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House of Corruption
In 1890s New Orleans, three unusual men cross Reynard LaCroix, his lycanthropy in remission with a silver bullet lodged against his heart; Artémius Savoy, a lapsed secular priest keeping vigil over Reynard's progress; and Mahonri Grant, a Mormon gunslinger on the run.
Brought together by murder, united in a common cause, they pursue an unholy creature to save a young woman's life.
Their dangerous road leads to the dark jungles of Borneo, where awaits an abhorrent mansion in the wilderness. There they must confront a host of the undead...and face the demons within themselves.
***
For additional content, visit the office of Artémius Savoy at
Brought together by murder, united in a common cause, they pursue an unholy creature to save a young woman's life.
Their dangerous road leads to the dark jungles of Borneo, where awaits an abhorrent mansion in the wilderness. There they must confront a host of the undead...and face the demons within themselves.
***
For additional content, visit the office of Artémius Savoy at
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2012
38 people are currently reading
935 people want to read
About the author
Erik Tavares
2 books21 followersBorn in California, raised in Alaska, with time on the Oregon Coast, Erik Tavares’ writing includes genre fiction, non-fiction, screenplays, advertising and everything in between.
By day, he teaches elementary school. By night he directs Shadows Haunted Attraction (www.ShadowsHaunt.com) during the Halloween season.
He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and two children.
By day, he teaches elementary school. By night he directs Shadows Haunted Attraction (www.ShadowsHaunt.com) during the Halloween season.
He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 15, 2016
*EVEN BETTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND*
I read this book in hopes that it would be terrifying because I needed a reset in between those that I normally read. I came across it by accident, read the book blurb, and hoped it would fry the fluff from my synapses and give me the reset I so desperately needed. I figured it would be a quick, easy read with some grammatical errors and story-flow issues because it’s an independent pub.
The frigging thing is over 300 pages long and has fewer typos than books that come from major publishing houses. The story wasn’t full of holes or awkward perspective shifts like I had anticipated. It flowed smoothly and for such a lengthy book, it never seemed to drag. In fact, at times I hoped it would never end. It was…hypnotizing. Mesmerizing.
ERIK TAVARES, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN???
Welcome to my world, my new friend. If we ever meet in person don’t sign anything I give you, especially if I bring my own pen for you to use. Because while I’m smiling and rambling on and on about how much I enjoy your writing, I’ll be harboring ulterior motives of harvesting your DNA from the skin tags you leave on my pen so that I can clone you fifty times, raise evil genius minions of you and send them forth when they reach maturity to shift the balance of the paranormal literary world.
Okay, I suppose I should stop fangirling and actually review the book now. And while I’m tempted to do so with gifs, memes and jpegs full of happy dances, I’ll try to restrain myself.
*deep breath*
Gone are the glittery vegetarian vampires with teenage angst and a propensity for hipster jeans and emo eyes. Gone are the shape shifters that have complete control over the animal side of themselves and hunt down deer to sake their bloodlust. Tavares rolls back the years to expose the ugly origins of myth and legend.
In House of Corruption, the monsters are back. And they want to rip off your head and walk around in your skin for a little while.
This book is Bram Stoker meets Anne Rice meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There are elements of those authors within it but they’re mere hints, almost odes to what’s come before. You see Bram in the Van Helsing-esque Savoy, Anne in the beautiful, macabre, almost lyrical quality of the writing and Sir Arthur in the pacing of the mystery.
I’ve never come across an author that can make me see the stark beauty in every day acts like Tavares does. This book is so well written it’s almost distracting. Take the simple task of walking down a street.
Most authors say:
“I walked down the street.”
Tavares says:
“Colorful types still haunted the midnight streets of Chalmette: well-dressed patrons returning from ‘Orleans and its more dignified delights; clusters of sailors looking for another groggery or a woman to rent; street musicians of various skill and diverse color; fading conversations in Creole and English and Spanish. Gaslights burned in globes of moist, foggy air and pedestrians wiped at their slippery faces. Rain was coming.”
He makes you feel the moisture pressing against your skin, see the dirt caked faces of street people, smell the decay and the refuse seeping from the alleyways and hear the drunken laughter chorusing from the surrounding taverns.
The first third of the book takes place against the back drop of the Spanish moss draped live oaks of New Orleans. It’s there that you’re introduced to the book’s narrators and supporting cast. The story is told primarily through five perspectives. That of a renegade priest, a werewolf, a kidnap victim, a murderer and a beautiful young woman. Unlike some books with multiple characters, you know who each person is. You know what they look like, their fears and their demons. You’re witness to the priest’s insecurity, the kidnap victim’s fear, the beautiful woman’s regret, the werewolf’s arrogance and the murderer’s reluctance, and you love them despite their pitfalls.
It’s also here that you realize that not only is this book beautifully written, but that it was painstakingly researched. I felt like I’d been plucked from my couch and dropped into the late nineteenth century. Everything to me felt period accurate, and though it was the obvious things that drew me in; the clothes, the news sheets, the dirt, the poverty and the superstition, it was the smaller details that really impressed me, the subtle way Tavares slipped in the intimate facts and histories of the places his characters passed through.
I encourage people to enjoy the relative “peace” of this part of the book because it quickly begins to descend into chaos as each of the narrator’s lives unravel in front of their eyes and the mystery begins in earnest.
From Nawlins you follow the cast to Boston, New York, Liverpool and Marseilles, where things go from bad to worse as the very creature they chase confronts them, taunts them and manipulates the authorities there into blaming them for its crimes, adding insult to injury.
Their final destination is the dense jungle of British occupied Borneo, where the sounds of the drums of the headhunters, the buzz of malaria laden mosquitoes and the rumbling of distant thunder leap off the pages. It’s here that the buildup of the story gains momentum and begins to crest.
During the last fifty pages of the book my eyes were so wide they nearly fell out of my head. There’s a dangerous canoe trip down a jungle river, a frantic race through abandoned villages and ruined monastaries, and then finally, the vines clear and a looming manor rises from the forest.
This is where you meet the real monsters. I won’t say much other than they are neck-rufflingly evil. They are sick, desperate, twisted, sad and all together too human for comfort.
When the book reached its climax, the words pouring out of my mouth didn’t even make sense anymore.
HOLYFUCKINGSHITWHATTHEFUCKSHITDAMNFUCKSHIT
I just…I can’t even…
READ THIS BOOK. NOW.
This review can also be found at The Book Eaters.
I read this book in hopes that it would be terrifying because I needed a reset in between those that I normally read. I came across it by accident, read the book blurb, and hoped it would fry the fluff from my synapses and give me the reset I so desperately needed. I figured it would be a quick, easy read with some grammatical errors and story-flow issues because it’s an independent pub.
The frigging thing is over 300 pages long and has fewer typos than books that come from major publishing houses. The story wasn’t full of holes or awkward perspective shifts like I had anticipated. It flowed smoothly and for such a lengthy book, it never seemed to drag. In fact, at times I hoped it would never end. It was…hypnotizing. Mesmerizing.
ERIK TAVARES, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN???
Welcome to my world, my new friend. If we ever meet in person don’t sign anything I give you, especially if I bring my own pen for you to use. Because while I’m smiling and rambling on and on about how much I enjoy your writing, I’ll be harboring ulterior motives of harvesting your DNA from the skin tags you leave on my pen so that I can clone you fifty times, raise evil genius minions of you and send them forth when they reach maturity to shift the balance of the paranormal literary world.
Okay, I suppose I should stop fangirling and actually review the book now. And while I’m tempted to do so with gifs, memes and jpegs full of happy dances, I’ll try to restrain myself.
*deep breath*
Gone are the glittery vegetarian vampires with teenage angst and a propensity for hipster jeans and emo eyes. Gone are the shape shifters that have complete control over the animal side of themselves and hunt down deer to sake their bloodlust. Tavares rolls back the years to expose the ugly origins of myth and legend.
In House of Corruption, the monsters are back. And they want to rip off your head and walk around in your skin for a little while.
This book is Bram Stoker meets Anne Rice meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There are elements of those authors within it but they’re mere hints, almost odes to what’s come before. You see Bram in the Van Helsing-esque Savoy, Anne in the beautiful, macabre, almost lyrical quality of the writing and Sir Arthur in the pacing of the mystery.
I’ve never come across an author that can make me see the stark beauty in every day acts like Tavares does. This book is so well written it’s almost distracting. Take the simple task of walking down a street.
Most authors say:
“I walked down the street.”
Tavares says:
“Colorful types still haunted the midnight streets of Chalmette: well-dressed patrons returning from ‘Orleans and its more dignified delights; clusters of sailors looking for another groggery or a woman to rent; street musicians of various skill and diverse color; fading conversations in Creole and English and Spanish. Gaslights burned in globes of moist, foggy air and pedestrians wiped at their slippery faces. Rain was coming.”
He makes you feel the moisture pressing against your skin, see the dirt caked faces of street people, smell the decay and the refuse seeping from the alleyways and hear the drunken laughter chorusing from the surrounding taverns.
The first third of the book takes place against the back drop of the Spanish moss draped live oaks of New Orleans. It’s there that you’re introduced to the book’s narrators and supporting cast. The story is told primarily through five perspectives. That of a renegade priest, a werewolf, a kidnap victim, a murderer and a beautiful young woman. Unlike some books with multiple characters, you know who each person is. You know what they look like, their fears and their demons. You’re witness to the priest’s insecurity, the kidnap victim’s fear, the beautiful woman’s regret, the werewolf’s arrogance and the murderer’s reluctance, and you love them despite their pitfalls.
It’s also here that you realize that not only is this book beautifully written, but that it was painstakingly researched. I felt like I’d been plucked from my couch and dropped into the late nineteenth century. Everything to me felt period accurate, and though it was the obvious things that drew me in; the clothes, the news sheets, the dirt, the poverty and the superstition, it was the smaller details that really impressed me, the subtle way Tavares slipped in the intimate facts and histories of the places his characters passed through.
I encourage people to enjoy the relative “peace” of this part of the book because it quickly begins to descend into chaos as each of the narrator’s lives unravel in front of their eyes and the mystery begins in earnest.
From Nawlins you follow the cast to Boston, New York, Liverpool and Marseilles, where things go from bad to worse as the very creature they chase confronts them, taunts them and manipulates the authorities there into blaming them for its crimes, adding insult to injury.
Their final destination is the dense jungle of British occupied Borneo, where the sounds of the drums of the headhunters, the buzz of malaria laden mosquitoes and the rumbling of distant thunder leap off the pages. It’s here that the buildup of the story gains momentum and begins to crest.
During the last fifty pages of the book my eyes were so wide they nearly fell out of my head. There’s a dangerous canoe trip down a jungle river, a frantic race through abandoned villages and ruined monastaries, and then finally, the vines clear and a looming manor rises from the forest.
This is where you meet the real monsters. I won’t say much other than they are neck-rufflingly evil. They are sick, desperate, twisted, sad and all together too human for comfort.
When the book reached its climax, the words pouring out of my mouth didn’t even make sense anymore.
HOLYFUCKINGSHITWHATTHEFUCKSHITDAMNFUCKSHIT
I just…I can’t even…
READ THIS BOOK. NOW.
This review can also be found at The Book Eaters.
April 19, 2014
I really hope these good reviews aren't from your groupie/rent-a-crowd/harass-a-family fan club. I'll be most upset if I don't lose control of my bladder somewhere before the end.
I'm always a bit dubious when trying out most self published authors because in most cases they haven't mastered basic word craft and I really hate telling struggling authors starting out that their basic prose and word craft just aren't up to speed. I also really hate people gushing over work that's clearly under par - it's like letting someone walk around with their fly undone just to avoid potential awkwardness. I am happy to report that Erik Tavares' fly is well and truly zipped up tight and he writes like he's been doing it a while.
What we have here is an old school werewolf/vampire story. No shiny vampires. No fluffy cuddly werewolves. It's gore and slime, guts and spine. He does have an interesting take on vampires, but it still feels old school.
The story is set around 1890 and the setting moves from Portugal, to New Orleans, to France to the deepest darkest jungles of Borneo. You have the Catholic priest, there's the conflicted lycanthrope, there's the big bad wolf lycanthrope, there's the girl in danger of becoming something evil - like I said, old school. And I enjoyed it.
Looking forward to reading more from this author.
I'm giving this 3.8 stars
I'm always a bit dubious when trying out most self published authors because in most cases they haven't mastered basic word craft and I really hate telling struggling authors starting out that their basic prose and word craft just aren't up to speed. I also really hate people gushing over work that's clearly under par - it's like letting someone walk around with their fly undone just to avoid potential awkwardness. I am happy to report that Erik Tavares' fly is well and truly zipped up tight and he writes like he's been doing it a while.
What we have here is an old school werewolf/vampire story. No shiny vampires. No fluffy cuddly werewolves. It's gore and slime, guts and spine. He does have an interesting take on vampires, but it still feels old school.
The story is set around 1890 and the setting moves from Portugal, to New Orleans, to France to the deepest darkest jungles of Borneo. You have the Catholic priest, there's the conflicted lycanthrope, there's the big bad wolf lycanthrope, there's the girl in danger of becoming something evil - like I said, old school. And I enjoyed it.
Looking forward to reading more from this author.
I'm giving this 3.8 stars
September 8, 2016
CLASSIC HORROR!
"The wicked are wicked, no doubt, and they go astray and they fall … but who can tell the mischief which the very virtuous do?"
William Makepeace Thackeray
... and so it starts....
Didn't get such feels since 'Salem's Lot !
If you picked up this book with the sole knowledge that it's about werewolves and vampires, and you are accustomed (as are many) to their popular depictions in modern literature, you will be either gratified or disappointed by this book. There are no hot werewolves or sexy (or sparkly) vampires here, no boiling hormones (no sex whatsoever) and (thank heavens) no love-struck pea-brain heroines , love triangles, and such ( you get the gist).
Don't get me wrong, I love SOME of that occasionally, but as of lately ... in smaller doses.
I can't believe that this book has (at the moment and including mine) only 57 ratings.
House of Corruption is a beautiful debut novel of an exquisite classical feel.
The setting changes through the book, and our strange fellowship includes Reynard LaCroix (lycanthrope in remission), Artémius Savoy ( ex-priest) and and Mahonri Grant (a Mormon wanted for murder). They are accompanied by the beautiful-if-shady Ms. Kiria Carlovec,...and travel half the world from New Orleans through Marseille to the jungles of the British occupied Borneo attempting the rescue of Reynard's young sister, Lasha St. Croix from the claws of Lucinda, a dangerous penanggal vampire and Kiria's deranged lycanthrope father.
The gripping finale is set in the depths of the Borneo jungle .... it the mother-of-all-haunted-mansions (that I imagined looked like a cross of this ....
... and this)
and it had me squirming in gory delight days after finishing it.
If you want a change in the supernatural genre or you are looking for a classic horror that lets you smell the blood, see the decay, feel the moisture and fog, gets you entrails in a knot (not to leave out the occasional nightmare) and makes your heart thump, this haunting story is a book for you.
"The wicked are wicked, no doubt, and they go astray and they fall … but who can tell the mischief which the very virtuous do?"
William Makepeace Thackeray
... and so it starts....
Didn't get such feels since 'Salem's Lot !
If you picked up this book with the sole knowledge that it's about werewolves and vampires, and you are accustomed (as are many) to their popular depictions in modern literature, you will be either gratified or disappointed by this book. There are no hot werewolves or sexy (or sparkly) vampires here, no boiling hormones (no sex whatsoever) and (thank heavens) no love-struck pea-brain heroines , love triangles, and such ( you get the gist).
Don't get me wrong, I love SOME of that occasionally, but as of lately ... in smaller doses.
I can't believe that this book has (at the moment and including mine) only 57 ratings.
House of Corruption is a beautiful debut novel of an exquisite classical feel.
The setting changes through the book, and our strange fellowship includes Reynard LaCroix (lycanthrope in remission), Artémius Savoy ( ex-priest) and and Mahonri Grant (a Mormon wanted for murder). They are accompanied by the beautiful-if-shady Ms. Kiria Carlovec,...and travel half the world from New Orleans through Marseille to the jungles of the British occupied Borneo attempting the rescue of Reynard's young sister, Lasha St. Croix from the claws of Lucinda, a dangerous penanggal vampire and Kiria's deranged lycanthrope father.
The gripping finale is set in the depths of the Borneo jungle .... it the mother-of-all-haunted-mansions (that I imagined looked like a cross of this ....
... and this)
and it had me squirming in gory delight days after finishing it.
If you want a change in the supernatural genre or you are looking for a classic horror that lets you smell the blood, see the decay, feel the moisture and fog, gets you entrails in a knot (not to leave out the occasional nightmare) and makes your heart thump, this haunting story is a book for you.
Read
December 4, 2018I wrote this, so this is a self-centered, vain, biased plug. I'm not ashamed.
If you like gothic horror with a touch of Sherlock Holmes and a sprinkling of Indiana Jones, this is for you.
Visit the office of Artémius Savoy at http://www.valourdesigns.com/#!__savo... to learn secrets behind dark dealings best left unsaid...
If you like gothic horror with a touch of Sherlock Holmes and a sprinkling of Indiana Jones, this is for you.
Visit the office of Artémius Savoy at http://www.valourdesigns.com/#!__savo... to learn secrets behind dark dealings best left unsaid...
February 14, 2017
First, this book has a very good summary. It tells you a lot and at the same time nothing at all about the story.
Second, I cannot believe this is the first book this author has written. I mean, I've seen more mistakes in books written by accomplished authors. Here, I don't think there are more than a few. The descriptions ('Ivy choked the house’s ruined face, the windows either broken or boarded over' is just one example of succinct writing) and the imagery of horrible events and feelings are wonderfully interwoven with the gory details. Erik Tavares doesn't use a hundred words when three would suffice.
And third, you see that monster on the cover? Yes, there are werewolves in the story and, no, you haven't got a clue what's this story about even with that description. Whatever you expect from this, I bet you will be surprised. In a good way, of course.
As I said, the main points of the plot are in the blurb, but it is so well written and developed that after you read it, you'd realize just how insufficient the blurb is.
Three very different men would have to come together whether they want that or not to fight an evil none of them imagined even if one of the three is convinced he is already lost to darkness. They'd have to travel a long way, physically and mentally, not just to face that, but also to fight their own demons.
One of them would have to face his guilt, the other to rediscover his faith, and the third to accept that not all monsters deserve to die.
I liked one of them more than the other two until I found out how weak he was in the past. Still, the fact he follows them to help, whatever his reasons, redeems him.
These three find strength in one another even when they are not aware of that, even when they hate each other. The unshakable Savoy's faith in Raynard's humanity and Grant's innate goodness is the glue that keeps them together even when they are lost.
If this weren't the first book, the rating might be a bit lower. You'd understand when you read it. I would recommend this to anyone who loves horror.
Second, I cannot believe this is the first book this author has written. I mean, I've seen more mistakes in books written by accomplished authors. Here, I don't think there are more than a few. The descriptions ('Ivy choked the house’s ruined face, the windows either broken or boarded over' is just one example of succinct writing) and the imagery of horrible events and feelings are wonderfully interwoven with the gory details. Erik Tavares doesn't use a hundred words when three would suffice.
And third, you see that monster on the cover? Yes, there are werewolves in the story and, no, you haven't got a clue what's this story about even with that description. Whatever you expect from this, I bet you will be surprised. In a good way, of course.
As I said, the main points of the plot are in the blurb, but it is so well written and developed that after you read it, you'd realize just how insufficient the blurb is.
Three very different men would have to come together whether they want that or not to fight an evil none of them imagined even if one of the three is convinced he is already lost to darkness. They'd have to travel a long way, physically and mentally, not just to face that, but also to fight their own demons.
One of them would have to face his guilt, the other to rediscover his faith, and the third to accept that not all monsters deserve to die.
I liked one of them more than the other two until I found out how weak he was in the past. Still, the fact he follows them to help, whatever his reasons, redeems him.
These three find strength in one another even when they are not aware of that, even when they hate each other. The unshakable Savoy's faith in Raynard's humanity and Grant's innate goodness is the glue that keeps them together even when they are lost.
'“I would have killed you both.” ���You did not.” “I would have.” “Yet you did not.”I loved this book. Nothing is black and white in this world. Our heroes are not the heroes from fantasy books where very often you have a clear distinction between what is good and what is bad. This is one of those rare books I did not want to know if there is an ending that would not make me feel bad.
If this weren't the first book, the rating might be a bit lower. You'd understand when you read it. I would recommend this to anyone who loves horror.
December 27, 2013
This was such a gut wrenching and succulent read that I was surprised myself at how much I loved it, the cover was great but who knew that the insides would out shine it for once? I’m usually a sucker for freaking looking books but I didn’t realize that this sort of hairy lycan ammo could be packed into those pages.
Werewolves don’t seem to have enough proper literary coverage these days, well books like this one can change that history, this wolf is scary, the long claws, the ruthless hunger, the immaculate body that moves like a falling star, yeah that’s the good guy, the bad guys are much worse I’m afraid.. this is a romp through exotic and old and modern, world that we knew and ones we haven’t imagined and lived in yet, silk lace and gun powder with liquid wolf magic and ferocious adventure that takes a few characters with a murky past on an a ride that will not only change their lives but also become real in the eyes of the reader. This book was magnificent, not only was it written well but it was so darkly intricate with the spinning head vampires, the body snatchers, exotic travelers with mirth and incense, Victorian ladies, cowboys, fallen priests and the baddest brother for a wolf that I have ever read all surge together to sweep the reader into a tale like no other. I felt scared and enthralled all at once, the climb of the mystery was beautifully adorned with some magnificent prose which I want to see more of in horror fiction, The House of Corruption is an eruption of sheer brilliance by the author and I can’t recommend it enough, this was my first time reading Tavares but it certainly won’t be my last, this guy is gold, I want more and more and more!
- Kasia S.
July 12, 2012
My Lord! This had to be the scariest book I've read in decades. Mr. Tavares has a knack for putting things together that you would never have thought of, and making them the most ghoulish, the most ghastly, the most bloodly, the most horrible things you've ever read about. It makes my skin crawl to just think about it.
THE SETTING: The setting is in Victorian times in New Orleans, France and Borneo of all places. Can you hear those jungle drums beating? The headhunters slipping through the trees - after your head? I sure can.
THE PLOT: Mssr. Reynard LeCroix is visited by a butler named Turkebot, who wished to speak to him about his employer who is in Borneo. His emplyer - a Mssr. Wilhelm Carlovec, whose daughter Kiria is in New Orleans, wants to meet to discuss a cure for their mutual disease. Reynard blows him off. When Reynard enters his office, who should he meet there but Arte Savoy - an old friend, who is on to a murder plot that follows a direct course from town to town, just like a railway course. He shows it to Reynard, who knows after reading it that Savoy suspects that a werewolf or a vampire is operating in the U.S.A on a train bound for New Orleans. It may be coming to find Reynard. Savoy wants his help. Savoy, after all is an expert in everything ancient, that lives and breathes out of folklore and legend that is dangerous and unclean to God. Why Renard? You will have to read the book to find out. Reynard goes out for a walk to clear his head, and finds himself called to a hansom cab by Ms. Carlovec, He is curious what she wants and she is beautiful, so he gets in. She tells him that her Father is sick, and Reynard may be the only way to find a cure to her Father's disease. Can he help? "I'm not inexpensive, lady" he says, "Can you afford me?" "Yes," she says, "We have many financial resources at our disposal. It should be no problem." she answered. He gets out of the hansom cab, and tells her to that the cure she seeks, is a silver bullet that lies next to his heart, that may kill him any day now. So, good day!" and exits the hansom. He gets his bearings, only to find that he is way out of the way by Metarie Cemetery where the crypts are all above the ground. Before he can decide which way to go, some native looking men with black dot tattoos, hurt him and knock him out cold. Luckily, Savoy is close behind with a Cavalry man named Grant. They track Reynard and his party through the cemetary, only to lose them once or twice. When they finally find Reynard and party, they are in a crypt. Reynard is tied up with ropes - ankles to wrists. He is facing Mr. Turkebot, the valet, who is explaining why he is using this type of persuasion to convince Reynard to cooperate fully with Mr. Carlovec. He produced Lasha St. Croix, Reynard's sister. She doesn't know what Reynard is, and Reynard wants to keep it that way. But the beast wants to come out to play, so Reyanrd transforms into a giant beast, and kills and all the natives but one, but doesn't hurt Lasha. Mr. Turkebot is taken down by Mr. Grant and his rifle plus some holy water from Savoy. He was some weird type of vampire they only have in Borneo. Only one native survived who grabbed Lasha and ranaway leaving the others alone. Thus the chase had begun: Savoy, Reynard and Grant go to retrieve Lasha from these bad people. There were many shoot outs, chasing from port to port, massacre on a boat, set-up in a bell tower, bones come to life, a mother vampire's love can kill, farming the natives for blood and heads, empty villages, a burned out church with the dead monk's inside, paddling down the river, finding hidden tunnels, boilers and dynamite, oubilettes, and God will guide you, improptu crosses, insane final battles, Kiria gets a hug from Mom, Lasha as sacrifice?, an intense final battle, Carlovec manner explodes Boom!, stock up and get lost, starting over again with a heavy heart and permanent damage... The plot is one in a million. It is well thought out. When you think you know what is right around the corner is when you find that things have taken a complete twist back around to something completely different. It is amazingly stunning how Tavares did this, when you think he dodges left he goes right and vice versa. The man is a genius in plot, twisting in all the right places, I give this one an A+++.
THE CHARACTERIZATION: With a full troop of main charaters to contend with, Tavares has his work cut out for him, but he rises to the occasion in grand style, making his characters strong and determined and willing even though they have been damaged in the past by loss of family or faith in themselves. One is even wanted for murder in a few states and is running from prosecution. They all are fully fleshed out and human, three dimensional and technicolor, right up to the tiny features which drive them to do strange things. These quirks and foibles play into the plot of the story and make it much richer. You have Reynard St.Croix, Arte Savoy, Mahonri Grant, on the American side and on the other side you have the Carlovec's - The Father, Wilhelm, the Mother, Lucinda, the Daughter Kiria, the Helpers, Claudette and Jeane. They are all major players in this novel. Even some of the secondary players get VIP characterization such as a native woman in Borneo - Lingood and Arte's scholarly friend Ernst Stronhiem. Their characterization was just as good as the main players, leaving the novel a rich and rewarding experience to read. A true hallmark of a great writer, characterizing all his characters. Excellent job Mr. Tavares, you get A+++ on this one.
THE PACING: The pacing is so good in the book that you feel that you're in the Victorian period right along with the characters. The setting is illuminated at page one, and the Victorian age doesn't slow down the pace of the novel at all - it just keeps going, keeps moving, keeps the chase alive until finally you have this insane final battle that leaves you gasping for air while you remind yourself to breathe, after all it is just only a novel you keep telling yourself. The pacing in this book is swift to say the least, I read it one day, or a part of one day at the very least. You're truly hooked, immersed, and not released until it's over and after it's over you put down the book and realize that you've experienced something really special. Something that rarely happens. Something that is almost unique. You were scared to death at the end. Which brings us to our next topic. As for pacing, I give this novel an A+++.
THE ENDING: My Lord! What an ending it was. I don't think I have truly read an ending like this before. It comes at you in waves. Just when you think one side has won, the other side comes back with an attack that is far worse than anything you could imagine - especially the bad guys, the stuff that they could come up with is immeasurably horrifing. It just escalated and escalated, until you thought you couldn't take it any more then finally there's a resolution, so that your senses can rest. It comes right before you hit overload. Right before the blood and gore, the animated dead bodies, the new kind of vampire from legend ( different legend then Romanian) takes over people, then there's the werewolf experiments, the child sacrifices, the thousands of headhunters on the front lawn, waiting for head vampire to free them. My God, it becomes too much evil at one single time and place that you are overwhelmed. It all comes alive at once and tries to suck our heroes down. WOW! Talk about a bad day. This ending is stupendous, outrageous, violent, fantastic, bloody, unbelievable, and insane all at once. I LOVED IT! It could not have been better in a horror novel if you tried. Mr. Tavares, you are a genius with your ending, it scared the crap out of me. This one gets an A++++ just for that.
THE UPSHOT: As this novel is both well written and credible and the author does an amazing job of bringing the Victorian period back to life in not one, but three countries, I would say that when you add this to his plot, characterization, pacing and ending, you wind up with a book that deserves ten stars not five. The problem is, five stars is all I have to give. So five it is. It really doesn't show how GREAT this novel is. I would recommend it to anyone who can read English in the known world. Everyone needs a little scare now and them. With the writing as good as it is, even the literati should be scared once and a while. It would be good for them. It is far scarier than all the classics, like Dracula and Frankenstein, Nosferatu, and the Dr. Caligari's Cabinet rolled into one. You'll have to give it a try. Hell, just buy the damned book. It is so good you'll be thanking me when you're done. It is so amazing that you will be panting and out of breath when you are done. Hey! You! Zombie fans! At the end of the novel, there are hundreds of years worth of zombies that reanimate all together to fight out heroes. It a Zombie-thon all in one place, and they bite - hard. Read the book and you see how hundreds of years of zombies behave and attack when ordered to by the head vampire through magic. It's insane! What a kick in the pants this book is....
THE SETTING: The setting is in Victorian times in New Orleans, France and Borneo of all places. Can you hear those jungle drums beating? The headhunters slipping through the trees - after your head? I sure can.
THE PLOT: Mssr. Reynard LeCroix is visited by a butler named Turkebot, who wished to speak to him about his employer who is in Borneo. His emplyer - a Mssr. Wilhelm Carlovec, whose daughter Kiria is in New Orleans, wants to meet to discuss a cure for their mutual disease. Reynard blows him off. When Reynard enters his office, who should he meet there but Arte Savoy - an old friend, who is on to a murder plot that follows a direct course from town to town, just like a railway course. He shows it to Reynard, who knows after reading it that Savoy suspects that a werewolf or a vampire is operating in the U.S.A on a train bound for New Orleans. It may be coming to find Reynard. Savoy wants his help. Savoy, after all is an expert in everything ancient, that lives and breathes out of folklore and legend that is dangerous and unclean to God. Why Renard? You will have to read the book to find out. Reynard goes out for a walk to clear his head, and finds himself called to a hansom cab by Ms. Carlovec, He is curious what she wants and she is beautiful, so he gets in. She tells him that her Father is sick, and Reynard may be the only way to find a cure to her Father's disease. Can he help? "I'm not inexpensive, lady" he says, "Can you afford me?" "Yes," she says, "We have many financial resources at our disposal. It should be no problem." she answered. He gets out of the hansom cab, and tells her to that the cure she seeks, is a silver bullet that lies next to his heart, that may kill him any day now. So, good day!" and exits the hansom. He gets his bearings, only to find that he is way out of the way by Metarie Cemetery where the crypts are all above the ground. Before he can decide which way to go, some native looking men with black dot tattoos, hurt him and knock him out cold. Luckily, Savoy is close behind with a Cavalry man named Grant. They track Reynard and his party through the cemetary, only to lose them once or twice. When they finally find Reynard and party, they are in a crypt. Reynard is tied up with ropes - ankles to wrists. He is facing Mr. Turkebot, the valet, who is explaining why he is using this type of persuasion to convince Reynard to cooperate fully with Mr. Carlovec. He produced Lasha St. Croix, Reynard's sister. She doesn't know what Reynard is, and Reynard wants to keep it that way. But the beast wants to come out to play, so Reyanrd transforms into a giant beast, and kills and all the natives but one, but doesn't hurt Lasha. Mr. Turkebot is taken down by Mr. Grant and his rifle plus some holy water from Savoy. He was some weird type of vampire they only have in Borneo. Only one native survived who grabbed Lasha and ranaway leaving the others alone. Thus the chase had begun: Savoy, Reynard and Grant go to retrieve Lasha from these bad people. There were many shoot outs, chasing from port to port, massacre on a boat, set-up in a bell tower, bones come to life, a mother vampire's love can kill, farming the natives for blood and heads, empty villages, a burned out church with the dead monk's inside, paddling down the river, finding hidden tunnels, boilers and dynamite, oubilettes, and God will guide you, improptu crosses, insane final battles, Kiria gets a hug from Mom, Lasha as sacrifice?, an intense final battle, Carlovec manner explodes Boom!, stock up and get lost, starting over again with a heavy heart and permanent damage... The plot is one in a million. It is well thought out. When you think you know what is right around the corner is when you find that things have taken a complete twist back around to something completely different. It is amazingly stunning how Tavares did this, when you think he dodges left he goes right and vice versa. The man is a genius in plot, twisting in all the right places, I give this one an A+++.
THE CHARACTERIZATION: With a full troop of main charaters to contend with, Tavares has his work cut out for him, but he rises to the occasion in grand style, making his characters strong and determined and willing even though they have been damaged in the past by loss of family or faith in themselves. One is even wanted for murder in a few states and is running from prosecution. They all are fully fleshed out and human, three dimensional and technicolor, right up to the tiny features which drive them to do strange things. These quirks and foibles play into the plot of the story and make it much richer. You have Reynard St.Croix, Arte Savoy, Mahonri Grant, on the American side and on the other side you have the Carlovec's - The Father, Wilhelm, the Mother, Lucinda, the Daughter Kiria, the Helpers, Claudette and Jeane. They are all major players in this novel. Even some of the secondary players get VIP characterization such as a native woman in Borneo - Lingood and Arte's scholarly friend Ernst Stronhiem. Their characterization was just as good as the main players, leaving the novel a rich and rewarding experience to read. A true hallmark of a great writer, characterizing all his characters. Excellent job Mr. Tavares, you get A+++ on this one.
THE PACING: The pacing is so good in the book that you feel that you're in the Victorian period right along with the characters. The setting is illuminated at page one, and the Victorian age doesn't slow down the pace of the novel at all - it just keeps going, keeps moving, keeps the chase alive until finally you have this insane final battle that leaves you gasping for air while you remind yourself to breathe, after all it is just only a novel you keep telling yourself. The pacing in this book is swift to say the least, I read it one day, or a part of one day at the very least. You're truly hooked, immersed, and not released until it's over and after it's over you put down the book and realize that you've experienced something really special. Something that rarely happens. Something that is almost unique. You were scared to death at the end. Which brings us to our next topic. As for pacing, I give this novel an A+++.
THE ENDING: My Lord! What an ending it was. I don't think I have truly read an ending like this before. It comes at you in waves. Just when you think one side has won, the other side comes back with an attack that is far worse than anything you could imagine - especially the bad guys, the stuff that they could come up with is immeasurably horrifing. It just escalated and escalated, until you thought you couldn't take it any more then finally there's a resolution, so that your senses can rest. It comes right before you hit overload. Right before the blood and gore, the animated dead bodies, the new kind of vampire from legend ( different legend then Romanian) takes over people, then there's the werewolf experiments, the child sacrifices, the thousands of headhunters on the front lawn, waiting for head vampire to free them. My God, it becomes too much evil at one single time and place that you are overwhelmed. It all comes alive at once and tries to suck our heroes down. WOW! Talk about a bad day. This ending is stupendous, outrageous, violent, fantastic, bloody, unbelievable, and insane all at once. I LOVED IT! It could not have been better in a horror novel if you tried. Mr. Tavares, you are a genius with your ending, it scared the crap out of me. This one gets an A++++ just for that.
THE UPSHOT: As this novel is both well written and credible and the author does an amazing job of bringing the Victorian period back to life in not one, but three countries, I would say that when you add this to his plot, characterization, pacing and ending, you wind up with a book that deserves ten stars not five. The problem is, five stars is all I have to give. So five it is. It really doesn't show how GREAT this novel is. I would recommend it to anyone who can read English in the known world. Everyone needs a little scare now and them. With the writing as good as it is, even the literati should be scared once and a while. It would be good for them. It is far scarier than all the classics, like Dracula and Frankenstein, Nosferatu, and the Dr. Caligari's Cabinet rolled into one. You'll have to give it a try. Hell, just buy the damned book. It is so good you'll be thanking me when you're done. It is so amazing that you will be panting and out of breath when you are done. Hey! You! Zombie fans! At the end of the novel, there are hundreds of years worth of zombies that reanimate all together to fight out heroes. It a Zombie-thon all in one place, and they bite - hard. Read the book and you see how hundreds of years of zombies behave and attack when ordered to by the head vampire through magic. It's insane! What a kick in the pants this book is....
June 26, 2014
I've found I now despise what is known as "urban fantasy."
I used to be a big fan. But the seemingly inexhaustible supply of exactly-the-same bullshit eroded at my reading pleasure.
That's one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much. There are vampires, werewolves, zombies, and demons, but they are of a bygone era. There are no vampires with websites, no Volkswagen-driving wizards, no smouldery-fucking-eyed teenage werewolf heartthrobs. These monsters are MONSTERS.
We join an unlikely meeting of a disgraced Jewish-cum-Catholic priest, an outlaw Mormon gunslinger, and a New Orleans lycanthrope businessman as they go on a cross-global journey of rescue through the 19th century.
The action is top notch, the characters truly fleshed-out. I picked this up ready to be disappointed, and instead found myself engrossed. Highly recommended to anyone who WANTS to read about creatures of the night while avoiding the over-hyped, insipid banality that is sadly associated with them.
I used to be a big fan. But the seemingly inexhaustible supply of exactly-the-same bullshit eroded at my reading pleasure.
That's one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much. There are vampires, werewolves, zombies, and demons, but they are of a bygone era. There are no vampires with websites, no Volkswagen-driving wizards, no smouldery-fucking-eyed teenage werewolf heartthrobs. These monsters are MONSTERS.
We join an unlikely meeting of a disgraced Jewish-cum-Catholic priest, an outlaw Mormon gunslinger, and a New Orleans lycanthrope businessman as they go on a cross-global journey of rescue through the 19th century.
The action is top notch, the characters truly fleshed-out. I picked this up ready to be disappointed, and instead found myself engrossed. Highly recommended to anyone who WANTS to read about creatures of the night while avoiding the over-hyped, insipid banality that is sadly associated with them.
February 3, 2013
Review of House of Corruption by Erik Tavares
5 stars
“House of Corruption” is a complex and multithreaded tapestry, invoking the thought of a collaboration between Henry James and Edgar Rice Burroughs to rejuvenate “Dracula,” with all new characters and additional monstrous creatures. Author Erik Tavares has done his research, and the results are intriguing and riveting. An entirely new “thing that goes bump in the night” category arises here, a creature of Borneo and Malaysia, a sort of body thief, which consists of a head and spine, then taking on the form of actual individuals, in order to fool, to trick, and to attack and murder.
But this is not the only beastie in the cryptozoology of this novel: there is also lycanthropy, in the form of Reynard LaCroix and of Wilhelm Carlovec, a wealthy landowner of Borneo. Both men, who are actually lateral relations, suffer this disease because of their ancestor and his unholy pact. Both wish to overcome it, and one of them certainly will stop at nothing to find that cure. In the meanwhile, Reynard’s sister Lasha and Wilhelm’s daughter Kiria are in the crosshairs, subject to the whims of fate and the narcissistic self-centeredness of those determined to control.
I found this novel riveting and fast-paced, as much Supernatural thriller as mystery, hystery, and mythology.
Review of House of Corruption by Erik Tavares
5 stars
I reviewed an e-book copy provided by the author in return for my fair and impartial review.
“House of Corruption” is a complex and multi-threaded tapestry, invoking the thought of a collaboration between Henry James and Edgar Rice Burroughs to rejuvenate “Dracula,” with all new characters and additional monstrous creatures. Author Erik Tavares has done his research, and the results are intriguing and riveting. An entirely new “thing that goes bump in the night” category arises here, a creature of Borneo and Malaysia, a sort of body thief, which consists of a head and spine, then taking on the form of actual individuals, in order to fool, to trick, and to attack and murder.
But this is not the only beastie in the cryptozoology of this novel: there is also lycanthropy, in the form of Reynard LaCroix and of Wilhelm Carlovec, a wealthy landowner of Borneo. Both men, who are actually lateral relations, suffer this disease because of their ancestor and his unholy pact. Both wish to overcome it, and one of them certainly will stop at nothing to find that cure. In the meanwhile, Reynard’s sister Lasha and Wilhelm’s daughter Kiria are in the crosshairs, subject to the whims of fate and the narcissistic self-centeredness of those determined to control.
I found this novel riveting and fast-paced, as much Supernatural thriller as mystery, hystery, and mythology.
5 stars
“House of Corruption” is a complex and multithreaded tapestry, invoking the thought of a collaboration between Henry James and Edgar Rice Burroughs to rejuvenate “Dracula,” with all new characters and additional monstrous creatures. Author Erik Tavares has done his research, and the results are intriguing and riveting. An entirely new “thing that goes bump in the night” category arises here, a creature of Borneo and Malaysia, a sort of body thief, which consists of a head and spine, then taking on the form of actual individuals, in order to fool, to trick, and to attack and murder.
But this is not the only beastie in the cryptozoology of this novel: there is also lycanthropy, in the form of Reynard LaCroix and of Wilhelm Carlovec, a wealthy landowner of Borneo. Both men, who are actually lateral relations, suffer this disease because of their ancestor and his unholy pact. Both wish to overcome it, and one of them certainly will stop at nothing to find that cure. In the meanwhile, Reynard’s sister Lasha and Wilhelm’s daughter Kiria are in the crosshairs, subject to the whims of fate and the narcissistic self-centeredness of those determined to control.
I found this novel riveting and fast-paced, as much Supernatural thriller as mystery, hystery, and mythology.
Review of House of Corruption by Erik Tavares
5 stars
I reviewed an e-book copy provided by the author in return for my fair and impartial review.
“House of Corruption” is a complex and multi-threaded tapestry, invoking the thought of a collaboration between Henry James and Edgar Rice Burroughs to rejuvenate “Dracula,” with all new characters and additional monstrous creatures. Author Erik Tavares has done his research, and the results are intriguing and riveting. An entirely new “thing that goes bump in the night” category arises here, a creature of Borneo and Malaysia, a sort of body thief, which consists of a head and spine, then taking on the form of actual individuals, in order to fool, to trick, and to attack and murder.
But this is not the only beastie in the cryptozoology of this novel: there is also lycanthropy, in the form of Reynard LaCroix and of Wilhelm Carlovec, a wealthy landowner of Borneo. Both men, who are actually lateral relations, suffer this disease because of their ancestor and his unholy pact. Both wish to overcome it, and one of them certainly will stop at nothing to find that cure. In the meanwhile, Reynard’s sister Lasha and Wilhelm’s daughter Kiria are in the crosshairs, subject to the whims of fate and the narcissistic self-centeredness of those determined to control.
I found this novel riveting and fast-paced, as much Supernatural thriller as mystery, hystery, and mythology.
June 15, 2014
DNF at 42%.
Welp.... I believe it's time to admit defeat. I tried so hard, and for like two months, to finish this book. It's definitely me, not the book. The storyline is good, the writing is good, the character development is good, the mystery is good. Erik Tavares has done a GOOD job with this book. However, it's just not jiving with me. I thought if I gave it some time, I'd come back fresh and wanting more. I thought if I walked away briefly, I'd long to continue the story. Nope. I've tried. Multiple times. I make it a page or so, and dump again. I truly feel bad... Like I said, it's not a bad book.
Dear book,
Welp.... I believe it's time to admit defeat. I tried so hard, and for like two months, to finish this book. It's definitely me, not the book. The storyline is good, the writing is good, the character development is good, the mystery is good. Erik Tavares has done a GOOD job with this book. However, it's just not jiving with me. I thought if I gave it some time, I'd come back fresh and wanting more. I thought if I walked away briefly, I'd long to continue the story. Nope. I've tried. Multiple times. I make it a page or so, and dump again. I truly feel bad... Like I said, it's not a bad book.
Dear book,
August 20, 2014
Set in the 1890s, the story follows Artemius Savoy, Reynard LaCroix and Mahonri Grant as they travel in pursuit of Lasha, Reynards sister, who was kidnapped. The men chase her abductor across part of the US before winding up in Borneo to face the man behind her abduction. As if that wasn't difficult enough, Reynard suffers from lycanthropy and a silver bullet embedded in his chest next to his heart is all that keeps him from turning until it is forcibly removed.
The book is a very refreshing tale of lycanthropy with a new monster that is a skull and spine that can take over other bodies seamlessly.
The dialogue is excellent, the plot grabs your attention and won't let go and the descriptions in the book are amazing - you can visualize the story unfolding. I loved how descriptive and accurate the New Orleans part of the book was. This is a must read for any werewolf fan and anyone who is tired of the same old washed out supernatural characters.
The book is a very refreshing tale of lycanthropy with a new monster that is a skull and spine that can take over other bodies seamlessly.
The dialogue is excellent, the plot grabs your attention and won't let go and the descriptions in the book are amazing - you can visualize the story unfolding. I loved how descriptive and accurate the New Orleans part of the book was. This is a must read for any werewolf fan and anyone who is tired of the same old washed out supernatural characters.
February 16, 2013
Reynard had a secret a secret that couldnt be told Savoy was the only one who knew this secret Reynards sister Lasha didnt even know what her brother was. And Mr. Grant had come from far away running from a murder rap. A foreigner came to town and the death toll went up and they threatened to tell Reynards story, They wanted him for a cure for her father when Renard said no they stole Lasha. So Reynard Mr. savoy and Mr. Grant head out and head on the run to find Lesha. The Story is magnificent The action in this book is awesome the story is told great. This book sure doesnt feel like its the authors first book. I cant wait for more!
January 24, 2015
What?! A book where the monsters are actually, (gulp), MONSTERS? No angst-laden teenagers? No moral dilemmas? Such a welcome change.
In addition Tavares is a master of description - I adore stories set in the past (here starting in 1886) where the descriptions of the time are so rich and so truthful, and here Tavares takes his travelers to Portugal, New Orleans, France and the jungles of Borneo. And his primary characters are all very nuanced and layered.....just a truly enjoyable read. If you enjoy horror, definitely get a copy of this immediately.
In addition Tavares is a master of description - I adore stories set in the past (here starting in 1886) where the descriptions of the time are so rich and so truthful, and here Tavares takes his travelers to Portugal, New Orleans, France and the jungles of Borneo. And his primary characters are all very nuanced and layered.....just a truly enjoyable read. If you enjoy horror, definitely get a copy of this immediately.
April 15, 2013
Although rather gruesome, I think this would appeal to fans of classic horror, such as Dracula and The Were-Wolf. Quite dark and morose, so be warned.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
February 10, 2014
Please a sequel
If you're into werewolf stories then you should read this book. It delves into the local mythology and legend of Borneo and the Malaysian peninsula. it was a fast and fun read from beginning to end! I would say that House of Corruption is now on my favorite books list!
If you're into werewolf stories then you should read this book. It delves into the local mythology and legend of Borneo and the Malaysian peninsula. it was a fast and fun read from beginning to end! I would say that House of Corruption is now on my favorite books list!
Want to read
December 24, 2014Buddy read with Jenny planned.
7/24/2013: $1.99 on Kindle AND highly rec'd by Cory? Sold.
7/24/2013: $1.99 on Kindle AND highly rec'd by Cory? Sold.
May 13, 2014
4.5*
October 2, 2016
Quite a few original ideas that were used in this story: the cycle of the werewolf and the urges that would drive the change. The silver not being a definite remedy. But the most amazing one was the penanggalen. A mix between a vampire, a spider and a lizard. Able to overtake any body, feeding on blood, moving from body to body with only the head and the spine. Frightful creature indeed.
The most annoying bit in the book were the constant delays and setbacks our heroes faced simply because they listened to the whispering voice inside their head. All the while knowing the penanggalen had the ability to get inside its victims' mind. When Grant heard his wife, Emily, when Savoy doubted his faith, when Reynard feared and shied away from the beast. Being an outsider, I knew when the penanggalen was trying to influence them so I can't fully blame them but I still think some instances could have been avoided.
Everything else was masterfully done. Intricate vocabulary (that had me reaching for the dictionary several times). Surprise twists in the plot (discovering Reynard and his werewolf transformations weren't the worst thing out there, learning that Kiria was not part of her father's plan to capture Reynard, uncovering the nature and full set of abilities of the penanggalen, reading about Kiria's death as the hands of her mother, Kiria's father, Wilhem, trying to master the shift, not escape it). It all took a surreal feel once the heroes reached Sandakan and I felt steeped in mystery and superstitions and powers beyond the logic and science of men. The most amazing bit was the "Longhouse of Spirits" with the pool of death, the rows of bodies waiting to heed their mistress' biding and the penanggalen itself, revealed in all its glory or in fact horror.
Quite a tale. It doesn't have a happily ever after for everyone though I was comforted knowing Lasha had been saved and that she and Grant might perhaps end up together. There still remains the fate of Reynard and Savoy to be cleared up. But perhaps that is the subject of the next story.
The most annoying bit in the book were the constant delays and setbacks our heroes faced simply because they listened to the whispering voice inside their head. All the while knowing the penanggalen had the ability to get inside its victims' mind. When Grant heard his wife, Emily, when Savoy doubted his faith, when Reynard feared and shied away from the beast. Being an outsider, I knew when the penanggalen was trying to influence them so I can't fully blame them but I still think some instances could have been avoided.
Everything else was masterfully done. Intricate vocabulary (that had me reaching for the dictionary several times). Surprise twists in the plot (discovering Reynard and his werewolf transformations weren't the worst thing out there, learning that Kiria was not part of her father's plan to capture Reynard, uncovering the nature and full set of abilities of the penanggalen, reading about Kiria's death as the hands of her mother, Kiria's father, Wilhem, trying to master the shift, not escape it). It all took a surreal feel once the heroes reached Sandakan and I felt steeped in mystery and superstitions and powers beyond the logic and science of men. The most amazing bit was the "Longhouse of Spirits" with the pool of death, the rows of bodies waiting to heed their mistress' biding and the penanggalen itself, revealed in all its glory or in fact horror.
Quite a tale. It doesn't have a happily ever after for everyone though I was comforted knowing Lasha had been saved and that she and Grant might perhaps end up together. There still remains the fate of Reynard and Savoy to be cleared up. But perhaps that is the subject of the next story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2014
Erik Tavares' House of Corruption is a great find to any fan of werewolves or the horror genre in general. Set in the 1890's, the protagonist is Reynard LaCroix, a werewolf, who has been able to avoid his curse for the past few years with the help of a silver bullet that is lodged inside his chest.
Erik Tavares builds the sets very nicely and it becomes clear that he's done his research in each of these locations as they were in the late 19th century. His writing style reminds me of classic adventure stories, including Bram Stoker's Dracula, and there's even a classic travel scene that is related through the diary notes of one of the characters. The writing is also very evocative and, at times, beautiful. Action is mixed very well with characterisation and descriptions of the environment and atmosphere.
Overall, I found House of Corruption a very enjoyable read. Written in a very traditional adventure style, it was a breath of fresh air in a publishing environment that generally no longer has time for lingering descriptions of atmosphere and city scapes or characterisation in a horror novel. I urge you to give this one a try and I hope that the author is planning a sequel in short order!
Full review here:
http://susimetsa.blogspot.fi/2014/09/...
Erik Tavares builds the sets very nicely and it becomes clear that he's done his research in each of these locations as they were in the late 19th century. His writing style reminds me of classic adventure stories, including Bram Stoker's Dracula, and there's even a classic travel scene that is related through the diary notes of one of the characters. The writing is also very evocative and, at times, beautiful. Action is mixed very well with characterisation and descriptions of the environment and atmosphere.
Overall, I found House of Corruption a very enjoyable read. Written in a very traditional adventure style, it was a breath of fresh air in a publishing environment that generally no longer has time for lingering descriptions of atmosphere and city scapes or characterisation in a horror novel. I urge you to give this one a try and I hope that the author is planning a sequel in short order!
Full review here:
http://susimetsa.blogspot.fi/2014/09/...
February 3, 2016
There were minor typographical errors, not sure if this was due to poor editing or problems with the e-format. They were throughout the book, but as I said, minor.
The story was great! Character development was well done, a storyline worth reading. It kept you on your toes and steered away from the predictability typical of fiction; once you pick out the main characters, you know they'll live and for the most part come out on the other side no worse for the wear. Not so with this book.
The author's descriptive detail brought me into the world and at the same time didn't linger too long on the minutiae, but moved the story forward. I enjoyed reading this book. This is an author to watch.
The historical detail was well-researched, making the time period come to life.
While the descriptions and writing were well done, this novel does deal with the macabre and it is pervasive.
The story was great! Character development was well done, a storyline worth reading. It kept you on your toes and steered away from the predictability typical of fiction; once you pick out the main characters, you know they'll live and for the most part come out on the other side no worse for the wear. Not so with this book.
The author's descriptive detail brought me into the world and at the same time didn't linger too long on the minutiae, but moved the story forward. I enjoyed reading this book. This is an author to watch.
The historical detail was well-researched, making the time period come to life.
While the descriptions and writing were well done, this novel does deal with the macabre and it is pervasive.
April 4, 2015
So thankful for book clubs to introduce me to genres I wouldn't have chosen otherwise. I enjoyed the settings and the crime feel of this story. The pace was excellent and the characters endearing. While the events at the conclusion were a bit confused and far-reaching (even for a werewolf/vampire story) I was engrossed in the detail and regretted having to periodically set the book down to tend to the stuff of life.
I read one portion by candlelight during a power outage and that made the experience more real. A few parts even scared me a little. I think classic horror now has a place among my bookshelves!
I read one portion by candlelight during a power outage and that made the experience more real. A few parts even scared me a little. I think classic horror now has a place among my bookshelves!
February 10, 2013
Wow! This book was really awesome. Full disclosure - I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is not your run-of-the-mill werewolf story. It really draws you in and is chock full of action, mystery, intrigue, and horror. It takes place in the Victorian Age and gives a splendidly worded account of this adventure/nightmare as it travels across 3 continents. Very impressive. Must read!!
This book is not your run-of-the-mill werewolf story. It really draws you in and is chock full of action, mystery, intrigue, and horror. It takes place in the Victorian Age and gives a splendidly worded account of this adventure/nightmare as it travels across 3 continents. Very impressive. Must read!!
June 27, 2014
What a treat! House of Corruption pretty much had it all for me: interesting settings and characters, an author who clearly did his research, and a story that had my interest from beginning to end. In a time where monsters are constantly presented with more sex appeal than true horror, this proved to be quite the refreshing read. I'm eager to see more from this author in the future, and would recommend this book to anyone with a taste for classic horror and the macabre.
February 12, 2013
Fabulous... Loved it. Great characters, story that keeps you on your toes and lots of wonderful gore! Can't wait for his next book.
May 26, 2014
I usually don't read these types of books, but this was good! love, werewolves, weird creatures and far off places. really good ending
February 27, 2015
Skvele becko ktore sa nesie v atmosfere viktorianskych hororov. Je to trosku klisovite, ale ak ma clovek rad ten zaner je to chytlave
May 1, 2016
Please sir, may I have some more?
March 5, 2025
This book was awesome!
It had everything. Vampires, werewolves, zombies, ghosts, etc.
Written like an Arthur Conan Doyle story. Also had the vivid descriptions of Edgar Rice's Tarzan ( if Tarzan was gory and spooky).
Everything was described vividly and the struggles of the characters were compelling. It made me root for them and want them to win. I read this on Kindle but now would like to own the physical copy to enjoy in my library at any time. Definitely great for a Halloween reread. 5/5 🖤💀🌕
It had everything. Vampires, werewolves, zombies, ghosts, etc.
Written like an Arthur Conan Doyle story. Also had the vivid descriptions of Edgar Rice's Tarzan ( if Tarzan was gory and spooky).
Everything was described vividly and the struggles of the characters were compelling. It made me root for them and want them to win. I read this on Kindle but now would like to own the physical copy to enjoy in my library at any time. Definitely great for a Halloween reread. 5/5 🖤💀🌕
July 11, 2021
A Spellbinding Read
House of Corruption is a true horror story with breathtaking imagery and fully developed characters. In fact the characters make the action more exciting because. with all the action you want somehow for them to survive. It is not a read for the faint of heart. The descriptions of the settings are phenomenal. You feel like you are the person or persons living the nightmare.
House of Corruption is a true horror story with breathtaking imagery and fully developed characters. In fact the characters make the action more exciting because. with all the action you want somehow for them to survive. It is not a read for the faint of heart. The descriptions of the settings are phenomenal. You feel like you are the person or persons living the nightmare.
July 1, 2018
Classic, very enjoyable horror with gore and gruesome murders and interesting twists and turns in terms of mythology. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been so stressed by life while reading. On the other hand, I think the characterization fell a bit short in this one.
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