Bentley Reviews

Set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, The Black Arrow is an intriguing look at the life of young Richard Shelton. Richard's life is shaken when he realizes that those he had thought to be his friends are really his enemies, and he is forced to make choices that will determine the course of his life. Although the characters are well-developed and the plot is fascinating, this book is not for the squeemish or lazy reader. The description is not only vivid, it is often gorey. The language is sometimes difficult and a dictionary might prove quite handy. But anyone looking for a well-written, action-packed classic should read this book.

In this book you can read about knights, soldiers, action, treachery, and other things from the middle ages. I thought that it was a pretty good book, but I only got into it after a while. I had to read it for school, so I couldn't give up, but I was wary of the lack of "interesting-ness" when I first started. I would reccomend this book to you, but you should beware that you may not be interested for a while. If you are a person who doesn't like a book that takes a while, I would not reccomend this to you. But if you don't mind having to read something a while, I would reccomend this to you. (Sorry if I keep repeating myself.)

The Black Arrow is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorite books, just as Robert Louis Stevenson is one of my all time favorite authors. I find it hard to believe that The Black Arrow is probably the least well know of his great adventure novels (the others being, of course, Treasure Island and Kidnapped), as it is certainly the best as far as I am concerned. As far as the story goes, it is one of the most entertaining plots that I have ever encountered. It is filled with more twists and turns than I would have thought possible, but remains very clear and fast paced. The characters are wonderful, as is the description and the writing itself. Granted, some of the language is a bit archaic, but I feel that this adds a lot to the authenticity of the story.
The Black Arrow is not a very easy read at first, but once you get into it it really flies by. It is as entertaining, exciting, and intriguing book as you will find, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Be warned this book has high violence, sexual contents and very perverse, yet it all fits nicely into the context of the story and mixes in nicely with the anciant Greek mythology, I found many sections of this story to be disturbing, but isn't that what horror is all about??, this book may be to graphic for some peoples tastes so if you are week of stomach this is not the book for you, the high intense murder, sex and even bestiality all adds to the atmosphere and the sudden insanity and the disappearance of all inhabitions of the community.
The book is in two parts, the first focuses on Dion, who starts at a new school and he is some one we can all relate to and it is impossible not to like him, He develops a crush on a girl named Penelope, and as you read there relationship grows stronger but so does the unstability of the city's people.
The second part concentrates on Penelope and Dions best friend Kevin as they try to come to grips with the evil that has become of there lives and as they try to figure how to get Dion back.
I'm not going to say muck more but while reading this book you can not help but be affected by it, and the effects last long after the completion of it and a sense of loss, a must read for those who like horror with bite adn those who are not afraid of the disturbing.
This is the fist book I have read by Bentley Little but definatly not the last.

Bentley Little is a genius. He manages to weave the mythology of ancient Greece into a gripping horror tale. Little catches the reader's attention instantly with a gruesome prologue that opens this captivating novel.

Dion Semele moves to Napa Valley after his mother is fired from her job in Arizona. He meets Penelope Daneam at his new high school and the two are instantly drawn to each other. Unlike the synopsis on this site, Penelope has not been raised by nuns, but by a group of women who run a winery. She does not know which one of them is actually her mother. Dion and Penelope do not realize that their meeting has been fated. Each has felt a force within them. Their union will bring about an evil that will forever change the world.

This is a disturbing book. Little does not flinch in his writing. The scenes are extremely graphic. When the town is gripped by the insanity that follows the rebirth of the god Dionysus, no one is safe. The violence is constant and brutal. The book is filled with drunken celebrants, satyrs, and Maenads who turn Napa Valley into a hell on earth under the rule of their new god.

A couple of reviewers have stated that the ending was too abrupt. That's not necessarily a bad thing. When an entire novel is a battle between good and evil, a long drawn out ending is just overkill.

I tried for a long time to get my hands on this book and it was definitely worth the wait. I would easily count it as one of my favorite novels. It has everything, great characters, an original storyline and the kind of writing that keeps you reading well into the night. If you can find it, snap it up, you wont be sorry.

Dion Semele has just moved to Napa Valley, California. He lives with his attractive mother who has trouble holding jobs due to her hormones. He is a high school senior, a typical kid by most respects.

