Jack's Magic Beans by Brian KeeneMy rating: 8 of 10 stars
This is a short book with 100 pages were we are presented with a novella a four short stories. For the price I think it deserves more but...
Brian Keene, for those who follow my reviews is one of my favourite horror writers. Him, Clive Barker and Bentley Little are at the core.
What I enjoy of Brian Keene is that he got himself a mythos called Labyrinth. And in my opinion it rules. With each book, or story he gives us something to add to his mythos.
Another thing I enjoy reading is his footnotes about where this short stories or novel comes from. I think it adds something other writers should also give us. I mean, a book is a book and if it was done right it doesn't need any footnotes or information about how it came to be but sometimes it can connects us to the author.
First story - Jack Magic Beens - Its the end of the world but instead of zombies we've got... crazy people (it has the same theme as David Moody trilogy Hate). Of course not everyone went berserk or the story would have ended there. Some people stay "normal" because of their medicine. That's the twist that makes Keene one heck of a writer. The story itself was good but I thought it had some weak ending. It was rushed. The story deserved more pages in my opinion. Or at least I wanted to know more of why or whom this happened. There is connections to other stories. At least one connection was at the third chapter when they say " They could have used a crop-duster or something. Like what happened in that little town in Pensylvania a few years ago. That chemical got released from a hot air balloon and made the rain purple, and then everybody die? Supposedly they went insane before they were killed." Maybe there were more but..
The second story "Without You" I didn't enjoy. It was predictable and a bit weak. Nothing stand out.
"I am exit" and "This is Not an exit" are excellent two part stories about the a killer. Truly unique and it gave much information about the Labyrinth and the information people have of it. Very interesting. I really hope to read the novel, Keene will be writing about him.
"The King', in: Yellow" is a great story for those people who have read "The King in Yellow" by Rpbert W Chambers. ( I have read it sometime ago). This story is a tribute but a tribute that stands on its own. It gives information Chambers never did. It gives Keene intepretation of play.
All in all, it's a great collection of stories. My only concern was the price vs pages in it. Sorry - I know this sounds bad - after purchasing 3000 books things change. I have a family and now my purchase of books are very limited. I must think everything before I buy. Nowadays I wouldn't have bought a 7,50€ book for 100 pages. Sorry. I have almost Brian Keene books but things change unfortunately...
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