The Immortal Body

The Singularity Cycle #1

by William Holloway

Detective John Mitchell thought he understood murder. But that all changes when monsters are born during a faith healing at a local church.

Psychic Medium Sarah Lynn Beauchamp thought she understood the dead, but the dead have a new plan for her.

SAS veteran Dr. Menard thought the War was through with him until an unspeakable evil returns from the depths of a forgotten time.

Behind it all, a mysterious figure lurks, controlling the actors from the shadows, ushering an end to reason, sanity and the world as we know it.

Genres: Horror, Lovecraftian

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2012

Reviews

[Panagiotis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Τον Holloway τον γνώρισα μέσα από το The Abyssal Plain: The R'lyeh Cycle, που εκδόθηκε πρόσφατα. Μια σύμπραξη συγγραφέων τρόμου άγνωστων στο ευρύ κοινό, αλλά ταλαντούχων και μερακλίδων. Σ' εκείνο το βιβλίο έγραψε την πρώτη ιστορία και μ' έκανε να αποφασίσω πως το επόμενο βιβλίο που θα διάβαζα θα ήταν δικό του. Κι η απόφασή μου αυτή με ικανοποίησε απόλυτα.

Ο Holloway σ' αυτό το βιβλίο μου θύμισε λίγο τον Barron. Του αρέσει να μπλέκει τον τρόμο με την εγκληματική δραστηριότητα και αναπόφευκτα με το hard boiled/crime στοιχείο. Το απόκοσμο κάνει αισθητή την παρουσία του μέσα από μια σειρά εγκλημάτων που παραπλανούν τις Αρχές. Μέσα από τις προσπάθειες διαλεύκανσης των φρικιαστικών και βίαιων εγκλημάτων ο Holloway γράφει με την σιγουριά του ανθρώπου που ξέρει τι κάνει και δεν δανείζεται εικόνες από δεύτερο χέρι. Οι ήρωες του, ντετέκτιβ, πράκτορες, κορίτσια μια βρώμικο βίο και παλαίμαχοι του Β΄Παγκοσμίου, δεν είναι ανδρείκελα. Είναι άνθρωποι που στήνονται μπροστά στον αναγνώστη και παίζουν σε μια παράσταση υψηλής ακρίβειας και απολαυστικών διαλόγων.

Το όραμα του Holloway είναι φρικαλέο. Αυτό το είχα καταλάβει ήδη από την ιστορία του στο The Abyssal Plain: The R'lyeh Cycle, εδώ όμως αποκτάει μεγαλύτερες διαστάσεις, εφιαλτικές και δυσοίωνες. Κι εγώ δηλώνω ακόλουθός του.

[Brett Talley · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I set out to write That Which Should Not Be, one of the reasons I decided to include so many Lovecraftian themes was out of my own sense of disappointment in modern Lovecraftian fare. There just wasn't a lot of it that was any good. So I wanted to write some that was. Now, we can quibble over whether or not I succeeded, but I think we can all agree that while vampires and werewolves and witches have all had their day, Lovecraft and the world he created has been sorely neglected. Since I've written the book, I have come across some really good Lovecraftian novels, including John Hornor Jacobs Southern Gods, J.G. Faherty's Burning Times, and Laird Barron's The Croning. But the best one yet is The Immortal Body, by William Holloway.

Here's the description from the book jacket:

"Detective John Mitchell thought he understood murder. But that all changes when monsters are born during a faith healing at a local church.

Psychic Medium Sarah Lynn Beauchamp thought she understood the dead, but the dead have a new plan for her.

SAS veteran Dr. Menard thought the War was through with him until an unspeakable evil returns from the depths of a forgotten time.

Behind it all, a mysterious figure lurks, controlling the actors from the shadows, ushering an end to reason, sanity and the world as we know it."

Pretty creepy huh? One of the problems with Lovecraftian fiction is that it is often insular; it's hard for outsiders to break in. The Immortal Body doesn't have that problem. It's a murder mystery, a supernatural thriller, and a weird tales epic all rolled into one. The story is also relentless--it's not for the faint of heart, and it sets the tone immediately that anything, no matter how horrible, can happen in this world. In fact, the more horrible the better.

Does it have some weaknesses? Minor ones, I assure you. At one point, it gets a little talky, but sometimes exposition is needed in this type of book so you can figure out what in the world is going on. Secondly, it's part of a series, so the story isn't finished when the last page turns. This is a journey, and you are going to have to stay with it to find out the answers you seek. Fortunately, the writing is good enough that you are going to want to be there till the end.

All in all, a great book that I recommend without hesitation to anyone that can handles some pretty hardcore violence and adult language. But be warned--you might just find it harder to sleep at night once you see the world through the eyes of the immortal body!

5 Stars

[Brad Tierney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoo doggie, this book is fucking nuts! Like a muggy, sludgy, supernaturally satanic Se7en, William kicked my ass hard with this one. His style is so... uhhhmmm... he just boogie woogies your brain from start to finish, and when he’s done with you, your grey matter is smashed into twitching bio-putty-pulp. It’s fucking awesome!

At the end of the last chapter, I’m sitting there, with a destroyed psyche, and what’s Holloway do? In the epilogue, he comes right back and gives you one final brutal kick right in the fucking face, ohhhhhh baby! And I mean bru-tal.

5/5 Skulls ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️

[Mike Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Holloway has crafted a fine novel here and laid the foundation for an epic six-book series. He has created multiple characters that are real and not one dimensional. Characters that you grow to like, sometimes very quickly. And you fear for their safety because you realize early on that the evil is strong and wicked enough that no one is safe. The story is layered and builds nicely, slowly increasing our understanding while still leaving plenty of mystery for subsequent novels to develop. The police procedurals are pretty legit and well researched. (I was a cop for almost 12 years.) The battle sequences are rapid and brutally visceral. I highly enjoyed them. And the whole way there is the pervasive, underlying horror of unknown cosmic proportions that we only get glimpses of and are able to construct an inkling of understanding equivalent to a ship assessing an iceberg with their eyes alone. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised, kept on edge, and mystified and captivated by the potential darkness that is to come in future novels.

[Simon McHardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If all books in the MYTHOS are this good I'm coming back baby. Sleek prose, kick ass plot and an oppressive sense of dread that builds to epic proportions, make this a must read.

[Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Holloway sets the stage for a massive and ambitious cosmic horror story in this first book of his series. The cosmic horror elements draw from the tradition of Lovecraft without bogging itself down in the existing mythos of others.
While I didn't love all the characters, those who stood out were excellent. The crackhead faith healer. The carnie who can talk to the dead. The old British soldier. All truly engaging characters.
I will definitely be continuing on with the series. Holloway definitely has established himself as an important voice in cosmic horror with The Immortal Body.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 *

[Mark Olson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an enigma. I REALLY wanted to love it, and I was thrilled when it kicked off to a very fast start and described in a relatively tasteful way some rather unsettling situations. But the farther you get into the book, the more you realize you're really only in it to see what happens. I don't mean you care about the characters - the only things that define them are the fact that one is black, one is old and English, one is fat, and one is a girl (and I'm very nearly quoting when I say that) - but the series of events is interesting and can keep you invested.

Pros:
- Good plot
- Tastefully handles gruesome events - teases all the gory details making us want more
- Creates a world that seems to have a lot of layers and players
- Makes Lovecraft fans seem fairly at home - simply in terms of the malevolent beings involved, not style or quality of writing.
- Makes Lovecraft fans seem fairly at home pt. 2 - definitely feels the need to point out every black person and woman (and unlike Lovecraft, how attractive those women are) and make sure we don't confuse them with all of the white Christian men - again, pretty closely paraphrasing here.

Cons:
- Terrible dialogue - way too expository and blunt (no tension; unlikeable, sometimes overly zany characters)
- On the same note, no one ever acts or feels a certain way, they just tell other people what they think and feel
- Lack of perspective - the story pretends to be written from different characters' points of view, but we never really know whose head we're in, and it ultimately feels like we're in the author's head which takes away from the experience.
- Author telegraphs events right before they happen - more like a high school persuasive paper using transitional statements than a tense and disturbing horror novel.

Ultimately, I would tell any Lovecraft fan that there are (kind of) demons, zombies, Cthulhu-esque monsters, and the occult in this book, and that will be enough for me to recommend that some of them read it. The content of the plot and the evil in the story really keep you turning the page, but you realize early that you don't care what happens to any of these people. Only read this book if you can enjoy procedural horror and like all sorts of crazy events going on in spite of the characters involved in them. General horror fans may enjoy it, but I fear that if I had put down the book for a few days, I wouldn't care to pick it back up. I would give it a 2.5, but I don't think it's worthy of a round-up.

[Graeme Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective John Mitchell has investigated some shocking crimes in his career, but nothing could prepare him for the terrible events that followed a faith healing at a local church, where, instead of the afflicted being healed, they turn into murderous monsters. The only clues are terrible sculptures left at the crime scenes, made from the bodies of children and animals.
Then another, similar case occurs, halfway across the country, when a spirit medium raises the dead instead of just communicating with them. Again, the same vile sculptures are left behind, composed of the limbs of their victims.

The Immortal Body is a fantastic novel. Part police procedural thriller, part tale of Lovecraftian terror, it blends the two genres seamlessly and creates a genuinely unsettling read that had me flying through the pages, desperate to know what happens next.

Some of the imagery described in this book is not for the faint of heart, and the descriptions are vivid enough to really burn themselves into the readers psyche. I still have strong mental pictures of some of the more unsettling scenes, weeks after I finished the book.

The plot is intelligent and fast paced, the characters realistic and the threat truly monstrous. I can't recommend this book highly enough, and can't wait for the sequel.

[Candace Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

So again, Holy F$*k, does this guy know how to tell a story. This is my second novel that I’ve read by William Holloway and I’m convinced that he’s the real deal. There are thousands of good writers out there and I’ll never be able to read them all, but out of the thousands, we find a couple hundred greats but then we find those that are true masters in their class.

William Holloway, in my very humble opinion, is becoming one of those master story tellers. This novel delivers on everything that I want a novel to be, especially a horror novel. The characters are genuine and dynamic. The tension he creates is palpable and the horror begins to creep up your spine, slowly increasing as each chapter builds another layer of fear, and intrigue. He makes you want to know what comes next but also leaves you hesitant to turn the page, perhaps to relish the chill and anticipation a bit more, or maybe you need to exhale and remember to breathe.

This story follows a detective, a psychic medium and an old SAS veteran, all of whom thought they understood how their world worked, until something evil begins to unfold all around them, luring them in and trapping them in a nightmare that threatens their very existence not just their mental state of being. This is a finely crafted story that steals you completely away from your reality and puts you in theirs. Join us, won’t you, in “The Immortal Body.”

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review on http://www.stormbladeproductions.com

I always get excited when Horrific Tales publishes a new book. They have produced some fantastic novels over these last few years. Bringing William Holloway into their fold was a genius move. Holloway adds a Lovecraftian theme to their house, which is great news for those of us who find a lack of decent books available from this genre. If you don't like Lovecraft, do not be put off as its so much more!

I was introduced to Holloway through Lucky's Girl, which I loved. When I saw Immortal Body I read it immediately. After the success of Lucky's Girl which had sent social media into a frenzy regarding some of the more delicate subjects depicted in the novel, I rather hoped for much of the same. Whilst Holloway took me on a different journey, it certainly didn't disappoint.

Immortal Body weaves the story of mass murders across states, of an almost alien evil that is both ancient and molevelant in nature. It's clever in that it has not only horror but sci fi and detective elements to it. With the introduction of characters like Richardson from the FBI or even Mitchell state police at some points the story made me frustrated that they couldn't see what was happening. This added to the tenseness of the read. There were other character too, such as Sarah-Lynn with a backstory that is sad and adds to you wanting her to survive. Whether she does or not, you will have to find out!

The story opens during Reverand Zeke's sermon set in Georgia, Atlanta. The first few pages hooked me as it described the congregation so desperate for the healing powers of Thaddeus. Thaddeus a drunk with a minor crack habit leaching from the vulnerable and poor was about to have a very bad day.

By the end of chapter three the hairs on my arms stood on end and I felt a genuine uneasiness that made me look around the room.

Holloway again, sails close to the wind with some of the more sensitive parts of the story. However, he's clever and brilliant in that he avoids gore and does not give you too much. He sets up the scene and describes just enough to keep you hooked. At no point did I want to put the book down due to mindless violence towards children. It reminded me of the first series of True Detective, you never saw any abuse but the dialogue ensured you knew it had happened.

Holloway has left me with questions, an annoying itch that won't go away, which creeps into my mind whilst I'm trying to work. I look forward to book two, but damn William Holloway for getting under my psyche!

This book isn't for you, if you are a sensitive type, highly religious or struggle with what I refer to as "true horror." I jumped out of my skin when my mobile rang at one point during the reading of this book. For the rest of us depraved souls I couldn't recommend it enough.

[Angela Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Description:

Detective John Mitchell thought he understood murder. But that all changes when monsters are born during a faith healing at a local church. Psychic Medium Sarah Lynn Beauchamp thought she understood the dead, but the dead have a new plan for her. SAS veteran Dr. Menard thought the War was through with him until an unspeakable evil returns from the depths of a forgotten time. Behind it all, a mysterious figure lurks, controlling the actors from the shadows, ushering an end to reason, sanity and the world as we know it.

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this book.

The Immortal Body is the first book in The Singularity Cycle. I can't wait until book two comes out because William Holloway does cosmic horror the way it should be done. The descriptive writing takes you from a sense of creeping dread to outright terror as the story draws you ever nearer to the darkness that awaits our heroes. Some of the imagery is truly horrifying and brutal but never overdone or unnecessary. I really liked the cast of characters assembled on these pages. If I had to play favorites I would have to say that I liked Menard, Mitchell and Rodney best. I enjoyed their journey as they struggled first to accept that the horror was real and then fight to not only survive but to stop it. This is a thoroughly engrossing and terrifying addition to the Lovecraftian mythos. William Holloway impresses me more with each book. Definitely a writer I can't wait to read more from. Horrific Tales Publishing will be releasing this terrific book on October 6th. A fast paced and dark 4.5 star read.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't rate this three stars out of defiance of all the four And five star reviews. rather I averaged out my ratings for first 2/3 which was a 2.5 rating from me and the last 1/3 which I gave a 3.5 rating too.

as alluded to in my updates I liked a lot about this supernatural/mystery/thriller and although i get why other reviewers called it a lovecraftian work I view it as trying to recall Lovecraft's dark imagination I would say he missed the mark stylistically s little.

more than a meh read, but less than a Wow read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this modern day Lovecraftian romp. 21st century Cthulhu mythos fiction is, more often times than not, poorly written. There are some exceptions (Fantasy Flight games published some fun books in support of their game Arkham Horror: Bones of the Yopasi, is an example), and there are tons of short stories published in anthologies (like Autumn Cthulhu) but I find the fiction to be, generally speaking, pretty fucking bad. So I went into this one with low expectations, and was very pleasantly surprised.

During this Covid-19 cray-cray, I have been trying to keep away from things that are overly serious or depressing. There is just too much shit going on to purposefully make myself feel bad, but I broke down and watched HBOs mini-series The Outsider (based on S.K.s book of the same name) and loved it. I guess the horror file opened in my head, along with the Lovecraft file, so I settled on this one. I'm glad that I did!

The author did a great job at presenting the sheer madness of (what Lovecraft, I believe, called) 'Yog-Sothory.' That is, the core tenet of Lovecraftian horror is that it does not make sense. It is illogical because the horrors are indifferent (at best) to human beings. They are, and do, inexplicable things that are alien enough to drive a sane person insane. Humanity simply does not matter, and when people intersect with Lovecraftian entities and powers...it does not go well.

So, yeah. Fun book. Well written. I will read more.

[Lance Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun ride and I had a hard time putting it down. A faith healing service gone awry opens the door for some cosmic horror. This book has great characters and a story that moves at a rapid pace. I can't wait to see what the rest of the series has in store.

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a ride! This was an awesome tale of cosmic horror that had me gripped from the very beginning. At only 12% in, I knew I was gonna love this book! I felt the dread, fear and tension throughout. It was fast paced and flowed perfectly, resulting in another William Holloway book I could not put down. On to the next one......🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[Nathan Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this in my TBR pile for about a year now and I feel an idiot for leaving it so damned long. I don’t believe in favourites, but The Immortal Body is one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure to read this past year. Aside from the fact it ended, I can’t think of anything wrong with it. From the botched faith healing opening, in which Holloway sets the tone with grimy characters, all caught up in a supernatural eeriness that incorporates their various flaws into the story. From the first page, the whirlwind of weirdness blows stronger with each page and I found myself in love with book from the get go.
Mitchell, the lead detective investigating a series of murders following a bloody faith healing is a fat alcoholic burnout with a wry quip or two up his dirty sleeves. Despite his foibles, you root for Mitchell, the reader knows as much as he does and each twist and turn is taken with Mitchell careering in the front seat. You want to hold on to him, you want him to live and make himself a better person once this is all over.
Psychic medium Sarah Lynn Beauchamp is much a hero as Mitchell as her own narrative takes off in similarly bloody circumstances. Following a séance in which she literally raises the dead, the more you discover about her the more you want to care for her. She encompasses both flawed heroine and buxom damsel so perfectly you can’t help but love her smart mouth and zest for life despite all that’s been thrown at her.
Menard is a admirable old war hero that doesn’t take any guff from anyone; cantankerous, spry and with more than an ounce of charm, if Ian McKellen doesn’t play him in the film version of this then there’s no justice in this world.
Thaddeus Johnson, our demon raising faith healer, is again, equally flawed and fascinating. Bestowed with a gift that he’s mostly squandered, using the talent as a meal ticket to keep him high. Tragic and funny, I hungered for more back story with him as much as the other characters.
Each of the characters soon link up as the dark murders continue to plague the authorities, more bodies pile and the mystery surrounding them grows deeper, yet more satisfying with each bloodletting. To say any more would ruin surprises for the reader, but fans of serial killers, zombies, monsters or even the Cthulhu mythos of H.P. Lovecraft will be more than pleased at the horror on show. Holloway has built a gruesome world here; a world you want to believe in, but wouldn’t want to live in. His writing is smart and fast, without being a show-off. The terror he induces made me shiver, so much so I even considered the thought of giving up writing so I could hug my children more. It’s that good. What Holloway conjures, unsettles the reader yet remains a remarkably easy read. Tableaus of gore are created; Holloway does a marvellous trick of showing the characters gut churning reactions, without going into too much detail. As Holloway describes it, the murder scenes can’t be contained within the characters imagination.
Psycho’s on the run, un-killable undead, deranged crack whores, a sexy psychic, a slobbish cop you can’t help but love, buckets of blood and bones, and visions so terrifying the characters can only sleep in the daylight. This is a strong start for a debut novel, and apparently there’s more to come from this series. I can’t wait. More, more, more!

[Jonathan Woodrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Holloway is a tremendous writer, and this is one hell of a book. The story opens with an event at a small church when a faith healer turns some of his congregation into vicious lunatics on a murderous rampage. The crime scenes, which are, for the most part, alluded to, at the most, really got under my skin. Then in an ostensibly unrelated incident, professional medium inadvertently creates something of a gateway, and a war veteran-turned-Doctor starts getting some flashbacks of events he didn’t remember occurring. Detective Mitchell investigates, and rest assured, there are many twists and turns.

The writing style really drives this one hard. Holloway’s style is unique. Stripped down where required (there were scenes with only dialogue, and very few “he said” or “she said”) which created a sense of urgency. Sometimes, using dialogue tags too much can slow down the pace, but not enough, and you can lose track of who’s talking. Not a problem here. Then, by contrast, we have passages there are so vivid and crystal-clear, they make the horror jump off the page. Holloway has compete control at all times, and like most great writers, can make the reader forget they are reading a book. There are loose ends, of course, and I will be eagerly awaiting book two to see what unfolds next.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this book a few days ago. I picked it up once or twice before and would read a few pages and then set it back down. Don't take this to mean that I couldn't get into it. On the contrary. I knew I was going to want to really dedicate some time to wading deep into this one.

It's gt a good pace, reminding me of almost a solid old fashioned horror flick with your basic good versus evil. Evil here is like an onion. You've got the serial killer level evil. You've got mythic/supernatural evil. You've got Lovecraft level it-will-drive-you-insane-just-to-look-at-it evil. It's got everything a horror junkie could want.

[Ruby Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book complimentary from LibraryThing.com in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily or otherwise for providing this review.
Wow, great book, recommend it to all fans of Lovecraft and lovers of Horror. One of the first books to affect me for a very long while. I would place this book up there with Lovecraft and early King and Masterton.
Five stars and highly recommended

[Darren Dilnott · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Holloway brings forth dark terror on a whole new level. Evil from a time long forgotten has returned. Macabre, and extremely grisly, this indeed has a Lovecraftian theme, but it is so much more than that reference. This journey will take you to the brink of insanity. It's Horrifying, and shocking.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A series of gory, senseless murders follows the introduction of a supernatural evil set in motion during the second world war.

This book is fantastic, dark, gripping, well crafted and is very difficult to put down.

Holloway writes a great story with a Stephen King type of style mixed with Lovecraft elements; Imagine Carrie or Christine but darker....

I am really looking forward to the sequel.

[Michael Cushing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This came heavily recommended and was pretty freaking awesome. This is definitely not your Grandparent's Lovecraft. I'm anxiously looking forward to what happens next, so going to start the 2nd Book in the Series.

[Chuck Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another gem in the Cosmic Horror crown. I was turned onto Mr. Holloway by Mike Duke, who sings Mr. Holloway’s praises as loud as I sing Lovecraft’s.
This is a tightly written, well paced novel that sets the stage for a universe full of the most horrifying beings one could hope for in a Cosmic Horror story.
Faith Healers that heal and kill...
Overworked cops...
Psychics behaving badly...
A war raging for the survival of humanity...
Sounds incredible right? Well, this only the first book. I thoroughly and highly recommend this book (series) to any horror fan, especially if you’re into Cosmic Horror.

[Paul Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Detective Cthulhu

I really enjoyed this. I reminded me a little of Stephen King with a touch of the Cthulhu Mythos and a hard-boiled detective thriller.

And the way seeming lead characters got bumped off is positively Game-of-Thrones-Ian. Unexpected and shocking but a little rushed, perhaps, late on in the book.

Looking forward to the next in the series.

[robin page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling disgusting horror, faint of heart beware

Just like Lovecraft’s stories of horror this author also delivers! Coherently written using macabre imagination to shock and addict you to the story; I could not put this book down! I am making this author a favorite and anticipate reading his next story.

[Bullit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old cosmic horror

I read a lot of horror stories, I love H.P lovecraft horror especially. I thought it was very well delivered beginning to end, kept me on my toes, characters well developed, and scary as all hell. Can't wait to read the second book!!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovecraftian Thrills

A good story, well written and well told, and another name to add to my "Authors To Follow" list. Would fit on the shelf between Charles Stross and maybe Bentley Little.

[Della F. Rahbek · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Good

I couldn't put this one down. Once all of the pieces came together I was absolutely hooked. Perfect for anyone looking for a captivating Lovecraftian horror.

[John R. Dailey Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A BAD MOTOR SCOOTER IT IS...

Hello, this is one heck of a story. Very well written and entertaining to read. The ending was a little short, but a nice read. Thanks.