Subsequent to this seemingly short-sighted review, I was at least long-sighted enough to read more of Evenson’s work and happily I have found him to be one of the most interesting and smart and original voices writing today. Obviously I need to re-read Last Days because, obviously, the fault in its failure to successfully entertain me seems to lie with me and not Evenson.
However, until I do re-read the work, the original impression I have of it remains, so, so too shall the following review with its original two stars. – June, 2024
BOOK | FICTION | HORROR
LAST DAYS BY BRIAN EVENSON
RATING: ★ ★
I had been looking hard for a killer horror noir novel ever since reading FALLING ANGEL by William Hjortsberg, a stellar benchmark of the sub-genre that is in close competition for greatness with ANGEL HEART, its movie adaptation starring Mickey Rourke.
I eventually came across a couple of pretty good lists of horror noir books and found that LAST DAYS was high on both of them.
In Last Days I thought for sure I had a ringer.
And then when I began reading Peter Straub’s introduction for it there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that it was going to be the absolutely best horror noir book I had ever read.