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Morningstar
Unable to resist covering San Francisco's most recent string of grisly murders--twenty victims in all--freelance journalist Donovan Moon investigates and discovers that, although the murderer is guilty of inhuman crimes, his victims are hardly innocent
287 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1976
3 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Peter Atkins
78 books30 followersPETER ATKINS is the author of the novels Morningstar, Big Thunder, and Moontown and the screenplays Hellraiser II, Hellraiser III, Hellraiser IV, and Wishmaster. His short fiction has appeared in several award-winning anthologies and has been selected eight times for one or more of the various 'Year's Best' anthologies. His collection, Rumors of the Marvelous, was a finalist for the British Fantasy Award, and his new collection, All Our Hearts are Ghosts & Other Stories, will be published next year. He blogs at peteratkins.blogspot.com and can be found on Facebook under his own name and on Twitter and Instagram as @limeybastard55.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 29, 2014
This was one of those books I never even remember buying. Sometime I like to jut walk into a charity store and choose any random book. Basically, it's like choosing from a lucky dip. More often than not, you will land with something disappointing, if not outright infuriating. But sometimes, it must be said, acts of such randomness can pay off very well. Luckily for me, this has happened several times. I chose, randomly, several books that I ended up more than enjoying. Some of these were Still Life by Joe Donnelly; Ghost Beyond Earth by G.M. Hague; and The Well by Elizabeth Jolley. Fortunately, this was definite another one of those.
Despite a surprisingly negative reaction from most people on Goodreads, I was overly impressed with Peter Atkins' writing. Even putting aside the fact that this was his debut, the way he writes is refreshingly creative and precise. Though the larger part of this story was set in modern San Francisco, he writes with an eloquence not too far from the likes of M.R. James and Wilkie Collins. Especially the section that centred around Frost's first vampire encounter in North Wales (easily the strongest part of the novel), it almost felt like I was reading another flawless shot story from one of those Gothic legends. But even the modern-day vampire tale is raised to a higher level thanks to Atkins' talent in bringing his characters to life, through the use of many subtle nuances and specific oddities or observations that many ultramodern writers simply wouldn't bother with, if they even knew how. Though the concept of a new-age Van Helsing slaying people he claims are vampires isn't the most original idea ever conceived, Atkins makes it his own by taking his time in expressing his characters, even exploring them morally in ways that I could only admire for their originality and subtle truths. Such as how Shelley recalls being disturbed and guilt-ridden after a killing a wasp that gets into her apartment.
I also think the sexual tension felt between Frost and his cousin could not have been handled much better by any other, more respited author.
If i'm being honest, this book did lose it's focus quite a lot during the second half. Instead of sticking to and building on the characters and story he so well established in the beginning, he strangely decided to flit around various other stories that really didn't need to happen (not that they were bad; just not all that necessary).
It shames me to say that I almost hated the last forty pages (not including the epilogue, which was much better), because at this point, it felt like Atkins was rushing to finish the book, and so the climax feels terrible glued-on, and totally lacks the finesse that and effort that made the first so entertaining. By the time I had read the first hundred pages, I was almost convinced that I was reading a five-star story. However, the book didn't quite reach high after my favourite section was over. But it still rolled along at an easy and deserving four stars. Right until the end, that is ... from which I came dangerously close to giving it the broad but mostly average rating of three stars.
In the end, however, I just couldn't myself to do it. I suppose that overall this does have some flaws, but they are fortunately late in arriving, and the good parts are just too good to hold the weaker points against it.
I'm not a fan of vampires, generally speaking. But in my opinion, Morningstar (the book I chose at random and had sitting on my shelf for over three years in indifferent obscurity) proved itself to be one hell of a book. And after Dracula and Salem's Lot, I would say it was the best vampire book that i have read.
