What do you think?
Rate this book
Like Death
True-crime writer Scott Raymond remains haunted by the murder of his parents many years ago, and when he ventures to Ash Creek to research a new book, he finds himself drawn into a literal world of shadow where his nightmares become all too real. Original.
374 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
8 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Tim Waggoner
282 books756 followersTim Waggoner's first novel came out in 2001, and since then, he's published over sixty novels and eight collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. He's written tie-in fiction based on Supernatural, The X-Files, Alien, Doctor Who, Conan the Barbarian, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Grimm, and Transformers, among others, and he's written novelizations for films such as Ti West’s X-Trilogy, Halloween Kills, Terrifier 2 and 3, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. He’s also the author of the award-winning guide to horror Writing in the Dark. He’s a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, a one-time winner of the Scribe Award, and he’s been a two-time finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and a one-time finalist for the Splatterpunk Award. He’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 26, 2022
Waggoner's Like Death, while a horror novel for sure, also qualifies as 'surreal'. Our main protagonist, Scott Raymond, writes true crime novels for a living and recently separated from his wife, who also took his son. The novel starts off with Scott moving to the small Ohio town where his wife and son now reside, hoping to 'patch things up', but strange things are also happening to Scott.
Scott, as a young boy, witnessed the brutal killings of most of his family while they were on vacation; he alone survived the massacre, but 'blanked out' the details and could never identify the killer. After virtually unending counseling and so forth, he was raised by his 'Gammy' and went on to earn a degree in journalism, which later morphed into a career as a free lance writer with a specialty in True Crime. Another reason to move to the small town where his wife and son live concerns the disappearance of a young girl there a year earlier, who he hopes will be a highlight in his new novel about missing children.
After a rather typical beginning, where the above set up is detailed, things quickly take a bizarre twist. While walking the path the missing girl (Miranda) took on the way home before she went missing, he encounters a teenager, also named Miranda, who looks uncannily like Miranda aged 10 years or so. After a strange conversation with her (and he is letting his dick do the thinking), he agrees to meet with her later, where she promises to 'show him something'. What she shows him, however, are glimpses into the bizarre hidden world of the Shadow...
Without giving spoilers, it is hard to provide more here. Lets just say that the Waggoner develops a world with multiple parallel worlds existing side by side where within the Shadow one can move from one to the next. The Shadow resembles a Lovecraftian 'outre' where nightmares are very real, and very deadly. Why is Scott being subjected to this? Is he simply going crazy? Waggoner plays with this as the story develops, leaving the reader guessing to some degree, but strongly hinting that the Shadow is very real and influences the 'real' world(s) in profound and often ugly ways.
Looking for something different in horror for this Spooktober? This might be for you. I know Waggoner went on to write several 'urban fantasy' novels with a shadow world motif, but this is where he began on this riff. Good stuff! 4 shadowy stars!!
Scott, as a young boy, witnessed the brutal killings of most of his family while they were on vacation; he alone survived the massacre, but 'blanked out' the details and could never identify the killer. After virtually unending counseling and so forth, he was raised by his 'Gammy' and went on to earn a degree in journalism, which later morphed into a career as a free lance writer with a specialty in True Crime. Another reason to move to the small town where his wife and son live concerns the disappearance of a young girl there a year earlier, who he hopes will be a highlight in his new novel about missing children.
After a rather typical beginning, where the above set up is detailed, things quickly take a bizarre twist. While walking the path the missing girl (Miranda) took on the way home before she went missing, he encounters a teenager, also named Miranda, who looks uncannily like Miranda aged 10 years or so. After a strange conversation with her (and he is letting his dick do the thinking), he agrees to meet with her later, where she promises to 'show him something'. What she shows him, however, are glimpses into the bizarre hidden world of the Shadow...
Without giving spoilers, it is hard to provide more here. Lets just say that the Waggoner develops a world with multiple parallel worlds existing side by side where within the Shadow one can move from one to the next. The Shadow resembles a Lovecraftian 'outre' where nightmares are very real, and very deadly. Why is Scott being subjected to this? Is he simply going crazy? Waggoner plays with this as the story develops, leaving the reader guessing to some degree, but strongly hinting that the Shadow is very real and influences the 'real' world(s) in profound and often ugly ways.
Looking for something different in horror for this Spooktober? This might be for you. I know Waggoner went on to write several 'urban fantasy' novels with a shadow world motif, but this is where he began on this riff. Good stuff! 4 shadowy stars!!
January 14, 2014
Review copy
Apparently, Like Death, is not a new book. It's just new to me and I couldn't be happier that the folks at Apex Publications are putting it back out there in both paperback and ebook formats.
The opening paragraph sets the tone and is just a sample of things to come. "Huddled beneath the kitchen table, knees drawn to his chest, he crouches with hands balled into fists, jammed against his ears, kneading them as if he might cut off the screams by grinding cartilage and flesh to a pulp. It doesn't work; the screams come through just fine."
