Straub's 'final' horror tale is wonderfully over the top., November 20, 2001
Reviewer: Chadwick H. Saxelid "Bookworm" (Concord, CA United States) - See all my reviews
"I wanted to write a special effects show. Something that would make the reader's jaw drop and make them think 'I can't believe that I'm reading this.'" - Peter Straub on writing Floating Dragon.
Well Mr. Straub you have succeeded.
Floating Dragon was, at the time, Straub's last foray into supernatural horror (Mr. X marks his return to the field that made him famous). As an ancient, paranormal thing awakens to again wreak havoc on an accursed town, an equally horrid nerve gas escapes and infects the population of said town. How much of the events of this story are really happening and how much is collective hallucination brought upon by the gas? The question is not answered by Straub, who leaves a great deal to the reader to figure out. But the clues are there, you just have to dig past all the symbolic and over the top effects scenes (of which there is a HUGE amount). Granted Floating Dragon may not be Straub's best novel, but even his lesser efforts are far superior to other horror writers successes.
Reviewer: Chadwick H. Saxelid "Bookworm" (Concord, CA United States) - See all my reviews
"I wanted to write a special effects show. Something that would make the reader's jaw drop and make them think 'I can't believe that I'm reading this.'" - Peter Straub on writing Floating Dragon.
Well Mr. Straub you have succeeded.
Floating Dragon was, at the time, Straub's last foray into supernatural horror (Mr. X marks his return to the field that made him famous). As an ancient, paranormal thing awakens to again wreak havoc on an accursed town, an equally horrid nerve gas escapes and infects the population of said town. How much of the events of this story are really happening and how much is collective hallucination brought upon by the gas? The question is not answered by Straub, who leaves a great deal to the reader to figure out. But the clues are there, you just have to dig past all the symbolic and over the top effects scenes (of which there is a HUGE amount). Granted Floating Dragon may not be Straub's best novel, but even his lesser efforts are far superior to other horror writers successes.
