Customer Reviews

Unholy Birth

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

 

 

Andrew Neiderman is one of my favorite authors and I'm always looking out for his next book to hit the shelves--and perhaps one of the first to purchase it when the book lands. But I found my mind constantly wandering from the pages in daydream fashion because the book did not hold my interest on any level. Although I did finish it, it was truly a struggle to do so. I do suggest, however, that you read his truly phenomenal classics such as Playmates, The Immortals, and, of course, The Devil's Advocate. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book at all, since, and subjectively writing, falls short in my viewpoint.

After much arguing Kate talks her life partner Willy into having a baby by way of artificial insemination. To Kate's surprise, she is contacted personally by a mysterious company who offers their services. After the first try, even though Kate is told she is not pregnant, she starts experiencing the symptoms of a mother in her third trimester. Unfortunately no one believes her including Willy. As another reviewer wrote, this novel has all the hallmarks of Rosemary's Baby. That isn't what bothered me though. The only character I found likeable was Kate who is stuck battling her feelings of knowing something is wrong and doubting her own sanity. Willy I could not stand. I found her arrogant, selfish, and completely unsupportive of the woman she supposedly loves. Also, I found it hard to believe that Kate would not have gone to her previous Dr. with her concerns before she did. That said, the plot itself was interesting with plenty of twists and turns which is why I gave it 2 stars instead of one. I continue to count the author as one of my favorite writers which is why I look forward to his next book.

How excited I am to the first to review my good friend's book. Andrew Neiderman has delivered a Rosemary's Baby for the new millenium. I could NOT put it down!

Kate Dobson (HA! A sly take on hypocritical James Dobson of Focus on the Family?) is a lesbian woman who wants a child. She soon convinces her lover Willy to go along with Kate being artificially inseminated. She is, but by an organization you just know is going to evil! They insist Kate is not pregnant even though she is experiencing all of the symptoms of pregnancy, albeit very accelerated. Does this organization want to give birth to Satan, to an Anti-Christ, or just to a race of super humans? I can't tell you, you have to read it for yourself.

Like all of Mr. Neiderman's recent books, this one cries out for a sequel. (Mr. Neiderman is the ghost writer for V. C. Andrews and those books always have sequels!) There are shades of VCA is the characters, but not the situation. This is truly supernatural (or is it just criminal?) and this is what Mr. Neiderman does best! I feel fortunate indeed to count him as a friend. Buy it, read it, love it!

I'm old enough to remember Rosemary's Baby and how chilling that was. This was reminincient of that story, but very good in its own right. This was my first book by this author.

Another sign of his literary genius. Andrew Neiderman manages to keep readers guessing and glued to the page until the very end.

In Palm Springs, California, lovers "femme" Kate Dobson and "butch" Wilma "Willy" Radcliff are a happy couple whose catering business is booming. The only negative in their relationship is Kate's obsession with giving birth and raising that child. Adoption and heterosexual endeavor are out of the question so artificial insemination is the answer. Her nocturnal dreams are vivid and somewhat frightening.

While persuading Willy to have a child to raise, Kate researches the net when instantly she receives an email from Gentior vitro fertilization firm out of Irvine. Not long afterward they meet Dr. Lois Matthews, head of Genitor and soon the two ladies agree to go with this firm. However, though Willy is sold, Kate becomes paranoid with things that seem too coincidental. Still she goes through the process, but before testing whether she conceived she feels the baby growing inside and a deep feeling something is not right. Willy warns her to stop being paranoid, but she begins to wonder what is growing inside her and just who is the father.

The story line takes its time slowly setting the stage in the first half of the novel so that Kate seems increasingly unhinged and paranoid as everyone around her including cynical Willy appears normal. The latter part of the book focuses on her rapid descent into apparent insanity as she fears what is growing inside her. Fans will wonder whether she went over the edge or is there more, but will have to wait until the climax with the UNHOLY BIRTH of her child to decide between a tense psychological thriller or a modernized Rosemary's Baby enhanced by science and the acceptance of gay couples.

Harriet Klausner