What do you think?
Rate this book
The Electric
'The Electric was a terrific read. Absorbing, resonant, emotionally satisfying and quite magical' - Stephen Volk
'Eloquent, shimmering writing unfurls a haunting story of childhood, grief and obsession' – Simon Clark
'I adored every line. I can’t recommend it highly enough... Book of the Year!' - The Eloquent Page
‘The Electric is an impressive first novel. Andrew David Barker’s style is whimsical and nostalgic, and the work reads like the haziest recollections of a childhood long since gone.’
- Starburst Magazine
‘The Electric is more than a book – just as its namesake is more than a cinema – it’s an experience to dive into and wallow in. It’s a link to the past and a way to think about what’s really important about life. Its heart beats beautiful pulses of nostalgia and grief, but it is full of affirmation too: the joy of discovery; the value of insight; the depths of friendship, love and family ties, and the powerful cement of a shared experience.’
- Geek Syndicate
In the summer of 1985, fifteen-year-old Sam Crowhurst discovers an old abandoned cinema that screens movies made by ghosts, for ghosts.
Sam, along with his friends, Emma and David, find themselves drawn into a world where the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Lon Chaney and Theda Bara are still making pictures; where Harold Lloyd and John Belushi team up for roustabout comedies, and Karloff and Lugosi appear in films scripted by Edgar Allan Poe. Sam comes to learn the mysteries of the Electric cinema and his part to play in its long and strange history.
With shades of Ray Bradbury, the more nostalgic work of Stephen King, and the early films of Steven Spielberg, THE ELECTRIC is about movies, ghosts, and that ephemeral moment in all of our lives, childhood.
'Eloquent, shimmering writing unfurls a haunting story of childhood, grief and obsession' – Simon Clark
'I adored every line. I can’t recommend it highly enough... Book of the Year!' - The Eloquent Page
‘The Electric is an impressive first novel. Andrew David Barker’s style is whimsical and nostalgic, and the work reads like the haziest recollections of a childhood long since gone.’
- Starburst Magazine
‘The Electric is more than a book – just as its namesake is more than a cinema – it’s an experience to dive into and wallow in. It’s a link to the past and a way to think about what’s really important about life. Its heart beats beautiful pulses of nostalgia and grief, but it is full of affirmation too: the joy of discovery; the value of insight; the depths of friendship, love and family ties, and the powerful cement of a shared experience.’
- Geek Syndicate
In the summer of 1985, fifteen-year-old Sam Crowhurst discovers an old abandoned cinema that screens movies made by ghosts, for ghosts.
Sam, along with his friends, Emma and David, find themselves drawn into a world where the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Lon Chaney and Theda Bara are still making pictures; where Harold Lloyd and John Belushi team up for roustabout comedies, and Karloff and Lugosi appear in films scripted by Edgar Allan Poe. Sam comes to learn the mysteries of the Electric cinema and his part to play in its long and strange history.
With shades of Ray Bradbury, the more nostalgic work of Stephen King, and the early films of Steven Spielberg, THE ELECTRIC is about movies, ghosts, and that ephemeral moment in all of our lives, childhood.
Audiobook
First published October 31, 2013
8 people are currently reading
421 people want to read
About the author
Andrew David Barker
9 books37 followersAndrew David Barker is an author and filmmaker. Born in Derby, England in 1975, Barker has had pretty much every job going. In his time he has worked as a window fitter, a rail track worker, a factory worker, a carpet salesman, a car cleaner, a delivery driver, a bricklayers' labourer, a shop assistant, and a care worker, among others. None of them stuck.
In the late 90s he played lead guitar in a rock band. They got signed, made a single, played London, thought they were famous, and, subsequently, imploded.
As a filmmaker, he wrote and directed the little-seen opus, A Reckoning – a last man on earth tale which won acclaim from many who saw it - and has made several award-winning short films, inculding Shining Tor and Laura Living Backwards, which he co-wrote.
He is the author of The Electric, Dead Leaves, The Winterman, and Society Place, and is an Arts Council Grant recipient for his writing.
He is also the co-screenwriter of the upcoming feature, The Wilding, and the writer/director of the micro-horror, The House on Lidderman Street.
He now lives in Warwickshire with his wife and daughters, trying to be a grown up.
In the late 90s he played lead guitar in a rock band. They got signed, made a single, played London, thought they were famous, and, subsequently, imploded.
As a filmmaker, he wrote and directed the little-seen opus, A Reckoning – a last man on earth tale which won acclaim from many who saw it - and has made several award-winning short films, inculding Shining Tor and Laura Living Backwards, which he co-wrote.
He is the author of The Electric, Dead Leaves, The Winterman, and Society Place, and is an Arts Council Grant recipient for his writing.
He is also the co-screenwriter of the upcoming feature, The Wilding, and the writer/director of the micro-horror, The House on Lidderman Street.
He now lives in Warwickshire with his wife and daughters, trying to be a grown up.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
September 11, 2022
A gently nostalgic ghost story set in the 1980s, with three teenagers discovering an abandoned cinema that screens films made by ghosts, starring ghosts, for ghosts. The lore behind the abandoned Electric is fantastic; I loved everything about the cinema and its eerie denizens. Barker clearly has an knack for imagined media: the fictitious, haunted films depicted here are spellbinding, even on the page. But I longed for a mainstream-publisher version of this book, one that would have been more thoroughly edited. As it is, The Electric is hampered by repetition, unconvincing dialogue and a laboured coming-of-age subplot. (Though I will say that the protagonist’s grief for his late father, and how he finds his way out of it, is beautifully drawn.) I still might read more by the author, as the underlying story is solid and filled with the kind of uncanny details I find fascinating.
TinyLetter | Linktree
TinyLetter | Linktree
June 27, 2020
ALERT – A number of quotes from the book are in the review.
Heard that before? Well, I have read Andrew Barker’s Dead Leaves (with review quotes) and Bank Holiday All-Dayer. To understand my 80’s nostalgia see my review of Dead Leaves. The Electric is Barker’s first novel.
First quote is this…..
“I once saw one kid confess that he was into Duran Duran and Culture Club. That was the end for him. If he’d have said, say, Iron Maiden or Motorhead, his future may have been assured, but instead he made the fatal mistake of being honest.”
See that photo on my profile? Two brothers on holiday in the 80’s. Ok, it is my brother with Iron Maiden plastered on his denim while I am the Def Leppard Kid. Does this make me cool?
Andrew Barker writes in such a way that I connect with his books on a massive personal scale. Like my previous reviews, his books are like my autobiography. They are coming of age tales that transport me back to the 80’s and 90’s.
The story is set in 1985 during the last summer holidays that Sam and his two friends, Emma and David, will spend together as after summer they are in their final year at school. This hits Sam hard as he realises…..
“Autumn lay beyond this storm, and my final year of school. Beyond that, the world waited for me. My childhood was ebbing away faster than I’d realised.”
Sam discovers an old abandoned cinema, The Electric, which he enters and feels the strange, creepy, chilling atmosphere of the place. What goes on here? He then goes back with his friends to explore more and they find ghosts making movies for ghosts. They discover more about the cinema and how Sam has links to it. That finding The Electric is a key moment in his life.
Although not a horror story as such (the ghosts are friendly) I will treat it like one.
It is more a coming of age tale. The grief Sam has suffered due to loss in his family, his relationships with his friends Emma (his first love?) and David and his mum. What is important in life. How time goes fast.
“I felt a very profound sense of time; of how it scurries on so subtly that, unless you really look, you hardly notice it passing at all.”
This brings back a lot of memories of my youth. My relationships, my family, my friends. Most of all, my childhood. Where did it go so fast? How did I let it slip away?
