Despite being mostly known for his fantastical graphic novels and adult fiction, Neil Gaiman's first book for children is everything that you would expect from such a massive imagination as his. It's special and wonderful and very weird indeed. Described by some as the new Alice in Wonderland, Coraline is actually more bizarre than that, much more frightening and its modest length definitely adds to the book's undiluted potency.

Shortly after moving into an old house with strange tenants above and below, Coraline discovers a big, carved, brown wooden door at the far corner of the drawing room. And it is locked. Curiosity runs riot in Coraline's mind and she unlocks the door to see what lies behind it. Disappointingly, it opens onto a brick wall. Days later, after exploring the rest of the house and garden, Coraline returns to the same mysterious door and opens it again. This time, however, there is a dark hallway in front of her. Stepping inside, the place beyond has an eerie familiarity about it. The carpet and wallpaper are the same as in her flat. The picture hanging on the wall is the same. Almost. Strangest of all, her mum and dad are there too. Only they have buttons for eyes and seem more possessive than normal. It's a twisted version of her world that is familiar, and yet sinister. And matters get even more surreal for Coraline when her "other" parents seem reluctant to let her leave.

Her attempted escape from this nightmare alternative reality sees Coraline experience a chilling series of ever more bizarre encounters. Some are plainly odd, others disturbingly spooky and together they combine to form an immensely readable story. It's like all the best bits of the Goosebumps books condensed into 160 pages. A unique reading experience guaranteed. (Ages 10 and over)--John McLay

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

This novel (now complete in one volume) taps into what Stephen King does best: character-driven storytelling. The setting is the small "death house" of a Southern prison in 1932. The charming narrator is an old man looking back on the events, decades later. Maybe it's a little too cute, maybe the pathos is laid on a little thick, but it's hard to resist the colourful personalities and simple wonders of this supernatural tale. As Time magazine put it, "Like the best popular art, The Green Mile has the courage of its cornier convictions ... the palpable sense of King's sheer, unwavering belief in his tale is what makes the novel work as well as it finally does". And it's not a bad choice for giving to someone who doesn't understand the appeal of Stephen King because the one scene that is out-and-out gruesome can be easily skipped by the squeamish. The Green Mile was nominated for a 1997 Bram Stoker Award. --Amazon.com

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

utterly amazing, different read - highly recommended, 16 Jul 2008
wow. i can't recommend this book enough
touching and memorable -
written with such skill and creativity -
heartfelt and full of beauty and tragedy.
it is of course the story of a group of prisoners and guards waiting or working on 'the Green Mile' a version of death row and the adventures and feelings they experience.
it is an amazing novel - collected together as a single volume it is wholly satisfying and an amazing read.
Stephen King has had a lot of hits and misses in his career but this is one of the very best he ever wrote. less horror, more supernatural, less gore, more heart.
anyways, wholly recommended - a study in amazing writing, a heartfelt story of tragedy and beauty and a very different satisfying jaunt with some very memorable characters.
10/10

Masterpiece, 03 Jul 2008
I don't think I can fault this book, I really don't see how as I found it moving and compelling throughout. The characters were fabulous from the prison guards to the inmates to the other supporting cast, Percy is one of King's greatest creations and beats the hell out of his other evil supernatural (etc) villains on the 'love to hate factor'.

The story was wonderful and deeply mooving. I have seen the film and so guessed what to expect but I found the book moved me much more than the film did (which was equally as good). Although some of King's foray from the horror genre doesn't work in my opinion, The Green Mile certainly did work and so much so I believe it to be one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever read.

It took me a day to read and a day well spent it was.
Truly amazing 5/5

CLASSIC!, 25 Nov 2007
hard to put this book down - you just have to get this no matter if you like King or not

'The' King novel? , 28 Apr 2007
Okay, so I'm not a big King fan. What I have read is okay, but nothing special. That said, Carrie was cool. Then I came to The Green Mile... This is a wonderful book. It deals with such huge themes on such an intimate level, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated. But it's not just the story, or the characters that get you, it's King's writing - it just seems so much farther above his normal standard. For example - `She was black as the ace of spades and as beautiful as the sin you never had nerve enough to commit.' Wonderful stuff! And that's only on page 4. Okay, the book isn't heaving under such evocative narrative, but it's such tiny touches that raise it above the norm.

As for the story/characters? Well, John Coffey does so little, yet does so much. And isn't his fate a reflection on how we really do treat good people in the real world? Isn't King simply holding up a mirror for us, something good writers often do? Who can't be moved by what happens to Coffey and by the predicament Edgecombe finds himself in? Very moving and frighteningly realistic in its worldview.

It's certainly a book I'll be returning to again - a thing I do not do easily!


Heart and gut wrenching, 26 Feb 2007
I was eager to read this book even though I have already seen the film. Despite this fact I was still hooked, thrilled and extremely moved by this story. Obviously there wasn't the same sense of surprise with the unfolding events, nevertheless I thought this was a superb piece of fiction. I liked the format; the six parts gave you a natural break in reading and built the suspense beautifully. Poignantly written, it had me in tears many times; a previous reviewer summed it up perfectly by saying if it didn't stir up your emotions you must be dead.

Like the film this will rank as one of my all time favourites. Read the book, watch the film (in that order, but if you have seen the film already read it anyway) you won't be disappointed.

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

utterly amazing, different read - highly recommended, 16 Jul 2008
wow. i can't recommend this book enough
touching and memorable -
written with such skill and creativity -
heartfelt and full of beauty and tragedy.
it is of course the story of a group of prisoners and guards waiting or working on 'the Green Mile' a version of death row and the adventures and feelings they experience.
it is an amazing novel - collected together as a single volume it is wholly satisfying and an amazing read.
Stephen King has had a lot of hits and misses in his career but this is one of the very best he ever wrote. less horror, more supernatural, less gore, more heart.
anyways, wholly recommended - a study in amazing writing, a heartfelt story of tragedy and beauty and a very different satisfying jaunt with some very memorable characters.
10/10

Masterpiece, 03 Jul 2008
I don't think I can fault this book, I really don't see how as I found it moving and compelling throughout. The characters were fabulous from the prison guards to the inmates to the other supporting cast, Percy is one of King's greatest creations and beats the hell out of his other evil supernatural (etc) villains on the 'love to hate factor'.

The story was wonderful and deeply mooving. I have seen the film and so guessed what to expect but I found the book moved me much more than the film did (which was equally as good). Although some of King's foray from the horror genre doesn't work in my opinion, The Green Mile certainly did work and so much so I believe it to be one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever read.

It took me a day to read and a day well spent it was.
Truly amazing 5/5

CLASSIC!, 25 Nov 2007
hard to put this book down - you just have to get this no matter if you like King or not

'The' King novel? , 28 Apr 2007
Okay, so I'm not a big King fan. What I have read is okay, but nothing special. That said, Carrie was cool. Then I came to The Green Mile... This is a wonderful book. It deals with such huge themes on such an intimate level, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated. But it's not just the story, or the characters that get you, it's King's writing - it just seems so much farther above his normal standard. For example - `She was black as the ace of spades and as beautiful as the sin you never had nerve enough to commit.' Wonderful stuff! And that's only on page 4. Okay, the book isn't heaving under such evocative narrative, but it's such tiny touches that raise it above the norm.

As for the story/characters? Well, John Coffey does so little, yet does so much. And isn't his fate a reflection on how we really do treat good people in the real world? Isn't King simply holding up a mirror for us, something good writers often do? Who can't be moved by what happens to Coffey and by the predicament Edgecombe finds himself in? Very moving and frighteningly realistic in its worldview.

It's certainly a book I'll be returning to again - a thing I do not do easily!


Heart and gut wrenching, 26 Feb 2007
I was eager to read this book even though I have already seen the film. Despite this fact I was still hooked, thrilled and extremely moved by this story. Obviously there wasn't the same sense of surprise with the unfolding events, nevertheless I thought this was a superb piece of fiction. I liked the format; the six parts gave you a natural break in reading and built the suspense beautifully. Poignantly written, it had me in tears many times; a previous reviewer summed it up perfectly by saying if it didn't stir up your emotions you must be dead.

Like the film this will rank as one of my all time favourites. Read the book, watch the film (in that order, but if you have seen the film already read it anyway) you won't be disappointed.

wonderful and imaginative for the very-young, 30 Aug 1999
I read this book to my daughter when she was 2. At 6, she still loves it, as it doesn't "scare" her anymore. We bought the audio version and love when the Mother Cat says, "Shhh, my love." It's an annual tradtional reading for us!

beautiful illustrations and blank verse, 14 Dec 1998
My son and I loved this book when he was 5. I still use it in my classroom. This is the best Halloween book I've ever found.

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

utterly amazing, different read - highly recommended, 16 Jul 2008
wow. i can't recommend this book enough
touching and memorable -
written with such skill and creativity -
heartfelt and full of beauty and tragedy.
it is of course the story of a group of prisoners and guards waiting or working on 'the Green Mile' a version of death row and the adventures and feelings they experience.
it is an amazing novel - collected together as a single volume it is wholly satisfying and an amazing read.
Stephen King has had a lot of hits and misses in his career but this is one of the very best he ever wrote. less horror, more supernatural, less gore, more heart.
anyways, wholly recommended - a study in amazing writing, a heartfelt story of tragedy and beauty and a very different satisfying jaunt with some very memorable characters.
10/10

Masterpiece, 03 Jul 2008
I don't think I can fault this book, I really don't see how as I found it moving and compelling throughout. The characters were fabulous from the prison guards to the inmates to the other supporting cast, Percy is one of King's greatest creations and beats the hell out of his other evil supernatural (etc) villains on the 'love to hate factor'.

The story was wonderful and deeply mooving. I have seen the film and so guessed what to expect but I found the book moved me much more than the film did (which was equally as good). Although some of King's foray from the horror genre doesn't work in my opinion, The Green Mile certainly did work and so much so I believe it to be one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever read.

It took me a day to read and a day well spent it was.
Truly amazing 5/5

CLASSIC!, 25 Nov 2007
hard to put this book down - you just have to get this no matter if you like King or not

'The' King novel? , 28 Apr 2007
Okay, so I'm not a big King fan. What I have read is okay, but nothing special. That said, Carrie was cool. Then I came to The Green Mile... This is a wonderful book. It deals with such huge themes on such an intimate level, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated. But it's not just the story, or the characters that get you, it's King's writing - it just seems so much farther above his normal standard. For example - `She was black as the ace of spades and as beautiful as the sin you never had nerve enough to commit.' Wonderful stuff! And that's only on page 4. Okay, the book isn't heaving under such evocative narrative, but it's such tiny touches that raise it above the norm.

As for the story/characters? Well, John Coffey does so little, yet does so much. And isn't his fate a reflection on how we really do treat good people in the real world? Isn't King simply holding up a mirror for us, something good writers often do? Who can't be moved by what happens to Coffey and by the predicament Edgecombe finds himself in? Very moving and frighteningly realistic in its worldview.

It's certainly a book I'll be returning to again - a thing I do not do easily!


Heart and gut wrenching, 26 Feb 2007
I was eager to read this book even though I have already seen the film. Despite this fact I was still hooked, thrilled and extremely moved by this story. Obviously there wasn't the same sense of surprise with the unfolding events, nevertheless I thought this was a superb piece of fiction. I liked the format; the six parts gave you a natural break in reading and built the suspense beautifully. Poignantly written, it had me in tears many times; a previous reviewer summed it up perfectly by saying if it didn't stir up your emotions you must be dead.

Like the film this will rank as one of my all time favourites. Read the book, watch the film (in that order, but if you have seen the film already read it anyway) you won't be disappointed.

wonderful and imaginative for the very-young, 30 Aug 1999
I read this book to my daughter when she was 2. At 6, she still loves it, as it doesn't "scare" her anymore. We bought the audio version and love when the Mother Cat says, "Shhh, my love." It's an annual tradtional reading for us!

beautiful illustrations and blank verse, 14 Dec 1998
My son and I loved this book when he was 5. I still use it in my classroom. This is the best Halloween book I've ever found.

Really good and interesting book., 18 Jul 1999
This is a good book, one of the best I've read! It's a funny version of Dracula, but with an all animal cast. If I were you, I'd order this book right now!

Once is the latest in the welcome new phase of James Herbert's career after he distanced himself from the straightforward "horror" tag afforded to him by earlier novels such as the Rats trilogy and cannily reinvented himself as a writer with considerably more psychological insight and elegance of style.

Trading on a grotesque reinvention of fairy stories, Herbert has his protagonist Thorn Kindred encountering witches, goblins and demons, and being obliged to turn to some very strange sources to save his soul. The new ambitiousness of Herbert's writing may be found in the underpinning of the narrative here: this is a grim and persuasively realised spin on Nietzsche's epigram: "When fighting monsters, beware of becoming one yourself." But long-time readers needn't worry about a lack of grisly chills: Herbert is too fine a writer not to keep us permanently on the edge of our proverbial seats. And he's better than ever at orchestrating his fear-filled climaxes, so that there is a carefully worked out structure to the book that never has the stop-and-start jerkiness of the early novels. Rather in the nature of Sondheim's musical Into the Woods, fairy tale motifs are exploded and reconstituted in this dark and erotic fable. After reading Once, fairy tales will never seem the same again. --Barry Forshaw

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

utterly amazing, different read - highly recommended, 16 Jul 2008
wow. i can't recommend this book enough
touching and memorable -
written with such skill and creativity -
heartfelt and full of beauty and tragedy.
it is of course the story of a group of prisoners and guards waiting or working on 'the Green Mile' a version of death row and the adventures and feelings they experience.
it is an amazing novel - collected together as a single volume it is wholly satisfying and an amazing read.
Stephen King has had a lot of hits and misses in his career but this is one of the very best he ever wrote. less horror, more supernatural, less gore, more heart.
anyways, wholly recommended - a study in amazing writing, a heartfelt story of tragedy and beauty and a very different satisfying jaunt with some very memorable characters.
10/10

Masterpiece, 03 Jul 2008
I don't think I can fault this book, I really don't see how as I found it moving and compelling throughout. The characters were fabulous from the prison guards to the inmates to the other supporting cast, Percy is one of King's greatest creations and beats the hell out of his other evil supernatural (etc) villains on the 'love to hate factor'.

