Moon

Herbert's lastet horror novel is a turgid affair. It concerns Jonathan Childes, a schoolteacher with a psychic talent, who can occasionally see through the eyes of a certain lunatic during the commission of quite grisly crimes. The lunatic senses Childes's psychic presence, however, and with malignant ingenuity tracks him down and menacesand in some cases murdershis family, friends and students. Childes is often the natural suspect, but this possible source of dramatic tension is undercut by the faith of a friendly police inspector. And the final confrontation scene is a good deal more silly than scary. For the rest, the lurching, mechanical style makes this book a less than riveting experience. 30,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo. (October 31)