All the Bells on Earth

I had read a book of short stories by this author and thought they were great. I saw a lot of positive reviews for this book, so I ordered it. The only word I can think of for this book is "plodding." It sincerely felt like what might have been an interesting short story was stretched into a 350 page novel. None of the characters came to life and I was very confused because there was both a priest and a minister and both had aliases. I suppose it was supposed to be an example of good vs. evil but it honestly failed to hold my attention.

This is one of Blaylock's best and it would be an excellent place to start if you're not familiar with this author. The plotting is tighter than in most of Blaylock's books, so the story is intricate and intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages, and the ending is particularly nice. It is a fantasy tale in a contemporary setting, with somewhat of a monkey's paw concept driving the plot(you'll never think of the Bluebird of Happiness quite the same way), but the real magic is in Blaylock's joyously eccentric characters and his ability to make very ordinary people and places seem totally fantastic.

To me this one marks a small yet noticable difference between the earlier "classic" Blaylock (Paper Grail, Last Coin) and the rest of his stuff. The elements are all here, the regular people going about their lives in a quirky fashion, the fingers of evil magic cloaked in mundanity at the edges of everyone's awareness, it's all here. Something is just . . . different. I don't know what. There seems to be more of an emphasis on the horror aspects of the plot, it's more gruesome than many of his other books had been and a bit more downbeat as well. Walt is a typical Blaylock character, but he lacks just a tiny bit of the quirky charm that makes the others so memorable, you stand up and cheer for him through the story but more because you want the good guys to win. Blaylock has to stop the daffy older relatives thing though, it's getting a bit repetitive, this is the third book in a row I've read that features a weird uncle of some sort who is either an inventor or a dreamer or something else (Uncle Arthur in the Last Coin was by far the most original, though Uncle Roy from the Paper Grail was more enjoyable). The "regular life" stuff seems a bit more forced now, Maggie Biggs has to be the most annoying character I've encountered in a long time (which might be the point) and the rest of the stuff has a been there, done that feeling (except for the addition of the kids, which is handled realistically and face it, they're just darn cute). That said, Blaylock figured out how to make a compromise between poetic prose and a tight plotting, this is indeed a page turner, with brief short chapters advancing the plot almost constantly, there may be a lot of annoying subplots but they shift back and forth so quick that by the time it comes back around again you're almost looking forward to it. His prose is as good as ever and the book is overall really well crafted, I'm not ashamed to say that I finished it in a manner of hours and was quite satisified with the package I got. Yes, it's not "classic" Blaylock and I can't agree with some of the changes he's made in his style but it shows him attempting to do some stuff that's slightly different and if at first you don't succeed perfectly, we all know he'll try again. And I know I'll give him a chance.

I think some of these other reviewers are harboring expectations and agendas. When I read this book I had none. I had not read any Blaylock yet. I literally was up until 3am+ 3 nights in a row to finish it! It may not be his scariest but as I read it the hairs on the back of my neck wouldn't settle for days. Great characterization. Strange, compelling plot(s).(Stephen King could take a lesson here on how to juggle multiple subplots!)I can't say enough about it. Truly one of my all-time favorites.

I loved this book! Not much more I can say, since it's been awhile since I read it, but this is a truly memorable novel. Blaylock is at his best when he tones down the quirkiness of his characters and presents his unique brand of fantasy in a more down-to-earth setting. This novel reminded me of some of the best work of Tim Powers, a friend of Blaylock's, and someone who is mining this same vein in his writing. Highly recommended!

Magic and faith are very real in Blaylock's worlds, even in suburban California. This is not the first of his works to pit hapless goofy good against diabolical, organized evil; but this may be the most complicated story he has written. Evil, while filthy and pathetic, is just as human as Good, which itself is not without blemish. And the characters who come to life as representatives for various shades of these principles are rich, lovable, and tragic. There is one character who lives in just about all of Blaylock's stories, and that is the lovable clod -- the impractical but highly imaginative hero who is as clumsy as his accidents are amusing. I think this must be Blaylock himself, and I do wish he lived nearby... at least around the corner.