Rockinghorse

by William W. Johnstone

Book by William W. Johnstone

Genres: Horror, Novels, Fiction

428 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

William W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well….



The book started so creepy and cool, although the kids didn’t ride on the rocking horse like the book says. Anyhoo, it went to hell in a hand basket for me toward the end with torture of things and people and rape and sodomy. Eff that shit! I love revenge books and stuff but this wasn’t that! Unhauling paperback!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspension of disbelief. You’re going to need a lot with this one. Like a cheesy 80s horror movie where people keep making stupid decisions. You know like when something horrible happens to you in the woods but then you let your children go play in the woods with just a simple warning of “be careful out there”. If you can get past all that then just sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy the show. This one has it all - haunted house, evil objects, monsters, maniacs, and over the top mayhem and horror!

[Mikepottz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family staying in their dead grandmother's house in the wilderness for a few months. The grandmother told her grandson to never go into the attic. Lucas husband/father has strange thoughts about monsters and evil as he first sets eyes on the 36 room mansion in the forest. The kids hate the house instantly and can hear a horse whinning. Lucas' brother was institutionalised and people said he had the mark of the beast. The old rocking horse in the spider filled attic begans to rock back and forth. The tail began to twitch to life, it moved faster and faster, it started to whine malevolently. Creatures not quite human/ not quite animal lurked in the dark forest. Terrorising the family the rocking horse attacks Lucas jumping at him, the teeth trying to bite chunks out of his leg. He unloads bullets, wood splintering, the horse visibly experiencing pain, bright red blood pouring out of the stomach. They get rid of the horse but it comes back more evil. They cut off its head but it propels blood out of the neck, whinning, it continues to taunt and manipulate. The house is alive and it won't let the family leave. A bunch of devil worshippers will try to kill the family and their friends. A women will have her tongue cut out, tortured, raped, spikes driven through her feet and arms on a cross. A man will have a chainsaw mangle his jaw, the teeth spinning and another cops it in the balls, spraying blood, bone like woodchips through the air. The house eats people and will need to be burnt down. As always from this author bloody bonkers!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

ROCKINGHORSE, by William W. Johnstone is a book that I first read in the 1980's, and now it's finally being re-released! Johnstone doesn't shy away from brutal scenes or from comments and characters that might be "controversial". As a result, we have a horrific story filled with all sorts of grisly, emotional, and supernatural terror.

Tracy and Lucas decide to take a "summer vacation" with their children, Johnny and Jackie. Unfortunately, they decide to go to on old mansion that is in Lucas' family--one that he vaguely remembers being afraid of, but like an idea that's just out of reach, the reason behind it continues to elude him.

This story encompasses a large cast of characters, yet I never once found myself confused as to who was who--a great testament to Johnstone's characterization. The children--especially Jackie, who at 13, is on the edge of childhood/adulthood--captured my heart from the first.

The central horror is revealed early on: an "innocent" rocking horse that resides in the house. Only this rocking horse is ANYTHING but innocent. On top of taking an everyday item that will quickly get your own heart hammering in fear, we are soon thrust into a tangle of evil cult members, complications/deaths from Lucas' family, sinister human elements, and "unknown" supernatural creatures that inhabit the woods surrounding the large mansion.

This book had non-stop action--and virtually every fear-inducing tactic you could envision! Some of the scenes were so torturous, that I was simply amazed at how easily Johnstone could switch between them and the more gentle, emotional ones involving the children, and innocence unfairly lost.

Highly recommended!

*I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this novel had a lot going on! A "haunted" house (I use the term haunted lightly here as the house was so much more), animated body parts, good vs evil, forest creatures, dead beings that are alive (no, not more of that tired zombie genre; totally different) and of course, a rocking horse which really creeped me out and I'd bet it'll creep you out too!

I haven't read much horror from the 80s but if it's anything like this, I certainly will read more! The story starts out innocently enough but the creepy vibe kicks off quickly and escalates into goosebumps and chills down the spine. A few times, I even had to set down my kindle, take a breath and process what I just read. Of course, I HAD to see what happened next so the breaks didn't last long (who needs sleep when you're reading a quality story anyway?!).
Johnstone has a unique premise here and a wonderful main cast of characters that make you feel like you're right there with them, listening to that creepy horse do its thing, seeing the inexplicable terrors and feeling the adrenaline rush.

If you've never read anything by Johnstone, this is a good place to start!

Many thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for this excellent, and recommended, book!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC version of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, where to start? Williams Johnstone wrote some really enjoyable and at times bad dream inducing horror novels back in the 70’s and 80s. This was not one of them. What a hot mess this book was! It was as if the author had three books, possibly four, in mind and decided to write them all in one book. It was like Sybil wrote a horror novel.

We have, all in one book, (1) a demon possessed toy story, (2) a haunted house story, (3) a dark conspiracy/devil cult come to kill you story, and (4) a woods full of fairies and creepy (and apparently very smelly) creatures that aren’t quite human story. Full of characters acting in unbelievable ways, plot twists that seem to exist to create yet even more unrealistic situations to the point that my eyes were starting to hurt from rolling them so often. A plot so over the top that it makes Evil Dead 2 seem like the evening news.

When I finished I was left with the impression that Johnstone just threw everything into this book to see what would work or just to have fun. I imagine that he had a good time writing it and I certainly wasn’t bored reading it. It was certainly entertaining, even if at times it was just to see exactly how outlandish it would get. I did find the religion aspect extremely heavy handed but it was clearly intentional. Johnstone certainly wasn’t agnostic in his story writing. I have been reading/re-reading several of his books that are now coming out from Kensington Press (to whom I say thank you from the bottom of my 80’s horror loving heart) and have noticed that Johnstone has two types of characters: God fearing folks and nasty devil worshipers. No agnostic middle of the road types. At times the story was a bit preachy, especially with several deus ex machina (literally) plot devices in which the characters started saying that things were occurring because He (capital H) wanted them to…

All in all, still fun in an over the top 80’s way by a guy who was one of the originals and who takes that concept to new levels---just don’t look for any real scares in this one.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spooky and somewhat entertaining! Held my interest in the beginning but there was too much going on between evil entities and cult members to make sense of it all. It has some scary moments but not one of my favorites as far as horror goes. Not bad but I was hoping for better since by the end, I didn't care who survived. I would certainly like to read something else by this author to see if there is a different book by him that I would enjoy more.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had me turning pages, had some really gruesome and creepy scenes. Something about it had that 80's horror movie feel. The ending was my only issue. It felt a bit rushed and the dark creepiness of the book became kind of silly. That being said, I did like this author's writing style and would be interested in reading more of his books.

[Krista B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very solid 4*. It takes a lot to scare me, and this book did it over and over again!

The only reason it didn't get the full 5* is because the dialogue was very poorly written.

I have dedicated all of October to reading horror only, and I am very happy I am ending it with this terrifying classic!

[Zach Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite possibly, quality-wise, the worst book I've ever read, though it's good for quite a few laughs.

In his On Writing, Stephen King says that a book's second draft should be its first draft minus 10 percent. Johnstone must have believed in the opposite, as this feels like a first draft of a novel, with all of its random plot digressions, meaningless characterization, and tacked-on characters, PLUS an extra 10 percent of shit that desperately needed to be cut. The most glaring example of this is in the last hundred and fifty pages, when Johnstone introduces not one, not two, but SIXTEEN new supporting protagonists into the story willy-nilly. Presumably to kill them off in gruesome ways, right? Nope. SPOILER but the grand majority of them... live?

The writing is atrocious. Here are three examples FROM THE SAME PAGE OF THE BOOK:
"Hands fumbled between her legs, fondling her, attempting to bring wetness to the dryness."
"Lucas's kicking and jerking startled the circle of men, almost as if they had suspected he would not do something like that."
"The blood gushed all over Lucas's T-shirt. Now Lucas's elbow hurt as well as his split knuckles."

You get over 400 pages of this, my friends. Here's my personal favorite from later on in the novel, which would give a freshman creative writing professor cancer:
"As Jan had done, David stopped by Louisa, looking up at the eyes. As a person is, when accustomed to dealing with that with which he has grown familiar, there was no fear in David as he looked at the eyes."
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN SAY

One extra star for the laughs, which come often, some intentional, most not-so-much. And another point for acting as some perverse inspiration for me as a writer... if Johnstone made a living writing (and apparently sold 50 million copies of his books?!), so can I!!

[Krys · Rating 2 out of 5]

To start with the premise is very misleading. In fact, I don't recall either child ever actually getting on the horse, nor were they lured into the attic by the horse. In fact - this story was just plain weird. For the most part, I found myself completely lost while reading it. Yes, there were moments of absolute gore, and a real battle of seemingly "good and evil", but the story as a whole just did not work for me. It also seemed to end on a cliffhanger leaving the reader to wonder just what happened. If there was no conclusion to the story - then what was the point of reading it? Just to read about people killing each other?

Also, it was not mentioned that this story is actually a re-release of a story that came out in 1986 and therefore is NOT formatted for easy kindle reading. In fact, it would appear as though the pages of the original novel were scanned and then put together in ebook format. There was no way to enlarge the small text, and some of the pages were actually off center (the page itself seemingly tilted slightly to the side).

Overall, I am certain that this book will appeal to those who enjoy a more "old school" horror novel. It did have its moments, but it just wasn't for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic 80s horror. I really liked the idea with the evil rockinghorse. Many satanic elements and the whole book reads like a movie. Clear recommendation!

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say first that this description seems a bit off to me, Jackie and Johnny did not take turns riding the horse... nor were the they only ones who could hear it. Anyway on with the review.

Lucas and Tracy Bowers, a not so happily married couple have been arguing, mainly over the success of Tracy's career. They decide to pack up their kids Jackie and Johnny and take a road trip to Bowers House for the summer. Bowers House is a mansion in Georgia that belonged to Lucas's grandparents before their deaths. He has not been to see it in years, and has been unable to sell it. Right before they leave, Jackie and Johnny both have strange dreams about a rocking horse.

"They's them that say the place is haunted"

When they arrive, there is of course a strange cast of characters, including a caretaker who tells them the house doesn't want to be sold. There are rumors of devil worship going on in the woods and before discovering an old rocking horse they do indeed hear hoof beats and whinnying.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but after that it all began to get a bit too crazy, even for me.

3 and a half out of 5 stars from me
I received an advance copy for review

[Wendy Goerl · Rating 2 out of 5]

"It came in the dead of night--a rhythmic creaking sound that only the children could hear. Jackie and Johnny tried not to listen. But it called to them, whispering of evil, luring them into the darkness of the attic. . .as they took turns riding it . . .they couldn't know that their own innocent eyes had taken on a strange new gleam ..."

--That's straight off the back cover. And that description is what I bought, hoping to read. Yes, there are two children named Jackie and Johnny. Yes, there's an evil rocking horse. Otherwise, it could have been describing a completely different book. The horse didn't lure the children anywhere, no one ever rode it, and there was nothing strange about the children's eyes.

I tore through the book looking for those parts, and not finding them. What I did find was a supernatural force that was inconsistent in the rules it operated by, and an antagonist that is so powerful, Johnstone had to resort to a partial deux ex machina to even give the protagonists a chance.

As I read the book, I got the distinct impression that there was major after-publisher-acceptance revision in the latter half of the book, and my gut says it was a better story before.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in the 80's, I couldn't help but imagine this novel as a perfect 80's horror movie. A whinnying, violent rocking horse, disembodied eyes, a bodiless head, a breathing house hellbent on destroying its inhabitants, the undead walking. The Bowers are an average city-living family, looking for a break from the hustle and bustle. They decide to spend their summer at Lucas Bowers family estate in Georgia. Lucas' and Tracy's children, Jackie and Johnny, develop relationships of a sort with the Woods' Children. The Woods' Children will prove to be beneficial in defeating the house, the Brotherhood, and Rejects (a sort of Bigfoot creature that lurks in the woods around the estate)
While this wasn't the deepest book, or most-suspenseful, it was definitely a good read. It read fast, and was written in such a manner that made imagining the events very realistic.
For a nice, quick-reading horror novel, I definitely recommend this story.
And while this novel is well over 30 years old, there were mentionings of liberalism and conservatism (regarding gun owning and usage) that gave the characters a 21st century feel.

[Sarah Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy by Netgalley for a fair and unbiased review.

Tracy and Lucas are married but married life isn't going well, they live in New York City and have two children Johnny & Jackie, Tracy is very successful and Lucas and Lucas slightly resents Tracy's success so they decide to spend the summer in Lucas's dead grandmother mansion and have good old fashioned family time.

The Mansion grounds haven't been kept up, but the mansion looks like it has been repainted?? With no one living in the Mansion who has had it painted, Lucas start to remember little bits about the place as he hadn't been there since being a child, the house doesn't feel right and doesn't want the family there, then the family find an old rocky horse in the attic and the story escalates from there!

This a great mix in the story with a huge variety of characters, fast paced and keeps you intrigued until the end, recommended read.

[Mommacat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're young and impressionable, this is bound to scare the crap out of you. Johnstone wrote some of the finest horror of the 80's and he didn't leave anything out of this one. A scary toy, insane family, and a whole lot of butchering goes on in this haunted house.

This is one of many William Johnstone books of horror that is being re-released by Kensington books - Lryical Underground. I plan to get every one. This is the horror that I love. It's well plotted and a satisfying read. While I wondered at the opening, I shouldn't have. It was all explained at the end.

And on another note, there are subjects brought up that are as pertinent today as they were then.

5 stars for Rockinghorse! Thank you to Kensington Books for my copy.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rockinghorse by William w Johnstone is a horror read.
It came in the dead of night—a rhythmic creaking sound that only the children could hear. 
Jackie and Johnny tried not to listen. But it called to them, whispering of evil, luring them
into the darkness of the attic.
This was an absolutely fantastic read. With brilliant characters.
This is a must read and I would highly recommend this book. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

[Beca · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is ridiculous. I'm annoyed with myself that I finished it. It's way too busy, has far too many random things happening, and (in the Kindle version) has errors that make the story nearly incomprehensible. Oh, and it features the actual worst psychic in history. Don't waste your time. Zero stars.

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this from the publisher, I believe because it is getting reissued. It was an old school scary story, originally published in the 80's. A quick read with a few spooky parts, but overall didn't impress me much.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun "pulp horror" novel from the 1980's. The plot involves a town that is possessed by some form of evil that seemed to pop up every other day in the 80's. Mindless good fun.

[Val de Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as a young teen all those years ago. Scared the daylights out of me.

[Carolyn Injoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rockinghorse by William W. Johnstone Rockinghorse by William W. Johnstone is a frightening horror story. Because it had numerous typos, I gave it four stars. That did not reflect on the quality of the author's writing.
 
It is about an evil house with lots of dark scary secrets. A family is almost torn apart by the events that take place. It kept me up late reading, then I couldn't sleep because of a "nightmare" running rampant through my thoughts.
 
There were some very disturbing scenes, but they contributed to the advancement of the storyline.
 
I received a complimentary Kindle copy from Kensington Books-Lyrical Underground and NetGalley. That did not change my opinion for this review.
 
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Rockinghorse-W...

[Maggie Deaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great reread!

I had the great privilege of corresponding with this gentleman for a number of months pure to his passing. He was a great apocalyptic author before it became a genre. He was also an extremely talented historical author... and became a correspondent of both my husband and myself for a number of months prior to his passing. My late husband was a veteran of four tours in Viet Nam in Special Forces and greatly enjoyed his correspondence as did I. We both felt Mr.Johnstone was a great lover of his country. I like to think they are both sitting chatting surrounded by their beloved dogs on a plush cloud. R.I.P., fellows,may God grant we all can chat before too much longer.

[DJMikeG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely bat sh*t INSANE horror madness from WW Johnstone. There is alot more than just an evil rockinghorse going on here. In Paperbacks from Hell, Grady Hendrix comments on Johnstone's writing something to the effect of, "he shotgun blasts horror tropes at your face over and over and over", this description is apt. Craziness is thrown at your face so fast by Johnstone, you cannot stop reading. I would pick this book up and read 50 plus pages without even realizing it. Johnstone's work, more than just about any other author's, lives up to the credo for the horror boom described in Paperbacks From Hell, Never Be Boring!

[Jon Jon Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This can't be happening, that's impossible!"
"Yet it's still happening."

That's like 25% of this entire book. the rest of it is like a season of American Horror Story as written by Garth Marenghi. Totally trash and filled to the brim with zombies, haunted/living house, ghost children, mutant inbreds, satanic cults, psychics, and of course, a stupid living rocking horse, which, as it turns out, is kind of just there. It doesn't really do anything. I loved this one, though the pace seemed off in the last act, moving way faster than any of the previous acts.

[Tome Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is William W. Johnstone at his best! Bowers family heads down to Georgia to stay the summer at the family plantation home that they want to eventually sell. However they run into several covens of Satanist that join up as one to kill/sacrifice the family. Most people say that it starts off fast and then just dies out but I disagree. I think it starts out a little slow and then works its way into a full on shit show, but in all the best ways possible. Solid 4 star read.

[Robin Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

This book was shockingly better than I thought it would be! Will be reading more by this author! A little slow in the beginning but once the action started, I couldn’t put it down!

[Beth Hemenway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

Read it years ago and loved it so much I searched to find it. The older stuff was written so much better!