David Morrell Group Read Marathon

[Tad]

Creepers was the first book of yours I read. I was drawn in by the cover and loved the story. I followed that up with Scavenger and loved that as well. I really enjoyed the structure and mystery behind it. After that I went back and read First Blood. I was familiar with the movie, but I was amazed at how well the story held up more than 30 years after it had been written at that point. John Rambo is such an exciting and sympathetic character. No clear cut villians in this book, just people caught up in circumstances that spiral out of control.

[Chris]

Reading "Creepers" and wrapping up with it and only have to read the last few chapters and I have to say this is one of the better books I have read this year if not the best. I really don't want the story to end. There were so many twists and turns in the book. What I am waiting for is the final twist when they explain what happened to Tod who disappeared. All the characters were accounted for except for him.

[Chris]

Just finished Creepers and what a excellent read. Don't know whether I am disappointed with the end of it. Is there a sequel to this book because I would like to know what happened to the survivors.

[[deleted user]]

Reading Extreme Denial reminded me why I enjoy books by David Morrell. I wanted to thank David Morrell for joining us this month for this unusual group read. Hope everyone enjoyed it.

[Sandy]

I've really enjoyed following this thread. I had previously read only one of his books but after reading all the comments here, now have a couple more on my TBR pile.

[David]

Tad wrote: "Creepers was the first book of yours I read. I was drawn in by the cover and loved the story. I followed that up with Scavenger and loved that as well. I really enjoyed the structure and mystery be..."

Well, this is a surprise. I didn't realize that there was a second page of this discussion. By now, it's been 43 years since FIRST BLOOD was published. It's never been out of print. Amazing. What say about it is the result of the alternating viewpoints, crosscutting between Rambo and Teasle. From Rambo's point of view, Teasle is wrong. From Teasle's pov, Rambo is wrong. At the end, the reader theoretically can't choose between them and feels torn.Rambo doesn't have a first name in the novel. That was added in the film adaptation...As for CREEPERS, yes,that cover is one of my favorites.

[David]

Chris wrote: "Reading "Creepers" and wrapping up with it and only have to read the last few chapters and I have to say this is one of the better books I have read this year if not the best. I really don't want t..."

Chris, the idea for CREEPERS came to me with a clearly defined three-act structure in which the main character would present 3 different versions of himself as the story progressed. The real-time aspect of the story occurred to me from the start also. Every instant of 8 hours is dramatized.

[David]

Chris wrote: "Just finished Creepers and what a excellent read. Don't know whether I am disappointed with the end of it. Is there a sequel to this book because I would like to know what happened to the survivors."
Chris, the sequel to CREEPERS is called SCAVENGER. It continues with Balenger and Amanda but no other character from the first book. The first novel is about claustrophobia. The second is about agoraphobia. Because video-game theory is mentioned in SCAVENGER, the book is structured like a game, with 9 levels. The characters can't proceed from one level to another without solving a problem and overcoming a physical obstacle.

[David]

Ron wrote: "Reading Extreme Denial reminded me why I enjoy books by David Morrell. I wanted to thank David Morrell for joining us this month for this unusual group read. Hope everyone enjoyed it."

I wrote EXTREME DENIAL after I moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1972. Many people imagine that Santa Fe is like Phoenix, but in fact, it's in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, at 7,000 feet, with four seasons. Currently we're expecting a winter snowstorm, which we need for our reservoirs. The City Different made a good setting for a novel, as did another my novels THE SPY WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS, a true spy novel, not a cozy. Michael Douglas bought the film rights in 1996, but as is often the case, a movie never emerged from the development process.

[David]

Sandy wrote: "I've really enjoyed following this thread. I had previously read only one of his books but after reading all the comments here, now have a couple more on my TBR pile."

Thanks, Sandy. This is my 43rd year as a publisher author. A long career needs to evolve or else readers lose interest. Thus there's a huge contrast between my debut novel FIRST BLOOD, which introduced Rambo in 1972, and my latest novel INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD, which is a Victorian mystery/thriller set on the harrowing fogbound streets of 1850s London.