A Dark Matter

[Bev Vincent]

Peter Straub. Doubleday, $26.95 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-51638-9
In this tour de force from bestseller Straub (In the Night Room), four high
school friends in 1966 Madison, Wis.-Hootie Bly, Dilly Olson, Jason Boatman,
and Lee Truax-fall under the spell of charismatic "wandering guru" Spencer
Mallon. During an occult ceremony in which Mallon attempts to break through
to a higher reality, something goes horribly awry leaving one participant
dead. Decades later, Lee's writer husband interviews the quartet to find out
what happened. In Roshomon-like fashion, each relates a slightly different
account of the trauma they experienced. Straub masterfully shows how the
disappointments, downturns, and failed promise of the four friends' lives
may have stemmed from this youthful experience, and suggests, by extension,
that the malignant evil they helped unleash into the world has tainted all
hope ever since. Brilliant in its orchestration and provocative in its
speculations, this novel ranks as one of the finest tales of modern horror.
(Feb.)

[Scott F.]

Post by Bev Vincent
Peter Straub. Doubleday, $26.95 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-51638-9
In this tour de force from bestseller Straub (In the Night Room), four high
school friends in 1966 Madison, Wis.-Hootie Bly, Dilly Olson, Jason Boatman,
and Lee Truax-fall under the spell of charismatic "wandering guru" Spencer
Mallon. During an occult ceremony in which Mallon attempts to break through
to a higher reality, something goes horribly awry leaving one participant
dead. Decades later, Lee's writer husband interviews the quartet to find out
what happened. In Roshomon-like fashion, each relates a slightly different
account of the trauma they experienced. Straub masterfully shows how the
disappointments, downturns, and failed promise of the four friends' lives
may have stemmed from this youthful experience, and suggests, by extension,
that the malignant evil they helped unleash into the world has tainted all
hope ever since. Brilliant in its orchestration and provocative in its
speculations, this novel ranks as one of the finest tales of modern horror.
(Feb.)
--
Bev Vincentwww.BevVincent.com

Thansk for posting hte info Bev. One question, if I may. Have you
read any of The Skylark? Apparently it's a slightly different take on
the story that eventually became Dark Matter. According to
Subterranian Press, which is publishing the book, The Skylark remains
the clearest expression of the author’s original intentions. That of
course made me very curious, and being a great appreciator of Peters
work, I did order the limited from Subterranean Press. The publisher
being based out of MI was also a big factor. I'm originally from MI,
have family still in MI. So I do anything I can to stir the MI
economy.

Take care

Scott
www.audioworkspro.com

[Bev Vincent]

Post by Scott F.

Post by Bev Vincent
Peter Straub. Doubleday, $26.95 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-51638-9
In this tour de force from bestseller Straub (In the Night Room), four high
school friends in 1966 Madison, Wis.-Hootie Bly, Dilly Olson, Jason Boatman,
and Lee Truax-fall under the spell of charismatic "wandering guru" Spencer
Mallon. During an occult ceremony in which Mallon attempts to break through
to a higher reality, something goes horribly awry leaving one participant
dead. Decades later, Lee's writer husband interviews the quartet to find out
what happened. In Roshomon-like fashion, each relates a slightly different
account of the trauma they experienced. Straub masterfully shows how the
disappointments, downturns, and failed promise of the four friends' lives
may have stemmed from this youthful experience, and suggests, by extension,
that the malignant evil they helped unleash into the world has tainted all
hope ever since. Brilliant in its orchestration and provocative in its
speculations, this novel ranks as one of the finest tales of modern horror.
(Feb.)
--
Bev Vincentwww.BevVincent.com

Thansk for posting hte info Bev. One question, if I may. Have you
read any of The Skylark? Apparently it's a slightly different take on
the story that eventually became Dark Matter. According to
Subterranian Press, which is publishing the book, The Skylark remains
the clearest expression of the author’s original intentions. That of
course made me very curious, and being a great appreciator of Peters
work, I did order the limited from Subterranean Press. The publisher
being based out of MI was also a big factor. I'm originally from MI,
have family still in MI. So I do anything I can to stir the MI
economy.
Take care
Scott
www.audioworkspro.com

I haven't read the Skylark version of the manuscript, only Dark Matter.
Subterranean is a great small press publisher; I'm sure their edition will
be handsome.

[Scott F.]

Post by Bev Vincent
Peter Straub. Doubleday, $26.95 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-51638-9
In this tour de force from bestseller Straub (In the Night Room), four high
school friends in 1966 Madison, Wis.-Hootie Bly, Dilly Olson, Jason Boatman,
and Lee Truax-fall under the spell of charismatic "wandering guru" Spencer
Mallon. During an occult ceremony in which Mallon attempts to break through
to a higher reality, something goes horribly awry leaving one participant
dead. Decades later, Lee's writer husband interviews the quartet to find out
what happened. In Roshomon-like fashion, each relates a slightly different
account of the trauma they experienced. Straub masterfully shows how the
disappointments, downturns, and failed promise of the four friends' lives
may have stemmed from this youthful experience, and suggests, by extension,
that the malignant evil they helped unleash into the world has tainted all
hope ever since. Brilliant in its orchestration and provocative in its
speculations, this novel ranks as one of the finest tales of modern horror.
(Feb.)
--
Bev Vincentwww.BevVincent.com

Thanks for posting the info Bev. One question, if I may. Have you
read any of The Skylark? Apparently it's a slightly different take
on
the story that eventually became Dark Matter. According to
Subterranian Press, which is publishing the book, The Skylark remains
the clearest expression of the author’s original intentions. That of
course made me very curious, and being a great appreciator of Peters
work, (one of my ambitions is to do the audio version of a PS novel),
I did order the limited from Subterranean Press. The publisher
being based out of MI was also a big factor. I'm originally from MI,
have family still in MI. So I do anything I can to stir the MI
economy.

Take care


Scott
www.audioworkspro.com