Surprised this isn't more well known.

Considering how many elements of this would still play well today.

For instance, having a Native American main character is a significant and relevant aspect.

Themes of racism, which unfortunately still persist in society, are explored in a profound way.

Evangelism and mysticism add an extra layer of depth and intrigue.

Moreover, it's not just about these individual elements.

This is also just a fantastic book about death and the endless battle between good and evil.

The author masterfully weaves together these various threads to create a captivating and thought-provoking narrative.

It makes you reflect on the human condition, on our prejudices, and on the eternal struggle between the forces of light and darkness.

Despite its many virtues, it remains somewhat overlooked, which is a pity considering its potential to resonate with a wide audience.

Perhaps with more awareness and promotion, this remarkable book can gain the recognition it truly deserves.

McCammon is truly a favorite author of mine.

This particular work presents a captivating story of good versus evil, intertwined with a coming-of-age narrative. The writing is superb, bringing to life some larger than life characters that leave a lasting impression.

There are indeed parts that are devastating and others that are scary, which add an element of tension and excitement to the plot. However, amidst all the darkness, there are also hopeful parts that offer a glimmer of light and a sense of redemption.

While this may not be my absolute favorite among McCammon's works, it is still a very good read that I would recommend to others. It showcases the author's talent for creating engaging stories that keep the reader hooked from beginning to end.

Overall, it is a worthwhile addition to any bookshelf and a great example of McCammon's literary prowess.

As with all the other McCammon books I have read, I had an extremely difficult time putting this one down.

The story was so captivating and engaging that it held my attention from the very beginning until the very end.

I found myself completely immersed in the world that McCammon had created, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

The characters were well-developed and the plot was full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of McCammon's work or who simply enjoys a good story.

I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

McCammon wrote my all-time favorite book. Therefore, I thought I should explore some of his earlier works. It is evident that his talent has only flourished since then. However, this book still has a great deal to offer, despite the fact that one can notice the cracks and flaws that require revision.

It is a tale of Native American mysticism, of evil and fear disguising themselves as religion, and of the power that each of us possesses within ourselves for remarkable good. The ending seemed hasty and did not fulfill the promise made in the blurb. Nevertheless, it was still such an excellent story about the mysterious journey that we all embark on simply by being born.

“He was dead, yes, but something of him lived on in Billy's memories; and if you could remember — truly remember — then you could stop time, and nothing ever died.” This quote beautifully captures the essence of how memories can preserve the essence of a person.

“What is Death? the ending of the first act, or the final curtain? Can you tell me?” This thought-provoking question makes us ponder about the true nature of death.

“Some people can paint beautiful pictures, some can make sweet music, others work with their hands, and some with their wits; but in all people is the seed of talent, to do something of value in this world.” This statement emphasizes the potential that lies within each and every one of us to make a positive impact.

Overall, although this book may not be perfect, it still manages to engage the reader and leave a lasting impression.

I have now delved into 3 Robert McCammon books, and each one has been a distinct and unique experience.

Out of all of them, I held a special affection for Boy’s Life. I had anticipated that Mystery Walk would offer a comparable adventure, perhaps laced with a touch of magic and fantasy. However, it turned out to be a rather convoluted and tortuous journey.

By around 80% of the way through, I was seriously worried that the author might struggle to bring all the threads together and reach a satisfying conclusion. But, to my relief, he did manage to do so, albeit in a way that I hadn't foreseen.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Mr. McCammon’s writing style, which is both engaging and captivating. His ability to develop complex and believable characters is truly remarkable. As a result, I have made up my mind to explore more of his literary works in the future.

I look forward to seeing what other adventures and surprises he has in store for his readers.

This book had a great start. It managed to maintain that excellent quality for approximately a third of the story. The scene set in the basement was truly spine-chilling. It sent shivers down my spine and made my hair stand on end.

However, after the main character made the decision to leave his hometown, the story seemed to take a wrong turn. It lost its clear direction and started to meander aimlessly. Although there were still intermittent moments of terror and horror that managed to grip my attention, overall, the story was floundering, searching for a suitable ending.

It was a bit disappointing to see the story lose its way after such a promising beginning. I had high hopes for it, but as it progressed, it failed to live up to my expectations. I was left wondering what could have been if the author had been able to maintain the same level of intensity and focus throughout the entire book.

A re-read after many years, this story didn't quite live up to my memories. While it's a workmanlike tale, it has its flaws. Billy, a part Native American boy, has the gift of communicating with the trapped dead and taking on their suffering to release them. This makes him and his mother outcasts in their community, facing intolerance and abuse. Meanwhile, Wayne, the son of a TV evangelist, discovers he has a distorted power to heal, which he fakes as the religious crusade grows. He develops an irrational fear of Billy and his mother when they show up at a meeting. Eventually, the link between the two boys is revealed, but I wasn't particularly convinced.

The best part of the book is perhaps the section set in a carnival. Billy finds brief employment in a fake 'contact the dead' sideshow. A man has tracked him down, hoping he can tell him if his son's ghost haunts his house as his wife believes. However, this part ends inconclusively, and the man's significance in the rest of the story is dropped. Similarly, the shapechanging creature that causes problems for Billy and his mother and targets Wayne is a legendary thing that feeds off negative emotions. But its existence is never adequately explained, which becomes a problem in the final section.

The story derails when a crime boss with a fear of germs takes over Wayne's organization. The denoument in the desert tips over into grand guignol, when subtlety would have been more effective. Overall, it was only a 3-star read for me.

"Expect the unexpected, always."

Mystery Walk by Robert McCammon is a captivating tale that revolves around two individuals with extraordinary abilities. Billy has the power to communicate with the dead, and his first encounter with the supernatural occurs when he hears whispers from a house where a family was brutally murdered. Wayne, on the other hand, discovers his remarkable gift of healing at a revival meeting. As they grow into adulthood, they realize the deep connection between them and the intense rage that one holds for the other. Fate brings them together, and they must face the sinister shape changer, defying all odds.

This month, I had a buddy read with Laura, and we were eager to explore this story. The narrative kicks off with great intensity, delving into the life of Billy Creekmore's mother, Ramona. Her relationship with his father and the way she is treated in both her personal life and society are vividly described. Similarly, a detailed picture is painted of Wayne Falconer and the influence of his evangelist father. This theme of external influence and prejudice persists throughout the story, as the boys' powers take on a greater significance and lead them on a journey known as the mystery walk.

I found the pacing of the story to be steady, with one twist after another keeping me engaged. McCammon's novels always have an addictive quality, and the imagery he uses to depict the supernatural and horror elements is both disturbing and anxiety-inducing. Although there were several characters and events to keep track of, which required me to backtrack at times, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would love to read more about the life of Billy Creekmore.

I really struggled through the first half of this book. It was a bit of a slog, to be honest. But then, something magical happened. I was eventually rewarded with a fairly gripping story of two young men with supernatural talents.

One of the young men was given the knowledge and guidance he needed to understand his powers. This made him more confident and able to handle the challenges that came his way. The other young man, however, was exploited and left so ignorant that he was vulnerable to both human and inhuman evil influence.

The characters in this book are satisfyingly complex. They have their flaws and their virtues, and some (but not all!) even get a redemption arc. It's always nice to see a character grow and change over the course of a story.

The mysteries in this book are never fully explained, which is right and proper in my opinion as a horror lover. I like it when the author leaves things ambiguous enough to give my imagination free reign. It makes me think and wonder, and keeps me on the edge of my seat.

I listened to this book as an audiobook via Audible. Nick Sullivan's performance was okay, but a little uneven. At times he sounded almost robotic, and it was enough to sometimes take me out of the story. However, overall, I still enjoyed the audiobook and would recommend it to others.

Good versus Evil, Another Round: https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...

Two boys are at the heart of the opposition. One inherits, through his mother's line, the gift of seeing the spirits of those who have died a violent death and has the ability to take on their pain and give them peace. The other, the son of a well-known evangelical preacher, has the gift of healing, which he uses with mixed results. Somewhere around them, Evil lurks, desiring to use both boys, but not finding it easy. One boy grows up in extreme poverty in the racist South and, beside his father, witnesses the extremes of human ignorance, including men with white hoods and clear understandings of what can and cannot happen in their small towns.

https://knigolandia.info/book-review/... This story seems to be a complex exploration of the battle between good and evil, with the two boys as central figures. Their different gifts and the circumstances of their upbringing add depth and complexity to the narrative. It makes one wonder how they will navigate the challenges presented by Evil and whether their gifts will ultimately be used for good or perhaps corrupted. The description of the racist South and the boys' experiences there also provide a backdrop that is both historical and relevant, highlighting the themes of prejudice and ignorance. Overall, it seems like a story that has the potential to be both engaging and thought-provoking.

https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...

In "Mystery Walk" (as the more correct translation of the novel's title, which was released in 1983), there were definitely naïve moments, soap opera-style plot lines, and an almost weepy finale - but there was also a very palpable budding and already latent writing power, which in combination with the variety of ideas, just four years later would produce the sweeping masterpiece Swan Song.

Personally for me, despite the mentioned weaknesses and despite the here and there glitches (so characteristic of the domestic editions of the 90s, but in this case not fatal) of the translation, the novel managed to appeal in a charming and likable way. And again I felt (given that I'm not imagining it) the clever allusions to the books of Stephen King and Ray Bradbury - here for example, similar to the events in Carrie, a prom managed to go horribly wrong, and a vengeful spirit-possessed gondola in a funfair was like it had come out of the pages of Something Wicked This Way Comes...

Robert McCammon writes engagingly and expansively, turning the eternal literary cliché of the battle between Good and Evil into a tense horror read, while the main heroes, the protagonist Billy and the antagonist Wayne, embarked on their path to maturity and the discovery of the true meaning of their wonders and supernatural abilities...

In the decent volume of over 400 pages, besides the above-mentioned goodies, there were Ku Klux Klansmen, an evil maniac, a snake charmer, a corrupt boss with a phobia of bacteria and a fetish for pornographic films, and... and... well, that's enough spoilers...

I liked it!!!

Well then.

I have a distinct feeling that perhaps this wasn't the most ideal of McCammon's books to commence with. Or, at the very least, I sincerely hope that is the case. For a significant portion of the time it took me to plow through this one, I was less than thoroughly impressed. While I suppose it was interesting enough in the sense that I was intrigued enough to persevere and discover what transpired, I never truly felt a profound investment in either the story or the characters.

Perhaps it was the fact that I listened to this as an audiobook, a recording from tape dating back to around 1983 or so. The reader was rather distracting. He persistently read in a tone that I felt was entirely inappropriate for the particular scene or situation. More often than not, someone would sound wheedling or manipulative or threatening in this man's voice, when I firmly believe that I would have read the scene without those overtones of menace. Sometimes a question is simply a question, not an unspoken threat.

There were an abundance of "Am I right?" and "Is/isn't that right?" questions and every single time - EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. - he read one of them, I would envision the asking character with their head tilted inquisitively, a fake smile firmly plastered on their face, challenging the person to dare to contradict. Go ahead. See what occurs.

And then there are the pronunciations. Oh my. Grimace was always pronounced as "Grim Ace" and La Mesa was always "Luh Meesa". Luh Meesa. Seriously. It was just so distracting. Because every time I would picture that blasted Jar Jar Binks.

Ye gods, whatta meesa sayin'?

Ohgodmakeitstopnow.

Yeah, so... aside from all that stuff... I don't have an awful lot to say about this. I wasn't astounded by the revelations in this story. Instead of being a twisty mountain road with sharp, unexpected turns, this was more akin to a go-cart course - predictable and tame. I may not have traversed THIS particular course before, but they all pretty much follow the same pattern.

I've witnessed the twists, the symbolism, the circular references, the good vs evil, the religiosity all before. This story simply felt formulaic, and as such, it wasn't really all that scary or particularly impressive. Maybe it's because the book is almost as old as I am and I've perused a great many other (superior) horror works before this. That's a plausible explanation, but then I think of stories like Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend", William Peter Blatty's "The Exorcist", or Ira Levin's "Rosemary's Baby", stories that are just as ancient (older, in fact) and yet still manage to amaze and terrify.

This one didn't.

But I completed it and overall didn't despise it, so... 2 stars. Maybe Swan Song will be an improvement?