What do you think?
Rate this book
Conjure House
"Conjure House is a cosmic horror full of Cthulhu creepiness and meaty themes" —The Horrifically Horrifying Horror Blog
The village of Deepvale has a sinister past. Built in the 1400s, it has been home to a number of sordid characters, including Peter Suman, known locally as 'The Conjurer' due to the diabolical experiments he was rumored to have conducted during the 19th Century, in a dark old house beside a lake.
In the 1990s, after a bet with his elder brother and three friends, seven-year-old Simon Mallinson goes missing inside the now derelict Conjurer's House.
Fifteen years later, his brother Anthony is back in Deepvale, following the brutal deaths of his parents. And strange events have begun to occur in the village again, including the apparent return of young Simon and his creepy new friends. Worse still, Peter Suman appears to be back, too, bent on achieving what he failed to do over a hundred years earlier…
Conjure House, a novel of cosmic terror from Gary Fry.
The village of Deepvale has a sinister past. Built in the 1400s, it has been home to a number of sordid characters, including Peter Suman, known locally as 'The Conjurer' due to the diabolical experiments he was rumored to have conducted during the 19th Century, in a dark old house beside a lake.
In the 1990s, after a bet with his elder brother and three friends, seven-year-old Simon Mallinson goes missing inside the now derelict Conjurer's House.
Fifteen years later, his brother Anthony is back in Deepvale, following the brutal deaths of his parents. And strange events have begun to occur in the village again, including the apparent return of young Simon and his creepy new friends. Worse still, Peter Suman appears to be back, too, bent on achieving what he failed to do over a hundred years earlier…
Conjure House, a novel of cosmic terror from Gary Fry.
- GenresHorror
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2013
6 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 10, 2013
My rating for CONJURE HOUSE is a 4.5, rounded up because of the overall style and engaging story concept.
The best part of this novel--aside from Gary Fry's incredible writing style, of course!--is the gothic, all encompassing atmosphere enveloping the tale. The overt Lovecraftian tone came across perfectly, instantly dragging me into the shadowy world being weaved. The overall concept behind the story, I found to be unique and deeply intriguing.
There was only one character in the story whose motivations and personal convictions, I didn't quite get. While this wasn't enough to detract from the story as a whole, it brought my overall, personal rating down to a 4.5. I think I would have prefered a little more "mystery" enshrouding this character, instead of such firm, concrete convictions.
Other than that particular aspect, I found the story to be deeply unsettling, in a wonderfully, atmospheric way.
Recommended!
The best part of this novel--aside from Gary Fry's incredible writing style, of course!--is the gothic, all encompassing atmosphere enveloping the tale. The overt Lovecraftian tone came across perfectly, instantly dragging me into the shadowy world being weaved. The overall concept behind the story, I found to be unique and deeply intriguing.
There was only one character in the story whose motivations and personal convictions, I didn't quite get. While this wasn't enough to detract from the story as a whole, it brought my overall, personal rating down to a 4.5. I think I would have prefered a little more "mystery" enshrouding this character, instead of such firm, concrete convictions.
Other than that particular aspect, I found the story to be deeply unsettling, in a wonderfully, atmospheric way.
Recommended!
March 14, 2015
Anthony had a bet with brother and three friends that he would not enter the conjure house. As Simon enter the house, there was a big flash of light and Simon was gone. 15 years later, Anthony returns to the small village after the brutal death of his parents. Strange things are happening in this small town that can't be explained. Anthony son makes a new friend name Suman. The new friend tells the boy that he is his uncle. Anthony parents home is not far from where Simon disappeared. Every time that Anthony see the house, he wonders what really happen to Simon. Anthony decides to checkout the house by himself but finds nothing. Anthony invites his childhood friends back to the place where it all started. He is hoping that they can help put the past behind him.
September 14, 2013
The fear of haunted houses in the literature has been explored in many different ways. In this instance, Gary Fry presents us with a psychological thriller with a supernatural twist. He delivers an atypical haunting of a house with tones and subtleties of Lovecratian horror. The book is interesting and in the end I liked it but it left me if but a bit wanting. There was fear but not at the level I was expecting. It was interesting and kept me reading but found the second half of the book to arrest the momentum of the story. In the end, if you enjoy psychological thrillers with supernatural tones then this book will be enjoyable.
I warn you, the next section of this review contains information that could potentially spoil your reading.
The book is set in a small town not far from Leeds, England. The plot centers on the Conjurer's House, an old abandoned house with a rumored dark history. Our protagonist is a psychologist with a troubled family past that returns to his hometown with his family after the death of his parents. The Conjurer's House was the last place the protagonist ever saw his younger brother and it still remains a mystery as to the why's and how's his brother disappeared 15 years ago. The author sets a connection between the house and our protagonist from the very beginning that keeps the reader interested in the happenings around this house. Our protagonist is though not alone and the author explores the character of his wife and his kid, both having supporting roles in the story. The story of these three characters is told from a first person perspective and it does help to help understand how different people in the same family perceive the issues around the Conjurer's House and the disappearance and death of our protagonists brother and parents respectively.
The story builds momentum as our protagonists keeps finding evidence that connects the events of the past to things that are happening to his son and his "new" friend in town. The book reaches a point where the protagonist brings his old friends from 15 years ago back to town with the intention of solving these mysteries once and for all. Up to this point in the book, I felt the book had a solid premise with characters that are going to kick some evil butt. But then something happened, the second half became a bit repetitive. The supporting characters, our protagonists friends, do not fill the roll I was expecting. They were not necessarily instrumental in the development of the second half. The hints of something strange happening kept coming but already at this point I had a good idea that evil was there and that we need to beat it before something terrible happens. Momentum got arrested until the end of the book. Lovecraft-like monsters, art vs science and the perseverance of our protagonist are key elements of the end and I did enjoy them. But I felt that the second half of the book could have been - well just more.
I warn you, the next section of this review contains information that could potentially spoil your reading.
The book is set in a small town not far from Leeds, England. The plot centers on the Conjurer's House, an old abandoned house with a rumored dark history. Our protagonist is a psychologist with a troubled family past that returns to his hometown with his family after the death of his parents. The Conjurer's House was the last place the protagonist ever saw his younger brother and it still remains a mystery as to the why's and how's his brother disappeared 15 years ago. The author sets a connection between the house and our protagonist from the very beginning that keeps the reader interested in the happenings around this house. Our protagonist is though not alone and the author explores the character of his wife and his kid, both having supporting roles in the story. The story of these three characters is told from a first person perspective and it does help to help understand how different people in the same family perceive the issues around the Conjurer's House and the disappearance and death of our protagonists brother and parents respectively.
The story builds momentum as our protagonists keeps finding evidence that connects the events of the past to things that are happening to his son and his "new" friend in town. The book reaches a point where the protagonist brings his old friends from 15 years ago back to town with the intention of solving these mysteries once and for all. Up to this point in the book, I felt the book had a solid premise with characters that are going to kick some evil butt. But then something happened, the second half became a bit repetitive. The supporting characters, our protagonists friends, do not fill the roll I was expecting. They were not necessarily instrumental in the development of the second half. The hints of something strange happening kept coming but already at this point I had a good idea that evil was there and that we need to beat it before something terrible happens. Momentum got arrested until the end of the book. Lovecraft-like monsters, art vs science and the perseverance of our protagonist are key elements of the end and I did enjoy them. But I felt that the second half of the book could have been - well just more.
September 4, 2013
Oooh! have just finished Conjure House by Gary Fry and am all a-shiver.
What an excellent, horrible tale it is too. The book is about a haunted house, but a haunted house with quite a difference, and four grown up friends who are drawn to it once again after their childhoods were changed forever by the disappearance of the younger brother of one of the four when he went inside to explore the decrepit property.
A clever book, this one, marvellous characters, pacy story, comic esoteric terror galore. With that gut churning feeling as you read some of the more earthy goings-on of a mad-man and his experiments that happened some hundred years previously. The villain of the piece, whom the house is named after, eschewed science as it just didn't bend to his diabolical needs, and as we jump forward to today, and back to the four friends it is really rather fascinating to read how they deal with things - three from an artistic point of view, one from a scientific.
Does sanity prevail in a world gone mad? Maybe, maybe not. The use of people seeing things out of the corner of their eyes was a clever device - haven't we all seen such things when under-slept and overworked - and definitely keeps the reader on tenterhooks.
Conjure House is a psychological horror, and it is set apart by the fact that you're made to think throughout the book, and discover new things too, especially if, like me, concepts like the God's-eye view are unknown to you. You never quite know where it's going, and it really is impossible to second guess. Which makes a welcome change.
A intelligent, enjoyable read. And I particularly liked how (without giving away too much) the scientist dealt with the mad magician towards the end of the book. Brilliant stuff Mr. Fry, will look forward to reading more.
What an excellent, horrible tale it is too. The book is about a haunted house, but a haunted house with quite a difference, and four grown up friends who are drawn to it once again after their childhoods were changed forever by the disappearance of the younger brother of one of the four when he went inside to explore the decrepit property.
A clever book, this one, marvellous characters, pacy story, comic esoteric terror galore. With that gut churning feeling as you read some of the more earthy goings-on of a mad-man and his experiments that happened some hundred years previously. The villain of the piece, whom the house is named after, eschewed science as it just didn't bend to his diabolical needs, and as we jump forward to today, and back to the four friends it is really rather fascinating to read how they deal with things - three from an artistic point of view, one from a scientific.
Does sanity prevail in a world gone mad? Maybe, maybe not. The use of people seeing things out of the corner of their eyes was a clever device - haven't we all seen such things when under-slept and overworked - and definitely keeps the reader on tenterhooks.
Conjure House is a psychological horror, and it is set apart by the fact that you're made to think throughout the book, and discover new things too, especially if, like me, concepts like the God's-eye view are unknown to you. You never quite know where it's going, and it really is impossible to second guess. Which makes a welcome change.
A intelligent, enjoyable read. And I particularly liked how (without giving away too much) the scientist dealt with the mad magician towards the end of the book. Brilliant stuff Mr. Fry, will look forward to reading more.
September 7, 2013
This one started off a little slow for me and was a bit repetitive at times. The base story with the childhood friends coming home for a reunion has been done and the characters seemed a bit tired.
I did find the underlying premise very creative with “art” being a gateway to summoning dark entities and melding time - God’s-eye view as it is referred to within the story.
It sounds like I didn’t like this story, but I did. I found some parts very intriguing and well thought out, but there were some parts that seemed to be hammering elementary concepts over and over.
With all that said, I still rather enjoyed the read, wish it was trimmed down a bit and I am eagerly awaiting Gary’s new one – Lurker.
I did find the underlying premise very creative with “art” being a gateway to summoning dark entities and melding time - God’s-eye view as it is referred to within the story.
It sounds like I didn’t like this story, but I did. I found some parts very intriguing and well thought out, but there were some parts that seemed to be hammering elementary concepts over and over.
With all that said, I still rather enjoyed the read, wish it was trimmed down a bit and I am eagerly awaiting Gary’s new one – Lurker.
September 9, 2013
This was the second book by Gary Fry I have read and it won't be the last. This book was like a gothic ghost story with a little Lovecraft thrown in. About a Man who's brother come up missing after going to Conjure House. Then returning years later with his wife and son and tries to figure out what happened. Don't want to say too much. A little slow at times but overall a very good story. I gave it 4 stars.
August 5, 2013
I’ll be honest up front… I am biased towards psychologists writing horror novels (since I am one and trying to make contributions to the genre). I’m not sure how many there are, but running into one gave me quite a thrill. I wasn’t aware of the background of author Gary Fry when I started reading Conjure House. When I read his bio at the end of the novel, I was pleasantly surprised to read he had his PhD in psychology. I should have known based on some of the passages in the novel.
I struggled with how to write this review because while there are a number of positives about the novel, there were a couple of things that drove me crazy (sorry, bad choice of words).
First, the positives… The plot to this novel is downright bizarre. There are basic conventions to haunted house stories that everyone has done to death, but you won’t find them in this book. There are creepy ghosts, evil monsters, unsettling hints of torture, and aberrant images presented within Conjure House story line that I haven’t seen before and a climactic series of events that I didn’t see coming. Dr. Fry also mixes in a little psychology, with one clever description of a haunted house consistent with levels of human consciousness. That is, the upper level of the house is devoted to abstract and higher order thinking – complete with instruments of science and investigation, ground levels of the house are associated with creative aspects of personality (art and music), and the basement is the site for the baser instincts of human nature (the unconscious levels), a site for torture – which is hidden behind a false wall and out of sight (repressed?). The entire narrative has a feel of audacity, and I mean that in a positive sense. There is no hedging – the author displayed real boldness.
The negatives though had to do with structure and pacing. Every single character is catching glimpses of these strange creatures out of the corner of their eyes. Yet, they attribute these things to moving shrubbery or the wind or something natural. While this is fine in the early stages of the novel, this pattern continues to the end – and gets very repetitive. I recognize that part of this is meant to indicate how the things move or appear, but still. Many of the characters even obtain objective evidence of the creatures’ existence, and still they blow off sightings as if it is the wind. This happens even to the point of placing a child in jeopardy, and still these people have blinders on…
A pet peeve of mine is when characters have information that would help solve the problem but don’t share that with others for no other reason than to keep the plot moving. That happens a lot here (and talking about the odd goings on would be quite normal under the circumstances – but no one mentions anything). All somebody has to say is, “Hey, is it me or have you seen these things with their thumbs missing?” If that happened, the problem could have been dealt with before turning into a crisis.
Anyway, sorry for the rambling.
By the way, I did notice one typo which presented some unintended humor. Anthony, the main character, is trying to cross the street and has to stop in the middle of a traffic circle to let cars pass. He notices a block of stone with strange symbols. The sentence reads… “It was set on grass at the heart of the roundabout, and after peeing in diminishing light, he was able to examine, for the first time with adult eyes, the curious shape carved into its face.” I may have missed something earlier about his inability to find a bathroom, but I think Anthony is meant to be “peering”.
Despite the flaws I’ve mentioned, there is a tremendous amount to enjoy in this novel. I especially liked the interactions between Anthony and the town historian. I often find the painstaking investigations or interviews conducted by characters to find out information as exciting as action scenes (if not more so). Weird, I know. Finally, the creatures and other strange entities that Dr. Fry has created and populated within his novel are worth the price of admission. Even with my relatively minor reservations, I would strongly recommend the novel.
I struggled with how to write this review because while there are a number of positives about the novel, there were a couple of things that drove me crazy (sorry, bad choice of words).
First, the positives… The plot to this novel is downright bizarre. There are basic conventions to haunted house stories that everyone has done to death, but you won’t find them in this book. There are creepy ghosts, evil monsters, unsettling hints of torture, and aberrant images presented within Conjure House story line that I haven’t seen before and a climactic series of events that I didn’t see coming. Dr. Fry also mixes in a little psychology, with one clever description of a haunted house consistent with levels of human consciousness. That is, the upper level of the house is devoted to abstract and higher order thinking – complete with instruments of science and investigation, ground levels of the house are associated with creative aspects of personality (art and music), and the basement is the site for the baser instincts of human nature (the unconscious levels), a site for torture – which is hidden behind a false wall and out of sight (repressed?). The entire narrative has a feel of audacity, and I mean that in a positive sense. There is no hedging – the author displayed real boldness.
The negatives though had to do with structure and pacing. Every single character is catching glimpses of these strange creatures out of the corner of their eyes. Yet, they attribute these things to moving shrubbery or the wind or something natural. While this is fine in the early stages of the novel, this pattern continues to the end – and gets very repetitive. I recognize that part of this is meant to indicate how the things move or appear, but still. Many of the characters even obtain objective evidence of the creatures’ existence, and still they blow off sightings as if it is the wind. This happens even to the point of placing a child in jeopardy, and still these people have blinders on…
A pet peeve of mine is when characters have information that would help solve the problem but don’t share that with others for no other reason than to keep the plot moving. That happens a lot here (and talking about the odd goings on would be quite normal under the circumstances – but no one mentions anything). All somebody has to say is, “Hey, is it me or have you seen these things with their thumbs missing?” If that happened, the problem could have been dealt with before turning into a crisis.
Anyway, sorry for the rambling.
By the way, I did notice one typo which presented some unintended humor. Anthony, the main character, is trying to cross the street and has to stop in the middle of a traffic circle to let cars pass. He notices a block of stone with strange symbols. The sentence reads… “It was set on grass at the heart of the roundabout, and after peeing in diminishing light, he was able to examine, for the first time with adult eyes, the curious shape carved into its face.” I may have missed something earlier about his inability to find a bathroom, but I think Anthony is meant to be “peering”.
Despite the flaws I’ve mentioned, there is a tremendous amount to enjoy in this novel. I especially liked the interactions between Anthony and the town historian. I often find the painstaking investigations or interviews conducted by characters to find out information as exciting as action scenes (if not more so). Weird, I know. Finally, the creatures and other strange entities that Dr. Fry has created and populated within his novel are worth the price of admission. Even with my relatively minor reservations, I would strongly recommend the novel.
July 31, 2013
Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Conjure House uses a lot of the standard horror elements – supposedly haunted house, obsessed mad man, town legend, childhood friends returning home to deal with a terrible event in the past. He manages to turn them into a convincing story that offers something unique and original, while staying remarkably close to the well-known tropes. The opening chapters started out very strong, drawing the reader into the story by showing us the disappearance of Simon, main character Anthony’s younger brother. Simon risks a step inside the Conjure House, and poof, he’s gone. That’s enough to make me interested, sure.
Flash forward. Anthony is now a grown up, and he’s done well for himself, with a wife and kid who adore him. But when his parents are brutally murdered, he decides to come back to his hometown. There, he meets someone who looks an awful lot like Simon, and who tells his son that he’s his uncle. Anthony invites his old gang of childhood friends to come back to town, and to put the past to rest for once and forever.
Remember how I metnioned the opening chapters are strong? Well, unfortunately the rest of the novel lacks that strength. First of all, the characters. Anthony and his wife soon act like strangers after moving, and it’s obvious from the start they have a very different view on things. Makes a person wonder how they fell in love in the first place. The characters act like they’re not real people, and this counts for all of them. Anthony is like a shell of a person. His emotions are all wrong and mixed up, much like a robot trying to be human. It’s just not realistic. Even how he reacts to his parents’ death, or seeing Simon again…It feels very, very odd, and not in a good way. Not sure if the author intended this, but all characters suffer from the same syndrome of not acting very human.
Then there’s the writing. It starts out strong, reminiscent of horror classics in the 1900s, with a descriptive writing style. However, it soon becomes bland. It doesn’t manage to hold suspense up for very long. By page 115, I grew bored, and even contemplated not finishing the book. It gets better about a dozen pages after that though, when the pace picks up again and the grand scheme is revealed, we figure out why and how Simon went missing, etc. But the middle part of the book could’ve been stronger. There are a lot of repetitive sentences, some scenes drag on without end, others are rushed.
All in all, Conjure House is an okay read, but not much more than that. The idea was there, and it was intriguing, but writing and characters could’ve been stronger.
Conjure House uses a lot of the standard horror elements – supposedly haunted house, obsessed mad man, town legend, childhood friends returning home to deal with a terrible event in the past. He manages to turn them into a convincing story that offers something unique and original, while staying remarkably close to the well-known tropes. The opening chapters started out very strong, drawing the reader into the story by showing us the disappearance of Simon, main character Anthony’s younger brother. Simon risks a step inside the Conjure House, and poof, he’s gone. That’s enough to make me interested, sure.
Flash forward. Anthony is now a grown up, and he’s done well for himself, with a wife and kid who adore him. But when his parents are brutally murdered, he decides to come back to his hometown. There, he meets someone who looks an awful lot like Simon, and who tells his son that he’s his uncle. Anthony invites his old gang of childhood friends to come back to town, and to put the past to rest for once and forever.
Remember how I metnioned the opening chapters are strong? Well, unfortunately the rest of the novel lacks that strength. First of all, the characters. Anthony and his wife soon act like strangers after moving, and it’s obvious from the start they have a very different view on things. Makes a person wonder how they fell in love in the first place. The characters act like they’re not real people, and this counts for all of them. Anthony is like a shell of a person. His emotions are all wrong and mixed up, much like a robot trying to be human. It’s just not realistic. Even how he reacts to his parents’ death, or seeing Simon again…It feels very, very odd, and not in a good way. Not sure if the author intended this, but all characters suffer from the same syndrome of not acting very human.
Then there’s the writing. It starts out strong, reminiscent of horror classics in the 1900s, with a descriptive writing style. However, it soon becomes bland. It doesn’t manage to hold suspense up for very long. By page 115, I grew bored, and even contemplated not finishing the book. It gets better about a dozen pages after that though, when the pace picks up again and the grand scheme is revealed, we figure out why and how Simon went missing, etc. But the middle part of the book could’ve been stronger. There are a lot of repetitive sentences, some scenes drag on without end, others are rushed.
All in all, Conjure House is an okay read, but not much more than that. The idea was there, and it was intriguing, but writing and characters could’ve been stronger.
August 19, 2013
There are elements in this something-bad-happens-in-this-house, children-go-missing tale, teasing parts of some scenes that I enjoyed (enough to keep me reading). Particularly the author's attempt to blend some Lovecraft (!!Cthulu!!) mythos and cosmic energy. What ruined any significant momentum was how I kept getting hammered over the head with the whole "God's Eye"/time alteration goal for the central antagonist. I understood Suman's grand scheme the first couple times and began to get annoyed being reminded the third and subsequent times.
The Children Are Missing subplot has been done so many times (John Saul, anyone?) that there has to be unique, strong parent character building to make it truly scary (at least for me any more). The author tried to do some of that in this story, but there wasn't enough depth or continuity in this department to pull me deep into the narrative. More missing thumbs, please! Once I'm fully immersed in a story, I'm putty in the author's hands.
But that rarely happened here.
Speaking of buts, I've only read one other work by the author and don't remember as many sentences in that story beginning with 'but'. But it was overkill in this book. I wouldn't have minded if it had been done intentionally and stylistically--or at least I could tell it was that way. But I don't think it was done that way like I'm doing here for dramatic effect in this paragraph. But I don't know. But if it was, when too many sentences too close together start with 'but', it's sure reader distracting, isn't it?
Anyway, I liked pieces of this story, just not the sum of the parts nor very much how it was all glued together and told. This is the 46th book I've read in 2013 published by DarkFuse or one of its imprints. To say I'm a huge fan overall of what they're currently publishing would be an understatement. This story, unfortunately, disappointed me. 2 stars. 4,065 Kindle locations.
The Children Are Missing subplot has been done so many times (John Saul, anyone?) that there has to be unique, strong parent character building to make it truly scary (at least for me any more). The author tried to do some of that in this story, but there wasn't enough depth or continuity in this department to pull me deep into the narrative. More missing thumbs, please! Once I'm fully immersed in a story, I'm putty in the author's hands.
But that rarely happened here.
Speaking of buts, I've only read one other work by the author and don't remember as many sentences in that story beginning with 'but'. But it was overkill in this book. I wouldn't have minded if it had been done intentionally and stylistically--or at least I could tell it was that way. But I don't think it was done that way like I'm doing here for dramatic effect in this paragraph. But I don't know. But if it was, when too many sentences too close together start with 'but', it's sure reader distracting, isn't it?
Anyway, I liked pieces of this story, just not the sum of the parts nor very much how it was all glued together and told. This is the 46th book I've read in 2013 published by DarkFuse or one of its imprints. To say I'm a huge fan overall of what they're currently publishing would be an understatement. This story, unfortunately, disappointed me. 2 stars. 4,065 Kindle locations.
August 16, 2013
Interesting story with creepy atmosphere. Be careful of your artistic creations.
September 14, 2013
This is the story of Anthony. When he was younger his brother Simon was kidnapped in a mysterious house called the Conjurer's House. Legend has it that the former owner, Peter Sumas, known as the Conjurer, kidnapped children over a hundred years previously to do horrific experiments on them in an attempt to bend time and space. Many years later and Anthony's parents are murdered and strange things are going on in the village of Deepvale. Now Anthony's son has been kidnapped and it is up to Anthony and his three school friends to face the evil they couldn't confront all those years ago when Simon was kidnapped.
This was one of those 'look over your shoulder' old school type horror stories. Things are seen out of the corner of your eyes, and this is the theme throughout the bulk of the story. Little things are given away but not too much all in one go. The paced flowed well and I was glued to the page eager to find out what was happening. The characters were strong and I felt for Anthony, losing so many members of his family. (How much bad luck can be heaped on one poor chap?) I have always loved haunted house stories and this one was no exception, with the added interest of the idea of the 'God's-eye view' which I knew nothing about before I picked up the book. All in all a good story from a new author to me, and I will be happy to read more from him.
This was one of those 'look over your shoulder' old school type horror stories. Things are seen out of the corner of your eyes, and this is the theme throughout the bulk of the story. Little things are given away but not too much all in one go. The paced flowed well and I was glued to the page eager to find out what was happening. The characters were strong and I felt for Anthony, losing so many members of his family. (How much bad luck can be heaped on one poor chap?) I have always loved haunted house stories and this one was no exception, with the added interest of the idea of the 'God's-eye view' which I knew nothing about before I picked up the book. All in all a good story from a new author to me, and I will be happy to read more from him.
June 6, 2013
This book immediately reminded me of It by Stephen King because of the disappearance of the younger brother and the reunion many years later of the childhood friends. But there was no clown - which is good if you have a clown phobia, as some people have told me they developed after reading It.
As far as the creep factor goes, this book definitely had it: eerie setting, empty decrepit house of ill repute, glimpses of things out of the corner of your eye, and a wardrobe that held more than clothes. My grandparents used to have one of these with musty-smelling old clothes and my mind immediately went back there.
I never really connected with the MC, Anthony, partly because he was so secretive. He brushed aside his wife every time she asked for an explanation of what was going on, even though their son was involved, and turned to friends he hadn't seen in 15 years. The reason was never made clear. Anthony's son, Carl, was very easy to like - he had the curiosity and innocence of a child, but was clearly more intelligent than most 7-year-olds.
The pacing was adequate and the book was well-written and descriptive, but the ending fell a little flat for me and I was left questioning the motivations of some of the characters. All things considered, I'd recommend reading this if you're a horror fan.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
As far as the creep factor goes, this book definitely had it: eerie setting, empty decrepit house of ill repute, glimpses of things out of the corner of your eye, and a wardrobe that held more than clothes. My grandparents used to have one of these with musty-smelling old clothes and my mind immediately went back there.
I never really connected with the MC, Anthony, partly because he was so secretive. He brushed aside his wife every time she asked for an explanation of what was going on, even though their son was involved, and turned to friends he hadn't seen in 15 years. The reason was never made clear. Anthony's son, Carl, was very easy to like - he had the curiosity and innocence of a child, but was clearly more intelligent than most 7-year-olds.
The pacing was adequate and the book was well-written and descriptive, but the ending fell a little flat for me and I was left questioning the motivations of some of the characters. All things considered, I'd recommend reading this if you're a horror fan.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
September 29, 2013
2 1/2 Stars
15 years ago Anthony and his friends watched his younger brother go into an abandoned home called "Conjure House." A place with a haunted past that was owned by a man named Peter Suman who was said to run experiments in the house. Anthony's brother, Simon, never came back out.
15 years later and Anthony's parents are killed and it pulls Ant back to the home and memories he's left behind. Memories of the day his brother disappeared. Memories that won't stay in the past.
This sound good, right. I thought so, too. However, it was either the pacing or the dull characters (where was the hair-pulling, foot-stomping, eye-blazing, reactions to make the reader feel, become a part of the story?) that made this read slow-going and at times boring. The idea is great, it just doesn't grab you. There was too much supposition and self analyzing of the characters and what was going on to stay in the moment.
It was a decent read.
15 years ago Anthony and his friends watched his younger brother go into an abandoned home called "Conjure House." A place with a haunted past that was owned by a man named Peter Suman who was said to run experiments in the house. Anthony's brother, Simon, never came back out.
15 years later and Anthony's parents are killed and it pulls Ant back to the home and memories he's left behind. Memories of the day his brother disappeared. Memories that won't stay in the past.
This sound good, right. I thought so, too. However, it was either the pacing or the dull characters (where was the hair-pulling, foot-stomping, eye-blazing, reactions to make the reader feel, become a part of the story?) that made this read slow-going and at times boring. The idea is great, it just doesn't grab you. There was too much supposition and self analyzing of the characters and what was going on to stay in the moment.
It was a decent read.
October 2, 2013
Gary Fry’s Conjure House is a dark atmospheric tale, where fleeting horrors dwell along the opaque margins of the story; blinking on and off like phantom will-o'-the-wisps, and leaving this a tale of two realms—the substantial and the insubstantial. The writing is crisp and descriptive—and the storyline imaginative. The story unfolds sparingly in fits and starts before settling into a sustained tale. Fry spends a lot of time detailing the psyche of the main protagonists while managing to leave the majority of characterization rather sketchy. As I indicated, there are moments of horror, but most of it is reflective. Still, a psychological terror tale to give you the creeps at night, but some of the metaphysical aspects of folding time and the God's eye view seemed rather forced and not fully developed. My harshest criticism is that the ending seemed entirely unfocused and not very satisfying. So, a story well-worth reading, but one where the horror may be just out of reach.
August 10, 2013
I'm giving this 4 stars but it's better than that. Review excerpts:
"...It’s in this character creation and symbolic interplay that Fry shows his talent best. Not to mention the explosive and magical ending that kept me turning the page and wondering what could possibly happen next."
"Fry has a knack of making the reader feel uneasy, never knowing quite what is happening or in fact when it is happening. This charge of the past toward the future and the end of time is a thrilling journey. It’s in this second part of the novel that we begin to understand the clues dropped by the author as we follow the breadcrumbs along a terrifying path."
If you want to read my in-depth review of this excellent book then follow the link below.
http://thehorrificallyhorrifyinghorro...
"...It’s in this character creation and symbolic interplay that Fry shows his talent best. Not to mention the explosive and magical ending that kept me turning the page and wondering what could possibly happen next."
"Fry has a knack of making the reader feel uneasy, never knowing quite what is happening or in fact when it is happening. This charge of the past toward the future and the end of time is a thrilling journey. It’s in this second part of the novel that we begin to understand the clues dropped by the author as we follow the breadcrumbs along a terrifying path."
If you want to read my in-depth review of this excellent book then follow the link below.
http://thehorrificallyhorrifyinghorro...
September 9, 2013
Make no mistake I liked this book. It's well written, creepy and has all the right elements. The characters are well drawn and the pace is neat and tidy.
The plot centres around some well worn horror tropes and they are put to good use as the tension mounts and the final terror is revealled. There's a nice satisfying ending. So, you may ask why only the three stars...
For me the plot trod a well walked path. The set up is very tradional, even to the point that if I hadn't known when this was written I might have thought the novel harked from a bygone era. 'That's not a bad thing' I hear you say, and you might be right, but I would have liked to see something more left of centre, or using the tropes in a different way and subverting the tradition/genre.
Mr Fry has a lot of ability and i will be reading more of his output.
The plot centres around some well worn horror tropes and they are put to good use as the tension mounts and the final terror is revealled. There's a nice satisfying ending. So, you may ask why only the three stars...
For me the plot trod a well walked path. The set up is very tradional, even to the point that if I hadn't known when this was written I might have thought the novel harked from a bygone era. 'That's not a bad thing' I hear you say, and you might be right, but I would have liked to see something more left of centre, or using the tropes in a different way and subverting the tradition/genre.
Mr Fry has a lot of ability and i will be reading more of his output.
August 12, 2013
** I was given a copy from the publisher** Thank you
Conjure House grabbed hold of me from the very beginning, and it never did let go. Even still, I find myself thinking about certain passages in the book.
Conjure won't let you get off of the edge of your chair. I enjoyed this horror/ sci-fi mix. Definitely a must read. I am looking forward to reading more of Mr. Fry's work!
Conjure House grabbed hold of me from the very beginning, and it never did let go. Even still, I find myself thinking about certain passages in the book.
Conjure won't let you get off of the edge of your chair. I enjoyed this horror/ sci-fi mix. Definitely a must read. I am looking forward to reading more of Mr. Fry's work!
September 3, 2022
In what feels like a much older novel than it is, Conjure House offers up a solid, old-fashioned horror novel story, the kind where the real horror always seems to be just off the margins of the page. Gary Fry establishes each scene beautifully, engaging the reader's imagination so well that it's often a surprise to look back and realize just how sparse the details are upon the page, when they're so vivid and vibrant in the mind's eye. It's a neat narrative trick, and one that's not easy to pull off, but it really serves to draw you deeper into the story.
Horror novels are often a bit odd, requiring a kind of patience that we, as readers, don't extend to other genres. We're generally willing to sit back and let the author establish the scene, foreshadow the real horror, and build up the suspense before finally allowing our fears to escape. Here, however, we get two of the strongest opening chapters I've read in a horror novel in quite some time. By the time we're through them, we already have the background we need to appreciate the horror, some sympathy for the protagonist, and a burning desire to find out what's really going on behind the doors of the Conjure House.
Fry makes use of a lot of the standard elements of the genre here, including a haunted house; the tormented, secretive father; the sensitive, somewhat prescient mother; the child who is surprisingly mature for his age; and the small circle of childhood friends who have scattered over the years, but who immediately return home to put the past to rest. Anybody who has ever read a Stephen King or Dean Koontz novel knows the formula, and also knows that formula can work very well, with enough inspiration and talent behind it. Even if Fry doesn't quite pull it off, there's enough imagination and ingenuity here to justify the attempt.
The pacing lags a bit in the middle of the book, as old friends are brought back together, but there are enough eerie, creepy, unsettling glimpses of the true horror embedded in their journeys to keep the reader close. Unfortunately, Anthony and his family dynamic is the weakest part of the story, and the lack of likability/sympathy does keep the novel from achieving the full impact of its potential. As for the mystical mumbo-jumbo of the Conjure House, the philosophical concepts of folding time, and the Lovecraft inspiration behind it all . . . well, it's a big heavy-handed for such a short novel, and probably a bit too intangible for some readers. I didn't particularly buy it, and didn't find it lived up to the atmosphere Fry created, but I did find it a nice alternative to the typical religious/spiritual conflict of good and evil.
Overall, it's a good book . . . a solid read . . . and a nice addition to the genre. I doubt I'll have any strong memories of it a few weeks or months from now, but I am curious to give Fry another read, and have no hesitation in recommending this to fans of the genre.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Horror novels are often a bit odd, requiring a kind of patience that we, as readers, don't extend to other genres. We're generally willing to sit back and let the author establish the scene, foreshadow the real horror, and build up the suspense before finally allowing our fears to escape. Here, however, we get two of the strongest opening chapters I've read in a horror novel in quite some time. By the time we're through them, we already have the background we need to appreciate the horror, some sympathy for the protagonist, and a burning desire to find out what's really going on behind the doors of the Conjure House.
Fry makes use of a lot of the standard elements of the genre here, including a haunted house; the tormented, secretive father; the sensitive, somewhat prescient mother; the child who is surprisingly mature for his age; and the small circle of childhood friends who have scattered over the years, but who immediately return home to put the past to rest. Anybody who has ever read a Stephen King or Dean Koontz novel knows the formula, and also knows that formula can work very well, with enough inspiration and talent behind it. Even if Fry doesn't quite pull it off, there's enough imagination and ingenuity here to justify the attempt.
The pacing lags a bit in the middle of the book, as old friends are brought back together, but there are enough eerie, creepy, unsettling glimpses of the true horror embedded in their journeys to keep the reader close. Unfortunately, Anthony and his family dynamic is the weakest part of the story, and the lack of likability/sympathy does keep the novel from achieving the full impact of its potential. As for the mystical mumbo-jumbo of the Conjure House, the philosophical concepts of folding time, and the Lovecraft inspiration behind it all . . . well, it's a big heavy-handed for such a short novel, and probably a bit too intangible for some readers. I didn't particularly buy it, and didn't find it lived up to the atmosphere Fry created, but I did find it a nice alternative to the typical religious/spiritual conflict of good and evil.
Overall, it's a good book . . . a solid read . . . and a nice addition to the genre. I doubt I'll have any strong memories of it a few weeks or months from now, but I am curious to give Fry another read, and have no hesitation in recommending this to fans of the genre.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
February 27, 2019
It reminded me a lot of Stephen Kings It. It was good but much less detail.
July 14, 2013
First, let me say I liked CONJURE HOUSE by Gary Fry because it *is* creepy and has all of the elements that make a good horror story. But barely.
Unfortunately for me it felt contrived, derivative and forced. From the beginning, I knew where the plot was headed and I was never surprised.
CONJURE HOUSE is a bit slow and plodding but okay and I felt some of the characters (especially the main character Anthony) didn't act like normal people. Okay, maybe that was a point in the story, but if so, it was never explained why. Why was Anthony so secretive to his wife and son? If Anthony felt they were in danger why didn't he disclose his feelings; why the delay in talking to his wife about his concerns? Why is Carl so much smarter than most 7 year-olds and why didn't he tell his parents his fears? When I was reading I kept asking myself, why is he/she/they doing that? The murder of the parents was played off almost like an everyday event by all of the characters. Oh, I heard your parents were killed pretty brutally the other night. Sorry about that. Like a Latte?
I was disappointed that the ending was meh. Suspension of belief may have played a part in how flat the ending is because I simply couldn't connect with any of the characters.
Gary Fry had an excellent idea that simply fizzled, simply not up to his usual fare. The prose is good and descriptive, if not overly so and repetitive at times. How many times does one need to describe and elephant?
Overall, the book is above average due to it's prose, just don't expect a tight plot and believable characters. It is still worth a read. If not for the prose I would have given the novel 2-stars.
I received a digital copy of this novel from Deadite Press in exchange for an honest review. My opinion is my opinion and impression.
Unfortunately for me it felt contrived, derivative and forced. From the beginning, I knew where the plot was headed and I was never surprised.
CONJURE HOUSE is a bit slow and plodding but okay and I felt some of the characters (especially the main character Anthony) didn't act like normal people. Okay, maybe that was a point in the story, but if so, it was never explained why. Why was Anthony so secretive to his wife and son? If Anthony felt they were in danger why didn't he disclose his feelings; why the delay in talking to his wife about his concerns? Why is Carl so much smarter than most 7 year-olds and why didn't he tell his parents his fears? When I was reading I kept asking myself, why is he/she/they doing that? The murder of the parents was played off almost like an everyday event by all of the characters. Oh, I heard your parents were killed pretty brutally the other night. Sorry about that. Like a Latte?
I was disappointed that the ending was meh. Suspension of belief may have played a part in how flat the ending is because I simply couldn't connect with any of the characters.
Gary Fry had an excellent idea that simply fizzled, simply not up to his usual fare. The prose is good and descriptive, if not overly so and repetitive at times. How many times does one need to describe and elephant?
Overall, the book is above average due to it's prose, just don't expect a tight plot and believable characters. It is still worth a read. If not for the prose I would have given the novel 2-stars.
I received a digital copy of this novel from Deadite Press in exchange for an honest review. My opinion is my opinion and impression.
August 3, 2013
I got this from Amazon for my Kindle because there must have been some kind of special deal. (I checked – it was free). At least, I hope that is what it is because I can’t imagine buying it otherwise.
It has a 4.5 rating on Amazon; I can’t imagine how it managed that.
If you hadn’t figured it out by now (and I know you have because you are a very smart person or you wouldn’t be reading my blog), I didn’t care for this book. This is the first book I’ve read in a long time that I feel owes me for the hours of my life I spent reading it.
It is a mishmash of horror tropes – a little H. P. Lovecraft, a little Stephen King, a little who knows. The writing isn’t even good - it is too repetitive and pointless. He mentions three different characters’ excellent vocabulary four times.
The story doesn’t make any sense. SPOILER ALERT: Why would the children without thumbs kill Anthony’s parents fifteen years after their younger son, Simon, disappeared? Why did the children (without thumbs, BTW) assume Victorian dress once the big bad guy disintegrate? Did their thumbs grow back? Was Simon the only child he had taken in over a hundred years? What made the big bad disintegrate? Was it Anthony’s pseudo-psychobabble? According to Anthony, a psychology PhD candidate, the big bad is bad because his father was mean to him. What??? The author is credited with a PhD in Psychology. Let’s hope he sticks with his day job (unless it is writing books), except I think he recently published another book.
So, in conclusion, resist the this book. Don’t be fooled by the Amazon ratings. Avoid this book at all costs. I need to go read one of the Brontés, Wilkie Collins, Jane Austen – anybody – to wash my mind out. The sooner I forget this experience the better.
It has a 4.5 rating on Amazon; I can’t imagine how it managed that.
If you hadn’t figured it out by now (and I know you have because you are a very smart person or you wouldn’t be reading my blog), I didn’t care for this book. This is the first book I’ve read in a long time that I feel owes me for the hours of my life I spent reading it.
It is a mishmash of horror tropes – a little H. P. Lovecraft, a little Stephen King, a little who knows. The writing isn’t even good - it is too repetitive and pointless. He mentions three different characters’ excellent vocabulary four times.
The story doesn’t make any sense. SPOILER ALERT: Why would the children without thumbs kill Anthony’s parents fifteen years after their younger son, Simon, disappeared? Why did the children (without thumbs, BTW) assume Victorian dress once the big bad guy disintegrate? Did their thumbs grow back? Was Simon the only child he had taken in over a hundred years? What made the big bad disintegrate? Was it Anthony’s pseudo-psychobabble? According to Anthony, a psychology PhD candidate, the big bad is bad because his father was mean to him. What??? The author is credited with a PhD in Psychology. Let’s hope he sticks with his day job (unless it is writing books), except I think he recently published another book.
So, in conclusion, resist the this book. Don’t be fooled by the Amazon ratings. Avoid this book at all costs. I need to go read one of the Brontés, Wilkie Collins, Jane Austen – anybody – to wash my mind out. The sooner I forget this experience the better.
July 30, 2014
15 years ago, Anthony's younger brother enters an abandoned house where The Conjurer lived in the 1800s and performed evil experiments. After a bright flash of light, Ant's brother has disappeared. 15 years after his brother's disappearance, Ant's parents are murdered and he brings his wife and son back for the funeral. While there, they keep catching glimpses of small figures but blow it off as movements of the trees. Little did they know that one of those figures was getting close to his son to finish a ritual started long ago...
This was a very good read. The characters were well developed and I liked them. The creepy factor built up well from the figures to the Conjurer's house in the end and the attention to the small details was excellent! If you haven't read a Gary Fry book, pick it up and dive in!
This was a very good read. The characters were well developed and I liked them. The creepy factor built up well from the figures to the Conjurer's house in the end and the attention to the small details was excellent! If you haven't read a Gary Fry book, pick it up and dive in!
August 11, 2013
Ant(hony) comes back to his hometown when his parent are killed. Some weird things start happening to Ant, his wife and their son. Also, his brother that went missing in the Conjurer's house long time ago reapperars.
This book was very confusing and weird. The writing wasn't "polished", so it felt like this was a rough draft.
I hated those seemingly imaginations and how everybody ignored them until the very end.
Only thing I liked was the epilogue. It wrapped up good.
This book was very confusing and weird. The writing wasn't "polished", so it felt like this was a rough draft.
I hated those seemingly imaginations and how everybody ignored them until the very end.
Only thing I liked was the epilogue. It wrapped up good.
July 17, 2013
At first it was appealing however I couldnt even finish the book. I did not like how secretive Anthony was with his wife over what was going on in the town. There was no relationship between the family members that made you feel for any of the characters except for the son with his innocense. It had a creepy appeal to it but it was drawn out and there was no depth to the characters.
August 14, 2013
Read my full review: http://bit.ly/1btkqcm
My opinion: I must admit that I found this novella to be slow moving and not very scary...even the parts that were supposed to be. As a result, it was difficult in keeping my attention. I expected more from this book (I was thinking the movie Poltergeist) than what was delivered.
My opinion: I must admit that I found this novella to be slow moving and not very scary...even the parts that were supposed to be. As a result, it was difficult in keeping my attention. I expected more from this book (I was thinking the movie Poltergeist) than what was delivered.
February 18, 2014
That was fantastic! An absolutely brilliant cosmic horror tale. Genuinely likeable characters and a deeply disturbing atmosphere. Probably the best novel I've read this year thus far. Good job mr Fry!
June 22, 2015
God's Eye View
I have heard of the concept before but never quite like this. Gary Fry has written a book to chill your bones and make you think at the same time. A good horror story that has the heart and soul of humanity. Very good read.
I have heard of the concept before but never quite like this. Gary Fry has written a book to chill your bones and make you think at the same time. A good horror story that has the heart and soul of humanity. Very good read.
August 4, 2013
I could not finish this book. My frustration with the characterization overcame my interest in the story.
dnf
August 5, 2013I hate when i can't finish a book. This book wasn't for me. I consider myself a lover of horror and this just didn't do it for me. I will not rate the book on account of I couldn't finish it.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews