This second (I think) of the John the Balladeer novels is, like all of Wellman's books on this hero, told in an engaging voice, features catchy songs/poems, and combines lore from America and elsewhere to good effect. The story's entertaining and compelling, the characters interesting, but there was, in my mind, one flaw.

The basis of the book is that, even before the Native Americans migrated to North America thousands of years ago, a race of supernatural beings called the Shonokins lived there, and a band of Shonokins in modern times want to reclaim their "rightful place" as the rulers of the land. Certainly, the Shonokins' intention to use black magic to rule by force makes them villains, but no one in the book seems to even consider that, when all is said and done, the Shonokins really do have some cause for retribution. No one expects the heroes to sympathize enough with the villains to allow them to win, but a little extra time given to the Shonokin perspective would have made the story even more interesting. It wasn't enough to spoil the book, but its absence was noticeable.

The review I just read is no doubt by someone who is not familiar with Wellman's writing to an extent past the "Silver John" books.

No offense, however in reading the John Thundstone stories which introduce and set up the identity of the Shonokins, one finds that this race is evil-to quote MWW "Pure poison mean" . Let me reccomend reading "Third Cry to Legba and other Invocations" from Night shade books. The Shonokins are as evil as the creatures of Lovecraft's mythos.

This is the second collection I've read, recently, of what can be labeled fondly-remembered fantastical tales that appeared in some magazine or other, originally, and then finally got grouped together under one cover, in some tough-to-find book. The other one I read was The Adventures Of Jules De Grandin, by Seabury Quinn.

Curiously, though the stories in each collection are much different in style, I have had basically the same reaction to each book, for the same reasons.

Wellman, like Quinn, is content to present fairly familiar monsters. Loner and wanderer, John, encounters giants, the conjured undead, demonic winged nightmares, a phantom locomotive, and several sinister but similar sharp-tongued gentlemen who have a tendency to expose whatever their weakness is in, oh, the time it takes to sample a short-story. I just sort of wish that, among all the bones and ectoplasm, some new creature with a new angle might show up to threaten John.

John, meanwhile, mysterious and plain-spoken though he is, is a fun character and a likeable narrator, taking ultimate evil in his stride, using music to: taunt enemies, charm the ladies, and break the ice with surly strangers. He has a quiet, never-ruffled nobility to him, which shines best in the best stories, 'Old Devlins Was A-Waiting' and 'Walks Like A Mountain', where he goes out of his way to help strangers face threats from beyond the American South we know. In the former tale, the old drama between the Hatfields and the McCoys comes to involve the dead and undead, as well as the living. In the latter story, a devious giant and an impending flood threaten a small town; has John got what it takes to hold back the floodwaters, and rescue a fair Southern belle from the bitter goliath who waits for a town (minus one kidnapped Southern belle) to drown?

The other stories work at an acceptable level, but some of the monsters and sinister, sallow-faced gentlemen seem to be variations on a theme. A bit more diversity in the Rogue's Gallery presented would have been appreciated, and John uses a few of the same tricks to quell different threats. A pity. Nevertheless, John's brushes with the netherworld, as it spills over into America's heartland, provide some shivers. Worth looking into, I do declare.

An authentic foray into Carolinian folklore, calling forth stories of witches, ghosts, familiars, and an assortment of other supernatural creatures, all set against the protagonist, John the Balladeer, a likable southern bard with a silver-strung guitar and a bit of occult knowledge. The book is a collection of short stories and vignettes written over a period of nearly forty years. All are good, some are excellent. The vignettes are often simply beautiful. All of the writing is first person with a genuine southern voice, without making the people or area seem ignorant or uncivilized. A wonderful collection of tales with from the much forgotten American mythology.

Millionaire industrialist Noel Kottler has plans to recreate Stonehenge, as it was several thousand years ago, on the top of Teatray Mountain and turn it into an amusement park. He also plans to hire Silver John, half-troubadour, half-expert on local folklore, to sing for the tourists. John doesn't care much for city folk like Kottler or for the whole theme park idea. The local wolf spirits are also not happy with the invasion of their mountain. John is a real threat to them, so his wife Evadare is kidnapped, and her release depends on him leaving Teatray Mountain. Once he is gone, scaring away the rest of the construction workers from the new Stonehenge will be easy. John is assisted by Esdras Hogue and Judge Keith Pursuivant, two others who know their way around the worlds of spirits and folklore. He goes off alone to find Evadare, and gets help from a very unexpected source. Appalachian wizardry is not exactly a well-traveled area in the fantasy world. Wellman does an excellent job of storytelling. It's interesting, plausible, and well done with just enough of an undercurrent of weird. Two strong thumbs up.

The School of Darkness is the only novel-length John Thunstone story as best I can tell. However, a number of shorter works featuring Thunstone have been collected in Third Cry to Legba and Other Invocations.

In this novel, John Thunstone is invited to participate in a seminar on folklore at Buford State College. He learns that the college had been founded by a rich man, Samuel Whitney, in gratitude for the healing prayers of a local women's group. However, other accounts state that Whitney had been cursed by his enemies and healed by a coven of witches. Moreover, two or more covens are supposedly still active in Buford. Grizel Fian, a fellow particiant in the seminar, is mentioned as the head of one coven.

Other participants include a Cherokee medicine man, a Catholic priest and a Japanese scholar. Lee Pitt, a professor of English at Buford State, is host of the seminar. Sharon Hill, the Countess Monteseco, also appears at the seminar; Sharon and Thunstone have a long standing friendship and have faced danger together. Although John loves her, he does not want her to be placed at risk and tries to discourage their relationship.

Soon after his arrival, Thunstone receives a threatening phone call. At dinner that night, Grizel asks about Rowley Thorne, an old enemy of Thunstone, who had literally disappeared into thin air during their last encounter. Afterward, Thunstone sees Grizel signal a man who reminds him of Thorne.

This novel shows its age in the characters and plot, particularly in the relationship between John and Sharon. However, it is an superior example of pulp fantasy and a fairly enjoyable story. Recommended for all Wellman fans and anyone who enjoys old fashioned supernatural thrillers.

This book is simply one of the best I've ever read. As much as some people may malign the Balladeer series for its Christian references, I find the entire series to be better for them, despite my Pagan faith. Wellman uses the folklore of the Appalachians, blended with a bit of his own, to make this book a fascinating read. The Judas Gospel, one of those books that has been rumored to exist for years, is sought after by a wizard who decides to use John to help in his plans to rebuild the world. John has to keep the book from being used, and his efforts lead to a very suspensful novel, despite a general lack of action. If you're looking for gore, You probably don't want to read this book. But if you're looking for some of the best dark fantasy of the 20th Century, then you've come for the right one.

I picked up this book because of an interest in its Appalachian setting and the folk and magical beliefs of that part of the country. I was disappointed in that, because the villains here are a standard, boring Satanic cult; little in the book escapes cliche. At the same time, the usual sex and gore found in horror books are missing, which means that it isn't even entertaining on a base level. Wellman's protagonist, John, is never really challenged or in danger. He's too much of a nice guy, too flawless, and consequently boring. Also, the constant unthinking, sentimental Christian references give the book a sickly-sweet, treacly quality. Give this one a miss.