What do you think?
Rate this book
Frostwalker
There’s something in the woods behind Jake Marsden’s house – and someone wants him to find it. A strange dream shatters his sleep, night after night, and a compulsion to find the dark presence in the forest wars with his logical and ordered nature. What’s a geek to do?
When his small hometown of Wynn, North Carolina falls under an ancient curse, Jake will find himself in a battle against creatures worse than any he’s faced in a game. Playing for keeps, it will be geek versus god in the fight to stop an evil force bent on destroying everything he holds dear.
The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth – If They Live Long Enough.
When his small hometown of Wynn, North Carolina falls under an ancient curse, Jake will find himself in a battle against creatures worse than any he’s faced in a game. Playing for keeps, it will be geek versus god in the fight to stop an evil force bent on destroying everything he holds dear.
The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth – If They Live Long Enough.
- GenresHorrorParanormalZombies
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2013
377 people want to read
About the author
Brandon R. Luffman
5 books19 followersBorn in Statesboro, Georgia in 1976, Brandon Luffman was raised in rural North Carolina from the time he was old enough to walk. In the sixth grade he discovered "The Chronicles Of Narnia". Soon after that, he was on to Stephen King and Arthur C. Clarke. At the same time, he was making his first forays into writing fiction. After creating a series of short fantasy pieces for a class assignment that were received with praise, he was hooked on writing fiction for the entertainment of others. Now Brandon writes supernatural horror as well as fantasy, science fiction, and other genres. His short fiction is available online in various formats. Brandon still lives on the family farm in northwestern North Carolina with his wife and family. Taking inspiration from his homeland, he brings southern sensibilities and a modern flair to these classic genre themes. His first novel, Frostwalker, was released in May of 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 22, 2013
Author Interview, Review & Giveaway available on Happy Indulgence. Ends 25 July 2013, open internationally.
Frostwalker was so freaking scary, that it made me not feel like reading, but in a good way. I mean, I had to make sure I was in a public place and surrounded by people and preferably in daylight at all times. It started off pretty tame, just had enough mystery and intrigue to draw you in and then BAM! The scary, rotting corpses resembling a cross between zombies and the leviathan on Supernatural came out. Vivid scenes also reminded me of that scene from Angel where the maggots are crawling all over Jasmine's true form from the Powers of Be, truly terrifying and grotesque stuff.
And if I didn't just demonstrate what a huge nerd I was, it was the most accurate way I could describe my feelings about this book. I love scary movies especially zombies, and Frostwalker just rolled all these scary experiences into one and it was truly spine tingling.
It starts off slowly by introducing us to Jake Marsden, an IT guy who runs his own business who suddenly finds a dead animal skull in his house and gets creeped out by it. He hears strange noises coming from the woods behind his house and has strangely vivid dreams about exploring the woods in the dark.
We also hear about Jake's close friendship with his friend Eric and his wife Wendy, along with how Jake finds himself attracted to his secretary one day. The highlight of the book was when she revealed her Left 4 Dead T-shirt - one of my all-time favourite games! This must be one of the geekiest reviews I've written ever....Anyway, we're given a heap of character development and intrigue at the start of the book, with strange happenings in his small town of Wynn to keep the pace going.
From a scary tree in the woods to mysterious deaths, smiling corpses, rotting zombies, there are so many creepy scenes here that will give you nightmares. We're given some pretty decent characters to help us withstand the horrors not to mention the awesome zombie killing action.
My only criticism is that the whole reason behind the zombies arising was quite unexpected, with the Cherokee legends of it seeming to be a sudden addition at the end. It does tie it together though, and it seemed like the finale of the book was a bit too easily solved for me. The last half of the book was so creepy I kept on putting off reading it until I was on the bus too but hey, at least my house got cleaner.
Frostwalker was so freaking scary, that it made me not feel like reading, but in a good way. I mean, I had to make sure I was in a public place and surrounded by people and preferably in daylight at all times. It started off pretty tame, just had enough mystery and intrigue to draw you in and then BAM! The scary, rotting corpses resembling a cross between zombies and the leviathan on Supernatural came out. Vivid scenes also reminded me of that scene from Angel where the maggots are crawling all over Jasmine's true form from the Powers of Be, truly terrifying and grotesque stuff.
And if I didn't just demonstrate what a huge nerd I was, it was the most accurate way I could describe my feelings about this book. I love scary movies especially zombies, and Frostwalker just rolled all these scary experiences into one and it was truly spine tingling.
It starts off slowly by introducing us to Jake Marsden, an IT guy who runs his own business who suddenly finds a dead animal skull in his house and gets creeped out by it. He hears strange noises coming from the woods behind his house and has strangely vivid dreams about exploring the woods in the dark.
