The House

by Bentley Little

Book Overview

Five strangers from across America are about to open the door to an unspeakable evil in this horror novel from "master of the macabre "* Bentley Little. They share a dark bond. A haunted childhood. A... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451192249
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Disappointed -

The book seemed formulatic and trite. To be fair though, it probably gets better farther in, I only lasted a couple chapters.

The House (of horror)

Bentley has many strange, weird things going on in his mind Enjoy him people !!!

ORIGINAL AND HIGHLY CREEPY...

This author, touted as a "master of the macabre" by no other than Stephen King, is one of the most inventive writers of the horror genre today. A Bram Stoker Award winner for his horror novel, "The Revelation", he does not disappoint the reader with this one. This is the third novel by this author that I have read, and I will continue to seek his others, as the ones that I have read, thus far, are generally well-written and have had highly original twists. While they have all seemed to have some sexual themes running through them, it has not been inordinately graphic nor has it supplanted the horror at the heart of the always inventive and genuinely creepy story the author has written. I really loved this one, as the author took a familiar theme, that of the haunted house, and brought it to the next level. Five strangers are each having a major upset in their respective lives. That catalytic event is causing each of them to remember something they would rather forget: their childhood and the strange home in which they each grew up. Compelled to return to their original homesteads, they discover that it is the past that is governing their present. Five separate homes, five separate childhoods, yet, they are all distinctly similar and similarly creepy with memories that each of those who lived there would rather forget. These strangers will be brought together in a way that none of them would ever have imagined. This book will give one the heebie jeebies. The descriptions of the events propelling the story are genuinely eerie and create the right amount of tension. Some of the odd characters in the book create a sense of dissonance and a creepy atmosphere, while others are downright chilling. This was simply a book that I could not put down, as I was riveted to its pages until every last one was turned.

A nice twist on the haunted house

I'm already a big fan of Bentley Little's works and with The House he doesn't disappoint. Five complete strangers from different corners of the U.S. have similar erotic, violent dreams. Supernatural occurences plague each character's hometown. The only connection, unbeknownst to them, is the houses of their childhood, which somehow is the same for each. A large house, ominouse and forboding...This was a pretty good, original spin on the haunted house tale. Bentley Little knows how to write a fast paced, gore filled story that screams of B-movie. The house and everything else supernatural had a Lovecraftian quality and every action sequence was aptly detailed in Little's trademark, unflinching way. This book reminded me somewhat of William Hope Hodgson's "The House on the Borderland" which is also a great read. The use of dolls was a nice, creepy touch, especially when used as a murder weapon. Grisly, original death scenes kept the story moving. The only snags were in characters lacking dimension (which, in some way, is good) that may annoy readers. This is horror as it is meant to be, laughable, offensive, disturbing, under no circumstances to be taken seriously. The ending wasn't as good as I would have liked, but overall I was entertained. For serious horror fans only.

Bentley Little is the new breed of great horror writers!

I hated reading any type of book for most of my life. As a matter of fact I would not read unless it was for a school assignment. One day, my Wife and I went to a book store to pick up a magazine; and I went to the horror section instead. I picked up "The House", and figured I would waste a few dollars on a book I would never read. Once I started reading the first page, for some strange reason I was hooked. I could not stop reading it. I finished the book in less than 4 days, and have been taken in by his books ever since. I have also read "The Store" and "The Revelation"; and I am starting on "The Town". Bentley Little is in one word (amazing!)

Truly Original!

It's been a long time since I read a good haunted house story. Even longer since I read an original one. In his novel UNIVERSITY, Bentley Little revealed his knowledge of this horror sub-genre, and in this novel he makes use of that knowledge, avoiding the common pitfalls and charting territory through what could have been a minefield. Filled with graphioc sex and extremely disturbing imagery, this one is not for the faint-hearted but should please fans of King, Barker, et. al. A great book.

Underappreciated Genius!

Signet seems to be throwing good money after bad by continuing to hype Judith Hawks and seemingly every other horror writer on their roster while letting Bentley Little languish in obscurity. Little is hands down the best and most consistent horror writer working today, and his latest book is one of his finest. This is the book Dean Koontz's "Strangers" SHOULD have been. Complex, moving, scary, it's one hell of a read. Hopefully, Little will one day get the respect and support he deserves.