Finally, I'm done with this book.

I don't know why, but I just couldn't get into it. I really, really, really like McCammon's writing. I've enjoyed all of his other books that I've read.

Probably, it's the alien stuff that just isn't my cup of tea.

Anyway, I gave it three stars because it is truly well written. If it wasn't for my mild form of OCD that makes me finish every book I start, I would gladly put this one away after a few chapters.

Well, moving on. The rant is over. ;)

This book had its moments, but the alien theme just didn't resonate with me as much as I hoped. McCammon's writing style is still engaging, and I can see the effort he put into creating this story. However, sometimes our personal preferences can get in the way of fully enjoying a book. Despite not loving this particular one, I'm still looking forward to reading more of McCammon's work in the future.

This was an extremely painful read that I have no idea why I put myself through.

To be fair, it initially began as a fun, time-honoured sci-fi horror. In the beginning, there was no need for a reader to question much (well, after the first 50 or so oddly slow pages).

Unfortunately, McCammons' editor was either drunk or asleep or both. They let pass 300 pages of mind-numbingly boring, repetitive, and extremely predictable'story'. I wouldn't wish this on any reader.

At the half-way mark, I was thinking that either I was in for an amazing twist or a slow descent into increasingly improbable happenings and expanding plot holes. As each and every cardboard character had everything that I knew would be happening to them, happen to them. My rating, which was ever decreasing, reveals my ultimate experience.

Now, this is when I mention Boy’s Life - that one is one of my favourite books ever. I will never love it less and I will certainly re-read it. But apart from it, this is where me and Mr McCammon part ways. I'm perfectly happy with him being a one hit wonder. And, like I said, I'll continue loving that hit. However, I will not submit myself to any more along these lines again.

Everyone seems to be saying that aliens won't eat your pets, but clearly, they haven't read this novel.

It presents a whole new perspective on the possibility of extraterrestrial behavior.

Moreover, this upcoming TV show is a complete disappointment. It looks nothing like the book I just devoured.

Why on earth would they change the name to Teacup? Seriously, who in their right mind would want to watch a show called Teacup more than Stinger?

It just doesn't make any sense.

If you don't believe me, check out the trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLikD....

Maybe you'll see what I mean.

Stinger is an absolute gem of an 80s alien creature feature.

It's a film that is bathed in the vibrant neon lights of that era, creating a visually stunning and immersive atmosphere.

Landing somewhere between the action-packed hilarity of Tremors and the mysterious allure of The Hidden, with just a hint of the nostalgia-inducing Stranger Things, it truly has a unique charm.

And let's not forget that added element of wildness with a liberal dousing of JD (presumably Jack Daniel's) and then set on fire for good measure.

Oh, and that one word that might just be a catchphrase or a reference that adds an extra layer of mystery: 'Scooter!'.

Overall, Stinger is a must-see for fans of 80s cult cinema, offering a thrilling and unforgettable ride through a world of alien invaders and wild adventures.

The premise of two alien races suddenly arriving on Earth and wreaking havoc is truly a great concept. One alien is a peacekeeper, desperately attempting to find a way back to its own world. Meanwhile, the other is a hunter that leaves a trail of destruction in its wake.

Adding to this mix is the writer of Swan Song and Boy's Life, which should have made this an enjoyable read. However, the story is severely dragged down by weak and completely unlikable characters.

The setting is a town on the Texas/Mexico border that is rapidly transforming into a financial ghost town. The residents are quickly losing hope, and as a result, most have become a resentful and racist group. The kids are divided between the caucasian "Renegades" and the hispanic "Rattlers", rival gangs. The sheriff is corrupt and not a fan of the Mexicans either. The only successful businessman in town is the local chop shop/drug dealer. The once prosperous mining business has now failed, residents are moving away, businesses are closing, and the school is shutting down. Sadness permeates the entire town.

Then the aliens arrive and create chaos. A large, purple net is dropped over the town, trapping everyone inside. The first alien takes over the body of a little girl (aww, she's cute, so we should like her, right?). The second alien begins destroying everything and everyone in its attempt to find the first alien. What are the people in this bigoted and run-down town supposed to do? Well, they start loving each other and kicking some alien butt! Yes, indeed. Unfortunately, by the time the love-fest begins, I really didn't care anymore. Even when the true nature of the first alien and the reason for its being chased are revealed, I remain unimpressed. In fact, I was actually kind of grossed out.

The premise itself is what earned this book a 2-star rating.

Throw Predator, The Thing and Under the Dome in a blender and crank the gore and action up to 11, and you get this book.

The story initially gets off to a somewhat slow start. However, good lord, does it kick into overdrive in the back half! It was so intense that I felt like I needed a beer and a nap afterward. And those death sequences... they were simply unbelievable! I don't think I've ever read so many gruesome kills in one single book before. It was a total gorefest.

This book features one of the most terrifyingly powerful monsters I've come across in years. You would not want to do battle with this creature in real life under any circumstances.

That said, this book is not without its flaws. The dialogue is quite cheesy at times, filled with corny 80s lingo that might make you roll your eyes a bit. Sometimes such things can add charm to a story, but it fell a bit flat for me here.

Another issue is the massive cast. There are just so many minor characters to keep track of, and many of them aren't very memorable. While I enjoyed all of the core players, I had a legitimate hard time keeping many of the minor characters straight in my head. I often had to rack my brain to remember who a character was when I came across their name.

But overall, the strengths of this book far outweigh the weaknesses. It won me over in the best possible way. I had a great time going on this crazy, high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled ride. And the ending didn't disappoint either.

In short: McCammon strikes again with another home run, despite a couple of minor flaws. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. It's such a wild adventure. McCammon's creativity never ceases to amaze me, and with Stinger, he delivers in spades.

For the most part, Stinger was a fun read. I have a great penchant for a good blend of horror and sci-fi, and this story about an extraterrestrial on the run was an okay one.

I really liked the concept of Daufin and her pursuer. Additionally, the relationship between Rick and Cody was quite engaging. However, aside from these aspects, I don't have much more to say about it.

I firmly believe that the story could have easily endured with 200 fewer pages. By the time I reached the 400-page mark, it seemed that the action was just a little too protracted, and I was arriving at the point of thinking, okay, can we please just wrap this up already?

One thing that truly bothered me, as I am a stickler for accuracy, was that it seemed every time these gang members were in a battle-lust, it was after they had smoked marijuana. I have no idea how much, if any, experience McCammon has with this, but I can never recall seeing a stoner engage in violent activity.

Now, don't misunderstand me as defending the use of dope. While I admit it was a part of my youth, I think its real menace lies in causing lethargy, ambivalence, and a loss of drive and ambition.

Hardly violence. McCammon might have been better off choosing alcohol as the gangs' battle fuel for the sake of credibility.

McCammon has once again delivered for me.

It's a gruesome and riveting tale, yet it has a lot of heart.

My sample size of his work is small as this is only my second McCammon, but I might just prefer him to King.

A small Texas town is thrown into chaos by the crash landing of an object of unknown origin.

Something strange is happening to the young daughter of a local veterinarian who interacted with the broken remnants first.

The foreign object seems manageable for the nearest air force base and personnel to contain and research.

That is until a much larger arrival brings a less than friendly visitor with a mission.

This visitor traps the whole town for one terrifying night.

At 550 pages, I expected to be reading this for a while.

Fortunately, it moves at such a great pace that I didn't notice the pages flying by until I reached the end.

McCammon creates not only a captivating story but also a palpable atmosphere.

The hot, dying Texas town, isolated and withering since the local mine shut down, feels uncomfortable, weathered, and desperate.

This is where the book opens.

The inhabitants are beaten, on edge, and divided.

When the unspeakable comes and threatens their lives and the lives of everyone on the planet, they are given a reason to fight for each other.

And just to be clear, this isn't all puppies and bedtime stories.

The messed-up mucous monster from deep space likes to snatch people, eat them, and use its advanced alien technology to create symbiotic extensions of itself in the skins of its victims.

These extensions have a mouth of needle teeth and metal saw-like hands to go out and destroy more people.

There is plenty of death and gory violence, and characters of all walks and colors.

Everyone is a little rough around the edges, but the hope in humanity is what makes this book shine.

I absolutely loved it.

I initially intended to rate this book 3 stars, as it's not possible to give 3.5 stars on Goodreads. However, I truly had a great time reading it, so I've decided to give it a 4-star rating instead. This was my very first encounter with McCammon's work, and I'm now eagerly looking forward to reading more of what he has to offer.

The only complaint I have about this book is that it takes an awfully long time to really get started. But once it reaches the halfway point, it transforms into a fast-paced, frenzied adventure that lasts until the very end. McCammon truly amazed me with his excellent pacing, well-developed characters, and the remarkable descriptive quality of his writing.

The premise of the story might seem a bit simplistic, and much of the gory action could be considered lowbrow. However, his outstanding writing manages to elevate the entire story and makes it a truly worthwhile read. I highly recommend this book to fans of science fiction and horror.

McCammon masterfully weaves an 80's horror/sc-fi tale that is truly for the ages.

This work stands right beside the author's spectacular epic Swan Song as one of his very best and most enduring creations.

The story is crafted with such skill and finesse that it keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.

The vivid descriptions and well-developed characters bring the world of the story to life in a truly terrifying and captivating way.

I am completely satisfied with this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good horror/sc-fi read.

It is a must-read for fans of the genre and for those who appreciate masterful storytelling.

So, don't hesitate, pick up this book and prepare to be taken on a thrilling and unforgettable journey.

Read it!

McCammon's sci-fi horror story earns a solid 4.5 stars. He's definitely among my top 5 horror literature authors, right behind King and Koontz. It's a pity he's not more widely known outside horror enthusiast circles. His 80s horror novels are always a treat. If you haven't read any of his works, start with They Thirst and a Wolfs Hour, and then this one offers a nice sci-fi twist.

The story begins a bit slowly, introducing us to a dying town in a desolate desert in TX. There are two rival high school gangs, a cocaine dealer who runs the town, and a family with a high school boy and a little girl. A spaceship crashes, and a mysterious sphere is found. Then, suddenly, a bigger ship lands, and things start happening at a good pace.

We learn some interesting alien history and are introduced to two different alien species. One is a "convict" with the ability to switch minds with others and use their bodies as vessels, and the other is a vicious bounty hunter called Stinger. There's a definite Under The Dome feel, and I wonder if King was inspired by this story. However, it differs significantly as the chaos inside the alien-generated force field isn't human-initiated. Stinger has amazing replicant technology, and that's where the horror begins. The body horror described is great. The replicants are disgusting, a mix of metal, flesh, pseudo muscle, blood, and ooze. The deaths are very violent, similar to McCammon's writing about zombies in The Night Boat.

There's a nice underlying theme of humans coming together as the rival gangs work towards a common goal. Cody and Rick are two well-written characters, and you really feel for Cody towards the end.

Due to the alien/sci-fi theme, I decided to re-read TOMMYKNOCKERS. I'm excited to pick up that classic again.

The town of Inferno has been gradually withering away ever since the copper mine shut down. In just two days, the school will close for good. Most of the people are deserting the town, and the two gangs, The Rattlesnakes and the Renegades, are circling like vultures around Inferno's decaying corpse. But everything takes a wild turn when an alien ship crashes and the alien inhabits the body of a little girl. And yet, this is just the beginning, for it's a picnic compared to what happens when the second alien arrives...

Stinger is the tale of a dying town that is completely upended by two aliens. Just as he did in Swan Song, McCammon crafts an ensemble cast that truly captures the imagination. Cody Lockett and Rick Jurado, the leaders of the Renegades and the Rattlesnakes respectively, are both three-dimensional characters, not the over-the-top villains one might expect. The rest of the cast is also well-developed, especially the Hammond family. Even Vance, the rather unlikable sheriff, and Curt Lockett, Cody's alcoholic father, end up having redeeming qualities.
The aliens themselves are quite fascinating. Daufin is an artificial intelligence housed in a black sphere, while Stinger is a complex being, part man, part scorpion, and with other mysterious components.
The story unfolds at a rapid pace, especially after Stinger makes his appearance, and at times it reminds one of movies like The Predator and Tremors. No one knows when Stinger will strike, as he always emerges from beneath the ground. One amusing aspect is that Stinger's ship surrounds the town with an impenetrable dome that is seven miles in diameter, cutting off power and supplies. McCammon often gets criticized for being a Stephen King imitator, but he actually beat King to the dome concept by over twenty years.
The ending is both believable and well-executed. Not everyone survives, and it's clear that Inferno will never be the same again.
Stinger is a real page-turner that horror fans simply shouldn't miss. It's gruesome and extremely intense at times.

It keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, with its unique blend of science fiction and horror elements.

McCammon's ability to create such vivid characters and a thrilling plot makes this book a must-read for anyone who loves a good scare.

Whether you're a fan of his previous works or new to his writing, Stinger is sure to leave a lasting impression.

So, don't hesitate to pick up this book and prepare to be taken on a wild ride through the town of Inferno.