of the prologue, the suspense builds thru the cycles of the moon, climaxing first on an unforgettable Halloween that haunts me even today at any roadstop. Yet that is only the beginning. What follows defines terror, as Vance captures the essence of fear -- helplessness -- the thing nightmares are made of, when the indiscriminate violence unleashes its fury in Part Two. This book is stand alone, although it's sequel "Shapes" provides more insight into the characters. Film prospects have been discussed, but no movie could possibly do these 400 pages justice. Vance sets himself apart, proving himself amongst the best of Koontz and King.

The best werewolf book I have ever read. Kept me awake on nights with a full moon for months after. What A read!

The Hyde Effect is the best werewolf book I have ever read. It has plenty of action and good characters. The climax is superb. If done right, it would make an excellent film.

This is the best werewolf novel i have ever read. The werewolf is one mean sonofabxtch. Any fan of horror, mystery, or Jack Higgins novels should check this out. It's hard to find, but worth the wait and the search.

The title and the back cover blurb hides the fact that this is the best werewolf book written in the 80's. A serial killer is stalking southern california. The killer is captured. This is where most standard WW stories end. And this is where The Hyde Effect breaks from the pack. The killer confesses to being a werewolf. He is transported to a government research facility where his "delusion" can be studied by the top specialist of the day. But at moonfall, in front of dozens of witnesses...All Hell Breaks Loose. And with the facilities fail safes triggered, the building is sealed with hundreds of victims inside. It's Die Hard with a Werewolf. I won't spoil it by telling you more, but I will say that I have read this book three times. --Cruz--

This is a fun book, once you wade through the first 1/2 with the less than sterling dialog and characters. When the beast is captured, then the real nail biting suspense begins. The last half more than makes up for the first. It is a 400 page book, but the last 200 is what has convinced me to read it over 7 times in many, many years. Just ordered the next in the series and am looking forward to it.

I first read this book way back in 1986. I was in the Army and getting ready to go to Ranger School. I picked it up at the PX for something to read while on down time. Mistake thinking that. In Ranger School, you are going full out for most of the day and your lucky if you have time to sleep afterwards. I think that might be how I got through this book more easily than some others that posted reviews. With only 20 minutes a day to read my book before falling to sleep, I didn't get bored with it. By the time I had graduated Ranger School, I had finished about 40% of the book. Now with more time to read I could enjoy it.

Thats right about the time this book starts taking off. Slowly at first, but it does pick up. With the several plot lines that come together at the end, it is actually one of the smarter books I have read. It starts off with a the poor soul that has to bare this burden known as "Lycanthropy". He contracts it via an old indian witch doctor and a native herb recipe to help bring out his inner strength. Turns out the indian doctor is a quack and now he is growing hair, big teeth and hunting for fresh meat every full moon. First it's cattle and other livestock, then it starts to get ugly. People are being ripped to pieces with in hours of each other and scattered over a few miles of some Southern California hills and meadows. About a month later, some college girl is being the typical victem and is attacked. Somehow, she survives her encounter and starts into the hysterical jabbering of describing what it was. Most everyone thinks she is nutty as an Almond Joy Candy Bar factory and dismiss her claims of some monsterious dog-like creature running around chewing on the local population. Well I guess one of our three heroes speaks or half way understands valley girl talk and signed her up for the team. They get a break when a dark figure darts across the road in front of this car, carrying what lookes like a human torso, the people start to think that maybe little miss sorority wannbe might have been right about a few things. Like pretty much all of it.

At the same time all this little whoopla is happening, on the other side of the country a kid with "special needs", educational wise, is lost in a fantasy about him being a dashing hero and battling a monster that only he can see. Everyone else had imaginary friends when they were kids, he had imaginary enemies. Not only is he mentally slow, but it seems his physical size is making up for what he lacks upstairs. He is growing much faster than the normal human child. Somewhere like 10X as fast and getting bigger everyday. His mother is worried that he may get too big and become hard to control. She finds out about a specialist and makes an appointment to have him see the kid. Guess where the specialist is, Smack in the middle of Werewolftown, USA. And to top it off, the doc makes the appointment for day after the next full moon. Either he did it on purpose or that has got to be one of the dumbest doctors ever. We never really find out that answer.

