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A Cold Blue Light #1
A Cold Blue Light
Old Charlotte Aubrey has died. Yet something still lives at Aubrey House, glowing with a strange blue light, breathing in the dark, waiting...
Is it waiting for Richard Creighton, the brilliant philosopher who longs to forget the terrible accident that killed his wife and daughter? For Drew Beltane, the world-famous psychic cursed with a hopelessly twisted body? For Vita Henry, searching for a last chance at lost youth? Or perhaps for Merlyn Aubrey herself, the exquisite woman-child who hovers dangerously on the brink of insanity, trying not to remember...
They are all at Aubrey House tonight, each determined to unlock its evil secrets, to break its deadly spell. Each is prepared to pay whatever the price might be...
Is it waiting for Richard Creighton, the brilliant philosopher who longs to forget the terrible accident that killed his wife and daughter? For Drew Beltane, the world-famous psychic cursed with a hopelessly twisted body? For Vita Henry, searching for a last chance at lost youth? Or perhaps for Merlyn Aubrey herself, the exquisite woman-child who hovers dangerously on the brink of insanity, trying not to remember...
They are all at Aubrey House tonight, each determined to unlock its evil secrets, to break its deadly spell. Each is prepared to pay whatever the price might be...
294 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1983
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144 people want to read
About the author
Marvin Kaye
140 books82 followersMarvin Nathan Kaye was an American mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror author, anthologist, and editor. He was also a magician and theater actor. Kaye was a World Fantasy Award winner and served as co-publisher and editor of Weird Tales Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 1, 2018
A bunch of people decide to stay in a legendary haunted house where nothing of much interest happens. The end.
I was in the mood for a good ole' spooky haunted house tale, and what I got was paranormal researchers debating topics like ESP and the latest theories on "psi energy" and whatnot. I'm not a big fan of all that sciency/new agey gobbledygook in my horror; it just causes my eyes to glaze over. I don't need scientific rationale for what's supposed to be strictly fantasy. It can be used to add flavor, of course, but this just went way overboard, with pages upon pages of arguments over psychology vs. spirituality in regards to hauntings, interrupted periodically by some vague supernatural happenings. Happenings that are more of the "hmm...that's peculiar" variety as opposed to the "ohmygod holy shit!" variety.
It does eventually get a bit more interesting, with the "cold blue light" of the title finally making its presence known, but I'd already checked out at that point due to the interminable, unrealistic-sounding dialogue. Rather disappointing considering Kaye's impeccable taste in horror and weird fiction when editing anthologies. But I suppose good taste doesn't always equal good writing (I mean, I probably have the best taste of all time but I know if I wrote a novel it'd just be embarrassing). Co-author Parke Godwin's Darker Places was a decent little occult thriller, however, made better by it's ridiculous cover.
It looks like many others disagree with me on this one. Maybe had I been in the mood for a cozy read as opposed to a frightening one I'd have had better luck here. But I doubt it.
I was in the mood for a good ole' spooky haunted house tale, and what I got was paranormal researchers debating topics like ESP and the latest theories on "psi energy" and whatnot. I'm not a big fan of all that sciency/new agey gobbledygook in my horror; it just causes my eyes to glaze over. I don't need scientific rationale for what's supposed to be strictly fantasy. It can be used to add flavor, of course, but this just went way overboard, with pages upon pages of arguments over psychology vs. spirituality in regards to hauntings, interrupted periodically by some vague supernatural happenings. Happenings that are more of the "hmm...that's peculiar" variety as opposed to the "ohmygod holy shit!" variety.
It does eventually get a bit more interesting, with the "cold blue light" of the title finally making its presence known, but I'd already checked out at that point due to the interminable, unrealistic-sounding dialogue. Rather disappointing considering Kaye's impeccable taste in horror and weird fiction when editing anthologies. But I suppose good taste doesn't always equal good writing (I mean, I probably have the best taste of all time but I know if I wrote a novel it'd just be embarrassing). Co-author Parke Godwin's Darker Places was a decent little occult thriller, however, made better by it's ridiculous cover.
It looks like many others disagree with me on this one. Maybe had I been in the mood for a cozy read as opposed to a frightening one I'd have had better luck here. But I doubt it.
July 21, 2019
A million time told tale and yet each book has something different to reveal.
A Cold Blue Light lays some very interesting and unique cards on to the average table of haunted houses tradition but it falls short of crashing the wall of originality and eulogy.
A refreshingly diverse cast of characters thrown at the reader right from the beginning is a rather welcome start. You do get to follow different viewpoints but again none eventually embark on a full development to be taken as seriously as hoped.
There are moments of recurring banality but very few and far between thankfully. Unfortunately all explanations tend to be rather chaotic and confused me to the point of not being able to appreciate the core of the story. And yet the big finale was such an amazing turning point - away from the repeating themes of similar novels - and elevated the book above the mass market productions of the time, and to a level of sensationalistic pleasure.
A Cold Blue Light lays some very interesting and unique cards on to the average table of haunted houses tradition but it falls short of crashing the wall of originality and eulogy.
A refreshingly diverse cast of characters thrown at the reader right from the beginning is a rather welcome start. You do get to follow different viewpoints but again none eventually embark on a full development to be taken as seriously as hoped.
There are moments of recurring banality but very few and far between thankfully. Unfortunately all explanations tend to be rather chaotic and confused me to the point of not being able to appreciate the core of the story. And yet the big finale was such an amazing turning point - away from the repeating themes of similar novels - and elevated the book above the mass market productions of the time, and to a level of sensationalistic pleasure.
January 14, 2009
Sorry Michael!
I liked this one, but I definitely liked Hell House and The Haunting of Hill House better.
I liked this one, but I definitely liked Hell House and The Haunting of Hill House better.
September 1, 2016
This is my favorite haunted house novel of all time . The only two that even come close are " The Haunting " by Shirley Jackson and " The Legend of Hell House " by Richard Matheson .
my-horror-books
May 8, 2018Read and read but found the writing to be very disjointed. One star for effort.
June 7, 2024
I was in the mood for a spooky novel and picked this up off my shelf. It is a beautiful book that shimmers blue.
I enjoyed the characters and their struggles and successes. Loved the ending! Really good, fun, fast read. Not too scary but nothing really ever is for me. I keep looking!
I enjoyed the characters and their struggles and successes. Loved the ending! Really good, fun, fast read. Not too scary but nothing really ever is for me. I keep looking!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews