Possessions

As another reviewer mentioned, this is a work that wears its influences on its sleeve. However, after finishing the book, I have to admit to seeing a little Richard Laymon in the characters. Not quite the breast obsessives that some of Laymon's teens are, but there are the quirks that make them very real people in a brief space of interactions. At least, at first. As the plot progresses, and the sinister elements of those Things searching for the Western Key are brought onto the stage, Chris, the main character, begins to act a little pulp action, man's gotta do, heroic. Now, the typical reader sees this and wonders why. Then again, typical readers are not used to thinking about texts (especially horror heads, many of whom merely want instant grossout gratification). Chris is not normal. Chris' mother was not normal. They are real personalities, but the family partakes of a heritage of accepting heroic levels of responsibility and seeing that responsibility through. Chris ultimately accepts that heritage, and his actions carry through from that decision. A livejournal chum of mine opined that F. Paul Wilson writes intelligent popcorn. Much of this book falls into that style. Its a fun flick, the kind you giggle and shiver at. Where you root for the good guys, hiss at the bad guys and have a ton of fun watching. As a long time horror reader, it was fun to pick out familiar elements and see them approached with freshness. However, there is an emotional landscape to the work that reaches much deeper. In his other novels Fireworks and Under the Overtree, Mr. Moore demonstrated his deft eye at evoking whole towns. Here, he charts the emotional geography of a group of friends with that same level of deftness: the frustrations, the irresponsibilities, the joys. All the colors of what it means to be human and to have friends.

After browsing the other reviews, I see some gripes about not having everything spelled out. Sure, I wondered what Chris' moms role was with the key, and sure, I would have liked it explained, but you know what? This is a good book, and not everything has to be handed to me on a silver platter, explaining the whos, whys, and whats of the world. Yeah, not everything was explained in detail, but nothing major - this does not ruin a good book. Minor plot holes aside, I found the plot to be original enough, well executed, some nice twist and turns in there, with no cheap plot ploys tossed into the batch. It was unpredictable - I NEVER saw the end result coming. The characters were strong and smart, being a pleasure to read about. They complimented the story and took it in all directions full force. The pace is quick, starts off almost immediately, never letting up. The atmosphere is rich with suspense, plenty of creepiness in there. Tension was thick, lots of action, drama, even minor budding romance cues. With gripping suspense, enthralling events, sympathetic characters, an admirable writing style and almost endless flow of sheer horror (while being fun) - "Possessions" is not a snack for a starving horror fan to miss!

Here is an author with a fresh perspective, a little individuality and a lot more personality with a psychotic neurosis that would make Carl Panzram blush. The plot, although not original, is pure unadulterated gluttony. Moore takes a little bit of such classics as: Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Alien, and The Thing and adds his own twist of terror to the mix with skill. The only problem with the story is it never truly explains the reasoning behind most of what occurs. For example, why did the mom have the necklace, who is their father and what's the deal with the lottery ticket? With so many holes abound, it can make a reader feel drafty and miss that old blanket. The pace in the story is a thrilling roller coaster ride. Starting out with what seems like a perfectly normal afternoon, the suspense begins to build and maneuvers throughout with subtlety and finesse. You actually never notice the tension building until you suddenly realize you've had your hand clenched the entire time and you now have half-moons on your palm. Moore's style of writing is receptive, sardonic and laced with a lurking compassion. Right from the first page you realize that he isn't writing for you and he's not writing for the critics, he's writing for himself and to see just how much he can get away with. Perfect! The atmosphere in the book is filled with a sense of traumatic instability. The air becomes palpable and you can almost visualize the thin ice these characters tread on mentally and physically. The characters in the book are inviting, credible and at times, completely moronic. Reminding me of my own brother, Moore pulled off what so few have - sincerity. Capturing a photo-shot of adolescence, the author ingrains each mood, emotion and insane significance of what it's like to be a teenager.

The last happy moment Chris Corin will experience in a long time is his eighteenth birthday celebration with his closest friends and family attending. When his mother leaves early to work she realizes the necklace she always wears is at home; moments later she dies in a traffic accident caused by a creature not of this world. Chris' best friend Jerry and his girlfriend Katie help him and his fourteen year old sister Brittany get through the days preceding the funeral. After the funeral, Chris sees that someone tore up his mother's room looking for something.People that change into creatures seek the Golden Key, going so far as to dig up the grave of Chris's mother. They finally grab it off Brittany's neck but Chris is determined to get it back. He learns where the creatures are conducting a ceremony and accompanied by Katie and Brittany he goes there to stop them and rescue Jerry and Brittany's boyfriend who are encased in a gel like substance. Their doppelgangers are upstairs performing a ritual that if completed will let an untold evil into the world.Add a pinch of Stephen King, a dash of Dean Koontz, a flowering of Peter Straub and one part Bentley Little and readers will have an idea what a horror novel by James A. Moore is like. He is a grand storyteller who can hold his own with these masters. The good guys are so well developed and realistic that readers will fear for their safety and hope that if they survive, more stories starring this fine young group will be forthcoming.Harriet Klausner