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As president of one of Tennessee's largest companies, Randolph Clare is outraged when arsonists destroy one of his Memphis plants. But then his wife and children are savagely murdered. All thoughts of vengeance are drowned in his grief.
Desperate to see his loved ones again, if only to bid them farewell, he enlists the aid of an Indonesian physician who claims that he can help Randolph enter the world of the dead. But, the doctor warns, ravening demons wait for those who dare the voyage. Not only Randolph's life will be at stake, but the souls of his faily.
And the demons will come...
Desperate to see his loved ones again, if only to bid them farewell, he enlists the aid of an Indonesian physician who claims that he can help Randolph enter the world of the dead. But, the doctor warns, ravening demons wait for those who dare the voyage. Not only Randolph's life will be at stake, but the souls of his faily.
And the demons will come...
440 pages
First published January 1, 1980
36 people are currently reading
592 people want to read
About the author
Graham Masterton
421 books1,963 followersGraham Masterton was born in Edinburgh in 1946. His grandfather was Thomas Thorne Baker, the eminent scientist who invented DayGlo and was the first man to transmit news photographs by wireless. After training as a newspaper reporter, Graham went on to edit the new British men's magazine Mayfair, where he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of scientific and philosophical articles which eventually became Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys.
At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.
Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.
Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.
He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.
Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.
He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.
At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.
Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.
Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.
He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.
Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.
He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 20, 2022
This is the Graham Masterton book that haunted me. The whole damn thing has stuck in my head for years. Literally, years. I have this in paperback. I can't read physical books because of arthritis. I've had this on my Kindle to buy list for year's. That price isn't going down!
If you don't mind horrific beginnings. Death of family, gore and just bound to make you go effing mad? This is the book.
Everyone has their favorite Masterton book.
This is mine.
If you don't mind horrific beginnings. Death of family, gore and just bound to make you go effing mad? This is the book.
Everyone has their favorite Masterton book.
This is mine.
July 27, 2018
I like reading horror novels. Though I can’t claim to be a connoisseur, I do enjoy the genre. I have a ritual – every Friday the 13th, I try to read a horror/supernatural novel. Quite a few years earlier, English movie channels would broadcast back-to-back horror flicks on Friday the 13th. They don’t do it know, at least in India. But, thankfully on Friday the 13th, July 2018 one channel did show Annabelle. Thus I watched the movie and started reading this book.
This was my first Graham Masterton book, and I found the book to be fun.
I found the beginning of the story to be very intriguing. It starts in Bali in the 1980s, when a half-Balinese and half-American boy, Michael Arjuna, would visit his mentor, an old Hindu priest in a deserted Hindu temple. They would participate in an ancient and dangerous ritual – The Death Trance, the state when an individual can enter the spirit world. It is very dangerous because the leyaks, the zombie demons of the terrible Goddess Rangda, the Witch Widow are always on the prowl for such visitors.
Then the narrative moves to Memphis. We are introduced to Randolph Clare, a respectable businessman and president of one of the largest companies in Tennessee. Clare has challenged the mighty Cottonseed Association, and the thugs who run the said association are out to destroy him. His enemies would stop at nothing – from sabotaging his factories to brutally massacring his entire family. Clare is a good man but came across as very naïve for a business tycoon.
Clare would learn about the Death Trance and somehow manage to convince a reluctant Michael to enter the spirit world so that Clare could meet his family and learn the identity of the murderers. The thugs would not sit idle and send their murderers to neutralize any threats to them.
This novel is a crime thriller-cum-horror novel. The psychotic henchmen are as bloodthirsty as the leyaks. There is plenty of gore, torture and bloodshed – perpetrated by the demons as well as by the humans. There are some good moments of suspense and terror. But, the change of heart of one of the main villains was a bit too much to digest. Overall, it is a decent horror novel – more like an adventure story with elements of horror.
One good thing about the book is that it reminded me about something I had read in Indian history in school. Centuries ago Indians had travelled to South East Asia and spread Indian culture and Hinduism there. The indigenous Balinese practice a form of Hinduism which is a combination of Java-Bali traditions and Hindu beliefs. This fiction book actually stimulated my interest in reading up a few articles about the ancient Indian history.
As I have mentioned before, the book was fun to read. If you like 80s horror and don’t mind gore, then you can check it out.
This was my first Graham Masterton book, and I found the book to be fun.
I found the beginning of the story to be very intriguing. It starts in Bali in the 1980s, when a half-Balinese and half-American boy, Michael Arjuna, would visit his mentor, an old Hindu priest in a deserted Hindu temple. They would participate in an ancient and dangerous ritual – The Death Trance, the state when an individual can enter the spirit world. It is very dangerous because the leyaks, the zombie demons of the terrible Goddess Rangda, the Witch Widow are always on the prowl for such visitors.
Then the narrative moves to Memphis. We are introduced to Randolph Clare, a respectable businessman and president of one of the largest companies in Tennessee. Clare has challenged the mighty Cottonseed Association, and the thugs who run the said association are out to destroy him. His enemies would stop at nothing – from sabotaging his factories to brutally massacring his entire family. Clare is a good man but came across as very naïve for a business tycoon.
Clare would learn about the Death Trance and somehow manage to convince a reluctant Michael to enter the spirit world so that Clare could meet his family and learn the identity of the murderers. The thugs would not sit idle and send their murderers to neutralize any threats to them.
This novel is a crime thriller-cum-horror novel. The psychotic henchmen are as bloodthirsty as the leyaks. There is plenty of gore, torture and bloodshed – perpetrated by the demons as well as by the humans. There are some good moments of suspense and terror. But, the change of heart of one of the main villains was a bit too much to digest. Overall, it is a decent horror novel – more like an adventure story with elements of horror.
One good thing about the book is that it reminded me about something I had read in Indian history in school. Centuries ago Indians had travelled to South East Asia and spread Indian culture and Hinduism there. The indigenous Balinese practice a form of Hinduism which is a combination of Java-Bali traditions and Hindu beliefs. This fiction book actually stimulated my interest in reading up a few articles about the ancient Indian history.
As I have mentioned before, the book was fun to read. If you like 80s horror and don’t mind gore, then you can check it out.
February 3, 2024
I almost always find Masterton's novels entertaining, although usually not very scary, and Death Trance is fun, even if you have to suspend your beliefs a little too hard here. A quick prologue features and young Bali/American teenager learning from his 'guru' the art of the 'Death Trance', which vaults your 'spirit' into the realm of the dead. The dead realm, however, is full of danger as demons/zombis prowl it looking to devour fresh souls. Nonetheless, while in the trance you can communicate with the dead.
The story starts proper with our main protagonist, Randolph Clare, arriving from his cabin in Canada back to Memphis. Clare is the president of a cotton seed plant/factory and a maverick, bucking the 'margarine mafia' cartel of other cotton seed companies. Clare's company recently won a huge contract with a margarine company but he returned to Memphis due to an explosion in his main plant; a highly suspicious explosion. Meanwhile, his family (mild spoiler) gets brutally killed back at his Canadian cabin. It seems the 'margarine mafia' is playing hardball!
