Product Description
Everyone believes Tom to be a strange, but otherwise okay, teenager, despite his white hair, gauntness, and disturbing eyes, but a group of kids begins to suspect that Tom is not really who--or what--he claims to be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Bit Confusing
This book was a little confusing to me but I still like the story. It was also a bit sad.

Who knows
I've never read this book, but I recomend it. I've read his entire Last Vampire series along with Bury Me Deep, The Immortal, and Midnight Club. All of these were exellent books, and I doubt The Visitor will fall below these standards.

A huge CP fan
It's been several years since I read this book. But I still remember it, just like I remember all of Christopher Pike's books. I wish I could point out tid bit by tid bit of facts about the book, but as I said it has been several years. I do remember the story at large though and how the book made me feel reading it.

It is a great book, full of suspense and dives deeply into CP's endless imagination. It suprised me, even though most CP books do. You come to expect endless twists and turns and some of the most fun you will ever have reading horror novels (that is what I have always considered his books to be, though there are clearly other themes and most are optimistic in the end, though not all..) Because the thing is.. expecting a ton of twists and brain stimulation from his books does not mean you will know what the suprises will consist of.. of that I can assure you.

I get nostaglic reading his novels because they bring back times from my life from ages 12 or so through 18 I'd say.After The Hollow Skull or was it The Lost Mind (?) he didn't seem to write like he once did, turning out novel after novel.. and the few works he did publish were harder to find.

The Vistor is the story of Mary and Tom. I remember that an accident befalls Tom and Mary grieves and grieves for him. You could really feel her anguish through the pages and now that I have experienced a loss like hers (in no way similar) I know the book would be that much more touching. Mary hopes and dreams of Tom coming back. Then one day he does.But he is not who he once was. I believe Tom was called Jerry at first.. but then was later called Tom? Forgive me if I am wrong.

I just had to mention something about this book and how if you are at all interested in any of CP's plots or have read other books you should go out and pick this one up. And be sure to read the others as well.

Punishment
A Review by CJ

When Merry lost her boyfriend, she was in a serious panic. Will she ever live through this, will she find a way out.

This book was fun to read. The characters were great and funny. You would always want to find what would be next when you read at least one chapter. This book will bring you a lot of laughter once you get in to it.

I would recommend this book to people who like horror and adventure.

the vistor - my review??
i dont read much, but i've read a couple of books by chris.. and this is a good book like the other books it involves dreams, i guess he's got a thing for dreams. well anywaythis book scared the ... out of me and i enjoyed the whole book. and i read it faster than i usually read books its size. well hope u enjoy the book coz the aliens rule in this book ... Read more

Product Description
Arriving at Mars on a mission to rescue the crewmen of the Russian ship Lenin, American astronaut and Medical Officer Lauren Wagner, along with her crew, discovers that a horror worse than any she could have feared awaits her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (158)

Honestly, the best book I have ever read
I went into this book not knowing what to expect and I know now why it is known as one of Pike's best novels. The story starts off a bit slow but after giving it a chance I am glad I tookt he time to fully read this novel. I am not easily scared but this book gripped me by the edge of my seat and terrified me on a level I didn't think was possible. The originality of the horrors and villians in this story is beyond comprehension. I found myself unable to unglue my eyes and thoughts from every chapter. The majority of this book takes place on the red planet, Mars. Now before you think of little green men being the adversaries in this book, you would be completely wrong. The way the antagonists are introduced and the way they are explained is very clever indeed. The protaganist is also very fleshed out and makes you feel that you are there with her while she experiences the horrors on an unfamiliar world. The plot twists and turns are completely unpredictable and I highly think this is a story that is ageless and will remain on my top 5 books of all time. If you are a fan of sci-fi, horror and mystery you will not want to pass this one up. Trust me when I say that "The Season of Passage" will completely terrify you on a while new level. Christopher Pike has raised the bar and it will be hard for him to even outdo himself here.

What a surprise!
I thought Christopher Pike wrote books for teenagers. Then, someone put this book in my hands, and I was really surprised. There's a mission to Mars, there are vampires, and quite a bit of supernatural events going on. It might not be the most well written thing I've read in my lifetime, but the story is original and interesting, and at times a little scary. There are many things going on at once, and I was a little confused for a while, but in the end of the book, he ties all the loose ends up, and it all comes together.

This book earns the five stars everyone has been giving it.
What can I say that isn't said in the fact that 147 (out of 155) reviews have given this title a 5 star rating?
And that most of the remaining reviews are 4 stars.

This is probably one of the best paperback books you'll ever read.

(Just don't let the slow start -after the prologue- sway you from thinking otherwise.Read at least 200-220 pages of this book and I promise you will not want to put this down till you're finished.)

-Enjoy

One of the best sci-fi ever
I read this book 15 years ago.Many of the images from the book are still vivid in my mind.Across all those years, I still think about things that happened in the book.Even now, this book has compelled me to go on amazon and write a review about it.A book I read 15 years ago.Amazing.

Fabulous horror story!
I've read this book at least 5 times.It's scary and well written.It's a great horror, science fiction, fanatasy story that will keep you reading well into the night! ... Read more

Product Description
In the wake of Karen Holly's tragic death, many people believe that her boyfriend, Jason, is responsible, and when Jason takes a new girlfriend, newcomer Cindy, she and her friends must return to the scene of Karen's murder. Reissue. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Christopher Pike's books are not just for teenagers!
While on vacation, I picked this one up. This is one of his older titles, and I have always wanted to read it.

Karen Holly was killed in the woods of Timber, Wyoming. Her boyfriend at the time (Jason) swears it was a bear, but the town and the local authorities are not completely sure. Could he have killed his own girlfriend?

His new girlfriend, Cindy is taken aback by the gruesome details in the morning's paper, on just how Karen died. She starts to suspect Jason as well, but not before she finds herself attracted to the new exchange student Bala. He is from Africa, and his grandfather is said to be a famous shaman. (magician)

Joni Harper is also new to the school, from England. She is quiet and kind, and Alex, who is Cindy's brother, has fallen in love with her. Is it just Alex's imagination, or are Bala and Joni connected in some way? They come from two different parts of the world, but they seem to know each other somehow.

All of these friends will have a chance to find out what happened to Karen Holly. But, not without some horrible things happening to them.

I have always been drawn to this author's books for the fact that he writes a great story and throws in a bit of magic and the unknown. Though Remember Me, Slumber Party, and the Midnight Club are my favorites, this one was very entertaining as well. You do start to figure out what's going to happen about halfway through, but it doesn't ruin anything for you. Also, it made me go out and get two more from the library.

Entertaining fluff
This young adult novel is a strange mix of elements from better established genres for adults. It has the "violent killer on the loose" angle of a lot of modern thrillers, and the romance of a Harlequin (sans steamy sex scenes). It also has the feel of a traditional whodunit, with a limited cast of characters serving as suspects, and a bevy of carefully calculated plot twists and turns.

I won't give away any plot details that others haven't already spoiled, but it's safe to say that it has the feeling of a modern young adult serial tv show, such as "Cold Mountain" or "Smallville." The young adults are heroes, and their triumphs and tribulations are very character-centric and dramatic.

I suppose I would say that this is a light, forgettable book that won't do much to improve your mind. However, it succeeds on the level of light entertainment, and might appeal to someone who hasn't cultivated a love of reading. It doesn't ask much of the reader, and the straightforward writing is clear, easy to follow, and enjoyably paced.

If you are a young reader who was in love with a series like The Babysitter's Club, or The Three Investigators, this might be an ideal stepping stone to more adult reading.

Pike Delivers Awesome read once again!
I may be only a 12 girl, but i am practically obsessed with Pike's collection of books. I just read this book yesterday, and i absolutley loved it! It was amazing, like all his books. I hope there is a second one....... but then again, thats how I feel about all his books! I encourage everyone to read this book! Pike is an awesome writer and deserves to be recognized as such.

~Nanci~

Boring as can be�
A Review by Josh

This is the tale of a young man named Alex. Alex is a normal person until strange things start happening around him after one of his classmates is suspected of brutally murdering his girlfriend. These events build and form into a truly ridiculous climax (for a horror novel).

�This book had potential.� That�s what I think when I look back upon reading this book. I honestly believe that this book had a semi-interesting story which could have been made MUCH better, had the author not written it like some kind of comic book. The book�s just plain corny! It also doesn�t make much sense and is not written in an easily understandable format. For example, the story keeps fairly believable up until it gets close to the end, where there are waterfalls of blood or something like that, gigantic birds swooping at people, and even African exchange students uncovering their secret African Shaman powers (how lame does it get?). It hardly even follows with the summary given on the back cover, which is why I read the stupid thing in the first place, and is usually the reason that anybody ever reads a book. That�s false advertising! The only recommendation I�m giving on this book is to not bother with it, it�s just not worth it�.

Best Christopher Pike story yet!!
Do you like a mystery? Do you like a murder mystery? Do you like an exciting murder mystery? Well if you do, read Spellboud. This is an exciting book with some action. When I read this book there was nothing to do to get me away from reading this book. In the story love is combined with daring acts. When the story begins a young lady has been murdered by a supposed grizzly bear. Was it really a grizzly or was it something else? What kin of spell was cast? This book is a really good book and I recommend that you read it. I really like this book so I know you will. ... Read more

Product Description
Alisa and her partner Joel, an FBI agent, flee government agents who know that they are vampires and wish to analyze and duplicate their blood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

She promised she'd stop this
The 3rd book of the series. Her boy toy is dead, so she finds a new boy toy and of course turns him into a vampire, breaking her promise yet again to stop making vampires. Typical woman, can't keep a promise to a long dead God on Earth.

Not bad at the first and middle part
But the end really make me disappointed and the other vampire and FBI Joel seem has nothing to do boring.

excellent
I am not a real horror person, but I got sucked into the twistng plot that went on for 6 wonderful books.

This was really good, but...
I have read almost every Pike book, even the really strange ones (that seem to have become more and more available in the last couple of years), and I think he's a wonderful author.I adored all of the Last Vampire books, especially this one.

However, didn't anyone else get depressed at the end...

An excellent addition to the Last Vampire series!
The storyline with all the flashbacks was great!The firstperson p.o.v. was just icing on the cake. Ithoroughly enjoyed reading this and all the other books in the series. ... Read more

Product Description
Josie is on vacation in Greece with her friend, her father and his girlfriend. While visiting the sacred island of Delos, she stumbles upon a statue of a goddess. She takes it with her when she leaves the island. The trouble starts. The Goddess wants something from Josie she doesn't want to give. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

One of my favorite Pike books.
Every so often I come back to this book and reread it. Each time enjoying the story line and plot twists. This book inspired me to read at a young age, and I have read just about all of Pikes books!

Crazy good for YA fiction... this man is on another level
This book has everything... the young adult teen girls headed to a foregn land (namely Mykonos, Greece), the hunky guys they meet when they get there, the drama the mystery. But what it also has is Pike's crazy way of teaching you things. Things about Greece things about mythology... He is like the young adult Michael Chrichton. And in between those lines are a dark story that turns this little tale into a modern-day Greek tragedy and an adventure I have not forgotten since I read it 16 years or so ago. A classic up there with his: Witch, Remember Me, and The Last Vampire Series.

It must be fate
I was rummaging around in my elder sister's bookcase when I found her old Christopher Pike novels. I picked this one up and completely fell in love with it!

Don't be deceived by the synopsis on the back because I found it had nothing to do with the story. The little statuette rarely featured I found until the end. Still, don't miss this book

Another great book
This book had an original plot. The plot is all about a Goddess wanting a human body.

Immortal
The ancient artifact was cursed.

Josie is on vacation in Greece with her father, his new girlfriend, and her best friend. While visiting the sacred island of Delos, she accidently stumbles upon an ancient artifact-a tiny statue of a Goddess. Immediately Josie is enchanted by the statue and she takes it with her when she leaves the island.

Then the trouble starts. A guy takes her for a boat ride and she is almost killed. Then the image of the Goddess begins to haunt her dreams. The Goddess wants something from Josie that she doesn't want to give.

The immortal wants to be mortal.

The Goddess wants Josie's life.
------------
This is a great book! I read it when I was a teenager and re-read it again recently, and I still enjoyed it! This was one of my favorite of C. Pikes' books. I highly recommend any of them! ... Read more

Product Description
Dusty Shane is a high school senior and a serial killer. He has already murdered three young women, and has more planned.Yet Dusty does not want to hurt anybody. There is something inside him that compels him to kill. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Room for Improvement...
This book started out a near flawless murder mystery. We have a teenage boy, Dusty, who is compelled to kill young woman by a force unknown. He even ends up somehow aiding in the investigation to capture the killer that was himself. I thought to myself what a incredible plot.

However... half way through the book I found myself wincing in dissapointment. Pike thought it necessary to throw in some over the top elements like mind reading, telekinisis, meditation, even giant talking cockroaches, which drastically took me out of the story. Also... the motive for the evil crimes was never fully explained.

I have read many Pike books and very few have I not liked. Im 23 years old and still enjoy reading Pike's books over many other adult writers. I'd recommend reading other Pike novels before delving into this one like "The Last Vampire 1-5", or "Master of Murder". Dont get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. Its just not one of his greatest works.

Where's the heart?
Dusty Shame is a serial killer.He is compelled to kill and he feels that he will never know peace until he completes his overall mission---to cause the deaths of 6 innocents and bury them in the desert.

The book opens with the murder of pretty Nancy Bardella.It shifts between the points of view of Dusty, as he's committing his atrocious acts, and Sheila Hardholt, who is the best friend of Nancy and is desperate to uncover the mystery behind her friend's disappearance.

The story interweaves this main plotline with a history of cruelty stemming back to the second world war.It's an interesting idea but the execution (no pun intended) leaves much to be desired.

Sheila is not a very compelling character.We learn of her break-up with her boyfriend and her heartache, but am I wrong to feel her break-up with her boyfriend was pretty minor compared to everything else she was going through?I know that, to a teenager, this may seem like the end of the world, but really, I think that she had enough to handle with just her friend going missing.I really think the boyfriend subplot was just a distraction.Maybe if it had paralleled the main plot a little more, it would have been OK, but it didn't seem to fit in with everything else that was going on.I think Pike realized he needed something else, something to lend the book more depth, to give it some heart, not to mention some romance, but he just wasn't able to pull it off. Another reviewer mentioned how odd it was that her friend was missing and all she could care about was that her boyfriend didn't love her anymore.I don't really remember that scene the reviewer mentioned but I know what she means. Furthermore, I don't think you can open a book with a fractured relationship and make us care about that relationship unless you make it clear what was lost.What was so special about this relationship?Why is it in the story?Why does Pike wish for us to take our attention away from all these poor dead girls to ponder the gut-wrenching tragedy of it?Sure, it's sad, but can it really compare to the waste of innocent life?I really think we could have done with a lot less talk of her boyfriend and more depth into the characters.I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about Dusty, but everyone else was a bit one-dimensional.And none of them were particularly compelling.Usually Pike is able to create rather stereotypical characters who are at least interesting.But there was so much more that could have gone into Sheila's character.She only briefly talks about her family.It's mentioned that she's close to her brother (well, she spends a lot of time with him, according to her boyfriend), yet we hear nothing about him except that he dresses like he's on MTV and listens to weird music.I think she briefly mentions her relationship with her parents, but I can't help but wonder why they're not playing much of a role in the book when this is clearly a horrible time in her life.Maybe if I had seen more of her family and her relationship with them, she would have become a more rounded character for me.Maybe that's where some of the true emotion was to be found, not in all her talk of her boyfriend and how sad she was that he'd left her.But it's not just a matter of bringing in the parents and having them speak to her. She does say she has a hard time being honest with them. It's just that I wanted to know more about what life was like for her on a day to day basis outside of her relationship with her boyfriend and her experiences at school.And then there's Nancy.I don't think we learn much about Nancy except that she's pretty and nice.

I will say this.The book was disturbing.The death scenes were horrifying.The fact that I didn't really get to know Nancy didn't change the fact that it was excruciating to see her killed.So Pike was successful at making me uncomfortable.It's quite easy to become numb to violence but I certainly wasn't numb to anything that happened within these pages.

The story was an interesting one, overall, and the ending was fast-paced with high stakes (which is good).That being said, the characters needed some work.


I'll give it 2 1/2 stars.The parts with Dusty Shame were pretty good and emotionally affecting.Though I have this nagging feeling that Dusty's last line in the book kind of invalidated the whole story.I get the feeling that it reveals the book's premise for the shaggy dog that it is.Dusty's motivations felt off to me. I don't know.I think it was an interesting idea that just didn't work as a novel.At least not the way Pike wrote it.

The Wicked Heart Indeed!
This book was great. I have only read it twice but it is one of my favorites! The story is about a high school boy named Dusty Shames. He is the quiet nice boy that doesn't really stand out much. The one thing that isn't normal with our main character is that he is secretly a serial killer. Now, he isn't a bad guy, lol, but there is this force or voice inside his head that makes him kill young girls. He can't help it. His latest victim was the best friend of his newest friend. He gets involved with trying to help Sheila (his new friend) follow the clues to her friend's killer. He is also on the search to find what makes him do what he does. He doesn't want to kill anymore but it drives him crazy. The clues lead Dusty and Sheila to an old man. He tells of the time of Hitler and a lady that was at his side. This story is a little dark but it makes it a great story line. There is even a little twist at the end. I'd tell you but you have to find out for yourself! Enjoy, I know I did.

Awesome
This was a terific book.Better then expected.Dusty was posed by nada.It was his Mom.

a great read
Ok if you dont like reading sit down and pick this book up. You'll love it, this story is so great how it deals with a women close to Hitler.Ok so bascily this high school boy has this voice in his head telling him to kill these girls.He takes a towel and a hammer, he puts the towel over the girls head and he cracks her skull with the hammer, then he brings the girls he kills to this cave.Anyway the voice in the guys head is the women I was talking about before that was close to Hitler, like I said before a great read.READ IT! ... Read more

Product Description

The grave is not the end of the story.

It begins with an innocent young man being led deep into the woods by a mysterious young lady. There he is attacked by a cruel cult, stripped of his clothes, thrown naked into a coffin, and buried alive to the sound of strange chants.

It continues with a pretty girl meeting a fascinating guy. A guy who is not like other guys. Who hardly seems to blink...or breathe, and who emits a cool presence even in the midday sun.

It ends in a nightmare. In a weird realm of existence where life and death mirror each other. Where the grave no longer promises any escape, from pleasure or pain. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Not that bad
People have written some pretty bad reviews about this book, but it isn't so terrible. He has done better, I will admit that, but this is not a bad story. It is still original and innovative with an interesting plot and ideas involving DNA. This is also more of a science fiction novel than a horror novel, and this might throw some people off.
The characters are maybe the weakest point in what is otherwise a decent story. The main character, I think her name is Lara, something with an L, I can't remember and I don't have the book to look it up, is not incredibly sympathetic. Her problems are realistic, and will make negative people realize that they could have it so much worse. Her mother and her boyfriend are for the most part, well done. Most people throughout their lives have had boyfriends\girlfriends who would give their left arm to help what they think is the love of their life, and the feeling is sadly unreciprocated. So, that part of the story was okay, although their love came to a bad end.
Now the poorer points of the novel. Dara was a stereotype of every other femme fatale that Christopher Pike had ever written about, her motives were there, and they held, but towards the second half of the book she became almost laughable. The whole story became slightly laughable, but it still held together. And you thought that your family had problems. Try having a DNA harvesting father who screwed up making his terminally ill daughter immortal, who then killed her brother. They all needed Oprah in the worst way, or maybe Jerry Springer. The name of the show would be "I am a DNA science nightmare".
Also, as the novel progressed and Lara? began to change, I felt that this had all been done before in Monster. My reaction, was great, another bimbo who got involved with the dark side and is scarfing down 10 big macs in one sitting. Ooh sexy! At least the food was cooked this time, I think. That part of the story became tiring, but it also made me laugh out loud. This book doesn't take itself seriously either, which is a very redeeming quality.
But,I don't feel that this book was a waste of my time at all, because I HAVE seen worse out there. I also don't really believe that Christopher Pike has ever written anything that is truly terrible. Brutal maybe, but terrible no.

Not that bad
People have written some pretty bad reviews about this book, but it isn't so terrible. He has done better, I will admit that, but this is not a bad story. It is still original and innovative with an interesting plot and ideas involving DNA. This is also more of a science fiction novel than a horror novel, and this might throw some people off.
The characters are maybe the weakest point in what is otherwise a decent story. The main character, I think her name is Lara, something with an L, I can't remember and I don't have the book to look it up, is not incredibly sympathetic. Her problems are realistic, and will make negative people realize that they could have it so much worse. Her mother and her boyfriend are for the most part, well done. Most people throughout their lives have had boyfriends\girlfriends who would give their left arm to help what they think is the love of their life, and the feeling is sadly unreciprocated. So, that part of the story was okay, although their love came to a bad end.
Now the poorer points of the novel. Dara was a stereotype of every other femme fatale that Christopher Pike had ever written about, her motives were there, and they held, but towards the second half of the book she became almost laughable. The whole story became slightly laughable, but it still held together. And you thought that your family had problems. Try having a DNA harvesting father who screwed up making his terminally ill daughter immortal, who then killed her brother. They all needed Oprah in the worst way, or maybe Jerry Springer. The name of the show would be "I am a DNA science nightmare".
Also, as the novel progressed and Lara? began to change, I felt that this had all been done before in Monster. My reaction, was great, another bimbo who got involved with the dark side and is scarfing down 10 big macs in one sitting. Ooh sexy! At least the food was cooked this time, I think. That part of the story became tiring, but it also made me laugh out loud. This book doesn't take itself seriously either, which is a very redeeming quality.
But,I don't feel that this book was a waste of my time at all, because I HAVE seen worse out there. I also don't really believe that Christopher Pike has ever written anything that is truly terrible. Brutal maybe, but terrible no.

One of his best...don't read those other reviews...
I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I really can't see why these other people didn't like The Grave. It was such a good book!Yes, parts of it were a bit confusing, but if you actually READ IT ALL TO THE END, it's quite understandable. It really gets you into it. I couldn't put it down.I highly recommend this book and this author.

sub-par and awful
To allow you to understand where i am coming from, let me first say that I have read almost all of CHristopher Pike's book in the past, and throughout my years have considered him to be an extremely fine writer. That said, let me now go on to describe why The Grave is CP's worst effort to date. And you can't even say, "Well it's still better than a lot of other stuff out there," because it's NOT! It's THAT BAD! The characters are two dimensional, the incredibly boring revivals of characters we've encountered in the past - the interesting, soulful guy, the cute but still sexy in her own way poor girl next door, and the good looking but evil for whatever reason (usually b/c of something that happened in the past or an alternate universe) bad guy(s).The plot is terrible too. it lacked suspense and was incredibly uninteresting. at least before, in CP's earlier books, everything felt somewhat believable, the way he could incorporate mysticism and spirituality with the madness of science. but this book!!!! this book falls flat on its face!!! i don't know if he was even trying - i have to agree with the other reviewers that said his books have started to take an ugly turn for the worse. I mean, I hated his Final Friends series, but at least those were written with some kind of style. This one is a horrible remashing of things he's written before, and the only reason it got published is because it's under the Christopher Pike name.But diehard fans will still read this and buy it, and fans who have yet to have an discerning judgment will still crow that "This book is the best!" But for those of you who find it harder to find books worthy of rave reviews, steer clear of this one! Among my favorite CP books are The Remember Me series (well, the 3rd one wasn't so hot), The Midnight Game, Whisper of Death, and any others from around that period. For the newbie fans, steer clear of the earliest ones and the most recent ones. The middle ones were his hey-day. You can tell he really hit his groove then.Oh and if you want a REALLY awesome read, read the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. Wooo those things are hard to put down!

I love this guy
I'd give anything to meet this man, whenever I read his books ifeel like I know the characters - most of the time I feel like I amthe characters.This was a great book, anyone who likes a good readshould get it. True his writing has changed a little but it's just asgood! Damn he's good... ... Read more

Product Description
Certain that the newest chain letter is a joke since the perpetrator of the original one is dead, the group takes its receipt lightly, until Fran is killed and the members realize the evil power driving the letters is still alive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Pike's shakiest book ever!
Overall... I was rather disappointed in this sequel.

For one, the first 2/3 of it was somewhat slow and just didnt meet up to the original... which was wonderful. I kept asking myself, "When will this book really begin to take off"? The two murders that did happen went into such little detail it was hard to feel for the victims. The most that was included was a hospital call stating their friend was dead. Then it picked up and kept getting better and better until it got so far-fetched and unbelievable that it took you out of the story.

Also, it was so drastically different from the first one that it made little sense. Chain Letter went from being a suspense thriller to creature/ monster horror. The first one was about a teenage boy driven to murder by undying guilt. The sequel changed its plot to ancient worm creatures who call themselves "The Caretakers" and send out chain letters to humanity to prepare them for hell.

Lastly, the book was so open ended it left me a bit angry. It didnt explain what the "box" was about and what the Caretakers were trying to accomplish on earth, and didnt tell you if Alison was still going to New York because if so nothing her and Tony had been through together matters.

I give this book 3 stars because there were parts I did enjoy and actually found myself tensing up but it was much to choppy and strange to prioritize. I would read the original and skip this one unless you dont have anything better to read.

My first Christopher Pike book
I remember the first time I pick up this book at my middle school which was like 8 to 10 years ago and I begin to read this book and I could not put the book down. The whole store was well written. The plot for this book was very good. I has also reread this book like 2 or 3 year ago and I still love this book. I have been a fan of Christopher Pike ever since this book.

Ancient Evil was like the nightmare all over again... but worse.
This was my first book of Christopher Pike. When I moved to my new home (about six years from now) I found it on my closet. I read it and consider it as an interesting novel because it always has its ways to catch your attention and forced you not to put down. The characters are well described and the situations with this cursed chain letter made each character (and yourself) shiver. I highly recommend it.

Best Book Ever
This book was most defently better than the first. I wanted to stop reading when Fran had been decapitated but I continued and now I think it is my favorite book! All though I thought it was a little unclear on weather Brenda died or not.

The best of the best of the best of the best of the best.
This is the best book of Mr.Pike.Even better then the first.I liked the ocult angle.And I liked it when Kipp was set on fire.And when Fran lost her head.This was an awesome (Violent) book.Read the first one, the Final friends, Monster, Remember Me 3, not 2. ... Read more

Product Description
hristopher Pike was one of the first writers to cross over from young adult to adult readership. A dozen of Pike's novels have hit the USA Today bestseller list and one made the New York Times mass market bestseller list. The Blind Mirror, a novel of demonic possession, is the first new Christopher Pike novel for adults since the mid 1990s, and the first new Pike novel of any kind in four years. David is recovering from a bad breakup with the beautiful and mysterious Sienna when he finds a dead woman half-buried on the beach. To his astonishment, the body is identified as Sienna, and David becomes the prime suspect in her murder. But Sienna is leaving messages on his answering machine, and though David's memories of their last night together are fuzzy, he's certain he didn't kill her. . . . Searching for the truth reveals that the peaceful, small-town life David has always known conceals a terrible evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (49)

One Of My Favorite Books
Christopher Pike has been one of my favorite writers since I was twelve, and this book pretty much outshines all his many others that I've read.The kind of book you absolutely cannot put down.So many creative and clever twists and turns!

just finished
I just finished reading the blind mirror and I was my first time reading a adult novel by Pike. I loved it. I read most of his young adult books in high school. It has been over five years since then and I decided I wanted to get back into reading so naturally I broke out the old favorites. I feel that the Blind mirror lives up to the Pike fans expectation. Everything seems possible until the climax when you see nothing was really what you thought. In the last few chapters I really thought I had it figured out but suprise I had only uncovered one of the twists. The only down fall I found was the last chapter was so abrupt. I would have liked more insight to the last twist he threw.

A disappointing ending
Christopher Pike was my favourite author when I was a teenager, so when I picked this up I EXPECTED to love it. And I did... until I got to the last fifty pages, where I was left going "Oh PUH-LEASE!!!" Pike seems to have put all his effort into setting the story up and then just slapped some random far-fetched explanation for everything on the end. I was left with an overall sense of disappointment. This novel could have been so much better...

dissapointing ending
i was really intrigued with the the story, but the ending, that it was just a demon's doing disappointed me so much..to learn that it was other people's souls,so like the listeners...and the crystals, so last vampirish....i really did not like the ending, i mean, im a huge christopher pike fan,still will be though, always will be,....

well its a good book to keep you guessing,....

Extraordinary novel
"The Blind Mirror" was a great surprise. I did't know the author before and the novel was extraordinarily well buit. You must to wait till the last paragraph at the last page to understand de enigma. I could't stop reading the book from the middle to the astonishing end. In hands like Devid Lynch's it would result on an over-the-top movie. ... Read more

Product Description
Marvin Summer is worried. Why can't he find an ending for his latest book? When he goes on a date with a girl he loves, he begins to discover an ending to his story - when the murders start to come true. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Marvin the character, Marvin the writer
Pike has a very strong voice as a writer and it's his voice, and firm grasp on the types of characters that will likely appeal to teenagers, that will have you following even the most bizarre of plots.

Master of Murder is dark and twisted with an anti-hero who keeps you hooked until the very end, despite his moral depravity.At least I was hooked.I just found the voice so witty and charming, often in a dark way.The ending was a bit convoluted and confusing, but I didn't care because I was just so into the characters.

I read this when I was 13.The sexual themes are probably too mature for anyone younger than that.

Great insights into the craft of novel writing
This is my favorite Christopher Pike book. I think it the most honest and truthful as to what Mr. Pike is really like behind the scenes as a working writer.

Yeah, Pike is much older in real life than the character of Marvin, but this book shows Pike is a kid at heart. If you read between the lines, it reveals that all elusive "mysterious creative process" behind all great works of fiction.

I'm in college now, but, mainly because of this book, Christopher Pike remains one of my favorite authors!

Interesting and Engaging
As a huge fan of Christopher Pike, I loved this book.I read it for the first time years ago, and have since gotten my own copy and love it even more.
Tip - if at first a Pike book seems confusing, then read it again later.I began reading Christopher Pike in late primary school, and then in high school.While I thought they were entertaining, when I read them again now (at 20) I enjoy them so much more, and on so many more levels.

This book is one of Pike's straight horror/criminal type reads - there are no spiritual or esoteric themes that the later books have.
A great book to introduce yourself to Pike, if you haven't already.Once you start reading, it is very hard to stop!!

Masterfully Written
This is one of my all time favorite Christopher Pike books.Actually it's one of my all time favorite books period.The story is delightful and the characters are wonderfully real.I've read this book many times over and it never gets boring or old.I definately reccommend this book to anyone wanting a good book to read.Also in both of Pike's Tales of Terrors we hear more of Marvin and his life.

The Best!
When i first began reading, it was intresting but once i kept reading i wouldnt let go of it ,it suked me into it, I couldnt help but Wait to see what was guna happen next and you think he did it but then you just cant make up your mind and its alot of twist and turns to whats gona happen next and what did happen was different from what you thought. So it keeps you thinking How? is an awsome novel and is worth buyin because once you finish it, all you want to do is pick the book right back up and start reading it all over again. ... Read more

Product Description
Marvin Summer is worried. Why can't he find an ending for his latest book? When he goes on a date with a girl he loves, he begins to discover an ending to his story - when the murders start to come true. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Marvin the character, Marvin the writer
Pike has a very strong voice as a writer and it's his voice, and firm grasp on the types of characters that will likely appeal to teenagers, that will have you following even the most bizarre of plots.

Master of Murder is dark and twisted with an anti-hero who keeps you hooked until the very end, despite his moral depravity.At least I was hooked.I just found the voice so witty and charming, often in a dark way.The ending was a bit convoluted and confusing, but I didn't care because I was just so into the characters.

I read this when I was 13.The sexual themes are probably too mature for anyone younger than that.

Great insights into the craft of novel writing
This is my favorite Christopher Pike book. I think it the most honest and truthful as to what Mr. Pike is really like behind the scenes as a working writer.

Yeah, Pike is much older in real life than the character of Marvin, but this book shows Pike is a kid at heart. If you read between the lines, it reveals that all elusive "mysterious creative process" behind all great works of fiction.

I'm in college now, but, mainly because of this book, Christopher Pike remains one of my favorite authors!

Interesting and Engaging
As a huge fan of Christopher Pike, I loved this book.I read it for the first time years ago, and have since gotten my own copy and love it even more.
Tip - if at first a Pike book seems confusing, then read it again later.I began reading Christopher Pike in late primary school, and then in high school.While I thought they were entertaining, when I read them again now (at 20) I enjoy them so much more, and on so many more levels.

This book is one of Pike's straight horror/criminal type reads - there are no spiritual or esoteric themes that the later books have.
A great book to introduce yourself to Pike, if you haven't already.Once you start reading, it is very hard to stop!!

Masterfully Written
This is one of my all time favorite Christopher Pike books.Actually it's one of my all time favorite books period.The story is delightful and the characters are wonderfully real.I've read this book many times over and it never gets boring or old.I definately reccommend this book to anyone wanting a good book to read.Also in both of Pike's Tales of Terrors we hear more of Marvin and his life.

The Best!
When i first began reading, it was intresting but once i kept reading i wouldnt let go of it ,it suked me into it, I couldnt help but Wait to see what was guna happen next and you think he did it but then you just cant make up your mind and its alot of twist and turns to whats gona happen next and what did happen was different from what you thought. So it keeps you thinking How? is an awsome novel and is worth buyin because once you finish it, all you want to do is pick the book right back up and start reading it all over again. ... Read more

Product Description
Mark has just fallen in love for the first time. Her name is Becky and unfortunately for Mark, she already has a boyfriend. Mark tries his best, but he is unable to win Becky for himself--until he meets Vincent and Kara and strange things start to happen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

My favorite Christopher Pike novel
I don't know why, but whenever I hear or think of the Michael W Smith song "I will be here for you" I think of this book. The song popped in my head just now, and then I thought of this story. And here I am trying to write a review. I won't say much about the plot, but I'll just say this: In my opinion, "See You Later" is Christopher Pike's best book (Remember Me is a close second). Thinking about the characters, story-line, and ending just makes me feel nostalgic.

I can't believe it was 18 years ago, when I was a 6th grader, when I picked this book up. It really made me into a book worm, and for that I am grateful.

Simply Fantastic
I was very lucky when i came across this book, about ten years after it was first printed, because it became one of my favorite books.I read a lot, and much of what i read is in the science fiction genre, so when i tell you that this book was exceptionally plotted, i hope you can understand how objectively accurate that is.I was blown away by how such a simple seeming book could contain so much.With commentaries on love and friendship, to the more serious issues of war and human responsibility, I couldn't believe how great Pike tied everything together, told by a witty and real narrator you can sympathize with and grow to feel you've known for years, and want to keep knowing.This is a fantastic book, and if you're into sci fi, or Vonnegut, or romance, or just interested in a well written story with great plot development, this is a book for you.I can never forget this book, and every time I think of it, feel excited and warm inside.For a serious reader, and an aspiring writer, this book is like home.Christopher Pike, i applaud you.

A good combination of first love, lost love and hate
Mark has just graduated from high school and is in love with Becky, a girl who works at the record store. Unfortunately, Becky has a boyfriend. Then, two couples appear. They are Kara and Vincent and Mark thinks he knows them but he can't remember. Kara is obsessed in trying to break up Becky and her boyfriend. Suddenly, Becky is a free woman. Then, bad things start to happen. A mysterious man suddenly comes out and Vincent is kidnapped.

This book was really great since it is like a love story. The truth about Kara was shocking and the bloody heart was a bit gross. The ending is sad because Becky died. She was trying to protect Ray from being hit. Also in the end, another person dies.

Mesmerizing!
This is one of the most poetic science-fiction romances I've ever read. I loved the language, the seductive beauty of it! It's a gamut of emotions tinged with the truly surreal and bizarre and has stuck with me for years... especially the thing about the full moon.... But I won't spoil it for you: you'll have to read it through to see what I mean. The ending, for me, was a real surprise.

His Best Book Ever
When he wrote this book, he wrote a masterpiece!!! This was a book that I read over and over. Its a story of a boy and his first love with a evil obstacle in the way. A book with characters you will love and never forget. When you read this book, you will not forget it. You will want to go back read it again , and with a title that makes you think of it each time you tell someone , " See You Later!". ... Read more

Product Description
Sharing a love that most people envy, Charlie and Mary find their lives shattered when Mary is unfaithful and Charlie turns murderous, a situation that has Charlie on the run and Mary ostracized by her peers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Charlie just lost his cool.
Charlie loved Mary. Loved her with all his heart. They were the happy couple, the one that people at school pointed to with envy. But then Mary makes a mistake, a small mistake with another guy. And Charlie loses it, and someone dies. Now Charlie is a hunted man and Mary is an outcast. But what really happened that dark night, when love and rage shook hands on a deserted street? Only God knows, and maybe Charlie.

review
In Christopher Pike's, Execution of Innocence, the main characters are Charlie, Mary, Richard, Lieutenant Sharp, andLieutenant Riles. Charlie and Mary were always the happy couple that everyone wanted to be. They loved each other a lot until one night when Mary and Richard, her friend and ex-boyfriend, were hanging out. Charlie saw Mary and him hanging out and laughing, and at the end of the night they hugged and Charlie got extremely mad. One sad day, Richard was laying dead on the streets, his mom said that Richard was walking home from the gym. Everyone thought it was Charlie who had killed him because Charlie was missing as well. Lieutenant Sharp and Lieutenant Riles were asking Mary many questions about Charlie and Richards relationship. The city and the policemen were all searching for Charlie or evidence of were he might of went.

After almost 3 weeks of searching for Charlie, a neighbor to an abandoned house saw distorted dirt that may have had something buried under it. She told the police and they investigated the dirt and lying there dead was Charlie. Investigators found fingerprints on Charlie from Lieutenant Riles. Lieutenant Riles was proved guilty and got sentence for life in jail for 2 murders.

I GIVE IT A 4 star!!!!
I think this was a really interesting, great book, that leaves you wondering what will happen next. It is kind of scary, but what is really great about it is that when I read Execution of Innocence, I could picture what I was reading in my mind. Before, I use to hate reading, I thought it was a waste of time, but now that I know there are stories that interesting out there, I want to go and get more Christopher Pike books and read as much as I can. The ending caught my attention real well, i coulnt believe it. I liked this novel.

Exciting in the Middle
A review by Sherri
My book was about four mysterious people Charlie, Dick, Hannah, and Mary. Hannah was the jealous one out of the bunch, she didn't like that Mary and Charlie where going out, and having a good relationship. Dick didn't like Charlie for some reason either, so Hannah had a plan, and acted all innocent through the whole thing. At one point in the book Charlie thought that Mary was cheating on him with Dick, because he fixed her car, and brought it to her house, and she invited him into her house.

This book had many good and bad scenes throughout it, the beginning of the book; I thought was very boring, but then when I got into the middle it got exciting, and turned into a mystery. Charlie was missing from home, for a long time, and Mary got questioned by the police, if she knew where he was at the moment, or the night before, but she didn't know, and was all worried about him. Hannah didn't really have anything to say about it, because she was just a fool, she told Mary that they where best friends, probably so when she did something to Charlie, Mary would probably believe that Hannah really didn't do it.

I think that anybody that likes to read mystery books, should read" Execution of Innocence", because it's a good and interesting book, I would give this book 4 stars.

So-so......
This book really looked like it was thrown together in fifteen minutes. I could have dug that story right out of the septic tank. The ending, in particular, was bad. Hannah's reasoning had not been foreshadowed at all, and it was just bad.... Keep in mind this is my opinion, so don't let one- honest- bad review stop you. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (29)

A promising new narrative
I generally enjoy books by Christopher Pike. His plot lines continually amaze me. However, Pike's downfall is his writing style. In the books he writes strictly for adolescents, one doesn't notice as much his awkward similes and the way he tends to describe things more than once using the same words in a different order. It's much more noticeable in the work geared more towards adults. Although the heroine of this book is 13, the subject matter can be quite advanced, and I believe this book was marketed as an adult novel.
I am also, usually, not a fan of fantasy fiction. I find it difficult to connect to stories involving elves, fairies, dwarfs and leprechauns, mostly because the mythology is usually different across authors and universes, and also because I find it too easy to just say, 'and then she used this magic that we have not previously mentioned at all to defeat the evil whatever.' I think I liked this fantasy tale better because of they way the heroine acquires her magic, as well as the quite complex story line. Pike's characters, while not terribly three-dimensional, are rather more fleshed out than in his other work, possibly because of the additional length of this tale compared to others. I think, possibly, that J.K. Rowling having written fantasy/magic books that exceeded 500 pages opened up a door for other juvenile/young adult writers to do the same without the previous fear that young people would find tackling a book of that length daunting, and thus hurt sales. Whatever, the extra pages afford Pike the opportunity to expand both his characterizations and his storyline. We are left with a very satisfying tale.

So Far, So Good
Haven't finished the book yet. It has been designated at as a 'bedtime' book at my house. But the story is interesting so far and it holds the attention of all those who have read or listen to it so far. (Ages: 4-23) I highly recommend it for kids in upper elementary or middle school. (3rd grade and older) but even younger kids will enjoy it. There are some more 'adult' themes (main character dealing with mother's death, etc.)but it is an enjoyable book so far.

Alosha:Disappointing
Title: Alosha by Christopher Pike

Pages:303

Time spent on the "to read" shelf:3 years.

Days spent reading it: 6

Why I read it:I found it at a bookstore randomly.It had some decent critical praise, and I decided to check it out.Christopher Pike was well known for his cheesy teenage horror novels (i.e. Chain Letter and Chain Letter 2: Ancient Evil).I owned, but never read, a few of his books (including the aforementioned Chain Letter and Chain Letter 2).My parents either still have these books in the house or wisely tossed them.

Brief Review:Alosha is the kind of book that I read the description of and think to myself, "I would like that book."It has a heroine who needs to uncover her secret identity, trolls, elves, dwarves, dark fairies, and "many plot twists and plenty of excitement."However, Alosha falls flat for me.I actually have attempted to read it 2 other times, and never got beyond the 2nd or 3rd chapter.It just takes too long setting up.

And after reading it through, the pace never really seemed to pick up in my opinion.Sure there are things going on--girl buried alive by avalanche, girl thrown into river about to go over waterfall, world about to be invaded by evil elvish army--but for some reason the pacing and telling of this story never reached its potential for me.Additionally one pet peeve of mine is trying to tell a story with some time-travel elements.Very few storytellers do this well.Pike does it less well than others.

I think there is great potential with this story.It had some good elements.I just did not like how it was told.Alosha was a book I intended to knock off quickly, instead it was a chore for me to get through.Although the climax did pick up the pace; it was too little, too late.I would grant that some readers would enjoy this book, I just wasn't one of them this time around.

Which leaves me with the odd predicament of continuing or not continuing the trilogy.If you notice my original challenge list, there are two other books by Christopher Pike on it.They are a part of this trilogy.Right now, I'm leaning towards not reading them.However, my wife liked them pretty well, and I might be willing to give them one more chance.I'll see how I'm feeling later.

Stars: 2 out of 5

Final Word: Disappointing.

Not the storytelling I remember...
**A quick warning---there are some plot details revealed in the following review that are, I expect, supposed to be a "surprise" for the reader.**

Having read (and owning) nearly all Pike's pre-2000 books (including, his foray into young readers' series fiction with "Spooksville"), I was excited to discover several new books released after a 3-year hiatus.My excitement, however, fizzled while plodding through "Alosha."

The characters are flat, having next to no motivation for their actions other than to move forward the plot.Those characters who are given a defining trait/motivator frequently act in a manner *against* said defining trait. (The reportedly hunger-driven, less-than-intelligent troll travelling amiably with humans and a leprechaun; a self-described delicacy for trolls.The adamant environmenalist protagonist buying t-bone steaks after refusing a leather jacket and cutting down trees after protesting at a logging camp.Just to name a few inconsistencies...) Other failings include a "surprise" traitor being conveniently introduced and given a [weak] backstory in the last chapter of the book; villains with deadly weapons and powers, attempting to incite a cross-dimensional war that are unable to overpower or outmaneuver a 13 year-old girl; and finally, a sentence written on pg 219 of the hardcover version that just seems incredibly stupid and wholly out of place: "Her long maroon hair hung below her head like a red flag waving from the window of a spaceship."What?? The action occurring during this description has no correlation whatsoever with waving flags, windows, or spaceships. Ali (or Alison, or Geea, or Alosha, depending on which of her names you feel like using) is suspended from an old rope-bridge above a seemingly bottomless gorge deep inside a massive volcanic mountain.Finally, the protagonist is revealed to be, wait for it, the Fairy Queen, reborn into the human dimension so that she can prevent the coming cross-dimensional war. Apparently the villains in the Elemental dimension took a full 13 years (since that's how old the reborn Ali/Alison/Geea/Alosha is) to get their act together before mounting an attack.

I forced myself to finish this book only because I have so throughly enjoyed Pike's other works.There are currently 2 more books in this series available (with the promise of a 4th) that I will definitely avoid.

pretty good
this was not as gripping as Pike's books normally are, but I did enjoy it.I have been reading his work since I was about 10 (so almost 20 years), and I am the sort of fan who will read anything he writes, but i definitely recommend this for tween, teens and young adults.The Shaktra (the second in the series) is definitely more adult, and I am currently pleasantly surprised at how much I am enjoying this trilogy. ... Read more

Product Description
The lives of a journalist, a researcher into near-death experiences, a playboy, an upper-crust high-school student, and a mourning widower are irrevocably changed by an evil force that seeks to destroy humankind. 40,000 first printing. $40,000 ad/promo. Tour.Amazon.com Review
Because Christopher Pike is more commonly known for his youngadult fiction, horror readers may not be familiar with this superbadult novel about an inhuman being that is menacing like a cobra tothe souls as well as bodies of humans, and yet is also intenselycurious. A quirky and resourceful handful of characters, including a5000-year-old Hindu holy man, stumble over the various victims of theCold One, and then gradually get to know each other, leading them alltoward an unpredictable (if somewhat overcrowded) confrontation at ahouse on the beach in California. I agree with the WashingtonPost's assessment: "A polished, mature work with a groundingin Eastern philosophy. The characters are genuine, the actionunexpected, violent, and wrenching. The Cold One is that rarestof horror novels, one that is visceral and intellectually stimulatingat the same time." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (63)

Where the frak is the sequel ???
I hope Mr. Pike or somebody @ his publishing company is reading these reviews, because I (& many others) want the sequel to this!!!

Desperatly wanting The Seedling!
Dear Mr. Pike,

I address this review directly to you - if you ever read these things. I have already spoken of my love for your books, and The Cold One is beloved in my opinion. I have been ever so patient waiting for the promised sequel. Years and years have gone by. I understand it may be something too difficult for you to tackle for some unknown reason, but we are hurting out here! At least tell us if it will ever come to be and give us peace at last.

With this desperate plea, you should understand that this book is worth reading and nothing else needs to be said.

Reader be warned
This book was good, although confusing at time because there were SO many characters involved. It has a really interesting set of twists that make it a great read.

A note to potential readers. Be forewarned. There was supposed to be a sequel to this book. Since 13 years have now passed, I am starting to doubt it.

WE WANT A SEQUAL!!!!
This book was really freaking awsome. One of the best I have ever read. It would make a wonderful movie the only thing is we need a sequel!!! Even if it doesn't get made into a movie a sequel would be very very very nice.

Great Book-Where is the Sequel?
I am a tremendous fan of Christopher Pike. However, I must say that it is unfair to begin a story, get the reader very interested and then not finish the story. It has been 10 years since this was published. Where is the sequel that was promised at the end of this book? I love a good story and I would love to know how this story ends...it would be dissapointing if it never does. I must admit that this book is still well worth reading even without the resolution that the sequel would provide. ... Read more

Product Description
When Alice McCoy started at a new school, she thought it would be a good idea to get to know the new students better. It began with a party. It ended with murder. What happened in between? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Good, but not great
This was a good book, but it could be better.It took them 150 pages to get to Alices party.Nothing bad happened before that.We learned about people for 150 pages.Once it got to the end though, the book pcked up.A few other good books by Mr.Pike are Monster, Bury me Deep, Whisper of death, The Evil Heart, and Remember me.

Decent young adult thriller
Once again, Christopher Pike brings us into a world in which a roomful of attractive high schoolers have to figure out who among them is the murderer.

At over 200 pages, this is a thicker book than most of what Pike writes, and that's probably because he's building a cast of characters to take us through a trilogy. As a stand-alone novel, though, the extra length isn't justified in supporting the formulaic plot.

Not to say that this is a bad book; Pike does a good job of adapting the modern thriller and romance genres to a young teen audience in the same way that a slate of WB tv shows have mastered that sleek package.

If you like Pike, you'll probably find this trilogy as good as his other novels. If you don't, this one won't change your mind any. If you're about to give this author your attention for the first time, I would recommend Chain Letter, which is a much better example of how good he can be.

This is great!
I read the whole series Final Friends. This is the greatest book. I loved it. YOU MUST READ THIS!!

important message
Whatever you do, don't buy it used from abebooks(1 star), because I got the whole trilogy directly from their online store and it arrived almost six months late and in a terrible condition.

This one wild ride of a book
I read these books a while back. I loved them. This books literally grabs your attention and holds your attention untill you finish them and are crying for more. The set of Final Friends that I read were my library's, they don't have them anymore. When I found out they were lost I got so ticked off. I'm planning on buying them from a used books store near where I live. If you ever see all three of them, even if there is only one GET IT. It will be worth it believe me. They are the best set of Pike books I've ever read.
I loved every single character in this book. It's a great plot and soo funny too. I love every bit of these books soo much. You have to buy it you will not regret it.

Other great Pike books are Last Vampire 1-6, I'll see you later, Last Act and The two chain letter books ... Read more

Product Description
She won’t let them forget…

Shari Cooper wakes up dead. The last thing she can remember is falling from a balcony during her friend’s party. Her death has been ruled a suicide, but Shari knows she was murdered. All of her closest friends are now suspects. As she tries to find her killer from the other side, she discovers her friends may not have been so loyal to her after all. Now, Shari is not just out for justice, she’s out for revenge…. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Lovely
I'm still reading this book but I've enjoyed it so much so far that I wanted to write a quick review for it now. I got this book thinking that the 3 stories inside were completely unrelated. Wrong. I still like it anyway. The first story reminds me of the movie Invisble. The book moves fast and before long I was already almost done reading the whole thing. I'm not much in to vampire stories but based on how well written this book was I might have to check out his other stories, even if they are vampire filled.

I Remember You ...
I had this book (the original one) when I was just an obnoxious 7th grader at 13 years old (not much has changed,BTW, lol).Sadly, though, the book got lost along the way due to all the packing and moving we had done while I was a kid, being a military family and all.*sigh*Well... out of the blue, about a month ago, I suddenly had the urge to search for this book online after so many years had passed--and low and behold!!This exact page was in the making, and I saw that they were going to publish a brand new "Remember Me Trilogy" special edition jumbo-sized paperback with ALL 3 of The Remember Me stories written by Mr. Christopher Pike himself, of course.

Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine were my all-time favorite teen-thriller authors while I was growing up as pre-teen/teenager.I collected every book of theirs that I could get my hands on.This just brings me back to those delightful years of when I would order from The Book Club at school every Friday... and my friends and I would get so excited as we talked about what books we wanted to order.It was my favorite day of the week, of course, and this was one of my chosen treasures.I kept it for as long as I could, and somehow I lost it :'( Now, I'll never have to worry about losing this book.It shall forever remain in my grasp--I will make sure of that.To keep, to cherish, to read over and over again whenever I please... andit will be "remembered" forever!

I love Christopher Pike books, even after all these years!
This was one of my first Christopher Pike books. I was hooked back in the 90's and even now when I read it I still love it. Never have found an author that was so good at drawing you into the book and making you forget you are reading. Love it. I love all of his old classics and I'm so glad they are re-releasing a lot of the good ones!!!

I know who killed me...
I used to adore Christopher Pike novels when I was a teen. They were always about death and the supernatural. I happened to stumble upon "Remember Me" in the library and checked it out instantly. It became a classic favorite of mine. The plot has been done before, but never quite like this:

A teenage girl is at a party and falls/gets pushed off the balcony and dies. Somehow, she is able to linger as a ghost, trying to find out what happened. Her death is labeled a "tragic accident" but she knows better. She was pushed, but someone she thought was her friend. Now, as a ghost, she wants to find out who killed her, and her friends are the suspects.

Sounds good, right? Well, read on. In addition to trying to find her killer, she has to come to terms with the fact that she is dead. Can she come back? Why is she still here, and not in heaven or hell? What more is there to death and dying? Can she communicate with her friends, or with anyone? More complex issues arise that are intriguing.

This is a great teen novel and a great read. I found this particular copy at my local bookstore. It's still as great a read as ever.

Thanks to Christopher Pike. Even though he was pretty well known when I was a teenager, somehow, he isn't as famous anymore. Why not? With books like Twilight and Harry Potter, Christopher Pike should still be up there with the big names. Hopefully his books will make a comeback. Same goes to RL Stein.

If you enjoyed this book, also make sure to check out his other works. Some of my favorites were "The Immortal" "Bury me Deep" and "The Last Vampire" Other authors that are similar are RL Stein and LJ Smith. Another similar author is Lois Duncan, her books "Stranger with my face" "Down a dark hall" and "I know what you did last summer" are very similar in style.

Awesome
I read this book when it was 3 separate books back in the early 90's. I LOVED the stories then and I just finished reading this book and STILL love it!!!! I am elated that Christopher Pike's books are getting s second (or third) life.

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Product Description
Alisa Perne is the last vampire. For five thousand years she has been living among humans, living off humans. Beautiful and brilliant, she hunts alone. She thinks nobody knows her secret. But someone is stalking her. Someone wants her dead. And Alisa has a choice to make; to keep a long-held promise or protect the mortal she seems to be falling for! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (125)

Powerful vampire, but is she powerful enough?
I'm a lover of all sorts of vampire fiction, including True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, Buffy, Twilight, and also countless other lesser-known vampire shows & novels. These books offer the best vampire story out there. The main character, Sita, is dynamic and develops as a character more than most are probably used to in novels. She has lived for thousands of years, yet she is still finding herself and feels love and hate just as a human being would. She's very strong and smart, obviously, but is her power enough? She must defeat several threats to humankind, but is she successful? Does she need help? I think what makes these books stand out from other novels is the element of re-readability, impressive dynamic plot that will keep you guessing, spirituality (which is rare in vampire fiction), and the immense, almost impossible situations the main character is put into. You find yourself wondering how she will possibly figure the next dilemma out, and if she will finally be at peace.

Distant, bland, and stilted, this joyless book is just plain bad. Not recommended
Alisa is a five thousand year old vampire living a life of comfort until she learns that someone is tracking her--someone who seems to who who and what she is. The Thirst series is intended to be literary junk food: each installment is a quick 200 pages chock full of cliffhangers, simple writing, and gratuitous characterization and plot--a cheap guilty pleasure to be consumed in bulk. This sort of junk reading isn't to my taste, but I don't begrudge that others may enjoy it--except that despite such intentions, The Last Vampire is no guilty pleasure: it's just plain bad. A combination of stunted first person narrative (intended to sound ancient, it just sounds awkward and distant) and telling when Pike should be showing makes for a narrative which is so bland and passive that not even murders and cliffhangers can add intrigue to the plot. Alisa's idealized characterization crosses the boundary of irritating, and the reader soon grows tired of hearing how beautiful, talented, and powerful she is. Her unusual vampiric origins could be interesting, but clunky delivery makes the backstory as bland as the main plot; underdeveloped secondary characters with arbitrary and unsubstantial connections to Alisa strip away all other potential motivation and passion. The Last Vampire has no redeeming qualities--its brevity would be one if the book didn't end in another silly cliffhanger. Lifeless, heartless, and joyless, The Last Vampire is satisfying neither as a good book or as a fun easy read. It's a waste of time, and I don't recommend it.

Excellent down to the bone
Utterly great book. All 6 of them were great. I hardly ever read fiction because I am a nonfiction kind of guy..but this book...I get into the character. I wanted to meet the character, to be with the character, to have emotions with the character. I DID have emotions for the character. Sita...There are 6 books. I have read 5. I can't read the last one. I can't handle finally finishing with her. It has been 5 years since I read the first 5 books, and I still have to read the 6th one. ...I doubt I ever will.

This series just can't be let go..

5/5

Reading it again 14 years later and still love it!!
I read this book when it came out when I was a pre-teen, and now I'm grown up, done with graduate school, and this is STILL my favorite series. I am reading it again 14-15 years later and it still is so fun to read. I thought it might be too childish for me now, but it wasn't at all. I love Christopher Pike, and I'm pretty sure I will never be too old for these books!!!!!

WONDERFUL
I have read the series multiple times. I love vampires, have since I was a young child. The Last Vampire is the ABSOLUTE BEST vampire story. Forget The Lost Boys, forget Twilight..I want to see THIS STORY come to life on the big screen. I was entertained throughout the whole series and really felt connected with the main character, Sita. She's fabulous. LOVE IT. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an omnibus edition of the "Final Friends" series of horror titles for teenage readers: "The Party", "The Dance" and "The Graduation". Christopher Pike has written 19 other books including "Chain Letter", "Scavenger Hunt", "Witch", Die Softly", "Bury Me Deep" and "Monster". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must read- you can still buy these books !
It is not fair to judge The Final Friends series by one book alone, but to see individual book reviews and to buy them you can look up: The Party (book 1). The Dance (book 2), and The Graduation (book 3). This is a wonderfully intricate mystery broken into three parts that you won't be able to put down.I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. When I finished the last book, I felt as though I'd lost a good friend so I picked up the first book and read it all again. A must read! ... Read more

Product Description
The first three books in master storyteller Christopher Pike's "The Last Vampire" series--now available in a special collector's edition! Here are the first three books in the series--"The Last Vampire, Black Blood" and "Red Dice"--for one low price. Available in February. . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (72)

Have I read the same book as other reviewers????
I'm really quite flabbergasted by the 5 star reviews on here. And not just one, but the majority! I recently finished reading the 1st and 2nd books in the series and it was incredibly painful. I'm no literary snob and will happily read most things with little expectation - I'm easily entertained!

But even without trying to compare it to other Vampire books I have read and enjoyed infinitely more (Twilight, Vampire Academy), this was one of the worst books I've ever read. And I enjoy Christopher Pike books!

The character of Sita was completely 2 dimensional and I felt the writer assumed too early that I had established an affinity for the heroine when I hardly knew her. It totally skips over any sort of development in Sita and Rays relationship. In fact, I kept wondering if I had missed some critical turn in their relationship when he went from a source of information to the love of her life. All of a sudden Sita was talking about love and I was flipping back pages. As it is in the 1st person from Sita's POV, there needed to be more turmoil in her when she was manipulating Ray to show an internal dilemma that she may have real feelings for him, not just acting. I don't feel that Ray shared this love at all. Same as Seymour. It seems they only met once or twice and were already calling each other best friend etc.

And I cringed at the amateurish and drawn out paragraphs detailing Sita's MacGyver like plans and her cache of weapons etc. It seemed clumsy and lazy to have not woven it more subtly into the storyline so it wasn't a big clump of exposition to hurry me along to the (unfounded) climactic scenes.

I am seriously gobsmacked that no one else has thought this book and subsequent books was worth less than 4 stars!!

Wonderful vampire series
While not Anne Rice, this series is great. It's geared for a slightly younger audience than Anne Rice's books, and I read it when I was in that target audience. This book impressed me a lot. I enjoyed the fact that these three books were bound together. Originally I had read just the first one, but when I was at the library I found this collector's volume and of course picked it up. The story is believable and engaging, though the method of vampire-making - pressing cut wrists together - didn't work for me because it'd be quite sloppy. Still, overall great book and series!

no comparison
I've read this book many many times throughout my teen years.10 years later, i'm still in love with it.I decided to read it again after reading the twilight series.Twilight can't even compare to the last vampire stories!!

Gifted Storyteller, Poor Writer
A long-time master of mystery, murder and mayhem, Christopher Pike has been publishing what most people think of as "teen thrillers" since 1985.However, to label Pike's haunting, ingenious stories as "teen thrillers" is to miss what makes his work so unusual, for his stories occupy a strange liminal space between adolescence and adulthood.It is, perhaps, more accurate to say, as Pike himself admits, that he tends to write about teens, not to teens.Either way, he was decades ahead of his time, anticipating the subject matter and themes of today's best-selling young adult writers, albeit with one crucial difference: He is not afraid of copious amounts of blood and gore, and he is not afraid to kill off his creations.Indeed, in Pike's twisted world the only thing rarer than a happy ending in is a middle-age narrator.

Luckily for me, Pike began publishing his famous vampire series when I was in high school in the mid nineties.During that gloomy, pre-Amazon technological Dark Age, I was already an avid Pike fan, weekly checking the local drugstore for my next literary fix.What made me spend my hard-earned waitressing tips on his slim volumes?Pike was unlike any other writer I'd encountered, perhaps because his stories of teens facing down vampires, demons, serial killers, bloodthirsty aliens, and horrific, supernatural creatures touched a deep psychological nerve.I have forgotten many books over the years, but I have never forgotten Pike's exhilarating, fiercely unsettling stories.

This is especially true of his "Last Vampire" series (there are six books in all), which tell the tale of Sita (aka Alisa Perne) who is the last vampire on earth, or so she believes when we first meet her.An extraordinary being with the experience and wisdom of five thousand years, Sita is neither entirely evil nor entirely good, and as such she sometimes recalls the haunted, melancholy Louis (from Rice's 1976 Interview with the Vampire).She also prefigures such creations as Angel (from Buffy The Vampire Slayer), although she has no problem killing innocents when she is threatened, and Buffy, in that she is appears to be a petite, young, gorgeous blond, but is actually a killing machine of enormous strength.

Pike is a terrific storyteller and his "Last Vampire" series is a page-turner full of bloody chases, gruesome killings, big explosions and elaborate fight sequences.People die.A lot of people.I especially like how unpredictable Pike's plot twists are; Sita's tale starts off at a dead run and doesn't let up until the last sentence.Good luck trying to figure out where it's going; I certainly couldn't when I was re-reading it last week.

However, I also like how he often weaves myth, science, and religion into his stories, and "The Last Vampire" is no exception.One of the best parts about this series are Sita's flashbacks as she remembers key moments from her amazingly long life, especially the day she met God, or, as he was known at that time, Krishna.The Hindu beliefs, legends, stories and myths anchor Sita's tale and make a nice contrast with her experiences in the modern world.In addition, they allow Pike to speculate on spiritual matters, such as the nature of good and evil.

As an adult reader, though, I must admit that some aspects of his writing leave much to be desired.It's true that he does do a good job quickly developing protagonists you care about.Sita is a well-rounded, complex character capable of generosity, compassion, and love, but also cruelty, torture and murder.She is, in the words of Pike, "A lover who hates, a saint who sins and an angel who kills."However, sometimes minor characters are incredibly stereotypical and he tends to rely on types: "the school nerd," "the FBI agent," "the donut-eating cop," "the snuff-film, frozen-corpse-loving homicidal maniac," etc.

After a while such stereotypes just get old.

Also, Pike's prose is, well, unsophisticated at best, and, at times, downright bad.(This is the reason I reluctantly gave him four stars instead of five).For example, his series is full of vile descriptions, such as the following sketch of a serial killer from the second vampire book: "But it is his eyes that are the scariest.The green centers look like cheap emeralds that have been dipped in sulfuric acid and left out to dry in a radioactive dust storm."

Um, what?

But there are worse sins a writer can commit then an over-reliance on clichés, mixed metaphors and over-the-top descriptions.In the end, Pike's imagination makes up for his prose, and most of the time I can ignore his flawed writing because I am so caught up in his exciting tales.Certainly, "The Last Vampire" is a wildly original, breathtakingly suspenseful ride that will appeal to sci-fi, fantasy, horror and thriller fans alike.

Last week I was going through an old box of books and I found my carefully preserved Pike stash.Sitting there in the dusty attic I began to re-read Sita's tale and, although it was early in the morning, I found myself reading into the wee hours of the night.I just couldn't put her story down until I had read the last page.If that's not a testament to Pike's power, then I don't know what is.

For all vampire fans
This is a phenomenal series. I have read itat least 3 times. If you have any interest in vampires, as well as thrillers, read this series. You will not be disappointed. It is most certainly for mature readers, as it is very graphic on all accounts. However, Pike's writing style is phenomenal. When I read this series for the first time, I couldn't put it down and I'm looking forward to reading it again soon. The characters are strong, the descriptions are amazing and it is simply fantastic.

Now, if only they would turn it into a movie or television series. It has incredibly high potential to be done very, very well... ... Read more