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Book Review: Incarnate by Lawrence Weill

 Incarnate by Lawrence Weill

BlackWyrm Publishing, March 2013

ISBN: 978-1-61318-142-3

Available: Paperback

Lara Joyner is a wife and mother of three children. She is very religious. She sees signs all around her that lead her to believe that her son, Dale, is the second coming of Christ. He just doesn’t know it yet. In the midst of a storm, she leaves her her home, taking her two sons with her, in the hope that she can reveal Dale’s hidden potential to become the saviour of mankind by pressing him to perform miracles. As she discovers unlocking Dale’s ability to create miracles is not easy, Lara spirals out of control. Her beliefs and faith are put to the test repeatedly. Her money runs out and desperation sets in. She turns to writing bad checks, theft, and, ultimately, selling herself, to keep the dream alive. Meanwhile, her husband, Frank, frantic to reunite their family, pursues the trio cross country: a reunion that will take a miracle.

Incarnate was an okay read. It is a psychological journey into delusion vs. reason. These are also the main themes throughout and were revealed nicely. The characters had distinctive voices and were consistent. Weill’s depiction of Lara, the religious, sign-seeing mother, is powerful. The descriptions were good without being overly graphic. The religious aspects of this book were a bit heavy-handed for me. That being said, it made sense for the story and characters. I also found the pacing to be a bit slow at times. As a result, it took me longer to read this relatively short book (it is only 224 pages). The story wasn’t compelling for me, and as a result, finishing it was not a strong priority. The concept was really interesting, but the delivery just didn’t work well. I have not read any of this author’s work in the past.

Contains: Sexual Situations, Rape, Adult Language

Reviewed by Aaron Fletcher

Posted on September 15, 2014 by , Reply

Book Review: The Troop by Nick Cutter

The Troop by Nick Cutter

Gallery Books, 2014

ISBN-13: 978-1-4767-1771-5

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition

 

This story is an experience in terror. A very hungry stranger arrives in the town of Lower Montague, Prince Edward Island. The man becomes the talk of the town for eating huge quantities of food. The man then steals a boat and heads to a small island where Scoutmaster Tim Riggs and five scouts are having their annual weekend camping trip. The boys are all good friends and they get along with Scoutmaster Tim, as they call him, but Tim has a bad feeling about the camping trip this year.

 

After dinner, the boys go to their cabin to tell ghost stories. All the typical characters are present: there’s Kent, the popular one, son of the police chief in town; Newton, the nerd; Shelly, the odd one; Max, the boy next door; and Ephraim, the tough guy. While they’re talking, the stranger arrives on the small island. Scoutmaster Tim meets the man, who begs for help and food. Although Tim is afraid of the stranger, and feels there is something very wrong with him, Tim feels it is his duty to help, because in addition to being the Scoutmaster, he is also the town doctor. To make things worse, Tim’s never never seen anything quite like this stranger — he’s a genetically-altered nightmare.

 

Later that night, a storm comes in, and all hell breaks loose. Through no fault of their own, the boys are left all alone. One by one they must assess their situations, and are forced to do things that no one should ever have to do as they fight to survive and get home. What will happen as the scouts are faced with the elements, their own fears and suspicions, and the possibility of injury and infection?

 

This book gives the reader a perfect build-up of human horror. The stranger is just a guy who is down on his luck so agreed to submit to medical experiments in exchange for cash; a scary scenario in itself, and a situation with some real-life basis. The boys are all realistically written, and the reader can easily sympathize with their fear, doubt, and anger at what happens to them. The Troop is a very good, highly intense read. Highly recommended for adult readers.

 

Contains: violence and death, violence involving children

Reviewed by Diana Lord

Posted on July 18, 2014 by , Reply

Book Review: Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013

ISBN-13: 978-1491046883

Available: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Book, Digital Lending

 

For those fans of Alexandra Sokoloff’s supernatural gems, such as The Harrowing, The Price, or The Unseen, this thriller (book 1 of The Huntress/FBI Thrillers) will illuminate another facet of this talented author’s skills. For those who are tired of the serial killer novel,  give this one a shot and be prepared to shed preconceptions of the subgenre.  The concept of a female serial killer is relatively untouched territory, with only a couple of other quality entries in modern literature. Sokoloff creates a killer who is complex enough to be real, rising above any tropes, but is stone cold in her methods. Peeling away the layers of this character is worth the price of the book itself, but like any of her novels, Sokoloff presents quite an enjoyable story, as well.

With her background in screenwriting, one might be quick to worry that her books might be static, or lack the three-dimensional quality necessary for a knockout novel. Sokoloff, however, also has a background in theater, and her ability to emote from the point of view of  any of her characters is uncanny. She truly is ‘inside their heads’. To live within the killer’s head is chilling, yet, at times, touching and thought provoking.

The story itself? FBI Agent Matthew Roarke watches a fellow agent become a hood ornament for a passing bus– just a moment after he appears to hear a woman say something to him. The woman disappears into the crowd, leaving readers with the feeling she is somehow familiar. The hunt is on, and it’s far from cliché.

We find the “Huntress” wandering on a beach, where she meets a recently divorced man and his young child. What ensues is unexpected, and ratchets up the suspense to that intense level readers expect of Sokoloff’s horror. While Huntress Moon is not, strictly speaking, a horror novel, terror like this should be found in any psychological thriller worth its salt. The cat and mouse game is nothing new, but Sokoloff’s lean writing mesmerizes the reader; her style quickly captivates and intrigues. Her settings are vividly painted in a manner usually reserved for books that spend many more pages on scenery development. If  a reader’s tastes run towards dark thrillers with fully fleshed-out characters, and stories that keep the neurons firing long after the covers have shut, then this series is for you.

Highly recommended for high school to adults

Reviewed by David Simms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on July 3, 2014 by , Reply
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