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Jack's Magic Beans (2011)

by Brian Keene(Favorite Author)

3.95 of 5 Votes: 3

languge

English

genre

Horror

publisher

Deadite Press

review 1: Crazy anthology. The title story, Jack's Magic Beans, was original and fast paced, but I felt like it was a rip off because just as the story started getting good, it ended, with nothing resolved and the survivors just going off into the crazy new world and you don't know what will happen to them. I felt ripped off. It would have made the start of a great novel. The other stories were good- there was short vignette about a man who shoots himself, but cannot die until he fulfills one more promise. Two stories about a serial killer who stalks country roads (the first surprised me) and the last story was by far the best. It just about was enough to elevate this to a five star read in and of itself. IT was called The King in Yellow and I wouldn't be surprised if it made it int... moreo one of those "best of the year" anthologies. A couple of yuppies, (only the man really has a conscience) see a woman go crazy in a restaurant, where she starts babbling about a play she saw before she stabs her partner and digs her eyeballs out. They had been told by a homeless man to see the same play. The play is by a 17th century author who comnmitted suicide after writing it, banned in every civilized country, and translated by another man who committed suicide. Great set up. it is cast by dead rock stars, with realistic costumes- Janis Joplin, Hendrix, Mama Cass, Kurt Kobain, etc. The story builds suspense well and had a very satisfying ending.
review 2: Jack's Magic Beans is a short story collection of horror maestro Brian Keene and released by Deadite Press. But be warned - if you've read previous the story collections Unhappy Endings, No Rest For The Wicked and Fear Of Gravity (all of which are now long out of print) then you will recognise the stories. If you have missed out of those previous collections then this will be well worth it.[return][return]The main story involves a world gone mad where everyone has gone insane and has started killing each other and the few people unaffected need to work to stay together and work out what they have in common which keeps them from going insane too. This is one of those stories where you wish it was longer as you really start to get involved in the world when it ends. After this main story is four short stories (Without You, I Am An Exit, This Is Not An Exit, and 'The King', In: YELLOW) containing murder, suicide and dead rock stars.[return][return]The collection of stories is solid, with plenty of story and gore to please any horror fan; but like I've mentioned if you are a Keene fan then some will be familiar to you but these stories are well worth re-reading; and if your new to Keene then this will show you what he is capable of.[return][return]4/5 less

Download links for: Jack's Magic Beans

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