Reviews

I feel only a string of expletives could fully capture my feelings about this book. It was confusing and unenjoyable. The author could never seem to decide what he wanted the story to be as it swung violently from fantasy, sci-fi, to mysterious realism.

The descriptions of the pit and other world's were hard to place geographically in my mind and I found myself often rereading or readjusting as I discovered I had made grave miscalculations based on the author's descriptions.

As well, I will add that I dislike the tactic of the journal narrative. I found it removed some of the suspense as I knew the author of the inner novel would continue to survive as his story made up the bulk of my story.

Overall, as a horror novel or whatever this is supposed to be, it was incredibly disappointing. None of the pieces came together to make sense and it really just seemed to be the author's attempt at collecting a series of vignettes into a collective work. Could not recommend at all.

delaguila19's review against another edition

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3.0

Si bien es cierto que esta es una obra fundamental de la literatura de horror cosmico, tambien es cierto que por ser una de las primeras que trata el tema de manera recargada y de eventos confusos o extravagantes por decirlo menos es una novela de lectura lenta se divide en varios capitulos de corta duracion detallando eventos, que a mi entender, suceden en otras dimenciones. tiene momentos donde es mas dinamica porque existe interaccion entre personajes, pero cuando el hombre se encuentra solo el relato se convierte en una narracion de la angustia del viejo y sus experiencias absolutamente solo ya sea desde lo alto de donde puede ver la ciudad amurallada o la zozobra de ver a los hombres cerdo. No creo que sea una novela para comenzar a leer horror cosmico pero tiene importancia al ser una de las pioneras en el genero.

voghe's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

4.0

katermannx's review against another edition

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3.0

Lost in the Borderland: A Confused Reader's Journey…

"The House on the Borderland" by William Hope Hodgson is undoubtedly a classic in early horror literature. I stumbled upon this book while reading reviews of another book and was intrigued by the plot. However, after reading it, I have mixed feelings about the book.

The story revolves around a man who discovers an old manuscript detailing the experiences of a man who lived in a strange house on the edge of a mysterious abyss. The events that unfold are both eerie and mind-boggling, and the author does an excellent job of building suspense and horror throughout the book.

However, I must admit that the plot is quite challenging to follow. This confusion detracts from the overall enjoyment of the book.

Furthermore, the writing style is also quite archaic, which can make it difficult to read for extended periods. I found myself needing to take frequent breaks while reading to avoid becoming too fatigued with the language.

Overall, "The House on the Borderland" is a fascinating book that provides a glimpse into early horror literature. However, due to the confusing plot and challenging writing style, I can only give it a well-meaning three out of four stars. If you're a fan of horror literature or enjoy reading classic literature, this book is worth a try.

jupen's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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