OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Affected" by James Mc Nally.]

In a small quiet town, people are suddenly disappearing. Some have been murdered; however, the majority of them are simply present one moment and have vanished in the next. In The Affected, Trevor Burnette and his wife, Krista, live in this mysterious town, along with their young son, Demy.

Recently, a few of the townsfolk report having seen a stranger. They describe this newcomer as a man resembling Colonel Sanders and dressed completely in white. And, oddly enough, when this gentleman approaches a local resident, he simply touches his finger to the ear of that person. Immediately, the resident hears a humming noise (often described as a siren call) and suddenly behaves as if in a trance. Next, the resident, who appears to be following instructions, kills someone (more often a family member). What is the significance of the ear maneuver? Who is this often elusive and unassuming stranger? And, exactly what is behind the disappearance of so many families?

I liked that McNally introduced only a few characters at a time, chapter by chapter. This made it easy to follow the plot and to become fully acquainted with each new person. Also, I enjoyed that the author developed his characters thoroughly. As with most people, many of the characters showed different facets of themselves throughout the story. I enjoyed watching them go through the different trials and guessing how they might handle certain situations.

Books in the horror genre are not ones that I typically prefer; however, the description provided was convincing. Pleasantly, this story captivated me from the start and continued to hold my interest. Consequently, I consumed this novel in just a few sittings. The story, while labeled in the horror genre, was not continuously graphically gruesome. There were several secondary plots to draw the reader in. Also, the numerous interesting relationships and characters provided lengthy periods of respite from the more sinister parts. It seemed that even the more macabre scenes were toned down a bit and were not as disturbingly graphic as some books listed in this genre.

Based on these reasons, I award The Affected by James McNally 4 out of 4 stars. Admirably, I could find nothing to dislike about this book. Also, the novel was well edited. This story should appeal to fans of the horror genre. If, like me, you do not devour this genre on a daily basis, you may still want to give it a try. The relationships and characters are engaging, and the storyline is an interesting one.

Readers who cannot abide horror stories will want to steer clear of this one. If you are looking for a cozy mystery, this one is not for you. While there is violence, there is no strong language that readers would find offensive. Obviously, this would not be suitable for younger readers, as the story is not for the faint of heart. Also, there are occasional references to more adult-oriented themes. However, I certainly recommend this story for readers looking for a thrilling page-turner and interested in expanding their reading horizons.

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The Affected
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Like Bluebird03's review? Post a comment saying so!

This sounds like a page turner! I like how the author didn't introduce all the chararters at once creating tension in the story. The fact that it is not very gruesome really says that it relies on the quality of the writting and not on the scary factor that many horror books resort to. I am adding it to my bookshelf! Thank you for your great review(-:

I have watched many horror movies but read a few books if any. This sounds interesting. I wonder how the stranger manages to manipulate and who his primary targets are. Thanks for the review. I would like to read this book.

Creepy! I don't read or watch much from this genre, but the whole ear touching, siren call concept effectively creeps me out, which is what a good horror story is supposed to do. This one is not for me, but I will keep it in mind to recommend to others. Thanks for a good review.

Bluebird03 wrote: ↑27 Apr 2019, 18:26 I liked that McNally introduced only a few characters at a time, chapter by chapter. This made it easy to follow the plot and to become fully acquainted with each new person. Also, I enjoyed that the author developed his characters thoroughly. As with most people, many of the characters showed different facets of themselves throughout the story. I enjoyed watching them go through the different trials and guessing how they might handle certain situations.

I'm glad that the plot and characters are well developed, and also that the horror elements were tempered. Thanks for pointing this out. Reading this book may not be a harrowing experience, after all. Great review!

I looked at the cover and thought the book must be something very interesting, and it truly is! I love horror mysteries and would definitely check this one out! Thank you for a great review!

Juju15 wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 05:02 This sounds like a page turner! I like how the author didn't introduce all the chararters at once creating tension in the story. The fact that it is not very gruesome really says that it relies on the quality of the writting and not on the scary factor that many horror books resort to. I am adding it to my bookshelf! Thank you for your great review(-:

Great comments! I was glad that the author didn't make the story all about the gore. Instead, he delves into
relationships of several of the characters. Thank you so much for stopping by, Juju15, and for your comments!

Kibetious wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 05:45 I have watched many horror movies but read a few books if any. This sounds interesting. I wonder how the stranger manages to manipulate and who his primary targets are. Thanks for the review. I would like to read this book.

Since I had not seen many horror movies lately- or read many selections in that genre, I surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. I hope you enjoy the book- let me know. Thank you so much, Kibetious, for stopping by and commenting.

ElizaBeth Adams wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 06:16 Creepy! I don't read or watch much from this genre, but the whole ear touching, siren call concept effectively creeps me out, which is what a good horror story is supposed to do. This one is not for me, but I will keep it in mind to recommend to others. Thanks for a good review.

You are definitely correct, Elizabeth- "effective creepiness" is the calling card of this genre. Thank you so much for commenting!

Dentarthurdent wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 08:02

Bluebird03 wrote: ↑27 Apr 2019, 18:26 I liked that McNally introduced only a few characters at a time, chapter by chapter. This made it easy to follow the plot and to become fully acquainted with each new person. Also, I enjoyed that the author developed his characters thoroughly. As with most people, many of the characters showed different facets of themselves throughout the story. I enjoyed watching them go through the different trials and guessing how they might handle certain situations.

I'm glad that the plot and characters are well developed, and also that the horror elements were tempered. Thanks for pointing this out. Reading this book may not be a harrowing experience, after all. Great review!

I agree, it really was not the harrowing experience I had feared I might encounter. Thank you so much, Dentarthurdent, for stopping by and for your insightful (and humorous!) comments.

Ellylion wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 13:41 I looked at the cover and thought the book must be something very interesting, and it truly is! I love horror mysteries and would definitely check this one out! Thank you for a great review!

If this is your genre, then I think you will definitely love this one. Thank you so much, Ellylion, for stopping by and for your comments!

Horror is not a genre I usually read, but your review is quite convincing! I laughed at the Colonel Sanders reference. That made think the author has a sense of humor! You have truly intrigued me with this review. Great writing!!

Oh, God! That cover is terrifying! But a book with well-developed characters is always a pleasure to read. This book certainly sounds interesting from your review. Looking forwards to reading more from you!

This sounds like a very interesting book. I have this strange sort of love/hate relationship with the horror genre, where I find it terrifying but can't make myself look away... I think that I would enjoy The Affected since, as you say, it is not continuously graphic. Also, I think that I might like it because of the author's emphasis on character development, instead of just placing cardboard characters into the book merely for the purpose of being knocked off. All in all, you've written a great review and it has definitely piqued my interest in McNally's The Affected. Thanks!

kdstrack wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 19:43 Horror is not a genre I usually read, but your review is quite convincing! I laughed at the Colonel Sanders reference. That made think the author has a sense of humor! You have truly intrigued me with this review. Great writing!!

Yea, I'm not a typical horror genre fan either, which is why I was so pleased with this one! Thank you so much, kdstrack, for your kind words and for stopping by!