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Vetala Cycle #1
The Eyes of the Dead: A Novel of Supernatural Suspense
Vampires are loose in the trenches of the First World War! Passchendaele, 1917. Private Reg Wilson is a man with a name but no memories. A soldier who remembers nothing of life before the fighting began. Until he comes to Black Wood, a tainted place that knows him intimately. There, he will discover a darkness buried long ago by time and dust. An appetite that has been awoken by war. A hunger that will feed upon his blood, his regrets and his worst fears. It will show him what he has forgotten. It will show him nightmare made flesh. And, before he dies, it will make him look deep into the eyes of the dead.
166 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2011
14 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
G.R. Yeates
13 books59 followersG.R. Yeates was born in Rochford, Essex and studied Literature & Media at the Colchester Insitute.
He has lived in China where he taught English as a foreign language.
A life-long interest in the First World War and world mythology inspired his series of vampire novels, The Vetala Cycle.
He has lived in China where he taught English as a foreign language.
A life-long interest in the First World War and world mythology inspired his series of vampire novels, The Vetala Cycle.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 26, 2011
2.5 stars
For me, this book comes down to personal taste. For those who like J.A. Konrath and Jack Kilborn stories, you'll probably enjoy The Eyes of the Dead. It has a slasher horror feel with scene after scene of gruesome and descriptive details. The adjectives and metaphors keep on coming and had me floating somewhere between is this a dream, a hallucination or partial reality? I kept reading hoping by the end it would pull together (all the disjointed pieces) and I'd have my 'ah-ha' moment. The surrealism grabbed my attention, but the repetition of events or rather, circling began to frustrate me a little. Midway through Kitty and Mad appear, along with the hospital. This section felt more grounded and I would have liked the story to stay a bit more planted in place. Some more gravity would have (in my opinion) provided a center for the plot. I felt the balance between the abstract and concrete was lacking.
For me, this book comes down to personal taste. For those who like J.A. Konrath and Jack Kilborn stories, you'll probably enjoy The Eyes of the Dead. It has a slasher horror feel with scene after scene of gruesome and descriptive details. The adjectives and metaphors keep on coming and had me floating somewhere between is this a dream, a hallucination or partial reality? I kept reading hoping by the end it would pull together (all the disjointed pieces) and I'd have my 'ah-ha' moment. The surrealism grabbed my attention, but the repetition of events or rather, circling began to frustrate me a little. Midway through Kitty and Mad appear, along with the hospital. This section felt more grounded and I would have liked the story to stay a bit more planted in place. Some more gravity would have (in my opinion) provided a center for the plot. I felt the balance between the abstract and concrete was lacking.
July 9, 2011
A very impressive debut - atmospheric and chilling with a unique presentation of a supernatural threat.
I'm a big fan of historical/military horror fiction, so this was right up my street.
As always, though, it's the real life horror of war and man's inhumanity that stays with you. There's one line in this novel I'm never going to forget, and it doesn't take place on the battlefield.
It's in the base hospital. A soldier has had his genitals shot to jelly, and after the unsympathetic head nurse roughly dresses it:
'Kitty wanted to say something to him, comfort him in some way but she knew what Sister Fearing would say. She kept quiet. As they walked out, the older woman cocked her head to Kitty. "He's not going to be much use as a man, is he, eh? What girl would want that? Bet he wishes the Hun had finished him off properly."
'Kitty head low sobs coming from behind the screens.'
Highly recommended.
I'm a big fan of historical/military horror fiction, so this was right up my street.
As always, though, it's the real life horror of war and man's inhumanity that stays with you. There's one line in this novel I'm never going to forget, and it doesn't take place on the battlefield.
It's in the base hospital. A soldier has had his genitals shot to jelly, and after the unsympathetic head nurse roughly dresses it:
'Kitty wanted to say something to him, comfort him in some way but she knew what Sister Fearing would say. She kept quiet. As they walked out, the older woman cocked her head to Kitty. "He's not going to be much use as a man, is he, eh? What girl would want that? Bet he wishes the Hun had finished him off properly."
