The Real Deal
10/30/2006
Maberry, Jonathan. Ghost Road Blues. New York: Pinnacle Books-Kensington Publishing, 2006. 472 pgs.
This is the real deal.
Some very interesting variations on the horror novel formula established in the 1970’s by Stephen King and Peter Straub have cropped up, in particular through the word processor of Bentley Little, who succeeds in The Store and The Revelation, although these are more allegorical in intent. But by and large, there has not really been an authentic attempt to utilize and update what has become established as a classic horror blueprint–an attempt by EVIL to take over a small town.
The wait is over. Ghost Road Blues, by Jonathan Maberry, is nothing less than a direct, linear descendent of such horror classics as Ghost Story, Salem’s Lot and The Stand. Better yet, it almost lives up to the reputation of its ancestry.1
Maberry, it should be said, is a ringer. Being that this is billed as a “first” novel, I immediately went to the author profile on the back inside cover after reading the strikingly fine first several chapters of the novel. Maberry may be a first time novelist, but he has an extensive list of non-fiction full length books, a good body of short fiction, and poetry to his credit, along with impeccable teaching credentials. All this adds up to someone who is obviously a writer of the highest caliber, which shows in every sentence of the novel.
The protagonist of Ghost Road Blues, Malcolm Crow, is a classic stereotype for this sort of fiction. He is an ex-cop, reformed alcoholic, with a wry sense of humor. But Maberry breathes life into the character through the strength of his writing. In addition, there is a teenage boy who is integral to fighting the evil elements in the book (a la Stephen King), and a confederation of evil beings, both mortal and supernatural. The most captivatingly maniacal is a serial killer named Karl Ruger. The rest of the cast of characters that Maberry concocts for the novel are believable and well drawn, as well. Also, Pine Deep, Pennsylvania, the town the story is set in, can be considered a central character of the novel, it being “the spookiest town in America,” the number one purveyor of Halloween thrills and chills in the nation. There is of course a back-story detailing a history of evil in the town, and this makes Pine Deep come to life (as will the evil from the past). This is all good stuff, and it works extremely well in Maberry’s competent hands.
My only real problem with the novel is the ending. It is the first in a trilogy, and it seems that Maberry is working overtime to make sure to suck the reader in, in order to promote the sequel. Therefore, the ending is not as conclusive at it should be. For my part, I would have preferred it if Maberry had tied up loose ends at the close of the second of the three parts of this novel, lopped off 100 of the almost 500 pages, and not gone on with the third part, which I found mostly redundant (for example, the excellently choreographed fight sequence earlier in the book did not need a redux in the last chapter). Maberry’s leaving things the way they were at an earlier juncture of the novel would have made me even more open to a sequel.
However, this is not anywhere near enough of a flaw to cause me to not whole-heartedly recommend this book to any potential readers. Ghost Road Blues is definitely one of the best horror novels to come down the pike in a while. I look forward to the next installment in the Pine Deep saga.
1It may also be said that the crime/action sequences of the novel, along with several aspects of the writing style itself, are reminiscent of John Connolly’s stunning debut novel in the noir detective genre, White Road, although the storyline is more reminiscent of Bad Men, a more supernaturally themed Connolly novel. I much prefer Ghost Road Blues to the latter, however.