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Sparrow Rock by Nate Kenyon

I just finished reading Sparrow Rock by Nate Kenyon, a claustrophobic end of the world horror novel that keeps ratcheting up the tension page by page until, by the end, the reader can barely breathe. Sparrow Rock is horror with a capital H, with a neat twist toward the end that I certainly won’t give away.

I enjoy reading horror fiction for the thrills and blood spills as much as for the deeper meanings and observations regarding life. This novel was frightening in its apocalyptic premise and the theme of isolation. But not knowing what really goes on inside your friends’ heads, or inside your own head for that matter, is truly chilling. Sparrow Rock delivers on the horror, and the novel will stick with me for quite a while.

Even now, when I have just the slightest itching sensation on my leg or the back of my neck, I think about the book and the . . . well, you’re going to have to read it to know! Yes, I’m a tease.

The novel is published by Leisure, and you can order a copy through their site or through this Amazon link.

Check out Nate’s website!

Sparrow Rock

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Jason, July 17th 2010 | Tags: horror fiction, leisure, Nate Kenyon, review, Sparrow Rock
Posted in Books, Fiction

A Short Review of Snow by Ronald Malfi

They say that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but the cover was exactly what made me pick up Ronald Malfi’s latest novel, Snow, while I was at the bookstore last week. The cover is simple enough – a snowy white and blue forest with a smattering of red blood. Of course, this novel has a lot more going for it than a nice cover.

The setting is great – a small town is isolated by a snowstorm, and the townspeople are now trying to deal with the “Big Bad” that’s taking over. The main characters, strangers to the town (and to each other), are trying to drive through the storm to reach their destination when they are stranded. I found the characters to be believable, realistically flawed, yet still very much likable. The concepts for the antagonists (human and other alike) were interesting and fresh as well. Malfi’s writing style is crisp, vivid, and to the point. The gore is handled well, the suspense is taut, and the dialogue rang true for me. This is exactly what I look for in horror.

If you haven’t already read Snow, you’re in for a treat. I can’t wait to read more from Mr. Malfi, and I’m very pleased that he is now a part of the Leisure stable. You can probably find a copy at your local bookstore, but if you can’t, you can always order through Leisure or Amazon.