'Kitty head low sobs coming from behind the screens.'
Highly recommended.
May 27, 2011
A book that combines the horror of vampires with the horrors of war - and does it well.
Three soldiers (one seriously wounded) rest up for the night in a damaged church near Passchendales, Belgium and one uncovers nastiness in the crypt....
This book, set in WW1 Belgium conveys the feel of its time very well. I wasn't sure about it because I'm not a fan of 'war books' but I'm glad I did. You can almost feel the mud and grime of the trenches and hear the bombs whistling overhead.
Later the scene moves to a field hospital and again, the desriptions and characters really stand out and pull you into the story.
If I have one teeny moan, it does seem a bit wordy in places but not enough to take anything away from this book.
I'll definatly be looking out for more from this author
Three soldiers (one seriously wounded) rest up for the night in a damaged church near Passchendales, Belgium and one uncovers nastiness in the crypt....
This book, set in WW1 Belgium conveys the feel of its time very well. I wasn't sure about it because I'm not a fan of 'war books' but I'm glad I did. You can almost feel the mud and grime of the trenches and hear the bombs whistling overhead.
Later the scene moves to a field hospital and again, the desriptions and characters really stand out and pull you into the story.
If I have one teeny moan, it does seem a bit wordy in places but not enough to take anything away from this book.
I'll definatly be looking out for more from this author
August 5, 2011
I enjoyed taking a break from my current genre and having some thought processing material to follow. I am not normally a military/historical person but I felt intrigued to look up some things that I might not have previously ventured into prior to reading this novel. Thank you for opening me up to some material that I might not have picked up off the shelf on my own! Great Job Greg! Can't wait to read your next adventure!
April 20, 2020
Dead on arrival
The story just didn't work for me. Because of the setting and type of creatures involved I forced my way to the end. Too many things pulled me out of the narrative. Nightmares after nightmare after nightmares just drove me nuts. Tough read after a good start. In fact I liked it until the creature arrived.
The story just didn't work for me. Because of the setting and type of creatures involved I forced my way to the end. Too many things pulled me out of the narrative. Nightmares after nightmare after nightmares just drove me nuts. Tough read after a good start. In fact I liked it until the creature arrived.
November 16, 2021
Wow
I found this deeply moving, profound in its observation of humans in their darkest moments. But also rivetingly fascinating in the horror and gore as Greg examines the truth of war and its fallout.
I found this deeply moving, profound in its observation of humans in their darkest moments. But also rivetingly fascinating in the horror and gore as Greg examines the truth of war and its fallout.
July 27, 2011
First published in May of 2011, Gregory Yeates’ (aka Gregory James) debut novel ‘The Eyes Of The Dead’ was a self-published venture for the British born author. The tale forms the first part in the series collectively dubbed ‘The Vetala Cycle’.
DLS Synopsis:
Private Reginald Wilson can’t remember anything of his past. Vague memories haunt his sleeping hours like a night-time ritual. Memories of a fire, consuming everything and everyone around him in its unrelenting hunger to devour.
Now, a solider with only his name left as a token of who he really is, he is confronted with the very real horror of war. Thrust into the Battle of Passchendaele within World War I, Wilson awaits the command to advance across No Man’s Land. With Smithy and Brookes by his side, they are about to leave the boggy rain-filled trenches and advance towards Black Wood. Hope is now just a faint whisper amongst the chaotic thundering of the German’s relentless artillery.
Somehow, with some unknown fortune, they make it to the dark embrace of the woods. But in its clinging depths lurks an age old evil that has its glowing eyes set on the soldier. When his companions fall, Wilson has a choice. He knows that he must do the right thing by them. But death looms everywhere, and sanity is just threadbare in the horrors of war.
Nothing stays dead when the mind has been consumed by this evil. No one is safe, no matter where you run. Wilson must claw through his mind for fragments of his past. He must search for who he is, and what he must do to end this unforgiving horror. Until he does, death and mindless bloodshed will haunt his every waking hour. And his dreams will offer him no escape when his body cries for sleep.
Vampires are real. Rats, corrosive mists, savage bloodthirsty wolves – the vampire can take many forms. He must stand up to the beast, knowing who he is and what he must do, to end it all here and now. But sanity is not on his side…
DLS Review:
The first thing that hits the reader when beginning the tale is the sheer poetry and literary skill of the author. Yeates’ descriptive abilities at creating atmosphere and setting the oppressive mood are on a par with King and Barker when they are at their most hauntingly surreal.
Confusion and intentional disorientation play a staggeringly key role in putting the reader ill at ease with the unfolding tale. The storyline throws the reader between dreamlike visions, to glimpses of stark (and downright disturbing) bursts of sudden reality. And all through the eeriness of this battle with reality is the overbearing gloom of a dark evil that constantly bears down on the proceedings.
There’s literally no letting up from the ever-present evil that overshadows each and every page of the tale. And interspersed with this oppressive morbidity are sudden barrages of some of the most imaginative and terrifying images of visceral gore that you are likely to come across. There’s no getting away from it – in one fell swoop Yeates has carved his name in the flesh of the horror world with his astonishing ability to sicken, provoke, scare and utterly horrify.
The tale holds numerous passages that are nothing short of mesmerising with the poetic nature that Yeates has adopted to truly bring a life to the scenes. There is always an underlying tension behind every development within the storyline. Nothing, nowhere and indeed no one seems safe. It’s an incredible achievement in itself that the author managed to successful maintain this claustrophobic air throughout the entirety of the tale.
At times the storyline does fall in on itself a touch, becoming somewhat swamped with the inner-battles of our principal protagonist – Wilson. It’s certainly far from a disruptive element to the progression of the novel, but does leave the reader questioning perhaps a little too much at the times when the desperate action is at a pinnacle.
The tale ends on an impactful note, with the final showdown and inner-battle reaching a climatic finale. From such a desperate clawing through a very vivid hell to get to this penultimate moment, Yeates unleashes all he’s got with the descriptive imaginary of the final conflict.
It’s clear that the author has an incredible wealth of literary talent at his disposal. There’s clearly so much more to come from the writer, with ‘The Eyes OF The Dead’ just the tip of the iceberg.
The novel runs for a total of 132 pages.
DLS Synopsis:
Private Reginald Wilson can’t remember anything of his past. Vague memories haunt his sleeping hours like a night-time ritual. Memories of a fire, consuming everything and everyone around him in its unrelenting hunger to devour.
Now, a solider with only his name left as a token of who he really is, he is confronted with the very real horror of war. Thrust into the Battle of Passchendaele within World War I, Wilson awaits the command to advance across No Man’s Land. With Smithy and Brookes by his side, they are about to leave the boggy rain-filled trenches and advance towards Black Wood. Hope is now just a faint whisper amongst the chaotic thundering of the German’s relentless artillery.
Somehow, with some unknown fortune, they make it to the dark embrace of the woods. But in its clinging depths lurks an age old evil that has its glowing eyes set on the soldier. When his companions fall, Wilson has a choice. He knows that he must do the right thing by them. But death looms everywhere, and sanity is just threadbare in the horrors of war.
Nothing stays dead when the mind has been consumed by this evil. No one is safe, no matter where you run. Wilson must claw through his mind for fragments of his past. He must search for who he is, and what he must do to end this unforgiving horror. Until he does, death and mindless bloodshed will haunt his every waking hour. And his dreams will offer him no escape when his body cries for sleep.
Vampires are real. Rats, corrosive mists, savage bloodthirsty wolves – the vampire can take many forms. He must stand up to the beast, knowing who he is and what he must do, to end it all here and now. But sanity is not on his side…
DLS Review:
The first thing that hits the reader when beginning the tale is the sheer poetry and literary skill of the author. Yeates’ descriptive abilities at creating atmosphere and setting the oppressive mood are on a par with King and Barker when they are at their most hauntingly surreal.
Confusion and intentional disorientation play a staggeringly key role in putting the reader ill at ease with the unfolding tale. The storyline throws the reader between dreamlike visions, to glimpses of stark (and downright disturbing) bursts of sudden reality. And all through the eeriness of this battle with reality is the overbearing gloom of a dark evil that constantly bears down on the proceedings.
There’s literally no letting up from the ever-present evil that overshadows each and every page of the tale. And interspersed with this oppressive morbidity are sudden barrages of some of the most imaginative and terrifying images of visceral gore that you are likely to come across. There’s no getting away from it – in one fell swoop Yeates has carved his name in the flesh of the horror world with his astonishing ability to sicken, provoke, scare and utterly horrify.
The tale holds numerous passages that are nothing short of mesmerising with the poetic nature that Yeates has adopted to truly bring a life to the scenes. There is always an underlying tension behind every development within the storyline. Nothing, nowhere and indeed no one seems safe. It’s an incredible achievement in itself that the author managed to successful maintain this claustrophobic air throughout the entirety of the tale.
At times the storyline does fall in on itself a touch, becoming somewhat swamped with the inner-battles of our principal protagonist – Wilson. It’s certainly far from a disruptive element to the progression of the novel, but does leave the reader questioning perhaps a little too much at the times when the desperate action is at a pinnacle.
The tale ends on an impactful note, with the final showdown and inner-battle reaching a climatic finale. From such a desperate clawing through a very vivid hell to get to this penultimate moment, Yeates unleashes all he’s got with the descriptive imaginary of the final conflict.
It’s clear that the author has an incredible wealth of literary talent at his disposal. There’s clearly so much more to come from the writer, with ‘The Eyes OF The Dead’ just the tip of the iceberg.
The novel runs for a total of 132 pages.
August 3, 2011
*shudders* This little darling freaked me out *shudders again*
Now, see, there’s all kinds of horror; there’s the “boo-hoo” and the “boo-hoo-hoo” kind, the mildly amusing darkish delicious kind, the not-so-dark-but-a-bit-spooky kind, the I-wanna-be-a-horror-when-I-grow-up kind, and so on and o forth – all kinds. This right here, this is the freak-you-out-of-your-mind/gross-you-out kind. I’m telling you I had a few moments of nausea while reading, it’s that hardcore terrifying. Well maybe I wouldn’t say terrifying per so, more like a nasty shade of repugnant? *shudders* I think I went through 5 shades of green and 20 or so of pale overall.
I’m really happy I haven’t eaten before starting to read this yesterday, and today either before finishing it up. It could easily have been me heaving, it’s that intense.
Of course, this all translates to a smashing and disturbing success of G.R. Yeates‘s writing. This is truly horrifying, in a deep and disturbing way that very few manage to write. Honestly, I don’t remember reading something quite as disturbing as this novel, and I am into dark and disturbing things by large.
The most ingenious aspect of this degree of horror is simplicity; no matter how elaborate and creative you get, you’ll never manage to be quite as effective as the simple things of life. Like rats. Big, black, chubby rats, munching on some rotten flesh – maybe offering you a bit too. See? I bet you’re bolting for the bathroom already, just after picturing that. And man, there’s so much more of it where that came from.
The author makes use of most people’s natural yuch-factor, instead of trying to create it. That, to me, is incredibly smart. Nothing will ever be as horrific as your natural fears, and chances are a lot of people will find rats, especially flesh eating ones, effectively scary. I know I damn well do.
