Spook's - Slither's Tale Review

The Eulogy (From the Publisher):
Slither is not human. Far from the Spook-protected County, he preys upon humans, sneaking into their homes to gorge upon their blood while they sleep.

When a local farmer dies, it's only natural that Slither should want to feast on his lovely daughters. But the farmer has offered him a trade: in return for taking the younger girls to safety, Slither can have the eldest daughter, Nessa, to do with as he wishes . . .

Slither's promise takes him and Nessa on a treacherous journey where enemies await at every turn. Enemies that include Grimalkin, the terrifying witch assassin, still searching for a way to destroy the Fiend for good.

Review - Doom Rider

The Eulogy (From the Publisher): Seth Crow has lived a thousand lives, and in each one he's been murdered before he turns thirteen.
And now he's being hunted again. But this time it's different.
Enter Lily, who tells him of his fate: Seth is CONQUEST. The first of the four riders of the Apocalypse. And people want him dead, before he can fulfil his destiny. 
Seth's only hope lies in finding the other riders - Strife, Famine and Death. 
Together, the fate of the world lies in their hands ...

The Epitaph (In a Nutshell): A wonderfully dark and twisted take on the horsemen of the Apocalypse. 

Dearly Departed,
We are gathered here today to discuss Doom Rider, by David Gatward. I am big fan of high-concept ideas – if you can sum it up in a sentence, there’s a good chance I’ll be interested. In this case, the moment I heard ‘boy discovers he’s one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse’ and saw the awesome cover, I was sold. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I knew it was being penned by the phenomenal David Gatward. Thanks to his previous series, The Dead, I had an inkling that I’d be in for a wonderfully dark and twisted read. I wasn’t disappointed.

The very first thing that struck me was the brand of religion found in the world of Doom Rider. Seth’s life on the travelling faith show circuit was a really fascinating foundation for the character. I must admit, my own religious knowledge is practically non-existent, but The Way seemed to be a mix of evangelical faiths, borrowing from a few of the mainstream religions without resembling any too closely. This background makes Seth a very conflicted character, and it was precisely because of his origins that I found him so interesting, even more so than Gatward’s previous protagonist of the Dead series, Lazarus Stone. The cast of supporting characters is also varied and colourful, particularly when we begin to meet the other riders, and it’s here that the book really starts to shine.

I read in an interview with Gatward that he decided to take his interpretation of the riders all the way back to their original roots, so he could portray them differently. Well, it worked, because these versions of the horsemen of the apocalypse are like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and this originality makes them all the more awe-inspiring, purely because I was completely unprepared for the strangeness of their abilities (especially Death!). Gatward really has a knack for description, and there are some fantastically gruesome scenes in this one. Whenever I read one of Gatward’s books, I’m reminded of that old creative writing class tip to do with description – use all the senses, not just sight. Gatward is a master of this, and all the senses are constantly engaged, to the point where you’re really there alongside Seth as he struggles with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Doom Rider is a fantastic addition to the YA horror genre, one that every reader with a taste for the darker side of life should read. It will be released in Australia on 5 July 2012.

Check it out on Goodreads, find out more on David Gatward's site, or pre-order it from Readings.

Review - Mammon

The Eulogy (From the Publisher): 
Forget anything you ever heard about possession, exorcisms, salt circles and pentagrams. The modern demon is far more difficult to catch - and even harder to destroy.
After the savage, tragic deaths of their parents, Grace and Joe Callahan learn that they they are descendants of the sarsareh - an ancient order of mercenaries who hunt very special prey. Grace and Joe take their place in the Order, but are treated with hostility and fear by other recruits.
For the Callahan siblings have powers that fascinate and terrify.
Joe is a Ferryman, capable of opening dimensional rifts, while Grace's telepathic abilities surpass anything the Order has ever seen.
To complicate matters, Grace falls for her older, more experienced squad leader, Ivan. Meanwhile, the sarsareh elders have their own plans for Joe.
But none of that will matter if the powerful demon Mammon manages to convince Joe to open a gateway to his demon world and overrun Earth with his armies.
If he succeeds: game over.

The Epitaph (In a Nutshell): A great start in a new Australian series with truly original demon mythology.

Dearly Departed,
We are gathered here today to discuss Mammon by J.B. Thomas. This is a fantastic dark fantasy debut from Australian author J.B. Thomas. I was fascinated by the mythology in Mammon – the fact that demons aren’t summoned, but merely come to be when a regular person is evil enough. The Renfield Academy, with its prison of psychopathic demons and its core staff of psychics and mercenaries is the perfect backdrop for this exciting demon tale. It’s also a real thrill to see a great core of villains, and the demon Mammon and his assistants are some exquisitely evil characters – in one memorable scene onboard a ship he throws a servant into the ocean for ruining his favourite shirt.

For horror fans, this first book in the new Ferryman Chronicles is a must – great world-building, high-stakes action, and some wonderfully wicked villains!

Review - Blood Song

The Eulogy (From the Publisher): I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.

Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.

Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

In a Nutshell: A highly enjoyable dark fantasy that is a mix between Pride and Prejudice and Tamora Pierce.

Dearly Departed,
We are gathered here today to discuss Blood Song, by Rhiannon Hart. A while ago I was whinging about the lack of Aussie YA fantasy coming out, and how I really just wanted to sink my teeth into something amazing. Well! The book gods obviously heard my cries and answered with Blood Song, though I think this wonderful gem had less to do with book gods and more to do with superb début author Rhiannon Hart.

I was hooked straight away by feisty heroine Zeraphina. A pet hate of mine is when female characters are Pillars of Perfection: they do all the right things, are completely selfless and will bend over backwards to help others. No thanks. Give me a character who has her own best interests at heart any day, because she feels a lot more likeable. Zeraphina struggles with the fact that she knows she's not the perfect sister and daughter she should be, but thankfully she doesn't let that knowledge stop her from doing exactly what she wants.

Not only has Hart created some tremendously likeable characters here, she's also crafted a fantasy world that feels fresh and interesting. The mythology of the Lharmellans felt so well done, and the descriptions of these gruesome creatures were utterly compelling.

I raced through this wonderful book, and the end came all too soon. Can't wait for the sequel!

Review - The Crowfield Curse

The Eulogy (From the Publishers):
It's 1347 and fifteen-year-old Will, an orphan boy, lives at Crowfield Abbey. Sent into the forest to gather wood, he rescues instead, a creature from a trap - a hob, who shares with Will a terrible secret. Somewhere in the forest behind the abbey where he lives, is a grave. And buried deep in the snow is an angel. But how can an angel die? What has it to do with the monks of the Abbey? When two hooded strangers arrive at Crowfield asking questions about the angel's grave. Will is drawn into a world of dangerous Old Magic. "The Crowfield Feather" was short-listed for the "Times" Chidren's Fiction Competition in 2008. This is a stunning debut novel and the first of a two part series.

The Epitaph (In a Nutshell): Less about flashy action scenes than chilling atmosphere, this is a wonderfully contemplative book with some truly fascinating concepts.

Dearly Departed,
We are gathered here today to discuss The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh. What a wonderfully atmospheric book this is! I know it seems like a strange point to latch onto first, but the weather in The Crowfield Curse is almost a character in itself - the constant cold that seeps through everything is the perfect recurring theme for this chilling and at times slightly claustrophobic book. The pace is slow and contemplative, which fits the narrative perfectly: the journey does not begin with explosions and a hurried race away from the forces of darkness, but instead starts with the discovery of an otherworldly creature who has little to do with the main conflict other than to provide his charming companionship. I really loved the organic way the plot unfolded which felt perfectly in tune with the life of a boy growing up in an abbey in the middle of nowhere, and I particularly enjoyed the little flourishes of Will's life in the abbey - the less than appetising pottages prepared by the cook, his trips into the forest to feed the pigs, the respite from the cold in the warming room.

That's not to say this book is without some hair-raising scenes, and indeed, I feel like the horror elements in it are heightened by the quieter scenes, because this has some of the most genuinely creepy concepts I've ever encountered. Without giving too much away, I really enjoyed the distinctive take on a very familiar mythical creature. It reminded me a lot of the beautifully grotesque spirits in the Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke. The menacing fae creatures were wonderfully threatening without ever being overtly so. All in all, The Crowfield Curse is one of the best examples of quiet horror I've ever seen of where less is definitely more.

Review - Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf

The Eulogy (From the Publisher): When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator.
When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him.
And when a vicious beast invades his home, his gums begin to tear, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms . . .
Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy.
Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?

The Epitaph (In a Nutshell): A dark fantasy adventure full of werewolves and other werecreatures.

Dearly Departed
We are gathered here today to discuss Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling. When I first started reading Wereworld, I had it in my mind that it was going to be a straight horror, one of your typical (though no less enjoyable) gorefests. And while the first few chapters are indeed pretty gory, Wereworld ends up being a thoroughly engrossing fantasy adventure complete with quests and heroes. I really loved the world that Jobling has created here, full of feuding noble families and bloodlines of different were-species: from the thought-to-be-lost werewolves to the mighty Bearlords and the scheming House of the Lion. Not only is the world of the book richly woven, the plot is a rollicking one, with plenty of intrigue and battles.Can't wait to read the next instalment in this excellent fantasy horror series!

4 Skulls - Dead Good