While recovering from the shock of his families death, he meets a doctor who tells him about his Hindu beliefs; namely that the 'souls' of his families are awaiting resurrection, and in fact can be contacted via the death trance. Wanting proof of who killed them, and also to tell them how much he loves them, Clare takes off for Indonesia to find a Death Trance adept...
The entire idea of the Death Trance is novel and I am sure Masterton played around with Hindu mythos here. The depictions of Bali proved Masterton spend some time there, but, like the Death Trance, you have to take it with a grain of salt. For me, the highlight was the reference to the classic Chuck Berry song "Memphis," which then stuck in my head the entire time I was reading this. Fun, but nothing really exceptional. 3 death trances.
The story starts proper with our main protagonist, Randolph Clare, arriving from his cabin in Canada back to Memphis. Clare is the president of a cotton seed plant/factory and a maverick, bucking the 'margarine mafia' cartel of other cotton seed companies. Clare's company recently won a huge contract with a margarine company but he returned to Memphis due to an explosion in his main plant; a highly suspicious explosion. Meanwhile, his family (mild spoiler) gets brutally killed back at his Canadian cabin. It seems the 'margarine mafia' is playing hardball!
While recovering from the shock of his families death, he meets a doctor who tells him about his Hindu beliefs; namely that the 'souls' of his families are awaiting resurrection, and in fact can be contacted via the death trance. Wanting proof of who killed them, and also to tell them how much he loves them, Clare takes off for Indonesia to find a Death Trance adept...
The entire idea of the Death Trance is novel and I am sure Masterton played around with Hindu mythos here. The depictions of Bali proved Masterton spend some time there, but, like the Death Trance, you have to take it with a grain of salt. For me, the highlight was the reference to the classic Chuck Berry song "Memphis," which then stuck in my head the entire time I was reading this. Fun, but nothing really exceptional. 3 death trances.
September 17, 2018
Another classic full throttle Masterton! This time we learn about the legendary death trance, e.g. the meeting with the dead as practised by Vietnamese mystics. It's a story full of revenge and brutal killings set in Memphis. It's the story of a successful entrepreneur and his opponents. At the end you know why there is so much hatred and you'll see the Widow Witch in action. An absolute page turner. You won't regret delving into this great 80s Masterton. A book hard to put down!
December 3, 2022
A fast moving thriller!
This was a dark, violent thriller acted out against a mystical Hindu backdrop. A mafia like dispute between cotton producers in America's deep South degenerates into murder and mayhem, directly affecting all the primary movers and shakers of that industry. One man undertakes a dangerous quest for answers and understanding of a personal tragedy. This quest takes him on a journey towards a Hindu version of Hell. Goddesses, demons and creatures from your worst nightmare enter the stage and the action explodes into a grisly finale.
This was a dark, violent thriller acted out against a mystical Hindu backdrop. A mafia like dispute between cotton producers in America's deep South degenerates into murder and mayhem, directly affecting all the primary movers and shakers of that industry. One man undertakes a dangerous quest for answers and understanding of a personal tragedy. This quest takes him on a journey towards a Hindu version of Hell. Goddesses, demons and creatures from your worst nightmare enter the stage and the action explodes into a grisly finale.
June 5, 2017
Really enjoyed this, as one of the first book's i've read of Graham Masterton's I have to say I was impressed! The plot flowed and the location's!! wow! graham has a way with word's that makes you feel as if you're there in the location he's writing about. I went to Tennessee and Thailand! Really spooky read into the world of occult Buddhism.
March 19, 2021
This is the second Graham Masterton horror novel I've read, and so far, I am still a little unclear why he has such a dedicated following. I would say that this is an improvement over the first book of his that I reviewed, "Feast," but it suffers from many of the same problems. I will go into those issues later on. However, I do appreciate Masterton's skill at building intense scenes of horror that make you want to look away from your reading. He also knows how to craft an exciting adventure. I can see why he eventually abandoned much of the supernatural themes in his later-career stories and focused on his knack for crime thrillers, because "Death Trance" worked best when it capitalized on corporate conspiracies, international manhunts, and the gruesome crimes of sociopathic hitmen.
So before we get into the good and the bad, let's briefly talk about the plot. The book centers around a paunchy middle-aged owner of a Memphis cottonseed processing firm, Randolph Clare. He inherits the business from his father, and is on his way to making Clare Cottonseed one of the top dogs of the industry by undercutting and outpricing his competitors. This upsets the syndicate of white suits and Panama hats of the Cottonseed Association, who resort to sabotage and murder to ruin Randolph and his ambitions. Randolph's wife Marmie and his three children are brutally tortured and murdered by four crazed mercenaries hired by the Cottonseed Association. In his grief, Randolph enlists the help of an Indonesian doctor to help him find an "adept" in the slums of Bali, a Hindu priest who has been reputed to be able to guide folks through a sacred ritual called "the Death Trance" that allows them to visit their deceased loved ones. Randolph hopes to reunite with his family and learn the secret behind their murder. When the Cottonseed Association hears of this, a dangerous race ensues to get to Randolph's family first.
Now the negatives. This otherwise intriguing premise is littered with plot holes and mistakes. One of the silliest examples of awkward plot development, or lack thereof, is the aforementioned race between Randolph and the villains to get to Randolph's dead family. Randolph not only wants to see and touch his loved ones again, but he is relying on them to give him the evidence he needs to file charges against the Cottonseed Association. The bad guys, on the other hand, want to stop the family from squealing, since they were witnesses to who murdered them. This whole thing is nonsense. What is Randolph think he is going to do with any information he gets? Who will believe such evidence? "You see, Your Honor, I know they are guilty. My dead wife told me so from beyond the grave!" And the killers go traipsing into the cemetery armed with guns to interfere with the family's testimony. Just what do the bad guys think they can do to keep the dead from revealing the identities of their killers? Kidnap them? Shoot them? Say mean things?
Want more stupidity? In one scene, the bad guy threatens our hero's girlfriend, Wanda Burford (yeah, Randolph doesn't stay single long) with a pack of ferocious Dobermans by indicating that his henchman could "point at Miss Burford and say 'kill.'" Thing is, the henchman may certainly be able to point, but he won't be saying much. He's mute.
And though Randolph himself is a much more sympathetic character than the main protagonist in "Feast," he's equally as thick as a brick. He constantly puts himself in harm's way by making bone-headed decisions, announcing his plans to his enemies by yapping to anyone who will listen, and refusing to believe the hired guns that murdered his family don't want to do the same to him. Perhaps he is a genius with corporate finances, but he is otherwise quite cognitively challenged.
Yet oddly enough, as dumb as this book gets, there are moments of genuine intelligence. Here's where we get to the good stuff. The writing is quite competent, particularly in its treatment of characters. One of the sleazy, glutinous, and rotund southern good-ol-boys of the Cottonseed Club is described as "oleaginous." Wonderful! Randolph's wife is described as a tough woman looking forward to the years ahead instead of the years behind after recently recovering from a middle-aged identity crisis: "She had emerged from self-doubt and dissatisfaction like someone newly born, someone who realizes that every human life consists of several different lives and that the arrival of each new one is an event to be welcomed." The main villain is a complex character who only appears to have a singular and ruthless focus on wealth until you realize that he is burdened with an old but deep injury to his narcissism that has driven him mad after his buttons get pushed by the success of Clare Cottonseed. Michael, the Hindu "adept" who carries the secret of the Death Trance, is a far older character than his years, burdened by the suicide of his father, his isolation from his community because of his "half-caste" racial status, and his experiences with the horrors of the world of the dead. He could have been made into a very annoying, mopey personality, but he is one of the few comedic voices of an otherwise straight-laced novel, delivering tasteful gallows humor while chain-smoking Lion cigarettes during moments of terror and suspense. Even minor characters get a chance to shine such as Randolph's general practitioner--well-meaning, but cynical from his years of fighting illness and death with his patients.
