Thursday, February 16, 2006
Eric, a Manager at the B. Dalton’s in Braintree, Massachusetts, recently submitted his review of Bloodstone to the B. Dalton’s/Barnes & Noble company newsletter. He was nice enough to share the review with me, and I loved it so much I thought I’d post it here:
Bloodstone
By Nate Kenyon
ISBN: 1594144389
The state of horror fiction in retail bookstores has been rather grim lately, with just the annual releases from Stephen King and Dean Koontz being the most visible examples. A great many others are sent to stores but disappear into the Science Fiction section, where many people who are interested in the genre would not think to look for them, when the publishers decide to market the title as a “dark fantasy.†I was given an arc of Nate Kenyon’s debut novel, Bloodstone, just before Christmas…and as a horror fan was delighted to find that the genre was indeed alive and well.
The plot concerns two strangers with very troubled pasts who have come together because they are both drawn to the town of White Falls, ME. While their relationship begins as one of force, they eventually come to realize that they have a bond and share a fate that can only be met as the town prepares to celebrate its Spring Festival.
Comparisons to the work of Stephen King are inevitable especially considering that Kenyon resides in New England and Bloodstone is set there. And while there are elements that are similar to some of King’s work, the novel is a very original work that stands on its own.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was the depth of characterization that Kenyon gives to the main characters, Billy Smith and Angel, as well as to the town outcast Jeb Taylor. As the reader follows their story and experiences their horrifying dreams and desperation to figure out just what it is that has drawn them together in this small town, it is hard not to get sucked in. There is a nice subtle buildup to some truly creepy moments, including a creepy sequence in a jail cell that is one of the most memorable scenes in a horror novel that I have read in some time. The climactic chapters have a nice build up of suspense and surprise that makes the book very hard to put down.
Bloodstone is an impressive debut by Kenyon and a very satisfying read that makes the reader anxious for a follow-up! With the release of Stephen King’s Cell, our stores are going to be full of people craving a good dose of horror, and Bloodstone is a perfect title to suggest to those who are on the lookout for a new voice in the genre.
