| Title | : | Malignant Summer |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1732399387 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781732399389 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 564 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2022 |
Standing on the edge of summer break after the longest last day of eighth grade ever, Doug Simms and his two best friends join a group of older kids for an all-night scavenger hunt. It’s supposed to be a celebration, an evening of fun and freedom. But what happens that night will change their summer in the darkest ways imaginable. And not just their summer...but their entire lives.
MALIGNANT SUMMER is a coming-of-age epic where innocence is lost and the path through adolescence is painful. Where dreamscapes merge with reality. Where love seems possible, and the best season feels like it can last forever.
Malignant Summer Reviews
-
It's not the summer of 69 but that of 98. A bunch of kids fight against some evil legend named Mother of Dreams. She has a very tragic back story closely connected to the founding of Hooperstown, the location of the novel. Besides there is some environmental horror going on with a chemical plant illegally disposing toxic waste. Has this an effect on the horror? The book started strong but soon turned out a bit long winded with too many identical scenes. The characters are great, vivid but somehow something is missing. The book has many good ideas and horror motifs, nevertheless at some point it gets winded. You're really wanting to get through. Well, this novel is compared to IT or Summer of Night but in my opinion doesn't come close. At parts entertaining but in no way a page turner. I had expected a bit more. Maybe the author should have shortened it considerably. Recommended for Tim Meyer fans who is an extremely talented horror author!
-
Very rarely do I dare to utter the word "perfect" when it comes to a novel, but if you enjoyed movies like Stand By Me, or TV shows like Stranger Things, or The Losers Club in IT; then Malignant Summer by Tim Meyer just might be your perfect summer read. Sure, it's a Coming-of-Age story that fogs the nostalgia goggles, but this is a pretty damn scary novel. The cover had me from the very minute I laid eyes on it. Also, the cover is not false advertisement. Holy $#!+!
Here, the novel begins with the last day of middle school that initiates the summer before high school begins. Bye-bye childhood; hello young adulthood. One of the town rituals is an all-night treasure hunt to start the summer with some unique activities that culminate in the town cemetery and a very unique creature feature.
There's the scare of a possible chemical spill, causing childhood leukemia that ravages young bodies with vampiric rapidity. The Mother of Dreams invades your mind while you sleep uttering mesmerizing phrases to hypnotize and influence waking actions. All the while, families are abandoning Hooperstown, New Jersey simply because they don't believe the town is safe anymore.
Meyer is not leading a high school band, but conducting a full orchestra, with crescendos and musical flourishes that bloom into an entire musical score of a Hollywood blockbuster. I apologize if I'm overselling this, but one of the finest things about being a bookworm is that when you find something worthy, you want to shout it from the mountaintops. It's like love, and this is like that; maybe better. -
My hometown is Dalton, Massachusetts. The town next to it is Pittsfield. It used to house General Electric. The place where they made transformers. Also where GE dumped a whole lot of PCBs into the Housatonic River. And buried barrels of PCBs in all sorts of undisclosed places. So, to me, a story about a chemical plant in the North East dumping chemicals into the water supply was for sure creepy and believable.
It is currently August in New England. I live in the Pioneer Valley. August is hot and humid and things grow riotous. Also makes this book creepy and believable.
However, the writing just did not hold up for me. There were Steven King Easter eggs scattered around this book. Enough to tell that the writer liked Steve’s work. The fact that so much of this book borrowed from King (from both IT and The Stand) was too blatantly obvious and it grated on me.
Perhaps someone who did not grow up reading King would not have the same reaction that I did.
I did not connect enough with the characters. The evil thing had a stupid name. I did vibe with this book. -
I was honored that Tim sent me an early copy of MALIGNANT SUMMER and I have so many thoughts to share, but I’ll save them for a Cemetery Dance review. Just know that this story is the full expression of Meyer’s wheelhouse-authenticity. An epic coming-of-age tale. More soon!
-
9.0/10
Meyer’s ‘Malignant Summer’ is the new generation’s ‘IT’. A tour de force coming-of-age tale that is as much The Loser’s Club as it is Stranger Things. This is a prime example of why horror is making a resurgence and I’m here for every single minute of it. -
This excellent coming-of-age tale has soared to the top of my favorite Tim Meyer books list. Loved the atmosphere, characters, supernatural elements - all of it. Highly recommended!
-
Just finished this beauty! This is a coming of age horror story that’s kind of a cross between A Nightmare On Elm Strret and Erin Brockavich, but with younger kids and has it own uniqueness. This is one of the best Coming of Age books I have ever read and I have read a lot of them this past couple years. I would put this up there with McCammons A Boys Life and Kings IT. Something I love about these types of stories is that they bring me back to my childhood making me reminisce about the summers I had with my friends and families. A very epic and perfect read for summertime! I loved it!
-
For the last two years, Silver Shamrock has graced us with a big, blockbuster summer release. Thick tomes to take the place of five or six novellas that everyone will be talking about. 2020 was Devil’s Creek by Todd Keisling, a book years in the making that caught everyone’s attention, eventually becoming a finalist for the Stoker novel of the year. Something-wrong-in-a-small-town horror translates well to big books, but arguably, coming-of-age translates even better. Enter Tim Meyer’s Malignant Summer.
Meyer sets the stage with the prologue, a chill-inducing second-person blast to the past. The reader shelves the tidbit for later before jumping to 1998 Hooperstown, NJ. A lot of the central action focuses around a scavenger hunt, where things don’t go as planned. Meyer multitasks exceptionally well, providing glimpses of the supernatural terror to come and allowing the reader to delve into the characters of the central cast through authentic dialogue and actions. I was thirteen in 1998, so let me tell you, he nails it here.
While the main threat is supernatural, the kids of Hooperstown are also affected by an evil entirely more human emanating from the town’s chemical plant, a looming presence throughout. Those looking can find elements of nature-strikes-back horror, but in a nearly 600 page behemoth, a well-written one, at least, there will always be more to explore.
Speaking of doing a novel this length well, let’s talk about Meyer’s first published book of this length. The pacing is frenetic, never leaving room for a dull moment. As mentioned before, the characters feel fully established without dumping loads of exposition (I particularly loved Doug’s dad, Gordon and Jewel Conti). The plot meanders the events happening through Hooperstown without becoming convoluted and forcing the reader to treat it like a choose-your-own-adventure book looking for something that happened 300 pages ago. The arcs are satisfying and the antagonist is spookular and memorable.
To make the inevitable King comparisons, Malignant Summer got bad stuff goes down in a small town right on the scale of Under the Dome. It’s also the book Sleeping Beauties could have been.
There’s some weight on this book’s shoulders as a summer event in the horror community, and I’m thrilled to say Malignant Summer (and for two years running, Silver Shamrock) doesn’t disappoint.
I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration. -
Well fucking hello! Malignant Summer is not your typical coming of age story, it is a coming of age tale on crack, and you’re going to want to shoot this up, pronto. I’m a sucker for this type of story mainly due to the many threads of relationships that teens develop on their journey to adulthood. There are secrets at every corner and they soon develop into a great big, Skyrim-like spider web. This book will swallow you up, nothing else will grasp your attention whilst reading it, the only sound in the background will be the ticking clock counting down to the next unbelievable twist. The book ticks every box and did I mention the cover? It is fire.
This is the IT for a new generation, but imagine it being more refined and flawless than the Stephen King classic. Tim Meyer has earned his stripes, he’s taking his place at the table, and boy does he plan to feast on the adoration.
Malignant Summer focuses on Doug Simms and his two best friends. They are taking part in the traditional scavenger hunt. Nothing goes to plan, and lives will be forever altered. It’s 1998 in Hooperstown, NJ. I loved all the throwback mentions to a time that I loved, it was simple and creative and brought the fuzzy feeling of nostalgia back to the forefront. Meyer excels in creating a supernatural threat whilst keeping the very real feelings of fear and friendship at the pinnacle of the story. He is walking a tightrope of sorcery and does it with ease.
That prologue. The perfect Kickstarter to a tome that has now got pride of place on my bookshelf. This is the kind of story that the term “goosebumps” was invented for. This is the kind of story that fandoms start over. This is the kind of story that becomes a favourite, the world over. I’ve read this book twice now, letting its magic settle over my soul, and twice is most definitely a charm.
Malignant Summer is only as strong as its characters. They come to life through intelligent and purposeful dialogue. We get to know their fears and hopes for the future, their nuances, and sometimes, traumatic backgrounds. Life is not full of butterflies and rainbows and Meyer perfects this.
Not only has Meyer injected a supernatural cause to events but he’s even thrown in my other favourite horror sub-genre, disaster, caused by a human hand. The nuclear plant. There is so much to unpack and explore from this 600-page monster but it is so worth the cerebral investment. You need to trust Meyer, trust his vision, he doesn’t steer you wrong. He wraps his story up in a toxic mist of emotions but you will get through to the other side with maybe only a few extra scars.
Malignant Summer is an original and high-concept horror that will bewilder and lead to a mind-bending trip. From the opening chapter, Meyer sets an ominous tone that is cold and heavy with tension and anticipation. Move over King, there is a new boy in town! -
RTC
-
MALIGNANT SUMMER, by Tim Meyer, is a fantastic coming-of-age horror novel that combines legends, paranormal, cautionary tales, and family/friendships. I especially loved the three main teenage friends, and their dynamic together.
I did feel it got a little repetitive in some regards between a third and halfway through...the same things happening or being explained again to different "groupings", but otherwise it flowed quite well. The final quarter had a lot of unexpected things for me, and I was riveted from that point on.
If you're looking for a great horror summer novel, this is the one you need!
Recommended. -
Blazed through this one. Starred review to come on Sci Fi and scary
-
‘Every road looked haunted, every parking lot vacant. The days weren’t much better; fossil-gray clouds stole the sun from the skies, cool and airy afternoons laying waste to the last granules of summer. But the nights were still much worse. Empty and soulless, a town lost on the edge of total destruction.’
‘It was like Hooperstown had forgotten how to live.’
The lead-to and build-up are good; I would be remiss if I did not equate the vibes I felt—specifically regarding my love of the characters throughout the narrative with those I felt while reading Stephen Kings, IT.
I won’t delve into spoiler territory, but I will say—to this reader—certain aspects in the conclusion worked while others didn’t.
Overall, MALIGNANT SUMMER is not my favorite of Meyer’s books; however, anything written by him will always be an Auro-Yes, Please! from me.
Those last few pages, though, hand to my heart and tears in my eyes. . .
‘When you’re eleven, friends feel like they will last forever. It isn’t until you’re older that you’ll realize the naivety of that mindset. The reality that not all of them will stick around. It happens. Friends come and go, but their memories will last forever.’
Thank you, Silver Shamrock Publishing, for providing me with an eGalley of MALIGNANT SUMMER in a request of an honest review. -
Good at first but the story dragged on too long for me with too many details and I lost interest.
Also tries too hard at times to remind the readers that it's the 90s with music, movie and tv references. -
This was a fun summer horror read. The writing style really made it feel like a coming of age story told from the viewpoint of the young people experiencing it. It’s set in a small (ish?) town in the late 90’s and as we all know nothing ever good happens when a story is set in a small town. Man’s greed awakens a malevolent forest spirit that feeds on the dreams of the town’s people especially the children and it’s up to them to stop her. I really enjoyed the storyline and the flipping viewpoints made me want to keep reading to find out what happened in each story.
-
It's all fun and games until the mother of dead dreams wants to play.
What begins as a scavenger hunt ends in a fight for their souls.
There is a lot going on in this larger than life coming of age tale. Hazardous waste dumping, a town built on abduction and assault, a supernatural entity. Now one after another the children are being diagnosed with cancer.
The author weaves this all together in a spellbinding story of epic proportions.
"From Almost every street corner, you could smell something rotten in the air, a fetid stink of a town gone wrong."
There are lots of characters here, the high school kids, middle school kids, chemical plant workers, a couple of sets of parents, a mom in a mental institution, a teacher and principal. It was a little overwhelming at first to keep track of them all, but they each have such strong personalities and all brought a unique element to the story.
Some of the residents of Hooperstown have succumbed to the evil, some have embraced it willingly.
Now it's up to Doug and his friends to save themselves, and maybe the world.
Not since the Losers Club have I been so invested in a group of kids, I even developed sympathy for one of the bullies after her bleak home life and abusive, drug addled parents were revealed.
Clear some space, the mother of dead dreams is coming to visit you this Malignant Summer.
I received an advance copy for review -
MALIGNANT SUMMER is a classic coming-of-age horror tale reminiscent of McCammon and Simmons, viewed through the lens of the 1990s, with the kind of horror that could only come from Tim Meyer’s twisted imagination. Brutal, nostalgic, and full of heart, I couldn’t put it down.
-
Fans of Tim Meyer rejoice. Malignant Summer is the absolute perfect way to get this season started.
Malignant Summer is a coming of age tale of three friends in a small town that are braced with defeating the impossible. Odds are stacked against them, and the world surrounding our heroines quickly crumbles to malignant flowerbeds of blackened and blue ooze. From it's opening pages, MS grips you with the most lovable characters in a 90's setting that pressed all of the right buttons of my 34 year old heart. Although it's final pages left me utterly satiated, I can't help but feel like a quiet voice calls to me, somewhere in the background, a dream maybe wanting more. Mother wants more....
This novel is Tim's masterpiece, and I wish there were more stars to give. Malignant Summer was by far my most anticipated read of 2021 and it exceeded my expectations. Tim's otherworldly ability to let you into the characters' interweaving narratives kept the pages turning like my fingers were on fire. Bravo Tim, and I can't wait for what's next.
One billion stars. -
Malignant Summer has labour of love written all over it. Line by line I thought it was brilliant.
Don't be put off by its chunky size. There's not a dull moment here. Not for me, anyhow. It reads fast. It's one of those books that draws you in from the start and doesn't let up.
Having a second-person narrative for the first chapter was also a stroke of genius. As the story unfolds, we learn more about the characters and more about the town. Now this is where the story might fall away for some, as it kind of shifts a bit and brings in another element. But for me, I think it gave the story more life. It almost felt like two books joined seamlessly together. It's just a quality book. One to immerse yourself in.
Great stuff.
Five stars. -
I don't even know where to start with this one.
Perhaps, the fact that it took me a month and a half to read it.
Or that, while I struggled so much to make progress with this book, I absolutely loved every single page of it.
Or also, that after 45 days spending time with those characters, I actually just cried for the last 15 pages, cause it's over.
Or because it was such a great, epic coming-of-age story.
Jewel, Doug, Grady, Jesse, Jimmy, Karen, Maddie.. they just feel like old friends.
This book was such a challenge, sometimes an entire week would go by without me opening it, but still, it hasn't left my mind ever since starting it, end of august. I would read 20 pages and stop, not able to read more, letting the story simmer in my head, processing it, before being able to continue.
Hooperstown and each character have been following me for the past month and a half, and coming to terms with this story is like grieving an old friend's passing. I feel sad.
This book impacted me more than I expected, and I will think about it for a long time. -
Rating/review to come...but, wow!
-
A crazy coming of age horror story!
I knew I loved Tim's style the moment I opened the pages of Dead Daughters and Malignant Summer did not disappoint.
Doug and his two two best friends are just fresh out of eighth grade, they are ready to soak in all the Summer they can get but this one is going to hit different.
I really enjoyed the whole concept about Malignant Summer, the town, the characters (both main and supporting) were so good and really thought out. The detail was the perfect amount to really paint a picture in your head. The community of Hooperstown is holding together while people are falling sick, some at a tragically young age. There are fingers being pointed to the local chemical plant but the evil in this story falls so much deeper then that.
Now she is a thick book! and the story is more of an eerie atmospheric, slow burn. However, this is absolutely by design and for good reason. This story has so much going on and so many characters to take in. I would be lying if I didn't say there were times that I was a bit lost. This is not a easy breezy read, this is one you sit down and take the time to read!
And don't get me started on the freaking cover! - GORGEOUS!
This beast is a real treat!
Thanks for reading
- Dark -
Sorry about that. I know there's probably some value in this book, maybe I'm going to pick it up again in the future...as, for some reason, at the moment I find myself yawning. Cheerio.
-
I loved this story! Nice twist on a contagion if you want to call it that! Loved the characters and the vivid descriptions made me feel like I was there. The 80’s type theme is always a winner for me as well. This book is 560 odd pages so make sure and clear what you’re reading! Highly recommended by me :)
-
In my opinion Coming of age horror stories have become the next overused trope replacing Zombie novels. It seems every horror author has written at least one and while there are many great ones, the volume of them has me pretty much burnt out on them. Thankfully Malignant Summer is a novel that is one of the best coming of age stories. The author has done a great job of telling a complete story that made me forget that it is almost 600 pages long. The characters have been created very well and they definitely felt real to me. Even the antagonists and monsters had reasons for what they did and had some of my sympathy. The pace was consistent throughout the story and there was a good level of action and gore that kept the story interesting and fun. Overall this was an excellent novel that I highly recommend.
-
The perfect story to read this summer! Coming-of-age stories feel like a great time to read during that season. Why is that? A lot of the time it has to do with good times that happened when we were growing up. The time away from school, the time we could run free without our parents rules. And if you're like me, a kid that grew up during the 90s, you'll surely be able to relate to the younger kids - their love for N64 games, running around with their friends, and talking more video games. That was me to a tee as a kid. But why does this coming-of-age book deserve a place on your bookshelf? The top of it? Because its a tome that doesn't stop from the first scene to the last.
It's hard to keep the scares and creep factor rolling after you reveal what the boogeyman actually looks like or reveal what their origin story is. Yet, Mother is continuously scary. I think about her now, been a few weeks since I finished Malignant Summer, and I wish I could go back and read it with a new set of eyes! We not only get to know the backstory of our protagnoist and his friends, but the older kids in highschool, as well as Doug's main bully. It spotlights on how there is so much more to people than what they show you a few hours each day. There's a lot of sadness behind some of these kids. There's a lot of layers of horrible situations created by humans. We are infact the monsters that create other monsters. We are in fact the thing that destroys what we are given - life, this world to co-exist with.
Doesn't go without saying that, once you see the cover, you kind of know that it deals with nature. That has become one of my favorite things to read - body horror and when nature knocks our species on our ass and mutilates us into its own image. The thing that plagues this town is an unstoppable force - centuries, perhaps longer, of history that's been ruminating in the lands, sort of like a Derry and Pennywise situation, and again, efven after we know exactly what we're dealing with, we don't really. Meyer only shares so much and for that, I thank him.
This story is bound to have big fanfare this summer as well as for a long time afterward. -
I really enjoyed this book but the length was a bit much for me. Great coming of age story.
-
A grand coming of age story with some paranormal horror at the center of it. It was a perfect summer read. It was like It or Summer Of Night.
I found this to be enjoyable, but the middle third could have been shorter as there were some repetitive elements to it
That being said, that end third was fantastic. -
The first 300 pages or so are very good. The chemistry between the characters, the intriguing mystery, the nostalgic feeling of every good coming of age book, it’s all there. But then the mystery gets bloated and clogged with unnecessary details, the narration lingers as the author tries to over explain/develop the lore and the story starts to drag more and more. Towards page 400 and especially towards the end of the book, the action is stalling so much I had the impression of reading the same chapter over and over and over again. Such a shame I didn’t enjoy this more because coming of age cosmic horror is right up my alley.