On the first day of school, he befriends Kevin Harte, a local rude-yet-cool dude.

By the end of the first week, he befriends Penelope Daneam.

Penelope lives with her mothers at their winery. They are strange yet friendly, and treat her as if she were there own daughter. In fact, one of them IS her mother, but she doesn't know which.

Finding the identity of her mother will soon become the least of Penelope's concerns.

For she falls madly in love with Dion, but there is a catch. The wine produced at the windery--Daneam Wine--is not your typical beverage. It is the same recipe used by the ancient Greeks, and it has astounding effects on those who drink it...like insanity...

Penelope and Dion soon find out that Napa Valley is in for a wave of trouble. It appears that the Mothers want Dion for a ritual...a ritual to bring about the ressurection of the god Dionysus...

Their entire world thrown into chaos, Penelope must join forces with Kevin to save the Valley, themselves, Dion...and quite possibly the world.

This is a great read. Bentley Little outdoes himself. Yes, some of the content is graphic and disturbing; but it adds to the novel (in an entirely appropriate way, I mean). Bentley Little's "Dominion" is packed full of scares, gore, and some great Greek trivia. Not a read for someone alone at night...

This a great book.Kids will love it.
I've read all the Junie B books.
This book is about a boy named Warren that Junie B loves!
Junie B just doesn't get how Warren could like a nother girl.
Junie B is having a hissy fit,she just has to tell everyone about it. Barbara Park does it again!

JUNIE B. Jones books are so fun to read. I like one book that is called Juine B. Jones Loves Hansome Warren. In this story one part I like is when she says I want a dress and some shoes that have lighting. So she is a trouble maker and a nosy girl. I will give this book 4 stars because kids like reading her books and when Junie does something the kids want to do the same.

My 5 year old daughter has discovered Junie B. Jones and she can't get enough of these books. We've found and read two of these books already and are on a quest to find more. Thank you, Barbara Park for writing such marvelously adorable books that kids love to read and enjoy!

Handsome Warren is a hilarious book and I highly recommend it!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a very special book. It is about a doctor, named Jekyll. He is known as a gentleman who works quietly in his lab. What no one knows is that Dr. Jekyll has invented a sort of medicine that changes your whole body. When the medicine is taken, your personality becomes evil and your body turns into an ugly hairy man. When Dr. Jekyll drinks the medicine he, turns into Mr. Hyde. Hyde does everything that Jekyll has ever dreamed of but hasn't had a chance to do. Suddenly things go too far. Hyde murders an old man and there is a witness at the place of the death. Now, the police want Hyde and Dr. Jekyll decides that he shall continue being Jekyll and only Jekyll. But can he really keep away? It is so tempting to live the life of Hyde.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the best books I have read. Even though it has a very dull setting, it is amazingly exciting. You always want to know what happens next. The changing between Jekyll and Hyde is made in a very good way, when the main character is Hyde, he always lives in danger, but when he's Jekyll he can live a perfectly normal life. One of the main points in the story is that you shouldn't use drugs to achieve things that you have always dreamed of, because you can really reach them by yourself. This theme really had an impact on me and got me thinking. Almost anyone can read this book because it is a classic and has been published in so many different versions. I would recommend it to almost anyone.

Jekyll and Hyde is a chilling psychological thriller by Robert Louis Stevenson that immediatly pulls you in and keeps you intrigued. It's almost like a love story between a man's good side and his evil side. Jekyll is a mild mannered physician with a good heart and good intentions, whereas Hyde is an evil monster with a heart of stone and intentions of committing cruel, savage, animal like murders. Dr. Henry Jekyll first turned into Hyde when he consumed a drink he made himself in his laboratory, and changes back to Jekyll with another. It all seems to be working for him...until one day when he takes an overdose of his Hyde potion and can't change back to his normal form. This book taught me that there is an untamed animal hiding inside each and every one of us just waiting to break out, like when we get angry or just go crazy. This book was terrific, and I'm sure that I will read many other Robert Louis Stevenson books.

This macabre tale--inspired by a dream--starts slowly but with an ever increasing sense of mystery, culminates in a vortex of horror worthy of Poe. What evil could be more impossible to resist or to conquer than Man's inherent flaw of dualtiy? RLS describes it as the innate struggle bewteen angelic and demonic forces which lurk in every soul. Beneath the veneer of Cilivization the two extremes wage eternal war in one breast.

Mr. Utterson, a conscientious laywer in Victorian London and longtime friend of both Henry Jekyll and Dr. Lanyon, confides his misgivings about the former's will to his cousin, Mr. Enfield. During the course of the chilling novella, each of the gentlemen contributes to our knowledge of this morbidly fascinating central character, who gradually loses control of his reason or his will.

What has caused the respectable Dr. Jekyll to condone such bizarre behavior from his guest/protege/parasitecalled Mr. Hyde? Why does he endure the odious presence of a younger, shorter, vicious person--even to entrusting him with the key to his residence? This Edward Hyde emotes something bestial and unrestrained, which inspires instant fear or disgust in normal men. Quick to flair up in unprovoked anger and shocking brutality, this Hyde creature is proving a menace to society. Naturally the concerned lawyer becomes increasingly alarmed at this unexplained hold over Henry Jekyll, but can a few learned gentlemen protect him from himself or his rash devotion to a human monster? By uniting forces, can they preserve both his property, his reputation and ultimately, his life?

When an elderly MP is murdered on the street, even Jekyll seems to realize that things have gone too far, but can the now drug-dependent physician control his urge to throw off the shackles of Society? Is he himself a victim...of the arrogance of medical and scientific knowledge or of attempting to play the god of creation with unknown powers? Hollywood has offered us various excellent, chllling versions, but the Classical Faithful will want to consult the original--which is more subtle and therefore more horrible than simply presenting the tale from the viewpoint of the protagonist. The last chapter consists of Jekyll's gripping confession: how a once learned and noble man realized the only way to destroy his diabolical alter-ego...Can he yet be saved by his loyal friends? Or must he face his destiny completely alone? Beware the beast that lurks within!

This book does not contain proper electrical wiring schematics like other automotive repair manuals do. I have found more useful diagrams posted by kind people on the Web. This book is too pricey to have such a deficiency. Does have other useful information (which should go without saying) however, such as on the fuel delivery system.

For the most part this was a good manual for the 325i, but there was a shortcoming that I had due to it missing information on 325iX driveline components. I thought it would have covered this info as there are quite a few 325iX cars around and many of the owners do their own work. The rest of the book was complete and close to what is printed in factory manuals.

i was a bit worried when i purchased this book, i thought i would pay all this money and regret it. now that i have the book and have been able to spend time with it i can honestly say this book has saved me a lot more money then i ever expected to save. its great, i can do soo much more now with my 330ci.. its just great.

The Summoning is the first Bentley Little novel I've read, but it won't be the last....His story of an ancient evil preying on the residents of a small Arizona town is absolutely riveting read.

Little creates a smart cast of characters, including Rich Carter, editor of the local newspaper, and his Brother Robert, the local Sheriff, Sue Wing, a young Chinese girl whose Grandmother knows a thing or two about Vampires, and the Cup Hu Grignsi himself, an ancient vampiric monster who has decided to stop creeping around in the night, and make his presense known to the world. The method the creature intends to use to reveal himself to the World is pretty unique, but is bound to be troublesome to some of the more Religious readers. It made me a little uncomfortable, and I don't consider myself Religious at all. But I guess that's the mark of a good horror novel....The only thing keeping The Summoning from a perfect 5 is the ending: It seemed a little rushed, and I would have appreciated more insight into the Vampire. Overall, though, The Summoning is as creepy as hell, and one of the best books I've read in a good long while. I'm looking forward to reading more of Mr. Little's work.

Vampires these days are either of the traditional
European gentleman variety, the young punk/rocker
variety, the misunderstood race of creatures variety
or some combination thereof. Bentley Little has
rejuvinated these tired cliches by infusing them
with some cross-cultural references. To my knowledge,
this is horror fiction's first CHINESE vampire, and
Little not only gets his folklore right but does a
pretty convincing job of portraying the prejudice
minorities face in a small American town. Little has
always included characters that are not the typical
middle-class WASPS of most contemporary horror (witness
his disabled character in UNIVERSITY), but here he
outdoes himself. An epic book that deals with big subjects
and is a hell of a thrill ride to boot. This guy is one of the best.

Nobdy but Little could have pulled this one off, and it probably helps that his wife is Chinese. What a cool, clever take on the vampire legend! The setting is the desert, very much like Harry Shannon's terrific "Night of the Beast," and the small-town in a desolate area thing works wonderfully well. My favorite of Little's books, by far, "The Summoning" has a black church, a vampire from the East and a great over-the-top "pulp" ending to write home about. Grab this one, it's a blast.

Have you ever stood at the counter of a department store and felt the eyes of the salesperson pass over you on their way to the next customer? Or had people step in front of you in line as if you weren't even there? Then you might be one of 'The Ignored'. Bentley Little's novel is for those who seem to go through life un-noticed. The protaganist, Bob Jones, is so average that he exists only as a statistical anomaly and stops making any physical impression on those around him.

Bob falls in with a small group of individuals who are likewise ignored by society. This group begins to think that they are no longer confined by the morality of a society from which they have been excluded. I at first agreed with others who thought that the whole novel falls apart in the later stages when the action tends towards the fantastic but have changed my mind upon further consideration. I think that Little took the premise towards its logical conclusion. This novel is not for gore hounds looking for a cheap thrill. It's for readers who think while they read and are willing to consider the ramifications of a society that forces members to yell and scream for even the tiniest recognition.

I've read every Bentley Little novel with the exception of The Summoning. I've enjoyed every one of them to at least some degree, but The Ignored is by far my favorite. It was the first Little novel I had the pleasure of climbing into (and regretting climbing back out), so that may be part of its appeal to me, but I think it's mostly the stunningly original concept behind this book that makes it tower over his other work. If you've ever felt like an average person, someone without looks or personality traits that stand out from most others, then you need to read this book. I must be pretty "normal" because this story hit pretty close to home. I could really see myself in the narrator's shoes (this is a first-person story), so I found myself rooting for the guy even (especially) when things started to get violent. The types of people that the narrator hates, I hate. The types of feelings the narrator expresses, I've felt. I'll bet a lot of potential readers can relate to the material.

I agree with others' opinions about the similarities to Fight Club, though that novel (and movie) didn't have quite the impact on me that The Ignored did. Still, it's a very appropriate comparison, and if you enjoyed one, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you enjoyed the other.

What's odd is that even though there is quite a bit of violence in The Ignored, it's probably toned down compared to a lot of his work, especially University. Despite that, The Ignored disturbed me more than anything else he's written. Little almost always has some graphic scenes in his books that are not only hatefully violent but disturbingly bizarre, like something you'd dream but soon forget within ten minutes of waking up. What I mean to say is that Little is amazing when it comes to thinking up violent disturbing imagery, yet The Ignored's lack of it doesn't make it any less frightening. Don't get me wrong, there are still examples of that type of thing in The Ignored. What comes immediately to mind is when the narrator dresses up in a clown suit, goes to work armed with a knife, and...nevermind, I don't want to ruin it for someone who hasn't read it yet.

I can't think of a book in any genre or category that I'd give a higher recommendation to. The Ignored is listed in Stephen King's On Writing as one of the "best books of the last few years" or something like that, and I couldn't agree more. Not only is the story totally engrossing, but Little's style of writing is just perfect. I'm amazed when people confuse clear, concise, and effective (but simple) writing with *bad* writing. If you want to get bogged down with ineffective, purple prose that doesn't flow off the page, there are enough horror novels out there to last a lifetime. I'm thinking Anne Rice, Kathe Koja, and Peter Straub to start with. But if you're a "common man" looking for an absorbing page-turner, then Little ranks up there with the best of them.

Bob Jones is an average, run-of-the-mill guy. He has a beautiful girlfriend, has just gotten out of college, and is looking for a job. He is taken in at an office building, where his job isn't clear, his immediate boss hates him, and his colleagues seem not to notice he's there.

That's when Bob begins to suspect something. His favorite songs are all top-5 hits. His favorite movies are box-office smashes. He likes prime-time TV, enjoys fast-food chains and hotel-esque decorating.

Bob Jones is average.

