(pb; 2008)
From the back cover:
"Something very strange is happening in LeHorn's Hollow. Eerie, piping music is heard late at night, and mysterious fires have been spotted deep in the woods. Women are vanishing without a trace overnight, leaving behind husbands and families. When up-and-coming novelist Adam Senft stumbles upon an unearthly scene, it plunges him and the entire town into an ancient nightmare. Folks say the woods in LeHorn's Hollow are haunted, but what waits there is far worse than any ghost. It has been summoned. . . and now it demands to be satisfied."
Review:
Kooky, outstanding horror offering, this. Told from the chatty, first-person perspective of "midlist mystery" writer Adam Senft, the novel begins in an amiable, there's-odd-things-going-on-near-the-suburbs fashion. It's not long before the odd events turn serious, grimly so -- disappearances, outbreaks of priapism among the residents of LeHorn's Hollow, and murder.
The last hundred pages, peppered with quotable, intentionally laugh-out-loud dialogue, is spooky and riveting, with over-the-top kookiness highlighting the violent, briefly-sexual, action. (At one point, Adam utters a Charles Bronson-esque action-flick line, while everything around Adam has gone bacchanal-bonkers.)
This is a distinctive, reader-absorbing work, one that fans of horror, especially those who love Sam Raimi 's Evil Dead films, ought to snap up and enjoy.
One of the funnest horror novels I've read in a long while.
Check it out!
Showing posts with label Charles Bronson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charles Bronson. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Mr. Majestyk, by Elmore Leonard
From the back cover
"Once Vincent Majestyk crashed through a jungle with an M-15 and a sack of grenades. Now he works under the open skies of the American Southwest, growing melons on his farm. But a strong-arming punk came to Majestyk's fields and set off a violent chain reaction that left Majestyk without a friend in the world -- except for one tough, beautiful woman. Heading to prison, Majestyk finds himself shackled beside a notorious Mafia hit man. And now a man who's been searching for peace and a man who's been looking for an angle are about to be set free by a violent breakout: making the farmer and the hit man each other's only hope -- and worst possible enemy."
Review
Solid, straight-forward action novel from Leonard, one of the best and more prolific crime novelists in the writing business. There are few surprises, but the writing is worthwhile, with a touch of quirkiness here and there.
Good read.
The film, starring Charles Bronson as Vince Majestyk, was released in the U.S. on July 17, 1974. Al Letieri played Frank Renda. Linda Cristal played Nancy Chavez. Lee Purcell played Wiley. Paul Koslo played Bobby Kopas. Taylor Lacher played Gene Lundy.
Richard Fleischer directed, from a script by script-uncredited book author Elmore Leonard.
Monday, November 03, 2008
The White Buffalo, by Richard Sale
(hb; 1975)
From the inside flap:
"At the center of [this] story are two very different heroes: the nervous, elegant and deadly master of triggernometry who has come to the Wyoming Territory in the wake of General Custer under an assumed name and who is really Wild Bill Hickok -- scout, gunman, a living legend -- in pursuit of his last adventure; and an Indian, 'Worm,' Nadonaissioux mieyebo, soon to be called Crazy Horse, one day to fight at Little Big Horn.
"The two men share the same dream: to kill (or be killed) by the last of the great white buffaloes, whose mystical presence haunts them both. Their search for this fabulous (and all too real) creature takes both men through the lonely highlands of the West in its last days of wildness; to small towns full of impoverished gold rushers, whores and killers; to Army camps; to the high mountains and grassy plains and Indian settlements, until finally the two most legendary figures of the West -- Hickok and Crazy Horse -- meet in a stunning and terrifying climax before the maddened charge of the White Buffalo himself."
Review:
Sale intertwines legends, great characterizations, action and an exciting -- if dying -- era into resonant and unique storyline. Making this story even more thrilling is Sale's use of semi-poetic turns of phrase and interesting Old West-related facts (which don't slow the pace of the story one whit). This is, hands-down, one of the best (and most original) Westerns I've ever read.
By all means, check this out.
#
The resulting film was released stateside in May 1977.
Charles Bronson played Wild Bill Hickok (aka, James Otis). Jack Warden played Charlie Zane. Will Sampson played Crazy Horse (aka, Worm). Clint Walker played Whistling Jack Kileen. Slim Pickens played Abel Pickney. Kim Novak played Mrs. Jenny Schermerhorn (aka, Poker Jenny). John Carradine played Amos Briggs (an undertaker). Shay Duffin played Tim Brady. Ed Lauter played Tom Custer. Martin Kove played Jack McCall.
J. Lee Thompson directed the film, from a script by source-book author Richard Sale.
From the inside flap:
"At the center of [this] story are two very different heroes: the nervous, elegant and deadly master of triggernometry who has come to the Wyoming Territory in the wake of General Custer under an assumed name and who is really Wild Bill Hickok -- scout, gunman, a living legend -- in pursuit of his last adventure; and an Indian, 'Worm,' Nadonaissioux mieyebo, soon to be called Crazy Horse, one day to fight at Little Big Horn.
"The two men share the same dream: to kill (or be killed) by the last of the great white buffaloes, whose mystical presence haunts them both. Their search for this fabulous (and all too real) creature takes both men through the lonely highlands of the West in its last days of wildness; to small towns full of impoverished gold rushers, whores and killers; to Army camps; to the high mountains and grassy plains and Indian settlements, until finally the two most legendary figures of the West -- Hickok and Crazy Horse -- meet in a stunning and terrifying climax before the maddened charge of the White Buffalo himself."
Review:
Sale intertwines legends, great characterizations, action and an exciting -- if dying -- era into resonant and unique storyline. Making this story even more thrilling is Sale's use of semi-poetic turns of phrase and interesting Old West-related facts (which don't slow the pace of the story one whit). This is, hands-down, one of the best (and most original) Westerns I've ever read.
By all means, check this out.
#
The resulting film was released stateside in May 1977.
Charles Bronson played Wild Bill Hickok (aka, James Otis). Jack Warden played Charlie Zane. Will Sampson played Crazy Horse (aka, Worm). Clint Walker played Whistling Jack Kileen. Slim Pickens played Abel Pickney. Kim Novak played Mrs. Jenny Schermerhorn (aka, Poker Jenny). John Carradine played Amos Briggs (an undertaker). Shay Duffin played Tim Brady. Ed Lauter played Tom Custer. Martin Kove played Jack McCall.
J. Lee Thompson directed the film, from a script by source-book author Richard Sale.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Breakheart Pass, by Alistair MacLean
(hb; 1974)
From the inside flap:
"... a raging blizzard in the Rocky Mountains... Murder, danger, vengeful Indians, the lust for gold, and a Federal agent pitted against as villainous a set of thieves as ever came out of the Old West -- these are the elements Mr. MacLean has woven into [this] exciting and fast-moving [novel]..."
Review:
What can I write that the above blurb didn't already cover? Breakheart Pass has all the necessary elements of an excellent action novel: plenty of twists (rooted in the characters' personalities, ably mapped by MacLean), lots of clever action, and even a hint of romance -- not enough to slow down the violence and drama, of course, but there nevertheless.
Check it out: a great, fun read for action and Old West aficionados.
The resulting film was released stateside on May 5, 1976.
Charles Bronson played Deakin. Ben Johnson played Pearce. Richard Crenna played Governor Fairchild. Jill Ireland played Marica. Charles Durning played O'Brien. Ed Lauter played Major Claremont. Bill McKinney played Reverend Peabody. Robert Tessier played Levi Calhoun.
Tom Gries directed the film, from a screenplay by source-novel author Alistair MacLean.
From the inside flap:
"... a raging blizzard in the Rocky Mountains... Murder, danger, vengeful Indians, the lust for gold, and a Federal agent pitted against as villainous a set of thieves as ever came out of the Old West -- these are the elements Mr. MacLean has woven into [this] exciting and fast-moving [novel]..."
Review:
What can I write that the above blurb didn't already cover? Breakheart Pass has all the necessary elements of an excellent action novel: plenty of twists (rooted in the characters' personalities, ably mapped by MacLean), lots of clever action, and even a hint of romance -- not enough to slow down the violence and drama, of course, but there nevertheless.
Check it out: a great, fun read for action and Old West aficionados.
The resulting film was released stateside on May 5, 1976.
Charles Bronson played Deakin. Ben Johnson played Pearce. Richard Crenna played Governor Fairchild. Jill Ireland played Marica. Charles Durning played O'Brien. Ed Lauter played Major Claremont. Bill McKinney played Reverend Peabody. Robert Tessier played Levi Calhoun.
Tom Gries directed the film, from a screenplay by source-novel author Alistair MacLean.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Death Wish, by Brian Garfield
(hb; 1972: prequel to Death Sentence)
From the inside flap:
"Paul Benjamin... lives in a roomy old apartment on New York's upper West Side. He's an accountant who has lived in the city all of his life. His daughter is married and he is comfortably settled with his wife in their old apartment, in the middle of the city and its all its problems -- pollution, drugs, cost of living and, particularly crime in the streets. Like most New Yorkers, Paul is concerned about the crime rate, but he has never been afraid.
"Not until one day when crime crosses his own threshold. Suddenly, Paul and his family are the people you read about in the newspapers, victims of a vicious, unprovoked attack. For a few days, even a week, what happened to Paul is of concern to everybody in New York: newspaper readers, the neighborhood, the police. But then another story takes its place and Paul has to pick up his life again, go to work, pay his taxes, and refrain from screaming in public places. But Paul can no longer do this; the world, the city has now become a private battleground on which he is fighting for his life. A battle calls for a gun. He gets one. And he starts to use it."
Review:
Stark, grimy and full of despair, Death Wish tracks Paul as he goes from being a concerned liberal to a gun-toting urban avenger, over the course of a few months. The plot is largely action-driven and tied to Paul's grief (which rarely veers from simmering rage) -- that is to say, this angry tale rings true, with a sublime "open" ending; it's not just some vigilante fantasy, it's a provocative, focused work.
Followed by Death Sentence.
•
The film version was released stateside on July 24, 1974.
Charles Bronson played Paul Kersey (the movie equivalent of Paul Benjamin). Vincent Gardenia played Frank Ochoa. Jeff Goldlbum played "Freak #1".
Michael Winner, who also directed Bronson in five other films, directed this, from a script by Wendell Mayes.
From the inside flap:
"Paul Benjamin... lives in a roomy old apartment on New York's upper West Side. He's an accountant who has lived in the city all of his life. His daughter is married and he is comfortably settled with his wife in their old apartment, in the middle of the city and its all its problems -- pollution, drugs, cost of living and, particularly crime in the streets. Like most New Yorkers, Paul is concerned about the crime rate, but he has never been afraid.
"Not until one day when crime crosses his own threshold. Suddenly, Paul and his family are the people you read about in the newspapers, victims of a vicious, unprovoked attack. For a few days, even a week, what happened to Paul is of concern to everybody in New York: newspaper readers, the neighborhood, the police. But then another story takes its place and Paul has to pick up his life again, go to work, pay his taxes, and refrain from screaming in public places. But Paul can no longer do this; the world, the city has now become a private battleground on which he is fighting for his life. A battle calls for a gun. He gets one. And he starts to use it."
Review:
Stark, grimy and full of despair, Death Wish tracks Paul as he goes from being a concerned liberal to a gun-toting urban avenger, over the course of a few months. The plot is largely action-driven and tied to Paul's grief (which rarely veers from simmering rage) -- that is to say, this angry tale rings true, with a sublime "open" ending; it's not just some vigilante fantasy, it's a provocative, focused work.
Followed by Death Sentence.
•
The film version was released stateside on July 24, 1974.
Charles Bronson played Paul Kersey (the movie equivalent of Paul Benjamin). Vincent Gardenia played Frank Ochoa. Jeff Goldlbum played "Freak #1".
Michael Winner, who also directed Bronson in five other films, directed this, from a script by Wendell Mayes.
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