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SPECTRA Files #1
Red Equinox
The Red Equinox has dawned, and the old gods who have slept for aeons are stirring.
Urban explorer and photographer Becca Philips was raised in the shadow of Miskatonic University, steeped in the mysteries of her late grandmother’s work in occult studies. But what she thought was myth becomes all too real when cultists unleash terror on the city of Boston. Now she’s caught between a shadowy government agency called SPECTRA and the followers of an apocalyptic faith bent on awakening an ancient evil.
As urban warfare breaks out between eldritch monsters and an emerging police state, she must uncover the secrets of a family heirloom known as the Fire of Cairo to banish the rising tide of darkness before the balance tips irrevocably at the Red Equinox.
Urban explorer and photographer Becca Philips was raised in the shadow of Miskatonic University, steeped in the mysteries of her late grandmother’s work in occult studies. But what she thought was myth becomes all too real when cultists unleash terror on the city of Boston. Now she’s caught between a shadowy government agency called SPECTRA and the followers of an apocalyptic faith bent on awakening an ancient evil.
As urban warfare breaks out between eldritch monsters and an emerging police state, she must uncover the secrets of a family heirloom known as the Fire of Cairo to banish the rising tide of darkness before the balance tips irrevocably at the Red Equinox.
274 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2015
102 people are currently reading
1576 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Wynne
35 books141 followersDouglas Wynne is the author the horror thrillers The Devil of Echo Lake, His Own Devices, and the SPECTRA Files trilogy. His short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and his writing workshops have been featured at genre conventions and schools throughout New England. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and son and a houseful of animals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
April 5, 2015
I've been on somewhat of a cosmic horror binge these last few weeks and I'm happy to report that Red Equinox stands up there with the best of the genre.
I'm not going to get into the plot too much, as several reviews and the synopsis already do . I'm just going to mention a few of my impressions and feelings and leave it at that.
Mr. Wynne makes the Cthulhu mythos his own with this contribution about first resurrecting the language of the Old Gods, and then the Old Gods themselves. They're not dead, exactly, just in another dimension. For me, the story is always about those humans who live to serve the Old Ones and those dedicated to stopping them. This book was no exception. I especially liked the characters of Becca and Rafael and appreciated the fact that the narrative didn't lead in all the usual directions.
One thing that flew low on my radar, but did register, was the mention of a company called Limbus. Since I read and enjoyed Limbus, Inc. and noting that it was also from Journalstone, I have to believe that this was on purpose and I felt like I was in on an inside joke.
Lastly, this story was set in a Boston of the future. I found myself wondering why the author set it there and I liked the answers I came up with. There might be a little more going on here than just the Old Ones, but what you find will be up to you and what you want to take from it.
In the midst of a couple of weeks where I've read several Lovecraftian titles, Red Equinox by Douglas Wynne stands out as a distinctive voice in the mythos. His style may not be as literary as some, but the gist of the story and the characters are spot on. I hope that he continues to dabble in this genre in the future.
Recommended for fans of cosmic horror!
*I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is it.*
I'm not going to get into the plot too much, as several reviews and the synopsis already do . I'm just going to mention a few of my impressions and feelings and leave it at that.
Mr. Wynne makes the Cthulhu mythos his own with this contribution about first resurrecting the language of the Old Gods, and then the Old Gods themselves. They're not dead, exactly, just in another dimension. For me, the story is always about those humans who live to serve the Old Ones and those dedicated to stopping them. This book was no exception. I especially liked the characters of Becca and Rafael and appreciated the fact that the narrative didn't lead in all the usual directions.
One thing that flew low on my radar, but did register, was the mention of a company called Limbus. Since I read and enjoyed Limbus, Inc. and noting that it was also from Journalstone, I have to believe that this was on purpose and I felt like I was in on an inside joke.
Lastly, this story was set in a Boston of the future. I found myself wondering why the author set it there and I liked the answers I came up with. There might be a little more going on here than just the Old Ones, but what you find will be up to you and what you want to take from it.
In the midst of a couple of weeks where I've read several Lovecraftian titles, Red Equinox by Douglas Wynne stands out as a distinctive voice in the mythos. His style may not be as literary as some, but the gist of the story and the characters are spot on. I hope that he continues to dabble in this genre in the future.
Recommended for fans of cosmic horror!
*I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is it.*
January 4, 2017
What’s not to love about spelunking abandoned asylums, inbred squid worshippers, infernal harmonic sing-a-longs and secret government agency cover-ups. Oh yeah, almost forgot the black hole sun hovering over Boston and the Old Ones that will emerge from within the dark star to fulfill their destiny of reigning terror, mayhem and world domination.
An action packed Lovecraftian tale with a well-drawn cast of characters and an engaging plot line. Very well done. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
An action packed Lovecraftian tale with a well-drawn cast of characters and an engaging plot line. Very well done. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
January 20, 2015
Review copy
Douglas Wynne takes on H. P. Lovecraft and scores big-time. Kudos to Chuck Killorin on the cover art for Red Equinox. If you read the story, you'll see just how fitting it is.
Set slightly in the future, Red Equinox, embraces the Lovecraftian mythos with all tentacles, but in a way that was not at all off-putting to those unfamiliar with what that is all about.
From beginning to end, there are treats for those who enjoy Lovecraft and a great story for all readers looking for a good horror tale.
It starts with a very strong opening... " Death has a way of calling us home. and when it does we put on our best. Becca Phillips hadn't been to Arkham in years, hadn't worn a dress in almost as long, and now here she was, stepping off the train and feeling out of place in both."
There is plenty of horror in Red Equinox, plusa secret government agency called SPECTRA with ties to Limbus. If you're familiar with Journastone's shared world series of the same name you'll get a kick out of that.
Having lived in Boston during my college years there were a number of little gems Douglas included for the locals. "Dirty Water" by the Standells, makes an appearance and there's the story of the MIT fraternity that used Oliver R Smoot as a unit of measurement. I hadn't heard that one in more than forty years.
This is the third Douglas Wynne novel I've read, all great and each unique. The only thing they've have in common is a comfortable writing style, memorable characters, and strong stories.
Red Equinox is available now, both as a paperback and in a variety of ebook formats. You can get your copy from the Journastone website or through Amazon.com.
Highly recommended, even if you're not a Lovecraft fan.
Douglas Wynne takes on H. P. Lovecraft and scores big-time. Kudos to Chuck Killorin on the cover art for Red Equinox. If you read the story, you'll see just how fitting it is.
Set slightly in the future, Red Equinox, embraces the Lovecraftian mythos with all tentacles, but in a way that was not at all off-putting to those unfamiliar with what that is all about.
From beginning to end, there are treats for those who enjoy Lovecraft and a great story for all readers looking for a good horror tale.
It starts with a very strong opening... " Death has a way of calling us home. and when it does we put on our best. Becca Phillips hadn't been to Arkham in years, hadn't worn a dress in almost as long, and now here she was, stepping off the train and feeling out of place in both."
There is plenty of horror in Red Equinox, plusa secret government agency called SPECTRA with ties to Limbus. If you're familiar with Journastone's shared world series of the same name you'll get a kick out of that.
Having lived in Boston during my college years there were a number of little gems Douglas included for the locals. "Dirty Water" by the Standells, makes an appearance and there's the story of the MIT fraternity that used Oliver R Smoot as a unit of measurement. I hadn't heard that one in more than forty years.
This is the third Douglas Wynne novel I've read, all great and each unique. The only thing they've have in common is a comfortable writing style, memorable characters, and strong stories.
Red Equinox is available now, both as a paperback and in a variety of ebook formats. You can get your copy from the Journastone website or through Amazon.com.
Highly recommended, even if you're not a Lovecraft fan.
February 3, 2015
We are in a Lovecraftian renaissance, and there are a lot of people who are writing Lovecraft these days. But while you can find a thousand short stories and anthologies set in the world of the mythos, it's not so easy to find full-length novels. And if you do find them, it's really hard to find a modern take on the Great Old Ones. And that's why Red Equinox by Douglas Wynne is so refreshing--it does both, and it does them brilliantly.
If you are a fan of Lovecraft, Red Equinox is a can't miss.
If you are a fan of Lovecraft, Red Equinox is a can't miss.
December 29, 2014
Douglas Wynne's debut was so impressive that of course I wanted to read more of his work. Thing is I'm not a huge fan of cosmic horror, in its classic form I find its bleak density borderline unreadable, although I've read a few modern spins that were quite good. This is certainly one of them. Wynne uses all the classic set ups, but makes it very much his own, I particularly enjoyed the use of ancient history of Egypt. Above all, he's just an excellent writer. His descriptions are vivid, his characters are realistic, it's a very compelling reading experience. It wasn't a quick read, but almost never plodding, more like weighted down by descriptions, which is sort of a thing with cosmic horror. Certainly a very good read, there is just an undeniable solid quality of narrative that impressed me before. Nice eerie ending too. A must for fans of cosmic horror, at the very least a strong should for fans of literary horror in general. In interest of total disclosure, this book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review. The author's generosity, while much appreciated, had no effect on the veracity and intergrity of this review.
April 2, 2016
Review pending
December 31, 2014
So as the buzz builds around Douglas Wynne and Red Equinox, lots of people are going to talk about the great use of Lovecraftian This and Lovecraftian That, because there's plenty of it and Wynne borrows decisively and effectively in ways that will light up your pineal gland like a lightsaber. But for this reader who's been raised on King, Straub, and Barker, there's a genuine set of sympathetic characters here, and that's what drives the momentum of this page-burner.
Becca, the heroine of the story, is believable in her scruffy, artsy way – and she maintains her believability while confronting a variety of challenges, beginning with grief and mourning and escalating quickly into the kind of paranormal weirdness that Wynne works like a familiar set of socket wrenches.
As in many of the best stories involving dark deities and hapless followers, we also get to enjoy living in the skull of a fanatic that's been granted a role in opening the gateway to something maybe worse than Hell.
Red Equinox is a wonderfully chilling story that takes you into the heart of Boston for a gripping climax. Don't worry about genre, and don't let the betentacled cover art fool you into thinking you need a Lovecraft degree to "get it." It ain't like that - this is joyreading for those of us who like our protagonists weird and their circumstances weirder.
Becca, the heroine of the story, is believable in her scruffy, artsy way – and she maintains her believability while confronting a variety of challenges, beginning with grief and mourning and escalating quickly into the kind of paranormal weirdness that Wynne works like a familiar set of socket wrenches.
As in many of the best stories involving dark deities and hapless followers, we also get to enjoy living in the skull of a fanatic that's been granted a role in opening the gateway to something maybe worse than Hell.
Red Equinox is a wonderfully chilling story that takes you into the heart of Boston for a gripping climax. Don't worry about genre, and don't let the betentacled cover art fool you into thinking you need a Lovecraft degree to "get it." It ain't like that - this is joyreading for those of us who like our protagonists weird and their circumstances weirder.
March 7, 2016
I received a pre-released copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I can happily say that this book was a treat for me. I love creepy cosmic horror, and I love that this was set in Boston. Don't get me wrong, I love Boston, but I also don't mind the idea of it being terrorized by pan-dimensional tentacle monsters.
There was a lot of wonderful Lovecraftian meets Old Gods horrors in here. I loved all the mythos, the objects, the rituals... Reading through that was like coming down the stairs at Christmas to find the tree completely blocked by an avalanche of gifts. That last page! Mr. Wynne, please give me that story!
What made this a four star story instead of a five for me were the main characters. I couldn't quite believe the changes in Becca, nor even some of her interactions that she had with other characters.
This will probably be only me as I've been involved in animal rescue for a few years now and have a few adopted dogs of my own, but I was shaking my head and laughing at Django throughout the book.
Perhaps I simply like a little less humanity in my cosmic horror, futile beings that we are. Though I will definitely being reading more of Mr. Wynne's work.
There was a lot of wonderful Lovecraftian meets Old Gods horrors in here. I loved all the mythos, the objects, the rituals... Reading through that was like coming down the stairs at Christmas to find the tree completely blocked by an avalanche of gifts. That last page! Mr. Wynne, please give me that story!
What made this a four star story instead of a five for me were the main characters. I couldn't quite believe the changes in Becca, nor even some of her interactions that she had with other characters.
This will probably be only me as I've been involved in animal rescue for a few years now and have a few adopted dogs of my own, but I was shaking my head and laughing at Django throughout the book.
Perhaps I simply like a little less humanity in my cosmic horror, futile beings that we are. Though I will definitely being reading more of Mr. Wynne's work.
January 4, 2015
Full disclosure: I know Doug and I was one of the privileged to get a read of the book early on. I also am not particularly a Lovecraft fan. Yes, I know about Cthulu and all the tentacled madness, and the old gods passing dimensions, etc. but not really a fan. That being said, I greatly enjoyed this book and it is solidly Wynne's best to date. His characters have heart and they jump off the page with a realism and humanity. They have realistic flaws they need to overcome and they have skills that make them particularly tuned to their task as the hero or villain. And I agree with Jeff Miller's assessment as well, if you are a King Fan (which I am) the depth to which Wynne gets into his characters will absolutely satisfy you.
There are several powerful scenes in this book that still stay with me because Wynne wrote them in such a compelling and surprising way. Several times I was not able to put the book down because I HAD to know what happened next. That, my friends is the mark of a great storyteller, and the mark of a great book.
So, if you are a Lovecraft fan and you do not read this book, shame on you! And if you're looking for a supernatural thriller with believable characters, taut action, a touch of humor, and other-dimensional beasties you should pick up a copy of Red Equinox and devour it...before they devour you.
There are several powerful scenes in this book that still stay with me because Wynne wrote them in such a compelling and surprising way. Several times I was not able to put the book down because I HAD to know what happened next. That, my friends is the mark of a great storyteller, and the mark of a great book.
So, if you are a Lovecraft fan and you do not read this book, shame on you! And if you're looking for a supernatural thriller with believable characters, taut action, a touch of humor, and other-dimensional beasties you should pick up a copy of Red Equinox and devour it...before they devour you.
May 3, 2015
Honestly, I don't think I've ever read something quite like this. I enjoyed it, but it was distinctly different, both in the mythology that was used, as well as the voice. Becca was an interesting character, flawed but relatable. Her growth was definitely done well. That being said, I never felt a deep connection with her, though perhaps that's just me. The story itself was creepy and fascinating, and the way the pieces wound together kept me reading. I did find myself wishing I knew a little more about Becca's family and background, as they were all kinds of different, though Wynne was quite good at giving enough details to allow the reader to figure out what was necessary for the story. Overall, it was an interesting read and well written. I'd pick up one of Wynne's other books for sure.
November 23, 2014
The Red Equinox has dawned, and the old gods who have slept for aeons are stirring.
Urban explorer and photographer Becca Philips was raised in the shadow of Miskatonic University, steeped in the mysteries of her late grandmother’s work in occult studies. But what she thought was myth becomes all too real when cultists unleash terror on the city of Boston. Now she’s caught between a shadowy government agency called SPECTRA and the followers of an apocalyptic faith bent on awakening an ancient evil.
As urban warfare breaks out between eldritch monsters and an emerging police state, she must uncover the secrets of a family heirloom known as the Fire of Cairo to banish the rising tide of darkness before the balance tips irrevocably at the Red Equinox.
Urban explorer and photographer Becca Philips was raised in the shadow of Miskatonic University, steeped in the mysteries of her late grandmother’s work in occult studies. But what she thought was myth becomes all too real when cultists unleash terror on the city of Boston. Now she’s caught between a shadowy government agency called SPECTRA and the followers of an apocalyptic faith bent on awakening an ancient evil.
As urban warfare breaks out between eldritch monsters and an emerging police state, she must uncover the secrets of a family heirloom known as the Fire of Cairo to banish the rising tide of darkness before the balance tips irrevocably at the Red Equinox.
January 22, 2015
By all the Gods, known and unknown, this novel is a masterpiece! Becca Phillips is a young photographer and an urban explorer, living with traumas and fears. Raised by her recently deceased grandmother, a famous occult scholar, Becca inherits a very old jewel and then ... the world starts shaking. Ancients gods, a creepy urban "underworld", first class horror ... not to forget the "Smoots."
This novel might remind you on Lovecraft but it is first and for all a real Douglas Wynne! Well written, full of action and so hard to put down.
This novel might remind you on Lovecraft but it is first and for all a real Douglas Wynne! Well written, full of action and so hard to put down.
March 6, 2015
Douglas Wynne does a terrific job bringing Lovecraftian themes into the tense realm of the thriller genre. It's reassuring to know that even with big government agencies and all of modern technology on our side, the creatures and terrors from Lovecraft's other worlds are still scary as hell!
December 4, 2016
The author lost me somewhere around the scientist cultist ritually masturbating while killing a pigeon.
January 31, 2015
I've been a reader all of my life. I started out with Tolkien, then Dune, and histories of the darker parts of human existence, but never knew that I had found a home until I discovered Lovecraft. I started reading other horror, King and Koontz,finally finding a familiar freak in Barker, but none of it moved me like Lovecraft.
Later in life I discovered that there was a kind of literary niche existed wherein people wrote stories based around Lovecraft's universe. Most of it was not good. Flash forward to the present and a lot has changed. The genre is no longer in its infancy. Apart from the pandemic of zombie horror fiction, it is clearly the biggest thing happening in real horror. Serial killers are done, sparkly vampires are simply not horror, period. Apropos Machen, Clark Ashton Smith and Dunsany. Weird fiction. But right or wrong, for lack of a better term, we're talking Lovecraft. What is in horror, real horror, is Lovecraft.
In this new field, some world class authors are sailing these black seas of infinity. Brett Talley, Laird Barron, Peter Rawlik, just to name a few. And now, with Red Equinox, we can add Douglas Wynne to the list.
As I've said in reviews of other books, it's easy to write Lovecraft Mythos fiction, but nearly impossible to do it well. If done wrong it comes across as bad pastiche, if too faithful it seems dull, if it strays too far it might lose the thread. Doug Wynne walk that fine line but never falls off the balance beam. It works, and it shines.
It's got real, believe able characters, solid action, and a frenetic pace. I read it in just a few sittings. A real page turner and a must read for fans of real horror, Lovecraftian or otherwise. Highly recommended!
Later in life I discovered that there was a kind of literary niche existed wherein people wrote stories based around Lovecraft's universe. Most of it was not good. Flash forward to the present and a lot has changed. The genre is no longer in its infancy. Apart from the pandemic of zombie horror fiction, it is clearly the biggest thing happening in real horror. Serial killers are done, sparkly vampires are simply not horror, period. Apropos Machen, Clark Ashton Smith and Dunsany. Weird fiction. But right or wrong, for lack of a better term, we're talking Lovecraft. What is in horror, real horror, is Lovecraft.
In this new field, some world class authors are sailing these black seas of infinity. Brett Talley, Laird Barron, Peter Rawlik, just to name a few. And now, with Red Equinox, we can add Douglas Wynne to the list.
As I've said in reviews of other books, it's easy to write Lovecraft Mythos fiction, but nearly impossible to do it well. If done wrong it comes across as bad pastiche, if too faithful it seems dull, if it strays too far it might lose the thread. Doug Wynne walk that fine line but never falls off the balance beam. It works, and it shines.
It's got real, believe able characters, solid action, and a frenetic pace. I read it in just a few sittings. A real page turner and a must read for fans of real horror, Lovecraftian or otherwise. Highly recommended!
January 29, 2015
This is a wonderful story in a modern-day Cthulhu Mythos setting. Lovecraft would have loved Mr. Wynne’s detailed descriptions of Boston. The author was able to capture some of the cosmic dread that Lovecraft was known for, while still having strong human characters.
***Mild spoilers ahead..big spoilers are hidden***
The book started off well, but I soon felt restless reading the first 90 pages of this 260 page book. While it seemed that there should be a sense of urgency to what was going on, there wasn’t. The characters and descriptions were fabulous but events were just meandering on. I was worried this was going to continue throughout the book.
At about 35% into the book, the action revved into 5th gear and did not stop until the last chapter. Looking back, the slow set up was necessary to build the characters and the events. I was rooting for the main character, Becca, and enjoyed seeing how the author showed her overcoming her inner doubts. The reluctant heroine grew emotionally from the events in the story and I loved that.
***Mild spoilers ahead..big spoilers are hidden***
The book started off well, but I soon felt restless reading the first 90 pages of this 260 page book. While it seemed that there should be a sense of urgency to what was going on, there wasn’t. The characters and descriptions were fabulous but events were just meandering on. I was worried this was going to continue throughout the book.
At about 35% into the book, the action revved into 5th gear and did not stop until the last chapter. Looking back, the slow set up was necessary to build the characters and the events. I was rooting for the main character, Becca, and enjoyed seeing how the author showed her overcoming her inner doubts. The reluctant heroine grew emotionally from the events in the story and I loved that.
January 4, 2015
Douglas Wynne (The Devil of Echo Lake; Steel Breeze) tells heart-thumping tales that sweep you along in a heady tumult of intrigue, fierce action, suspense, and gorgeous imagery. I read an advance copy of RED EQUINOX back in springtime and man, this story is *still* entwined in my thoughts - nudging, beckoning, whispering...
Whether you’re a devotee of Lovecraftian stuff, or like me, unable to tell one dread elder god from another, there’s much to love in these pages: the just right amount of scholarly-background-material-gravitas, meaningful character development, a clever, full-throttle plot, big, bold baddies with an end-of-days game plan, and ooh, that delicious creeping horror feeling – all wrapped up in Wynne’s beautiful, compelling prose.
Don’t miss this one.
Whether you’re a devotee of Lovecraftian stuff, or like me, unable to tell one dread elder god from another, there’s much to love in these pages: the just right amount of scholarly-background-material-gravitas, meaningful character development, a clever, full-throttle plot, big, bold baddies with an end-of-days game plan, and ooh, that delicious creeping horror feeling – all wrapped up in Wynne’s beautiful, compelling prose.
Don’t miss this one.
September 25, 2018
What a story! This was magnificent! So much good stuff--wonderful descriptions, engaging characters, great pacing. I loved how the tension would ratchet up then ease off just long enough for me to catch my breath before skyrocketing again. I loved everything about this book. It had all of my favorite elements--urban fantasy settings with the requisite bohemian artistic types; monsters; ancient secrets and cults; secret government agencies. This book took me on an adventure, broke my heart a couple of times, and left me wanting more and more and more.
November 9, 2015
Best Lovecraftian I've Read!
First off ... This book was recommended to me. I read it. I'm a huge horror fan. Though while I appreciate the love of HPL, I am normally disappointed in how it is realized. Red Equinox did not disappoint! Wynne is a word art master who knows what readers want. It was more than worth the price of admission for this engrossing read! Pick up a copy ... It's the only way to summon ...
First off ... This book was recommended to me. I read it. I'm a huge horror fan. Though while I appreciate the love of HPL, I am normally disappointed in how it is realized. Red Equinox did not disappoint! Wynne is a word art master who knows what readers want. It was more than worth the price of admission for this engrossing read! Pick up a copy ... It's the only way to summon ...
March 15, 2015
It's like Michael Bay meets H. P. Lovecraft. Loved reading it. There is a lot to like if you're a casual reader and you want some well-written horror that has some very vivid imagery. I enjoyed the depth in Wynne's writing style, and thought the story was intriguing. Good chemistry between the characters; the story never feels stiffened by the writing.
December 25, 2019
The book was good, fairly well written and situated in the Cthulhu Mythos. I was really enjoying it early on, but I have to admit that once the element of SPECTER was introduced, I found the story to falter a bit from then on. It just felt too modern and too much like a Resident Evil-type video game plot after that.
January 1, 2018
Meh. Took a long time to get started. Was largely disorganized in the beginning, clumsily setting additional characters on the board after setting up the main protagonist, spinning them in and out seemingly because he couldn't figure out any other way to write himself out of the corner he'd drawn.
Disappointing mostly because the premise was initially interesting, but very poorly executed.
Disappointing mostly because the premise was initially interesting, but very poorly executed.
May 24, 2015
Three and a half stars from me.
The Good:
Red Equinox definitely works well as a modernized Lovecraftian monstrosity. It's dark, dirty around the edges, elegantly vulgar in places. It was a little slow to get going, but picked up about a quarter of the way in and held my attention pretty well until the end.
Wynne's language is really what kept me reading, though, even through the rare place where the story started to lose me. It's obvious that Wynne loves words. Every sentence was flawlessly-crafted poetry.
The Bad:
As noted, it got slow in places. There were also places where it seemed to be trying way too hard to be edgy, where the profanity stopped being effective punctuation and started feeling gratuitous. Vague hints can be a lot more horrifying than explicit description, and there were places where such hinting would have worked better.
I also didn't like when SPECTRA abruptly changed directions. For much of the book, it seemed like your average shadow organization, but right at the end, they suddenly have all this occult expertise that was never even hinted at before. It was confusing.
In Conclusion:
I enjoyed the read. The cover endorsement calls it "philosophical," but it sort of isn't; this book's depth is in psychology rather than philosophy. Wynne knows what the cerebellum finds horrifying.
I received a copy of Red Equinox via Firstreads in exchange for an honest review.
The Good:
Red Equinox definitely works well as a modernized Lovecraftian monstrosity. It's dark, dirty around the edges, elegantly vulgar in places. It was a little slow to get going, but picked up about a quarter of the way in and held my attention pretty well until the end.
Wynne's language is really what kept me reading, though, even through the rare place where the story started to lose me. It's obvious that Wynne loves words. Every sentence was flawlessly-crafted poetry.
The Bad:
As noted, it got slow in places. There were also places where it seemed to be trying way too hard to be edgy, where the profanity stopped being effective punctuation and started feeling gratuitous. Vague hints can be a lot more horrifying than explicit description, and there were places where such hinting would have worked better.
I also didn't like when SPECTRA abruptly changed directions. For much of the book, it seemed like your average shadow organization, but right at the end, they suddenly have all this occult expertise that was never even hinted at before. It was confusing.
In Conclusion:
I enjoyed the read. The cover endorsement calls it "philosophical," but it sort of isn't; this book's depth is in psychology rather than philosophy. Wynne knows what the cerebellum finds horrifying.
I received a copy of Red Equinox via Firstreads in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2015
Disclaimer: I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers.
Urban Explorer Becca Phillips is a photographer battling severe seasonal depression. Some days she does not feel like getting out of bed. She was raised in the shadow of Miskatonic University, steeped in the mysteries of her late grandmother’s work in occult studies. But what she thought was myth becomes all too real when cultists unleash terror on the city of Boston. After the death of her grandmother, her life gets very complicated. l. To get answers, she goes to the insane asylum where her grandfather died. She meets the leader of the cultists. She sends some very strange pictures of the asylum to a friend, the government intercepts them. Now she’s caught between a shadowy government agency called SPECTRA and the followers of an apocalyptic faith bent on awakening an ancient evil.
This novel had creepy Lovecraftian horror and the reality of family secrets. I felt for Becca and what she went though during her depression. The difficulty she had in facing her family secrets broke my heart. This book was full of dark suspense. I now wonder what lurks in the corners of old abandoned buildings. I have nightmares about the "spaces" in the walls.
Urban Explorer Becca Phillips is a photographer battling severe seasonal depression. Some days she does not feel like getting out of bed. She was raised in the shadow of Miskatonic University, steeped in the mysteries of her late grandmother’s work in occult studies. But what she thought was myth becomes all too real when cultists unleash terror on the city of Boston. After the death of her grandmother, her life gets very complicated. l. To get answers, she goes to the insane asylum where her grandfather died. She meets the leader of the cultists. She sends some very strange pictures of the asylum to a friend, the government intercepts them. Now she’s caught between a shadowy government agency called SPECTRA and the followers of an apocalyptic faith bent on awakening an ancient evil.
This novel had creepy Lovecraftian horror and the reality of family secrets. I felt for Becca and what she went though during her depression. The difficulty she had in facing her family secrets broke my heart. This book was full of dark suspense. I now wonder what lurks in the corners of old abandoned buildings. I have nightmares about the "spaces" in the walls.
February 17, 2015
Becca Philips is an urban photographer, prowling around abandoned buildings and finding beauty in crumbling, decrepit architecture. She doesn't think much of it when she comes across an ragged old man chanting over the waters of a birdbath in a dark ritualistic manner, but it isn't long after that encounter that the world itself starts crumbling around her, and she is faced with the reality of something darker and more malevolent than she ever could have imagined.
What a pleasant surprise! I didn't go into Red Equinox with any expectations, I won a free copy and didn't know a lot about it or the author, so I was pleasantly surprised by what an engaging book it turned out to be. What I liked most was Wynne's ability to give depth to his character without relying on lengthy tangents, which gave the book a nice flow while still offering complex, multidimensional characters.
It is also another reminder that I really need to work on reading some Lovecraft. Gah, I'll do that soon, I swear!
What a pleasant surprise! I didn't go into Red Equinox with any expectations, I won a free copy and didn't know a lot about it or the author, so I was pleasantly surprised by what an engaging book it turned out to be. What I liked most was Wynne's ability to give depth to his character without relying on lengthy tangents, which gave the book a nice flow while still offering complex, multidimensional characters.
It is also another reminder that I really need to work on reading some Lovecraft. Gah, I'll do that soon, I swear!
February 11, 2015
Okay, so you are in your apartment , preparing for a photo trip into the basements of old Boston buildings. You have noticed that, if you use infra-red you see much more (and also other……things) in the photos. Your grandmother was an occult specialist and kept the whole family under tight rein. She may have opened a door she shouldn’t have and that is why things are changing.
The characters in this story were so real! I could empathize with Rafael who loves Becca to death. He tries to protect her but he is so outclasses it isn’t funny. Black, oozing, slimy moving things on the walls? He doesn’t have a chancxe against it.
The family heirloom Becca inherits from grandma seems the center of it all. Missing a stone called the Fire of Cairo, it is hunted by the eldritchs and old gods alike. Who, in turn, are hunted by a group called SPECTRA, one of their agents can see the black ooze, but his is falling from the sky.
A most excellent novel which definitely follows the Lovecraft text but has new “bad things” which may keep you up at night if you have a vivid imagination!
The characters in this story were so real! I could empathize with Rafael who loves Becca to death. He tries to protect her but he is so outclasses it isn’t funny. Black, oozing, slimy moving things on the walls? He doesn’t have a chancxe against it.
The family heirloom Becca inherits from grandma seems the center of it all. Missing a stone called the Fire of Cairo, it is hunted by the eldritchs and old gods alike. Who, in turn, are hunted by a group called SPECTRA, one of their agents can see the black ooze, but his is falling from the sky.
A most excellent novel which definitely follows the Lovecraft text but has new “bad things” which may keep you up at night if you have a vivid imagination!
February 14, 2015
I received this book as a preview copy in return for a review, so here is my review. This book is Lovecraftian and that might be all I need to say about it. Without giving away too much, "Red Equinox" is set in the not-to-distant future where things all come together to allow the Old Ones to re-enter our world. This is one of those good, old fashioned good versus evil stories where it seems that all the cards are in the hands of the evil players. The Old Ones are always present someplace in the background, so no amount of incantation recitation will ever totally stop them. Be aware of this before opening this book.
I gave this book five stars because it has all the elements I look for in a five star read - likeable characters with their share of human flaws, enough suspense to keep you turning pages and a well developed story. It has them all in spades. If you like Lovecraft, Bloch and Stephen King, you'll like "Red Equinox."
I gave this book five stars because it has all the elements I look for in a five star read - likeable characters with their share of human flaws, enough suspense to keep you turning pages and a well developed story. It has them all in spades. If you like Lovecraft, Bloch and Stephen King, you'll like "Red Equinox."
April 29, 2015
Red Equinox is one of the most well written pieces of horror I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Douglas Wynne has masterfully woven a story that has all of the elements that I look for in horror literature. It is frightening, action packed, has believable characters and covers every facet of human emotion. The monsters are real and the reading causes a cinema of images in your minds eye. Douglas’s tribute’s to other contemporary horror authors are sprinkled throughout and he has resurrected some of the “Old Ones” in a way that would make H. P. Lovecraft faint. I can only hope that this book is made into a movie just like the one in my head as I read the phenomenal “Red Equinox”. Highly recommend.
January 5, 2015
I haven't read much Lovecraft so I wasn't too sure I'd really be able to enjoy it much. However, this colorful (someday I'd like to back to the text to look at how many times certain colors were mentioned & when) tale was easily accessible. There was a bit of a slow build up, but once you get past the first 40% of the book, things really start to happen and it was difficult to put the book down. The set up was good and the ending satisfying. Would I read more books featuring some of these characters and SPECTRA? Oh yes.
This review is based on a free copy of the book the author was kind enough to share with me.
This review is based on a free copy of the book the author was kind enough to share with me.
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