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BenLarken

BenLarken

has 80 followers and is following 91 people

I'm a police dispatcher and author of a novel called "Pit-Stop," which won the 2009 Eppie Award for Best Horror! "The Hollows" is also out, a time-bending thriller about an evil apartment complex. My next horror novel, "Pillar's Fall" will be out in August. But I love talking all kinds of books. Catch me here or find me on facebook or twitter!
  • Fort Worth, TX, USA
  • member since September 19, 2007

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 35 reviews
  • The Passage
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Can't say enough good things about this one. Epic horror story, and the author has a wonderful writing style. I loved the characters, the action, and all the places I think the story might go from here. Don't even waste time reading the story description. Just jump in and have a great time on the journey.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Tuesday, October 19, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Heartsick
    • Rated 5 stars

    “What an amazing thriller. The subject matter is so bleak and disturbing, but the characters are fascinating. And that last chapter really took my breath away. I love stories where the surprises come at you in unexpected ways, and to do that in a serial killer story is beyond challenging. Chelsea Cain pulled it off. I'm almost scared to read the sequel now, because there's no way it can hold up the quality of this one.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Saturday, July 3, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Scarecrow
    • Rated 4 stars

    “A quickly paced, exciting read, and that's from someone who normally steers clear of serial killer stories. I think most of the time they're just replaying good moments from better stories, but Connelly has a great niche. He makes his reporter more defined than most fictional reporters. He puts a level of detail into his work that makes the story more interesting than just catching the killer. This is my first Connelly book, but I think I'll be going back now to see what I missed.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Tuesday, June 15, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Mr. Shivers
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Really well done story. A friend on Shelfari suggested it to me and I'm glad he did. The Depression era setting is the perfect backdrop for this story a band of travelers looking for the man who murdered their loved ones. My only real complaint against this book is that it's too short. This has an epic feel to it, like a horror version of Lonesome Dove, and I wanted to spend more time getting to know each character and then watching them interact as they made their way cross country. As if stands, though, this one still feels on par with Stephen King's first Dark Tower story, The Gunslinger. I definitely suggest giving it a look.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Tuesday, June 15, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Horns
    • Rated 3 stars

    “Another fun read from Hill, although I still enjoyed Heart-Shaped Box more. The cat and mouse thrills of Hill's first novel are traded in for a story that's more like a twisted fable. The concept of a man waking up to find he has horns on his head is a juicy one, and Hill doesn't disappoint, giving us scenes that are both disturbing and darkly humorous. But while I liked the quietly menacing bad guy, he seems to take over the story in the second half. ”

    BenLarken wrote this review Monday, May 10, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Road Dogs
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Very cool to see Jack Foley back in action, along with a bunch of other Leonard regulars. I still think I liked Out of Sight better, but it was a fun read.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Friday, April 16, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Fog Heart
    • Rated 2 stars

    “Meh. It was okay in parts, but it didn't really do much for me. The story is about two families drawn to the same psychic, and the "shocking" truths that are revealed by both. Now the author is more than capable, and I see that he's written several other books. He's definitely good at writing character motivations. But as for the suspense, he's not someone who really fans the flames. The serial killer moment at end seems too little, too late. And I didn't really invest myself enough in the characters to care about what happened to any of them. Don't think I'll be giving Tessier another chance.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Tuesday, March 16, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Ravens

    Ravens

    by George Dawes Green
    • Rated 3 stars

    “A decent thriller, although frustrating in parts. The bad guys in the story aren't very organized, and it seems very possible for the good guys to get the upper hand early on. I won't say what keeps it from happening, but it felt a little flimsy to me. Still, the characters are well written and the end isn't what you'd expect.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Wednesday, February 24, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Until It's Over
    • Rated 3 stars

    “A solid slow-burning thriller. The characters are well-defined, and the ins and outs of a houseful of roommates gives the story some life beyond the standard slasher fare. The story stays compelling throughout, with an interesting twist in the 2nd half - the narration suddenly leaps from the protagonist to the killer. The reveal of the killer is given a good build-up, although I was little disappointed to find that my guess was correct. The climax never got as harrowing as I wanted it to, but it stayed true to the characters, which made it a satisfying experience in the end.”

    BenLarken wrote this review Wednesday, December 9, 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Hollows

    The Hollows

    by Ben Larken
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Here's the first review listed on Amazon by CYB:

    The Hollows reads like a twilight zone epic. The chapters leave you in suspense. You want to know the connection of the characters..., you keep trying to figure out "the catch" to the "help" that is received. You discover that the truth in the moment is just that..., "the truth in the moment". The story is always evolving. Someone has to be running the show..., or maybe NOT. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I CANNOT WAIT TO READ PIT-STOP AND THE SECOND PART TO THE HOLLOWS. There is just no imagining what can happen or what is supposed to happen. In fact I think a re-read is in order...., just so I am sure I understand what I think I understand. It is that intriguing. Ben Larken's imagination is a wondrous thing. It was a pleasure to read The Hollows. You are an awesome writer! ”

    BenLarken wrote this review Wednesday, December 2, 2009. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 35 reviews

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