Reviews

Blind Voices by Tom Reamy

jcovey's review against another edition

5.0

Heard about this one from a GRRM interview where he explained that Reamys sudden death is what spurred him to abandon teaching and take up writing full time. I can see why the two would have gotten along so well, feels very Martin-esque. The character focused world building, the civilized surface over shocking violence and cruelty, the sensuality, the rationalistic take on the supernatural.
A lovely yarn. The story is ultimately a little formulaic, but the journey is one I'm sure I'll remember.

kellymfitzgerald's review against another edition

2.0

I wish that Tom Reamy had lived to create a final draft of this. The writing and pacing are both clunky, but the story is great.

nwhyte's review against another edition

http://nhw.livejournal.com/952841.html[return][return]Blind Voices is set in the same fictional Kansas town that forms the background to several of the short stories, but it doesn't really matter for continuity purposes: a travelling freak show comes to town, and brings sex and death in its wake. Some people have described it as Bardburyesque, but I think Reamy actually does better than Bradbury in some respects - in particular, the tone of horror is more gripping where Bradbury sometimes risks becoming twee. The book was apparently not completely finished at Reamy's death, but this was not obvious to me; there's a little unevenness of pacing, but I'd put that down to it being a first novel. Gripping and memorable.

horscht's review against another edition

3.0

The book starts really well, creating a dense and eerie atmosphere. It is a pleasure to read how the circus intrudes into the monotonous world of a rural Kansas community, creating excitement first and horror soon after.

While progressing, you increasingly get the feeling, that this book did not completely stand the test of time. I am sure I would have given maximum rating 30 years ago....