Necroscope: The Touch

Many people have complained at the lack of a Wamphyri storyline in this retro continuitous Necroscope novel, but to me that is the most refreshing point of the novel. This is among Lumley's most fluid narrative and dialogue and the characters are written with sensitivy and purpose. There is more varied emotion in the dialogue, which in the past several novels has everyone growling at each other. There is a scene when the hero Scott St John- who's character I feel great empathy for, more so than the gruff ponytailed Necroscope Jake Cutter- first gets the gift of "deadspeak" and it was was one of the most moving sections in any of the Necroscope novels. This book has an original, gripping, WEIRD sci-fi, horror, mysterious story line, and I was fascinated throughout. It could be looked at as a seperate entity from the series as a whole and would be a terrific jumping on point for anyone interested in testing the waters of this masterful series. Although it is believed that the Wamphyri storyline has been brought to a permanent conclusion, after reading this book, and knowing that the future is a devious thing, and what will be has been, I'm going to live vicariously through the precog Ian Goodly and predict that Lumley will create another storyline involving e-branch. The Wamphyri might be eliminated, but e-branch lives on and who knows how many golden darts from harry Keough have found it's target, and how many stories can be told....I can only hope.

When I heard about the new book by Mr. Lumley, featuring a new Necroscope, I couldn't wait to get it! To me, the book and characters are fantastic! I'm about half way through the book and I get kinda angry when I don't have time to really get into it! I'm anxious to see just what kind of powers will bloom in Scott St. John, and how he'll deal with the three alien "vampires".

Well...maybe "rocks" isn't the best word, or then again, maybe it is. I love all the stories of this series. My ONLY complaint is that there are not more of them in the making (or are there?). I didn't particularly care for the ending, only because it smacks of a kind of finality that might indicate no sequels. Not that it wasn't good...just hoping there are more to follow. If you liked the others, you'll like this one also.

In 1990 the E-Branch agents of the British Secret Service sense the death of the Necroscope Harry Keogh though he dies in a parallel universe. Not long before Harry's brain splintered into nano pieces, Scott St. John wakes up every morning at 3:33 feeling alone since his wife Kelly died at that time and pondering once again the nightly dream of a dart of light striking him at 3:33. Still sorrow is his demeanor. This time the golden dart is not a dream as a splinter of Harry's soul strikes Scott. The grieving human soon finds himself communicating with the deceased and traveling anywhere in the universe on a weird moebius strip loop. The E-Branch crowd senses a new ESPer and recruit Scott at about the same time a government employee mysteriously is killed when his epidermis is turned outside in. He meets Shania the Shing't who warns Scott that the Mordri Three renegade psychic healers from the few survivors of her race using their skills to kill have come to eradicate the Earth. With the encouragement of Kelly and the support of Shania and an odd telepathic she-wolf, Scott tries to save the world. Though Harry is being replaced by a rookie Necroscope, his presence is still around as Brian Lumley refreshes his terrific horror science fiction thriller with the newbie Scott. The action-packed story line is driven by a bewildered Scott struggling with the loss of his wife as much as he is wrestles with adapting to his new skills and responsibilities. It is not everyday that someone begins to talk with those that are dead or have to save a planet with telepathic allies who are not all human. Mr. Lumley provides a triumphant invigorating Necroscopic thriller.