Boy's Life

Robert McCammon

Oct 2011 · Open Road Media

About this ebook

A bizarre murder in an idyllic Southern town propels a boy and his father into a world of evil in this World Fantasy Award–winning horror novel.

New York Times –Bestselling and Bram Stoker Award–Winning Author

Small town boys see weird sights, and Zephyr has provided Cory Jay Mackenson with his fair share of oddities. He knows the bootleggers who lurk in the dark places outside of town. On moonless nights, he's heard spirits congregate in the churchyard to reminisce about the good old days. He's seen rain that flooded Main Street and left it crawling with snakes. Cory knows magic, and relishes it as only a young boy can.

One frosty winter morning, Cory and his father watch a car jump the curb and sail into the fathomless town lake. His father dives into the icy water to rescue the driver, and finds a naked corpse handcuffed to the wheel. This chilling sight is only the start of the strangest period of Cory's life, when the magic of his town will transform him into a man.

"Strongly echoing the childhood-elegies of [Stephen] King and [Ray] Bradbury, and every bit their equal," Boy's Life represents the finest work of one of the most accomplished writers of modern horror ( Kirkus Reviews).

Ratings and reviews

Such an awe inspiring and at times heart thundering read. I fell in love with the folks in Zephyr and Bruton, and it made me nostalgic for a different time. The blend of the supernatural elements, the culture of the South, and the wildness of a boys imagination came together in a profound mix that can't be remade. The horror of loss and the feelings we are left with after seeing something awful are so well described that it feels like you're right there along with the characters. This was one utterly outstanding read!

It's truly my favorite book! At 78, I have read and enjoyed MANY fantastic, magical books; however, none, but one made me feel enraptured. Only Boy's Life. It makes me happy again and again no matter how many times I read it!

At first I thought there were just too many cutesy images but then the story line drew me beyond them. It may be hard to swallow some of the improbabilities or fantasy but, if so, you have forgotten being young. Tragedy, suspense, bullies and what can be done about them, mystery, racial differences, parental indifference and over protection together with good parenting, all this and more await you when you reside in this story.

About the author

One of the founders of the Horror Writers Association, Robert McCammon (b. 1952) is one of the country's most accomplished authors of modern horror and historical fiction. Raised by his grandparents in Birmingham, Alabama, McCammon published his first novel, the Revelations-inspired Baal, when he was only twenty-six. His writings continued in a supernatural vein throughout the 1980s, producing such bestselling titles as Swan Song, The Wolf's Hour, and Stinger.

In 1991 Boy's Life won the World Fantasy Award for best novel. After his next novel, Gone South, McCammon took a break from writing to spend more time with his family. He did not publish another novel until 2002's Speaks the Nightbird. Since then he has followed "fixer" Matthew Corbett in two sequels, The Queen of Bedlam and Mister Slaughter. His newest novel is The Five. McCammon and his family continue to live in Birmingham.