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Rathcrog
The mountains of West Virginia have been home to humans for thousands of years. But something far older, and evil, has been there much longer. Waiting.
Dennis Tierney, mediocre dentist and legendary (in his own mind) ladies’ man, thought an exploration of Warner, the local abandoned mining town, would liven up his monotonous days. So what if there were warnings and strange stories about it? He really should have listened. Francine Hopper, former Army Lieutenant, and now small-town chief of police, had seen a lot of pain and suffering over the years. But nothing could have prepared her to face what was once again awake in Warner - and the monster Dennis Tierney had become.
Dennis Tierney, mediocre dentist and legendary (in his own mind) ladies’ man, thought an exploration of Warner, the local abandoned mining town, would liven up his monotonous days. So what if there were warnings and strange stories about it? He really should have listened. Francine Hopper, former Army Lieutenant, and now small-town chief of police, had seen a lot of pain and suffering over the years. But nothing could have prepared her to face what was once again awake in Warner - and the monster Dennis Tierney had become.
- GenresHorror
279 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2023
64 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Neil T. Jacobs
1 book6 followersBorn on a sweltering August morning in the grittiest city in the U.S., Neil T. Jacobs began life as he has continued to live it, more than a little annoyed and wondering what all the bother is about.
His significant life experiences include... well, the statute of limitations hasn't expired in at least a few cases, so let's just leave it at 'He's been around'.
His significant life experiences include... well, the statute of limitations hasn't expired in at least a few cases, so let's just leave it at 'He's been around'.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 9, 2023
Every so often I find a book that surprises me by checking off each of my “must have” boxes: immersive plot, well-developed characters, realistic dialogue, and continuous momentum. Rathcrog is one such book.
From the get-go, I was drawn in and not once did I find myself tempted to speed read or skip sections that I felt didn’t advance the storyline. The characters played off of each other well and the author didn’t get caught up in over-describing their personalities. Instead, he used their dialogue, actions, and personal thoughts to seamlessly maintain the story’s pace from beginning to end without any dips in suspense (there’s A LOT of it!) and without any plot holes (none!) that made me question his confidence in his own storyline. To top it all off, there’s a slap-bang finish; one that made me say, “woah!” and immediately wish for a sequel! The horror community welcomes you, Neil T. Jacobs. Now, get to work on Rathcrog 2!
From the get-go, I was drawn in and not once did I find myself tempted to speed read or skip sections that I felt didn’t advance the storyline. The characters played off of each other well and the author didn’t get caught up in over-describing their personalities. Instead, he used their dialogue, actions, and personal thoughts to seamlessly maintain the story’s pace from beginning to end without any dips in suspense (there’s A LOT of it!) and without any plot holes (none!) that made me question his confidence in his own storyline. To top it all off, there’s a slap-bang finish; one that made me say, “woah!” and immediately wish for a sequel! The horror community welcomes you, Neil T. Jacobs. Now, get to work on Rathcrog 2!
November 20, 2023
A compelling read- hard to put down! Gritty, raw, and exciting. Not necessarily a book I’d share with my mother… but definitely amongst friends. In my opinion, on par with Stephen King and the likes. Original, and twisted plot. All substance, no fluffy filler.
November 9, 2023
This was a great read. It had excellent descriptive scenery. The characters were well developed, and relatable. Definitely has some gore and good attention getting action. I enjoyed the plot of the story, and, without giving too many details, was surprised at the ending. I look forward to more novels from this author.
November 25, 2023
What a debut novel from Neil T. Jacobs. This felt like a combination of a lot of my favorite things: 80s/90s slasher films, Stephen King, and mythical beings. It’s definitely not for the squeamish, but I enjoyed almost every single second of it. This was a single sitting read for me. Can’t wait to see what else is in Jacobs’ mind but hopefully cats won’t be involved in any future works…
February 23, 2024
Where do I begin?
I guess I'll start this review with some gripes about the book.
I feel like the story and exposition jumps around a bit too much. Sections can leap backwards and forwards in the plot with very little warning, and it is kind of jarring.
The characters are good, but details about them come through at odd times, or too late.
This next gripe isn't a dig at the author or the story itself, but I do hate the trope of the fake-out ending, and I also get personally annoyed with characters who are supposedly trained with firearms in police/military roles dropping or losing track of their weapons. Again, that is just a personal gripe.
As for positives, it IS a good story. The titular monster is a frightening creature, the characters are good, and the author did a great job of describing the setting.
Overall I think that some more editing before release would have helped the book immensely.
I guess I'll start this review with some gripes about the book.
I feel like the story and exposition jumps around a bit too much. Sections can leap backwards and forwards in the plot with very little warning, and it is kind of jarring.
The characters are good, but details about them come through at odd times, or too late.
This next gripe isn't a dig at the author or the story itself, but I do hate the trope of the fake-out ending, and I also get personally annoyed with characters who are supposedly trained with firearms in police/military roles dropping or losing track of their weapons. Again, that is just a personal gripe.
As for positives, it IS a good story. The titular monster is a frightening creature, the characters are good, and the author did a great job of describing the setting.
Overall I think that some more editing before release would have helped the book immensely.
July 12, 2024
Review of this book.
A fantastic book! The story moved at a fast pace. A few errors to the proof readers missed. I guess they saw what they expected to see instead of what was really there. The story was well written. The ending was a total shock. Never saw it coming. This was definitely a scary story. A very different kind of a book. Not what I expected. I really enjoyed it. I was not expecting the type of monster that was in the book. I was thinking more along the lines of a crocodile or alligator. Big surprise!! Keep up the good work.
A fantastic book! The story moved at a fast pace. A few errors to the proof readers missed. I guess they saw what they expected to see instead of what was really there. The story was well written. The ending was a total shock. Never saw it coming. This was definitely a scary story. A very different kind of a book. Not what I expected. I really enjoyed it. I was not expecting the type of monster that was in the book. I was thinking more along the lines of a crocodile or alligator. Big surprise!! Keep up the good work.
November 1, 2024
ETA: content warning for pets being killed.
While I enjoyed the horror of this book, the romance started to get pretty unrealistic and out of place. I actually rolled my eyes a few times. (If I had to read "her chief" one more time...)
The timeline and perspectives jumped around a bit, a little too often for under 300 pages.
I did enjoy the ending, minus the cat. Could've made the point just as (if not more) effective by having her mutilate herself instead.
While I enjoyed the horror of this book, the romance started to get pretty unrealistic and out of place. I actually rolled my eyes a few times. (If I had to read "her chief" one more time...)
The timeline and perspectives jumped around a bit, a little too often for under 300 pages.
I did enjoy the ending, minus the cat. Could've made the point just as (if not more) effective by having her mutilate herself instead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2023
Oh man. Checks so many boxes for a good creepy read. Rural town, a main character you can love to hate, ancient evil. Not like anything else in the genre that I’ve read. Started reading just before bed one night and the next thing I knew it was waaaay past my bedtime. Some parts made my skin crawl. Loved it.
November 21, 2023
Compelling! Jacobs pulled no punches with his interesting, well thought out characters and extremely descriptive writing.
As the plot evolves you can feel the intensity rise until you can practically see the torture and gore spread across the pages. The words twist and turn you, they terrify you and after you’ve read them, they stay with you. A perfect piece of spine-tingling horror.
As the plot evolves you can feel the intensity rise until you can practically see the torture and gore spread across the pages. The words twist and turn you, they terrify you and after you’ve read them, they stay with you. A perfect piece of spine-tingling horror.
October 28, 2024
Huge horror fan here. Having just been introduced to Jacobs' writing, this book was like a warm, cringy hug. Enjoyed the pace of the story, character development, and the delicious increasing suspense as the end drew near. Keep that "pen" warm, Jacobs!
September 26, 2025
Freaky and bloody
Strange things happening in a small town. It's more and more freaky. Weird creature causing everything. Lots of blood and guts are described very graphically. It kept my attention but I almost stopped reading several times. It wasn't a pleasant read.
Strange things happening in a small town. It's more and more freaky. Weird creature causing everything. Lots of blood and guts are described very graphically. It kept my attention but I almost stopped reading several times. It wasn't a pleasant read.
December 19, 2024
Review to come.
April 29, 2024
A fairly fun little horror story. This one is filled with body horror and ancient evils. Don’t get too attached because you never know who’s going to die.
Pros:
+ enjoyable characters
+ great setting as a back drop
Cons:
- some of the ancient evil vibes felt forced
- everyone spoke with the same infliction/tone
- the perspective flipped often and sometimes I had to check back to who’s thoughts we were reading
WARNING: pets die…
The setting is a perfect place for a horror story. Overall I’m not unhappy that I read it.
Pros:
+ enjoyable characters
+ great setting as a back drop
Cons:
- some of the ancient evil vibes felt forced
- everyone spoke with the same infliction/tone
- the perspective flipped often and sometimes I had to check back to who’s thoughts we were reading
WARNING: pets die…
The setting is a perfect place for a horror story. Overall I’m not unhappy that I read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2024
Super creepy - and gory! Whew!
Don’t read before bed if you’re a deep sleeping dreamer.
Don’t read before bed if you’re a deep sleeping dreamer.
March 26, 2024
Kept me on the edge of my seat! Very graphic but I loved it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews