Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Carrion Comfort
Book Review: One of the best horror authors around!
Summary: 4 Stars
You can name the contemporary horror classics without using all your fingers and toes, and for the true afficianado "Carrion Comfort" is probably in that top twenty, along with "The Exorcist," (Blatty) "Salem's Lot" (King) and a host of others like "Swan Song" by Robert McCammon. This one doesn't have the relentless pulp drive of, say, Harry Shannon's new "Night of the Beast" but it is far more literate, i.e. wonderfully conceived and deftly written.Book Review: Originality but lacks Hyperion Series Greatness
Summary: 4 Stars
This book has a great premise, which I do not want to spoil. The story builds well, and the action is emotionally engaging. However, the book does lack the brilliance of Simmons' other works in terms of depth. I did not feel as strong a connection with the characters as in his other books. Great for a change of pace for Simmons fans!Book Review: Painfully dull
Summary: 2 Stars
I ADORE long horror books. The longer, the better. So, after seeing the size, and hearing so many kudos for Carrion Comfort, I snatched it right up and couldn't WAIT to begin reading. Ugh. I tried 3 times to get past the 100 page point, and couldn't do it. Slow. Dull. Boring. I've heard this book called an epic. I disagree vehemently. An epic should illicit strong emotions from the reader. An epic should be an incredible testimony of some sort, whether it be GOOD versus EVIL, or whatever. You want to read an epic in the horror genre? King's "The Stand." A masterpiece. It's incredibly readable. The characters are fascinating. It's exciting. It's ACCESSIBLE. Same goes for McCammon's "Swan Song." THOSE are epics. In my opinion, this doesn't come anywhere close. Epic BOREDOM, more like it. Maybe I'll pick it up some day and try again. But as long as I keep finding other, more interesting horror novels, I don't see the need.Book Review: Simmons Brings Out The Big Guns
Summary: 4 Stars
Dan Simmons has fascinated me for nearly twenty years now. I've read all his stuff from the Hardcore Sci-Fi of Hyperion and Endymion to the out-and-out horror of Summer Of Night to the Crime Drama of the Joe Kurtz novels. I even loved genre-spanning Lovedeath and the Historical Thriller The Crook Factory. Worlds Enough & Time? Sure. Why not. It takes me back to think about when I first read Carrion Comfort and was still getting to know Dan Simmons.
Take a small group of "Mind Vampires" who play the game of life and death with their victims for the sheer sport of it, throw in some Nazi concentration camp scenes and a whole lot of Charleston and you have the smallest part of the gist of Carrion Comfort. A sprawling novel, filled with twists and turns and strange goings-on. Dark and deep and historically correct (that is a Dan Simmons trademark) Carrion Comfort rocks. Is it as good as the shocking perfection of The Song Of Kali? No. Is it as creepy as Summer Of Night? No. Does it rock? Yes. Carrion Comfort is Dan Simmons second novel and it is one of the stepping stones in an already illustrious career. Horror is the genre that Simmons chooses this time around and Carrion Comfort holds us spellbound.
Dig it.
Book Review: Simmons is a world above most authors
Summary: 5 Stars
Simmons is one of the literary world's great treasures. He moves with ease between numerous genres, completely at home in each. "Carrion Comfort" was the first book I read by this author. I enjoyed it immensely. Because of it, I read "Hyperion", which is something, because I despise Science Fiction, by and by. Simmons is different. His "Hyperion" series is much more than typical space opera, with phaser guns and funny aliens. He creates stories of immense depth and feeling. He started that for me in "Carrion Comfort", and continues to this day. I look forward to reading "Ilium" with great anticipation.
"Carrion Comfort" is the story of psychic vampires, people who can control others with their minds. Years of this power has bored them to the point where they do it for sport. This started as a novella in one of Simmons's collections and he realized it fully in this novel.
Cover blurb compares it to "The Stand" by King. It is only like "The Stand" in length and scope. The stories couldn't be more different. Read McCammon's "Swan Song" if you want "The Stand". "Carrion Comfort" is something completely different by one of America's most brilliant writers. Bravo.