I enjoyed Bad Man very much.
The progressive
creepiness was a delight and the highs and lows of the progression were spaced
nicely. Even when the progression slowed to a snail's pace, it still managed to
build ever so slightly--plenty to keep you interested and moving forward
waiting for the next burst.
Most characterizations
were full, rich, and tone-setting; those that were not aided in building the
suspense factor as the reader was fed tidbits of information about the
character. Readers will find themselves doubting almost every character in the
book at different times and that added to the tension throughout.
Is Ben (the protagonist)
dreaming this? Is he mis-remembering? Is he nuts? Are
these people real or figments of his imagination? Auerbach
bounces you back and forth between these thoughts deftly, expertly, and he does
it in such a manner that you are always a bit off kilter when you come to a
stopping point.
On the surface, the
story is simple enough: little brother wanders off while in the care of big
brother. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. But
what Auerbach does with this simple story is unusual,
frightening, suspenseful, and twisting.
Why not 5-stars?
In my opinion, the book
dragged on a bit and could have lost about 75 pages. I would have liked it a little
tighter and faster-paced. There was also a meandering sub-plot about a private
school that was never resolved to my satisfaction and one main character whose
motive was never fully revealed.
As an aside, like Auerbach, I worked my way through undergraduate school in a
grocery store and I really enjoyed that little nostalgia trip--he nailed it.
In the event there are
others out there who have heard of Auerbach only
through his internet reputation, I want to put your mind at ease--I did not
want to like this book because of a prejudice. When I saw "Reddit horror sensation Dathan Auerbach delivers a devilishly dark novel..." I'd
already made up my mind that he was an internet flash-in-the-pan. When I
learned that Auerbach had done a Kickstarter
to raise money for his first novel, Penpal, I was
especially leery.
But, you know, things
change. Techniques change. Publishing has changed. I was wrong. And not for the
first time, either.
Words of caution to
readers, though: Pay attention to the Prologue. Strict
attention. It's short--only 3 pages--and I almost didn't get through it.
Take your time with those 3 pages. They're written in a style totally different
from the rest of the book so don't let that throw you like it almost threw me.
It's important. When you've finished the book, go back and read it again. I
think it should have been both the prologue and afterword.
This has absolutely
nothing to do with the book, but in closing, let's get something straight. Dathan Auerbach has a very
devoted following on Reddit. One negative word or
criticism about anything he's done will get you a handful of threatening
tweets, a dozen bad reviews of your own work, and assorted cheap shots. That's
not Auerbach's fault. Yes, it's stupid and infantile,
but don't hold it against him. He's a helluva writer.