What do you think?
Rate this book
RISE OF THE GARGOYLES
Rise of the Gargoyles by Jeff Howard From Hell they came! Created by Satan himself — ancient fanged sentinels, their souls sold in an agreement with the Devil long ago to destroy mankind. For centuries, they have slumbered beneath the Nebraska prairie, buried in forgotten tombs, waiting for the day when the world’s faith would wither enough for them to rise again. That day has arrived.
Nick McRandalls, the unhinged owner of a rundown pet crematory outside Lincoln, has been tormented by these creatures since his youth. Their forms haunt his dreams, and their whispers invade his thoughts. The visions have eroded his sanity to the point where only one conviction the gargoyles are real, and they are calling to him.
Motivated by these dark voices, McRandalls kidnaps a woman to serve as his canvas in a ritual of creation and blood. He tattoos one of the monstrous creatures onto her back, believing he can summon them into flesh. But his chosen victim, Staci Prentice, is not the helpless victim he thought, but an undercover detective whose strength and fury are matched only by her will to survive.
As McRandalls descends deeper into madness, fate tears open the land itself. A freak farming accident ruptures the burial vaults scattered across the county, unleashing something the earth was never meant to release. From the shattered tombs crawl the gargoyles—fanged, winged abominations that feed on the living and curse their vessels to wander in hollow servitude. The gargoyle leader, Crotan, rises to command them, intent on resurrecting his lost brethren and restoring Hell’s dominion on earth.
When the creatures begin their slaughter, the first sign is not the blood but the warning bells tolling by no human hands. To Rome, the message is received by the one man who understands what it means. The last Dark Order priest, the Vatican's emissary, exorcist, and weapon of last resort. Dispatched to America is Father Cain, a man who has walked through the ruins of miracles and the wreckage of faith, carrying scars both spiritual and human. He knows the war between Heaven and Hell isn’t fought in cathedrals but in the hearts of men.
Joined by Detective Prentice and a skeptical police task force, Cain hunts the ravenous gargoyles through the isolated heartland city. Every night brings new attacks, every dawn reveals new horrors. Citizens disappear and are replaced by the growling reborn vessels, serving as the eyes and ears of their gargoyle creators, awaiting their ghastly instructions. The nights are plagued by winged demons in the sky, hunting for the blood of unsuspecting victims.
The deeper Cain digs, the more he realizes that McRandalls may be both victim and catalyst—the broken prophet whose madness has become the gateway between worlds. As faith wavers and fear spreads, Cain must decide whether redemption is possible for a man who helped unleash Hell.
Crotan’s army grows, feeding on blood, faith, and despair. Their goal is locate the buried brethren that remain entombed, awaken them, and create a legion that no force on Earth can stop. Humanity is prey, churches are battlegrounds, and the sky itself darkens with otherworldly wings.
Rise of the Gargoyles is pure monster horror—no romance, no sympathy, no safe escape. It is a relentless dive into violence and bloodlust, where the sacred and profane collide, and the last line of defense against extinction is the courage and will to fight back against creatures that were never meant to exist.
From the author of Werewolf on the Range, Jeff Howard delivers a brutal, cinematic vision of supernatural horror rooted in everyday America. On these lonely plains, good and evil wear familiar faces, and redemption requires sacrifice.
Nick McRandalls, the unhinged owner of a rundown pet crematory outside Lincoln, has been tormented by these creatures since his youth. Their forms haunt his dreams, and their whispers invade his thoughts. The visions have eroded his sanity to the point where only one conviction the gargoyles are real, and they are calling to him.
Motivated by these dark voices, McRandalls kidnaps a woman to serve as his canvas in a ritual of creation and blood. He tattoos one of the monstrous creatures onto her back, believing he can summon them into flesh. But his chosen victim, Staci Prentice, is not the helpless victim he thought, but an undercover detective whose strength and fury are matched only by her will to survive.
As McRandalls descends deeper into madness, fate tears open the land itself. A freak farming accident ruptures the burial vaults scattered across the county, unleashing something the earth was never meant to release. From the shattered tombs crawl the gargoyles—fanged, winged abominations that feed on the living and curse their vessels to wander in hollow servitude. The gargoyle leader, Crotan, rises to command them, intent on resurrecting his lost brethren and restoring Hell’s dominion on earth.
When the creatures begin their slaughter, the first sign is not the blood but the warning bells tolling by no human hands. To Rome, the message is received by the one man who understands what it means. The last Dark Order priest, the Vatican's emissary, exorcist, and weapon of last resort. Dispatched to America is Father Cain, a man who has walked through the ruins of miracles and the wreckage of faith, carrying scars both spiritual and human. He knows the war between Heaven and Hell isn’t fought in cathedrals but in the hearts of men.
Joined by Detective Prentice and a skeptical police task force, Cain hunts the ravenous gargoyles through the isolated heartland city. Every night brings new attacks, every dawn reveals new horrors. Citizens disappear and are replaced by the growling reborn vessels, serving as the eyes and ears of their gargoyle creators, awaiting their ghastly instructions. The nights are plagued by winged demons in the sky, hunting for the blood of unsuspecting victims.
The deeper Cain digs, the more he realizes that McRandalls may be both victim and catalyst—the broken prophet whose madness has become the gateway between worlds. As faith wavers and fear spreads, Cain must decide whether redemption is possible for a man who helped unleash Hell.
Crotan’s army grows, feeding on blood, faith, and despair. Their goal is locate the buried brethren that remain entombed, awaken them, and create a legion that no force on Earth can stop. Humanity is prey, churches are battlegrounds, and the sky itself darkens with otherworldly wings.
Rise of the Gargoyles is pure monster horror—no romance, no sympathy, no safe escape. It is a relentless dive into violence and bloodlust, where the sacred and profane collide, and the last line of defense against extinction is the courage and will to fight back against creatures that were never meant to exist.
From the author of Werewolf on the Range, Jeff Howard delivers a brutal, cinematic vision of supernatural horror rooted in everyday America. On these lonely plains, good and evil wear familiar faces, and redemption requires sacrifice.
452 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2025
About the author
Jeff Howard
4 books9 followersIf you enjoyed the book, please leave STARS and REVIEWS. It helps a lot. They inspire me to write more jaw-dropping and deeply satisfying stories.
Jeff Howard writes Dark Fiction steeped in atmosphere, violence, and the Supernatural. A Nebraska author who spent years working on reservations and forgotten towns, drawing on the real horrors of the Midwest—where monsters real and imagined crawl from the cracks.
His debut, WEREWOLF ON THE RANGE, reimagines the American frontier as a brutal war between man and beast. His new novel, RISE OF THE GARGOYYLES, drags horror into the present—where ancient creatures are awakened from their prairie tombs. The books are connected not by timeline, but by something darker: men haunted by a shared secret — Major Kinkaid and Father Cain —destined to meet in a story that binds their cursed worlds.
Howard’s work is raw, visual, and unflinching—written for readers who crave their horror unholy and unforgettable.
WEREWOLF ON THE RANGE is available on AUDIBLE. I have codes for free copies. Email me if interested. werewolfatthewindow@gmail.com
Coming Soon: A sequel to WEREWOLF ON THE RANGE & RISE OF THE GARGOYLES is coming.
THANKS! - Jeff
Jeff Howard writes Dark Fiction steeped in atmosphere, violence, and the Supernatural. A Nebraska author who spent years working on reservations and forgotten towns, drawing on the real horrors of the Midwest—where monsters real and imagined crawl from the cracks.
His debut, WEREWOLF ON THE RANGE, reimagines the American frontier as a brutal war between man and beast. His new novel, RISE OF THE GARGOYYLES, drags horror into the present—where ancient creatures are awakened from their prairie tombs. The books are connected not by timeline, but by something darker: men haunted by a shared secret — Major Kinkaid and Father Cain —destined to meet in a story that binds their cursed worlds.
Howard’s work is raw, visual, and unflinching—written for readers who crave their horror unholy and unforgettable.
WEREWOLF ON THE RANGE is available on AUDIBLE. I have codes for free copies. Email me if interested. werewolfatthewindow@gmail.com
Coming Soon: A sequel to WEREWOLF ON THE RANGE & RISE OF THE GARGOYLES is coming.
THANKS! - Jeff
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 2, 2025
Absolutely brilliant! Within the first few pages I just knew this was going to be a a darn good book.
Exciting, original great story line and so well thought out.
I absolutely loved it!
Well done Jeff another brill book! 👍👏👏👏👍
Exciting, original great story line and so well thought out.
I absolutely loved it!
Well done Jeff another brill book! 👍👏👏👏👍
November 11, 2025
Excellent read! Look up - gargoyles are watching! This book is intense, has a lot of twists, and is completely unpredictable without ever becoming confusing. The location (Lincoln, NE) and law enforcement connection adds a personal touch. I can’t help but to look up every day as I drive past the State Capitol. Great job, Jeff!
August 29, 2026
Oh dang... That's a high octane bundle of clusters of buckets 🤜🤛
The multiple angle of the writers perspective is astonishing!
Never underestimate the dark priest!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The multiple angle of the writers perspective is astonishing!
Never underestimate the dark priest!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews