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gramm_incorrect's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
mafionn's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
rungemaille's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
karolovesbooks's review
1.0
Wish I had stopped after the second of four stories, this would have had 3 stars, maybe even 4.
God, the horror (and not in a good way)
God, the horror (and not in a good way)
lisaml's review
4.0
I really enjoyed listening to this collection! It put me in the Halloween mood now that fall is almost here.
Casting the Runes – 4.5 – I loved this one. it wasn’t really scary, but had such a creepy atmosphere. I loved the performance and the story.
Lost Hearts – 3.75 – This is a story about a girl being sent to a foster home in a building that has some very strange things going on, which she slowly discovers. It was pretty predictable, but these kinds of stories for me are all about the atmosphere, so I didn’t mind the predictability. It was another good one!
The Treasure of Abbot-Thomas – 2.5 – I feel like I must have missed something here. I just didn’t get what was going on. It still had that creepy atmosphere that is the thing that ties all of these stories together, but I just wasn’t following the story
A View from a Hill – 4 – I really liked this one, too. It dealt with grief, marriage, and the supernatural (possible supernatural?).
Casting the Runes – 4.5 – I loved this one. it wasn’t really scary, but had such a creepy atmosphere. I loved the performance and the story.
Lost Hearts – 3.75 – This is a story about a girl being sent to a foster home in a building that has some very strange things going on, which she slowly discovers. It was pretty predictable, but these kinds of stories for me are all about the atmosphere, so I didn’t mind the predictability. It was another good one!
The Treasure of Abbot-Thomas – 2.5 – I feel like I must have missed something here. I just didn’t get what was going on. It still had that creepy atmosphere that is the thing that ties all of these stories together, but I just wasn’t following the story
A View from a Hill – 4 – I really liked this one, too. It dealt with grief, marriage, and the supernatural (possible supernatural?).
tyrshand's review
4.0
The stories are modernized and adapted to varying degrees of success but overall I found this a spooky listen. I probably could have done without some of what (I assume) was added soap opera style drama. And the podcast one felt a little ludicrous... Yes, it gave a reason for recordings but I can't imagine anyone listening to that boring, pompous fellow... Let alone a multitude of fans (even if it were a pretty specialized market). Good though there was a cursed abbey to make things better.
It's been a long time since I read any M.R. James so I can't recall if I'd read the original stories or not, but this does make me want to check them out again! Or maybe re-read Arthur Machen's "The Great God Pan" which I find one of the creepiest older tales ever.
Another fun aspect of this collection is recognizing the influences that James had on later horror writers. For instance, I wonder if du Maurier's "Don't Look Now" was inspired by "A View From a Hill."
It's been a long time since I read any M.R. James so I can't recall if I'd read the original stories or not, but this does make me want to check them out again! Or maybe re-read Arthur Machen's "The Great God Pan" which I find one of the creepiest older tales ever.
Another fun aspect of this collection is recognizing the influences that James had on later horror writers. For instance, I wonder if du Maurier's "Don't Look Now" was inspired by "A View From a Hill."
samanthaholtsclaw87's review
5.0
The Conception of Terror is comprised of four different short stories. They are all set in the UK so the characters have English accents. My favorite was definitely the first one since the characters were most relatable to me. I recommend this to anyone who likes horror and wants a quick listen.
smcscot's review
5.0
I have loved M.R. James since reading The Monkey's Paw, back in the 8th grade. This (an Audible Original {side note: please forgive all the audio books, I'm in a transition at work and I'm driving about 6 hours a day}) book has four stories from James, that are modernized and dramatized, and they are just spectacular.
Gothic tales have always had a special place in my heart and I think that mainly could be because of James in an early influence on my life. The four stories are intelligent, scary, unique, and daring, and the actors are great in their performance. I hope that they soon have Volume 2, because I absolutely adored this book.
Gothic tales have always had a special place in my heart and I think that mainly could be because of James in an early influence on my life. The four stories are intelligent, scary, unique, and daring, and the actors are great in their performance. I hope that they soon have Volume 2, because I absolutely adored this book.