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The Summoning
The discovery of an apparent murder victim in a dusty Arizona town convinces Sue Wing's grandmother that Cup-hu-girngsi, Corpse-who-drinks-blood, is on the prowl again. Reissue.
542 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
64 people are currently reading
1526 people want to read
About the author
Bentley Little
135 books2,565 followersBentley Little is an American author of horror fiction. Publishing an average of a novel a year since 1990, Little avoids publicity and rarely does promotional work or interviews for his writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
October 5, 2015
I am becoming a solid Bentley Little fan. This novel did a nice job building suspense. The author definitely has been influenced by King, especially in over the top sequencing. The character development is solid. One thing I need to have to enjoy a novel like this is involvement with the main characters. They need to be rounded and I have to care what happens to them. Nothing bores me more quickly than the irrelevance of character death. It can even seem a relief.
These characters began to grow on me from the beginning and the author plays the long game in their development in proportion to the threat of their getting killed. He has no compunction with removing (i.e. - killing) major characters at any moment which I appreciate as it allows the suspense to ratchet up nicely.
He generates a solid sense of tension throughout the story. There is a well developed atmosphere, partially achieved through setting and sense description, and partially through plot development and dramatic irony. This story really works for me. Although not all extreme, the author has the innate sense of when to lose the tasteful approach to horror and become extreme. This is a good read for fans of Laymon and King that like a well developed plot written with highly polished craft.
This one hit the spot for me in the month of October and further convinced me to continue reading this author.
These characters began to grow on me from the beginning and the author plays the long game in their development in proportion to the threat of their getting killed. He has no compunction with removing (i.e. - killing) major characters at any moment which I appreciate as it allows the suspense to ratchet up nicely.
He generates a solid sense of tension throughout the story. There is a well developed atmosphere, partially achieved through setting and sense description, and partially through plot development and dramatic irony. This story really works for me. Although not all extreme, the author has the innate sense of when to lose the tasteful approach to horror and become extreme. This is a good read for fans of Laymon and King that like a well developed plot written with highly polished craft.
This one hit the spot for me in the month of October and further convinced me to continue reading this author.
March 23, 2023
Creepy Suspense!
Small backstory:
In the small town of Rio Verde in Arizona strange things are happening in the local graveyard as bodies are being dug up and disappearing from their caskets. People are being killed and drained of their blood.
Lots of mystery is seeping throughout the town as everyone thinks there is some kind of serial killer stalking the streets but when some of the bodies have puncture holes in the neck which suggests that maybe there are vampires involved, but there is no such thing as vampires or is there?
That is about all I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more about this story then go read the book!
Thoughts:
This book was kind of a long drawn out story as I felt that there was just too much fluff that slowed the story down. This story could have been shaved down quite a bit as reading around 450 pages with most of the story being in slow mode just seemed to drag a lot in spots. Things did happen in the beginning of the book but then for some reason it just took time for the story to take off into the unknown.
There also seemed to be an overabundance of characters that kept me from getting too attached to any one of them. The only difference with this story is that the author went in a different direction with the vampire in this story as he didn't stay within the traditional elements of the vampire lore.
It has been a long time since I read a book by this author, but I felt this book was not one of his better ones. Though I have owned this book for awhile and I am glad that I finally read it. Will continue to read this author as I have a few more books by him on my kindle. Giving this book three "Mysterious Vampires" stars!
Small backstory:
In the small town of Rio Verde in Arizona strange things are happening in the local graveyard as bodies are being dug up and disappearing from their caskets. People are being killed and drained of their blood.
Lots of mystery is seeping throughout the town as everyone thinks there is some kind of serial killer stalking the streets but when some of the bodies have puncture holes in the neck which suggests that maybe there are vampires involved, but there is no such thing as vampires or is there?
That is about all I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more about this story then go read the book!
Thoughts:
This book was kind of a long drawn out story as I felt that there was just too much fluff that slowed the story down. This story could have been shaved down quite a bit as reading around 450 pages with most of the story being in slow mode just seemed to drag a lot in spots. Things did happen in the beginning of the book but then for some reason it just took time for the story to take off into the unknown.
There also seemed to be an overabundance of characters that kept me from getting too attached to any one of them. The only difference with this story is that the author went in a different direction with the vampire in this story as he didn't stay within the traditional elements of the vampire lore.
It has been a long time since I read a book by this author, but I felt this book was not one of his better ones. Though I have owned this book for awhile and I am glad that I finally read it. Will continue to read this author as I have a few more books by him on my kindle. Giving this book three "Mysterious Vampires" stars!
September 5, 2025
★★★★½
THE SUMMONING
This was a superb read and possibly the best Bentley Little novel I have read so far. Unlike many of his more formulaic “The …” titles, which focus on everyday institutions or communities and then escalate into grotesque satire, this one feels different: a classic vampire story with an imaginative and unsettling twist.
The set-up is slow, but it works. Little takes time to establish the town, the characters, and the atmosphere, so that by the time the story starts to move, the stage is fully set for a tense and eerie story. The sense of place is vivid and convincing, and the world he creates feels completely lived in.
The vampire mythology is especially original. Little departs from the usual crucifix and garlic approach, giving the creatures new rules and weaknesses, which makes the story feel fresh and surprising. It is easily the best vampire story I have read in years.
There is also a clear critique of religious authority. Several of the religious figures are shown as rigid, self serving, and dangerous, which adds a darker, more thoughtful layer to the horror.
This might be the most cinematic of his novels I have read. Scenes unfold visually and dramatically, which made it impossible to put down. I read it in two sittings and stayed up through the night until I finished it. The novel is atmospheric, grotesque, and often very explicit, which is part of its power, though it is also a caution for readers who might find graphic horror difficult.
Altogether, this is Bentley Little at his strongest. Suspense builds steadily, the story is immersive, and it pushes vampire fiction into darker and more original territory. Enthralling, unsettling and memorable.
THE SUMMONING
This was a superb read and possibly the best Bentley Little novel I have read so far. Unlike many of his more formulaic “The …” titles, which focus on everyday institutions or communities and then escalate into grotesque satire, this one feels different: a classic vampire story with an imaginative and unsettling twist.
The set-up is slow, but it works. Little takes time to establish the town, the characters, and the atmosphere, so that by the time the story starts to move, the stage is fully set for a tense and eerie story. The sense of place is vivid and convincing, and the world he creates feels completely lived in.
The vampire mythology is especially original. Little departs from the usual crucifix and garlic approach, giving the creatures new rules and weaknesses, which makes the story feel fresh and surprising. It is easily the best vampire story I have read in years.
There is also a clear critique of religious authority. Several of the religious figures are shown as rigid, self serving, and dangerous, which adds a darker, more thoughtful layer to the horror.
This might be the most cinematic of his novels I have read. Scenes unfold visually and dramatically, which made it impossible to put down. I read it in two sittings and stayed up through the night until I finished it. The novel is atmospheric, grotesque, and often very explicit, which is part of its power, though it is also a caution for readers who might find graphic horror difficult.
