What do you think?
Rate this book
Summer's End
When Lisa Morton, author of The Halloween Encyclopedia, is called in to consult on the recent discovery of a fifteen-hundred-year-old Celtic manuscript, she’s at first excited about the light this monumental find might shed on Samhain, the mysterious Celtic precursor to Halloween.
Conor ó Cuinn, the Irish archaeologist who excavated the manuscript, thinks it reveals ancient magic. Lisa is skeptical…until people around her begin dying. Dr. Wilson Armitage, the university professor who was translating the manuscript, is found torn apart by wild animals…or was he actually attacked by vicious sidh, malicious Celtic spirits that wreak havoc every Samhain?
As October 31st approaches, the border between our realm and one of murderous spirits begins to dissolve. Can Lisa survive Halloween night and use her knowledge to set the world right again?
Conor ó Cuinn, the Irish archaeologist who excavated the manuscript, thinks it reveals ancient magic. Lisa is skeptical…until people around her begin dying. Dr. Wilson Armitage, the university professor who was translating the manuscript, is found torn apart by wild animals…or was he actually attacked by vicious sidh, malicious Celtic spirits that wreak havoc every Samhain?
As October 31st approaches, the border between our realm and one of murderous spirits begins to dissolve. Can Lisa survive Halloween night and use her knowledge to set the world right again?
98 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2013
997 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Morton
276 books252 followersLisa Morton is a screenwriter, author of horror fiction, and Halloween expert. She is a winner of both the Black Quill and Bram Stoker Awards, and her short stories have appeared in more than 50 books and magazines. Her first novel, THE CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES, was released by Gray Friar Press in 2010, and her first collection, MONSTERS OF L.A., was published by Bad Moon Books in October 2011. She is a native and lifelong resident of Southern California, and currently resides in the San Fernando Valley.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 24, 2013
I got this book from Librarything's giveaway program. It's not completely terrible, but it felt completely colourless to me: it wasn't scary or gripping, I don't care about the characters, I'm not impressed with the faux-scholarly approach.
Two things that immediately present themselves as maddening about this book: 1) the narrator telling us she's a complete sceptic... and then buying into the events of the plot with barely a moment's hesitation, and 2) wanting us to believe she's a good person somehow because she doesn't sacrifice a young boy, even to save the world. Maybe that was the most horrifying thing about this -- that the author wants us to believe that she, as a character, would simply walk away and do nothing about the fact that she honestly believes a man will kill his son as a sacrifice. She'll just hope it won't happen. Right then! Protip, author: if this ever really happens to you, you may find calling the police to be a strategy of use.
Two things that immediately present themselves as maddening about this book: 1) the narrator telling us she's a complete sceptic... and then buying into the events of the plot with barely a moment's hesitation, and 2) wanting us to believe she's a good person somehow because she doesn't sacrifice a young boy, even to save the world. Maybe that was the most horrifying thing about this -- that the author wants us to believe that she, as a character, would simply walk away and do nothing about the fact that she honestly believes a man will kill his son as a sacrifice. She'll just hope it won't happen. Right then! Protip, author: if this ever really happens to you, you may find calling the police to be a strategy of use.
January 10, 2014
Occult nonsense and boring at that
Let's instead start at the very beginning: The cover. It looks cheap and badly done. Tons of artifacts, especially around the arms. The text looks like it belongs to some romance novel, not a wanna-be occult horror "novella".
And, oh, yes, it certainly is a "novella" which is good because much more than the about 24.000 words this thing offers would have been insufferable.
Since some endorsements are placed prominently at the beginning, let's see what others have to say. A certain Gary A. Braunbeck states it's "the best work she's ever done" - well, thanks, Gary, for the warning. He adds another notable statement "Don't start reading with any preconceived notions about horror *or* storytelling because they'll be shredded into confetti [...]".
He's completely right: I've always thought storytelling was about making the reader feel, breathe and live within the story. Gary wouldn't agree, I guess, if he thinks what Morton does is storytelling.
According to some Ray Garton, Morton "has created something so strikingly unique that it stands alone in the genre." - Yes, I don't think I've ever read something so uniquely bad in the genre - congratulations!
Anyway, why is this book so bad after all? It's full of pompous, self-important crap - most illuminating are the first two sentences:
"My name is Lisa Morton. I'm one of the world's leading authorities on Halloween."
Just prove it, Morton, don't shove it into your readers' faces like that. After all, you did some research after all. You have a whopping 21 footnote references - ok, 11 of them are references to this very book, other books written by yourself, other occult short-stories or just links.
Anyway, the story is quickly summarised (don't worry, no spoilers) - the hero, the author's alter ego, meets someone who found an age-old manuscript, that someone sets something evil free and the hero tries to fix that.
Unfortunately, our hero, who never believed in magic and thinks she's a die-hard sceptic quickly starts believing any nonsense that gets thrown at her. She experiences (and does) something drastic but quickly shrugs it off to plan yet another atrocity. Very believable...
So, to banish something evil, she prepares to summon something even more evil without even really knowing if that'll help or "damn the world" but, hey, who cares about logic!
And when the hero's finally doing what she feels she has to do, the book dies with a whimper.
Coming back to the beginning and shredding something into confetti: If you bought this book, you know what to do. Or wait till Halloween and put it in your Jack-o-Lantern. Or delete it from your ebook reader and pretend it never happened - that's certainly more suspenseful, exciting and logical than this entire "novella".
March 6, 2014
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy from JournalStone.
Dedication:
Opening: October 20, 2012
It’s been less than two weeks since the world started to fall apart. During the third week of October, I received an e-mail with the subject line “Samhain query.”
Hmm, pet hate: first person singular. A short entry in the growing Hallowe'en genre that kept me reading to the moralistic end.
Characters:
Ms Morton
Dr Wilson Armitage
Charles Vallencey
Ricky
Dr. Conor ó Cuinn
Mongfind
Dedication:
The two opening quotes make for an amusing juxtaposition.
For the real-life Ricky,
who knows better than to leave me alone
at Halloween
Opening: October 20, 2012
It’s been less than two weeks since the world started to fall apart. During the third week of October, I received an e-mail with the subject line “Samhain query.”
Hmm, pet hate: first person singular. A short entry in the growing Hallowe'en genre that kept me reading to the moralistic end.
Characters:
Ms Morton
Dr Wilson Armitage
Charles Vallencey
Ricky
Dr. Conor ó Cuinn
Mongfind
November 18, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Dark Fiction
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Those who like something different, those interested in Celtic culture
Trigger Warnings: murder, ritual sacrifice, mass murder
Animals: Cat murder, goat murder, attempted cat murder
My Thoughts: Wow, what a powerful story. It will baffle all expectations, since it is written like a journal. Or did this truly happen? That is the question that is left floating in the reader's mind after reading this.
I've been fascinated by Celtic culture for decades, and so I found this particularly interesting. I wonder how much of this the author has confirmed, or if it is something she made up completely? There is no way to know. I wish I could have read this a couple weeks ago, it would have been perfect for Halloween. If you've been looking for something shiver-inducing, but not too long, check out this awesome novella.
Disclosure: I received an e-book ARC from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: When Lisa Morton, author of The Halloween Encyclopedia, is called in to consult on the recent discovery of a fifteen-hundred-year-old Celtic manuscript, she’s at first excited about the light this monumental find might shed on Samhain, the mysterious Celtic precursor to Halloween.
Conor ó Cuinn, the Irish archaeologist who excavated the manuscript, thinks it reveals ancient magic. Lisa is skeptical… until people around her begin dying. Dr. Wilson Armitage, the university professor who was translating the manuscript, is found torn apart by wild animals… or was he actually attacked by vicious sidh, malicious Celtic spirits that wreak havoc every Samhain?
As October 31st approaches, the border between our realm and one of murderous spirits begins to dissolve. Can Lisa survive Halloween night and use her knowledge to set the world right again?
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Those who like something different, those interested in Celtic culture
Trigger Warnings: murder, ritual sacrifice, mass murder
Animals: Cat murder, goat murder, attempted cat murder
My Thoughts: Wow, what a powerful story. It will baffle all expectations, since it is written like a journal. Or did this truly happen? That is the question that is left floating in the reader's mind after reading this.
I've been fascinated by Celtic culture for decades, and so I found this particularly interesting. I wonder how much of this the author has confirmed, or if it is something she made up completely? There is no way to know. I wish I could have read this a couple weeks ago, it would have been perfect for Halloween. If you've been looking for something shiver-inducing, but not too long, check out this awesome novella.
Disclosure: I received an e-book ARC from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: When Lisa Morton, author of The Halloween Encyclopedia, is called in to consult on the recent discovery of a fifteen-hundred-year-old Celtic manuscript, she’s at first excited about the light this monumental find might shed on Samhain, the mysterious Celtic precursor to Halloween.
Conor ó Cuinn, the Irish archaeologist who excavated the manuscript, thinks it reveals ancient magic. Lisa is skeptical… until people around her begin dying. Dr. Wilson Armitage, the university professor who was translating the manuscript, is found torn apart by wild animals… or was he actually attacked by vicious sidh, malicious Celtic spirits that wreak havoc every Samhain?
As October 31st approaches, the border between our realm and one of murderous spirits begins to dissolve. Can Lisa survive Halloween night and use her knowledge to set the world right again?
October 3, 2013
Review copy
What a great way to kick off the Halloween season. Can you think of anything better than a new novella from the writer who's become synonymous with the holiday?
Lisa Morton is the author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween which was awarded the 2012 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Non-fiction, and also won the Grand Prize at the 2012 Halloween Book Festival causing her to become affectionately known as the Queen of Halloween.
Summer's End is unique in that the writer is also the protagonist in the story which leads to this epic opening line. "My name is Lisa Morton. I'm one of the world's leading authorities on Halloween. And this year I discovered that everything I thought I knew, was wrong."
The title explanation was was pretty good, too. "...the Celts had celebrated 'summer's end' (the literal translation of 'Samhain') with a three-day long party of drinking, feasting and horse racing."
What follows is an entertaining blend of real-life Lisa and story Lisa as the author finds herself caught up in desperate attempt to set history back on it's proper track.
Plenty of scarey moments and a few that can best be described as cringe-worthy. Summer's End by Lisa Morton is officially available on October 4th, 2013 from Journalstone Publishing. If you'd like something fresh to kick-start your Halloween spirit, this is the one.
Strongly recommended.
What a great way to kick off the Halloween season. Can you think of anything better than a new novella from the writer who's become synonymous with the holiday?
Lisa Morton is the author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween which was awarded the 2012 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Non-fiction, and also won the Grand Prize at the 2012 Halloween Book Festival causing her to become affectionately known as the Queen of Halloween.
Summer's End is unique in that the writer is also the protagonist in the story which leads to this epic opening line. "My name is Lisa Morton. I'm one of the world's leading authorities on Halloween. And this year I discovered that everything I thought I knew, was wrong."
The title explanation was was pretty good, too. "...the Celts had celebrated 'summer's end' (the literal translation of 'Samhain') with a three-day long party of drinking, feasting and horse racing."
What follows is an entertaining blend of real-life Lisa and story Lisa as the author finds herself caught up in desperate attempt to set history back on it's proper track.
Plenty of scarey moments and a few that can best be described as cringe-worthy. Summer's End by Lisa Morton is officially available on October 4th, 2013 from Journalstone Publishing. If you'd like something fresh to kick-start your Halloween spirit, this is the one.
Strongly recommended.
August 25, 2013
I won an ARC of this book from Goodreads giveaways!
When I first started reading this book I didn't think it was something I would enjoy....but a few chapters in and I was hooked!
An author, Lisa Morton who is a Halloween expert get's an e-mail from Wilson Armitage, a latin professor at UCLA about wanting help understanding an ancient Celtic manuscript that was recently discovered by an archaeologist, Conor 'o Cuinn. The manuscript was about Samhain, the Celtic precursor to Halloween (among other things).
At the beginning of the book Lisa has a meeting with the professor and the archaeologist. They talk a little about what they found in the manuscript and how it affects different histories, beliefs, and myths of Halloween. They give her a copy of the translation of the manuscript and want her to take a look at it.
(after this is when I really got into the book)
The next day Conor wants a meeting with Lisa. He wants to talk about the magic and rituals in the manuscript. He tells her the magic is real and he can actually perform the rituals... and she can too.
This is a novella so it's short but it has all the elements of a great book: It has a great story line, there's a surprise you don't see coming, and I absolutely loved the ending!
When I first started reading this book I didn't think it was something I would enjoy....but a few chapters in and I was hooked!
An author, Lisa Morton who is a Halloween expert get's an e-mail from Wilson Armitage, a latin professor at UCLA about wanting help understanding an ancient Celtic manuscript that was recently discovered by an archaeologist, Conor 'o Cuinn. The manuscript was about Samhain, the Celtic precursor to Halloween (among other things).
At the beginning of the book Lisa has a meeting with the professor and the archaeologist. They talk a little about what they found in the manuscript and how it affects different histories, beliefs, and myths of Halloween. They give her a copy of the translation of the manuscript and want her to take a look at it.
(after this is when I really got into the book)
The next day Conor wants a meeting with Lisa. He wants to talk about the magic and rituals in the manuscript. He tells her the magic is real and he can actually perform the rituals... and she can too.
This is a novella so it's short but it has all the elements of a great book: It has a great story line, there's a surprise you don't see coming, and I absolutely loved the ending!
January 25, 2014
Lisa Morton's 'Summer's End' is a unique take on Halloween and it's mystic origins. Morton is probably the world's leading expert in the subject and stars in her own novella In one of the better use of meta fiction I've read. As usual Morton's research is so deep that all the background facts merge effortlessly with the plot to form the completely believable world of a LA thinly separated from another reality; and a scenario that's all too possible. I particularly enjoyed her reimagining of important historic events that added another layer of texture. A relatively quick read, it's a page turner in the old fashioned sense and I highly recommend it to those who like their fiction dark, realistic and with a good dose of soul.
July 16, 2013
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my thoughts in any way.
In general, I try to avoid novellas. There's only so much content that can fit into a hundred pages, so often novellas are lacking in character development and the plot has a tendency to feel rushed. When I received an ARC of Summer's End, the synopsis drew me in and I hoped it had managed to avoid some of the issues that frequently plague stories of this length.
Admittedly, I'm a complete sucker for Celtic mythology and lore, so when the first few pages began to introduce the concept of Samhain and the traditional practices during this festival, I was ecstatic. The author even included footnotes with additional details and stories that I was able to look up and read. For those interested, this extra effort added much depth to the beginning of the book. I was a little disappointed that this trend did not continue throughout. Once the plot began to unfold, the amount of footnotes was greatly diminished. I think that continuing the trend would have been beneficial. For example, the reader could have benefited from additional lore and information about the sidhe, to allow full understanding of the concept of these creatures.
Character development in this novel was unique in that the author herself was the main character and narrator. Considering the length of the book, she was very successful in developing herself to a satisfactory degree. Having herself as the narrator and main character also served to avoid the problem of developing additional characters. We met a few other characters during the course of the story, however as it was the narrator's first time meeting them as well, in depth characterization was not necessary. The reader was not entitled to any more information than the narrator receives herself.
By having herself as the narrator and main character, Ms. Morton sows doubt into the very fabric of the plot. With the addition of facts wound into the narrative, we begin to wonder if this is really fiction at all. Druids once existed, could their magic have as well? Is it really so implausible that a manuscript could be found? I know that I will not be looking at Halloween the same way again. I'll be especially cautious with those jack o lanterns.
Now for my lament. Like so many things in life (just take your pick of the numerous available metaphors for such a situation) the novella was over way too quickly, leaving me wanting more. I'm not talking about wondering what happens after the end. It's everything that happened in between. The novella contained many scenes that would have greatly benefited from additional details. I'm not going to mention what specific scenes since I am strictly anti-spoiler. Just know that this book, with its amazing and unique plot could easily have been a full length novel.
Overall, I do recommend this novella for anyone who enjoys shorter books or for anyone particularly interested in Celtic mythology. I do hope to see this wonderful story expanded upon some day.
In general, I try to avoid novellas. There's only so much content that can fit into a hundred pages, so often novellas are lacking in character development and the plot has a tendency to feel rushed. When I received an ARC of Summer's End, the synopsis drew me in and I hoped it had managed to avoid some of the issues that frequently plague stories of this length.
Admittedly, I'm a complete sucker for Celtic mythology and lore, so when the first few pages began to introduce the concept of Samhain and the traditional practices during this festival, I was ecstatic. The author even included footnotes with additional details and stories that I was able to look up and read. For those interested, this extra effort added much depth to the beginning of the book. I was a little disappointed that this trend did not continue throughout. Once the plot began to unfold, the amount of footnotes was greatly diminished. I think that continuing the trend would have been beneficial. For example, the reader could have benefited from additional lore and information about the sidhe, to allow full understanding of the concept of these creatures.
Character development in this novel was unique in that the author herself was the main character and narrator. Considering the length of the book, she was very successful in developing herself to a satisfactory degree. Having herself as the narrator and main character also served to avoid the problem of developing additional characters. We met a few other characters during the course of the story, however as it was the narrator's first time meeting them as well, in depth characterization was not necessary. The reader was not entitled to any more information than the narrator receives herself.
By having herself as the narrator and main character, Ms. Morton sows doubt into the very fabric of the plot. With the addition of facts wound into the narrative, we begin to wonder if this is really fiction at all. Druids once existed, could their magic have as well? Is it really so implausible that a manuscript could be found? I know that I will not be looking at Halloween the same way again. I'll be especially cautious with those jack o lanterns.
Now for my lament. Like so many things in life (just take your pick of the numerous available metaphors for such a situation) the novella was over way too quickly, leaving me wanting more. I'm not talking about wondering what happens after the end. It's everything that happened in between. The novella contained many scenes that would have greatly benefited from additional details. I'm not going to mention what specific scenes since I am strictly anti-spoiler. Just know that this book, with its amazing and unique plot could easily have been a full length novel.
Overall, I do recommend this novella for anyone who enjoys shorter books or for anyone particularly interested in Celtic mythology. I do hope to see this wonderful story expanded upon some day.
September 18, 2013
As Early Reviewer of Librarything I got a copy of this novella, apparently a kind of hybrid thriller annex fantasy story. But after I read the first pages I thought that I had ended up with a scientific approach of Lisa Morton towards the meaning of Halloween. That was kind of boring but fortunately the story changed into something with a plot shortly after that.
Lisa Morton, the 'writer' of this story has a lot of insights about the Celts and their history. That's why she is asked to have a look at ancient scriptures of a female Celtic druid that might change our knowledge about history and the end of the Druids. Lisa meets the men who are researching those papers and they, especially an Irish archeologist named Conor ó Cuinn, challenge her to test the ancient knowledge and try out some of these spells they appear to work, still! Not only one of the researchers gets killed in course of their explorations, but Lisa also changes into a completely different creature.
But do they really have to change the course of the world and change all the bad things that have happened during the last 1500 years.
Reading this 90 pages long story was kind of funny, but this hybrid genre is not my cup of tea because to me it's neither fish nor flesh, only a fantasy story that tries to appear to look like the truth. Well, nice try, but no, not quite.
Lisa Morton, the 'writer' of this story has a lot of insights about the Celts and their history. That's why she is asked to have a look at ancient scriptures of a female Celtic druid that might change our knowledge about history and the end of the Druids. Lisa meets the men who are researching those papers and they, especially an Irish archeologist named Conor ó Cuinn, challenge her to test the ancient knowledge and try out some of these spells they appear to work, still! Not only one of the researchers gets killed in course of their explorations, but Lisa also changes into a completely different creature.
But do they really have to change the course of the world and change all the bad things that have happened during the last 1500 years.
Reading this 90 pages long story was kind of funny, but this hybrid genre is not my cup of tea because to me it's neither fish nor flesh, only a fantasy story that tries to appear to look like the truth. Well, nice try, but no, not quite.
August 29, 2013
Summer's End by Lisa Morton 4 stars
This little gem of a novella totally creeped me out! Nice twist to the usual "Halloween is real" plots we get this time of year. In this book, there is a Celtic manuscript that needs translating so the archeologist seeks out an author/expert on Halloween-ish things. The twist is when you realize the lead character is actually the author, Lisa Morton. She inserts herself flawlessly with not a word or phrase out of place to pull the reader out of the book-clearly she is a master of her craft(pun intended!!). I enjoyed not only the actual story but the structure of the story and how she put it all together. I don't usually read novellas since they don't have much meat to them and skim over details, but not this one. There are details aplenty and footnotes to help you along the way. Very nicely done, not too horrifying but with just enough weirdness, magic and mayhem to make me glad I read it before the sun went down. I will definitely be picking up more by Lisa Morton. 4 stars
I received a copy of this book to review-the opinions expressed are my own.
This little gem of a novella totally creeped me out! Nice twist to the usual "Halloween is real" plots we get this time of year. In this book, there is a Celtic manuscript that needs translating so the archeologist seeks out an author/expert on Halloween-ish things. The twist is when you realize the lead character is actually the author, Lisa Morton. She inserts herself flawlessly with not a word or phrase out of place to pull the reader out of the book-clearly she is a master of her craft(pun intended!!). I enjoyed not only the actual story but the structure of the story and how she put it all together. I don't usually read novellas since they don't have much meat to them and skim over details, but not this one. There are details aplenty and footnotes to help you along the way. Very nicely done, not too horrifying but with just enough weirdness, magic and mayhem to make me glad I read it before the sun went down. I will definitely be picking up more by Lisa Morton. 4 stars
I received a copy of this book to review-the opinions expressed are my own.
September 3, 2013
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Although I have read horror novels, Summer's End is the first of this kind I have picked up. The plot is without a doubt intriguing, and Lisa Morton does a wonderful job at making herself a character in this novella. There is the topic of Samhain and druids, and there are footnotes and some background to help the reader understand things. This was a major plus for me as I do not know much about Druid lore, Celtic mythology, and the stories behind the history of All Hallow's Eve.
There was a lot of telling rather than showing, and although where was some substance to this novella, I felt there were chunks missing in the pace that made it difficult for me to connect with any characters. The plot and suspense of the sidh were enough to keep me going, however, and a little after halfway in, I was glad I did. It picked up, pulled me in, and wouldn't let me go. The author combined facts and folklore to create an effective Halloween novella that sets it apart from other "magic is real, and it's not all what you think" stories.
There was a lot of telling rather than showing, and although where was some substance to this novella, I felt there were chunks missing in the pace that made it difficult for me to connect with any characters. The plot and suspense of the sidh were enough to keep me going, however, and a little after halfway in, I was glad I did. It picked up, pulled me in, and wouldn't let me go. The author combined facts and folklore to create an effective Halloween novella that sets it apart from other "magic is real, and it's not all what you think" stories.
September 3, 2013
I received this book through Library Thing Early Reviewers. Summer's End is about an author name Lisa Morton who is a leading authority on Halloween. Until this year when she discovered everything she thought she knew was wrong. When Lisa receives an email from Dr. Wilson Armitage about a manuscript about Samhain, she is intrigued. When she meets Dr. Armitage she meets his colleague Dr. Conor o Cuinn an archeologist who discovered the manuscript. What Dr. Conor o Cuinn has planned for Lisa involves a lot more than her research skills. Her life is thrown into chaos and will never be the same again.
I found Summer's End to be a very quick suspenseful read. I thought it was interesting that it was in a first person narrative. Lisa Morton has thorough knowledge about Samhain and Halloween. I enjoyed reading about the Celtic and Druid history. Reading this novella makes me wonder about the true history of the Christian conversion of the Celtic and Druid people.
I found Summer's End to be a very quick suspenseful read. I thought it was interesting that it was in a first person narrative. Lisa Morton has thorough knowledge about Samhain and Halloween. I enjoyed reading about the Celtic and Druid history. Reading this novella makes me wonder about the true history of the Christian conversion of the Celtic and Druid people.
May 18, 2013
When Lisa Morton, author of The Halloween Encyclopedia, is called in to consult on the recent discovery of a fifteen-hundred-year-old Celtic manuscript, she’s at first excited about the light this monumental find might shed on Samhain, the mysterious Celtic precursor to Halloween.
Conor ó Cuinn, the Irish archaeologist who excavated the manuscript, thinks it reveals ancient magic. Lisa is skeptical…until people around her begin dying. Dr. Wilson Armitage, the university professor who was translating the manuscript, is found torn apart by wild animals…or was he actually attacked by vicious sidh, malicious Celtic spirits that wreak havoc every Samhain?
As October 31st approaches, the border between our realm and one of murderous spirits begins to dissolve. Can Lisa survive Halloween night and use her knowledge to set the world right again?
Conor ó Cuinn, the Irish archaeologist who excavated the manuscript, thinks it reveals ancient magic. Lisa is skeptical…until people around her begin dying. Dr. Wilson Armitage, the university professor who was translating the manuscript, is found torn apart by wild animals…or was he actually attacked by vicious sidh, malicious Celtic spirits that wreak havoc every Samhain?
As October 31st approaches, the border between our realm and one of murderous spirits begins to dissolve. Can Lisa survive Halloween night and use her knowledge to set the world right again?
September 24, 2013
Summer's End by Lisa Morton is a thrill ride. The author herself is the main character of the story, which I thought was very clever. She is an expert on Halloween and is called upon to consult on an ancient Druid manuscript circa 350 C.E. The manuscript sheds light on the true nature of Samhain, which our holiday of Halloween is largely based on, and Lisa's belief system is challenged, as it reveals that all the myths surrounding communion with the gods during Samhain are real. She tries one of the spells and finds that it really works and thus is swept up into a real life Halloween adventure to try and appease the dark god "Bal-Sab" and restore peace and balance our present day world.
This is a very enjoyable, horrific story that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. The ending makes the reader think about the horrors of the world we live in and wonder, what if…
This is a very enjoyable, horrific story that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. The ending makes the reader think about the horrors of the world we live in and wonder, what if…
August 30, 2013
First of all, let me disclose that I won this book in a Goodreads contest. That being said, and I hate to say the following: it was awful. Truly awful. The author couldn't decide whether to do a short story or a novel, so she settled on something in between -- and failed. What we get is a short-ish story packed with tons of explanations of "history" so that you'll be able to follow along with the story at hand. The fact of the matter is that there is no connection with any of the characters, there is no climax, and the plot is wanting. I mean, half the characters in the book are mentioned vaguely one or two times for absolutely no reason. And the end is completely foreseeable. Honestly, the "book" is boring, boring, boring. I felt like I was reading a story from a classmate in my creative writing 101 class in college. Would not recommend.
September 9, 2013
This book seemed to drag for me for the first few chapters. They seemed to read more like a history book and it was hard for me to keep the information straight as it was pretty boring. Once I got past that though, it picked up fast and the creepy, Halloween feel hooked me.
Lisa Morton, the main character,is an authority on Halloween and author. She is sought out by an archeologist who has information about ancient Druids and Celtics that will change the way Lisa and the world think about everything about Samhain, Halloween. From then on the book is filled with magic, spells, people being killed, and things that go bump in the night and will make you sleep with your lights on. A perfect story for the Halloween season. Just make it through the first few chapters and then the story will pick up for you.
Lisa Morton, the main character,is an authority on Halloween and author. She is sought out by an archeologist who has information about ancient Druids and Celtics that will change the way Lisa and the world think about everything about Samhain, Halloween. From then on the book is filled with magic, spells, people being killed, and things that go bump in the night and will make you sleep with your lights on. A perfect story for the Halloween season. Just make it through the first few chapters and then the story will pick up for you.
August 29, 2013
3.5/5
Letto per il programma "Early Reviewer" di Librarything.
Novella horror molto ben congegnata in cui il mito e il fantastico si mischiano con il reale rendendo difficile la loro distinzione.
Il meccanismo usato dalla scrittrice di usare sè stessa come protagonista riesce bene anche grazie alla competenza sul tema e ai diversi rimandi nelle note a piè di pagina.
---
Read for the Librarything "Early Reviewers"
"Summer's End" is a very well built horror novella where myths and fantastic elements merge with reality until it's difficult to tell them apart.
The writer idea of using herself as main character is very good also thanks to her profound knowledge of the main theme supported by the different footnotes.
Letto per il programma "Early Reviewer" di Librarything.
Novella horror molto ben congegnata in cui il mito e il fantastico si mischiano con il reale rendendo difficile la loro distinzione.
Il meccanismo usato dalla scrittrice di usare sè stessa come protagonista riesce bene anche grazie alla competenza sul tema e ai diversi rimandi nelle note a piè di pagina.
---
Read for the Librarything "Early Reviewers"
"Summer's End" is a very well built horror novella where myths and fantastic elements merge with reality until it's difficult to tell them apart.
The writer idea of using herself as main character is very good also thanks to her profound knowledge of the main theme supported by the different footnotes.
