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creepysnowman's review
2.0
I'd seen this book listed on a few "scariest books" lists, and had wanted to read it for awhile - if only because books where "Voodoo" is the big bad are few and far between.
I found the book to be "just okay". Van Cerf, the protagonist, is not the most likable of characters - equal parts self-righteous and self-deluding, who is prone to SUDDEN REALIZATIONS. His two romantic interests in particular make one scratch their head - his first is all passion and really, really wanting to write the naughty parts, but dancing around them for some reason. The latter sees Van become almost puritanical in his affairs, with a massive sense of propriety that leaps out of nowhere. Dandy, his son (whose name is unfortunately forever linked in my mind to American Horror Story) is the most likable character in the book, though the depiction of how old he actually is seems to fluctuate throughout the book. The CEO of DeSilvier, Horace, is easily the best character in the book, though even he is seemingly able to achieve his ends with zero resistance from Cerf.
The book really takes its time before anything of note happens, which could be seen as the plot waiting until he is too far immersed in his new company's religion and financial comforts to get out, but a few more jolts interspersed throughout would not have gone amiss.
Williamson's writing style is accessible, but his editors should have been held to account (years ago - this is not a recent book) as the copy editing is atrocious, and the errors are frequent enough to be distracting.
I'd recommend this book as a curiosity and, like me, an exposure to a new niche of the horror genre. I paid $1 for this at a used book store. I got about $3 worth of enjoyment.
I found the book to be "just okay". Van Cerf, the protagonist, is not the most likable of characters - equal parts self-righteous and self-deluding, who is prone to SUDDEN REALIZATIONS. His two romantic interests in particular make one scratch their head - his first is all passion and really, really wanting to write the naughty parts, but dancing around them for some reason. The latter sees Van become almost puritanical in his affairs, with a massive sense of propriety that leaps out of nowhere. Dandy, his son (whose name is unfortunately forever linked in my mind to American Horror Story) is the most likable character in the book, though the depiction of how old he actually is seems to fluctuate throughout the book. The CEO of DeSilvier, Horace, is easily the best character in the book, though even he is seemingly able to achieve his ends with zero resistance from Cerf.
The book really takes its time before anything of note happens, which could be seen as the plot waiting until he is too far immersed in his new company's religion and financial comforts to get out, but a few more jolts interspersed throughout would not have gone amiss.
Williamson's writing style is accessible, but his editors should have been held to account (years ago - this is not a recent book) as the copy editing is atrocious, and the errors are frequent enough to be distracting.
I'd recommend this book as a curiosity and, like me, an exposure to a new niche of the horror genre. I paid $1 for this at a used book store. I got about $3 worth of enjoyment.
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