The Skull by medically-diagnosed mildly-psychotic writer Shaun Hutson is a book with content that I have never come across in the past. Although I've read Stephen King's work The Skull is no match for the gruesome and gory aspects/concepts of the story. A skull that breeds from a drop of human or animal blood? A 7 foot monster with a skull full of large incisors and a lust for blood? It's quite obvious here that Mr. Hutson is indeed a psycho.
The book tells of an architect who finds a strange skull, too big to be human yet nothing animal like. Whilst being carried around a lab it seems to come alive and bite a professor. This small event creates a story of rampage, gore, death, sex and bad weather all because Mr. Architect decided to get this skull inspected on. However, this mistake does indeed make for a good story and one which is gripping fast and interesting enough to make you want to find out what happens next.
The Skull is well written with the aforementioned gripping storyline and a constant curiosity of what will happen next or thoughts of "You bloody idiot, have you not seen the films?". The prose is written in a style of going from one the location and events of one person straight to another at that time-space so we know what's happing both ways rather than left wondering and curious.
Those who have read anything by Hutson in the past are probably aware of his writing and it would that his Psychosis adds to the intensity of the story. The Skull is written in a way that makes you think the writer could possibly be some serial killer or person who shows signs of becoming such.
If you can get your hands on this book (it's now out of print so charity shops are the best bet) do so and have a good read. However it's not a book that can be put down for more than 3 days and not matter that you've forgotten half of what you've already read.
Total rating: 4.5/5
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