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Floater
Capable of astral projection, Frazier Nunley, falls victim to a high-school prank that ends in tragedy but returns twenty years later to seek his gruesome revenge
295 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
4 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Gary Brandner
91 books112 followersGary Phil Brandner (May 31, 1930 – September 22, 2013) was an American horror author best known for his werewolf themed trilogy of novels, The Howling. The first book in the series was loosely adapted as a motion picture in 1981. Brandner's second and third Howling novels, published in 1979 and 1985 respectively, have no connection to the film series, though he was involved in writing the screenplay for the second Howling film, Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf. The fourth film in the Howling series, Howling IV: The Original Nightmare, is actually the closest adaptation of Brandner's original novel, though this too varies to some degree.
Brandner's novel Walkers was adapted and filmed for television as From The Dead Of Night. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 horror film Cameron's Closet.
Born in the Midwest and much traveled during his formative years, Brandner published more than 30 novels, over 100 short stories, and also wrote a handful of screenplays. He attended college at the University of Washington where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After graduating in 1955, he worked as an amateur boxer, bartender, surveyor, loan company investigator, advertising copywriter, and technical writer before turning to fiction writing. Brandner lived with his wife, Martine Wood Brandner, and several cats in Reno, Nevada.
He died of esophageal cancer in 2013.
Brandner's novel Walkers was adapted and filmed for television as From The Dead Of Night. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 horror film Cameron's Closet.
Born in the Midwest and much traveled during his formative years, Brandner published more than 30 novels, over 100 short stories, and also wrote a handful of screenplays. He attended college at the University of Washington where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After graduating in 1955, he worked as an amateur boxer, bartender, surveyor, loan company investigator, advertising copywriter, and technical writer before turning to fiction writing. Brandner lived with his wife, Martine Wood Brandner, and several cats in Reno, Nevada.
He died of esophageal cancer in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 26, 2025
Three students from the in-crowd, one outsider, a prank gone wrong and some revenge from the beyond. What will happen to Lindy, Roman and Alex when they return back to their hometown Wolfcreek after 20 years for a class reunion? What about Frazier Nunley? As usually with Gary Brandner, well written, intriguing, good characters and some real uncanny horror. This is some 80s horror at its best with astral projection to the full. A bit slow at parts, but for my taste, exactly the right pace. Really enjoyed this one. Highly recommended!
May 5, 2019
Gary Brandner, for me, was always a great author. I first read The Howling as a boy and loved every minute of it. Although for some reason I stopped reading him. Years later I picked up something else by him and read it and wondered why I never read more of his books. A consistently well written author that I always over looked. But when I do make my way back, it's almost always a gem, like The Floater.
An "As The Worm Turns" book. Awkward and smart beyond his years, Frazier Nunley just wants to be part of the in crowd. He's only 14, but a senior in high school. Like most schools, the popular kids have no feelings for nerds like him. When two guys, and a girl plot to get even with him for peeking in the girls room, while might I add, Floating, an out of body experience where his spirit floats out of his body, the book starts to heat up. The planned revenge goes horribly wrong. But Frazier floats out of his body to roam and plot his own revenge.
This book has an outlandish plot, and shows it's age often. For most books this would pull it down some, not this. The retro feel gives it more of a kitchy value. It was nicely paced with likable and unpleasant characters you are supposed to dislike. My only complaint is that I was hoping for a more quirky ending. Not that the finale was bad, I just thought it could of been a little more off the wall.
An "As The Worm Turns" book. Awkward and smart beyond his years, Frazier Nunley just wants to be part of the in crowd. He's only 14, but a senior in high school. Like most schools, the popular kids have no feelings for nerds like him. When two guys, and a girl plot to get even with him for peeking in the girls room, while might I add, Floating, an out of body experience where his spirit floats out of his body, the book starts to heat up. The planned revenge goes horribly wrong. But Frazier floats out of his body to roam and plot his own revenge.
This book has an outlandish plot, and shows it's age often. For most books this would pull it down some, not this. The retro feel gives it more of a kitchy value. It was nicely paced with likable and unpleasant characters you are supposed to dislike. My only complaint is that I was hoping for a more quirky ending. Not that the finale was bad, I just thought it could of been a little more off the wall.
August 24, 2021
It was creepy and very fascinating to read. Did really give me the creeps and so when the ending came so abrubt and not at all as scary as the last part of the book. It just wast so bland. Just an end nothing more then that. But I did enjoy the story overall
October 14, 2022
I guess even authors have to pay the bills, and Floater seems to be the result. Brandner can write, and this is well put together, but a very predictable, bland plot and characters made this pretty meh overall. The story revolves around 4 people-- Alec, Roman, Lindy and Frazier. The first three are in the 'in crowd' in their senior year in high school, while Frazier is the genius nerd, having skipped a few grades to boot. What Frazier has, however, is the ability of astral projection, being able to leave his physical body and go/see whatever.
Now, back in the fall of 1966, the three 'ins' decided to play a prank on Frazier, that, lets say, did not end well for him. While his body may be dead, it seems his projected astral spirit lived, and now, 20 years later, he is finally able to extract some revenge. All of this is not really a spoiler, as it is presented (rather luridly) on the back cover. So, we delve into the lives of the three 'ins' 20 years later with flashbacks to the year that went so bad.
This felt very much like a script for a b-movie, but not a very good b-movie. Floater commits two sins for a horror novel-- it is boring and not scary at all. Yes, the character development is decent, albeit very tropy, but this really lacks the 'chill' that makes the horror genre so fun. I was debating between a 2 and 3, but with the bland denouement? 2 stars.
Now, back in the fall of 1966, the three 'ins' decided to play a prank on Frazier, that, lets say, did not end well for him. While his body may be dead, it seems his projected astral spirit lived, and now, 20 years later, he is finally able to extract some revenge. All of this is not really a spoiler, as it is presented (rather luridly) on the back cover. So, we delve into the lives of the three 'ins' 20 years later with flashbacks to the year that went so bad.
This felt very much like a script for a b-movie, but not a very good b-movie. Floater commits two sins for a horror novel-- it is boring and not scary at all. Yes, the character development is decent, albeit very tropy, but this really lacks the 'chill' that makes the horror genre so fun. I was debating between a 2 and 3, but with the bland denouement? 2 stars.
January 19, 2019
It is well written, stylistically.
You can’t deny it is a brilliant concept.
Moves a bit slow up front, but the characters are interesting enough to keep you engaged in parts that some might consider slow. I thought the horror elements were very minimal for the first 200 pages or so.
The stakes sometimes seemed low as well at first. The protagonist’s daughter gets a pimple, and this sends the protagonist on an unscheduled plane trip back to her home town to try to prevent further harm to her daughter.
BUT the last 60 pages or so really move at breakneck speed, and it gets pretty macabre pretty quickly. It is almost a bait and switch. Folks go in expecting Stephen King and end up with something substantially darker.
It does end kind of abruptly. I really expected more of that last little portion, but it was still worth reading, and I’m surprised this book doesn’t have more reviews on here.
You can’t deny it is a brilliant concept.
Moves a bit slow up front, but the characters are interesting enough to keep you engaged in parts that some might consider slow. I thought the horror elements were very minimal for the first 200 pages or so.
The stakes sometimes seemed low as well at first. The protagonist’s daughter gets a pimple, and this sends the protagonist on an unscheduled plane trip back to her home town to try to prevent further harm to her daughter.
BUT the last 60 pages or so really move at breakneck speed, and it gets pretty macabre pretty quickly. It is almost a bait and switch. Folks go in expecting Stephen King and end up with something substantially darker.
It does end kind of abruptly. I really expected more of that last little portion, but it was still worth reading, and I’m surprised this book doesn’t have more reviews on here.
November 20, 2025
“I totally never would have bullied that kid to death if I knew he’d get the power to come back and kill me in twenty years!!!”
January 30, 2015
A decent read, but suffers from Brandner's usual problem of abruptly ending. This was more apparent in this than The Howling books, as Floater contained a little more character development than usual, at least for the potential victims.
February 23, 2014
I like the sex part :P
February 10, 2024
Just like WALKERS, the last Gary Brandner book I read, this is probably more of a 3 1/2 star book, but I’m bumping it up for the sheer audaciousness of the concept. Brandner is like a kinkier Stephen King. You’ve been warned.
February 21, 2025
I enjoyed this one,brandner has always written good books,the title of the book has some humor attached to it,but do not let that put you off,keeps you reading to the last page,we really want those popular kids get their just rewards.
If you like astral projection then this book is for you
If you like astral projection then this book is for you
October 31, 2024
Astral projection revenge story, which gets quite gory towards the end.
July 3, 2022
This has a lot of similarities to another book, which happens to be my favourite of all time: Stephen King’s IT. This is shorter, simpler and has the usual Brandner abrupt ending, but is probably a top 5 GB book for me.
February 2, 2022
This is an intense read, i felt dread looming almost the whole time lol.
The Frazier's training chapter.. Let's just say, seeing how things happened from the mind of a sadist psycho makes me so mad *no pun intended*.
Alex's final appearance really.. deserve some clapping. There it was, the man that always a coward and a bootlicker, has finally proved himself to be more than that.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read, until the abrupt ending.
Adult Rating: R for multiple nudes/s*x scenes (not raunchy), almost inc*st and gory
(Although the backstory is a coming of age, the whole book is in adult territory.)
Edit: omg, this was first published in 1988??
The Frazier's training chapter.. Let's just say, seeing how things happened from the mind of a sadist psycho makes me so mad *no pun intended*.
Alex's final appearance really.. deserve some clapping. There it was, the man that always a coward and a bootlicker, has finally proved himself to be more than that.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read, until the abrupt ending.
Adult Rating: R for multiple nudes/s*x scenes (not raunchy), almost inc*st and gory
(Although the backstory is a coming of age, the whole book is in adult territory.)
Edit: omg, this was first published in 1988??
April 7, 2013
La sinopsis me hizo ver que se trataba de una historia de terror muy al estilo ochentero. Me gustan mucho pero al mismo tiempo pusieron mis expectativas no muy altas porque por lo general así son este tipo de historias.
Lo malo es que a pesar de ello, es de esos libros que comienzan con una semilla que da para mucho y que se va desarrollando bastante bien, introduce ciertos elementos que te hacen creer que al final va a resultar una mezcla interesante pero que termina en un climax forzado.
Como dije, es como una película ochentera de esas que al final todo se resuelve con una explosión; no es el caso literal de este libro pero creo que la analogía es la misma.
No es un mal libro pero daba para más.
Lo malo es que a pesar de ello, es de esos libros que comienzan con una semilla que da para mucho y que se va desarrollando bastante bien, introduce ciertos elementos que te hacen creer que al final va a resultar una mezcla interesante pero que termina en un climax forzado.
Como dije, es como una película ochentera de esas que al final todo se resuelve con una explosión; no es el caso literal de este libro pero creo que la analogía es la misma.
No es un mal libro pero daba para más.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews