Ghost Walk

Going back to LeHorn's Hollow was like a dream . . . or a nightmare in this case. And I mean that in the best possible way. Keene has way of creating settings that are just as terrifying, or maybe even more terrifying than the monsters that he creates to inhabit them (if you don't believe me, read "The Conquerer Worms" - you'll never look at a rainy day the same way again). LeHorn's Hollow is one of those settings. I've been to the hollow several times before in short stories and in previous novels, and it felt good to return. It was comfortable, but it didn't stay that way for long. For this novel, Keene put away the murderous trees and lusty goat-men. This time he brought out the big guns, and introduced his readers to something far show more darker, an evil who should not be named. One of the Thirteen.

For the those readers who indulge themselves in every book that Keene puts out, this novel is dripping with nods to other works. I get a thrill every time I recognize a name or reference. But the beauty of the book is that you don't have to have read any of his previous books to enjoy this one. Sure, it was awesome to see what became of Adam Senft, to see how the sorta-hero of Dark Hollow became an angry lunatic, but I wouldn't have had to have read the other book to enjoy this one.

To make what could be a very long review short, let me just say read this book. Read it if for nothing more than to look into true darkness and find out what truly scares you. show less

In case you weren't aware, GHOST WALK is kind of a sequel to DARK HOLLOW. Not really a traditional sequel but one involved in the same city and with the same characters. Keene has actually gone on record of saying that all his books are connected; to that degree, GHOST WALK becomes required reading to help explain how they are connected. Unfortunately as a standalone book, it is not that strong.

The story involves a hunter disturbing a circle of stones in a forest, a disturbance that in turn opens a gateway to another world. The world is now at risk and needs to be saved by an ex-Amish named Levi who is a user of powwow.

On the one hand, Keene's writing is incredible and enjoyable and this book continues to demonstrate his ability. It's a show more fun read and it's extra fun to see his novels be connected. On the other hand, I've had Keene's book engage and involve me much more than this one was able to; it's a bit disappointing to want a bit more and not quite get it. I would still recommend the book because a) we get introduced to Levi Stoltfuz, the protagonist of A GATHERING OF CROWS and a recurring character in Keene's stories, b) we have the connections across the books and worlds drawn clearer for us and c) even disappointing Keene stories are better than 90% of the stuff out there. show less

I found this novel engrossing. If it wasn't for the fact that I had to take the dog for a walk, I probably would have spent all night reading it. It is just such a cool story. It's also a local story; the book is set largely in York County, Pennsylvania--small portions take place in Columbia (where I live) and Marietta (which is also nearby). It is a partial sequel to Keene's previous novel,Dark Hollow.

Both stories are set in the fictional Le Horn's Hollow, which is loosely based of the real Rehmeyer's Hollow. In this book, a poacher accidentally releases a creature of pure darkness, which seeks to destroy the world. Nearby, a man has set up a haunted trail to raise money for charity. It's almost Halloween, and if the creature isn't show more stopped before then, everyone on the haunted trail will be lunch, and the rest of the world will follow shortly.

The only one standing in the way of the darkness is an outcast ex-Amishman named Levi Stolzfus. Keene has described Stolzfus as an Amish cross between Repairman Jack and John Constantine. I think there's a touch of Silver John in there too.

I loved this book, and I think you will too. show less

The star would have been three, but I don't like how things went with Adam. He was a good guy in the first book caught in a disaster, but the ending make it seem...yeah, brutal. I wasn't into the character head-hopping that went on in the carnival much, but I did like the reporter and Ken. As for Lee, he is interesting in some respects other than irritating me at the ending. I'm hoping to enjoy the third book more, which I'll start shortly. The "monster" is a little cheesy but the woods stay creepy with ambience and writing appeal thanks to the author.

A dark drama that weaves you through several people's week. Centered around an attraction called Ghost Walk. An Amish(?) man with special gifts, leads an untrusting woman into acts that could save her world. A broken man haunted by the past tries to build a dream in honnor of his dead wife. A sick man doomed as a labeled psychopath, has to give something as an offering. Many people die, amny more could if not stopped. A true horror novel, scary, thoughtful and no time for romance.(come on the world may end)
The Amish man Levi is a great character, funny, intelligent, and full of secrets. I would love to see another book with him in it. I loved the way the book was written with each character having their own chapter in the begining. I show more really got to "see" each one iindependtaly. show less

One doesn't need to have read Dark Hollow, the precursor to Ghost Walk, to enjoy the story told by Keene. On the other hand, if one is intending to read the entirety of Keene's work, Ghost Walk may be very informative for other works like The Rising.

In Ghost Walk, the character Levi Stolzfus lays out, in plain language, a cosmology that runs through Keene's books (at least those I've read). It might be a bit of a spoiler to post it in this review, so you have been warned. Left over from the previous universe, thirteen primal spirits are determined to unmake god's creation. They include Ob and Ab (The Rising and City of the Dead), Leviathan (presumably in The Conquerer Worms, which I haven't yet read), and Nodens (Ghost Walk). In some show more stories they persevere, in others they fail. Keene's cosmology is clearly influenced by the Cthulhu Mythos, but not necessarily faithful--i.e. Nodens has a human avatar and is a hunter in Lovecraft while it is darkness and void in Ghost Walk.

The characterization in Ghost Walk provides a stronger ensemble of protagonists, while Nodens pales in comparison to the much more human Hylinus from Dark Hollow. Much of the description of Lehorn's Hollow and York County, PA leans on the previous volume, but the ghost walk itself is an ideal environment for a supernatural showdown.

I would have rated this novel higher if it had presented more character growth and hadn't had such an abrupt ending. Still, it's required reading for Keene-o-philes. show less

I know that ”Ghost Walk” by Brian Keene isn’t exactly a new title. It was actually released almost a year ago in July of 2008. But…I was going through my shelf of older ARC’s that I hadn’t gotten around to reading (don’t worry, this is one that I purchased, not one that I was given for me in exchange for a review. No blogger ethics violations here), and it kind of jumped out at me.

After reviewing the synopsis on the back cover, I was pretty jazzed to read it. This is a true horror book. Not sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy, mystery or dark fiction. Horror. You don’t see a whole lot of it anymore. As I started into the first couple of chapters, I was definitely not disappointed. The initial shock was fairly immediate and show more effective. Unfortunately, the book peaked at that point, and then kind of maintained a steady plateau of action before fizzling out in a too-convenient climax.

But, I am getting ahead of myself. The story takes place in York County, Pennsylvania and centers on the long-rumored haunted LeHorn’s Hollow. The hollow has been a paranormal magnet for decades, attracting witches, warlocks, devil-worshipers, demons, ghost, and according to rumor, at least one Satyr. The perfect place for a Halloween haunted house attraction. Or, at least that is what Ken Ripple thinks.

Ken decided to open the Ghost Walk to as a tribute to his dead wife. The money raised will be donated to cancer research, and hopefully prevent others from suffering her fate in the future. A noble endeavor indeed. But, strange disappearances plague Ken’s staff of volunteers starting just prior to opening night. He doesn’t find out until the body count numbers in the dozens that he has a big problem. I am talking about a bad-guy that has the power to travel from dimension to dimension and who has been holding a grudge since before the big bang. Definitely not good.

Overall, the pacing of the book is good, and the action continues steadfastly from beginning to end. However, the supporting characters aren’t very well developed and the climax didn’t seem to do justice to an antagonist that had been around since the beginning of time. If you are looking for a quick, fairly entertaining read, this might be the book for you. If you are looking for something more substantial, you might want to keep looking. In my opinion, a three star rating is not only fair, but probably generous show less