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Within
Something’s wrong in the eclectic mountain town of Mesa Rapids. Something’s always been wrong. Sometimes its citizens behave in strange ways—sometimes to the point of violence…
When the wealthy and enigmatic art collector Harold Klimt moves into the long dilapidated house known as the Upshaw Mansion, most don’t think twice about it. But when Mr. Klimt begins to throw lavish parties for the town’s elite, Colin Thorne—a young, aspiring artist still grieving over the recent death of his childhood friend—sneaks inside the house to explore, suspicious something's wrong.
What he finds are the buried secrets of a town with a troubled history and something else…a plane of horror so vast that it threatens to alter reality.
Soon after that, Mr. Klimt offers Colin a job—painting a mural in the basement of the Upshaw Mansion. As Colin becomes more and more obsessed with the dark vision he is creating, the horror begins to bubble to the surface of not only his psyche, but the entire town.
When the wealthy and enigmatic art collector Harold Klimt moves into the long dilapidated house known as the Upshaw Mansion, most don’t think twice about it. But when Mr. Klimt begins to throw lavish parties for the town’s elite, Colin Thorne—a young, aspiring artist still grieving over the recent death of his childhood friend—sneaks inside the house to explore, suspicious something's wrong.
What he finds are the buried secrets of a town with a troubled history and something else…a plane of horror so vast that it threatens to alter reality.
Soon after that, Mr. Klimt offers Colin a job—painting a mural in the basement of the Upshaw Mansion. As Colin becomes more and more obsessed with the dark vision he is creating, the horror begins to bubble to the surface of not only his psyche, but the entire town.
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First published May 1, 2015
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About the author
Keith Deininger
24 books112 followersKeith Deininger is an award-winning dark fiction author. His titles include WITHIN, MARROW'S PIT and A GAME FOR GODS. He is best known for blending elements of fantasy with horror in his surreal, literary style. He grew up in the American Southwest and currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife and daughter.
www.KeithDeininger.com
www.KeithDeininger.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 7, 2015
Bravo!! I'm a sucker for stories about evil in small towns and this one is right up there with the best of them.
As I read, I couldn't help but think about Salem's Lot. I felt like the Upshaw Mansion was comparable to the Marsten house-the center of the evil in this small town,( in this case, Mesa Rapids instead of Jerusalem's Lot.)
I enjoyed the plucky characters here, most especially young Zach. A few of the characters were simply drawn, but I'm okay with that, because I loved the imaginative descriptions of things going on in different rooms at the mansion. Not to beat the Stephen King comparison horse to death, but some of these scenes put me in mind of The Shining. There were quick peeks into rooms filled with blood and madness and then we're off to the next insanity-causing room.
Throughout this tour of hell, I kept thinking about how much fun I was having. In that regard, this story seemed like more of a novella than a short novel, -it just went by so fast! I liked how the story wrapped up, leaving room for a return to these characters or to just the town itself. And whatever happened to Mister M? I can't wait to find out. Overall, I loved this story-I found it imaginative, creative and fun. If you like "evil in a small town" type tales, I highly recommend you check this one out! Just don't blame me for the nightmares.
*I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review. This is it!*
As I read, I couldn't help but think about Salem's Lot. I felt like the Upshaw Mansion was comparable to the Marsten house-the center of the evil in this small town,( in this case, Mesa Rapids instead of Jerusalem's Lot.)
I enjoyed the plucky characters here, most especially young Zach. A few of the characters were simply drawn, but I'm okay with that, because I loved the imaginative descriptions of things going on in different rooms at the mansion. Not to beat the Stephen King comparison horse to death, but some of these scenes put me in mind of The Shining. There were quick peeks into rooms filled with blood and madness and then we're off to the next insanity-causing room.
Throughout this tour of hell, I kept thinking about how much fun I was having. In that regard, this story seemed like more of a novella than a short novel, -it just went by so fast! I liked how the story wrapped up, leaving room for a return to these characters or to just the town itself. And whatever happened to Mister M? I can't wait to find out. Overall, I loved this story-I found it imaginative, creative and fun. If you like "evil in a small town" type tales, I highly recommend you check this one out! Just don't blame me for the nightmares.
*I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review. This is it!*
April 4, 2015
Within is Keith Deininger's take on the fabled town of deceit and deception nurturing the evil within its walls. Existing almost through a tear in the fabric of reality, a place where nightmares are born and clutch at the borders of reality.