We also hear about Jake's close friendship with his friend Eric and his wife Wendy, along with how Jake finds himself attracted to his secretary one day. The highlight of the book was when she revealed her Left 4 Dead T-shirt - one of my all-time favourite games! This must be one of the geekiest reviews I've written ever....Anyway, we're given a heap of character development and intrigue at the start of the book, with strange happenings in his small town of Wynn to keep the pace going.
From a scary tree in the woods to mysterious deaths, smiling corpses, rotting zombies, there are so many creepy scenes here that will give you nightmares. We're given some pretty decent characters to help us withstand the horrors not to mention the awesome zombie killing action.
My only criticism is that the whole reason behind the zombies arising was quite unexpected, with the Cherokee legends of it seeming to be a sudden addition at the end. It does tie it together though, and it seemed like the finale of the book was a bit too easily solved for me. The last half of the book was so creepy I kept on putting off reading it until I was on the bus too but hey, at least my house got cleaner.
May 17, 2013
I've read the author's short stories so I knew I'd like Frostwalker. I was mistaken.
I loved it!
I heard the theme from Jaws when I started reading this.
No one gets eaten in the beginning of Frostwalker though. But, the terror creeps up on you slowly as the author breathes atmosphere and dread into the story, like an eerie, slow rolling mist.
Jake has been dreaming about a Light in the woods. Dreaming about it for weeks. A Light in the woods behind his house.
It calls to him, pulling him from his sleep. He finds himself standing in the frigid cold, facing the stand of trees, night after night.
His sleepless nights begin to wear him down, make him question his sanity, so he confides in his best friend and fellow geek, Eric.
These two have been best friends since they were knee-high to a grasshopper. They’ve stuck together through thick and thin, and Eric sees no reason to change that now.
Whatever’s in the woods is growing stronger, leaching into the small town, changing people. Those it doesn’t consume, it inhabits, taking over their bodies and minds and turning them loose on others.
The sleepy little town of Wynn is in the midst of the worst snow storm anyone can remember, cutting the inhabitants off and they have no idea of the evil moving closer, advancing house by house towards the heart of the town.
I like a story about men as best friends. It’s like being a fly on the wall, watching how they bond and act when women aren’t present. Jake and Eric are a good example.
When Jake finally sees her, I mean really sees Nancy, his receptionist, he realizes he’s been in love with her for a long time.
Eric and his girlfriend, Wendy, cut Jake no slack, ribbing him about how long it took him to take off his blinders.
Nancy is gentler on him. She fell in love with the shy geek that is Jake, and has just been biding her time.
You can’t help but become attached to these four. The author does an excellent job of giving each one their own unique personalities. Each voice stands out and makes for fun reading.
When the horror ramps up, you’ll be pulling for these guys, cringing when things go bad, as you can see no good outcome.
That’s when it gets even more intense, as the entity in the woods must be confronted and stopped.
I was reminded of a couple of movies while reading Frostwalker. The small town, isolated by snow and ice, had me thinking of 30 Days of Night.
And the insidious power of the entity also reminded me of the movie, Phantoms, from the Dean Koontz book. How the power takes over the town with a palpable presence.
Jake and Eric are ready. They’ve prepared. It’s time to see what’s in the woods. And they won’t be going alone.
Cue some sinister music and the chills will run up and down your spine!
5 Stars for making me afraid to go to sleep.
I loved it!
I heard the theme from Jaws when I started reading this.
No one gets eaten in the beginning of Frostwalker though. But, the terror creeps up on you slowly as the author breathes atmosphere and dread into the story, like an eerie, slow rolling mist.
Jake has been dreaming about a Light in the woods. Dreaming about it for weeks. A Light in the woods behind his house.
It calls to him, pulling him from his sleep. He finds himself standing in the frigid cold, facing the stand of trees, night after night.
His sleepless nights begin to wear him down, make him question his sanity, so he confides in his best friend and fellow geek, Eric.
These two have been best friends since they were knee-high to a grasshopper. They’ve stuck together through thick and thin, and Eric sees no reason to change that now.
Whatever’s in the woods is growing stronger, leaching into the small town, changing people. Those it doesn’t consume, it inhabits, taking over their bodies and minds and turning them loose on others.
The sleepy little town of Wynn is in the midst of the worst snow storm anyone can remember, cutting the inhabitants off and they have no idea of the evil moving closer, advancing house by house towards the heart of the town.
I like a story about men as best friends. It’s like being a fly on the wall, watching how they bond and act when women aren’t present. Jake and Eric are a good example.
When Jake finally sees her, I mean really sees Nancy, his receptionist, he realizes he’s been in love with her for a long time.
Eric and his girlfriend, Wendy, cut Jake no slack, ribbing him about how long it took him to take off his blinders.
Nancy is gentler on him. She fell in love with the shy geek that is Jake, and has just been biding her time.
You can’t help but become attached to these four. The author does an excellent job of giving each one their own unique personalities. Each voice stands out and makes for fun reading.
When the horror ramps up, you’ll be pulling for these guys, cringing when things go bad, as you can see no good outcome.
That’s when it gets even more intense, as the entity in the woods must be confronted and stopped.
I was reminded of a couple of movies while reading Frostwalker. The small town, isolated by snow and ice, had me thinking of 30 Days of Night.
And the insidious power of the entity also reminded me of the movie, Phantoms, from the Dean Koontz book. How the power takes over the town with a palpable presence.
Jake and Eric are ready. They’ve prepared. It’s time to see what’s in the woods. And they won’t be going alone.
Cue some sinister music and the chills will run up and down your spine!
5 Stars for making me afraid to go to sleep.
December 28, 2013
I enjoyed reading this, i's a dark tale about a geek (Jake Marsden) who's experiencing terrible dreams about something strange in the woods behind his house. He investigates but discovers little before the ancient evil awakes and attacks his town. With a small group of survivors he has to battle this evil to save the town.
The pacing is good, the book builds with some creepy dreams and odd occurrences while building up the characters central to the unfolding events. The mark of a good read is that you don't notice how many pages you've read and this was the case with this book. The pace increases as the book progresses and soon the attack on the town begins.
The group of friends then have to fight the dark forces attacking the town, not only to survive, but to prevent the evil; from spreading.
As I said at the beginning I enjoyed reading this, the writing is excellent and slips through without any great effort and I'd finished the book almost without reading it. The author writes well, setting the scene with skill and maintaining the pace needed for a tale like this.
For me there were two down points to the book, the first was the conclusion, after the excellent build up it all ended a little easily and quickly. In fairness this isn't a big complaint, the ending is a satisfactory one.
My other issue was the evil itself, I'm a reader that enjoys learning about the dark forces as play and I would have liked to have discovered more about the entity causing the evil at the heart of the story. Again it's a minor issue, but one that along with the first marred the ending for me, but not enough not to recommend this as a decent horror read.
The pacing is good, the book builds with some creepy dreams and odd occurrences while building up the characters central to the unfolding events. The mark of a good read is that you don't notice how many pages you've read and this was the case with this book. The pace increases as the book progresses and soon the attack on the town begins.
The group of friends then have to fight the dark forces attacking the town, not only to survive, but to prevent the evil; from spreading.
As I said at the beginning I enjoyed reading this, the writing is excellent and slips through without any great effort and I'd finished the book almost without reading it. The author writes well, setting the scene with skill and maintaining the pace needed for a tale like this.
For me there were two down points to the book, the first was the conclusion, after the excellent build up it all ended a little easily and quickly. In fairness this isn't a big complaint, the ending is a satisfactory one.
My other issue was the evil itself, I'm a reader that enjoys learning about the dark forces as play and I would have liked to have discovered more about the entity causing the evil at the heart of the story. Again it's a minor issue, but one that along with the first marred the ending for me, but not enough not to recommend this as a decent horror read.
May 23, 2013
I've read this author before and thought I'd like his new book. Like a previous reviewer, I was wrong! I LOVED this book.
It falls under the horror category in Smashwords but it's so much more. Horror gets a bad rap sometimes. This book certainly bursts the notion of what horror means.
It is about the undead but not in the common theme that has become boring and overdone.
What this book has is friendship, love, action, adventure and mysticism that only Brandon could bring together so beautifully. I could NOT put this book down.
I highly recommend for a good read. To be honest, I'll be reading it again.
It falls under the horror category in Smashwords but it's so much more. Horror gets a bad rap sometimes. This book certainly bursts the notion of what horror means.
It is about the undead but not in the common theme that has become boring and overdone.
What this book has is friendship, love, action, adventure and mysticism that only Brandon could bring together so beautifully. I could NOT put this book down.
I highly recommend for a good read. To be honest, I'll be reading it again.
August 6, 2013
If you’re a fan of the zombie apocalypse (and who isn’t?), you may want to pick up a copy of Brandon Luffman’s Frostwalker. It’s not great literature, but it is well written, entertaining, and a pretty good way to spend a few hours if you enjoy spending time with the undead. I grabbed it off my TBR list for an escape after working my way through a couple of deeper reads this past week, and it provided just the right touch of horror that makes for an enjoyable but not too over-the-top-frightening read. You know the kind – you get involved with the characters, you’re willing to go along for the ride, but you don’t lay awake all night jumping at every little sound after reading it.
As the tale begins, local geek business owner, Jake Marsden, has been sleepwalking into the woods every night, dreaming of both a light and a darkness. When an ancient evil begins to take out his small town’s citizens one by one, Jake and his friends are the town’s best hope for deliverance.
I don’t know what it is with me, but the minute a big, strong, silent Indian guy shows up, I’m in for the long run. The inclusion of native American elements in tales about terrors that come from the woods is not overly original, but it did add to my enjoyment of the story. I also enjoyed the inclusion of female characters who were partners with and equal to the men instead of only sex objects or mother figures who cringe in the background and have no concept of how to defend themselves.
Author Luffman has a particular talent for description: he painted vivid pictures of the action of the story, and I always felt firmly grounded in each scene. He is more than capable in this critical component of a story that depended almost entirely on physical threat from scary monsters for suspense.
Where the author shows a lower level of skill is with dialogue. At times, I found myself wishing that the characters would stop talking, because I began to like them less – it isn’t that the author is particularly bad at dialogue, it’s simply that his characters are ordinary people, and ordinary people say ordinary things. Fortunately, the novel took place primarily through descriptive passages. Dialogue was sparingly used to show just enough interaction between the characters to establish personality and relationships.
Overall, when comparing Frostwalker to other action-based horror novels, I give it something between a 3.5 and a 4. Fans of the zombie novel should definitely consider purchasing it, and fans of more general horror might also want to give it a go. The squeamish will want to skip it because of the graphic descriptions of the typical gore left behind when zombies attack.
This review was originally written for IndieHeart.com. We received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out our Free Kindle ebook newsletter! We work hard to find a few daily selections by (mostly) Indie authors that we think you might enjoy.
As the tale begins, local geek business owner, Jake Marsden, has been sleepwalking into the woods every night, dreaming of both a light and a darkness. When an ancient evil begins to take out his small town’s citizens one by one, Jake and his friends are the town’s best hope for deliverance.
I don’t know what it is with me, but the minute a big, strong, silent Indian guy shows up, I’m in for the long run. The inclusion of native American elements in tales about terrors that come from the woods is not overly original, but it did add to my enjoyment of the story. I also enjoyed the inclusion of female characters who were partners with and equal to the men instead of only sex objects or mother figures who cringe in the background and have no concept of how to defend themselves.
Author Luffman has a particular talent for description: he painted vivid pictures of the action of the story, and I always felt firmly grounded in each scene. He is more than capable in this critical component of a story that depended almost entirely on physical threat from scary monsters for suspense.
Where the author shows a lower level of skill is with dialogue. At times, I found myself wishing that the characters would stop talking, because I began to like them less – it isn’t that the author is particularly bad at dialogue, it’s simply that his characters are ordinary people, and ordinary people say ordinary things. Fortunately, the novel took place primarily through descriptive passages. Dialogue was sparingly used to show just enough interaction between the characters to establish personality and relationships.
Overall, when comparing Frostwalker to other action-based horror novels, I give it something between a 3.5 and a 4. Fans of the zombie novel should definitely consider purchasing it, and fans of more general horror might also want to give it a go. The squeamish will want to skip it because of the graphic descriptions of the typical gore left behind when zombies attack.
This review was originally written for IndieHeart.com. We received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out our Free Kindle ebook newsletter! We work hard to find a few daily selections by (mostly) Indie authors that we think you might enjoy.
February 21, 2014
For five nights in a row, Jake had seen the light, felt it calling him.
Tonight, he crossed into the forest.
It had called him and he was determined to solve the mystery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I knew something was coming just from the eerie cover. That was no bullet hole in that thar deer. And Dan. Poor Dan. That is when I was drawn in so deep, I had to know – what in the hell happened to him in the woods? I knew it was something bad just by the description of the gruesome, bloody and savage attack. Brandon Luffman did an excellent job of creating a feeling of impending doom in this horror novel of the creepiest kind.
There is an isidiuous evil worming its way through the people in town.
Have you ever approached something and balked at going through with it? A sense of something, intuition (?), saying it wasn’t right, that something was very wrong? That’s how Jake felt when he would approach the woods. His foot would not cross that barrier.
When the shit hit the fan, it did it with a vengeance. Every opening door, every creak of the floor, I thought something was going to jump out at me.
Jake and Eric are best friends. They are just regular Joes, nothing special about them. The evil they face will prove the lengths they will go to for each other.
I liked Nancy right off the bat. A no nonsense, do what must be done kind of gal. There wasn’t no monster gonna scare her away. She was strong and not a screamer. I hate those horror movies where all the women can do is cry and scream. Wendy is one of them. Will she step up when the time comes? Or Regina?
