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Blackmoore: A Novel
"Within the secluded shelter of evergreens and cliffside that surrounds Bellingham Washington is South Hill, the city's prominent old money neighborhood; filled with gracious Victorians and manor homes, over looking the fishing port of Fairhaven and the dark waters of Bellingham Bay.
Seventeen-year-old Trevor Blackmoore has lived here his entire life, shunned and feared, along with the rest of his clan by the snobbish and superstitious families that surround them; who regard the Blackmoores as the devil's concubines. As a young clairvoyant dealing not only with the dark secrets of his family but also with his homosexuality; two things which have made him an outsider, he struggles to find normalcy.
Trevor's life is made extremely difficult by his tormentors and former childhood friends Cheri Hannifin, Greg Sheer, and Christian Vasquez; three school gods of the prestigious Mariner High School.
When Christian suddenly returns to Trevor's life, full of regret and a sudden need for something more, Trevor is unaware that he is walking into a devilish and dangerous trap concocted by Cheri and Greg, who have more in store for Trevor than simple revenge but a plot to ruin an unsuspecting Christian as well; this act setting off a chain of events that will fulfill the doomed prophecy of the Blackmoore family, who in their mysterious world, lined with voodoo and their dark and complicated Irish roots, are in grave danger.
A century's old curse comes to an end, releasing an ancient and bloodthirsty evil, set out on destroying the family, and Trevor learns that he is at the center of it; realizing that he is all the stands between this darkness and his family's survival."
Seventeen-year-old Trevor Blackmoore has lived here his entire life, shunned and feared, along with the rest of his clan by the snobbish and superstitious families that surround them; who regard the Blackmoores as the devil's concubines. As a young clairvoyant dealing not only with the dark secrets of his family but also with his homosexuality; two things which have made him an outsider, he struggles to find normalcy.
Trevor's life is made extremely difficult by his tormentors and former childhood friends Cheri Hannifin, Greg Sheer, and Christian Vasquez; three school gods of the prestigious Mariner High School.
When Christian suddenly returns to Trevor's life, full of regret and a sudden need for something more, Trevor is unaware that he is walking into a devilish and dangerous trap concocted by Cheri and Greg, who have more in store for Trevor than simple revenge but a plot to ruin an unsuspecting Christian as well; this act setting off a chain of events that will fulfill the doomed prophecy of the Blackmoore family, who in their mysterious world, lined with voodoo and their dark and complicated Irish roots, are in grave danger.
A century's old curse comes to an end, releasing an ancient and bloodthirsty evil, set out on destroying the family, and Trevor learns that he is at the center of it; realizing that he is all the stands between this darkness and his family's survival."
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 17, 2006
About the author
Marcus James
29 books11 followers“Some writers have great ideas but fail with the delivery. That is not the case for our author. He has developed his craft and whittled it to perfection”-Wesley Thomas, bestselling author of Nightmare Fuel.
Marcus James is the author of nine novels, including the award-winning Blackmoore Legacy series of books and the 2020 International Book Awards Finalist, Ghosts of Blood and Bone. He is an avid devourer of food, drinks, and horror films, along with every book that catches his eye. He lives in the Pacific Northwest. He is 37 years old.
Marcus James is the author of nine novels, including the award-winning Blackmoore Legacy series of books and the 2020 International Book Awards Finalist, Ghosts of Blood and Bone. He is an avid devourer of food, drinks, and horror films, along with every book that catches his eye. He lives in the Pacific Northwest. He is 37 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 31, 2017
Centered around Trevor Blackmoore, an older teen (about to turn eighteen), Blackmoore delves into the paranormal and the curse handed down through the generations of Trevor’s family. A family with secrets, powers, and strength, but one weighed down by the actions of not just ancestors but present day family members.
I really liked Trevor’s character, he’s intelligent and accepting of his family’s unusual “gifts”, and just like any other teenager he’s curious to learn more—especially if it will help himself guard against the curse that plagues the family and those that love them. I found the friction between him and his former childhood friends to be quite realistic to what you’d find among teenagers with their cliques today, and I thought the conflict his former best friend Christian was going through was well written. I also loved Braxton and the love and support he had for Trevor as Trevor went through what he did with Christian.
The author’s writing style tended to drift to the overly descriptive when it came to places and people to the point that I wanted to skim over these descriptions as they actually became cumbersome and for me didn’t really advance the story. This style does lend itself toward the gothic, though for me it was just a bit much. In contrast, the scenes of action and drama weren’t burdened with as much detail, and those sections claimed my attention more fully.
There’s a lot of depth to all of the characters (be prepared—there’s plenty of supporting ones, particularly once you get into Trevor’s relatives), which in turn contributes to the overall depth of the story. There’s enough tension and suspense to keep you on edge, and plenty to pique your interest to check out the second book in the series.
Since for me at times this was a slower read—mostly due to those descriptive passages—Blackmoore was a 3.5-star read for me. While it does have older teens as central characters, the adult language and some sexual content would have me advising this story for readers 18+.
I really liked Trevor’s character, he’s intelligent and accepting of his family’s unusual “gifts”, and just like any other teenager he’s curious to learn more—especially if it will help himself guard against the curse that plagues the family and those that love them. I found the friction between him and his former childhood friends to be quite realistic to what you’d find among teenagers with their cliques today, and I thought the conflict his former best friend Christian was going through was well written. I also loved Braxton and the love and support he had for Trevor as Trevor went through what he did with Christian.
The author’s writing style tended to drift to the overly descriptive when it came to places and people to the point that I wanted to skim over these descriptions as they actually became cumbersome and for me didn’t really advance the story. This style does lend itself toward the gothic, though for me it was just a bit much. In contrast, the scenes of action and drama weren’t burdened with as much detail, and those sections claimed my attention more fully.
There’s a lot of depth to all of the characters (be prepared—there’s plenty of supporting ones, particularly once you get into Trevor’s relatives), which in turn contributes to the overall depth of the story. There’s enough tension and suspense to keep you on edge, and plenty to pique your interest to check out the second book in the series.
Since for me at times this was a slower read—mostly due to those descriptive passages—Blackmoore was a 3.5-star read for me. While it does have older teens as central characters, the adult language and some sexual content would have me advising this story for readers 18+.
November 10, 2016
A family with secrets. A young man dealing with his own secrets. A heck of a novel!
In a city filled with gracious Victorians and manor homes, overlooking the fishing port of Fairhaven and the dark waters of Bellingham Bay, 17-year-old Trevor Blackmoore dwells. Due to his family’s secrets and his sexuality, he has been shunned his entire life by the snobbish and superstitious families that surround them.
Trevor's life becomes even more complicated upon the arrival of three old friends. But these ‘friends’ have a hidden agenda which awakens an ancient evil, sending everything into chaos!
This novel has so many appeals it proved incredibly difficult to stop reading. You have the personal struggles of Trevor, which are heart-breaking but fascinating. You have the family secrets. Then, capping it all off, you have an unsettling darkness that is awakening.
The characterisations are excellent. The author makes us feel a rollercoaster of emotions towards each character and the situations that occur. You find yourself hating, loving, and fearing people in the book. As the characterisations are flawless, you feel as though these are real people, not fictional characters in a book, which makes the emotions you (the reader) feels, all the more intense and addictive.
You find yourself in a world of witches and spirits, where you are scared, but don’t want to leave.
Regardless of the story and its characters, the writing itself is brilliant! It is descriptive, poetic, and utterly alluring. Some writers have great ideas, but fail with the delivery. That is not the case for our author, he has clearly developed his craft and whittled it to perfection.
Another impressive aspect of this book was the way that, despite many events unfolding at the same time, we never lose track. A great deal of organisation has gone into this publication, keeping everything understandable.
The pace brings the reader into this book even more. We sub-consciously feel something building, something coming, something bubbling. We feel unsettled at the darkness we sense is looming. It builds, and builds, until the epic climax appears, and before we know it, the story is over….. for now!
Overall, this book was spectacular! It hit all the right spots and leaves you craving more!
For those who have already read this book, fear not, Symphony for the Devil, the sequel, is out this winter! (2016)
In a city filled with gracious Victorians and manor homes, overlooking the fishing port of Fairhaven and the dark waters of Bellingham Bay, 17-year-old Trevor Blackmoore dwells. Due to his family’s secrets and his sexuality, he has been shunned his entire life by the snobbish and superstitious families that surround them.
Trevor's life becomes even more complicated upon the arrival of three old friends. But these ‘friends’ have a hidden agenda which awakens an ancient evil, sending everything into chaos!
This novel has so many appeals it proved incredibly difficult to stop reading. You have the personal struggles of Trevor, which are heart-breaking but fascinating. You have the family secrets. Then, capping it all off, you have an unsettling darkness that is awakening.
The characterisations are excellent. The author makes us feel a rollercoaster of emotions towards each character and the situations that occur. You find yourself hating, loving, and fearing people in the book. As the characterisations are flawless, you feel as though these are real people, not fictional characters in a book, which makes the emotions you (the reader) feels, all the more intense and addictive.
You find yourself in a world of witches and spirits, where you are scared, but don’t want to leave.
Regardless of the story and its characters, the writing itself is brilliant! It is descriptive, poetic, and utterly alluring. Some writers have great ideas, but fail with the delivery. That is not the case for our author, he has clearly developed his craft and whittled it to perfection.
Another impressive aspect of this book was the way that, despite many events unfolding at the same time, we never lose track. A great deal of organisation has gone into this publication, keeping everything understandable.
The pace brings the reader into this book even more. We sub-consciously feel something building, something coming, something bubbling. We feel unsettled at the darkness we sense is looming. It builds, and builds, until the epic climax appears, and before we know it, the story is over….. for now!
Overall, this book was spectacular! It hit all the right spots and leaves you craving more!
For those who have already read this book, fear not, Symphony for the Devil, the sequel, is out this winter! (2016)
February 24, 2024
Blackmoore is a spooky queer tale of witches and spirits. The story follows Trevor Blackmoore, a medium-clairvoyant who is grappling with his homosexuality. Like James' novel "Instructions in Flesh," bullying and harassment are addressed, which brings such an important light to the abuse that many young queer kids face.
But the interesting twist of this horror novel is that it focuses on the Blackmoore family curse and how Trevor finds himself as his family's only survival. He soon has to face extreme evil forces to be able to save his family, and by having this newfound power, he finds confidence in himself.
I loved the queer and witchy aspects of this novel, but I did find that there were a lot of unnecessary descriptions that became lengthy and cumbersome. If some of those had been shortened, I would have found this novel to be much more impactful. However, the horror elements were enticing, and I loved how high the stakes were. Trevor was also an excellent protagonist, and I loved getting to know him.
If you like your horror queer and witchy, you will enjoy Blackmoore!
Thank you to Marcus James for the gifted copy.
But the interesting twist of this horror novel is that it focuses on the Blackmoore family curse and how Trevor finds himself as his family's only survival. He soon has to face extreme evil forces to be able to save his family, and by having this newfound power, he finds confidence in himself.
I loved the queer and witchy aspects of this novel, but I did find that there were a lot of unnecessary descriptions that became lengthy and cumbersome. If some of those had been shortened, I would have found this novel to be much more impactful. However, the horror elements were enticing, and I loved how high the stakes were. Trevor was also an excellent protagonist, and I loved getting to know him.
If you like your horror queer and witchy, you will enjoy Blackmoore!
Thank you to Marcus James for the gifted copy.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews