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The Evolutionist
Las Vegas suburbanite, Stacy Troy, dreams that everyone is dead. She dismembers the bodies of loved ones, stuffs them into a shopping cart, then takes them two at a time to the pile where she will burn their remains and say her last goodbyes.
Waking nightly to her own screams, Stacy is convinced she’s on the brink of a mid-life crisis and begins secretly seeing a psychiatrist. Dr. Light and his methods seem strange and unconventional, but his treatments work, and her circumstances improve. Until the nightmares return with a vengeance, taking on a life of their own.
Uncertain what to believe, Stacy carries on living the only life she remembers. Nosebleeds and head-splitting alarms only she can hear, become a regular occurrence. In physical and mental decline, the nocturnal world in her mind refuses to die. The images it reveals hold clues that lead her to a shocking discovery.
Threatening to unravel the last thread of her sanity, Stacy must make a heartrending decision...before her post-apocalyptic nightmares come true.
Waking nightly to her own screams, Stacy is convinced she’s on the brink of a mid-life crisis and begins secretly seeing a psychiatrist. Dr. Light and his methods seem strange and unconventional, but his treatments work, and her circumstances improve. Until the nightmares return with a vengeance, taking on a life of their own.
Uncertain what to believe, Stacy carries on living the only life she remembers. Nosebleeds and head-splitting alarms only she can hear, become a regular occurrence. In physical and mental decline, the nocturnal world in her mind refuses to die. The images it reveals hold clues that lead her to a shocking discovery.
Threatening to unravel the last thread of her sanity, Stacy must make a heartrending decision...before her post-apocalyptic nightmares come true.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
9 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
Rena Mason
44 books50 followersRena Mason is the Bram Stoker Award® winning author of The Evolutionist and East End Girls. A longtime fan of horror, sci-fi, science, history, historical fiction, mysteries, and thrillers, she began writing to mash up those genres in stories revolving around everyday life.
She is a member of the Horror Writer's Association, Pacific Northwest Writer's Association, and International Thriller Writers. She writes a column for the HWA Monthly Newsletter, "Recently Born of Horrific Minds" and writes occasional articles. She also does volunteer work for the Horror Writer's Association.
An avid SCUBA diver since 1988, she has traveled the world and enjoys incorporating the experiences into her stories.
Currently, she resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her family.
She is a member of the Horror Writer's Association, Pacific Northwest Writer's Association, and International Thriller Writers. She writes a column for the HWA Monthly Newsletter, "Recently Born of Horrific Minds" and writes occasional articles. She also does volunteer work for the Horror Writer's Association.
An avid SCUBA diver since 1988, she has traveled the world and enjoys incorporating the experiences into her stories.
Currently, she resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 17, 2013
I finished Ms. Mason's first novel last night and have spent the entire time since, thinking about it. It is a rare thing for an author's first novel to be a win for me, but she really hit it out of the park.
I will admit I was a bit leery at first. It's written in First Person Present Tense, a style that I will admit I hate, but it only took about two pages for me to be completely over the style choice and immersed in the story. The dialogue is crisp and realistic, her transitions superb. The narrative flows in a way that makes it hard to put down. Even with all that, I was unaware just how subtly she'd made me care for the characters until the last 15 pages. I'm not ashamed to say I wanted to weep as I came to the powerful end.
This novel caused me pain. It brought up emotions in a way that no book has for me since adolescence. I couldn't recommend it more. The Evolutionist is a must for female horror fans, but males will enjoy it as well. It's exciting, touching, and horrifyingly real. Five stars for Rena Mason. I'm a new fan!
I will admit I was a bit leery at first. It's written in First Person Present Tense, a style that I will admit I hate, but it only took about two pages for me to be completely over the style choice and immersed in the story. The dialogue is crisp and realistic, her transitions superb. The narrative flows in a way that makes it hard to put down. Even with all that, I was unaware just how subtly she'd made me care for the characters until the last 15 pages. I'm not ashamed to say I wanted to weep as I came to the powerful end.
This novel caused me pain. It brought up emotions in a way that no book has for me since adolescence. I couldn't recommend it more. The Evolutionist is a must for female horror fans, but males will enjoy it as well. It's exciting, touching, and horrifyingly real. Five stars for Rena Mason. I'm a new fan!
May 7, 2015
This was deeply cynical and I enjoyed every bit of it. Unique horror/sci-fi combo. I saw a full page ad for the cover art in Cemetery Dance and bought it based on that alone. I'm glad I did.
November 18, 2018
A well-written novel, though I couldn't really remember being scared. For 2 hundred pages something ominous is intimated, but the payoff really isn't worth the laborious setup. There are passages and even pages of brilliance, but they only serve to highlight...when the novel is lacking. You get the feeling Mason's next novel will be excellent, hoping the mistakes of a first novel will be addressed.
May 4, 2023
If I were to give a name to the kind of horror in Rena Mason's book, it'd be something like 'emotional horror' or 'anxiety horror.' It's definitely a slow-burn, and very atmospheric. Indeed, sometimes you can cut the atmopshere with a knife: there are some embarrassing moments, as the protagonist of the story, the upper middle class housewife, Stacy, goes through her upper middle class problems, with her upper middle class friends, with her upper middle class husband, showing occasional patience, lots of cynicism, and … well, apparent episodes of insanity. She has nightmares out of nowhere, where she dismembers and burns the bodies of loved ones in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas. Her reality is disintegrating. She has nosebleeds, headaches, hallucinations. And then she finds Dr. Light, a psychiatrist. The story picks up, and the picture Mason is painting turns out to be quite bizarre. Bit by bit, Stacy's ordinary daily life becomes like a reality tv show, and her nightmares, instead, give glimpses into the truth. Her 'soccer mom' personna, the suburban housewife identity, opens up like an onion, into several layers of echo-like moments of self-exploration: at that moment, the book goes into sci-fi territory. And, after it goes back to horror, it's no longer easy to comment further without spoilers. At times, because of the change of genres, I was tempted to put the book aside and come back later. However, the writing is brilliant, pure joy; reading this book gives pleasure. The ending did not make much sense at all, but, this is part of its charm. It's unusual, and it gave me unusual vibes, feelings and viewpoints that would have been inaccessible to me otherwise. It's a performance, a journey out of the ordinary into uncanny, alien dreamscapes right next to it (though there's nothing surreal, either plotwise or in the writing.) This is enough to recommend the book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 6, 2016
I must present myself as together in the face of the vultures who watch and wait for me to stumble.
Walk away, behind my back, do they mumble.
I am surrounded by people, faces, family, and friends.
Yet I am alone with the voices whom real life contends.
I am told to open my eyes and realize who I am and who I'm not. I forget. I forgot.
I love my family or at least I think I do, but in my dreams I hurt them, I hurt too.
The voices whisper to me and what they say does appeal. When I touch my son all I feel is surreal.
Things are changing, rearranging, causing me to see a new sight. I must leave, live on, make new memories this night.
by Nikki~
This read was based on the ins and outs of Stacy's life and how and why the things in her life were changing. It took quite a while for me to get a grasp on what was happening. Once I did, I was able to settle back and enjoy the story this author wanted to express. I think I was expecting an apocalyptic tale with blood and guts, but I got more of a self-exploration read.
I read. I liked. It was different.
Walk away, behind my back, do they mumble.
I am surrounded by people, faces, family, and friends.
Yet I am alone with the voices whom real life contends.
I am told to open my eyes and realize who I am and who I'm not. I forget. I forgot.
I love my family or at least I think I do, but in my dreams I hurt them, I hurt too.
The voices whisper to me and what they say does appeal. When I touch my son all I feel is surreal.
Things are changing, rearranging, causing me to see a new sight. I must leave, live on, make new memories this night.
by Nikki~
This read was based on the ins and outs of Stacy's life and how and why the things in her life were changing. It took quite a while for me to get a grasp on what was happening. Once I did, I was able to settle back and enjoy the story this author wanted to express. I think I was expecting an apocalyptic tale with blood and guts, but I got more of a self-exploration read.
I read. I liked. It was different.
August 3, 2013
Excellent first novel. Difficult to put down. Interesting characters and very well written. Highly recommended.
May 9, 2023
This was ummm…. Interesting. It’s such a flip to be reading about rich Vegas housewives one second, to having that same housewife chopping up bodies of people she knows the next.
I wasn’t sure where the plot was going for a good chunk of this story, and then the reveal that made me think “Huh? Really?”.
I did get a sense of ominous dread during the buildup, but I was also a bit bored that it took so so soooo long to get anywhere in this story. The day to day scenes of the main characters life: shopping, drinking, going to the gym, going to her son’s soccer stuff was just too much blah.
I’m leaving this book with a feeling of ambiguity as I really don’t know how I feel about it.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for a copy!
I wasn’t sure where the plot was going for a good chunk of this story, and then the reveal that made me think “Huh? Really?”.
I did get a sense of ominous dread during the buildup, but I was also a bit bored that it took so so soooo long to get anywhere in this story. The day to day scenes of the main characters life: shopping, drinking, going to the gym, going to her son’s soccer stuff was just too much blah.
I’m leaving this book with a feeling of ambiguity as I really don’t know how I feel about it.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for a copy!
May 7, 2013
I met Rena Mason at the 2012 World Horror Convention is Salt Lake City. She was friendly, enthusiastic, and an all around great gal. She’d also just had a story published in the charity anthology Horror For Good, which I purchased and read and loved and reviewed here and on schayden.com
Naturally, when her debut novel was released, I picked up a copy. Sure, I picked it up because she’s an all around great gal but I also picked it up because “The Eyes Have It” her story in Horror For Good, was really quite excellent. As a general rule, if I like an author’s short fiction, I’ll also like their long fiction. Its not always true but it’s pretty damn close and in Rena’s case, the rule holds.
The Evolutionist is a tale about an upper middle class housewife, Stacy, on the verge of madness. Her nights are plagued by dreams of dismembered and burning bodies in a post-apocalyptic death-scape and her days are filled with blinding headaches, unexplainable nose bleeds, and hallucinations.
With the help of Dr. Light, a very odd and aptly named psychiatrist, we learn that our protagonist is actually much more than an upper middle class housewife. So much more, in fact, that she may hold the key to coming (or not) of the end of the world.
One of the book’s strengths is the balance between the bizarre and the ordinary. Stacy’s life is one of book clubs, lunch dates, and the duties of being a mom. But, underneath it all, there are waking dreams, terrifying nightmares, and a creeping loss of control. Unbeknownst to her husband and friends, she is quietly losing her mind.
My only criticism is that while the juxtaposing of strange and ordinary is superb, the ordinary is a bit too ordinary. I tend to be attracted to “flawed” characters. If Stacy had been anything beside a suburban housewife; a taxi driver with a drinking problem, a cop who is in love with a prostitute, a washed up boxer with a penchant for watercolors, it would have been more my speed, but that is a personal preference that probably says more about me than it does about the story or its author.
The bottom line is, The Evolutionist is a really good book. The pacing is great, the storyline is intriguing, and the ending is completely and wholly unexpected. It’s a paranormal thriller, it’s a horror mystery, it’s dark sci-fi, it’s chick lit with a twist, it’s a whole lot of things, but most importantly, it’s a damn good read.
Naturally, when her debut novel was released, I picked up a copy. Sure, I picked it up because she’s an all around great gal but I also picked it up because “The Eyes Have It” her story in Horror For Good, was really quite excellent. As a general rule, if I like an author’s short fiction, I’ll also like their long fiction. Its not always true but it’s pretty damn close and in Rena’s case, the rule holds.
The Evolutionist is a tale about an upper middle class housewife, Stacy, on the verge of madness. Her nights are plagued by dreams of dismembered and burning bodies in a post-apocalyptic death-scape and her days are filled with blinding headaches, unexplainable nose bleeds, and hallucinations.
With the help of Dr. Light, a very odd and aptly named psychiatrist, we learn that our protagonist is actually much more than an upper middle class housewife. So much more, in fact, that she may hold the key to coming (or not) of the end of the world.
One of the book’s strengths is the balance between the bizarre and the ordinary. Stacy’s life is one of book clubs, lunch dates, and the duties of being a mom. But, underneath it all, there are waking dreams, terrifying nightmares, and a creeping loss of control. Unbeknownst to her husband and friends, she is quietly losing her mind.
My only criticism is that while the juxtaposing of strange and ordinary is superb, the ordinary is a bit too ordinary. I tend to be attracted to “flawed” characters. If Stacy had been anything beside a suburban housewife; a taxi driver with a drinking problem, a cop who is in love with a prostitute, a washed up boxer with a penchant for watercolors, it would have been more my speed, but that is a personal preference that probably says more about me than it does about the story or its author.
The bottom line is, The Evolutionist is a really good book. The pacing is great, the storyline is intriguing, and the ending is completely and wholly unexpected. It’s a paranormal thriller, it’s a horror mystery, it’s dark sci-fi, it’s chick lit with a twist, it’s a whole lot of things, but most importantly, it’s a damn good read.
January 1, 2017
Five stars for everything up to and including the big reveal. Two stars for the final act where the plot just dies down to a whimper with no real verve to it.
November 14, 2014
I continue my quest for great contemporary horror novels with The Evolutionist, by Rena Mason. And what a strange book it is.
The book begins by narrating the life of an upperclass Las Vegas housewife. She describes going to lunches, shopping, arranging parties, new clothes, meeting girlfriends, observations about her husband and son. It's a bit like Sex and the City crossed with Desperate Housewives, and made me check then recheck the book's description and gory cover to be sure I was reading the same book.
Then the narrator describes using an axe to cut up the broken corpses of her family and neighbors, while the end of the world scours skies above.
Ah.
I was reading the right book after all.
The first half of The Evolutionist is all about these switching narratives and genres. It turns out Stacy Troy is actually a housewife, but is having vivid nightmares, which seem to be sparking hallucinations. I admire Mason's remix ambition here, and enjoyed the combination for a while.
The second half, well, is spoiler time.
So in her first novel Rena Mason ambitiously tackles a group of genres, shuttling her protagonist among them.
What to make of it... several thoughts.
As a horror novel, The Evolutionist has some scenes of note, but that's not what it's really about. Once again I'm disappointed in my quest.
As a novel, it's uneven. I was impressed at how much Mason seeks to cover. I liked the way some of the pieces played against each other. As the spouse and father of emergency services people, I appreciated her solid descriptions of medical situations. Some of the second half's scenes are well done (see spoilers above). I admire the choice of protagonist in these genres, becoming neither a horror movie's tough final girl nor a rebel shaking off her 1% housewife life.
But it's both too long and too thing. The novel repeats similar scenes and events with scant iteration. We don't need to see Troy's son being distracted that many times, or her husband worrying about her health, or the intrusive tones sounding off again and again. On the flipside, several important plotlines develop without sufficient preparation. For example,
Moreover, I can only come up with so much sympathy and interest in the main character. Stacy Troy is a member of the socio-economic elite, and loves this position without much awareness or doubt. She's snobbish about products which seem low cost, never describes professional or domestic work (both seemingly outsourced), never has any money issues, and yet complains about the difficulties of this life. Her only friends are the same way, just more obnoxious, verging on Absolutely Fabulous territory. They read awful-sounding books (Memoirs of a Spa Junkie), and are more interested in the decor of their reading salon than in actually talking about what they've supposedly read. This group of women actually try out for a reality tv show about elite housewives. There are hints of a more complex character in her parents, who seem to come from another world, but the story doesn't explore this. Stacy's final developments (spoilerized above) actually do little to alter her personality. In fact, her 1% status and sense of superiority simply increases.
I was struck by the narrative's gynocentrism, and wondered where that was going to end up. Most of her social contacts are women. Stacy's interests are perfectly in line with contemporary, stereotypical gender roles: shopping, clothes, motherhood, parties, conversations with female friends (often about men). The novel's ultimate plot points concern Stacy and motherhood. The few male characters get little time on the page, and usually turn out badly or anomalously:
I'm not sure what this strategy entails, in the end. Is the gender focus entirely an effect of the protagonist's character? If so, what should we learn from it? Or is The Evolutionist offering a critique of modern life? If so, that doesn't seem to work with the book's second half. Or, more prosaically, did I just read a novel intended for a female audience? I'm not sure. Chick lit's not my thing, and I can't tell to what extent Evolutionist is supposed to fall into that category.
Or not. Perhaps the novel's conclusion and its characterization suggest another reading. Spoilerized accordingly:
So The Evolutionist is an unusual horror novel. Readers who've made it to this point in my review will probably have a good idea by now if it's worth their reading. I'm intrigued by Rena Mason's first book, and will look for her next stories.
The book begins by narrating the life of an upperclass Las Vegas housewife. She describes going to lunches, shopping, arranging parties, new clothes, meeting girlfriends, observations about her husband and son. It's a bit like Sex and the City crossed with Desperate Housewives, and made me check then recheck the book's description and gory cover to be sure I was reading the same book.
Then the narrator describes using an axe to cut up the broken corpses of her family and neighbors, while the end of the world scours skies above.
Ah.
I was reading the right book after all.
The first half of The Evolutionist is all about these switching narratives and genres. It turns out Stacy Troy is actually a housewife, but is having vivid nightmares, which seem to be sparking hallucinations. I admire Mason's remix ambition here, and enjoyed the combination for a while.
The second half, well, is spoiler time.
So in her first novel Rena Mason ambitiously tackles a group of genres, shuttling her protagonist among them.
What to make of it... several thoughts.
As a horror novel, The Evolutionist has some scenes of note, but that's not what it's really about. Once again I'm disappointed in my quest.
As a novel, it's uneven. I was impressed at how much Mason seeks to cover. I liked the way some of the pieces played against each other. As the spouse and father of emergency services people, I appreciated her solid descriptions of medical situations. Some of the second half's scenes are well done (see spoilers above). I admire the choice of protagonist in these genres, becoming neither a horror movie's tough final girl nor a rebel shaking off her 1% housewife life.
But it's both too long and too thing. The novel repeats similar scenes and events with scant iteration. We don't need to see Troy's son being distracted that many times, or her husband worrying about her health, or the intrusive tones sounding off again and again. On the flipside, several important plotlines develop without sufficient preparation. For example,
Moreover, I can only come up with so much sympathy and interest in the main character. Stacy Troy is a member of the socio-economic elite, and loves this position without much awareness or doubt. She's snobbish about products which seem low cost, never describes professional or domestic work (both seemingly outsourced), never has any money issues, and yet complains about the difficulties of this life. Her only friends are the same way, just more obnoxious, verging on Absolutely Fabulous territory. They read awful-sounding books (Memoirs of a Spa Junkie), and are more interested in the decor of their reading salon than in actually talking about what they've supposedly read. This group of women actually try out for a reality tv show about elite housewives. There are hints of a more complex character in her parents, who seem to come from another world, but the story doesn't explore this. Stacy's final developments (spoilerized above) actually do little to alter her personality. In fact, her 1% status and sense of superiority simply increases.
I was struck by the narrative's gynocentrism, and wondered where that was going to end up. Most of her social contacts are women. Stacy's interests are perfectly in line with contemporary, stereotypical gender roles: shopping, clothes, motherhood, parties, conversations with female friends (often about men). The novel's ultimate plot points concern Stacy and motherhood. The few male characters get little time on the page, and usually turn out badly or anomalously:
I'm not sure what this strategy entails, in the end. Is the gender focus entirely an effect of the protagonist's character? If so, what should we learn from it? Or is The Evolutionist offering a critique of modern life? If so, that doesn't seem to work with the book's second half. Or, more prosaically, did I just read a novel intended for a female audience? I'm not sure. Chick lit's not my thing, and I can't tell to what extent Evolutionist is supposed to fall into that category.
Or not. Perhaps the novel's conclusion and its characterization suggest another reading. Spoilerized accordingly:
So The Evolutionist is an unusual horror novel. Readers who've made it to this point in my review will probably have a good idea by now if it's worth their reading. I'm intrigued by Rena Mason's first book, and will look for her next stories.
August 31, 2023
What the hell did I just read???
I don't even know where to start with this one. I've known (and read) Rena for a long time, and I honestly don't know what to say about this novel - but I'll try.
First, I did find it very slow to start. The things that were occurring were confusing, and when a story starts out that way, it makes it hard to really get into it. It took me about a quarter of the way in before I really became vested in the story and the characters - but when that happened, the train just kept picking up speed. I think this quote from another review sums things up nicely: " It's a bit like Sex and the City crossed with Desperate Housewives".
Rena takes on a number of themes - the most prominent being psychosis; and does so in an interesting way. Throughout the story, right up until the climax, you're wondering if Stacy is crazy, or is what she experiencing real. The story is an interesting one, that also tackles the question of "Why are we here" (in an interesting way).
All that being said, there's a reason this book won the 2013 Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel - pick it up and find that reason out for yourself.
I don't even know where to start with this one. I've known (and read) Rena for a long time, and I honestly don't know what to say about this novel - but I'll try.
First, I did find it very slow to start. The things that were occurring were confusing, and when a story starts out that way, it makes it hard to really get into it. It took me about a quarter of the way in before I really became vested in the story and the characters - but when that happened, the train just kept picking up speed. I think this quote from another review sums things up nicely: " It's a bit like Sex and the City crossed with Desperate Housewives".
Rena takes on a number of themes - the most prominent being psychosis; and does so in an interesting way. Throughout the story, right up until the climax, you're wondering if Stacy is crazy, or is what she experiencing real. The story is an interesting one, that also tackles the question of "Why are we here" (in an interesting way).
All that being said, there's a reason this book won the 2013 Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel - pick it up and find that reason out for yourself.
September 4, 2019
This was creepy and ratcheted up in a very subtle way, eventually reaching a sheer cliff of anxiety. My favorite thing about the Evolutionist was the way in which it tracked everyday fears of modern life (relationship problems, health, mental wellbeing, children) alongside the possibly of a cataclysmic event. The sense of impending dread was palpable and it was impossible to tell which caused more anxiety, the slow unraveling of the protagonists life or the possibility of the end of everything. Mason has does a great job of drawing you in slowly and really rakes the reader over the coals. I felt a bit exhausted after the experience!
I enjoyed the narrator's performance and particularly like the way she used a different voice for the main character's audible speech versus her internal monologue.
I enjoyed the narrator's performance and particularly like the way she used a different voice for the main character's audible speech versus her internal monologue.
December 4, 2013
The Evolutionist is a title that seems to serve a two-fold purpose; one is the obvious plot element (no spoilers), and the other is the evolution of people from the hollow projections of themselves.
This review is going to examine some of the more critical aspects of the piece. First, the dialogue can be perceived as mostly filler, and horror fans might be looking for more “action” in the story, especially moments that take place outside of the dream sequences. The characters in this story are hollow in the sense that Brett Easton Ellis wrote about his hollow characters when he depicted the people who populate the Los Angeles “upper crust.” These characters are all outwardly hollow and fake to each other, including the protagonist, who is even fake to her husband and children. These are people who live behind lies, and thus we have the de-evolution of humanity within these people, and the evolution of our protagonist. Readers won’t care about these characters, because we’re not supposed to. The personal horror element to this story is our protagonist’s awakening to identity-realization, which usually takes place in moments where she is alone or with the mysterious doctor. We know these hollow people exist in our world, but what are they like behind the mirage? Why do they create the mirage? Thus, I feel like the dialogue carries the theme while driving the narrative forward.
The Evolutionist is a more classical horror tale; its development is slow, and the disintegration of reality doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process that allows readers to feel our protagonist’s struggles; while the rest of the people around her rather hollow, two-dimensional figures. If you’re looking for a novel that straddles the edge between literature and personal horror, this one is for you.
The graphic nightmare scenes were fun to read, mostly because they seemed like little needles that pricked at the protagonist’s subconscious. I am not a big fan of dream chapters in a novel; most dream chapters are pointless, expository, and pretentious. Rena Mason makes the dream sequences relevant because of their effect on the character, and the sudden shift in tone that grabs the reader out of the narrative. Mason didn’t have to use experimental prose; I mention this because this isn’t an examination of a novel that is surreal in nature, which would all for emphasis of the dream sequences, but Mason is able to maintain the story through these moments that bleed into reality.
As a newer author, I believe the sky is the limit for Mason. I look forward to reading more of her work.
This review is going to examine some of the more critical aspects of the piece. First, the dialogue can be perceived as mostly filler, and horror fans might be looking for more “action” in the story, especially moments that take place outside of the dream sequences. The characters in this story are hollow in the sense that Brett Easton Ellis wrote about his hollow characters when he depicted the people who populate the Los Angeles “upper crust.” These characters are all outwardly hollow and fake to each other, including the protagonist, who is even fake to her husband and children. These are people who live behind lies, and thus we have the de-evolution of humanity within these people, and the evolution of our protagonist. Readers won’t care about these characters, because we’re not supposed to. The personal horror element to this story is our protagonist’s awakening to identity-realization, which usually takes place in moments where she is alone or with the mysterious doctor. We know these hollow people exist in our world, but what are they like behind the mirage? Why do they create the mirage? Thus, I feel like the dialogue carries the theme while driving the narrative forward.
The Evolutionist is a more classical horror tale; its development is slow, and the disintegration of reality doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process that allows readers to feel our protagonist’s struggles; while the rest of the people around her rather hollow, two-dimensional figures. If you’re looking for a novel that straddles the edge between literature and personal horror, this one is for you.
The graphic nightmare scenes were fun to read, mostly because they seemed like little needles that pricked at the protagonist’s subconscious. I am not a big fan of dream chapters in a novel; most dream chapters are pointless, expository, and pretentious. Rena Mason makes the dream sequences relevant because of their effect on the character, and the sudden shift in tone that grabs the reader out of the narrative. Mason didn’t have to use experimental prose; I mention this because this isn’t an examination of a novel that is surreal in nature, which would all for emphasis of the dream sequences, but Mason is able to maintain the story through these moments that bleed into reality.
As a newer author, I believe the sky is the limit for Mason. I look forward to reading more of her work.
July 8, 2013
Never judge a book by its cover as the old saying goes. It is never more true than for Rena Mason’s debut novel The Evolutionist. A woman in a tight dress holding a bloody axe. Oh boy and oh dear. By the end of the first chapter, the cover was long forgotten and I was hooked.
Stacy Troy is just a woman living a normal, non-adventurous life in the suburbs of Las Vegas. She’s not a remarkable, superhero kind of woman. When she begins having horrific nightmares, she approaches them as any average, normal person would. At first passing them off, she sees a doctor when they start affecting her waking hours from lack of sleep. Step two is of course the psychiatrist. Dr. Light is no normal psychiatrist however. Soon Stacy is plunged into a bizarre, macabre world where nothing is as it seems and nothing will ever be the same again.
Mason’s use of the first person narrative works well here as we bob along in Stacy’s confusion and irritation at the disruptions in her life. She’s pissed that she can’t sleep. We feel her increasing sense of panic and finally, the slide into oblivion as her world crumbles. The emotional rollercoaster is intense and Mason skillfully keeps us just on the edge of Stacy’s fear. There’s violence, but it’s never overdone and serves to add to the morbidity of the situation quite well. Stacy’s a character we understand and Mason definitely makes us feel that we too could wake up from a screaming nightmare to find our world shattered one fine day.
Far more supernatural than gore horror, The Evolutionist is a fascinating look into that delicate balance between the sleeping world of nightmares and the waking world of harsh reality. She forces us to examine the frightening possibility of that paper-thin wall crumbling down and the horrific consequences when these two separate planes slowly merge. Very disturbing indeed.
Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews
Stacy Troy is just a woman living a normal, non-adventurous life in the suburbs of Las Vegas. She’s not a remarkable, superhero kind of woman. When she begins having horrific nightmares, she approaches them as any average, normal person would. At first passing them off, she sees a doctor when they start affecting her waking hours from lack of sleep. Step two is of course the psychiatrist. Dr. Light is no normal psychiatrist however. Soon Stacy is plunged into a bizarre, macabre world where nothing is as it seems and nothing will ever be the same again.
Mason’s use of the first person narrative works well here as we bob along in Stacy’s confusion and irritation at the disruptions in her life. She’s pissed that she can’t sleep. We feel her increasing sense of panic and finally, the slide into oblivion as her world crumbles. The emotional rollercoaster is intense and Mason skillfully keeps us just on the edge of Stacy’s fear. There’s violence, but it’s never overdone and serves to add to the morbidity of the situation quite well. Stacy’s a character we understand and Mason definitely makes us feel that we too could wake up from a screaming nightmare to find our world shattered one fine day.
Far more supernatural than gore horror, The Evolutionist is a fascinating look into that delicate balance between the sleeping world of nightmares and the waking world of harsh reality. She forces us to examine the frightening possibility of that paper-thin wall crumbling down and the horrific consequences when these two separate planes slowly merge. Very disturbing indeed.
Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews
November 2, 2013
In her debut novel, Rena Mason hits it out of the park with her horror novel The Evolutionist. Set in the Las Vegas suburbs, Stacy Troy lives a self-absorbed life with her friends, who are cast right out of one of those Housewives of show. Mason even cleverly has Stacy and her group of friends trying to be cast on the show. Her days are filled with yoga classes, spa treatments, and driving her son around. Her nights are filled with brutal nightmares where she dismembers the bodies of her loved ones. Although Stacy feels as if she is losing her mind, I wouldn't classify this as a psychological horror novel. The nightmares lead to a purpose. When she can no longer take it, she goes to see Dr. Light, a psychiatrist, who uses strange techniques to help Stacy, except that her nightmares only get worse, and she begins to hear voices. The twist where this all leads to caught me by surprise in a good way.
The first thing that stands out is that Rena Mason is a talented writer, something that as a fellow writer I can appreciate. Her prose rings out strong and clear, especially her dialogue. The characters are also very well developed, even if they are not always likeable. For instance, Mason does a good job with Stacy's circle of friends, even though I didn't find any of them someone that I would root for. There is a nice build that leads to the climax, and a dark sense of foreboding that resonates in this book. If you like your fiction dark and appreciate good writing, this is a novel that you will want to pick up.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
The first thing that stands out is that Rena Mason is a talented writer, something that as a fellow writer I can appreciate. Her prose rings out strong and clear, especially her dialogue. The characters are also very well developed, even if they are not always likeable. For instance, Mason does a good job with Stacy's circle of friends, even though I didn't find any of them someone that I would root for. There is a nice build that leads to the climax, and a dark sense of foreboding that resonates in this book. If you like your fiction dark and appreciate good writing, this is a novel that you will want to pick up.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
August 4, 2013
It’s been well over ten days and thirteen books ago that I finished The Evolutionist and I cannot get that story out of my head. Between the taut prose, the clever turning of a phrase, the Stepford-esque clique of friends and the degradation of Stacy’s mental health, it all fits together beautifully like a hermetically sealed Rubik’s Cube.
This story brought so many memories to mind; the fifties housewives with a twinge of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho as to who could outdo whom, The Twilight Zone, and, of course, Outer Limits. Now by reading this, you are likely thinking this cannot be good. But it is. It is brilliant.
The nuances and control Mason has over the words she has chosen reflect how brilliant a story can be and how it continues to haunt the reader much longer than when you have read, the end. I am really hoping there is a sequel to this, because it cannot end like it did.
One of the best things I have read this year.
This story brought so many memories to mind; the fifties housewives with a twinge of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho as to who could outdo whom, The Twilight Zone, and, of course, Outer Limits. Now by reading this, you are likely thinking this cannot be good. But it is. It is brilliant.
The nuances and control Mason has over the words she has chosen reflect how brilliant a story can be and how it continues to haunt the reader much longer than when you have read, the end. I am really hoping there is a sequel to this, because it cannot end like it did.
One of the best things I have read this year.
July 24, 2013
Rena Mason's The Evolutionist is a marvelous read. From the beginning, you are drawn in to the world Stacy Troy, wife of a prominent Las Vegas doctor, who begins having horrible nightmares about killing her family and friends. Afraid that she is losing her mind, she starts seeing the mysterious Dr. Light, a psychiatrist with an odd approach to therapy. Stacy's nightmares worsen. Her world begins to fall apart. Then she is suddenly confronted with a reality she never expected, which propels her into a struggle to save herself and her family from certain death.
Rena Mason has done a superb job with her first novel, especially given it is written in the first-person present tense, a notoriously tricky form that she handles with considerable skill. I will be looking forward to more work from her.
Rena Mason has done a superb job with her first novel, especially given it is written in the first-person present tense, a notoriously tricky form that she handles with considerable skill. I will be looking forward to more work from her.
May 26, 2014
A Stoker award winning debut novel but once again it didn't really do it for me. It's a sort of "Sex in the City" horror novel. Stacy Troy, yummy mummy and socialite, is having nightmares wherein everyone is dead except her. Her life starts to unravel as the full horror of what's happening begins to become apparent.
September 4, 2013
Get ready for lots of twists and turns with this read. I felt like I was on a roller coaster in the dark. There were many times I thought I knew what was going to happen and Rena Mason would take me in a completely different direction. Hard to believe this is her first novel. Way to go!
January 4, 2014
One cannot negate the talent exhibited in Mason’s first novel. It’s a clever book with believable dialogue. It’s also well written. The dream sequences are vivid with detailed scenery that sticks with you. I expect good things from Mason in the future.
April 20, 2023
Stacy, is the perfect wife who lives with her perfect family and her perfect friends in a perfect neighborhood in Las Vegas. 'Everything seemed to follow some sort of formula for a happy life—until the nightmares began.'
Are they prophecies of the coming apocalypse or are they hints at sinister impulses inside Stacy herself? While a psychiatrist's unusual methods bring up more questions than answers, Stacy's body also begins to rebel. The reveal of what's really going on is weirder than anything she could have imagined - and deeply tragic.
The Evolutionist is like reading two very different books at once. In its back and forth between the mundane and the nightmarish it reminded me of Sign Here by Claudia Lux. We start out thinking the mundane is the safe haven, but we get shown slowly and methodically that the real hell is in fact other people. But while I very much enjoy this as a matter of plot structure, in The Evolutionist the two parts also felt written with very different levels of precision and impact.
The elements I loved:
I adored the surrealism and creepiness of the nightmares, visions, hallucinations. Ten out of ten, no notes. They did a perfect job of making me feel not only uneasy, but even physically impacted when Stacy herself was. In a very cosmic horror kind of sense the surreal scenes felt wrong in the best kind of way. I don't want to reveal too much about them and their origins, but I will say those parts alone make it worth picking The Evolutionist up.
The elements I didn't love:
I feel less enthusiastic about the writing when the focus is on Stacy's life in the "real" world. From a conceptual standpoint, they're fine. Trying to figure out medical reasons for supernatural horror is one of my favorite tropes; either because I read The Exorcist when I was way too young or because it reminds me of my lifelong mental health battles - probably both. I also feel that Rena Mason succeeded where The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix failed for me: Making the female friends of the protagonist an unhelpful obstacle without making me think the author just doesn't like their own character or maybe their real life versions.
But the writing of those parts fell very flat for me. Stacy's friends never really separated into distinct characters for me - other than Cally, and only in the last third of the book. Her family felt a little more authentic, but again mostly because of the last hundred pages.
I loved the surreal sequences so much, I'd be willing to excuse the lackluster characterizations in a Watsonian way - maybe they just mirror how Stacy is already disconnecting from her life in our reality - but I can't do that for the many transition scenes from somewhere to somewhere.
We spend so much time with Stacy in her car without any influence on the plot, just filling pages and pages with description of landscape we never go to. Those parts could have been replaced with bringing the social dynamics in Stacy's life into sharper focus. And the driving scenes are a pars pro toto for many other times when I stumbled over descriptions that added pages but not story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Are they prophecies of the coming apocalypse or are they hints at sinister impulses inside Stacy herself? While a psychiatrist's unusual methods bring up more questions than answers, Stacy's body also begins to rebel. The reveal of what's really going on is weirder than anything she could have imagined - and deeply tragic.
The Evolutionist is like reading two very different books at once. In its back and forth between the mundane and the nightmarish it reminded me of Sign Here by Claudia Lux. We start out thinking the mundane is the safe haven, but we get shown slowly and methodically that the real hell is in fact other people. But while I very much enjoy this as a matter of plot structure, in The Evolutionist the two parts also felt written with very different levels of precision and impact.
The elements I loved:
I adored the surrealism and creepiness of the nightmares, visions, hallucinations. Ten out of ten, no notes. They did a perfect job of making me feel not only uneasy, but even physically impacted when Stacy herself was. In a very cosmic horror kind of sense the surreal scenes felt wrong in the best kind of way. I don't want to reveal too much about them and their origins, but I will say those parts alone make it worth picking The Evolutionist up.
The elements I didn't love:
I feel less enthusiastic about the writing when the focus is on Stacy's life in the "real" world. From a conceptual standpoint, they're fine. Trying to figure out medical reasons for supernatural horror is one of my favorite tropes; either because I read The Exorcist when I was way too young or because it reminds me of my lifelong mental health battles - probably both. I also feel that Rena Mason succeeded where The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix failed for me: Making the female friends of the protagonist an unhelpful obstacle without making me think the author just doesn't like their own character or maybe their real life versions.
But the writing of those parts fell very flat for me. Stacy's friends never really separated into distinct characters for me - other than Cally, and only in the last third of the book. Her family felt a little more authentic, but again mostly because of the last hundred pages.
I loved the surreal sequences so much, I'd be willing to excuse the lackluster characterizations in a Watsonian way - maybe they just mirror how Stacy is already disconnecting from her life in our reality - but I can't do that for the many transition scenes from somewhere to somewhere.
We spend so much time with Stacy in her car without any influence on the plot, just filling pages and pages with description of landscape we never go to. Those parts could have been replaced with bringing the social dynamics in Stacy's life into sharper focus. And the driving scenes are a pars pro toto for many other times when I stumbled over descriptions that added pages but not story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 20, 2023
Rena Mason's debut novel, The Evolutionist, is a strange, sometimes intense, weird read that took me places that I didn't see coming. No wonder it won the 2013 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel.
The book blurb had me hooked at first glance, and in the very first chapter we find out about her dark and disturbing dreams of dismembering all the dead around her.
I think the most intriguing thing about this novel was how it was laid out. It starts off intense, then moves to events in the main character's life as if nothing else is going on, to her finding a therapist that takes the story in a totally different direction, to coming right back into the gory dreams again before shooting out in left field. Now, that may not seem like a good flow to you, but for some reason, it totally works here. I realize for most of the read I probably had a confused expression on my face, but it kept me flipping page after page to find out where the hell it was going. It never fully lost me. It had me running down the rabbit hole, dead set on finding out what the hell was happening.
The book blurb had me hooked at first glance, and in the very first chapter we find out about her dark and disturbing dreams of dismembering all the dead around her.
I think the most intriguing thing about this novel was how it was laid out. It starts off intense, then moves to events in the main character's life as if nothing else is going on, to her finding a therapist that takes the story in a totally different direction, to coming right back into the gory dreams again before shooting out in left field. Now, that may not seem like a good flow to you, but for some reason, it totally works here. I realize for most of the read I probably had a confused expression on my face, but it kept me flipping page after page to find out where the hell it was going. It never fully lost me. It had me running down the rabbit hole, dead set on finding out what the hell was happening.
April 16, 2023
Another great book from Rena Mason, I enjoyed this book a lot and it had the same spirit that I enjoyed from the previous book. It does a great job in creating a good psychological horror in this story. It does everything that I was looking for and left me wanting more.
"Transfixed, I forget Patrick waiting in the car and yell at the top of my lungs. “Why is this axe here?” The shouting, the axe, and the top-heavy bins—I lose my grip, and stumble. Then bin after bin slides off the next, crashing to the cement garage floor. Some of the lids pop open, releasing holiday ceramics and glass ornaments. The collectibles shatter across Jon’s empty parking space. All I can do is stand and stare at the axe."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"Transfixed, I forget Patrick waiting in the car and yell at the top of my lungs. “Why is this axe here?” The shouting, the axe, and the top-heavy bins—I lose my grip, and stumble. Then bin after bin slides off the next, crashing to the cement garage floor. Some of the lids pop open, releasing holiday ceramics and glass ornaments. The collectibles shatter across Jon’s empty parking space. All I can do is stand and stare at the axe."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 25, 2024
REVIEWED: The Evolutionist
WRITTEN BY: Rena Mason
PUBLISHED: April, 2013 by Nightscape Press (rereleased 2023 by Encyclopocalypse Publications)
Rena Mason’s "The Evolutionist" is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that blends horror and psychological thriller into a compelling narrative where not all is as it seems.
Mason masterfully crafts a sense of creeping dread throughout the novel, using the protagonist’s internal turmoil to drive the story forward, along with vivid and unsettling imagery. It’s an engaging exploration of complex themes, including identity, the nature of reality, and the consequences of tampering with the natural order. Applause for this haunting and intellectually stimulating read that will appeal to fans of dark fiction.
Five out of Five stars
WRITTEN BY: Rena Mason
PUBLISHED: April, 2013 by Nightscape Press (rereleased 2023 by Encyclopocalypse Publications)
Rena Mason’s "The Evolutionist" is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that blends horror and psychological thriller into a compelling narrative where not all is as it seems.
Mason masterfully crafts a sense of creeping dread throughout the novel, using the protagonist’s internal turmoil to drive the story forward, along with vivid and unsettling imagery. It’s an engaging exploration of complex themes, including identity, the nature of reality, and the consequences of tampering with the natural order. Applause for this haunting and intellectually stimulating read that will appeal to fans of dark fiction.
Five out of Five stars
February 3, 2020
First of all, the writing is absolutely stellar. I loved the way the words flow leading you on and on. Stacy's voice is fresh and strong, and even though most of the narrative concerns everyday upper-class life in Las Vegas (a la Orange County Housewives) I could not stop reading. Perfect word choices and phrasings. The first person narrative was good, the dream imagery was good, but the horror elements (when she finally gets around to it near the 70% mark) were very subtle, less compelling than expected. Still, a very good read.
November 10, 2020
I have no idea how I came to put this book on my TBR, and started it just to check why the heck I had downloaded it. What a pleasant, pleasant surprise ! It had the same vibe as the Southern bookclub guide to slaying vampires, that "domestic disaster" feel, and it held till the end, which was nicely executed for once in this genre. I am desperate to notice that it's the only novel by this author, I'm suffering a massive book hangover right now, and it had been a while I hadn't felt that. Great read.
May 12, 2023
The Evolutionist by Rena Mason was an emotionally chilling and thought-provoking Novel. It made me feel like I was inside of the pages living the experience. Wow! Her flow and her ways with words blew my mind as I turned each page. Words are powerful if they are written the correct way and Rena nailed it all the way through! I’ll be buying this as soon as I can! Bravo!
-Jeff Oliver Author of INFINITE BLACK: Tales From The Abyss
-Jeff Oliver Author of INFINITE BLACK: Tales From The Abyss
December 28, 2021
I’ve had this one on my shelf for waaaay too long, so I am glad that I finally gave it a go. It was a very solid and well-done debut novel. Great plot and pacing and everything flowed from start to finish. I dug it.
“I am an abstract moving fluid of light. Like them.”
“I am an abstract moving fluid of light. Like them.”
July 7, 2018
Very odd and strange science fiction book written by a local author. But good!
February 15, 2020
This may be my favorite Vegas horror story.
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