Leah's Bookshelf
Likes: Horror, macabre, fairy tales, ghosts, hauntings, serial killers, zombies, werewolves, shapeshifters, vampires, time travel, orphans, clones, thrillers, classics, gothic
I like to read anything that tells a good story, duh ;) Genre doesn't really matter much but I tend to read dark fiction and fantasy the most. I skip chick lit and romance novels with a few exceptions for the extraordinary.
My ratings system:
5 stars - ADORED; plan to read over and over and over.
4 stars - ENJOYED; will likely read once or twice more.
3 stars - LIKED; may or may not read again ... someday.
2 stars - MEH; no plans to read again.
1 stars - I didn't enjoy the story and was lucky to finish.
0 stars - I couldn't or wouldn't finish for reasons that may or may not be listed in the review box.
Mr. Hands by Gary A. Braunbeck
Rating: 4 of 5
Mr. Hands was my first experience with Braunbeck, and I wasn't disappointed. My favorite aspect was the old-fashioned feel of a mysterious stranger spinnin' his yarn around a fire (or, in this case, a bar) whilst the "normal" folks listen and figure out whether he's dangerous, in trouble, or just full of it. The novel's structure was integral to its success; had the story been told in a linear style, I'm not sure it would've been quite as exciting or suspenseful. While neither the premise nor the delivery were original, I enjoyed both very much and never thought, "I've heard this one before." When I arrived at page 269, I didn't want the story to end.
More than entertainment, this one will make you think if you let it.
One aspect that may disturb some readers: the entire story involved the pain and suffering of children at the hands of their parents or other adults. So there's graphic violence, but most was implied.
Note: I have not yet read the novella, "Kiss of the Mudman," included in this edition.
