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Average Customer Rating:

Unexpected Read

Customer Rating:

I absolutely love this book! When I first started reading this book I must say it was hard to actually continue, not because it was violent or anything, but maybe a tad to slow. When I got over that hump however it was brilliant. Each character is 3 demensional and real. You hate the villians and you love the heroes. What can I say? It's a great read that includes a little bit of romance, finding oneself and mystery.

Wow.

Customer Rating:

Kevin Brooks, The Road of the Dead (The Chicken House, 2006) I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting The Road of the Dead to be. Horror novel, maybe. Typical YA coming-of-age tale written well enough to have garnered the attention of critics I trust. Something like that. For some reason, even after reading the jacket copy, what I was not expecting, in any way, was what I believe is the first hardboiled YA mystery novel I've ever read. Being as it's the first, it would be kind of silly for me to also say it's the best. That said, I'm having something of a hard time imagining one better. The story focuses on Ruben and Cole, two brothers whose sister Rachel has just been killed. Their mother wants the police to release Rachel's body for burial; the police won't do so until her killer is identified. Cole decides to investigate for himself. Ruben tags along, unwanted but valuable; Ruben, it seems, has a sort of low-level ESP that we learn of when it allows him to be with Rachel as she's being murdered. Ugly stuff, that. In any case, the two of them get to the town where she was found--an insular, rural place that will be instantly recognizable to anyone who's seen the movie Deliverance--and find out relatively quickly they're not wanted. Cole, being the belligerent sort, doesn't care. That's when things start getting interesting. If you've read a few hardboiled mysteries, you should know what to expect. There's a good deal of fighting, a lot of tough-guy speak, that sort of thing. Brooks writes it all wonderfully, with an excellent sense of pace and interesting characters. It may take a while to grab you, but once it does, it won't let go. ****

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Customer Rating:

Ruben knew exactly when it happened. He was sitting in the backseat of an old Mercedes in his family's salvage yard when the feeling came over him. Ruben often left his own body and could attach himself to others. He could sense their thoughts and emotions. This is what happened when he felt his sister, Rachel, get attacked and murdered. He knew exactly the moment Rachel's life was taken from her. Even though he knew it had happened and knew that the Dead Man killed her, Ruben didn't say anything to his family. He hoped he might be wrong. He realized he wasn't when the police contacted the family. The details were simple: Rachel, nineteen years old, was visiting an old school friend in the small village of Lychcombe on Dartmoor. After her visit was over, she left and made her way toward London to return home, but never made it. Her body was found the following morning, strangled, raped, and battered. The most important thing to the family was to get her back. They wanted to bury her and put her to rest. After a trip to the police station to find out how long her body would be held, the family found out that the police would keep her until the case was closed; meaning the murderer had to be caught. The problem with that was, Ruben knew the murderer was already dead and buried and the case wouldn't be solved anytime soon. Ruben's older brother, Cole, wasn't going to sit around and wait. He planned to go to the village to find out what happened himself and he planned to go alone. He didn't want his younger brother going along to worry about. Ruben knew what Cole was thinking, though, and his mother wanted him to go along to make sure Cole didn't get himself hurt. Cole's temper tended to get him in trouble. He took after his gypsy, bare-knuckle fighter father who was sentenced to a prison term for killing someone. Even though their mother was worried about Ruben and Cole going away to look into the murder, no one could foresee the trouble in store for them once they started digging into Rachel's murder. As soon as they arrived in the village they knew they weren't welcome. Secrets were everywhere and no one wanted them to be dug up. Secrets that involved the entire village. Secrets that would lead them to pain, torture, death, and eventually the truth. Kevin Brooks doesn't let us down. He has provided another heart-pounding, deeply emotional story with strong characters. THE ROAD OF THE DEAD is a great place to start if you haven't read any other books by this creative and unique author. Reviewed by: Karin Perry

A book of shock

Customer Rating:

This book was one of my favourites involving two younger boys in their teens and their murdered sister Rachel which they loved so much. While their mother is still worried and scared at home thinking about her husband (a gypsy) arrested for beating up and killing another guilty man her two older boys set out to find out how Rachel was killed( a huge mystory) They find themselves were she was (a small small town) and start investigating. This book is well described and full of scary adventures leading to danger and possibly death. the adventure is nicely tied in with gohstly tales and chills. It was so interesting and you could never predict what was next. You can relate to the charactors or atleast understand them. I cant get over how well it's described and written. Once you get to the end of the book you will never beleive what happens next. You find out more about Cole and Ruben's tough family , their friends , their enemies , Why Rachel and how Rachel was murdered , and how it ends up for Cole and Ruben. At times it was a little gross but not in a disturbing or sexual way. it was just told so talently that you could picture yourself being right there at the scene of the crime. But, one of the coolest parts of the story that makes you apreciate and understand The charactors so much is their relationship with Rachels and Ruben's Speciol Power. Buy It, Read it, Finish it!

Not for kids, but a GREAT book!

Customer Rating:

The graphic details of torture and fighting, the acceptance of revenge and violence - these things stop it from being a book appropriate for young men. Any child (aged 11-16) who reads this book would get the impression that revenge and violence are perfectly acceptable ways of dealing with tragedy. The books itself was awesome! I was hooked from the first page and finished it quickly. At the end I was left wanting to know what else happened, which I do believe makes any book a good one. Kevin Brooks writes with such detail you feel as if you're right in the book with Cole, Ruben, Rachel and the other characters. More than worth your while, however if you're thinking of this as suggested reading for the YA set, think again.