Nocturnes
by John Connolly
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Book Summary Information
Author: John ConnollyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-03-22
ISBN: 0743270193
Number of pages: 406
Publisher: Atria Books
Book Reviews of Nocturnes
Book Review: First time reader pleasantly surprised
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to take issue with some of the comments above. I really enjoyed this collection of short-stories, and prefer the shorter pieces to the longer ones. I have not read Connolly before, but since then have gotten a copy of his first novel and look forward to reading it.
I applaud this author for taking the challenge of moving beyond the mystery/thriller genre and embracing the horror/supernatural genre. This takes courage because some readers are going to be disappointed that you've moved past your genre, but the price of that is to limit an authors scope and ambition. Therefore I applaud Connolly's willingness to push his readers and his own abilities to embrace another genre, and he does so admirably.
This is a good collection of traditional horror stories, and work best by creating a sense of disturbing anticipation, a foreknowledge of dreadful circumstances, a sense of a natural world that's not quite right, and of darker purposes around us. Well this does a pretty decent job of it.
This is good horror, if not good mystery. You are not going to get a good puzzle, or a really clever character, or even the triumph of good over evil, this isn't it. Good horror works mostly on atmosphere and by appealing to our notions of being disturbed. Readers should not be satisfied with "good triumphs" because good doesn't. Good horror should be disturbing. Supernatural horror should make the magical or supernatural more tangible and believable, and thus disrupting one's sense of order.
And good short stories are lessons in economy- they achieve what they aim at without overdoing it. Connolly does well with the structure he's given. My hope is that he does more horror and less mystery, for we need more good horror. This is good Lovercraftian horror, at which many try and so few succeed
The two novellas- the Charlie Parker story and the Cancer Cowboy, were two of the weakest stories, though very good. At times Parker seems to be stretching here trapped between the economy of a short story and the ability to expand in a novel but also trying to hard to capture a sense of America. I liked both. The Cancer Cowboy evokes a sense of impending dread and loss and I'd like to read more Charlie Parker, but both stories are a bit too long when they could have been tighter. Perhaps the other weak link is the Underbury Witches, although I like the feminist theme and enjoyed the characters, this story is too predictable though presenting two characters that I would like to see again.
Other stories that work. I thought Noctures, Ritual of the Bones, Erlking were great. The New Daughter was quite good. Wakeford Abyss, Deep Dark Green were both very enjoyable. I was tickled with Miss Fromm Vampire, and the Inkpot Monkey. My favorite story was of a small church where the local priest is digging down as something else is digging its way up. What are you willing to do to test your faith?
Good stuff here, fine collection of traditional atmospheric horror. I hope for more horror from Connolly in the future. This was a delightful surprise.
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