Mr. Shivers

I picked this book up on a whim, and I'm glad that I did. This takes place in the Depression Area, and author does a fantastic job of putting us there. As the story opens, we're introduced to Connelly, a man that is bent on revenge. He plans to track down the person that killed his daughter and make them pay. That being said, Connelly has no idea who and what Mr. Shivers really is. As Connelly takes off after Mr. Shivers, and along the way, he meets up with others that are after Mr. Shivers. Soon there's a nice size mob after Mr. Shivers, and they are all people that knows someone that was a victim of Mr. Shivers. However, there are some that are alive and well, the Mr. Shivers can control and uses them to fight Connelly and those that chase him. The questions is that why is Mr. Shivers so afraid of Connelly? Well, you'll have to read it to find out. I love the author's writing style. He has the ability to transport the reader to the Depression Area, and make them feel a part of it. We get to see how the Depression has affected the lives of the people of that area. I was surprised on how caught up I was in the book. The characters are fantastic, life like, and it was an nice experience getting to know them. The writer does a fantastic job. I was surprised that this was his first book. I also really liked how this is a book of many generas. You have, horror, fantasy, dark fantasy, urban legend, and mythology in this book. Now, if you're looking for a killer that kills a lot and see what he does, then this isn't for you. This book has a "creepy" feeling all through it. You don't see Mr. Shivers a lot, but when you see him....wow!! This was such a good read and I hope we see more from this author.

Mr Shiver's has many names, most call him death. This novel follows Connelly, a ruffian hobo, as he pursues Mr Shivers the murderer who killed his daughter. The book is set in depression age America, and very much feels like the TV series Carnivale, so if you're a fan then this book is a must read. The initial setting of Mr Shivers is very powerful, we can almost feel the grime and desperation of the characters and the mystery of Mr Shivers is absolutely wicked. There are a couple of shortfalls, the supernatural development of the story is potentially a bit alternative for many readers (judging from other reviews) considering that the direction of the novel is fairly open at the beginning. Like I said I'm sure the author was inspired by the show Carnivale so expect symbolism and grand scale ideas hidden in downtrodden characters in small scale situations. The side character are also a little weak, they are just interesting enough to keep the story moving, but one find themselves uncompelled by anyone other than our main man Connelly. The prose is well balanced, the author uses skillful language without loosing clarity and the setting and action of the novel is just so seamless its worth a read. I particularily like the use of rumour to enhance the mystery. Extremely recommended

I thought this was a beautifully written horror story about dark, difficult times (The Great Depression, the dust bowl, Hoovervilles) and dark, difficult subjects (revenge, vengeance, death). There was enough suspense here to keep me interested for hours at a stretch. I found the dialogue realistic and thought-provoking: "...if a man buys a steak, did he kill the cow? He did not kill it himself, certainly, but it died for him and so he eats it and is satisfied for a day or more. Just as a tree's roots eat the decaying bodies of animals and other trees, even if it did not choke out their life." In places, the writing had a lyrical quality, "Evening fell softly. The gently clouded sky swam past the mountains, dappling the hillsides with violet spots and streaks. As they followed the road they came by a dance taking place in a field. Lanterns and torches bobbed up and down and sousaphones and trombones played a civilized waltz. They listened and followed the music." At some point, I began to remember a story I read in high school, The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson. Bennett is someone who obviously paid attention in literature classes. I thought the use of hobo code at the head of each chapter was a masterful device, as was the Ouroboros symbol of the cycle of death and life. I like Stephen King and have read most of his works, but I don't see a lot of similarity between the two writing styles. At times, I found myself re-reading parts of Mr. Shivers for clarity or because a passage had such a lilting quality. Overall, an excellent effort.

During the Great Depression, Marcus Connelly lives for one thing only. Vengeance! He stalks the killer of his beloved daughter Mr. Shivers. Everyone in the homeless camps and on the rails knows of this serial killing fiend, but none alive know who he is. As Marcus gets closer to his target while the Dust Bowl grows, he will find nothing is quite what it seems. He is beginning to understand simply killing a mortal murderer is not what will Happen. Mr. Shivers is much more lethal if Marcus believes the proof he has gathered about this killing machine is true. He also wonders if his grief has painted a super unnatural hell spawn from an amoral predator. This historical horror tale will grip readers from the clever set up, through the switch from cat and mouse suspense into the paranormal, to the fabulous climax. The key throughout the super story line is the grim setting as the rails and the Dust Bowl are depressing and lonely in a stark environment even before the audience realizes Mr. Shivers is something besides a psychopathic serial killer. Robert Jackson Bennett sends shivers up and down the spine of this deep Depression Era thriller. Harriet Klausner