The Ruins by Scott Smith

Let me preface this review by noting that I am not a horror novel fan. This could have an impact on my general disliking for this book.The Ruins was a good idea that was over embellished. Good character development for the first 70 pages, though there were 5 characters that needed proper introduction. The story takes these 5 characters on a hike to find one of the character's brother. Entering into the ruins they find themselves unable to leave the site by force of the Mayan villagers nearby. Perhaps too quickly, they find that there is something rather unusual about the vegetation therein. Like I said, the story was a good idea but as we discover who/what the adversary is, its hard not to laugh. But even suppressing the urge to laugh and giving it a shot, Smith destroys our tolerance. The author had a few clumsy sexual parts that hardly had pertinence to character development or the story. I am one who can stand a sexual part in a book now and then, but it must build the story. I can accept a lot of things, but this book was nothing short of a serious Little Shop of Horrors...and nobody wants to see that. I would only recommend this book to pure lovers of cheesy horror stories. To each their own. ~Cassie~