August 29, 2013
(Received ARC of this book through LibraryThing. Did not affect my review)
Summer’s End draws the reader in slowly and allows skepticism to melt away almost unnoticed until there is nothing left but raw understanding and clarity into a fantastical and horrifying world. I could not stop reading this once I sat down and started. Lisa Morton masterfully unfolds her story and causes the reader to see and feel the world with her character’s senses and sensibility. A brilliant read that forces the reader to accept the truths it presents and question how much fiction there actually is in this wonderfully written book.
Summer’s End draws the reader in slowly and allows skepticism to melt away almost unnoticed until there is nothing left but raw understanding and clarity into a fantastical and horrifying world. I could not stop reading this once I sat down and started. Lisa Morton masterfully unfolds her story and causes the reader to see and feel the world with her character’s senses and sensibility. A brilliant read that forces the reader to accept the truths it presents and question how much fiction there actually is in this wonderfully written book.
January 12, 2014
Summer's End is a Hallowen novella concerning the ancient Druid traditions surrounding Samhain. Lisa Morton introduces herself as an author and a Halloween expert. She is contacted by the college after they found a scroll in the hands of a female Druid preserved in a peat bog. Lisa is very skeptical at first, but then things start happening.
A good short, scary story that kept me interested throughout. I was intrigued by the Druid and Samhain histories. It wrapped up a little too fast for me at the end, but that's usually how it goes with novellas. I would be interested in reading similar stories by Lisa Morton.
A good short, scary story that kept me interested throughout. I was intrigued by the Druid and Samhain histories. It wrapped up a little too fast for me at the end, but that's usually how it goes with novellas. I would be interested in reading similar stories by Lisa Morton.
August 12, 2013
I received an ARC of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I don't usually read novellas, but I enjoyed this one. It was a quick read, but still had enough meat in the story to be solid. I liked how the author made herself the main character, making this fiction story feel more real. The part that wasn't very convincing to me was why she felt the need to perform the Samhaim ritual and how she could say these sacrifices were the right thing to do. Overall this was a good book to get me in the mood for the Halloween season.
September 1, 2013
I usually don't read this type of genre but since I love Halloween, I was glad to read this book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the story. It flowed so effortlessly, the references to Druids/Celtics and Halloween make it very interesting and the ending was wonderful. It wasn't scary but it definitely had some very suspenseful moments. I would recommend this book, especially if you love Halloween.
September 6, 2013
What a gripping story. It kept me breathless until the very last word. It's an experience between two worlds whereas the very old elements are intruding into nowadays and it looked like they felt very comfortable so. An old manuscript could have turned around the destiny of our world weren't it for the good sense of an expert who made the experience with the old mystery world and decided to undo the evil experiment.
(4 1/2 stars)
(4 1/2 stars)
October 24, 2013
SUMMER'S END is a quick read about a Halloween expert, Lisa Morton, who finds out that everything she'd researched to negate the "evil" aspects of Halloween are actually true. I think the story has a nice set up, is written well, and the action begins early on and continues till the end. I enjoyed the lore and mythos behind the history of Halloween and the "human" and realistic side of the story--letting evil continue to rule the world instead of making a big sacrifice to stop it.
January 15, 2014
There is something about every book that contains a history background feel to it. I love that. Lisa Morton (The main character) is pretty kickass. If you need information about witches, druids, celtics, magic, HALLOWEEN! She was the first person to talk to. It was perfect.
Now I know what kind of scary story I will be telling this halloween! lol
March 19, 2014
I LOVE this Novella...I had a hard time remembering that this was a work of fiction. I'll never feel safe at Halloween again !!!! This author has a wonderful style of writing, Can't wait to read more of her work, She's been one of writings best kept secrets :)
October 9, 2013
I loved it! The story was so exciting, I wanted it to last longer. I surely will be looking for more by this author.
September 28, 2013
I received this ARC and it is not my usual kind of book. All in all, I liked the book. It was powerfully written, but I felt it was little too short.
September 18, 2013
(This review can be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl in October).
As a fan of horror, I thought I'd end up loving this book. However, that wasn't the case. It was an okay read, and I use that term loosely.
Lisa Morton is a horror author who knows a vast amount about Halloween, as in she knows where the tradition started and all the variations. When she gets an email from a university professor saying they found a 1,500 year old Celtic manuscript, she's a bit skeptical. However, she decides to visit the professor and see what he has to say. After translating the manuscript, the professor is found dead. Could this be the work of the manuscript that spoke of the Sidh? It's up to Lisa and Conor ó Cuinn, an Irish archaeologist who found the manuscript, to save the world. But will they be in time?
I'm not a fan of the cover at all. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a Sidh or not. I have no idea. All I know is that the cover never really pulled me in.
As for the title, it makes me think more of a love story than a horror story. Saying that, one of the translations of Samhain is summer's end according to the book, so the title does fit in with the book.
I thought the world building was alright. I really didn't find any flaws with it. The setting is a university office and an apartment, so nothing too exciting. I though the author did a fantastic job of making the Sidh feel real and like this could actually happen. However, the ending lets the world building down. (This next sentence may be slightly spoilerish). We're led to believe that the world will be destroyed if Bal-sab (the god of death) isn't destroyed. Well, I don't want to give it away too much, but yeah, it's very anti-climatic.
The pacing is extremely slow at the beginning. I was considering adding this title to my DNF (did not finish) pile. For whatever reason, I decided to carry on. Luckily, the story did improve and picked up quickly which meant I was able to finish this book.
The plot was interesting enough. It's told from the author's point of view (although this book is a work of fiction), and she even throws in titles of her other books along the way. I did like the whole Celtic/Pagan mythology throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the little footnotes throughout the book. Anyway, the protagonist of the story needs to translate a Celtic manuscript and save the world. While, it was an interesting premise, I felt that it was poorly executed due to too much info dumping, and what I felt was too much self-promotion for the author's other works.
I felt that the characters were just too run of the mill. They weren't written poorly, but they weren't written well either. I felt that maybe some back story for the characters, especially the main character, would've helped me relate to each character, but I just found myself not really caring what happened to them. I just couldn't relate at all, and believe me, I did try, but all the characters felt too monotonous for my liking. I would've liked it if at least one character had some sort of personality instead of feeling like a cardboard cutout.
The dialogue never seemed forced, but it did feel a bit stale. As I've said before, there was way too much info dumping for my liking especially towards the beginning of the book. The info dumping isn't quite so bad once the story progresses though. As for swear words, there are a few, but it's not too bad.
Overall, Summer's End by Lisa Morton is an okay (again, I use this word loosely) story. It was a fantastic idea but poorly executed, I think.
I'm on the fence with whether or not I'd recommend this book. I'd just say to read it yourself and come to a decision especially if you're into Celtic/Pagan mythology. I'd say the age group it would best fit would be those aged 16+.
I'd give Summer's End by Lisa Morton a 2.5 out of 5.
(I received a free ARC print copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers for a fair and honest review).
As a fan of horror, I thought I'd end up loving this book. However, that wasn't the case. It was an okay read, and I use that term loosely.
Lisa Morton is a horror author who knows a vast amount about Halloween, as in she knows where the tradition started and all the variations. When she gets an email from a university professor saying they found a 1,500 year old Celtic manuscript, she's a bit skeptical. However, she decides to visit the professor and see what he has to say. After translating the manuscript, the professor is found dead. Could this be the work of the manuscript that spoke of the Sidh? It's up to Lisa and Conor ó Cuinn, an Irish archaeologist who found the manuscript, to save the world. But will they be in time?
I'm not a fan of the cover at all. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a Sidh or not. I have no idea. All I know is that the cover never really pulled me in.
As for the title, it makes me think more of a love story than a horror story. Saying that, one of the translations of Samhain is summer's end according to the book, so the title does fit in with the book.
I thought the world building was alright. I really didn't find any flaws with it. The setting is a university office and an apartment, so nothing too exciting. I though the author did a fantastic job of making the Sidh feel real and like this could actually happen. However, the ending lets the world building down. (This next sentence may be slightly spoilerish). We're led to believe that the world will be destroyed if Bal-sab (the god of death) isn't destroyed. Well, I don't want to give it away too much, but yeah, it's very anti-climatic.
The pacing is extremely slow at the beginning. I was considering adding this title to my DNF (did not finish) pile. For whatever reason, I decided to carry on. Luckily, the story did improve and picked up quickly which meant I was able to finish this book.
The plot was interesting enough. It's told from the author's point of view (although this book is a work of fiction), and she even throws in titles of her other books along the way. I did like the whole Celtic/Pagan mythology throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the little footnotes throughout the book. Anyway, the protagonist of the story needs to translate a Celtic manuscript and save the world. While, it was an interesting premise, I felt that it was poorly executed due to too much info dumping, and what I felt was too much self-promotion for the author's other works.
I felt that the characters were just too run of the mill. They weren't written poorly, but they weren't written well either. I felt that maybe some back story for the characters, especially the main character, would've helped me relate to each character, but I just found myself not really caring what happened to them. I just couldn't relate at all, and believe me, I did try, but all the characters felt too monotonous for my liking. I would've liked it if at least one character had some sort of personality instead of feeling like a cardboard cutout.
The dialogue never seemed forced, but it did feel a bit stale. As I've said before, there was way too much info dumping for my liking especially towards the beginning of the book. The info dumping isn't quite so bad once the story progresses though. As for swear words, there are a few, but it's not too bad.
Overall, Summer's End by Lisa Morton is an okay (again, I use this word loosely) story. It was a fantastic idea but poorly executed, I think.
I'm on the fence with whether or not I'd recommend this book. I'd just say to read it yourself and come to a decision especially if you're into Celtic/Pagan mythology. I'd say the age group it would best fit would be those aged 16+.
I'd give Summer's End by Lisa Morton a 2.5 out of 5.
(I received a free ARC print copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers for a fair and honest review).
Read
November 11, 2013Contains spoilers.
This was a free ebook won in a LibraryThing giveaway.
Summer’s End is a novella that could have used a lot more editing before it was published, and this is both content and copy-editing. It’s a work that would have been improved if Ms. Morton had read more on writing, because many of her errors are discussed in blogs and books. One of these, called the info dump in the business, featured pages of information that brought a crashing halt to the action within the first few pages. Further Ms. Morton used parentheses with a grating frequency. The information could have been more smoothly conveyed with dashes or commas, or rewritten entirely. There was also a paragraph that went on for two pages and change, and screamed out to be cut into pieces.
Characterization was also a weakness. The reader is told very little about the protagonist, named Lisa Morton, and what information is given is included rather haphazardly. The reader isn’t told that Mr. Morton is a bookseller until halfway through the book, and that title isn’t even explained. Does she own a bookstore, manage a bookstore, run an online bookstore? Further it’s difficult to believe that someone with such clear distain for Halloween would write books about the subject.
Ms. Morton is consulted by a professor, because of her book, the Halloween Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia implies that Ms. Morton’s book gives information on a range of subjects related to Halloween, which would not be in-depth, especially if marketed to the general public. An academic might consult this for basic information, but for a consult, they’d search for either another academic who had published in-depth scholarly articles on Druids or a book or books on Druids. Though the latter wouldn’t necessarily have to be an academic. The point is that Ms. Morton would not be considered for a consult.
The plot stretches the concept of suspension of disbelief, and this is not because it features supernatural elements. The idea that Ms. Morton and Conor o Cuinn are the last of the Druids negates the entirety of the Neo-Druid movement, who while not identical to their forbearers are certainly closer to the ancient Druids than an archeologist and a writer. And this doesn’t even touch on the fact, that contrary to the writer’s statement, these are certainly not the only two people in the world to study the ancient Druids. Further, the writer herself states that becoming a Druid, or a high priestess and be able to practice their rituals successfully requires years of training and learning, and yet, these two do it with very little effort. Further, they recite their incantations/spells/what have you in English, not Gaelic, which is likely what the Druids spoke.
This isn’t to say that the work was without strengths. The pacing was good, and the voice is quite strong and very easy to follow. Ms. Morton, the real author, makes you want to read more of her work. The story of Mongfind was also quite interesting, and she was more intriguing a character that the protagonist. In fact, if Ms. Morton were to write Mongfind’s story, I’d pick it up in a heartbeat.
This was a free ebook won in a LibraryThing giveaway.
Summer’s End is a novella that could have used a lot more editing before it was published, and this is both content and copy-editing. It’s a work that would have been improved if Ms. Morton had read more on writing, because many of her errors are discussed in blogs and books. One of these, called the info dump in the business, featured pages of information that brought a crashing halt to the action within the first few pages. Further Ms. Morton used parentheses with a grating frequency. The information could have been more smoothly conveyed with dashes or commas, or rewritten entirely. There was also a paragraph that went on for two pages and change, and screamed out to be cut into pieces.
Characterization was also a weakness. The reader is told very little about the protagonist, named Lisa Morton, and what information is given is included rather haphazardly. The reader isn’t told that Mr. Morton is a bookseller until halfway through the book, and that title isn’t even explained. Does she own a bookstore, manage a bookstore, run an online bookstore? Further it’s difficult to believe that someone with such clear distain for Halloween would write books about the subject.
Ms. Morton is consulted by a professor, because of her book, the Halloween Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia implies that Ms. Morton’s book gives information on a range of subjects related to Halloween, which would not be in-depth, especially if marketed to the general public. An academic might consult this for basic information, but for a consult, they’d search for either another academic who had published in-depth scholarly articles on Druids or a book or books on Druids. Though the latter wouldn’t necessarily have to be an academic. The point is that Ms. Morton would not be considered for a consult.
The plot stretches the concept of suspension of disbelief, and this is not because it features supernatural elements. The idea that Ms. Morton and Conor o Cuinn are the last of the Druids negates the entirety of the Neo-Druid movement, who while not identical to their forbearers are certainly closer to the ancient Druids than an archeologist and a writer. And this doesn’t even touch on the fact, that contrary to the writer’s statement, these are certainly not the only two people in the world to study the ancient Druids. Further, the writer herself states that becoming a Druid, or a high priestess and be able to practice their rituals successfully requires years of training and learning, and yet, these two do it with very little effort. Further, they recite their incantations/spells/what have you in English, not Gaelic, which is likely what the Druids spoke.
This isn’t to say that the work was without strengths. The pacing was good, and the voice is quite strong and very easy to follow. Ms. Morton, the real author, makes you want to read more of her work. The story of Mongfind was also quite interesting, and she was more intriguing a character that the protagonist. In fact, if Ms. Morton were to write Mongfind’s story, I’d pick it up in a heartbeat.
November 20, 2013
This work of fiction is told in the first person from the perspective of the author, who also serves as the story's protagonist. That's a different approach but one that I've encountered a handful of times with interesting effect. In the story a woman (Lisa), whose trade is authoring books about pagan rituals and Halloween, is contacted by an enigmatic man from Northern Ireland by way of a local university professor, both of whom Lisa has never met. It turns out an ancient scroll had been unearthed in N. Ireland, and its secret contents proved the supernatural powers of the Druids who were decimated as a result of early Christian settlement there. The Irishman believes he and Lisa are the chosen ones meant to use the scrolls to call forth ancient forces who'd been silenced since the demise of the Druids. I was never quite clear on why this Irishman placed such grandiose importance on himself nor why he felt an American writer on the west coast of the US was destined to be his partner, as if there are no other authors who write lots fictional books about Halloween.
Never mind that, though, because sometimes it's necessary to dismiss practicalities in the pursuit of a good story, particularly one involving the supernatural. However, maybe it's because the story is rather short that I never fully engaged with it, but this book ultimately fell flat for me. When pumpkins began to appear in places that seemed strange even for Halloween, I was 100% along for the ride. And the events that followed, which I can't include without spoilers, were suspenseful, and at about 60% through the book began to feel like a page-turner. Disappointingly the plot quickly fizzled out, and the ending was -- even for a book on the supernatural -- difficult to believe and ultimately unsatisfactory. I'm unsure if the writer placing herself in the story as the protagonist was meant to have a particular effect, but by the time I'd finished the book, I'd forgotten Lisa and the author were the same.
I feel like maybe the target audience for this book is adolescent because, if it were, I can well imagine myself reading it as a 12-year-old and having a much different and enthusiastic review to give. Although I wouldn't recommend this book to my peers, I would recommend it to teens and maybe very young adults who are interested in the Celtics and/or Druids.
Never mind that, though, because sometimes it's necessary to dismiss practicalities in the pursuit of a good story, particularly one involving the supernatural. However, maybe it's because the story is rather short that I never fully engaged with it, but this book ultimately fell flat for me. When pumpkins began to appear in places that seemed strange even for Halloween, I was 100% along for the ride. And the events that followed, which I can't include without spoilers, were suspenseful, and at about 60% through the book began to feel like a page-turner. Disappointingly the plot quickly fizzled out, and the ending was -- even for a book on the supernatural -- difficult to believe and ultimately unsatisfactory. I'm unsure if the writer placing herself in the story as the protagonist was meant to have a particular effect, but by the time I'd finished the book, I'd forgotten Lisa and the author were the same.
I feel like maybe the target audience for this book is adolescent because, if it were, I can well imagine myself reading it as a 12-year-old and having a much different and enthusiastic review to give. Although I wouldn't recommend this book to my peers, I would recommend it to teens and maybe very young adults who are interested in the Celtics and/or Druids.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews