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[ROOT]/includes/bbcode.php on line 112: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is no longer supported, use preg_replace_callback instead [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4668: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3815) [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4670: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3815) [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4671: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3815) [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4672: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3815) Horror World • View topic - Dead Sea by Brian Keene
Finished this last night, and thought it was just okay. I will say, being a huge Keene fan, this was probably my least favorite novel of his.
It would've been fine if not for two things; the whole chapters devoted to convincing the main character Lamar that he was the "hero" while he kept whining that he was simply a failure; along with Mitch being the "warrior", etc.
And to be honest, Lamar was really annoying at times. He grew up in the ghetto, but constantly claimed he wasn't into the "thug" lifestyle, even though it went on all around him. The he's confessing to Mitch that before the zombies started, he did something really bad. Mitch asks if he indeed dealt drugs, and Lamar goes into a tirade about just because he's black and gay, he doesn't do all these different things. But oh yeah, he robbed a Ford dealership - ya know, that sort of thing is different, I guess.
I will say that if Lamar was more likeable, and the whole "hero-warrior-trickster" bit was shortened from a rather long chapter to a few pages, I would have really enjoyed it. As it is, I thought it was an okay novel, but sub-par compared to the other Keene books I've read.
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:20 pm Posts: 1512 Location: The 'Skatch
I liked it too, but I agree with Craig. The whole hero archetype thing was a little ham-fisted. I also wish he'd done more with the whole crazy priest thing.
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I thought it was a weak book. Not as weak as City of the Dead, but still weak. He only need to write one zombie book, his first. They rest were retreads, though technically Dead Sea was an independent mythos.
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Unhappy Endings by Brian Keene (Kindle) The Mammoth Book of Best Horror Comics edited by Peter Normanton (DTV)
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 10:49 pm Posts: 450 Location: Winnipeg
I think it's one of his better books. I like it more than The Rising which I found just OK and much more than City of the Dead which I thought was dross.
Dark Hollow and Conqueror Worms are my personal Keene favourites
Regarding the annoying lead character (Lamar) in Dead Sea. This is a habit of Keene's I find irritating. It's his tendency to fill his pages in almost equal measure with politically correct "minority" type characters and with rugged, salt of the earth folks who are rough of demeanor but very socially tolerant and actually super nice people despite deceptive appearances.
It's not that I find anything wrong with having gay, black, muslim, amish, elderly or whatever heroes. It's just that Keene seems to handle it in a quite hamfisted way (as was pointed out above) and it all ends up seeming forced. Better writers handle such characters without you really noticing that they're meant to be different to you. They're there because they just are and they are characters in their own right, but Keene likes to hit you over the head with it.
Keene also has an annoying habit of explaining plot developments through character conversations, with dialogue that real people would never use.
What I've read of Brian Keene:
Dark Hollow - Great Conqueror Worms - Very Good Dead Sea - Good Ghoul - Good The Rising - OK City of the Dead - Poor Ghost Walk - Awful
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:46 am Posts: 510 Location: Oklahoma
Whenever I come across a book with minorities portayed that way it always reminds me of those pictures in the toys section of Sears catalog or the toy comercials that always manage to have a black girl, an asian girl, and a blonde girl playing together.
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Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:58 pm Posts: 6411 Location: The Back of Beyond.
I brought this thread back to life because I'm reading Dead Sea right now.
I just started this, but even at 50 pages in, I'm finding that Brian Keene's zombie descriptions are creeping me out more than the ones in The Rising and City of The Dead. By descriptions I not only mean how he's describing their appearance, but once these zombies start to act weird, it's just freaky the things Keene has them doing.
These zombies are weird and out of control.
_________________ "There's no law, no law anymore - I wanna steal from the rich and give to the poor." ~The Ramones~
I think Keene tends to be very inconsistent in his writing. While his stories are often very entertaining and technically proficient, sometimes, as stated above, his character development is forced and utterly unrealistic. Laymon wrote about writing what you know, and Keene is at his best writing about blue collar, working class folks from PA. When he broadens his scope for main characters, the wheels slip off the track.
Of his books that I have read: Dark Hollow - horrible. simply dull and unreadable Conqueror Worms - Very Good. Can't wait for the sequel. Dead Sea - Good. Enjoyed it but his main character was poorly executed Ghoul - OK. I expected more The Rising - Good City of the Dead - Good Ghost Walk - horrible. See dark hollow Kill Whitey - Very good
I loved Dark Hollow. A lot! I think his only real mis-step was Ghost Walk. I thought Ghost Walk was very weak and by-the-numbers horror, and I thought Ghoul was just o.k., but everything else he has written I thought was really above average to excellent (C.W., Kill Whitey, Castaways).
Tt, as they say, different strokes for different folks. But...if we all had the same opinions, how dull would life be....
To me, the Ghost Walk/Dark Hollow series was a huge stumble. It seems as if Keene was more interested in building on his mythos that crafting a great story. And while I found both held the possibilities to be great, they somehow fell apart and really became tired and uninspired.
Yeah, you got that right about everybody likeing the same thing. I'm still in shock that Paulo didn't care for Jacob's book. I had a completely different take on it. Haunter might have been a better place for him to start, but I think even Laurel had a hard time with that one. It's like the Max books, I loved them but I can see how others may not care for them.
You will love Castaways Undead. If you enjoy Laymon in general, you will dig Castaways.
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 10:49 pm Posts: 450 Location: Winnipeg
I should be getting Castaways soon. I was almost put off Keene for good after Ghost Walk.
I agree he's very inconsistent. I loved Dark Hollow and Conqueror Worms and liked Ghoul and Dead Sea quite a bit. Thought Rising was half decent at best, tolerated City of the Dead and really hated Ghost Walk.
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:58 pm Posts: 6411 Location: The Back of Beyond.
The last half of this I'm enjoying as much as Conqueror Worms. The scene in the forest with the whacked-out priest and what was in the field creeped the hell out of me. Some of the descriptions in that scene were excellent.
Craig, was it just the character of Lamar, or the entire story you didn't like?
_________________ "There's no law, no law anymore - I wanna steal from the rich and give to the poor." ~The Ramones~
Joined: Fri Sep 26, 2008 4:18 am Posts: 100 Location: Brockton, MA
I posted an intro. You know, the standard stuff, name, age, location, etc. Then, when I couldn't think of anything else to say, I pasted this silly Facebook thing I did a while back for a laugh.
I don't know. Everyone on Facebook thought it was funny, but who knows. That's not what got me banned, though. That's simply what they deleted. I was banned because they thought I was arguing and being insulting to a mod. I wasn't, but maybe it seemed that way. Who knows. Who cares.
But hey, let's not make this seem like I'm complaining. Many people have told me Keene's a great guy, so it's probably just a communication breakdown online.
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