vodkafan Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Yes good review missy. I had a slightly different take on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missybct Posted February 20, 2010 Author Share Posted February 20, 2010 Yes, I thought that too Chesilbeach, especially with what has happened in the intervening years, and certainly in regard to the despondency of the previous take overs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missybct Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 I finished A Stir of Echoes yesterday by Richard Matheson. Here is my review: STIR OF ECHOES - RICHARD MATHESON SYNOPSIS: Tom Wallace lived an ordinary life, until a chance event awakened psychic abilities he never knew he possessed. Now he's hearing the private thoughts of people around him - and learning shocking secrets he never wanted to know. But as Tom's existence becomes a waking nightmare, greater jolts are in store when he becomes the unwilling recipient of a compelling message from beyond the grave! REVIEW (SPOILERS): Stir of Echoes was written by the New York Times bestselling author of What Dreams May Come True, in 1958. Forty years later, it was the inspiration behind the film of the same name, starring Kevin Bacon. This book is set in LA, and depicts the life of Tom, Anne and Richard Wallace, living a blue collar lifestyle and renting a house in a neighbourhood full of friends. At a gathering, Tom is put under hypnosis for the entertainment of the guests and everything appears normal until he goes to bed at night, which is when he begins to channel the thoughts of others, and receive precognitive dreams. He is able to foresee events such as a train wreck, Anne's mother dying, and the sex of their unborn child. Unfortunately for him, he is also channeling the mind of a young woman, Helen Driscoll, who was the previous tenant of their house, and the sister in law of their landlord. As the story goes on, Tom begins to believe that the landlord's story of Driscoll moving east is a lie. Convinced she is in fact dead, he seeks to channel her thoughts to discover what happened to her and who was responsible. But who killed Helen Driscoll, and why? This book was quite an easy read, written largely in American 50's prose, which I found quite interesting - the majority of the books I've read of this period were British. Matheson delivers a good level of suspense, as well as the descriptions of how Tom Wallace and his wife are feeling with his new found skill. Personally, I felt the film held more suspense and shocks, but that could be because of the transition to cinemas rather than a criticism of Matheson's writing, and after all, there were possible certain social boundaries one could and could not cross when writing a book in the 1950's. The end is quite a twist - you are led for several chapters to believe the identity of the person who potentially killed Driscoll, and the actual revelation comes as a surprise. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read the story behind the film, although I do feel that viewers that were gripped by the building suspense may not get the same enjoyment out of the book as the did from the film. A well written book, but possibly not one I'd hurry to read again in the future. 3*/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Wow Thanks Rebecca I never even knew this was a book. Enjoyed the film a lot. Richard Matheson also wrote I am Legend I think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missybct Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 He is indeed. I think I Am Legend is probably a better book, and the book isn't as thrilling as the film, but was an okay read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missybct Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 I thought I'd revive this thread - I've read quite a lot of books this year and I cannot begin to remember what ones, quite a few crime fictions and non-fictions, a lot of Stephen King and a few Karen Rose. At the moment I am reading "The Shining" by Stephen King and I'm really enjoying it. I think the best book I've read by him so far is "The Green Mile" but I also liked Lisey's Story which really stuck with me for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 I thought I'd revive this thread - I've read quite a lot of books this year and I cannot begin to remember what ones, quite a few crime fictions and non-fictions, a lot of Stephen King and a few Karen Rose. At the moment I am reading "The Shining" by Stephen King and I'm really enjoying it. I think the best book I've read by him so far is "The Green Mile" but I also liked Lisey's Story which really stuck with me for a while. Hi missy shame you didn't note all your books down on here-it is nice to look back on your personal list and remember them. Maybe next year eh? Only read one of Mr Kings I think...Pet Cematary and didn't like it...but I still think he is a pretty decent writer..it was just that story. Merry Christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missybct Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 I will endeavour to do so next year! I've not read that book, but there are a few by King that I will probably steer clear of. I am waiting to read It at the moment and have Insomnia on the shelf. I finished The Shining - I thought it was a decent book and an engaging read. I also watched the Kubrick version of the film and was disappointed by the adaptation, but had been told it was that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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