Of course, the setting is awe-inspiring. Creating vivid images of a First World War battle, the already disturbing and reflex tension associated with filthy battle grounds makes for a beautiful setting; the quirky soldiers, the much too young recruits, the horror of finding yourself in the middle of an especially sour pickle, all of it builds rapidly from the first pages. You’ll instantly grow attached to Brookes, you’ll be somewhat puzzled by Smithy, and most of all, you’ll find Wilson to be the ‘level-headed’ one that you’re constantly cheering for, hoping against hope he’ll make it out of that hellhole alive.
I can honestly say I was completely taken by the story line; it kept me guessing all the while, and I did not picture anything ahead while reading. That’s rare, I always picture scenes ahead, usually I’m proven my flair was right on when I reach them. Well in this case, I was totally lost. It may have been in great part because of the thought-numbing creepy-filled fear of those damn rats. *shudders* You might have guessed it, for me the horror part wasn’t the vampire-y part, that’s never scary material for me as I’ve been a fang-groupie since I was 7 yo, but the rat-y part of it was just…just…*shudders*. Diabolical genius to use those.
I will also say, as I often simply must, that the cover is pretty awesome. You can tell there’s gonna be all kinds of fun just by looking at it.
Now, I will warn you, if you think you’re into horror, but you haven’t really read much of it, this is not the way to start exploring. It will be shocking, intense, and quite overwhelming. I wouldn’t recommend this to horror-noobs, or people with a faint heart (or queasy stomach!). But I would recommend it to horror lovers, as I find it to be a chilling masterpiece of the genre.
Now, see, there’s all kinds of horror; there’s the “boo-hoo” and the “boo-hoo-hoo” kind, the mildly amusing darkish delicious kind, the not-so-dark-but-a-bit-spooky kind, the I-wanna-be-a-horror-when-I-grow-up kind, and so on and o forth – all kinds. This right here, this is the freak-you-out-of-your-mind/gross-you-out kind. I’m telling you I had a few moments of nausea while reading, it’s that hardcore terrifying. Well maybe I wouldn’t say terrifying per so, more like a nasty shade of repugnant? *shudders* I think I went through 5 shades of green and 20 or so of pale overall.
I’m really happy I haven’t eaten before starting to read this yesterday, and today either before finishing it up. It could easily have been me heaving, it’s that intense.
Of course, this all translates to a smashing and disturbing success of G.R. Yeates‘s writing. This is truly horrifying, in a deep and disturbing way that very few manage to write. Honestly, I don’t remember reading something quite as disturbing as this novel, and I am into dark and disturbing things by large.
The most ingenious aspect of this degree of horror is simplicity; no matter how elaborate and creative you get, you’ll never manage to be quite as effective as the simple things of life. Like rats. Big, black, chubby rats, munching on some rotten flesh – maybe offering you a bit too. See? I bet you’re bolting for the bathroom already, just after picturing that. And man, there’s so much more of it where that came from.
The author makes use of most people’s natural yuch-factor, instead of trying to create it. That, to me, is incredibly smart. Nothing will ever be as horrific as your natural fears, and chances are a lot of people will find rats, especially flesh eating ones, effectively scary. I know I damn well do.
Of course, the setting is awe-inspiring. Creating vivid images of a First World War battle, the already disturbing and reflex tension associated with filthy battle grounds makes for a beautiful setting; the quirky soldiers, the much too young recruits, the horror of finding yourself in the middle of an especially sour pickle, all of it builds rapidly from the first pages. You’ll instantly grow attached to Brookes, you’ll be somewhat puzzled by Smithy, and most of all, you’ll find Wilson to be the ‘level-headed’ one that you’re constantly cheering for, hoping against hope he’ll make it out of that hellhole alive.
I can honestly say I was completely taken by the story line; it kept me guessing all the while, and I did not picture anything ahead while reading. That’s rare, I always picture scenes ahead, usually I’m proven my flair was right on when I reach them. Well in this case, I was totally lost. It may have been in great part because of the thought-numbing creepy-filled fear of those damn rats. *shudders* You might have guessed it, for me the horror part wasn’t the vampire-y part, that’s never scary material for me as I’ve been a fang-groupie since I was 7 yo, but the rat-y part of it was just…just…*shudders*. Diabolical genius to use those.
I will also say, as I often simply must, that the cover is pretty awesome. You can tell there’s gonna be all kinds of fun just by looking at it.
Now, I will warn you, if you think you’re into horror, but you haven’t really read much of it, this is not the way to start exploring. It will be shocking, intense, and quite overwhelming. I wouldn’t recommend this to horror-noobs, or people with a faint heart (or queasy stomach!). But I would recommend it to horror lovers, as I find it to be a chilling masterpiece of the genre.
April 7, 2012
"The Eyes of the Dead" by Gregory Yeates is a rather visceral horror tale that mixes some graphic imagery with a rather surreal plotline. It is set during World War I and initially follows three soldiers who have to leave the trenches and advance in an attempt to take some territory. When one of them is injured they take refuge in a crypt where they discover something more horrifying and evil than the war itself. One of the soldiers manages to escape the crypt, however that was just the beginning of a journey through terror and madness as he tries to understand what is real and what isn't.
The first thing I wish to highlight is that the author obviously has an outstanding ability to use the English language. The imagery he conjures up was simply sublime and I could really feel myself being drawn into the muddy, depressing and gruesome trenches of World War I. In addition, the way in which he describes and portrays the vampires in the novel was quite refreshing to witness. There was none of the irritating gloomy vampires we see in many YA novels here; these were creatures of pure evil and horror without any remorse or morality.
The storyline itself was incredibly dark with the feeling of evil seeming to flow out from every page. In addition, the book was full of some quite confusing and surreal moments during which I wasn't sure if it was reality or dream, something which really added to the feeling of foreboding within the novel. However, an issue I did have with the book which turned out to be quite major for me is that I never felt any moment of real understanding as I read the book. There didn't really seem to be anything pulling together all the strands of reality and hallucinations into a final result that would leave me feeling satisfied.
Overall, I have to say that Yeates has a superb writing style and the atmosphere he has created in this book was brilliantly dark and evil. Personally though, I just felt a little bit disappointed that there was no ending to really bring all the surrealism and horror together in an enjoyable manner for myself. I am freely willing to admit that maybe I just missed it or didn't grasp something, but it stopped me really loving the book which was a shame as from what I saw here I think Yeates has great ability. Either way, I do think that if you enjoy horror books then you should give this a try, even if it is just to witness the imagery that Yeates can create which some readers I am sure will find satisfying in itself.
The first thing I wish to highlight is that the author obviously has an outstanding ability to use the English language. The imagery he conjures up was simply sublime and I could really feel myself being drawn into the muddy, depressing and gruesome trenches of World War I. In addition, the way in which he describes and portrays the vampires in the novel was quite refreshing to witness. There was none of the irritating gloomy vampires we see in many YA novels here; these were creatures of pure evil and horror without any remorse or morality.
The storyline itself was incredibly dark with the feeling of evil seeming to flow out from every page. In addition, the book was full of some quite confusing and surreal moments during which I wasn't sure if it was reality or dream, something which really added to the feeling of foreboding within the novel. However, an issue I did have with the book which turned out to be quite major for me is that I never felt any moment of real understanding as I read the book. There didn't really seem to be anything pulling together all the strands of reality and hallucinations into a final result that would leave me feeling satisfied.
Overall, I have to say that Yeates has a superb writing style and the atmosphere he has created in this book was brilliantly dark and evil. Personally though, I just felt a little bit disappointed that there was no ending to really bring all the surrealism and horror together in an enjoyable manner for myself. I am freely willing to admit that maybe I just missed it or didn't grasp something, but it stopped me really loving the book which was a shame as from what I saw here I think Yeates has great ability. Either way, I do think that if you enjoy horror books then you should give this a try, even if it is just to witness the imagery that Yeates can create which some readers I am sure will find satisfying in itself.
September 13, 2011
This was quite a departure for me. If I'm honest I'm not quite sure why I've always overlooked the horror/vampire genre – it's not as if I read a horror story and decided I didn't like it; for some reason, I've just never tried it.
G R Yeates has taken my horror fiction virginity; and yes, it was good for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It is evident that the author is a very gifted writer; he has an outstanding command of the English language – his narrative is vivid, no detail is left to the imagination, the scene is set for you with every element described right down to minutiae and to complete perfection.
The story is set in the First World War – horrors of war alone are enough to shock, appal and disgust – but when three soldiers take refuge in a deserted, bombed church, what they find in the crypt is beyond a nightmare: it's chilling, frightening and abominable . As you eagerly turn the pages, absorbing the rich, abundant vocabulary that depicts every imaginable horror, you are periodically suddenly stopped in your tracks when you are brought into the parallel of reality.
And just as you think you're on the even keel of real life when the scene shifts to a war hospital which houses the senselessness and destruction of war and the appalling physical injuries and mental torture of brave young men who fought for their country, you are plunged back into merciless vampire terror.
The ending is one you race towards. Not only because you want to greedily devour more and more of the feast of illustrative words, but also because you are eager to know if it will end with the shape-shifting evil or if will we be jolted back to a scene of reality. The final curtain falls, not totally unexpectedly, but utterly satisfyingly.
G R Yeates has taken my horror fiction virginity; and yes, it was good for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It is evident that the author is a very gifted writer; he has an outstanding command of the English language – his narrative is vivid, no detail is left to the imagination, the scene is set for you with every element described right down to minutiae and to complete perfection.
The story is set in the First World War – horrors of war alone are enough to shock, appal and disgust – but when three soldiers take refuge in a deserted, bombed church, what they find in the crypt is beyond a nightmare: it's chilling, frightening and abominable . As you eagerly turn the pages, absorbing the rich, abundant vocabulary that depicts every imaginable horror, you are periodically suddenly stopped in your tracks when you are brought into the parallel of reality.
And just as you think you're on the even keel of real life when the scene shifts to a war hospital which houses the senselessness and destruction of war and the appalling physical injuries and mental torture of brave young men who fought for their country, you are plunged back into merciless vampire terror.
The ending is one you race towards. Not only because you want to greedily devour more and more of the feast of illustrative words, but also because you are eager to know if it will end with the shape-shifting evil or if will we be jolted back to a scene of reality. The final curtain falls, not totally unexpectedly, but utterly satisfyingly.
May 24, 2012
There's some very strong positive points to this book, particularly so for a debut author.
Yeates has an obvious passion for WWI, and it shows. He also as a dark and furtive imagination, coming up with several graphic and disturbing scenes throughout the book. Giving a new and original take on vampires (and thankfully, there's no "sparkling in the daylight" here) is a difficult task these days, but again, Yeates has managed it.
However, where there is positive, there is also some negative. But bear with me here.
Personally, I found the characters a little lacking (and frequently brief) making it harder to invest in them, and the overarching story a little muddied and weak. Particularly the descriptions of the Vetala.
However. This is the first book in a series. I strongly suspect that reading subsequent volumes will remove some of those criticisms, particularly as Yeates is very gifted at creating those kind of disturbing images which stay with you for some time (rather than a sudden shock, or a description which goes for repulsion for its own sake). This strikes me as the work of an author in it for a long-term payoff, with your investment in each volume bringing greater and greater reading pleasure.
All in all, a nice debut (which is anything but nice), which should lead into a strong climax. Original and disturbing, I'd certainly recommend it.
Yeates has an obvious passion for WWI, and it shows. He also as a dark and furtive imagination, coming up with several graphic and disturbing scenes throughout the book. Giving a new and original take on vampires (and thankfully, there's no "sparkling in the daylight" here) is a difficult task these days, but again, Yeates has managed it.
However, where there is positive, there is also some negative. But bear with me here.
Personally, I found the characters a little lacking (and frequently brief) making it harder to invest in them, and the overarching story a little muddied and weak. Particularly the descriptions of the Vetala.
However. This is the first book in a series. I strongly suspect that reading subsequent volumes will remove some of those criticisms, particularly as Yeates is very gifted at creating those kind of disturbing images which stay with you for some time (rather than a sudden shock, or a description which goes for repulsion for its own sake). This strikes me as the work of an author in it for a long-term payoff, with your investment in each volume bringing greater and greater reading pleasure.
All in all, a nice debut (which is anything but nice), which should lead into a strong climax. Original and disturbing, I'd certainly recommend it.
April 23, 2012
This was an excellently written novel and it is obvious that Yeates has a talent for writing, but unfortunately the circling of the events and the fact that it seemed to transfer between dream and reality pretty much nonstop made this novel too redundant and ultimately confusing for me to enjoy. I appreciate that the author actually vilified a vampire seeing as how lately almost all novels in the vampire genre are about young women falling in love with brooding, self loathing vamps, but the lack of anything happy ever happening throughout the entire novel just depressed me. Wilson having to sacrifice himself in the end was not at all how I had hoped the plot would resolve. Overall, I personally did not enjoy this novel all that much, but anyone who loves to read about the realities of war and who enjoys a lot of gore and a somewhat depressing ending will indeed enjoy this novel.
May 1, 2012
I was hooked at the beginning of this book, but as time went on (and the ever mounting dream/hallucination sequences filling page after page)it became more and more of a chore to read. I started to feel like I was caught in a Monty Python skit and any moment Graham Chapman was going to pop up a scream, "GET ON WITH IT!!"
Unless you are the type of person that enjoys listening to some person you barely know (and care about even less) ramble on and on about stupid "scary" dreams they had the night before... avoid this book at all costs. If you do enjoy other peoples crappy boring dreams, enjoy!!
I did want to add one thing, Yeates has an amazing poetic writing style. He mananges to write about gore and war time travesty in a way that makes you more than an outside observer, you are there participating. I just wish he had uncluttered the muddy water and "got on with it."
Unless you are the type of person that enjoys listening to some person you barely know (and care about even less) ramble on and on about stupid "scary" dreams they had the night before... avoid this book at all costs. If you do enjoy other peoples crappy boring dreams, enjoy!!
I did want to add one thing, Yeates has an amazing poetic writing style. He mananges to write about gore and war time travesty in a way that makes you more than an outside observer, you are there participating. I just wish he had uncluttered the muddy water and "got on with it."
August 16, 2016
The Eyes of the Dead
This graphic SUPERNATURAL ,THRILLER is jam packed with HORROR. We all know that wars in general are horror at its peak, but this story takes you beyond what you have previously imagined. Reg Wilson is the lone survivor of him unit..but is he? Is he even a survivor? Take the trip with Reg as he attempts to flee the nightmare of ALL the dead trying to drag him to the horror hell they exisist in. Prepare for the horrors you never knew existed. I RECOMMEND.
This graphic SUPERNATURAL ,THRILLER is jam packed with HORROR. We all know that wars in general are horror at its peak, but this story takes you beyond what you have previously imagined. Reg Wilson is the lone survivor of him unit..but is he? Is he even a survivor? Take the trip with Reg as he attempts to flee the nightmare of ALL the dead trying to drag him to the horror hell they exisist in. Prepare for the horrors you never knew existed. I RECOMMEND.
August 4, 2011
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. When a writer can pound a stake through a reader's heart like this one does, it's just a matter of time until everyone knows his name. Nuanced and emotionally gripping. The horrors of war mingle with the horrors of the supernatural in an unrelenting story.
September 19, 2011
Excellent debut. A future star of the genre.
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