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Demon of the Fall
Lucio "Toxic Lou" Pardine, a hoodlum from Albany, steal’s money from the Delamino Family’s most feared contract killer and, hoping for a new start, flees to Purity, Pennsylvania. But Purity has a history of darkness dating back to the Civil War, when it inherited its name from Adam Purity, the Confederate Colonel who took refuge in the mountain village. Colonel Purity eluded the Yankees but succumbed to the ancient evil residing in the town.
While Purity prepares for its annual Hallows' Eve food offering to protect themselves from evil spirits, an enigmatic grave robber—the police refer to him as “Necro Nick”—threatens the festivities. Toxic Lou, after he’s accused of being this grave robber, breaks into an abandoned church—once the scene of a horrific murder—to investigate the source of a strange mystical light. Unknowingly, he frees the town’s ancient evil from its prison in the church.
Gabriel Vance, the cold philosophical killer who Lou swindled, has traced Lou's whereabouts to Purity. The two men prepare for a blood-spattered battle to the death, but the ancient evil known as The Demon of the Fall will use one of these men—perhaps both of them—as pawns in its bid to destroy Purity.
“Blue Velvet” meets “The Evil Dead” in Demon of the Fall, R.P. Kraul’s second novel.
While Purity prepares for its annual Hallows' Eve food offering to protect themselves from evil spirits, an enigmatic grave robber—the police refer to him as “Necro Nick”—threatens the festivities. Toxic Lou, after he’s accused of being this grave robber, breaks into an abandoned church—once the scene of a horrific murder—to investigate the source of a strange mystical light. Unknowingly, he frees the town’s ancient evil from its prison in the church.
Gabriel Vance, the cold philosophical killer who Lou swindled, has traced Lou's whereabouts to Purity. The two men prepare for a blood-spattered battle to the death, but the ancient evil known as The Demon of the Fall will use one of these men—perhaps both of them—as pawns in its bid to destroy Purity.
“Blue Velvet” meets “The Evil Dead” in Demon of the Fall, R.P. Kraul’s second novel.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2013
2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
R.P. Kraul
4 books6 followersR.P. was born in Pennsylvania in the late sixties, when the last fumes of the Vietnam war were still present. He distinctly remembers bandanas, kerchiefs, glow-in-the-dark monster models, and Cadillacs the size of cruise ships.
As a teenager, he began writing horror stories based mostly on the vast array of horror films he'd seen. Additionally, he took interest in both Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, both of whom became influences.
It was at this time that MIRRORS OF ANGUISH first started taking form. At the time, however, the story was called THE DUNKIRK HORROR. He later changed the name when he realized readers closely associated "Dunkirk" with the seaport in France. He has nothing against France, but the ubiquitous question fatigued him. Just for the record—and to clear any ambiguity—Belcorte, the town in which Mirrors is set, is not in France. If there is a Belcorte in France, or for that matter, Europe, it is purely by mistake.
He frequently locks himself in his dark, clandestine laboratory (read: converted pantry). He comes out of this lair only to use the restroom, check for the apocalypse, and fetch more Belgian beer (though Belcorte is not in Belgium, either). Occasionally his wife takes pity on him and slides a piece of toast under his door. He likes toast. Mostly, he listens to operatic death metal, contemplates the meaning of life, and creates the dark characters who inhabit your nightmares.
As a teenager, he began writing horror stories based mostly on the vast array of horror films he'd seen. Additionally, he took interest in both Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, both of whom became influences.
It was at this time that MIRRORS OF ANGUISH first started taking form. At the time, however, the story was called THE DUNKIRK HORROR. He later changed the name when he realized readers closely associated "Dunkirk" with the seaport in France. He has nothing against France, but the ubiquitous question fatigued him. Just for the record—and to clear any ambiguity—Belcorte, the town in which Mirrors is set, is not in France. If there is a Belcorte in France, or for that matter, Europe, it is purely by mistake.
He frequently locks himself in his dark, clandestine laboratory (read: converted pantry). He comes out of this lair only to use the restroom, check for the apocalypse, and fetch more Belgian beer (though Belcorte is not in Belgium, either). Occasionally his wife takes pity on him and slides a piece of toast under his door. He likes toast. Mostly, he listens to operatic death metal, contemplates the meaning of life, and creates the dark characters who inhabit your nightmares.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 31, 2014
So let's get into what I liked about this novel:
Characters: I loved the characters in this novel. Everyone in this novel is a little criminal, in an emotional way, or in an actual way. Lou is a thief and a killer, a criminal from New York running for his life, because he stole money from some more crooks and killers. You would think that you would hate everyone in this novel. But you would be wrong. Kraul pulls off what is difficult for seasoned writers, and he does it in his second novel. He takes an anti-hero, the criminal Lou "Toxic Lou" Pardino and turns him into someone you rout for throughout the novel, even as he's trying to keep the money he stole hidden. How does he do that? Easy. He makes everything else hideous, odious. Gabriel Vance is as cold-blooded as he can be. Taking the one thing from Pardino that means the most to him. This makes Pardino the hero of the story and a capable one at that.
Setting: Much of this book takes place on the estate grounds of Edmund Graves, a well-to-do man. Lou is the hired help on the ground. The setting of this estate was a real as it could be and I never had the problem of wondering what the place looked like. I had a solid picture of it throughout.
In fact all of the descriptions of places in this novel were gripping from the description of a police station as, "A small dingy building with a single jail cell, already occupied, and two ancient desks arranged in he center of the floor," like in The Andy Griffith Show, to the description of the abandoned church near the property where flashlights are "illuminating the unreserved eyes of broken angel statues," this novel is way wicked in how it pulls you in and sets you right into the town of Purity.
Formatting: Solid formatting from the folks at Immortal Ink Publishing.
Now, for why this book has an awesome format. It's pretty damn flawless with some of the coolest, creepiest, chapter heads I had seen in a long time. I can't even describe it. Check out a sample of the book and you will catch it for yourself. I know that these little things aren't what make a good book, but they sure as heck create a subliminal thought or two in thee old noggin'. The editing is pretty flawless, with only a few mistakes here and there. About as much as you would find in any traditionally published novel.
In totality, this book is a solid foray into some uncomfortable, squirm-worthy horror. I'm thankful for R.P. Kraul and the folks at Immortal Ink for being willing to call this book what it is...horror, and for not being afraid to publish it. Mr. Kraul, I've said it before...but you have revived the genre of horror for me, my man. Truly.
Folks, check this out as soon as you can, but don't say I didn't warn you. This book is not for the squeamish or those who don't like foul language.
Characters: I loved the characters in this novel. Everyone in this novel is a little criminal, in an emotional way, or in an actual way. Lou is a thief and a killer, a criminal from New York running for his life, because he stole money from some more crooks and killers. You would think that you would hate everyone in this novel. But you would be wrong. Kraul pulls off what is difficult for seasoned writers, and he does it in his second novel. He takes an anti-hero, the criminal Lou "Toxic Lou" Pardino and turns him into someone you rout for throughout the novel, even as he's trying to keep the money he stole hidden. How does he do that? Easy. He makes everything else hideous, odious. Gabriel Vance is as cold-blooded as he can be. Taking the one thing from Pardino that means the most to him. This makes Pardino the hero of the story and a capable one at that.
Setting: Much of this book takes place on the estate grounds of Edmund Graves, a well-to-do man. Lou is the hired help on the ground. The setting of this estate was a real as it could be and I never had the problem of wondering what the place looked like. I had a solid picture of it throughout.
In fact all of the descriptions of places in this novel were gripping from the description of a police station as, "A small dingy building with a single jail cell, already occupied, and two ancient desks arranged in he center of the floor," like in The Andy Griffith Show, to the description of the abandoned church near the property where flashlights are "illuminating the unreserved eyes of broken angel statues," this novel is way wicked in how it pulls you in and sets you right into the town of Purity.
Formatting: Solid formatting from the folks at Immortal Ink Publishing.
Now, for why this book has an awesome format. It's pretty damn flawless with some of the coolest, creepiest, chapter heads I had seen in a long time. I can't even describe it. Check out a sample of the book and you will catch it for yourself. I know that these little things aren't what make a good book, but they sure as heck create a subliminal thought or two in thee old noggin'. The editing is pretty flawless, with only a few mistakes here and there. About as much as you would find in any traditionally published novel.
In totality, this book is a solid foray into some uncomfortable, squirm-worthy horror. I'm thankful for R.P. Kraul and the folks at Immortal Ink for being willing to call this book what it is...horror, and for not being afraid to publish it. Mr. Kraul, I've said it before...but you have revived the genre of horror for me, my man. Truly.
Folks, check this out as soon as you can, but don't say I didn't warn you. This book is not for the squeamish or those who don't like foul language.
Displaying 1 of 1 review