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The Portal
Vivian Carmichael has been hiding in the mountains for over a year now. Far from cell towers and video cameras, she's finally found a safe place to raise her four-year old son, Cody. Until the night he crawls into bed and whispers two words that fill her with terror.
"Daddy's home."
Running for her life now, she horrified to learn that her estranged husband is not quite human anymore. Can she unravel the mystery of her family's dark secret before he steals her son and claims her as his next victim.
"Daddy's home."
Running for her life now, she horrified to learn that her estranged husband is not quite human anymore. Can she unravel the mystery of her family's dark secret before he steals her son and claims her as his next victim.
310 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 6, 2012
Originally published on Not Now...Mommy's Reading
The Portal by Christopher Allan Poe starts with a bang and doesn't let up! It's non-stop action with every turn of the page. Vivian Carmichael is on the run from her estranged husband who's went from merely dangerous to downright demonic. Thrown into the mix is a hired hitman who has served the Carmichael family for years and law enforcement agents - it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys in this terrifying thriller.
Vivian is the type of mother I fancy myself to be. I am a loveable sort of gal with a big heart and a welcoming nature but if you mess with my babies - I will break out a level of crazy that will will make your nightmares seem like a happy place. Hello! Vivian was the ultimate "mother bear" when it came to protecting Cody from his deranged father.
Christopher Allan Poe creates an array of characters that took me on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Eco-friendly skinheads. A cold, cruel hitman with a sense of class. A best friend who defines the true meaning of loyalty. And who could forget Leon the security guard?
"Nobody's going to kill anyone," Leon said. "Isn't that right, sir?"
"It doesn't matter." Jarod turned to her. "Sooner or later, I will find you.
"I said isn't that right, Mr. Carmichael?" Leon shined the flashlight directly at him.
"Get that fucking thing off me."
"He's not going to do anything sinful."
Leon moved the beam back to the floor. "Because he knows that me and Jesus go way back."
"I'm not paying you to-"
"And he also knows that me and Jesus used to fuck people up. Men much more powerful than he is, so we're not afraid."
Ha! I was done! Leon was the man! One minute I'm laughing and cheering him on and the next minute - waterfalls. Curse you, Christopher Allan Poe. Curse you.
As I read The Portal, I found myself likening it to Jonathan Maberry's Ghost Road Blues. Although the two stories are as different as night from day, there was something eerily familiar about the character of Mr. Vincent. For some reason, he reminded me of the character of the Boneman - only a whole lot older with a large heaping of evil. Mr. Vincent was my favorite character in the story. My only issue is that I never quite understood who or what Mr. Vincent was exactly and what his mission was except that he wanted to cause a great deal of mayhem and shed quite a bit of blood. His relationship with the Carmichael family, especially with Jarod, was never made clear to me and that left me feeling a bit unfilled by the close of the novel. Just a bit.
Larger-than life characters, vivid imagery and moderate gore makes The Portal a morbid read that will delight many a horror fan. Definitely a recommended read!
The Portal by Christopher Allan Poe starts with a bang and doesn't let up! It's non-stop action with every turn of the page. Vivian Carmichael is on the run from her estranged husband who's went from merely dangerous to downright demonic. Thrown into the mix is a hired hitman who has served the Carmichael family for years and law enforcement agents - it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys in this terrifying thriller.
Vivian is the type of mother I fancy myself to be. I am a loveable sort of gal with a big heart and a welcoming nature but if you mess with my babies - I will break out a level of crazy that will will make your nightmares seem like a happy place. Hello! Vivian was the ultimate "mother bear" when it came to protecting Cody from his deranged father.
Christopher Allan Poe creates an array of characters that took me on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Eco-friendly skinheads. A cold, cruel hitman with a sense of class. A best friend who defines the true meaning of loyalty. And who could forget Leon the security guard?
"Nobody's going to kill anyone," Leon said. "Isn't that right, sir?"
"It doesn't matter." Jarod turned to her. "Sooner or later, I will find you.
"I said isn't that right, Mr. Carmichael?" Leon shined the flashlight directly at him.
"Get that fucking thing off me."
"He's not going to do anything sinful."
Leon moved the beam back to the floor. "Because he knows that me and Jesus go way back."
"I'm not paying you to-"
"And he also knows that me and Jesus used to fuck people up. Men much more powerful than he is, so we're not afraid."
Ha! I was done! Leon was the man! One minute I'm laughing and cheering him on and the next minute - waterfalls. Curse you, Christopher Allan Poe. Curse you.
As I read The Portal, I found myself likening it to Jonathan Maberry's Ghost Road Blues. Although the two stories are as different as night from day, there was something eerily familiar about the character of Mr. Vincent. For some reason, he reminded me of the character of the Boneman - only a whole lot older with a large heaping of evil. Mr. Vincent was my favorite character in the story. My only issue is that I never quite understood who or what Mr. Vincent was exactly and what his mission was except that he wanted to cause a great deal of mayhem and shed quite a bit of blood. His relationship with the Carmichael family, especially with Jarod, was never made clear to me and that left me feeling a bit unfilled by the close of the novel. Just a bit.
Larger-than life characters, vivid imagery and moderate gore makes The Portal a morbid read that will delight many a horror fan. Definitely a recommended read!
November 23, 2011
I received this book as a Goodreads First Read.
The Portal is a very fast paced, action packed story. From the very first page the action starts and it doesn't stop until the book ends.
Vivian and her son Cody have been in hiding for a year when he climbs into bed and whispers the words Vivian fears the most, "Daddy's home". Vivian is now fighting for her and Cody's lives when she finds out she may be in over her head. Jarrod, her ex, isn't quite human anymore and Cody isn't quite himself. What is going on? She needs to figure it all out before it's too late for everyone.
It was a very easy read. I got through it fairly quickly. Poe knows how to bring you into the story from the page one. The only problem with this is that there is barely any back story and a lot of questions go unanswered through the book. I still don't know why certain things happened. The characters weren't as developed as I would like, either. The other world, though, is very well imagined. The creepiest parts of the book for me was when Cody went into his trances and when they entered Cody Town.
I do feel that Poe tried to put so much paranormal into the story in such a short amount of time that it felt jumbled at times. He had villains, monsters, possession, an imaginary world, lots of bumps in the road and still tried to keep the love story of a mother and son in tact. It was a bit much for this book.
This doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book. I did. I got sucked into it and had a hard time putting it down. There was plot twist after plot twist and it really was fun to read. I think with a better editor and some more back story it would have been a great book.
If you like fast paced paranormal thrillers go ahead and check it out.
www.theultimatebooknook.blogspot.com
The Portal is a very fast paced, action packed story. From the very first page the action starts and it doesn't stop until the book ends.
Vivian and her son Cody have been in hiding for a year when he climbs into bed and whispers the words Vivian fears the most, "Daddy's home". Vivian is now fighting for her and Cody's lives when she finds out she may be in over her head. Jarrod, her ex, isn't quite human anymore and Cody isn't quite himself. What is going on? She needs to figure it all out before it's too late for everyone.
It was a very easy read. I got through it fairly quickly. Poe knows how to bring you into the story from the page one. The only problem with this is that there is barely any back story and a lot of questions go unanswered through the book. I still don't know why certain things happened. The characters weren't as developed as I would like, either. The other world, though, is very well imagined. The creepiest parts of the book for me was when Cody went into his trances and when they entered Cody Town.
I do feel that Poe tried to put so much paranormal into the story in such a short amount of time that it felt jumbled at times. He had villains, monsters, possession, an imaginary world, lots of bumps in the road and still tried to keep the love story of a mother and son in tact. It was a bit much for this book.
This doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book. I did. I got sucked into it and had a hard time putting it down. There was plot twist after plot twist and it really was fun to read. I think with a better editor and some more back story it would have been a great book.
If you like fast paced paranormal thrillers go ahead and check it out.
www.theultimatebooknook.blogspot.com
November 6, 2011
Christopher Allan Poe rarely lets his readers take a breath. When he does, you'd better gulp it in quickly because he slams the air out of you on the very next page. THE PORTAL is part thriller, part paranormal-horror show, and all page-turning excitement. Poe's debut novel delivers on its promise of how far a mother will go to protect her child, and how far evil will go to get what it wants. I can't wait to read more books from fiction's newest Prince of Darkness.
October 14, 2011
Wonderful story. Fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz will really enjoy this tale. The plot moves so fast it's hard to catch one's breath, but the twists and turns keep coming and you are never quite sure where this will end. I read the book straight through because there was just no good place to stop and put it down!
June 8, 2012
This was a book I had won from Goodreads as part of the First Reads program. The title and the description made it sound interesting, so I was eager to check it out. It ended up being ok. The writing style was choppy for my taste. A couple of times I had to read back a couple paragraphs to make sure I didn't miss anything because the transition from one thought or conversation to another was too quick. The premise was interesting, if a bit disturbing and gory (killer children's toys, little kids possessed by demons, eeeeeessshhh...). In that respect, the book reminded me a little of a Stephen King novel, but nowhere near the level of literary craftsmanship of King.
A quick and easy read - I think I finished it in three days. The characters are likeable and realistic, if stereotypical.
On a final note (and this is picky, I know, but I used to be a writing tutor and I am super anal about editing), I found about 5 grammar or punctuation errors as I was reading that jumped out at me and distracted me, so it could have used more proofing.
A quick and easy read - I think I finished it in three days. The characters are likeable and realistic, if stereotypical.
On a final note (and this is picky, I know, but I used to be a writing tutor and I am super anal about editing), I found about 5 grammar or punctuation errors as I was reading that jumped out at me and distracted me, so it could have used more proofing.
October 21, 2011
Absolutely fantastic! Christopher Allan Poe's novel The Portal is one of the best two-thumbs-up, edge-of-your-seat paranormal thrillers I've read in a long time. From the first few pages, I knew I was hooked. High-stakes are presented in a whirlwind of tense immediate action right from the get-go. But it's not all creepy, keep-you-up-at-night thrills. In the middle of everything is the very real love between a mother and son that is absolutely relatable and believable. Definitely pick up this book and spread the word.
January 13, 2012
I won this book on Goodreads.
Wow! After the first page, you won't take a breath. The story takes off at a flat-out run and doesn't stop. Christopher Allan Poe does an amazing job keeping you on the edge of your seat. Weird and twisted, I loved it all!
I searched to see what else Christopher Allan Poe wrote and found nothing. Is this possible that this is his first novel? Impossible! It is written like a vetern. Probably the most suspenseful book I've ever read!!
If you like Dean Koontz and John Saul, you'll LOVE this book.
Wow! After the first page, you won't take a breath. The story takes off at a flat-out run and doesn't stop. Christopher Allan Poe does an amazing job keeping you on the edge of your seat. Weird and twisted, I loved it all!
I searched to see what else Christopher Allan Poe wrote and found nothing. Is this possible that this is his first novel? Impossible! It is written like a vetern. Probably the most suspenseful book I've ever read!!
If you like Dean Koontz and John Saul, you'll LOVE this book.
May 9, 2012
A mother and a child in danger. A "daddy" with something desperately gone wrong. A place called Codyland, where "ashes, ashes, all fall down" is the theme of the day. And an ominous Mr. Vincent. Add Christopher Allan Poe's strong characters and killer pace, and you have a debut paranormal thriller that's sure to keep you turning pages all night long. This woman fighting to save her child is so skillfully drawn that she could have been in the same room with me. A scary, wonderful read.
November 28, 2011
Poe definitely has a unique style. The Portal was a heart pounder from the very first page. Clear and to the point. Great character development without beating the reader over the head with backstory. Well done!
October 10, 2011
A heart pounding read, from page one until the end. The Portal keeps you guessing, with plenty of twists and turns. I loved it!
June 6, 2018
What an absolute and utter disappointment. I think that the ideas were solid in the author's inner brain workings, but the ability to convey them on paper was a complete flop. The reader is plopped into the middle of the story with hardly any backstory, and though the background starts to come together later, it's still never made quite clear.
In summary, Jarod is a bad dude who is oftentimes possessed by Mister Vincent. Because Cody is Jarod's son, he too is able to contact and / or channel Mister Vincent. However, there is no clear explanation as to how Mister Vincent came to be, what type of entity he is, what his purpose is, etc.
Also, the number of police, secret agents, etc. chasing after Vivian and company is absolutely ludicrous because again, the backstory / background just is not there. I love a good haunting, paranormal, evil entity book, but I also like to know ... WHY. . . . and HOW. This book is lacking so much of that.
Finally, the grammar and punctuation flaws throughout the entire book made it even more difficult to stomach. I can live with having wasted time on a bad book, but even a bad book should be well written. This should be a HARD PASS if this is on your to-read list.
In summary, Jarod is a bad dude who is oftentimes possessed by Mister Vincent. Because Cody is Jarod's son, he too is able to contact and / or channel Mister Vincent. However, there is no clear explanation as to how Mister Vincent came to be, what type of entity he is, what his purpose is, etc.
Also, the number of police, secret agents, etc. chasing after Vivian and company is absolutely ludicrous because again, the backstory / background just is not there. I love a good haunting, paranormal, evil entity book, but I also like to know ... WHY. . . . and HOW. This book is lacking so much of that.
Finally, the grammar and punctuation flaws throughout the entire book made it even more difficult to stomach. I can live with having wasted time on a bad book, but even a bad book should be well written. This should be a HARD PASS if this is on your to-read list.
November 5, 2012
I bought this book a while ago despite it not falling into the genres that I normally read. And of course as soon as I picked it up I never put it down; that is until I was done at 4AM!
Christopher Allan Poe has a way with words and a natural talent in keeping the reader completely enthralled in this superbly suspenseful scary tale. The pace was perfect!
The plot is interesting and mysterious with well-developed characters that are realistic enough to fit in our normal lives. Although bloody at times, and vividly descriptive, this story does not lack in warmth and gentle emotions that tug at the heart. Again Christopher does this by having a little boy involved in almost every scene and his mother's love for him is so very real.
One of the biggest turn offs for me when it comes to horror stories is when an author spends a lot of time on torture AND especially sexual torture (which I refuse to read)The author didn't need to resort to these tricks for shock value. The violence and blood were just part of the scene and rolled on naturally.
I recommend this book to anyone (Mature YA/adult)who enjoys a thrill and a mystery.
Loved it!
Christopher Allan Poe has a way with words and a natural talent in keeping the reader completely enthralled in this superbly suspenseful scary tale. The pace was perfect!
The plot is interesting and mysterious with well-developed characters that are realistic enough to fit in our normal lives. Although bloody at times, and vividly descriptive, this story does not lack in warmth and gentle emotions that tug at the heart. Again Christopher does this by having a little boy involved in almost every scene and his mother's love for him is so very real.
One of the biggest turn offs for me when it comes to horror stories is when an author spends a lot of time on torture AND especially sexual torture (which I refuse to read)The author didn't need to resort to these tricks for shock value. The violence and blood were just part of the scene and rolled on naturally.
I recommend this book to anyone (Mature YA/adult)who enjoys a thrill and a mystery.
Loved it!
June 16, 2012
Received a free copy through Goodreads Giveaways on May 28, 2012.
The Portal by Christopher Allan Poe is a thriller that takes off from the beginning of the book and doesn’t let up till the very end. This book is about Vivian Carmichael and her son Cody that are desperately trying to escape her husband Jarrod and the monster that he has become. There is however an even bigger threat to Cody that Vivian did not anticipate at first. Cody has an imaginary friend named Mr. Vincent and he wants Cody to help him. Vivian, like any good mother would do anything for her little boy to be safe, she will have to use that love for her son to help pull him through.
Christopher Allen Poe did a great job and this is actually his first book. The storyline was good and the overall flow of the book was well done. There were a few moments that I wish we could have had a little more information on the main character’s pasts but other than that I really did enjoy reading this book. I look forward to reading the next book by this author and think he has amazing potential.
The Portal by Christopher Allan Poe is a thriller that takes off from the beginning of the book and doesn’t let up till the very end. This book is about Vivian Carmichael and her son Cody that are desperately trying to escape her husband Jarrod and the monster that he has become. There is however an even bigger threat to Cody that Vivian did not anticipate at first. Cody has an imaginary friend named Mr. Vincent and he wants Cody to help him. Vivian, like any good mother would do anything for her little boy to be safe, she will have to use that love for her son to help pull him through.
Christopher Allen Poe did a great job and this is actually his first book. The storyline was good and the overall flow of the book was well done. There were a few moments that I wish we could have had a little more information on the main character’s pasts but other than that I really did enjoy reading this book. I look forward to reading the next book by this author and think he has amazing potential.
August 9, 2013
Honestly, just because someone's related to Edgar Allan Poe, does not a genius make. Hell there are people who aren't fond of the original Poe's work.
This book...I couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on. And that's not said in a good way. I like being pleasantly surprised and kept on my toes, but this was so disjointed and convoluted that I wondered if the author suffered a blow to the head while composing it.
And I would expect an adult or teenager to know the difference between human waste (something the body produces to clean our system of that which it cannot use) and the waist (the anatomical division between the upper and lower half of the body).
I'm rather glad that it was only $.99.
Truthfully, it's not worth that, but... the price was right.
This book...I couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on. And that's not said in a good way. I like being pleasantly surprised and kept on my toes, but this was so disjointed and convoluted that I wondered if the author suffered a blow to the head while composing it.
And I would expect an adult or teenager to know the difference between human waste (something the body produces to clean our system of that which it cannot use) and the waist (the anatomical division between the upper and lower half of the body).
I'm rather glad that it was only $.99.
Truthfully, it's not worth that, but... the price was right.
March 29, 2013
Crreeeeppy! That pretty much sums up this exciting new author's book. Christopher Allan Poe knows how to write an action-packed thriller! Creepy toys, small children, sinister creatures and violence all converge in "The Portal".
I do not like horror movies or scary books, but I managed to make it through this one, as long as it was daylight. (I know-I'm a wimp). This book brings forth paranormal creatures and happenings in such a way that you must keep reading it just to find out what happens. The moral of the story? A mother's love will conquer all and if you mess with her baby you will definitely get your ass kicked! Good job Christopher Allan Poe!
I do not like horror movies or scary books, but I managed to make it through this one, as long as it was daylight. (I know-I'm a wimp). This book brings forth paranormal creatures and happenings in such a way that you must keep reading it just to find out what happens. The moral of the story? A mother's love will conquer all and if you mess with her baby you will definitely get your ass kicked! Good job Christopher Allan Poe!
October 28, 2013
From page one, I couldn't put this book down. I haven't ridden an emotional roller coaster like that in a while. Christopher Allan Poe will knock the wind out of you, and won't even give you time to catch your breath before he does it again. This is a must read for anyone who loves a good thriller! Be prepared to dedicate a solid few hours of time to reading though, because you will want to read it cover to cover. I will be thinking about every sinister twist this book took for days to come. I can't wait to see what Christopher Allan Poe has up his sleeves next.
December 24, 2014
I would actually give The Portal 3 1/2 stars. The action was fast paced and the story was a quick read. I just wish the characters were developed more. So much back story was left out. Plus, a lot of the dramatic shifts felt a bit too abrupt. There was no real lead up to them.
Overall the story was a good first story. I would recommend it to fans of short horror stories based on video games (like the resident evil books) where the characters aren't as important.
Overall the story was a good first story. I would recommend it to fans of short horror stories based on video games (like the resident evil books) where the characters aren't as important.
July 13, 2013
This seems to be more of a sci-fi book instead of a mystery. One of the characters turns into a monster that can crawl on the ceiling (kind of like spiderman). A child has an imaginary playmate who is not really a playmate but the book doesn't come right out and explain who (or what) Mister Vincent really is. The book ends with the note that this is the end of book one so maybe book two will be more explanatory.
February 5, 2012
This book had non-stop action from chapter one. Lots of blood and gore. Keeps you guessing, what kind of monster is this? At the end, it said 'end of book one.' Hopefully, if there is a book two, we will see more character development, and backstory, which this story is missing......this seems to have been done purposefully, to keep the intrigue for book two. All in all, an entertaining book.
October 20, 2013
Christopher Allan Poe you sir are a punk. I enjoyed this story immensely. I also had come to like Erika a lot. I had a hard time putting The Portal down, even when I was at the museum working and people had questions. I feel like I was an antagonist in their lives because I was drawn into this book instead of doing my job as a docent.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2012
A fast paced and well written Paranormal Thriller. If you're a fan of Dean Koontz-- THE PORTAL is for you. I definitely recommend reading this. No question, I'm looking forward to what Poe puts out in the future.
November 2, 2012
If you would have told me that the book was going to take such a dark twist at the end after reading the first half of the book I wouldn't have believed you. Good book over all, definitely a horror novel in my opinion which is not usually my cup of tea.
October 20, 2013
A paranormal thriller. A nice break from the romances I've been reading.
This was a quick read, I read it in under a day. The story line kept the story going, and it kept me wanting more. So I read it all, couldn't put it down.
This was a quick read, I read it in under a day. The story line kept the story going, and it kept me wanting more. So I read it all, couldn't put it down.
March 24, 2014
Christopher Allan Poe's, The Portal, was money well spent. Rarely does a book have enough suspense to propel me forward through the pages as this book did. I would put it on par with a Lee Child book.
October 15, 2014
Fantastic, really sucked me in quickly and held me until the end! Very exciting edge of your seat stuff. I wish the descriptions of the characters were more detailed so I could picture them. My only criticism.
January 21, 2013
This is a can't-put-it-down book! I read it from beginning to end in a matter of hours. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Excellent story.
November 16, 2011
Just terrible!
January 17, 2012
Really great scary story but was lacking in alot of description. Was really hard to hold my interest.
April 22, 2015
Needed more character development and maybe some more back story to it. I felt lost at times and ended up rereading parts to make sure I was following along.
August 27, 2013
This book is pretty dope. It gets right to the point and it held my interest. I would recommend to anyone that likes King or Koontz.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews