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Devoured
Andy Bellamy is a man who suffers with the memories of a disturbing childhood. The crowning jewel of which was his father’s insanity-fueled rampages. He’s worked hard to forget his painful childhood and build a peaceful life, complete with a loving wife. That life is shattered when his wife suddenly disappears, seemingly without a trace. In a small community like Cold Grove, everyone knows about his past and all eyes turn towards him. Convinced she is dead and desperate for answers, he unearths the town’s darkest a demonic creature with an insatiable hunger for rotting flesh. But is it real or is it just the monster within?
The town in plunged into utter chaos as the body count begins to rise. With time working against him and only a jumble of confusing clues to go on, it’s up to Sheriff John Ingle to piece together the puzzle and put an end to the rampage. But, will he be able to accept the awful truth in time to save the town? Could it really be that the unnameable cruelty in Cold Grove’s distant past is behind recent events or is the answer something far more mundane?
The town in plunged into utter chaos as the body count begins to rise. With time working against him and only a jumble of confusing clues to go on, it’s up to Sheriff John Ingle to piece together the puzzle and put an end to the rampage. But, will he be able to accept the awful truth in time to save the town? Could it really be that the unnameable cruelty in Cold Grove’s distant past is behind recent events or is the answer something far more mundane?
ebook
First published July 1, 2012
285 people want to read
About the author
S.R. Everett
2 books10 followersS.R. Everett: Author of the Cold Grove Trilogy
S.R. Everett is an author and father of two. He was born and raised in Eastern Tennessee but has spent the last decade living in Northern Sweden.
He is the author of Devoured and Sunken, the first two books in the Cold Grove Trilogy, along with numerous short stories and poems.
S.R. Everett is an author and father of two. He was born and raised in Eastern Tennessee but has spent the last decade living in Northern Sweden.
He is the author of Devoured and Sunken, the first two books in the Cold Grove Trilogy, along with numerous short stories and poems.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 20, 2012
If what you are looking for is a tale with gruesome deaths, torture scenes and a bit of sex thrown in for an offset then this is the book for you. I am actually haunted by the visions of the death’s and tortures in this book. A few of them such as the death of Andy’s mother by means of a baseball bat and his brother being beaten to death by their father just make me want to throw up. However, this story sucked me in. I started reading and almost like the pull of an auto accident on the side of the road this author pulled me in with the horrific deaths of Andy’s pregnant mother and his twin brother by the abusive, jealous, possessive, crazy father. But the death toll didn’t stop then, it continued on with the flash back the Sheriff had of his own father committing suicide when he was just 7 years old. I won’t give you any more of the gory details but suffice it to say it does not end there.
While this book was enjoyable to read and try to figure out what was going to happen next, it was far from the enjoyable experience of a nice leisurely read. This book in fact reminded me a lot of the old horror movies where they used graphic violence and torture to scare the heck out of the viewers. And that is just what this book successfully did. It scared the heck out of me. This Author has talent to create a scene that makes you want to run and hide. And in my opinion that says a lot for a first time Author. I for one could have done without a few of what I’ll call “loosely called” love scenes. I say loosely called because not one of them could truly be classified as a love scene. But they basically took up space in the book. They weren’t necessary to the plot of the story in my opinion.
Then we bring in the entire aspect of what is really going on in this town. A witch Sana Louis Bellamy the ancestor of Andy Bellamy and we see a lot more is happening than meets the eye. And poor, poor Andy who lost his mother, father, brother and unborn sister in one fell swoop finally gets his life together and then blamo his wife Sara is kidnapped and Andy basically loses it totally and unleashes this horrible creation onto the town in the hopes of finding his wife’s rotting corpse. (how gross is that?)
The only 2 problems I had with the book was the character creation. They seemed flat as if their personalities didn’t quite mesh with their lot in life. There are a lot of times that what the character does and how he behaves clash with how a real person would behave. And while I know this is a work of fiction there has to be some basis of reality for us readers to relate. I could “SEE” Andy’s father in a jealous fit of rage kill his mother, possibly even kill his brother and then himself. But I couldn’t “see” a police officer going into a diner sitting there for hours while he was on duty waiting for a bit of loving. There are a few things like that which spoiled an otherwise good book. And the second was the way past and present were played out. The flashbacks were done in an abrupt manner. But even that wasn’t something so out of the norm for horror genre.
All in all I give this a 4 star rating, because while those problems did hurt the story they didn’t destroy it.
While this book was enjoyable to read and try to figure out what was going to happen next, it was far from the enjoyable experience of a nice leisurely read. This book in fact reminded me a lot of the old horror movies where they used graphic violence and torture to scare the heck out of the viewers. And that is just what this book successfully did. It scared the heck out of me. This Author has talent to create a scene that makes you want to run and hide. And in my opinion that says a lot for a first time Author. I for one could have done without a few of what I’ll call “loosely called” love scenes. I say loosely called because not one of them could truly be classified as a love scene. But they basically took up space in the book. They weren’t necessary to the plot of the story in my opinion.
Then we bring in the entire aspect of what is really going on in this town. A witch Sana Louis Bellamy the ancestor of Andy Bellamy and we see a lot more is happening than meets the eye. And poor, poor Andy who lost his mother, father, brother and unborn sister in one fell swoop finally gets his life together and then blamo his wife Sara is kidnapped and Andy basically loses it totally and unleashes this horrible creation onto the town in the hopes of finding his wife’s rotting corpse. (how gross is that?)
The only 2 problems I had with the book was the character creation. They seemed flat as if their personalities didn’t quite mesh with their lot in life. There are a lot of times that what the character does and how he behaves clash with how a real person would behave. And while I know this is a work of fiction there has to be some basis of reality for us readers to relate. I could “SEE” Andy’s father in a jealous fit of rage kill his mother, possibly even kill his brother and then himself. But I couldn’t “see” a police officer going into a diner sitting there for hours while he was on duty waiting for a bit of loving. There are a few things like that which spoiled an otherwise good book. And the second was the way past and present were played out. The flashbacks were done in an abrupt manner. But even that wasn’t something so out of the norm for horror genre.
All in all I give this a 4 star rating, because while those problems did hurt the story they didn’t destroy it.
August 20, 2012
Devoured (Cold Grove, #1) by S.R.Everett is a very dark horror story about how twisted and sinister otherwise sane people can become once their dreams and lives have been shattered.
The small, sleepy town of Cold Grove harbors a dark secret, held close by generations of families within the town. Their forefathers were tasked with passing this dark secret down through the years, lest it be forgotten – but eventually time wears down even the most awful tale and reduces it to just a silly story used to frighten children. But….sometimes the bogeyman is real.
The main character is a fellow by the name of Andy Bellamy, who endured a violent childhood until the horrific night when his father killed Andy’s pregnant mother and twin brother Henry, in a fit of jealousy and rage. Eventually Andy is able to piece his life back together and he finds lasting love with his wife Sara. But when Sara inexplicably disappears without a trace, Andy loses what little self-control and sanity he had been able to build up through the years, and he does the unthinkable, the unspeakable…he calls for the demon ‘Voro’.
This book was OK for me – there were several parts in the story that just didn’t make sense, partly because the characters’ emotions did not seem believable. There was great detail given to the death and torture scenes (ewww), but in the narrative itself the characters seemed flat and one-dimensional. The ending made absolutely no sense to me – again, it was completely unbelievable and I just could not fathom that actual characters would behave that way. I understand all about ‘suspension of disbelief’ and all that jazz, but the plot of the story was too much for me to be able to suspend.
The small, sleepy town of Cold Grove harbors a dark secret, held close by generations of families within the town. Their forefathers were tasked with passing this dark secret down through the years, lest it be forgotten – but eventually time wears down even the most awful tale and reduces it to just a silly story used to frighten children. But….sometimes the bogeyman is real.
The main character is a fellow by the name of Andy Bellamy, who endured a violent childhood until the horrific night when his father killed Andy’s pregnant mother and twin brother Henry, in a fit of jealousy and rage. Eventually Andy is able to piece his life back together and he finds lasting love with his wife Sara. But when Sara inexplicably disappears without a trace, Andy loses what little self-control and sanity he had been able to build up through the years, and he does the unthinkable, the unspeakable…he calls for the demon ‘Voro’.
This book was OK for me – there were several parts in the story that just didn’t make sense, partly because the characters’ emotions did not seem believable. There was great detail given to the death and torture scenes (ewww), but in the narrative itself the characters seemed flat and one-dimensional. The ending made absolutely no sense to me – again, it was completely unbelievable and I just could not fathom that actual characters would behave that way. I understand all about ‘suspension of disbelief’ and all that jazz, but the plot of the story was too much for me to be able to suspend.
Read
December 2, 2015First-time author S. R. Everett's Devoured has an interesting old-school horror flavor to it. A number of scenes reminded me of some of the classic horror films of the 1970s. The connection is more than just in terms of the rawness of some of the death scenes. Films like Last House on the Left or Don't Look in the Basement share with Devoured a low-budget sensibility and storytelling that use story structure as a vehicle for scenes of torture and murder, with occasional pauses for sex.
The strength of the novel is in the backstory. The reason for all the horror visited on Cold Grove is revealed in an extensive flashback / retelling of the beast's origin story, and the biography of Bella. Everett's flashback to the earlier time provides a dramatic counterpoint to events in the present, this part works especially well for me.
The novel has its weaknesses as well. The characterizations need some work, and the interplay of past and present, while adding to the novel, could be performed a little better. Still, for a first-time author, Everett manages to tell the story well enough to keep the reader interested, and one can only expect his talent to grow as he continues writing.
The strength of the novel is in the backstory. The reason for all the horror visited on Cold Grove is revealed in an extensive flashback / retelling of the beast's origin story, and the biography of Bella. Everett's flashback to the earlier time provides a dramatic counterpoint to events in the present, this part works especially well for me.
The novel has its weaknesses as well. The characterizations need some work, and the interplay of past and present, while adding to the novel, could be performed a little better. Still, for a first-time author, Everett manages to tell the story well enough to keep the reader interested, and one can only expect his talent to grow as he continues writing.
September 8, 2012
I got a copy of this book for free as part of a Read 2 Review program of my group, Lovers of Paranormal, where the author has graciously allowed us to critique his work. Thanks, Steven!
I was a bit daunted at first, when I realized the length of the book, but was surprised that it was pretty much easy to finish.
The main characters in the story are Andy Bellamy, the man in search of his wife; John Ingles, the town sheriff; and Bella Bellamy, a witch and Andy's ancestor. The story begins when Andy, haunted by the ghost of dead wife, uses the journal of his ancestor to wake up a beast that devours rotting flesh in the hopes of using the beast to track down his wife's body. While Andy himself is considered a suspect himself in his wife's disappearance, the real trouble begins when he realizes that controlling a demonic creature is not as easy as he had thought.
What I like most about the book is the characters, especially Sheriff John Ingles, who is seems most real and is a genuinely good person despite his shortcomings. He is also the most steady of all characters. I also like Bella, who despite her vengeful bent, is not necessarily evil.
Over-all, I liked the book but had quite a few issues with it. It still needs a lot of work in terms of revision. Sometimes the author gets too caught up in his descriptions that he begins to ramble. There are also some glaring grammatical errors.
Some parts of the book were difficult to read, especially the parts with all the violence and gore but I guess that goes with the territory, this being a horror novel and all. Also, by showing the cruelty of "normal" people makes you wonder who the real monster is.
What I really didn't like, though, is the fact that the author sometimes gives away the twists in his story. One such instance is the revelation of the fact about Andy's brother. The author just flat out stated it instead of let the readers figure it out for themselves.
Lastly, I haven't come across a book that actually called its final chapter the "Conclusion". I felt that the ending was also rushed a bit. I would have wanted something a little more.
I was a bit daunted at first, when I realized the length of the book, but was surprised that it was pretty much easy to finish.
