Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not a good read at all IMO, July 19, 2008
I love horror, it is my genre of choice. I'm always on the lookout for good readings in this field. Last a week I finished a great book and at the back of the book it listed some horror book sites. I went there to check it out. There is a horror book club. I'm thinking of joining. The two book of the month authors were listed. I could find one author at my local library. Thomas Tessier. I got both books by him that the library had. "Phantom" and "Fogheart". The back of Fogheart states:
"Phantom (a nominee for the world fantasy award)" so I decided to read it first. I was sorry that I did. Now I'm wondering about the other book I have.
Phantom was not scary. There were two parts that were good, but have no real bearing on the story. As a matter of fact too much of the book does not tie in together. The "spa" which is listed on the inside cover has nothing to do with anything! It was like Tessier wrote it all out a piece at a time then just flung it all together.
On the outside back cover Peter Straub writes:
"Thomas Tessier is one of those writers who can find the unexpected poetry and subtlety in horror. Phantom is a frightening book...but it's elegance and tenderness and taste make it something very special in the field of horror".
Now I have another reason to not like Straub, because IMO it was a total lie!
This book was not, is not horror. It does not tie together, lacks any sense and is down right stupid. I'm sorry I wasted my valuable time in reading it. I was going to stop, had to force myself to continue, hoping it would tie up and end well. It never happened.
Maybe the next book will be better. Maybe this book isn't his best (no kidding!) I can tell you right now tho, I will not force my way thru the next one I have. I can live with the not knowing!
Save your money and your time, and pass this one off.
|
|
|
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty good, try it...Creepy scary., November 23, 2003
By A Customer
I collect horror novels and this particular author is one of the finest. Mr. Tessier's not had as successful career as many other better known hack writers (King,Laymon,Koontz) he's had bad publishers, shoddy packaging, absolutly no promotion. "Phantom" is not his strongest work but it's definately not boring either, it's also a very short scary book and he doesn't bog you down with an excessive labrynthine plot, he's a very visual thinking person's writer of psychological horror who gets right to the point. Give him a try I certainly didn't regret it, I own everything he's ever written and when I get discouraged with the hacks I'll pick up one of Tessier's and reread it.
Brief Synopsis from the back cover since one wasn't provided above; Ten-year-old Ned Covington is afraid. There are monsters in his room. His friends think he's imagining them. But he knows they're real. The grown-ups say they will go away in the daylight. But it's daytime now. And they're coming after him... Gripping, compelling, recreating the nightmares you KNEW were real when you were a child, PHANTOM is the story of what happens when the lights come on... and the horror doesn't go away.
|
|
|
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Tessier's Finest, September 7, 2006
Tessier is indeed a fine writer--a breath of fresh air in fact, when compared to other "hardcore" horror-trash writers out there today--but he's not always the best story teller. Phantom isn't his best. In fact, I struggled to keep myself interested and forced myself to finish. There was a flicker of pure gold, late in the story; I am glad I continued reading.
|
|
|
|
by Richard Matheson
by Richard Matheson
by Douglas Preston
by Dean Koontz
