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Carrion Comfort
All humans feed on violence. But only those with the Ability have tasted the ultimate power.
Ordinary vampires possess the body. But only those who use the living can violate the soul.
They gather their strength through the years. They plot their unholy games. They war among themselves. And the victor will stand alone against a world without defenses.
801 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1989
2458 people are currently reading
35295 people want to read
About the author
Dan Simmons
289 books13.6k followersDan Simmons is an American science fiction and horror writer. He is the author of the Hyperion Cantos and the Ilium/Olympos cycles, among other works that span the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, sometimes within a single novel. Simmons's genre-intermingling Song of Kali (1985) won the World Fantasy Award. He also writes mysteries and thrillers, some of which feature the continuing character Joe Kurtz.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,776 reviews
June 7, 2020
Mind penetrating psi vampires haunt humankind in the same year Simmons´ ingenious sci-fi fantasy milestone Hyperion was published and revolutionize the horror genre in the same way.
King said that Simmons writes like a God and that he is a bit envious and what could exceed this quote? There is a handful of authors who unite the lucky combination of hard, lifelong perfecting their writing and talent and Simmons is in a league I find just some are coming close to. There may be authors just playing in one league that are as good or, regarding the worldbuilding but not characterization, better, but nobody writes works of such quality in different genres. Sci-Fi is totally my thing and I could name very few names of the same greatness as Hyperion, the same for horror and this one.
It´s especially how it immediately blows one away, how it never gets boring for just a second, how it´s complexity is never confusing, the characters´ motivations logical, everything slowly escalating to amazing plot points,… And most of his novels are bricks, often with more than just 2 or 3 perspectives, time- and plotlines.
There is often so less action, few cliffhangers, nothing one is used to in modern writing to pimp, accelerate, and distract from characterization, plotting, and logical flaws and errors, Simmons is using pure characterization and a complex, interwoven net of protagonists and antagonists to lead the long novel to a culmination of epic proportion.
It´s a shame that I am too lazy to investigate which classic elements and tales inspired Simmons in and to his works, because his epic sci-fi novels are both filled with innuendos and connotations to famous ancient works or interpretations of these. Reader of the classics, mythologies, and history might find goldmines I am blind to see because of a lack of special knowledge.
One of the cases where I absolutely don´t understand why people don´t like it. In other cases, there are elements that make it completely understandable that one can´t deal with too sciency, too charactery, too world buildy, too whatever elements, but this has everything, it´s the beginning of the career of one of the most talented and underrated writers of the 20th century.
So amazingly many pictures of this and Simmons´ other horror novel, Summer of night, that feels like a reinterpretation of Stephen Kings´ It, stay in mind, always a sure sign that the quality of the stuff is so high that it permanently blows ones´mind away and leaves one, wasted, but very happy, afterward.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
King said that Simmons writes like a God and that he is a bit envious and what could exceed this quote? There is a handful of authors who unite the lucky combination of hard, lifelong perfecting their writing and talent and Simmons is in a league I find just some are coming close to. There may be authors just playing in one league that are as good or, regarding the worldbuilding but not characterization, better, but nobody writes works of such quality in different genres. Sci-Fi is totally my thing and I could name very few names of the same greatness as Hyperion, the same for horror and this one.
It´s especially how it immediately blows one away, how it never gets boring for just a second, how it´s complexity is never confusing, the characters´ motivations logical, everything slowly escalating to amazing plot points,… And most of his novels are bricks, often with more than just 2 or 3 perspectives, time- and plotlines.
There is often so less action, few cliffhangers, nothing one is used to in modern writing to pimp, accelerate, and distract from characterization, plotting, and logical flaws and errors, Simmons is using pure characterization and a complex, interwoven net of protagonists and antagonists to lead the long novel to a culmination of epic proportion.
It´s a shame that I am too lazy to investigate which classic elements and tales inspired Simmons in and to his works, because his epic sci-fi novels are both filled with innuendos and connotations to famous ancient works or interpretations of these. Reader of the classics, mythologies, and history might find goldmines I am blind to see because of a lack of special knowledge.
One of the cases where I absolutely don´t understand why people don´t like it. In other cases, there are elements that make it completely understandable that one can´t deal with too sciency, too charactery, too world buildy, too whatever elements, but this has everything, it´s the beginning of the career of one of the most talented and underrated writers of the 20th century.
So amazingly many pictures of this and Simmons´ other horror novel, Summer of night, that feels like a reinterpretation of Stephen Kings´ It, stay in mind, always a sure sign that the quality of the stuff is so high that it permanently blows ones´mind away and leaves one, wasted, but very happy, afterward.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
March 20, 2021
A monstrous tale of what people will do with ultimate power. An African American female photography student, a Concentration Camp survivor and an overweight Southern Sheriff find a common threat of what can only be called mind-rapists. A truly no holds barred look at evil by Simmons, and easily the most dark 'vampire' book I've ever read. Simmons goes all out to illustrate the nature of immortality and how it would drive people to the extremes to maintain it! 8 out of 12.
September 29, 2020
UPDATE: $2.99 Kindle US today 9/29/20
Loved it and hoping to do a reread on audio soon!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Loved it and hoping to do a reread on audio soon!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 3, 2011
Carrion Comfort is a beast of a book. My copy clocks in at 800 pages, and to be fair to mr. Simmons he kept the pace burning throughout the whole text.
There's much to enjoy in Carrion Comfort, and not the least of its good aspects is the premise. In this particular work Simmons tackles on one of the most famous horror creatures - the vampire. What makes it different from almost all other vampire ficton is his approach to the subject.
Carrion Comfort is concerned with mind vampires, people who can enter the consciousness of any person and control their actions completely, like a puppeteer. Complete control, one from which there is no defense mental or physical, is certainly a frightening subject, and the opening set in 1942 Chelmno is pretty much stellar.
The novel spans many years and locations, from WW2 Poland and surroundings to the 1980 USA. The WW2 pieces are seen in retrospect, and are certainly the best part of the novel; the obsession with chess that some characters have couldn't have been used in a better way. Simmons presents a scene that truly is horrifying and memorable in its intensity and eeriness.
However, aside from the general premise and the few WW2 portions, Carrion Comfort is surprisingly short on the horror factor; most of the novel reads like a 80's thriller, complete with black helicopters, secret agents, explosives and multiple shoot outs, which occupy most of its pages. The characters are interesting (especially the elderly Melanie Fuller) but never fascinating, as they ought to be in a novel of such scope and ambition. The allusions to real people are certainly a nice touch, giving the novel some realism amidst all these bullets.
Overall, the books is compulsively readable, but rarely leaves anything unseen, and throughout its enormous lenght the reader will be exposed to as much action as he or she can take. The frenetic, Hollywood-like action can get a bit boring at times, and the true potential of the novel never really surfaces. Still, for such a huge tome it's a breezingly fast read, much more enjoyable that the plodding Summer of Night, although the book certainly did not need to be 800 pages long.
There's much to enjoy in Carrion Comfort, and not the least of its good aspects is the premise. In this particular work Simmons tackles on one of the most famous horror creatures - the vampire. What makes it different from almost all other vampire ficton is his approach to the subject.
Carrion Comfort is concerned with mind vampires, people who can enter the consciousness of any person and control their actions completely, like a puppeteer. Complete control, one from which there is no defense mental or physical, is certainly a frightening subject, and the opening set in 1942 Chelmno is pretty much stellar.
The novel spans many years and locations, from WW2 Poland and surroundings to the 1980 USA. The WW2 pieces are seen in retrospect, and are certainly the best part of the novel; the obsession with chess that some characters have couldn't have been used in a better way. Simmons presents a scene that truly is horrifying and memorable in its intensity and eeriness.
However, aside from the general premise and the few WW2 portions, Carrion Comfort is surprisingly short on the horror factor; most of the novel reads like a 80's thriller, complete with black helicopters, secret agents, explosives and multiple shoot outs, which occupy most of its pages. The characters are interesting (especially the elderly Melanie Fuller) but never fascinating, as they ought to be in a novel of such scope and ambition. The allusions to real people are certainly a nice touch, giving the novel some realism amidst all these bullets.
Overall, the books is compulsively readable, but rarely leaves anything unseen, and throughout its enormous lenght the reader will be exposed to as much action as he or she can take. The frenetic, Hollywood-like action can get a bit boring at times, and the true potential of the novel never really surfaces. Still, for such a huge tome it's a breezingly fast read, much more enjoyable that the plodding Summer of Night, although the book certainly did not need to be 800 pages long.
January 10, 2013
Exhibit C in "Authors Who Doodle"...
In case you're interested, here's exhibit A and exhibit B.
Carrion Comfort, Dan Simmons second novel, can be faulted for being overly long, needlessly complex and in dire need of a talented editor. Yet after I've said all that, it still remains one of the best horror novels of the second half of the 2oth century. The author has created a tense tale of mind control and the extremes of human corruption and power. While Simmons uses the term "Mind Vampires" for his monsters, they are nothing like vampires and, at least in my mind, a hundred times more horrifying. The author's other strength in this 800 page novel is the development of strong protagonists and villains. These are not comic book characters but fully fleshed personalities with strong believable motivations. Simmons' setting starts in Auschwitz during World War II yet mainly takes place in the early 80s. Simmons sets a stage of believability by referencing a number of horrific events such as the Kennedy and Lennon assassinations and weaves a network of conspiracies and chess moves, the latter being a tantalizing motif throughout, that pulls this story way beyond the normal horror novel. If you must keep the vampire analogy, think of this as a cross between a vampire novel and "24" and you will get a hint of its themes. Any one who calls themselves a horror aficionado needs to read this.
In case you're interested, here's exhibit A and exhibit B.
Carrion Comfort, Dan Simmons second novel, can be faulted for being overly long, needlessly complex and in dire need of a talented editor. Yet after I've said all that, it still remains one of the best horror novels of the second half of the 2oth century. The author has created a tense tale of mind control and the extremes of human corruption and power. While Simmons uses the term "Mind Vampires" for his monsters, they are nothing like vampires and, at least in my mind, a hundred times more horrifying. The author's other strength in this 800 page novel is the development of strong protagonists and villains. These are not comic book characters but fully fleshed personalities with strong believable motivations. Simmons' setting starts in Auschwitz during World War II yet mainly takes place in the early 80s. Simmons sets a stage of believability by referencing a number of horrific events such as the Kennedy and Lennon assassinations and weaves a network of conspiracies and chess moves, the latter being a tantalizing motif throughout, that pulls this story way beyond the normal horror novel. If you must keep the vampire analogy, think of this as a cross between a vampire novel and "24" and you will get a hint of its themes. Any one who calls themselves a horror aficionado needs to read this.
December 27, 2016
This book! *covers eyes* oh my god! I don't know how to feel about it. Dan Simmons is such a great writer and his imagination scares me, like really, really bad! The stuff in this book was CRAZY! I couldn't believe what I was reading. Sometimes I didn't even want to know where this story was going. But despite the horrific plot, one thing that Simmons does really well is character building and backstory. Natalie and Saul are so fleshed out, they feel like real people and you are genuinely invested in their lives which makes what happens to them so hard.
Especially Saul.
Saul might be one of my favorite protagonists in any story. A survivor against the most oppressive and terrifying odds.
Honorable mention is Rob Gentry. I love Rob. A true hero. But this story would be nothing without the anti heroes-the enemies-the villains. No other villains in any other book are as merciless, self serving, cruel or disgusting than the soul sucking Users inCarrion Comfort. I enjoyed most of it but sometimes, I admit, it went too far. So I docked it a whole star for just being too damn long (I could have shaved off at least a couple hundred pages EASILY) and for some unnecessary roughness. Mainly I got tired of my sensitivities being offended which probably wouldn't have happened if this were a shorter book. Anyhow, four stars is still four stars and a worthy horror novel. I'm glad it's over. Hahah
Especially Saul.
Saul might be one of my favorite protagonists in any story. A survivor against the most oppressive and terrifying odds.
Honorable mention is Rob Gentry. I love Rob. A true hero. But this story would be nothing without the anti heroes-the enemies-the villains. No other villains in any other book are as merciless, self serving, cruel or disgusting than the soul sucking Users inCarrion Comfort. I enjoyed most of it but sometimes, I admit, it went too far. So I docked it a whole star for just being too damn long (I could have shaved off at least a couple hundred pages EASILY) and for some unnecessary roughness. Mainly I got tired of my sensitivities being offended which probably wouldn't have happened if this were a shorter book. Anyhow, four stars is still four stars and a worthy horror novel. I'm glad it's over. Hahah
November 3, 2021
"I despair at the rise of modern violence. I truly give in to despair at times, that deep, futureless pit of despair which Hopkins called carrion comfort."
4.5 stars out of five. Carrion Comfort is a highly original, Bram Stoker award winning, action-horror. The plot centres around the battle between the forces of good and evil, in this case psychic, mind controlling vampires. Does that sound awesome or what?
First off this book does have a glaring problem which prevented me giving it a full five marks. Even though I had a blast and really, really enjoyed it. This is an epic book and therein lies the problem. Pacing. This book is long. Does it need to be that long? Almost certainly not. This book could have lost over a hundred pages and it would have actually improved the reading experience. A book should only be this big (almost one thousand pages) if it needs to be. There's no way Carrion Comfort did and I think Simmons got carried away and didn't really go to town on the editting phase. I've read some huge books lately (Swan Song, Pillars of the Earth, Speaks the Nightbird) and you didn't notice the size of the book. This one you did! A good editting would have upped the pace and focus of the book and made this a fast paced, gripping seven hundred page thrill ride, which is a rare thing and would have made this a very easy five stars.
"All humans feed on violence, on the small exercises of power over another, but few have tasted—as we have—the ultimate power."
But that's my major gripe out the way! Did I enjoy this book. Hell yeah! The characters are fantastic, the action immense and the back story is some of the best I've ever had in a horror novel. It contains flashbacks to the Holocaust and these parts are as engrossing as they are harrowing and really get you invested in the characters.
The villains in Carrion Comfort are some of the best I've come across in a horror book. As unique as they are terrifying. You'll never look at your grandmother the same way again lol
The book also contains a little bit of chess as one of those villains is obsessed with it. Kind of like a nightmare version of the Queen's Gambit. So if you like the game of Kings you'll no doubt enjoy that. I know I did.
So all in all is it worth it? Most definitely. I'd read it again at some point. But I would love to see an editted version.
February 10, 2017
So I'm changing my final score on this novel from a solid 3 to a generous 4 stars, because the book was JUST THAT UNPREDICTABLE.
That's an odd thing to say as a re-read, no?
There's lots of places where the novel easily deserves a 5 star, just on reflection, alone, and since this came out nearly 30 years ago I'm not going to fuss too much over spoilers.
Do You Like Chess?
Then this novel is for you.
Do you like mind-vampires that look, feel, and act like Donald Trump, Conservative Religious Nutsos, Concentration Camp Masters, or quiet, unassuming matrons who take on entire inner-city gangs?
Then this novel is for you.
Do you also like long and rambling adventures populated by normal folk caught up in the nightmare of marionettes, either trying to escape the nightmare or get revenge for the things that had been done to them? As in Full-Blown Epic-Length rambling and character-development-through-action for almost 900 pages, with a nearly uncountable number of reversals, sad deaths, and improbable successes?
Then this novel is for you.
Honestly, I never had any issues with anything in particular. This was a pretty epic horror novel filled with tons of mind-jumping, mind and body controlling, and history. The focus on the details is what made it pretty damn awesome, but that's what horror is all about.
If I were to put my issue into words, I'd still have a hard time, because its faults were also its strengths. It was unpredictable.
I can't say I liked most of the characters, and it was really hard to actually enjoy being in the minds of the baddies, but Melanie was a real treat. Saul, more than anyone, was complex and multifaceted and sits in my mind, as back when I first read this when it was new, as the quintessential portrait of a nazi-hunter/vampire-hunter. Hell, I've been judging all other novels with the trope by this gold standard ever since.
I'm glad I re-read this, but my god it was long. There was so much, by my older and jaded eyes, that I think could have been cut right the hell out, but it was a horror novel first and foremost, and having a long build-up before the missiles come and destroy the island (or whatever) is still what we seek in the style.
If you want a very long and interesting ride, a near perfect diversion with lots of sex, horror, and a cast of baddies with zero moral fortitude and the undercurrent that they *might* get what's coming to them, then I really recommend this novel. :)
That's an odd thing to say as a re-read, no?
There's lots of places where the novel easily deserves a 5 star, just on reflection, alone, and since this came out nearly 30 years ago I'm not going to fuss too much over spoilers.
Do You Like Chess?
Then this novel is for you.
Do you like mind-vampires that look, feel, and act like Donald Trump, Conservative Religious Nutsos, Concentration Camp Masters, or quiet, unassuming matrons who take on entire inner-city gangs?
Then this novel is for you.
Do you also like long and rambling adventures populated by normal folk caught up in the nightmare of marionettes, either trying to escape the nightmare or get revenge for the things that had been done to them? As in Full-Blown Epic-Length rambling and character-development-through-action for almost 900 pages, with a nearly uncountable number of reversals, sad deaths, and improbable successes?
Then this novel is for you.
Honestly, I never had any issues with anything in particular. This was a pretty epic horror novel filled with tons of mind-jumping, mind and body controlling, and history. The focus on the details is what made it pretty damn awesome, but that's what horror is all about.
If I were to put my issue into words, I'd still have a hard time, because its faults were also its strengths. It was unpredictable.
I can't say I liked most of the characters, and it was really hard to actually enjoy being in the minds of the baddies, but Melanie was a real treat. Saul, more than anyone, was complex and multifaceted and sits in my mind, as back when I first read this when it was new, as the quintessential portrait of a nazi-hunter/vampire-hunter. Hell, I've been judging all other novels with the trope by this gold standard ever since.
I'm glad I re-read this, but my god it was long. There was so much, by my older and jaded eyes, that I think could have been cut right the hell out, but it was a horror novel first and foremost, and having a long build-up before the missiles come and destroy the island (or whatever) is still what we seek in the style.
If you want a very long and interesting ride, a near perfect diversion with lots of sex, horror, and a cast of baddies with zero moral fortitude and the undercurrent that they *might* get what's coming to them, then I really recommend this novel. :)
January 13, 2024
4.0 Stars
I will be honest, I thought I would probably hate a 800 page novel about psychic vampires. The premise sounded terrible.
However this book completely surprised me. I was immediately hooked in and immersed for the entirety of this long story. This one leans into some tropes while also exploring adult themes, but something about the pieces of this sotur just worked for me.
I will be honest, I thought I would probably hate a 800 page novel about psychic vampires. The premise sounded terrible.
However this book completely surprised me. I was immediately hooked in and immersed for the entirety of this long story. This one leans into some tropes while also exploring adult themes, but something about the pieces of this sotur just worked for me.
February 9, 2022
The book is well-written with some very convincing passages that describe the telepathic abilities of a special breed of vampires but it drags for the most part, it's just too damn long!
I can handle long. IT by Stephen King is of similar length and that flew by, but this has crazy amounts of filler that are an effort to get through. As the story progresses it becomes more and more corny with lots of cheesey dialogue.
The bad guys are pretty interesting and have such an ambivalent attitude to murders that I carried on reading just to enjoy their eventual downfall.
I'd also like to point out that I never found this book scary at all, I was expecting a proper horror novel and never got it; I don't know why Stephen King considers it on of the best horror novels of the 20th century .
For horror fans, look elsewhere. For action/suspense fans who are looking a supernatural element, check it out.
I can handle long. IT by Stephen King is of similar length and that flew by, but this has crazy amounts of filler that are an effort to get through. As the story progresses it becomes more and more corny with lots of cheesey dialogue.
The bad guys are pretty interesting and have such an ambivalent attitude to murders that I carried on reading just to enjoy their eventual downfall.
I'd also like to point out that I never found this book scary at all, I was expecting a proper horror novel and never got it; I don't know why Stephen King considers it on of the best horror novels of the 20th century .
For horror fans, look elsewhere. For action/suspense fans who are looking a supernatural element, check it out.
June 12, 2021
Narrative 5/5
Story 5/5
Amazing !!!
This book is one of the best horror story , that I listened and read , ( when I couldn’t listen), this year.
This is my first Dan Simmons books.
He has created complexe and very vivid characters ,but I disliked almost all of them.
The villains are powerful mind vampires, very racist, homophobic and misogynistic . They are living among the society, using and killing innocents bystanders for fun .
The nice guys are , a Holocaust surviver , a sheriff, a vampire victim’s daughter and their allies .
I won’t talk about the story, you must dive in it without a clue, like I did . You just have to know that the plot is well developed and unexpected.
I’ll just say that there’s this mean racist old vampire woman born in time of racial segregation . There’s this Nazi SS vampire . I hated them both. And there are others wealthy ,hateful vampires who despise everyone.
The author used true historical events for the background of his story. It’s very interesting. He described and created his characters so well that, after one week of reading their stories , I was a little bit sad at the end. Some of them became almost family, and the others could rot in hell where they belong.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read or listen an amazing horror story. It’s a little bit long , but the story worth it.
Story 5/5
Amazing !!!
This book is one of the best horror story , that I listened and read , ( when I couldn’t listen), this year.
This is my first Dan Simmons books.
He has created complexe and very vivid characters ,but I disliked almost all of them.
The villains are powerful mind vampires, very racist, homophobic and misogynistic . They are living among the society, using and killing innocents bystanders for fun .
The nice guys are , a Holocaust surviver , a sheriff, a vampire victim’s daughter and their allies .
I won’t talk about the story, you must dive in it without a clue, like I did . You just have to know that the plot is well developed and unexpected.
I’ll just say that there’s this mean racist old vampire woman born in time of racial segregation . There’s this Nazi SS vampire . I hated them both. And there are others wealthy ,hateful vampires who despise everyone.
The author used true historical events for the background of his story. It’s very interesting. He described and created his characters so well that, after one week of reading their stories , I was a little bit sad at the end. Some of them became almost family, and the others could rot in hell where they belong.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read or listen an amazing horror story. It’s a little bit long , but the story worth it.
October 25, 2023
Excellent book, but sometimes difficult to read.
May 6, 2021
Well this was surprising. Dan Simmons is an author I've read before. His Hyperion books are truly amazing sci-fi. It seems Mr. Simmons also writes horror. Good horror.
Saul Laski is a Jew trapped in the horror of Auschwitz. He has the unfortunate luck to run into SS Oberst von Borchert who has the ability to take over a person's mind and completely control them. Thus are we introduced to a rather interesting type of vampire- a "vampire" that feeds off controlling minds.
The story then fast forwards to 1980 and we are introduced to a powerful trio of these creatures. Willi, Nina, and Melanie have been acquaintances for centuries. They play a game where they use mortal pawns to commit heinous acts for points and then meet up to tally the results. This is the premise that starts the story and it turns out to be a crazy one indeed. Part horror, part spy novel, part mystery and even adventure. It sounds strange that a book can have all those elements but this one certainly does.
As the story develops and an elderly Dr. Laksi seeks to hunt down his past demon, he stumbles across a vast conspiracy where a cabal of powerful "vampires" seeks to play the game on a global scale. To stop this threat Dr Laski embarks on a strange adventure, accompanied by Natalie Preston, a young woman who had her father murdered by one of these vampire games, they must face not only the vampires but their pawns as well.
A very interesting premise and a good story. The ending was also surprising and I appreciated it. This was a fine example of Mr. Simmon's horror writing abilities. The story is vast and exciting. The "vampire" Willi Borden ( SS Oberst Wilhelm Von Borchert) is quite the evil character and stands out for his particular level of cruelty.
Interesting story and cool characters make for one heck of a good horror story. Far better than the usual horror serving, this one will keep you on your toes and appreciating all the twists and turns. As a fan of vampire, or vampire-like, creatures I really enjoyed this Simmon's horror novel. I shall certainly read the rest of his horror novels. Highly recommended to any horror fan.
Saul Laski is a Jew trapped in the horror of Auschwitz. He has the unfortunate luck to run into SS Oberst von Borchert who has the ability to take over a person's mind and completely control them. Thus are we introduced to a rather interesting type of vampire- a "vampire" that feeds off controlling minds.
The story then fast forwards to 1980 and we are introduced to a powerful trio of these creatures. Willi, Nina, and Melanie have been acquaintances for centuries. They play a game where they use mortal pawns to commit heinous acts for points and then meet up to tally the results. This is the premise that starts the story and it turns out to be a crazy one indeed. Part horror, part spy novel, part mystery and even adventure. It sounds strange that a book can have all those elements but this one certainly does.
As the story develops and an elderly Dr. Laksi seeks to hunt down his past demon, he stumbles across a vast conspiracy where a cabal of powerful "vampires" seeks to play the game on a global scale. To stop this threat Dr Laski embarks on a strange adventure, accompanied by Natalie Preston, a young woman who had her father murdered by one of these vampire games, they must face not only the vampires but their pawns as well.
A very interesting premise and a good story. The ending was also surprising and I appreciated it. This was a fine example of Mr. Simmon's horror writing abilities. The story is vast and exciting. The "vampire" Willi Borden ( SS Oberst Wilhelm Von Borchert) is quite the evil character and stands out for his particular level of cruelty.
Interesting story and cool characters make for one heck of a good horror story. Far better than the usual horror serving, this one will keep you on your toes and appreciating all the twists and turns. As a fan of vampire, or vampire-like, creatures I really enjoyed this Simmon's horror novel. I shall certainly read the rest of his horror novels. Highly recommended to any horror fan.
September 14, 2011
this is a briskly-paced supernatural thriller about mind control and controlling the world around us. it is also about as one-dimensional as they come, despite the potential of the multi-leveled subject matter and the breadth of the narrative (from World War 2 Germany to present-day Hollywood, and dozens of locales in between). the novel and several of the characters are obsessed with chess, which makes for some intriguing action. although it includes several wonderfully creepy set-pieces, overall this is far more action-oriented than horror. this is Simmons' second book, which must be the explanation for the occasionally stilted writing and the clear need of an editor.
the single first-person strand amongst all the third-person narratives is from one of the villainous 'mind vampires', which allows for some enjoyably tricky twists of perspective during various loaded scenes. and it certainly helps to create a devious and punchy ending. besides being an intriguing tool for the narrative, i think that this character is the novel's chief strength: a very ironic portrait of a vicious, racist, murderous, insanely self-absorbed, semi-senile southern belle - but one who also manages to be somewhat sympathetic and surprisingly funny. particularly when detailing her prudish and judgmental view of modern society. what a bitch! but not just any bitch - a mind-controlling bitch who will get you and all of your loved ones if you stand in her way! just imagine if prudish, semi-senile southern belles were in control of your mind and body...shudder. the things they'd do!
the single first-person strand amongst all the third-person narratives is from one of the villainous 'mind vampires', which allows for some enjoyably tricky twists of perspective during various loaded scenes. and it certainly helps to create a devious and punchy ending. besides being an intriguing tool for the narrative, i think that this character is the novel's chief strength: a very ironic portrait of a vicious, racist, murderous, insanely self-absorbed, semi-senile southern belle - but one who also manages to be somewhat sympathetic and surprisingly funny. particularly when detailing her prudish and judgmental view of modern society. what a bitch! but not just any bitch - a mind-controlling bitch who will get you and all of your loved ones if you stand in her way! just imagine if prudish, semi-senile southern belles were in control of your mind and body...shudder. the things they'd do!
March 12, 2022
Below review is from my first read.
Five words that I never thought I would say: "Couldn't it have been longer?". Seriously, for someone who dreads a book that passes the 600 page mark, I should have been absolutely dying over this 900 page monster. But...
This is one of those rare horror books that manages to maintain the suspense and horror over the course of the book. Long books often make it difficult for the author to maintain suspense without the story dragging (I'm totally looking at you Stephen King) but I found that Simmons managed to maintain a fairly consistent level of suspense. In 884 pages and 39:32 of audio, I was never once bored. Another truly impressive thing was that he created some of the most harrowing scenes I've ever read in a horror book but he never relied on gore to do it. Chess? Yes, I will never look at chess the same way again.
Much of the suspense of the story is in how it develops so I don't want to give a synopsis. I'll just say that there are these really bad dudes (and dudettes) that are able to control the actions of other people. Over the course of the book they're eventually called "mind vampires". One of the bad guys does use this for sexual violence so there are definitely triggers in this, but it did only happen at the beginning and then the story became much larger and more complex and he wasn't in the book enough for it to be a consistent issue.
A horror book with only one disemboweling and characters that redefine sadism. It was a very solid 4 stars and easily pushing 4.5. A truly fantastic book and now I want to read anything Simmons has written.
EDIT: I'm increasing the rating to 5 stars. I'm comparing it to all of my monthly reads and I have several 5 star reads, yet this was my favorite read of all of them.
Five words that I never thought I would say: "Couldn't it have been longer?". Seriously, for someone who dreads a book that passes the 600 page mark, I should have been absolutely dying over this 900 page monster. But...
This is one of those rare horror books that manages to maintain the suspense and horror over the course of the book. Long books often make it difficult for the author to maintain suspense without the story dragging (I'm totally looking at you Stephen King) but I found that Simmons managed to maintain a fairly consistent level of suspense. In 884 pages and 39:32 of audio, I was never once bored. Another truly impressive thing was that he created some of the most harrowing scenes I've ever read in a horror book but he never relied on gore to do it. Chess? Yes, I will never look at chess the same way again.
Much of the suspense of the story is in how it develops so I don't want to give a synopsis. I'll just say that there are these really bad dudes (and dudettes) that are able to control the actions of other people. Over the course of the book they're eventually called "mind vampires". One of the bad guys does use this for sexual violence so there are definitely triggers in this, but it did only happen at the beginning and then the story became much larger and more complex and he wasn't in the book enough for it to be a consistent issue.
A horror book with only one disemboweling and characters that redefine sadism. It was a very solid 4 stars and easily pushing 4.5. A truly fantastic book and now I want to read anything Simmons has written.
EDIT: I'm increasing the rating to 5 stars. I'm comparing it to all of my monthly reads and I have several 5 star reads, yet this was my favorite read of all of them.
May 27, 2020
Just finished reading Carrion Comfort (again), 30 years after first discovering this incredible work by Dan Simmons. After all this time, this classic horror tale is still as impactful as it was when I was just a young 22-year-old Marine, and this read just reaffirms its place as my second-favorite novel of all time. Carrion Comfort was, is, and always shall be a confirmed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read.
May 3, 2024
FINISHED. What an ending. It took me a while to get this done, but I think it was totally worth it. Mr. Simmons, I cannot wait to read your other books. He has such a way of creating a movie in your mind and becoming fully immersed in the plot, the characters, cheering on the good guys, booing the bad guys, and definitely making one squeamish at the uncomfortable, ahem, scenes.
This story is set in the 80s, so racism, political turmoil, police, gangs, film industry corruption, wall street devils, you name it. Everything comes into play and everything is tied to these vampires with the ability to control humans. Those with the Ability have influenced historical events throughout history. I believe this is truly a very scary notion to have absolutely no control of your mind or body at the whim of someone else.
The character development was very thorough and nothing is left to chance in the end. A sheriff, a psychiatrist and a photographer set out to catch the undetectable and uncatchable....
I didn't see this book as much as a horror rather than a thriller adventure imo, but still very well written.
This story is set in the 80s, so racism, political turmoil, police, gangs, film industry corruption, wall street devils, you name it. Everything comes into play and everything is tied to these vampires with the ability to control humans. Those with the Ability have influenced historical events throughout history. I believe this is truly a very scary notion to have absolutely no control of your mind or body at the whim of someone else.
The character development was very thorough and nothing is left to chance in the end. A sheriff, a psychiatrist and a photographer set out to catch the undetectable and uncatchable....
I didn't see this book as much as a horror rather than a thriller adventure imo, but still very well written.
December 30, 2018
1 star--I didn't like it. Wrong reader!
Dan Simmons, the author of this book, also wrote Hyperion, which I adore. So I was disappointed that this book wasn't to my taste. First, I expected (and wanted) horror, and instead, this is more of a blockbuster thriller--lots of FBI agents and explosions and such.
Second, I was turned off by the graphic rape scenes. They were done by a "bad guy" and not presented as anything positive, but I could do without the descriptions of a woman's fear and pain--especially when it happened more than once in the book and didn't move the plot along. (We get it--he's a rapist.)
And on a similar note, I was tired of reading the n-word and other racial slurs. Again, done by the bad guys, but I found it wearying.
I wish there had been more mental vampirism and less racism! All in all, not for me, though I know a lot of people who love this book so YMMV.
Dan Simmons, the author of this book, also wrote Hyperion, which I adore. So I was disappointed that this book wasn't to my taste. First, I expected (and wanted) horror, and instead, this is more of a blockbuster thriller--lots of FBI agents and explosions and such.
Second, I was turned off by the graphic rape scenes. They were done by a "bad guy" and not presented as anything positive, but I could do without the descriptions of a woman's fear and pain--especially when it happened more than once in the book and didn't move the plot along. (We get it--he's a rapist.)
And on a similar note, I was tired of reading the n-word and other racial slurs. Again, done by the bad guys, but I found it wearying.
I wish there had been more mental vampirism and less racism! All in all, not for me, though I know a lot of people who love this book so YMMV.
August 26, 2021
"Saul shivered. Behind the calm voice and the human puppet was a man who had directly murdered scores - perhaps thousands - of human beings."
The epic scope of The Eight.
The gut clenching agony of Schindler’s List.
The paranormal malevolence of Stephen King.
Oh my friends, this was something special. An absolute Must Read for the Horror Fan. I will remember it always... and shudder.
"Winter is coming. And I am very, very hungry."
August 30, 2016
Como ya he comentado en otras reseñas, los libros que me gustan, independiente del género literario, son aquellos que envuelven, emocionan, que nos hacen vibrar y estremecernos con sus descripciones. Esos libros que no te puedes quitar de la cabeza y no ves la hora de tener un tiempo para continuar la lectura. Esos libros que, a pesar de su tamaño, quisieras que no terminaran nunca, porque cada vez que lo retomas es un placer culpable. Los vampiros de la mente cumple a cabalidad con estas condiciones.
Creo que pocas veces me he topado con libros que logren estremecer y perturbar de esta forma. La manera en que Dan Simmons relata la violación mental que sufren las víctimas de estos “vampiros de la mente” supera incluso cualquier descripción de violencia física que haya leído antes. Por otra parte, las escenas de acción están muy bien logradas, son realmente angustiantes. En especial destaco aquellas donde se involucra a la pandilla Alma de la Fábrica, un grupo de jóvenes marginados de color en un suburbio de Filadelfia.
Otra aspecto que me llamó mucho la atención es que normalmente el argumento de las novelas tiene un norte claro (descubrir al asesino, saber quién está tras de la conspiración, quien ganará la batalla, si el héroe se quedará con la princesa...) Sin embargo, en este libro, el autor empieza a desmadejar acontecimientos que absorben a los personajes, envolviéndolos en una seguidilla de sucesos y revelaciones que los supera. No saben a qué se enfrentan, ni cómo seguir. Incluso hay un momento en la novela en que el único objetivo es sobrevivir.
La línea de tiempo que se usa para presentar la trama también es muy atractiva ya que no es precisamente lineal; cada poco se devuelve en uno o dos días para explicar algún acontecimiento, por supuesto desde la perspectiva de otro personaje. Obliga al lector a estar muy atento, sobre todo porque los primeros dos tercios de la novela (650 páginas aprox.) transcurren en apenas dos semanas.
Ambientada en la actualidad (bueno, en los años ´80 cuando fue escrita), la caracterización de los personajes es impecable, especialmente me impactó Melanie Fuller, la anciana adherida a una aristocracia decadente y Saul Laski, un sobreviviente del holocausto, obsesionado por su experiencia de haber sido “usado” en los campos de exterminio.
En resumen y a pesar de que se aleja de la temática fetiche del autor, la trama es de una originalidad impactante y puedo decir que, hasta el momento, es la novela que más me ha gustado de Dan Simmons, compleja, oscura y muy bien escrita. Un trabajo de esta envergadura no puede calificarse con menos de 5 estrellas.
Creo que pocas veces me he topado con libros que logren estremecer y perturbar de esta forma. La manera en que Dan Simmons relata la violación mental que sufren las víctimas de estos “vampiros de la mente” supera incluso cualquier descripción de violencia física que haya leído antes. Por otra parte, las escenas de acción están muy bien logradas, son realmente angustiantes. En especial destaco aquellas donde se involucra a la pandilla Alma de la Fábrica, un grupo de jóvenes marginados de color en un suburbio de Filadelfia.
Otra aspecto que me llamó mucho la atención es que normalmente el argumento de las novelas tiene un norte claro (descubrir al asesino, saber quién está tras de la conspiración, quien ganará la batalla, si el héroe se quedará con la princesa...) Sin embargo, en este libro, el autor empieza a desmadejar acontecimientos que absorben a los personajes, envolviéndolos en una seguidilla de sucesos y revelaciones que los supera. No saben a qué se enfrentan, ni cómo seguir. Incluso hay un momento en la novela en que el único objetivo es sobrevivir.
La línea de tiempo que se usa para presentar la trama también es muy atractiva ya que no es precisamente lineal; cada poco se devuelve en uno o dos días para explicar algún acontecimiento, por supuesto desde la perspectiva de otro personaje. Obliga al lector a estar muy atento, sobre todo porque los primeros dos tercios de la novela (650 páginas aprox.) transcurren en apenas dos semanas.
Ambientada en la actualidad (bueno, en los años ´80 cuando fue escrita), la caracterización de los personajes es impecable, especialmente me impactó Melanie Fuller, la anciana adherida a una aristocracia decadente y Saul Laski, un sobreviviente del holocausto, obsesionado por su experiencia de haber sido “usado” en los campos de exterminio.
En resumen y a pesar de que se aleja de la temática fetiche del autor, la trama es de una originalidad impactante y puedo decir que, hasta el momento, es la novela que más me ha gustado de Dan Simmons, compleja, oscura y muy bien escrita. Un trabajo de esta envergadura no puede calificarse con menos de 5 estrellas.
February 9, 2022
The book is well-written with some very convincing passages that describe the telepathic abilities of a special breed of vampires but it drags for the most part, it's just too damn long!
I can handle long. IT by Stephen King is of similar length and that flew by, but this has crazy amounts of filler that are an effort to get through. As the story progresses it becomes more and more corny with lots of cheesey dialogue.
The bad guys are pretty interesting and have such an ambivalent attitude to murders that I carried on reading just to enjoy their eventual downfall.
I'd also like to point out that I never found this book scary at all, I was expecting a proper horror novel and never got it; I don't know why Stephen King considers it on of the best horror novels of the 20th century .
For horror fans, look elsewhere. For action/suspense fans who are looking a supernatural element, check it out.
I can handle long. IT by Stephen King is of similar length and that flew by, but this has crazy amounts of filler that are an effort to get through. As the story progresses it becomes more and more corny with lots of cheesey dialogue.
The bad guys are pretty interesting and have such an ambivalent attitude to murders that I carried on reading just to enjoy their eventual downfall.
I'd also like to point out that I never found this book scary at all, I was expecting a proper horror novel and never got it; I don't know why Stephen King considers it on of the best horror novels of the 20th century .
For horror fans, look elsewhere. For action/suspense fans who are looking a supernatural element, check it out.
August 17, 2011
Hyperion gets a lot of love but I seldom see any mention of this amazing book. It is very different from Hyperion but that is not unusual for Simmons as he is a very versatile writer. Carrion Comfort is sf/horror of the highest calibre, something Stephen King may write when he is on top form (but with better prose). This book is about people with mind control abilities of different strengths. A lot of riveting plot is generated from this simple premise. I won't go onto any details, I'll just recommend that you do not miss this book even if you don't normally read horror.
November 17, 2013
I like long books, and Carrion Comfort is very long. Clocking in at 886 pages, it isn't the longest I have read, either. The tiny typeface may have shortened the page count, though. I would love to find out the word count of this book.
I say all this not to criticize the book (as you can see, I rated it 5 stars) but to explain why it took forever to read it.
I almost dropped a star because there is some extraneous material here that could have been excised and the mind-blowing story would not have suffered, but I savored every one of the words, so I feel that would be wrong.
This was my first Dan Simmons book and I had no real idea what to expect. I did know from friends warning me, to ignore the cover blurb comparing this to King's The Stand, so I was not disappointed to find the two are worlds apart, but both are epic in scope and flawlessly executed.
I don't remember who first recommended this book to me, but thanks a lot whoever you are.
I was lost in this story as soon as I opened it. The horror is not in your face here, but takes a backseat to more action and suspense than I expected. You get monsters, but they are not what you expect at all, at least that is how I feel.
The antagonists, and there are too many to count, are some of the most sadistic, vile and racist bunch I have encountered. I can' t help but compare the True Knot from Doctor Sleep to this group, only severely watered down and nowhere near as creepy. Maybe it is due to having read King's newest while I read this one. Not sure, but there are similarities.
I could go on forever but I finished this at 3 am and I have to stop.
I don't want to spoil anything but I will say that Saul was my favorite character. He was so well written, I never doubted his authenticity one bit. Rob Gentry and Natalie Preston were equally good.
As I mentioned, the bad guys are EVIL, and we even get a first person account from one of them, while the rest is told in third. That was interesting, and Melanie's scenes damn near steal the book.
This one gets a big well deseved 5 from me.
I will be reading more Simmons for sure.
I say all this not to criticize the book (as you can see, I rated it 5 stars) but to explain why it took forever to read it.
I almost dropped a star because there is some extraneous material here that could have been excised and the mind-blowing story would not have suffered, but I savored every one of the words, so I feel that would be wrong.
This was my first Dan Simmons book and I had no real idea what to expect. I did know from friends warning me, to ignore the cover blurb comparing this to King's The Stand, so I was not disappointed to find the two are worlds apart, but both are epic in scope and flawlessly executed.
I don't remember who first recommended this book to me, but thanks a lot whoever you are.
I was lost in this story as soon as I opened it. The horror is not in your face here, but takes a backseat to more action and suspense than I expected. You get monsters, but they are not what you expect at all, at least that is how I feel.
The antagonists, and there are too many to count, are some of the most sadistic, vile and racist bunch I have encountered. I can' t help but compare the True Knot from Doctor Sleep to this group, only severely watered down and nowhere near as creepy. Maybe it is due to having read King's newest while I read this one. Not sure, but there are similarities.
I could go on forever but I finished this at 3 am and I have to stop.
I don't want to spoil anything but I will say that Saul was my favorite character. He was so well written, I never doubted his authenticity one bit. Rob Gentry and Natalie Preston were equally good.
As I mentioned, the bad guys are EVIL, and we even get a first person account from one of them, while the rest is told in third. That was interesting, and Melanie's scenes damn near steal the book.
This one gets a big well deseved 5 from me.
I will be reading more Simmons for sure.
October 12, 2024
Лошо написана книга, от един станал много по-добър в последствие писател. Толкова ми беше досадна, че с голяма неохота си наложих да я дочета, особено последните 400 страници - мъка!
Идеята за мозъчни вампири не е много оригинална, но тук за съжаление е развита нескопосано и бездарно. Героите също не ми допаднаха. :(
Както и да е, оставам верен почитател на Хиперионите и Ужас!
Идеята за мозъчни вампири не е много оригинална, но тук за съжаление е развита нескопосано и бездарно. Героите също не ми допаднаха. :(
Както и да е, оставам верен почитател на Хиперионите и Ужас!
October 21, 2012
Carrion Comfort is a mess of a book. Not only are there evil, mind-controlling vampires, the things they do are just so ripe with evil. It's almost like they give evil a new name.
Carrion Comfort's story is complex, and involves several parties. Not only are these parties involved in a bigger picture, but they also have their own stories and action. There really isn't a main character, but several main characters, and several minor characters. As far as main characters go, Saul was my definite favorite. His story from the past to the present was so intriguing, and his time in WWII in the concentration camps was probably my favorite part of the entire novel. His cat and mouse relationship with the one and only Oberst was interesting, and I found myself cheering for him to succeed and avenge what and who the Oberst had done and is. The other characters: Natalie, Rob, Melanie, and Harod were also some of my favorite characters. Even though some of those characters were part of the evil side, I found I still enjoyed reading about them.
