Bret Ellis, the narrator of Lunar Park, is the bestselling writer whose first novel Less Than Zero catapulted him to international stardom while he was still in college. In the years that followed he found himself adrift in a world of wealth, drugs, and fame, as well as dealing with the unexpected death of his abusive father. After a decade of decadence a chance for salvation arrives; the chance to reconnect with an actress he was once involved with, and their son. But almost immediately his new life is threatened by a freak sequence of events and a bizarre series of murders that all seem to connect to Ellis’s past. His attempts to save his new world from his own demons makes Lunar Park Ellis’s most suspenseful novel.
In this chilling tale reality, memoir, and fantasy combine to create not only a fascinating version of this most controversial writer but also a deeply moving novel about love and loss, parents and children, and ultimately forgiveness.
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"I enjoyed this book. However, I suspect that many will disagree and probably not make it through to the end because they will have a hard time relating to it or making sense of it. I can see this book falling into the "liked it/hated it" dichotomy because it is so different. That's ok though - he writing is very good. It was an odd mix of horror-thriller and a true insight into BEE's soul. Like a mix of Stephen King meets the "wanna play catch (dad)?" scene from Field of Dreams. I'd recommend to people who enjoy his other books, but definitely not a first-read from this author. You might want to try Less Than Zero or American Psycho first."
— Ryan (5 out of 5 stars)
“Addictive…Sublime…Exquisite…Stirringly executed…A phantasmagoria of love and loss, a fusion of hallucination and wisdom.”
— New York Times“The deftness with which Ellis handles an entertaining and suspenseful plot, as well as a sophisticated play between truth and fiction, real selves and imagined selves, is impressive. Lunar Park is not only enjoyable and consuming, but insightful.”
— San Francisco Chronicle“A cracking good horror story. His descriptions of modern parenting and education are hilarious and mortally accurate.”
— Economist“Lunar Park owes its emotional punch to two things: the theme of estranged fathers and sons, and Ellis’s undeniable eye for detailed satire.”
— Christian Science Monitor“Unusual, hypnotic, upsetting, and memorable…A sublime meditation on mortality and nostalgia…A lyrical knockout.”
— Slate“His best and most enjoyable read since Less Than Zero…Highly entertaining.”
— Seattle Times“Ellis masterfully blurs the line between fact and fiction in a novel that simultaneously entertains and provokes.”
— Pittsburgh Tribune-Review“John Cheever writes The Shining…A strange triumph…Here is a book that progresses from darkness and banality to light and epiphany with surprising strength and sureness.”
— Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly“A mesmerizing read…Genuinely frightening…Lunar Park is a story about the momentous pain parents inflict on their children…The worst violence is internal and emotional, and in its beautiful closing…this rich, deceptively complex novel argues that’s the most damaging violence of all.”
— Miami Herald“A gripping, tragicomic story of a writer on a downward spiral. Lunar Park works beacause Ellis has an excellent sense of humor about himself and his self-destructive past…A lush, mature novel that is also a frothy good read full of gossip and blood.”
— Denver Post“An edge-of-your-seat supernatural thriller…Fuses black humor, self-mockery, and the raw intensity of terror into a compelling emotional roller-coaster ride.”
— Oregonian" 3 and a half is more like "
— Daniel, 2/20/2014" If you're a fan of Bret Easton Ellis, or ever were, you should read his newest. It's the best of his work in years. Also pays tribute to the literary brat pack of the 80's (Bret among them) who put their generation on the literary map. "
— Kris, 2/13/2014" ONCE AGAIN I had to put this book down partway through because it scared the living crap out of me. "
— Vanessa, 2/7/2014" Sound recording read by Dawson, yes, that's Dawson from the Creek. "
— Leah, 1/16/2014" good read, typical ellis. closest to american psycho of all is books. "
— Todd, 12/22/2013" Lunar Park is a brilliant, tour de force of a novel that is self-referential and self-indulgent in precisely the ideal proportion. It reads a bit like a farewell speech from one of America's most distinctly American authors, but I hope that isn't the case. "
— Philip, 12/18/2013" The exorcism was too much for me. "
— Kimberly, 12/1/2013" The strangest and twisted biography I had ever read. "
— Guillermo, 11/27/2013" Certainly a weird book. It's a fictional story about Ellis dealing with a series of possible murders that correspond with American Psycho, and how he deals with his family while constantly drunk and high on coke. Better than it sounds, but not great. "
— Jeff, 11/5/2013" My first Ellis novel, I enjoyed this a lot. "
— Caspar, 11/3/2013" By far his best work. I absolutely loved this book. I think it helps if you've read American Psycho, but it's not required. "
— Kristin, 10/25/2013" another awesome book by mr ellis "
— Kilburn, 7/19/2013" And it means nothing. "
— Charlie, 3/19/2013" Someone with Ellis's talent should do better. "
— Jonathan, 11/5/2012" Ellis is an amazing writer and the first 50 pages or so of this book are phenomenal. After that he tries to do Stephen King. Stick to drugs and debauchery, Bret. Leave the supernatural to the pros. "
— Russell, 6/22/2012" Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis (2006) "
— Karl, 6/17/2012" Like many of Ellis' recent work, it falls apart at the end after a hopeful first half. "
— C., 4/9/2012" not as sharp as the ones before it. Only for die hard fans of Easton Ellis or mass paranoia "
— Patrik, 2/19/2012" Ellis is way underrated. "
— Skrot, 8/27/2011" His most commercially guided work but still enjoyable. Plays out more like a Stephen King novel than any of his other books but still has that B.E.E. sense of loathing. I should mention that all his books are best read in the order they are released. They all interconnect. "
— Chris, 7/29/2011" By Ellis standards, it's crap. But it's still Ellis, so I still enjoyed it. Despite the fact that it's crap. That's a funny power he has, though. He can write complete and utter CRAP and I will still give it three stars. "
— Kate, 7/10/2011" Starts off really great, but then declines. Still enough of a mystery hook to keep me interested "
— Thomas, 6/30/2011" Arduous reading, could hardly get through it. The work of a man with the talent to write but nothing worthwhile to say {to me, at least}. Any humor in the characters or situations is buried beneath heavy layers of bitterness and paranoia. "
— Erin, 6/11/2011" I have a hard time figuring out the real Bret Easton Ellis and the fictional one. Especially since I have already read Imperial Bedrooms. The worlds that BEE has created and the way they intersect with reality, and even other people's fiction keeps me up at night. "
— Kailin, 6/7/2011" This is good for a scare and is really chilling at times. BUT the ending really didn't cut it for me, which is a bummer because it could have made the book a really amazing trip. "
— mildrey, 4/12/2011" My favorite book by Ellis. He mixed his usual character development in with a bit of horror and suspense. "
— Jr, 4/11/2011" This was a fascinating look at Ellis looking at himself, a thriller disguising an anguished father/son dynamic. "
— Ryan, 4/7/2011" Finally a book from BBE which doesn't depend on loving descriptions of dismemberment to make its point. And occasional people with feelings. "
— Cath, 3/21/2011" Good up until the ending. The ending made no sense. "
— Natalie, 3/5/2011Bret Easton Ellis is the author of several novels, including Less Than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, American Psycho, Glamorama, and Lunar Park. His works have been translated into twenty-seven languages and are read throughout the world. Less Than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, American Psycho, and The Informers have all been made into films. He divides his time between Los Angeles and New York City.