"Bring the man a bowl of Rice Krispies and some fruit," the doctor says to a nurse.
"Miles, I never eat Rice Krispies," Randolph protests.
"Quiet, or you'll get Count Chokula instead."
I found the scenes in Bali, full of rich descriptions of the culture, religions, mythology, people, and cuisine to be fascinating. Yet if Masterton was as "accurate" at portraying Indonesia or Hindu beliefs in this book as he was with Cajun and New Orleans culture in "Feast," then his depictions will likely provide little charm for those of you in the know.
But most importantly for you horror fans, the book was genuinely frightening and disturbing. Particularly effective were the scenes of torture and murder by the human villains, which shared parallels with the atrocities from the supernatural dangers. It was not so much the gore that led to such a visceral impact, but the destruction of the humanity of otherwise sympathetic characters. As the narrative voice states towards the close of this book, "dignity was not just a word, not just a quality, but the essential ingredient of human existence." Therefore, the violation of human dignity was the main crime for both human and mythologic monsters in this story.
Overall, I enjoyed "Death Trance" and would certainly recommend it to fans of the horror genre, but I have yet to discover why Graham Masterton has had such an enduring legacy. Stay tuned as I delve further into the works of this author in future reviews.
So before we get into the good and the bad, let's briefly talk about the plot. The book centers around a paunchy middle-aged owner of a Memphis cottonseed processing firm, Randolph Clare. He inherits the business from his father, and is on his way to making Clare Cottonseed one of the top dogs of the industry by undercutting and outpricing his competitors. This upsets the syndicate of white suits and Panama hats of the Cottonseed Association, who resort to sabotage and murder to ruin Randolph and his ambitions. Randolph's wife Marmie and his three children are brutally tortured and murdered by four crazed mercenaries hired by the Cottonseed Association. In his grief, Randolph enlists the help of an Indonesian doctor to help him find an "adept" in the slums of Bali, a Hindu priest who has been reputed to be able to guide folks through a sacred ritual called "the Death Trance" that allows them to visit their deceased loved ones. Randolph hopes to reunite with his family and learn the secret behind their murder. When the Cottonseed Association hears of this, a dangerous race ensues to get to Randolph's family first.
Now the negatives. This otherwise intriguing premise is littered with plot holes and mistakes. One of the silliest examples of awkward plot development, or lack thereof, is the aforementioned race between Randolph and the villains to get to Randolph's dead family. Randolph not only wants to see and touch his loved ones again, but he is relying on them to give him the evidence he needs to file charges against the Cottonseed Association. The bad guys, on the other hand, want to stop the family from squealing, since they were witnesses to who murdered them. This whole thing is nonsense. What is Randolph think he is going to do with any information he gets? Who will believe such evidence? "You see, Your Honor, I know they are guilty. My dead wife told me so from beyond the grave!" And the killers go traipsing into the cemetery armed with guns to interfere with the family's testimony. Just what do the bad guys think they can do to keep the dead from revealing the identities of their killers? Kidnap them? Shoot them? Say mean things?
Want more stupidity? In one scene, the bad guy threatens our hero's girlfriend, Wanda Burford (yeah, Randolph doesn't stay single long) with a pack of ferocious Dobermans by indicating that his henchman could "point at Miss Burford and say 'kill.'" Thing is, the henchman may certainly be able to point, but he won't be saying much. He's mute.
And though Randolph himself is a much more sympathetic character than the main protagonist in "Feast," he's equally as thick as a brick. He constantly puts himself in harm's way by making bone-headed decisions, announcing his plans to his enemies by yapping to anyone who will listen, and refusing to believe the hired guns that murdered his family don't want to do the same to him. Perhaps he is a genius with corporate finances, but he is otherwise quite cognitively challenged.
Yet oddly enough, as dumb as this book gets, there are moments of genuine intelligence. Here's where we get to the good stuff. The writing is quite competent, particularly in its treatment of characters. One of the sleazy, glutinous, and rotund southern good-ol-boys of the Cottonseed Club is described as "oleaginous." Wonderful! Randolph's wife is described as a tough woman looking forward to the years ahead instead of the years behind after recently recovering from a middle-aged identity crisis: "She had emerged from self-doubt and dissatisfaction like someone newly born, someone who realizes that every human life consists of several different lives and that the arrival of each new one is an event to be welcomed." The main villain is a complex character who only appears to have a singular and ruthless focus on wealth until you realize that he is burdened with an old but deep injury to his narcissism that has driven him mad after his buttons get pushed by the success of Clare Cottonseed. Michael, the Hindu "adept" who carries the secret of the Death Trance, is a far older character than his years, burdened by the suicide of his father, his isolation from his community because of his "half-caste" racial status, and his experiences with the horrors of the world of the dead. He could have been made into a very annoying, mopey personality, but he is one of the few comedic voices of an otherwise straight-laced novel, delivering tasteful gallows humor while chain-smoking Lion cigarettes during moments of terror and suspense. Even minor characters get a chance to shine such as Randolph's general practitioner--well-meaning, but cynical from his years of fighting illness and death with his patients.
"Bring the man a bowl of Rice Krispies and some fruit," the doctor says to a nurse.
"Miles, I never eat Rice Krispies," Randolph protests.
"Quiet, or you'll get Count Chokula instead."
I found the scenes in Bali, full of rich descriptions of the culture, religions, mythology, people, and cuisine to be fascinating. Yet if Masterton was as "accurate" at portraying Indonesia or Hindu beliefs in this book as he was with Cajun and New Orleans culture in "Feast," then his depictions will likely provide little charm for those of you in the know.
But most importantly for you horror fans, the book was genuinely frightening and disturbing. Particularly effective were the scenes of torture and murder by the human villains, which shared parallels with the atrocities from the supernatural dangers. It was not so much the gore that led to such a visceral impact, but the destruction of the humanity of otherwise sympathetic characters. As the narrative voice states towards the close of this book, "dignity was not just a word, not just a quality, but the essential ingredient of human existence." Therefore, the violation of human dignity was the main crime for both human and mythologic monsters in this story.
Overall, I enjoyed "Death Trance" and would certainly recommend it to fans of the horror genre, but I have yet to discover why Graham Masterton has had such an enduring legacy. Stay tuned as I delve further into the works of this author in future reviews.
July 14, 2011
I love Graham Masterton. He's got an amazing imagination and he's a really great writer. Death Trance is not his best, but his average is still much better than most author's best. There were some character actions that didn't ring true to me, but overall the book was very interesting and I loved the settings and the background. I'd definitely recommend this book.
