The Lair of the White Worm

The Lair of the White Worm

book data

84 ratings, 3.08 average rating, 9 reviews (more data...)

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published

October 1st 2002 by Deodand Publishing

binding

Paperback, 120 pages

isbn

0646418424 (isbn13: 9780646418421)

description

In a tale of ancient evil, Bram Stoker creates a world of lurking horrors and bizarre denizens: a demented mesmerist, hellbent on mentally crushing th...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 141)

All ratings | 5 stars (6) | 4 stars (18) | 3 stars (34) | 2 stars (25) | 1 star (3) | avg 3.08

all | this edition

Jack

Jack rated it:

02/22/08

Poor written and hopelessly racist, Stoker's Lair of the White Worm is still worth reading if you have an interest in end-of-the-century fears over the degeneration of the British nation.

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Id rated it:

07/03/08

Read in July, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

The Lair of the White Worm is an extremely poorly thought-out novel that is still kind of fun. It reminds me of nothing so much as an early Republic adventure serial, where no episode, or even scene, seems to correspond in any reasonable manner to what came before in terms of narrative flow or character continuity. The constraints of low-budget commercial film-making offer some excuses for the contrived circumstances the old serial heroes found themselves in week after week (i.e. the sponsors in...more The Lair of the White Worm is an extremely poorly thought-out novel that is still kind of fun. It reminds me of nothing so much as an early Republic adventure serial, where no episode, or even scene, seems to correspond in any reasonable manner to what came before in terms of narrative flow or character continuity. The constraints of low-budget commercial film-making offer some excuses for the contrived circumstances the old serial heroes found themselves in week after week (i.e. the sponsors insist that Gene Autry must sing at least once in every episode, no matter what else is happening; characters that are trying to kill each other go on living in the same hotel quite comfortably because there is no other filming location for them to escape to; the monster is lame because cool monsters are expensive--and looming over all the necessity of banging out a script in a couple of days, with the inevitable cost in sophistication and artistry; etc.), but these excuses are not available to the novelist. Seriously, it reads like it was assembled posthumously from Stoker's incomplete notes (it wasn't). I keep checking back to make sure I haven't skipped over anything that would make sense of what I'm reading, but I haven't--it's just not there. The book is a mess.

On the other hand, it remains entertaining in much the same way the old serials still are, especially for its kitchen-sink occultish weirdness: Stoker pelts his readers with Mesmerism, the Lambton worm, a "Voodoo" witchdoctor, somnambulism, possession, an Egyptian deity carved from a giant lodestone, an enormous psychoactive kite shaped like a hawk that a mad nobleman worships as a god, psychic combat (lots of psychic combat - over tea, no less), a land speculation scheme that hinges on a deposit of a rare ceramic clay, and murder most foul*. Also, dynamite. It's not quite as thrilling as it is ridiculous, but despite my frustration with the amateurish construction (c'mon, it was his final novel, not his first!), I'm happy that I read it.

Only one star for quality, with an extra star for daft entertainment.

*mostly of mongooses...less

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Emily

Emily rated it:

09/10/08

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. There were dramatic psychic battles of mesmeric power, an antediluvian monster, marriage calculations worthy of Jane Austen, a love story, a strange kite (you read that right), a mysterious chest, and a secret well in a basement filled with "hell broth."

There were also lovely quotes such as this.
I never thought this fighting an antediluvian monster would be such a complicated job. This one is a woman, with all a woman's wit, combined with the heartlessness of a _cocotte_. She has the strength and impregnability of a diplodocus. ...more

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2 comments

Kimbolimbo

Kimbolimbo rated it:

10/19/07

Read in October, 2007

Except that this book is very very politically incorrect (kinda like James Watson the Nobel winner - I was reading this book when his comments hit the fan and caused such an uproar, it made me feel like I was a bad person for reading this book even though I don't espouse the same feelings in any way shape or form. That being said, it was nice to read a scary book to usher in Halloween and I was tired of Dracula stories (although if you haven't read Bram Stoker's Dracula then do it immediately.

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Dan

Dan rated it:

(review of isbn 1594562350)

07/10/08

Read in April, 2008

recommends it for: no one?

At times mildly intriguing, at times maddeningly bigoted and offensive in the way that only pompous, colonialistic turn-of-the-century Brits could be, this was mostly a prattling tale of upper-crust gentry that uncover a dark secret by virtue of having unlimited wealth and resources and nothing better to do with their time than spy on one another. I have a growing suspicion that Bram Stoker was a one-trick pony.

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1 comment

Kerry

Kerry rated it:

09/13/08

Update - have finished this one now - Yup - its a little strange, little spooky :-) Only little so you can easily knock it over in a night or 2...

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will let you know - I did read this approx 10 years ago so I feel it needs a new assessment...

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JD Brazil

JD rated it:

06/15/08

recommends it for: whoever

Bram Stoker is an under appreciated author, but this is where I figured out that all of his books follow the same outline. There is a semi-unobtainable girl, a reluctant hero, and some weird shit.

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Pauline

Pauline rated it:

02/05/08

I think I liked the movie more, but I did read the book first.

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Sarah

Sarah rated it:

11/19/08

Read in March, 2008

scariest book i've ever read. hands down.

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Greg

Greg rated it:

11/26/08

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Dorothy

Dorothy marked it as to-read

11/20/08

bookshelves: to-read

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Wickerman

Wickerman marked it as to-read

11/20/08

bookshelves: to-read

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Jessica Frank

Jessica Frank marked it as to-read

11/20/08

bookshelves: to-read

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Susanne

Susanne marked it as to-read

11/19/08

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Jimi

Jimi marked it as to-read

11/19/08

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Jen3n

Jen3n rated it:

11/18/08

bookshelves: classic, horror

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Rose

Rose marked it as to-read

11/17/08

bookshelves: to-read

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Simon

Simon rated it:

11/17/08

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Paraph

Paraph added it (review of isbn 1605065706)

11/15/08

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Drew added it

11/11/08

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quotes from this book

"....she had been to a tea-party with an antediluvian monster, and that they had been waited on by up-to-date men-servants." More quotes...