Despite a surprisingly negative reaction from most people on Goodreads, I was overly impressed with Peter Atkins' writing. Even putting aside the fact that this was his debut, the way he writes is refreshingly creative and precise. Though the larger part of this story was set in modern San Francisco, he writes with an eloquence not too far from the likes of M.R. James and Wilkie Collins. Especially the section that centred around Frost's first vampire encounter in North Wales (easily the strongest part of the novel), it almost felt like I was reading another flawless shot story from one of those Gothic legends. But even the modern-day vampire tale is raised to a higher level thanks to Atkins' talent in bringing his characters to life, through the use of many subtle nuances and specific oddities or observations that many ultramodern writers simply wouldn't bother with, if they even knew how. Though the concept of a new-age Van Helsing slaying people he claims are vampires isn't the most original idea ever conceived, Atkins makes it his own by taking his time in expressing his characters, even exploring them morally in ways that I could only admire for their originality and subtle truths. Such as how Shelley recalls being disturbed and guilt-ridden after a killing a wasp that gets into her apartment.
I also think the sexual tension felt between Frost and his cousin could not have been handled much better by any other, more respited author.
If i'm being honest, this book did lose it's focus quite a lot during the second half. Instead of sticking to and building on the characters and story he so well established in the beginning, he strangely decided to flit around various other stories that really didn't need to happen (not that they were bad; just not all that necessary).
It shames me to say that I almost hated the last forty pages (not including the epilogue, which was much better), because at this point, it felt like Atkins was rushing to finish the book, and so the climax feels terrible glued-on, and totally lacks the finesse that and effort that made the first so entertaining. By the time I had read the first hundred pages, I was almost convinced that I was reading a five-star story. However, the book didn't quite reach high after my favourite section was over. But it still rolled along at an easy and deserving four stars. Right until the end, that is ... from which I came dangerously close to giving it the broad but mostly average rating of three stars.
In the end, however, I just couldn't myself to do it. I suppose that overall this does have some flaws, but they are fortunately late in arriving, and the good parts are just too good to hold the weaker points against it.
I'm not a fan of vampires, generally speaking. But in my opinion, Morningstar (the book I chose at random and had sitting on my shelf for over three years in indifferent obscurity) proved itself to be one hell of a book. And after Dracula and Salem's Lot, I would say it was the best vampire book that i have read.
December 22, 2016
I can't believe that the screenwriter behind such straight-forward, entertainingly trashy B-grade classics as Hellraiser III and Wishmaster could put out this sort of boring, wanky nonsense! It felt more like a bunch of short stories combined to create some loosely connected story. One of those "interludes" (wanker alert!) was basically a 17 page dream sequence. I hate dream sequences! Unless your story is about dreams, or dreams figure in the plot in a significant way, why are you writing about them?!? You're just padding out the word count!
Sorry, got sidetracked.
Boring, floridly written and not scary!
Sorry, got sidetracked.
Boring, floridly written and not scary!
February 14, 2025
3.5 stars
This very much fits into the tail end of the Paperbooks from Hell concept that groups horror novels from the 1970s to early 1990s into a category. Of course, the books have to meet criteria to be part of this category, and I think this book ticks those boxes. Dark humour, over the top plot, and some extreme horror scenes.
My reading mind breaks this book into sections of excellence. The writing style remains consistent and high quality for the entire book. Peter Atkins is a great horror author. What isn't consistent is the story itself. The first half or so is brilliant. I found the story behind the killer in this book to be engaging and well layered. It gives the killer a layer of morality as well, that is definitely an odd concept, but we do have a killer who is convinced his actions are for the greater good. But, the books then focuses on other elements, because the author wanted to question the killer - for the reader to also question his actions. Personally, I didn't think that was executed with a great story idea. But like I said, the writing style is still great, it's the plot elements I have issues with.
But I did enjoy a different take on vampire horror. And I don't regret this read at all. If you are a fan of this type of horror, I'd recommend this.
This very much fits into the tail end of the Paperbooks from Hell concept that groups horror novels from the 1970s to early 1990s into a category. Of course, the books have to meet criteria to be part of this category, and I think this book ticks those boxes. Dark humour, over the top plot, and some extreme horror scenes.
My reading mind breaks this book into sections of excellence. The writing style remains consistent and high quality for the entire book. Peter Atkins is a great horror author. What isn't consistent is the story itself. The first half or so is brilliant. I found the story behind the killer in this book to be engaging and well layered. It gives the killer a layer of morality as well, that is definitely an odd concept, but we do have a killer who is convinced his actions are for the greater good. But, the books then focuses on other elements, because the author wanted to question the killer - for the reader to also question his actions. Personally, I didn't think that was executed with a great story idea. But like I said, the writing style is still great, it's the plot elements I have issues with.
But I did enjoy a different take on vampire horror. And I don't regret this read at all. If you are a fan of this type of horror, I'd recommend this.
May 14, 2022
An unusual vampire story plagued by purple prose and resolved with a Deus ex machina.
I think this could have been quite good if it wasn't so overwritten. Nothing is ever just black - it's black as pitch, black as midnight, black as obsidian, black as the quintessence of darkness itself, as though every shadow ever spawned had congealed to personify darkness incarnate!
The whole book is pretty much like that, which makes it kind of exhausting, and when something cool and interesting does happen, something which perhaps deserves that amount of detail and emphasis, there's nothing to make it stand out from the turgid sludge.
I think this could have been quite good if it wasn't so overwritten. Nothing is ever just black - it's black as pitch, black as midnight, black as obsidian, black as the quintessence of darkness itself, as though every shadow ever spawned had congealed to personify darkness incarnate!
The whole book is pretty much like that, which makes it kind of exhausting, and when something cool and interesting does happen, something which perhaps deserves that amount of detail and emphasis, there's nothing to make it stand out from the turgid sludge.
May 14, 2015
It's hard to believe that Peter Atkins' MORNINGSTAR is already twenty years old. This novel has long been one of those that I keep on my shelf, surviving my periodic library purgings, to emerge as a treat to re-read every few years.
To share a mildly amusing anecdote, I have known Peter for some time, having met him at some book signing or other. However, I knew him only as the screenwriter of some of the HELLRAISER and WISHMASTER films. Until recently, I never made the connection between the Peter Atkins I knew and the author of MORNINGSTAR. When I did, I became an instant fan-boy and, I suspect, embarrassed Peter with my gushing.
The point of this story is merely that it prompted me to re-read the novel after a five-plus year hiatus. I found myself enamored anew.
I won't reiterate the plot of the novel except to say that, while it is fairly pedestrian by today's standards, I remember it as being delightfully fresh and innovative when I first read the book back in the 1990s. At the time, I was heavily into vampire fiction and I remember being mildly disappointed that MORNINGSTAR was not the vampire novel that I expected. But, once I left my preconceived vampire "baggage" behind, I discovered a truly awesome read.
Awesome. Yes, MORNINGSTAR is, indeed, an awesome book, not in the sense that a Valley Girl or Surfer Dude uses the word, but in it's original meaning -- inspiring awe. Atkins' command of language is mind-boggling. His prose is gorgeous. However, unlike other equally brilliant authors who show consummate mastery of the written word, authors like Maria Alexander or David Thomas Lord, Atkins manages to create the same beauty with a much simpler and less sophisticated palette.
His ability to create simple and stunningly beautiful "moments" is, I believe, unmatched. Yet, nothing Atkins writes is merely for show; every scene, every moment purposefully reveals something of character, story or ambiance. Quite simply, his words are a joy to read.
Not that MORNINGSTAR is a perfect work -- far from it. It vacillates between a horror story and a semi-science fiction novel. It contains a very lengthy and digressive exposition which, while it explains a main character's motivations, slows the thrust of the novel's story considerably. It introduces a gay main character who, to be frank, seems to have so little identity as a gay man that Atkins' decision to make him homosexual seems contrived for no reason.
Yet, for this reader, most of those defects are unimportant. Something about the way Atkins writes catches you up and carries you along with a kind of effortless grace. The story, in many ways, sneaks up on you. It's not particularly suspenseful but, nonetheless, it holds your attention and keeps you intrigued. And, if you are slightly disappointed at the end of the book, perhaps it is because, like me, you wanted to know more about these characters and these situations, and further explore the world Atkins has created.
But, tantalizingly, the author does not wrap his ending in a tidy parcel with neatly tied ribbons and pristine bows. Atkins refuses to explain; he merely sets out a bowl of unidentifiable but delicious fruit and requires the reader to figure out what kind it is.
And above all, there is the prose! Countless delightful tidbits, metaphor and simile which is so very subtle, one does not even realize at first that it is there. Flashes of wickedly sharp humor, tiny morsels of social satire, incisive observations of human behavior and the so-called Human Condition, rendered so smoothly and un-ostentatiously that many readers may simply gloss over them.
And it is in these little gems that Atkins' voice as an author comes through -- quietly, intelligently and, again, delightfully.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I believe it is only the simplicity of the tale and it's lack of a more "global" scope that prevent it from being considered a modern horror classic.
To share a mildly amusing anecdote, I have known Peter for some time, having met him at some book signing or other. However, I knew him only as the screenwriter of some of the HELLRAISER and WISHMASTER films. Until recently, I never made the connection between the Peter Atkins I knew and the author of MORNINGSTAR. When I did, I became an instant fan-boy and, I suspect, embarrassed Peter with my gushing.
The point of this story is merely that it prompted me to re-read the novel after a five-plus year hiatus. I found myself enamored anew.
I won't reiterate the plot of the novel except to say that, while it is fairly pedestrian by today's standards, I remember it as being delightfully fresh and innovative when I first read the book back in the 1990s. At the time, I was heavily into vampire fiction and I remember being mildly disappointed that MORNINGSTAR was not the vampire novel that I expected. But, once I left my preconceived vampire "baggage" behind, I discovered a truly awesome read.
Awesome. Yes, MORNINGSTAR is, indeed, an awesome book, not in the sense that a Valley Girl or Surfer Dude uses the word, but in it's original meaning -- inspiring awe. Atkins' command of language is mind-boggling. His prose is gorgeous. However, unlike other equally brilliant authors who show consummate mastery of the written word, authors like Maria Alexander or David Thomas Lord, Atkins manages to create the same beauty with a much simpler and less sophisticated palette.
His ability to create simple and stunningly beautiful "moments" is, I believe, unmatched. Yet, nothing Atkins writes is merely for show; every scene, every moment purposefully reveals something of character, story or ambiance. Quite simply, his words are a joy to read.
Not that MORNINGSTAR is a perfect work -- far from it. It vacillates between a horror story and a semi-science fiction novel. It contains a very lengthy and digressive exposition which, while it explains a main character's motivations, slows the thrust of the novel's story considerably. It introduces a gay main character who, to be frank, seems to have so little identity as a gay man that Atkins' decision to make him homosexual seems contrived for no reason.
Yet, for this reader, most of those defects are unimportant. Something about the way Atkins writes catches you up and carries you along with a kind of effortless grace. The story, in many ways, sneaks up on you. It's not particularly suspenseful but, nonetheless, it holds your attention and keeps you intrigued. And, if you are slightly disappointed at the end of the book, perhaps it is because, like me, you wanted to know more about these characters and these situations, and further explore the world Atkins has created.
But, tantalizingly, the author does not wrap his ending in a tidy parcel with neatly tied ribbons and pristine bows. Atkins refuses to explain; he merely sets out a bowl of unidentifiable but delicious fruit and requires the reader to figure out what kind it is.
And above all, there is the prose! Countless delightful tidbits, metaphor and simile which is so very subtle, one does not even realize at first that it is there. Flashes of wickedly sharp humor, tiny morsels of social satire, incisive observations of human behavior and the so-called Human Condition, rendered so smoothly and un-ostentatiously that many readers may simply gloss over them.
And it is in these little gems that Atkins' voice as an author comes through -- quietly, intelligently and, again, delightfully.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I believe it is only the simplicity of the tale and it's lack of a more "global" scope that prevent it from being considered a modern horror classic.
April 8, 2013
I think it's been over fifteen years since I read this book, but it's one of those books that is so bad I still remember it.
I wish I didn't.
It's not scary. It's not sexy. It's not funny. It's not interesting. It's not worth reading.
I wish I didn't.
It's not scary. It's not sexy. It's not funny. It's not interesting. It's not worth reading.
February 8, 2022
Summer in San Francisco and a vicious serial killer, who signs the name ‘Morningstar’ in the blood of each victim at every crime site, is terrorising the city. Donovan Moon, a freelance journalist, receives a call from real estate developer Jonathan Frost, who not only claims to be the killer but also says he’s ridding society of vampires. He offers Moon $50k to write his life story if he dies. At the same time, Shelley Masterton keeps having dreams about her friend Chris, another of Morningstar’s victims, who has a plan to get her revenge from beyond the grave.
First published in 1992 (in my defence, it took years for me to find a copy), this is of-its-time certainly, but delivers with the gruesomeness and sex the cover blurb from Clive Barker promises. There’s plenty of San Francisco in the novel but it doesn’t add much atmosphere since, for me, the bulk of the book seemed to take place in either Frost’s office or the hotel room where Shelley helps her friend. While the pace may be leisurely (it felt like cuts could have been made), there are enough wonderful turns of phrase and great writing to cover it. An intriguing addition to the vampire canon.
First published in 1992 (in my defence, it took years for me to find a copy), this is of-its-time certainly, but delivers with the gruesomeness and sex the cover blurb from Clive Barker promises. There’s plenty of San Francisco in the novel but it doesn’t add much atmosphere since, for me, the bulk of the book seemed to take place in either Frost’s office or the hotel room where Shelley helps her friend. While the pace may be leisurely (it felt like cuts could have been made), there are enough wonderful turns of phrase and great writing to cover it. An intriguing addition to the vampire canon.
May 18, 2017
"Mutilation was common to all the cases, but the nature of the mutilation was not only various in its perversity, but willfully perversive in its variety." p.15
One of the strangest stories I've read in years.
Despite being quite tricky in its plot, the story still managed to catch my attention with highly impressive writing manner (which, strangely, occurs often when I read something written and published a while ago), picturesque scenes, and crazy plot twists.
Personally, I found some of the plot twists not that great at all, but rather awkward and a bit mixed up. It was more of a maze within a maze within a maze situation than anything else. And though it did hold my interest for the major part of the story, it was definitely mixed up (whether the killer was actually the killer, or the hero, or the killer or, whaaaaat??).
In general, it was long since I read anything this enthralling and this original. Up until the middle, and a bit further maybe, I just couldn't stop reading, it just got more and more thrilling with every page.
One of the strangest stories I've read in years.
Despite being quite tricky in its plot, the story still managed to catch my attention with highly impressive writing manner (which, strangely, occurs often when I read something written and published a while ago), picturesque scenes, and crazy plot twists.
Personally, I found some of the plot twists not that great at all, but rather awkward and a bit mixed up. It was more of a maze within a maze within a maze situation than anything else. And though it did hold my interest for the major part of the story, it was definitely mixed up (whether the killer was actually the killer, or the hero, or the killer or, whaaaaat??).
In general, it was long since I read anything this enthralling and this original. Up until the middle, and a bit further maybe, I just couldn't stop reading, it just got more and more thrilling with every page.
August 17, 2020
I first read this book when it came out in 1992. It was a delight to revisit it again via its new audiobook version, narrated by Doug Bradley.
Read
May 16, 202325 pages in and just not for me. Not rating it because ir just does not interest me.
Did not finish
September 21, 2015Well, I struggled through reading this most of last week and I'm afraid I've finally had to admit defeat after getting less than half-way through. I would rather pass this on un-read to the next person on the list who wants to read it, that hold on to it for longer than necessary.
I thought Atkins had a good idea for a story. The premise behind the killings was good and the characters could have been interesting and engaging. However I found the style of writing truly awful. Atkins seems unable to write a paragraph without peppering it with similes and over-flowery descriptions which just distracts the reader from the flow of the story. I was disappointed to have to leave this book as I was interested in the storyline and seeing how it would progress; but every time I picked up the book I just ended up getting frustrated at how slowly it was moving and got fed up trying to pick the salient bits of 'story' from 'description'
I thought Atkins had a good idea for a story. The premise behind the killings was good and the characters could have been interesting and engaging. However I found the style of writing truly awful. Atkins seems unable to write a paragraph without peppering it with similes and over-flowery descriptions which just distracts the reader from the flow of the story. I was disappointed to have to leave this book as I was interested in the storyline and seeing how it would progress; but every time I picked up the book I just ended up getting frustrated at how slowly it was moving and got fed up trying to pick the salient bits of 'story' from 'description'
May 2, 2010
This was marketed as a serial killer book then became a vampire book. It had some strong points but lacked serious development.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews