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The Dark
At a secluded cabin near a lake, a series of unnatural events threatens ten-year-old Joshua. When he finds a sneaker in the woods, Joshua's visited nightly by a strange boy that tries to entice him into the forest to be his companion. What first starts playful turns increasingly darker as the more Joshua refuses, the more malevolent the boy becomes. With his parents distracted with their own problems, can Joshua escape the same fate that has lured so many other children into the nearby woods never to be seen again?
362 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2022
7 people want to read
About the author
Emilio Iasiello
13 books25 followersEmilio Iasiello is an author and screenwriter.
Books available at http://amzn.to/1jh09sy.
Info on filmed screenplays available at http://imdb.to/1bdsqvJ
Emilio Iasiello authored the 2013 anthology of short stories Why People Do What They Do and the 2008 book Chasing the Green. He has published short fiction and poetry in numerous academic and literary journals. His stories have appeared in Buffalo Spree Magazine, The
Larcom Review, Oasis, and Krater Quarterly, and his poems have appeared in the New York Review, Iron Horse Literary Review, The California Quarterly, The Washington Review, and The Wilshire Review, among others.
An avid screenwriter, he has optioned several screenplays, three of which have been produced into films: Saint Christopher (2002), P.J. (2008), and Chasing the Green (2009). Chasing the Green won the Award for Excellence in Filmmaking at the 2010 Canada International Film Festival and the Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film Award at the 2009 Los Angeles Action on Film International Film Festival. P.J. received the Best Actress Award in the 2008 Miami Underground Film Festival. A fourth screenplay, Dead of Knight, is currently in post-production.
A devotee of the theatre, Emilio has had his stage plays produced in Baltimore, MD; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; and London, UK.
Books available at http://amzn.to/1jh09sy.
Info on filmed screenplays available at http://imdb.to/1bdsqvJ
Emilio Iasiello authored the 2013 anthology of short stories Why People Do What They Do and the 2008 book Chasing the Green. He has published short fiction and poetry in numerous academic and literary journals. His stories have appeared in Buffalo Spree Magazine, The
Larcom Review, Oasis, and Krater Quarterly, and his poems have appeared in the New York Review, Iron Horse Literary Review, The California Quarterly, The Washington Review, and The Wilshire Review, among others.
An avid screenwriter, he has optioned several screenplays, three of which have been produced into films: Saint Christopher (2002), P.J. (2008), and Chasing the Green (2009). Chasing the Green won the Award for Excellence in Filmmaking at the 2010 Canada International Film Festival and the Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film Award at the 2009 Los Angeles Action on Film International Film Festival. P.J. received the Best Actress Award in the 2008 Miami Underground Film Festival. A fourth screenplay, Dead of Knight, is currently in post-production.
A devotee of the theatre, Emilio has had his stage plays produced in Baltimore, MD; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; and London, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 5, 2023
Very Engaging!
I am very pleased I got the opportunity to read The Dark by Mr. Emilio Iasiello. This story was very engaging and kept my interest from start to finish. Mr. Iasiello did a marvelous job weaving humor into a story with horror elements.
I found myself very pleased with the character development of the father and found Joshua to be a well written character as well. Anne, the mother definitely will cause a reaction for many readers, but even still, she is a very relatable character.
The Dark is an intriguing story that is very well written and it is evident the author knew exactly the story he wanted to tell. Tremendous development, catchy one liners, and engaging mysteries makes this story a must read.
Congrats Mr. Iasiello on publishing a fine story to add to the collection of the horror genre. I definitely recommend!
I am very pleased I got the opportunity to read The Dark by Mr. Emilio Iasiello. This story was very engaging and kept my interest from start to finish. Mr. Iasiello did a marvelous job weaving humor into a story with horror elements.
I found myself very pleased with the character development of the father and found Joshua to be a well written character as well. Anne, the mother definitely will cause a reaction for many readers, but even still, she is a very relatable character.
The Dark is an intriguing story that is very well written and it is evident the author knew exactly the story he wanted to tell. Tremendous development, catchy one liners, and engaging mysteries makes this story a must read.
Congrats Mr. Iasiello on publishing a fine story to add to the collection of the horror genre. I definitely recommend!
December 11, 2022
Dovetailing Spookiness With Comicality via Personified Darkness
The Dark by Emilio Iasiello is a strong and compelling tale that tracks and details the eerie events an American family holidaying in a secluded cabin is witness to. When the cabin, positioned near a mysterious forest housing trees that seemingly move, gets inhabited by a family of three, surreal incidents begin shaping the lives of the individuals. And contrary to what you as a reader may think, The Dark is not a horror story to a tee, for it has a rightful mixture of comedy, mystery, and romance. The author, beyond doubt, does a fabulous job of dovetailing spookiness and mystery with amusement and comicality.
