Reading List

November 9, Tuesday

Others by James Herbert

This is a genre that has some "private eye" associated with it. It also has some morbid associated with, and some terror and some fantasy (but not really much of that). XXXXXXX has been described as being heavily influenced by Stephen King – but it really wasn't the same kind of weird – not saying it wasn't weird – it was just different. So as a synopsis – private investigator – he has a case looking for a missing child – that leads him into a strange world of clairvoyance and ghost images and really bizarre happenings. There are some scenes that are a little bit – no a lot bit – gross (I wouldn't recommend it to my mother – or my children's mother). And in the end – well I figured out how it was going to end – but not exactly – but close enough to count. If you decide to read it, pay real close attention to the first chapter.

Oh, and it is not cliché. The private investigator does real private investigator work, like serving summons, watching vacant buildings for vagrants, following husbands. It is not glamorous stuff. Which I guess is good because the private investigator is not glamorous – in fact he is a hunch back with other deformities with one eye that has been put out. So he also isn't a lady killer PI. It is a different scenario which leads to some different types of scenes.

So – evaluation from the Larry point of view. I liked it, but the "gross" scenes (and a little bit of language) can be a real turn off. I would never tell someone they "have to read this book". But it is readable, and even compelling towards the end. It is not great, but it could be good, but I won't recommend it to anyone.

I picked it up in the Mentor "trading library" at work because I was leaving for a trip and needed something to read. I always worry about that, just because you never know what you are going to get that might be offensive, or gross or crude. No it is not on the 501 Must Read list – absolutely not. And it would NEVER be on a Relief Society Book Club list.