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Here are comments from our group of Advance Readers about David Morrell's CREEPERS.
Anthony from Fitchburg, MA
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
Yes.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Robert Ludlum, Dean Koontz, John Grisham, Lisa Scottoline, David Baldacci, Dan Brown, James Patterson and Michael Crichton.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
[It was] superb. Short chapters, fast action --- an exceptional thriller from beginning to end. I started reading CREEPERS at 7 PM and could not put it down until 3:30 AM. I was especially pleased with the author's note "An Obsession with the Past" at the end of the book. It was good to read a book that did not have a lawyer/terrorist/detective, etc.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes, I absolutely would read a future book by David Morrell.
Charlie from Willowbrook, IL
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
To my knowledge, I have not read a David Morrell book before CREEPERS. My plan is to correct that shortly by checking my library's collection tomorrow. Of course, I have seen the movie RAMBO and enjoyed it very much.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
I think they are too numerous to mention. Suffice to say I enjoy thrillers, suspense and mystery novels. I also enjoy zany books by authors such as Carl Hiaasen.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
[It is] easily one of the best suspense novels I have ever read. I could not put it down, reading it in one night. The characters are vivid and fascinating. The storyline begins simply and then expands to encompass one nightmare scene after another. I seldom become as absorbed in a story, to a point where I feel as if I am in it --- but I was in the Paragon Hotel tonight. I could smell the odors, feel the coldness, see the decay, wince at the visions of animals and feel deep regret for the misfortunes of the characters. It is books like these that keep me reading. Movies will never replace books.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
As I said above, David Morrell is now high on my list of authors. Clearly, his books not only suit my tastes --- I regret I have not read him before now.
Farrah from Edgard, LA
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
This was my very first David Morrell book.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
My usual forte is romantic suspense. Sandra Brown, Linda Howard and Karen Rose are three of my favorites, although I have many more.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
CREEPERS was a fascinating break from my normal reading taste. David Morrell did a superb job in his pacing of the story; making it more visual than any suspense book I've read in a long time. It was almost as if I was watching a movie. The imagery, the characterization (loved the cast of characters) --- they were all wonderful. CREEPERS put me in the mood for the Halloween season.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes. I plan to look up his backlist as well.
Hope from Euclid, OH
What did you think of CREEPERS?
I enjoyed this book. It was very scary! I think it would make a good movie.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
I would read another book by the author.
Kathleen from North Port, FL
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
Yes, I have read a few of David Morrell's books, and after reading this one, I want more!
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
I read a lot of different types of books, but in the thriller genre I like James Patterson and Heather Graham. I enjoy much of Stephen King's work but sometimes Koontz is too weird for me.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
All the plot twists! It was so exciting; I didn't want to put it down! I also enjoyed reading his notes at the back of the book. This was exciting.... and didn't give me nightmares.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Would I read him again? You bet. In a heartbeat.
Kim from Morristown, TN
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No, I had not.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Stephen King.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
The book is quite interesting. It took a different turn than I originally suspected, which surprised me. I read much of it in one afternoon. The characters are dimensional and make the reader care about their outcomes. The book makes for an entertaining read.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes.
Maureen from Middletown, CT
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No, this is my first book.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Tess Gerritsen.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
I finished CREEPERS --- liked it very much. It was a real page-turner.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes. Although I do like mystery/suspense, I don't read a lot of mystery (my favorite genre is historical fiction). However, after CREEPERS, I would definitely seek out other books by David Morrell.
M.F. from Woodbine, NJ
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Karin Slaughter, J.D. Robb, Carol O'Connell and Ruth Rendell.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
I read it straight through (I usually skip around, looking for the "good parts" that reveal the plot). I could "see" several surprising plot twists as movie scenes. Also, [there were] twists in characters that were nonetheless convincingly believable. I am recommending it as Halloween reading this month, especially to my friends who also grew up in Monmouth County in the 1950s through 1970s (my first and only high school date included a trip to the fun house in Asbury Park and a walk on the jetty there). I think I may drive to the boards there on my trip "home" at Thanksgiving this year and try to get my brother (who gets the book next) to "look for" locations from the book.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes.
Shannon from Waterloo, IA
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No, I have not.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
I read such a variety of authors because I am a librarian. The list includes but is not limited to: John Sandford, Lawrence Block, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, John Saul, Carlene Thompson, Harlan Coben, Erica Spindler, P.J. Tracy and Earl Emerson.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
I maintain a blog on first sentences and it's a good thing I don't rate books based on those alone or this book wouldn't have even rated! The first sentence was a stinker! Overall, I gave this book my personal star rating of 4 1/4 out of 5. It had terrific timing, happening over the course of eight hours, moving very quickly. Add to that, it happened over the course of an evening and it paced even faster. In addition, the setting was wonderful with a spooky hotel backdrop in a deserted town. The characters started out a little wooden for me but as I got to know them through their reaction to what was happening around them I began to like them --- some of them anyway! But for me, the most exciting aspects of the book was learning of Asbury Park, New Jersey and going on to learn more independently and the whole concept of "urban exploration." Both of these topics were new to me and they sparked an interest in me that no other books have done in a long time. Typically, I read for pleasure unless I am reading literary journals or the occasional nonfiction tome. This book was not only pleasurable and entertaining but a fire starter in my cortex that drove me to a computer to learn more, more, more! This was a fun ride that will be a recommendation at my library throughout the course of October and well into 2006.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Absolutely. I purchased his book of short stories, BLACK EVENING, over the weekend and have added it to my TBR shelf.
William from Social Circle, GA
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
First time.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
I thought the book was a great suspense [book] --- it kept my attention.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes.
Gloria from Goldsboro, NC
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
This is the first book of David Morrell's I have read.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Other suspense authors I have read are James Patterson, Elmore Leonard and Sue Grafton. There are others but I share them after I read them and do not keep a list.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
There were quite a few surprises in the book as I continued reading it. It was a little spooky.... CREEPERS is a real suspense novel. Plus there were all those details regarding the conditions of old buildings and I never knew until I read this book that there are people that indulge in such activities. The language created the [pictures] of people falling, opening blocked doors and [trying to survive].
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes, I think I would read another book by David Morrell.
Christa from Hilliard, OH
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Lisa Gardner, Patricia Cornwell and legal thrillers.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
I thought it was pretty good. It was not something that I would normally pick up. I liked the historical aspect to the book --- it was very interesting.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
I would listen to him on audio --- like I do with the other suspense/thrillers I "read."
Colette from Palm Bay, FL
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Stephen King.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
[It was] different, interesting.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes.
Steve from Boise, ID
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
No.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Ludlum, le Carre and Crichton.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
The creeper team invades an abandoned hotel with a mysterious past and hidden passageways; sounds like the setting for a great thriller. Unfortunately, I found the first third of the book so numbing my inclination was to stop there. The dialogue is stilted, the characters aren't convincing and the initial action primarily consists of bumping into scary rats and cats --- again and again. The animals mutated just because they are in a dark old building? Unconvincing. More unbelievable is the team continuing to repeat the rule about not changing anything and then violating their mantra through sheer bumbling. OK, get past the first third of the book and then the story gets into a more plausible and entertaining thriller. [Editor's note: this comment has been edited to prevent revealing a spoiler.]
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
No.
Jane from Owensboro, KY
Have you ever read David Morrell before?
Yes, I have. I have previously read NIGHTSCAPE, BURNT SIENNA, DOUBLE IMAGE and EXTREME DENIAL.Yes, I have. I have previously read NIGHTSCAPE, BURNT SIENNA, DOUBLE IMAGE and EXTREME DENIAL.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Stephen King, John Grisham, James Grippando, Robert Tanenbaum, Jonathan Kellerman, Robert McCammon, Dan Simmons, John Saul, Dean Koontz, Richard North Patterson and David Baldacci. Well, you get the picture. I love this type of book.
What did you think of CREEPERS?
It wasn't his best book. I felt the story REALLY dragged through the first 1/4-to-1/3. I really had to struggle to keep focused. After that, I thought it picked up a bit and if I had to rate it, I would give it about a 4. It was entertaining --- I can see it making a great TV movie but I didn't think it was as "tight" as some of his other work. Too many random characters thrown in and not developed fully --- including the protagonist. Because I had read some of his other books I kept with it but if I didn't know of his other works, I probably would have put this one down. A rarity for me --- I have only NOT finished three books in my lifetime, no matter how bad they are. I was rewarded because it did finish much better than it started but I felt it could have used a better editing pencil before publication.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Yes. Not because of this one, but because I have seen what great talent he has through his other works.
Suzi from Santa Paula, CA
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
This was my first experience with the writing of David Morrell. It will not be my last.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Primarily a reader of light mysteries and science fiction/fantasy, my "thriller" authors read in the past include an occasional Stephen King and James Patterson, and a few others I can't recollect at this time. Now I will add David Morrell to the list.
What did you think of SCAVENGER?
I really --- maybe enjoyed isn't the right word --- got into reading SCAVENGER. And I had trouble putting it down (even after exhaustion set in from losing an hour in the time change to DST). I had to literally fall asleep over it to finally quit and go to bed. The book is like those films that keep you on the edge of your seat in the theater, gasping when you remember to breathe.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Sure, after I catch up on all the past titles I've missed!
Thanks for turning me on to a new author and reintroducing me to a genre I had lately ignored.
Barbara from Wantagh, New York
Have you previously read a book by David Morrell?
Only one, CREEPERS.
What other suspense/thriller authors do you read?
Peter Abrahams, William Boyd, Scott Smith, Richard Montanari, Peter Clement and Dean Koontz come to mind.
What did you think of SCAVENGER?
I found it disappointing --- definitely not as well done as CREEPERS. Although it filled the basic requirements of a thriller --- lots of action and difficult to put down --- it was very unbelievable and it was hard to feel sympathy for any of the cardboard characters. Perhaps the idea of structuring the action within the confines of a computer game limited the novel's credibility.It was too bad, because the idea of time capsules and the information about them was intriguing. I felt a lot more could have been done with this concept.
Would you ever read a future book by David Morrell?
Probably not, unless its theme really grabbed me.
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