World Famous Comics: Risen: A Supernatural Thriller
Risen: A Supernatural Thriller
By: Jan Strnad Publisher: Xlibris Corporation Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 352 Publication Date: May 25, 2000 Studio: Xlibris Corporation
Product Description: Welcome to Anderson. It's pretty quiet here and that's the way we like it. One thing, though. Madge Duffy murdered her husband John last week, or thought she did. She spent the night in jail but then John walked out of the morgue none the worse for wear. And there's a bullet hole in Deputy Haws' shirt that he can't explain. Something's going on in this town of ours. Something that makes your skin crawl and your teeth grind in the night. I don't know what it is, but I'll tell you this: It scares me.
One helluva read. Don't start this book unless you've got an evening free! George Beahm, author of The Stephen King Companion
Not Your Average Zombie Tale ^ I picked this book up as a fan of zombies in general. I had read Brian Keene's "The Rising" and was a little disappointed, and I was reluctant to read any more zombie fiction, but I found this novel at my local bookstore and decided to pick it up.
"Risen" is an incredible novel. The story adds a new twist to the standard zombie plotline, and you actually care about the characters. It's fast-paced and gripping, and gives you that whole-town's-gone-to-hell feeling masterfully captured in novels like "Salem's Lot."
Highly recommended.
Outstanding and inventive horror novel ^ Having just finished this book minutes ago, I found it an intense and unusually innovative read, especially for the horror subgenre of zombie/risen dead fiction. I read a lot of both good and terrible novels, and with horror I often am busy anticipating the "let down," you know, the moment where you can tell the author got derailed, becomes to derivative of other, better novels or tried to neatly tie everything up per editorial demands, or to cut the page count. Risen has none of this, and a presentation, writing style, and careful approach to a terrifying scenario that left me desperately seeking more material from this author (which I haven't found yet, alas). Of the 30 odd horror novels I've read in the last year, I would rank J. Knight next to Keene and Joseph Citro as my best new discoveries in the genre.
this is not a zombie book ^ im sorry but i bought this book because of the reviews that it got but it really sucked it wasnt scary or exciting. i have read many zombie books this one was the worst. if you want a good scare get the rising by brian keene he has made a second to that novel called city of the dead, and also reign of the dead was way better than this book, put this book down and send it back please!
Best horror novel I've read in years! ^ From the start, it's very obvious that J. Knight has a great command of the English language, and knows how to craft a story while holding the reader's attention.
This books flows, grabbing you and bringing you in right from the first page. The dialogue is believable, the characters are well-developed and the plot is something else--a twist on the "back from the dead" horror novel that keeps you rivited to the page. I could easily see this book being adapted into a film very easily while reading it, and it is so well-written that you can visualize the events as they are happening.
Kudos to J. Knight--this is the best horror novel I've read in a long, long time!
Solid, though rather unspectacular, addition to Zombie genre ^ Three and a half stars would be more like it because Knight does do a good job with character development, with the exception of maybe the lead protagonist, Seth. But I digress!
As earlier reviewers have noted, "Risen" reminded me a LOT of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Like a lot of writers, I'm sure that the book and film adaptation of that 1950's story had an impact on J. Knight. "Risen" revolves around a quiet "typical American small town" called Anderson. Not much happens there. So when a distraught and battered wife takes the law into her own hands and murders her abusing husband, it becomes big news. Big only until it is overshadowed by the return from the dead of her murdered husband. At first, everyone in town blames the doctor for a botched autopsy. Even the doctor begins to question his ability and sanity.
It's only after a few more murders (taken rather lightly by the populace, by the way) and a few more "risings" that things really begin to take off with plot. Knight, as I mentioned before, does do a fine job introducing and developing characters that become somewhat memorable. He also pours on the gore as he graphically describes the manner in which the townspeople begin to systematically knock each other off "so they can be with Seth".
Knight nevers really gives a full explanation of Seth and his importance to the plot. Seth appears to be some sort of Anti-Christ that can only reappear with some help from the common folk. Oh sure, there's a vague connection between an earlier Seth appearance years before, but not much else.
Another criticism that I have of Knight's writing style is the annoying way of going through a "scene" and then repeating the scene once again but through the eyes of another character. It took me one or two of these "scenes" to realize what he was doing. It was repetitious filler and nothing else.
The book weighs in at a little over 400 pages, with a plot that could have lasted about 300. It's definitely a fast read though. And if the reader is a fan of the Zombie genre', then he or she will probably want to add "Risen" to their "wanna read" list. Just don't expect anything new!
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