The Doorkeepers (2001): This was again a disappointment. As with many Masterton novels it starts out quite qruesomely with a violent act of murder (snuff, anyone?) which it follows up with a definately unique session of torture with a few wires and a harp and finally our famed author sums it all up in a somewhat spectacular way... However, everything else in here is an outrageous bore and the premise of traveling in and out of parallel worlds of time turns into a crippled and aenemic detective-slash-sci/fi story without much inspiration and creativity, on the whole... Sorry Graham... Grade: 4/10
Spirit (1995): Little Sister Ghost tries to protect her older sisters from harms way in the guise of a the Ice Queen... Starts out in a promissing, solemn and tempestuos mood... Alas, it doesn't hold up, really, to Masterton par -- The first chapter(s) of the book is very good indeed, but it eventually turns to dust and snow in the end, how sad... Grade: 5
Death Trance (1986): Arguably a genuine cult favourite among most Graham Masterton aficionados. It takes place both in Tennessee, US and the exotic and mystic Bali ... and in the spirit world of Rangda, the Witch Queen, and her fearsome, demonic acolytes praying on both living and dead souls for sustenance. Mr Randy Clare is a feared and hated rival in the cottonseed industry, and the local competitors hires some roughnecks to finally brake him, which results in the savage rape and butchering of his entire family... A beautiful, horrific and breathtaking tale of love, revenge and sacrifice... Grade: 8
The House That Jack Built (1996): A young and willful lawyer disrespects his taxidriver on the way to an important business meeting, is thrown out and then lured in a trap and literally gets his balls crushed ... With his self-esteem gone with the wind he is then an easy prey for the notorious gambler Jack Belias, who has travelled through time to possess a body and soul... and have his private Valhalla restored to its former grace and glory... A highly psychological, eerie tale of prime Haunted House quality... Grade: 7
Prey (1992): This is Graham Masterton's ultimate tribute to HPL and the Mythos... Basically, it's something like a re-invented "Dreams in the Witch House" with a lot more to it than you could ever imagine. This is much better than any interpretations of Lovecraft, and better than anything the old New Englander could ever have produced himself. This novel is one of my utmost favourites! .... Grade: 10
Ritual, aka. Feast (1989): If you combine basic, ritual cannibalism with Christianity and Christ's Last Supper ... and throw in a restaurant inspector travelling through meals alone with his forgotten son ... you could get this ... A macabre, blood-curdling gore-fest and the most spectacular and original take on the Resurrection that could've ever been written by a human hand... Grade: 10