The entire opening sequence is like a punch to the gut and like a prize-fighter that finds his opponents weakness, Waggoner just doesn't let up.
If you've read any of my previous reviews, you probably already know I like my horror to be a bit disturbing. Gore doesn't bother me, violence is OK, even the occasional bloodbath is fine. But let me tell you, there were times that some of the subject matter made me downright uncomfortable and it wasn't this...
"His abdominal muscles bucked and the cords of his neck pulled wire tight as his digestive system prepared to initiate an emergency purge. But before he could bring anything up, he felt the gentle touch of spider legs making their way deeper inside him, and with each inch farther they traveled, the need to vomit subsided a little more. Within moments he no longer felt the urge to puke at all. His stomach muscles unclenched, he stopped trembling, and his temperature returned to normal. More, he felt a growing sense of well-being. Not only was he alright, but the entire universe and everything in it was honky-dory, a-okay, and peachy-keen."
There are times in Like Death where the line between reality, dreams and hallucinations becomes razor thin, the story telling is raw and you will get to the point where you will just learn to expect the unexpected. In three words, I loved it.
OK, it's not for everyone. It's certainly for mature readers and if you're a part of what we used to call the Moral Majority, please steer clear. But if you love horror that knows no bounds and pulls no punches, then plop this baby right on top of your To Be Read list. You can thank me later.
Like Death is available right now. You can get details here from Apex Publications or you can order online now at Amazon.com.
What are you waiting for? I can't recommend this one enough.
Apparently, Like Death, is not a new book. It's just new to me and I couldn't be happier that the folks at Apex Publications are putting it back out there in both paperback and ebook formats.
The opening paragraph sets the tone and is just a sample of things to come. "Huddled beneath the kitchen table, knees drawn to his chest, he crouches with hands balled into fists, jammed against his ears, kneading them as if he might cut off the screams by grinding cartilage and flesh to a pulp. It doesn't work; the screams come through just fine."
The entire opening sequence is like a punch to the gut and like a prize-fighter that finds his opponents weakness, Waggoner just doesn't let up.
If you've read any of my previous reviews, you probably already know I like my horror to be a bit disturbing. Gore doesn't bother me, violence is OK, even the occasional bloodbath is fine. But let me tell you, there were times that some of the subject matter made me downright uncomfortable and it wasn't this...
"His abdominal muscles bucked and the cords of his neck pulled wire tight as his digestive system prepared to initiate an emergency purge. But before he could bring anything up, he felt the gentle touch of spider legs making their way deeper inside him, and with each inch farther they traveled, the need to vomit subsided a little more. Within moments he no longer felt the urge to puke at all. His stomach muscles unclenched, he stopped trembling, and his temperature returned to normal. More, he felt a growing sense of well-being. Not only was he alright, but the entire universe and everything in it was honky-dory, a-okay, and peachy-keen."
There are times in Like Death where the line between reality, dreams and hallucinations becomes razor thin, the story telling is raw and you will get to the point where you will just learn to expect the unexpected. In three words, I loved it.
OK, it's not for everyone. It's certainly for mature readers and if you're a part of what we used to call the Moral Majority, please steer clear. But if you love horror that knows no bounds and pulls no punches, then plop this baby right on top of your To Be Read list. You can thank me later.
Like Death is available right now. You can get details here from Apex Publications or you can order online now at Amazon.com.
What are you waiting for? I can't recommend this one enough.
September 25, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
“It doesn’t work; the screams come through just fine.”
What could’ve been.
This is my second Waggoner book, after his most recent ‘They Kill,’ and while I enjoyed that read, I found it was a bit jumbled in a few spots.
‘Like Death’ has a great synopsis but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get by the initial issues.
We follow our main character Scott, a true-crime writer, who is investigating the disappearance of a 6-year-old girl from a small town. When Scott was a child, his family was brutally murdered while he hid. While Scott is investigating the disappearance, we also find out he is trying to reconcile with his wife and young son.
As I said – the synopsis is a bit misleading.
It says Scott meets a woman who may have a connection to the missing girl.
The problems I came across that I couldn’t get over are pretty straight forward.
Scott is pushing 50, the ‘woman’ he meets is introduced to us as Lolita. Described as approximately 16 years old, not wearing a bra and this man immediately wants to nail her. It’s all he thinks about. How she smells, how her shorts fit etc. Hell, he drives slowly back around to where he first saw her several times, just hoping to catch a glimpse. At the same time, he’s trying to decide if he wants to nail the older lady who lives in the same complex he now lives at.
Then we find out the kicker.
Scott’s an alcoholic and his wife and son left because he got drunk and assaulted them.
I just couldn’t get over that. I’m not a proponent of domestic violence.
No matter how redeeming Waggoner tried to make Scott and no matter how dark the story got and tried to sum up why Scott is how he is and how dark things were on the ‘other side,’ I just couldn’t get beyond that.
The writing is great and Waggoner does dark like nobody else, but for me, I just hated Scott so much and wished that things started off on the other foot.
“It doesn’t work; the screams come through just fine.”
What could’ve been.
This is my second Waggoner book, after his most recent ‘They Kill,’ and while I enjoyed that read, I found it was a bit jumbled in a few spots.
‘Like Death’ has a great synopsis but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get by the initial issues.
We follow our main character Scott, a true-crime writer, who is investigating the disappearance of a 6-year-old girl from a small town. When Scott was a child, his family was brutally murdered while he hid. While Scott is investigating the disappearance, we also find out he is trying to reconcile with his wife and young son.
As I said – the synopsis is a bit misleading.
It says Scott meets a woman who may have a connection to the missing girl.
The problems I came across that I couldn’t get over are pretty straight forward.
Scott is pushing 50, the ‘woman’ he meets is introduced to us as Lolita. Described as approximately 16 years old, not wearing a bra and this man immediately wants to nail her. It’s all he thinks about. How she smells, how her shorts fit etc. Hell, he drives slowly back around to where he first saw her several times, just hoping to catch a glimpse. At the same time, he’s trying to decide if he wants to nail the older lady who lives in the same complex he now lives at.
Then we find out the kicker.
Scott’s an alcoholic and his wife and son left because he got drunk and assaulted them.
I just couldn’t get over that. I’m not a proponent of domestic violence.
No matter how redeeming Waggoner tried to make Scott and no matter how dark the story got and tried to sum up why Scott is how he is and how dark things were on the ‘other side,’ I just couldn’t get beyond that.
The writing is great and Waggoner does dark like nobody else, but for me, I just hated Scott so much and wished that things started off on the other foot.
June 20, 2021
Audiobooked.
I haven’t been keeping up with my reading on here, so I don’t know the exact date I started or finished. I bought it during a kindle sale and it took me a while.
This was a good book. It starts grounded in reality, and then goes deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole as you continue. I respected it as a slow burn at first, but then respected it at the end for the deep dive into a plethora of ideas about alternate timelines/realities and the supernatural. By the end I found myself a new author I plan to dig into more.
We’ve got some good ones right now. In the past two years I have really come to enjoy Todd Keisling and now Tim Waggoner’s work.
I haven’t been keeping up with my reading on here, so I don’t know the exact date I started or finished. I bought it during a kindle sale and it took me a while.
This was a good book. It starts grounded in reality, and then goes deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole as you continue. I respected it as a slow burn at first, but then respected it at the end for the deep dive into a plethora of ideas about alternate timelines/realities and the supernatural. By the end I found myself a new author I plan to dig into more.
We’ve got some good ones right now. In the past two years I have really come to enjoy Todd Keisling and now Tim Waggoner’s work.
January 27, 2016
The plot is complex with tentacles dangling every which way possible. By the end of the story, Waggoner successfully pulls all the loose threads back together again, leaving me satisfied that I knew what was going on. (Even if it did blow my mind at the same time, but still…) Much of the work is daring, with scenes that ‘cross the line’ and go to ‘no, he didn’t just go there’ places. Like Death had its share of unsettling, frightful moments. The mystery of the adult Miranda was powerful, boosting up the surreal and demented atmosphere. Waggoner’s strengths are in his bizarre plots and excellent writing style. This man is just a cinch to read, his words smooth and strong. He doesn’t deaden the reader with too many unneeded words and silly phrases; he doesn’t go heavy on the dramatic side. Instead he conveys emotion, action, and reaction very well. Waggoner’s writing style is pleasant and addicting, the plot is way out there and works – he took care to make sure it was all explained, too, I thank you -, and the characters were solid. On the bad side the ending was a bit of a let down, some of the scenes were too overdone to where they were a little weak and took me out of the story. That earns a low grade four – certainly worth reading!!
December 27, 2011
About 2/3 through the book, I looked up and yelled "Preposterous!!!" and threw the book against the wall in disgust.
The book is well written it's just, well, ridiculous at times. I'm not a fan of bizarro and this book had hints of that genre. IMO, a passage about a group of teenagers melding themselves into a huge penis was just silly and not in a fun, clown way.
I will read more of Tim Waggoner but cannot recommend this book.
The book is well written it's just, well, ridiculous at times. I'm not a fan of bizarro and this book had hints of that genre. IMO, a passage about a group of teenagers melding themselves into a huge penis was just silly and not in a fun, clown way.
I will read more of Tim Waggoner but cannot recommend this book.
October 22, 2008
*SPOILER*
What if you suddenly found yourself living in a nightmare world where there parallel version of you? What if you found out that the version of you is a serial killer?
The book started out really strong but I felt it got a bit messy near the end with too much going on. I liked the fantasy aspect of it and the gore and shock value. The characters were well drawn out and while at times it seemed that Scott was getting too whiney, I liked what his character became. I thought the ending was satisfying.
What if you suddenly found yourself living in a nightmare world where there parallel version of you? What if you found out that the version of you is a serial killer?
The book started out really strong but I felt it got a bit messy near the end with too much going on. I liked the fantasy aspect of it and the gore and shock value. The characters were well drawn out and while at times it seemed that Scott was getting too whiney, I liked what his character became. I thought the ending was satisfying.
December 24, 2016
This was a weird one. Very strange, dark, and violent story. A kind of mash up of alternate universe metaphysics and serial killers. I was hooked from first page to last.
Read
May 28, 2020Truth In Cover Art? YES.
This book was was weird (purposely), and I nearly gave up after the first 15%. This turned out to be not a book for me, but parts were interesting and/or imaginative. I'd call this fantasy horror, since it was 0% believable. I did like the final few lines, though.
Our protagonist is Scott, a half washed-up author of true crime books. I found him unlikeable. I found myself speed-reading to find passages involving Miranda (a more fascinating character than Scott).
VERDICT: Maybe 1.65 stars, if I were forced to rate. If you enjoy grislier, nightmare-ish stuff , this may easily be a 3+ star for you.
LIKE DEATH pairs horribly well with Waggoner's Pandora Drive, starring -- you guessed it -- .
This book was was weird (purposely), and I nearly gave up after the first 15%. This turned out to be not a book for me, but parts were interesting and/or imaginative. I'd call this fantasy horror, since it was 0% believable. I did like the final few lines, though.
Our protagonist is Scott, a half washed-up author of true crime books. I found him unlikeable. I found myself speed-reading to find passages involving Miranda (a more fascinating character than Scott).
VERDICT: Maybe 1.65 stars, if I were forced to rate. If you enjoy grislier, nightmare-ish stuff , this may easily be a 3+ star for you.
LIKE DEATH pairs horribly well with Waggoner's Pandora Drive, starring -- you guessed it -- .
October 25, 2010
Like Death by Tim Waggoner
I have read lots of short stories by Mister Waggoner but this was my first time reading a full novel. I have very mixed feelings on the book. I personally loved it, thought it was an excellent mind fucking horror novel, but it goes off the rails a little bit at the end.
Some of the reviews I read on line have complained that the book doesn’t have enough plot, the people who say that didn’t read far enough. Infact if I had any problem with the book is that the plot becomes far too complicated towards the end. With too many threads and ideas. I didn’t mind but I could see how casual reader might get confused by the knotting twists and turns the book takes. The last 100 pages of the book introduces many interesting concepts and ideas, but i just thought a simpler approach to end would have helped.
The story is about Scott Raymond a man recently separated from his wife and son. He is crime writer who throws himself into his work, investigating the case of missing young girl Miranda Turner. While looking into the case he meets a girl by the same name who is a few years older. She seems oddly obsessed with Scott. His marriage is getting worse not better and he can’t seem to stop helpself from flirting no matter how wrong he knows it is. The young woman who seems interested in his case, and doesn't seem to mind dragiing him closer to the frayed ends of sanity.
Scott begins to have delusions and as this slow burn horror novel starts unfold the reality of comes into question. This is one of the best unreliable narrator novels I have read in some time. For the first two thirds of the novel it felt like horror novel written by Phillip K. Dick and then the last third felt like Clive Barker trip into a dark fantasy realm.
I feel like Waggoner tried to pack too many ideas into the last act of the novel, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to serious horror fans. I think a simpler end while less surprising could have felt a little more solid and in some ways more horrific. Find out for yourself. It’s one of the best novels Leisure put out. This is also a rare case where i really liked the cover art of this Leisure edition. Most important is Waggoner sold me on his other books as I intend to read more.
I have read lots of short stories by Mister Waggoner but this was my first time reading a full novel. I have very mixed feelings on the book. I personally loved it, thought it was an excellent mind fucking horror novel, but it goes off the rails a little bit at the end.
Some of the reviews I read on line have complained that the book doesn’t have enough plot, the people who say that didn’t read far enough. Infact if I had any problem with the book is that the plot becomes far too complicated towards the end. With too many threads and ideas. I didn’t mind but I could see how casual reader might get confused by the knotting twists and turns the book takes. The last 100 pages of the book introduces many interesting concepts and ideas, but i just thought a simpler approach to end would have helped.
The story is about Scott Raymond a man recently separated from his wife and son. He is crime writer who throws himself into his work, investigating the case of missing young girl Miranda Turner. While looking into the case he meets a girl by the same name who is a few years older. She seems oddly obsessed with Scott. His marriage is getting worse not better and he can’t seem to stop helpself from flirting no matter how wrong he knows it is. The young woman who seems interested in his case, and doesn't seem to mind dragiing him closer to the frayed ends of sanity.
Scott begins to have delusions and as this slow burn horror novel starts unfold the reality of comes into question. This is one of the best unreliable narrator novels I have read in some time. For the first two thirds of the novel it felt like horror novel written by Phillip K. Dick and then the last third felt like Clive Barker trip into a dark fantasy realm.
I feel like Waggoner tried to pack too many ideas into the last act of the novel, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to serious horror fans. I think a simpler end while less surprising could have felt a little more solid and in some ways more horrific. Find out for yourself. It’s one of the best novels Leisure put out. This is also a rare case where i really liked the cover art of this Leisure edition. Most important is Waggoner sold me on his other books as I intend to read more.
January 10, 2018
This is probably one of the weirdest books I've ever read if not the most bizarre, my first Tim Waggoner. I enjoy stories with intertwining time lines and realms. Stephen King's, The Talisman comes to mind, one of my all-time favorites. There's a scene that reminded me of Clive Barker's, In the Hills, the Cities. I won't to spoil it. If you like weird, bizarre horror, read this book.
November 12, 2010
I wish more horror genre was written like this. There are only so many horror writers who can write so amazingly well as to elevate the genre about mere blood and guts and gore. Waggoner is one of them. His work is consistently excellent. I only wish there was more of it.
June 27, 2022
Very good back end to this book. Enjoyable read.
June 28, 2011
Like Death is a masterfully layered, compellingly dark, and wonderfully brave piece of horror -- very much for adults. This ambitious story is rich with mythology and perfectly structured. Every piece of information is part of the larger puzzle that organically fits together by the end of the book. I was in awe of the massive scope and creative twists in Waggoner's world. As many other reviews of this book have stated, it is easily one of the best horror titles of 2005.
The only travesty is that this book didn't make it onto the final ballot for this year's Bram Stoker awards. I can only assume other authors either didn't read it before they voted or were simply jealous of this new voice in horror. With refreshingly original stories like this, no wonder the competition is scared. It doesn't get much better than Like Death.
The only travesty is that this book didn't make it onto the final ballot for this year's Bram Stoker awards. I can only assume other authors either didn't read it before they voted or were simply jealous of this new voice in horror. With refreshingly original stories like this, no wonder the competition is scared. It doesn't get much better than Like Death.
Read
February 28, 2008I think I picked this one up at a grocery store. Not something I'd expect to find. Pretty sexually graphic, definitly along the lines of erotic gothic horror.
December 21, 2008
I love horror books, but this was just way too weird. I couldn't get into it, I didn't care about the characters and I ended up putting it down unfinished.
July 25, 2011
I did not like this book at all. I gave up halfway thru. Just way to weird for me, and depressing. I did enjoy his other books Pandora Drive and Darkness Wakes.
June 30, 2018
Brilliant! This novel is an inventive and demented ride. Our flawed protagonist is relatable. The villain has a fascinating backstory. Plenty of mysteries throughout with well-placed reveals. But the best part of Like Death is Tim Waggoner’s twisted imagination. I’d call this book a cross between Peter Straub and Clive Barker in that Waggoner balances the theme of reality vs dark underbelly with beautifully grotesque creatures. The highest compliment I can give to horror fiction and film is that the work is “f***ed up.” Like Death is totally f***ed up! Great novel! I highly recommend.
May 29, 2021
A Wild Dark Horror Ride
The title and write-up did little to prepare this reader for the depth of darkness lurking in the pages. A twisted tale that weaves through the horrors of the mind, providing glimpses into the depths of depravity the human soul can dive. A well crafted tale that kept my interest, although parts were so horrific in nature I had to push past to find the silver lining to the gore. A wild combination of psychic, slasher, and creature horror.
The title and write-up did little to prepare this reader for the depth of darkness lurking in the pages. A twisted tale that weaves through the horrors of the mind, providing glimpses into the depths of depravity the human soul can dive. A well crafted tale that kept my interest, although parts were so horrific in nature I had to push past to find the silver lining to the gore. A wild combination of psychic, slasher, and creature horror.
March 10, 2025
An absolute blast! I don't dole out 5 stars very often, but this definitely earned them. This book is twisted, screwed, demented, f*cked up...all the crazy shit I didn't know I needed. The main character is very flawed. Actually, he's a bit of a scumbag (he's an ableist misogynistic fatphobic pervert), but he has an insane and satisfying character arc. This story is going to be living rent-free in my mind forever.
May 12, 2020
Like Death started out seeming like a normal story about a grown man trying to process the trauma of seeing his family murdered when he was a child, but didn't take long to veer off into a nightmare world of surreal horror and bizarre sexuality. This was gory, visceral, very imaginative and told a great story of a man confronting his personal demons.
February 1, 2021
Great book!
September 27, 2022
2.5 stars. Not great. Pretty sexist.
July 18, 2017
Brilliant concept and imagery,mad story line and events and an excellent satisfying ending, really enjoyed this book and the story it told.True horror and this is the best I've read in some time.
October 1, 2008
On the first day of the month, or when Wench finally gets a second, I am given the holier-than-thou TBR order. For those not-in-the-know, Wench yells/emails me a list of which books to read and when. Now, since I have both a fear of commitment and a grudge against the man, I never follow said order. (Besides, it’s really more of a guideline than a rule anyway.) So, much to Wench’s dismay and my sheer joy of skanking on all things organized, I picked up Waggoner’s Like Death and read with glee. At first, I thought that tingling in my belly and the sweat on my brow was simply a result of my breaking The Order. After 150 pages I realized that the euphoria I felt had nothing at all to do with my incorrigible behavior and had everything to do with Waggoner. The man is a genius and my hero.
Rather than rehash a set formula that is all too well-known in the genre, Waggoner’s story breaks free from it. Intricately planned, the plot is original, creative, and flows in an interesting way. Sure there are a few plot holes and character inconsistencies, but it’s only after reading the book that you notice it. And lets be honest, at that point, the fun from connecting the dots and clues overshadows the windy, claustrophobic atmosphere. The only problem I had with the story was that the antagonist’s genetics was foreshadowed far too early and was easily predictable.
Now, aside from that one character flaw, the cast was amazing. Interesting and well-rounded, each character is described to perfection. Instead of only revealing each player’s physical description and granting you a peak at their psyches, Waggoner gets into each one’s head and then exposes it to you. With that in mind, I have to warn you, what you read may offend you. That’s right people; some of these characters are downright nasty and despicable and their thoughts alone may make you feel dirty and ashamed. It’s okay; that just means you have what most of these players lack – a conscience.
With a natural dialog that is both tight and concise, Waggoner’s style of writing is fresh and inventive. Written in a conversational tone, he keeps the descriptions flowery, but steers clear of the purple prose we’ve all grown to loathe and condemn. I love a writer who can get to the point without taking the scenic route to get there. Also, props to Waggoner for establishing and maintaining his active voice (I’m looking at you Ms. Mitchell).
You’ll notice that I haven’t dissected the pace. Well, you see, the pace is all about perception. Depending on how easily Waggoner sucks you into his tale and how easily repulsed you are, the speed of the book varies. So good reader, the movement is all up to you and how deep you want to submerge yourself into Waggoner’s world.
My rating? Do you even have to ask? I give it a 4. Much like Debbie Gibson's song Only in My Dreams, this book will haunt you for the rest of your days. Grab it today!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
Rather than rehash a set formula that is all too well-known in the genre, Waggoner’s story breaks free from it. Intricately planned, the plot is original, creative, and flows in an interesting way. Sure there are a few plot holes and character inconsistencies, but it’s only after reading the book that you notice it. And lets be honest, at that point, the fun from connecting the dots and clues overshadows the windy, claustrophobic atmosphere. The only problem I had with the story was that the antagonist’s genetics was foreshadowed far too early and was easily predictable.
Now, aside from that one character flaw, the cast was amazing. Interesting and well-rounded, each character is described to perfection. Instead of only revealing each player’s physical description and granting you a peak at their psyches, Waggoner gets into each one’s head and then exposes it to you. With that in mind, I have to warn you, what you read may offend you. That’s right people; some of these characters are downright nasty and despicable and their thoughts alone may make you feel dirty and ashamed. It’s okay; that just means you have what most of these players lack – a conscience.
With a natural dialog that is both tight and concise, Waggoner’s style of writing is fresh and inventive. Written in a conversational tone, he keeps the descriptions flowery, but steers clear of the purple prose we’ve all grown to loathe and condemn. I love a writer who can get to the point without taking the scenic route to get there. Also, props to Waggoner for establishing and maintaining his active voice (I’m looking at you Ms. Mitchell).
You’ll notice that I haven’t dissected the pace. Well, you see, the pace is all about perception. Depending on how easily Waggoner sucks you into his tale and how easily repulsed you are, the speed of the book varies. So good reader, the movement is all up to you and how deep you want to submerge yourself into Waggoner’s world.
My rating? Do you even have to ask? I give it a 4. Much like Debbie Gibson's song Only in My Dreams, this book will haunt you for the rest of your days. Grab it today!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
April 19, 2013
I've read Waggoner's work before, and saw a touch of those other books in this one, albeit just a touch. This is good as too much would have taken the heavy feel of this book and turned it to a far lighter side.
'Like Death' is a wonderfully written novel that captures a very dark feel and wraps it around your soul, leaving you feeling dirty and sullied at major points in the story. From the intro of the tale to the very final word, the reader is treated to a tale that brings out horror as well as the darkness that dwells in all of us. Waggoner's concept of the darkness is an interesting and creative idea. Though it is in this presentation that you see a hint to some of his other works, Waggoner keeps it darker, and in doing so saves the work. He also doesn't go all out and extravagant, thus over doing the setting. Instead, it's the right balance of the disturbing and weird.
The characters in 'Like Death' are also well written, and realistic. There were a couple points where the main character Scott seems a bit off, but throughout the story you slowly understand what is going on and in the end everything is explained. The young woman he meets is an excellent character, and easily my favorite out of all of those present in the tale. As you learn more about her, her character deepens and she becomes a very rounded character.
The storyline travels along with very few dry spots, moving from one event to another and posing enough of a mystery to keep the reader interested. As I read, I found myself striving for what came next, searching for the pieces to figure out what was going on as the plot advanced. There were points where I thought I had everything together, and then found out that either I was right, but often found out I had it wrong. That kept me reading more so, as I wanted to finally figure what was going on.
In the end, this is an amazing book that is the right amount of gore mixed with horror and the weird. There are parts that will linger with me in the months to come, perhaps longer. The mysteries all got solved, the way things ended were not the way I would have liked, but still left me feeling better about how everything came together. Scott's own ending made me smile and though things came together in an unusual manner, it still worked really well with the storyline.
If you are a reader of horror, I recommend you pick this up. If you enjoy weird works like Lovecrafts, then I strongly recommend you pick this up, there are a lot of elements that resemble his stuff, only in a very unique way. Waggoner is a great writer, and his work will leave you feeling satisfied.
'Like Death' is a wonderfully written novel that captures a very dark feel and wraps it around your soul, leaving you feeling dirty and sullied at major points in the story. From the intro of the tale to the very final word, the reader is treated to a tale that brings out horror as well as the darkness that dwells in all of us. Waggoner's concept of the darkness is an interesting and creative idea. Though it is in this presentation that you see a hint to some of his other works, Waggoner keeps it darker, and in doing so saves the work. He also doesn't go all out and extravagant, thus over doing the setting. Instead, it's the right balance of the disturbing and weird.
The characters in 'Like Death' are also well written, and realistic. There were a couple points where the main character Scott seems a bit off, but throughout the story you slowly understand what is going on and in the end everything is explained. The young woman he meets is an excellent character, and easily my favorite out of all of those present in the tale. As you learn more about her, her character deepens and she becomes a very rounded character.
The storyline travels along with very few dry spots, moving from one event to another and posing enough of a mystery to keep the reader interested. As I read, I found myself striving for what came next, searching for the pieces to figure out what was going on as the plot advanced. There were points where I thought I had everything together, and then found out that either I was right, but often found out I had it wrong. That kept me reading more so, as I wanted to finally figure what was going on.
In the end, this is an amazing book that is the right amount of gore mixed with horror and the weird. There are parts that will linger with me in the months to come, perhaps longer. The mysteries all got solved, the way things ended were not the way I would have liked, but still left me feeling better about how everything came together. Scott's own ending made me smile and though things came together in an unusual manner, it still worked really well with the storyline.
If you are a reader of horror, I recommend you pick this up. If you enjoy weird works like Lovecrafts, then I strongly recommend you pick this up, there are a lot of elements that resemble his stuff, only in a very unique way. Waggoner is a great writer, and his work will leave you feeling satisfied.
November 19, 2012
Like Death: I'm not 100% certain as to why the book was called Like Death I think perhaps the PR guy thought complete mindfuck wasn't appropriate. Even something relating to darkness or evil would have been a bit more appropriate in my opinion.
Don't rush into this story if you can't handle gore and horror. Don't rush into it if you can't stand constant WTF moments. Don't rush into it if you don't like talking/reading about killing, screwing, blood, guts, and all other manner of darkness.
This book was certainly all of those things; it was deep in the world of a sick mind (Scott Raymond's, the main character). There was a lot of sexual innuendo mixed in with the horror and gore; everything seemed to be tinged in boobs, nipples, penises and sex. Take for example the murder of Scott's family (which is in the books blurb here on GR), the young Scott sees his dead mother's breast from where he's hiding. It did get a little, dare I say it, boring, tedious, same-same.
There were things I did enjoy. Some of the craziness was absolutely unexpected. I liked that feeling of being completely thrown off balance by a twist in the story. I also found the ending to be a bit odd, but I felt that it was a good ending to this truly strange book.
I didn't feel creeped out by this book. I wanted to. Some of the scenes were heading down that path, but I didn't feel the tension, I didn't feel goosebumps on my skin or the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. This left me feeling a little disappointed.
Don't rush into this story if you can't handle gore and horror. Don't rush into it if you can't stand constant WTF moments. Don't rush into it if you don't like talking/reading about killing, screwing, blood, guts, and all other manner of darkness.
This book was certainly all of those things; it was deep in the world of a sick mind (Scott Raymond's, the main character). There was a lot of sexual innuendo mixed in with the horror and gore; everything seemed to be tinged in boobs, nipples, penises and sex. Take for example the murder of Scott's family (which is in the books blurb here on GR), the young Scott sees his dead mother's breast from where he's hiding. It did get a little, dare I say it, boring, tedious, same-same.
There were things I did enjoy. Some of the craziness was absolutely unexpected. I liked that feeling of being completely thrown off balance by a twist in the story. I also found the ending to be a bit odd, but I felt that it was a good ending to this truly strange book.
I didn't feel creeped out by this book. I wanted to. Some of the scenes were heading down that path, but I didn't feel the tension, I didn't feel goosebumps on my skin or the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. This left me feeling a little disappointed.
June 10, 2016
I can't give Like Death a four and a half stars, but I would, that good is this book, really.
This thriller is a strange breed. A well-measured mix of detective novel, slasher, psychological thriller and supernatural horror. One would expect a cocktail like that would taste sour, rancid or plainly bad, but it doesn't. Actually, it tastes like a flamboyant-beverage party and slum-distilled mezcal hangover. It's brutal, it's dark, it's explicit almost to the extreme, but it's also touching and truly human. More than anything, it's really well written; Tim Waggoner's approach is that of an aesthete, of a literary fiction writer.
But he's not pretentious (it's easy to read, he chooses the clearest and easiest word and syntaxes almost every time), he approaches his writing the only way he can, by being true to his story, to his characters and to himself, and all this makes his book a lot better. He is harsh when the story and characters need to be harsh, and he is tender when the story and characters demand to be tender. Just the same, he is twisted, crystal-clear, obscure, funny, abstract or explicit when it can make the reader's experience more satisfactory.
All in all, Like Death is a hell of a ride, a memorable read like that binge you don't remember about but everyone keeps telling you it was fantastic. And it was. Do yourself a favour and go get a copy.
This thriller is a strange breed. A well-measured mix of detective novel, slasher, psychological thriller and supernatural horror. One would expect a cocktail like that would taste sour, rancid or plainly bad, but it doesn't. Actually, it tastes like a flamboyant-beverage party and slum-distilled mezcal hangover. It's brutal, it's dark, it's explicit almost to the extreme, but it's also touching and truly human. More than anything, it's really well written; Tim Waggoner's approach is that of an aesthete, of a literary fiction writer.
But he's not pretentious (it's easy to read, he chooses the clearest and easiest word and syntaxes almost every time), he approaches his writing the only way he can, by being true to his story, to his characters and to himself, and all this makes his book a lot better. He is harsh when the story and characters need to be harsh, and he is tender when the story and characters demand to be tender. Just the same, he is twisted, crystal-clear, obscure, funny, abstract or explicit when it can make the reader's experience more satisfactory.
All in all, Like Death is a hell of a ride, a memorable read like that binge you don't remember about but everyone keeps telling you it was fantastic. And it was. Do yourself a favour and go get a copy.
March 2, 2015
This is probably the most surreal horror book I've read since Tom Piccirilli's A LOWER DEEP. Nothing is ever as it seems, but it's always real, never a dream. The lunacy of the Shadows can and will hurt you. Scott Raymond, the protagonist, learns this the hard way as a young girl who bears some resemblance to a murdered child leads him away from the world he thinks he knows and introduces him to something so terrifying, he will never be the same. Not even he is as he seems, he soon realizes, as he discovers more about his own past that he never even suspected. The imagery of this book is astounding. The mystery is wonderful. The characters are great. Scott makes a lot of terrible decisions, and you want to beg him to stop before it's too late. He's deeply flawed, but you want to see him turn things around. There are only two problems I had with the book. Firstly, there is a lot of villain-reveals-his-entire-plan-before-he-kills-you type of dialogue. The villains just love to explain themselves a little too much. Conversely, it's maddening whenever the character known as Lolita explains too little (although she has a very good reason, so I'm OK with that). The second thing? I can't really talk about it since it's a spoiler. However, rest assured, these two things won't interfere with your enjoyment too much. This is a great book.
June 3, 2013
In Like Death, true crime journalist Scott Raymond witnessed the brutal murder of his family as a child. Despite that, he has managed to settle into a somewhat normal life with his wife and child. After Scott starts to exhibit bad signs of extreme rage, his wife leaves him. He starts to investigate the disappearance of a six year old girl named Miranda. During the investigation, he is pushed into a world that exists beneath the surface of our world, one that he is starting to get glimpses of. During the investigation, he develops a strong attraction to a sixteen year old girl who is also named Miranda. Meanwhile Scott is being targeted by the people living underneath this surface.
I didn't particularly enjoy Like Death. For me, it was just a strange novel that didn't appeal to me. I could never fully get myself engrossed in the book. The writing was competent and professional. The characters for the most part felt underdeveloped and not characters that I could root for, especially the main protagonist, Scott. All in all, it's a book that I would avoid. It's not terrible, but there are far better offerings out there.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
I didn't particularly enjoy Like Death. For me, it was just a strange novel that didn't appeal to me. I could never fully get myself engrossed in the book. The writing was competent and professional. The characters for the most part felt underdeveloped and not characters that I could root for, especially the main protagonist, Scott. All in all, it's a book that I would avoid. It's not terrible, but there are far better offerings out there.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews