Resisters

by Chris Campeau

January 1998. Record levels of freezing rain blanket eastern Ontario in a smothering sheet of ice.

After days without power, cities and townships declare a state of emergency. Most folks find refuge in shelters, but some resist the call to leave—like 42-year-old Jeremy Skitter, whose countryside home is his only defence against an unfavourable world. But as his obsessive thoughts escalate, Skit finds himself less prepared than he thought, and up against something far more paralyzing than Mother Nature.

A wintery version of Psycho meets The Fog, Resisters explores who we become when what haunts us won't loosen its grip.

106 pages, Paperback

Published October 8, 2024

About the author

Chris Campeau writes dark fiction and creative nonfiction from Ottawa, Canada. His work has appeared in 34 Orchard Magazine, The Globe and Mail, Transmundane Press, Cargo Literary, Parhelion Literary, and others. Creepshow 2 on VHS is his most prized possession.

Reviews

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an unprecedented and deadly storm a reclusive man starts to lose it. Are the ghosts he hears and the figures he sees outside part of his imagination or are they real?

Part psychological thriller and supernatural horror, the reader is constantly guessing at what is truly happening. Does poor Skit take the role of unreliable narrator, or victim of after-death entities? I loved trying to decide what was happening until the answers presented themselves.

While I was living in another part of Canada during the Ice Storm of ‘98, my fiancé was living in Ontario and was able to recount some of the facts as well as his own experiences. I know I would be going mental/stir-crazy if I was an adult living through an event like that, so I could definitely sympathize/empathize with the main character of the story.

A fascinating take on a historical natural disaster, with an incredible cover by Jared Barter. Totally recommend this!!

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, gorgeous cover!

Now, although I'd read the synopsis of the book before going in, after twenty pages I realized that I'd really gone into it blind. This is one of those novellas one is rarely prepared for: well-written, well-paced, well-plotted- but one can't really grasp beforehand the sheer audacity of the author's vision; in this case, to bring the supernatural twice into the life of an amputee, while the poor guy is spiraling very fast into insanity, as one of the worst storms ever is raging outside (the January 1998 Ice Storm, when record levels of freezing rain fell on Ottawa over five days).

This multi-level story is simultaneously unnerving and riveting. The main character, through some well-placed flashbacks, reveals himself to harbor so much resentment and bitterness towards the world (mostly due to some very nasty family dynamics and lots of tremendously bad luck), that it's easy to understand how he refuses to find shelter and isolates himself in his home. The house, however, is only nominally his: the bedroom has ghosts (for quite some time!). And these ghosts are very, very familiar. Midway through the story, something downright weird starts happening outside, and even decides to visit. Yep - our protagonist has to face another supernatural invasion. And he also has a couple of snoopy neighbors. Can you blame him for losing his marbles?

Though the story has its darkly humorous moments, I found the ending extremely bizarre so I won't comment on it. Definitely recommend if you're hunting for something off the wall to read!

[Kim Novak (The Reading Rx) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something physically and emotionally isolating about being trapped at home by a winter storm. Anyone could develop a little cabin fever. Throw in a haunting and a traumatic childhood and you have potential for bat guano level psychological breakdown. Fun read that definitely leaves you feeling cold… so very cold.

Thank you to Anuci Press for the complimentary copy as part of the SSBA semifinal judging process.

[Stephanie Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a solid bite-sized read. Honestly, I was sold just on the premise of "horror story set during the big ice storm" that I still clearly remember from my childhood (and thankfully, my childhood experiences were nothing like Skit's). But the "Psycho" meets "The Fog" vibes of the story sold it. Not only do I love both of those movies ("The Fog" was my gateway drug into horror films), but I also LOVE horror stories that deal with personal traumas. Because the horror "out there" is awful (especially in that kind of ice storm), but add to that the horrors within and you've got yourself a top notch horror story. I also enjoyed that the epilogue was very much like the end of a horror movie - the events of the story may be over, but the horrors persist...

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is Skit going stir crazy or is something supernatural happening?

Campeau's sharp prose and pacing makes this claustrophobic tale filled with creeping dread the perfect winter read. But maybe don't pick it up if you ever find yourself snowed in for the night.

[Aeroreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid horror novella. No fluff, just great storyline.

[Mallory McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing that I love more than a horror novella that packs a *punch* and Resisters blows it out of the park!

Campeau writes with detailed prose and sets up the reader to guess what his main character is experiencing- is it something supernatural? Is it cabin fever from the ice storm? You will have to pick this one up to find out

[L.N. Holmes]

This is a Small Spec Book Awards nominee!

[Millie Abecassis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly claustrophobic novella set during the 1998 ice storm in Ontario.

I enjoyed the blend of horror and psychological thriller where we are never sure if what is happening only exists in the protagonist's mind or is real and caused by supernatural entities. Skit makes an unreliable yet very likable character whose story I enjoyed following from beginning to end.

Campeau's writing is vivid, well grounded in the protagonist's mind and views of the world, and never boring. Each flashback serves a purpose and helps understand why Skit is acting this way during the storm, connecting the past and the present in an engaging way.

A must-read for all fans of ghost stories, psychological thrillers, and huis-clos settings.

And extra kudos to the cover artist for such a pretty and creative cover!

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I want to thank the author Chris Campeau for the ARC of Resisters.

I did not know what to expect with this book but it was creepy and super well written for a short story. I felt for the main character and all the things that happened to him. The ghosts of our past can affect us as much as the real ones. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves horror and creepy.

[Madison McSweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great yarn for a snowy day. Ontario’s infamous ice storm sets the stage for a paranoid tale of isolation and the undead. With prose that’s both chilling and witty, Chris Campeau builds icy tension with a touch of humour. You can’t help but root for his protagonist, Skit, a Schwarzenegger-loving loner who can’t catch a break.

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book almost as fast as… wait, no spoilers! Campeau turns a real event into a really chilling tale about the dangers of seclusion, Mother Nature, and the dead. The King of Horror has an up and coming rival, to be sure.

[Trisha Tropiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the synopsis, I was really excited to read this book, having lived in rural Ontario myself during the 1998 ice storm. What a ride! When the power goes out and icy conditions make travel dangerous, rather than taking refuge in a shelter, Skit isolates himself at home. Not only does he have to battle his own demons, but he has to deal with the ghosts in his house as well as whatever it is he keeps seeing outside. Is it real or is it all in his head? It definitely keeps you guessing! With winter coming, this will be a great read for a cold snowy day. I loved it!

Also, if you live in the Winchester/Chesterville area outside of Ottawa, you’ll enjoy the Easter eggs 😉

[Jim Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella. Tha author takes you into the mind of Jeremy "Skit" Skitter. Skit lives in an area where a storm to end all storms has paralyzed a farm town. Cattle are dying, people are dying, and Skit may slowly be losing his mind. Mr. Campeau has brilliantly captured the feel and atmospheric tension in Skit's life, to a point where you, the reader, live there with Skit, listening to his mother and father upstairs, calling him, belittling him.
Knowing that they've been dead for over 20 years (it's not a spoiler).
I only wish this was a full length novel, as I thought the ending was a tiny bit rushed. But overall, I really liked the pace and story here.
So step into the mind of Jeremy "Skit" Skitter. You may not leave in the same condition in which you entered.
5 Stars!