Return To Hell House

De: Nancy A. Collins

Narrado por: Jamie du Pont MacKenzie

Duración: 1 h y 56 m

Resumen del Editor

An authorized prequel to the classic ghost story Hell House

In 1927 the infamous millionaire occultist Emeric Belasco disappeared without a trace, leaving behind dozens of dead bodies in the rambling, isolated mansion known as Hell House. In 1931 a team of parapsychologists entered Hell House in order to solve the riddle of Belasco's fate, only to meet with horror, insanity and death.

Now, 9 years later, in 1940, another team of psychic and scientific experts, including the 15 year-old "Ghost Boy" Benjamin Franklin Fischer - the most gifted physical medium in modern history - return to investigate the most haunted house in the world, only to find Hell House eagerly awaiting its newest guests.

Warning: Contains Graphic Sexual Content

©2009 Nancy A. Collins (P)2012 Nancy A. Collins

A great prequel.

This was a great prequel. As a fan of the the book and movie Hell House, this was a real treat. The narrator of this audio book sounds a lot like Rodney McDowell , the star of the movie.

HELL HOUSE

What did you love best about Return To Hell House?

collins cont. to keep the story graphic, disgusting and scary

What other book might you compare Return To Hell House to and why?

HELL HOUSE

What about Jamie du Pont MacKenzie’s performance did you like?

just right, wherever they find these professional narrators they are great

Any additional comments?

good prequel, short,
fit the mood to listen to something gross and scary

Not worth the time

Very good reader but the book itself is not worth it. It's a poor prequel with little original story value on its own.

Hell House Prequel

This is a prequel to Richard Matheson's Hell House.
There you have heard that there were two previous investigations into the dreaded haunted house. One in 1931 and one in 1940, the latter of which included Ben Fisher who plays a key role in original Hell House novel. This is the story of that 1940 investigation with a 15 year old Ben caught up in the "Everest of Haunted Houses". What happens scars him for decades to come.

As a reader, this also adds a bit more detail to the investigation that was somewhat briefly mentioned in the original novel and provides an Easter egg or two to readers familiar with that story. This can be read as a stand-alone story, but works best as a follow up after reading Hell House.

Not the original

I was skeptical when I first saw how short this prequel was compared to Matthesons' original Hell House. (but to be fair there stay was shorter). Then I worried about reading the prequel, because sometimes it's scarier to not know. But the allure was too Great!
As a stand alone, this is a good short story, but compared to its pregenator it falls flat. None of the characters are as deep or complex. In fact the physical appearance of the house gets more detail than the characters and their lives. This is especially true for Bilasco, the demonic ghost. The subtlety and intelligence of the house is lacking. The other major aspect that was missing was what I would call, "background detail." We get a minimal description of the doctors scientific theory of ghosts but that's it! No idea why these particular people were chosen for the expedition. Little idea of their motives for going. Little understanding of their methods and experiments. . They do not even do a full tour of the house in three days. (Never going to the basement garage). And little understanding of what they intend to do with the psychic energy of Hell House.
Finally, and I may be knitt picking, but I don't think return to Hell House matches with Hell House itself. For example Ben Fisher indicates his original group had trouble with both the keys and the generator, which they don't in this story. I don't even think the layout of the house is the same.

nice

Short, dark & twisted. Obviously, not much could live up to the work of Matheson... but this is good. There were a couple subtle little nods Stephen King's work included as well, which is a nice touch in light of King being a part of the "He is Legend" tribute Anthology.

"You can only judge a man's character by his perversions since virtue can be so easily faked."
Return to Hell House by Nancy A. Collins

I loved this book

the story line was amazing and the way it ties into the whole hell house story line is great

A great look into events before the classic novel

Hell House is one of my favorite novels and finding this has been a pleasure.

There was no need for this book

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No, it's a boring book and not anywhere are good as the first one. Also, this is a prequel not a sequel as the title would imply. It's a short book, that may be a good thing but I do wonder if they had written more for the book if it would have been better.

What was most disappointing about Nancy A. Collins’s story?

It's just a retelling of what we know from the first book. This one has "We want to make more money off the first book/story" all over it. It's more of a tone down PG rated telling of what we know from the first R rated book.

Which scene was your favorite?

When it was over. No, really! Something happens to the one remaining person in the house that was kinda cool.

Do you think Return To Hell House needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

NO, the follow-up book was Hell House. This all happens before it.

Any additional comments?

If you are bored you may like to read this book but you really will have to be bored to be able to get into it and stay with it. If you want a good read, just re-read the first book!

Not my cup of tea

Any additional comments?

If you did not like hell house, you will not like this one as well