Customer Reviews

Jack's Magic Beans

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Excellent book! Jack's Magic Beans is a novella with four bonus stories, all of which are superb. You want blood and guts? You got it. You want great writing that pulls you in and doesn't let go? You got it. It's all here and I suggest this book to anyone who loves good, well written horror.

"Jack's Magic Beans" was my favorite of the five stories, though my only complaint would be that it was too short and the end was mildly unsatisfying (I think this was due to the fact that I was enjoying the story so much that I didn't want it to end). Of the four short stories "Without You" blew me away and was easily my favorite. Clever, poignant and vicious. Just the way I like it.

Do yourself a favor and get this book!

Jack's Magic Beans definitely needs a sequel. Or at least an extended edition. I feel like it wouldn't end well, but whatever. Gotta have a hard copy of this if you're a Keene fan. Screw Kindle. The bonus stories are entertaining, as well. Yes, it's a relatively small book. Big deal, buy it anyway. Yes, Keene has better stuff out there. No, that doesn't justify skipping this purchase. Still better than most stuff allowed to be published (traditional or e-book).

Jacks Magic Beans by Brian Keene was once a hard to final short novella, but no longer. With this edition you also get the bonus short stories Without You, I Am An Exit, This Is Not An Exit, and The King, in YELLOW.

In Jacks Magic Beans, all of a sudden people are turned into psychotic killers who go after anyone around them. There are a few though, who don't turn, and are witness to the violent acts of everyone else. They barricade themselves against the horror, and try to figure out why they haven't changed as well. What will happen to this group that have nowhere to go, no way of knowing if they themselves will suddenly turn into killers, and hopefully find out what is causing the citizens of their town to turn into killers. A great fast paced story that will keep you going until the very end.

Keene has quickly emerged as not only an amazing writer in the horror genre but also a talented story-teller. Keene's work is not just for his die-hard fans, but for anyone interested in great storytelling. He presents here another great addition to his ever-growing body of work. Jack's Magic Beans will appeal to all readers. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND everything that Keene writes!

Readers should know I am reviewing this book based on quality not quantity, as every book should be based. This novella is actually closer to a novelette or long short story, but still manages to pack a hell of a punch. This Deadite Press version contains four other stories that are very much worth reading.

Jack's Magic Bean's has a simple, streamlined premise, and is one of Brian Keene's more violent stories. The little twist about the "beans" will keep you alert and nearly just as paranoid as the characters. This could have easily been expanded to a longer work, but I'm guessing the subject matter was a bit too close to Keene's zombies and he didn't want to travel down that road again.

The four short stories that follow "Jack's Magic Beans" are a great compliment to the main story. Every tale is viciously brutal in its own way, and although most readers will finish this book in one or two sittings, I highly recommend it. The author commentary and insight after each story was also a nice bonus to the collection. The cherry on top is the gory Deadite cover, by artist Alan M. Clark. Buy it.

This book consists of a novella followed by 4 short stories. Jack's Magic Beans is a blood soaked story about people becoming violently psychotic and killing one another. While this is happening, four unaffected, relative strangers band together at the Save-A-Lot grocery store in an effort to stay alive. I enjoyed this work, but wished it was longer. The ending leaves you wondering what will happen next.

The short stories, Without You, I Am An Exit, This Is Not An Exit, and 'The King', In: YELLOW, are all quite good. They involve suicide, murder, and some dead rock stars. I particularly liked the ones with "The Exit", as the author calls him. As I was reading those two stories, I could picture them as an interesting horror movie or even a series.

This was a very fast read. The short stories were good and very entertaining. I gave it four stars because of its brevity, the book should have sold for less.

I had only read one of Keene's books before, which was "Ghoul", a not that bad book in itself. The off-putting picture on the cover notwithstanding, he actually managed to tell a pretty engrossing story. Some argue about the main story's ending, where the two walk off in search of the madness cure, but I found it strangely appropriate.

But I warn you: this book is not for everyone. While most of the really serious violence is near the beginning and the end of the book, there is also some salty language to deal with, as well as one racial slur (granted, it is made by a man in the grips of insanity, but nonetheless).

The four shorts at the end ranged from the very believable to the extremely esoteric (fans of "The King in Yellow" will love "The King in: Yellow") with significantly less serious violence than the main story (except for the last one).

No spoilers here, though. If I have intrigued you, then by all means, purchase it!

Jack's Magic Beans is an incredible collection of stories. The first and longest, "Jack's Magic Beans" is loaded with gore and social critisism. The stories that follow maintain this hardcore edge, while each also provides their own twists and turns and moral messages. That's something I have grown to appreciate about Keene's Writing.

Unlike most authors in the horror genre, who just want to scare you, Keene is actually trying to SAY something. His work has heart, passion, and MEANING. That is not to say, however, that Keene is in any way Preachy. No. No. He just realizes that literature can be used to comunicate ideas, and he does just that with his fiction.

Five stars.

Employees and customers of a grocery store are suddenly overcome by murderous rage and start slaughtering everyone they see. Four people, who appear to be immune to this rage, try to survive and determine why they have remained uneffected. Gory, violent, quirky and humorous. I loved this story and wish that it would be lengthened into a full novel.

There are also four additional short stories included in this book. This collection is a must for any Keene fan.