Customer Reviews

Reassuring Tales

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Let me start by saying I have both The Ceremonies and Dark Gods on my shelf. The latter especially I have read and re-read since they were published twenty plus years ago. As one who grew up as Klein's contemporary (and possibly even his neighbor)I loved these books. Having said that, I can scarcely believe that most of the writing in this book comes from the same author.

Fans of the two best known T.E.D. Klein books may find the original 1972 version of Poroth Farm interesting for curiosity value. The rest of the stuff seems like the work of an apprentice horror writer who hasn't finished high school yet. Perhaps the most intriguing story is a short vignette about an aging couple with a bathroom mould problem, but it goes nowhere.

Klein gives a desultory ramble of an introduction more or less explaining his procrastination and overall inability to get it together enough to write anything more meaningful. He himself dismisses the collection as something his friends twisted his arm into throwing together, and wished most of the stuff (written over thirty years) had never seen the light of day again. Believe the man. But if you are a member of the small brotherhood of Klein fanatics, you will probably want to spend the absurd amount of money on this book. But there is no Petey or Nadelman's God to be found.

Perhaps some day Klein will regain his mojo. If so, he will find me attentive.If not, thanks for the blessing of your two major books.

My worst failing is that I'm a victim of hype. They were making this rather expensive book sound like the stories were classic 60's Twilight Zone stuff. Instead, while the book wasn't terrible, I just found it a mediocore thud.
Really nothing else to add.