When it comes Melanie, I have to say...what an evil bitch. I'm sorry if that offends you, but if you read this novel, you would know why I say that. To Use, and I capitalize "U" for a reason, people the way she did, ugh.....That is all I will say. She was entertaining, and I felt like I could hear her voice in my head when her story was being read.
Harod.....I have nothing nice to say about that @*($#(#$. I'm not kidding. If you've read the book, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about. SICK PERVERT. The airplane and the hot tub scenes, along with what he did to Natalie... I did find his story entertaining, to say the very least.
Everyone's character was perfect for Carrion Comfort. The story is very well done, but there were a few problems I had with it.
First, I think some of this book could have been cut out. There was a point where I felt like I was going to gouge my eyes out at one point because I kept feeling like the story just kept going, and going, and going.....But whatever...The overall story is NOT disappointing, and has LOTS of action.
Second, I didn't find this book scary at all. Disturbing, yes...but not scary. I was expecting something scary, I guess. It didn't disappoint, but I guess it was just the expectation which kind of made it a little bit of a problem for me.
Third, there were a few instances where I was wondering, "How did we get there from where we were?" It kind of felt like an action was missing...That's kind of a minor thing. I'm a very visual reader, and this book is very visual.
Finally, there was a very, VERY memorable scene for me. Something I don't think I'll ever forget... It was such a surreal scene, and like I said, it is one I won't soon forget. The impact the scene has on the entire novel, and how it lets you know how much evil people can be fraught with, was just astounding.
For most of the book, I'd say two-thirds of the way, it was a five star book. But, I've gotten to be a bit more critical lately, a little bit more honest, and the few minor things I had knocked it down to a four star. I haven't decided whether I'm going to keep this book or not. I usually keep the books which are my favorites and can't part with. I think the hidden scene I mentioned before is enough for me to keep it, and along with Saul's background story. Very intriguing, and for me the best parts of the book.
Carrion Comfort is definitely worth the read.
Carrion Comfort's story is complex, and involves several parties. Not only are these parties involved in a bigger picture, but they also have their own stories and action. There really isn't a main character, but several main characters, and several minor characters. As far as main characters go, Saul was my definite favorite. His story from the past to the present was so intriguing, and his time in WWII in the concentration camps was probably my favorite part of the entire novel. His cat and mouse relationship with the one and only Oberst was interesting, and I found myself cheering for him to succeed and avenge what and who the Oberst had done and is. The other characters: Natalie, Rob, Melanie, and Harod were also some of my favorite characters. Even though some of those characters were part of the evil side, I found I still enjoyed reading about them.
When it comes Melanie, I have to say...what an evil bitch. I'm sorry if that offends you, but if you read this novel, you would know why I say that. To Use, and I capitalize "U" for a reason, people the way she did, ugh.....That is all I will say. She was entertaining, and I felt like I could hear her voice in my head when her story was being read.
Harod.....I have nothing nice to say about that @*($#(#$. I'm not kidding. If you've read the book, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about. SICK PERVERT. The airplane and the hot tub scenes, along with what he did to Natalie... I did find his story entertaining, to say the very least.
Everyone's character was perfect for Carrion Comfort. The story is very well done, but there were a few problems I had with it.
First, I think some of this book could have been cut out. There was a point where I felt like I was going to gouge my eyes out at one point because I kept feeling like the story just kept going, and going, and going.....But whatever...The overall story is NOT disappointing, and has LOTS of action.
Second, I didn't find this book scary at all. Disturbing, yes...but not scary. I was expecting something scary, I guess. It didn't disappoint, but I guess it was just the expectation which kind of made it a little bit of a problem for me.
Third, there were a few instances where I was wondering, "How did we get there from where we were?" It kind of felt like an action was missing...That's kind of a minor thing. I'm a very visual reader, and this book is very visual.
Finally, there was a very, VERY memorable scene for me. Something I don't think I'll ever forget... It was such a surreal scene, and like I said, it is one I won't soon forget. The impact the scene has on the entire novel, and how it lets you know how much evil people can be fraught with, was just astounding.
For most of the book, I'd say two-thirds of the way, it was a five star book. But, I've gotten to be a bit more critical lately, a little bit more honest, and the few minor things I had knocked it down to a four star. I haven't decided whether I'm going to keep this book or not. I usually keep the books which are my favorites and can't part with. I think the hidden scene I mentioned before is enough for me to keep it, and along with Saul's background story. Very intriguing, and for me the best parts of the book.
Carrion Comfort is definitely worth the read.
January 24, 2008
One glance of the wear on the spine of my copy of Carrion Comfort would be enough to tell this is a must read. In fact, I would upload a picture of it but yet another of my friends is currently reading it. One of my friends read it three times and another wants it back again.
It's a toss-up between this novel and Silence of the Lambs as my favorite novel of all time.
It's huge, over 900 pages, and dates back from Nazi Germany to present day. In a nutshell, it's about a small group of people with the ability to completely control the actions of people using telekinesis. For those who have read the novel, this little tidbit will interest you:
I saw an interview with Dan Simmons...the inspiration for this story came from a dream he had of an old woman in a nightgown being pursued through a forest by a helicopter.
Amazing how this story grew from that. I can't recommend this highly enough. Read it!!
It's a toss-up between this novel and Silence of the Lambs as my favorite novel of all time.
It's huge, over 900 pages, and dates back from Nazi Germany to present day. In a nutshell, it's about a small group of people with the ability to completely control the actions of people using telekinesis. For those who have read the novel, this little tidbit will interest you:
I saw an interview with Dan Simmons...the inspiration for this story came from a dream he had of an old woman in a nightgown being pursued through a forest by a helicopter.
Amazing how this story grew from that. I can't recommend this highly enough. Read it!!
August 5, 2018
I’m kind of torn in two when it comes to this book. I was seriously disappointed by it but at the same time, I did really enjoy some parts. I think my disappointment stems from the fact that I’ve read over and over how scary this book is and I didn’t even find myself remotely scared. Sure some parts were pretty brutal and the actions of many characters were truly despicable but I just didn’t feel any fear when reading this. Nothing about this book made me want to sleep with the lights on at night and that’s what I love about reading horror, the adrenaline that the fright brings. The story was interesting though and I enjoyed how everything was so intertwined, Simmons really spun a tangled web and it kept me intrigued enough to see it through to the end. I did think the ending was great, and gave me tingles, I wish the whole book would have felt that way!
October 31, 2021
Puppet Master Shocker! Untermenschen Strike Back! "Well, I don't know what the hell happened. One minute I was master of the universe and the next I was fish bait. It just goes to show that you can't take your position at the top of society for granted." - Mind Vampires Missive
Dan Simmons' novel addresses a key theme that is dear to my own heart. The processes of 'dominion.'
Dominion is the circumstance where one person wedges another between two choices - both bad. Like when someone puts a gun to your head and orders you to do something that is clearly bad for you, but not as bad as getting shot - so you obey.
The target of dominion must choose between the lesser of two evils. The least evil choice will serve the interests of the dominator... by these means those people who seek the obedience of others ensure compliance.
If you look closely, human society is shot through with this process.
In Simmons' novel he takes this a step further, positing a rare type of individual who can overwrite your personality with their own, and use you as a meat-puppet to exercise their will. (As a side effect, if this goes on - your personality vanishes forever).
The 'mind vampire,' villains are wonderfully well drawn. This is a huge plus for me as a poorly-drawn villain is real turn off.
That said ... there are a number of major flaws.
While conceptually brilliant, this novel fails in the execution. The author has made a choice to express this story from multiple points of view across the same time frames.
This means that a given set of events will be seen from multiple points of view, over and over again. When I first realised this was happening, I was confused by the jumping back and forth through time, then I realised it was a deliberate technique.
The key issue is that many of these scenes are without tension as we already know precisely what will happen...
Furthermore, there is a massive super-black-hole Deus Ex Machina at approx. 70% in that saves the 'good guys,' from an impossible situation... I'm not a fan of DEMs, and this has to the biggest stroke of good luck I've ever seen in my life of reading fiction. For those who have read the book, I refer to the wonderfully lucky finding of the 'Toyota Landcruiser,' in the woods.
Followed with a 'Gloat Speech,' by the major villain just before the long-awaited climatic battle...
Followed by a final battle where the most important secondary character (Natalie) is going up against horrendous odds, and suddenly does several things which are ridiculously stupid (and out of character for her), harming her cause... Talk about B-Grade movie crap... I was face palming as I was reading this and losing 'all care factor,' at 99% of the book.
For FS!
Hence 4 stars. Despite its several flaws, this story is a tour-de-force of imaginative power.
Regarding those who rule us...
Regular people attempting to understand the mind vampires...
Mouse One: "No mouse would eat another mouse! Cats must be insane."
Mouse Two: "They're sick. It must be a horrible sickness that drives Cats to murder mice."
Mouse One: "Perhaps there is a cure?"
Mouse Two: "There must be a cure."
Mouse One: "Wait ... Oh No! The cat is waiting outside our hole!"
Mouse Two: "Horrors! It caught Freddie yesterday, and tortured him for minutes before -"
Mouse One: "No! Don't say it! I can't stand to think about it."
Mouse Two: " - well, you know..."
The Cat (Upon listening to this exchange): "You're attempting to define me in 'mouse,' terms. Ha! Of course, you misunderstand me. I don't murder you. I catch you and eat you to fill my belly. Catching and eating mice is simply an efficient way to survive. When I play with you, I am not torturing you, I am practicing my hunting skills which are essential to my survival. I would be a very poor cat indeed if I spent my days worrying about the suffering of mice. Ha! and you think I'm insane."
Dwell on that for a moment or two - will we ever understand evil in a way that allows us to throw off the yoke of servitude?
On a final note, the book contains two male on female rape scenes which don't add much to the narrative (apart from minor fleshing out of one of the secondary characters) and seemed gratuitous to me.
Recommended. 4 'Flawed Genius,' stars.
Dan Simmons' novel addresses a key theme that is dear to my own heart. The processes of 'dominion.'
Dominion is the circumstance where one person wedges another between two choices - both bad. Like when someone puts a gun to your head and orders you to do something that is clearly bad for you, but not as bad as getting shot - so you obey.
The target of dominion must choose between the lesser of two evils. The least evil choice will serve the interests of the dominator... by these means those people who seek the obedience of others ensure compliance.
If you look closely, human society is shot through with this process.
In Simmons' novel he takes this a step further, positing a rare type of individual who can overwrite your personality with their own, and use you as a meat-puppet to exercise their will. (As a side effect, if this goes on - your personality vanishes forever).
The 'mind vampire,' villains are wonderfully well drawn. This is a huge plus for me as a poorly-drawn villain is real turn off.
That said ... there are a number of major flaws.
While conceptually brilliant, this novel fails in the execution. The author has made a choice to express this story from multiple points of view across the same time frames.
This means that a given set of events will be seen from multiple points of view, over and over again. When I first realised this was happening, I was confused by the jumping back and forth through time, then I realised it was a deliberate technique.
The key issue is that many of these scenes are without tension as we already know precisely what will happen...
Furthermore, there is a massive super-black-hole Deus Ex Machina at approx. 70% in that saves the 'good guys,' from an impossible situation... I'm not a fan of DEMs, and this has to the biggest stroke of good luck I've ever seen in my life of reading fiction. For those who have read the book, I refer to the wonderfully lucky finding of the 'Toyota Landcruiser,' in the woods.
Followed with a 'Gloat Speech,' by the major villain just before the long-awaited climatic battle...
Followed by a final battle where the most important secondary character (Natalie) is going up against horrendous odds, and suddenly does several things which are ridiculously stupid (and out of character for her), harming her cause... Talk about B-Grade movie crap... I was face palming as I was reading this and losing 'all care factor,' at 99% of the book.
For FS!
Hence 4 stars. Despite its several flaws, this story is a tour-de-force of imaginative power.
Regarding those who rule us...
Regular people attempting to understand the mind vampires...
Mouse One: "No mouse would eat another mouse! Cats must be insane."
Mouse Two: "They're sick. It must be a horrible sickness that drives Cats to murder mice."
Mouse One: "Perhaps there is a cure?"
Mouse Two: "There must be a cure."
Mouse One: "Wait ... Oh No! The cat is waiting outside our hole!"
Mouse Two: "Horrors! It caught Freddie yesterday, and tortured him for minutes before -"
Mouse One: "No! Don't say it! I can't stand to think about it."
Mouse Two: " - well, you know..."
The Cat (Upon listening to this exchange): "You're attempting to define me in 'mouse,' terms. Ha! Of course, you misunderstand me. I don't murder you. I catch you and eat you to fill my belly. Catching and eating mice is simply an efficient way to survive. When I play with you, I am not torturing you, I am practicing my hunting skills which are essential to my survival. I would be a very poor cat indeed if I spent my days worrying about the suffering of mice. Ha! and you think I'm insane."
Dwell on that for a moment or two - will we ever understand evil in a way that allows us to throw off the yoke of servitude?
On a final note, the book contains two male on female rape scenes which don't add much to the narrative (apart from minor fleshing out of one of the secondary characters) and seemed gratuitous to me.
Recommended. 4 'Flawed Genius,' stars.
February 25, 2013
5 Stars... clearly, Ja?
I must say; after reading this book, I am completely disheveled in appearance and spent. This book wore me out to say the least. This was a thrill ride of the highest order, and creeped me out the entire time. I don't want to give away anything and provide spoilers; for fear that 'someone' may find this out and complete a mind-game on me.
This book is about mind-control; vampirism that not only takes your life essence, but your very soul. It is about having complete power over individuals, maybe; entire cities/communities; maybe, the entire world, most definitely. Will they succeed; I don't know, but I feel like I need an aluminum helmet a la; "Signs"; to keep 'ME' being me..
So, if this intrigues you to take the plunge; to USE this book for entertainment; don't say I didn't warn you... or did I?? I can't seem to remember.....
I must say; after reading this book, I am completely disheveled in appearance and spent. This book wore me out to say the least. This was a thrill ride of the highest order, and creeped me out the entire time. I don't want to give away anything and provide spoilers; for fear that 'someone' may find this out and complete a mind-game on me.
This book is about mind-control; vampirism that not only takes your life essence, but your very soul. It is about having complete power over individuals, maybe; entire cities/communities; maybe, the entire world, most definitely. Will they succeed; I don't know, but I feel like I need an aluminum helmet a la; "Signs"; to keep 'ME' being me..
So, if this intrigues you to take the plunge; to USE this book for entertainment; don't say I didn't warn you... or did I?? I can't seem to remember.....
February 14, 2021
I’ve done it. After forcing myself to put it down last night, I have spent most of the day reading it today. The last 150 pages or so, as I have been told, were gripping and shocking. I have to say, I love this book. It’s great. Will write a full review once it digests a bit.
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