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billymac1962's review
4.0
What a great concept for a horror novel: A hotel that boasts terrifying nightmares for its guests.
To this day, the the most terrifying movie I have seen is Burnt Offerings. The reason for this is the recurring nightmares that Oliver Reed's character has about the hearse chauffeur. There is a paralyzing terror when you are in the grip of a nightmare, obviously because there are no bounds to the imagination and you are powerless to do anything about it. Only a wash of relief when you wake up, take stock of your surroundings, and realize you're safely back in bed.
Prince of Nightmares was indeed a feast of the imagination. John McNee certainly has the right stuff describing the horrors experienced by his hapless guests, horrors that would make Clive Barker proud. And, this is fine, fine writing to boot.
I didn't much care for how things were resolved towards the end, but I really dug the nightmares, and a lot of the storyline. There are images presented that I could actually feel, and I won't forget those for a long time. For that alone, Prince of Nightmares gets a solid 4 stars from me and a hearty recommendation for those seeking creepage. Enjoy!
To this day, the the most terrifying movie I have seen is Burnt Offerings. The reason for this is the recurring nightmares that Oliver Reed's character has about the hearse chauffeur. There is a paralyzing terror when you are in the grip of a nightmare, obviously because there are no bounds to the imagination and you are powerless to do anything about it. Only a wash of relief when you wake up, take stock of your surroundings, and realize you're safely back in bed.
Prince of Nightmares was indeed a feast of the imagination. John McNee certainly has the right stuff describing the horrors experienced by his hapless guests, horrors that would make Clive Barker proud. And, this is fine, fine writing to boot.
I didn't much care for how things were resolved towards the end, but I really dug the nightmares, and a lot of the storyline. There are images presented that I could actually feel, and I won't forget those for a long time. For that alone, Prince of Nightmares gets a solid 4 stars from me and a hearty recommendation for those seeking creepage. Enjoy!
kotep's review
3.0
Agree with the comparisons to Clive Barker circa 1980s. Decent story but took a while to get going. The second half moved faster.
liisp_cvr2cvr's review against another edition
3.0
For some reason Eagles "Hotel California" started playing in my head since the beginning of the book. Quite fitting, but maybe not in the way you'd like to prematurely imagine.
Our main character Victor checks himself into a hotel after his wife shoots herself in the face. Victor's bodyguard slash chauffeur slash handyman (with a gun) doesn't like the idea but drops him off and becomes a sideplot in the story.
Now, in fairness, when the hotel recetionist says something like this:
"Put it this way," she said. "I've slept here only once. That was ten years ago. And it'll be another hundred before I do it again."
Yeeeaaahhh, sure sign of pick up your seven rags and fnd a different hotel.
Victor had a reason though, for going into Ballador House.
You'll find out the reasons as you'll read this book- it's not just a horror story. There's more. This book is mystery, gore, great writing and smart solutions.
"Her warped arms twisted and bent like rubber in wave-like motions that he soon realized were intended to coax him towards her. Triple-jointed fingers spread from her knuckles like a thousand untidy branches from a sapling. Each coiled and uncoiled its own invitation.
As crotesue as the woman appeared, Victor could feel himself yielding to her, longing for her phantom embrace."
And it's just not a horror story that leaves majority to your own imagination. Because lets face it- your own imaginaton would not freely create such a scene:
"One of them had already gone to work on his face, carving his cheeks open, slicing off his eyelids, cutting crosses into the white flesh of his left eye."
There is a really interesting and unique culmination to it all, a unique reasoning why this is all happening. The nightmares, which will see no locked gate in between dream or reality.
To summarize- read this book. In fact, finish this book and you'll have had more than enough horror to last you a ... well... a long while.
PS! Recommended reading just before going to sleep. Triggers some wicked dream-material.
Our main character Victor checks himself into a hotel after his wife shoots herself in the face. Victor's bodyguard slash chauffeur slash handyman (with a gun) doesn't like the idea but drops him off and becomes a sideplot in the story.
Now, in fairness, when the hotel recetionist says something like this:
"Put it this way," she said. "I've slept here only once. That was ten years ago. And it'll be another hundred before I do it again."
Yeeeaaahhh, sure sign of pick up your seven rags and fnd a different hotel.
Victor had a reason though, for going into Ballador House.
You'll find out the reasons as you'll read this book- it's not just a horror story. There's more. This book is mystery, gore, great writing and smart solutions.
"Her warped arms twisted and bent like rubber in wave-like motions that he soon realized were intended to coax him towards her. Triple-jointed fingers spread from her knuckles like a thousand untidy branches from a sapling. Each coiled and uncoiled its own invitation.
As crotesue as the woman appeared, Victor could feel himself yielding to her, longing for her phantom embrace."
And it's just not a horror story that leaves majority to your own imagination. Because lets face it- your own imaginaton would not freely create such a scene:
"One of them had already gone to work on his face, carving his cheeks open, slicing off his eyelids, cutting crosses into the white flesh of his left eye."
There is a really interesting and unique culmination to it all, a unique reasoning why this is all happening. The nightmares, which will see no locked gate in between dream or reality.
To summarize- read this book. In fact, finish this book and you'll have had more than enough horror to last you a ... well... a long while.
PS! Recommended reading just before going to sleep. Triggers some wicked dream-material.
bookwormbunny's review against another edition
5.0
***I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***
Prince of Nightmares is a horror story written by John McNee and for this being his FIRST horror novel I have to say that in my opinion he has done a very good job of it. Prince of Nightmare is a truly engaging story that grips you from the first and keeps you turning page after page until you get to the final page of the story. There are twists, turns, secrets, mysteries and fear and it all comes together to weave a thrilling story that for the faint of heart might even make them not want to go to sleep at night for fear of their own nightmares.
The story starts off with a chapter that immediately grabs your attention and makes you want to know who the two characters are that we are so mysteriously introduced to but then it immediately shifts forward years and leaves us reeling from a sudden death as the main character, Victor, loses his wife suddenly and then finds himself at the Ballador House Hotel. The hotel is a favorite place for those who are into the supernatural and are looking for a good scare with the rooms that are proposed to give people nightmares being booked and reserved constantly. But Victor has a reservation…made by his late wife…before she died. She wanted him there…but why?
As time progresses with his stay there things begin to happen to Victor but not just to him…to the other guests who are staying there. The nightmares seem so real…they are happening more frequently…but why? What is happening? Who are the Residents, truly?
This book has you having questions but it answers them all before the end. I loved this story. It was so well written: the horror, the nightmares…how wake and sleep seemed and began to blend all into one until you never knew the difference. Each of the characters are unique in their own way and it just ups the level of how good this story is. For horror fans I’d say this book is a must read. I even think that it would do good being made into a movie because of how engaging it was! John McNee has really got some serious talent with this story and I hope that he takes the time to write another. I give this story 5 out of 5 stars and will definitely be purchasing a copy for myself and recommending to any and all fans of horror. This book has great potential to become a classic of horror for sure in my opinion.
Prince of Nightmares is a horror story written by John McNee and for this being his FIRST horror novel I have to say that in my opinion he has done a very good job of it. Prince of Nightmare is a truly engaging story that grips you from the first and keeps you turning page after page until you get to the final page of the story. There are twists, turns, secrets, mysteries and fear and it all comes together to weave a thrilling story that for the faint of heart might even make them not want to go to sleep at night for fear of their own nightmares.
The story starts off with a chapter that immediately grabs your attention and makes you want to know who the two characters are that we are so mysteriously introduced to but then it immediately shifts forward years and leaves us reeling from a sudden death as the main character, Victor, loses his wife suddenly and then finds himself at the Ballador House Hotel. The hotel is a favorite place for those who are into the supernatural and are looking for a good scare with the rooms that are proposed to give people nightmares being booked and reserved constantly. But Victor has a reservation…made by his late wife…before she died. She wanted him there…but why?
As time progresses with his stay there things begin to happen to Victor but not just to him…to the other guests who are staying there. The nightmares seem so real…they are happening more frequently…but why? What is happening? Who are the Residents, truly?
This book has you having questions but it answers them all before the end. I loved this story. It was so well written: the horror, the nightmares…how wake and sleep seemed and began to blend all into one until you never knew the difference. Each of the characters are unique in their own way and it just ups the level of how good this story is. For horror fans I’d say this book is a must read. I even think that it would do good being made into a movie because of how engaging it was! John McNee has really got some serious talent with this story and I hope that he takes the time to write another. I give this story 5 out of 5 stars and will definitely be purchasing a copy for myself and recommending to any and all fans of horror. This book has great potential to become a classic of horror for sure in my opinion.
thomaswjoyce's review against another edition
4.0
I have read a couple of McNee's books before, so I know he is an accomplished storyteller. This was his debut novel and, while I didn't fully buy into every character's choices, I really enjoyed the story. It makes for an interesting take on the gothic, ghost story, where the setting and premise are more modern, and the ghosts aren't exactly ghosts, not the way we usually think of them anyway. McNee has a real flair for the theatrical and vivid descriptions (just check out his short story collection, Doom Cabaret) and it is on full display here. Nothing is left to the imagination with the blood-and-guts descriptions, and the atmosphere is heavy with dread. I was fully invested in the mystery of the Ballador Hotel and its sinister past, and was captivated throughout.
charshorrorcorner's review against another edition
4.0
Set in a remote part of Scotland, the Ballador Country House Hotel guarantees its guests nightmares. What a delicious premise!
With an elderly magnate as the protagonist, I couldn't help but wonder how the author was going to make him come alive, but come alive he did-without being at all likable. An interesting choice for protagonist, but John McNee pulls it off.
Without going further into the plot, I can say that there are some wildly creative ideas here and the author delivers on them. Descriptions that defy reality often bother me, but here there is a good reason for them which gives the author a lot of wiggle room. Mr. McNee does not waste it. I have to give proper respect to the imaginative mind that comes up with such ideas. (Or as the kids say I give him mad respect. At least, I think that's what they say.??) Anyway, the ideas were KILLER.
I also feel I have to give an appreciative nod to the writing skills on display here. I felt this story was well written. The author found ways to describe numerous horrific incidents without being repetitive or losing my interest-something that doesn't happen very often.
I highly recommend this book to all fans of horror, but especially fans of early Clive Barker and the Splatterpunk genre! You can pre-order this book here: http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Nightmares-John-McNee-ebook/dp/B016Z8BSXS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451229297&sr=8-1&keywords=prince+of+nightmares
Thanks goes out to fellow Goodreader Bandit, whose review caused me to head over to Net Galley and request this book. Thanks Bandit!
*And thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing this book for free, in exchange for an honest review. This is it.*
With an elderly magnate as the protagonist, I couldn't help but wonder how the author was going to make him come alive, but come alive he did-without being at all likable. An interesting choice for protagonist, but John McNee pulls it off.
Without going further into the plot, I can say that there are some wildly creative ideas here and the author delivers on them. Descriptions that defy reality often bother me, but here there is a good reason for them which gives the author a lot of wiggle room. Mr. McNee does not waste it. I have to give proper respect to the imaginative mind that comes up with such ideas. (Or as the kids say I give him mad respect. At least, I think that's what they say.??) Anyway, the ideas were KILLER.
I also feel I have to give an appreciative nod to the writing skills on display here. I felt this story was well written. The author found ways to describe numerous horrific incidents without being repetitive or losing my interest-something that doesn't happen very often.
I highly recommend this book to all fans of horror, but especially fans of early Clive Barker and the Splatterpunk genre! You can pre-order this book here: http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Nightmares-John-McNee-ebook/dp/B016Z8BSXS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451229297&sr=8-1&keywords=prince+of+nightmares
Thanks goes out to fellow Goodreader Bandit, whose review caused me to head over to Net Galley and request this book. Thanks Bandit!
*And thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing this book for free, in exchange for an honest review. This is it.*
lilyn_g's review
5.0
Let me start by saying how much I loved the fact that the main character in this book wasn’t a young kid, young woman, newlyweds on their honeymoon, etc. Instead, you get an old (and by old I mean almost 80) white guy as the protagonist. The only place I’m used to seeing old white guys is when they’re running for some sort of office. The only running Victor does is in fear.
This book was so well-written. It really calls to mind some of my most-loved horror movies. The ones that have just that twist of something different to make them stand-out. Primarily, the fantastic imagery. Ghost Ship, Thir13een Ghosts, The Sixth Sense, Silent Hill, etc. This book has that quality to it.
The Ballador Country House Hotel is one of those places that will haunt your nightmares long after you finish reading the book. For a full review, please click here
Disclaimer: Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was so well-written. It really calls to mind some of my most-loved horror movies. The ones that have just that twist of something different to make them stand-out. Primarily, the fantastic imagery. Ghost Ship, Thir13een Ghosts, The Sixth Sense, Silent Hill, etc. This book has that quality to it.
The Ballador Country House Hotel is one of those places that will haunt your nightmares long after you finish reading the book. For a full review, please click here
Disclaimer: Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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