January 27, 2016
If you've read my other reviews for Masterton's books, you know I adore the man's work. This is no different and only strengthened my opinion. Death Trance is enshrouded with the cold, chilling feeling reminiscent to The Chosen Child (although that one still won the eerier award), with some scenes so suspenseful the scenes should be given as an example of what the word means in a dictionary. As with many of his novels, he combines intriguing history and religion/culture to push deeper impact.
The plot is a unique one. I'll fill in a bit the back blurb leaves out. When Randolph's family is massacred (in a sickening, detailed scene not intended for the squeamish), he ends up in a hospital with a Hindu doctor trying to console him in his time of grief. Hesitantly the good old doctor mentions how in his religious there is a belief that the living may come in contact with the dead through a sacred ritual led by a pedanda. Drowning in his mystery and unable to come to terms with his loved one's demise, Randolph eagerly embarks in this strange journey, not heeding any warnings that come his way about potential costs.
The story starts with a main character, Michael, then quickly dismisses him until later in favor of Randolph. Michael is a pleasure to read about, as his side story and journey is nearly as interesting. The book begins with the horrendous death of his companion, driving Michael further into his obsession and fear of the Rangda, The Witch Widow. That scene itself was a disturbing introduction into this twisted world.
While it's true Randolph perhaps should have feared more for the souls of his family, I sympathized with his ambition to see them that last time, to try and ease some of his overbearing guilt. Each character served their purpose well, all seeming genuine enough, each working together to serve the whole of the central plot. Thankfully Masterton doesn't commit what I deem to be a cardinal sin - head-hopping too much. When he's with one character, he stays long enough to make the needed impact, not causing unneeded confusion.
Things travel at a relatively speedy pace, leaving pause for build-up and psychological absorption. I never fidgeted from inactivity or needed to take a breather from too much stimulation. Masterton again does not spare us violence or bloodshed, having a few heady scenes stand out as fiercely disturbing. One of the villains of the story, Rangda, comes across as a startingly eerie, powerful force that causes unease. The other more human villain is an exotic mixture of psychopathy, greed, and odd soft spurts. The Hindu legend is fascinating, from the rituals to the priests to the leyaks, dead beings surving Rangda in the hopes of redeeming their spirits.
In summary, Death Trance is another amazing book from a sorely underappreciated author. This gem boasts suspense at every turn, truly horrific moments, rich characters driven by the most basic ambitions of mankind - love, greed, the thirst of knowledge, and still manages to end up happily after all (for some, that is). If you're in the mood for a horror story, this is the one to get.
The plot is a unique one. I'll fill in a bit the back blurb leaves out. When Randolph's family is massacred (in a sickening, detailed scene not intended for the squeamish), he ends up in a hospital with a Hindu doctor trying to console him in his time of grief. Hesitantly the good old doctor mentions how in his religious there is a belief that the living may come in contact with the dead through a sacred ritual led by a pedanda. Drowning in his mystery and unable to come to terms with his loved one's demise, Randolph eagerly embarks in this strange journey, not heeding any warnings that come his way about potential costs.
The story starts with a main character, Michael, then quickly dismisses him until later in favor of Randolph. Michael is a pleasure to read about, as his side story and journey is nearly as interesting. The book begins with the horrendous death of his companion, driving Michael further into his obsession and fear of the Rangda, The Witch Widow. That scene itself was a disturbing introduction into this twisted world.
While it's true Randolph perhaps should have feared more for the souls of his family, I sympathized with his ambition to see them that last time, to try and ease some of his overbearing guilt. Each character served their purpose well, all seeming genuine enough, each working together to serve the whole of the central plot. Thankfully Masterton doesn't commit what I deem to be a cardinal sin - head-hopping too much. When he's with one character, he stays long enough to make the needed impact, not causing unneeded confusion.
Things travel at a relatively speedy pace, leaving pause for build-up and psychological absorption. I never fidgeted from inactivity or needed to take a breather from too much stimulation. Masterton again does not spare us violence or bloodshed, having a few heady scenes stand out as fiercely disturbing. One of the villains of the story, Rangda, comes across as a startingly eerie, powerful force that causes unease. The other more human villain is an exotic mixture of psychopathy, greed, and odd soft spurts. The Hindu legend is fascinating, from the rituals to the priests to the leyaks, dead beings surving Rangda in the hopes of redeeming their spirits.
In summary, Death Trance is another amazing book from a sorely underappreciated author. This gem boasts suspense at every turn, truly horrific moments, rich characters driven by the most basic ambitions of mankind - love, greed, the thirst of knowledge, and still manages to end up happily after all (for some, that is). If you're in the mood for a horror story, this is the one to get.
August 2, 2021
This is one of those Graham Masterton books where he takes a world religion and uses its spiritual elements to fashion a horror story. This one is not one of his best. The writing is decent, but the spiritual part is inconsistent. A Hindu guide with special skills can take people on a "death trance" to see departed loved ones, but it's dangerous because there are evil spirits who want to eat the living and the dead on behalf of an evil witch (or something). But sometimes people see you on a death trance, sometimes they don't. Sometimes you have to strip naked to do one, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you need special training to do it, sometimes you don't. Sometimes people can bring ... guns????
The inconsistency reminded me of another Masterton novel: Burial.
It's truly ridiculous. And it's all taking place in the context of people who are way too bloodthirsty in the cottonseed business in Memphis.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention: The violence in this novel is extreme, reminding me of another Masterton novel: Master of Lies/Black Angel. I can usually handle Masterton's violent and gory novels, but it's harder when children are involved. This one was too much.
One thing that was missing, and which is usually in Masterton novels, was sex. Instead, there was just a little nice flirtation.
The inconsistency reminded me of another Masterton novel: Burial.
It's truly ridiculous. And it's all taking place in the context of people who are way too bloodthirsty in the cottonseed business in Memphis.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention: The violence in this novel is extreme, reminding me of another Masterton novel: Master of Lies/Black Angel. I can usually handle Masterton's violent and gory novels, but it's harder when children are involved. This one was too much.
One thing that was missing, and which is usually in Masterton novels, was sex. Instead, there was just a little nice flirtation.
August 20, 2023
Εάν αγνοηθεί η περιρρέουσα αφέλεια των πρωταγωνιστών, ήταν αρκετά καλό. Και με αξιοπρεπέστατο τέλος
Read
March 19, 2021This is the second Graham Masterton horror novel I've read, and so far, I am still a little unclear why he has such a dedicated following. I would say that this is an improvement over the first book of his that I reviewed, "Feast," but it suffers from many of the same problems. I will go into those issues later on. However, I do appreciate Masterton's skill at building intense scenes of horror that make you want to look away from your reading. He also knows how to craft an exciting adventure. I can see why he eventually abandoned much of the supernatural themes in his later-career stories and focused on his knack for crime thrillers, because "Death Trance" worked best when it capitalized on corporate conspiracies, international manhunts, and the gruesome crimes of sociopathic hitmen.
So before we get into the good and the bad, let's briefly talk about the plot. The book centers around a paunchy middle-aged owner of a Memphis cottonseed processing firm, Randolph Clare. He inherits the business from his father, and is on his way to making Clare Cottonseed one of the top dogs of the industry by undercutting and outpricing his competitors. This upsets the syndicate of white suits and Panama hats of the Cottonseed Association, who resort to sabotage and murder to ruin Randolph and his ambitions. Randolph's wife Marmie and his three children are brutally tortured and murdered by four crazed mercenaries hired by the Cottonseed Association. In his grief, Randolph enlists the help of an Indonesian doctor to help him find an "adept" in the slums of Bali, a Hindu priest who has been reputed to be able to guide folks through a sacred ritual called "the Death Trance" that allows them to visit their deceased loved ones. Randolph hopes to reunite with his family and learn the secret behind their murder. When the Cottonseed Association hears of this, a dangerous race ensues to get to Randolph's family first.
Now the negatives. This otherwise intriguing premise is littered with plot holes and mistakes. One of the silliest examples of awkward plot development, or lack thereof, is the aforementioned race between Randolph and the villains to get to Randolph's dead family. Randolph not only wants to see and touch his loved ones again, but he is relying on them to give him the evidence he needs to file charges against the Cottonseed Association. The bad guys, on the other hand, want to stop the family from squealing, since they were witnesses to who murdered them. This whole thing is nonsense. What is Randolph think he is going to do with any information he gets? Who will believe such evidence? "You see, Your Honor, I know they are guilty. My dead wife told me so from beyond the grave!" And the killers go traipsing into the cemetery armed with guns to interfere with the family's testimony. Just what do the bad guys think they can do to keep the dead from revealing the identities of their killers? Kidnap them? Shoot them? Say mean things?
Want more stupidity? In one scene, the bad guy threatens our hero's girlfriend, Wanda Burford (yeah, Randolph doesn't stay single long) with a pack of ferocious Dobermans by indicating that his henchman could "point at Miss Burford and say 'kill.'" Thing is, the henchman may certainly be able to point, but he won't be saying much. He's mute.
And though Randolph himself is a much more sympathetic character than the main protagonist in "Feast," he's equally as thick as a brick. He constantly puts himself in harm's way by making bone-headed decisions, announcing his plans to his enemies by yapping to anyone who will listen, and refusing to believe the hired guns that murdered his family don't want to do the same to him. Perhaps he is a genius with corporate finances, but he is otherwise quite cognitively challenged.
Yet oddly enough, as dumb as this book gets, there are moments of genuine intelligence. Here's where we get to the good stuff. The writing is quite competent, particularly in its treatment of characters. One of the sleazy, glutinous, and rotund southern good-ol-boys of the Cottonseed Club is described as "oleaginous." Wonderful! Randolph's wife is described as a tough woman looking forward to the years ahead instead of the years behind after recently recovering from a middle-aged identity crisis: "She had emerged from self-doubt and dissatisfaction like someone newly born, someone who realizes that every human life consists of several different lives and that the arrival of each new one is an event to be welcomed." The main villain is a complex character who only appears to have a singular and ruthless focus on wealth until you realize that he is burdened with an old but deep injury to his narcissism that has driven him mad after his buttons get pushed by the success of Clare Cottonseed. Michael, the Hindu "adept" who carries the secret of the Death Trance, is a far older character than his years, burdened by the suicide of his father, his isolation from his community because of his "half-caste" racial status, and his experiences with the horrors of the world of the dead. He could have been made into a very annoying, mopey personality, but he is one of the few comedic voices of an otherwise straight-laced novel, delivering tasteful gallows humor while chain-smoking Lion cigarettes during moments of terror and suspense. Even minor characters get a chance to shine such as Randolph's general practitioner--well-meaning, but cynical from his years of fighting illness and death with his patients.
"Bring the man a bowl of Rice Krispies and some fruit," the doctor says to a nurse.
"Miles, I never eat Rice Krispies," Randolph protests.
"Quiet, or you'll get Count Chokula instead."
I found the scenes in Bali, full of rich descriptions of the culture, religions, mythology, people, and cuisine to be fascinating. Yet if Masterton was as "accurate" at portraying Indonesia or Hindu beliefs in this book as he was with Cajun and New Orleans culture in "Feast," then his depictions will likely provide little charm for those of you in the know.
But most importantly for you horror fans, the book was genuinely frightening and disturbing. Particularly effective were the scenes of torture and murder by the human villains, which shared parallels with the atrocities from the supernatural dangers. It was not so much the gore that led to such a visceral impact, but the destruction of the humanity of otherwise sympathetic characters. As the narrative voice states towards the close of this book, "dignity was not just a word, not just a quality, but the essential ingredient of human existence." Therefore, the violation of human dignity was the main crime for both human and mythologic monsters in this story.
Overall, I enjoyed "Death Trance" and would certainly recommend it to fans of the horror genre, but I have yet to discover why Graham Masterton has had such an enduring legacy. Stay tuned as I delve further into the works of this author in future reviews.
So before we get into the good and the bad, let's briefly talk about the plot. The book centers around a paunchy middle-aged owner of a Memphis cottonseed processing firm, Randolph Clare. He inherits the business from his father, and is on his way to making Clare Cottonseed one of the top dogs of the industry by undercutting and outpricing his competitors. This upsets the syndicate of white suits and Panama hats of the Cottonseed Association, who resort to sabotage and murder to ruin Randolph and his ambitions. Randolph's wife Marmie and his three children are brutally tortured and murdered by four crazed mercenaries hired by the Cottonseed Association. In his grief, Randolph enlists the help of an Indonesian doctor to help him find an "adept" in the slums of Bali, a Hindu priest who has been reputed to be able to guide folks through a sacred ritual called "the Death Trance" that allows them to visit their deceased loved ones. Randolph hopes to reunite with his family and learn the secret behind their murder. When the Cottonseed Association hears of this, a dangerous race ensues to get to Randolph's family first.
Now the negatives. This otherwise intriguing premise is littered with plot holes and mistakes. One of the silliest examples of awkward plot development, or lack thereof, is the aforementioned race between Randolph and the villains to get to Randolph's dead family. Randolph not only wants to see and touch his loved ones again, but he is relying on them to give him the evidence he needs to file charges against the Cottonseed Association. The bad guys, on the other hand, want to stop the family from squealing, since they were witnesses to who murdered them. This whole thing is nonsense. What is Randolph think he is going to do with any information he gets? Who will believe such evidence? "You see, Your Honor, I know they are guilty. My dead wife told me so from beyond the grave!" And the killers go traipsing into the cemetery armed with guns to interfere with the family's testimony. Just what do the bad guys think they can do to keep the dead from revealing the identities of their killers? Kidnap them? Shoot them? Say mean things?
Want more stupidity? In one scene, the bad guy threatens our hero's girlfriend, Wanda Burford (yeah, Randolph doesn't stay single long) with a pack of ferocious Dobermans by indicating that his henchman could "point at Miss Burford and say 'kill.'" Thing is, the henchman may certainly be able to point, but he won't be saying much. He's mute.
And though Randolph himself is a much more sympathetic character than the main protagonist in "Feast," he's equally as thick as a brick. He constantly puts himself in harm's way by making bone-headed decisions, announcing his plans to his enemies by yapping to anyone who will listen, and refusing to believe the hired guns that murdered his family don't want to do the same to him. Perhaps he is a genius with corporate finances, but he is otherwise quite cognitively challenged.