Altogether, this is Bentley Little at his strongest. Suspense builds steadily, the story is immersive, and it pushes vampire fiction into darker and more original territory. Enthralling, unsettling and memorable.
October 12, 2014
Bentley Little is the only author I can think of who seems to need to include his then girlfriend and now wife's nationality in his bio. It seems sort of peculiar. However fetish or not, her heritage must have given him some ideas, because this vampire story has a distinct Chinese angle to it. When things start coming up exsanguinated in a small boring Arizona town, suddenly it's no longer so boring as its denizens proceed to get all sorts of crazy. The author knows a thing or two about this spinning the small town from normal to mad, he actually excels at it, taking the time to develop the characters enough for the readers to care, create realistic dialogue, situations and so on. Turns out most things we know about vampires are wrong, distorted into ineffectiveness over the years. Chinese had it right all along and lo and behold there is one Chinese family in town who can save the day. Literally one Chinese family in town, let's hear it for diversity in small towns. I don't care for vampire stories in general and this book was better than most, it had an original take and was pretty well written. Fat but a quick and pretty entertaining read. Fans of vampire fiction would probably enjoy this one.
June 17, 2021
An interesting take on vampire mythos fuels this standard but overall entertaining tale from Bentley Little.
This one features some seriously depraved (even downright NASTY) moments, as well as Little's typical awkward sexual elements (what is it with this guy's fixation on erections?) and repeated use of a particular ethnic slur that may piss off some readers.
Not great, but a decent enough read for horror fans.
This one features some seriously depraved (even downright NASTY) moments, as well as Little's typical awkward sexual elements (what is it with this guy's fixation on erections?) and repeated use of a particular ethnic slur that may piss off some readers.
Not great, but a decent enough read for horror fans.
October 26, 2025
Personally I'm not into Vampire stories, but Little brings his own touches to the folklore. In his usual quirkiness he adds to his work keeps this tale freshly original. Really enjoyed the creepy preacher and felt it helped carry the novel. I would recommend this book to horror fans, it’s quite a decent Bentley Little book. Actually very excellent 5 star read
December 31, 2011
This book kicks astronomical amounts of ass. I love vampires but I'm also bored to death with the traditional vampire concept that pop culture is drilling into everybody's heads these days. If you feel that way too, this book is a must-read for you. Little takes the concept of vampirism to such a wonderfully brutal and creative place that I'd even like to see other authors rip off this concept from him. I don't like going into detail in reviews, so just trust me that you won't be let down.
December 31, 2008
Rio Verde is a dusty little town in the Arizona desert that happens to contain a Chinese vampire.
That is the premise of The Summoning, an overly long horror novel that presents a more-than-slight variation to the vampire theme. This Chinese vampire laughs at crucifixes and garlic, but is repelled by jade and the willow tree. It can also change forms.
It’s an interesting idea, but Little doesn’t quite carry it off. Much of the novel is quite boring, actually. The vampire himself barely makes an appearance, except to a demented preacher who thinks the creature is Jesus. This preacher then goes about constructing a church for “Jesus” and acquiring humans for sacrifices.
The core group of characters – a newspaper editor, police chief, a 21-year-old Chinese lady and her wise grandmother – are likeable, but Little crams way too many secondary characters into the plot. For example, he spends ten pages introducing a character only to kill him off on the eleventh page. What’s the point?
The novel finally gets moving during the final third, but even then, it doesn’t move much. The end is fairly mundane and not very exciting. The novel isn’t very scary, either.
That is the premise of The Summoning, an overly long horror novel that presents a more-than-slight variation to the vampire theme. This Chinese vampire laughs at crucifixes and garlic, but is repelled by jade and the willow tree. It can also change forms.
It’s an interesting idea, but Little doesn’t quite carry it off. Much of the novel is quite boring, actually. The vampire himself barely makes an appearance, except to a demented preacher who thinks the creature is Jesus. This preacher then goes about constructing a church for “Jesus” and acquiring humans for sacrifices.
The core group of characters – a newspaper editor, police chief, a 21-year-old Chinese lady and her wise grandmother – are likeable, but Little crams way too many secondary characters into the plot. For example, he spends ten pages introducing a character only to kill him off on the eleventh page. What’s the point?
The novel finally gets moving during the final third, but even then, it doesn’t move much. The end is fairly mundane and not very exciting. The novel isn’t very scary, either.
July 12, 2020
I have read several of Little's novels, and they have all been decent, that is, in the 2.5-3.5 star range, but The Summoning was by far the best of his work I have encountered to date. I have the Zebra Books edition from 1993, and this was very early for Little. You know from the cover that this will be a vampire novel, but Little definitely bends the genre here in a great way!
Like many of Little's novels, this is set in a small town in Arizona (Rio Verde), and Little does an excellent job creating characters. Like Stephen King, Little fleshes out a wide range of 'normal' people in the town with few wasted words, and also like King, has them struggle with the idea of something impossible, e.g., that there is a vampire in town and it came to party. The main characters/POVs consist of a Chinese family that run a take-out restaurant in town (Sue, the main protagonist is their daughter, but the grandmother also plays a key role) and two brothers, Rich Carter who runs the local newspaper and Robert Carter who is the town's chief of police. Fairly early on, a body is discovered completely drained of all fluids-- basically just a husk, along with several animals in the same condition. The coroner is clueless regarding the cause, but as more bodies start turning up, the idea of vampires starts to emerge. This is a vampire with an Eastern flavor if you will, identified by Sue's grandmother as Cup-hu-girngse-- the corpse who drinks blood-- and she in her childhood encountered a similar beast in China.
What is unique to this story concerns the vampire itself; it manifests itself differently to whomever it contacts, from Elvis to mythical beings. When it encounters Wheeler, a local preacher, it takes the form of Jesus Christ, and starts making demands, and via Wheeler, its influence spreads. In some ways, this is a harsh critique of bible thumpers, which is funny in a morbid way. Little really has his pulse on Western Small towns and those who live there, and he amply shows the beauty and the beast (especially regarding racist attitudes, the various religious holier than thou attitudes, etc.).
The Summoning presents a pretty gripping tale, one that is funny and morbid, as the town struggles to come to grips with the monster. While certainly not an addition to fine literature, Little does add a stellar read to the horror genre. 4.5 stars.
Like many of Little's novels, this is set in a small town in Arizona (Rio Verde), and Little does an excellent job creating characters. Like Stephen King, Little fleshes out a wide range of 'normal' people in the town with few wasted words, and also like King, has them struggle with the idea of something impossible, e.g., that there is a vampire in town and it came to party. The main characters/POVs consist of a Chinese family that run a take-out restaurant in town (Sue, the main protagonist is their daughter, but the grandmother also plays a key role) and two brothers, Rich Carter who runs the local newspaper and Robert Carter who is the town's chief of police. Fairly early on, a body is discovered completely drained of all fluids-- basically just a husk, along with several animals in the same condition. The coroner is clueless regarding the cause, but as more bodies start turning up, the idea of vampires starts to emerge. This is a vampire with an Eastern flavor if you will, identified by Sue's grandmother as Cup-hu-girngse-- the corpse who drinks blood-- and she in her childhood encountered a similar beast in China.
What is unique to this story concerns the vampire itself; it manifests itself differently to whomever it contacts, from Elvis to mythical beings. When it encounters Wheeler, a local preacher, it takes the form of Jesus Christ, and starts making demands, and via Wheeler, its influence spreads. In some ways, this is a harsh critique of bible thumpers, which is funny in a morbid way. Little really has his pulse on Western Small towns and those who live there, and he amply shows the beauty and the beast (especially regarding racist attitudes, the various religious holier than thou attitudes, etc.).
The Summoning presents a pretty gripping tale, one that is funny and morbid, as the town struggles to come to grips with the monster. While certainly not an addition to fine literature, Little does add a stellar read to the horror genre. 4.5 stars.
August 29, 2024
I'll start out with some trigger warnings: One of the holidays mentioned in this book is Columbus Day (not...whatever it's called today); "Radio Shack" is mentioned several times in the text (in case you've had traumatic experiences with stocks or gadgets from this defunct company); and a minor, but named, character in the book decides NOT to have an abortion (don't say you weren't warned).
Okay. Enough of that.
Most of Bentey Little's novels have mundane titles: usually "The NOUN," but don't let that fool you. His novels are a powerhouse of horror. And fun. This one is no exception.
Fast-paced, genuinely scary tale of an ancient evil that has taken up residence in the small Arizona town of Rio Verde. Deceptively simple prose allows Little to sneak up on you wallop you over the head with his horrifying visions. His characters are well-rounded and, as a reader, I invested heavily in them, caring about each one--even the minor ones destined for disposal. Exactly what I expect from a Little novel.
Highly recommended for fans of vampire horror.
Okay. Enough of that.
Most of Bentey Little's novels have mundane titles: usually "The NOUN," but don't let that fool you. His novels are a powerhouse of horror. And fun. This one is no exception.
Fast-paced, genuinely scary tale of an ancient evil that has taken up residence in the small Arizona town of Rio Verde. Deceptively simple prose allows Little to sneak up on you wallop you over the head with his horrifying visions. His characters are well-rounded and, as a reader, I invested heavily in them, caring about each one--even the minor ones destined for disposal. Exactly what I expect from a Little novel.
Highly recommended for fans of vampire horror.
November 3, 2021
I believe one only had to search my books to understand that Bentley Little along with Tim Curran are my favourite horror writers. One (Tim) is more splatter, gore and action and the other is more on building site and giving an appropriate conclusion.
Well, he's got 29 novels plus some collections of short stories. I've read 11 of them.
My favourite are The Association, Dispatch, The Store and the Mailman all receive over 8 stars (in 10). Being that The Association is one of my favourite horror stories to date.
This one is quite big with over 500 pages. It builds it builds and gives a interesting conclusion. Well let us start with this review. First of all let me just tell you something - Bentley Little is married to a Chinese woman. No, I am not being a racist twat. He puts that in every novel he publish - why is it important for putting the race of a person (it's not even the author) on book? It makes zero sense to me. BUT alas he puts it. On this, she was still the girlfriend! Cool for you Bentley Little.
Now, apart from that, in this novel it's important you know she is Chinese because one of our main characters is... BAH! Chinese! (Cantonese Chinese not Mandarin - I know Mandarin is the main one but they speak Cantonese).
Let me start by the end - we've got a lot characters and this book feels an ode to Bentley Littlewife girlfriend, family and heritage. It's just that. And if someone wants to contradict me - well they can but they would be wrong HAHA
Either way, this novel is an interesting novel set in small town in the Arizona desert where people live their lives as per usual boring way. Their, in that small 1500 city, it lives a chinese family that works in a restaurant (cliche? WELL this was written in 93 so cliche was the rule! Either they work on restaurants or cloth cleaning services) but she wants to pursue something in journlism. As she searches for money to leave the small city and study she goes to work in s small paper.
Apart from this story we follow we also follow Rick (The newsguy). So what was interesting was the build up as I talk before - we learn more of Sue story and struggle being a chinese in a white america (either due to racism, or because their own family stick with themselves- racism is not something that exists because of the other but also because we, sometimes stick to our kind and don't try to integrate - that's my take - hey but I don't know nada).
In the other end we got Rick as he tries to manage his demanding work, wife and child. It was interesting to see the marriage falling apart - not cool but interesting.
Then in the background we've got killings and some investigation; first is a serial killer then some people start thinking about a vampire and then we've got racist portrayl of vampires - LOL. Nah, what we have is something cool - We know europeans had "dragons" and we know chinese had "dragons" but they are different right? Now imagine a vampire - there are chinese vampires and europeans vampires - so which is right or wrong? In this novel the white people are the ones deluded and the correct one is the chinese! So, alas - true be told I am more keen to belief in the chinese version because our "vampire" fear of crosses per example is fairly new. Garlic (well probably would work - crossing water too)
Well lets be real, look at Wending/Bigfoot/Snowman - they are basically the same cryptofiend but one is more inspire on Himalaya's folklore while the other is more Indian(from america) and european folklore.
Overall, it was very cool ride. I've read the last 200 pages in one go, just so you know. As I said it builds and it's slow then he starts picking up pace and the last 100 pages are gone in one go.
The ending is perfect to be honest - what I don't enjoy on most horror novels is the "all is good" ending. Here you don't have that. I Thought well maybe rick (bentley) will grab sue (hiswife girlfriend) ... and that... well I am not going to spoil it for you. Read the novel.
To anyone who wants to try a Bentley Little novel - I would start with the Association. If you want a cool vampire story mix with drama - then go here.
Well, he's got 29 novels plus some collections of short stories. I've read 11 of them.
My favourite are The Association, Dispatch, The Store and the Mailman all receive over 8 stars (in 10). Being that The Association is one of my favourite horror stories to date.
This one is quite big with over 500 pages. It builds it builds and gives a interesting conclusion. Well let us start with this review. First of all let me just tell you something - Bentley Little is married to a Chinese woman. No, I am not being a racist twat. He puts that in every novel he publish - why is it important for putting the race of a person (it's not even the author) on book? It makes zero sense to me. BUT alas he puts it. On this, she was still the girlfriend! Cool for you Bentley Little.
Now, apart from that, in this novel it's important you know she is Chinese because one of our main characters is... BAH! Chinese! (Cantonese Chinese not Mandarin - I know Mandarin is the main one but they speak Cantonese).
Let me start by the end - we've got a lot characters and this book feels an ode to Bentley Little
Either way, this novel is an interesting novel set in small town in the Arizona desert where people live their lives as per usual boring way. Their, in that small 1500 city, it lives a chinese family that works in a restaurant (cliche? WELL this was written in 93 so cliche was the rule! Either they work on restaurants or cloth cleaning services) but she wants to pursue something in journlism. As she searches for money to leave the small city and study she goes to work in s small paper.
