The Ruins

By Scott Smith

Book Overview

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - Trapped in the Mexican jungle, a group of friends stumble upon a creeping horror unlike anything they could ever imagine in "the best horror novel of the new century" (Stephen... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030727828X
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.0" x 1.8" x 4.5"

Customer Reviews

Still one of my favorites

This is my second time reading this book. First time was when I sitting in a jail cell in Vegas (around 2 years before the movie released). I've found a whole lot of great books while sitting in jail cells lol. Anyway I loved it so much I wanted to read it again, but I always have to pace myself when it comes to rereads and I figure a sufficient amount of time has passed. I oddly enough noticed a single error in this book. The spelling of blond(e) changed almost every other time in reference to the same woman; which gives a lack of consistency considering it's a single paragraph and a single character that the author couldn't decide which spelling to use. FYI, it should have been "blonde", which is the traditional feminine spelling; so he got it right at least half the time in that paragraph. I'd forgotten how much better the book is compared to the movie; and the movie is one of my favorites. But the book captures everything the movie has to leave out and so there's a lot more in the book emotion and perspective wise that really brings the story together in a better way than the movie was able to. For those new to this book. It's one of the better horrors in terms of suspense. After the initial shock, it's a bit predictable in what will happen, but not so much in the how it will happen. I give this book 4 of 5 Paws and feel like I may have to dig my dvd out just for nostalgia sake.

Loved It

Honestly, I heard so many people say not much happens in this book that I thought I would regret reading it, but I loved it. I like the movie, but it's another case of the book is so much better in my opinion.

Chilling

Loved this book. Such a good read. Can’t wait to see the movie adaptation.

Do not recommend

Just like it's movie counterpart it was long and drawn out. So many things did not add to the substance and plot of the story. I think it was made to be a psychological horror but it falls flat due to just drawing out each scene for no reason. Everything is just repeated in different ways.

Great Horror!

Great book to get someone into horror. Easy to read, the definition of a page turner.

Excellent horror story.

Saw the movie before I read the book obviously, so when I found out the book was very different I knew I had to read this book and I'm SO glad I did. Its been a few weeks since I've finished it and I'm still disturbed.

Terrifying

Scary and disturbing. Stays with you for years and years. Went to Mexico several years after reading this book and I was still scared to venture into the jungle.

Great book & fast paced.

I was looking for something borderline horror and bought this book after seeing the previews of the ruins movie. The book is so much better. It has suspense, horror and left me thinking about what I would do in this situation.

AMAZING BOOK, couldn't put it down!!

If you like Stephen King, try this author. He is AMAZING. The book is fantastic, never slow, easily and thrillingly written. HIGHLY RECOMENDED. So glad I found him out, it's so hard to find good authors!! Take my word for it!

Cool Horror story, but not for those who can't handle a little blood!

"The Ruins" is a pure horror story alla Steven King (I am not surprised to see him plugging this book). The book does take awhile to get rolling, but once it does it is hard to put down! I think some of the negative reviews are from people not expecting a gory horror story. THIS IS NOT THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL! But it is a great bit literary horror fiction. Smith can write (I am now looking for his earlier book "A Simple Plan") He knows how do develop characters and draw out suspense. If you cannot handle gore than do not buy this book! But if you like horror and are looking for a great beach read you can't go wrong with "The Ruins!"

Wow!

This one will knock your socks off! A pure horror story that is not afraid to take the reader to the dark side! The suspense steadily builds as a group of friends, on a lark, head out into the jungles of the Yucatan to search for a missing brother of one of the friends. The brother has vanished while visiting a mysterious Ruin site lost in the jungle. What happended to the brother? What will happen to the friends as they stumble into this ancient, evil place? read on . . .?

The Ruins will ruin a good nights sleep!

After reading Brumfield's cult classic thriller, A Tourist In The Yucatan I could not wait for Scott Smiths' "The Ruins." It promised to be another thriller set in the jungles of the Yucatan. As you can tell from the other reviews, this is not a thriller but a very creepy horror story about a group of friends who head out into the jungle to a mysterious Mayan ruin site, only to meet the ultimate horrors! "The Ruins" is a true page turner that builds to an awesome mind bending conclusion. But what really keeps the story together are the different characters and how each reacts to the situation (sorry to be so cryptic, but I don't want to say too much and ruin the surprises!-- In fact be careful reading through some of the other reviews as they give away too much). If you are a fan of Stephen Kings better suspense/horror books then this is the book for you!