michaelrcalkins's reviews
72 reviews

Only the Dead by Jack Carr

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Halloween III: Season of the Witch by Jack Martin, Dennis Etchison

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Halloween II by Jack Martin, Dennis Etchison

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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? No

4.25

Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Will Errickson, Grady Hendrix

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funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

Halloween by Curtis Richards

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Halloween is a really fascinating movie novelization. There is alot that is familiar here, but a surprising amount of original content, particularly in the early chapters where Curtis digs into the festival of Samhain and it’s effect on Michael Myers becoming The Shape. It actually echoes a bit of what would later come in Halloween II and especially Curse of Michael Myers. I found a lot of those digressions fascinating! I’m stunned they let him take this many liberties!
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Halloween: The Official Movie Novelization by John Passarella

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dark funny 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

4.5

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The Grin in the Dark by J. A. Darke

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Found this legitimately frightening quite often. Very much has a Goosebumps feel. The final chapters had me on the edge of my seat and the final page reminded me of a time where I had suffered sleep paralysis. Last thing I’d want to see as my sleep paralysis demon is this goddamn clown.
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Tarkin by James Luceno

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4.0

Moonraker by Ian Fleming

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5.0

Excellent storyline, genuinely thrilling stuff. Really wish they faithfully adapted this for the film because the story here is so much stronger and way more intense.

Fleming’s dialogue is crackling, the descriptions of clothes, food, drink etc are delectable.

Might be my favorite Bond novel thus far.
Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming

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3.0

Well. I can safely say this is better than the film adaptation, but that’s a low bar.

Sadly, Diamonds Are Forever drops the ball from the heights that Moonraker brought it to, with a dull plot featuring Bond facing down mobsters. There are some solid setpieces, the car chase with Ernie is a highlight; and Tiffany Case is a solid enough Bond girl. They can’t all be fantastic, I know, and I didn’t hate my time with it, but I am a bit disappointed.