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Book Review: In the Valley of the Sun by Andy Davidson

In the Valley of the Sun: A Novel by Andy Davidson

Skyhorse Publishing, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-1510721104

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook

 

In the Valley of the Sun is Andy Davidson’s first novel. It walks a thin line between the genres of Southern Gothic and classic Western. Andy Davidson has a gift for building atmosphere; at times, West Texas drips off the page like humid air. The world is made vivid: you can picture the rust of the trucks,  the stress on the sheriff’s belt, and the smells of the badlands. There are plenty of grim settings, balanced by gorgeous prose.

It is absolutely a monster novel. The story kicks off with the main character, Travis, waking up covered in blood. While is isn’t immediately clear, once the reader realizes what’s happening, the story takes on a dangerous, otherworldly edge. While the word “vampire” is never specifically mentioned, as the story progresses, there is no doubt what monsters we are dealing with.  These are not Anne Rice’s “sexy” vampires; Travis is in trouble.

In addition to his supernatural worries, Travis has financial problems. He doesn’t have the money to park his truck and camper at the campground run by Annabelle Gaskin. Many of the best moments in the book are Travis’ conversations with Annabelle’s ten-year-old son. These moments are both tense and emotional, adding depth to the story.

Davidson does an excellent job in jumping between different characters’ third person point-of-views. and a variety of time periods. It all works, and is not jarring at all.

In the Valley of the Sun is a close cousin of Stephen Graham Jones’ Mongrels. While the two books focus on different monsters and cultural backgrounds, both take the same off-color look at the American South.

This is not the kind of horror novel that would benefit from a marketing department blasting out its nature. Davidson definitely has the potential to become a powerful writer in the genre of literary horror. The reality is that this is a fine debut of a strong new voice in horror fiction, and a book that can appeal to both horror and mainstream readers. In the Valley of the Sun is a thought-provoking and entertaining read that should be in every library collection. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by David Agranoff

 

Posted on November 2, 2017 by , Reply

Book Review: Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry

Berkley Publishing Group, 2017

ISBN: 9780399584022

Available: paperback, ebook, Audible book

I have to open with a caveat: I don’t like my villains explained, nor do I like their histories to be written. I’ve avoided the film Maleficent for this reason. That being said, there is a very small collection of these stories I do appreciate, the Wicked series being some of them. Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook will be added to my small collection of explored villainy.

Jaime is the first Lost Boy, the first child Peter Pan leads to the secluded island where mermaids frolic in the lagoon, pirates loot, and the Many-Eyed are to be feared. Jaime can’t remember what his former life in the Other Place was like, with the exception of a song he hums every once in a while much to Peter’s annoyance.  Peter, with Jaime by his side, brings boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter’s idea of fun is much darker than the original story relates. Peter promises immortality and youth always, but Jaime remembers all of the boys he has had to bury during his time on the island. The only conclusion Peter’s best friend in all the world can come to is that Peter lies.

What happens when some of the boys start growing up?

Christina Henry’s dark story of childhood and innocence lost turns the story of lovable, adventurous Peter Pan into one of savagery, danger, and the agony of growing up. Peter’s methods for coaxing the lost children of the Other Place into the magical land where boys never age are much more traumatic than merely sprinkling on some pixie dust and thinking warm thoughts. His methods are cold, calculating, and deadly. He’s an incredibly manipulative figure in Lost Boy. He is truly horrific.

Jaime takes on the role of protector, especially when Peter brings in the youngest of the Lost Boys, Charlie, to the island. Jaime warns him he wouldn’t be able to hold his own, let alone keep up with the rest of them. Peter’s selfishness wins the day, however, and Charlie is introduced to his new world. Peter very quickly tires of him and plots against him at every turn. The more Jaime takes care of the smallest boy, the more the signs of age start to encroach. Peter notices.

At first, I wasn’t sold on the horror genre assigned to this title. The more I got into the story, the more I agreed with it, and for several reasons. There is the horror of the leader of the Lost Boys actually being a narcissist and sociopath. He cares nothing for the children he brings to Never Land as long as they love him unconditionally and obey his every whim. This is the most clear when the Battle is mentioned. This is a fight to the death of two boys, or more, who cannot resolve their conflicts any other way. Jaime buried them all. Then there is Jaime’s realization of how he came to the island and the death of his mother. Another horrific aspect of the story is Jaime working through the selfishness of youth and coming to terms with growing up. I don’t want to give too much away, but his becoming Captain Hook feels both horrifying and liberating.

I wouldn’t recommend this for children, but for those of you who want to revisit your childhood through a different lens, pick up Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook. It will make you think about the original story in a very different way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to reread Peter Pan… Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Contains: blood, gore, violence

 

Posted on November 2, 2017 by , Reply

Book Review: Goblin by Josh Malerman

Goblin

 

Goblin by Josh Malerman
Earthling Publications, October 2017
ISBN: Not available
Available: Limited edition numbered hardcover copies, direct from publisher only

 

It’s the time of year when horror is in the air, a celebrated author is called up, and Earthling Publications turns out another Halloween masterpiece. This year, the newest superstar in the genre, Josh Malerman, takes the helm and delivers one of the best offerings in the history of the series. Malerman, fresh off the success of his second novel, Black Mad Wheel,  and the news that his novel Bird Box will soon be a major motion picture, displays consummate skill in Goblin, a book comprised of six novellas all taking place in the small town of Goblin, Michigan.

 

Goblin, Michigan is Derry. It’s Oxrun Station. It’s Cedar Hills. It’s Green Town. It’s all of us in our hometowns, and yet, it’s something brand new.. Think of Goblin as Derry’s disturbed little brother, filling the reader with uneasy pleasure from cover to cover.

 

“A Man In Slices” shows that friendship can be a tricky concept, as a boy does whatever he can to help his lonely friend, at any cost. “Kamp” is a lighter tale, about a man petrified of a seeing a ghost. Everyone in Walter’s family has, and he knows his time is coming. How he copes with the expectation will make many readers feel a bit better about their own issues with  things that go bump in the night.”Happy Birthday, Hunter” displays the heart and obsession of a man who cannot give up the hunt. Nash’s addiction comes to a boiling point during his 60th birthday party, when he decides to kill Goblin’s most prized game in the north woods, a place from which no one ever returns.”Presto” is a love affair with magic, the oldest and darkest kind, where a young boy seeks to learn the secrets behind his favorite performer in a story that channels classic Bradbury.”A Mix-Up At The Zoo” details the inner struggle of Dirk, a man who switches jobs to become a tour guide in a zoo, a far cry from his other employment in the slaughterhouse. He finds a talent for understanding the mighty beasts within the cages but feels a certain darkness brewing when he drifts off in thought. In “The Hedges,” mazes, both ones built out of corn and the famed topiary in the film version of “The Shining,” emerge. Young Margot claims to have solved the unsolvable creation by Wayne Sherman.  What she finds at the end causes her to alert the Goblin police.

 

The mythology about Goblin’s history is richly drawn within these stories and connects them effectively, with a style that keeps the pages turning. Malerman has created a town that may even be darker than something that King, Grant, and Bradbury have created. Goblin should be listed on every horror reader’s itinerary, with the lights turned low and the night breeze creeping into the room. An incredible Halloween find for all. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by Dave Simms

Posted on November 1, 2017 by , Reply
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