RIGHT TO LIFE: AND TWO STORIES

by Jack Ketchum

published by Gauntlet Press

ISBN 978-1887368568

reviewed by Adam Armstrong

02.02.2008

Violent pornography, an expression used to describe Jack Ketchum’s brand of writing, always seemed to me like an invitation to read his work.

Right to Life is the tale of a pregnant woman, Sara Foster, abducted from an abortion clinic on the morning she was about to have an abortion performed. Her abductors, Stephen and Katherine Teach, are unable to have children of their own; they plan on taking they baby once it comes to term and using Sara for torture and sexual machinations in the mean time. Once Sara finds out their ultimate plan she has to find a way out, as the biological clock runs out of time.

This tiny little novella has all the wonderful things you’d expect from Ketchum: great writing, a tight plot, characters so real you want to get on the internet and find out what really happened to them, and a good sense of closure at the end of the book. However the size of the book had a negative impact for me. There should always be a need for more Jack Ketchum in the heart of a true horror fan and this book was just too short. The ending and climax seemed rushed after the build up. I don’t know if Ketchum ran out of steam or if the publishers and editors meddled a little too much.

As an added bonus, there are two stories along with the novella (at least you feel like you got your money’s worth). Brave Girl, a fantastic piece, and Returns, which I could take or leave: not bad but not great either.

Overall, it’s definitely worth picking up: 4 out of 5.

Purchase your copy of this book at Amazon.com: Right To Life