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Book Review: Of Saints and Shadows by Christopher Golden

Of Saints and Shadows by Christopher Golden

JournalStone, 2016 (reprint edition)

ISBN-13: 978-1945373213

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition

 

JournalStone has been a treasure trove of new authors and stories, and rarely disappoints. For years now, each release has drawn strong attention from readers of horror, dark fantasy, and other speculative fiction. This time, they made a smart decision, in reprinting Christopher Golden’s Shadow Saga series.

This is not a typical or cliched vampire series: it’s a very different, strongly written and smartly plotted tale. From the amazing Strangewood to the forthcoming Ararat, Golden has never failed to entertain his readers. Writing across multiple genres, including thrillers, horror, and urban fantasy. he has created outstanding stories and characters that connect with his readers.

The first novel in the Shadow Saga series, Of Saints and Shadows, introduces readers to vampire sleuth Peter Octavian, a figure who lives in the shadows between his own kind and those who hunt him. Octavian makes his living as a private detective, and has refused to partake in the “blood song”, the drinking of humans’ lifeblood. Golden tackles several myths about vampires, and turns them upside down. It appears that most of the myths are only that, and find their power in the belief of the suggestions, such as not being able to walk in daylight. He discovers that a secret sect of the Catholic Church is hell bent on recovering the book, The Gospel of Shadows, which has the key to destroying all of the vampires. As different groups race to retrieve the tome, each with its own agenda, Peter races to Vatican City to help his brethren.

Golden has updated all of the books in the series with introductions and additional material, and hopefully Shadow Saga will find the audience it should have had the first time. Look for Angel Souls and Devil Hearts, Of Masques and Martyrs, The Gathering Dark, and Waking Nightmares. Recommended for fans of the vampire tale but more importantly, for anyone who loves a good, strong story.

Reviewed by David Simms


Posted on March 3, 2017 by , Reply

Book Review: Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia


 
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Thomas Dunne Books, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1250099082
Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition, Audible
 

Certain Dark Things is an excellent example of what a vampire novel can be. The characters are strong, the writing is fast-paced, and it paints a vision of a world we have not seen before. There is a ton of vampire fiction out there, much of it unreadable, but Silvia Moreno-Garcia brings a fresh take to the genre in this page-turner.

In the world of Certain Dark Things, the existence of vampires became public knowledge in 1969. Slowly, the vampires have become a part of society. There are a variety of species and sub-species of vampires, and many have evolved geographically and culturally. Reading it, there is a sense that we are seeing just the tip of the iceberg. The book comes with a glossary which explains the ins and outs of the vampires and their history. I found this unnecessary, and only referred to it once. Many of the details listed at the back of the book have little bearing on this story, but it is clear the author has this whole world thought out in great detail. World-building is clearly one of the book’s great strengths.

Domingo is a homeless teenager surviving on the streets of Mexico City, whose life changes hen he meets Alt, a vampire that comes from a Aztec background. Alt’s biology requires that she feed from the young, but she doesn’t have to kill to feed. Domingo is fascinated with her: he has read about vampires, but never met one. Although gangs of vampires and drug cartels battle beyond the city limits, within Mexico City, vampires are illegal. Why would Alt risk coming to Mexico City? This is what drives the narrative.

The novel is well structured. Moreno-Garcia uses multiple points of view, switching easily between them. Character development is also impressive. Ana, the police detective, has a story interesting enough to carry its own novel. Watching Domingo fall deeper and deeper for Alt, readers learn just how inhuman she is. Some of the strongest moments of the book happen between them.

Moreno-Garcia isn’t the first to write about Mexican vampires, but every dark fiction author deserves a chance to put their spin on the creature, using the unique set of tools they bring to the table, and she has created a clever and original story.  We can only hope she will choose to return to this world with a sequel. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by David Agranoff


Posted on December 20, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Last Train From Perdition by Robert McCammon

Last Train From Perdition by Robert McCammon

Subterranean Press, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-59606-738-7

Availability: Paperback, Kindle edition.

 

Whether it is straight-up horror, historical thriller, coming-of-age story, or tale of suspense, readers know what to expect from a Robert McCammon novel—a great story. McCammon hits the target here in Last Train From Perdition, the follow-up to the entertaining I Travel By Night.

 

The opening recaps the story of vampire Trevor Lawson and his human sidekick Ann Remington, bounty hunters seeking vengeance  LaRouge, the vampire who turned Lawson into a creature of the night, and took Ann’s father and sister, is still lurking in the shadows, awaiting her chance to kill her protegé if he refuses to join her clan.

 

Lawson is summoned from New Orleans to Omaha to retrieve a wealthy businessman’s rogue son. The son joined up with a gang hell-bent on wreaking havoc in the Wild West of 1886, but now he wants out—a wish that can’t be accomplished without serious help. Lawson and Remington, forever dealing with the Dark Society, the band of creatures who reign in the night, know no job is simple. When a shootout in the saloon goes awry, Lawson needs help to save a young woman’s life.  The pair of hunters jump the titular train, headed for Helena, Montana, along with those they’re responsible for, and ride off into a winter storm. What they find may end all of them.

 

This is a tight, slam-bang read that readers can knock out in a night or two. McCammon writes in a no-nonsense manner that still manages to leap off the pages with crackling dialogue, action, and description. Hopefully, Lawson and Remington will be back for another tale, as the author has a created a worthy hero to continue the series. Highly recommended

 

Reviewed by David Simms

Posted on September 29, 2016 by , Reply
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