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Them Old Ways Never Died
- The debut novel from acclaimed paranormal author Joshua Cutchin -
Rick Coulter only wants three to repair his relationships, forget his past, and perform his music. After isolation forces him into a self-destructive spiral, he comes to suspect that his remote Georgia home might not be as empty as it seems. The mountains harbor something secretive and ancient—something beyond human. Enlisting the aid of old friends and new acquaintances, Rick embarks on a journey of discovery carrying profound implications for his past and future. With terrifying clarity, they realize that, while far from their heyday, the ways of old are alive and well.
“Josh spins an enchantment rooted in 19th century Ireland, transplants it into 20th century Appalachia and then brings it to fruition in the 21st century. His narrative voice, filled with shadows and music, draws the reader into the story stealthily, dancing us into a spinning circle where past and future meet and we find that what we thought we knew about our reality wasn't real after all. Worth reading and re-reading."
- Barbara Fisher, '6 Degrees of John Keel'
"'Them Old Ways Never Died' is a magisterial tale of redemption, realised through the prism of folklore but revolving around the skewed, secularised perspectives of the 21st century... The past informs the present, and the time-jumps deftly shed light on the disoriented life of Rick, as he attempts to navigate his way through broken relationships, alcoholism, and the ever-increasing presence of non-human intelligent entities. It is a story cemented in reality and ventilated by the Otherworld—it is sinister, disquieting and eldritch, but also an exquisite paean to the human spirit and the beauty of absolution."
- Dr. Neil Rushton, author of 'Dead but Dreaming'
Rick Coulter only wants three to repair his relationships, forget his past, and perform his music. After isolation forces him into a self-destructive spiral, he comes to suspect that his remote Georgia home might not be as empty as it seems. The mountains harbor something secretive and ancient—something beyond human. Enlisting the aid of old friends and new acquaintances, Rick embarks on a journey of discovery carrying profound implications for his past and future. With terrifying clarity, they realize that, while far from their heyday, the ways of old are alive and well.
“Josh spins an enchantment rooted in 19th century Ireland, transplants it into 20th century Appalachia and then brings it to fruition in the 21st century. His narrative voice, filled with shadows and music, draws the reader into the story stealthily, dancing us into a spinning circle where past and future meet and we find that what we thought we knew about our reality wasn't real after all. Worth reading and re-reading."
- Barbara Fisher, '6 Degrees of John Keel'
"'Them Old Ways Never Died' is a magisterial tale of redemption, realised through the prism of folklore but revolving around the skewed, secularised perspectives of the 21st century... The past informs the present, and the time-jumps deftly shed light on the disoriented life of Rick, as he attempts to navigate his way through broken relationships, alcoholism, and the ever-increasing presence of non-human intelligent entities. It is a story cemented in reality and ventilated by the Otherworld—it is sinister, disquieting and eldritch, but also an exquisite paean to the human spirit and the beauty of absolution."
- Dr. Neil Rushton, author of 'Dead but Dreaming'
- GenresParanormal
592 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 28, 2023
5 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 12, 2023
Great read! A high strangeness telling of generational trauma. Really enjoyed the read.
May we all find out how to keep our pilot light going.
May we all find out how to keep our pilot light going.
September 2, 2023
I always go into "first works of fiction" by nonfiction authors rather warily. All too often the styles don't translate well, and a person who might be able to put together a wonderful and exciting work of nonfiction cannot manage to make it work for his or her made up characters. But this book was next level. The writing was crisp, the dialogue believable, and the characters well drawn. A few times I would even be exasperated that we were spending time with some useless side character only for Cutchin to somehow bring them along for the main plot and build up a very solid arc for them, creating a likable person for whom we root sometimes despite ourselves. The sense of place was also very strong, as well as the staging for major "set pieces".
There is of course a creep factor at work too; this is a work of horror and dark fantasy, more or less. There are three or four big scenes that were very unsettling, and well crafted. However there is something to be said for the diminishing return of scares as more of how the antagonist operates is revealed leading a very satisfying, but nonetheless not very scary conclusion. Although, it begs the question whether Cutchin had frightening the reader as the main goal here, and I would argue he didn't, despite the well done tension throughout. I find it much more likely that presenting his own patented unified field theory of every paranormal quirk he has ever researched was more in line with his hopes, and that part, the "world-building" is what is done best of all, slowly peeling back one mystery to expose dozens more. To that end, if you've read his nonfiction or have frequently listened to paranormal podcasts over the years, you'll be delighted by a smorgasbord of Easter eggs. I can imagine some of them being somewhat baffling for a reader just picking this up for the cover. Why is there an ape and a woman in white involved at one point, for example... Well you must not have read the second volume of his Bigfoot book in which he explores a recurring motif in certain sighting. And so on.
I do have to say that this book commits and then atones for a cardinal sin in modern literature: making COVID a pivotal element of the story if not an outright major plot point. Mostly it's background set dressing that allows for a period of isolation by the main character, who is a gig musician. I don't too often like things being included in novels that stamp them with a date that will become a bit too specific and hard to grasp for future readers. COVID is really bad about this in stories because it affects everything. It's not a fashion trend or a lack of cell phones like in some 70s Paperback From Hell. It by it's very nature necessitates constant recall of this, mentions of masks or of things being closed, moments where the character momentum has to grind to a halt as they discuss whether each of them have quarantined long enough. It's all very blah. But Cutchin does an admirable job and actually presenting 2020 as how it really was for most people, rather than tilting to one extreme or the other as can so often be the case with something so politically charged. He ultimately atones for it with such memorable characters and monsters, and relegating it to background noise. But it doesn't make me wince any less when the eldritch abomination mentions the pandemic in one climactic moment... (For a really really good example of how poorly genre fiction can handle modern pandemic and politicking as a plot point, look no further than King's Gwendy series).
All told, this was a very successful spookem book, perfect for (and partially taking place on) Halloween, and for someone who is really interested in up to date paranormal concepts, well, this may just be our War and Peace.
There is of course a creep factor at work too; this is a work of horror and dark fantasy, more or less. There are three or four big scenes that were very unsettling, and well crafted. However there is something to be said for the diminishing return of scares as more of how the antagonist operates is revealed leading a very satisfying, but nonetheless not very scary conclusion. Although, it begs the question whether Cutchin had frightening the reader as the main goal here, and I would argue he didn't, despite the well done tension throughout. I find it much more likely that presenting his own patented unified field theory of every paranormal quirk he has ever researched was more in line with his hopes, and that part, the "world-building" is what is done best of all, slowly peeling back one mystery to expose dozens more. To that end, if you've read his nonfiction or have frequently listened to paranormal podcasts over the years, you'll be delighted by a smorgasbord of Easter eggs. I can imagine some of them being somewhat baffling for a reader just picking this up for the cover. Why is there an ape and a woman in white involved at one point, for example... Well you must not have read the second volume of his Bigfoot book in which he explores a recurring motif in certain sighting. And so on.
I do have to say that this book commits and then atones for a cardinal sin in modern literature: making COVID a pivotal element of the story if not an outright major plot point. Mostly it's background set dressing that allows for a period of isolation by the main character, who is a gig musician. I don't too often like things being included in novels that stamp them with a date that will become a bit too specific and hard to grasp for future readers. COVID is really bad about this in stories because it affects everything. It's not a fashion trend or a lack of cell phones like in some 70s Paperback From Hell. It by it's very nature necessitates constant recall of this, mentions of masks or of things being closed, moments where the character momentum has to grind to a halt as they discuss whether each of them have quarantined long enough. It's all very blah. But Cutchin does an admirable job and actually presenting 2020 as how it really was for most people, rather than tilting to one extreme or the other as can so often be the case with something so politically charged. He ultimately atones for it with such memorable characters and monsters, and relegating it to background noise. But it doesn't make me wince any less when the eldritch abomination mentions the pandemic in one climactic moment... (For a really really good example of how poorly genre fiction can handle modern pandemic and politicking as a plot point, look no further than King's Gwendy series).
All told, this was a very successful spookem book, perfect for (and partially taking place on) Halloween, and for someone who is really interested in up to date paranormal concepts, well, this may just be our War and Peace.
December 31, 2023
I've been a huge fan of Joshua Cutchin for the past several years. His previous works have been well researched, written, and whether you agree with his theories (or even the paranormal in general), they make for intriguing reading.
Them Old Ways Never Died is Cutchin's first published work of fiction. And, to be blunt, it does show.