Showcasing Fatherly Love
Anne mothers Joshua, a school-going kid integral to the story’s plot. She is married to one Mr Jack, who comes across as an inspiring fatherly figure always ready to fulfil his only son’s needs. Joshua is a mature kid who surprises the reader with his oomph and presence of mind. It so happens that Anne indulges in adultery, and the person with whom she establishes an extra-marital affair is none other than one of her neighbours named Dave. When her family gets wise to the illicit affair, Anne only feels it proper to move away from the location to any place where she could get ample time and opportunity to right the strained ties with her husband.
The cabin in the town of Remington becomes the go-to spot for the family, and after the family settles in the picturesque place, Joshua begins hearing strange voices. The author calls these voices the Noise. Darkness gets personified as the Dark; the reader eventually learns that the Dark is not simply darkness per se but a living, breathing entity always looking to satiate its hunger. But how did the Dark come into being in the first place? The answer to that lies towards the end of the book.
Flashback ‘Matters’
Initially, it is only Joshua who figures something is amiss. Despite the odd happenings, Joshua spends quality time with his parents, especially his father, with whom he chiefly enjoys fishing. Everything is hunky dory until a person named Henry, who manages a store in the town, alerts Anne, stating the forest is not a place his son is supposed to enter. He, nonetheless, does not share why.
A flashback follows later in the story; it deals with Anne’s sexual life. Be that as it may, Jack (in the present) comes upon a diary in the cabin that goes on to intimate what exactly gave birth to the Dark, leading to many a mysterious deaths in Remington. Jack and Anne, as if fated to resolve their conflict by solving the mystery, decide it is high time they left the fear-rousing place. Quite interestingly, Jack discovers the whereabouts of a man who had lost his wife and kid to the Dark. He meets him and finds a way to bring the evil force to an end. But is it too late to do so? Does his family meet the same end as that of the man? Well, you will have to read the book to figure that out!
Reviewer’s Take
As a reader, I felt the story to be well-plotted and laid out. The author does a commendable job of interweaving romance, thrill, and mystery elements. The novel manages to keep the reader engrossed up until the very end. There were a few mistakes in the book, all of them typos. No grammatical inaccuracies could be spotted by this reviewer.
It is a tough task to make readers laugh while narrating a spooky tale. Kudos to Emilio Iasiello for his superb one-liners and cleverly crafted sentences that make the reader smile from time to time. I will recommend the book to anyone interested in surrealism, magical realism, and horror. But if you are a voracious reader, you had better go ahead and give The Dark a read immediately. The story, we voice, will not leave you disappointed.
Dovetailing Spookiness With Comicality via Personified Darkness
The Dark by Emilio Iasiello is a strong and compelling tale that tracks and details the eerie events an American family holidaying in a secluded cabin is witness to. When the cabin, positioned near a mysterious forest housing trees that seemingly move, gets inhabited by a family of three, surreal incidents begin shaping the lives of the individuals. And contrary to what you as a reader may think, The Dark is not a horror story to a tee, for it has a rightful mixture of comedy, mystery, and romance. The author, beyond doubt, does a fabulous job of dovetailing spookiness and mystery with amusement and comicality.
Showcasing Fatherly Love
Anne mothers Joshua, a school-going kid integral to the story’s plot. She is married to one Mr Jack, who comes across as an inspiring fatherly figure always ready to fulfil his only son’s needs. Joshua is a mature kid who surprises the reader with his oomph and presence of mind. It so happens that Anne indulges in adultery, and the person with whom she establishes an extra-marital affair is none other than one of her neighbours named Dave. When her family gets wise to the illicit affair, Anne only feels it proper to move away from the location to any place where she could get ample time and opportunity to right the strained ties with her husband.
The cabin in the town of Remington becomes the go-to spot for the family, and after the family settles in the picturesque place, Joshua begins hearing strange voices. The author calls these voices the Noise. Darkness gets personified as the Dark; the reader eventually learns that the Dark is not simply darkness per se but a living, breathing entity always looking to satiate its hunger. But how did the Dark come into being in the first place? The answer to that lies towards the end of the book.
Flashback ‘Matters’
Initially, it is only Joshua who figures something is amiss. Despite the odd happenings, Joshua spends quality time with his parents, especially his father, with whom he chiefly enjoys fishing. Everything is hunky dory until a person named Henry, who manages a store in the town, alerts Anne, stating the forest is not a place his son is supposed to enter. He, nonetheless, does not share why.
A flashback follows later in the story; it deals with Anne’s sexual life. Be that as it may, Jack (in the present) comes upon a diary in the cabin that goes on to intimate what exactly gave birth to the Dark, leading to many a mysterious deaths in Remington. Jack and Anne, as if fated to resolve their conflict by solving the mystery, decide it is high time they left the fear-rousing place. Quite interestingly, Jack discovers the whereabouts of a man who had lost his wife and kid to the Dark. He meets him and finds a way to bring the evil force to an end. But is it too late to do so? Does his family meet the same end as that of the man? Well, you will have to read the book to figure that out!
Reviewer’s Take
As a reader, I felt the story to be well-plotted and laid out. The author does a commendable job of interweaving romance, thrill, and mystery elements. The novel manages to keep the reader engrossed up until the very end. There were a few mistakes in the book, all of them typos. No grammatical inaccuracies could be spotted by this reviewer.
It is a tough task to make readers laugh while narrating a spooky tale. Kudos to Emilio Iasiello for his superb one-liners and cleverly crafted sentences that make the reader smile from time to time. I will recommend the book to anyone interested in surrealism, magical realism, and horror. But if you are a voracious reader, you had better go ahead and give The Dark a read immediately. The story, we voice, will not leave you disappointed.
August 2, 2023
In this breathtaking novel, author Emilio lasiello has crafted a mesmerizing tale that seamlessly weaves magic, adventure, and deep emotions into a captivating tapestry.
The character development in 'The Enchanted Lake' is simply exceptional. Joshua is a relatable and brave protagonist, who displays remarkable growth as he faces the challenges that befall him.
The supporting cast of characters, the vivid descriptions of the cabin, the lush forest, and the magical creatures' realm transport readers into a realm of awe and wonder.
What truly sets this novel apart is the emotional depth it explores, experiencing empathy, joy, sorrow, and hope alongside the young protagonist and the importance of family bonds, and the beauty of nature resonate long after the final page.
This novel is a must-read for anyone seeking an unforgettable adventure that will leave them believing in the power of dreams and the magic that surrounds us all. Highly recommended!
The character development in 'The Enchanted Lake' is simply exceptional. Joshua is a relatable and brave protagonist, who displays remarkable growth as he faces the challenges that befall him.
The supporting cast of characters, the vivid descriptions of the cabin, the lush forest, and the magical creatures' realm transport readers into a realm of awe and wonder.
What truly sets this novel apart is the emotional depth it explores, experiencing empathy, joy, sorrow, and hope alongside the young protagonist and the importance of family bonds, and the beauty of nature resonate long after the final page.
This novel is a must-read for anyone seeking an unforgettable adventure that will leave them believing in the power of dreams and the magic that surrounds us all. Highly recommended!
April 3, 2023
A potential story and a book. Dark is a thrilling and suspenseful tale that follows the experiences of a ten-year-old boy named Joshua who faces a series of unnatural events at a secluded cabin near a lake.
The introduction of a strange boy who visits Joshua nightly and tries to lure him into the forest creates an intriguing mystery that kept me gripped and engaged. The fact that the boy becomes increasingly malevolent as Joshua resists adds an additional layer of tension and raises the stakes.
Furthermore, the fact that Joshua's parents are distracted with their own problems so he navigates this dangerous situation on his own, which is an exciting and emotional journey.
Overall, the book has a solid foundation for an engaging thriller that captivate readers like me will enjoy, Its suspenseful and mysterious
Much recommend, i give it a 5 star
The introduction of a strange boy who visits Joshua nightly and tries to lure him into the forest creates an intriguing mystery that kept me gripped and engaged. The fact that the boy becomes increasingly malevolent as Joshua resists adds an additional layer of tension and raises the stakes.
Furthermore, the fact that Joshua's parents are distracted with their own problems so he navigates this dangerous situation on his own, which is an exciting and emotional journey.
Overall, the book has a solid foundation for an engaging thriller that captivate readers like me will enjoy, Its suspenseful and mysterious
Much recommend, i give it a 5 star
May 21, 2023
One thing this book achieves really well is the horror element, combining old and new horror elements into a creepy blend. This book, unlike, a lot of horrors, didn't take forever to get started, and even in the low-horror points, I was intrigued by the family's personal problems. I think the subject of divorce and cheating was balanced well and felt believable.
Although something I want to point out is that this book needs to classify itself better. Pick a voice or writing style and stick with it. From fart jokes at the beginning to an entire erotic chapter of the mom's cheating spree, to long paragraphs of scientific facts, this book needed a clearer definition of what it wanted to be. Especially with the erotic chapter. That could have easily been skipped. It threw off the entire vibe of the book.
4 stars.
Although something I want to point out is that this book needs to classify itself better. Pick a voice or writing style and stick with it. From fart jokes at the beginning to an entire erotic chapter of the mom's cheating spree, to long paragraphs of scientific facts, this book needed a clearer definition of what it wanted to be. Especially with the erotic chapter. That could have easily been skipped. It threw off the entire vibe of the book.
4 stars.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews