Scan barcode
derekjohnston's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andrewgraphics's review against another edition
5.0
Read this as a kid in the 70s, because of the TV show based on it, but had to track it down (on eBay) and read it again, since Rice just passed away in relative obscurity; and because Darren McGavin so embodied the role, it was his voice that narrated it to me in my head. Would love it if there was an audio version of this by McGavin..!
Pulp novel story of a reporter tracking down a mysterious killer in Las Vegas, fighting against the paper and police who won't listen to him, etc etc etc. The basic story has been told time and again, but this time it works on so many levels.
Pulp novel story of a reporter tracking down a mysterious killer in Las Vegas, fighting against the paper and police who won't listen to him, etc etc etc. The basic story has been told time and again, but this time it works on so many levels.
thomcat's review against another edition
3.0
Quick read, like a screen play with typos. Rice wrote "The Kolchak Papers" around 1970. That document was purchased and inspired a 1972 ABC movie-of-the-week adaptation by Richard Matheson - before it was even published. This book, related to that, was released in 1973.
This is a story within a story - Kolchak provides his version of the story to Rice, who publishes it with comments and a few clarifications. The novel has typos and several paragraphs of vampire exposition - but it is also a page-turner and hard to put down. The descriptions of the villain are usually sparse, put down to Kolchak making notes while on the run or after the fact. Perhaps in this case the movie is better. The very brief appendix on Jack the Ripper seems out of place.
The author said of the novel "I'd always wanted to write a vampire story, but more because I wanted to write something that involved Las Vegas." The brief location descriptions (Las Vegas in the late 60s) are fun to read. Rice wrote a sequel, based on the Matheson screenplay of the follow-on movie, [b:Kolchak: The Night Strangler|19093262|Kolchak The Night Strangler (Kolchak The Night Stalker)|Jeff Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385955619l/19093262._SY75_.jpg|27121382]. In 2007, Moonstone press collected both short books in one edition, [b:The Kolchak Papers: The Original Novels|996660|The Kolchak Papers The Original Novels|Jeff Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348509902l/996660._SY75_.jpg|982153].
This is a story within a story - Kolchak provides his version of the story to Rice, who publishes it with comments and a few clarifications. The novel has typos and several paragraphs of vampire exposition - but it is also a page-turner and hard to put down. The descriptions of the villain are usually sparse, put down to Kolchak making notes while on the run or after the fact. Perhaps in this case the movie is better. The very brief appendix on Jack the Ripper seems out of place.
The author said of the novel "I'd always wanted to write a vampire story, but more because I wanted to write something that involved Las Vegas." The brief location descriptions (Las Vegas in the late 60s) are fun to read. Rice wrote a sequel, based on the Matheson screenplay of the follow-on movie, [b:Kolchak: The Night Strangler|19093262|Kolchak The Night Strangler (Kolchak The Night Stalker)|Jeff Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385955619l/19093262._SY75_.jpg|27121382]. In 2007, Moonstone press collected both short books in one edition, [b:The Kolchak Papers: The Original Novels|996660|The Kolchak Papers The Original Novels|Jeff Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348509902l/996660._SY75_.jpg|982153].
cspiwak's review
4.0
I have to admit to my guilty pleasure in both the series and the book. I think it is actually well written. The character is likable and the plot at the beginning leaves it open as to whether this is a crime or a crime of nature.Truth be told, I loved it.
More...