Yet oddly enough, as dumb as this book gets, there are moments of genuine intelligence. Here's where we get to the good stuff. The writing is quite competent, particularly in its treatment of characters. One of the sleazy, glutinous, and rotund southern good-ol-boys of the Cottonseed Club is described as "oleaginous." Wonderful! Randolph's wife is described as a tough woman looking forward to the years ahead instead of the years behind after recently recovering from a middle-aged identity crisis: "She had emerged from self-doubt and dissatisfaction like someone newly born, someone who realizes that every human life consists of several different lives and that the arrival of each new one is an event to be welcomed." The main villain is a complex character who only appears to have a singular and ruthless focus on wealth until you realize that he is burdened with an old but deep injury to his narcissism that has driven him mad after his buttons get pushed by the success of Clare Cottonseed. Michael, the Hindu "adept" who carries the secret of the Death Trance, is a far older character than his years, burdened by the suicide of his father, his isolation from his community because of his "half-caste" racial status, and his experiences with the horrors of the world of the dead. He could have been made into a very annoying, mopey personality, but he is one of the few comedic voices of an otherwise straight-laced novel, delivering tasteful gallows humor while chain-smoking Lion cigarettes during moments of terror and suspense. Even minor characters get a chance to shine such as Randolph's general practitioner--well-meaning, but cynical from his years of fighting illness and death with his patients.
"Bring the man a bowl of Rice Krispies and some fruit," the doctor says to a nurse.
"Miles, I never eat Rice Krispies," Randolph protests.
"Quiet, or you'll get Count Chokula instead."
I found the scenes in Bali, full of rich descriptions of the culture, religions, mythology, people, and cuisine to be fascinating. Yet if Masterton was as "accurate" at portraying Indonesia or Hindu beliefs in this book as he was with Cajun and New Orleans culture in "Feast," then his depictions will likely provide little charm for those of you in the know.
But most importantly for you horror fans, the book was genuinely frightening and disturbing. Particularly effective were the scenes of torture and murder by the human villains, which shared parallels with the atrocities from the supernatural dangers. It was not so much the gore that led to such a visceral impact, but the destruction of the humanity of otherwise sympathetic characters. As the narrative voice states towards the close of this book, "dignity was not just a word, not just a quality, but the essential ingredient of human existence." Therefore, the violation of human dignity was the main crime for both human and mythologic monsters in this story.
Overall, I enjoyed "Death Trance" and would certainly recommend it to fans of the horror genre, but I have yet to discover why Graham Masterton has had such an enduring legacy. Stay tuned as I delve further into the works of this author in future reviews.
June 26, 2012
Most people (well, when I say 'most' here, I mean either people who follow horror novels or people who know bad 1970s movies) might recall or associate Masterton with a very odd title, 'The Manitou' which became a flick starring Tony Curtis.
The quality of that movie is no reflection on the creativity and inventiveness of Mr. Masterton, the author. Masterton is a rather unsung horror writer similar to John Saul; just one of those guys who plugged along throughout the 70s --regularly appearing in supermarket paperback aisles--with no real breakout works.
Again, this does not reflect the intriguing nastiness of his intellect. Case in point is this forgotten novel, 'Death Trance'. Its got a somewhat silly plot--but its well-written for what it is; it entertains while you've got it in your hands. The interesting premise is laid out cleverly; articulated robustly; and wrapped up satisfyingly; I assure you. Masterton is no slouch in the niche he works in.
But the thing which makes this title stand out though--are some quite genuinely grisly, mind-numbing descriptions of sadism. He provides some scenes of malicious, violent cruelty of a stamp which you will find hard to efface from your mental library. This is vivid stuff.
Masterton has not done much with his career subsequently; descending to what looks like repetitive gyrations with things like, 'Revenge of the Manitou'. Unfortunate. Nevertheless, for this one novel alone, ("Death Trance") he will always maintain a portion of my esteem. Truly disturbing.
The quality of that movie is no reflection on the creativity and inventiveness of Mr. Masterton, the author. Masterton is a rather unsung horror writer similar to John Saul; just one of those guys who plugged along throughout the 70s --regularly appearing in supermarket paperback aisles--with no real breakout works.
Again, this does not reflect the intriguing nastiness of his intellect. Case in point is this forgotten novel, 'Death Trance'. Its got a somewhat silly plot--but its well-written for what it is; it entertains while you've got it in your hands. The interesting premise is laid out cleverly; articulated robustly; and wrapped up satisfyingly; I assure you. Masterton is no slouch in the niche he works in.
But the thing which makes this title stand out though--are some quite genuinely grisly, mind-numbing descriptions of sadism. He provides some scenes of malicious, violent cruelty of a stamp which you will find hard to efface from your mental library. This is vivid stuff.
Masterton has not done much with his career subsequently; descending to what looks like repetitive gyrations with things like, 'Revenge of the Manitou'. Unfortunate. Nevertheless, for this one novel alone, ("Death Trance") he will always maintain a portion of my esteem. Truly disturbing.
January 5, 2021
When I was a kid I would ask my dad, "dad what are you reading?" and he would say "ah, just some more trash." It was always a trade paperback, a thriller, usually political. I would ask if he liked them and he'd give a noncommittal answer. At 31, I think I'm finally starting to understand the importance of real literary trash. And Death Trance is to thank. Is this novel good? What the fuck is good? The writing is dog shit, but Masterson has an imagination, you can tell he does research, oh boy does he want you to know that he's thought about mysticism in Indonesia, and not in a conceited way, but with a childlike enthusiasm. Are there plot holes? Swiss-goddamn-cheese. In one chapter he tells us that our protagonist's family doesn't have a phone in their vacation cabin, in the next our protagonist is sitting next to his phone waiting for his family to call. But hell, I read it, almost every night, before bed, because it was fun. I didn't want to think. I wanted to be immersed in its cartoonish world of Memphian corn oil tycoons and Indonesian mysticism and a plot twist that comes literally out of nowhere, without any foreshadowing or hints or preparation, because hey, why not go there. A character's tongue is cut out, he never speaks, but his companion warns, all he has to do is say the word. Now that's trash. *Chef's kiss.*
April 9, 2019
"Death Trance" е не просто поредната впечатляваща книга от майстора Греъм Мастертън, а зашеметяващо кръвта пътуване, което отвежда читателя от дъното на човешката злоба до абсолютния ужас на свръхестествения мрак, такъв, какъвто го виждат в индонезийския хиндуизъм.
Ревюто ми може да прочетете на линка:
http://citadelata.com/death-trance/
Ревюто ми може да прочетете на линка:
http://citadelata.com/death-trance/
December 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Rangda, leyaks, and the Margarine Mafia: a surprisingly fun descent into Balinese hell.
Death Trance is Graham Masterton doing what he does best: taking real-world mythology, cranking the horror dial and throwing an unsuspecting businessman straight into the jaws of the supernatural. This time it’s the Balinese leyaks—zombie demons of the terrifying goddess Rangda—who get their moment in the moonlight. Lucky them. Less lucky: everyone else.
The book opens brilliantly in 1980s Bali with Michael Arjuna, a teenager learning the deadly ritual of the Death Trance, which lets you slip into the spirit world—basically astral projection but with significantly higher odds of being eaten. Then we jump to Memphis, where respectable cottonseed magnate Randolph Clare discovers that the “margarine mafia” is both real and extremely stab-happy. When Clare’s family is wiped out in a scene that would make even hardened horror fans mutter “sir, that is a lot,” he’s talked into using the Death Trance to contact their souls and find the killers. What follows is a bizarre, bloody collision of Southern corporate warfare and Hindu underworld questing—and somehow it works.
Masterton writes the horror with gusto: gore, demons, psychotic henchmen, temple rituals, and the Witch Widow herself, Rangda, who steals every scene just by existing. There’s real suspense, genuine mythology, and just enough melodrama to remind you you're here to have fun. Sure, a villain’s sudden moral turnaround lands a bit like a dropped coconut, and you definitely need to suspend disbelief, but the ride is worth it.
Final verdict: a dark, pulpy, briskly paced thriller where Balinese myth meets American mayhem. Not the scariest Masterton, but undeniably entertaining. Four stars.
Death Trance is Graham Masterton doing what he does best: taking real-world mythology, cranking the horror dial and throwing an unsuspecting businessman straight into the jaws of the supernatural. This time it’s the Balinese leyaks—zombie demons of the terrifying goddess Rangda—who get their moment in the moonlight. Lucky them. Less lucky: everyone else.
The book opens brilliantly in 1980s Bali with Michael Arjuna, a teenager learning the deadly ritual of the Death Trance, which lets you slip into the spirit world—basically astral projection but with significantly higher odds of being eaten. Then we jump to Memphis, where respectable cottonseed magnate Randolph Clare discovers that the “margarine mafia” is both real and extremely stab-happy. When Clare’s family is wiped out in a scene that would make even hardened horror fans mutter “sir, that is a lot,” he’s talked into using the Death Trance to contact their souls and find the killers. What follows is a bizarre, bloody collision of Southern corporate warfare and Hindu underworld questing—and somehow it works.
Masterton writes the horror with gusto: gore, demons, psychotic henchmen, temple rituals, and the Witch Widow herself, Rangda, who steals every scene just by existing. There’s real suspense, genuine mythology, and just enough melodrama to remind you you're here to have fun. Sure, a villain’s sudden moral turnaround lands a bit like a dropped coconut, and you definitely need to suspend disbelief, but the ride is worth it.
Final verdict: a dark, pulpy, briskly paced thriller where Balinese myth meets American mayhem. Not the scariest Masterton, but undeniably entertaining. Four stars.
July 20, 2021
Come for the oriental mysticism, stay for a Southern business thriller involving cottonseed, the stuff they use to make margarine and salad dressings and whatnot. Who knew the cooking oil business was so competitive? Our hero, Randolph, is constantly butting heads with the price-fixing Cottonseed Association, until the association sabotages handy Randy's factory and sends former Vietnam vets to brutally rape-murder his entire family. You didn't see this on Dallas or Dynasty.
Meanwhile in Indonesia, we're introduced to Michael the adept, who is able to walk and talk with the dead while in something called a death trance. The only problem are the leyaks, sort of dementors or ring-wraiths of the spirit world, who roam the dimension of the dead trying to find sacrifices for their unholy goddess, Rangda. Who also appears as a long-toothed papier-mache mask that occasionally comes alive, see cover. Having learned of the possibility to see his family one more time, Randy looks up Michael and the two set to work, while the Memphis cottonseed barons plot their demise.
Death Trance is basically a soap opera, complete with hidden family secrets and surprise sons, but with some brutal violence and supernatural deities thrown in for good measure. Masterton's pacing is good, but there's a bit of bloat at over 400 pages, and ultimately there's no escaping the fact that this is mostly a novel about cottonseed. Will Randy manage to fulfill his contract to Sun Taste or will he lose the deal? Will his company go bankrupt?
Fortunately there's violence and demons to distract the reader from all that excitement. The terrible rape-murder of Randy's family is superbly nasty, but the rest is mostly your supernatural scares biting off a head or two. The Indonesian mysticism comes off as authentic enough, and the scenes in the spirit dimension are creepy enough to keep one entertained. But what about those all-important cottonseed deals, will the association accept Randy's fair proposition or are they just playing for time? These are the questions that quickly begin to overwhelm the narrative.
Death Trance may not be Masterton at the peak of his powers, but it's entertaining enough. There's never a dull moment, even if some moments seem slightly silly and by the end the novel feels like it's rapidly running out of steam. There may not be quite enough horror as one might like, but at least one learns a lot about cottonseed.
Meanwhile in Indonesia, we're introduced to Michael the adept, who is able to walk and talk with the dead while in something called a death trance. The only problem are the leyaks, sort of dementors or ring-wraiths of the spirit world, who roam the dimension of the dead trying to find sacrifices for their unholy goddess, Rangda. Who also appears as a long-toothed papier-mache mask that occasionally comes alive, see cover. Having learned of the possibility to see his family one more time, Randy looks up Michael and the two set to work, while the Memphis cottonseed barons plot their demise.
Death Trance is basically a soap opera, complete with hidden family secrets and surprise sons, but with some brutal violence and supernatural deities thrown in for good measure. Masterton's pacing is good, but there's a bit of bloat at over 400 pages, and ultimately there's no escaping the fact that this is mostly a novel about cottonseed. Will Randy manage to fulfill his contract to Sun Taste or will he lose the deal? Will his company go bankrupt?
Fortunately there's violence and demons to distract the reader from all that excitement. The terrible rape-murder of Randy's family is superbly nasty, but the rest is mostly your supernatural scares biting off a head or two. The Indonesian mysticism comes off as authentic enough, and the scenes in the spirit dimension are creepy enough to keep one entertained. But what about those all-important cottonseed deals, will the association accept Randy's fair proposition or are they just playing for time? These are the questions that quickly begin to overwhelm the narrative.
Death Trance may not be Masterton at the peak of his powers, but it's entertaining enough. There's never a dull moment, even if some moments seem slightly silly and by the end the novel feels like it's rapidly running out of steam. There may not be quite enough horror as one might like, but at least one learns a lot about cottonseed.
June 23, 2021
Though it takes a little while to really get going, this is an above average horror from the long-standing prolific horror author, Graham Masterton.
Randolph Clare is a big businessman who falls foul of one of his rivals and in return is rewarded by the brutal rape and murder of his family.
Determined to be reunited with them, Randolph travels to Indonesia to seek out someone who can help him enter a Hindu Death Trance so he can see them again, unaware that his family’s killers are also on his trail.
But as he is about to find out, they are the least of his worries…for entering a Death Trance can be very dangerous indeed!
This was a good read, drags a bit in the middle, but a good read nonetheless.
If you are not keen on brutal rape scenes, be warned - the death and rape of Randolph’s family is quite graphic and was a very uncomfortable read even for someone like me.
Is this one of Masterton’s best?
No.
But does it come close?
Yes.
Randolph Clare is a big businessman who falls foul of one of his rivals and in return is rewarded by the brutal rape and murder of his family.
Determined to be reunited with them, Randolph travels to Indonesia to seek out someone who can help him enter a Hindu Death Trance so he can see them again, unaware that his family’s killers are also on his trail.
But as he is about to find out, they are the least of his worries…for entering a Death Trance can be very dangerous indeed!
This was a good read, drags a bit in the middle, but a good read nonetheless.
If you are not keen on brutal rape scenes, be warned - the death and rape of Randolph’s family is quite graphic and was a very uncomfortable read even for someone like me.
Is this one of Masterton’s best?
No.
But does it come close?
Yes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2016
Haven't read this as much as others in my collection & this re-read hasn't increased my love of it. It's a great read - how could it be otherwise?! - but for me it's just not got the appeal of say "Walkers" or "Prey" etc etc. All I can put it down to is Randolph, for all he went through I didn't have much sympathy for him & wasn't willing him on to beat the Cottonseed Association, he seemed more of a secondary character, without the attraction of Jack Reed & David Williams who time after time I'm mentally cheering on!
A four star read as it's a very good tale just not one of my favourites.
A four star read as it's a very good tale just not one of my favourites.
November 4, 2014
Evocative in places and highly readable. Could have done without the gratuitous perversion that is the rape/murder scene. I just don't see why some of that nastiness was necessary. And like his other books, suffers from a piss poor ending. I found the ending a bit ridiculous, won't spoil it by saying why though.
October 8, 2018
A businessman's family are murdered by a rival and he seeks an Indonesian priest who has the ability to reunite them. After a dull first chapter this book then grips over the next few chapters as we concentrate on the crime. But, oh, sadly of me, the moment the demonic mumbo-jumbo started it completely fell apart in silliness.
June 8, 2017
In 'Death Trance', highly successful president of Clare Cottonseed company Randolph Clare watches his life gradually fall apart, beginning with the arson of one of his plants. Next, his wife and kids are brutally tortured and murdered. Overwhelmed with grief and regret, he embarks on a quest with an Indonesian doctor, Ambara to undergo the death trance where he can meet his loved ones again. However, a series of devastating consequences awaits..
The author did an excellent job portraying the wide range of emotions that Randolph experienced throughout the story - sorrow, rage, hatred, desperation and depression. As a result, it was easy to sympathize with him when he learned that his family had been taken away from him and that every single one of them had suffered (complete with intricate, gory details). I found myself rooting for him when he vowed to get to the bottom of the mystery of the identity of the murderers and their motive(s). His strength, persistence and resourcefulness were admirable though at times he should have kept his mouth shut in order to prevent .
His journey to uncover the truth and reach the other world was filled with numerous interesting events that further livened up the story while aiding in the plot development. From the start, it was obvious that his business practices were rubbing the Cottonseed Association the wrong way thus it wasn't hard to figure out who was targeting Randolph and his family. It was mainly the ongoing tense, solemn atmosphere combined with the imminent danger that he was facing that kept me turning the pages. There was no doubt that he was up against some truly dangerous, vindictive characters.
The death trance aspect was very well-written and researched. There were plenty of details regarding traditional Balinese mythology namely the formidable widow witch Rangda and the leyak (spirits of the dead). They were even more powerful and scary compared to the evil human characters. Although I found certain things to be unrealistic such as how Randolph was quick to master the art of getting into a death trance , every chapter flowed together seamlessly thanks to the author's captivating writing.
Overall, 'Death Trance' was a delightfully dark, melancholic tale that delved into heavy subject matters such as death, grief and murder. Simultaneously, it showed that it is still possible to have hope and to continue living even after losing it all.
The author did an excellent job portraying the wide range of emotions that Randolph experienced throughout the story - sorrow, rage, hatred, desperation and depression. As a result, it was easy to sympathize with him when he learned that his family had been taken away from him and that every single one of them had suffered (complete with intricate, gory details). I found myself rooting for him when he vowed to get to the bottom of the mystery of the identity of the murderers and their motive(s). His strength, persistence and resourcefulness were admirable though at times he should have kept his mouth shut in order to prevent .
His journey to uncover the truth and reach the other world was filled with numerous interesting events that further livened up the story while aiding in the plot development. From the start, it was obvious that his business practices were rubbing the Cottonseed Association the wrong way thus it wasn't hard to figure out who was targeting Randolph and his family. It was mainly the ongoing tense, solemn atmosphere combined with the imminent danger that he was facing that kept me turning the pages. There was no doubt that he was up against some truly dangerous, vindictive characters.
The death trance aspect was very well-written and researched. There were plenty of details regarding traditional Balinese mythology namely the formidable widow witch Rangda and the leyak (spirits of the dead). They were even more powerful and scary compared to the evil human characters. Although I found certain things to be unrealistic such as how Randolph was quick to master the art of getting into a death trance , every chapter flowed together seamlessly thanks to the author's captivating writing.
Overall, 'Death Trance' was a delightfully dark, melancholic tale that delved into heavy subject matters such as death, grief and murder. Simultaneously, it showed that it is still possible to have hope and to continue living even after losing it all.
August 10, 2025
I first read this when I was 18, and it scared me loads, so almost 40 years later I decided to re-read it to see if it had the same impact.
Graham Masterton is a master of writing horror fiction. The plot is great and very convincing.
I had forgotten most of the storyline over the years, and this time round, I found I could read it without being so drawn into it and engrossed into the plot, maybe this is because I knew what was coming. It didn't have the same effect on me this time, and it was still worthy of me recommending it to those who want to read a bit of horror.
Life and death, murder and business, relationships and bonds. It has it all.
Graham Masterton is a master of writing horror fiction. The plot is great and very convincing.
I had forgotten most of the storyline over the years, and this time round, I found I could read it without being so drawn into it and engrossed into the plot, maybe this is because I knew what was coming. It didn't have the same effect on me this time, and it was still worthy of me recommending it to those who want to read a bit of horror.
Life and death, murder and business, relationships and bonds. It has it all.
March 24, 2024
3.5/5. Picked this up because the cover was awesome and the story within was exactly what I expected. This is really fast paced horror tinged thriller that combines a mafia story with a gory trip into the mythical world of ancient Indonesian traditions. Is all the religious stuff accurate..? Probably not. Is it a fun pulpy revenge story..? Absolutely!
November 20, 2025
This book is a real page turner. Going into these death trances is very dangerous, but this won't stop Randolph Clare from seeing his family again. He and his guide Michael will take you on a adventure full of danger and demons and the witch of the dead Rangda, the goddess of death. Will he see his family again and actually survive the death trance?
September 16, 2020
I'm a huge Masterton fan, and I sadly knew that it would happen soon or later. They can't all be winners. This was a tough read with a truly goofy premise littered with plot holes. That being said, it's still Masterton, so it's bearable. But just barely.
December 30, 2020
Stop with the rape scenes!
This is the third book that I’ve read of his that has a detailed rape scene in it. He’s a great writer but I’m tired of all the rape scenes. There should be a warning about that, especially when he writes a scene that has an 11 year old girl being raped simultaneously along with her mother. It’s really disturbing and unnecessary.
This is the third book that I’ve read of his that has a detailed rape scene in it. He’s a great writer but I’m tired of all the rape scenes. There should be a warning about that, especially when he writes a scene that has an 11 year old girl being raped simultaneously along with her mother. It’s really disturbing and unnecessary.
April 9, 2018
Good scary read.....
May 10, 2019
Enjoyable. Yet I was expecting much more from the master of horror tbh.
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