Second Chance

by Chet Williamson

Book Overview

A reunion of old college friends who haven't seen each other since the late 1960s leads to terror when two of the friends--who died back in college--crash the party. The guests soon find themselves... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0843950609
• ISBN13: 9780843950601
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Leisure Books
• Length: 403 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

What a Pleasant Surprise!

I've been horribly disappointed with so many of the horror novels that have been coming out in recent years. Gladly this was not so with "Second Chance". The premise of the novel looked unique and interesting. Something different from hauntings, maniac killers, vampires, demons, etc. Something goes awry during a recreation of a party some college friends had way back in 1969. They somehow enacted some major changes in the past. Many good, but one is terribly horrid and now threatens not only them, but the whole human race. The character developments are excellent. I really felt like I got to know all the major characters very well. I just loved Woody. Though it's a fairly long novel for a horror piece, the pace is good and never drags as the author switches from different perspectives often enough to keep the reader from getting bored. The ending does not disappoint either, like so many recent horror novels tend to do. However, just like the characters in the book, the reader is left to ponder many questions regarding reality, fate (if there is such a thing), and many more. I highly recommend this excellent read to everyone.

Phenomenal apocalyptic novel!

This is one of the most intriguing premises in a horror novel I've read in a long time. The concept of time travel is interesting, but might have been made ridiculous in the hands of a different author. Mr. Williamson crafted it just right and made the unbelievable seem possible. Its the story of a group of friends who recreate the sixties during a party and wind up going back in time to save the lives of two friends who died in a bombing. Woody loves his college girlfriend so much he is happy to have her back in his life, with a new reality and children. But they unknowningly brought back a friend who ends up being the catalyst for possibly destroying the human race.This book has everything: time travel, bioterrorism and interesting thoughts about our environment and the way it is slowly being destroyed. It will make you think and in light of September 11, it is relevant for the times. The writing in this is literate and top-notch and the story so interesting you will find yourself unable to put it down. All in all, a great novel that is beautifully written, thought-provoking, and good to the last page. Excellent!

Psychological horror of the highest caliber!

It isn't too hard to make a decent living in the horror field by throwing in a lot of blood, gore, supernatural monsters and, if there are movie rights to sell, screaming nude females. Fortunately, Chet Williamson doesn't need to use those hackneyed devices. True horror lives in the human mind. True horror lies in the discovery that a good friend is a monster, or in the realization that a wonderful dream is about to be shattered. True horror waits in the pages of "Second Chance." Williamson has created a group of very believable, very real characters, and it's very easy to get swept up in the events which soon surround them and the choices they eventually must make. Give it a read. I guarantee, the story will stay with you for a long time to come.

Second Chance?

I found this novel to be a smooth read. I did enjoy its content. The author uses minor supernatural elements to bring forth situations that could very easily happen in real life. Sort of time travel via the supernatural but with a more serious twist. Also, one can easily see how time should not be delved with. The past should be left to the past. Let the dead bury the dead and let the living continue. Well worth the time taken to read. Great story line.

Tough Topic Handled Well

Chet Williamson was given a hand-full by his muse, and somehow managed to handle it well. There is a lot that happens in this book that could be characterized as unbelievable in the hands of a less skilled writer. That's not the case here. Williamson handles real life horror and fantasy with ease, and builds believable and likeable charcters. His style is easy to read, and Williamson keeps the pace moving by switching quickly between perspectives.