This past weekend, I read both Swimmer (Jim Rook Series) (Bk. 5) and Demon's Door (Jim Rook Series), and my impression of both is basically the same, so I'm combining them for one review.
These books are fine if you are in the mood for fast-paced, supernatural action. I'm reading another book right now by a certain very famous horror writer from Bangor, Maine, and, in the time that it takes that author to introduce you to all the main characters, Masterton has already gotten you through that, killed off a few people in gory ways, maybe even killed a cat and brought it back from the dead, and gotten you close to the climax of the book. Both styles have their merits, but my reading time was going to be heavily interrupted this weekend, and the Maine writer's style was not going to suit my circumstances. (What's his name again?)
In SWIMMER, special ed. teacher Jim Rook is up against a spirit who takes the physical form of water. I imagine she looks a lot like the bad terminator from "Terminator 2" when he's in the midst of taking form as something or someone -- all clear and glassy.
In DEMON'S DOOR, he's up against a Korean fox-woman spirit, and time has gotten confused, with days repeating themselves, and, at one point, Jim Rook getting to see himself as an old man.
In both books, these spirits are stalking and killing off Rook's friends and students. Exactly how many times does Rook say: "Call 9-1-1! Tell them to send paramedics!" Sorry, but after a while the word would get around: Don't enroll in Jim Rook's class!
Fun. Silly. Not too scary. Not boring at all. These books are fine if they are what you are in the mood for.
But I still think an American editor would be useful. At one point there was a recess at the college where Jim Rook teaches. Recess? I remember that term from elementary school, but are there colleges where there is something called recess?