Wolves of the Calla, 01 Apr 2008
And we're back on track! After the massive flashback segment in "Wizard and Glass" the real story of the series begins to drive forward once more, picking up soon after the conclusion of book four.

This story is a little different from previous instalments. The journey towards the elusive Dark Tower slows as the team, King's own "fellowship", stop to help a town that anticipates a violent and devastating attack from the "wolves", a group of almost-men who may kill or abduct their children. There are many secrets in this book, all of which are revealed satisfactorily, and many of the mysteries surrounding Roland's world are also uncovered - although there are just as many new questions as there are answers.

The writing is, as ever, great; the dialogue particularly brings such clarity to this aspect of King's complex series that you don't feel you're reading fantasy, which, as a writer of the genre myself, can often get bogged down in the narrative. King lightens the novel where it needs light, and darkens the novel when the various truths are revealed. Speaking of light and revelations, we see the protagonist Roland in an entirely new light, adding yet another layer to the full rounded character and his companions. It's wonderful and heart-breaking to see our beloved characters in this way, who by now feel like family.

Do we want Roland to succeed? Always. Do we want him to succeed at the expense of his companions, who are also our friends? There are new aspects of the Dark Tower, its substance and purpose, that almost make us think "maybe they aren't all that important after all ..."

Don't miss it. It's a series back on track after a minor slowdown, and it is so intriguing that you'll still be thinking about it weeks later.


Suspense of plots yet to come, 17 Dec 2007
As fantasy worlds go, the parallel earth of the "Dark tower" is unique and refreshing.
The book contains some five minutes of wonderfully written action and some fascinating characters. You can glimpse the true genius of the author throughout the book. Sadly Steven King uses over 400 of 611 pages to build suspense of plots yet to come, in the next instalments of the series. Longwinded is a description that leaps to my mind.
Reading the book is like arduously digging for gold, you find minute nuggets on the way that suggests it's worth your time. When you finally strike gold it's a nice brilliant lump, but you are left with the notion that the grind was not worth the effort.
If you are in need of instant gratification this book is not for you.


OMG!, 26 Sep 2007
Loved it!!!!! I found it hard to believe how brilliantly this was pulled off! Im not a huge Tephen KIng fan but alfter reading this (iv only read this one in the Dard Tower series) i went out and got all the others.
But this one is the best in the series.
Its the most griping book i'v ever read, most good books i read i have to stop reading alfter about 150 pages coz i useally start getting disstracted but this book i read about 500 pages of it (in about three and a half hours) then i HAD to put it down coz i needed to go to have dinner but i started reading it again straught alfter.
This is THE best book in the world along side: BEC by Darren Shan, and Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.

The Plot Thickens, 18 Jul 2007
The key theme of this book is very strong so it is easy to keep track of the direction in which you are going. There are some bad guys and they needed to be dealt with and at the end of the day they will be. The side issues though are what makes the book interesting, the further development of the 'you exist because I think your think' theme, the rapid development of Roland's and Jake's characters, the scene setting for the next book and the tying together of loose ends from previous books, all these go towards making TWOC an enjoyable read. However, there are failings, certain characters play pivotal roles but they are not developed beyond the bare minimum necessary to carry the story. In contrast there is a certain amount of wastage going over old ground; TDT books are not intended to be read on there own so repetition from previous books is pointless. Luckily he does not fall into the trap of repeating huge swathes of the previous novels (ala Jean Auel), but there is sufficient to be annoying. All in all, not as good as WaG, but still very good indeed.

magnificent 4?, 14 Jun 2007
this book is king back to his best, a fast paced story that reeks of the magnificent seven. basically the ka-tet are hired by a village that is being attacked by wolves, which look like Dr. Doom on horseback and throw harry potter sneetches.

a great book that has plenty of action and a few twists. for me the last great book in the series before king starts to play god, literally.

A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain the same comes true. Dorian Gray's picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman, "as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife", Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings. "The roses are not less lovely for all that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden."

As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happy friend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest with any number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful "When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy." But despite its many languorous pleasures, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an imperfect work. Compared to the two (voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever new sensations far less fun than the novel's drawing-room discussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novel contradicts many of Wilde's supposed aims, not least "no artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Nonetheless, the glamour boy gets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it both ways: "All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment."A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain the same comes true. Dorian Gray's picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman, "as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife", Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings. "The roses are not less lovely for all that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden."

As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happy friend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest with any number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful "When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy." But despite its many languorous pleasures, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an imperfect work. Compared to the two (voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever new sensations far less fun than the novel's drawing-room discussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novel contradicts many of Wilde's supposed aims, not least "no artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Nonetheless, the glamour boy gets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it both ways: "All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment."

Wolves of the Calla, 01 Apr 2008
And we're back on track! After the massive flashback segment in "Wizard and Glass" the real story of the series begins to drive forward once more, picking up soon after the conclusion of book four.

This story is a little different from previous instalments. The journey towards the elusive Dark Tower slows as the team, King's own "fellowship", stop to help a town that anticipates a violent and devastating attack from the "wolves", a group of almost-men who may kill or abduct their children. There are many secrets in this book, all of which are revealed satisfactorily, and many of the mysteries surrounding Roland's world are also uncovered - although there are just as many new questions as there are answers.

The writing is, as ever, great; the dialogue particularly brings such clarity to this aspect of King's complex series that you don't feel you're reading fantasy, which, as a writer of the genre myself, can often get bogged down in the narrative. King lightens the novel where it needs light, and darkens the novel when the various truths are revealed. Speaking of light and revelations, we see the protagonist Roland in an entirely new light, adding yet another layer to the full rounded character and his companions. It's wonderful and heart-breaking to see our beloved characters in this way, who by now feel like family.

Do we want Roland to succeed? Always. Do we want him to succeed at the expense of his companions, who are also our friends? There are new aspects of the Dark Tower, its substance and purpose, that almost make us think "maybe they aren't all that important after all ..."

Don't miss it. It's a series back on track after a minor slowdown, and it is so intriguing that you'll still be thinking about it weeks later.


Suspense of plots yet to come, 17 Dec 2007
As fantasy worlds go, the parallel earth of the "Dark tower" is unique and refreshing.
The book contains some five minutes of wonderfully written action and some fascinating characters. You can glimpse the true genius of the author throughout the book. Sadly Steven King uses over 400 of 611 pages to build suspense of plots yet to come, in the next instalments of the series. Longwinded is a description that leaps to my mind.
Reading the book is like arduously digging for gold, you find minute nuggets on the way that suggests it's worth your time. When you finally strike gold it's a nice brilliant lump, but you are left with the notion that the grind was not worth the effort.
If you are in need of instant gratification this book is not for you.


OMG!, 26 Sep 2007
Loved it!!!!! I found it hard to believe how brilliantly this was pulled off! Im not a huge Tephen KIng fan but alfter reading this (iv only read this one in the Dard Tower series) i went out and got all the others.
But this one is the best in the series.
Its the most griping book i'v ever read, most good books i read i have to stop reading alfter about 150 pages coz i useally start getting disstracted but this book i read about 500 pages of it (in about three and a half hours) then i HAD to put it down coz i needed to go to have dinner but i started reading it again straught alfter.
This is THE best book in the world along side: BEC by Darren Shan, and Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.

The Plot Thickens, 18 Jul 2007
The key theme of this book is very strong so it is easy to keep track of the direction in which you are going. There are some bad guys and they needed to be dealt with and at the end of the day they will be. The side issues though are what makes the book interesting, the further development of the 'you exist because I think your think' theme, the rapid development of Roland's and Jake's characters, the scene setting for the next book and the tying together of loose ends from previous books, all these go towards making TWOC an enjoyable read. However, there are failings, certain characters play pivotal roles but they are not developed beyond the bare minimum necessary to carry the story. In contrast there is a certain amount of wastage going over old ground; TDT books are not intended to be read on there own so repetition from previous books is pointless. Luckily he does not fall into the trap of repeating huge swathes of the previous novels (ala Jean Auel), but there is sufficient to be annoying. All in all, not as good as WaG, but still very good indeed.

magnificent 4?, 14 Jun 2007
this book is king back to his best, a fast paced story that reeks of the magnificent seven. basically the ka-tet are hired by a village that is being attacked by wolves, which look like Dr. Doom on horseback and throw harry potter sneetches.

a great book that has plenty of action and a few twists. for me the last great book in the series before king starts to play god, literally.

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray, 18 Nov 2008
By now, most people are aware of the basic plot of this book: young man foolishly wishes that, upon seeing his current beateous youth captured forever in a picture, he could remain in that moment of youth forever, and the picture age in his stead. Not only that, but the picture becomes twisted and cruel as a result of the callous hedonistic behaviour perpetrated by Gray in his perpetual youth. At first, Gray is horrified, but then finds himself submitting to it...

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fantastic novel, so fantastic that it made me sad that the eminently quoteable Wilde has only written the one. At one point, a bad-influencing friend of Dorian's lends him a novel that Gray is charmed by, a novel that tells of a man who lives a hedonistic lifestyle, with care only for pleasure and enjoyment, and it's this novel that kick-starts Gray's eventual downfall as it affects Gray's behaviour, leading him to eventually describe it as dangerous. Wilde's novel is possibly such a book: it's seductive discussions on hedonism, pleasure, and the real joys of life almost make one want to throw mores out the window and life such a life oneself, or at least wish intensely for a period that one has or could. Henry Wotton, Gray's witty, philosophical influence is a raconeteur, a man of life, who knows its pleasures and derides it's follies, chosing simply to ignore them. It's his discourses that are particularly charming and fascinating. There's obviously a temperance to his message (in terms of the whole arc of the novel), but that's almost neither here nor there. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a superb book, fascinating, witty, supremely intelligent and philosophical, romantic and gothic and chilling also. It's one of those books that might lay a bomb under your life, and it deserves its classic status.



Hard work, 09 Nov 2008
Found this book to be quite boring! The story was weak the characters dull, all in all an unenjoyable read and unnecessarily wordy.

nothing special, 22 Oct 2008
i didn't really like this book. i found all the characters quite irritating, and the story was fairly absurd and didn't really capture my imagination. more than that, i just didn't feel like there was any real depth to the book. there was nothing truly unpredictable, nothing particularly thought provoking. i don't think there's anything particularly impressive or engaging or interesting about the story. i also found wilde's style of writing so flowery, it just felt a bit fake and naff.
i don't think there's anything particularly special about this book, and i wouldn't say it's particularly worthwhile reading it.


A New Light....., 27 Sep 2008
After reading a review of "The Ripper Code" in the TLS, I had to return to my school favourite and reread it. It was fascinating to read it in a new light.

Sublime, 25 Sep 2008
I loved this book, not so much for the cautionary tale or the disintigration of Dorian's conscience, but for the beautiful philosophy embelishing the story; many of the things Henry says, for example, are interesting and thought-provoking theories on life. And I loved how youth and beauty were depicted in the book. The only criticism I would give is that it was far too short for my liking, and I thought that the part between Dorian's youth and his 38th year could've been elaborated on. Though an original, genius story!

Wolves of the Calla, 01 Apr 2008
And we're back on track! After the massive flashback segment in "Wizard and Glass" the real story of the series begins to drive forward once more, picking up soon after the conclusion of book four.

This story is a little different from previous instalments. The journey towards the elusive Dark Tower slows as the team, King's own "fellowship", stop to help a town that anticipates a violent and devastating attack from the "wolves", a group of almost-men who may kill or abduct their children. There are many secrets in this book, all of which are revealed satisfactorily, and many of the mysteries surrounding Roland's world are also uncovered - although there are just as many new questions as there are answers.

The writing is, as ever, great; the dialogue particularly brings such clarity to this aspect of King's complex series that you don't feel you're reading fantasy, which, as a writer of the genre myself, can often get bogged down in the narrative. King lightens the novel where it needs light, and darkens the novel when the various truths are revealed. Speaking of light and revelations, we see the protagonist Roland in an entirely new light, adding yet another layer to the full rounded character and his companions. It's wonderful and heart-breaking to see our beloved characters in this way, who by now feel like family.

Do we want Roland to succeed? Always. Do we want him to succeed at the expense of his companions, who are also our friends? There are new aspects of the Dark Tower, its substance and purpose, that almost make us think "maybe they aren't all that important after all ..."

Don't miss it. It's a series back on track after a minor slowdown, and it is so intriguing that you'll still be thinking about it weeks later.


Suspense of plots yet to come, 17 Dec 2007
As fantasy worlds go, the parallel earth of the "Dark tower" is unique and refreshing.
The book contains some five minutes of wonderfully written action and some fascinating characters. You can glimpse the true genius of the author throughout the book. Sadly Steven King uses over 400 of 611 pages to build suspense of plots yet to come, in the next instalments of the series. Longwinded is a description that leaps to my mind.
Reading the book is like arduously digging for gold, you find minute nuggets on the way that suggests it's worth your time. When you finally strike gold it's a nice brilliant lump, but you are left with the notion that the grind was not worth the effort.
If you are in need of instant gratification this book is not for you.


OMG!, 26 Sep 2007
Loved it!!!!! I found it hard to believe how brilliantly this was pulled off! Im not a huge Tephen KIng fan but alfter reading this (iv only read this one in the Dard Tower series) i went out and got all the others.
But this one is the best in the series.
Its the most griping book i'v ever read, most good books i read i have to stop reading alfter about 150 pages coz i useally start getting disstracted but this book i read about 500 pages of it (in about three and a half hours) then i HAD to put it down coz i needed to go to have dinner but i started reading it again straught alfter.
This is THE best book in the world along side: BEC by Darren Shan, and Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.

The Plot Thickens, 18 Jul 2007
The key theme of this book is very strong so it is easy to keep track of the direction in which you are going. There are some bad guys and they needed to be dealt with and at the end of the day they will be. The side issues though are what makes the book interesting, the further development of the 'you exist because I think your think' theme, the rapid development of Roland's and Jake's characters, the scene setting for the next book and the tying together of loose ends from previous books, all these go towards making TWOC an enjoyable read. However, there are failings, certain characters play pivotal roles but they are not developed beyond the bare minimum necessary to carry the story. In contrast there is a certain amount of wastage going over old ground; TDT books are not intended to be read on there own so repetition from previous books is pointless. Luckily he does not fall into the trap of repeating huge swathes of the previous novels (ala Jean Auel), but there is sufficient to be annoying. All in all, not as good as WaG, but still very good indeed.

magnificent 4?, 14 Jun 2007
this book is king back to his best, a fast paced story that reeks of the magnificent seven. basically the ka-tet are hired by a village that is being attacked by wolves, which look like Dr. Doom on horseback and throw harry potter sneetches.

a great book that has plenty of action and a few twists. for me the last great book in the series before king starts to play god, literally.

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray, 18 Nov 2008
By now, most people are aware of the basic plot of this book: young man foolishly wishes that, upon seeing his current beateous youth captured forever in a picture, he could remain in that moment of youth forever, and the picture age in his stead. Not only that, but the picture becomes twisted and cruel as a result of the callous hedonistic behaviour perpetrated by Gray in his perpetual youth. At first, Gray is horrified, but then finds himself submitting to it...

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fantastic novel, so fantastic that it made me sad that the eminently quoteable Wilde has only written the one. At one point, a bad-influencing friend of Dorian's lends him a novel that Gray is charmed by, a novel that tells of a man who lives a hedonistic lifestyle, with care only for pleasure and enjoyment, and it's this novel that kick-starts Gray's eventual downfall as it affects Gray's behaviour, leading him to eventually describe it as dangerous. Wilde's novel is possibly such a book: it's seductive discussions on hedonism, pleasure, and the real joys of life almost make one want to throw mores out the window and life such a life oneself, or at least wish intensely for a period that one has or could. Henry Wotton, Gray's witty, philosophical influence is a raconeteur, a man of life, who knows its pleasures and derides it's follies, chosing simply to ignore them. It's his discourses that are particularly charming and fascinating. There's obviously a temperance to his message (in terms of the whole arc of the novel), but that's almost neither here nor there. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a superb book, fascinating, witty, supremely intelligent and philosophical, romantic and gothic and chilling also. It's one of those books that might lay a bomb under your life, and it deserves its classic status.



Hard work, 09 Nov 2008
Found this book to be quite boring! The story was weak the characters dull, all in all an unenjoyable read and unnecessarily wordy.

nothing special, 22 Oct 2008
i didn't really like this book. i found all the characters quite irritating, and the story was fairly absurd and didn't really capture my imagination. more than that, i just didn't feel like there was any real depth to the book. there was nothing truly unpredictable, nothing particularly thought provoking. i don't think there's anything particularly impressive or engaging or interesting about the story. i also found wilde's style of writing so flowery, it just felt a bit fake and naff.
i don't think there's anything particularly special about this book, and i wouldn't say it's particularly worthwhile reading it.


A New Light....., 27 Sep 2008
After reading a review of "The Ripper Code" in the TLS, I had to return to my school favourite and reread it. It was fascinating to read it in a new light.

Sublime, 25 Sep 2008
I loved this book, not so much for the cautionary tale or the disintigration of Dorian's conscience, but for the beautiful philosophy embelishing the story; many of the things Henry says, for example, are interesting and thought-provoking theories on life. And I loved how youth and beauty were depicted in the book. The only criticism I would give is that it was far too short for my liking, and I thought that the part between Dorian's youth and his 38th year could've been elaborated on. Though an original, genius story!

A capital yarn of devilry and high adventure., 08 Dec 2008
Growing up in post-war Britain one inevitably encountered the ubiquitous paperbacks of the novels of Dennis Wheatley, which were read then and happily once again, with much avidity. A fabulous supernatural thriller, 'The Devil Rides Out' on its publication in 1934 was hailed as the best thing of it's kind since Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' and the comparison is entirely justified. This classic tale of devilry might also be said to have been strongly influenced by the ripping occult tales of Sax Rohmer as well. Set amidst the dashing world of the wealthy in 1920's England, Wheatley conjures up an amazing yarn of satanic horrors and hidden diabolism lurking amid the shadowed mansions of St.John's Wood and in luxurious West End hotels, of midnight car-chases through the English countryside in Hispano limousines and bottle-green Bentleys - we are transported into a glamorous era of aristocratic manners, exotically beautiful women, regally-appointed apartments, burgundy smoking jackets, fine aged cognacs and Hoyo cigars. The narrative is fast-paced and truly thrilling with many episodes of chilling terror and laden with a genuinely dark atmosphere of oppressive supernatural evil. The eternal Manichaean struggle, the world-old conflict between the forces of Light and the powers of Darkness is epitomised in the battle between the elegant connoisseur the Duc De Richleau and the suavely malevolent Satanist Mocata who has Simon Aron in his clutches. Wheatley researched the occult elements in this book to quite an impressive degree , garnering many details and esoteric data from the libertine Aleister Crowley, the Old Catholic prelate Montague Summers and the Jamaican occultist Rollo Ahmed whom he knew in the 1930's. 'The Devil Rides Out' is certainly far superior fare to much of todays etiolated, depressing and confused horror fiction and in no small part this is due to the almost mediaeval or Zarathustran dualism which pervades Wheatley's mindset (In 'The Devil & All His Works' Wheatley comments favourably on these ancient Persian religious doctrines.)Who didn't read those solemn warnings prefixed to Wheatley's novels advising the reader against involvement with the Black Arts without a delicious shudder!
This is a fantastic read by the 'Prince of Thriller Writers' as he was called in his heyday and as Dennis Wheatley's friend Christopher Lee has eloquently commented, it also conveys a timely warning against injudicious incursions into the darker regions of the occult with their attendant psychic pathologies - the 1967 Hammer film of the novel is essential viewing also.The Devil Rides Out is a stylish foray into the tenebrous realms of the occult and for me it was definitely a formative influence. Great to see this novel being read again after having been out of print and out of fashion for so long.

The Devil Rides Out, 02 Nov 2008
Classic tale of the Occult which moves along at a cracking pace. Perhaps the book flags towards the end but this matters little overall. Excellent set pieces include the night spent in the Circle, also the confrontation between the villain and the books nominal heroine. Worth reading.

A FANTASTIC READ, 19 Oct 2008
Having got bored with the whole horror novel genre, I picked this book up by chance (and due to the fact it was really cheap as well), this really is a great book. The atmosphere created within the pages, as well as the superb charecters, I found I could not put this book down until I finished the last page. If only every horror author wrote as good as this, even if your not into horror novels, this is a must read for your book collection.

Still the Best after 70 years!, 07 Jul 2008
Having read all of Wheatley's books in my youth (I am now 64)and loved them all, this one is THE best.
I believe that it was written in the 1930's so the style is a little different from modern books but the story is excellent and has stood the test of time.
Wheatley researched deeply into all things esoteric and always gave a warning in his foreword to his books on black magic, 'not to get involved'.
Good advice, I think, as if you read this book, you will see what he means.
Read it, I know you will love it. Also, 'To the Devil a Daughter' by him is another excellent read in the same genre.

Grand adventure!, 03 Jul 2007
Being under 30, I had heard of the Devil Rides Out and Dennis Wheatley without really knowing what it was all about, so finding that such an inexpensive edition of the work was now available from Wordsworth's excellent line of supernatural stories, well I had to buy it, didn't I?

What surprised me is that once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. The tale is of the Duc de Richleau's battle for the soul of his friend Simon Aron, the fate of a young girl, and ultimately the fate of the world, as he takes on satanist Mocata and his entourage. Having read a biography of Aleister Crowley, we can see that he was the touchstone for Mocata, although it is only a surface representation as Mocata is presented as a villain, rather than as a human being. As far as I know, the representations of magic are well researched, with Wheatley representing both white and black magic and the will to power.

Because of the era it was written in, there are no shades of grey in the story, just as the magic used in the tale is black or white, so is the morality and Wheatley is clearly from the same stable as the other great British adventure writers like Buchan, Sapper and Ian Fleming. It also reminds me of the excellent Carnacki stories by Hodgson. As such you may feel that some of the views are a little dated. I didn't notice anything that I thought was necessarily objectionable as I do with Fleming. But the story is written at such a rollicking pace that it is impossible not to get swept up.

This is not a horror story, I doubt that unless you're under the age of ten and sensitive (as I once was) you will find anything chilling in the book, but there certainly is atmosphere and the midnight vigil inside the pentacle, when Mocata sends the Angel of Death to our heroes, is as tense as can be. It's a supernatural adventure - a predecessor to the X-Files and Buffy, and as good a supernatural adventure as I've read. The ending seems like a bit of a copout at first, but the final page makes it all matter again and I can't recommend it enough.

So why not five stars? Well, there are a few typographical errors in the book, errant speech marks and punctuation, but that shouldn't dissuade you from buying this book!

Wolves of the Calla, 01 Apr 2008
And we're back on track! After the massive flashback segment in "Wizard and Glass" the real story of the series begins to drive forward once more, picking up soon after the conclusion of book four.

This story is a little different from previous instalments. The journey towards the elusive Dark Tower slows as the team, King's own "fellowship", stop to help a town that anticipates a violent and devastating attack from the "wolves", a group of almost-men who may kill or abduct their children. There are many secrets in this book, all of which are revealed satisfactorily, and many of the mysteries surrounding Roland's world are also uncovered - although there are just as many new questions as there are answers.

The writing is, as ever, great; the dialogue particularly brings such clarity to this aspect of King's complex series that you don't feel you're reading fantasy, which, as a writer of the genre myself, can often get bogged down in the narrative. King lightens the novel where it needs light, and darkens the novel when the various truths are revealed. Speaking of light and revelations, we see the protagonist Roland in an entirely new light, adding yet another layer to the full rounded character and his companions. It's wonderful and heart-breaking to see our beloved characters in this way, who by now feel like family.

Do we want Roland to succeed? Always. Do we want him to succeed at the expense of his companions, who are also our friends? There are new aspects of the Dark Tower, its substance and purpose, that almost make us think "maybe they aren't all that important after all ..."

Don't miss it. It's a series back on track after a minor slowdown, and it is so intriguing that you'll still be thinking about it weeks later.


Suspense of plots yet to come, 17 Dec 2007
As fantasy worlds go, the parallel earth of the "Dark tower" is unique and refreshing.
The book contains some five minutes of wonderfully written action and some fascinating characters. You can glimpse the true genius of the author throughout the book. Sadly Steven King uses over 400 of 611 pages to build suspense of plots yet to come, in the next instalments of the series. Longwinded is a description that leaps to my mind.
Reading the book is like arduously digging for gold, you find minute nuggets on the way that suggests it's worth your time. When you finally strike gold it's a nice brilliant lump, but you are left with the notion that the grind was not worth the effort.
If you are in need of instant gratification this book is not for you.


OMG!, 26 Sep 2007
Loved it!!!!! I found it hard to believe how brilliantly this was pulled off! Im not a huge Tephen KIng fan but alfter reading this (iv only read this one in the Dard Tower series) i went out and got all the others.
But this one is the best in the series.
Its the most griping book i'v ever read, most good books i read i have to stop reading alfter about 150 pages coz i useally start getting disstracted but this book i read about 500 pages of it (in about three and a half hours) then i HAD to put it down coz i needed to go to have dinner but i started reading it again straught alfter.
This is THE best book in the world along side: BEC by Darren Shan, and Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.

The Plot Thickens, 18 Jul 2007
The key theme of this book is very strong so it is easy to keep track of the direction in which you are going. There are some bad guys and they needed to be dealt with and at the end of the day they will be. The side issues though are what makes the book interesting, the further development of the 'you exist because I think your think' theme, the rapid development of Roland's and Jake's characters, the scene setting for the next book and the tying together of loose ends from previous books, all these go towards making TWOC an enjoyable read. However, there are failings, certain characters play pivotal roles but they are not developed beyond the bare minimum necessary to carry the story. In contrast there is a certain amount of wastage going over old ground; TDT books are not intended to be read on there own so repetition from previous books is pointless. Luckily he does not fall into the trap of repeating huge swathes of the previous novels (ala Jean Auel), but there is sufficient to be annoying. All in all, not as good as WaG, but still very good indeed.

magnificent 4?, 14 Jun 2007
this book is king back to his best, a fast paced story that reeks of the magnificent seven. basically the ka-tet are hired by a village that is being attacked by wolves, which look like Dr. Doom on horseback and throw harry potter sneetches.

a great book that has plenty of action and a few twists. for me the last great book in the series before king starts to play god, literally.

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray, 18 Nov 2008
By now, most people are aware of the basic plot of this book: young man foolishly wishes that, upon seeing his current beateous youth captured forever in a picture, he could remain in that moment of youth forever, and the picture age in his stead. Not only that, but the picture becomes twisted and cruel as a result of the callous hedonistic behaviour perpetrated by Gray in his perpetual youth. At first, Gray is horrified, but then finds himself submitting to it...

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fantastic novel, so fantastic that it made me sad that the eminently quoteable Wilde has only written the one. At one point, a bad-influencing friend of Dorian's lends him a novel that Gray is charmed by, a novel that tells of a man who lives a hedonistic lifestyle, with care only for pleasure and enjoyment, and it's this novel that kick-starts Gray's eventual downfall as it affects Gray's behaviour, leading him to eventually describe it as dangerous. Wilde's novel is possibly such a book: it's seductive discussions on hedonism, pleasure, and the real joys of life almost make one want to throw mores out the window and life such a life oneself, or at least wish intensely for a period that one has or could. Henry Wotton, Gray's witty, philosophical influence is a raconeteur, a man of life, who knows its pleasures and derides it's follies, chosing simply to ignore them. It's his discourses that are particularly charming and fascinating. There's obviously a temperance to his message (in terms of the whole arc of the novel), but that's almost neither here nor there. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a superb book, fascinating, witty, supremely intelligent and philosophical, romantic and gothic and chilling also. It's one of those books that might lay a bomb under your life, and it deserves its classic status.



Hard work, 09 Nov 2008
Found this book to be quite boring! The story was weak the characters dull, all in all an unenjoyable read and unnecessarily wordy.

nothing special, 22 Oct 2008
i didn't really like this book. i found all the characters quite irritating, and the story was fairly absurd and didn't really capture my imagination. more than that, i just didn't feel like there was any real depth to the book. there was nothing truly unpredictable, nothing particularly thought provoking. i don't think there's anything particularly impressive or engaging or interesting about the story. i also found wilde's style of writing so flowery, it just felt a bit fake and naff.
i don't think there's anything particularly special about this book, and i wouldn't say it's particularly worthwhile reading it.


A New Light....., 27 Sep 2008
After reading a review of "The Ripper Code" in the TLS, I had to return to my school favourite and reread it. It was fascinating to read it in a new light.

Sublime, 25 Sep 2008
I loved this book, not so much for the cautionary tale or the disintigration of Dorian's conscience, but for the beautiful philosophy embelishing the story; many of the things Henry says, for example, are interesting and thought-provoking theories on life. And I loved how youth and beauty were depicted in the book. The only criticism I would give is that it was far too short for my liking, and I thought that the part between Dorian's youth and his 38th year could've been elaborated on. Though an original, genius story!

A capital yarn of devilry and high adventure., 08 Dec 2008
Growing up in post-war Britain one inevitably encountered the ubiquitous paperbacks of the novels of Dennis Wheatley, which were read then and happily once again, with much avidity. A fabulous supernatural thriller, 'The Devil Rides Out' on its publication in 1934 was hailed as the best thing of it's kind since Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' and the comparison is entirely justified. This classic tale of devilry might also be said to have been strongly influenced by the ripping occult tales of Sax Rohmer as well. Set amidst the dashing world of the wealthy in 1920's England, Wheatley conjures up an amazing yarn of satanic horrors and hidden diabolism lurking amid the shadowed mansions of St.John's Wood and in luxurious West End hotels, of midnight car-chases through the English countryside in Hispano limousines and bottle-green Bentleys - we are transported into a glamorous era of aristocratic manners, exotically beautiful women, regally-appointed apartments, burgundy smoking jackets, fine aged cognacs and Hoyo cigars. The narrative is fast-paced and truly thrilling with many episodes of chilling terror and laden with a genuinely dark atmosphere of oppressive supernatural evil. The eternal Manichaean struggle, the world-old conflict between the forces of Light and the powers of Darkness is epitomised in the battle between the elegant connoisseur the Duc De Richleau and the suavely malevolent Satanist Mocata who has Simon Aron in his clutches. Wheatley researched the occult elements in this book to quite an impressive degree , garnering many details and esoteric data from the libertine Aleister Crowley, the Old Catholic prelate Montague Summers and the Jamaican occultist Rollo Ahmed whom he knew in the 1930's. 'The Devil Rides Out' is certainly far superior fare to much of todays etiolated, depressing and confused horror fiction and in no small part this is due to the almost mediaeval or Zarathustran dualism which pervades Wheatley's mindset (In 'The Devil & All His Works' Wheatley comments favourably on these ancient Persian religious doctrines.)Who didn't read those solemn warnings prefixed to Wheatley's novels advising the reader against involvement with the Black Arts without a delicious shudder!
This is a fantastic read by the 'Prince of Thriller Writers' as he was called in his heyday and as Dennis Wheatley's friend Christopher Lee has eloquently commented, it also conveys a timely warning against injudicious incursions into the darker regions of the occult with their attendant psychic pathologies - the 1967 Hammer film of the novel is essential viewing also.The Devil Rides Out is a stylish foray into the tenebrous realms of the occult and for me it was definitely a formative influence. Great to see this novel being read again after having been out of print and out of fashion for so long.

The Devil Rides Out, 02 Nov 2008
Classic tale of the Occult which moves along at a cracking pace. Perhaps the book flags towards the end but this matters little overall. Excellent set pieces include the night spent in the Circle, also the confrontation between the villain and the books nominal heroine. Worth reading.

A FANTASTIC READ, 19 Oct 2008
Having got bored with the whole horror novel genre, I picked this book up by chance (and due to the fact it was really cheap as well), this really is a great book. The atmosphere created within the pages, as well as the superb charecters, I found I could not put this book down until I finished the last page. If only every horror author wrote as good as this, even if your not into horror novels, this is a must read for your book collection.

Still the Best after 70 years!, 07 Jul 2008
Having read all of Wheatley's books in my youth (I am now 64)and loved them all, this one is THE best.
I believe that it was written in the 1930's so the style is a little different from modern books but the story is excellent and has stood the test of time.
Wheatley researched deeply into all things esoteric and always gave a warning in his foreword to his books on black magic, 'not to get involved'.
Good advice, I think, as if you read this book, you will see what he means.
Read it, I know you will love it. Also, 'To the Devil a Daughter' by him is another excellent read in the same genre.

Grand adventure!, 03 Jul 2007
Being under 30, I had heard of the Devil Rides Out and Dennis Wheatley without really knowing what it was all about, so finding that such an inexpensive edition of the work was now available from Wordsworth's excellent line of supernatural stories, well I had to buy it, didn't I?

What surprised me is that once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. The tale is of the Duc de Richleau's battle for the soul of his friend Simon Aron, the fate of a young girl, and ultimately the fate of the world, as he takes on satanist Mocata and his entourage. Having read a biography of Aleister Crowley, we can see that he was the touchstone for Mocata, although it is only a surface representation as Mocata is presented as a villain, rather than as a human being. As far as I know, the representations of magic are well researched, with Wheatley representing both white and black magic and the will to power.

Because of the era it was written in, there are no shades of grey in the story, just as the magic used in the tale is black or white, so is the morality and Wheatley is clearly from the same stable as the other great British adventure writers like Buchan, Sapper and Ian Fleming. It also reminds me of the excellent Carnacki stories by Hodgson. As such you may feel that some of the views are a little dated. I didn't notice anything that I thought was necessarily objectionable as I do with Fleming. But the story is written at such a rollicking pace that it is impossible not to get swept up.

This is not a horror story, I doubt that unless you're under the age of ten and sensitive (as I once was) you will find anything chilling in the book, but there certainly is atmosphere and the midnight vigil inside the pentacle, when Mocata sends the Angel of Death to our heroes, is as tense as can be. It's a supernatural adventure - a predecessor to the X-Files and Buffy, and as good a supernatural adventure as I've read. The ending seems like a bit of a copout at first, but the final page makes it all matter again and I can't recommend it enough.

So why not five stars? Well, there are a few typographical errors in the book, errant speech marks and punctuation, but that shouldn't dissuade you from buying this book!

Great Book, 07 Jul 2008
Read this in my youth (I'm now 64), loved it then and love it now. It is in the same genre as 'The Devil Rides Out', ie. black magic.
Wheatley was and still IS one of the best novel writers on this subject.
ALL his books are very good but this is one of the best. It keeps you turning the page, which to me means it's a great read.
You read it - I know you';ll love it.

Forget the film - read this!, 27 Apr 2007
We are all used to films not being "like/as good as" the book. Hammer's To the Devil - A Daughter is no exception. If you've not seen it, don't rush to; if you have, don't let it put you off trying this book. Not for nothing was Wheatley known as the Prince of Thriller Writers, and to those of us in the know he still is. You will hear it said he's dated, or his views are un-PC. Well, quite often those 'views' are those of his characters - you can't say for certain DW was pro this or anti that - and frankly, who cares? Such remarks are more often than not few and far between anyway, and at the end of the day all that matters is the story - and there Wheatley, once tried, will hold you in his vice-like grip. With colourful characters, exotic settings and strange events, he is the very definition of a page-turner. Let's hope Wordsworth, with these new reprints, bring us many more - and not just the occult novels. Either way, at these prices, you can't lose.

Utterly fabulous, 05 Dec 2005
If you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code then you will love this. Wheatley is a fantastic story teller. This is racy, fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat stuff! The subject of Black Magic isn't one that tends to crops up in mainstream modern literature - it should, it makes great thrillers! Read this and you'll soon be purchasing the others in the series eg (The Satanist, The Devil Rides Out etc). A quick caveat, these books were written in the 30's and it's important to bear this in mind when you encounter the odd bit which seems a little out-dated or non PC. Don't worry, this won't stop you thinking his books are utterly fabulous.

Classic Occult Fiction From Dennis Wheatley., 23 Apr 2002
Dennis Wheatley's "To The Devil A Daughter" is a classic novel to rank alongside "The Devil Rides Out". It has everything. A beautiful girl who is lierally not herself in the hours of darkness. A Satanic de-frocked priest attempting to complete his "Great Work" by creating a Homonculus. The hero and his friends trying to solve the mystery of the girl and deliver her from the Devil himself. Dennis Wheatley's wide range of occult knowledge make his novels simply brilliant.

In Wolves of the Calla, volume five of Stephen King's epic fantasy western The Dark Tower, coincidence has, as Eddie Dean observes, been cancelled. Everything the gunslinger Roland and his companions encounter has taken on symbolic significance. So when they come to Calla Bryn Sturgis, named after the director of The Magnificent Seven, its clear that King will follow the classic western archetype of a small band of heroes defending peaceable homesteaders. Here, the heroes resist masked raiders who abduct one of each pair of twins (and almost all children are twins), only to return them a month later horribly changed.

Father Callahan from King's Salem's Lot is resident in Calla Bryn Sturgis, and has his own tale of vampires, regulators and the secret highways though alternative Americas. Not coincidentally, the evil Glass Black 13 is hidden in his church. Meanwhile Susannah is again sporting a secondary personality, this time Mia, mother to the inhuman child that Susannah does not know she is carrying, while Roland realises their quest has become a race against the arthritis which will soon leave him crippled.

In this enormously ambitious book, King continues to weave together his back catalogue with the pop culture and literature of America itself, noting in his introduction that if you haven't read the previous Dark Tower volumes this isn't the place to begin. It is, though, a hugely entertaining adventure, rich in allusion; a passing aside to Thomas Wolfe might easily be dismissed, yet his title You Can't Go Home Again, encapsulates this entire spellbinding odyssey as well as five words ever will. --Gary S Dalkin

Wolves of the Calla, 01 Apr 2008
And we're back on track! After the massive flashback segment in "Wizard and Glass" the real story of the series begins to drive forward once more, picking up soon after the conclusion of book four.

This story is a little different from previous instalments. The journey towards the elusive Dark Tower slows as the team, King's own "fellowship", stop to help a town that anticipates a violent and devastating attack from the "wolves", a group of almost-men who may kill or abduct their children. There are many secrets in this book, all of which are revealed satisfactorily, and many of the mysteries surrounding Roland's world are also uncovered - although there are just as many new questions as there are answers.

The writing is, as ever, great; the dialogue particularly brings such clarity to this aspect of King's complex series that you don't feel you're reading fantasy, which, as a writer of the genre myself, can often get bogged down in the narrative. King lightens the novel where it needs light, and darkens the novel when the various truths are revealed. Speaking of light and revelations, we see the protagonist Roland in an entirely new light, adding yet another layer to the full rounded character and his companions. It's wonderful and heart-breaking to see our beloved characters in this way, who by now feel like family.

Do we want Roland to succeed? Always. Do we want him to succeed at the expense of his companions, who are also our friends? There are new aspects of the Dark Tower, its substance and purpose, that almost make us think "maybe they aren't all that important after all ..."

Don't miss it. It's a series back on track after a minor slowdown, and it is so intriguing that you'll still be thinking about it weeks later.


Suspense of plots yet to come, 17 Dec 2007
As fantasy worlds go, the parallel earth of the "Dark tower" is unique and refreshing.
The book contains some five minutes of wonderfully written action and some fascinating characters. You can glimpse the true genius of the author throughout the book. Sadly Steven King uses over 400 of 611 pages to build suspense of plots yet to come, in the next instalments of the series. Longwinded is a description that leaps to my mind.
Reading the book is like arduously digging for gold, you find minute nuggets on the way that suggests it's worth your time. When you finally strike gold it's a nice brilliant lump, but you are left with the notion that the grind was not worth the effort.
If you are in need of instant gratification this book is not for you.


OMG!, 26 Sep 2007
Loved it!!!!! I found it hard to believe how brilliantly this was pulled off! Im not a huge Tephen KIng fan but alfter reading this (iv only read this one in the Dard Tower series) i went out and got all the others.
But this one is the best in the series.
Its the most griping book i'v ever read, most good books i read i have to stop reading alfter about 150 pages coz i useally start getting disstracted but this book i read about 500 pages of it (in about three and a half hours) then i HAD to put it down coz i needed to go to have dinner but i started reading it again straught alfter.
This is THE best book in the world along side: BEC by Darren Shan, and Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.

The Plot Thickens, 18 Jul 2007
The key theme of this book is very strong so it is easy to keep track of the direction in which you are going. There are some bad guys and they needed to be dealt with and at the end of the day they will be. The side issues though are what makes the book interesting, the further development of the 'you exist because I think your think' theme, the rapid development of Roland's and Jake's characters, the scene setting for the next book and the tying together of loose ends from previous books, all these go towards making TWOC an enjoyable read. However, there are failings, certain characters play pivotal roles but they are not developed beyond the bare minimum necessary to carry the story. In contrast there is a certain amount of wastage going over old ground; TDT books are not intended to be read on there own so repetition from previous books is pointless. Luckily he does not fall into the trap of repeating huge swathes of the previous novels (ala Jean Auel), but there is sufficient to be annoying. All in all, not as good as WaG, but still very good indeed.

magnificent 4?, 14 Jun 2007
this book is king back to his best, a fast paced story that reeks of the magnificent seven. basically the ka-tet are hired by a village that is being attacked by wolves, which look like Dr. Doom on horseback and throw harry potter sneetches.

a great book that has plenty of action and a few twists. for me the last great book in the series before king starts to play god, literally.

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray, 18 Nov 2008
By now, most people are aware of the basic plot of this book: young man foolishly wishes that, upon seeing his current beateous youth captured forever in a picture, he could remain in that moment of youth forever, and the picture age in his stead. Not only that, but the picture becomes twisted and cruel as a result of the callous hedonistic behaviour perpetrated by Gray in his perpetual youth. At first, Gray is horrified, but then finds himself submitting to it...

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fantastic novel, so fantastic that it made me sad that the eminently quoteable Wilde has only written the one. At one point, a bad-influencing friend of Dorian's lends him a novel that Gray is charmed by, a novel that tells of a man who lives a hedonistic lifestyle, with care only for pleasure and enjoyment, and it's this novel that kick-starts Gray's eventual downfall as it affects Gray's behaviour, leading him to eventually describe it as dangerous. Wilde's novel is possibly such a book: it's seductive discussions on hedonism, pleasure, and the real joys of life almost make one want to throw mores out the window and life such a life oneself, or at least wish intensely for a period that one has or could. Henry Wotton, Gray's witty, philosophical influence is a raconeteur, a man of life, who knows its pleasures and derides it's follies, chosing simply to ignore them. It's his discourses that are particularly charming and fascinating. There's obviously a temperance to his message (in terms of the whole arc of the novel), but that's almost neither here nor there. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a superb book, fascinating, witty, supremely intelligent and philosophical, romantic and gothic and chilling also. It's one of those books that might lay a bomb under your life, and it deserves its classic status.



Hard work, 09 Nov 2008
Found this book to be quite boring! The story was weak the characters dull, all in all an unenjoyable read and unnecessarily wordy.

nothing special, 22 Oct 2008
i didn't really like this book. i found all the characters quite irritating, and the story was fairly absurd and didn't really capture my imagination. more than that, i just didn't feel like there was any real depth to the book. there was nothing truly unpredictable, nothing particularly thought provoking. i don't think there's anything particularly impressive or engaging or interesting about the story. i also found wilde's style of writing so flowery, it just felt a bit fake and naff.
i don't think there's anything particularly special about this book, and i wouldn't say it's particularly worthwhile reading it.


A New Light....., 27 Sep 2008
After reading a review of "The Ripper Code" in the TLS, I had to return to my school favourite and reread it. It was fascinating to read it in a new light.

Sublime, 25 Sep 2008
I loved this book, not so much for the cautionary tale or the disintigration of Dorian's conscience, but for the beautiful philosophy embelishing the story; many of the things Henry says, for example, are interesting and thought-provoking theories on life. And I loved how youth and beauty were depicted in the book. The only criticism I would give is that it was far too short for my liking, and I thought that the part between Dorian's youth and his 38th year could've been elaborated on. Though an original, genius story!

A capital yarn of devilry and high adventure., 08 Dec 2008
Growing up in post-war Britain one inevitably encountered the ubiquitous paperbacks of the novels of Dennis Wheatley, which were read then and happily once again, with much avidity. A fabulous supernatural thriller, 'The Devil Rides Out' on its publication in 1934 was hailed as the best thing of it's kind since Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' and the comparison is entirely justified. This classic tale of devilry might also be said to have been strongly influenced by the ripping occult tales of Sax Rohmer as well. Set amidst the dashing world of the wealthy in 1920's England, Wheatley conjures up an amazing yarn of satanic horrors and hidden diabolism lurking amid the shadowed mansions of St.John's Wood and in luxurious West End hotels, of midnight car-chases through the English countryside in Hispano limousines and bottle-green Bentleys - we are transported into a glamorous era of aristocratic manners, exotically beautiful women, regally-appointed apartments, burgundy smoking jackets, fine aged cognacs and Hoyo cigars. The narrative is fast-paced and truly thrilling with many episodes of chilling terror and laden with a genuinely dark atmosphere of oppressive supernatural evil. The eternal Manichaean struggle, the world-old conflict between the forces of Light and the powers of Darkness is epitomised in the battle between the elegant connoisseur the Duc De Richleau and the suavely malevolent Satanist Mocata who has Simon Aron in his clutches. Wheatley researched the occult elements in this book to quite an impressive degree , garnering many details and esoteric data from the libertine Aleister Crowley, the Old Catholic prelate Montague Summers and the Jamaican occultist Rollo Ahmed whom he knew in the 1930's. 'The Devil Rides Out' is certainly far superior fare to much of todays etiolated, depressing and confused horror fiction and in no small part this is due to the almost mediaeval or Zarathustran dualism which pervades Wheatley's mindset (In 'The Devil & All His Works' Wheatley comments favourably on these ancient Persian religious doctrines.)Who didn't read those solemn warnings prefixed to Wheatley's novels advising the reader against involvement with the Black Arts without a delicious shudder!
This is a fantastic read by the 'Prince of Thriller Writers' as he was called in his heyday and as Dennis Wheatley's friend Christopher Lee has eloquently commented, it also conveys a timely warning against injudicious incursions into the darker regions of the occult with their attendant psychic pathologies - the 1967 Hammer film of the novel is essential viewing also.The Devil Rides Out is a stylish foray into the tenebrous realms of the occult and for me it was definitely a formative influence. Great to see this novel being read again after having been out of print and out of fashion for so long.

The Devil Rides Out, 02 Nov 2008
Classic tale of the Occult which moves along at a cracking pace. Perhaps the book flags towards the end but this matters little overall. Excellent set pieces include the night spent in the Circle, also the confrontation between the villain and the books nominal heroine. Worth reading.

A FANTASTIC READ, 19 Oct 2008
Having got bored with the whole horror novel genre, I picked this book up by chance (and due to the fact it was really cheap as well), this really is a great book. The atmosphere created within the pages, as well as the superb charecters, I found I could not put this book down until I finished the last page. If only every horror author wrote as good as this, even if your not into horror novels, this is a must read for your book collection.

Still the Best after 70 years!, 07 Jul 2008
Having read all of Wheatley's books in my youth (I am now 64)and loved them all, this one is THE best.
I believe that it was written in the 1930's so the style is a little different from modern books but the story is excellent and has stood the test of time.
Wheatley researched deeply into all things esoteric and always gave a warning in his foreword to his books on black magic, 'not to get involved'.
Good advice, I think, as if you read this book, you will see what he means.
Read it, I know you will love it. Also, 'To the Devil a Daughter' by him is another excellent read in the same genre.

Grand adventure!, 03 Jul 2007
Being under 30, I had heard of the Devil Rides Out and Dennis Wheatley without really knowing what it was all about, so finding that such an inexpensive edition of the work was now available from Wordsworth's excellent line of supernatural stories, well I had to buy it, didn't I?

What surprised me is that once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. The tale is of the Duc de Richleau's battle for the soul of his friend Simon Aron, the fate of a young girl, and ultimately the fate of the world, as he takes on satanist Mocata and his entourage. Having read a biography of Aleister Crowley, we can see that he was the touchstone for Mocata, although it is only a surface representation as Mocata is presented as a villain, rather than as a human being. As far as I know, the representations of magic are well researched, with Wheatley representing both white and black magic and the will to power.

Because of the era it was written in, there are no shades of grey in the story, just as the magic used in the tale is black or white, so is the morality and Wheatley is clearly from the same stable as the other great British adventure writers like Buchan, Sapper and Ian Fleming. It also reminds me of the excellent Carnacki stories by Hodgson. As such you may feel that some of the views are a little dated. I didn't notice anything that I thought was necessarily objectionable as I do with Fleming. But the story is written at such a rollicking pace that it is impossible not to get swept up.

This is not a horror story, I doubt that unless you're under the age of ten and sensitive (as I once was) you will find anything chilling in the book, but there certainly is atmosphere and the midnight vigil inside the pentacle, when Mocata sends the Angel of Death to our heroes, is as tense as can be. It's a supernatural adventure - a predecessor to the X-Files and Buffy, and as good a supernatural adventure as I've read. The ending seems like a bit of a copout at first, but the final page makes it all matter again and I can't recommend it enough.

So why not five stars? Well, there are a few typographical errors in the book, errant speech marks and punctuation, but that shouldn't dissuade you from buying this book!

Great Book, 07 Jul 2008
Read this in my youth (I'm now 64), loved it then and love it now. It is in the same genre as 'The Devil Rides Out', ie. black magic.
Wheatley was and still IS one of the best novel writers on this subject.
ALL his books are very good but this is one of the best. It keeps you turning the page, which to me means it's a great read.
You read it - I know you';ll love it.

Forget the film - read this!, 27 Apr 2007
We are all used to films not being "like/as good as" the book. Hammer's To the Devil - A Daughter is no exception. If you've not seen it, don't rush to; if you have, don't let it put you off trying this book. Not for nothing was Wheatley known as the Prince of Thriller Writers, and to those of us in the know he still is. You will hear it said he's dated, or his views are un-PC. Well, quite often those 'views' are those of his characters - you can't say for certain DW was pro this or anti that - and frankly, who cares? Such remarks are more often than not few and far between anyway, and at the end of the day all that matters is the story - and there Wheatley, once tried, will hold you in his vice-like grip. With colourful characters, exotic settings and strange events, he is the very definition of a page-turner. Let's hope Wordsworth, with these new reprints, bring us many more - and not just the occult novels. Either way, at these prices, you can't lose.

Utterly fabulous, 05 Dec 2005
If you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code then you will love this. Wheatley is a fantastic story teller. This is racy, fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat stuff! The subject of Black Magic isn't one that tends to crops up in mainstream modern literature - it should, it makes great thrillers! Read this and you'll soon be purchasing the others in the series eg (The Satanist, The Devil Rides Out etc). A quick caveat, these books were written in the 30's and it's important to bear this in mind when you encounter the odd bit which seems a little out-dated or non PC. Don't worry, this won't stop you thinking his books are utterly fabulous.

Classic Occult Fiction From Dennis Wheatley., 23 Apr 2002
Dennis Wheatley's "To The Devil A Daughter" is a classic novel to rank alongside "The Devil Rides Out". It has everything. A beautiful girl who is lierally not herself in the hours of darkness. A Satanic de-frocked priest attempting to complete his "Great Work" by creating a Homonculus. The hero and his friends trying to solve the mystery of the girl and deliver her from the Devil himself. Dennis Wheatley's wide range of occult knowledge make his novels simply brilliant.

Good, but not great, 13 Jul 2006
If you've got this far into the series then my guess is in you're in for the long haul. I found this book a real chore until the last 200 pages, which had me thinking of how good the series had been. It moves the story forward, eventually, but you do get the impression Stephen could have done with an editor to chop a good 2-300 pages out of the book to liven up the pace and stop you from nodding off mid page.

The greatest so far, 01 Jul 2005
This is without a doubt my favourite of the first five and the last two will have quite a challenge equalling it. For what is possibly the longest of the books (hard to say seeing as it changes size as well as length) it really does its size justice. Where I consider the great length of Wizard and Glass to be a downfall as it dragged on, there was not a page wasted in this and I had to put it down deliberately so I wouldn't read it all too fast!

Wolves of The Calla is essentially a side track story that does not develop a great deal in the search for the Tower but is a welcome story. It encompasses the battle against the wolves of Thunderclap who steal the children of the Calla. It also includes an extended story of Susannahs child and the powers that attempt to ensure its birth. Finally it introduces Father Callahan, a priest inexorably linked to the Ka-Tet, who introduces Black Thirteen, the most powerful of Maerlyns Rainbow to the Ka-Tet - If you do not know of Maerlyns Rainbow, you need to go back to the other books and this is not for you yet!

This story is absolutely fantastic. It is a delight to read as it contains many twists and turns it is just very hard to put down. I would definitely advise this, but obviously if you have read the first four then you probably will read it anyway. If you havent, do!

Brilliant, 04 Mar 2005
This book is great i would recommend it to anyone it follows on from wizard and glass really well. This book is so god because it has everything someone wants in an adventure book. Pure class a must getter.

What a disappointment!, 07 Feb 2005
The book, like all Stephen King novels, is an entertaining read. But we expect more than this in the final chapter of the epic Dark Tower saga. In my opinion, the last three books were badly concieved, and meandering - full of mumbo jumbo speak and and obession with the number 19.
Perhaps King just wanted shut of the whole thing, but they are far below par of the high standard set by the others in the series.
Specifically this book, it is tiresome and predictable! That fabulous imagination seen in books like IT is sadly lacking here. I can't say too much without giving the plot away, but the scene with the Red King is faintly ridiculous, the fearsome destroyer of worlds and bane of the tower is nothing more than a mad little gnome in a red cloak, screeching at Roland from his vantage point.
And when you get to the end, as you follow Roland into the tower itself... prepare to be bitterly dissapointed.

What went wrong !, 30 Oct 2004
Absolutly loved this series. Could not wait to get my hands on this book. It started out a little slow and I found my self having to force myself to read it. Completly the oposite of when I had to force myself to put the previous books down. I fear this is just the beginning of a slipery slope downwards to the end of the dark tower novels. A real shame if it is, this was looking to be the best series I had ever read.

Wolves of the Calla, 01 Apr 2008
And we're back on track! After the massive flashback segment in "Wizard and Glass" the real story of the series begins to drive forward once more, picking up soon after the conclusion of book four.

This story is a little different from previous instalments. The journey towards the elusive Dark Tower slows as the team, King's own "fellowship", stop to help a town that anticipates a violent and devastating attack from the "wolves", a group of almost-men who may kill or abduct their children. There are many secrets in this book, all of which are revealed satisfactorily, and many of the mysteries surrounding Roland's world are also uncovered - although there are just as many new questions as there are answers.

The writing is, as ever, great; the dialogue particularly brings such clarity to this aspect of King's complex series that you don't feel you're reading fantasy, which, as a writer of the genre myself, can often get bogged down in the narrative. King lightens the novel where it needs light, and darkens the novel when the various truths are revealed. Speaking of light and revelations, we see the protagonist Roland in an entirely new light, adding yet another layer to the full rounded character and his companions. It's wonderful and heart-breaking to see our beloved characters in this way, who by now feel like family.

Do we want Roland to succeed? Always. Do we want him to succeed at the expense of his companions, who are also our friends? There are new aspects of the Dark Tower, its substance and purpose, that almost make us think "maybe they aren't all that important after all ..."

Don't miss it. It's a series back on track after a minor slowdown, and it is so intriguing that you'll still be thinking about it weeks later.


Suspense of plots yet to come, 17 Dec 2007
As fantasy worlds go, the parallel earth of the "Dark tower" is unique and refreshing.
The book contains some five minutes of wonderfully written action and some fascinating characters. You can glimpse the true genius of the author throughout the book. Sadly Steven King uses over 400 of 611 pages to build suspense of plots yet to come, in the next instalments of the series. Longwinded is a description that leaps to my mind.
Reading the book is like arduously digging for gold, you find minute nuggets on the way that suggests it's worth your time. When you finally strike gold it's a nice brilliant lump, but you are left with the notion that the grind was not worth the effort.
If you are in need of instant gratification this book is not for you.


OMG!, 26 Sep 2007
Loved it!!!!! I found it hard to believe how brilliantly this was pulled off! Im not a huge Tephen KIng fan but alfter reading this (iv only read this one in the Dard Tower series) i went out and got all the others.
But this one is the best in the series.
Its the most griping book i'v ever read, most good books i read i have to stop reading alfter about 150 pages coz i useally start getting disstracted but this book i read about 500 pages of it (in about three and a half hours) then i HAD to put it down coz i needed to go to have dinner but i started reading it again straught alfter.
This is THE best book in the world along side: BEC by Darren Shan, and Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.

The Plot Thickens, 18 Jul 2007
The key theme of this book is very strong so it is easy to keep track of the direction in which you are going. There are some bad guys and they needed to be dealt with and at the end of the day they will be. The side issues though are what makes the book interesting, the further development of the 'you exist because I think your think' theme, the rapid development of Roland's and Jake's characters, the scene setting for the next book and the tying together of loose ends from previous books, all these go towards making TWOC an enjoyable read. However, there are failings, certain characters play pivotal roles but they are not developed beyond the bare minimum necessary to carry the story. In contrast there is a certain amount of wastage going over old ground; TDT books are not intended to be read on there own so repetition from previous books is pointless. Luckily he does not fall into the trap of repeating huge swathes of the previous novels (ala Jean Auel), but there is sufficient to be annoying. All in all, not as good as WaG, but still very good indeed.

magnificent 4?, 14 Jun 2007
this book is king back to his best, a fast paced story that reeks of the magnificent seven. basically the ka-tet are hired by a village that is being attacked by wolves, which look like Dr. Doom on horseback and throw harry potter sneetches.

a great book that has plenty of action and a few twists. for me the last great book in the series before king starts to play god, literally.

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray, 18 Nov 2008
By now, most people are aware of the basic plot of this book: young man foolishly wishes that, upon seeing his current beateous youth captured forever in a picture, he could remain in that moment of youth forever, and the picture age in his stead. Not only that, but the picture becomes twisted and cruel as a result of the callous hedonistic behaviour perpetrated by Gray in his perpetual youth. At first, Gray is horrified, but then finds himself submitting to it...

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fantastic novel, so fantastic that it made me sad that the eminently quoteable Wilde has only written the one. At one point, a bad-influencing friend of Dorian's lends him a novel that Gray is charmed by, a novel that tells of a man who lives a hedonistic lifestyle, with care only for pleasure and enjoyment, and it's this novel that kick-starts Gray's eventual downfall as it affects Gray's behaviour, leading him to eventually describe it as dangerous. Wilde's novel is possibly such a book: it's seductive discussions on hedonism, pleasure, and the real joys of life almost make one want to throw mores out the window and life such a life oneself, or at least wish intensely for a period that one has or could. Henry Wotton, Gray's witty, philosophical influence is a raconeteur, a man of life, who knows its pleasures and derides it's follies, chosing simply to ignore them. It's his discourses that are particularly charming and fascinating. There's obviously a temperance to his message (in terms of the whole arc of the novel), but that's almost neither here nor there. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a superb book, fascinating, witty, supremely intelligent and philosophical, romantic and gothic and chilling also. It's one of those books that might lay a bomb under your life, and it deserves its classic status.



Hard work, 09 Nov 2008
Found this book to be quite boring! The story was weak the characters dull, all in all an unenjoyable read and unnecessarily wordy.

nothing special, 22 Oct 2008
i didn't really like this book. i found all the characters quite irritating, and the story was fairly absurd and didn't really capture my imagination. more than that, i just didn't feel like there was any real depth to the book. there was nothing truly unpredictable, nothing particularly thought provoking. i don't think there's anything particularly impressive or engaging or interesting about the story. i also found wilde's style of writing so flowery, it just felt a bit fake and naff.
i don't think there's anything particularly special about this book, and i wouldn't say it's particularly worthwhile reading it.


A New Light....., 27 Sep 2008
After reading a review of "The Ripper Code" in the TLS, I had to return to my school favourite and reread it. It was fascinating to read it in a new light.

Sublime, 25 Sep 2008
I loved this book, not so much for the cautionary tale or the disintigration of Dorian's conscience, but for the beautiful philosophy embelishing the story; many of the things Henry says, for example, are interesting and thought-provoking theories on life. And I loved how youth and beauty were depicted in the book. The only criticism I would give is that it was far too short for my liking, and I thought that the part between Dorian's youth and his 38th year could've been elaborated on. Though an original, genius story!

