Most helpful customer reviews
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Horror Stew, Jul 18 2004
What would you get if you took Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and gave them the fearless personalities and physical toughness of the hard-boiled detectives of 30's and 40's pulp novels and mixed them up in one "Weird Tale" with H. P. Lovecraft's Old Ones, John Carpenter's "The Thing," "Alien," and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers?" Well, you might get something very much like James A. Moore's "Possessions."
James Moore's previous novel, the more adult "Fireworks," was a wonderful take on the alien spacecraft-small town scenario that focused on the reactions of the citizens and the government forces more than the occupants of the spacecraft itself. This device allowed Mr. Moore to very effectively bring an entire town to life. In "Possessions," he focuses on a small group of adolescent characters and, as with the townsfolk in "Fireworks," also gives them all distinctive personalities. The novel is mostly a wild ride that features an incredible horde of bizarre shape-changing monsters trying to bring "the Other" into the world by means of magic necklaces, one possessed by the mother of two of the characters, a brother and sister. After dispatching their mother in a suspensefully written opener, the other-worldly creatures find that she is not wearing the necklace and the chase is on to find it.
"Possessions" is a fun, pulpy read that wears its many influences on its sleeve. The characters are interesting and believable, if their actions and abilities to take repeated kicks, punches, blows to the head, and explosions are not. Much is left unanswered, such as the origin of the neclaces, the mysterious absense of any family other than the mother of the brother and sister, the whereabouts and story of their father and the source of their, and their friends', almost supernatural courage and physical attributes. Also, at the beginning of the novel, the brother and sister win a lottery that makes them rich. The consequences of this are not known, nor is the reason for the seemingly purposeful timing of this windfall. It appears to almost be a supernatural gift given in compensation for the loss of their mother. Who is this force watching out for them? Mr. Moore is writing a sequel to "Possessions" and perhaps these, and other, questions will be answered. Could be a fun series for teens and those nostalgic and young at heart by a talented and very entertaining writer.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent horror tale; hopefully Moore forthcoming soon, May 25 2004
The last happy moment Chris Corin will experience in a long time is his eighteenth birthday celebration with his closest friends and family attending. When his mother leaves early to work she realizes the necklace she always wears is at home; moments later she dies in a traffic accident caused by a creature not of this world. Chris' best friend Jerry and his girlfriend Katie help him and his fourteen year old sister Brittany get through the days preceding the funeral. After the funeral, Chris sees that someone tore up his mother's room looking for something.People that change into creatures seek the Golden Key, going so far as to dig up the grave of Chris's mother. They finally grab it off Brittany's neck but Chris is determined to get it back. He learns where the creatures are conducting a ceremony and accompanied by Katie and Brittany he goes there to stop them and rescue Jerry and Brittany's boyfriend who are encased in a gel like substance. Their doppelgangers are upstairs performing a ritual that if completed will let an untold evil into the world. Add a pinch of Stephen King, a dash of Dean Koontz, a flowering of Peter Straub and one part Bentley Little and readers will have an idea what a horror novel by James A. Moore is like. He is a grand storyteller who can hold his own with these masters. The good guys are so well developed and realistic that readers will fear for their safety and hope that if they survive, more stories starring this fine young group will be forthcoming. Harriet Klausner
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