- Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books; New title edition (Jun 29 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 034544700X
- ISBN-13: 978-0345447005
- Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 2.4 x 17.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 227 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
A madman terrorizes a small Oregon town in this chill-o-rama that ventures deep into the world of lurid fantasy. Residents of Black Valley think they got rid of the sadistic Whitey Dobbs by burying him alive on a wintry night 22 years ago. They're wrong. Dobbs-known for his bone-white hair, chilling laugh and skill with a switchblade-is spared from death by a miraculous radioactive effect that turns him into an immortal time-traveler, capable of visiting the past, present and future at will. Most frequently, Dobbs returns to Black Valley in all his murderous glory to seek vengeance on the five men who as teenagers stuffed him in a coffin and laid him to rest in a deep grave on haunted Hawkins Hill. Steadily, Dobbs begins slicing up his old enemies and anyone else who happens to stand in the way. The one he saves for last is Dean Truman, now a Nobel Prize-winning scientist and college professor who figures out how Dobbs has managed to come back to life with superhuman powers as well as the skill of being able to disappear whenever he pleases. Truman, aided by his vivacious colleague, Piper Blackmoore, knows it's going to require guts and cunning to take down the elusive Dobbs. Toward the end, the plot takes on an almost farcical quality as Brown (24/7) heaps on one outrageous twist after another, yet there is no doubt he knows his way around a nail-biter. His many cliffhangers teeter just right, his tone strikes a convincing balance between ominous and terrifying and many of his characters are just quirky enough to strike fleeting doubts about their sanity.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
From the author of the exciting 24/7 (2001) comes another slightly over-the-top thriller that puts ordinarily people in an extraordinary situation. The story begins with Whitey Dobbs, of Oregon's Black Valley, being buried alive by four of the town's well-off teenagers. It's all in good fun--Whitey bet them he could stay underground for a certain length of time--but it turns distinctly frightening when, on the little radio he took into the coffin with him, Whitey hears that the boys, the only four people who know he's six feet under, have been killed in a car accident. What he doesn't know is that the radio story was a scam. The four boys are alive, but when they return to dig up the coffin, they find it empty. Flash-forward 22 years: the four practical jokers are successful adults, and a lot of strange and dangerous things are suddenly happening in Black Valley. Is Whitey Dobbs behind the goings-on? And is he dead or alive? Creepy, spine-tingly, and look-over-your-shoulder suspenseful--a nice blend of thriller and horror. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really engaging thriller - great premise!,
This review is from: Black Valley (Mass Market Paperback)
I love Jim Brown's premises and this one does not disappoint. I was hooked right from the beginning. It did get a little slow in the middle as I waited to see what was really going on, but it picked up with a storm near the end (no pun intended). I was impressed with the way the premise was explained. I think Brown did a good job with a difficult topic. My favourite character was Piper. She was impressive. I definitely recommend this book if you like a good thriller.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Amateur Writing Effort,
By
This review is from: Black Valley (Hardcover)
I have not read Jim Brown's previous effort (24/7)...perhaps if I had I would not have spent good money on this book. Black Valley is so full of grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, context errors and malapropisms (example: "collective conscience" instead of "collective conscious") that I found the book nearly impossible to read. How anyone could compare Jim Brown to Dean Koontz is beyond me. Koontz is a master of the language, whereas Brown could benefit from a remedial English class. If you are even halfway literate, you will not enjoy this book.
4.0 out of 5 stars
4 1/2 stars,
By
This review is from: Black Valley (Hardcover)
Kudos to Jim Brown for coming up with this truly entertaining horror/sci-fi thriller. This would be awesome to see on the big screen with todays special effects.Many reviewers are comparing Jim Brown to Koontz and King. Well the reason must be that he comes darn close. This novel was better than his first and I suspect his next one will top this one. Keep'em comin' Jim. Highly recommended.
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