Back to the townspeople. They figure they have to do something to trap this man, dog, wolf or whatever has been using their fellow neighbors for snacking on. So they plan out a way to capture the beast in the act. The town leader decides they will just wait until the next person becomes a blue plate special, then they will all pounce on the guy the morning after while he's sleeping off his previous nights gorgefest. Then the dude heads for the safest, most sturdy place to hold up and let some other nimrod dumb enough to be out past dark with a killer on the loose to become the sacraficial lamb for the town. Hey why not. I heard they would name a street after the person that becomes the next buffet. That way, if he is some sort of animal or man-beast at night, he won't be when they make their move at 9 in the morning. They end up capturing the suspected predator with the bloody evidence all around him and lock him up in what was loosely described as a mental ward. About this time, the slow kid from the east shows up with mommy for some tests. Put 2 and 2 together then mutilply by 1 full moon and you got yourself a rumble. The guy wolfs up, breaks out and chows down on a few people that were not smart enough to head for the nearest exit. It was better that way. Stupid people do not need to have kids so werewolf dude was just following nature and culling the herd of the sick, weak, old and incredibly dumb. So Hairy heads into the lecture hall to sit down and enjoy his side of blonde in peace. No such luck. Junior sees all the carnage and people who have been bitten, scratched or looked at wrong by the big bad wolf and suddenly, his imaginary enemy is quite real. But don't get worried now about this poor mentally challenged boy riding head on into a mismatch about as big as the Clippers playing the Lakers back in early days. This kid must have been eating Miracle Grow because he is close to 7ft tall and big enough to burn diesil. He heads into the lecture hall and spots his foe. When werewolf and giant kid see each other, it's time to layth the smackdown on some candy azzes. With a mighty roar of "CHARGE" he lumbers straight at his lifelong imaginary nemesis and the two of them have at it like King Kong and Godzilla. Actually more like Tito Ortiz and Ken Shammrock in the early UFC. Or maybe it was more like Paris and Nicole after chubby little Nicole lost some weight and became a hottie herself, but only from the neck down, and put Paris in her place by looking in the mirror and saying "That's Hot" at her reflection. I won't tell you the outcome of the Battle of the Titans or how everything works out. But I will give you a little hint as to the surprise ending that takes place 1 month later.

All you have to do is remember all the people that came in contact with tall, dark and toothy before the giant lass engaged in mortal combat with the beast. As a precaution, all those who were bitten, scratched, slobbered on and other wise molested by the werewolf were placed in quarantine for 30 days to make sure they didn't pick up a bug or other nasty little infection. Well as everyone who read a book or two on werewolf folklore knows, those who survive attacks from the beast will start to take a little walk on the wild side. So now the book ends on the next full moon with 40+ people locked up in this looney bin being observed through in-room video cameras and in desparate need a shave, hair cut and complete body wax. All I can say is canine flea powder is going to to sell out quick in that area.

The book itself it not very long. Around 400 pages, which is small compared to most paperbacks of any genre. When I read it again about 9 years later, I found that I could not wait to get through that first 160 or so pages and start getting to the meat and potatos of the story. I like the way Mr. Vance created several story lines taking place at the same time then wove them together like a basket at the end. They kinda went thier own directions for most of the book but it worked out. I would suggest that he fire his proof reader though. I am not an english major, but any high school senior carrying a "C" in Young Adult Lit. could critique this and find a mess of misspellings, words missing and improper use of a few pronouns. Now I know that nobody is perfect but, "Just then, he saw a dark figure cross in his car and move off into the forrrest just beyond eyesite." I mean really, I hope he didn't pay whoever edited and/or proof read it before it was sent to production. But despite all it's flaws, lagging beginning and plot lines that seem to just go off by themselves for a good portion of the book, I give it 4 stars. It could have moved a bit faster in the beginning just because it is a short book. But at the same time, once you get to page 161 or 162, things will really pick up because it is a short book. So it works both ways for itself. If it's horror that you like and only have time for light reading for the first part of it and longer sessions later then this book would be a good choice. You will able to start it and deal with any distractions that might come up and then be able to really get into it after the kids have gone to bed. Myself, I think once I get by that first uphill climb, I could finish this book in about a day maybe a day and a half if I had nothing else to do. So I recommend getting this book if you were thinking about it.

I read this when it came out and thought right away that it would make a terrific movie if done right. I see by reading the reviews that others share the same feelings. What i didn't know was there's a sequel. I'll have to read it.