This Japanese term sums it up, Mono No Aware – The sad beauty of seeing time pass, the aching awareness of impermanence. These are the days that we will return to one day in the future only in memories.
Heard that before? Well, I have read Andrew Barker’s Dead Leaves (with review quotes) and Bank Holiday All-Dayer. To understand my 80’s nostalgia see my review of Dead Leaves. The Electric is Barker’s first novel.
First quote is this…..
“I once saw one kid confess that he was into Duran Duran and Culture Club. That was the end for him. If he’d have said, say, Iron Maiden or Motorhead, his future may have been assured, but instead he made the fatal mistake of being honest.”
See that photo on my profile? Two brothers on holiday in the 80’s. Ok, it is my brother with Iron Maiden plastered on his denim while I am the Def Leppard Kid. Does this make me cool?
Andrew Barker writes in such a way that I connect with his books on a massive personal scale. Like my previous reviews, his books are like my autobiography. They are coming of age tales that transport me back to the 80’s and 90’s.
The story is set in 1985 during the last summer holidays that Sam and his two friends, Emma and David, will spend together as after summer they are in their final year at school. This hits Sam hard as he realises…..
“Autumn lay beyond this storm, and my final year of school. Beyond that, the world waited for me. My childhood was ebbing away faster than I’d realised.”
Sam discovers an old abandoned cinema, The Electric, which he enters and feels the strange, creepy, chilling atmosphere of the place. What goes on here? He then goes back with his friends to explore more and they find ghosts making movies for ghosts. They discover more about the cinema and how Sam has links to it. That finding The Electric is a key moment in his life.
Although not a horror story as such (the ghosts are friendly) I will treat it like one.
It is more a coming of age tale. The grief Sam has suffered due to loss in his family, his relationships with his friends Emma (his first love?) and David and his mum. What is important in life. How time goes fast.
“I felt a very profound sense of time; of how it scurries on so subtly that, unless you really look, you hardly notice it passing at all.”
This brings back a lot of memories of my youth. My relationships, my family, my friends. Most of all, my childhood. Where did it go so fast? How did I let it slip away?
This Japanese term sums it up, Mono No Aware – The sad beauty of seeing time pass, the aching awareness of impermanence. These are the days that we will return to one day in the future only in memories.
June 24, 2014
You probably wouldn’t suspect it to look at me, but I’m actually a raging, unabashed sentimentalist at heart. If you walked passed me in the street the perma-scowl on my hairy Neanderthal-esque face would give you absolutely no inkling of the huge, soft pussycat of a man that hides within. Why the self-deprecating admission to begin this review? A couple of reasons really. Firstly, to confirm that looks can be deceptive, and secondly, and probably more importantly in this case, that my sentimental nature makes me the perfect audience for the debut novel from Andrew David Barker.
Things get off to a suitably creepy, yet subtle, start. Within just a handful of sentences I realised that The Electric was going to be something a bit special.
"…the evening I discovered the Electric, I was alone, and that old abandoned building seemed to know it."
The plot follows a teenager called Sam Crowhurst as he travels that difficult road between the child he is and the man that he is destined to be. Sam acts as the narrator of his own story as he recalls the events of his fifteenth year. He is on the cusp of adulthood and the narrative explores the emotions and chaos that rule that often turbulent time in anyone’s life. Though young Sam has experienced his fair share of loss and this has left its mark. He hasn’t quite managed to come to terms with how he feels and that lack of resolution continues to hold sway. A chance encounter leads Sam to The Electric and inadvertently towards making peace with the ghost that haunts his life.
Barker has the most delicate of touches with his writing, especially when it comes to capturing those bittersweet, emotive moments. I don’t doubt for a second that many readers will be able to empathise with all of the themes that are touched up. Initially the spirits that haunt The Electric have an ephemeral quality and there is also a sense of sadness, of longing, that permeates their every action. As Sam and his friends learn more of the building’s colourful history the ghosts become more tangible and start to communicate.
I remember reading years ago, in Necroscope by Brian Lumley if memory serves, the idea that the dead continue to do whatever they did best while they were living – painters paint, sculptors sculpt etc. I’ve always relished that particular thought. There is a similar premise at work here. Those unfortunates who have passed over don’t let anything as trivial as death stop them from continuing to do what they love. The actors act, the directors direct and the writers can’t help but write. All those stars that have long since gone, or have died too young, still ply their trade in films created for a very specific audience. Any movie fan is going to get a kick out of the plethora of Hollywood references scattered throughout the narrative, everyone from Harold Lloyd to John Belushi and Humphrey Bogart get a mention.
The Electric manages to defy categorisation lying somewhere between horror, fantasy and modern day fairy-tale. Barker has crafted a wonderful story that picks apart the tragedy of loss and the slow process of acceptance. I was reminded of classic early fiction of Stephen King, there is definitely a similar tone to the likes of Stand by Me, or IT. Hauntingly nostalgic and beautifully evocative, the plot really plucks at the old heartstrings, but never in an overly schmaltzy saccharin sweet way
I’ll be honest, and you may have spotted this already, I could wax lyrical about The Electric all day. I love reading and I love cinema, finding a book that manages to encapsulate and merge together my two greatest passions is a genuine delight. I’m always pleased when fiction ignites that kind of fire in my belly. Deep down inside, in the dark recesses of my psyche, it feels as though The Electric has been written just for me and no-one else. It’s that rarest of beasts, a blissful treat that I know I am going to revisit again and again. There is no better feeling when you connect with fiction on that near sub-atomic level. Put simply, I loved The Electric. This is without a doubt one of my favourite reads so far this year. I knew nothing about the book or the author before I started reading but decided to take a chance, and I’m so very glad that I did.
Things get off to a suitably creepy, yet subtle, start. Within just a handful of sentences I realised that The Electric was going to be something a bit special.
"…the evening I discovered the Electric, I was alone, and that old abandoned building seemed to know it."
The plot follows a teenager called Sam Crowhurst as he travels that difficult road between the child he is and the man that he is destined to be. Sam acts as the narrator of his own story as he recalls the events of his fifteenth year. He is on the cusp of adulthood and the narrative explores the emotions and chaos that rule that often turbulent time in anyone’s life. Though young Sam has experienced his fair share of loss and this has left its mark. He hasn’t quite managed to come to terms with how he feels and that lack of resolution continues to hold sway. A chance encounter leads Sam to The Electric and inadvertently towards making peace with the ghost that haunts his life.
Barker has the most delicate of touches with his writing, especially when it comes to capturing those bittersweet, emotive moments. I don’t doubt for a second that many readers will be able to empathise with all of the themes that are touched up. Initially the spirits that haunt The Electric have an ephemeral quality and there is also a sense of sadness, of longing, that permeates their every action. As Sam and his friends learn more of the building’s colourful history the ghosts become more tangible and start to communicate.
I remember reading years ago, in Necroscope by Brian Lumley if memory serves, the idea that the dead continue to do whatever they did best while they were living – painters paint, sculptors sculpt etc. I’ve always relished that particular thought. There is a similar premise at work here. Those unfortunates who have passed over don’t let anything as trivial as death stop them from continuing to do what they love. The actors act, the directors direct and the writers can’t help but write. All those stars that have long since gone, or have died too young, still ply their trade in films created for a very specific audience. Any movie fan is going to get a kick out of the plethora of Hollywood references scattered throughout the narrative, everyone from Harold Lloyd to John Belushi and Humphrey Bogart get a mention.
The Electric manages to defy categorisation lying somewhere between horror, fantasy and modern day fairy-tale. Barker has crafted a wonderful story that picks apart the tragedy of loss and the slow process of acceptance. I was reminded of classic early fiction of Stephen King, there is definitely a similar tone to the likes of Stand by Me, or IT. Hauntingly nostalgic and beautifully evocative, the plot really plucks at the old heartstrings, but never in an overly schmaltzy saccharin sweet way
I’ll be honest, and you may have spotted this already, I could wax lyrical about The Electric all day. I love reading and I love cinema, finding a book that manages to encapsulate and merge together my two greatest passions is a genuine delight. I’m always pleased when fiction ignites that kind of fire in my belly. Deep down inside, in the dark recesses of my psyche, it feels as though The Electric has been written just for me and no-one else. It’s that rarest of beasts, a blissful treat that I know I am going to revisit again and again. There is no better feeling when you connect with fiction on that near sub-atomic level. Put simply, I loved The Electric. This is without a doubt one of my favourite reads so far this year. I knew nothing about the book or the author before I started reading but decided to take a chance, and I’m so very glad that I did.
October 31, 2013
A great read: nostalgic, romantic and well-paced. The relationships between the youngsters is real and raw, yet, in parts, tender.
The main draw is the ghosts but the story is carried by the children, especially the protagonist, Sam. The tale weaves and dances around and fits the autumn backdrop perfectly; the fading sun proving a great metaphor for how childhood slips away.
If you like Herbert, King, Bradbury, then this is for you.
The main draw is the ghosts but the story is carried by the children, especially the protagonist, Sam. The tale weaves and dances around and fits the autumn backdrop perfectly; the fading sun proving a great metaphor for how childhood slips away.
If you like Herbert, King, Bradbury, then this is for you.
September 24, 2014
Earlier this year I met up with Alex Davis, the publisher and editor of Boo Books, at a comic fair in Sheffield. During our chat he mentioned a book that was going to be published by his press in the near future, which was about a cinema showing films for ghosts made by ghosts. I must say I was intrigued by the premise and looked forward to the day I could get my hands on a copy. That day came last Saturday, and believe me when I say it was worth the wait. The story plays out over the last week/weekend of the school summer holidays in 1985, and starts with the lead character Sam Crowhurst cycling by the river after saying goodbye to his friends David and Emma. Sam is still getting over the death of his father, as is his mother, which is why he is in no rush to get home. While meandering by the river Sam comes across an old shack with a bit of an old movie poster in it. The shack leads to a path which leads inevitably, to The Electric, an abandoned cinema. Though it is deserted and nigh on derelict Sam feels drawn to it and sets off to explore. What he, and his friends when he fetches them to see it the next day, will find at The Electric will change them all. I can't say too much about the plot as it may well spoil the reading experience of this quite wonderful book, but the general gist is that there are ghosts in The Electric and they are watching films that were never made, starring actors from different eras of cinema. There is a magic on the screen but also, there is a magic here in the printed word. The Electric is, at heart, a ghost story, but more chilling than horror in style. It is also, though, a coming of age tale. The three lead characters are all fifteen years old, approaching the last year of school and on the threshold between childhood and adulthood. Two of them have lost a parent so their is grief and sorrow thrown into the mix of teenage emotions. I thought I had the general idea of where the story was going to end up but I'm not ashamed to say I was only partly right. There were two scenes at the end that. I honestly believe will stay with me for a very long time, and one sentence that actually brought tears to my eyes. On this showing, Andrew David Barker is one to watch for the future, an author with a writing style that draws you into the book and into the story knowing you are in safe hands but not sure what will be round the next corner. The book reviewed is a limited edition hardback (98/150) but is also available as a kindle edition. I bought the copy myself so feel justified in giving it 10/10 for both the story and the physical book itself. Andrew David Barker and Boo Books (Alex Davis) - remember those names, you'll be hearing more from both of them in the future.
July 24, 2014
Wow. This is the kind of book to make me pity those folks who seem to think never having read a book is something to brag about. The author perfectly captures the potential inherent in the six weeks of freedom that a mid 1980's summer holiday provided. The nostalgia for that period of my own childhood sucked me in but it was the characters of Sam and Emma that kept me reading. Everything about this book is wonderfully done, pitch-perfect in its depiction of childhood, love and loss without ever sliding into over-sentimentality. The author's love of cinema bleeds from the page and the brilliant premise allows him, and the reader, to have a hell of a lot of fun with the made-up movies. Highly recommended, but be sure to have a tissue or two at the ready.
February 22, 2015
A supernatural coming of age story, shot through with the author's evident love of the cinema, this something a bit different. Wonderful characterisation, and it genuinely captures the feeling of being a teenager. And, like all the best movies, a bit of a tear-jerker as well. Recommended.
November 13, 2019
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
Wow! Just wow is this a great relatable story with incredible narration.
The Electric is about a moment in time in your childhood which changes your outlook on the rest of your life. While the main characters are teenagers - please do not think that this would only appeal to a YA audience or that as an adult there is nothing to see here. The story deals with the death of the main protagonist Sam's father and the impact that had on him one summer. But beyond that, the story is about relationships - parental, friends, first love, and growing up - and how those relationships impact your life. The relationships that the main characters have with each other and Sam, our main protagonist, has with his parents are realistic, tender, and, at times, very unrefined - meaning the inability to truly express your thoughts and feelings at a time when you really should be sharing more of yourself [something even adults are incapable of doing]. I truly enjoyed how Sam one day realized how alienated his relationship had become with his Mom, who is equally grief stricken, and thought to make her breakfast to spend a little time together as they were eating - an absolutely captivating moment.
There is a paranormal element to this story, which occurs when Sam and his friends enter The Electric cinema. The paranormal element is not creepy or frightening nor is this a horror story. The paranormal element is used in an extraordinary manner to get Sam to realize the impact his father had on his life, even though his father was only present for a very short period of time. And, in Sam, it sparks the joy of using his talents, as his father had encouraged him but he had abandoned. Further, the love of cinema, is readily apparent - how original to pair John Belushi with Fatty Arbuckle or Lon Chaney with Boris Karloff or Humphrey Bogart with Jean Harlow.
This novel draws you in, and expertly, without be overly sentimental, keeps you tuned in as three teenagers try to navigate one summer, which changes their lives. This story is worth your time and it is highly recommended!
The narrator, Nigel Peever, is absolutely fantastic. He has a very nice clear baritone voice with a slight British accent. He does voices for all of the characters - including the celebrities. In addition, there are some sound effects and music which are added - nothing too obtrusive and it really enhanced the narration - reminiscent of the radio dramas of days past. The narration and the story were just the perfect marriage.
Wow! Just wow is this a great relatable story with incredible narration.
The Electric is about a moment in time in your childhood which changes your outlook on the rest of your life. While the main characters are teenagers - please do not think that this would only appeal to a YA audience or that as an adult there is nothing to see here. The story deals with the death of the main protagonist Sam's father and the impact that had on him one summer. But beyond that, the story is about relationships - parental, friends, first love, and growing up - and how those relationships impact your life. The relationships that the main characters have with each other and Sam, our main protagonist, has with his parents are realistic, tender, and, at times, very unrefined - meaning the inability to truly express your thoughts and feelings at a time when you really should be sharing more of yourself [something even adults are incapable of doing]. I truly enjoyed how Sam one day realized how alienated his relationship had become with his Mom, who is equally grief stricken, and thought to make her breakfast to spend a little time together as they were eating - an absolutely captivating moment.
There is a paranormal element to this story, which occurs when Sam and his friends enter The Electric cinema. The paranormal element is not creepy or frightening nor is this a horror story. The paranormal element is used in an extraordinary manner to get Sam to realize the impact his father had on his life, even though his father was only present for a very short period of time. And, in Sam, it sparks the joy of using his talents, as his father had encouraged him but he had abandoned. Further, the love of cinema, is readily apparent - how original to pair John Belushi with Fatty Arbuckle or Lon Chaney with Boris Karloff or Humphrey Bogart with Jean Harlow.
This novel draws you in, and expertly, without be overly sentimental, keeps you tuned in as three teenagers try to navigate one summer, which changes their lives. This story is worth your time and it is highly recommended!
The narrator, Nigel Peever, is absolutely fantastic. He has a very nice clear baritone voice with a slight British accent. He does voices for all of the characters - including the celebrities. In addition, there are some sound effects and music which are added - nothing too obtrusive and it really enhanced the narration - reminiscent of the radio dramas of days past. The narration and the story were just the perfect marriage.
October 28, 2019
Beautiful story and incredible narration!
This bittersweet tale was magical and extremely nostalgic. It was a touching coming of age story spiced up with a taste of the supernatural. Although there was a whole theater full of ghosts it wasn’t scary or creepy. The true horror for these teens is the end of summer, going back to school, and growing up in general. There is poignancy to feeling that the bonds to your childhood are being demolished, in this case quite literally, and you are reluctantly thrust on the path to becoming an adult. Childhood friends drift away and childhood pastimes become fondly remembered history. This inevitable transition and the melancholy it entails are fully relatable to every adult who looks back on that last summer of childhood with wistfulness and longing for a simpler time.
While I found this story to be quite sad it is a really fun book especially for lovers of classic movies. I am not an avid classic cinema fan but even I recognized most of the famous characters in The Electric’s special ghost movies. It’s wholly amusing to see actors from different eras appearing together in film, like John Belushi and Fatty Arbuckle providing slapstick to a haunted house tale, or Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Lon Chaney Sr. in a story of vengeful captive ghosts. These are movies I would most definitely watch if they existed in real life! The Electric is a wistful “if only” moviephile’s dream where Bogart meets Harlow and all the greats can make films together even if they lived in different periods of time. I really enjoy the idea that all deceased actors are still making movies in the afterlife. It’s good to stay busy, even for the dead!
This was a full experience audiobook with music and sound effects. It really was like watching a movie. The narration was excellent and a major highlight of the book. It was a very dramatic reading and fit the cinematic nature of the story perfectly. The clips from the movies featuring stars with recognizable voices like Bogart and Lugosi were exceptional and I could pretty clearly visualize these movies that never actually existed.
I received this audiobook free for review but my opinion is my own.
This bittersweet tale was magical and extremely nostalgic. It was a touching coming of age story spiced up with a taste of the supernatural. Although there was a whole theater full of ghosts it wasn’t scary or creepy. The true horror for these teens is the end of summer, going back to school, and growing up in general. There is poignancy to feeling that the bonds to your childhood are being demolished, in this case quite literally, and you are reluctantly thrust on the path to becoming an adult. Childhood friends drift away and childhood pastimes become fondly remembered history. This inevitable transition and the melancholy it entails are fully relatable to every adult who looks back on that last summer of childhood with wistfulness and longing for a simpler time.
While I found this story to be quite sad it is a really fun book especially for lovers of classic movies. I am not an avid classic cinema fan but even I recognized most of the famous characters in The Electric’s special ghost movies. It’s wholly amusing to see actors from different eras appearing together in film, like John Belushi and Fatty Arbuckle providing slapstick to a haunted house tale, or Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Lon Chaney Sr. in a story of vengeful captive ghosts. These are movies I would most definitely watch if they existed in real life! The Electric is a wistful “if only” moviephile’s dream where Bogart meets Harlow and all the greats can make films together even if they lived in different periods of time. I really enjoy the idea that all deceased actors are still making movies in the afterlife. It’s good to stay busy, even for the dead!
This was a full experience audiobook with music and sound effects. It really was like watching a movie. The narration was excellent and a major highlight of the book. It was a very dramatic reading and fit the cinematic nature of the story perfectly. The clips from the movies featuring stars with recognizable voices like Bogart and Lugosi were exceptional and I could pretty clearly visualize these movies that never actually existed.
I received this audiobook free for review but my opinion is my own.
July 12, 2021
Given my love for cinema it would have been surprising if I hadn't enjoyed this book. I bought it at an SF/F/H convention, swayed by the cover and blurb, and probably by the spiel from the publisher. It's taken me several years to actually pull it from the shelf, but that's the story of my life. The story of Sam Crowhurst's life - or, more specifically, a formative summer - is the entirety of this tale, and it's one that will easily resonate with anyone who's been an awkward teenager, artistic, and different; particularly for those who didn't even realise it at the time.
I won't go too much into the plot, but this is a thoughtful, delicately-balanced, emotionally authentic story of loss and friendship, of moments that define a life, of the simplicity of existence when everything is stripped away and laid bare. There are ghosts in this book, and it takes courage not to make them scary but identifiable. Throughout I was hoping it wouldn't go the standard horror route, and gladly it doesn't, which means that when there is horror it hits that much harder. I was close to tears by the end. Barker has captured the essence of nostalgia for time's past that wholly resonated with me, steered clear of the obvious, and whilst in some respects it's predictable in its unfolding, this only means that it's natural. There's no rug pulling, no nonsense, just honesty. And that's the most beautiful thing of all. I loved it.
I won't go too much into the plot, but this is a thoughtful, delicately-balanced, emotionally authentic story of loss and friendship, of moments that define a life, of the simplicity of existence when everything is stripped away and laid bare. There are ghosts in this book, and it takes courage not to make them scary but identifiable. Throughout I was hoping it wouldn't go the standard horror route, and gladly it doesn't, which means that when there is horror it hits that much harder. I was close to tears by the end. Barker has captured the essence of nostalgia for time's past that wholly resonated with me, steered clear of the obvious, and whilst in some respects it's predictable in its unfolding, this only means that it's natural. There's no rug pulling, no nonsense, just honesty. And that's the most beautiful thing of all. I loved it.
February 28, 2019
Evokes a time and a haunting place!
I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narrator was particularly good with dialogue and the teen characters's voices, excellent in reading description and creepy narrative.
The premise of a haunted cinema, a film that was never made and a group of teen friends in the 1980s hooked me and delivered the mix of nostalgia and coming of age that I was hoping for. The teen relationships rang true, especially the boys' embarrassment and self-consciousness at Emma's precocious teasing - a timely reminder that growing up is no easier for boys than for girls.The places linger in my imagination although I finished listening two weeks ago: the Car Cemetery, where the kids hang out in wrecked vehicles, and the derelict cinema were vividly brought to life and every place felt real to me. I also found the ending well-conceived,a haunting conclusion. There was much to love but I sometimes grew irritated by the slow pace, the repetition, and being told every single emotion felt by the characters at all times.Also, the period detail came from lists and names, which worked for me as I knew most of them but more context and fewer names, whether of e.g. song hits or film stars, would have been better.
I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narrator was particularly good with dialogue and the teen characters's voices, excellent in reading description and creepy narrative.
The premise of a haunted cinema, a film that was never made and a group of teen friends in the 1980s hooked me and delivered the mix of nostalgia and coming of age that I was hoping for. The teen relationships rang true, especially the boys' embarrassment and self-consciousness at Emma's precocious teasing - a timely reminder that growing up is no easier for boys than for girls.The places linger in my imagination although I finished listening two weeks ago: the Car Cemetery, where the kids hang out in wrecked vehicles, and the derelict cinema were vividly brought to life and every place felt real to me. I also found the ending well-conceived,a haunting conclusion. There was much to love but I sometimes grew irritated by the slow pace, the repetition, and being told every single emotion felt by the characters at all times.Also, the period detail came from lists and names, which worked for me as I knew most of them but more context and fewer names, whether of e.g. song hits or film stars, would have been better.
July 17, 2019
The end of Summer.
This was an unusual narrative, a mixture between the adventures of teenagers in an age now past, first love, discovery of an old building, films from the black-and-white era and the paranormal. As with most of the books I've reviewed recently, this was in audiobook format, but with a difference. Headed up by the actor Nigel Peever, this also encompassed music and sound effects, which gave it a cinematic feel, probably quite different form the experience of reading the original book.
David, Emma and Sam (the narrator), are passing time towards the end of the long summer holidays of 1985. Sam stumbles across an old movie theatre, The Electric, hidden amongst undergrowth and off the beaten path. It is spooky and he has a strange reaction to it, but he can't wait to share his discovery with his friends. Emma feels the strangeness of the place immediately, but it takes David a while before he is drawn in. Together they discover the history of the place, why it was built, who watched and what was shown.
I really enjoyed this novel but there were a few things that irritated me. Not being a film buff, I thought there was too much description of the films and this would probably have bothered me even more if I'd been reading. In addition, while I loved the sound effects, I did think the background rain or traffic might have been faded out to leave us with the narrative, instead of drumming on in the background.
The story had a personal element too; Sam's Dad had died and he was living with his mother, while Emma had also lost her mother and was living with her father. Their grief is still raw and comes to the surface during the narrative. This grounds the otherwise somewhat fantastical element of the story.
If you're into old films and don't mind a bit of fantasy, then this could be your next summer read.
This was an unusual narrative, a mixture between the adventures of teenagers in an age now past, first love, discovery of an old building, films from the black-and-white era and the paranormal. As with most of the books I've reviewed recently, this was in audiobook format, but with a difference. Headed up by the actor Nigel Peever, this also encompassed music and sound effects, which gave it a cinematic feel, probably quite different form the experience of reading the original book.
David, Emma and Sam (the narrator), are passing time towards the end of the long summer holidays of 1985. Sam stumbles across an old movie theatre, The Electric, hidden amongst undergrowth and off the beaten path. It is spooky and he has a strange reaction to it, but he can't wait to share his discovery with his friends. Emma feels the strangeness of the place immediately, but it takes David a while before he is drawn in. Together they discover the history of the place, why it was built, who watched and what was shown.
I really enjoyed this novel but there were a few things that irritated me. Not being a film buff, I thought there was too much description of the films and this would probably have bothered me even more if I'd been reading. In addition, while I loved the sound effects, I did think the background rain or traffic might have been faded out to leave us with the narrative, instead of drumming on in the background.
The story had a personal element too; Sam's Dad had died and he was living with his mother, while Emma had also lost her mother and was living with her father. Their grief is still raw and comes to the surface during the narrative. This grounds the otherwise somewhat fantastical element of the story.
If you're into old films and don't mind a bit of fantasy, then this could be your next summer read.
January 30, 2023
This was a beautifully written Ghost story set is a small town with an old run-down picture show house off the beaten path. The author wrote a story of teens with Great dialogue and descriptions of people and places in this Story. With quite a bit of old movie films that were filmed in the 20s - 70s. Narrator does a very good job with the characters' voices and descriptions as well as the entire storyline!!
October 7, 2015
Andrew David Barker’s novel The Electric isn’t really a horror story. It has ghosts, to be sure, but if you’re looking for creepy, chilling frights, look elsewhere…but only after you’ve read The Electric. This is an extraordinary book, a beautiful tale of loss, of teenage alienation and filmmaking and what it means to not just create art, but to want to create art. An urge that sets the drawing hand to shaking and lights the imagination on fire.
As enjoyable as it is, The Electric doesn’t lack flaws. Awkward phrasing and run-on sentences created some stumbling blocks; at times, I found myself having to re-read certain passages to divine their meaning. My other concern was the complete lack of an antagonist. Whenever one threatens to thwart protagonist Sam Crowhurst, it fades away quickly as a non-event. This presented a feeling of safety in the text, an assurance of inevitability that everything would indeed play out as required, and hence eliminated the necessary dramatic element of tension.
Despite this, the novel is a book to be drawn into, one that keeps you turning the pages. The love triangle of Emma, Sam, and David was realistically drawn with the ins and outs of young teenage infatuation. Sam’s loss of his father and subsequent alienation from his mother in the wake of terrible grief also strikes home, very keenly. These are real people, all of them, including Mean Stare Mandrake.
Barker’s love of celluloid animates the text, giving what might have been a ho-hum haunting element true depth and character. His knowledge of Bogie’s films, of Jean Harlow and Peter Lorre and other classic film greats is breathtaking in that he doesn’t just describe how they were, but shows you what they might be and do and think after they’ve gone.
Emotional without being maudlin, The Electric gives us glimpses of the world beyond death, and some of death’s landscape is quite disturbing. Some spirits rest and some don’t, and the ones who don’t might show up in a dilapidated cinema one day. If you’re not lucky enough to stumble upon one in your daily travels, read The Electric instead. You’ll be glad you did.
(Review originally published at Ginger Nuts of Horror: http://gingernutsofhorror.com/4/post/...)
As enjoyable as it is, The Electric doesn’t lack flaws. Awkward phrasing and run-on sentences created some stumbling blocks; at times, I found myself having to re-read certain passages to divine their meaning. My other concern was the complete lack of an antagonist. Whenever one threatens to thwart protagonist Sam Crowhurst, it fades away quickly as a non-event. This presented a feeling of safety in the text, an assurance of inevitability that everything would indeed play out as required, and hence eliminated the necessary dramatic element of tension.
Despite this, the novel is a book to be drawn into, one that keeps you turning the pages. The love triangle of Emma, Sam, and David was realistically drawn with the ins and outs of young teenage infatuation. Sam’s loss of his father and subsequent alienation from his mother in the wake of terrible grief also strikes home, very keenly. These are real people, all of them, including Mean Stare Mandrake.
Barker’s love of celluloid animates the text, giving what might have been a ho-hum haunting element true depth and character. His knowledge of Bogie’s films, of Jean Harlow and Peter Lorre and other classic film greats is breathtaking in that he doesn’t just describe how they were, but shows you what they might be and do and think after they’ve gone.
Emotional without being maudlin, The Electric gives us glimpses of the world beyond death, and some of death’s landscape is quite disturbing. Some spirits rest and some don’t, and the ones who don’t might show up in a dilapidated cinema one day. If you’re not lucky enough to stumble upon one in your daily travels, read The Electric instead. You’ll be glad you did.
(Review originally published at Ginger Nuts of Horror: http://gingernutsofhorror.com/4/post/...)
June 7, 2015
It’s the last days of the summer of 1985, just before the new — and final — school year begins for fifteen-year-old Sam Crowhurst. Having taken to roaming his home village at all hours (perhaps as much to avoid going home, after the recent death of his father, as to take advantage of the good weather), Sam comes to a place he’s never been before: an abandoned, crumbling cinema in the middle of nowhere. Inside, he finds a poster for a film called When the Night Came Fallin’, starring Humphrey Bogart and Jean Harlow — a film that he (having spent many a happy afternoon watching old Bogart films with his dad) feels sure shouldn’t exist. Just looking at the poster gives him a sick feeling, but it’s a feeling he gets used to as he spends more and more time at The Electric. Because this cinema doesn’t show ordinary films, and it doesn’t cater to an ordinary audience. Often mixing and matching stars from across movie history (John Belushi, Harold Lloyd and Betty Grable share the bill in Mad Dogs, for instance), its films are made by ghosts for an audience of ghosts…
A coming of age tale and an overcoming of grief tale, The Electric is also the story of the awakening of a creative talent, as Sam’s enthusiasm for drawing, initially inspired by his love of films, has stalled since the death of his father. Contact with the Electric, its films, and its patrons, brings both him and his talent back to life. With Sam are his friends David and (to a greater extent) Emma, whose loss of her mother allows her to share that special kind of seeing you need in The Electric’s auditorium.
The Electric doesn’t turn its emotional screws as much as it might. Mostly, this a gentle tale touching on the poignance of youngsters having received too nasty a jolt on the verge of adulthood, and taking a necessary moment to find their feet before facing the serious business of growing up. It does brush on some dark territory, but along the way it’s also a celebration of the magic of cinema — particularly of old movies — and the kind of free-to-explore summer days you can get at the end of adolescence.
A coming of age tale and an overcoming of grief tale, The Electric is also the story of the awakening of a creative talent, as Sam’s enthusiasm for drawing, initially inspired by his love of films, has stalled since the death of his father. Contact with the Electric, its films, and its patrons, brings both him and his talent back to life. With Sam are his friends David and (to a greater extent) Emma, whose loss of her mother allows her to share that special kind of seeing you need in The Electric’s auditorium.
The Electric doesn’t turn its emotional screws as much as it might. Mostly, this a gentle tale touching on the poignance of youngsters having received too nasty a jolt on the verge of adulthood, and taking a necessary moment to find their feet before facing the serious business of growing up. It does brush on some dark territory, but along the way it’s also a celebration of the magic of cinema — particularly of old movies — and the kind of free-to-explore summer days you can get at the end of adolescence.
March 17, 2016
It's fair to say that this book is full of mystery & magic from the very start. The biggest mystery as how this can only be the author's second book? His technique & style is so polished, you'd think he'd been doing it for years!
The magic first comes in the evocative setting - highly reminiscent of my own childhood growing up in that era, the halcyon days of running around in fields & seeking adventure without 24/7 media warning us of "the dangers out there". The characters are instantly identifiable with, kids you might have known from school, just known much about. The other magic is the pure depth of the narrative, how someone of a young age deals with grief, the experience of the heart's first flutter, the fear of bullying & non-conformity - subject matters that we can perhaps all associate with from that time of life.
The supernatural element is sublime, purely because it's not over the top. This isn't another write by formula solution where said protagonist has to save the world, it's the wistfulness of wanting those epic, timeless films & their stars to have kept going beyond their recognised body of work. It's a joy to read and took me less than a week from e-cover to cover. I highly recommend this to anyone at all, as I feel everyone can get something they'll appreciate from this. Watch out for Andrew Barker, this man is going to go far!
The magic first comes in the evocative setting - highly reminiscent of my own childhood growing up in that era, the halcyon days of running around in fields & seeking adventure without 24/7 media warning us of "the dangers out there". The characters are instantly identifiable with, kids you might have known from school, just known much about. The other magic is the pure depth of the narrative, how someone of a young age deals with grief, the experience of the heart's first flutter, the fear of bullying & non-conformity - subject matters that we can perhaps all associate with from that time of life.
The supernatural element is sublime, purely because it's not over the top. This isn't another write by formula solution where said protagonist has to save the world, it's the wistfulness of wanting those epic, timeless films & their stars to have kept going beyond their recognised body of work. It's a joy to read and took me less than a week from e-cover to cover. I highly recommend this to anyone at all, as I feel everyone can get something they'll appreciate from this. Watch out for Andrew Barker, this man is going to go far!
January 14, 2015
By chance I was at a craft fair and my stall was opposite a nice chap selling books - an unusual and great addition to a craft fair. He spoke to a few people about The Electric, so I picked it up, got home and pretty much ate it.
As a coming of age type tale, it hits some emotional punches, although it has some cliches in there, they exist because they are what teenagers go through. There's awkward first love, falling out a bit as you realise you and your best mate may not be that similar, losing a parent, being distant form your surviving parent, and also, of course discovering strange things in an abandoned cinema.
Written first person, the touching parts are where the narrative has been written after the fact, so the narrator can comment on how they later realised what was going on, or how their feelings about the situation later changed. It has a poignant nostalgia, because the narrator is reflecting and commenting on his own nostalgia. You see how, in the future, the lead character has grown up, as he reflects back.
Hope to see more of Andrew's work on the future!
As a coming of age type tale, it hits some emotional punches, although it has some cliches in there, they exist because they are what teenagers go through. There's awkward first love, falling out a bit as you realise you and your best mate may not be that similar, losing a parent, being distant form your surviving parent, and also, of course discovering strange things in an abandoned cinema.
Written first person, the touching parts are where the narrative has been written after the fact, so the narrator can comment on how they later realised what was going on, or how their feelings about the situation later changed. It has a poignant nostalgia, because the narrator is reflecting and commenting on his own nostalgia. You see how, in the future, the lead character has grown up, as he reflects back.
Hope to see more of Andrew's work on the future!
September 6, 2015
Amazing book which ticked all the boxes for me. I loved the nostalgic memories it stirred up about being out all day as kids exploring and having all the time in the world to watch movies, I miss that. We didn't find anything as exciting as The Electric though on our bike rides.
Very well written and fast paced, I pretty much read it in 2 sittings and really felt for not only the main characters but also others like Emma's Dad who only pops up a few times but is still stuck in my head.
Definitely read this book, immerse yourself in it and see things through Sam's eyes for a while. It's captivating.
Very well written and fast paced, I pretty much read it in 2 sittings and really felt for not only the main characters but also others like Emma's Dad who only pops up a few times but is still stuck in my head.
Definitely read this book, immerse yourself in it and see things through Sam's eyes for a while. It's captivating.
June 26, 2016
A friend recommended this book to me and I'm so pleased he did. I loved this so much I barely wanted to put it down. The characters were so alive, vibrant and rich. The history, the setting, the suspense, all mesmerising!
Echoing the previous reviews, I feel like the characters were very special. The teenage energy was captured beautifully. They had me strolling through my own past summers, of wandering around for days on end with friends, and the end of summer urgency before school began again. The authors portrayal of those coming of ages years are just stunning; the fickle delicacy of emotions in their rawest forms.
I'll be recommending this book to all my fellow readers.
Echoing the previous reviews, I feel like the characters were very special. The teenage energy was captured beautifully. They had me strolling through my own past summers, of wandering around for days on end with friends, and the end of summer urgency before school began again. The authors portrayal of those coming of ages years are just stunning; the fickle delicacy of emotions in their rawest forms.
I'll be recommending this book to all my fellow readers.
August 27, 2015
Given this book by my daughter, she loved it, and I did too. Read it in just two sittings, one of those books where you can't wait to get to the end but you don't want it to. It touched me as the characters were the same age as I was in the 80's, long before kids had their heads filled with tablets and mobiles. We had movies, music and fashion to fill our heads. I've sat and wondered since who would be in my films and audience. A book to remember, it would make a great film.
August 20, 2015
What a story teller you are Andrew Barker.
This book had me hooked, and I already know that it will be one which stays with me for a very long time. It made me laugh and cry. With this book I felt like magic was happening, a spell had been cast.
Thank you for writing this book.
It turns out we're practically neighbours too!
Eagerly awaiting your next book!
This book had me hooked, and I already know that it will be one which stays with me for a very long time. It made me laugh and cry. With this book I felt like magic was happening, a spell had been cast.
Thank you for writing this book.
It turns out we're practically neighbours too!
Eagerly awaiting your next book!
February 24, 2019
I found the magic of The Electric completely beguiling. It is simply a lovely story, but so much more, and it's pretty difficult to categories where this should be 'labelled'. Of course, it deals with the supernatural, but in a deftly written, really approachable way that makes something that should (and could) be terrifying, a much more nostalgic and haunting read.
I was so drawn by the theme, and the writing is just superb. There are parallels in the light touch to the captured adolescence and complexity of those friendships it holds, that Stephen King writes so well on in 'It', and for example, in 'The Body', too, (better known possibly as it's film title 'Stand By Me'). There is so much more here, though, because it layers the grief of bereavement so gently with the theme of what happens...after. Where do those we love go? What, if anything, do they do? This story explores what is a fascinating theme, and I just loved the way it introduces themes that resonated so strongly with me - took me back, in fact, to my own friendships at that age where you are on the cusp of adulthood, and trying to find who you really are when that borderline gets inevitably crossed when you leave school, and move on.
The story is beautiful. I loved the way it flowed and, my only (tiny) criticism was I felt that the end (don't panic, no spoliers!) felt a little rushed. But, in some ways, there was perhaps always going to be a feeling of loss when the story ended. That's how I always feel when I know I am going to be close to finishing a lovely story - I don't want it to end. A compliment to offset that tiny little criticism.
I will certainly be looking out for more work from Andrew David Barker, because if 'The Electric' is a starting point, there are some wonderful adventures ahead. This is purest escapism, with just enough bittersweet angst to stop it crossing the boundary into saccharine, and as an adult reader, I would happily recommend this to any age reader. It's certainly not a 'children's' book, but I am sure it would sit very comfortably in the young adult space, as it does in the audience of anyone old enough to remember what it felt like to be an awkward teenager, desperate for answers to questions you don't even know how to ask.
Beautiful.
Well, obviously, I loved it, and found I longed for it to not end, as it certainly took me to its magical core where I felt so at home. It will certainly stay with me for a long, long time. As a purely escapist read, you could go a long way before you find something as well crafted as 'The Electric', but it really is so much deeper than that, and for me, that's where the real magic lies, in the discovering of the many layers in this story, unfolded so honestly and openly.
I just wish I had discovered my own 'Electric', in my last year at school! If you read this story yourself, I am sure you will understand why. Here's looking at you, kid. They really were some great years, and this wonderful book captures a glimpse into that time in all our lives, effortlessly.
I was so drawn by the theme, and the writing is just superb. There are parallels in the light touch to the captured adolescence and complexity of those friendships it holds, that Stephen King writes so well on in 'It', and for example, in 'The Body', too, (better known possibly as it's film title 'Stand By Me'). There is so much more here, though, because it layers the grief of bereavement so gently with the theme of what happens...after. Where do those we love go? What, if anything, do they do? This story explores what is a fascinating theme, and I just loved the way it introduces themes that resonated so strongly with me - took me back, in fact, to my own friendships at that age where you are on the cusp of adulthood, and trying to find who you really are when that borderline gets inevitably crossed when you leave school, and move on.
The story is beautiful. I loved the way it flowed and, my only (tiny) criticism was I felt that the end (don't panic, no spoliers!) felt a little rushed. But, in some ways, there was perhaps always going to be a feeling of loss when the story ended. That's how I always feel when I know I am going to be close to finishing a lovely story - I don't want it to end. A compliment to offset that tiny little criticism.
I will certainly be looking out for more work from Andrew David Barker, because if 'The Electric' is a starting point, there are some wonderful adventures ahead. This is purest escapism, with just enough bittersweet angst to stop it crossing the boundary into saccharine, and as an adult reader, I would happily recommend this to any age reader. It's certainly not a 'children's' book, but I am sure it would sit very comfortably in the young adult space, as it does in the audience of anyone old enough to remember what it felt like to be an awkward teenager, desperate for answers to questions you don't even know how to ask.
Beautiful.
Well, obviously, I loved it, and found I longed for it to not end, as it certainly took me to its magical core where I felt so at home. It will certainly stay with me for a long, long time. As a purely escapist read, you could go a long way before you find something as well crafted as 'The Electric', but it really is so much deeper than that, and for me, that's where the real magic lies, in the discovering of the many layers in this story, unfolded so honestly and openly.
I just wish I had discovered my own 'Electric', in my last year at school! If you read this story yourself, I am sure you will understand why. Here's looking at you, kid. They really were some great years, and this wonderful book captures a glimpse into that time in all our lives, effortlessly.
February 9, 2019
The Electric by Andrew David Barker
I must admit I am partial to a well written Ghost Story but this one really was a cut above the rest. It is ingenious and fresh with a premise that draws you in almost immediately. A teenage boy finds an abandoned cinema in the wasteland near his home, where long dead stars create films and an audience of the deceased congregate to experience films from the grave.
Like Sam I am a particular fan of old films and was more likely to be watching Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart than the brat-pack as a teenager. I too had a little gang who would hide in the undergrowth and play too close to the river.
The central dynamic between Emma, David and our narrator Sam through whose point of view we experience The Electric is reminiscent of those in Stephen King’s Short Story The Body (which later became cult Classic Stand By Me) or the early storyline of IT or Dreamcatcher. Tens brought together and irrevocably changed by a shared experience and whilst this is a deeply atmospheric tale, a spine tingle festival, it is actually a much more nuanced and tender tale about the callowness of youth, about grief and loss and the acceptance of those emotions and of final goodbyes.
Where stars of a Bygone age cannot let go of their need to be in Movies, and buffs just want one more thrill in those velveteen seats, where love, betrayal romance and high adventure are reflected from the screen into the lives of the viewer. Here two young souls find each other as they seek to go on after the loss of a parent.
I was profoundly moved by the story (so if you were in Waltham Abbey today and you saw a woman crying as she trudged through the wind, sorry that was The Electric Effect) and yet deeply uplifted by Story’s End. The best story allows the reader to carry on the tale and here is one where we really can do it…
Where the stars we have loved and lost are collaborating together to star again in great Dramaand other lost souls are sitting in the dark letting that story unfold before their very eyes.
A word about the Narration by Nigel Peever: This is one of the most immersive tellings of a tale I have listened to in a long time. Nigel has a knack for creating true emotion in his characterisation , anger and sarcasm and deep loss are felt as well as heard and his general narration voice is so strongly enunciated with such warmth and timbre that you cannot help but be drawn further and further into the story. Definitely added to my favourite Narrators list!!
I must admit I am partial to a well written Ghost Story but this one really was a cut above the rest. It is ingenious and fresh with a premise that draws you in almost immediately. A teenage boy finds an abandoned cinema in the wasteland near his home, where long dead stars create films and an audience of the deceased congregate to experience films from the grave.
Like Sam I am a particular fan of old films and was more likely to be watching Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart than the brat-pack as a teenager. I too had a little gang who would hide in the undergrowth and play too close to the river.
The central dynamic between Emma, David and our narrator Sam through whose point of view we experience The Electric is reminiscent of those in Stephen King’s Short Story The Body (which later became cult Classic Stand By Me) or the early storyline of IT or Dreamcatcher. Tens brought together and irrevocably changed by a shared experience and whilst this is a deeply atmospheric tale, a spine tingle festival, it is actually a much more nuanced and tender tale about the callowness of youth, about grief and loss and the acceptance of those emotions and of final goodbyes.
Where stars of a Bygone age cannot let go of their need to be in Movies, and buffs just want one more thrill in those velveteen seats, where love, betrayal romance and high adventure are reflected from the screen into the lives of the viewer. Here two young souls find each other as they seek to go on after the loss of a parent.
I was profoundly moved by the story (so if you were in Waltham Abbey today and you saw a woman crying as she trudged through the wind, sorry that was The Electric Effect) and yet deeply uplifted by Story’s End. The best story allows the reader to carry on the tale and here is one where we really can do it…
Where the stars we have loved and lost are collaborating together to star again in great Dramaand other lost souls are sitting in the dark letting that story unfold before their very eyes.
A word about the Narration by Nigel Peever: This is one of the most immersive tellings of a tale I have listened to in a long time. Nigel has a knack for creating true emotion in his characterisation , anger and sarcasm and deep loss are felt as well as heard and his general narration voice is so strongly enunciated with such warmth and timbre that you cannot help but be drawn further and further into the story. Definitely added to my favourite Narrators list!!
February 13, 2023
After Sam inadvertently comes across a ruined old cinema called The Electric on the edge of town, he finds himself - along with his friends, Emma and David - drawn in a world where the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Lon Chaney are still making films, while Karloff and Lugosi appear in feature written by Edgar Allan Poe. As the summer holidays wind down in 1985, he comes to learn the mystery of the Electric cinema and his part to play in its long and strange history.
This is, simply put, a quite beautiful novel about love, friendships, movies, ghosts and loss, all wrapped up in a coming-of-age tale set in 1985. I loved it. Sam is a fantastic narrator and we quickly get his sense of loss (I read it close to the first year anniversary of my dad passing away and it struck a lot of chords with me), as well as his attempts to understand a world beyond his own teenaged worries. Emma is the perfect foil for him and I loved her feisty character though I do feel she gets a little short-changed by the end of the story (you’ll understand why when you read it, but no spoilers from me). With a great sense of time and place, a deep love for films and their place in our hearts and an aching sense of loss that bleeds through every page, this is a terrific novel and I would very much recommend it.
This is, simply put, a quite beautiful novel about love, friendships, movies, ghosts and loss, all wrapped up in a coming-of-age tale set in 1985. I loved it. Sam is a fantastic narrator and we quickly get his sense of loss (I read it close to the first year anniversary of my dad passing away and it struck a lot of chords with me), as well as his attempts to understand a world beyond his own teenaged worries. Emma is the perfect foil for him and I loved her feisty character though I do feel she gets a little short-changed by the end of the story (you’ll understand why when you read it, but no spoilers from me). With a great sense of time and place, a deep love for films and their place in our hearts and an aching sense of loss that bleeds through every page, this is a terrific novel and I would very much recommend it.
March 21, 2019
The audible version provides not just a good story but an amazing production. The story itself was unique but the narration and sound effects added by the narrator made this such an experience. It reminded me of the radio shows my grandparents spoke of, but I never had the opportunity to listen to. I have not listened to a book before with added effects, but I will certainly seek them out in the future. Once I got used to listening with the sound effects, you came to expect them, and I was never disappointed. Every time I thought something should be there, it was. The narrator does an excellent job voicing the characters; not only do they each have their own voice, but also their own inflections and attitude. For once, I was able to tell who was speaking and often how they felt long before the dialogue tag. While I really liked the story, I am so very glad I did not read this as a book, because so much more is added by the narrator. I recommend giving this book and certainly this narrator a try.
I was provided with a free copy of this audiobook for my honest review. The views expressed here are entirely my own.
I was provided with a free copy of this audiobook for my honest review. The views expressed here are entirely my own.
July 12, 2020
Wonderfully creepy tale with mesmerizing narration
First off, “The Electric” reminded me a little bit of “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its eerie tale of teenage friends who discover an isolated, crumbling, strangely compelling cinema. I am not a fan of music and sound effects in an audiobook, but in this case, it makes this tale all the more chilling. Narrator Nigel Peever is frightfully magnificent, thus making this novel an eerily enjoyable and scary adventure. His perfect timing and characters’ tones brings this gripping tale to life. Sinister but also emotionally sad and nostalgic, make this adventure left me wanting more. Peever is perfect, thus making this novel an unusual combination of sentiment and adventure. I will be searching for more by Peever. I loved this wicked-creepy and gripping story. So highly recommended I can’t stress it enough. Well worth a credit. Thank you to Nigel Peeves for giving me a chance to step out of my Audible box and find a new genre.
👏✍🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✍🏻👏
First off, “The Electric” reminded me a little bit of “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its eerie tale of teenage friends who discover an isolated, crumbling, strangely compelling cinema. I am not a fan of music and sound effects in an audiobook, but in this case, it makes this tale all the more chilling. Narrator Nigel Peever is frightfully magnificent, thus making this novel an eerily enjoyable and scary adventure. His perfect timing and characters’ tones brings this gripping tale to life. Sinister but also emotionally sad and nostalgic, make this adventure left me wanting more. Peever is perfect, thus making this novel an unusual combination of sentiment and adventure. I will be searching for more by Peever. I loved this wicked-creepy and gripping story. So highly recommended I can’t stress it enough. Well worth a credit. Thank you to Nigel Peeves for giving me a chance to step out of my Audible box and find a new genre.
👏✍🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✍🏻👏
February 4, 2019
I was very kindly given a free copy of this book. Initially it appealed to me because I love a good ghost story. It turned out to be much more then that. It’s about growing up and dealing with loss. I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to spoil it for others! The writing was great and I would be interested to read/listen to more books by this author.
For me the performance itself was fantastic. I’ve never listened to anything quite like this before. Usually I listen to books that are simply read. This one was definitely more of a performance with sound effects. I didn’t think that it would be to my taste so I was pleasantly surprised to find that they helped me immerse myself in the story even more. One of the best narrators I have listened to!
For me the performance itself was fantastic. I’ve never listened to anything quite like this before. Usually I listen to books that are simply read. This one was definitely more of a performance with sound effects. I didn’t think that it would be to my taste so I was pleasantly surprised to find that they helped me immerse myself in the story even more. One of the best narrators I have listened to!
December 13, 2025
This is a wonderful coming-of-age story and a love letter to cinema. ‘ The Electric’ took me back to the matinee screenings of my childhood although the titular cinema here is literally on another level entirely.
Long , hot Summer days that take the trio of central characters ever closer to the day when innocence disappears and a different life begins.
The supernatural plays a major role in this engaging and often sad tale that’s populated by people I really cared about. The writing is an absolute joy take in, moving from harsh realities to poetic descriptions of life, love and the power of memory.
I wholeheartedly recommend the authors’Dead Leaves’ and‘Society Place’ but‘The Electric’ is, for me, his finest hour thus far.
Long , hot Summer days that take the trio of central characters ever closer to the day when innocence disappears and a different life begins.
The supernatural plays a major role in this engaging and often sad tale that’s populated by people I really cared about. The writing is an absolute joy take in, moving from harsh realities to poetic descriptions of life, love and the power of memory.
I wholeheartedly recommend the authors’Dead Leaves’ and‘Society Place’ but‘The Electric’ is, for me, his finest hour thus far.
January 27, 2019
This was a spooky read and the sound effects really bring the story alive. The narrator does a superb job of distinguishing between the characters and sounds a bit like Vincent Price when recounting the story as the main character Sam. During the summer holiday Sam discovers the wonderful Electric Cinema, a dilapidated building hidden from view. The Electric is a Picture Palace for ghosts which shows films made by ghosts. Deceased directors, writers and even well know actors have carried on doing what they do best, producing films, but this time for a ghostly audience. This is an intriguing tale with a moving finale - it would make a great film!
January 27, 2019
If you want to listen to a scary, creepy story that's kind of in the vain of Vincent Price and a few months shy of Halloween, check out this listen. It's a good story and comes complete with sound effects that compliment the story. It was interesting and kept your attention. You liked the characters(even the unsuspecting ones and you liked the character telling the story which flowed quite nicely. So if you want a scary good time and a great story teller, telling the story. Pick up a copy of the audio and enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews