The Five - Robert R. McCammon I have not read a new McCammon novel since the late 80s. A couple years ago, I reread The Wolf's Hour which reamains my favorite McCammon's novel. Yet, while NcCammon cam be an involving writer he tends to rehash old plots and is not the best author for three dimensional characters. The fact that he has written very little in these past decades also didn't bode well for this book.

So here I am, with the newest McCammon novel sporting a enthusiastic blurb by Stephen King. Another ominous sign. Yet, this time King may be right. The Five may very well be McCammon's best book. While I still love the genre mashing and espionage melodrama of The Wolf's Hour, The Five is a more mature work. The author has learned to flesh out characters and makes them protagonist with real histories.

The novel is about a struggling rock band that is about to break up. Their last attempt at a video and single comes to the attention of a troubled war veteran who stalks the band. This is not a horror novel despite the publisher's hype and there is only the mere hint of any supernatural element. What you get is and intriguing character study of five musicians who have established a bond despite themselves. Oddly the "villain" of the book is a bit thin in interest. Yet McCammon has managed an excellent look at the meaning of commitment and belonging. Both the rock band scenes and action segments work well. The ending is a bit anti-climatic and seems to go on about five chapters too many. But overall this is an eye-opener in regard to McCammon's ability to create new ideas rather than rehash old plots. Highly recommended.