- Paperback: 391 pages
- Publisher: Signet Book; First THUS edition (Aug 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0451219147
- ISBN-13: 978-0451219145
- Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 10.4 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 657,105 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Although the author is one of the most imaginative writers in the horror fiction genre, this book is not one of his best. The story finds four of its main characters encountering mysterious and frightening situations in their lives, situations that are simply surreal. All of their encounters are in different parts of the country, and the characters are all from totally different backgrounds. Yet, the horror that is intruding on each of their lives has a commonality: a ghost train. It seems that a curse from the past is now intruding upon their present.
Unfortunately, the concept of a malevolent ghost train barreling across the country out of nowhere simply did not capture my imagination. While portions of the book are genuinely creepy, the story never fully engaged me, and towards the end the book was almost a chore to finish. Still, fans of the author may get some enjoyment out of it.
Unfortunately, the concept of a malevolent ghost train barreling across the country out of nowhere simply did not capture my imagination. While portions of the book are genuinely creepy, the story never fully engaged me, and towards the end the book was almost a chore to finish. Still, fans of the author may get some enjoyment out of it.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed Bently Little's early novels (The Revelation, The Walking, The Summoning, etc.).
They had non-stop all out supernatural horror. No compromise. Thrills and chills in every page and in the story as a whole.
But then he turned on "the establishment" wrtiting social critiques mixed in his novels (The Store, The Policy, The Mailman) and it just kind of lost his focus.
I'm all for social critiques but not in horror novels. Each has his place and I'm glad the Little realized that and has returned to his old self.
This is really a great read. Fast paced. Several characters... One global evil force that brings it all together...
Buy this...
They had non-stop all out supernatural horror. No compromise. Thrills and chills in every page and in the story as a whole.
But then he turned on "the establishment" wrtiting social critiques mixed in his novels (The Store, The Policy, The Mailman) and it just kind of lost his focus.
I'm all for social critiques but not in horror novels. Each has his place and I'm glad the Little realized that and has returned to his old self.
This is really a great read. Fast paced. Several characters... One global evil force that brings it all together...
Buy this...
Format:Paperback
Obviously, any story of the supernatural requires a certain suspension of disbelief but some books don't half make it diffucult. This story of a demonic steam train traversing the US on a vengeful mission against white America (including a surreal attack on the White House) is just too outlandish to take even remotely seriously.
Besides its absurd plot the book is also hampered by mundane prose, bland characters and a messy, fractured plot structure that goes off in all sorts of directions and resolves none of them satisfactorily. There are too many characters and sub-plots for any of them to be dealt with in sufficient detail and even with 400 pages the book still comes across as rushed and clumsy. It's one of those books that leaves you with the impression that it was written in a fortnight whilst the author had one eye on the television.
Add to the mix some depressing horror cliches such as demonic cackling and creeping black fungus and you're left with a forgettable mess and, like one of the other reviewers, I found myself speed-reading the closing chapters just to get it over with.
This is the first of Little's books that I've read and I'd be lying if I said that I felt compelled to read more.
Besides its absurd plot the book is also hampered by mundane prose, bland characters and a messy, fractured plot structure that goes off in all sorts of directions and resolves none of them satisfactorily. There are too many characters and sub-plots for any of them to be dealt with in sufficient detail and even with 400 pages the book still comes across as rushed and clumsy. It's one of those books that leaves you with the impression that it was written in a fortnight whilst the author had one eye on the television.
Add to the mix some depressing horror cliches such as demonic cackling and creeping black fungus and you're left with a forgettable mess and, like one of the other reviewers, I found myself speed-reading the closing chapters just to get it over with.
This is the first of Little's books that I've read and I'd be lying if I said that I felt compelled to read more.
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