John Sickels

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. I had read some science fiction short stories by the author and enjoyed them. I like Lovecraftian horror, so I decided that I would read this book and hope that I liked it. I was wrong -- I loved it.

What sold me was the blending of horror and history, with a scoop of science fiction. In the best of historical fiction, I learn more about a time period. "Bleeding Kansas" wasn't a part of history I was familiar with and I learned more about it. I had to put the book down a couple of times as real history and attitudes were portrayed too vividly and I had to go away and think about them.

The book's horror fit the Lovecraftian genre. None of the horror is graphic, but if you let yourself think about it too much, your imagination will provide all the gruesome details that the text doesn't go into. For me, I let that frisson of fear wash across me and then dove back into the book.

The book's narrative isn't strictly chronological, but I was able to keep up with the various stories -- a tribute to the intensity of the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes subtle horror, especially horror based on Lovecraft's works.… (meer)