Friday, April 25, 2008

My First Months of Leisure September

I wanted to give you a peek at the books I've gotten through the Leisure Horror Book Club. Today we'll cover September 2007.

The first two books I got from the Leisure Horror Book Club were The Long Last Call by John Skipp and The Hollower by Mary SanGiovanni.

The Hollower


The Hollower
Author: SanGiovanni, Mary
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Type: Novel
Page Count: 368pp.
Pub. Date: August 28, 2007
Publisher: Leisure/Dorchester Publishing
Book List for Mary SanGiovanni
Links: Mary SanGiovanni's Web Site

Nominated for the 2007 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel.

What is the Hollower? At times it can look like a man in a black coat and a black hat. But it's definitely not a man. It's not human at all. Its sole purpose is to stalk, to torment and to drive its victims to their deaths. It can sense each victim's weaknesses, change its appearance and strike however it will hurt the most, physically . . . and mentally. Dave Kohlar is a man racked with guilt, doubt and worry. The perfect prey. He's about to learn exactly what the Hollower is -- and how it feeds.



The Long Last Call


The Long Last Call
Author: Skipp, John
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Page Count: 305pp
Pub. Date: August 28, 2007
Publisher: Leisure/Dorchester
Extra: The First Chapter
Original Pub: October 31, 2006 (Hardcover -- Cemetery Dance)

It was closing time at the strip club. The bartender was cleaning up, and the girls were looking forward to calling it a night. Then he came in, a well-dressed stranger with a lot of cash to spend. A briefcase full, in fact. But this is no normal customer, and his money is a bit unusual too. Every dollar he spends stirs up a bit more hatred, a little more repressed rage in whoever he gives it to. As the night passes, the pressure builds . . . and builds, and the stranger just smiles. He knows what will come. He knows he only has to wait to see all of his blood-drenched plans fulfilled.



Evaluation of September's Selection


Horror World has a page titled The Horror World Library which has a 39 page excerpt of The Hollower among its many other goodies. You can read Brian Keene's Introduction to the book and the first part of the story. There is enough there to help you decide if The Hollower is your next "must read" or not.

Extra: Trailer for The Long Last Call





When Cemetery Dance first published a hardcover edition of The Long Last Call, they did a rather insightful interview that peaked my interest in reading the book. I'd recommend checking it out and you can also take a peak at Cemetery Dance's cover, too. John Skipp: Looking for Trouble?

All in all it was a great start for a club membership. What do you think?

(Originally posted in . . . With Intent to Commit Horror)

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