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The Tangled Leaves of Anniseed

The Tangled Leaves of Anniseed

Tag Archives: Vampires

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

27 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by Anniseed in Book Review

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Horror, Supernatural, Vampires

This one’s had some hype (and a very dull promo poster guest starring at railway stations – ever wonder what happened to Danny from The Shining? – If you haven’t read it, the answer’s probably no.) So I approached it with a little bit of trepidation, The Shining not being my favourite King novel, although I liked Danny as a character. King, in my view, often includes one element too many, which dilutes the scariness, and The Shining was a classic example of this –  a man turns violent on his own family, which is terrifying enough, and you don’t really need weird creatures formed from topiary added to the mix. But the fact I did like Danny drew me in to this sequel.

We catch up with this special little boy when he’s a grown man, and letting himself down badly, following in his father’s footsteps of alcohol addiction. One night he reaches the bottom of the bottle and decides he has to change. As a child he was saved by Dick Hallorann, who became his mentor throughout adolescence, and he determines to follow in Dick’s worthier footsteps when he starts receiving psychic messages from a young girl called Abra Stone, who shares Dan’s gift of the shining. But Abra is more powerful than Dan ever was, and she’s witnessed the torture and murder of a young boy (also with the gift) by a group of sinister people called the True Knot. Now they’re out to get her, and she needs Dan’s help. Big time.

The True Knot are an interesting bunch of villains, masquerading as middle aged, polyester-clad RV-types (that’s caravanners, for us Brits!), and Rose the Hat is a disturbing nemesis for Dan and Abra. Their mythology is an interesting twist on vampirism and I would have liked more exploration of their history. Their connection with the Overlook Hotel is good in terms of continuity, and a return to this infamous battleground is welcome. But the ending is a little unsatisfying for me – I felt the True Knot were built up and up only to be knocked down a little too easily.

Dan’s transformation from prescient little boy to irresponsible alcoholic and then to saviour of the day was well-realised and believable, with twinges of real poignancy (especially in his relationship with Billy, who echoed the kindly and wise Dick). I think the real low point of his life for me was him not knowing that Dick had passed way, which felt like a betrayal; and the revelation of the truth behind Abra’s “theory of relativity” felt a little too convenient. But again I was engaged by his character and wanted to know how his story would pan out. Abra, as the other central character, was equally as complex – revelling too much in victory, hinting that she would eventually face her own inner darkness, as Dan had done.

It’s not without flaws, but overall Doctor Sleep is an enjoyable read, well-paced with a strong sense of tension. I don’t think it will replicate the phenomenal success of The Shining, but it’s a sound supernatural tale, and stands separate enough from its predecessor to find new readers on its own merit. Rating: ***

Hodder, 2014, ISBN 9781444761184

Fortunately, the Milk… by Neil Gaiman

15 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by Anniseed in Childrens Book Review

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Aliens, Dinoaurs, Fantasy, Humour, Pirates, Vampires

This book is a sheer delight. It follows the fortunes of Dad, as he pops out for a pint of milk and is waylaid by aliens, pirates, dinosaurs, volcano gods and vampires on his way home. But fortunately, the milk stays firmly in his possession and finally lands on the breakfast table, having helped save the world along the way!

This is Neil Gaiman at his inventive best, clearly having a ball. The story is jam-packed with wit and silliness, and the illustrations by Chris Riddell are perfectly matched – it’s quite clear who Dad is – and have oodles of child-appeal. The story reads aloud wonderfully, and is perfect for sharing at bedtime with young children. I loved the ending! This one is destined to be a children’s classic, and can be enjoyed by both children and their own wacky parents. Brilliant! *****

Bloomsbury, 2013, ISBN 9781408841761

Let The Old Dreams Die by John Ajvide Lindqvist

09 Monday Dec 2013

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Horror, Monsters, Short stories, Supernatural, Vampires, Zombies

As the nights close in, I’m inevitably drawn to the darker side of nature again…

Let the Old Dreams Die is a collection of short stories by the author of Let the Right One In, and here Lindqvist shows himself to be master of the form. From trolls to vampires, he weaves terrifying tales of horror. The title story picks up the pieces from his celebrated vampire novel, and The Final Processing follows the events after his unusual zombie novel Handling the Undead; both of which are very satisfying if you’re a fan of his books, but they stand alone perfectly well. But he also explores new territory – in Border, a customs officer stops a mysterious traveller only to discover that she herself is not quite human. Village on the Hill includes some startling imagery which will make you nervous of tower blocks and toilets, and the secret of defying death extracts a terrible price in Eternal / Love. But my favourite is the short Paper Walls, which captures perfectly the imagination and terror of childhood.

Lindqvist is definitely my favourite horror writer; his prose is beautiful, which makes the gruesomeness of his tales more shocking, but never gratuitous. He has the ability to make his worlds absolutely real, so the most bizarre events feel plausible, and even his most depraved characters inspire sympathy in the reader. His is real literary horror, and the comparisons with Stephen King which litter covers and reviews don’t do him justice – he’s a far more skillful writer, and there is a sense of something much deeper in his characters and worlds. Thoughtful, intelligent horror indeed, and thoroughly recommended. *****

Quercus, 2013, ISBN 9780857385512

Blood And Ice by Robert Masello

03 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by Anniseed in Book Review

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Tags

Horror, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural, Vampires

Reproduced with kind permission of Vintage

Reproduced with kind permission of Vintage

I picked this up because a) the cover looks darn good, and b) the blurb promised a twist on the glut of vampire romance stories that have been so prevalent recently. I wasn’t disappointed! The dual narrative follows photographer and journalist Michael, who flees from the tragedy of his girlfriend’s death to the frozen wastes of the Antarctic, and the mid-19th century tragedy of Lieutenant Sinclair Copley, caught up in the Crimean war, and his lover Eleanor, who joins Florence Nightingale’s nurses in order to follow him to the battlefront. When their frozen bodies are found deep in the ice over a century later, chained together, Michael starts to fall in love with the frozen woman – but the thawing of hearts will have a price….

The author is a screenwriter and this shows in the cinematic pacing – I can well imagine this novel turning into a film. Its plotline is unusual and interesting, and the setting of the Antarctic station is very well-realised. It is a little slow to get going however, and I personally would have restructured the beginning to mirror Kristin’s accident and the “drowning” of Sinclair and Eleanor, starting with Michael’s desperate fight to save Kristin, which would have allowed us more into his head from the beginning. But that aside, it’s an entertaining read with some genuinely tense and scary moments – some of the supporting characters have some great memorable moments as they meet their fates –  and it doesn’t slide into vampiric cliché; it’s a love story that feels authentic within the confines of the supernatural genre. If you like vampire fiction but are sick of the Twilight derivatives, then give Blood and Ice a try. Rating: ***

Vintage, 2010, ISBN 9780099523871

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