Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
 Disappointing and pretentious August 7, 2010
Dr. C. Forester
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Joe Hill clearly has a lot of writing talent. The characters are developed well and the plot has lots of layers and intricacies.
But the whole impression is of something nihilistic and pretentious. You can't develop sympathy for any of the characters, the theological aspects are trite (oh no, why does God let people suffer etc), and there's no real sense of why precisely the central character becomes a devil, or why his particular powers are what they are. The constant flashbacks to the past become annoying at the worse moments - just when the reader develops curiosity about why the central character has horns, off we go for a hundred pages of backstory.
The overall feeling of reading this is "yuck." It't not fast paced enough to have any sense of exciting horror - indeed the only way it's "horror" is that it has a lot of violence. The whole thing makes me want to take a shower. Stick to the better writers like Dean Koontz.
 More than just a horror story... August 2, 2010
L. Gill (Northwest Uk)
I finished Horns last night, I expected a horror story but you always get more from Joe Hill. This book has an unconventional love story between Ig and Merrin, moments of humor, intruge, disgust and sheer suspence. This makes for an intense must read!
I'll admit you have to keep up with this book, from the changing tense of past, memories, and to present day; which occassionaly makes your brain ache. Although it is integral in bringing the characters to life and forcing you to read ahead. Some parts towards the end I found a little cliche like the devil's association and transition into the book, yet again this makes you think about the roles that good and evil play and the challenging perceptions as to what is sin.
Maybe its just me but I cried at the end, not necessarily sad but powerfully written. Possibly a little bit of psychological trauma as well. Finally to quote my sister "...don't worry its only fiction..."
 Horror's new King? July 19, 2010
Kes Phillips
Horns is not a masterpiece, but it is still an astonishing second novel. Joe Hill has matured stylistically and 'Kingisms' that underpinned Heart Shaped Box are much less in evidence, barring central cancer theme that features in much of his father's work. This is an original, intelligent and moving story, for it to come from a writer only two novels into his career, despite his origins, suggests that we may well have new master of horror to enjoy for many years to come.
Not quite original but interesting July 9, 2010
S. J. Hughes (Portsmouth England)
The image of horns and wings was first (to my mind) explored in the Mervin Peake novel Mr Pye which I read years ago. This was however slightly more interesting and fun. I quite enjoyed this, and will look out for more books by this author.
Fantastic July 5, 2010
Louise Dick
'Horns' is a terrific novel by relative newcomer Joe Hill.
I was completely sucked into the world of the characters and thouroughly enjoyed the novel. Without wishing to belabour the family connection, Joe Hill really is able to fill his fathers shoes, and personally I feel that this novel is much better than most of the work Stephen King has been producing over the past few years.
Highly recommended.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
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