Apart from this story we follow we also follow Rick (The newsguy). So what was interesting was the build up as I talk before - we learn more of Sue story and struggle being a chinese in a white america (either due to racism, or because their own family stick with themselves- racism is not something that exists because of the other but also because we, sometimes stick to our kind and don't try to integrate - that's my take - hey but I don't know nada).
In the other end we got Rick as he tries to manage his demanding work, wife and child. It was interesting to see the marriage falling apart - not cool but interesting.
Then in the background we've got killings and some investigation; first is a serial killer then some people start thinking about a vampire and then we've got racist portrayl of vampires - LOL. Nah, what we have is something cool - We know europeans had "dragons" and we know chinese had "dragons" but they are different right? Now imagine a vampire - there are chinese vampires and europeans vampires - so which is right or wrong? In this novel the white people are the ones deluded and the correct one is the chinese! So, alas - true be told I am more keen to belief in the chinese version because our "vampire" fear of crosses per example is fairly new. Garlic (well probably would work - crossing water too)
Well lets be real, look at Wending/Bigfoot/Snowman - they are basically the same cryptofiend but one is more inspire on Himalaya's folklore while the other is more Indian(from america) and european folklore.
Overall, it was very cool ride. I've read the last 200 pages in one go, just so you know. As I said it builds and it's slow then he starts picking up pace and the last 100 pages are gone in one go.
The ending is perfect to be honest - what I don't enjoy on most horror novels is the "all is good" ending. Here you don't have that. I Thought well maybe rick (bentley) will grab sue (his
To anyone who wants to try a Bentley Little novel - I would start with the Association. If you want a cool vampire story mix with drama - then go here.
January 28, 2020
When it comes to Bentley Little, he is a very out side of the box type of author. He can find ways to make things frightening that NO OTHER author can. Some of his work I like better then others but, in my humble opinion, he always entertains and always provides a fresh look on horror.
The Summoning is such an original take on such a saturated sub genre. I literally could not stop reading. The pure evil and playful malevolence displayed by the antagonists was perfectly written and the constant plot changes and deviations flowed well within the overall story arch. I can easily say this is his best work that I have read. The well fleshed out characters had me audibly displaying emotions during the read from loud laughter to wide eyed shock
And to think I almost passed on it cause the whole ‘vampire’ trope 😱😱😱
I highly recommend this one! Grab it, you will not be disappointed
The Summoning is such an original take on such a saturated sub genre. I literally could not stop reading. The pure evil and playful malevolence displayed by the antagonists was perfectly written and the constant plot changes and deviations flowed well within the overall story arch. I can easily say this is his best work that I have read. The well fleshed out characters had me audibly displaying emotions during the read from loud laughter to wide eyed shock
And to think I almost passed on it cause the whole ‘vampire’ trope 😱😱😱
I highly recommend this one! Grab it, you will not be disappointed
September 13, 2021
If you follow any of my reviews lately, you know I’m reading Bentley Littles entire catalog and doing them Under the #bingeingbentley on my Instagram account, steelrainreviews. Well, here’s another Banger from Bentley Little. This is another one that had slipped past me years ago, and I’m glad to finally have read it.
Little gives his take on the vampire trope. The twist here, is that he uses a vampire that is (what I assume) to be from Chinese culture. I tried looking it up, and really couldn’t find anything about it, although Little did credit his wife for helping with things regarding Chinese culture. I can’t speak to the validity of what I’m reading, especially because when I Google anything regarding vampires from other cultures, the cup-hu-girngsi is not what I see from China.
Ok so, now to the book. It’s great. Little takes a good amount of time developing the story and the characters here. Sue and her family are Chinese-Americans trying to carve out a life for themselves in a small Arizona town. Professionally, they get along well with the towns other residents, but on a personal level, not as much. There is a distance. Especially for Sue’s parents. Eventually, a pastor finds Jesus and begins to do the lords work. It just so happens the lords work isn’t quite what we think it is.
This book has all the qualities of a good Bentley Little novel. Little does small town good. He makes things gross, uncomfortable, horrific and he does this with vampires as well. I really enjoyed his take on the Trope. Fans of Little will find a lot to love about this one. I would even recommend for people who aren’t sold on Little to give this one a try.
Little gives his take on the vampire trope. The twist here, is that he uses a vampire that is (what I assume) to be from Chinese culture. I tried looking it up, and really couldn’t find anything about it, although Little did credit his wife for helping with things regarding Chinese culture. I can’t speak to the validity of what I’m reading, especially because when I Google anything regarding vampires from other cultures, the cup-hu-girngsi is not what I see from China.
Ok so, now to the book. It’s great. Little takes a good amount of time developing the story and the characters here. Sue and her family are Chinese-Americans trying to carve out a life for themselves in a small Arizona town. Professionally, they get along well with the towns other residents, but on a personal level, not as much. There is a distance. Especially for Sue’s parents. Eventually, a pastor finds Jesus and begins to do the lords work. It just so happens the lords work isn’t quite what we think it is.
This book has all the qualities of a good Bentley Little novel. Little does small town good. He makes things gross, uncomfortable, horrific and he does this with vampires as well. I really enjoyed his take on the Trope. Fans of Little will find a lot to love about this one. I would even recommend for people who aren’t sold on Little to give this one a try.
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November 19, 2013Stephen King recommended author. He says: "BEST OUTRIGHT HORROR NOVELIST. Bentley Little, in a walk. Don't know Bentley Little? You're not alone. He's probably the genre's best-kept secret, but at least 10 of his novels are available in paperback; you can pick up three for the price of that flashy new hardcover you've got your eye on. The best thing about Little is that he can go from zero to surreal in 6.0 seconds. My favorites are The Store (think Wal-Mart run by SAYYY-tan) and Dispatch, in which a young fellow discovers that his letters to the editor actually get things done. Bad things."
11/19/13 No handsome, beguiling, teen-idol vampire here. Loved the Chinese twist. Good character development, and one character you love to hate. Another great Bentley Little tome!
11/19/13 No handsome, beguiling, teen-idol vampire here. Loved the Chinese twist. Good character development, and one character you love to hate. Another great Bentley Little tome!
November 10, 2017
This is an excellent novel, very enjoyable. The story might have been a bit predictable but the climax was delivered well and the characters were true throughout the entire book.
Bodies start to turn up in the small town of Rio Verde. Bodies that are drained of all their fluids. Relatively quickly people conclude that it is a vampire but the evil starts to influence the town people and worse things begin to happen.
While the big evil in this book is a vampire, it's not really a vampire book. More of a "something evil haunting a small city" book. As the title alludes, the book focuses more on the evil being summoned up in the towns people than to the source of the evil. In fact, the evil being a vampire is almost inconsequential since it could have been almost anything. The book does have another twist to the vampire lore though: the American legends are actually twisted information from Chinese folk lore and not everything works the same. So crosses and holy water don't work while sunlight still does. It might sound a bit contrived here but it works very well. Read it and see.
Bodies start to turn up in the small town of Rio Verde. Bodies that are drained of all their fluids. Relatively quickly people conclude that it is a vampire but the evil starts to influence the town people and worse things begin to happen.
While the big evil in this book is a vampire, it's not really a vampire book. More of a "something evil haunting a small city" book. As the title alludes, the book focuses more on the evil being summoned up in the towns people than to the source of the evil. In fact, the evil being a vampire is almost inconsequential since it could have been almost anything. The book does have another twist to the vampire lore though: the American legends are actually twisted information from Chinese folk lore and not everything works the same. So crosses and holy water don't work while sunlight still does. It might sound a bit contrived here but it works very well. Read it and see.
December 28, 2020
Great book
Different than what I'm used too with this author and I was glued to the book. Bentley Little is my favorite author
Different than what I'm used too with this author and I was glued to the book. Bentley Little is my favorite author
August 5, 2021
Lo mejor que he leído en mucho tiempo.
October 20, 2013
I read horror fiction year-round, but for obvious reasons dark tales tend to hold more credence during the crisp putrefy of autumn, where the days grow shorter and the cool darkness leading up to Hallows' Eve brings forth an atmosphere of surreal wickedness. Evil is out there. And it wants to play.
Bentley Little’s The Summoning is a perfect tale for this time of year, in which a small Arizona town is besieged by a malevolent vampire the likes of which have never been seen before in modern horror literature.
This ain’t your little sister’s vampire. The cup-hu-girngsi, Cantonese translation of “corspe-who-drinks-blood”, The dark and desolate regions of the American Southwest have never felt so eerie before. We have grown accustomed to stories where evil lurks in the wild, wooded wilderness or foreboding urban settings where anything can hide, not the vast wide-open expanse of the Arizona desert. It is in this setting where our band of chosen heroes must overcome their deepest fears and battle the primordial beast. The build-up to the grand conclusion is cinematic in scope and this novel is a worthy addition to any fright-fan’s book-shelf. Highly recommended.
Bentley Little’s The Summoning is a perfect tale for this time of year, in which a small Arizona town is besieged by a malevolent vampire the likes of which have never been seen before in modern horror literature.
This ain’t your little sister’s vampire. The cup-hu-girngsi, Cantonese translation of “corspe-who-drinks-blood”, The dark and desolate regions of the American Southwest have never felt so eerie before. We have grown accustomed to stories where evil lurks in the wild, wooded wilderness or foreboding urban settings where anything can hide, not the vast wide-open expanse of the Arizona desert. It is in this setting where our band of chosen heroes must overcome their deepest fears and battle the primordial beast. The build-up to the grand conclusion is cinematic in scope and this novel is a worthy addition to any fright-fan’s book-shelf. Highly recommended.
February 3, 2011
Bleh. Not sure I keep reading these (although I definitely needed mindless after recovering from surgery). The one thing (and right now, the only thing) that I like about Little is he differs from most standard horror in that everyone acknowledges that the supernatural stuff is real and occurring. However this entry had several situations which were clearly only for shock value and didn't move the plot forward in any way.
February 17, 2020
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
My favorite Bentley Little book ever. Top 10 vampire novel ever!
ScariestBentley Little novel along with The Resort and The Association.
Essential addition to any serious horror novel collection.
My favorite Bentley Little book ever. Top 10 vampire novel ever!
ScariestBentley Little novel along with The Resort and The Association.
Essential addition to any serious horror novel collection.
February 18, 2013
A very good vampire story with a different twist. Solid ending in Little fashion.
December 4, 2022
Good character set up with building tension throughout
November 26, 2024
Bentley Little does Salem’s Lot. And with a goofy Zebra cover. Hell Yeah! Life is good. 5 Stars.
February 16, 2018
The Summoning-Bentley Little
This is Bentley Little’s take on the vampire mythos.
Characters of Note
Sue Wing- She is a second-generation Chinese American who though a high-school graduate still lives with her parents and works in their restaurant. Slowly drifting through life she finally decides that she needs to go further and enrolls in a junior college journalism class. Sue’s family consists of her Mother, Father, and Grandmother, who are all immigrants, and her brother, both he and she are American born. I mention the fact that they are American born because part of the theme of this book is Sue trying to find a place in American society while still being held back by her Chinese heritage. Besides having to deal with a vampire that is sucking the land and the townspeople dry she learns that she is an heir to an ancient Chinese mystical gift.
Rich Carter- He is a devoted family man with one daughter. He grew up in the small town that the story takes place in before leaving for college. Years later he returned, dragging his city-dwelling wife back with him. He is quite happy to be a small town newspaper editor where the biggest story is which store is having a sale; his wife is less than pleased. She wants more to life than to be his assistant and soon finds herself employed by a local reverend.
The story for the most parts revolves around these two characters and their interactions with their family and the town. As with most of Little’s work, there are brief scenes that showcase a few of the other inhabitants of the town, usually in a non-flattering moment in their life. The story begins with a pastor that is convinced that he has seen Jesus. Even better Jesus had told him that if he builds Him a church that He will return to earth and reside there. For the reader, the fact that Jesus wants an all-black painted church and has declared the day of his return to be October 31st is pretty much red flags that something is amiss.
Of course ‘Jesus’ is a vampire who appears to many people in many guises. The common theme of his guises is that he always is seen as a figure that cannot die, or who have died and come back, Jesus, the Phoenix, Mexican monster ‘The Laughing Man’, and Elvis to mention a few. His true form is much more sinister.
Unlike most of Little’s books, we do get to see a national response to what is happening in the town. As I have mentioned before in a lot of Bentley’s books the unnatural is almost seen as fated and the characters really don’t seem to make rational choices as to where to turn for help. The government, laws and law enforcement are hardly ever in play. Most horrors this is fine, you really do not expect the army to show up and react to Mike Myers because his visitations are so short and are often over before there could be any logical responses, whereas in a Bentley Little book the horror is usually drawn out over years with plenty of opportunities to get the police involved.
Rich’s brother is the sheriff in town and unlike most horror story Police officers are ready to accept the proof in front of his eyes that a vampire is attacking the town. State and federal law enforcement are brought into the scene. The FBI agent on the scene soon believes the truth, but in a misguided attempt to try and grab a chance at promotion from the incident, does not properly move the case up the chain but continues to try and handle it himself, even when he has evidence that something unusual is happening.
Soon it is noticed that there are fewer people in the town than there should be and people are starting to be affected by the influence of the vampire. It is obvious that something must be done and Sue is drafted by her Grandmother, who also possesses the ancient power and has had a small experience with vampires, to lead a party to the monsters home.
Little adds some different touches to the vampire mythos. Some of the normal staples, like fear of sunlight and the need to drink blood, are there, while others like weakness to crosses and silver have been replaced with Asian touches like jade and willow branches being protection and weapons that can be used against the vampire.
One note is that this book has a few things in common with “The Burning.” The FBI Agent, Greg Rossiter, in this book is the same FBI agent that is in “The Burning” and he makes a reference to one of the characters in this book. Another similarity is a slow rising resentment to Asian people. In “The Burning” it was caused by a dead white supremacist, in the Summoning, it is due to the vampires fear of Sue’s Grandmothers knowledge of what can hurt a vampire and his inability to physically attack them.
It’s a great read and of course, we have Little’s trademark blood, while the book is light on the usual sex.
I would recommend it.
This is Bentley Little’s take on the vampire mythos.
Characters of Note
Sue Wing- She is a second-generation Chinese American who though a high-school graduate still lives with her parents and works in their restaurant. Slowly drifting through life she finally decides that she needs to go further and enrolls in a junior college journalism class. Sue’s family consists of her Mother, Father, and Grandmother, who are all immigrants, and her brother, both he and she are American born. I mention the fact that they are American born because part of the theme of this book is Sue trying to find a place in American society while still being held back by her Chinese heritage. Besides having to deal with a vampire that is sucking the land and the townspeople dry she learns that she is an heir to an ancient Chinese mystical gift.
Rich Carter- He is a devoted family man with one daughter. He grew up in the small town that the story takes place in before leaving for college. Years later he returned, dragging his city-dwelling wife back with him. He is quite happy to be a small town newspaper editor where the biggest story is which store is having a sale; his wife is less than pleased. She wants more to life than to be his assistant and soon finds herself employed by a local reverend.
The story for the most parts revolves around these two characters and their interactions with their family and the town. As with most of Little’s work, there are brief scenes that showcase a few of the other inhabitants of the town, usually in a non-flattering moment in their life. The story begins with a pastor that is convinced that he has seen Jesus. Even better Jesus had told him that if he builds Him a church that He will return to earth and reside there. For the reader, the fact that Jesus wants an all-black painted church and has declared the day of his return to be October 31st is pretty much red flags that something is amiss.
Of course ‘Jesus’ is a vampire who appears to many people in many guises. The common theme of his guises is that he always is seen as a figure that cannot die, or who have died and come back, Jesus, the Phoenix, Mexican monster ‘The Laughing Man’, and Elvis to mention a few. His true form is much more sinister.
Unlike most of Little’s books, we do get to see a national response to what is happening in the town. As I have mentioned before in a lot of Bentley’s books the unnatural is almost seen as fated and the characters really don’t seem to make rational choices as to where to turn for help. The government, laws and law enforcement are hardly ever in play. Most horrors this is fine, you really do not expect the army to show up and react to Mike Myers because his visitations are so short and are often over before there could be any logical responses, whereas in a Bentley Little book the horror is usually drawn out over years with plenty of opportunities to get the police involved.
Rich’s brother is the sheriff in town and unlike most horror story Police officers are ready to accept the proof in front of his eyes that a vampire is attacking the town. State and federal law enforcement are brought into the scene. The FBI agent on the scene soon believes the truth, but in a misguided attempt to try and grab a chance at promotion from the incident, does not properly move the case up the chain but continues to try and handle it himself, even when he has evidence that something unusual is happening.
Soon it is noticed that there are fewer people in the town than there should be and people are starting to be affected by the influence of the vampire. It is obvious that something must be done and Sue is drafted by her Grandmother, who also possesses the ancient power and has had a small experience with vampires, to lead a party to the monsters home.
Little adds some different touches to the vampire mythos. Some of the normal staples, like fear of sunlight and the need to drink blood, are there, while others like weakness to crosses and silver have been replaced with Asian touches like jade and willow branches being protection and weapons that can be used against the vampire.
One note is that this book has a few things in common with “The Burning.” The FBI Agent, Greg Rossiter, in this book is the same FBI agent that is in “The Burning” and he makes a reference to one of the characters in this book. Another similarity is a slow rising resentment to Asian people. In “The Burning” it was caused by a dead white supremacist, in the Summoning, it is due to the vampires fear of Sue’s Grandmothers knowledge of what can hurt a vampire and his inability to physically attack them.
It’s a great read and of course, we have Little’s trademark blood, while the book is light on the usual sex.
I would recommend it.
March 9, 2024
Bentley Little is an author I've heard a lot of praise for, he's a horror writer who's very well known for his unique sense of bizarre humor and social commentary. A very popular author but one whose works I can imagine won't be to everyone's tastes. I previously read The Return from him and whilst I enjoyed it, I did find it quite a flawed novel that needed at least a re-write to iron out a few of the bugs and a more satisfying conclusion. But as I said in that review, I haven't been deterred from this author at all and immediately found myself getting excited for The Summoning, his vampire novel. But what did I think of it? Will I continue to read this author or will this author's works turn out to be something that's not for me? Let's find out!
Reverend Dan Wheeler is a servant of the lord with a grotesque disregard for those he considers to be beneath him, filled with prejudices and hatred towards women and people from other cultures to the very core of his soul. So when an apparition of Jesus Christ comes to him with a message of building a church to prepare for the second coming, it isn't a surprise when chaos soon ensues. The small town of Rio Verde, population of ten thousand is a tourist spot where its businesses' are unfortunately dying. But with a vampire now on the loose, it seems the locals have more than the economy to worry about. However, these murders aren't those depicted in the typical Western vampire legends, only a woman by the name of Sue Wing descended from a Chinese family has an idea of the truth, and with her grandmother having previously since such a creature as a child, knows exactly what their facing up against. Together along with 5 other locals, they must face the evil that has infiltrated their beloved town, but with a corrupt religious cult against them, fighting a creature from the dawn of time might be harder than they initially thought.
The Summoning is a masterpiece of a novel, it's a truly terrifying and unique Vampire novel that doesn't fall on the usual legends that have been used to help devise villains such as Dracula or Kurt Barlow to piece together its story, in typical Bentley Little fashion of doing something unique, he looks towards the vampiric legends of other cultures to help put together this novel and I must say he does an amazing job depicting an entirely different type of Vampire from the ones we're used too.
It's an incredibly atmospheric and grotesque novel, that doesn't pull any of its punches and has some truly bizarre and horrifying scenes spread throughout its narrative. Graveyards being defiled, bodies drained of all floods, a psychologically disturbed father swimming in a tank of excrement, and walls covered in human corpses depicting gruesome verses of the bible, help make this novel stand on its own from the other vampire novels and help realize it as being something truly special and extraordinary. It has a terrific cast of characters who are so brilliantly realized and realistic, the relationships between family members, friends, and the locals all help make the world-building in this novel feel incredibly rich and well thought out. The good guys in this story are incredibly likable but realistic enough to have flaws, the villains (particularly Reverend Dan Wheeler in this case) are a pair of pure evil psychotics whose disregard, lust, and hunger for those around them in either a metaphorical or purely physical sensation are utterly sickening and terrifying in equal measure.
This is an incredibly tense and disturbing novel that deals with some very distressing and unfortunately realistic themes. Such as the brainwashing that comes from religious extremism and the hatred it can breed among its disciples, subtle or downright violent racism towards Asian people, religious disregard and hatred towards women, and the sheer arrogance and manipulation that stems from people in a position of power, whether that be in the police force or corrupt religious beliefs.
Overall: This is a bloody terrifying novel with some incredible characterization, a chilling atmosphere, disturbing descriptions of gore and violence, terrific world-building, and a nice sense of humor to help lighten the story a little when it needs to. It's genuinely one of the best Vampire novels I've ever read, but like many great horror stories, it does manage to still highlight how human evil will always be scarier than the monsters we find in fiction. 10/10
Reverend Dan Wheeler is a servant of the lord with a grotesque disregard for those he considers to be beneath him, filled with prejudices and hatred towards women and people from other cultures to the very core of his soul. So when an apparition of Jesus Christ comes to him with a message of building a church to prepare for the second coming, it isn't a surprise when chaos soon ensues. The small town of Rio Verde, population of ten thousand is a tourist spot where its businesses' are unfortunately dying. But with a vampire now on the loose, it seems the locals have more than the economy to worry about. However, these murders aren't those depicted in the typical Western vampire legends, only a woman by the name of Sue Wing descended from a Chinese family has an idea of the truth, and with her grandmother having previously since such a creature as a child, knows exactly what their facing up against. Together along with 5 other locals, they must face the evil that has infiltrated their beloved town, but with a corrupt religious cult against them, fighting a creature from the dawn of time might be harder than they initially thought.
The Summoning is a masterpiece of a novel, it's a truly terrifying and unique Vampire novel that doesn't fall on the usual legends that have been used to help devise villains such as Dracula or Kurt Barlow to piece together its story, in typical Bentley Little fashion of doing something unique, he looks towards the vampiric legends of other cultures to help put together this novel and I must say he does an amazing job depicting an entirely different type of Vampire from the ones we're used too.
It's an incredibly atmospheric and grotesque novel, that doesn't pull any of its punches and has some truly bizarre and horrifying scenes spread throughout its narrative. Graveyards being defiled, bodies drained of all floods, a psychologically disturbed father swimming in a tank of excrement, and walls covered in human corpses depicting gruesome verses of the bible, help make this novel stand on its own from the other vampire novels and help realize it as being something truly special and extraordinary. It has a terrific cast of characters who are so brilliantly realized and realistic, the relationships between family members, friends, and the locals all help make the world-building in this novel feel incredibly rich and well thought out. The good guys in this story are incredibly likable but realistic enough to have flaws, the villains (particularly Reverend Dan Wheeler in this case) are a pair of pure evil psychotics whose disregard, lust, and hunger for those around them in either a metaphorical or purely physical sensation are utterly sickening and terrifying in equal measure.
This is an incredibly tense and disturbing novel that deals with some very distressing and unfortunately realistic themes. Such as the brainwashing that comes from religious extremism and the hatred it can breed among its disciples, subtle or downright violent racism towards Asian people, religious disregard and hatred towards women, and the sheer arrogance and manipulation that stems from people in a position of power, whether that be in the police force or corrupt religious beliefs.
Overall: This is a bloody terrifying novel with some incredible characterization, a chilling atmosphere, disturbing descriptions of gore and violence, terrific world-building, and a nice sense of humor to help lighten the story a little when it needs to. It's genuinely one of the best Vampire novels I've ever read, but like many great horror stories, it does manage to still highlight how human evil will always be scarier than the monsters we find in fiction. 10/10
July 19, 2018
The Summoning by Bentley Little is definitely a disturbing vampire novel, and not your typical one either. I am more for a traditional type of vampire setting personally, then the one I read here. But I do admire Little changing it up and trying something new. This novel had a lot involved in it, a vampire, a cult leader and followers. The leader is basically a antichrist, and is deeply lost himself, but even so, is leading people astray, meaning the cult to this fake Jesus Christ. Warping their minds. The vampire uses his power to appear to the cult leader as "Jesus Christ," or so the cult leader thinks. As a whole, this book is deeply blasphemous to Christianity, and as a Christian myself, it was hard to read. While I get that Little has created a vampire that can appear as one who can represent any believable resurrected person. Which reminded me a lot of IT from Stephen King. A lot of content within it was disgusting and revolting, more then usual for me. You will have to read it to see what I mean, as it is simply too disgusting to go into more detail. And please note, this novel does in no way, reflect Jesus Christ, so don't let that confuse you.
In this novel, you will read of child abuse and murder, which that within itself sits hard with me, and is true horror, reminded me of the late Jack Ketchum's, The Girl Next Door. Those elements is what makes me shiver with this novel at times. The plot, was good, but very long and drawn out. There was a instant constantly repeating itself on how to protect oneself from the vampire over and over again which started to get repetitive and boring. The ending seemed rushed, seeming to me that Little was running out of ideas. I will never probably read this book again, as it was more of a one time read for me.
In the end, if you are looking for a more of a traditional vampire setting, where you can use crosses and the word of God to ward of a evil vampire, look elsewhere, this isn't the book for you. But, if you are looking for a change in vampire mythology, then by all means, open this one up and take a gander.
In this novel, you will read of child abuse and murder, which that within itself sits hard with me, and is true horror, reminded me of the late Jack Ketchum's, The Girl Next Door. Those elements is what makes me shiver with this novel at times. The plot, was good, but very long and drawn out. There was a instant constantly repeating itself on how to protect oneself from the vampire over and over again which started to get repetitive and boring. The ending seemed rushed, seeming to me that Little was running out of ideas. I will never probably read this book again, as it was more of a one time read for me.
In the end, if you are looking for a more of a traditional vampire setting, where you can use crosses and the word of God to ward of a evil vampire, look elsewhere, this isn't the book for you. But, if you are looking for a change in vampire mythology, then by all means, open this one up and take a gander.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2023
Here are the characters:
Middle aged rural newspaper guy- hes very cool and a good guy
Middle aged wife of above- shes kind of a bitch (shock)
Sheriff- brother of newspaper guy
20 year old college student- shes a weirdo, but is 20 so she obviously wants to fuck the newspaper guy
old lady- shes the best, but also is psychic, obv, cause why tf else would there even be in a story if not for that.
Okay, this wasn't a very good book, BUT I was happy to have at least some of the stupid tropes and my expectations be toppled.
This book was so fucking long and there was absolutely no reason for it. We had to hear about every single fucking side character and it added nothing. it felt like and attempt at the stand style, with a thousand people who are all being affected by the bad thing, but it was not at all interesting. I also didn't really need to read about how a newspaper is made in technical detail. This felt very much like a book from the 80s.
what was good:
-different take on vampire
-fun religious angle
-um.
bad:
-characters were stupid
-story too long and extremely fucking boring
-why does the grandmother ask her grandaughter if shes a virgin, then it has no fucking meaning otherwise?
-why is wife always bad?
Overall this book was extremely bland. Also why does the main character lick his lips so fucking much?
Middle aged rural newspaper guy- hes very cool and a good guy
Middle aged wife of above- shes kind of a bitch (shock)
Sheriff- brother of newspaper guy
20 year old college student- shes a weirdo, but is 20 so she obviously wants to fuck the newspaper guy
old lady- shes the best, but also is psychic, obv, cause why tf else would there even be in a story if not for that.
Okay, this wasn't a very good book, BUT I was happy to have at least some of the stupid tropes and my expectations be toppled.
This book was so fucking long and there was absolutely no reason for it. We had to hear about every single fucking side character and it added nothing. it felt like and attempt at the stand style, with a thousand people who are all being affected by the bad thing, but it was not at all interesting. I also didn't really need to read about how a newspaper is made in technical detail. This felt very much like a book from the 80s.
what was good:
-different take on vampire
-fun religious angle
-um.
bad:
-characters were stupid
-story too long and extremely fucking boring
-why does the grandmother ask her grandaughter if shes a virgin, then it has no fucking meaning otherwise?
-why is wife always bad?
Overall this book was extremely bland. Also why does the main character lick his lips so fucking much?
December 6, 2025
That one time Bentley Little took on vampires, like every aspiring horror writer is required to do at some point in their career. Is his take on them any good? Well.....note the 3 star rating.
The premise is great; a small town in Arizona just happens to be host to a Chinese vampire. Little's wife is Chinese and he feels the need to mention this in the author bio; not sure if a fetish thing or not but he does seem to take "inspiration" from her a bit more than would be expected for this kind of book. Anyways, the Chinese vampire is a great variation on the vampire myth; crucifixes and garlic don't work on it but it can be repelled by jade and the willow tree. It can also shapeshift. No clue if this is accurate to the traditional Chinese beliefs but there you go.
The problem with his book is it's easily 200 pages too long, seems like every Zebra/Pinnacle horror writer had word counts to make their books 500+ pages long (this trend likely began with their star horror author, Rick Hautala) and there's way too many secondary characters introduced. The vampire himself doesn't make much of an appearance until the finale and even then it's underwhelming. Lots of atmosphere and buildup but no payoff. Little has a serious problem with writing endings.
What's there to like? Well, the vampire takes the form of Jesus to a local preacher and convinces him to build a church so that he may acquire "sacrifices" to help usher in the second coming. God and Jesus being vampires is a delightfully blasphemous idea; shame the potential isn't fully realized. Almost felt too restrained for Little. Can't believe I'd say such a thing.
The premise is great; a small town in Arizona just happens to be host to a Chinese vampire. Little's wife is Chinese and he feels the need to mention this in the author bio; not sure if a fetish thing or not but he does seem to take "inspiration" from her a bit more than would be expected for this kind of book. Anyways, the Chinese vampire is a great variation on the vampire myth; crucifixes and garlic don't work on it but it can be repelled by jade and the willow tree. It can also shapeshift. No clue if this is accurate to the traditional Chinese beliefs but there you go.
The problem with his book is it's easily 200 pages too long, seems like every Zebra/Pinnacle horror writer had word counts to make their books 500+ pages long (this trend likely began with their star horror author, Rick Hautala) and there's way too many secondary characters introduced. The vampire himself doesn't make much of an appearance until the finale and even then it's underwhelming. Lots of atmosphere and buildup but no payoff. Little has a serious problem with writing endings.
What's there to like? Well, the vampire takes the form of Jesus to a local preacher and convinces him to build a church so that he may acquire "sacrifices" to help usher in the second coming. God and Jesus being vampires is a delightfully blasphemous idea; shame the potential isn't fully realized. Almost felt too restrained for Little. Can't believe I'd say such a thing.
March 28, 2023
Little, Bentley - The Summoning
“Classic” horror from the 90’s heyday of the genre.
A tent preacher is called by Jesus to build a church in Rio Verde.
The congregation grows along with the building, and deaths multiply.
As ever, no one quite makes the connection.
Mr. King praises this author, and for good reason; it’s a page turner. Formula, but the pace is full steam ahead. More than that, it reads like a King novel – or Koontz – or Laymon.
Three clusters in the yarn. Preacher Wheeler and his intimates, brothers Robert (sheriff) and Rich (newspaper man), and their assorted family and colleagues, and Sue Wing and her friends and Chinese family. Other characters that crop up from time to time? Dinner is served.
Oh yeah, vampire saga. Sucking dry humans, armadillos, cacti. And the locals? They seem to stick around instead of hightailing their behinds to Vegas.
Empty headed fun, reminiscent of a drive-in movie.
Neither here nor there: I preordered a posh version of this back in 2014. Nine years later, it finally arrived in my mailbox.
May all your preorders arrive, children. If not sooner than mine, at least arrive, period.
“Classic” horror from the 90’s heyday of the genre.
A tent preacher is called by Jesus to build a church in Rio Verde.
The congregation grows along with the building, and deaths multiply.
As ever, no one quite makes the connection.
Mr. King praises this author, and for good reason; it’s a page turner. Formula, but the pace is full steam ahead. More than that, it reads like a King novel – or Koontz – or Laymon.
Three clusters in the yarn. Preacher Wheeler and his intimates, brothers Robert (sheriff) and Rich (newspaper man), and their assorted family and colleagues, and Sue Wing and her friends and Chinese family. Other characters that crop up from time to time? Dinner is served.
Oh yeah, vampire saga. Sucking dry humans, armadillos, cacti. And the locals? They seem to stick around instead of hightailing their behinds to Vegas.
Empty headed fun, reminiscent of a drive-in movie.
Neither here nor there: I preordered a posh version of this back in 2014. Nine years later, it finally arrived in my mailbox.
May all your preorders arrive, children. If not sooner than mine, at least arrive, period.
July 21, 2018
I am a big fan of Bentley Little's works and have read many of his books including The Mailman, The Store, The Academy, The Resort, the Ignored, Dominion, The Walking, The Disappearance, The Associate, The Town, The House and many of his other books including the one with the short stories like The Washingtonians. Apart from writers like Stephen Kings or the late George Romero or late Ray Bradbury, some of his short stories would make great episodes for a horror anthology TV series, as they tend to be disturbing, creepy and scary.
But this book stands out, in the same way Stephen Kings' Sleepwalkers movie did. The story is about a town where cattle and corpses have been discovered to have been dramatically decomposed, as if some kind of vampire was at work. The creature-at-work could be the basis for what is behind the myths, legends and folklore about vampires, as it is a universal figure but still looks different to different cultures. In some ways, it is also like Stephen King's other works like Salem's Lot, IT and Tommyknockers.
But this book stands out, in the same way Stephen Kings' Sleepwalkers movie did. The story is about a town where cattle and corpses have been discovered to have been dramatically decomposed, as if some kind of vampire was at work. The creature-at-work could be the basis for what is behind the myths, legends and folklore about vampires, as it is a universal figure but still looks different to different cultures. In some ways, it is also like Stephen King's other works like Salem's Lot, IT and Tommyknockers.
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