John Birdsong is a Shaman. He is Tsalagi, now known as the Cherokee. He is Frostwalker. As soon as John and his grandmother entered the story, I liked where it was heading even more, a twist that would make the story even deeper. I like the spiritual elements of the Native Indians sprinkled into the story.
The Grandmother is the the storyteller. The story she has to tell is almost beyond belief.
I always wonder how I would perform in such situations. I guess that means this is a good story, because it actually had me asking myself – what would I do?
Brandon did an excellent job in creating a tremendous amount of tension through anticipation. I knew it was coming, but he strung me out for so long, I couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief when we finally got there. And it wasn’t where I thought I was going. Great ending!
“Sounds like something’s gone bad wrong.” Boy was that an understatement.
‘I know I’m going to sound crazy, but they’re not just plain people any more, Sheriff.”
I received Frostwalker from Brandon Luffman in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Tonight, he crossed into the forest.
It had called him and he was determined to solve the mystery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I knew something was coming just from the eerie cover. That was no bullet hole in that thar deer. And Dan. Poor Dan. That is when I was drawn in so deep, I had to know – what in the hell happened to him in the woods? I knew it was something bad just by the description of the gruesome, bloody and savage attack. Brandon Luffman did an excellent job of creating a feeling of impending doom in this horror novel of the creepiest kind.
There is an isidiuous evil worming its way through the people in town.
Have you ever approached something and balked at going through with it? A sense of something, intuition (?), saying it wasn’t right, that something was very wrong? That’s how Jake felt when he would approach the woods. His foot would not cross that barrier.
When the shit hit the fan, it did it with a vengeance. Every opening door, every creak of the floor, I thought something was going to jump out at me.
Jake and Eric are best friends. They are just regular Joes, nothing special about them. The evil they face will prove the lengths they will go to for each other.
I liked Nancy right off the bat. A no nonsense, do what must be done kind of gal. There wasn’t no monster gonna scare her away. She was strong and not a screamer. I hate those horror movies where all the women can do is cry and scream. Wendy is one of them. Will she step up when the time comes? Or Regina?
John Birdsong is a Shaman. He is Tsalagi, now known as the Cherokee. He is Frostwalker. As soon as John and his grandmother entered the story, I liked where it was heading even more, a twist that would make the story even deeper. I like the spiritual elements of the Native Indians sprinkled into the story.
The Grandmother is the the storyteller. The story she has to tell is almost beyond belief.
I always wonder how I would perform in such situations. I guess that means this is a good story, because it actually had me asking myself – what would I do?
Brandon did an excellent job in creating a tremendous amount of tension through anticipation. I knew it was coming, but he strung me out for so long, I couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief when we finally got there. And it wasn’t where I thought I was going. Great ending!
“Sounds like something’s gone bad wrong.” Boy was that an understatement.
‘I know I’m going to sound crazy, but they’re not just plain people any more, Sheriff.”
I received Frostwalker from Brandon Luffman in return for an honest and unbiased review.
July 28, 2013
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.
Jake is having some really strange dreams. These dreams keep calling him out to the woods behind his house. When he wakes, he feels that he knows exactly where this spot in the woods is at, but when he tries to find it, he can’t. Not because he is unable to find it, but because he is not physically able to continue on in the dark woods.
His dreams, and lack of sleep, are starting to affect his work. But, it’s a good thing he is his own boss and the only other person he has to worry about at work is his secretary, Nancy. Over breakfast at the office one day, he realizes his attraction to Nancy, but now he has to weigh the pros and cons of making a move on his employee.
Jake’s best friend Eric, and Eric’s girlfriend Wendy, convince Jake to ask Nancy to come along with them to do some Christmas shopping. During the trip to the mall, Jake and Nancy realize they have a lot in common, and begin to really hit it off. Because of this trip they start a new, romantic, relationship.
But, strange happenings begin to occur as the weather worsens in their rural North Carolina town. As the snow flies and unnatural beings begin to attack them they are forced to run and try to find a way to save themselves. When they team up with a Native American, John, and his Grandmother, they learn a familiar story about their people and a battle that happened a long time ago. It was too familiar for Jake, as he felt he was living the exact same story.
Will Jake’s story end the same as the story of the tribe? Will these evil beings take over the town? The state? The world? Is this new romantic relationship going to be able to grow, or will something else step in the way and kill it?
This was a good, paranormal, story. It seemed like something straight out of the X-Files. I was hooked from the beginning and had a really hard time putting it down. I felt that the storyline flowed along perfectly, and the editing was really good. And, the way the story ended almost seems like the author might have a sequel in the works.
Jake is having some really strange dreams. These dreams keep calling him out to the woods behind his house. When he wakes, he feels that he knows exactly where this spot in the woods is at, but when he tries to find it, he can’t. Not because he is unable to find it, but because he is not physically able to continue on in the dark woods.
His dreams, and lack of sleep, are starting to affect his work. But, it’s a good thing he is his own boss and the only other person he has to worry about at work is his secretary, Nancy. Over breakfast at the office one day, he realizes his attraction to Nancy, but now he has to weigh the pros and cons of making a move on his employee.
Jake’s best friend Eric, and Eric’s girlfriend Wendy, convince Jake to ask Nancy to come along with them to do some Christmas shopping. During the trip to the mall, Jake and Nancy realize they have a lot in common, and begin to really hit it off. Because of this trip they start a new, romantic, relationship.
But, strange happenings begin to occur as the weather worsens in their rural North Carolina town. As the snow flies and unnatural beings begin to attack them they are forced to run and try to find a way to save themselves. When they team up with a Native American, John, and his Grandmother, they learn a familiar story about their people and a battle that happened a long time ago. It was too familiar for Jake, as he felt he was living the exact same story.
Will Jake’s story end the same as the story of the tribe? Will these evil beings take over the town? The state? The world? Is this new romantic relationship going to be able to grow, or will something else step in the way and kill it?
This was a good, paranormal, story. It seemed like something straight out of the X-Files. I was hooked from the beginning and had a really hard time putting it down. I felt that the storyline flowed along perfectly, and the editing was really good. And, the way the story ended almost seems like the author might have a sequel in the works.
August 10, 2013
Luffman presents the reader with an elaborate story that was overall a beautifully written piece. One of my favorite scenes involved Butchie. Butchie was a dog that is wandering the woods. He knows he’s a good dog because his alpha tells him that he is. Butchie’s internal dialogue reminded me of a non-fiction book I read and reviewed not long ago regarding working dogs. His story-line felt very authentic.
In contrast the internal dialogue of the other characters felt forced for the most part. I know that some readers will find Jake’s internal dialogue as it relates to Nancy endearing. I found his internal dialogue a little precious for a man his age. Danger and a sense of urgency forge quick connections and their relationship is believable without the sense of a scene overacted.
In contrast, Jake’s relationship with his best friend Eric seemed very natural. I worked hard not to hate Eric for using the word “Awesomesauce” and in the end they were regular guys. Eric’s relationship with his long-term girlfriend is very smoothly written. They are a natural team for what they will next face.
While it takes a long time for Luffman to get to the action, he wisely builds tension while the main characters go Christmas shopping, eat takeout food and experience obsessive dreams. Luffman does creepy very well. When we finally get an answer to what happened to the missing hunter the scene is so horrifying that I want to go back and read it over and over. Poor Rhonda.
For all the brilliance imbued in the story-line, the ending was too pat. The ending made sense and came together but was somewhat disappointing in light of what the main text led a reader to expect.
I would highly recommend this book to those readers who like paranormal stories. If you don’t like zombies, don’t think of this as a zombie novel. “Frostwalker” is a more original animal. Horrifyingly beautiful. If you live in a wooded area, as I do, you might want to leave the lights on for this one.
In contrast the internal dialogue of the other characters felt forced for the most part. I know that some readers will find Jake’s internal dialogue as it relates to Nancy endearing. I found his internal dialogue a little precious for a man his age. Danger and a sense of urgency forge quick connections and their relationship is believable without the sense of a scene overacted.
In contrast, Jake’s relationship with his best friend Eric seemed very natural. I worked hard not to hate Eric for using the word “Awesomesauce” and in the end they were regular guys. Eric’s relationship with his long-term girlfriend is very smoothly written. They are a natural team for what they will next face.
While it takes a long time for Luffman to get to the action, he wisely builds tension while the main characters go Christmas shopping, eat takeout food and experience obsessive dreams. Luffman does creepy very well. When we finally get an answer to what happened to the missing hunter the scene is so horrifying that I want to go back and read it over and over. Poor Rhonda.
For all the brilliance imbued in the story-line, the ending was too pat. The ending made sense and came together but was somewhat disappointing in light of what the main text led a reader to expect.
I would highly recommend this book to those readers who like paranormal stories. If you don’t like zombies, don’t think of this as a zombie novel. “Frostwalker” is a more original animal. Horrifyingly beautiful. If you live in a wooded area, as I do, you might want to leave the lights on for this one.
June 24, 2013
Once more, my little salmon self is swimming upstream against rave reviews.
Not that I found this to be a “bad” book. It wasn’t bad. But I can’t say I thought it was great either. One fellow reviewer raves that Luffman made this zombie story original, and that’s pretty opposite of what I felt. I didn’t find the story that original. The geek stuff was nice, and the American Indian angle interesting, but not new, not unique, not even all that original.
It was set in your average small town, with your average characters, facing your average insane zombie events. The beginning felt like it was trying a little too hard to show the “buddy relationship,” and while the ending was all right, it was kind of a let down for me (I wanted more) and I wanted more out of the epilogue too, if we were going to have one at all.
What I did like about Luffman’s book, however, was the female characters. He writes fierce women–smart, strong–and plenty of them. Enough that it doesn’t feel like the “token tough chick” character.
Despite not finding it exceptionally original, it wasn’t bad. I found the beginning a tad boring, but it flowed along easily. (I read it pretty much in a day.) There was some intensity to the latter chapters, and although Eric was a touch “standard” character trope for the genre, I still really liked him, and Nancy rocked it pretty hard. So while I can’t join the rest and rave about it, I don’t feel like reading this book was at all a waste of time.
If you’re looking for your usual zombie fun, then I’d recommend it. Luffman is a very competent writer. Still, I’m sad to say that I can’t give it more than a 3.
Not that I found this to be a “bad” book. It wasn’t bad. But I can’t say I thought it was great either. One fellow reviewer raves that Luffman made this zombie story original, and that’s pretty opposite of what I felt. I didn’t find the story that original. The geek stuff was nice, and the American Indian angle interesting, but not new, not unique, not even all that original.
It was set in your average small town, with your average characters, facing your average insane zombie events. The beginning felt like it was trying a little too hard to show the “buddy relationship,” and while the ending was all right, it was kind of a let down for me (I wanted more) and I wanted more out of the epilogue too, if we were going to have one at all.
What I did like about Luffman’s book, however, was the female characters. He writes fierce women–smart, strong–and plenty of them. Enough that it doesn’t feel like the “token tough chick” character.
Despite not finding it exceptionally original, it wasn’t bad. I found the beginning a tad boring, but it flowed along easily. (I read it pretty much in a day.) There was some intensity to the latter chapters, and although Eric was a touch “standard” character trope for the genre, I still really liked him, and Nancy rocked it pretty hard. So while I can’t join the rest and rave about it, I don’t feel like reading this book was at all a waste of time.
If you’re looking for your usual zombie fun, then I’d recommend it. Luffman is a very competent writer. Still, I’m sad to say that I can’t give it more than a 3.
August 18, 2013
Frostwalker started out a bit slow and I began to wonder, “What’s the point of reading this?” Jake was slow on the uptake of the situation around him and I had to wait patiently while he figured out that something just wasn’t right about his recurring dreams. He was every bit of the reluctant hero we sometimes encounter in ‘Must Save the World’ tales. And the romance between Jake Marsden and Nancy was very subtle. I honestly thought there was more passion between Jake and his best friend, Eric.
I love a good zombie story, but I couldn’t fully immerse myself into this book. I’m thinking the switching point of views between so many townspeople threw me off. I wasn’t really able to connect with Jake like I wanted to before I was thrown (briefly) into the world of someone else. While I appreciate learning first hand how the town slowly became hordes of walking undead, I would have preferred to have stayed with Jake the whole time.
Jake’s girlfriend Nancy was and still is, a mystery to me. She was so completely opposite of Jake that at one point I wondered if she was going to be the one to save the day. There were lots of scenes where her eyes sparkled, glimmered or shone hinting to mischievousness or mystery, but I never knew what it meant. It would have been nice if her character were fleshed out a bit more.
Despite finding fault with the characters, I thought the plot was a solid one and I kept reading to find out just how this town would survive. The climax was enjoyable with lots of action, blood and guts, and I found myself smiling at the end. :) Overall, I give Frostwalker 4 out of 5 stars.
I love a good zombie story, but I couldn’t fully immerse myself into this book. I’m thinking the switching point of views between so many townspeople threw me off. I wasn’t really able to connect with Jake like I wanted to before I was thrown (briefly) into the world of someone else. While I appreciate learning first hand how the town slowly became hordes of walking undead, I would have preferred to have stayed with Jake the whole time.
Jake’s girlfriend Nancy was and still is, a mystery to me. She was so completely opposite of Jake that at one point I wondered if she was going to be the one to save the day. There were lots of scenes where her eyes sparkled, glimmered or shone hinting to mischievousness or mystery, but I never knew what it meant. It would have been nice if her character were fleshed out a bit more.
Despite finding fault with the characters, I thought the plot was a solid one and I kept reading to find out just how this town would survive. The climax was enjoyable with lots of action, blood and guts, and I found myself smiling at the end. :) Overall, I give Frostwalker 4 out of 5 stars.
July 26, 2013
First of all, this is a zombie novel. Jake is a web designer who has the same terrifying dream every night, and each night it gets more intense and much more realistic. Soon he can’t help but try to find what he’s looking for in the dream. Soon enough though, the evil in the dream has bled into his reality. “Frostwalker” is Brandon R. Luffman’s new paranormal horror.
The dead are coming back to life, and soon Jake, his friend, and new girlfriend are fighting for their lives. Later, they find out this is an evil that has been seen by the Cherokee before. Though he has help, Jake must find a way to destroy this evil and save those left alive in his town.
This novel did have a twist on the generic zombie storyline; however there is only so much anyone can do to make it different from every other zombie book. In reality, it had a slight twist to the basic zombie plot. Having said that, this novel wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.
The character development was so-so. While the reader sees glimmers of who Jake is and how he is feeling, there just isn’t enough to go on to really, truly, connect. I did enjoy his female characters, they were more then willing to stand up and fight instead of hiding behind their male counterparts.
While I had wished for the latter half of the novel to have more to it, especially the ending, it wasn’t bad. Luffman is a capable writer, and for those who enjoy zombie themed books, this one is about on par with others I have read.
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads. This in no way influenced my review. I was not required to, nor compensated for, writing a review.
The dead are coming back to life, and soon Jake, his friend, and new girlfriend are fighting for their lives. Later, they find out this is an evil that has been seen by the Cherokee before. Though he has help, Jake must find a way to destroy this evil and save those left alive in his town.
This novel did have a twist on the generic zombie storyline; however there is only so much anyone can do to make it different from every other zombie book. In reality, it had a slight twist to the basic zombie plot. Having said that, this novel wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.
The character development was so-so. While the reader sees glimmers of who Jake is and how he is feeling, there just isn’t enough to go on to really, truly, connect. I did enjoy his female characters, they were more then willing to stand up and fight instead of hiding behind their male counterparts.
While I had wished for the latter half of the novel to have more to it, especially the ending, it wasn’t bad. Luffman is a capable writer, and for those who enjoy zombie themed books, this one is about on par with others I have read.
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads. This in no way influenced my review. I was not required to, nor compensated for, writing a review.
October 14, 2013
There's something in the woods behind Jake Marsden's house, and it determined to be found. From the constant urging of nightly dreams, Jake wanders through the night stopping short of the dark woods. Soon he will discover his dreams and experiences are all part of an ancient evil lurking within his hometown of Wynn, North Carolina.
Author Brandon R. Luffman's debut novel gives the reader a different take on the zombie tale, filled with intrigue,wonderful setting, and relatable characters.
From the start, Jake Marsden is haunted by dreams of a light in the woods behind his house. The author sets the tone and mood letting the readers know something is not right. Is it Marsden himself or something else? The mystery is there to solve with the characters.
The backdrop for this story is set in small town Wynn, Carolina during the winter. Through Luffman's style and descriptive writing, you immediately get a feel for the citizen's, and when things go south you are right there with them trying to survive.
Jake Marsden is your typical geek. he loves video games, tech, and horror movies. The reoccurring dreams have him worried, and he reaches out to his best friend Eric for help. Through the persistence of Eric, Jake eventually talks to Nancy(a co-worker) and rids himself of his social awkwardness, in time to try to save his town.
"Frostwalker" has it all: A range of great characters, awesome setting, and a good dose of ancient terror to go around
Author Brandon R. Luffman's debut novel gives the reader a different take on the zombie tale, filled with intrigue,wonderful setting, and relatable characters.
From the start, Jake Marsden is haunted by dreams of a light in the woods behind his house. The author sets the tone and mood letting the readers know something is not right. Is it Marsden himself or something else? The mystery is there to solve with the characters.
The backdrop for this story is set in small town Wynn, Carolina during the winter. Through Luffman's style and descriptive writing, you immediately get a feel for the citizen's, and when things go south you are right there with them trying to survive.
Jake Marsden is your typical geek. he loves video games, tech, and horror movies. The reoccurring dreams have him worried, and he reaches out to his best friend Eric for help. Through the persistence of Eric, Jake eventually talks to Nancy(a co-worker) and rids himself of his social awkwardness, in time to try to save his town.
"Frostwalker" has it all: A range of great characters, awesome setting, and a good dose of ancient terror to go around
Read
April 22, 2015A pretty good story
In my opinion the undead thing has been overdone lately but the native American take on the theme worked pretty well here. Good character development and plot pace made this a worthwhile read. The two short stories that I have read by Mr. Luffman were unique and enjoyable as well.
In my opinion the undead thing has been overdone lately but the native American take on the theme worked pretty well here. Good character development and plot pace made this a worthwhile read. The two short stories that I have read by Mr. Luffman were unique and enjoyable as well.
June 5, 2013
Great work, reminded me a lot of Koontz's "Golden Era" stories.
January 8, 2014
Review to come.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews