Book Review- Ghoul

Summary:

There is something in the local cemetery that comes out at night. Something that is unearthing corpses and killing people. It’s the summer of 1984 and Timmy and his friends are looking forward to no school, comic books, and adventure. But instead they will be fighting for their lives. The ghoul has smelled their blood and it is after them.
But that’s not the only monster they will face this summer . . .
From award-winning horror master Brian Keene comes a novel of monsters, murder, and the loss of innocence.

What I Thought:

An ancient monster terrorizes a small Pennsylvania town, but for the lives of three best friends, worst terrors lurk at home.
Brian Keene used his own childhood and life experience to form the characters of this story, which later became a major motion picture.
I picked up Ghoul on audiobook (my first audiobook experience ever). With two- ten hour round trips to Kansas, I knew I would get bored of listening to the same top ten hits cycling on the radio. Narrated by Chet Williamson, it took no time for this story to come to life, giving a vivid look at childhood in the 80s.

My 80s childhood was a bit less of a nightmare. However, nightmares are not in short supply after finishing this story.
Nostalgia and horror. Pop culture and personal demons. I found plenty of terror in this story that will keep me shuddering for a while. As a parent, it also gave me a sobering realization of how our actions, in the moment feeling justified, can mess up our kids for life.
Keene marries a horrifying fictional monster to the real-life monsters we unknowingly, or sometimes knowingly, see daily. I gave this chilling story of brotherhood and camaraderie between friends 5 stars on both Amazon and Goodreads.

About the Author:

BRIAN KEENE is the author of over forty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, The Rising, is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, The X-Files, Hellboy, Masters of the Universe, and Superman.

Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option.

Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including a World Horror Grand Master award, two Bram Stoker awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.

I love reading, and at times I find myself able to take on free book reviews for friends and acquaintances. If you wouild like me to consider reviewing your book, I encourage you to reach out. I cannot take on many projects at once, but I promise to consider your request.