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The Dead Man #1-3
The Dead Man Volume 1: Face of Evil, Ring of Knives, Hell in Heaven
Three stories of unspeakable evil make up The Dead Man Volume 1 , an action adventure collection full of dark humor, surprising twists, and supernatural Matthew Cahill, dead and buried in an avalanche, wakes up in a morgue three months later in Face of Evil . But now he sees things no one else can and when his friend goes on a killing spree, he realizes the evil Mr. Dark has a plan for him. In search of Mr. Dark, Matt finds himself in Heaven, Washington, a tiny hamlet in the Cascade Mountains embroiled in a four-family blood feud in Hell in Heaven . Only Matt can stop the bloodshed, but even he is going to have a hard time figuring out why Mr. Dark brought him here. Matt believes a madman may hold the key to defeating Mr. Dark and his rotting touch. To find him, Matt must infiltrate a lunatic asylum in Ring of Knives ―and his only chance of escaping alive is to face the unspeakable terror deep in the asylum’s woods.
323 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2012
About the author
Lee Goldberg
139 books2,222 followersLee Goldberg is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over forty novels, including Malibu Burning, Calico, Lost Hills (the first novel in his acclaimed "Eve Ronin" series), 15 "Monk" mysteries, five "Fox & O'Hare" adventures (co-written with Janet Evanovich), and the new thriller Ashes Never Lie, the second in his "Sharpe & Walker" series.. He's written and/or produced many TV shows, including Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, and Monk and he co-created the Hallmark movie series Mystery 101.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 15, 2015
I went into this unsure what to expect, but honestly there was no way I could have expected this anyway. It's hard to explain, but I'll try.
At it's heart it's a horror story. The main character is "killed" in an avalanche, but after being frozen for three months, he comes back to life. Unfortunately, while he was "dead", something latched onto him. When he was revived, the supernatural entity was brought back into the world along with him.
The character is still evolving in this one since it's the first book of the series, but he seems to have super powers of some sort. Nothing too drastic, maybe a little tougher, stronger, faster and with better healing. But this is really just touched on here, and I have feeling we see more of it as the series progresses.
In regards to this volume specfically, we get to see his origin. Then he begins a quest to understand more of what's happening to him. This quest leads him to a haunted insane asylum as well as a town of feuding, bloodthirsty hillbillies.
I thought the sex in the story was out of place, and perhaps a little more graphic than needed. The language is crude as well, but the novel's not loaded with sex or profanity, so thankfully it's not a major flaw.
Overall I really enjoyed this, and I'll definitely be continuing with the series. The way it's being written leaves a ton of potential for different types of stories, and the main villain is very creepy. Actually, a lot about the novel is creepy, which makes for a great atmosphere.
As stated earlier, it's hard to determine exactly what genre I'd call this. If you like your horror with some action, check this one out for sure.
At it's heart it's a horror story. The main character is "killed" in an avalanche, but after being frozen for three months, he comes back to life. Unfortunately, while he was "dead", something latched onto him. When he was revived, the supernatural entity was brought back into the world along with him.
The character is still evolving in this one since it's the first book of the series, but he seems to have super powers of some sort. Nothing too drastic, maybe a little tougher, stronger, faster and with better healing. But this is really just touched on here, and I have feeling we see more of it as the series progresses.
In regards to this volume specfically, we get to see his origin. Then he begins a quest to understand more of what's happening to him. This quest leads him to a haunted insane asylum as well as a town of feuding, bloodthirsty hillbillies.
I thought the sex in the story was out of place, and perhaps a little more graphic than needed. The language is crude as well, but the novel's not loaded with sex or profanity, so thankfully it's not a major flaw.
Overall I really enjoyed this, and I'll definitely be continuing with the series. The way it's being written leaves a ton of potential for different types of stories, and the main villain is very creepy. Actually, a lot about the novel is creepy, which makes for a great atmosphere.
As stated earlier, it's hard to determine exactly what genre I'd call this. If you like your horror with some action, check this one out for sure.
October 9, 2018
Kinda like a hero story except twisted and funny
This is definitely horror and I think that the authors of the three stories did a really good job in forming their MC Matt. We don’t know exactly what happened after the avalanche but good and evil are very vague and I can tell that Matt is trying to do the right thing in a horrible f’ed up world which is similar to ours and that’s the real horror.. especially the blood feud in the last story! I love that horror, gore, morals, magic, mythical and funny is all mixed up into a very unique reading pleasure for any horror fan! It’s something new! I’m excited to read more about Matt and his trials as he travels or is summoned across the land!
This is definitely horror and I think that the authors of the three stories did a really good job in forming their MC Matt. We don’t know exactly what happened after the avalanche but good and evil are very vague and I can tell that Matt is trying to do the right thing in a horrible f’ed up world which is similar to ours and that’s the real horror.. especially the blood feud in the last story! I love that horror, gore, morals, magic, mythical and funny is all mixed up into a very unique reading pleasure for any horror fan! It’s something new! I’m excited to read more about Matt and his trials as he travels or is summoned across the land!
April 24, 2018
"The Search For Mr. Dark"
In this second book of the series, Matt Cahill is searching for answers as to who he is, what he's become, and to engage an epic battle to save all from the clutches of evil, Mr. Dark. He seeks the evil man in a lunatic asylum, fearful he'll become mad himself. There's unspeakable terror in this short story as Matt ventures into the Ring of Knives. Scary, but addicting story. Very well written with engaging characters. You'll enjoy reading book 2 and then you'll have to move on to book 3, "Hell In Heaven.
In this second book of the series, Matt Cahill is searching for answers as to who he is, what he's become, and to engage an epic battle to save all from the clutches of evil, Mr. Dark. He seeks the evil man in a lunatic asylum, fearful he'll become mad himself. There's unspeakable terror in this short story as Matt ventures into the Ring of Knives. Scary, but addicting story. Very well written with engaging characters. You'll enjoy reading book 2 and then you'll have to move on to book 3, "Hell In Heaven.
March 12, 2023
Very Different & imaginative
This was a very odd book. The way it started I thought it was going to be a more inspirational type of book with protagonist helping people he encountered. Although some of this is true It is still very gruesome and bizarre throughout the book. I hadn’t read the introduction so I was quite surprised to see where it lead. I found it disturbing and was going to stop reading it but it’s one of them books that you just can’t seem to put down. I think it was well done and narrated well in spite of its strange imaginative content.
This was a very odd book. The way it started I thought it was going to be a more inspirational type of book with protagonist helping people he encountered. Although some of this is true It is still very gruesome and bizarre throughout the book. I hadn’t read the introduction so I was quite surprised to see where it lead. I found it disturbing and was going to stop reading it but it’s one of them books that you just can’t seem to put down. I think it was well done and narrated well in spite of its strange imaginative content.
February 19, 2020
Good series. Wasn't too sure at first, but liked it.
Pretty gory in parts and definitely scifi, a little different then I'm used to, but good. Plan to proceed to the next book in the series.
Recommended for anyone who likes gory action/thrillers with fantastical heroes (and even some that don't care for those characteristics, it's good writing).
Pretty gory in parts and definitely scifi, a little different then I'm used to, but good. Plan to proceed to the next book in the series.
Recommended for anyone who likes gory action/thrillers with fantastical heroes (and even some that don't care for those characteristics, it's good writing).
July 8, 2020
Matthew Cahill died, but somehow has come back to life. Is this the second chance all it seems? Not by a long shot, he maybe back, but he now see's people differently and it is not a pleasant experience!! Good set of boots, as Matt tries to defeat evil and hopefully find out why he came back.
July 24, 2022
interesting
This is a very interesting plot that these authors have going on here I liked Matt he was annoying in his thinking process though but it’s very interesting and I will definitely be reading volume 2
This is a very interesting plot that these authors have going on here I liked Matt he was annoying in his thinking process though but it’s very interesting and I will definitely be reading volume 2
November 5, 2018
Heady
Still contemplating this good time to read around Halloween. I guess this wasn't what I expected if was very well written to keep you wondering what was coming next.
Still contemplating this good time to read around Halloween. I guess this wasn't what I expected if was very well written to keep you wondering what was coming next.
January 24, 2020
Wonderful
This book was so good, I didn't want to take the time to review it, I just wanted to jump right into the next one.
This book was so good, I didn't want to take the time to review it, I just wanted to jump right into the next one.
July 14, 2020
Uninteresting stories for my tastes
June 23, 2026
The first part of the story was great, but it soon thereafter unraveled and became very disjointed.
November 24, 2016
The Dead Man is an interesting new urban fantasy/supernatural horror series starring, well, a dead guy. Matt Cahill died in an avalanche only to wake up three months later, apparently unscathed but with a new gift - or curse - to see the evil infesting seemingly random people. This leads him to an early confrontation with the mysterious and very evil Mr. Dark, and puts Matt on a path to discover all he can about his foe and prevent him from causing more deaths. Aside from the interesting premise, The Dead Man series is also noteworthy for being essentially a serialized tale told by different authors instead of a series of full length novels. Each author - Lee Goldberg, James Daniels and William Rabkin in this case - offers a short "episode" in Matt's quest.
The first story - Face of Evil - is essentially the origin story. We meet the main character Matt Cahill and find out a little about what makes him tick. And then he dies, and the fun really begins. Face of Evil lays the groundwork for future stories, introducing Mr. Dark and pushing Matt into the world of the supernatural. It's a fun story, and more than does the job of hooking readers on the series.
The second story - Ring of Knives - finds Matt on the road in search of a mental patient who had experienced "symptoms" similar to his own. Matt quickly discovers that this backwoods asylum is completely out of control, and once the Midnight Shift comes on duty, things get decidedly more twisted. This is the weakest of the three stories, but it does have some interesting imagery, a strong Lovecraft influence, and throws Matt (and the readers) a few hints as to just who Mr. Dark is and what lies ahead.
The final story in this collection is Hell in Heaven, a strange little Romeo and Juliet meets Twilight Zone tale that puts Matt in the middle of a centuries-long feud between families in a VERY isolated small town. It's got blood and monsters galore, and does the job of closing the first book while leaving readers wanting more.
I was very pleased by the first Dead Man collection and will definitely be on board for future installments. Assuming the various authors can maintain a cohesive "voice" and keep moving the story forward, this has the potential to be one of the better urban fantasy/horror sagas on the market.
The first story - Face of Evil - is essentially the origin story. We meet the main character Matt Cahill and find out a little about what makes him tick. And then he dies, and the fun really begins. Face of Evil lays the groundwork for future stories, introducing Mr. Dark and pushing Matt into the world of the supernatural. It's a fun story, and more than does the job of hooking readers on the series.
The second story - Ring of Knives - finds Matt on the road in search of a mental patient who had experienced "symptoms" similar to his own. Matt quickly discovers that this backwoods asylum is completely out of control, and once the Midnight Shift comes on duty, things get decidedly more twisted. This is the weakest of the three stories, but it does have some interesting imagery, a strong Lovecraft influence, and throws Matt (and the readers) a few hints as to just who Mr. Dark is and what lies ahead.
The final story in this collection is Hell in Heaven, a strange little Romeo and Juliet meets Twilight Zone tale that puts Matt in the middle of a centuries-long feud between families in a VERY isolated small town. It's got blood and monsters galore, and does the job of closing the first book while leaving readers wanting more.
I was very pleased by the first Dead Man collection and will definitely be on board for future installments. Assuming the various authors can maintain a cohesive "voice" and keep moving the story forward, this has the potential to be one of the better urban fantasy/horror sagas on the market.
July 2, 2012
My official rating for this would be a solid 3.5, but since we can't give half ratings here on Amazon I'm rounding this up to a 4 since there was more I liked than what I disliked.
I really liked the idea of this series, that of a wandering man (Matt) that is cursed with the ability to see the evil touch of a man he knows only as "Mr. Dark". Matt is also saddled with the obligation of trying to hunt Mr. Dark down and stop whatever it is that he's trying to do. It's a good idea and would make for an interesting TV series, which makes sense when you consider that most of the writers here have experience with books for TV series. The short length of the stories mostly works in favor of the stories, as much of the plot here probably wouldn't be able to be drawn out into full novel format without sacrificing at least one of the three plots here.
Where the short length tends to harm the volume is that we're never really given that good of a look into anything so far. I understand that this is an ongoing series, but I felt like I never got that deep of a look into Matt's character. He just sort of starts in on this journey. Towards the end of the third book I felt like the story dragged a little, as well.
Overall though, this was a pretty entertaining and quick read. There's a lot of promise here and for the most part it was fun to read. It's not particularly deep fare, but then not everything actually has to be. Part of what makes The Dead Man so charming is that it never tries to pretend that it's anything other than it is: a series of pulp novels. This isn't a series that I'm going to rush out and buy right this second, but if I come across the second volume in my travels I'll probably give it a shot.
(ARC provided by Amazon Vine)
I really liked the idea of this series, that of a wandering man (Matt) that is cursed with the ability to see the evil touch of a man he knows only as "Mr. Dark". Matt is also saddled with the obligation of trying to hunt Mr. Dark down and stop whatever it is that he's trying to do. It's a good idea and would make for an interesting TV series, which makes sense when you consider that most of the writers here have experience with books for TV series. The short length of the stories mostly works in favor of the stories, as much of the plot here probably wouldn't be able to be drawn out into full novel format without sacrificing at least one of the three plots here.
Where the short length tends to harm the volume is that we're never really given that good of a look into anything so far. I understand that this is an ongoing series, but I felt like I never got that deep of a look into Matt's character. He just sort of starts in on this journey. Towards the end of the third book I felt like the story dragged a little, as well.
Overall though, this was a pretty entertaining and quick read. There's a lot of promise here and for the most part it was fun to read. It's not particularly deep fare, but then not everything actually has to be. Part of what makes The Dead Man so charming is that it never tries to pretend that it's anything other than it is: a series of pulp novels. This isn't a series that I'm going to rush out and buy right this second, but if I come across the second volume in my travels I'll probably give it a shot.
(ARC provided by Amazon Vine)
October 18, 2013
Lee Goldberg has written two very funny, witty and wonderful novels I really like: My Gun Has Bullets and the sequel-of-sorts (Star Trek-parody-of-sorts) Dead Space (previously published as "Beyond the Beyond"), so I was quick to click Amazon's 'Send sample now'-button and started reading immediately.
The darkly funny opening scene of The Dead Man Vol 1 (Face of Evil, Ring of Knives, Heaven In Hell): 1-3 (Dead Man Series) reminded me of the two so-called Charlie Willis-novels and assisted by the £1 price tag I jumped on the 'Buy now with 1 click-button'.
Too quick it turned out ... much too quick.
Goldberg also wrote a lot of work-for-hire TV spin-offs (Monk, Diagnosis Murder etc.) and the three 'Dead Man'-novellas I had just wasted a pound on also have three authors listed - for a reason.
Now, if someone likes genuine horror (specifically disgusting gory horror) combined with 'action man'-adventure complete with motorbikes, chopping wood bare-chested first thing in the morning, hand-to-hand combat and some steamy sex), I suppose he will like these short novels.
I really, really don't. I struggled through the first two novellas but could not bring myself to finish the third.
And I'm sad to say that despite his large output, I have yet to find a third Lee Goldberg-novel to treasure.
The darkly funny opening scene of The Dead Man Vol 1 (Face of Evil, Ring of Knives, Heaven In Hell): 1-3 (Dead Man Series) reminded me of the two so-called Charlie Willis-novels and assisted by the £1 price tag I jumped on the 'Buy now with 1 click-button'.
Too quick it turned out ... much too quick.
Goldberg also wrote a lot of work-for-hire TV spin-offs (Monk, Diagnosis Murder etc.) and the three 'Dead Man'-novellas I had just wasted a pound on also have three authors listed - for a reason.
Now, if someone likes genuine horror (specifically disgusting gory horror) combined with 'action man'-adventure complete with motorbikes, chopping wood bare-chested first thing in the morning, hand-to-hand combat and some steamy sex), I suppose he will like these short novels.
I really, really don't. I struggled through the first two novellas but could not bring myself to finish the third.
And I'm sad to say that despite his large output, I have yet to find a third Lee Goldberg-novel to treasure.
September 27, 2013
That was wild. Most of the negative critics of this tome cite its unbearably slow beginning and they might not be wrong. Except that...except that when it starts, it's pedal to the metal from cover to cover.
FACES OF DEATH, the first tome is the least interesting of the three stories, but RING OF KNIVES and HELL IN HEAVEN portray the moral underworld of damned souls with a power that not many horror stories can handle. I mean, it gets splattery at times (more than it needs to be), but it's a fun, fast-paced, bizarre, alternate reality adventure-horror story.
THE DEAD MAN has a great sense of pace, a flair for dramatic and a take-no-prisoners approach to the fun stuff. Consider me a fan.
FACES OF DEATH, the first tome is the least interesting of the three stories, but RING OF KNIVES and HELL IN HEAVEN portray the moral underworld of damned souls with a power that not many horror stories can handle. I mean, it gets splattery at times (more than it needs to be), but it's a fun, fast-paced, bizarre, alternate reality adventure-horror story.
THE DEAD MAN has a great sense of pace, a flair for dramatic and a take-no-prisoners approach to the fun stuff. Consider me a fan.
September 11, 2014
I'm glad I listened to the audio version of this as opposed to sitting down and reading it. I read the first sentence of the book and immediately put it down. I decided to give it another try in the audio version while working out at the gym. I like the plot in the book, but I feel that the writer is crude and a little repetitive. I was also expecting it to be a bit longer. Maybe the next volumes are, but I'm glad I didn't pay much for it with how short it was. All in all I plan to try out the next volume, if I get the same experience, I probably won't read anymore.
January 27, 2013
I gave the entire book 2 stars, but to be specific I would give part one a 3.5, part two a 3, and then part three only a 1. I really just wanted the final section to be over, it made very little sense to me in relation to the first two parts. In short this book starts with promise and then goes downhill, culminating in overly violent nonsense.
February 7, 2014
A collection of the first three books in the Dead Man series, an attempt to revive the moribund Men's Adventure genre.
A man is buried in an avalanche for three months. He should be dead, but he is revived with the power to see supernatural beings. He goes off to fight the evil.
Fairly good, but not for the squeamish.
A man is buried in an avalanche for three months. He should be dead, but he is revived with the power to see supernatural beings. He goes off to fight the evil.
Fairly good, but not for the squeamish.
September 23, 2012
This is actually a set of books where each one is written by more than one author with the idea being that one is better at mystery, another with suspence, etc. I have the first five books and have read the first three.
January 16, 2013
Would give it 4.5 stars if I could, but felt it was better than 4, so I rounded up. The first story kind of shambled along but then the second and third stories really took off. Absolutely fun read. Action, horror, dark humor, well blended.
March 4, 2013
Some creative use of the primary premise, and potential for some interesting stories. Almost as if it were a TV series in the making - but not (yet) a complete, cohesive story. Lots of loose ends at this point.
I think I'll read the next set of stories, at least.
I think I'll read the next set of stories, at least.
February 25, 2013
First of the three novels is the strongest. I can see what they're going for, a pulp horror (or maybe more of a 4 color fear style) but it's a bit too modern to really work as that. Decent enough popcorn horror. Feels a bit like a pitch for an HBO version of Supernatural.
July 14, 2015
This is entertaining, but the story does not hold enough interest for me to continue. It's a long serial, so if you're interested in graphic novels of this nature go for it--- the stories are a fast read.
December 29, 2014
Not meant to be taken too seriously, but somehow I made it through the first volume and actually used my next month's Amazon prime kindle borrow on volume two. One of those books that is terrible but I somehow still enjoy, lol.
February 10, 2012
Review can be seen here:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3E52PYW...
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3E52PYW...
September 15, 2012
Excellent horror series.
October 9, 2012
As this is an omnibus edition, please see my review of the individual books, posted seperately.
December 26, 2012
Great concept but it got a little too violent for my taste.
March 7, 2013
It took me about 3 or 4 tries before I could continue on into the book. The story was really dragged out. It had its funny then not o funny moments. I'm glad I got this at a used book store.
May 7, 2013
The books were great, was kind of hoping to get more of a definition of what or who Mr. Dark is meant represent. Now just have to find the rest of them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews