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60th out of 208 books
—
143 voters
The Burning
Now comes the hottest horror yet from the Bram Stoker Award winner... They're four strangers with one thing in common-a mysterious train chokingthe sky with black smoke, charging trackless across the American night...and carrying an unstoppable evil raised from the depths of historythat will bring each of their worst fears to life
Mass Market Paperback, 391 pages
Published
August 1st 2006
by Signet
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"The Burning" was a big letdown after reading Bentley Little's masterful book, "Dispatch". I seriously considered that this book might be written by someone else while Bentley was ill and couldn't write. Who knows. I love this guy and can't tell you how disappointed I was. While one of the top 5 horror writers working today, Bentley Little seems to be hit or miss with his stories. I simply just did not enjoy reading this new release. It seemed that he was throwing way too much random horror at t...more
If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it would be: Incongruous. Between the ghost-train-cum-cemetery, black mold that makes people racist (yeah), and a house in California in which old, mummified body parts are found (which I think was supposed to tie together the racist mold and train, but that was a weak link at best), it was a pretty lame plot. Add in the characters that seemed to suddenly "realize" or "understand" some big plot point that would have been literally impossible to pi...more
WARNING: Spoilers and disjointed ramblings and unclear remembrances are to follow.
I have to say, this is probably my least favourite of Little's books. This is a disappointment, because it started off with a mess of interesting elements: serial killer arts'n'crafts, towns built over mass graves, and that good old Bentley Little classic-- the thing that makes people really messed up for seemingly no reason (something I'll never tire of, along with the vengeful ghosts of Asian women). In addition,...more
I have to say, this is probably my least favourite of Little's books. This is a disappointment, because it started off with a mess of interesting elements: serial killer arts'n'crafts, towns built over mass graves, and that good old Bentley Little classic-- the thing that makes people really messed up for seemingly no reason (something I'll never tire of, along with the vengeful ghosts of Asian women). In addition,...more
Like many writers of Horror Fiction in the world today, Bentley Little has crafted his own style over the years and now has it down to kind of science. His books invariably follow a formula, but it is a well – practiced formula and no doubt keeps readers coming back again and again ensuring a dedicated readership and often imitated writing method.
The dedication in The Burning is interesting, and gives a fascinating insight into the roots of stories and how they can manifest and evolve. In this...more
The dedication in The Burning is interesting, and gives a fascinating insight into the roots of stories and how they can manifest and evolve. In this...more
More like 3.5 but went with 4 stars since it was better than a 3. This is one of Bentley's better novels, for sure.
Negative: Some of the scenes that were intended be scary came off as comical and there were a few elements that were a bit too far fetched even for suspension of disbelief, which the narrator disconcertingly points out.
Positive: GHOST TRAINS! The world of horror fiction needs way more ghost trains. It also had just the right amount of creepy, disturbing sex. Bentley Little tends to...more
Negative: Some of the scenes that were intended be scary came off as comical and there were a few elements that were a bit too far fetched even for suspension of disbelief, which the narrator disconcertingly points out.
Positive: GHOST TRAINS! The world of horror fiction needs way more ghost trains. It also had just the right amount of creepy, disturbing sex. Bentley Little tends to...more
i don't know why, but i had high hopes for this book. i absolutely despise bentley little, everything i've ever read by him could have been written just as well by a high school kid. however, 90% of this books was great, well paced, great plot etc. the whole time i was reading this i was thinking to myself well, i'll have to read more of his stuff, i was wrong about mr. little. the last 20 pages or so completely changed my mind, the ending was literally so stupid that i wish i hadn't read the ki...more
Stephen King recommended author. He says: "BEST OUTRIGHT HORROR NOVELIST. Bentley Little, in a walk. Don't know Bentley Little? You're not alone. He's probably the genre's best-kept secret, but at least 10 of his novels are available in paperback; you can pick up three for the price of that flashy new hardcover you've got your eye on. The best thing about Little is that he can go from zero to surreal in 6.0 seconds. My favorites are The Store (think Wal-Mart run by SAYYY-tan) and Dispatch, in wh...more
Basically, I didn't care for it. The characters seemed flat, the writing was general and bland, except for the scenes containing gore, wherein it was intense and graphic. The book was slightly scary on a few occasions, but never really delivered on those teases. It seemed to want to raise the awareness of racism and intolerance in the development of the country, which may have been better served in a book not containing a train comprised of the bodies of the undead rampaging across the country.
Nov 26, 2009
Atomicmass1969
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Horror novel fans, Stephen King fans
I was never a fan of horror type books, but this was the first book I read from Bentley Little and loved it. I've since read 2 others of his and hoping to get through all his books in order. I can't really compare him to other authors of the genre, but I have truly enjoyed his books.
This book was simply bad - and there is no way I'm keeping it on my "currently reading" shelf. I can't give a complete review as the book was so boring that I had to put it down. The plot was lame, the build up made no sense and nothing was simply coming together.
cheesy, but horror books are some of my most enjoyed guilty pleasures. plus, any book where an oppressed people comes back to kill all the white people is satisfying.
If you've never read Bentley Little before, don't let this one be your introduction to his writing. I've never given one of his books less than 3 stars before, but this one missed the mark somehow for me. Definitely not one of his best.
A chore to finish. Hohum characters slogging along in an unrealistic reality. It feels like snippets cobbled together taken from 15 books that I've read before.
It was okay. Bentley has written better books. Read The Association, The Walking, and The Store before this one.
I stopped reading at page 247. This book started well , but turned into a stinker quick.
This is one creepy book! Bentley gives Stephen King a run for his money. I loved it.
Really?? I just lost valuable reading time.
Not bad, not great, but worht a read if you're a fan.
I really enjoyed this book. Though it was definitely not my favorite Bentley book it is still high up there. They way Little takes an interesting part of America's history and turns it supernatural is amazing. This book has a lot more history in it and even though I find it fascinating, at parts I found myself skimming through instead of actually reading. Still a great read though!
I bought this for Dan because he loves scary movies and books, and Stephen King loves this author. It reminds me of how graphic King can be in From a Buick 8 and the like -- and really freaked me out. So while my rating was low because I don't necessarily love scary books, it is great for if you like this sort of thing. Make sense?
Jul 23, 2010
Scot Sonderman
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of Stephen King, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, James Rollins
Recommended to Scot by:
no one
I've read 2 other Bentley Little books and I felt they were pretty good. But, THE BURNING I really loved! Hidden massacres, Ghost trains, and a little-known piece of history. You can't miss with that combo, in my book. This is great escapist, summer-time reading. give THE BURNING a try!
Little writes some really odd things. This was low on the odd, high on the history and extra high on the boring. Blah.
i normally like mr.little's books. i didn't care for this one. the plot was fairly standard,nothing special.
I can't review this one- It was so terrible that I had to put it down.
I really enjoyed The Burning. There was never a dull moment for me.
Little has gotten better with his characterization.
See my reviews at www.lvrj.com/blogs/booknook
May 21, 2013
Paul Zimarowski jr.
marked it as to-read
May 18, 2013
Sandra
marked it as to-read
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Bentley Little is an American author of numerous horror novels. He was discovered by Dean Koontz.
Little was born one month after his mother attended the world premiere of Psycho. He published his first novel, The Revelation, with St. Martin's Press in 1990. After reading it, Stephen King became a vocal fan of Little's work, and Little won the Bram Stoker Award for "Best First Novel" in 1990. He mo...more
More about Bentley Little...
Little was born one month after his mother attended the world premiere of Psycho. He published his first novel, The Revelation, with St. Martin's Press in 1990. After reading it, Stephen King became a vocal fan of Little's work, and Little won the Bram Stoker Award for "Best First Novel" in 1990. He mo...more
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Jan 13, 2011 11:53am