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Children Without Faces
One more death shouldn’t matter...
In the Roughlands, you can die a thousand different ways. And in the town of Cold Harbor, between the cursed forest, the dark cliffs, and the wild and bitter sea: double that amount.
But twelve-year-old Toby won’t accept this as an answer when his own little brother vanishes from home. Clues lie in the Thicket, a tangle of slums that Cold Harbor prefers to forget...and in the rumors of demonic magic, which the adults refuse to hear.
Aided only by his troubled best friend, Dani, a handful of mostly-hostile street children, and his own sheer determination to see his brother safely home, Toby finds himself up against monsters beyond his imagination – including the human kind.
Erik Marshall weaves fantasy and suspense in this dark coming-of-age tale, a debut novel that will grip your heart...and keep the pages turning.
In the Roughlands, you can die a thousand different ways. And in the town of Cold Harbor, between the cursed forest, the dark cliffs, and the wild and bitter sea: double that amount.
But twelve-year-old Toby won’t accept this as an answer when his own little brother vanishes from home. Clues lie in the Thicket, a tangle of slums that Cold Harbor prefers to forget...and in the rumors of demonic magic, which the adults refuse to hear.
Aided only by his troubled best friend, Dani, a handful of mostly-hostile street children, and his own sheer determination to see his brother safely home, Toby finds himself up against monsters beyond his imagination – including the human kind.
Erik Marshall weaves fantasy and suspense in this dark coming-of-age tale, a debut novel that will grip your heart...and keep the pages turning.
250 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2015
2 people want to read
About the author
Erik Marshall
2 booksErik Marshall is the open pen name of Erik Kort.
Erik Marshall abides in the glorious Pacific Northwest, otherwise known as Mirkwood-Without-The-Giant-Spiders. Though the spiders often grow too numerous for his comfort. He is defended from all eight-legged threats by his brave and overly tolerant wife, and is mocked by his two obligatory writer's cats. When not writing, Erik comforts the elderly, guides youths through vast wildernesses, and smuggles more books into his library of increasingly alarming size.
Erik Marshall abides in the glorious Pacific Northwest, otherwise known as Mirkwood-Without-The-Giant-Spiders. Though the spiders often grow too numerous for his comfort. He is defended from all eight-legged threats by his brave and overly tolerant wife, and is mocked by his two obligatory writer's cats. When not writing, Erik comforts the elderly, guides youths through vast wildernesses, and smuggles more books into his library of increasingly alarming size.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 12, 2015
This story is about kids, but it is no way *for* kids. Toby faces the typical problems of a tween: adults not listening, getting blamed for things not his fault, and trouble with a younger brother. In his case, these problems are significantly more deadly than usual. The story involves rape, murder, and demon possession, and most of it happens to kids.
I liked Toby, a spunky dumbass who forges ahead despite having no real idea what's going on. His sense of responsibility thrusts him into a leadership role, and he shines in it. The story spans about a week (I wasn't keeping track) of time, and during it, his eyes are opened to the rotten underbelly of his small town. In proper hero fashion, he only finds it because he's busy trying to rescue his brother.
Cold Harbor is a really awful place. The rain is acid, the forest around it is full of monsters, the ocean crashes against its seaside cliffs, outsiders are unwelcome, and boys reach adulthood at the tender age of fourteen. I feel the same way about it that I do about upper Minnesota: why would anybody live there? What madness possessed the people who originally settled there? (I'm sure upper Minnesota is delightful in the summer. Can't say the same for Cold Harbor.)
Dani reminds me of some people I know. In some ways, I wish she'd been the main character instead, because I felt a greater connection to her and her struggles. This may simply be an issue of gender on my part. The author did a fine job with her.
Overall, I'm hesitant to recommend this too broadly because of the dark elements. Though there's little in the way of gore and no sensualized or highly descriptive violence or grossness, the events themselves may be quite disturbing to gentler readers, especially since it happens to kids. Further, it's about kids, and the author does a good job of capturing the mentality of a child. If you can get past these things, it's quite good.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked Toby, a spunky dumbass who forges ahead despite having no real idea what's going on. His sense of responsibility thrusts him into a leadership role, and he shines in it. The story spans about a week (I wasn't keeping track) of time, and during it, his eyes are opened to the rotten underbelly of his small town. In proper hero fashion, he only finds it because he's busy trying to rescue his brother.
Cold Harbor is a really awful place. The rain is acid, the forest around it is full of monsters, the ocean crashes against its seaside cliffs, outsiders are unwelcome, and boys reach adulthood at the tender age of fourteen. I feel the same way about it that I do about upper Minnesota: why would anybody live there? What madness possessed the people who originally settled there? (I'm sure upper Minnesota is delightful in the summer. Can't say the same for Cold Harbor.)
Dani reminds me of some people I know. In some ways, I wish she'd been the main character instead, because I felt a greater connection to her and her struggles. This may simply be an issue of gender on my part. The author did a fine job with her.
Overall, I'm hesitant to recommend this too broadly because of the dark elements. Though there's little in the way of gore and no sensualized or highly descriptive violence or grossness, the events themselves may be quite disturbing to gentler readers, especially since it happens to kids. Further, it's about kids, and the author does a good job of capturing the mentality of a child. If you can get past these things, it's quite good.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2014
Children Without Faces is a coming-of-age novel with a stubborn, plucky "hero", a great use of horror elements, and fast-paced action sequences. The short chapter structure keeps you moving through the story quickly, and even when the actual character action is slower, the story keeps driving forward at a very readable pace. The prose is not flowery or heavy-handed, and the fight scenes are excellent.
The writing style reminds me a little of Michael J Sullivan's Riryia books, but the similarity is only in the fluidity of the action sequences and action-packed pacing. Erik Marshall has a voice that is great at worldbuilding without too much exposition, and showing you more about the characters and their environment while the story moves along. The setting is a fairly typical dark fantasy world, but the atmospheric writing has very Lovecraftian vibes (which is very appropriate and well-realized).
I don't want to give away too much of the story, but the villains are infuriating and Toby is equal parts stubborn and endearing. The supporting characters are less well-rounded, but the book is fairly short, and the "bare bones" characterization fits well with the pacing.
Overall, I really enjoyed Children Without Faces, and I think it's a very strong debut novel for Mr. Marshall. If you like dark fantasy and supporting indie authors, definitely check it out!
The writing style reminds me a little of Michael J Sullivan's Riryia books, but the similarity is only in the fluidity of the action sequences and action-packed pacing. Erik Marshall has a voice that is great at worldbuilding without too much exposition, and showing you more about the characters and their environment while the story moves along. The setting is a fairly typical dark fantasy world, but the atmospheric writing has very Lovecraftian vibes (which is very appropriate and well-realized).
I don't want to give away too much of the story, but the villains are infuriating and Toby is equal parts stubborn and endearing. The supporting characters are less well-rounded, but the book is fairly short, and the "bare bones" characterization fits well with the pacing.
Overall, I really enjoyed Children Without Faces, and I think it's a very strong debut novel for Mr. Marshall. If you like dark fantasy and supporting indie authors, definitely check it out!
May 2, 2015
Rich setting, excellent plot, and solid characters. Two things in particular stood out to me in this story:
1. Everything is deeply rooted in Toby's POV, and since he is a stubborn 12-year-old-kid that means there are some grown-up happenings that fly right over his head, and rightly so. And yet I, as an adult reader, was able to read between the lines and pick up on what was REALLY happening, which had the side (benefit?) of breaking my heart on Toby's behalf. It made Toby a very believable character, and was deftly done.
2. The overall tone has what I consider to be a Robin Hobb-like quality: despite being a fairly fast-paced story, there is a weightiness to the events - when things progress from bad to worse, they carry a sense of inevitability, as if you realize now that this was how it was always going to be. Which can be rather bleak, but also makes for great emotional depth. Although I tend to prefer a little less dark in my YA, I think in this case the author was right not to pull his punches.
1. Everything is deeply rooted in Toby's POV, and since he is a stubborn 12-year-old-kid that means there are some grown-up happenings that fly right over his head, and rightly so. And yet I, as an adult reader, was able to read between the lines and pick up on what was REALLY happening, which had the side (benefit?) of breaking my heart on Toby's behalf. It made Toby a very believable character, and was deftly done.
2. The overall tone has what I consider to be a Robin Hobb-like quality: despite being a fairly fast-paced story, there is a weightiness to the events - when things progress from bad to worse, they carry a sense of inevitability, as if you realize now that this was how it was always going to be. Which can be rather bleak, but also makes for great emotional depth. Although I tend to prefer a little less dark in my YA, I think in this case the author was right not to pull his punches.
June 7, 2014
This was a crazy ride with many twists and turns. I was drawn into the motivations of the main characters' need to be believed and understood by the towns adults and I felt their frustrations vividly. Overall, it is a story of good vs. evil but in a vibrant and original manner. The characters and setting were intriguing, mysterious, and at times dark.
I enjoyed how the lore was naturally included throughout the plot, so I was not forced to learn a new culture/religion as a text, but rather learned it through action and character's thoughts.
Recommend to all readers interested in Young Adult Fiction that is suspenseful and dark.
I enjoyed how the lore was naturally included throughout the plot, so I was not forced to learn a new culture/religion as a text, but rather learned it through action and character's thoughts.
Recommend to all readers interested in Young Adult Fiction that is suspenseful and dark.
April 22, 2014
This is this author's first solo work. I think it was a good 1st book. The characters are well developed and the action is fast paced. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews