Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
14th out of 44 books
—
40 voters
Ghost Radio
"Ghost Radio" is a terrifying novel about a ghost-story call-in radio show that inadvertently opens a doorway into the paranormal, giving voice to the dead and instigating an epic battle for the souls of the living
From the cramped bowels of a dimly lit radio station, Ghost Radio is beamed onto the airwaves. More than a call-in show to tell scary stories about vampires and...more
From the cramped bowels of a dimly lit radio station, Ghost Radio is beamed onto the airwaves. More than a call-in show to tell scary stories about vampires and...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
October 14th 2008
by William Morrow & Company
(first published 2008)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
384)
Joaquin has had the Dead Kennedys song "Kill The Poor" stuck in his head all week, so when Gabriel starts humming it in the hospital, Joaquin joins in. From that point forward, the boys, whose parents just crashed into each other leaving both boys as orphans, find their lives completely intertwined. They even end up living with relatives in the same neighborhood. They're also both intrigued with noise and form a band that takes "found sounds" and arranges them into music.
After Gabriel's death,...more
After Gabriel's death,...more
Jun 07, 2009
Miriam
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lazy thinkers
Recommended to Miriam by:
Jeremy
Shelves:
fantasy,
science-fiction
Joaquin is the host of a late-night radio show where callers discuss frightening supernatural experiences. Crazy shit starts happening to him.
Throughout the first half of this book I was planning to give it four stars despite not liking the self-centered, pretentious, spoiled characters, because it was fairly original and moved along quickly. But then the last third pretty much fell apart. I suspect the problem with the book is that the author wanted to write a work of speculative fiction along...more
Throughout the first half of this book I was planning to give it four stars despite not liking the self-centered, pretentious, spoiled characters, because it was fairly original and moved along quickly. But then the last third pretty much fell apart. I suspect the problem with the book is that the author wanted to write a work of speculative fiction along...more
Oct 29, 2008
Micaela Silberstein
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone, especially thriller fans
Recommended to Micaela by:
my brother
This is a wonderful read for anyone who likes a trippy, edgy, hip story about ghosts. Its not really scary as much as it is exciting, but it is nonetheless still a good book that will keep you entertained no matter how many times you read it. What i think Gout did well in creating the story of Ghost Radio is instead of making it just a book, he knew how animated the book was and made movies and songs about and from the book. After my third time reading the book i went to the website, it really m...more
Ghost Radio is a thrilling and twisted story about a late-night talk-radio host, Joaquin and his decent into the world of ghosts. The book is born after Joaquin and another boy his age, Gabriel instantly become friends after waking up in the hospital together. Even when confined in the hospital, their rebellious attitudes lead them on daring adventures. Late at night, they tune into their favorite show, Ghost Radio. Joaquin finds inspiration in this show for his own Ghost Radio and after their r...more
Craziness. A host of a ghost/horror true story call-in talk radio show starts having his own supernatural experiences. There are A LOT of things wrong with this book. First, the dialogue is beyond the pale, it's so clunky. That was possibly the most horrific part. Second, the author seems to take gothiness seriously, as in he believes that adult women who choose to wear goth clothing and make-up have an inherent intensity and edginess and I almost hesitate to say it, also coolness to their chara...more
Despite the blurb that compared this to Stephen King, I found it to be more similar to Clive Barker. Which is a good thing. It's about Joaquin, an underground radio host whose callers relate brushes with the supernatural. The chapters are short and shift between perspectives, so you're not sure whose story it really is, but that's intentional. Joaquin is haunted by the death of his counterpart, Gabriel, who isn't entirely gone, and ends up leading Joaquin on a Twilight Zone type trip through tim...more
I wanted to like this book, but I couldn't forgive the extremely confusing and awkward POV changes. It starts out third person, switching semi-randomly between two male characters, and then, for zero reason, switches to first person. After a couple of pages, I finally figured out which of the two guys was speaking, only to have the first person viewpoint change again (and without warning) to the *girlfriend's* first person POV. It took a few pages, and the mention of the character considering he...more
I saw this on the "popular fiction" shelf at the library. I had never heard of the author and didn't know what the book was about, but it had a supernatural angle, so I thought what the heck. The author had a disconcerting way of switching from a first person narrative to a third person narrative, and occasionally switching within first person from another person's perspective without really letting the reader know what was going on. He also went back and forth from past to present (and I'm not...more
Well, that was silly. Meandered all over the place, and seemed unsure of itself at points. Dialog was stilted. POV constantly switching. Grew tedious. I think it could have been excellent but the story got away from it and turned into something I didn't care to believe.
At first I was put off by the changing POVs, but slowly the story snagged me as it got more and more surreal. No spoilers here, you'll have to read it for yourself!
~Stephanie
~Stephanie
One of my favorite psycho-thriller twist books, even today, the Ghost Radio has shown great plot in a little exotic setting. I like how at the end, it was all hallucinations and dreams. Although this does remind me a little of the "Shutter Island" by Dennis LeHane in the "Amnesic-sense". Highly recommended! Was well-worth the 3 "sittings" I finished it in.
Many of you are having trouble finding the "Wikipedia" entry for this book, look no further: I have found the backdoor link http://en.wikipedi...more
Many of you are having trouble finding the "Wikipedia" entry for this book, look no further: I have found the backdoor link http://en.wikipedi...more
I started off enjoying this twisted horror (almost goth) story of Joaquin and how he came to be a late night radio show host. I quickly felt, however, especially in the middle of the story, that Mr. Gout was "trying to hard" to emulate Stephen King in his genre. And it IS his genre....no one can do it as well. By the end I was just confused. I did like the characters and the beginning plot, but the end just made no sense whatsoever. Everything up until that point could have been in his head, ima...more
The characters in Ghost Radio are hip - really hip. Joaquin, the main
character, grew up in the early 90s punk scene. He meets his best
friend over a shared love of the Dead Kennedys. They even start their
own band, Los Deathmuertoz. (cool name, huh?)
I discovered the Ghost Radio website[..] has all of
these cool music and animation features, like playlists and videos. I
recommend this book for anyone who likes horror novels and ghost
stories, but you should also check out the website first to s...more
character, grew up in the early 90s punk scene. He meets his best
friend over a shared love of the Dead Kennedys. They even start their
own band, Los Deathmuertoz. (cool name, huh?)
I discovered the Ghost Radio website[..] has all of
these cool music and animation features, like playlists and videos. I
recommend this book for anyone who likes horror novels and ghost
stories, but you should also check out the website first to s...more
Sorry to you who like this book, it just "left me cold" (no play on words intended there). For one thing I just never really cared about the protagonist. I never got involved in the lives of the people involved and by the end it felt like this book is a long slow slog to nowhere.
Maybe the fact that I don't care for any type of "metal music" nor am I drawn to experimental music (auto crash sounds, or recordings of machine noises etc. as music).
As always for you who like it I'm happy for you, but...more
Maybe the fact that I don't care for any type of "metal music" nor am I drawn to experimental music (auto crash sounds, or recordings of machine noises etc. as music).
As always for you who like it I'm happy for you, but...more
I came across this in my library and the story sounded interesting and it started out pretty well. I enjoyed the short chapter style which kept the book rolling along until about 2/3 of the way through. It seemed like the author lost the thread of the story and it veered off into a confusing and hectic direction. The ending seemed rushed and incoherent and I still have no idea what the ending meant or why it ended as it did. It was one of those books that I was determined to finish but there was...more
Ghost Radio
By Leopoldo Gout
Joaquin is the host of a popular occult orientated radio show where people call in to relay their bizarre stories. Joaquin has experienced his own share of life altering events that have lead him to opening the radio show as a forum for people who need to share and hopefully be able to come to terms with what has happened to them. Everything is going exceptionally well for Joaquin he has even been given a job to broadcast in the states for the first time, but soon the...more
By Leopoldo Gout
Joaquin is the host of a popular occult orientated radio show where people call in to relay their bizarre stories. Joaquin has experienced his own share of life altering events that have lead him to opening the radio show as a forum for people who need to share and hopefully be able to come to terms with what has happened to them. Everything is going exceptionally well for Joaquin he has even been given a job to broadcast in the states for the first time, but soon the...more
This review will have a bit of a spoiler, so first let me say that I think this is worth a read if you like other-worldly tales. Children of the eighties will enjoy the references and this is the first book I’ve read that is built around a Dead Kennedy’s song.
Joaquin has a radio program in Mexico that he hosts along with his girlfriend, Alondra, a folklore professor and creator of underground art zines. The success of the Ghost radio program—several calls are included in the narrative outlinin...more
Joaquin has a radio program in Mexico that he hosts along with his girlfriend, Alondra, a folklore professor and creator of underground art zines. The success of the Ghost radio program—several calls are included in the narrative outlinin...more
Oct 15, 2008
Marcus Freeman
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Horror fans, thriller fans
Recommended to Marcus by:
the Amazon book Vine
I am just going to say, this is my review of the book, not my summary, there are summaries everywhere, read it on B&N.com or somewhere else on this page. But here is how I see this book. It was a good plot and it kept me thoroughly entertained what probably kept me entertained the most were the short stories. The illustrations were very interesting, as were all the references to underground stuff I have never heard of. (After I immediately lime-wired the Dead Kennedys.) I think Leopoldo Gout...more
Honest to God, there just aren't words for how bad this book was--the only reason I stuck with it was to see just how truly bad it could get. It was truly disappointing, as the two chapters that introduce the two boys and their parents had some real promise in setting up a spooking ghost story. I still have no idea what the ending meant. Read this if you want to laugh at truly awful writing.
What do radio waves, Toltecs, living nightmares, and two orphaned boys have in common? If you're intrigued by that question, you need to read 'Ghost Radio'. Leopoldo Gout's unconventional writing style will keep you riveted to the page. The writer also created the art that heads each chapter, poignant illustrations that help further the eerie feel of the story.
Joaquin is a radio talk show host, and on his popular program he converses with people who've had unexplainable encounters. Girlfriend Al...more
Joaquin is a radio talk show host, and on his popular program he converses with people who've had unexplainable encounters. Girlfriend Al...more
This book was soooo not worth the hard cover price! I am the first to say that I love a good "ghost" story/movie and have read/seen some good ones over the years. This, most definitely, was not one of them. The idea of the book was a good one-a radio broadcast host finds himself in an altered reality and being frequented by his dead friend Gabriel's "presence". The execution of the idea, however, left something to be desired. The hunt for a good ghost story continues.....
view 1 comment
This was a weird book and therefore kind of tough to review. The narration was very fragmented, constantly switching POVs and times...until it veered off into surreal, where it proceeded to change all other aspects of it. The entire second half or so of the book reads like a very bizarre dream. For all that, I thought the author did a very good job of describing something that may or may not be a descent into madness and he juggled realities expertly, albeit dizzingly. The characters were intere...more
Ghost Radio is an excellent horror fiction novel that deals with a twisting, surprising plot and enough scares to satisfy those that love a good ghost story. Radio DJ Joaquin, sidekick/girlfriend Alondra and Sound Man Watt deal with the growing success of their once cult show as well as ghost and demon visitors that have started to pop up with increasing frequency and scary consequences. The story takes root in Mexico, where death is less feared than it is in the United States, and ghosts have m...more
Ghost Radio is a very impressive debut by Leopold Gout.
Not exactly my type of book based on the blurb, but I opened it yesterday at a B&N and it just hooked me so I had to finish it before anything else.
Has some similarities with the superb Thirteen by S. Beaumont, though it falls somewhat flat at the end by trying to "explain" things that are best left to the reader's imagination.
Still a very compulsive read about Joaquin the host of a night time radio show in which listeners call in with t...more
Not exactly my type of book based on the blurb, but I opened it yesterday at a B&N and it just hooked me so I had to finish it before anything else.
Has some similarities with the superb Thirteen by S. Beaumont, though it falls somewhat flat at the end by trying to "explain" things that are best left to the reader's imagination.
Still a very compulsive read about Joaquin the host of a night time radio show in which listeners call in with t...more
This book had too many loose ends. The narrative shifted view points too often. Some of the imagery described during dream sequences had no apparent significance and seemed to be included only to up the weirdness factor. In my opinion a book like this needs to have its mythology thoroughly explained so that the ending is satisfying and seems to make sense. That didn't happen here.
TOLTECS!!! I think there should be a warning if a book contains a plot that is destroyed by the concept of Toltecs. Seriously, if I had been reading this book and not listening on cd, I would have thrown it.
I still give it two stars because it had some good subplots and was well written (minus the crappy Toltec add-in).
I still give it two stars because it had some good subplots and was well written (minus the crappy Toltec add-in).
Aug 11, 2011
Sage Streck
added it
I had high hopes for this book based on the reviews that I'd read, but I'm sorry to say I was very disappointed. It really lacked a central plot, and while the "chapters" of Joaquin's life and the snippets of radio calls certainly created a spooky tale, there was nothing to hold it all together.
this book would have been really good had it not gone back and forth between present and past... it was very confusing and several chapters i had to re read to figure out what character was speaking.
I liked the characters and they were well described but that dis jointed ness just pu the whole book "off.." Maybe the next one??
I liked the characters and they were well described but that dis jointed ness just pu the whole book "off.." Maybe the next one??
I came across this book at the library and was excited by the description of it being like Stephen King with a contemporary twist. The concept was compelling, and the writing got me through the book. However, I thought the story kind of fizzled. It was entertaining, but not a classic.
This is an atmospheric story that had an interesting premise, but it went downhill fast after the first two hundred pages. When I realized that I'd been skimming for at least two chapters, I decided not to bother finishing it.
I found the heavy indie music references kind of obnoxious, like I tend to when books name-drop bands - especially more than in passing. It's too often like an attempted shortcut to characterization. But I need more from protagonists than "hey, these guys are majorly cool,...more
I found the heavy indie music references kind of obnoxious, like I tend to when books name-drop bands - especially more than in passing. It's too often like an attempted shortcut to characterization. But I need more from protagonists than "hey, these guys are majorly cool,...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumnal or Fall Equinox Challenge 2012 | 1 | 1 | Sep 14, 2012 12:13am | |
| Plot idea - Spoilers | 1 | 1 | Oct 24, 2011 10:49am |
Leopoldo Gout is a film producer, film director, graphic novelist, writer, and composer. He is the author of the novel Ghost Radio and is executive producer of the animated film Little Spirit: Christmas in New York, with NBC and Curious Pictures.
Leopoldo Gout was born in Mexico City, Mexico and studied contemporary art at Central Saint Martins School of the Arts in London. In 1996, Leopoldo founde...more
More about Leopoldo Gout...
Leopoldo Gout was born in Mexico City, Mexico and studied contemporary art at Central Saint Martins School of the Arts in London. In 1996, Leopoldo founde...more
Share This Book
1 trivia question
More quizzes & trivia...
