The Lair of the White Worm [Hardcover]

Bram Stoker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1587155621 | ISBN-13: 978-1587155628 | Publication Date: August 1, 2001

A novel of spine-tingling terror from Bram Stoker, author of DRACULA. (This jacketless hardcover edition is intended for the library trade.)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Borgo Press (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587155621
• ISBN-13: 978-1587155628
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,431,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe Stoker just had too much pizza before bedtime..., August 29, 2000

By 

Matt C. Stedman "matt" (Sedona, Arizona USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lair of the White Worm (Paperback)

I've heard two different stories of Bram Stoker's mental state at the time he wrote this book. A review below stated that he was hooked on drugs and another story (and I like this one better) was that he was dying of syphillis when he wrote it.

What this book reminds me of is a bizarre dream where everything makes sense at the time but when you look at it afterwards nothing makes sense. The characters constantly engage in strange behavior with obscure motivations. For example a few characters engage in psychic mind battles over mid-afternoon tea on a regular basis, one character sends solid metal and glass objects to a kite in mid-flight by some unexplained method for no apparent reason, and the evil snake woman sells her house and lair to the hero whom she is also trying to kill and he agrees to buy it because fine china can be made from the clay on her property. I've had dreams like this without drug or venereal disease influence so maybe Stoker just decided to write a dream down without bothering to make sense of it. This gives the book a very surreal feel but causes it to fail as a narrative. I think its worth a look if you want to read something a bit different, but if you want a good, well-plotted story skip this one.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure unadulterated wickedness!, February 17, 2001

By 

Daniel G. Snethen (Colome, SD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lair of the White Worm (Paperback)

Rarely have I read a book which has so entirely created such an atmosphere of abject horror. No author scares me, none except the master, Bram Stoker. He did it with Dracula and now he does it again with Lair of the White Worm. The evil which permeates throughout this horrible tome is beautiful. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wishes to experience the spawn of hell. A warning to all, this masterpiece has absolutely nothing to do with the movie of the same name. The movie is an atrocious bastardization of this phenomenal tale of horror and should be regarded as such.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bram Stoker, but not at his best., July 24, 2000

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lair of the White Worm (Paperback)

Adam Salton, born and raised in Australia, is contacted by his granduncle in England, for the purpose of establishing a relationship between these last two members of the family. Adam travels to Richard Salton's house in Mercia, and quickly finds himself in the center of some inexplicable occurrences.

The new heir to the Caswall estate, Edgar Caswall appears to be making some sort of a mesmeric assault on a local girl. And, a local lady, Arabella March, seems to be running a game of her own, perhaps angling to become Mrs. Caswall. There is something strange about Lady March, something inexplicable and evil.

This book has elements that should make it a gripping story. Unfortunately, the tendency of the characters to move on, after a fantastic event, as if nothing unusual had happened gives the story a disjointed, surreal feel. This story just does not come together, but rambles along to its uninspiring conclusion. I do not recommend this book.