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Pine Deep #2
Dead Man's Song
Twice Pine Deep has endured the savage hungers of a madman—but the death of the serial killer hasn't ended the carnage. A monstrous evil is again turning the quiet little town into hell on earth, and now the townspeople must fight for their souls.
Audiobook
First published January 1, 2007
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2734 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
527 books7,811 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, #1 Audible bestseller, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, comic book writer, and producer. He is the author of more than 50 novels, 190 short stories, 16 short story collections, 30 graphic novels, 14 nonfiction books, and has edited 26 anthologies. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was a Netflix original series starring Ian Somerhalder. His 2009-10 run as writer on the Black Panther comic formed a large chunk of the recent blockbuster film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His bestselling YA zombie series, Rot & Ruin is in development for film at Alcon Entertainment; and John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, is developing Jonathan’s Joe Ledger Thrillers for TV. Jonathan writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. His works include The Pine Deep Trilogy, The Kagen the Damned Trilogy, NecroTek, Ink, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, The Sleepers War (with Weston Ochse), Mars One, and many others. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird, The X-Files, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Don’t Turn out the Lights: A Tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, Shadows & Verse, and others. His comics include Marvel Zombies Return, The Punisher: Naked Kills, Wolverine: Ghosts, Godzilla vs Cthulhu: Death May Die, Bad Blood and many others. Jonathan has written in many popular licensed worlds, including Hellboy, True Blood, The Wolfman, John Carter of Mars, Sherlock Holmes, C.H.U.D., Diablo IV, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Karl Kolchak, and many others. He the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, and the editor of Weird Tales Magazine. He lives in San Diego, California. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
March 10, 2014
In the silent wormy darkness, he waits…
There is one very important factor to remember when reviewing a book like this: namely, it has corn fields.
The dark shape hunched over [the corpse] raised its head and looked at him without expression for a long moment, and then the bloody mouth opened in a great smile full of immense darkness and hunger, lips parting to reveal hideous teeth that were grimed with pink-white tatters of flesh.
Indeedy. It’s like that…
…but it also isn’t. See, Dead Man’s Song is actually a slower burner (compared to its predecessor), but the end result is every bit as rewarding. I really enjoyed the first book in the Pine Deep Trilogy (Ghost Road Blues), and imagine my pleasant surprise when the author himself commented on my review, even if it was to set me straight on one or two things. This second instalment in the trilogy, takes off exactly where the first book stopped. And boy, does it ever.
The dead body in the mound was struggling to sit up. It pushed dirt away from its mouth, pushed at the heavy clods, clawed at the soft soil for purchase until it sat erect. Then it turned a dirt-smeared white face at [him] and smiled. [He] screamed once, a shrill, tearing scream of absolute horror, and ran.
It’s a veritable labyrinth (conspiracy) of evil that reaches back decades. Expect some shocking revelations regarding a few of the main players. I appreciated the additional information regarding the Black Harvest and the fate of Oren Morse. The story is just so much greater once it starts making sense.
I do suggest, though, that you don’t let grass grow beneath your feet between books, otherwise you will be at least a bit lost. This particular entry also requires a bit of a paradigm shift on the reader’s part; if I learnt anything from Dead Man’s Song, it’s not to make any assumptions about where a story is headed.
This whole thing was giving him an increasingly bad feeling.
It’s atmospheric stuff all round, and while comparisons with Stephen King have been drawn I found that it really isn’t quite the same. This is a good thing: while there are definite echoes of the likes of 'Salem's Lot, Maberry clearly has his own voice. I highly recommend this whole trilogy (so far) to readers who enjoy big horror stories.
He did not notice that all of the trees around him with filled with crows, each of them watching him with bottomless black eyes.
December 3, 2017
Maybe there's a groove we readers need to fall into with certain authors and I certainly needed to find it here, or at least for the first novel, but fortunately, I had no problems with this one.
Maybe it's just the fact that the established MC's that I've grown to love are still alive and kicking and raising hell when the time is right. That's pretty satisfying in any book, but this does a really fine job of characterization. The evil men aren't quite so cardboard here. My sympathies are only strengthened in the pain soup Val undergoes. And Mike? I'm always loving the hell out of him. Crow's a geeky dream, but I'm equally horrified and rooting for Mike.
This is shaping into a horror that SK could be proud of. Hell, just thinking about putting all these books together into one long story gives it exactly that kind of edge. Epic Horror! That is: a huge cast of characters in a small town besieged by an old evil that will consume them all if something isn't done kind of horror. :)
I'm quite happy with this. :)
Maybe it's just the fact that the established MC's that I've grown to love are still alive and kicking and raising hell when the time is right. That's pretty satisfying in any book, but this does a really fine job of characterization. The evil men aren't quite so cardboard here. My sympathies are only strengthened in the pain soup Val undergoes. And Mike? I'm always loving the hell out of him. Crow's a geeky dream, but I'm equally horrified and rooting for Mike.
This is shaping into a horror that SK could be proud of. Hell, just thinking about putting all these books together into one long story gives it exactly that kind of edge. Epic Horror! That is: a huge cast of characters in a small town besieged by an old evil that will consume them all if something isn't done kind of horror. :)
I'm quite happy with this. :)
November 25, 2017
I was a bit unsure about the first one and almost left it at the semi-happy-ending at the end of it but now I'm glad I kept on reading because by now I'm really sold on this trilogy. *lol*
This second book picks up right after the events of book 1. Val and Crow, beaten and haunted, get out of the hospital. But they are not the only ones shaken; there is a lot of personal stuff going on. Not much happens apart from that. There are still cops and agents, trying to find out what is what but that is basically background noise. The town is still affected by a black harvest which means that tensions are high even if we discount the happenings of the first book. More importantly however, this second volume is about what happens in the shadows, the big bad getting ready for the showdown and pulling the strings out of the shadows. And it is about what happened when Crow, Val and Terry were still kids because, as the reader already knows, this has direct implications on what is happening right now.
What I liked most was the exploration of the history of Pine Deep (not just when Griswald killed Terry's sister, Crow's brother and all those other people but even longer ago than that) as well as the interpersonal relationships. I did like Crow (the male MC) and Val (the female MC, Crow's fiancée) in the first book already but many of the other characters (like Terry and Sal) got a bit more screen time now and it did them good. Sure, many of the descriptions and even motivations are still utterly predictable and standard, but I like the small town feel of things. I mean, tropes come from somewhere. Besides, those tropes give me hope for who is going to survive and who's not going to make it so there's that.
And the author managed something else that many others apparently can't: he wrote a kick-ass female character that is nevertheless "normal" (shaken by events, vulnerable, not too over the top in any way).
The kicker here was that we finally get some of the supernatural elements being more pronounced (and that while it is a mix of things, it seems to be working well together - I like when even fantastical stuff is "realistic"). Again, there is some action here (one could even say that it is more or less a copy of the action in the first volume) and, like I said, most of the things "happening" are preparations, meaning the monsters can't operate out in the open which gives the story a deliciously creepy feel. But generally, there is more going on than in book 1 because some people, of course, catch on to things, do their own research and get ready as well so one does feel a nice progression while the timeline is showing a nice pace (naturally, people would be slow to catch on to things).
So while I was being generous with book 1, this volume definitely deserves the 4 stars.
This second book picks up right after the events of book 1. Val and Crow, beaten and haunted, get out of the hospital. But they are not the only ones shaken; there is a lot of personal stuff going on. Not much happens apart from that. There are still cops and agents, trying to find out what is what but that is basically background noise. The town is still affected by a black harvest which means that tensions are high even if we discount the happenings of the first book. More importantly however, this second volume is about what happens in the shadows, the big bad getting ready for the showdown and pulling the strings out of the shadows. And it is about what happened when Crow, Val and Terry were still kids because, as the reader already knows, this has direct implications on what is happening right now.
What I liked most was the exploration of the history of Pine Deep (not just when Griswald killed Terry's sister, Crow's brother and all those other people but even longer ago than that) as well as the interpersonal relationships. I did like Crow (the male MC) and Val (the female MC, Crow's fiancée) in the first book already but many of the other characters (like Terry and Sal) got a bit more screen time now and it did them good. Sure, many of the descriptions and even motivations are still utterly predictable and standard, but I like the small town feel of things. I mean, tropes come from somewhere. Besides, those tropes give me hope for who is going to survive and who's not going to make it so there's that.
And the author managed something else that many others apparently can't: he wrote a kick-ass female character that is nevertheless "normal" (shaken by events, vulnerable, not too over the top in any way).
The kicker here was that we finally get some of the supernatural elements being more pronounced (and that while it is a mix of things, it seems to be working well together - I like when even fantastical stuff is "realistic"). Again, there is some action here (one could even say that it is more or less a copy of the action in the first volume) and, like I said, most of the things "happening" are preparations, meaning the monsters can't operate out in the open which gives the story a deliciously creepy feel. But generally, there is more going on than in book 1 because some people, of course, catch on to things, do their own research and get ready as well so one does feel a nice progression while the timeline is showing a nice pace (naturally, people would be slow to catch on to things).
So while I was being generous with book 1, this volume definitely deserves the 4 stars.
April 10, 2022
Chills and Thrills!
Backstory:
As Halloween approaches, the town of Pine Deep starts having bodies pile up and something is still not right in the town as bodies that were dead start coming back to life. Things have escalated in the town since all the horrific trouble went down in the first book "Ghost Road Blues". The citizens of the town are trying to learn what is really going on and why bodies that are supposed to be dead are up and wandering the town!
What kind of evil is hiding out in the town of Pine Deep? Why are bodies not staying dead? Who or what is behind the slayings of the town citizens? Can anyone stop what is happening in Pine Deep?
No spoilers here as you will need to read this trilogy!
Thoughts:
This second book picks up exactly where the first one left off and the main characters that were in the first book are back in this second installment. The town is in a continual upheaval with bodies being killed and no one seems to know what is really going on or what is actually killing the towns people.
The author keeps the mystery of what is really happening within the town a secret and the story is slowly built up with suspense. The pace picks up the more I read of the story and I learned more of what is exactly happening to the towns people the closer I got to the end of the book. By the end of the book I knew what was causing the havoc by the description of what was happening to the bodies. But the how and why of it all was wrapped within the mystery of the story.
Looking forward to reading the last book in the trilogy to learn more of the secrets and mysteries of the town of Pine Deep. Giving this book five "Creeped Out Chiller" stars!
Highly Recommend!
Note to readers: The books are not stand alone - they must be read in order to understand the storyline as each book runs on the heels of the previous book. :)
Backstory:
As Halloween approaches, the town of Pine Deep starts having bodies pile up and something is still not right in the town as bodies that were dead start coming back to life. Things have escalated in the town since all the horrific trouble went down in the first book "Ghost Road Blues". The citizens of the town are trying to learn what is really going on and why bodies that are supposed to be dead are up and wandering the town!
What kind of evil is hiding out in the town of Pine Deep? Why are bodies not staying dead? Who or what is behind the slayings of the town citizens? Can anyone stop what is happening in Pine Deep?
No spoilers here as you will need to read this trilogy!
Thoughts:
This second book picks up exactly where the first one left off and the main characters that were in the first book are back in this second installment. The town is in a continual upheaval with bodies being killed and no one seems to know what is really going on or what is actually killing the towns people.
The author keeps the mystery of what is really happening within the town a secret and the story is slowly built up with suspense. The pace picks up the more I read of the story and I learned more of what is exactly happening to the towns people the closer I got to the end of the book. By the end of the book I knew what was causing the havoc by the description of what was happening to the bodies. But the how and why of it all was wrapped within the mystery of the story.
Looking forward to reading the last book in the trilogy to learn more of the secrets and mysteries of the town of Pine Deep. Giving this book five "Creeped Out Chiller" stars!
Highly Recommend!
Note to readers: The books are not stand alone - they must be read in order to understand the storyline as each book runs on the heels of the previous book. :)
July 3, 2015
I really enjoyed the first book, but I had to struggle to get through the first 80% of this one. It was bogged down with repetition, oftentimes of useless facts (e.g., Val's scars and motorcycle accidents, even certain lines repeated word for word). There were too many odes to Val and Crow's undying love, and a sixteen minute sex scene that was dreadfully boring. It is loaded with dream sequences and repetitious dream sequences. But the worst part, was all the recapping of the first book. I do not exaggerate when I say that this book is about 50% recap of the first book.
So why even three stars? The last 20% and the interludes were pure horror gold (though one must really suspend disbelief).
The scene at the Big Bad's house is the best in the book, utterly creepy and skin crawl-inducing. Quite perfect, actually, except that the writer tells us one of the character's is going to live through the three books, depriving us of the tension surrounding that character going forward (especially, since he seemed such a good candidate to kill off).
The writing is fine, the writer's skill evident. Whereas after I finished the first book I rushed to buy the second, I have yet to buy the third.
So why even three stars? The last 20% and the interludes were pure horror gold (though one must really suspend disbelief).
The scene at the Big Bad's house is the best in the book, utterly creepy and skin crawl-inducing. Quite perfect, actually, except that the writer tells us one of the character's is going to live through the three books, depriving us of the tension surrounding that character going forward (especially, since he seemed such a good candidate to kill off).
The writing is fine, the writer's skill evident. Whereas after I finished the first book I rushed to buy the second, I have yet to buy the third.
October 29, 2018
"It was October when it happened. It should always
be October when these things happen. In October you
expect things to die."
Vote: ☆ ☆ ☆ ½
This long trilogy with its load of iconic monsters of horror genre is just well written and the perfect Halloween season reading, but again, like after reading first book last year, it not entertained me enough to start as soon as possible another 400+ pages of it.
Loving the storyline, characters and some parts like the mayor's sister ghost and Ubel Griswold's mansion in Dark Hollow chapters are really creepy, but plot is dragging a lot and Crow and Val are so corny that make me eyeroll a lot.
Oh well, I know again what I'm going to read next October... just hope the ending is not going to be a big disappointment.
May 7, 2018
There is a great book here somewhere, but it’s buried beneath 400 pages of filler.
December 3, 2012
I was very excited about this series when I had finished Ghost Road Blues.
Now, after finishing Dead Man's Song, I couldn't care less.
I was very impressed with Maberry's work in the first novel. A perfect mix of descriptive prose and dialogue which made it a very fun read. But there were a few issues I had with Dead Man's Song that bothered me so much that it completely turned me off the series.
Now, before you read any further, be warned that some of what I am going to write will spoil a bit from the first novel.
First and foremost, Val and Crow.
So, Val loves her Dad. Dad gets killed by Ruger. Not two days later, the dialogue and exchanges between Van and Crow inexplicably has such a lighthearted and teasing tone that it was barely tolerable.
Daddy's been murdered, history looks to be repeating itself with more
horrific murders to come, Pine Deep is going to Hell in a handcart, but, "We're ENGAGED!!, We're GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!, She's my FIANCEE!!! I just can't wait to tell EVERYONE I see!!!"
To quote Oliver Reed's character from Burnt Offerings, "Life sure as hell goes on, doesn't it Marion?"
I'm sorry, I really found it nauseating.
So this kind of thing was happening a lot, and my eyerolling was making me dizzy. Yet I persevered despite this, and several typos and misprints (like taking the foot off the gas and the car starts to roll forward).
Yes, I stuck with it. Until this:
So, Crow just finishes telling a reporter that he believes in ghosts. A few pages later, his distraught best friend Terry confides in him that he has been visited by the ghost of his dead sister. Crow suggests he see a psychiatrist.
That did it. I skimmed the last 200 pages and I'm done with it all.
I won't give it one star, because he does have a great story idea going here, so I'll give it two.
Now, after finishing Dead Man's Song, I couldn't care less.
I was very impressed with Maberry's work in the first novel. A perfect mix of descriptive prose and dialogue which made it a very fun read. But there were a few issues I had with Dead Man's Song that bothered me so much that it completely turned me off the series.
Now, before you read any further, be warned that some of what I am going to write will spoil a bit from the first novel.
First and foremost, Val and Crow.
So, Val loves her Dad. Dad gets killed by Ruger. Not two days later, the dialogue and exchanges between Van and Crow inexplicably has such a lighthearted and teasing tone that it was barely tolerable.
Daddy's been murdered, history looks to be repeating itself with more
horrific murders to come, Pine Deep is going to Hell in a handcart, but, "We're ENGAGED!!, We're GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!, She's my FIANCEE!!! I just can't wait to tell EVERYONE I see!!!"
To quote Oliver Reed's character from Burnt Offerings, "Life sure as hell goes on, doesn't it Marion?"
I'm sorry, I really found it nauseating.
So this kind of thing was happening a lot, and my eyerolling was making me dizzy. Yet I persevered despite this, and several typos and misprints (like taking the foot off the gas and the car starts to roll forward).
Yes, I stuck with it. Until this:
So, Crow just finishes telling a reporter that he believes in ghosts. A few pages later, his distraught best friend Terry confides in him that he has been visited by the ghost of his dead sister. Crow suggests he see a psychiatrist.
That did it. I skimmed the last 200 pages and I'm done with it all.
I won't give it one star, because he does have a great story idea going here, so I'll give it two.
December 8, 2024
I just finished listening to this. It was a reread for me, having originally read them some years back.
I'm rereading because I've learned that the next Joe Ledger book, is going to partially take place in Pine Deep.
As I was listening, I remembered the fun the I had reading this series the first time around. I had just as much fun this time. The narrator of this series took some getting used to, (as normally, the most excellent Ray Porter narrates Maberry's books), but he did grow on me quite a bit.
This series has everything, a protagonist you can really get behind, bad guys that span the gamut of monsters, and set in a thickly forested area of PA. There's also the ghost of an old bluesman, unfairly villianized by the local townspeople, and referred to as the Boneman. He's always part of the background in Pine Deep.
I have one more book to reread in this series, and then I'm going to listen to Ink, as suggested by Mr. Maberry himself. Only then, shall I be prepared for the next Ledger book.
Onward!
I'm rereading because I've learned that the next Joe Ledger book, is going to partially take place in Pine Deep.
As I was listening, I remembered the fun the I had reading this series the first time around. I had just as much fun this time. The narrator of this series took some getting used to, (as normally, the most excellent Ray Porter narrates Maberry's books), but he did grow on me quite a bit.
This series has everything, a protagonist you can really get behind, bad guys that span the gamut of monsters, and set in a thickly forested area of PA. There's also the ghost of an old bluesman, unfairly villianized by the local townspeople, and referred to as the Boneman. He's always part of the background in Pine Deep.
I have one more book to reread in this series, and then I'm going to listen to Ink, as suggested by Mr. Maberry himself. Only then, shall I be prepared for the next Ledger book.
Onward!
April 1, 2010
The second installment of the story woven by Maberry was delicious to say the least. I know some readers out there are grumpy over the 500 page length of this middle child of a tale but I absolutely loved every word and it took me a long time to read, yes I will admit that life kept me busy and the book was long but man, by page 400 I could barely sit in my reading chair, the story was getting good! I strongly recommend reading part one of this trilogy, Ghost Road Blues; for hose who love to read, I am such a person, it doesn't matter to me if the story I am reading is two thousand pages long as long as it grips my gut and eyes I am all for it.
Part two continues right after the first book and the author is set on filling in those who forgot details or did not read the first book. The author does a marvelous job of building up the characters, just as he did in the first story and the bad parts is that some of them go into dark places that they should stay away from - like Ubel Griswold's farm - yikes the yummiest and creepiest part of the book - instead they find things so creepy and unsettling that I could barely keep on reading, mind you I read both books one after another so I felt a strong connection and bad events happening to my favorites absolutely terrified me. Ok, for those who are checking this book out I will not spoil anything, so go read the first, it's really great, even the finicky readers liked it, and those who did read the first part will be filled on all the events of the black harvest that happened to Crow, Wolf and Guthire years ago. Dark pools of blood are still to be spilled, with a curse put on one of them that made for a great last book. I cannot wait to sink my teeth in the final ending, because this book was a real nurturing center for the story and the characters. Maberry does a fantastic job of building his sentence, and quite often I would have to look up from the book and absorb his words because even though this was a horror book his thoughts and actions touched me deeply.
So be ready to revisit the old folklore of Pine Deep, the real meaning behind the words Ubel Griswold and the massacre that is in the brewing. Be ready for the army that is sleeping a living dream hungry for the necks of the innocent who have all ready suffered a whole deal, be ready for part three that has left me impatient for the dramatic conclusion that the past books, adding up to over 900 pages have been a build up to... Be ready for the evil cowards who live in the town, the man buried in the pit, the secrets of Ubel's house and the violence that is about to be unleashed....
I think this book was a nursing station for the tale that filled in a lot of blanks and opened a whole world of terror that will simply have to end with a bang. Those who thought there was no resolution know there will be a third, so give it a chance.
Part two continues right after the first book and the author is set on filling in those who forgot details or did not read the first book. The author does a marvelous job of building up the characters, just as he did in the first story and the bad parts is that some of them go into dark places that they should stay away from - like Ubel Griswold's farm - yikes the yummiest and creepiest part of the book - instead they find things so creepy and unsettling that I could barely keep on reading, mind you I read both books one after another so I felt a strong connection and bad events happening to my favorites absolutely terrified me. Ok, for those who are checking this book out I will not spoil anything, so go read the first, it's really great, even the finicky readers liked it, and those who did read the first part will be filled on all the events of the black harvest that happened to Crow, Wolf and Guthire years ago. Dark pools of blood are still to be spilled, with a curse put on one of them that made for a great last book. I cannot wait to sink my teeth in the final ending, because this book was a real nurturing center for the story and the characters. Maberry does a fantastic job of building his sentence, and quite often I would have to look up from the book and absorb his words because even though this was a horror book his thoughts and actions touched me deeply.
So be ready to revisit the old folklore of Pine Deep, the real meaning behind the words Ubel Griswold and the massacre that is in the brewing. Be ready for the army that is sleeping a living dream hungry for the necks of the innocent who have all ready suffered a whole deal, be ready for part three that has left me impatient for the dramatic conclusion that the past books, adding up to over 900 pages have been a build up to... Be ready for the evil cowards who live in the town, the man buried in the pit, the secrets of Ubel's house and the violence that is about to be unleashed....
I think this book was a nursing station for the tale that filled in a lot of blanks and opened a whole world of terror that will simply have to end with a bang. Those who thought there was no resolution know there will be a third, so give it a chance.
October 27, 2014
The second book in my favorite horror trilogy of all time. I really didn't have a favorite book of the three, I liked them all equally and honestly in my mind it was just one really long story. The Pine Deep Trilogy just gets my highest possible recommendation. I personally put these books right on the same level as Stephen King's novels, and considering King is my all time favorite writer that's high praise indeed.
I always do spoiler free reviews so I never give away details, but if you like your horror with monsters, ghosts, and just generally creepy happenings, you'll love this series. The writing flows really well and when you're done with the series you'll be hoping Maberry eventually revisits Pine Deep. Once again, my highest possible recommendation, but if you do decide to read the Pine Deep Trilogy, of course start with the first volume of the series, Ghost Road Blues.
I always do spoiler free reviews so I never give away details, but if you like your horror with monsters, ghosts, and just generally creepy happenings, you'll love this series. The writing flows really well and when you're done with the series you'll be hoping Maberry eventually revisits Pine Deep. Once again, my highest possible recommendation, but if you do decide to read the Pine Deep Trilogy, of course start with the first volume of the series, Ghost Road Blues.
August 29, 2022
This was better than the 1st book in the trilogy but, the 1st book was world building and the slow burn of tension. After the 3rd book, I'll write a review.
We now have most of the backstory and the big sh#t is happening!
On to book 3 and all the gory bits! Woohoo!
We now have most of the backstory and the big sh#t is happening!
On to book 3 and all the gory bits! Woohoo!
April 18, 2011
5 stars
This book, from 25% in takes off like a runaway freight train. Where the first novel in the series Ghost Road Blues was a slowly building thriller with tinges of the supernatural in it. This one goes dark and deep very quickly, and we are treated to a great deal of monsters, ghosts, and the undead.
Being a second of three in a trilogy, we get the normal added layers to our main characters through further backstories. Our main hero Malcolm Crow is the shining star in this one and much of the action centers on him. "Iron" Mike Sweeney grows up quite a bit and his role in this seems to be made more clear. Mike takes a job with Crow and takes on the role of his apprentice. One of the best things about this series is the connection between our strong hero and this growing, troubled boy.
I loved the way Crow convinces Mike to take his offer to be trained on how to fight to survive. Down and dirty tricks and secrets that Mike can use to stand up for himself. Mike a complete introvert allows Crow to push him because of the honesty and openness the man presents him. Crow tells Mike about his troubled past, his father, and his need to learn to be a survivor.
Mike has many dreams that get darker and scarier and foretell an awful future.
The Bone Man plays some key roles in this one. He is amazed at his apparent abilities as a ghost and believes that he must be there for a good reason.
Crow goes on an interview and then a field trip to the Griswold's place with an interesting reporter named Newton. The adventure down into the hole and through the trees and brush was written beautifully. It was suspenseful, colorful, and scary. The tension built as the two men came closer to Ubel Griswold's home. Maberry masterfully layered on the backstory of the horrors of Griswold as Crow recounted it to Newton as they hiked along. I loved the dialog between the two men when they finally reached the ominous home. The action that unfolds fro that point on until the end of the novel left me breathless.
I have never mentioned the fact that Maberry is a master at telling a descriptive fight scene. He is bloody, gory, and detailed. He can make your stomach turn, make you flinch, and have you hooting and hollering for more bloody fun. There are many truly great action sequences in these novels. I could see Maberry writing an effective detective noir novel.
Griswold unleashes his army of monsters, of undead, and unliving. The end is approaching.
I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to all horror lovers or even those that read dark urban fantasy.
This book, from 25% in takes off like a runaway freight train. Where the first novel in the series Ghost Road Blues was a slowly building thriller with tinges of the supernatural in it. This one goes dark and deep very quickly, and we are treated to a great deal of monsters, ghosts, and the undead.
Being a second of three in a trilogy, we get the normal added layers to our main characters through further backstories. Our main hero Malcolm Crow is the shining star in this one and much of the action centers on him. "Iron" Mike Sweeney grows up quite a bit and his role in this seems to be made more clear. Mike takes a job with Crow and takes on the role of his apprentice. One of the best things about this series is the connection between our strong hero and this growing, troubled boy.
I loved the way Crow convinces Mike to take his offer to be trained on how to fight to survive. Down and dirty tricks and secrets that Mike can use to stand up for himself. Mike a complete introvert allows Crow to push him because of the honesty and openness the man presents him. Crow tells Mike about his troubled past, his father, and his need to learn to be a survivor.
Mike has many dreams that get darker and scarier and foretell an awful future.
The Bone Man plays some key roles in this one. He is amazed at his apparent abilities as a ghost and believes that he must be there for a good reason.
Crow goes on an interview and then a field trip to the Griswold's place with an interesting reporter named Newton. The adventure down into the hole and through the trees and brush was written beautifully. It was suspenseful, colorful, and scary. The tension built as the two men came closer to Ubel Griswold's home. Maberry masterfully layered on the backstory of the horrors of Griswold as Crow recounted it to Newton as they hiked along. I loved the dialog between the two men when they finally reached the ominous home. The action that unfolds fro that point on until the end of the novel left me breathless.
I have never mentioned the fact that Maberry is a master at telling a descriptive fight scene. He is bloody, gory, and detailed. He can make your stomach turn, make you flinch, and have you hooting and hollering for more bloody fun. There are many truly great action sequences in these novels. I could see Maberry writing an effective detective noir novel.
Griswold unleashes his army of monsters, of undead, and unliving. The end is approaching.
I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to all horror lovers or even those that read dark urban fantasy.
October 11, 2022
Jonathan Maberry has easily become my favorite author. I will say, this book does suffer from "middle book" syndrome. It is clearly the set-up for the last book in the series, but there was some movement and for the first time one of the characters named the monsters in this series.
I have said in the review for the fist book, Ghost Road Blues, that I reminded of Young Stephen King's writing, The Shining, and The Stand. I can now see the comparison people might make to Salem's Lot. Sorry Mr. Maberry. I know you don't like that comparison.
I have said in the review for the fist book, Ghost Road Blues, that I reminded of Young Stephen King's writing, The Shining, and The Stand. I can now see the comparison people might make to Salem's Lot. Sorry Mr. Maberry. I know you don't like that comparison.
July 13, 2022
The Joe Ledger series is one of my favorite reads so I thought I would try Mr, Mayberry's horror trilogy. So far I am impressed with the slow burn of the story line and the buildup to the ending. Looking forward to the last book. Recommended
July 5, 2017
The first part was slow and kind of recapped what went on in ghost road blues so if you jumped right into this book it was ok but trust me you should read the first. The second half of this book really rocked - I could not put it down and am so looking forward to the final instalment. I love the idea of how there is another force at work combating the evil "This was something else-the sign of someone else in the game". I hope the final book reveals why it took so long for Griswold's plan to come together and clears up the relationship between werewolves and vampires. This has been a fun series and as I mentioned I am looking forward for the final ride.
February 15, 2015
Authors are like musicians in one important way. Some bands emerge on the scene fully formed, delivering a debut that appears to encapsulate everything great they would eventually accomplish. Think Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division or Oasis' Definitely Maybe or Entertainment! by Gang of Four. These albums land with a seismic impact that heralds the arrival of An Important Voice,™ one that the rest of us mortals should do well to notice.
Other bands? Their first albums resemble the toddler taking his first wobbly steps. The potential for great things is clearly there, but the talent still needs some time to incubate. The best contemporary example of this is probably Radiohead's 1993 debut, Pablo Honey. There was nothing on that album – not even the juggernaut of "Creep" – to indicate that within four years they'd transform into one of the most influential bands of all time.
Some authors follow similar trajectories, either delivering a powerhouse of a debut or stumbling about for a book or two before hitting their stride. As a huge fan of author Jonathan Maberry, it's obvious from Dead Man's Song that early in his career he was more Radiohead than Gang of Four: lots of promise but still lacking in execution. I first discovered him through 2009's Patient Zero, the first of his books to feature Joe Ledger, the leader of a secret government agency devoted to tackling paranormal threats. This series remains hugely satisfying – action-packed, dark in tone, and featuring some deliciously hard-boiled dialogue from Ledger and his team.
I recently backtracked to the beginning of Maberry's fiction career (he started as a writer of non-fiction books about martial arts) and picked up Ghost Road Blues, the first novel in the Pine Deep Trilogy. It was, as I wrote a couple months ago in my lazy one-sentence review, "the sound of one of my favorite horror writers still finding his voice." That book held great promise, detailing an epic supernatural struggle in the haunted town of Pine Deep, PA (more on that in a second), but also featuring some clunky description and plotting, as well as, most surprisingly, some unforgivably cheeseball dialogue.
If there's one thing the Great Bookshelf Deprivation Project ensures, it's that I'll continue reading series that might not initially grab me. Also, Maberry has engendered enough goodwill from the Ledger series for me to give Pine Deep another shot. Sadly, Dead Man's Song, the second book in the trilogy, only adds to the impression that Maberry still hadn't figured out who he was as a writer.
The fault isn't in the premise. In Ghost Road Blues we're introduced to the town of Pine Deep, which was the site of a gruesome series of murders in the 1970s. The details of that backstory are too circuitous to go into here except to say that it involves a murderous German named Ubel Griswold and an African-American hippie (called the Bone Man by the local children) who was framed for the murders and lynched by the racist townspeople. Fast-forward to the present day and the grown survivors of that tragedy – ex-cop Malcolm Crow, his girlfriend Val, and town mayor Terry – become involved in another series of senseless killings when a trio of fugitives arrives in Pine Deep. As it turns out, the leader of the gang, Karl Ruger, is working in the service of Griswold, who (but of course) isn't just any garden-variety murderous German but a murderous German who may or may not be an immortal source of evil (and therefore responsible for both Hitler and Justin Bieber). Ruger teams up with some of the Bone Man's grown killers to enact a plot whose desired outcome still hasn't been revealed by the end of the second book. Crow, Val, and Terry are the only thing standing between Ruger and total domination of Pine Deep, and they're aided in this by the ghostly form of the Bone Man, who acts as a sort of mystical protector. At the end of the book, Crow seems to have killed Ruger and everything appears to be hunky dory, despite the trail of carnage that preceded their final confrontation and Ruger's warning to Crow: "Ubel Griswold sends his regards."
Dead Man's Song picks up almost immediately after the closing pages of Ghost Road Blues, and maybe the most frustrating thing about the book is how little progress is made in it. The bad guys kill some people, the good guys worry about who the bad guys will kill next, we learn some more about why the bad guys are killing people – it involves vampires and werewolves – but in terms of momentum the book is largely an exercise in stasis. Which is weird because, I mean, stuff happens. Life and death, fate of the free world hanging in the balance stuff. But at the end of 500 pages everyone is pretty much at the exact same place they were at the beginning. And that's sort of weird when I consider how Maberry's Joe Ledger series is a careening beast, with a race against the clock almost always the default setting.
So there's that problem.
There's also the issue of some tremendously stilted dialogue, pitched to be clever but reading like conversations that have never actually been spoken anywhere on the planet. Witty banter is tough to pull off. Carl Hiaasen can do it. Denis Johnson can do it. Elmore Leonard can do it (and was probably the best at it). The Jonathan Maberry of Dead Man's Song can't (although the Jonathan Maberry of Patient Zero can). Many of the exchanges between characters had me alternately rolling my eyes or sighing, such as this one between Crow and Terry:
"'Crow, for God's sake, stop looking at me like I have two heads. If I'm going crazy, then I'm going crazy. Don't worry, once Halloween is over I'm planning on checking myself into a hospital for a nice long stay, and when I get out – providing they don't throw away the key – I'm taking Sarah and the kids to Jamaica for the rest of the winter. No crops, blighted or otherwise. And no Halloween.'
'Sounds like a plan.' Crow cleared his throat again.
'And stop clearing your goddamn throat.'
'Well, dude, cut me a break. My best friends is going crackers on me and I have no freaking clue about what to say or what to do.'
Terry looked at him and for a moment a smile softened the worry lines on his face. 'Being my best friend is doing a lot, believe me.'
'Pardon me while I say nothing during the awkward pause that has to follow that kind of statement.'
Terry threw a small pillow at him; Crow ducked."
It's all just so very precious and cutesy, and cumulatively it's hard to take seriously. And, as much as I hate to do it, let's talk love scenes for a minute. If ever one has been written that works, I've yet to discover it. And Maberry certainly hasn't mastered the craft. While it's tempting to share one of the most explicit passages in a multi-page howler of a scene between Crow and Val that I think is meant to pass as the calm before the storm at the book's climax, here's a less explicit scene that's no less silly for all its detail:
"After a while, once her skin has soaked up the richness of the water, Crow slipped one hand into a terrycloth mitten. Wetting it, he fetched a bar of scented wheat-and-lavender soap and worked up a good lather; then he helped her to stand up in the tub. Water sluiced down the lovely length of her, and pausing once in a while to kiss her glistening hide, he used the luxurious soap and the gentle roughness of the mitten to wash every inch of her glorious skin. He was diligent in his thoroughness, and then with a large bath ladle he poured water over her to rinse away the soap. He drained most of the water from the tub as he did so and quickly refilled it so that when he helped her down again, she lay in fresh water and that sloshed around her."
It's just. Blerg.
Maybe I'm handicapped by knowing how good Maberry would get in a couple more years, but I'm really conflicted by this series. It's not unreadable, but if I had encountered the Pine Deep trilogy first, it's doubtful I would've stuck around for Joe Ledger. One book to go. Here's hoping Maberry brings it home in a way that redeems the first two episodes.
See all my reviews at goldstarforrobotboy.net
Other bands? Their first albums resemble the toddler taking his first wobbly steps. The potential for great things is clearly there, but the talent still needs some time to incubate. The best contemporary example of this is probably Radiohead's 1993 debut, Pablo Honey. There was nothing on that album – not even the juggernaut of "Creep" – to indicate that within four years they'd transform into one of the most influential bands of all time.
Some authors follow similar trajectories, either delivering a powerhouse of a debut or stumbling about for a book or two before hitting their stride. As a huge fan of author Jonathan Maberry, it's obvious from Dead Man's Song that early in his career he was more Radiohead than Gang of Four: lots of promise but still lacking in execution. I first discovered him through 2009's Patient Zero, the first of his books to feature Joe Ledger, the leader of a secret government agency devoted to tackling paranormal threats. This series remains hugely satisfying – action-packed, dark in tone, and featuring some deliciously hard-boiled dialogue from Ledger and his team.
I recently backtracked to the beginning of Maberry's fiction career (he started as a writer of non-fiction books about martial arts) and picked up Ghost Road Blues, the first novel in the Pine Deep Trilogy. It was, as I wrote a couple months ago in my lazy one-sentence review, "the sound of one of my favorite horror writers still finding his voice." That book held great promise, detailing an epic supernatural struggle in the haunted town of Pine Deep, PA (more on that in a second), but also featuring some clunky description and plotting, as well as, most surprisingly, some unforgivably cheeseball dialogue.
If there's one thing the Great Bookshelf Deprivation Project ensures, it's that I'll continue reading series that might not initially grab me. Also, Maberry has engendered enough goodwill from the Ledger series for me to give Pine Deep another shot. Sadly, Dead Man's Song, the second book in the trilogy, only adds to the impression that Maberry still hadn't figured out who he was as a writer.
The fault isn't in the premise. In Ghost Road Blues we're introduced to the town of Pine Deep, which was the site of a gruesome series of murders in the 1970s. The details of that backstory are too circuitous to go into here except to say that it involves a murderous German named Ubel Griswold and an African-American hippie (called the Bone Man by the local children) who was framed for the murders and lynched by the racist townspeople. Fast-forward to the present day and the grown survivors of that tragedy – ex-cop Malcolm Crow, his girlfriend Val, and town mayor Terry – become involved in another series of senseless killings when a trio of fugitives arrives in Pine Deep. As it turns out, the leader of the gang, Karl Ruger, is working in the service of Griswold, who (but of course) isn't just any garden-variety murderous German but a murderous German who may or may not be an immortal source of evil (and therefore responsible for both Hitler and Justin Bieber). Ruger teams up with some of the Bone Man's grown killers to enact a plot whose desired outcome still hasn't been revealed by the end of the second book. Crow, Val, and Terry are the only thing standing between Ruger and total domination of Pine Deep, and they're aided in this by the ghostly form of the Bone Man, who acts as a sort of mystical protector. At the end of the book, Crow seems to have killed Ruger and everything appears to be hunky dory, despite the trail of carnage that preceded their final confrontation and Ruger's warning to Crow: "Ubel Griswold sends his regards."
Dead Man's Song picks up almost immediately after the closing pages of Ghost Road Blues, and maybe the most frustrating thing about the book is how little progress is made in it. The bad guys kill some people, the good guys worry about who the bad guys will kill next, we learn some more about why the bad guys are killing people – it involves vampires and werewolves – but in terms of momentum the book is largely an exercise in stasis. Which is weird because, I mean, stuff happens. Life and death, fate of the free world hanging in the balance stuff. But at the end of 500 pages everyone is pretty much at the exact same place they were at the beginning. And that's sort of weird when I consider how Maberry's Joe Ledger series is a careening beast, with a race against the clock almost always the default setting.
So there's that problem.
There's also the issue of some tremendously stilted dialogue, pitched to be clever but reading like conversations that have never actually been spoken anywhere on the planet. Witty banter is tough to pull off. Carl Hiaasen can do it. Denis Johnson can do it. Elmore Leonard can do it (and was probably the best at it). The Jonathan Maberry of Dead Man's Song can't (although the Jonathan Maberry of Patient Zero can). Many of the exchanges between characters had me alternately rolling my eyes or sighing, such as this one between Crow and Terry:
"'Crow, for God's sake, stop looking at me like I have two heads. If I'm going crazy, then I'm going crazy. Don't worry, once Halloween is over I'm planning on checking myself into a hospital for a nice long stay, and when I get out – providing they don't throw away the key – I'm taking Sarah and the kids to Jamaica for the rest of the winter. No crops, blighted or otherwise. And no Halloween.'
'Sounds like a plan.' Crow cleared his throat again.
'And stop clearing your goddamn throat.'
'Well, dude, cut me a break. My best friends is going crackers on me and I have no freaking clue about what to say or what to do.'
Terry looked at him and for a moment a smile softened the worry lines on his face. 'Being my best friend is doing a lot, believe me.'
'Pardon me while I say nothing during the awkward pause that has to follow that kind of statement.'
Terry threw a small pillow at him; Crow ducked."
It's all just so very precious and cutesy, and cumulatively it's hard to take seriously. And, as much as I hate to do it, let's talk love scenes for a minute. If ever one has been written that works, I've yet to discover it. And Maberry certainly hasn't mastered the craft. While it's tempting to share one of the most explicit passages in a multi-page howler of a scene between Crow and Val that I think is meant to pass as the calm before the storm at the book's climax, here's a less explicit scene that's no less silly for all its detail:
"After a while, once her skin has soaked up the richness of the water, Crow slipped one hand into a terrycloth mitten. Wetting it, he fetched a bar of scented wheat-and-lavender soap and worked up a good lather; then he helped her to stand up in the tub. Water sluiced down the lovely length of her, and pausing once in a while to kiss her glistening hide, he used the luxurious soap and the gentle roughness of the mitten to wash every inch of her glorious skin. He was diligent in his thoroughness, and then with a large bath ladle he poured water over her to rinse away the soap. He drained most of the water from the tub as he did so and quickly refilled it so that when he helped her down again, she lay in fresh water and that sloshed around her."
It's just. Blerg.
Maybe I'm handicapped by knowing how good Maberry would get in a couple more years, but I'm really conflicted by this series. It's not unreadable, but if I had encountered the Pine Deep trilogy first, it's doubtful I would've stuck around for Joe Ledger. One book to go. Here's hoping Maberry brings it home in a way that redeems the first two episodes.
See all my reviews at goldstarforrobotboy.net
November 28, 2008
A good, intense follow-up to the amazing
Ghost Road Blues
, Dead Man's Song creates a creepy atmosphere and delivers intense thrills.
There were two reasons I didn't give this book five stars:
• Pinnacle/Kensington Publishing didn't use a skilled copy editor for this book. It was riddled with typos, sentence fragments, run-on sentences, extra words that jumbled up entire sentences, and comma usage so bad that some passages were tough to follow.
• A couple of the main threads of the story dragged on too long, causing the suspense level to drop several notches. I love a long, involved horror novel, but this second book of the Ghost Road Blues trilogy could have done its job in about 50-100 fewer pages.
Overall, however, I still highly recommend this book to all fans of horror.
There were two reasons I didn't give this book five stars:
• Pinnacle/Kensington Publishing didn't use a skilled copy editor for this book. It was riddled with typos, sentence fragments, run-on sentences, extra words that jumbled up entire sentences, and comma usage so bad that some passages were tough to follow.
• A couple of the main threads of the story dragged on too long, causing the suspense level to drop several notches. I love a long, involved horror novel, but this second book of the Ghost Road Blues trilogy could have done its job in about 50-100 fewer pages.
Overall, however, I still highly recommend this book to all fans of horror.
June 29, 2011
4 AND 1/2 STARS
Dead Man's Song, the second installment in the Pine Deep Trilogy starts off just where the first book, Ghost Road Blues, ended. Author Jonathan Mayberry beautifully sums up the first book in a few pages, allowing new readers to jump right on board in this exciting and very evil tale. The quality of writing is far above most authors in the genre and the story really feels like a horror classic. I enjoyed this book even more than the first, which won a Bram Stoker award for best first novel. However, I was annoyed at Kensington's poor copyediting. I found constant typos throughout the book - I'm talking dozens - that really pulled me out of the story. Hopefully those issues are fixed for the third and final book, Bad Moon Rising. So far, this is probably the best horror trilogy since Richard Laymon's Beast House series. Very highly recommended.
Dead Man's Song, the second installment in the Pine Deep Trilogy starts off just where the first book, Ghost Road Blues, ended. Author Jonathan Mayberry beautifully sums up the first book in a few pages, allowing new readers to jump right on board in this exciting and very evil tale. The quality of writing is far above most authors in the genre and the story really feels like a horror classic. I enjoyed this book even more than the first, which won a Bram Stoker award for best first novel. However, I was annoyed at Kensington's poor copyediting. I found constant typos throughout the book - I'm talking dozens - that really pulled me out of the story. Hopefully those issues are fixed for the third and final book, Bad Moon Rising. So far, this is probably the best horror trilogy since Richard Laymon's Beast House series. Very highly recommended.
July 22, 2025
This is the middle book in the series and it really dives into the horror. There was a little in the first book, but it really takes off here. I really enjoyed it and find that it has, as most Maberry books do, great pacing, lots of action, and likable characters. We're dealing with vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, so plenty of paranormal for everyone! This is a strong, entertaining series and I highly recommend if you like supernatural horror! If you're a Stephen King fan, I can't imagine you not liking this.
June 7, 2024
Less monotone narrator and this would have been more enjoyable.
May 19, 2025
This horror story continues growing and the suspense in this middle section is wonderful. What Maberry has done here is taken some old tropes and given them a shock back to life. This is an epic along the lines of Salem's Lot by King.
February 24, 2013
4.5 Stars
This book gets 4.5 stars for being so damned good. Wow.
I keep wondering, what is it about this little town that brings the dastardly villains out? The makes monsters of its citizens? Could it be that it is basically an island, holding on for dear life through it's bridges and roads? Is it the deep, dark, dank woods that holds secrets better left unsaid?? Or, because the town holds onto and then glorifies its' most haunted history? Maybe, just maybe all of these things.
Our main characters are so human, so flawed and intriguing. They do remind me of people I actually know or are acquainted with.... that is until the stuff hits the fan; then there is no resemblance to actual people I know. Life is too predictable in my world. In Pine Deep, everyone sits on the edge of reality and possibly sanity, waiting ...waiting.
The entire time I was reading this, I kept wondering, "What could possibly happen next?" There are very good twists and turns in this little series, and I am wondering if my poor heart can take the last book; Bad Moon Rising? I hope so. I have a long weekend, blankies, and talismans to keep the boogeyman away.
This book gets 4.5 stars for being so damned good. Wow.
I keep wondering, what is it about this little town that brings the dastardly villains out? The makes monsters of its citizens? Could it be that it is basically an island, holding on for dear life through it's bridges and roads? Is it the deep, dark, dank woods that holds secrets better left unsaid?? Or, because the town holds onto and then glorifies its' most haunted history? Maybe, just maybe all of these things.
Our main characters are so human, so flawed and intriguing. They do remind me of people I actually know or are acquainted with.... that is until the stuff hits the fan; then there is no resemblance to actual people I know. Life is too predictable in my world. In Pine Deep, everyone sits on the edge of reality and possibly sanity, waiting ...waiting.
The entire time I was reading this, I kept wondering, "What could possibly happen next?" There are very good twists and turns in this little series, and I am wondering if my poor heart can take the last book; Bad Moon Rising? I hope so. I have a long weekend, blankies, and talismans to keep the boogeyman away.
August 18, 2014
This is the middle book of Maberry's Pine Deep Trilogy, and is a very good follow-up to Ghost Road Blues. It's a long book that covers a relatively short period of time at a relaxed pace, which allows the characters to develop and their back-stories are filled in quite nicely. The tension builds slowly but surely for the wrap-up (I presume) in the final volume. It lags a little bit in places, as many middle-books do, but there's a pretty good (and somewhat surprising) pay-off at the end that makes me glad I have Bad Moon Rising at hand and don't have to wait!
February 23, 2019
Ugh DNF. The first book was a real slog for me, but I decided to give this one a shot, as I'd read that the first book was mostly a setup for the second. I'm halfway through this book and NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. The author is constantly recapping the first book, and even events earlier in this book. I don't care about any of the characters, Val and Crow's relationship is too sappy and unbelievable, and this story has not progressed AT ALL since the ending of the first book.
November 7, 2011
This was the worst follow up to a good book I've ever read. I was bored to tears and it ended up convincing me not to finish the trilogy that I had already purchased. I will give these books to someone I secretly hate and tell them I love them. If you like nails on a chalkboard or watching cute little animals dying slowly then by all means please check this wonderful series out.
January 2, 2021
I don’t write reviews.
The story continues and I continue to want more. There’s one thing I’ve noticed, but it’s not a huge problem. Many characters use the same very specific odd phrases. It’s strange to hear one of the villains say the same idiosyncratic phrase as the hero. Something about a cat’s ass...
The story continues and I continue to want more. There’s one thing I’ve noticed, but it’s not a huge problem. Many characters use the same very specific odd phrases. It’s strange to hear one of the villains say the same idiosyncratic phrase as the hero. Something about a cat’s ass...
December 11, 2019
on to #3......I have never been a ghoulish reader, however, this has to be one of the most enlightening reads relative to spooky things.
December 14, 2024
Not nearly as good as the first but has a few really great scenes and Karl Ruger is such a great villain.
More thoughts coming soon.
More thoughts coming soon.
January 20, 2012
Jonathan Mayberry's debut novel Ghost Road Blues is one of the best straight-up horror novels of the 2000's. Mayberry did not pussyfoot around with angsty, vampiric pedophiles, nor did he include one single glittery werewolf (though these novels are markedly vampire and werewolf fare - more on that in a second). Instead, his monstrous antagonists had a raw nakedness to their villainy. It was a grand first novel, full of nods to modern horror classics, while never feeling like a blatant rip-off of any one particular writer.
Dead Man's Song is a continuation of that great start, and for the most part, it really hums along even faster than its predecessor. Mayberry's careful head-hopping switches from various protagonists to his excellent antagonists frequently, but never confusingly so. His particular brand of horror almost reads like a very dark adventure novel, full of exploration of deep dark places and horrific incidents from the past. The action is particularly well written, with frighteningly vivid scenes and descriptions without veering too far off into literary gore porn.
While his villains are top-notch and his sleazier characters written with a deft hand, it's sort of a shame then that his protagonists feel a little black and white. The main character Crow is the stereotypical wisecracking, loving hero, and while he's the worst of the lot, the rest of the protagonists all have their own literary cliches to work past. Mark is the tough geeky kid (who admittedly does show occasional glimpes of being a good character when hints of a possible darker side appear). Val, the rough-and-tumble girlfriend with a heart of gold and deadly aim, feels like a cardboard cutout of the author's dream woman. There's a lengthy lovemaking scene between Val and Crow that feels sickeningly saccharine and caused several eyerolls by this reader at the seemingly infinite tenderness and worship between the two lovers.
Those problems aside, this really is a fantastic read. If you, like me, have had a hard time as of late finding good, sprawling horror tales with plenty of adventurous spirit, give Jonathan Mayberry a whirl. He's got a fantastic thing going here.
Dead Man's Song is a continuation of that great start, and for the most part, it really hums along even faster than its predecessor. Mayberry's careful head-hopping switches from various protagonists to his excellent antagonists frequently, but never confusingly so. His particular brand of horror almost reads like a very dark adventure novel, full of exploration of deep dark places and horrific incidents from the past. The action is particularly well written, with frighteningly vivid scenes and descriptions without veering too far off into literary gore porn.
While his villains are top-notch and his sleazier characters written with a deft hand, it's sort of a shame then that his protagonists feel a little black and white. The main character Crow is the stereotypical wisecracking, loving hero, and while he's the worst of the lot, the rest of the protagonists all have their own literary cliches to work past. Mark is the tough geeky kid (who admittedly does show occasional glimpes of being a good character when hints of a possible darker side appear). Val, the rough-and-tumble girlfriend with a heart of gold and deadly aim, feels like a cardboard cutout of the author's dream woman. There's a lengthy lovemaking scene between Val and Crow that feels sickeningly saccharine and caused several eyerolls by this reader at the seemingly infinite tenderness and worship between the two lovers.
Those problems aside, this really is a fantastic read. If you, like me, have had a hard time as of late finding good, sprawling horror tales with plenty of adventurous spirit, give Jonathan Mayberry a whirl. He's got a fantastic thing going here.
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