The story was wonderful and deeply mooving. I have seen the film and so guessed what to expect but I found the book moved me much more than the film did (which was equally as good). Although some of King's foray from the horror genre doesn't work in my opinion, The Green Mile certainly did work and so much so I believe it to be one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever read.

It took me a day to read and a day well spent it was.
Truly amazing 5/5

CLASSIC!, 25 Nov 2007
hard to put this book down - you just have to get this no matter if you like King or not

'The' King novel? , 28 Apr 2007
Okay, so I'm not a big King fan. What I have read is okay, but nothing special. That said, Carrie was cool. Then I came to The Green Mile... This is a wonderful book. It deals with such huge themes on such an intimate level, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated. But it's not just the story, or the characters that get you, it's King's writing - it just seems so much farther above his normal standard. For example - `She was black as the ace of spades and as beautiful as the sin you never had nerve enough to commit.' Wonderful stuff! And that's only on page 4. Okay, the book isn't heaving under such evocative narrative, but it's such tiny touches that raise it above the norm.

As for the story/characters? Well, John Coffey does so little, yet does so much. And isn't his fate a reflection on how we really do treat good people in the real world? Isn't King simply holding up a mirror for us, something good writers often do? Who can't be moved by what happens to Coffey and by the predicament Edgecombe finds himself in? Very moving and frighteningly realistic in its worldview.

It's certainly a book I'll be returning to again - a thing I do not do easily!


Heart and gut wrenching, 26 Feb 2007
I was eager to read this book even though I have already seen the film. Despite this fact I was still hooked, thrilled and extremely moved by this story. Obviously there wasn't the same sense of surprise with the unfolding events, nevertheless I thought this was a superb piece of fiction. I liked the format; the six parts gave you a natural break in reading and built the suspense beautifully. Poignantly written, it had me in tears many times; a previous reviewer summed it up perfectly by saying if it didn't stir up your emotions you must be dead.

Like the film this will rank as one of my all time favourites. Read the book, watch the film (in that order, but if you have seen the film already read it anyway) you won't be disappointed.

wonderful and imaginative for the very-young, 30 Aug 1999
I read this book to my daughter when she was 2. At 6, she still loves it, as it doesn't "scare" her anymore. We bought the audio version and love when the Mother Cat says, "Shhh, my love." It's an annual tradtional reading for us!

beautiful illustrations and blank verse, 14 Dec 1998
My son and I loved this book when he was 5. I still use it in my classroom. This is the best Halloween book I've ever found.

Really good and interesting book., 18 Jul 1999
This is a good book, one of the best I've read! It's a funny version of Dracula, but with an all animal cast. If I were you, I'd order this book right now!

Haunted Fairy Tale, 19 Sep 2008
This James Herbert novel is very different to many of his others and introduces us to Thom Kindred who after a serious accident returns to his childhood home of Little Bracken set deep in the mysterious forest surrounding the stately home of Castle Bracken.

The narrative sets up quite a spooky feeling about the setting and also the both houses. The Characters of Hugo Bleeth and Nell Quick are not who they seem and then we find out that the forest is populated by a whole host of incredible mythical animals and elves and wicked evil creatures from our nightmares and fairy tales that interact with Thom.

The story is very original and sometimes erotic, sometimes menacing; I wouldn't exactly call it Horror, more a good old fashioned haunted love story. Very good none the less.

Hopefully just a blip.., 05 Jan 2008
..but this is by far the worst of Hebert's books that I've read (and I've read most). It starts off as well as any other of his tales, but as soon as the fairies appear, it really does spiral into total drivel.
I was pretty dubious about the whole fairy idea to begin with, but I didn't realise quite how unlikeable they would turn out to be - it got to the point where they made me feel quite nauseous.
I can't imagine what JH was thinking when he came up with the idea for this book, but I share another reader's suspicion that he was suffering from writer's block - an example of his lack of imagination is when he throws in two almost identical and equally mind-numbing scenes with spiders.
However, I do think this is just a blip in JH's career - the excellent 'Others' and 'Nobody True' make this seem likely.
Read these instead and if you want fairies then read Peter Pan.

Fun but Forgettable, 29 Dec 2007
The basic premise of this book is a good one - that traditional childrens' fairy tales can be spiced up to make them appeal to grown-ups. The Grimm Brothers' tales make sinister enough reading and it was a good idea to tweak some well-known images from childhood stories to turn them into disturbing adult fiction.

However, despite some graphic sex scenes and fairly shocking horror (you would expect no less from Mr Herbert) the story never quite grips the reader enough. The characters are a little, well, normal and both good guys and bad guys seemed decidedly hesitant to act with any decisiveness or even subtlety. They're all a bit nerdy to be honest. I found myself wondering why the hero doesn't just take a good piece of 2x4 to the bad guys and lamp them one. When the reader feels able to out-think, out-fight and basically out-hero the hero (with nothing more than stout timber) then something has probably gone wrong somewhere. It all seemed a little rushed and not particularly well thought out.

Having said that, 'Once' has a unique feel to it and is skilfully written. I found myself interested in the story and felt only faintly disappointed that a very good basic plot and flavour was slightly spoiled by the characters and their actions (or lack of). It's worth a read, but the title probably describes how often you'd want to.

A Good Example of a Rare Genre, 15 Aug 2007
I must admit that I have not read much of James Hebert's fiction in the past, but this book sounded fascinating.

I have always been interested in the dark nature of fairy tales, so the chance to read an adult one seemed to be a good idea! The book paints some quite strong visual imagery and the plot ticks along quite nicely. The plot seems quite "basic" but the narrative was quite descriptive.

The only real clumsy element of the book were the sex scenes. I can understand the importance of them in the book (sex magic etc.) but the narrative really dragged when going through the scenes. Some of the narrative seemed to be grabbed straight from a Mills and Boon novel.

Any reservations that I had about the book were put aside though and I did find it an enjoyable read. I think that the world that he creates in this novel merits a sequel, as it has potential to be expanded on further.

Rubbish!!!!!, 18 Jul 2007
Ive only read a couple of James Herbert's books before, but they had always been a fun enough read. This book was so dissapointing. From the blurb I though it sounded great, it started off ok but gradually got worse. The story wasn't magical, it was just uncomfortable. His writing style is fine but its the events that take place in the book which i thought to be terrible. Spend your six quid elsewhere.

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

utterly amazing, different read - highly recommended, 16 Jul 2008
wow. i can't recommend this book enough
touching and memorable -
written with such skill and creativity -
heartfelt and full of beauty and tragedy.
it is of course the story of a group of prisoners and guards waiting or working on 'the Green Mile' a version of death row and the adventures and feelings they experience.
it is an amazing novel - collected together as a single volume it is wholly satisfying and an amazing read.
Stephen King has had a lot of hits and misses in his career but this is one of the very best he ever wrote. less horror, more supernatural, less gore, more heart.
anyways, wholly recommended - a study in amazing writing, a heartfelt story of tragedy and beauty and a very different satisfying jaunt with some very memorable characters.
10/10

Masterpiece, 03 Jul 2008
I don't think I can fault this book, I really don't see how as I found it moving and compelling throughout. The characters were fabulous from the prison guards to the inmates to the other supporting cast, Percy is one of King's greatest creations and beats the hell out of his other evil supernatural (etc) villains on the 'love to hate factor'.

The story was wonderful and deeply mooving. I have seen the film and so guessed what to expect but I found the book moved me much more than the film did (which was equally as good). Although some of King's foray from the horror genre doesn't work in my opinion, The Green Mile certainly did work and so much so I believe it to be one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever read.

It took me a day to read and a day well spent it was.
Truly amazing 5/5

CLASSIC!, 25 Nov 2007
hard to put this book down - you just have to get this no matter if you like King or not

'The' King novel? , 28 Apr 2007
Okay, so I'm not a big King fan. What I have read is okay, but nothing special. That said, Carrie was cool. Then I came to The Green Mile... This is a wonderful book. It deals with such huge themes on such an intimate level, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated. But it's not just the story, or the characters that get you, it's King's writing - it just seems so much farther above his normal standard. For example - `She was black as the ace of spades and as beautiful as the sin you never had nerve enough to commit.' Wonderful stuff! And that's only on page 4. Okay, the book isn't heaving under such evocative narrative, but it's such tiny touches that raise it above the norm.

As for the story/characters? Well, John Coffey does so little, yet does so much. And isn't his fate a reflection on how we really do treat good people in the real world? Isn't King simply holding up a mirror for us, something good writers often do? Who can't be moved by what happens to Coffey and by the predicament Edgecombe finds himself in? Very moving and frighteningly realistic in its worldview.

It's certainly a book I'll be returning to again - a thing I do not do easily!


Heart and gut wrenching, 26 Feb 2007
I was eager to read this book even though I have already seen the film. Despite this fact I was still hooked, thrilled and extremely moved by this story. Obviously there wasn't the same sense of surprise with the unfolding events, nevertheless I thought this was a superb piece of fiction. I liked the format; the six parts gave you a natural break in reading and built the suspense beautifully. Poignantly written, it had me in tears many times; a previous reviewer summed it up perfectly by saying if it didn't stir up your emotions you must be dead.

Like the film this will rank as one of my all time favourites. Read the book, watch the film (in that order, but if you have seen the film already read it anyway) you won't be disappointed.

wonderful and imaginative for the very-young, 30 Aug 1999
I read this book to my daughter when she was 2. At 6, she still loves it, as it doesn't "scare" her anymore. We bought the audio version and love when the Mother Cat says, "Shhh, my love." It's an annual tradtional reading for us!

beautiful illustrations and blank verse, 14 Dec 1998
My son and I loved this book when he was 5. I still use it in my classroom. This is the best Halloween book I've ever found.

Really good and interesting book., 18 Jul 1999
This is a good book, one of the best I've read! It's a funny version of Dracula, but with an all animal cast. If I were you, I'd order this book right now!

Haunted Fairy Tale, 19 Sep 2008
This James Herbert novel is very different to many of his others and introduces us to Thom Kindred who after a serious accident returns to his childhood home of Little Bracken set deep in the mysterious forest surrounding the stately home of Castle Bracken.

The narrative sets up quite a spooky feeling about the setting and also the both houses. The Characters of Hugo Bleeth and Nell Quick are not who they seem and then we find out that the forest is populated by a whole host of incredible mythical animals and elves and wicked evil creatures from our nightmares and fairy tales that interact with Thom.

The story is very original and sometimes erotic, sometimes menacing; I wouldn't exactly call it Horror, more a good old fashioned haunted love story. Very good none the less.

Hopefully just a blip.., 05 Jan 2008
..but this is by far the worst of Hebert's books that I've read (and I've read most). It starts off as well as any other of his tales, but as soon as the fairies appear, it really does spiral into total drivel.
I was pretty dubious about the whole fairy idea to begin with, but I didn't realise quite how unlikeable they would turn out to be - it got to the point where they made me feel quite nauseous.
I can't imagine what JH was thinking when he came up with the idea for this book, but I share another reader's suspicion that he was suffering from writer's block - an example of his lack of imagination is when he throws in two almost identical and equally mind-numbing scenes with spiders.
However, I do think this is just a blip in JH's career - the excellent 'Others' and 'Nobody True' make this seem likely.
Read these instead and if you want fairies then read Peter Pan.

Fun but Forgettable, 29 Dec 2007
The basic premise of this book is a good one - that traditional childrens' fairy tales can be spiced up to make them appeal to grown-ups. The Grimm Brothers' tales make sinister enough reading and it was a good idea to tweak some well-known images from childhood stories to turn them into disturbing adult fiction.

However, despite some graphic sex scenes and fairly shocking horror (you would expect no less from Mr Herbert) the story never quite grips the reader enough. The characters are a little, well, normal and both good guys and bad guys seemed decidedly hesitant to act with any decisiveness or even subtlety. They're all a bit nerdy to be honest. I found myself wondering why the hero doesn't just take a good piece of 2x4 to the bad guys and lamp them one. When the reader feels able to out-think, out-fight and basically out-hero the hero (with nothing more than stout timber) then something has probably gone wrong somewhere. It all seemed a little rushed and not particularly well thought out.

Having said that, 'Once' has a unique feel to it and is skilfully written. I found myself interested in the story and felt only faintly disappointed that a very good basic plot and flavour was slightly spoiled by the characters and their actions (or lack of). It's worth a read, but the title probably describes how often you'd want to.

A Good Example of a Rare Genre, 15 Aug 2007
I must admit that I have not read much of James Hebert's fiction in the past, but this book sounded fascinating.

I have always been interested in the dark nature of fairy tales, so the chance to read an adult one seemed to be a good idea! The book paints some quite strong visual imagery and the plot ticks along quite nicely. The plot seems quite "basic" but the narrative was quite descriptive.

The only real clumsy element of the book were the sex scenes. I can understand the importance of them in the book (sex magic etc.) but the narrative really dragged when going through the scenes. Some of the narrative seemed to be grabbed straight from a Mills and Boon novel.

Any reservations that I had about the book were put aside though and I did find it an enjoyable read. I think that the world that he creates in this novel merits a sequel, as it has potential to be expanded on further.

Rubbish!!!!!, 18 Jul 2007
Ive only read a couple of James Herbert's books before, but they had always been a fun enough read. This book was so dissapointing. From the blurb I though it sounded great, it started off ok but gradually got worse. The story wasn't magical, it was just uncomfortable. His writing style is fine but its the events that take place in the book which i thought to be terrible. Spend your six quid elsewhere.

brilliantly read stories., 16 Aug 2006
i have rarely come across a better selection of ghost stories than the ones here. of equal importance is the choice of actors to read them, and this has been done extremely well. both a good writer and a good reader really helps me to use my imagination. i think that is most essential when listening to a story or novel. my favourite is "my adventure in norfolk" read by nigel davenport. a stroke of genius both in the story and the reading.
other volumes that are available, "horror stories" and "supernatural stories" are read by the same people and are just as highly recommended.

Almost the Finest Pick of the Genre, 18 Nov 2002
The Ghost Story is an extremely attractive genre to attempt to corral into any one work. Conesequently, it is also the most precarious. Because the criteria for what makes a story a 'ghost story' run the gamut from Hans Christian Andersen to Richard Laymon, it was a tough call for the editor.

I found this book entertaining and, at first, a little disappointing. Where was Lovecraft? There was, however, M.R. James, there was Bradbury (more often associated with sci-fi, but yes, he did contribute to spectral literature), and there were the proto-contributors from ages past.

If you want a cosy grouping of the 'greatest hits' of the ghost in writing then go for this. I found it lacking a little in guts, vis-a-vis with horror fiction, but it will provide even horror buffs with jolts of consternation. This is high entertainment in the tradition of its publisher and makes great night reading. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

utterly amazing, different read - highly recommended, 16 Jul 2008
wow. i can't recommend this book enough
touching and memorable -
written with such skill and creativity -
heartfelt and full of beauty and tragedy.
it is of course the story of a group of prisoners and guards waiting or working on 'the Green Mile' a version of death row and the adventures and feelings they experience.
it is an amazing novel - collected together as a single volume it is wholly satisfying and an amazing read.
Stephen King has had a lot of hits and misses in his career but this is one of the very best he ever wrote. less horror, more supernatural, less gore, more heart.
anyways, wholly recommended - a study in amazing writing, a heartfelt story of tragedy and beauty and a very different satisfying jaunt with some very memorable characters.
10/10

Masterpiece, 03 Jul 2008
I don't think I can fault this book, I really don't see how as I found it moving and compelling throughout. The characters were fabulous from the prison guards to the inmates to the other supporting cast, Percy is one of King's greatest creations and beats the hell out of his other evil supernatural (etc) villains on the 'love to hate factor'.

The story was wonderful and deeply mooving. I have seen the film and so guessed what to expect but I found the book moved me much more than the film did (which was equally as good). Although some of King's foray from the horror genre doesn't work in my opinion, The Green Mile certainly did work and so much so I believe it to be one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever read.

It took me a day to read and a day well spent it was.
Truly amazing 5/5

CLASSIC!, 25 Nov 2007
hard to put this book down - you just have to get this no matter if you like King or not

'The' King novel? , 28 Apr 2007
Okay, so I'm not a big King fan. What I have read is okay, but nothing special. That said, Carrie was cool. Then I came to The Green Mile... This is a wonderful book. It deals with such huge themes on such an intimate level, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated. But it's not just the story, or the characters that get you, it's King's writing - it just seems so much farther above his normal standard. For example - `She was black as the ace of spades and as beautiful as the sin you never had nerve enough to commit.' Wonderful stuff! And that's only on page 4. Okay, the book isn't heaving under such evocative narrative, but it's such tiny touches that raise it above the norm.

As for the story/characters? Well, John Coffey does so little, yet does so much. And isn't his fate a reflection on how we really do treat good people in the real world? Isn't King simply holding up a mirror for us, something good writers often do? Who can't be moved by what happens to Coffey and by the predicament Edgecombe finds himself in? Very moving and frighteningly realistic in its worldview.

It's certainly a book I'll be returning to again - a thing I do not do easily!


Heart and gut wrenching, 26 Feb 2007
I was eager to read this book even though I have already seen the film. Despite this fact I was still hooked, thrilled and extremely moved by this story. Obviously there wasn't the same sense of surprise with the unfolding events, nevertheless I thought this was a superb piece of fiction. I liked the format; the six parts gave you a natural break in reading and built the suspense beautifully. Poignantly written, it had me in tears many times; a previous reviewer summed it up perfectly by saying if it didn't stir up your emotions you must be dead.

Like the film this will rank as one of my all time favourites. Read the book, watch the film (in that order, but if you have seen the film already read it anyway) you won't be disappointed.

wonderful and imaginative for the very-young, 30 Aug 1999
I read this book to my daughter when she was 2. At 6, she still loves it, as it doesn't "scare" her anymore. We bought the audio version and love when the Mother Cat says, "Shhh, my love." It's an annual tradtional reading for us!

beautiful illustrations and blank verse, 14 Dec 1998
My son and I loved this book when he was 5. I still use it in my classroom. This is the best Halloween book I've ever found.

Really good and interesting book., 18 Jul 1999
This is a good book, one of the best I've read! It's a funny version of Dracula, but with an all animal cast. If I were you, I'd order this book right now!

Haunted Fairy Tale, 19 Sep 2008
This James Herbert novel is very different to many of his others and introduces us to Thom Kindred who after a serious accident returns to his childhood home of Little Bracken set deep in the mysterious forest surrounding the stately home of Castle Bracken.

The narrative sets up quite a spooky feeling about the setting and also the both houses. The Characters of Hugo Bleeth and Nell Quick are not who they seem and then we find out that the forest is populated by a whole host of incredible mythical animals and elves and wicked evil creatures from our nightmares and fairy tales that interact with Thom.

The story is very original and sometimes erotic, sometimes menacing; I wouldn't exactly call it Horror, more a good old fashioned haunted love story. Very good none the less.

Hopefully just a blip.., 05 Jan 2008
..but this is by far the worst of Hebert's books that I've read (and I've read most). It starts off as well as any other of his tales, but as soon as the fairies appear, it really does spiral into total drivel.
I was pretty dubious about the whole fairy idea to begin with, but I didn't realise quite how unlikeable they would turn out to be - it got to the point where they made me feel quite nauseous.
I can't imagine what JH was thinking when he came up with the idea for this book, but I share another reader's suspicion that he was suffering from writer's block - an example of his lack of imagination is when he throws in two almost identical and equally mind-numbing scenes with spiders.
However, I do think this is just a blip in JH's career - the excellent 'Others' and 'Nobody True' make this seem likely.
Read these instead and if you want fairies then read Peter Pan.

Fun but Forgettable, 29 Dec 2007
The basic premise of this book is a good one - that traditional childrens' fairy tales can be spiced up to make them appeal to grown-ups. The Grimm Brothers' tales make sinister enough reading and it was a good idea to tweak some well-known images from childhood stories to turn them into disturbing adult fiction.

However, despite some graphic sex scenes and fairly shocking horror (you would expect no less from Mr Herbert) the story never quite grips the reader enough. The characters are a little, well, normal and both good guys and bad guys seemed decidedly hesitant to act with any decisiveness or even subtlety. They're all a bit nerdy to be honest. I found myself wondering why the hero doesn't just take a good piece of 2x4 to the bad guys and lamp them one. When the reader feels able to out-think, out-fight and basically out-hero the hero (with nothing more than stout timber) then something has probably gone wrong somewhere. It all seemed a little rushed and not particularly well thought out.

Having said that, 'Once' has a unique feel to it and is skilfully written. I found myself interested in the story and felt only faintly disappointed that a very good basic plot and flavour was slightly spoiled by the characters and their actions (or lack of). It's worth a read, but the title probably describes how often you'd want to.

A Good Example of a Rare Genre, 15 Aug 2007
I must admit that I have not read much of James Hebert's fiction in the past, but this book sounded fascinating.

I have always been interested in the dark nature of fairy tales, so the chance to read an adult one seemed to be a good idea! The book paints some quite strong visual imagery and the plot ticks along quite nicely. The plot seems quite "basic" but the narrative was quite descriptive.

The only real clumsy element of the book were the sex scenes. I can understand the importance of them in the book (sex magic etc.) but the narrative really dragged when going through the scenes. Some of the narrative seemed to be grabbed straight from a Mills and Boon novel.

Any reservations that I had about the book were put aside though and I did find it an enjoyable read. I think that the world that he creates in this novel merits a sequel, as it has potential to be expanded on further.

Rubbish!!!!!, 18 Jul 2007
Ive only read a couple of James Herbert's books before, but they had always been a fun enough read. This book was so dissapointing. From the blurb I though it sounded great, it started off ok but gradually got worse. The story wasn't magical, it was just uncomfortable. His writing style is fine but its the events that take place in the book which i thought to be terrible. Spend your six quid elsewhere.

brilliantly read stories., 16 Aug 2006
i have rarely come across a better selection of ghost stories than the ones here. of equal importance is the choice of actors to read them, and this has been done extremely well. both a good writer and a good reader really helps me to use my imagination. i think that is most essential when listening to a story or novel. my favourite is "my adventure in norfolk" read by nigel davenport. a stroke of genius both in the story and the reading.
other volumes that are available, "horror stories" and "supernatural stories" are read by the same people and are just as highly recommended.

Almost the Finest Pick of the Genre, 18 Nov 2002
The Ghost Story is an extremely attractive genre to attempt to corral into any one work. Conesequently, it is also the most precarious. Because the criteria for what makes a story a 'ghost story' run the gamut from Hans Christian Andersen to Richard Laymon, it was a tough call for the editor.

I found this book entertaining and, at first, a little disappointing. Where was Lovecraft? There was, however, M.R. James, there was Bradbury (more often associated with sci-fi, but yes, he did contribute to spectral literature), and there were the proto-contributors from ages past.

If you want a cosy grouping of the 'greatest hits' of the ghost in writing then go for this. I found it lacking a little in guts, vis-a-vis with horror fiction, but it will provide even horror buffs with jolts of consternation. This is high entertainment in the tradition of its publisher and makes great night reading. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

one of the single biggest influences on my life, 31 Jul 2008
Even though it's been over a decade since I read this book, I still often return to a very particular eerie sense it gave me, and find it terrifying but comforting at the same time. I don't know how different I would be if I had never read this book, but am eternally grateful that I did.
I would compare it more than anything to the paintings of Magritte or De Chirico, or the painting 'Christina's World' and would say that it is thanks to how this book made me feel that Magritte is now my favourite artist.
On the surface my life is unaffected by these facts, but a large part of my inner self is shaped by the strange but awe-inspiring isolation drawn from Marianne Dreams.

I haven't read it since; I'm too scared that it would change my perception of it, but I STRONGLY recommend that, if you appreciate the atmosphere of the surreal, you read this book. Whatever your age.

cheepy childrens classic, 01 Feb 2008
I first read this book many years ago when i was a child. I also watched the scary tv series based on the book ( which was exellent and very eery)The story begins at a slow even pace but as the tension builds the story rapidly gathers at a fast frightening pace. There is tension and horror as the story unfolds to the fantastic and thrilling ending. Storr really writes well and gets into the psyche of Marianne. She really conveys the loneliness of the ten young girl as she is confined to her bed and as she retreats into her dream world where she is alone until she meets Mark another lonely child - together they must overcome their obstables to escape from the scary house that Marianne drew. A smashing read suitable for all ages

NOT THE LIGHT!! NOT THE LIGHT!!, 10 Jan 2008
I was one of those people who grew up being pleasantly traumatised by "Escape Into Night" during the 70's but had no idea as to the link to this book.

Thanks to a chance encounter with You tube (which now has the complete episode 6 of that series posted on it) I quickly discovered the source of the imagery that has haunted me for years.

This book is superlative-a much underated classic!! Storr writes in a way that appears at first glance to be cod Enid Blyton but as soon as she starts describing Marianne's dream world the tone changes dramatically. I write as an adult and I still found it gripping. As a child I think it would have scared me senseless, such is the sense of menace Storr conjours up.

Please buy this book and also visit You tube. "Escape into Night" should be up there with "Dr Who" and "Quatermass" in the classic scary serial department.

Great 'Family' Reading, 11 Sep 2007
I bought this book after reading the reviews on here, as I wanted to reinstate the bedtime story at our house. My daughters are 9 and 13 and read avidly by themselves, but they still enjoy me reading to them. This story has really captured their imaginations (as well as my own.) I think it's great for all ages. My 9 year old is particularly fascinated by her own dreams at the moment, and about what they mean, so this book is such a hit. I think there is a message in there for adults too. As with so many 'children's novels' this is a book that adults can also relate to and enjoy.

Such an effect!, 30 Apr 2006
When I started reading this book, I thought: "Oh great, a boring story about some girl who's sick in bed. Fun." But, as I got into the book it became incredibly interesting. I started to feel I was Marianne, even though I'm a boy. When she met Mark in her dream as the boy she drew, because her tutor Mrs Chesterfield told her about him, I really felt for him. This book is really and truly gripping, an amazing read. When it ended, I was really sad because I wanted it to go on forever and follow the rest of the adventures and Marianne and Mark.

Overall, this book is incredibly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone.

Love dark fairy tales, 16 Sep 2008
I love dark fairy tales and Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. Simple yet meaningful, suitable for all to dive into as deep as you dare.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 12 Sep 2008
This version of CORALINE is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows a common theme in his works of the naive, yet determined, everyman who stumbles into an alternate reality.

The protagonist in this story arises in the form of a young girl named Coraline.

I found the dialogue to be smartly written and the narrative engaging. The artwork, while typical comic fare, set the visual mood quite well.

I greatly enjoyed this story. I found the characters likeable and believable in the context of the story, which in and of itself seemed to me to be an odd metaphor for "growing up."

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Neil Gaiman's work or to someone looking for something just a little bit different.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

wacky,weird and wonderful, 05 Sep 2008
strangely weird but excitingly good. coraline is a short but intense story with so many suprises throughout the chapters. I would put it in my top 10 I could not put down. with a great story line I would recommend it to children over the age of nine as in parts it can be quite scary!!!!!
Kish (aged 10yrs)

Very enjoyable, 13 Aug 2008
I picked this up when it appeared on my son's reading list for school. I must say children now have such a better range of fiction than they did when I was at school. I could not put it down. It's very creepy and highly enjoyable.

Very Inventive!, 17 Jul 2008
I am a confirmed Neil Gaiman fan and so had no qualms about picking up this book - even though it is more for younger readers - and I wasn't disappointed! I thought it worked hard to build up quirky characters and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. In fact, the description of the Other Mother was enough to give me nightmares - and I'm in my twenties! Enjoyable for readers of all ages, though perhaps a little too scary for some small children.

utterly amazing, different read - highly recommended, 16 Jul 2008
wow. i can't recommend this book enough
touching and memorable -
written with such skill and creativity -
heartfelt and full of beauty and tragedy.
it is of course the story of a group of prisoners and guards waiting or working on 'the Green Mile' a version of death row and the adventures and feelings they experience.
it is an amazing novel - collected together as a single volume it is wholly satisfying and an amazing read.
Stephen King has had a lot of hits and misses in his career but this is one of the very best he ever wrote. less horror, more supernatural, less gore, more heart.
anyways, wholly recommended - a study in amazing writing, a heartfelt story of tragedy and beauty and a very different satisfying jaunt with some very memorable characters.
10/10

Masterpiece, 03 Jul 2008
I don't think I can fault this book, I really don't see how as I found it moving and compelling throughout. The characters were fabulous from the prison guards to the inmates to the other supporting cast, Percy is one of King's greatest creations and beats the hell out of his other evil supernatural (etc) villains on the 'love to hate factor'.

The story was wonderful and deeply mooving. I have seen the film and so guessed what to expect but I found the book moved me much more than the film did (which was equally as good). Although some of King's foray from the horror genre doesn't work in my opinion, The Green Mile certainly did work and so much so I believe it to be one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever read.

It took me a day to read and a day well spent it was.
Truly amazing 5/5

CLASSIC!, 25 Nov 2007
hard to put this book down - you just have to get this no matter if you like King or not

'The' King novel? , 28 Apr 2007
Okay, so I'm not a big King fan. What I have read is okay, but nothing special. That said, Carrie was cool. Then I came to The Green Mile... This is a wonderful book. It deals with such huge themes on such an intimate level, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated. But it's not just the story, or the characters that get you, it's King's writing - it just seems so much farther above his normal standard. For example - `She was black as the ace of spades and as beautiful as the sin you never had nerve enough to commit.' Wonderful stuff! And that's only on page 4. Okay, the book isn't heaving under such evocative narrative, but it's such tiny touches that raise it above the norm.

As for the story/characters? Well, John Coffey does so little, yet does so much. And isn't his fate a reflection on how we really do treat good people in the real world? Isn't King simply holding up a mirror for us, something good writers often do? Who can't be moved by what happens to Coffey and by the predicament Edgecombe finds himself in? Very moving and frighteningly realistic in its worldview.

It's certainly a book I'll be returning to again - a thing I do not do easily!


Heart and gut wrenching, 26 Feb 2007
I was eager to read this book even though I have already seen the film. Despite this fact I was still hooked, thrilled and extremely moved by this story. Obviously there wasn't the same sense of surprise with the unfolding events, nevertheless I thought this was a superb piece of fiction. I liked the format; the six parts gave you a natural break in reading and built the suspense beautifully. Poignantly written, it had me in tears many times; a previous reviewer summed it up perfectly by saying if it didn't stir up your emotions you must be dead.

Like the film this will rank as one of my all time favourites. Read the book, watch the film (in that order, but if you have seen the film already read it anyway) you won't be disappointed.

wonderful and imaginative for the very-young, 30 Aug 1999
I read this book to my daughter when she was 2. At 6, she still loves it, as it doesn't "scare" her anymore. We bought the audio version and love when the Mother Cat says, "Shhh, my love." It's an annual tradtional reading for us!

beautiful illustrations and blank verse, 14 Dec 1998
My son and I loved this book when he was 5. I still use it in my classroom. This is the best Halloween book I've ever found.

Really good and interesting book., 18 Jul 1999
This is a good book, one of the best I've read! It's a funny version of Dracula, but with an all animal cast. If I were you, I'd order this book right now!

Haunted Fairy Tale, 19 Sep 2008
This James Herbert novel is very different to many of his others and introduces us to Thom Kindred who after a serious accident returns to his childhood home of Little Bracken set deep in the mysterious forest surrounding the stately home of Castle Bracken.

The narrative sets up quite a spooky feeling about the setting and also the both houses. The Characters of Hugo Bleeth and Nell Quick are not who they seem and then we find out that the forest is populated by a whole host of incredible mythical animals and elves and wicked evil creatures from our nightmares and fairy tales that interact with Thom.

The story is very original and sometimes erotic, sometimes menacing; I wouldn't exactly call it Horror, more a good old fashioned haunted love story. Very good none the less.

Hopefully just a blip.., 05 Jan 2008
..but this is by far the worst of Hebert's books that I've read (and I've read most). It starts off as well as any other of his tales, but as soon as the fairies appear, it really does spiral into total drivel.
I was pretty dubious about the whole fairy idea to begin with, but I didn't realise quite how unlikeable they would turn out to be - it got to the point where they made me feel quite nauseous.
I can't imagine what JH was thinking when he came up with the idea for this book, but I share another reader's suspicion that he was suffering from writer's block - an example of his lack of imagination is when he throws in two almost identical and equally mind-numbing scenes with spiders.
However, I do think this is just a blip in JH's career - the excellent 'Others' and 'Nobody True' make this seem likely.
Read these instead and if you want fairies then read Peter Pan.

Fun but Forgettable, 29 Dec 2007
The basic premise of this book is a good one - that traditional childrens' fairy tales can be spiced up to make them appeal to grown-ups. The Grimm Brothers' tales make sinister enough reading and it was a good idea to tweak some well-known images from childhood stories to turn them into disturbing adult fiction.

However, despite some graphic sex scenes and fairly shocking horror (you would expect no less from Mr Herbert) the story never quite grips the reader enough. The characters are a little, well, normal and both good guys and bad guys seemed decidedly hesitant to act with any decisiveness or even subtlety. They're all a bit nerdy to be honest. I found myself wondering why the hero doesn't just take a good piece of 2x4 to the bad guys and lamp them one. When the reader feels able to out-think, out-fight and basically out-hero the hero (with nothing more than stout timber) then something has probably gone wrong somewhere. It all seemed a little rushed and not particularly well thought out.

Having said that, 'Once' has a unique feel to it and is skilfully written. I found myself interested in the story and felt only faintly disappointed that a very good basic plot and flavour was slightly spoiled by the characters and their actions (or lack of). It's worth a read, but the title probably describes how often you'd want to.

A Good Example of a Rare Genre, 15 Aug 2007
I must admit that I have not read much of James Hebert's fiction in the past, but this book sounded fascinating.

I have always been interested in the dark nature of fairy tales, so the chance to read an adult one seemed to be a good idea! The book paints some quite strong visual imagery and the plot ticks along quite nicely. The plot seems quite "basic" but the narrative was quite descriptive.

The only real clumsy element of the book were the sex scenes. I can understand the importance of them in the book (sex magic etc.) but the narrative really dragged when going through the scenes. Some of the narrative seemed to be grabbed straight from a Mills and Boon novel.

Any reservations that I had about the book were put aside though and I did find it an enjoyable read. I think that the world that he creates in this novel merits a sequel, as it has potential to be expanded on further.

Rubbish!!!!!, 18 Jul 2007
Ive only read a couple of James Herbert's books before, but they had always been a fun enough read. This book was so dissapointing. From the blurb I though it sounded great, it started off ok but gradually got worse. The story wasn't magical, it was just uncomfortable. His writing style is fine but its the events that take place in the book which i thought to be terrible. Spend your six quid elsewhere.

brilliantly read stories., 16 Aug 2006
i have rarely come across a better selection of ghost stories than the ones here. of equal importance is the choice of actors to read them, and this has been done extremely well. both a good writer and a good reader really helps me to use my imagination. i think that is most essential when listening to a story or novel. my favourite is "my adventure in norfolk" read by nigel davenport. a stroke of genius both in the story and the reading.
other volumes that are available, "horror stories" and "supernatural stories" are read by the same people and are just as highly recommended.

Almost the Finest Pick of the Genre, 18 Nov 2002
The Ghost Story is an extremely attractive genre to attempt to corral into any one work. Conesequently, it is also the most precarious. Because the criteria for what makes a story a 'ghost story' run the gamut from Hans Christian Andersen to Richard Laymon, it was a tough call for the editor.

I found this book entertaining and, at first, a little disappointing. Where was Lovecraft? There was, however, M.R. James, there was Bradbury (more often associated with sci-fi, but yes, he did contribute to spectral literature), and there were the proto-contributors from ages past.

If you want a cosy grouping of the 'greatest hits' of the ghost in writing then go for this. I found it lacking a little in guts, vis-a-vis with horror fiction, but it will provide even horror buffs with jolts of consternation. This is high entertainment in the tradition of its publisher and makes great night reading. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

one of the single biggest influences on my life, 31 Jul 2008
Even though it's been over a decade since I read this book, I still often return to a very particular eerie sense it gave me, and find it terrifying but comforting at the same time. I don't know how different I would be if I had never read this book, but am eternally grateful that I did.
I would compare it more than anything to the paintings of Magritte or De Chirico, or the painting 'Christina's World' and would say that it is thanks to how this book made me feel that Magritte is now my favourite artist.
On the surface my life is unaffected by these facts, but a large part of my inner self is shaped by the strange but awe-inspiring isolation drawn from Marianne Dreams.

I haven't read it since; I'm too scared that it would change my perception of it, but I STRONGLY recommend that, if you appreciate the atmosphere of the surreal, you read this book. Whatever your age.

cheepy childrens classic, 01 Feb 2008
I first read this book many years ago when i was a child. I also watched the scary tv series based on the book ( which was exellent and very eery)The story begins at a slow even pace but as the tension builds the story rapidly gathers at a fast frightening pace. There is tension and horror as the story unfolds to the fantastic and thrilling ending. Storr really writes well and gets into the psyche of Marianne. She really conveys the loneliness of the ten young girl as she is confined to her bed and as she retreats into her dream world where she is alone until she meets Mark another lonely child - together they must overcome their obstables to escape from the scary house that Marianne drew. A smashing read suitable for all ages

NOT THE LIGHT!! NOT THE LIGHT!!, 10 Jan 2008
I was one of those people who grew up being pleasantly traumatised by "Escape Into Night" during the 70's but had no idea as to the link to this book.

Thanks to a chance encounter with You tube (which now has the complete episode 6 of that series posted on it) I quickly discovered the source of the imagery that has haunted me for years.

This book is superlative-a much underated classic!! Storr writes in a way that appears at first glance to be cod Enid Blyton but as soon as she starts describing Marianne's dream world the tone changes dramatically. I write as an adult and I still found it gripping. As a child I think it would have scared me senseless, such is the sense of menace Storr conjours up.

Please buy this book and also visit You tube. "Escape into Night" should be up there with "Dr Who" and "Quatermass" in the classic scary serial department.

Great 'Family' Reading, 11 Sep 2007
I bought this book after reading the reviews on here, as I wanted to reinstate the bedtime story at our house. My daughters are 9 and 13 and read avidly by themselves, but they still enjoy me reading to them. This story has really captured their imaginations (as well as my own.) I think it's great for all ages. My 9 year old is particularly fascinated by her own dreams at the moment, and about what they mean, so this book is such a hit. I think there is a message in there for adults too. As with so many 'children's novels' this is a book that adults can also relate to and enjoy.

Such an effect!, 30 Apr 2006
When I started reading this book, I thought: "Oh great, a boring story about some girl who's sick in bed. Fun." But, as I got into the book it became incredibly interesting. I started to feel I was Marianne, even though I'm a boy. When she met Mark in her dream as the boy she drew, because her tutor Mrs Chesterfield told her about him, I really felt for him. This book is really and truly gripping, an amazing read. When it ended, I was really sad because I wanted it to go on forever and follow the rest of the adventures and Marianne and Mark.

Overall, this book is incredibly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone.

Impossible to listen to - unfortunately, 05 Jan 2007
I used to read a lot of Stephen King when I was younger, but haven't done so in a while. When I found this book online I decided to get it, I felt like reading some King again. I was really excited when it was time to listen to it. Problem is however that the only place I listen to Audiobooks is in my car, when I drive to work, otherwise I prefer to read myself, real written text I mean. I have a lot of experience with Audiobooks, they are beautiful, a great way of spending your time when you are driving, and it relaxes me too, so that I actually become a safer driver - I don't care and don't get stressed out if I am stuck in a trafic jam, I just see it as a little bit more time to listen to my book.
But "The mist" was simply not made for cars, it was close to impossible to hear the plot, with the sound moving around, and with other trafic, my own car, sometimes rain etc on the outside. I couldn't finish it - a pity, but that's the way it goes - and that is why this book only gets a one from me. I am sure the story is good, so if you listen to books in your bed you may well be OK with it.


Fabulous! Highly immersive experience!, 19 Jun 2000
The Mist by Stephen King

ISBN: 0671621386 I have to say that this work is not meant to be appreciated while driving a car. I wish other audio books could have access to the same technology used to create this one. The 3D sound is remarkably convincing. Even if the story is not that earth shattering, this audio book will provide the benchmark for others to follow.

Fabulous! Highly immersive experience!, 19 Jun 2000
I have to say that this work is not meant to be appreciated while driving a car. I wish other audio books could have access to the same technology used to create this one. The 3D sound is remarkably convincing. Even if the story is not that earth shattering, this audio book will provide the benchmark for others to follow.

Bad Handling of a Great Story, 24 Aug 1999
I am a big Stephen King fan, and have really enjoyed other audiobooks of his. So, I was excited when I saw a cassette of "The Mist," a novella which I thought was excellent. Well, I was doomed to be disappointed by this tape. It starts out by informing the listener that it was recorded in 3-D sound. Indeed, it does sound a little more textured than the usual audiobook. But I think it was a big mistake to read it as a play. I think the listener would have gotten a lot more out of it if it was read straight from the book. You see, in the process of rewriting it for the audio book, they changed the integrity of the story. In the cassette, David Drayton and his wife yell at each other like shrews, and their son sounds like somebody is pinching his nose shut while he talks. Another irritant: all the pitches for name brand foods. "Here, have some Post Toasties!" "How 'bout some Ruffles Potato Chips." I don't know if this was intentional or not, but it certainly wasn't in the book, and it was enough to make me want to gag. One more thing; true, the 3-D sound is neat, but it is not good to listen to while you're driving. Nobody in the car will be satisfied with how well they can hear. All in all, avoid this audiobook. Reading the story will let you absorb the atmosphere much, much better.

A VERY INTERESTING ACHIEVEMENT, 28 May 1999
Listening to this recording gave me a mixed emotion: on one level, the special effects and sound quality were so outstanding, that the fact that i was merely listening to a CD was lost after time, which greatly added to the suspense and eeriness of the story. Yet, while listening purely to dialogue and noises, the beauty and lyricism of King's narrative was unfortunately squashed. The final scene, one of the best written ends in fiction (and greatly enunciated in the unabridged narrative audio version), lost much of its dramatic impact with the lack of seven simple words: "One is Hartford. The other is . . . hope." Still, the recording was very enjoyable, even though the kid sucked!!!