Tom Wallace lived an ordinary life, until a chance event awakened psychic abilities he never knew he possessed. Now he's hearing the private thoughts of the people around him--and learning shocking secrets he never wanted to know. But as Tom's existence becomes a waking nightmare, greater jolts are in store when he becomes the unwilling recipient of a compelling message from beyond the grave!
Like many of you, I loved the film inspired by this book. The plot and Kevin Bacon's acting made for a truly chilling experience. Richard Matheson's novel didn't achieve that for me. The premise is intriguing, starting off with a spot of casual hypnosis between friends which awakens Tom Wallace's psychic powers. The first-person narrative works, although there are some annoying and repetitive observations that detract from it, like constantly noticing how women are wearing clothes that are too tight. For a ghost story, though, the tension wasn't enough. The tone is often too lighthearted and the atmosphere not haunting enough. Richard Matheson is, of course, a highly regarded American author, and while this novel was enjoyable, I wouldn't recommend it as one of his "must-reads". If you haven't already, I'd suggest discovering his short fiction.
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16 July, 2016:
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