A capital yarn of devilry and high adventure., 08 Dec 2008
Growing up in post-war Britain one inevitably encountered the ubiquitous paperbacks of the novels of Dennis Wheatley, which were read then and happily once again, with much avidity. A fabulous supernatural thriller, 'The Devil Rides Out' on its publication in 1934 was hailed as the best thing of it's kind since Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' and the comparison is entirely justified. This classic tale of devilry might also be said to have been strongly influenced by the ripping occult tales of Sax Rohmer as well. Set amidst the dashing world of the wealthy in 1920's England, Wheatley conjures up an amazing yarn of satanic horrors and hidden diabolism lurking amid the shadowed mansions of St.John's Wood and in luxurious West End hotels, of midnight car-chases through the English countryside in Hispano limousines and bottle-green Bentleys - we are transported into a glamorous era of aristocratic manners, exotically beautiful women, regally-appointed apartments, burgundy smoking jackets, fine aged cognacs and Hoyo cigars. The narrative is fast-paced and truly thrilling with many episodes of chilling terror and laden with a genuinely dark atmosphere of oppressive supernatural evil. The eternal Manichaean struggle, the world-old conflict between the forces of Light and the powers of Darkness is epitomised in the battle between the elegant connoisseur the Duc De Richleau and the suavely malevolent Satanist Mocata who has Simon Aron in his clutches. Wheatley researched the occult elements in this book to quite an impressive degree , garnering many details and esoteric data from the libertine Aleister Crowley, the Old Catholic prelate Montague Summers and the Jamaican occultist Rollo Ahmed whom he knew in the 1930's. 'The Devil Rides Out' is certainly far superior fare to much of todays etiolated, depressing and confused horror fiction and in no small part this is due to the almost mediaeval or Zarathustran dualism which pervades Wheatley's mindset (In 'The Devil & All His Works' Wheatley comments favourably on these ancient Persian religious doctrines.)Who didn't read those solemn warnings prefixed to Wheatley's novels advising the reader against involvement with the Black Arts without a delicious shudder!
This is a fantastic read by the 'Prince of Thriller Writers' as he was called in his heyday and as Dennis Wheatley's friend Christopher Lee has eloquently commented, it also conveys a timely warning against injudicious incursions into the darker regions of the occult with their attendant psychic pathologies - the 1967 Hammer film of the novel is essential viewing also.The Devil Rides Out is a stylish foray into the tenebrous realms of the occult and for me it was definitely a formative influence. Great to see this novel being read again after having been out of print and out of fashion for so long.

The Devil Rides Out, 02 Nov 2008
Classic tale of the Occult which moves along at a cracking pace. Perhaps the book flags towards the end but this matters little overall. Excellent set pieces include the night spent in the Circle, also the confrontation between the villain and the books nominal heroine. Worth reading.

A FANTASTIC READ, 19 Oct 2008
Having got bored with the whole horror novel genre, I picked this book up by chance (and due to the fact it was really cheap as well), this really is a great book. The atmosphere created within the pages, as well as the superb charecters, I found I could not put this book down until I finished the last page. If only every horror author wrote as good as this, even if your not into horror novels, this is a must read for your book collection.

Still the Best after 70 years!, 07 Jul 2008
Having read all of Wheatley's books in my youth (I am now 64)and loved them all, this one is THE best.
I believe that it was written in the 1930's so the style is a little different from modern books but the story is excellent and has stood the test of time.
Wheatley researched deeply into all things esoteric and always gave a warning in his foreword to his books on black magic, 'not to get involved'.
Good advice, I think, as if you read this book, you will see what he means.
Read it, I know you will love it. Also, 'To the Devil a Daughter' by him is another excellent read in the same genre.

Grand adventure!, 03 Jul 2007
Being under 30, I had heard of the Devil Rides Out and Dennis Wheatley without really knowing what it was all about, so finding that such an inexpensive edition of the work was now available from Wordsworth's excellent line of supernatural stories, well I had to buy it, didn't I?

What surprised me is that once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. The tale is of the Duc de Richleau's battle for the soul of his friend Simon Aron, the fate of a young girl, and ultimately the fate of the world, as he takes on satanist Mocata and his entourage. Having read a biography of Aleister Crowley, we can see that he was the touchstone for Mocata, although it is only a surface representation as Mocata is presented as a villain, rather than as a human being. As far as I know, the representations of magic are well researched, with Wheatley representing both white and black magic and the will to power.

Because of the era it was written in, there are no shades of grey in the story, just as the magic used in the tale is black or white, so is the morality and Wheatley is clearly from the same stable as the other great British adventure writers like Buchan, Sapper and Ian Fleming. It also reminds me of the excellent Carnacki stories by Hodgson. As such you may feel that some of the views are a little dated. I didn't notice anything that I thought was necessarily objectionable as I do with Fleming. But the story is written at such a rollicking pace that it is impossible not to get swept up.

This is not a horror story, I doubt that unless you're under the age of ten and sensitive (as I once was) you will find anything chilling in the book, but there certainly is atmosphere and the midnight vigil inside the pentacle, when Mocata sends the Angel of Death to our heroes, is as tense as can be. It's a supernatural adventure - a predecessor to the X-Files and Buffy, and as good a supernatural adventure as I've read. The ending seems like a bit of a copout at first, but the final page makes it all matter again and I can't recommend it enough.

So why not five stars? Well, there are a few typographical errors in the book, errant speech marks and punctuation, but that shouldn't dissuade you from buying this book!

Great Book, 07 Jul 2008
Read this in my youth (I'm now 64), loved it then and love it now. It is in the same genre as 'The Devil Rides Out', ie. black magic.
Wheatley was and still IS one of the best novel writers on this subject.
ALL his books are very good but this is one of the best. It keeps you turning the page, which to me means it's a great read.
You read it - I know you';ll love it.

Forget the film - read this!, 27 Apr 2007
We are all used to films not being "like/as good as" the book. Hammer's To the Devil - A Daughter is no exception. If you've not seen it, don't rush to; if you have, don't let it put you off trying this book. Not for nothing was Wheatley known as the Prince of Thriller Writers, and to those of us in the know he still is. You will hear it said he's dated, or his views are un-PC. Well, quite often those 'views' are those of his characters - you can't say for certain DW was pro this or anti that - and frankly, who cares? Such remarks are more often than not few and far between anyway, and at the end of the day all that matters is the story - and there Wheatley, once tried, will hold you in his vice-like grip. With colourful characters, exotic settings and strange events, he is the very definition of a page-turner. Let's hope Wordsworth, with these new reprints, bring us many more - and not just the occult novels. Either way, at these prices, you can't lose.

Utterly fabulous, 05 Dec 2005
If you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code then you will love this. Wheatley is a fantastic story teller. This is racy, fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat stuff! The subject of Black Magic isn't one that tends to crops up in mainstream modern literature - it should, it makes great thrillers! Read this and you'll soon be purchasing the others in the series eg (The Satanist, The Devil Rides Out etc). A quick caveat, these books were written in the 30's and it's important to bear this in mind when you encounter the odd bit which seems a little out-dated or non PC. Don't worry, this won't stop you thinking his books are utterly fabulous.

Classic Occult Fiction From Dennis Wheatley., 23 Apr 2002
Dennis Wheatley's "To The Devil A Daughter" is a classic novel to rank alongside "The Devil Rides Out". It has everything. A beautiful girl who is lierally not herself in the hours of darkness. A Satanic de-frocked priest attempting to complete his "Great Work" by creating a Homonculus. The hero and his friends trying to solve the mystery of the girl and deliver her from the Devil himself. Dennis Wheatley's wide range of occult knowledge make his novels simply brilliant.

Good, but not great, 13 Jul 2006
If you've got this far into the series then my guess is in you're in for the long haul. I found this book a real chore until the last 200 pages, which had me thinking of how good the series had been. It moves the story forward, eventually, but you do get the impression Stephen could have done with an editor to chop a good 2-300 pages out of the book to liven up the pace and stop you from nodding off mid page.

The greatest so far, 01 Jul 2005
This is without a doubt my favourite of the first five and the last two will have quite a challenge equalling it. For what is possibly the longest of the books (hard to say seeing as it changes size as well as length) it really does its size justice. Where I consider the great length of Wizard and Glass to be a downfall as it dragged on, there was not a page wasted in this and I had to put it down deliberately so I wouldn't read it all too fast!

Wolves of The Calla is essentially a side track story that does not develop a great deal in the search for the Tower but is a welcome story. It encompasses the battle against the wolves of Thunderclap who steal the children of the Calla. It also includes an extended story of Susannahs child and the powers that attempt to ensure its birth. Finally it introduces Father Callahan, a priest inexorably linked to the Ka-Tet, who introduces Black Thirteen, the most powerful of Maerlyns Rainbow to the Ka-Tet - If you do not know of Maerlyns Rainbow, you need to go back to the other books and this is not for you yet!

This story is absolutely fantastic. It is a delight to read as it contains many twists and turns it is just very hard to put down. I would definitely advise this, but obviously if you have read the first four then you probably will read it anyway. If you havent, do!

Brilliant, 04 Mar 2005
This book is great i would recommend it to anyone it follows on from wizard and glass really well. This book is so god because it has everything someone wants in an adventure book. Pure class a must getter.

What a disappointment!, 07 Feb 2005
The book, like all Stephen King novels, is an entertaining read. But we expect more than this in the final chapter of the epic Dark Tower saga. In my opinion, the last three books were badly concieved, and meandering - full of mumbo jumbo speak and and obession with the number 19.
Perhaps King just wanted shut of the whole thing, but they are far below par of the high standard set by the others in the series.
Specifically this book, it is tiresome and predictable! That fabulous imagination seen in books like IT is sadly lacking here. I can't say too much without giving the plot away, but the scene with the Red King is faintly ridiculous, the fearsome destroyer of worlds and bane of the tower is nothing more t