Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    The Gates: A Samuel Johnson Adventure: 1
    Unavailable
    The Gates: A Samuel Johnson Adventure: 1
    Unavailable
    The Gates: A Samuel Johnson Adventure: 1
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Gates: A Samuel Johnson Adventure: 1

    Written by John Connolly

    Narrated by Nick Rawlinson

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A strange novel for strange young people.

    Young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund Boswell are trying to show initiative by trick-or-treating a full three days before Hallowe'en. Which is how they come to witness strange goings-on at 666 Crowley Avenue.

    The Abernathys don't mean any harm by their flirtation with Satanism. But it just happens to coincide with a malfunction in the Large Hadron Collider that creates a gap in the universe. A gap in which there is a pair of enormous gates. The gates to Hell. And there are some pretty terrifying beings just itching to get out . . .

    Can Samuel persuade anyone to take this seriously? Can he harness the power of science to save the world as we know it?


    (P)2010 ISIS Publishing Ltd
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette UK Audio
    Release dateFeb 10, 2012
    ISBN9781444741803
    Unavailable
    The Gates: A Samuel Johnson Adventure: 1
    Author

    John Connolly

    John Connolly is the author of the #1 internationally bestselling Charlie Parker thrillers series, the supernatural collection Nocturnes, the Samuel Johnson Trilogy for younger readers, and (with Jennifer Ridyard) the Chronicles of the Invaders series. He lives in Dublin, Ireland. For more information, see his website at JohnConnollyBooks.com, or follow him on Twitter @JConnollyBooks.

    Related to The Gates

    Related audiobooks

    Children's Monsters For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      About The Author… Nalini Singh

      Jan 19, 2020

      About The Author… Nalini Singh
      1 min read

    • Article

      Ordinary Monsters

      Jun 15, 2022

      Ordinary Monsters
      2 min read

    • Article

      John Connolly

      Sep 6, 2023

      ONCE UPON A TIME, JOHN CONNOLLY SAID he would never write a sequel to The Book Of Lost Things. He thought he had nothing to add to his 2006 novel filled with dark takes on fairy tales, which has sold 250,000 copies since. But sometimes things change,

      3 min read

    • Article

      Andrew Caldecott

      Jul 17, 2019

      Andrew Caldecott
      3 min read

    • Article

      Caro Ramsay

      Sep 3, 2020

      Caro Ramsay
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Princess Of Asturias And Infanta Sofia Of Spain Cook Up Some Innovation In Girona

      Jul 10, 2023

      Royal sisters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía were doing it for themselves as they carried out a rare joint engagement without their parents. The teenage daughters of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain attended an innovation and creativity w

      1 min read

    • Article

      When The Sparrow Falls

      Jul 14, 2021

      ⏵ RELEASED OUT NOW! 376 pages | Paperback/ebook ⏵ Author Neil Sharpson ⏵ Publisher Solaris Books ➔ In the future, the world is governed by three regional super-AIs, and humans can abandon their birth bodies to exist instead as digital downloads: eith

      1 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Mar 25, 2024

      Books
      5 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Dec 17, 2020

      Janna Levin Bodley Head £9.99 • HB We all love black holes. There’s something captivating about these mysterious, scary objects that can rip every particle in our body apart should we get too close. But did you know that black holes, quite literally,

      4 min read

    • Article

      Robin Ince Is On The Road

      Oct 23, 2023

      With age, and a small amount of prescription medicine, I have become better at talking to friendly people on public transport. As the train departs from Birmingham New Street, I have appeared friendly enough for the stranger next to me to start a con

      2 min read

    • Article

      Pushing The Boundaries

      Jul 14, 2023

      By DARREL BRISTOW-BOVEY JONATHAN BALL Writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey is a self-confessed “polar nut” and “Shacklehead”. His fascination with Ernest Shackleton began when he was a little boy and his father told him incredible tales about the Anglo-Irish

      3 min read

    • Article

      Extraterrestrial

      Dec 1, 2019

      Extraterrestrial
      7 min read

    • Article

      Lives Of The Great Occultists

      Sep 10, 2020

      Personally, I blame that Aleister Crowley. If my memory serves me well (which, these days, it seldom does), Hunt Emerson and I more or less drifted into creating ‘Lives of the Great Occultists’ after I told him a couple of my favourite yarns about th

      7 min read

    • Article

      A Rake’s Regression

      Aug 16, 2019

      There are not many of us who don’t have memories of the kleptomaniac wild canines, cantankerous aunties and troublingly eccentric confectionery peddlers he created when we were children. Those of a similar vintage to me may also recall the first stir

      3 min read

    • Article

      THE Reading room

      Mar 24, 2021

      THE Reading room
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Obeah Man’s Son

      May 4, 2021

      The Obeah Man’s Son
      6 min read

    • Article

      Sounds Peculiar

      Jan 4, 2021

      Creepy Cove Community Church www.peterlaws.co.uk/creepy-cove Peter Laws, the reverend who reviews horror movies and freaky films in these very pages, has launched his own forteanfocused podcast. Creepy Cove Community Church is presented as a horror-t

      3 min read

    • Article

      Classical Corner

      Aug 11, 2022

      Classical Corner
      4 min read

    • Article

      Holiday Reading

      Dec 30, 2022

      The Soul of a Lion by Willie Labuschagne (Tracey McDonald Publishers, R330) “Don't try this at home!” is Labuschagne's jocular warning about his memoir. Director of the Johannesburg Zoo and then the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria for much of

      3 min read

    Reviews for The Gates

    4/5

    56 ratings52 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      Personally not a fan of so many viewpoints, or the snarky voice. But for the style he's chosen, he handles it very well. Not sure I'll every finish it, though.
    • 5/5
      Fantastic book! A must read if you're a fan of John Connolly. Funny, scary, creepy, and definitely a page turner!
    • 3/5
      Humor, irreverance, footnotes -- John Connolly was definitely channeling Terry Pratchett in this YA novel. It's a little boy named Samuel who goes out trick-or-treating a few days before Halloween (just to get a jump start). So Samuel is outside his neighbors the Abernathy's and witnesses a mystical portal opening. The Abernathy's and their friends disappear into the portal and some demons take their forms. Although Samuel tries to warn others, he's just a kid and of course no one believes him. Samuel knows the demons are planning to open the gates of hell on the day after Halloween in order to release "The Great Malevolence" (or the devil). The Large Hadron Collider plays a part in this story, and is the cause of the portal opening. (When I checked the news and saw it listed there as turned back on, it was one of those moments where fiction and reality collide and confuse you for a few seconds.) A minor demon named Nurd (Scourge of Five Deities) was banished to the Wasteland for not being evil enough. When the portal causes Nurd to pop in and out of the Land of Men, he meets Samuel and gets to drive a really fast car. The character of Nurd was hilarious, and my favorite character. The book isn't to be taken seriously, and while reading it I "saw" the narrative as an animated story. I wouldn't be surprised if it became adapted to an animated film. Three and a half stars.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable read about a boy who along with some friends have to save the world from Hell.
    • 5/5
      LOVED this story! Thought it was so adorable and it was just an amazing story. I love John Connolly's other than suspense/mystery novels. I hope he writes more they are just so perfect. I loved the writing style, the foot notes, and the characters. The chapter titles will have you giggling to yourself too. A good, quick, easy read which will have you smiling throughout.
    • 4/5
      This book is chock full of cheeky brit humor. It was a fun listen and I found that I could not put it down...despite it's malevolent undertones.
    • 2/5
      Once again, I find myself reviewing another Connolly novel (this being the 5th novel of his I've read - only 7 more to go).

      Departing from his signature character Charlie Parker for only the 4th time in his career, Connolly offers up a tale of Hell on earth. The story follows that of ambitious 11 year old, Samuel Johnson of Biddlecombe, England as he attempts to beat the crowd and go trick or treating 3 days before Halloween. While moving door to door, Samuel stumbles upon 666 Crowley Drive (a bit cliched, but works), interupting a plan to summon Satan by it's inhabitants. Due to a malfunction with the Large Hadron Collider, a small burst of energy escapes and tears a hole in the time space continuum causing a portal to open between Earth and Hell in said home. Samuel witnesses the events and his appearance is caught by one of the demons escaping through the portal. The particular Demon in question has to juggle the termination of Samuel and the preparation for the arrival of Satan himself.

      Relying heavily on a very dry, very British wit, Connolly offers up what many are calling his first fouray into young adult fiction. Littered throughout the novel are various footnotes and diagrams offering up tidbits of information and trivia as well as explaining certain talking points in the novel. Connolly implores this with a very different sense of humour than usual, probably much to do with the subject material as he's usually writing darker stories.

      A predictible ending nonetheless, Connolly plays it smart and leaves it open for a potential sequel. While I did enjoy the book, I find that Connolly does much better with Parker or darker subject material. The novel itself was a fun and enjoyable read, I'd recommend it to most as the characters created are likeable and memorable.
    • 3/5
      In the style of the Pratchett/Gaiman novel, Good Omens, The Gates is a quick & entertaining read.
    • 5/5
      Another great novel by John Connolly. If you enjoyed The Book of Lost Things then you will love The Gates. Quirky and full of laughs, this book is not to be missed by lovers of fantasy of all ages.
    • 5/5
      I really should have posted this review for this weekend, but I didn't get it done in time. Wow, let's just say if it had played out like the book, we'd (well, most of us) have been in Serious Trouble.So much to love in this book, but I'm afraid that when I try to describe it, you'll think it just plain sounds insane. If you've read The Book of Lost Things, you're familiar enough with Connolly's work to take it on faith (so to speak) that this will be worth reading. If not, this is a weirder but more accessible place to start. See, it starts with a seance, the Large Hadron Collider, and a small boy named Samuel Johnson and his dog Boswell. Then it all goes to Hell from there. Pretty much literally.I don't want to give more away. There are spoiler reviews out there, but I think that's enough right there to decide if this book is for you or not. It's stinking hilarious, if you have the right sense of humor. You can't be easily offended and you much enjoy the absurd, but as far as religion goes - I am a religious person and I still thought it was dang funny. I'm giving it 5 stars and I totally loved it.
    • 4/5
      I love me a little humor with my demons and end of world type books and The Gates delivered on that promise. This is my first Connolly book but I’ve picked them up before thinking that a fantasy thriller might work for me. It did, and now I can say it won’t be my last either. Samuel Johnson is an enterprising 11 year-old. Instead of waiting for Halloween and having to fight the crowds, he decides to start trick or treating a few days early. Unfortunately for him, his mildly brilliant plan doesn’t work out the way he intended. Instead of loads of candy, he sees something in the neighbors’ basement that makes him believe his neighbor, Mrs. Abernathy, is now a demon. He soon finds himself attempting to convince his mother and friends that not only is Mrs. Abernathy an actual demon but that more demons will be arriving very soon through the portal that now exists in the Abernathy’s basement. No one wants to believe Samuel the end of the world is nearing which makes for an amusing little apocalypse tale. Don’t pick up this book and think it’s a dark one; it’s actually a really funny take on the usual end of the world scenario and I enjoyed it quite a lot. There’s some slapstick here --- even the dog gets in on it at times --- and random jokes laced throughout reminding you what you’re reading isn’t serious. And that’s good! I wanted a break from my normal reading which was starting to feel heavy and this came along at the right time. One particularly amusing character in the book is a demon named Nurd who was banished to a flat, deserted world with a little annoying fellow as his only company. Somehow he ends getting sucked into Samuel’s world and befriends him. You see, Nurd is a nice demon looking for a friend to connect with. His little adventures, especially his one driving a Porsche, are a good interlude and I do wish there had been more time featuring Nurd. What can I say, if you’re looking for a small break in your regular reading pattern, pick this one up. Connolly didn’t disappoint and thanks to this book, I plan to pick up more of his work.
    • 4/5
      Young Samuel and his trusty dachschund Boswell witness something they shouldn't - the Gates of Hell are opening. Let the fun begin! This is a quirky & often laugh out loud funny 'ohno stop the apocalypse!' read (reminds me of 'Good Omens' by Gaiman/Pratchett). It's fairly light and fast so a great read for summer.
    • 4/5
      Acquired: Received a review copy from Simon & Schuster Canada.Reason for Reading: I've always wanted to read this author and this sounded like a fun book to start with.This is Connolly's first children's/teen book. It can be gross (in a demon/monster sense) and the language is a high level, not written down to anyone so I personally would recommend the book to teens even though the main character is only 11-years old. This book is humour at tongue-in-cheek's finest. Connolly takes stabs and jabs at all concerned and you need to be able to laugh at yourself and not take offense to appreciate this type of humour. Think Christopher Moore, but clean! without the profanity or sex. Seriously, the book is a riot.The story involves Samuel Johnson who just happens to see his next door neighbour and some friends conduct a ritual in their basement which opens a portal to Hell and brings forth four of The Great Malevolence's top demons who take over the four unfortunate participants' bodies to prepare the way for his arrival to take over the world. What ensues is comic slapstick, witty repartee and just plain silliness, but it is full of demons, death and Hell, so not for the squeamish either.I love Christopher Moore and got the CM vibe right away as I started to read so settled down for a comedic ride. If you are expecting thrills and chills this is not what you'll find here. The most endearing character is a down-on-his-luck demon named Nurd who has been shunned by the other demons and finds himself mysteriously zipping back and forth between our world and Hell. Once he is here to stay, we find out he is lovable in a stray mutt kind of way and he helps Sam who happens to be targeted for death by Ba'al, the GM's number one in command.A fun book, which certainly made me smile, and giggle a few times. Not exactly laugh out loud funny, like Christopher Moore, but a good show nevertheless. The book ends obviously hinting at a sequel and a bit of searching shows me that a sequel has been released in the UK this month (May, 2011), Hell's Bells. I'll be keeping my eyes open for it's appearance this side of the ocean.
    • 3/5
      This book cute in a way. The story was fairly good and the humor was great. I had quite a few laugh out loud moments. The horror element was really well done. If a young reader reads the book they can be grossed out by the descriptions but it’s not anything terrible. I liked the involvement of CERN and the Large Hadron Collider. I thought it was a neat idea using science to open the portal to hell. The science references are great to read and it was nice to learn something new from a book like this. John Connolly doesn’t disappoint.
    • 3/5
      Clever, informative (?!), and peopled with a diverse assortment of characters that keep things interesting !
    • 4/5
      I happened upon this book at a local bookstore in the "these books have pretty covers" section. Not really, but rest assured I had no idea this was a YA book until I read the GoodReads reviews.That being said I honestly don't think I had this much fun reading a book in a while. I'm not a fan of footnotes so the first chapter I was slightly annoyed. I admit, I thought the book was going to be your standard "Satan graces us with his presence/Hell on Earth" problem however it was a pleasant twist from that. Actually it was a comical departure and definitely a unique take on the situation. First the book delves into the "science" of such a comical descent. Who knew that the Large Hadron Collider could be responsible for opening a portal?! I laughed so much because let's face it, you hear about the LHC and the enigmatic Higgs and if you're like me it's incredibly interesting. But having it inadvertently create a portal for the demon scourge of the underworld? Fantastic.The book is comical throughout, lending itself to teaching along the way. With bits about science, philosophy, and psychology, you're in for an amusing ride. Samuel and Boswell along with the friends that they've got and the people they meet along the way to saving all of mankind is a wonderful blunder all the way through. Seriously this books reminded me of a bit of Good Omens but I honestly laughed out loud at certain points. It's worth the venture.
    • 5/5
      Spookily brilliant, sweet and funny with a bite! Connolly has created a delightfully normal young protagonist in Samuel who decides to show initiative by trying to trick-or-treat 3 days before Halloween -- and stumbles upon a very spooky house indeed! The house that opens the Gates to Hell... Can Samuel and his patient pet dachsund save themselves and the world?! Great for all readers, ages 10 to 100!
    • 5/5
      Samuel Johnson and his dachshund Boswell aren't having much luck trick-or-treating a few days early. After being turned away at the Abernathy's, the boy witnesses the ending of the satanic ritual the couple and their friends had clumsily performed, one that worked in opening a portal to hell. Now all kinds of demons are pouring into the village and Samuel has to get someone to believe what's happening and help him fight, because the awful things that have come through the portal so far have just been the foot soldiers who are preparing Earth for the arrival of The Great Malevolence.The village is being filled with evil demons, yet it's funny. I think if you enjoyed something like "Shaun of the Dead", you'd like this, which I do.
    • 4/5
      “I'm a ghost," Said the small figure, then added, a little uncertainly, "Boo?” This book is a funny book, I laughed a lot with it. Even some of the footnotes are hilarious.Samuel Johnson lives with his dog Boswell and his mother in a village. He starts Halloween earlier and when he stops at his neighbor house, the Abernathys, something terrible and horrifying happens. In their basement there is an explosion and after that some strange creatures emerges from a blue fire…gates to Hell is opened and demons can now come to human worlds and the Devil himself intends to concur the earth and destroy the living.This is a combination of horror, fantasy, science and humor. The characters are awesome. Demons whom some are funny, some stupid and some scary. Monstrous Abernathys and Samuel and his friends. My favorite character is Nurd. The first demon emerging to earth with the mission to eat Samuel but ends up being friend with him and actually find things he enjoys in human worlds such as gums.It kind of reminded me of the Cartoon: Monster Company but for sure it is tend to be scarier. There is a lot of laughing involved in reading this horror fantasy world of childhood!
    • 4/5
      Cute. A children's version of Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, with heaping measures of “Harry, Ron, and Hermione,” and a strong hint of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in its narrative voice. While I did enjoy this, Connolly leaned a bit too hard on the juvenile humor for my taste, returning, for example, to the humorous idea of sticking things up people's bottoms far too many times. And, while I understand that for a juvenile audience the threat can't appear too serious, it seemed to me that the Ultimate Evil, which has been waiting to destroy humanity since … well, since humanity showed up, would be more effective than it is here. When the monsters sent to destroy our young hero are easily persuaded to change their minds by a friendly chat, or, in the case of a less reasonable monster, flushed down the toilet, the plot loses any urgency it might have promised. Particularly once the demons pile out of the portal on Halloween night and attempt to wreak havoc, things rapidly become a little too reminiscent of the movie Monsters, Inc, with comical sorts of monsters who are defeated by a smack from a hat stand, a spritz of perfume, or a boot to the tuchus. Still, I really got a kick out of the footnotes, which are often quite funny, and the dachshund, Boswell, is absolutely marvelous! Nurd, the Scourge of Five Deities, who takes one look at a sports car (before being flattened by a semi coming from the opposite direction) and falls in love, and later steals a Porsche, is delightfully reminiscent of Mr. Toad (“Poop poop!”) in The Wind in the Willows (hats off to Carol!), and is easily the most engaging character in the book. And, having spent years struggling to grow roses, I really appreciated Maria's father's obsession with his rose bushes. Okay, there are quite a few good scenes in this.Reading this at 50, I rate it at 3 1/2 stars, but I’ve no doubt that if I’d read it when I was younger, before I’d read the adult books (plus Harry Potter) which seem to have inspired it, I’d have rated it at 4 or 5. Although then, of course, I’d have missed most of Connolly’s references to people like Aleister Crowley, Bishop Berkeley, James Ussher, Max Planck, R.M. Renfield, Sir Robert Peel, etc. Which would have been a shame. A quick, fun read.
    • 3/5
      Great, I'm sure, if you are a kid. Not so great if you are a big kid.
      Over all it is OK, if a little patronizing in parts. It is certainly a fairly original take on the good and evil story and I would imagine that children with an interest in the quirky and strange will engage with the lead character and enjoy the story. But I don't think it is too harsh to say that what the author is attempting to do in "The Gates" is what Pratchett or Gaiman do so much more expertly with their children’s books.
    • 4/5
      If I were ever to involve myself in education reform (not bloody likely) I would start with the footnotes of this book as a guide. I'm fairly certain that anything of interest in the hard and social sciences is neatly contained in said footnotes. So, if you want to know just a smidge about lots of interesting things and have a rollicking great story to go along with it, you'll want to read this. Also, the audible version narrated by Jonathan Cake is perfection. Also, this is completely appropriate for children of all ages. No really, it's PG; just a little gross in parts.Also, it might upset some rigidly religious types and that would be a shame because it would mean they were lacking a sense of humor which is like living death if you ask me.
    • 5/5
      The Gates, the first book in a series by John Connolly, begins with Samuel Johnson and his dachshund, Boswell, trying to show initiative by trick-or-treating a full three days before Halloween. At 666 Crowley road, Samuel stumbles upon his neighbors, the Abernathys unknowingly calling forth Satan himself, and creating a gap in the universe where the gates of Hell are visible. Not only that, but what he’s seen is a direct result of an accident at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which has opened up the gateway to hell. Samuel must work with scientists from CERN, his school mates, as well as a creature called Nurd (a character I particularly loved—hope he makes it into subsequent books), to close the gateway before Satan himself creates a literal hell on Earth. I loved this book—it was fun, an easy read, appropriate for many age groups or a family read. It reminded in many ways of Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens. The book is filled with humorous footnotes, and the overall tone is one of whimsy, fantasy and a little bit of mischievousness. The Gates has an added layer of science, which makes it a fascinating read for anyone interested in particle physics. Because the gateway to hell is opened through a stray particle escaping from the Large Hadron Collider Samuel insists on understanding the scientific principles behind it (the footnotes offered help this in a fun and entertaining way). I can’t wait to read the next in the series. 4 ½ out of 5 stars.
    • 3/5
      Enjoyable, but a bit too childish for my taste. But of course it was meant that way.
    • 3/5
      Rating: 3.25* of fiveThe Book Report: Samuel Johnson and his dachshund Boswell are on an early trick-or-treat run, demonstrating initiative by beating out the competition or so Samuel thinks. Boswell sighs a lot. I think he knows. They go to the Abernathys house, and Mr. Abernathy (a miserably unhappy self-help book writer, married to Satan...no, seriously!) sends them on their way before rejoining his horrifying wife and two of their revolting bores of friends.They are summoning a demon for fun and, maybe, profit.Trouble is...heard of CERN? The quest for the God Particle?...no one ever thought that maybe, just maybe, it was the DEVIL particle....My Review: The world is saved from enslavement and destruction by a nebbishy little boy. Does this ring a bell? It's less portentous than the Harry Potter books, more like an extra-long boy-centric episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.It's amusing and it's a charming way to spend a few hours. If it changes your life, you didn't have much of a one before. If the next installment somehow makes it through my door with no effort whatsoever on my part, I'll get around to reading it. About the best I can say is that I chuckled every half-hour or so.
    • 3/5
      I absolutely loved and adored John Connolly's fairy-tale for adults fantasy novel The Book of Lost Things. Due to my sheer love of that book, I expected to love The Gates as well. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I spent the majority of the book in like with it. Meaning, I thought it was okay, but nothing to write home about. The main thing I did actually like about The Gates were the silly demons, especially Nurd. I adored Nurd. While he wasn't exactly cute and cuddly (He is a demon after all), he did have that "kicked puppy" attitude that made you want to hug and cuddle him. I thought his friendship with Samuel was the greatest thing in this book. It was so aww-worthy. It was certainly much better than the half-assed attempt to make Samuel have Harry Potter rip-off friends. I also did the philosophical and religious discussions that came up every once in a while. They were very intriguing and I loved that Samuel asked those kind of questions even if they really aren't the norm for eleven-year-old boys. And that is the extent of my likeness with The Gates. I guess my main problem with The Gates was that it took a while for me to get into it and even when I was into it, I didn't have a strong desire to pick it back up once I had to put it down. Sure, while I was reading The Gates, I was semi-enjoying it. But once I had to put it down, I tried to rationalize my way out of picking it back up. Maybe it was the endless footnotes (even though these were the most interesting parts of the book) or the sort of patronizing way Connolly speaks to the readers when it comes to the meanings of "difficult" words. Or maybe it was the fact that this is clearly a young adult novel, but is categorized as "Adult Fiction" and therefore has the price of an "Adult Fiction" book when it really should have the price of a young-adult book (which are much cheaper especially if you're comparing Hardcover prices). But either way, I just couldn't love this book. So, I thought The Gates was just okay. I did chuckle out loud through some parts, but it wasn't that guffawing, laughing out loud kind of book for me. I thought it was pretty cute and I'm sure the younger set will love it, but (and I am so shocked about what I'm going to write considering my love for Young-Adult books. Seriously, check out my bookshelf...) I thought that The Gates was just a tad bit too juvenile for me. From the description of the book, I expected a dark, creepy, adult tale that was mildly funny. But I didn't get any of that except the mildly funny. Oh well. I'll still read whatever Fantasy book that John Connolly publishes in the hopes that it'll be half as good as The Book of Lost Things.
    • 5/5
      The Gates introduces us to Samuel Johnson and his beloved dachshund Boswell. Samuel is a strange boy who likes to confuse his teachers and dreams of getting his soon-to-be-divorced parents back together. In order to get a leg up on all the other kids during Halloween Samuel goes trick-o-treating two days before only to witness the gate to Hell opening up at 666 Crowley Road due to the rituals the owners playing at devil worship while at the exact time the Hadron Collider is working on the other side of Europe. No one believes poor Samuel that the end of Earth is near, demons are trying to kill him and that the neighbors are Satan’s minions. No one except Boswell and his friends Maria and Thomas. The book becomes a keystone- cops type of comedy, with the minions of Hell being roughed up and a lower entity demon - Nurd, The Scourge of Five Deities - becoming a lovable figure which I hope we’ll meet again.Even though I’m not the target audience for this book, I found this book hilarious (dry English humor), enchanting, and brilliant and wonderfully told.I even learned a thing or two along the way.
    • 5/5
      Here we have a different John Connolly - one who can make the reader laugh as well as thrill and horrify. In 'The Gates' (Samuel Johnson Versus The Devil : Round 1) we are introduced to a small boy called Sam and his faithful dog Boswell. They have to defeat the Devil and his demons,when due to a miscalculation by a group of scientists,the portal of Hell is opened. However help is at hand in the form of a minor demon called Nurd,who is rather partial to fruit gums and fast cars.Some of the jokes along the way are very funny and the only small fault is that the footnotes tend to slow the pace somewhat. (but you can always skip those)Of course this is a book written for older children but why shouldn't adults have the enjoyment of reading it too.Just an extra point in that I must say that I much prefer my cover (The one showing the Devil's mouth as Hell's portal) to any of the others shown.
    • 5/5
      Set in present-day rural England, this novel is about young Samuel Johnson and his faithful dachshund, Boswell. Samuel is showing initiative by going trick-or-treating three days early. He sees strange things happening at 666 Crowley Road.Looking in through a basement window, he sees two local married couples, the Renfield’s and the Abernathy’s, dressed in long black cloaks, and with a pentagram drawn on the floor. They got hold of a book of spells, and are playing at devil worship. Things work better than they expected, because an actual gate to Hell is opened. All four are taken over by demons from Hell. Mrs. Abernathy becomes the extremely sexual "leader" of the invasion of Earth, while the others have become decaying, humanoid things that catch flies with their tongues.What can Samuel do? His mother doesn’t believe him, and his father walked out on the family months before, and is now living elsewhere, with another woman. Knowing that Samuel is "the enemy," Mrs. Abernathy sends some demons to take care of him, once and for all, but they are failures. Meantime, the invasion of Earth has begun, with "minor league" demons coming through the gate, but the townspeople start to fight back. Samuel recruits a couple of friends, Maria and Thomas, who is pretty good at whacking demons with a cricket bat. The only way to stop the invasion is to reverse the portal, which has now consumed the house. They get some unexpected help from Nurd, another demon who was planning to rule Earth, but had a change of heart.Here is a wonderful piece of storytelling. It is made to be read aloud to older children (it may be a little too much for younger children). Adults will love it, because it is full of that dry, understated, British-type humor. Either way, this is very much recommended.
    • 4/5
      Samuel Johnson and his dachshund Boswell decide to get a jump on Halloween by going trick or treating three days early. When they get to the Abernathy's house they can sense something is wrong. The Abernathy's and another couple from the neighborhood are having a black mass; just for larks. At the same time in Switzerland, the Large Hadron Collider has lost a particle. Samuel and Boswell watch in horror as a flash of blue light opens a portal to Hell in the Abernathy's basement. This is a fun young adult novel from an author who usually writes dark adult mysteries. I enjoyed the references to horror icons such as the portal to Hell being located in a house at 666 Crowley Lane. The demons are hilarious and very easy to subdue. Two demons get drunk in a pub and one gets beaten to death by an irate hortoculturist after trampling his roses. The use of the LHC was a great twist. The only problem with the book is the foot notes. There aren't many, but they do interupt the pace of the narrative. I suggest being picky about which foot notes you read. Some are cute, but overall they do nothing to enhance the novel.