DigitalRob reviewed Stinger by Robert R. McCammon
Definitely feel the age of this one...
3 stars
So, this was a weird one. As a McCammon fan, I've been slowly working my way through the earlier books that I had skipped when I got busy with college things. I decided to read this one because I saw the Peacock series Teacup is loosely based on it. I've watched the first four episodes of the show, and the connections are definitely very loose. It is good to see McCammon is a producer on the show.
Stinger is classic early McCammon with great body horror and suspense, and the themes definitely connect to his later novel Swan Song, but the writing isn't as mature. It’s kind of self-satisfying to see the connections running and developing through an author’s works.
The pacing is also pretty slow. This book could have been half as long and just as effective. The tensions between the Mexican and white communities are also pretty dated …
So, this was a weird one. As a McCammon fan, I've been slowly working my way through the earlier books that I had skipped when I got busy with college things. I decided to read this one because I saw the Peacock series Teacup is loosely based on it. I've watched the first four episodes of the show, and the connections are definitely very loose. It is good to see McCammon is a producer on the show.
Stinger is classic early McCammon with great body horror and suspense, and the themes definitely connect to his later novel Swan Song, but the writing isn't as mature. It’s kind of self-satisfying to see the connections running and developing through an author’s works.
The pacing is also pretty slow. This book could have been half as long and just as effective. The tensions between the Mexican and white communities are also pretty dated and seem naive. They just don't feel realistic. That said, past-me, the one coming of age in the 80s, might disagree.
Overall, if you're a McCammon fan, it's worth checking out, but it's definitely not his best work.
