Helpful Score: 2
Chilling novel of psychological terror and demonic possession. High suspense. Right up there with King, Straub & Wilson.
Helpful Score: 2
As I'm a big fan of the genre known (to me) as "Movies-With-Satan," I thought I'd try out this book in the same genre, even though I haven't been overly delighted with Strieber's writing in the past. ('The Hunger' is one of those rare instances where the movie is better than the book, and the sequel to 'The Hunger' was just awful.)
'Unholy Fire' starts out promisingly trashy, with a rich club kid (or is she an angel?) (or is she a prostitute/dominatrix?) named Maria, who has a thing for seducing priests.
However, after the first chapter, Maria gets offed, and the entire rest of the book is a mystery regarding which of the three main priests (kindly, elderly Father John? young, conservative Frank Bayley? mute, possibly crazy Tom Zimmer?) may be Satanically possessed (or just crazy), and committing terrible crimes....
The novel never delves deeply into anyone's motivations. We never find out the truth behind all the questions that are raised regarding Maria, and we never even discover WHY the killer has become so twisted in the ways that he has....
'Unholy Fire' starts out promisingly trashy, with a rich club kid (or is she an angel?) (or is she a prostitute/dominatrix?) named Maria, who has a thing for seducing priests.
However, after the first chapter, Maria gets offed, and the entire rest of the book is a mystery regarding which of the three main priests (kindly, elderly Father John? young, conservative Frank Bayley? mute, possibly crazy Tom Zimmer?) may be Satanically possessed (or just crazy), and committing terrible crimes....
The novel never delves deeply into anyone's motivations. We never find out the truth behind all the questions that are raised regarding Maria, and we never even discover WHY the killer has become so twisted in the ways that he has....
Helpful Score: 2
It's been a long time since I read this book, but I always enjoy Streiber. This book is a psychological thriller with demonic possession thrown in, and a murder that takes place in a church.
