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The Gates (2009)

by John Connolly(Favorite Author)

3.76 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0340995793 (ISBN13: 9780340995792)

languge

English

genre

Horror

publisher

Hodder & Stoughton

series

Samuel Johnson vs. the Devil

review 1: After the last book, it took me a few days to feel motivated to start a new one, and I carried this to work and back all last week, reading Metro or a magazine instead. I finally started it last night coming home, and was instantly delighted. Any book that starts "In the beginning" and then goes on to explain the Big Bang in terms that a ten year old can understand is on to a winner. One of the quotes on the jacket describes it as a cross between Monty Python and Stephen King, and I can't decide whether to add Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams into the mix. Young Samuel Johnson and his sausage dog Boswell decide to go trick or treating a few days early to get a head start, but he discovers his neighbours, Mr and Mrs Abernathy are trying to open the gates of hell, with t... morehe aid of the Large Hadron Collider. Of course, no-one would believe him, so he has to figure out how to stop them himself. This had me snorting with laughter several times, and reading out particularly great sentences to my OH. I found it completely engaging. I'm not sure if it counts as young adult or children's literature, but enjoyable at any age, and I've already started the next pile to lend to my sister with this book.
review 2: Samuel Johnson and his dog Boswell are out trick or treating before Halloween when they see neighbor Mrs. Abernathy's, her husband and two friends trying to summon Satan. With the help of a glitch in the Large Hadron Collider, a portal is opened through which demons of all shapes and sizes are summoned. Some really good characters: Sam is a pip (bright, nerdy, but compassionate and caring), Boswell is loyal and protective, and the demon lord Nurd, who is befriended by Sam. I liked the story, but found Connolly's footnote containing science and humor to be distracting and mostly annoying. less

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