Reader's review - Ezra T. Gray (The Grove & Other Stories)

Night is closing in and a storm, the first one this winter, is building up from the west. Right now the rain is pouring down, while the wind is pounding the walls of my house, making it moan in a wired way, while I'm listening to Joe Satriani singing 'Big Bad Moon'.

The scene is set and this night will be perfect for me to write a review of 'The Grove & Other Stories' by Ezra T. Gray. This book contains ten horror stories. I'm not going to review each and every one, but I'm going to pick a few of my favorites in a moment.

Allow me to bring my personal opinion regarding horror stories. Some authors connects horror to blood and gore, thinking this might make the audience shiver and shake of fear. They are so wrong! Blood and gore can be used as shock effects, but giving your audience a shock is definitely not the same as expose them to the feeling of true horror. A brilliant horror writer makes his readers think. He don't need to tell the whole story down to every details. You see, it takes an intelligent author to write a good horror story. It's a balance between giving the necessary information to feed the imagination of the reader, but leave enough of the story untold forcing the reader to think. A skilled horror writer puts faith in his audience.

Why do I say that in a review? Because that's exactly what Ezra T. Gray does in 'The Grove & Other Stories'. In this book Ezra presents ten very different stories, which is quite an achievement. Writing ten different stories, without telling the same story over and over again in different ways, can be very difficult. You have to clear your mind before writing the next story, and thats exactly what I believe Ezra T. Gray did. Because the stories are so different, there will be something for every horror fan. I found three real gems in this collection.

First: 'An Old Tradition'. I think this story will be my favorite of them all. The world as we know it has come to an end, when someone breaks down a barrier between an unknown dimension. Now mankind are no longer in the top of the food chain. Men have hunted and killed to eat, but now we're the hunted ones. It's a classic horror story with all it's dark elements, well written right to the end.
Second: 'Just Believe'. A knife factory are being build upon an ancient Indian burial ground. Nothing good comes from disrespect the dead and desecrate their graves, and that's what Sam Priest is about to realize late in the evening, while he's all alone in the big building. It's a great story with a fine twist in the end.
Third: 'The Grove'. What I like most of the story is the description of the grove. It reminds me of Stephen King's description of Ackerman's Field in my all time favorite 'N', although the stories are very different in their style and storyline. While both places are just ordinary places, they hold a sinister secret beyond any imagination. In 'The Grove' a young man are lured by the evil dwelling in the grove. It's a very well written story that makes you think. I love it.

'The Grove & Other Stories' holds all the classic elements of horror, but Ezra T. Gray tells them in his own unique way and that's what makes them interesting to the reader. Read the book. You won't be disappointed. You'll experience the good old feeling of horror, while you read the short stories told in a different and unique way. Just don't expect a grim and terrible ending to every story. Unlike most horror writers, Ezra T. Gray seems to believe that the good will overcome evil in the end and that is kind of unusual for a writer of horror and suspense. That's not necessarily a disadvantage as long as the stories are written the way Ezra T. Gray does it. I'm certainly ready for more...

Reader's Review - Dean Koontz (The Taking)

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It's always nice to receive a visit from an old beloved friend, just to discover everything is well. That everything is exactly as you expected it to be. That was the feeling I got, when I opened the 'The Taking'  and turned the first pages. Dean Koontz have accompanied me through my life since my youth, and I have most of his books lined up right beside me on the bookshelves in my library. I've spent many hours in the company of his imagination - a company I have truly enjoyed.

Those of you, who have read my reviews for a long time, knows that I really appreciate heavy books because they tend to be more complex and thoroughly prepared. 'The Taking' is only 262 pages long, which made me worry. Would I be able to let myself get caught in the action, with such a short story? The answer is: Absolutely. In particular, because the majority of the story only extends over a single day.

'The Taking' was my bedfellow for a week - and a really good one if I may say so. This book is a real page turner. Dean Koontz has never been into lengthy introductions. The story takes off right from the first page, and 'The Taking' keeps the momentum right to the end. We follows the protagonists, Molly and Niel Sloan, in what well may be humanity's last night on earth. While the world is changing at an alarming rate, Molly and Niel strives to figure out, what is going on and how they can prevent what seems inevitable. The odds are not in their favor and chances for success close to zero.

'The Taking' is a real thriller. The book describes a completely foreign environment, and that's why it's impossible to come to a foregone conclusion. Even with only a few pages left, it was completely impossible to predict the outcome. Dean Koontz writes with his usual elegance and exhibits a unique insight into the human psyche and the way it behaves in stressful situations.

Dean Koontz was my guest for awhile. It was a short visit. Only 262 pages. But I enjoyed every second and I'll welcome him back anytime he finds it convenient.

Reader's Review - Michael Connelly (Void Moon)

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Freedom! Which one of us does not dream of total freedom? Think of all the possibilities, all the doors that would open for you, if you only had the necessary financial freedom to do as you pleased.

The vast majority of people have long ago depreciated such dreams as unrealistic options. It is quite correct, that only a small group of people are bestowed to live a carefree life without financial speculation. But there is a small, purposeful, or perhaps we should say, desperate group of people, who put the will and the forces behind their desires, hoping that the bloom thin curtain of dreams one day will be pulled aside,revealing the tangible fulfillment of all their hopes.

Cassie Black belongs to this last group. She is driven, not only by a desire for wealth. Her motives are more complex and selfless. That is why, Cassie has returned to Cleopatra Casino, prepared to perform the same kind of coup, that killed her boyfriend years ago. Everything is planned to the smallest detail, only the void moon is not to be controlled. It is the joker in a game of life and death, dreams and nightmares.

Many books covers the subject about robbing a casino in Las Vegas. Not all have been thought out thoroughly, but 'Void Moon' is not among these. The language is simple and accessible, without at any point being childish. The plot is cleverly conceived, without being too complicated. And the cast is sparse but interesting.

This book is in its simplicity, a brilliant piece of craftsmanship. It caught me from the first page and kept me locked up in my chair until the very last page. I can only give 'Void moon' my best recommendations. It is a crime, and the best thing about the book is, that it does not try to pretend to be anything else. To me Michael Connelly was an unknown name until now, but I will definitely look for more books by this eloquent writer, and hope that his other books holds the same high standard.