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The Calling: A Supernatural Thriller
by
Robert Swartwood (Goodreads Author)
When eighteen-year-old Christopher Myers' parents are murdered, something is written on his bedroom door, a mark in his parents' blood that convinces the police the killer has targeted Christopher as the next victim. To keep him safe, he travels away with his estranged grandmother and uncle to the small town of Bridgton, New York. And it's in Bridgton that he meets an extr...more
Kindle Edition
Published
March 19th 2011
by RMS Press
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Review eof The Calling by Robert Swartwood
5 stars
“The Calling” is an exceptionally satisfying novel of the Supernatural. Set in one of the same locales as the “prequel,” “Spooky Nook,” this story is fine as a stand-alone (but I recommend, for the reader’s continued satisfaction, reading “Spooky Nook” as well). Author Robert Swartwood delves into some Supernatural venues not usually the purview of horror writers, makes that choice work excellently, and horrifies readers while keeping us thrilled...more
5 stars
“The Calling” is an exceptionally satisfying novel of the Supernatural. Set in one of the same locales as the “prequel,” “Spooky Nook,” this story is fine as a stand-alone (but I recommend, for the reader’s continued satisfaction, reading “Spooky Nook” as well). Author Robert Swartwood delves into some Supernatural venues not usually the purview of horror writers, makes that choice work excellently, and horrifies readers while keeping us thrilled...more
Feb 26, 2013
Kylie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
paranormal-horror,
young-adult
The day after 18 year old Chris's high school graduation, he awakens to discover his parents have been brutally murdered, and the killer is now after him. Shipped off to Bridport to stay with relatives he has not seen in 10 years while local authorities hunt down the killer, he slowly gets to know the Grandmother and Uncle he has been estranged from all these years. There he meets 10 year old Joey, a young man with very special gifts.
But the relocation has not fooled the killer and soon dreadful...more
But the relocation has not fooled the killer and soon dreadful...more
I actually got done reading this book yesterday, and had to think about it. I really liked the book, and will read it again, but for as few pages as it contains, Robert manages to get a lot of substance into a small space. Unlike some authors we all know, that use a lot of pages to say very little. Yes, the book is, technically, a horror, but the themes dealt with are not simplistic. They are (and this is just from the first time through, I'm sure I can find more with a second read)choices, cons...more
This was a crazy.....bizzare and really fun book to read. It was written in a way where it just kept you turning the pages because you just needed to know what's going to happen. There is a supernatural mystery that flows thru the book and each time part of the mystery is answered, another question appears in it's place. This is NOT a feel good happy ending book but you don't feel depressed at the end....just glad to have read it. There were a couple of things that I felt were a bit off and that...more
I enjoyed The Calling, and found the characters interesting and unpredictable. The main plot kept twisting and uncovering the character's secrets, and the end satisfied me. The dialogue was particularly readable, and the book's themes stayed with me after I'd finished.
Sluggish prose got in the way sometimes, and many characters' whole backstories were revealed, sometimes told in a single sitting. The book would be stronger if things were edited down.
But, if you want to read a compelling, chillin...more
Sluggish prose got in the way sometimes, and many characters' whole backstories were revealed, sometimes told in a single sitting. The book would be stronger if things were edited down.
But, if you want to read a compelling, chillin...more
This was a great book. It was very reminiscence of a Koontz book. I love how Christopher was a very realistic character. He isn't a shining hero, he is a flawed individual (who of us isn't?) who simply believes he can't live with himself if he dosen't do the right thing.
The book is haunting. It has stuck with me since I began reading it and I'm sure it will stick with me over the next week or so. It is a very realistic horror. One you can almost imagine yourself stuck in.
If paranormal horror is...more
The book is haunting. It has stuck with me since I began reading it and I'm sure it will stick with me over the next week or so. It is a very realistic horror. One you can almost imagine yourself stuck in.
If paranormal horror is...more
After reading Robert Swartwood's short story, "Spooky Nook", I was eager to dive into "The Calling- A Supernatural Thriller".
If you're a reader of the Horror/Thriller genre, you'll recognize a few familiar plot themes; orphaned teen, unfamiliar surroundings, mysterious strangers, and family secrets.
I wanted to like this book. It received nothing but praise from most of the reviewers on this site.
My big complaint is that it felt a little preachy.
In "The Calling", our hero laments something selfis...more
If you're a reader of the Horror/Thriller genre, you'll recognize a few familiar plot themes; orphaned teen, unfamiliar surroundings, mysterious strangers, and family secrets.
I wanted to like this book. It received nothing but praise from most of the reviewers on this site.
My big complaint is that it felt a little preachy.
In "The Calling", our hero laments something selfis...more
Atmospheric and dreadful - in a good way. This is the first thing I have read by Swartwood but while doing so, it was apparent to me that he is pretty good at what he does. I got the feeling that this novel had exactly the tone and presented in exactly the way he intended it to. "The Calling" does that thing that I is most important in horror novels that do not rely overly much on gore or shock; it creates a sense of dread in the reader's mind about the underlying cause of all the conflicts pres...more
I absolutely loved this book. Swartwood weaves a story about a young man whose life is turned upside down after his parents are murdered. He moves in with his estranged grandmother and starts to piece things together.
The Calling had me up all night, reading when I should have been sleeping. There were moments when I didn't realize that I had stopped breathing, and moments when I tensed up so much that I hurt the next day. THAT is suspense done right!
The Calling had me up all night, reading when I should have been sleeping. There were moments when I didn't realize that I had stopped breathing, and moments when I tensed up so much that I hurt the next day. THAT is suspense done right!
The writing seemed amateurish but I liked the story and the characters. I thought the conclusion could have been more drawn out. Overall entertaining.
Excellent. Struck just the right balance between light and dark. This is self-publishing done the way it COULD be - by a season, excellent writer, with excellent formatting, attractive cover art, and credible blurbs. Well done.
This was a good & well paced story which really kept me turning the pages, it was one of those books that I didn't want to be away from for too long.
Oh this was a very good quick read...Creepy and atmospheric
Very poorly executed story telling.
I liked it - interesting idea. I would like to see the author write more about the main character.
Apr 24, 2013
Heather
marked it as a-tbr-wishlist
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USA TODAY bestselling author of The Serial Killer's Wife, The Calling, Man of Wax, and several other novels. He created the term "hint fiction" and edited Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer.
More about Robert Swartwood...
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