“HORNS” by Joe Hill : Review [from 2010 Hardcover release]:

(dec, 2010) I was pleasantly surprised … when I received the ARC for “Horns,” and it immediately moved to my “on deck” position among the stacks of “to-be-read” books that populate the desk. I loved “…Box,”  and “…Ghosts,” and wasn’t disappointed when I finished Hill’s latest. Another grand slam from a burgeoning master of supernatural suspense. Ig Perrish leads us on a believable Mephistophelian arc from a fully fleshed–albeit horned—mortal, coping with loss: of innocence, of love, of future, to an ironic redemption in the womb of flames.

How’s that for a suitably slick summary? Really, though, how can a reader not get hooked—pun, intended—when your narrator, in the first paragraph, discovers an unaccountable pair of horns adorning his head after a night out? Hill’s skill as a writer lays in making the credibility of his characters and his own authorial voice beyond reproach. With confidence and a wry wit, he crafts a thrilling tale macabre that remains rooted in reality. At once a gripper of a story, “Horns” also dares to explore the larger, all-too-human themes of corruption, evil, and suffering, along with the hopes of salvation and atonement.

Raising the complexities of love, regret, and sacrifice, Hill’s use of musical and literary allusion weaves a devilish motif that creates a mood both diabolical and playful. Unconventional “horror” where the suspension of disbelief is a non-issue. To the point: set aside your current read and pick up “Horns.” You will be hooked. You will be impressed. You will be disappointed when the ride’s over.