Summer of Night: A Novel

I too had higher expectations for this book, but found myself struggling to finish it. It's not bad, just never really captivated me. I feel it could have been a bit shorter but not miss any of the story, but that's just my opinion. Overall it's a good horror story, and if you like Dan Simmons, you'll probably enjoy it.

This book of Simmons comes highly touted as one the greats in the horror genre. However, the only scary parts are found in midway through the 600 page novel. Once the story really gets descriptive about what's taking place in this small town, it becomes too unbelievable and unsatisfying. I do agree that the way Simmons writes (elogantly and almost poetically at times) makes this book a good read. However if you're looking for a book to scare the heck out of you look elsewhere. I would recommend Ketchum's older works, SK's Pet Semetary and the Shining, and Laymon's The Woods are Dark.

A sprawling epic of old-fashioned Gothic horror, Don Simmons' "Summer of Night" is a well-written page-turner definitely worth the time. In an unusual twist to the familiar "coming of age" theme, a group of pre-teens in rural 1960 Illinois confront a millenniums-old evil force threatening their village. The writer is in no hurry to get the reader to the payoff, painstakingly weaving the mystery thread-by-thread, with a rich and convoluted cast of villains, both real and surreal. While on the longish side (600 pages), it is well-paced, building to a truly terrifying and suspenseful climax. Simmons' writing, while falling short of Steven King's vivid imagery, is far from pedestrian. He demonstrates a true talent for spinning a contrast of the innocence of growing up in an earlier era with the malevolence of the ancient horror that is making a mess of the cherished summer vacation. Despite the dark theme of the story, Simmons injects considerable tongue-in-cheek humor, seeing life through a young boy's eyes, where all teachers are old and mean, the principal is to be feared and avoided, and the school is the center of all things bad and boring. And while Simmons takes some license in the incredible level of maturity, ingenuity, and intelligence of this group of twelve-year olds, this is, after-all, fantasy. In the final analysis, "Summer of Night" is a well-crafted and unique mixture of nostalgia and familiar childhood fears. A highly recommended read.

I chose this book after reading part of a review. It was well written, with an interesting story line. What I liked best though we're the memories of being a child of that era and the long summer nights of freedom and play. You were in a special place and time and the world seemed so huge and full of adventure. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Very entertaining. For those who are fans of authors like Stephen King, this book is for you. Interesting characters and plot. Simmons takes you back to growing up and spending your summer days outside with the guys. The twists and turns kept me up late into the night reading. Overall, an enjoyable book that I won't soon forget.

Very entertaining. For those who are fans of authors like Stephen King, this book is for you. Interesting characters and plot. Simmons takes you back to growing up and spending your summer days outside with the guys. The twists and turns kept me up late into the night reading. Overall, an enjoyable book that I won't soon forget.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It starts off a little slow but the characters are so life like that I found myself wanting everyone to survive the malevolence. His isn't as good as Black Hills but it's a close 2nd.

Read it in two sittings. The character development was fantastic and I really found myself liking Duane and Mike. That said, it's almost like the story took a completely different turn about 3/4 of the way through. SPOILER ALERT: It's like the whole Borja Bell story got lost and turned into some kind of alien takeover story. Additionally, these 11-12 year old kids all of the sudden become badasses with weapons and combat? .....pretty unrealistic and dissappointed by the last 1/4 of the book. That said, good enough chracterization to probably read the next one in the series

This writer was recommended to me by a friend, and I have since become a huge fan. The characters are so well drawn that, by the time any violence occurs, you really know them and feel for them. And it doesn't hurt that I can identify with the time period, 1960. I have learned that this author feels as I do--that good should triumph over evil. So there are no cheap, shocker endings. This is not to say that bad things don't happen to good people, but the story comes together in a way that makes sense of all that has happened and the reader feels good about human nature and our potential for right.

I suppose I was disappointed because I was expecting something more in the science fiction line and the Hyperion series remain firm favourites of mine. Reading the existing reviews I thought, okay let's go with something different, everyone loves a good page turner now and then. (I have read The Terror and enjoyed it although did find it a bit long winded.) I liked the introduction - various studies on the loss of childhood roaming area, I grew up in the 60's and had an enormous amount of freedom on my bike and could really identify with that and see very clearly the differences today. *Spoiler alert* By the way the author states in the introduction that he will not let slip which of his child characters dies in the book and goes on almost immediately to say that he based his one very brainy character on a friend of his who was "STILL alive and well" which kinda gave it all away as soon as we are far enough into the book to realize who that character is! Skimmed then through to the end of the introduction.

Summer of Night started off well enough, well drawn characters, a lot of reminiscent-type descriptions of boyhood which were not out of place. Then we move on into the events taking place; a tacky monster, caricature-like adults intervening and wholly illogical and unbelievable happenings that make body-snatchers look tame. The true mindless monster, to give a monster some credence I think you have to make it at least, if not partially human, motivated by something that we can identify with. The whole devil premise fell totally flat, no substance was given to this at all, the library research done by the most endearing character is too feeble (not his research, which is excellent but what comes out of it). I think the author tried too hard to make the monster revolting and does not convince us - even during that moment of suspension of belief that every reader knows - of anything at all. So it all became quite trivial and lost me along the way. I continued through sheer stubborness to the end and not because I needed to find out what happened (this is a big minus point in my opinion). The only vague chance of maintaining my interest occured when the boys were hatching their plan - very gauchely done, very clunky writing to avoid giving away the plot here, and as soon as I knew the plan it was really just pure stubborness which made me finish the book. I only realized what the title referred to (yes I was a bit slow here) after I finished the book, sorry but there just wasn't enough physical darkness to warrant it, and psychological well... I suppose so.

I didn't want to read a bad Stephen King novel, there are enough of those around (I do not include in this list the Gunslinger series and The Stand) and remembering Mr Simmons portrayal of a very human, tortured poet and tackling religious symbolism with flair in Hperion et al. I was extremely disspointed with this little, childish romp.

A rare blend of Lovecraft and Hesse makes this not just a good read but a learning experience. The untimely death of Duane felt like the real loss of actual person who's genius would never be appreciated nor developed. The other boys and girls were nicely fleshed out characters. Nice work.

I read this after it was recommended toe. It takes place near where I live now in a time I grew up in. The memories were great! I couldn't wait until I found time to sit down a read more.Dan Simmons is an accomplished writer.

One the most masterfully wrought creep outs I've ever had! Mr. Simmons has definitely become one of my top shelf authors. I eagerly anticipate returning to Elm Haven later today via his second novel set in this quaint little Illinois town. I highly recommend this book. Just make sure you have plenty of time to devote to it, because you won't be able to put it down.

Alright, I have issues with this book.
I began liking it. Kids on the last day of school before a summer which will be so much more horrific than Algebra. Ah the irony. Then summer begins in Dan Simmon's Illinois world of Summer.
Keep in mind, I listened to this book on CD and the narrator was terrible. He had the same stupid bags of vocal tricks and contrived inflections that he used over and over, but his annoyances aside, the story was my least favorite of Dan Simmons.
As others have pointed out he made an annoying similarity to Stephen King's It or Stand By Me, but Dan Simmons doesn't need to try to be Stephen King. I haven't read what is hailed as his greatest, the Hyperion books, but I LOVED what he did with Drood, Black Hills and the Terror. I'm not sure I would have loved those books as much if I had read them on the page - his literary indulgences with detail and back story can be a serious road block for the reader-but there was some real genius there.
Again, I am new to Simmons so I'm not sure the order in which the books were written, but this was certainly not the best of his I have read.
Maybe my biggest problem with this story is its simplistic resolution: holy water and fire purges the evil. Come on... Really? There isn't another way to go? For something that began as such a flagrant Stephen King rip off, I hoped it would have an original conclusion that would blow my socks off and make me feel bad for doubting Simmons. That moment never happened.
Simmons instead gave me a story in which, kids didn't act like kids, adults didn't act like adults and people are generally not acting lie people. Even after it had already been established that there was an evil out there in Elm Haven killing off the group's little friends, they still find a way to make defeating this evil a lower priority than to say...playing baseball or throwing mud clots. I understand boys will be boys but is the point here, idiots will be idiots? Spare me the nostalgia of boyhood summers in Illinoi. I mean kids still have brains enough to know when to go into red alert, especially highly intelligent kids like the one's Simmon's presents us with,. I would think that they would be smart enough to fear for their lives and take more extreme precautions. And why not tell their parents of the evil that is happening? Why is it only happening to kids? None of this is ever explained. We as the reader are just supposed to swallow this gladly while Simmons feeds us a non-stop stream of useless information if only serves to prove that his writing genius can create a dense and rich imaginary word. Horray for you, Dan! But this book is still as simple as a child's lego set. The pieces fit neatly and there is very little surprise. I found myself listening to this on my way to work, in my car, and rolling my eyes.
I know this book came out forever ago and won some big prizes.
Big deal.
I wouldn't waste my time unless you are a fan of Dan Simmons. It's OK, but it is not without its serious clichets and annoying storyt holes.