Now, before I dig in, let me straight up say that this is not a bad thing. There are a number of strengths to the novel: the characters are unique and have their own voice. The dialogue is mildly stylized but flows well and is engaging. Also, the underlying story itself is engaging, and the mystery of what is happening to Rick is a good one.
That having been said, Them Old Ways Never Dies does have a number of flaws. Primarily, it is because Cutchin uses his narrative to help expound upon his own theories - and as a result the plotting can get heavy and it occasionally drifts into polemic. Furthermore, the book could have used another good edit or two - there were points where it becomes repetive and bloated, and could have benefited from trimming.
All in all, however, I'd suggest the work and would read future fiction by Cutchin.
Them Old Ways Never Died is Cutchin's first published work of fiction. And, to be blunt, it does show.
Now, before I dig in, let me straight up say that this is not a bad thing. There are a number of strengths to the novel: the characters are unique and have their own voice. The dialogue is mildly stylized but flows well and is engaging. Also, the underlying story itself is engaging, and the mystery of what is happening to Rick is a good one.
That having been said, Them Old Ways Never Dies does have a number of flaws. Primarily, it is because Cutchin uses his narrative to help expound upon his own theories - and as a result the plotting can get heavy and it occasionally drifts into polemic. Furthermore, the book could have used another good edit or two - there were points where it becomes repetive and bloated, and could have benefited from trimming.
All in all, however, I'd suggest the work and would read future fiction by Cutchin.
November 26, 2023
Fiction tells deeper truths.
First, full disclosure on my part, I helped Joshua by creating the layout for both the print and eBook versions of his novel. I had the chance to take the deep dive while working on the formatting.
This is not a light book, it's dang close to 500 pages. But please, don't be daunted by the heft of the project. Within these pages is well over a decade of research and dedication to the most elusive ideas that saturate a long list of paranormal subjects. What Joshua did is remarkable. He boiled down a lifetime of studies into a work of fiction. More is presented, and in the most personal ways, than any of his other works.
This is an essential book!
-- Mike Clelland!!
First, full disclosure on my part, I helped Joshua by creating the layout for both the print and eBook versions of his novel. I had the chance to take the deep dive while working on the formatting.
This is not a light book, it's dang close to 500 pages. But please, don't be daunted by the heft of the project. Within these pages is well over a decade of research and dedication to the most elusive ideas that saturate a long list of paranormal subjects. What Joshua did is remarkable. He boiled down a lifetime of studies into a work of fiction. More is presented, and in the most personal ways, than any of his other works.
This is an essential book!
-- Mike Clelland!!
September 5, 2023
One of the best portrayals of modern day fairy lore to date
To start, I'm decently versed in Josh's previous works. I had figured that his first novel could potentially reveal aspects of the phenomenon that Josh would usually keep close to the chest. He certainly spared no expense when it came to including characteristics of the phenomenon as he has come to understand it. But this piece of fiction entails a deeper, more personal story than just one of how one experiences and reacts to the other. It's certainly part of the tale, but it's as if the other's presence is used as an allegory to hone in and better illustrate the struggles of the protagonist. This book was beautifully written and it was my pleasure to be able to witness Josh's first novel. I hope that there is more to come!
To start, I'm decently versed in Josh's previous works. I had figured that his first novel could potentially reveal aspects of the phenomenon that Josh would usually keep close to the chest. He certainly spared no expense when it came to including characteristics of the phenomenon as he has come to understand it. But this piece of fiction entails a deeper, more personal story than just one of how one experiences and reacts to the other. It's certainly part of the tale, but it's as if the other's presence is used as an allegory to hone in and better illustrate the struggles of the protagonist. This book was beautifully written and it was my pleasure to be able to witness Josh's first novel. I hope that there is more to come!
September 21, 2023
I just finished Them Old Ways Never Died and absolutely loved it! I ordered my copy directly from the author, but I want to make sure I still review his book. Joshua Cutchin did a fantastic job spinning his encyclopedic knowledge and research of High Strangeness topics into an enthralling novel any lover of the paranormal will cherish. This is his first foray into fiction, and he didn't disappoint. Besides the story, it is chock full of wonderful word play and plenty of surprises. Joshua is definitely a scholar with the heart of an artist. Give it a read!
November 24, 2023
A fantastic first novel by an author who is more known his work on fairy folklore. Its depictions of the paranormal are creepy and compelling and the main character is particularly sympathetic.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews