The Dark Matter Directive - D. Charles Wilson

Summary: Something very strange is happening to fourteen-year-old Eric Jessing, and his thirteen-year-old brother, Kevin. They are attracting super-natural forces like a pair of paranormal lightning rods. Now, torn between the normal life they need to hang onto, and the irresistible pull of a world filled with dark forces they can control, they arrive at an astonishing turning point. An ancient ghost, known as The Red Horseman, has emerged form the mists of time to capture the boys, and absorb their newfound ability. And it is much too powerful to control.

So much for getting anything done in first semester.

Guided by the wisdom of a retired particle physicist and a paranormal expert named Harker Jefferies, Eric and Kevin embark on a frightening journey overseas to try and defeat the powerful entity. They learn that a forgotten tomb in the middle of an English swamp holds the key to saving both of them, but it will arrive at an unimaginable price. Now the boys must find deep courage, and untangle a terrifying secret that will change their lives forever. (Summary from book - Image from amazon.com )

My Review: This book sat on the top of my piano FOREVER, as some books are consigned to do. I have a really large Need to Read stack and this one got lost in it until the other day when I decided to get my behind in gear and tackle the books given to me for review.

I could get in to all the reasons that I didn’t like this book, but in an effort to be kind, I’ll be brief. It started out well with all manner of delicious creepiness, and then I abruptly lost interest. I can point to the exact moment when I stopped caring. It was when Eric, Kevin, and their father, Matthew, visit an eccentric bookshop owner who seems to have all the answers to all their problems. Unfortunately, his answers just didn’t interest me. After that any adventures or hardship seemed quickly contrived and all too convenient. Things that happened quickly should have happened slowly and vice versa. By the end I was just skimming so that I could be finished. This book doesn't even really end so much as it hangs, waiting for an obvious sequel to be picked up. I sincerely doubt that it will be.

On the upside (depending on your perspective), this book was scary from the get-go –the kind of freaky weirdness that makes you double check the locks and hide under the covers. I’ll probably be kept up at night thinking about certain parts and every time I go to a hotel I’m going to get visual images of that thing in the stairwell. Thanks a lot.

My Rating: 2 Stars. For the sensitive reader: I haven't read a lot of YA horror, but this seemed pretty scary in parts.

Sum it up: It started out creepy and mysterious, but when things became clearer, I didn't like what I read.