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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The vacation from Hell, February 16, 2006
This review is from: The Resort (Mass Market Paperback)
Among horror writers, there are the big-league authors: most notably, Stephen King, but also Dean Koontz, Clive Barker and Peter Straub. There are also the B-list authors, not necessarily better or worse than the first-stringers, but not quite as well-known. People I fit into this category include Robert McCammon, Richard Laymon and F. Paul Wilson. To me, however, the best in this group is Bentley Little, who laces his horror novels with just a dash of satire.
In The Resort, Little takes us to the Reata, an isolated desert hotel in Arizona. Lowell Thurman goes there with his wife Rachel and their three kids, Owen, Curtis and Ryan. Superficially, the Reata seems nice (and at discounted off-season rates, the price is right), but soon little things start to disturb the family. Rachel sees strange images in the clouds, the kids see a dead body in the outdoor pool and Lowell feels an invisible hand grab him in the indoor pool. All these things seem to be just illusions, but then other things are not as easy to dismiss: an intruder in their room, openly obscene behavior in the restaurant and violent acts against certain hotel staff.
Worse is the activity coordinator, who forces Lowell and others to participate in games that get increasingly sadistic. Worst of all, however, is how the Reata affects the family's minds. After seeing evil acts, a sort of apathy or amnesia afflicts them, stopping them from taking any proactive action. In addition, Lowell and Rachel both at times find themselves giving in to their own darker sides.
Despite writing that is filled with menace and suspense, this is not one of Little's best efforts, at least compared to his other horror-satires (which include The Policy, The Store, The Ignored and the Association). Certain supporting characters disappear and have undetermined fates. The ending is also kind of weak and a little too muddled.
Nevertheless, overall, the strengths of this book outweigh the weakness and I give it a weak four stars. Even in this lesser work, Little still writes an entertaining page-turner. I wouldn't suggest this book as an introduction to Little's work (I recommend The Policy or The Ignored for that), but it is worth reading.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Isolation and savagery, September 19, 2004
This review is from: The Resort (Mass Market Paperback)
The Thurman family of five usually take their summer vacation in their homestate of California but this year is different. Lowell and Rachel, along with their three sons, are attracted by brochures of The Reata, an exclusive spa in the Arizona desert that promises luxurious treatment at unbelievable discount rates. At first everything is as promised with a great staff, great swimming pool and luxurious suites. But soon the Thurmans come to realize not everything is well, as a series of bizarre events start to ruin the enjoyment of their stay. As things worsen, the Thurmans want to bail out but what happens when their car mysteriously breaks down? The Reata is completely isolated in the desert and they have nowhere to go. They are trapped in The Reata whether they like it or not...
This is Little's 16th novel and as someone who has read the vast majority of them I must say I'm extremely impressed with this latest one. The formula is the same: a serene peaceful setting that slowly morphs into one of chaos and horror, but it's done better than most of his other works. For one, "The Resort" was extremely funny. His use of modern street jargon through the lens of his horny teenage characters was bang-on and very up-to-date. And not since "The Store" has he thrown so many wild absurdities in his pages. Some of the characters are priceless, especially "The Activities Coordinator" who will remind you of your worst gym teacher from hell. He splits the guests at the resort into three tribes that are to compete against each other in the most sadistic sporting events imaginable. And bailing out of these sporting events is simply not an option...
The horror is accentuated by the sense of isolation that the guests at The Reata experience, as the resort is nowhere near a major town and with their cars tampered with they have nowhere to go. With the three divided tribes, Little turns his novel into a yuppified Lord of the Flies, with middle-aged men and women turning to savagery in a desperate bid to survive amidst the chaos of the resort. All in all, this is one of Little's best and most chaotic novels. The only major problem I had with "The Resort" is a common problem with his other novels in that the supernatural elements of the story seem out of place and awkward within a setting that is meant to be of reality instead of the fantastical. I know that Little's books require a suspension of disbelief but still an explanation as to the origins of the supernatural would help lend his story more credence. Still, "The Resort" kept me entertained right until the end and wanting more. Many have criticized Little's novels as being too similar but I wouldn't have it any other way, especially when they're this good.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bentley Little, on a pedestal all by himself...., September 8, 2004
This review is from: The Resort (Mass Market Paperback)
The Reata, the resort you are so sure you can't afford, but during the summer it happens to be cheaper in the desert. Lowell and his wife and three children venture to the Reata in search of a little free time. Lowell's main reason to get away from his hometown because his high school reunion is taking place and he doesn't want to be there when it happens.
Once they get to their destination, strange things occur. There is something lirking under the waterslide in the pool, the gardner does a crazy dance for Rachel everytime she sees him, the boys stumble upon a strange abandon building, and crazy games take place during their stay. All in all, this book is like riding a roller coaster, except it doesn't come down, not even at the end!
Few people realize, when picking up any books by Mr. Little, what they are in store for. Most of the time, you won't get what you want at the ending of one of his stories, but by the time the ending actually closes, you really truly don't care. You have been entertained long enough, you went through exactly what every character went through, it was as though you were there too. However, if you are looking for an explanation to the events that happened in this book, you won't find any, it's very vague. It's left to your imagination, which I find intriguing and heck, it's leaves you to ponder what happened. I think that is a great way to close a book.
The Resort is an excellent book. If you are a Bentley Little fan, buy it, you will enjoy it. If you aren't, this should be one of the first of many Little books that you buy. He is an excellent, supreb, genuine, intriguing, captivating writer, and heck, he was friends with the creator of Spongebob!
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