Once, Twice, Three Times Is The Charm For Our Fearful Manitou -- Graham Masterton's BURIAL

After three quarters of a year's time re-reading my Masterton novels it finally seems that I with quite certainty would be able to tell you my absolute favorite of his work: Though not yet having re-negotiatied the original trilogy of the Dream Warriors, I will tell you that the answer of the question is ... BURIAL (1992), the third installment of the Manitou series.

First there was The Manitou (1975), which featured the birth of an ancient, terribly vengeful medicin man that is reborn through the back and neck of a young woman to break havoc on the world of the white man. This book, subsequently filmed with Tony Curtis in the lead, had its original ending cut out and replaced by an, arguably, commercially more successful ending. The first ending (much later put back along with the other in a rare, now OOP edition) had the avenging red Indian spirit fight not only Harry Erskine to break civilization, but also the pale-faces venereal deseases as well. In the published version, however, it was changed so that our protagonists should take the spirits (the manitous) of modern technology to help them in their fight against the fearful Misquamacus... A quite decent and clever book, to begin a career with, and a few years later came the first sequel, Revenge of the Manitou (1979) -- not as well crafted as its predecessor, but more entertaining in a nice, pulpy way...

Buríal tells us the story how Misquamacus has made a bargain with the great, dark spirit of the netherworld, Aktunowihio, to bring down everything made by the white man, and all white men included, into the shadow regions of the Shadow Buffalo -- The Great Outside... But to get strenght he has to make the now zombiefied voodoo priest, Sawtooth, to let the malcontented spirits of the black slaves of America to join him in his struggle. Finally, the great Misquamacus is going to keep his word this time and destroy everyone and everything that has taken the land and lives of his people. Though, once again, Harry Erskine and a few friends has something to say about this...

This is a spectacular tale mixing everything of the great Masterton Indian lore with new influences, such as voodooism, and it's quite original in its approach -- In this novel Graham Masterton has really succeeded in writing in a new, fresh and creative way in a manner he has not managed before, or after... Burial is one step above the others -- Family Portrait, Ritual, Prey, Flesh&Blood -- because it takes the best ingredients from all of them and blends it perfectly -- the blood and the macabre, the fantastic mythology -- into a rarely seen adventure that won't leave you untouched, that's a promise.