But he's not alone. He is being watched, being prepared, by a man named Philipe, a man who possesses a knowledge that Bob wants to have. Philipe proclaims himself as a Terrorist for the Common Man...and he, and his followers, are also Ignored.

At first, life as an Ignored is interesting. Bob is finally among people like him, people who are Ignored. But then the glamor wears off. Philipe wants to do something, something big, something that will get the world to notice them.

But they are being followed...and there is yet another threat, one Bob must face if he is to survive, one burning question that needs an answer:

Can you be Ignored by the Ignored?

Bentley Little throws aside his blood-n-guts horror to bring you a disturbing novel about a man who is so average, he goes unseen by most people. I have praised Little for moving around the "thinking-man's horror" novel, but after reading this, I must say that he's good at it.

Back to my first question: Am I Ignored?

Little has tapped into our psyche here. So many of these things corresponded to me, I realized that I had never known how deeply a horror novel could move me. I think, after reading this, you will be questioning your lifestyle as well. "The Ignored" is a novel by a singular author, about those of us who...fit in a little too well.

I've just read Glory's Triumph and I think that the book was good, but not the best of all the TB books. Cindy thinks that Glory can be the fastest horse in the world. Cindy meet the trainer Ben Carwell who once trained Glory and he thought that Glory could become a fantstic horse. But Glory is afraid of something when he's on the track.

Then after Wonders daughter Townsend Princess gets injured in a race which means that she will never get to race again Cindy is afraid that the same could happen to Glory. Cindy was in the #7 heaven after Ashleigh, or Alison which she's called in the Danish version, says that Cindy shall ride Glory when he's training, but after the acident with Princess Cindy can't consentraid about riding Glory. Will Glory ever get on the race track? Glory and Cindy have a special relationship almost like Ash and Wonder so he reacts better when Cindy is on his back.

I like this book because Princess is mentioned a lot in it and so is Ashleigh, who's my favourite character. Ash and Princess also have a special bound. I like Samantha too but she's not mentioned so much in this book. I have read many other rewiews and I understand that Cindy become a little brat. Here in Denmark we only have frome number 1-15 because it takes so long time to get the books translated to Danish I think, so I'm looking forward to read the other TB books.

I practically worship the Thoroughbred books. I give everyone 10. I love hearing about Cindy and Glory is an absolutly amazing horse, flying down the home stretch 20 gazzilion lengths in the lead; but I would really like to hear more about Wonder and Ashleigh. All the same, any Thoroughbred book is good enough for me. I want every single one there is. I have up to #21. I'm dying to get more. I often pretend that I am Ashleigh, Samantha, or Cindy... but nothing could compare to their lives. The Thoroughbred series is the best series in the world! Definatly

I really liked this book, and it was the second I read in the series, I couldn't put it down. But now that I've read more in this series, I see more problems with this book. It's just that Glory winning his first race ever by 20 lengths is slighly outlandish, and something about Cindy just gives me a weird feeling. She's nothing like Ash and Sammy, and I know everyone's different, but she acts like her life depends on Glory's winning, and she doesn't seem to have a whole relationship with the colt. But it's still very good, and I reccomend it.

It's the beginning of summer in this small, close-knit Arizona town and everything seems ordinary. As it should be--that is until the mailman turns up dead by his own hand with his wife deteriorating into a world of madness and fear. One night, calling Tritia Albin, she proclaims, "He's after me! He's here now. He thinks he's being tricky but I can hear his footsteps." Little takes us on a journey through hell and back, lets us feel the terror of a family held in the grip of something terrifying and seemingly undefeatable. The suspense almost frustrates you--an amazingly fast read. I literally could not put this book down.

This book is one of Bentley Little's most suspenseful and terrifying novels. It is like a rollar coaster ride-- it starts out calm and serene, it gradually builds up in intensity, and then it simmers down at the end. Ok, here's how the story goes.

The local mailman committs suicide, and no one can figure out why. Then the new mailman comes to town, and he is strange looking, with pale skin and red hair. The mailman's clownish appearance does not mask his intentions for long. He starts out with delivering very good mail to the residents of this small town, but the good news quickly turns bad, and the schoolteacher, Doug Albin, quickly realizes just what the menacing mailman is up to. The mailman starts delivering goodies such as nasty letters from long lost friends, body parts, and even long lost letters from people who are dead, that make it seem as if they will come back to the town. This novel culminates with the terrified townspeople chanting," No mail, no mail!".

Don't let the seemingly calm beginning of this novel fool you, this book is a real chiller!

And he's not friendly! Well, on the surface he appears to be. He waves, he smiles, he doesn't deliver junk mail or bills. But as Doug Albin comments when he first sees the mailman at a funeral, "there is a certain smugness and arrogance to that smile that I find disturbing". It doesn't take long for Doug and his family to realize that something is seriously off with the new mailman. Why would he show up at a funeral wearing his blue postal outfit among all the black-clad grievers? When the widow suddenly bursts in tears, why is he grinning as though he's enjoying the site? Why is he delivering the mail at 3 in the morning?

This is a book that starts slow, builds up tension and when you least expect it goes straight for the throat and kicks out all the stops. Before reading this novel, it never occured to me just how much we depend on the mail and the chaos that would ensue if someone were to screw around with the mail system. There's no doubt that this is in the top tier of Bentley Little books. It holds a place in the holy trinity of Bentley Little social satires, along with "The Store" and "The Ignored". Read and enjoy.

About 20 years ago Stephen King wrote a short story called Quiters Inc. about an organization that promises to end it's client's smoking. The organization was run by the mafia and it had violent ways of making clients quit. The Policy starts out in that theme but very quickly gets worse(in a good way). The mafia would be a blessed relief compared to the insurance company of this novel.

The hero and his hapless friends are offered insurance policies from agents who are foul mouthed, and vicious. They learn that turning down the offers lead to horrible events like ending up in jail or finding out that relatives have been killed or that a newborn child has been ruined for life.

The tension and the horror keeps going up and when Hunt and his wife realize that the company and it's agents aren't human it's a brilliant, spooky moment. And then Bentley Little ruins it. I won't give it away but the ending was incredibly weak. Did Little lose interest in the book or did he just run out of steam?

That's what Bentley Little writes about. Seemingly innocuous things, people, places, we never thing twice about. Our mail carrier, the new superstore that's opening, a home owner's association in a gated community, the university in your hometown. And whatever you do, bad things are going to happen when you relocate or decide to move back home to where you grew up!

The Policy deals with our need for insurance - plain and simple. It's something we all have. It's just *there*. Think nothing of it. Life, home owners', health, car and even renters' insurance.

But, what if your insurance company went wrong? Terribly, sinisterly wrong?

This is what happens to Hunt Jackson, who decided to move home to Tucson, AZ from L.A. after his marriage ends.

At first things go well. He meets up with his childhood best friend. Even finds a new love. Has to take a job as a tree trimmer despite his job was in computers, but he doesn't mind. He likes his co-workers, just not Steve, their supervisor.

Slowly, things start to go wrong with his insurance claims. And an eerie, enigmatic salesman always appears at the right time to sell you new insurance. His company's name? Simply The Insurance Company. But, what happens when you tell the salesman "no"?

This is the plot of the The Privacy.

Eventually, Hunt is joined by his co-workers and friends as they too begin to become victims of the salesman and the ever-growing demands he brings for new, different insurance coverage. Coverage for *everything*.

It doesn't take the reader long to realize this insurance salesman is not quite human, if at all, nor are the others that work for The Insurance Company. How far does the company reach and how far back in time do they go?

A must read for any Little fan. Personally, I have all his books. Keep him on your horror radar. And new readers will not be disappointed either.

Mr. Little may be accused of following a formula, but that is exactly why I read every one of his books! No different than Clive Cussler for example, or the rock band AC/DC. You know what you're getting!

I love the way he gradually increases the perversion of the insurance salesman and his weird policies. And I love the heroes and their fight against the insurance agent. Bentley is good at adding perverted twists to the bad guys a little at a time and I'll just about bet that he has had a bad experience or two with insurance. Like he did with homeowners associations in The Association, he hits on a rather sensitive and somewhat true example of our American society. It seems we need insurance for just about everything and he takes that need to the extreme. Makes you wonder what all that fine print really says on your insurance policies! Well done!