As far back as I can remember, Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon was always present. Whenever I would go to a library with my father and drawn to the small horror section (just like our weekly trips to the video rental store) it would be there and instantly draw my attention. It's spine with a malevolent face peering out and daring me to delve into its dark contents. I was always in awe by the thick novel and knew that at some point in time, I would need to pick it up. My local used bookstore called me a year ago to tell me they had found me a copy, which they sold to me for a single dollar. Since I was about to move to China for a year, I knew it was the perfect moment to finally crack it.
The story centers around various groups of people who are trying to survive in a ravaged landscape after Russia and the US have bombed each other. These characters include a massive ex wrestler, a mad ex-war hero and the boy who saved him by amputating his arm and Satan himself. The title character Swan, has the power to restore earth by being connected with plant life, but she must survive the harsh realm that the world has become and all the malicious and malformed inhabitants that now populate it.
Almost reaching a thousand pages, this is of course just the briefest overview of the book. I have to mention that part of not actually diving into the novel earlier is because of the fact that I was guilty as many people of viewing it as a rip off of another story: The Stand. While there is of course similarities (a post apocalyptic world a group of survivors lives intertwine in a battle of good versus evil), they are unique tales which should each be appreciated for their own individual strengths. I really appreciated how Swans Song really delved into the power of hope (rather than using a more of a more organized religion standpoint) and the devils attempts to quash it from the face of the earth. I also feel that the light eco message the book contains about preserving the green life on this planet was extremely well done and made me reflect on my day to day actions. Altogether it made me contemplate who I am and what I want to be like which any good writing should facilitate within the reader.
I had recently read another blog where an individual put down McCammon's work and described his writing as too light, with nothing really remarkable about it. I found this perplexing as I had previously loved Blue World which had tales in it which floored me and Boy's Life that I would say is the best homage to Bradbury that I have ever read. I would definitely say that his work is among by favorite in the genre for 80's horror writers (can we count him as a contributor to the splatter punk "movement") and he'll always have a place on my bookshelf. The next novel that I'll devour by him will be The Wolf's Hour, which I heard is an essential werewolf read, but I think I'll give Bestial by Ray Garton a look first first. One thing that is a certainty is that you should give Swan Song the epic 80's horror novel the status it deserves. Believe the hype kiddos.
The story centers around various groups of people who are trying to survive in a ravaged landscape after Russia and the US have bombed each other. These characters include a massive ex wrestler, a mad ex-war hero and the boy who saved him by amputating his arm and Satan himself. The title character Swan, has the power to restore earth by being connected with plant life, but she must survive the harsh realm that the world has become and all the malicious and malformed inhabitants that now populate it.
Almost reaching a thousand pages, this is of course just the briefest overview of the book. I have to mention that part of not actually diving into the novel earlier is because of the fact that I was guilty as many people of viewing it as a rip off of another story: The Stand. While there is of course similarities (a post apocalyptic world a group of survivors lives intertwine in a battle of good versus evil), they are unique tales which should each be appreciated for their own individual strengths. I really appreciated how Swans Song really delved into the power of hope (rather than using a more of a more organized religion standpoint) and the devils attempts to quash it from the face of the earth. I also feel that the light eco message the book contains about preserving the green life on this planet was extremely well done and made me reflect on my day to day actions. Altogether it made me contemplate who I am and what I want to be like which any good writing should facilitate within the reader.
I had recently read another blog where an individual put down McCammon's work and described his writing as too light, with nothing really remarkable about it. I found this perplexing as I had previously loved Blue World which had tales in it which floored me and Boy's Life that I would say is the best homage to Bradbury that I have ever read. I would definitely say that his work is among by favorite in the genre for 80's horror writers (can we count him as a contributor to the splatter punk "movement") and he'll always have a place on my bookshelf. The next novel that I'll devour by him will be The Wolf's Hour, which I heard is an essential werewolf read, but I think I'll give Bestial by Ray Garton a look first first. One thing that is a certainty is that you should give Swan Song the epic 80's horror novel the status it deserves. Believe the hype kiddos.
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