The main characters in the story are Andy Bellamy, the man in search of his wife; John Ingles, the town sheriff; and Bella Bellamy, a witch and Andy's ancestor. The story begins when Andy, haunted by the ghost of dead wife, uses the journal of his ancestor to wake up a beast that devours rotting flesh in the hopes of using the beast to track down his wife's body. While Andy himself is considered a suspect himself in his wife's disappearance, the real trouble begins when he realizes that controlling a demonic creature is not as easy as he had thought.
What I like most about the book is the characters, especially Sheriff John Ingles, who is seems most real and is a genuinely good person despite his shortcomings. He is also the most steady of all characters. I also like Bella, who despite her vengeful bent, is not necessarily evil.
Over-all, I liked the book but had quite a few issues with it. It still needs a lot of work in terms of revision. Sometimes the author gets too caught up in his descriptions that he begins to ramble. There are also some glaring grammatical errors.
Some parts of the book were difficult to read, especially the parts with all the violence and gore but I guess that goes with the territory, this being a horror novel and all. Also, by showing the cruelty of "normal" people makes you wonder who the real monster is.
What I really didn't like, though, is the fact that the author sometimes gives away the twists in his story. One such instance is the revelation of the fact about Andy's brother. The author just flat out stated it instead of let the readers figure it out for themselves.
Lastly, I haven't come across a book that actually called its final chapter the "Conclusion". I felt that the ending was also rushed a bit. I would have wanted something a little more.
August 19, 2012
*I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review.*
This is the first book I read that truly fits the horror genera (except for Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde). And man! It was truly chilling. It sent shivers down my spine. It made me want to crawl into my blanket and never come out again.
The book is divided into 5 parts (except for a prologue and conclusion). The 2nd and 4th parts deal with the story of a witch Sana Louis Bellamy while the 1st and 3rd parts deal with the story of Andy Bellamy, her descendant. In the last part, both stories entwine together in a very fascinating way.
The best part about it is that the book is very unpredictable. I thought I knew what was going to happen when I got to the spider part, but the author really surprised me with something very unexpected in the 3rd part. I especially loved the ending. It was kind of a climax. It makes me want to find out more. I am really waiting for the next part where I am sure to find out what became of Sara Bellamy's body.
Also, what I really loved about this book is that the author doesn't use unnecessary, overly descriptive language, unlike most debut authors. Instead of being flowery to catch the readers attention, it sticks to details making all the scenes just vivid enough. I could see the story being played inside my head. The gruesome deaths, the torture, gaaaah! I was haunted by those visions. They made me want to puke. Really puke. The book doesn't distract you from the main story line and the plot is very clear to follow. The story has a certain pull to it and I couldn't stop once I started reading it. Reading it was quite an enjoyable experience (not literally enjoyable, if you get what I mean!)
I generally give stars to books based on how much the story attracted me and this one certainly deserves 5 stars. I hope that the next book is jyst as wonderful!
This is the first book I read that truly fits the horror genera (except for Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde). And man! It was truly chilling. It sent shivers down my spine. It made me want to crawl into my blanket and never come out again.
The book is divided into 5 parts (except for a prologue and conclusion). The 2nd and 4th parts deal with the story of a witch Sana Louis Bellamy while the 1st and 3rd parts deal with the story of Andy Bellamy, her descendant. In the last part, both stories entwine together in a very fascinating way.
The best part about it is that the book is very unpredictable. I thought I knew what was going to happen when I got to the spider part, but the author really surprised me with something very unexpected in the 3rd part. I especially loved the ending. It was kind of a climax. It makes me want to find out more. I am really waiting for the next part where I am sure to find out what became of Sara Bellamy's body.
Also, what I really loved about this book is that the author doesn't use unnecessary, overly descriptive language, unlike most debut authors. Instead of being flowery to catch the readers attention, it sticks to details making all the scenes just vivid enough. I could see the story being played inside my head. The gruesome deaths, the torture, gaaaah! I was haunted by those visions. They made me want to puke. Really puke. The book doesn't distract you from the main story line and the plot is very clear to follow. The story has a certain pull to it and I couldn't stop once I started reading it. Reading it was quite an enjoyable experience (not literally enjoyable, if you get what I mean!)
I generally give stars to books based on how much the story attracted me and this one certainly deserves 5 stars. I hope that the next book is jyst as wonderful!
August 22, 2012
This review copy was provided to me on August 13, 2012, by Lovers of Paranormal Goodreads Group, from the author, in exchange for my provision of a fair, honest, authentic review.
Review of Devoured by S R Everett
4 Stars
Reviewed for Lovers of Paranormal GR Group
An engrossing reader’s hook drags in the reader immediately. I turned the pages quite quickly and paid no attention whatsoever to the “outside world” till I finished this book. The author deftly juggles a number of plot lines, quite a few characters, AND a changing time era, managing both the contemporary plot lines and the historical background era, which is itself essential to the current thread of events. Here we have outstandingly paranormal and Supernatural elements, as well as crime, mystery, thriller, police procedural sub-genres, all of which expand the story and add to the reader’s continuing intrigue.
There are so many plot lines here, it is difficult to choose which to mention. The community of Cold Grove, situated near a swamp, is a character all on its own, and the author brings the town vividly to life (both in its historical facets and in its contemporary styling). Cold Grove has never been “much of a town”; it’s the kind of locale people prefer to move away from and not move into. Back in the early days, the marsh was home to generational witches, all female, who were ostracized publicly but sought out under cover of darkness for herbal cures and more-even poisons. When a greedy, arrogant, wealthy, town resident decides to pervert religion and rid himself of unwanted family members, he chooses the current herbal woman/witch, Bella, as his scapegoat. That’s a mistake for which he, and his subsequent descendants, are going to pay in the coin of blood.
Rated 18+ for multiple instances of graphic violence; occasional profanity and sensuality. Not suited for YA readers under age 18.
Review of Devoured by S R Everett
4 Stars
Reviewed for Lovers of Paranormal GR Group
An engrossing reader’s hook drags in the reader immediately. I turned the pages quite quickly and paid no attention whatsoever to the “outside world” till I finished this book. The author deftly juggles a number of plot lines, quite a few characters, AND a changing time era, managing both the contemporary plot lines and the historical background era, which is itself essential to the current thread of events. Here we have outstandingly paranormal and Supernatural elements, as well as crime, mystery, thriller, police procedural sub-genres, all of which expand the story and add to the reader’s continuing intrigue.
There are so many plot lines here, it is difficult to choose which to mention. The community of Cold Grove, situated near a swamp, is a character all on its own, and the author brings the town vividly to life (both in its historical facets and in its contemporary styling). Cold Grove has never been “much of a town”; it’s the kind of locale people prefer to move away from and not move into. Back in the early days, the marsh was home to generational witches, all female, who were ostracized publicly but sought out under cover of darkness for herbal cures and more-even poisons. When a greedy, arrogant, wealthy, town resident decides to pervert religion and rid himself of unwanted family members, he chooses the current herbal woman/witch, Bella, as his scapegoat. That’s a mistake for which he, and his subsequent descendants, are going to pay in the coin of blood.
Rated 18+ for multiple instances of graphic violence; occasional profanity and sensuality. Not suited for YA readers under age 18.
August 30, 2012
I loved this book and looking forward for the new one to come out. I like the fact that the author didn't go into too much details about what certain thing looks like, he went straight to the point. The fact that it has gory scenes makes me like it even more and the twist in it I was like omg lol I especially liked reading about the Bella ( the witch ), in ways I can see why she felt so much hatred towards the townsfolk. If your looking for a book that's horror with guts and gore with a twist in it, this is the book for you. ;)
August 23, 2012
Wow All I Can Say Is This Book Had Me Shakin In My Boots I Love Horror Books And This One Did not Disappoint At All. I Really Cant Wait To Read More By This Author. If You Want A Story That Will Scare Your Pants Off This Book Is For You. I Went To Sleep With The Lights On LOL.
September 11, 2012
I received this book for free from the Scare and Share Horror Aficiandos Program in exchange for a review.
There are a lot of good things going on here -- a lot of potential -- and some things which aren't so good.
What it’s about:
The story begins with the murder of Andy Bellamy's twin brother Henry and his pregnant mother by his abusive, paranoid father.
Flash forward to the present. Henry has grown up. We meet him at the lowest ebb of his adult life. His wife Sarah has disappeared and like other women in the area who have also vanished, Henry believes that she will turn up dead - probably after being brutally tortured. He has begun to fall apart and has visitations by something that seems to be his wife’s ghost. She wants him to reanimate a demon, "the beast" buried in the town's ancient cemetery because it ferrets-out and feeds on decaying flesh. "The Beast," he is convinced, will help him find the remains of his dead wife so he can lay her soul to rest.
This is followed by a hefty chunk of back story, the origin of the demon, the witch who created it and her motivations. I've got to give author S.R. Everett credit: the witch, Bella, has a few layers to her personality and isn't just a stock character.
Flash forward again to the present. The demon now released from it's subterranean prison - with the added complication, perhaps, that it has turned mad and no longer controllable - rampages through the town not only digging up rotting corpses, but killing people.
The good:
Mr. Everett aims his sights at a plain old, no frills, scare-the-pants-off-‘em, 80's style horror story. Although he wears his influences on his sleeve (there’s a touch of “Pumpkinhead” in the monster itself and the backwoods witch who creates it. The overwhelmed chief of police trying to cope with something clearly out of his league is recognizable from “Jaws” – and quite a few works SINCE then -- and there is a reference to Lovecraft’s good old “Necronomicon,”) the author makes his story original enough and most of the characters interesting enough where you don't really mind. The scenes in which the demon is created are very, very good – highly original and vivid. There are some unexpected twists and the the scenes of child and spousal abuse at the beginning are unusually well detailed and plotted. Also in the "plus column" are some well drawn supporting characters: Velma at the Café for one, unsympathetic deputy Terry and his relatives among others.
The not so good:
Maybe I'm a bit biased, but I do not, for the life of me, know why writers like to work in the present tense. It’s like listening to a very long movie pitch. A whole novel written this way confuses us as to what material is important and what isn’t. It screws up our perception of time and makes it difficult to get to know the characters -- as if an oddly distancing gauze has been thrown over the movie screen of our imaginations. Because of that one, stylistic choice, the narrative isn’t as engaging as the author probably could have made it.
One thing I noticed was that the novel is mostly -- refreshingly -- free of clichés, tired similes and worn out metaphors. If the author's intent was to dodge the clichés and keep the writing focused by using the present tense – the same reason Irishman Samuel Beckett wrote in French – then he succeeded admirably, but at what cost?
Look at the other reviews. There are other complaints about not being drawn into the narrative. Yet, the story itself is pretty good, the characters decent, and the writing – outside of the annoying use of the present tense – competent at worst, vividly graphic at best.
I have to admit, I didn’t like the last two sections of the novel AT ALL. It all played like one of those old, old, mysteries where the detective or the bad guy drones on and on trying to explain all of the plot threads and UNEXPECTED TO THE EXTREME coincidences and revelations at the end. I didn’t buy it. Fortunately, these two sections are pretty brief -- not enough to sink the novel, but enough to annoy.
I would have also liked to have seen the novel’s hero, Sheriff John Ingle, developed a bit more. The heart pills were a good touch, but there could have been much more. As it stands now, I hardly know him. (Please note that other reviewers disagree.)
In conclusion, I would say that “Devoured” is a very promising work-in-progress from a talented new writer. There’s a ton of potential here, but in it’s present state – that is, written in the present tense -- the work is seriously flawed. The style just puts too much distance between the reader and the action.
There are a lot of good things going on here -- a lot of potential -- and some things which aren't so good.
What it’s about:
The story begins with the murder of Andy Bellamy's twin brother Henry and his pregnant mother by his abusive, paranoid father.
Flash forward to the present. Henry has grown up. We meet him at the lowest ebb of his adult life. His wife Sarah has disappeared and like other women in the area who have also vanished, Henry believes that she will turn up dead - probably after being brutally tortured. He has begun to fall apart and has visitations by something that seems to be his wife’s ghost. She wants him to reanimate a demon, "the beast" buried in the town's ancient cemetery because it ferrets-out and feeds on decaying flesh. "The Beast," he is convinced, will help him find the remains of his dead wife so he can lay her soul to rest.
This is followed by a hefty chunk of back story, the origin of the demon, the witch who created it and her motivations. I've got to give author S.R. Everett credit: the witch, Bella, has a few layers to her personality and isn't just a stock character.
Flash forward again to the present. The demon now released from it's subterranean prison - with the added complication, perhaps, that it has turned mad and no longer controllable - rampages through the town not only digging up rotting corpses, but killing people.
The good:
Mr. Everett aims his sights at a plain old, no frills, scare-the-pants-off-‘em, 80's style horror story. Although he wears his influences on his sleeve (there’s a touch of “Pumpkinhead” in the monster itself and the backwoods witch who creates it. The overwhelmed chief of police trying to cope with something clearly out of his league is recognizable from “Jaws” – and quite a few works SINCE then -- and there is a reference to Lovecraft’s good old “Necronomicon,”) the author makes his story original enough and most of the characters interesting enough where you don't really mind. The scenes in which the demon is created are very, very good – highly original and vivid. There are some unexpected twists and the the scenes of child and spousal abuse at the beginning are unusually well detailed and plotted. Also in the "plus column" are some well drawn supporting characters: Velma at the Café for one, unsympathetic deputy Terry and his relatives among others.
The not so good:
Maybe I'm a bit biased, but I do not, for the life of me, know why writers like to work in the present tense. It’s like listening to a very long movie pitch. A whole novel written this way confuses us as to what material is important and what isn’t. It screws up our perception of time and makes it difficult to get to know the characters -- as if an oddly distancing gauze has been thrown over the movie screen of our imaginations. Because of that one, stylistic choice, the narrative isn’t as engaging as the author probably could have made it.
One thing I noticed was that the novel is mostly -- refreshingly -- free of clichés, tired similes and worn out metaphors. If the author's intent was to dodge the clichés and keep the writing focused by using the present tense – the same reason Irishman Samuel Beckett wrote in French – then he succeeded admirably, but at what cost?
Look at the other reviews. There are other complaints about not being drawn into the narrative. Yet, the story itself is pretty good, the characters decent, and the writing – outside of the annoying use of the present tense – competent at worst, vividly graphic at best.
I have to admit, I didn’t like the last two sections of the novel AT ALL. It all played like one of those old, old, mysteries where the detective or the bad guy drones on and on trying to explain all of the plot threads and UNEXPECTED TO THE EXTREME coincidences and revelations at the end. I didn’t buy it. Fortunately, these two sections are pretty brief -- not enough to sink the novel, but enough to annoy.
I would have also liked to have seen the novel’s hero, Sheriff John Ingle, developed a bit more. The heart pills were a good touch, but there could have been much more. As it stands now, I hardly know him. (Please note that other reviewers disagree.)
In conclusion, I would say that “Devoured” is a very promising work-in-progress from a talented new writer. There’s a ton of potential here, but in it’s present state – that is, written in the present tense -- the work is seriously flawed. The style just puts too much distance between the reader and the action.
August 30, 2012
I did have a hard time getting into the book. It didn't
really capture and hold my attention at first, so I was a
little slow at getting into it. It was a horror/murder
mystery with some paranormal elements in it. Once I got into the story I could do nothing but keep reading. The opening chapter is very strongly horrific and is very descriptive. If you like horror, you will definitely enjoy this book.
really capture and hold my attention at first, so I was a
little slow at getting into it. It was a horror/murder
mystery with some paranormal elements in it. Once I got into the story I could do nothing but keep reading. The opening chapter is very strongly horrific and is very descriptive. If you like horror, you will definitely enjoy this book.
December 29, 2012
A bit of a slow start, but has a great twist to the end-did not expect that.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews