Jonathan Maberry is a writer to watch. He's written a lot of nonfiction, both books and articles, but he made his first foray into long-form horror with a novel called Ghost Road Blues in 2006. It promptly won a Stoker award, and it was a well deserved win. I read the book last year, and blurbed it, and today I got in the mail from Amazon Jonathan's second horror novel, Dead Man's Song. I'll be starting this in the next day or two, and am looking forward to it.
Ghost Road Blues takes place in Pine Deep, a smallish Pennsylvania town that was visited by a serial killer thirty years earlier. That killer was killed in turn, but the evil that arrives just before Halloween thirty years later seems to have old roots, roots that begin to twist and twine through the town, intent on destroying it from within. “Ghost Road” was the first novel that I’d read in quite a while that actually gave me shivers. I thought it was very atmospheric, with solid action scenes, great suspense all along, and some chilling imagery. If I had to pick some influences on “Ghost Road,” I’d say that it reminded me a bit in places of works by Joe Lansdale and Robert McCammon. There is also some Ray Bradbury influence, and maybe a smidgen or two of Charles Grant. The cover of the second book mentions King but I think that’s just publicity. I didn’t really see a lot of King in “Ghost Road,” although Maberry has a similar knack for creating everyday characters that stick with you.
“Ghost Road” is actually the first book of a trilogy, although I felt that it stood well on its own. Dead Man’s Song is the sequel, and I’m not sure what the third book is to be called. I really recommend “Ghost Road,” and I’ll let you know what I think of “Dead Man” after I finish it. In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about Jonathan Maberry, his website is here.
Oh, and Dead Man’s Song even mentions me in the thank you section, and has my blurb for “Ghost Road” included among many others. How cool is that?
7 comments:
Very cool title and it is cool you were acknowledged.
A lot of stories seem to depend on All Hallows to provide an extra frisson.
Sounds very interesting. I've been meaning to read "Ghost Road Blues" and just have not done it. Sounds like I'm getting behind.
Hey congratulations there C. Can't wait until my projects end and I can get reading this kind of stuff again..
My list of books to read is so long right now, it'll probably be next year before I can read "Ghost Road Blues" and then his newest book.
I know, shame on me. Oh, I just finished the new King book, written as Richard Bachman,. It's called Blaze, and it's a wonderful read. Once you get a chance take a gander. Later.
The last book is going to be called "Bad Moon Rising" according to the website. Cool title.
I used to be on a mailing list that Jonathan was on, though, understandibly, he's not posted much since getting the Stoker.
I'd forgotten about his first so thanks for the reminder. I'll have to get it and put it in the tbr pile. It's getting bigger and bigger by the day!
Congrats on the acknowledgment, Charles.
Thanks for the heads-up. I'll see if anyone this end of the earth stocks it. If not, they shall be... *made* to carry it!
Very cool -- though it already gives me the creeps since I'm from a small town in Pennsylvania ;)
Which reminds me to recommend Scotland, PA, a modern version of Shakespeare, keeping the old guy somewhat relevant ;)
Post a Comment