Hawksmoor

People who are serious about their horror fiction, dark supernatural fiction, weird mystery fiction, why, if they haven't read this, they should. It is a masterpiece. It's told in different "voices" in different parts. You have to get used to some of them...

I bought this book because I read somewhere that it was on David Bowie's favorite books list. Intrigued by what literature might have influenced one of the most creative minds of my generation, I have to say I wasn't disappointed. I'm an avid fan of serial killer literature and movies and this book is right up there. A criticism I've read about it a few times is that it's slow. I guess that might be the case if you're looking to rush through a tale....the whole point of this book, I find, is the incredible tapestry it weaves, textures, smells it evokes...it's a literary feast of the senses. It's one of those rare books that seems to become a part of your life experience. Highly recommend, especially to people who are interested in history.

I have read more than half of the books on David Pringle's list of the best 100 fantasy books (after working through most of his SciFi list). His suggestions include classics and hidden gems and, unfortunately, a few clunkers. Hawksmoor is one of the latter.Slow but evocative, the book moves back and forth from a time when cathedrals are being built by an architect possessed by an evil force to more contemporary times, where we see the shadow of that force's effect.It is a good concept and well written but very slow going. It can be difficult to build a reader relationship with characters when the scene keeps shifting and Ackroyd fails to surmount that challenge here.This is not a terrible book but it is ponderous without being either enlightening or entertaining. There are better books of fantasy and historical fiction to read. If you are not possessed of unlimited reading time, I might give this one a miss.

This murder mystery with chapters 250 years apart tells a story of a series of murders and ties them loosely to churches built in the same time period. It flashes back and forward from the 1700s to the 20th century. Hawksmoor is a detective tying to solve the cases. Critics loved this book and I am sorry to say I didn't enjoy it. If you want to experience the ok of a writer of gret reputation...read it. It is probably my fault that I didn't appreciate it.

Just as advertised. I have ordered from Jensen books several times and will continue. Books are always exactly as described.

This is an early Peter Ackroyd (and maybe his best); the reading is superb

Pretty edition and a good read.

Fantasic book. Was delighted by how unique and absorbing it was.

What can I say? I bought this because Bowie loved it. And if Bowie loves it, well I was going to love it too!And then I started reading it... oy.There are a lot of dips, jumps in time, etc. in this book. I found it to be a difficult and slow read initially, but once I got a couple of chapters in (reading in the evening when all my “distractions” were sound asleep was quite helpful too), I was able to immerse myself fully into this book.This book has it all - ritualistic sacrifices, Satanic practices, mysterious presences around magnificent churches...Truly a fantastic read. So glad I stuck with it.

I had been looking forward hugely to reading this book but I was hugely disappointed. There was some very nice writing and once you got used to the chapters written in archaic prose, they were quite entertaining. But Peter Ackroyd could not decide whether he was writing an essay on mysticism, a guide to 18th century London churches or a murder mystery and consequently fell between the three stools, failing to deliver on any level.

An interesting read! Not for the faint hearted as it describes plague ridden London and the sinister activities of a satanic church builder but if you enjoy a good horror yarn mixed in with some interesting history of London you will enjoy this

This story is not at all what I expected but on its own terms it is a gloriously dark and involved piece of work. It helps to know something about Hawksmoor's churches but even if you don't, you may find yourself drawn in to the book which weaves two storylines together to make a mysterious, wonderful tale of London.

Very clean condition