'Mesa Rapids on the Colorado River, houses many of the art fraternity, wealth resides in abundance on the hill plateau, so it was with great surprise that the unlimited resources of Klimt bought the dilapidated Upshaw mansion in the valley.'
The two community's of wealth and the other end of the spectrum existed but rarely mixed, the wealthy stayed on the hill and the working community of the valley kept to their own lives.
Klimt changed all that, wild parties followed and the people seemed to change, become more carefree, excitable, they suffered from nightmares and life slowly slipped, careening toward deviance.
‘If Mesa Rapids had been a person, it would have been an easy diagnosis to have her committed, and, in many ways, she was. She’d slipped from the minds of the outside world.’
Struggling artist Colin moves to Mess Rapids and finally amidst the drugs and alcohol, luck falls his way. He is offered a job to paint, to explore his artistic license with no restraint. The Upshaw Manor will be his canvas and blood red his colour, kindred of his darkest nightmares. Pretty soon Colin is teetering on the brink of sanity, existing in a daze from lack of sleep, where time ceases to flow as it should and his purpose at the mansion takes a sinister turn. He never leaves, he only has one thing to do and that is to finish his mural. A young boy who suffers from visions may be his only saviour and the few friends he possesses.
Soon enough the town trips as if possessed with no balance, aimless with but one notion and amidst unprecedented murder and nightmare. Klimt's true motives come to light, more sinister than any imagination could have foretold, the town of Mesa Rapids comes with an evil history that ever clutches for rebirth. Another superb story from Keith Deininger, his writing seems to come from somewhere between dream and nightmare, between solidity and hallucination. That's what it feels like, anyway and I really liked it.
I received Within from Darkfuse & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and that’s what you’ve got.
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
'Mesa Rapids on the Colorado River, houses many of the art fraternity, wealth resides in abundance on the hill plateau, so it was with great surprise that the unlimited resources of Klimt bought the dilapidated Upshaw mansion in the valley.'
The two community's of wealth and the other end of the spectrum existed but rarely mixed, the wealthy stayed on the hill and the working community of the valley kept to their own lives.
Klimt changed all that, wild parties followed and the people seemed to change, become more carefree, excitable, they suffered from nightmares and life slowly slipped, careening toward deviance.
‘If Mesa Rapids had been a person, it would have been an easy diagnosis to have her committed, and, in many ways, she was. She’d slipped from the minds of the outside world.’
Struggling artist Colin moves to Mess Rapids and finally amidst the drugs and alcohol, luck falls his way. He is offered a job to paint, to explore his artistic license with no restraint. The Upshaw Manor will be his canvas and blood red his colour, kindred of his darkest nightmares. Pretty soon Colin is teetering on the brink of sanity, existing in a daze from lack of sleep, where time ceases to flow as it should and his purpose at the mansion takes a sinister turn. He never leaves, he only has one thing to do and that is to finish his mural. A young boy who suffers from visions may be his only saviour and the few friends he possesses.
Soon enough the town trips as if possessed with no balance, aimless with but one notion and amidst unprecedented murder and nightmare. Klimt's true motives come to light, more sinister than any imagination could have foretold, the town of Mesa Rapids comes with an evil history that ever clutches for rebirth. Another superb story from Keith Deininger, his writing seems to come from somewhere between dream and nightmare, between solidity and hallucination. That's what it feels like, anyway and I really liked it.
I received Within from Darkfuse & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and that’s what you’ve got.
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
March 28, 2015
The Upshaw Mansion in the town of Mesa Rapids is a place shrouded in mystery and misfortune. Then again, so is the entire town. A town that those NOT living within its confines are apt to forget--even if they have loved ones that are residing there. For those able to leave, they many never be able to find their way back...
Deininger weaves a mysterious tale that brings his characters teetering on the borders of insanity. Colin, an artist, finds himself in the town after a series of events that seem almost designed to "pull" him in. The evil and madness that centers in Upshaw Mansion--recently bought by the elusive Mr. Klimt--is spreading throughout the boundaries of the town.
While all of this madness, murder, and inexplicable accidents are occurring, the residents themselves wander around in a daze--never certain if they're dreaming, or if their nightmares are their reality.
Each chapter is a rapid account of one of the many characters or happenings, and these short episodes give much insight into the insanity that is taking over the town. Although I remained captivated throughout, it wasn't until about half-way through that I was able to see things coming together and begin making the connections.
One thing is certain, once the town of Mesa Rapids seeps within you, you'll never be free of its pull...
Recommended!
*I recede an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley/DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.*
Deininger weaves a mysterious tale that brings his characters teetering on the borders of insanity. Colin, an artist, finds himself in the town after a series of events that seem almost designed to "pull" him in. The evil and madness that centers in Upshaw Mansion--recently bought by the elusive Mr. Klimt--is spreading throughout the boundaries of the town.
While all of this madness, murder, and inexplicable accidents are occurring, the residents themselves wander around in a daze--never certain if they're dreaming, or if their nightmares are their reality.
Each chapter is a rapid account of one of the many characters or happenings, and these short episodes give much insight into the insanity that is taking over the town. Although I remained captivated throughout, it wasn't until about half-way through that I was able to see things coming together and begin making the connections.
One thing is certain, once the town of Mesa Rapids seeps within you, you'll never be free of its pull...
Recommended!
*I recede an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley/DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.*
June 8, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
At the heart of Mesa Rapids stands the Upshaw Mansion, now home to reclusive art collector, Harold Klimt. The town and mansion are steeped in violent history but are now seen as part of a growing artistic community where a young artist, Colin Thorne, finds himself. He is offered a job by Klimt which turns into an obsession, losing track of what is real and what is not. Soon the whole town is affected by the strange goings on at Upshaw and the mural that Colin is creating, driven on to complete it he is scared at what it might set in motion...
Trippy tales of altered reality are something that the author has touched on plenty of times before, this was no exception however I found it a bit more straightforward than some of his other work. This was no bad thing as it definitely made it easier to engage with, especially its short, punchy chapters, making this a easy read to get through. The pacing overall was good but at times it felt a little disjointed with multiple changes of POV. I'm a fan of multiple POVs but the short chapters meant that I couldn't connect with some of the story as much as I would have if the chapters had been a little bit longer, giving me a chance to get into more of a rhythm with the story and characters.
The characters were likeable, I especially liked Zach and the gutsy Lauren, Maddie was a little irritating in a way as some of her decisions were a bit stupid, especially concerning her boyfriend/exboyfriend Jeremy.
I though that Colin was done really well as a conflicted character and even though some of his actions are highly questionable you still feel that underneath it all he is a decent person. Colin was given the most character space in the book and although I ended up enjoying the other characters I didn't feel that I got to know them as well.
The story itself is creepy and at times highly disturbing especially when the influence of the mansion starts to pervade the town and it descends into violent mayhem. The ending was not as strong as I thought it would be and for those that love a happy ending you certainly won't find it here.
Overall highly imaginative and disturbing and for me a great read.
March 19, 2015
Mr. Klimt throws some wild parties at the Upshaw Mansion. Unfortunately for the guests, it’s not all jello shots and raspberry flavored vodka. There is something else here and it is waiting to be set free. Free to kill.
There is blood in the soil of Mesa Rapids, it’s bubbling up to the surface, threatening to devour all the souls in its path. A young boy with strange visions and a group of aspiring artists are the only hope the town has to survive.
I like Keith’s writing style. It flows, isn’t overly complicated or forced and his characterizations are always relaxed and well drawn. Within is no exception and is a very good, dark and brooding tale. Solid 4 stars and highly recommended.
*As a member of the DarkFuse NetGalley Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
There is blood in the soil of Mesa Rapids, it’s bubbling up to the surface, threatening to devour all the souls in its path. A young boy with strange visions and a group of aspiring artists are the only hope the town has to survive.
I like Keith’s writing style. It flows, isn’t overly complicated or forced and his characterizations are always relaxed and well drawn. Within is no exception and is a very good, dark and brooding tale. Solid 4 stars and highly recommended.
*As a member of the DarkFuse NetGalley Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2015
3.5 stars.
The town of Mesa Rapids is a strange one from the start. Made up of rich artsy folks in the mountain and the dirty poor down in the valley, there is no middle class. There also seems to be no middle ground. People come to town and they find that they either can't leave, or if they can, they don't remember ever having been there in the first place. Strange things are happening, blood is bubbling up from the ground, and all of this seems to center around Upshaw Mansion and a certain Harold Klimt. When Harold hires an aspiring artist, Colin Thorne, to paint a mural in his basement, he gets a lot more than he bargained for... or perhaps exactly what he asked for. Some secrets weren't meant to be unburied and some secrets are so terrible that once you see what lies within...you can't ever escape them.
It's dark, unsettling and somewhat confusing. The writing is all Deininger and for that I have no qualms, but I did find the storyline a little hard to keep straight. Like most of Deininger's work, the line between reality and dreaming is beyond blurred but I found this one to be especially so. This isn't my favorite novel but I look forward to what Deininger has for us in the future.
I received Within as an e-ARC from NetGalley/DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.
The town of Mesa Rapids is a strange one from the start. Made up of rich artsy folks in the mountain and the dirty poor down in the valley, there is no middle class. There also seems to be no middle ground. People come to town and they find that they either can't leave, or if they can, they don't remember ever having been there in the first place. Strange things are happening, blood is bubbling up from the ground, and all of this seems to center around Upshaw Mansion and a certain Harold Klimt. When Harold hires an aspiring artist, Colin Thorne, to paint a mural in his basement, he gets a lot more than he bargained for... or perhaps exactly what he asked for. Some secrets weren't meant to be unburied and some secrets are so terrible that once you see what lies within...you can't ever escape them.
It's dark, unsettling and somewhat confusing. The writing is all Deininger and for that I have no qualms, but I did find the storyline a little hard to keep straight. Like most of Deininger's work, the line between reality and dreaming is beyond blurred but I found this one to be especially so. This isn't my favorite novel but I look forward to what Deininger has for us in the future.
I received Within as an e-ARC from NetGalley/DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2015
Review copy
There is one question which is prevalent throughout Within.
Is this a dream?
At times it's difficult to tell as Keith Deininger's latest novel effectively blurs the line between reality and dreams.
Within is told in a first person narrative, by a number of principal characters. There's Colin (the young artist who comes to town wanting to make a name for himself), Zach (a young boy with an eerie connection to the mansion next door), Lauren ( who receives a mysterious invite to one of the mansion's frequent parties), Maddy ( a young artist and roommate of Colin) and Klimt (the mansion's elusive current resident). Despite all the disparate points of view, the writer still manages to create a strong cohesive story.
It took a bit of time to become familiar with each of the characters, but by then I was totally immersed in a story which revealed it's secrets carefully, and became increasingly creepy.
In addition to the creep factor, there was a good deal of sex and violence. All driven by the story which added to, rather than distracted from, it's overall effectiveness.
At the center of the tale is the Upshaw mansion, although there hadn't been an Upshaw living in Mesa Rapids in several decades. Is it the house itself that's causing the weird events all over town or is it Harold Klimt, it's new tenant which has people in town acting strangely--more foolhardy, more excitable than usual?
If you're looking for a story with a happy ending, keep looking. Within is brutal with it's characters and if you're fortunate enough to survive, it's not "happily ever after."
Within is available for pre-order now through Amazon.com from Darkfuse publishers. The release date is May 5th, 2015. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you'll be able to read this one at no additional charge once it's published.
Definitely recommended.
There is one question which is prevalent throughout Within.
Is this a dream?
At times it's difficult to tell as Keith Deininger's latest novel effectively blurs the line between reality and dreams.
Within is told in a first person narrative, by a number of principal characters. There's Colin (the young artist who comes to town wanting to make a name for himself), Zach (a young boy with an eerie connection to the mansion next door), Lauren ( who receives a mysterious invite to one of the mansion's frequent parties), Maddy ( a young artist and roommate of Colin) and Klimt (the mansion's elusive current resident). Despite all the disparate points of view, the writer still manages to create a strong cohesive story.
It took a bit of time to become familiar with each of the characters, but by then I was totally immersed in a story which revealed it's secrets carefully, and became increasingly creepy.
In addition to the creep factor, there was a good deal of sex and violence. All driven by the story which added to, rather than distracted from, it's overall effectiveness.
At the center of the tale is the Upshaw mansion, although there hadn't been an Upshaw living in Mesa Rapids in several decades. Is it the house itself that's causing the weird events all over town or is it Harold Klimt, it's new tenant which has people in town acting strangely--more foolhardy, more excitable than usual?
If you're looking for a story with a happy ending, keep looking. Within is brutal with it's characters and if you're fortunate enough to survive, it's not "happily ever after."
Within is available for pre-order now through Amazon.com from Darkfuse publishers. The release date is May 5th, 2015. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you'll be able to read this one at no additional charge once it's published.
Definitely recommended.
April 7, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another high quality novel from Darkfuse. I have come to expect, both from Darkfuse as well as from Keith Deininger, dark novels or novellas that explore the dark side of human nature or the human condition rather than trot out old tired story lines about monsters that are predictable from the first few pages. Literary horror? Thinking person’s horror? Not sure what label to put on it, or if I should even try, but I can say that you have to keep your mind open and be prepared to think more than you jump.
I have heard it said that real art releases or exposes what lies in the heart or mind of the artist. What if a truly gifted artist, through the act of creation, releases not what is in their soul, but instead opens a door into hell itself—opening a channel through which flows a churning river of evil, a tide that rises and threatens to overflow our reality?
Dark stuff from a very talented writer. I must also say that one thing that I like about Deininger’s writing is that he never loses his narrative voice and characterization, even with the metaphysical aspects of the story come to the forefront and the line between alternate realities start to blur and overlap. I never lost my sense of where the characters were and how the plot was progressing inexorably toward the dark conclusion.
Another high quality novel from Darkfuse. I have come to expect, both from Darkfuse as well as from Keith Deininger, dark novels or novellas that explore the dark side of human nature or the human condition rather than trot out old tired story lines about monsters that are predictable from the first few pages. Literary horror? Thinking person’s horror? Not sure what label to put on it, or if I should even try, but I can say that you have to keep your mind open and be prepared to think more than you jump.
I have heard it said that real art releases or exposes what lies in the heart or mind of the artist. What if a truly gifted artist, through the act of creation, releases not what is in their soul, but instead opens a door into hell itself—opening a channel through which flows a churning river of evil, a tide that rises and threatens to overflow our reality?
Dark stuff from a very talented writer. I must also say that one thing that I like about Deininger’s writing is that he never loses his narrative voice and characterization, even with the metaphysical aspects of the story come to the forefront and the line between alternate realities start to blur and overlap. I never lost my sense of where the characters were and how the plot was progressing inexorably toward the dark conclusion.
May 31, 2015
I've been a big fan of Keith's work since I first read Fevered Hills. And this the sixth book I have read by Keith, still need to read My Little Children and Shadow Animals to be caught up on his books. The story starts off in the mountain town of Mesa Rapids. Where Howard Klimt moves into a house known as Upshaw Mansion in the valley. There are two parts of the town. The rich (on the hill) and the poor (in the valley). Klimt's known for throwing big parties. Then the story goes to Colin Thorne and his friend Derek who were going for a drive and they got hit by a SUV and then hit by a truck head on. His friend Derek dies. Before this Derek was kicked out of school where Colin was taking art classes. Then we go to the house across from Klint's mansion. Where Maddie & Jeremy live with three other roommates. All were artist's of some sort. Jeremy a Sculptor and Maddie a Painter. When one of them(Rich) moved out Colin moved in. Will stop here, don't want to say too much. Only that the story takes off and strange things start to happen. I like reading Keith's books they are well written and have a nice flow, without getting to wordy or descriptive. I gave Within 4 stars.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2015
Keith never disappoints me. This one is geared toward the horror end of things. It's a creepy, atmosphere-filled read that delves into the minds of the characters. We get to see what's going on WITHIN each of them. It's also small town horror, takes place in the countryside. It's got mystery and "reveals" along the way. When you think you know what's going on, Keith pulls the rug out and changes the direction perfectly. The best way I can describe this book is DREAD-FILLED. Highly Recommended!!!!
April 20, 2015
Within was everything I have come to expect from Keith Deininger, and that's mostly a good thing. The line between reality and dreams/unreality/whatever is always fleeting and blurry in his work, and that is definitely true of this work, especially as it progresses. It alternates frequently between storylines that eventually come together as things come to a head in the basement on an old mansion that seems to be the center of the evil that lurks in the town. It took me a while to read this because real life kept getting in the way, and either I missed some connections, or they were never made, and as a result, I felt like a lot of questions were left unanswered, and a lot of things hinted at that were never explained. I definitely don't mind that, but this book was right at my limit for how much ambiguity it takes to go from enjoying a book to simply not getting it. So I would recommend trying to read in as few sittings as possible.
There were a lot of genuinely creepy moments in this book, and the principle characters were well-drawn. I enjoyed the ride very much, even if I'm still not completely sure where I ended up.
There were a lot of genuinely creepy moments in this book, and the principle characters were well-drawn. I enjoyed the ride very much, even if I'm still not completely sure where I ended up.
June 1, 2015
This is the story of a town gone bad, the house at the centre of it all and four people who band together to try and stop the rot from spreading and to make things right again. For a long time the Upshaw Mansion has lain empty and abandoned, now a mysterious stranger has moved in and things are going rapidly wrong in Mesa Rapids. Could it have something to do with the painting the owner has commissioned?....
This is very much a trippy, blow your mind, is it real or not type of story, I have come to expect from this author. I will admit to being thoroughly confused in places, and now thinking on it again, I am not entirely sure what I was reading, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The characters gelled well and the pace of the story kept me glued until the last page. Another fine novel from this author and DarkFuse.
This is very much a trippy, blow your mind, is it real or not type of story, I have come to expect from this author. I will admit to being thoroughly confused in places, and now thinking on it again, I am not entirely sure what I was reading, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The characters gelled well and the pace of the story kept me glued until the last page. Another fine novel from this author and DarkFuse.
August 21, 2016
Excellent!
I will definitely be checking out this author's other work.
I will definitely be checking out this author's other work.
June 30, 2015
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
If there was ever a book that deserved to be called a mash-up between Salem’s Lot and The Shining (two of the finest horror books out there, if you ask me), then it would be Within. The book mixes a haunted house trope with the haunted town trope, and it has the same creepy atmosphere of both aforementioned books. Keith Deininger successfully mixes reality with nightmare in a bizarre, twisted book that will haunt you long after.
Mesa Rapids is no ordinary town. THe inhabitants have always known, but things got way worse after the wealthy art collector Harold Klimt moves into the Upshaw Mansion, a house that stayed without occupants for far longer than is normal. When Klimt starts throwing ravish parties in the style of The Great Gatsby. Just like Gatsby, Klimt is a mysterious figure, but he’s of a far more sinister kind.
Colin Thorne is a young, aspiring artist who Klimt offers a job: to paint a mural in the basement of the Upshaw Mansion. But as Colin grows more and more obsessed with the painting, the horror that envelops his psyche transcends into the town.
The author does an admirable job painting the characters. Even Klimt feels like a real person rathe than a character in a book. The town itself is so real it feels like a character too, and its descend into madness is beautifully depicted.
However, the book leaves a lot of questions unanswered and whereas I don’t mind an open ending in horror books, I do like my books to have at least some kind of closure on the most important topics, which was lacking here. Too many issues remained unresolved.
Despite that though, the book delivers a haunting tale of madness and nightmares, which I’d recommend for fans of atmospheric horror.
If there was ever a book that deserved to be called a mash-up between Salem’s Lot and The Shining (two of the finest horror books out there, if you ask me), then it would be Within. The book mixes a haunted house trope with the haunted town trope, and it has the same creepy atmosphere of both aforementioned books. Keith Deininger successfully mixes reality with nightmare in a bizarre, twisted book that will haunt you long after.
Mesa Rapids is no ordinary town. THe inhabitants have always known, but things got way worse after the wealthy art collector Harold Klimt moves into the Upshaw Mansion, a house that stayed without occupants for far longer than is normal. When Klimt starts throwing ravish parties in the style of The Great Gatsby. Just like Gatsby, Klimt is a mysterious figure, but he’s of a far more sinister kind.
Colin Thorne is a young, aspiring artist who Klimt offers a job: to paint a mural in the basement of the Upshaw Mansion. But as Colin grows more and more obsessed with the painting, the horror that envelops his psyche transcends into the town.
The author does an admirable job painting the characters. Even Klimt feels like a real person rathe than a character in a book. The town itself is so real it feels like a character too, and its descend into madness is beautifully depicted.
However, the book leaves a lot of questions unanswered and whereas I don’t mind an open ending in horror books, I do like my books to have at least some kind of closure on the most important topics, which was lacking here. Too many issues remained unresolved.
Despite that though, the book delivers a haunting tale of madness and nightmares, which I’d recommend for fans of atmospheric horror.
June 21, 2015
Keith Deininger's WITHIN just made my list of best horror for 2015. It's moody, the writing is crisp and evocative, and the author provides just enough detail to make his scenes creepy and disquietingly evocative.
WITHIN is more than a haunted house story - it's a haunted town story, as the entire area of Mesa Rapid, where the spooky Upshaw Mansion is situation, is brimming with ugly history and spilled blood. In fact, Deininger's telling of Mesa Rapid's history was one of the highlights of the book for me.
Some readers might be a bit turned off by the slow build nature of the horror here, but once things start clicking into place the story becomes absolute dynamite, and there's atmosphere to spare. The finale is a top-notch finish, and one of the more unsettling endings I've come across in recent memory.
WITHIN is more than a haunted house story - it's a haunted town story, as the entire area of Mesa Rapid, where the spooky Upshaw Mansion is situation, is brimming with ugly history and spilled blood. In fact, Deininger's telling of Mesa Rapid's history was one of the highlights of the book for me.
Some readers might be a bit turned off by the slow build nature of the horror here, but once things start clicking into place the story becomes absolute dynamite, and there's atmosphere to spare. The finale is a top-notch finish, and one of the more unsettling endings I've come across in recent memory.
June 3, 2015
I received an advance copy of Within by Keith Deininger from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by DarkFuse.
I have only ever read Ghosts of Eden by Keith Deininger before. Although I enjoyed it, I struggled with it a bit. Felt like I had been on a weird “trip” when I had read it. Due to this experience I went at Within a little bit on the cautious side. I knew I liked his writing. I was just a bit freaked out with the previous one. I needn’t have worried.
Mesa Rapids is a weird town. The rich live on the top of the mountain. The poor live in the valley. The horror doesn’t care where it lives.
Wealthy, reclusive art collector, Harold Klimt moves into the dilapidated Upshaw Mansion. He likes to throw lavish parties for the Mesa Rapids elite. Colin Thorne, a young artist, and his friends sneak into a party one night and he inadvertently gets offered a job by Mr Klimt to paint a mural in his basement. He has no idea what he is going to paint and neither has Mr Klimt. Or has he? Being paid huge amounts of money convinces Colin to take the job.
Colin becomes obsessed with his mural. He doesn’t know about the town’s horrific history. He doesn’t know that what he’s doing has the potential to unleash unknown horrors. He will soon find out.
There are a couple of things that become perfectly clear, very quickly when you read something written by Keith Deininger. He can write bloody good stuff and he is not scared to put his own unique twist on stories. Twists that sometimes take you on a trip that makes you question your own sanity as well as what is happening in the story. I’m getting used to this style and I like it. A lot.
There are so many points in this book that made me think of a lot of horror stories and films that have come before. The atmosphere is fantastic. It’s electric. It’s harrowing. It’s weird. It’s full of evil and fantasy and wonderful visions of an almost psychedelic nature. A line that comes up a lot in the story is “is this a dream”. You may find yourself thinking you have just dreamt what you have read.
Our characters in this tale are nothing special. This is about the only thing that sort of let it down for me. They are simple. Not overbearing. No huge characters that stand out more than others. I wanted someone to grab it by the squidgies and take the lead and make everyone else follow them. The only one that came close is a young boy, Zach, who seemed to know more of what was going on than the others. They all fit together perfectly well in the story but I wanted a hero.
This is a tale where the town is small. It’s isolated. No one knows what happens there apart from the people who live in it. Even then, a lot of them don’t know what is going on or don’t want to believe what is going on.
The chapters jump between the different “main” characters seeing things from their point of view. Colin has a portion all of his own where we read some extracts from his journal. The best parts for me were the chapters that dealt with the history of the town and the goings on in the background. The things that were happening were horrific yet most people didn’t know about them. This made things very very eerie for me. You could see the evil happening. You could see it getting worse, growing and growing until it looked like nothing or no one would survive. Fantastic writing to keep you gripped and reading till the very end.
To summarise: this is an atmospheric horror tale set in a small town with loads of weirdness and dream sequences that really give you the feeling you are living in the dreams. It is very creepy. It will definitely make your skin crawl. It is harrowing at times and it has plenty of blood and gore. Fellow passengers on my bus did give me rather funny looks with my reactions to some parts. I am starting too really like Mr Deininger’s stuff. His writing is very very good. Keeps you gripped from page one to the last page. Bravo.
General rating:
★★★★ Practically perfect.
Horror rating:
★★★★★ Creeped me out big style.
I have only ever read Ghosts of Eden by Keith Deininger before. Although I enjoyed it, I struggled with it a bit. Felt like I had been on a weird “trip” when I had read it. Due to this experience I went at Within a little bit on the cautious side. I knew I liked his writing. I was just a bit freaked out with the previous one. I needn’t have worried.
Mesa Rapids is a weird town. The rich live on the top of the mountain. The poor live in the valley. The horror doesn’t care where it lives.
Wealthy, reclusive art collector, Harold Klimt moves into the dilapidated Upshaw Mansion. He likes to throw lavish parties for the Mesa Rapids elite. Colin Thorne, a young artist, and his friends sneak into a party one night and he inadvertently gets offered a job by Mr Klimt to paint a mural in his basement. He has no idea what he is going to paint and neither has Mr Klimt. Or has he? Being paid huge amounts of money convinces Colin to take the job.
Colin becomes obsessed with his mural. He doesn’t know about the town’s horrific history. He doesn’t know that what he’s doing has the potential to unleash unknown horrors. He will soon find out.
There are a couple of things that become perfectly clear, very quickly when you read something written by Keith Deininger. He can write bloody good stuff and he is not scared to put his own unique twist on stories. Twists that sometimes take you on a trip that makes you question your own sanity as well as what is happening in the story. I’m getting used to this style and I like it. A lot.
There are so many points in this book that made me think of a lot of horror stories and films that have come before. The atmosphere is fantastic. It’s electric. It’s harrowing. It’s weird. It’s full of evil and fantasy and wonderful visions of an almost psychedelic nature. A line that comes up a lot in the story is “is this a dream”. You may find yourself thinking you have just dreamt what you have read.
Our characters in this tale are nothing special. This is about the only thing that sort of let it down for me. They are simple. Not overbearing. No huge characters that stand out more than others. I wanted someone to grab it by the squidgies and take the lead and make everyone else follow them. The only one that came close is a young boy, Zach, who seemed to know more of what was going on than the others. They all fit together perfectly well in the story but I wanted a hero.
This is a tale where the town is small. It’s isolated. No one knows what happens there apart from the people who live in it. Even then, a lot of them don’t know what is going on or don’t want to believe what is going on.
The chapters jump between the different “main” characters seeing things from their point of view. Colin has a portion all of his own where we read some extracts from his journal. The best parts for me were the chapters that dealt with the history of the town and the goings on in the background. The things that were happening were horrific yet most people didn’t know about them. This made things very very eerie for me. You could see the evil happening. You could see it getting worse, growing and growing until it looked like nothing or no one would survive. Fantastic writing to keep you gripped and reading till the very end.
To summarise: this is an atmospheric horror tale set in a small town with loads of weirdness and dream sequences that really give you the feeling you are living in the dreams. It is very creepy. It will definitely make your skin crawl. It is harrowing at times and it has plenty of blood and gore. Fellow passengers on my bus did give me rather funny looks with my reactions to some parts. I am starting too really like Mr Deininger’s stuff. His writing is very very good. Keeps you gripped from page one to the last page. Bravo.
General rating:
★★★★ Practically perfect.
Horror rating:
★★★★★ Creeped me out big style.
April 11, 2017
A town with a dark history...when a new resident moves into the old dilapidated Upshaw Mansion, history comes alive again in Mesa Rapids. Affecting its inhabitants, the town and especially the rooms and surroundings of the Upshaw Mansion turn into a nightmare vision resembling a Hieronymus Bosch painting (who is mentioned, quite fittingly, in the book). Only a handful of people are able to see the truth and discover that something truly evil is about to be released. Will they be able to stop it before it's too late?
The story is told in very short chapters, each named after the character who is the main focus of that chapter. This made reading a very fast-paced process and allowed to see events from several perspectives, which helped put the pieces together. There also was a part documenting the town's history, which gave a lot of explanations to the questions raised by the creepy events taking place. Together with the interspersed diary entries of Colin, who is hired to paint at the Upshaw Mansion and thus, unknowingly, wake something terrible from the past, we get a good idea what is going on.
The well-drawn main characters, especially Colin, were not all easily likable, which perfectly worked to make them real and believable. The book had a constant dream-like quality, and I felt like stepping into a nightmare where unimaginable things happened. However, the townsfolk participating in this sick dream were unable to see what was really going on and even enjoyed their cruel acts, like at a never-ending party in hell.
While the story had some predictable moments, it was unputdownable until the end, which still held a surprise.
However, I still wonder why the author chose to name the buyer of the mansion Klimt - with the constant references to art and the main subject of painting, I would have expected some connection to the painter...
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
The story is told in very short chapters, each named after the character who is the main focus of that chapter. This made reading a very fast-paced process and allowed to see events from several perspectives, which helped put the pieces together. There also was a part documenting the town's history, which gave a lot of explanations to the questions raised by the creepy events taking place. Together with the interspersed diary entries of Colin, who is hired to paint at the Upshaw Mansion and thus, unknowingly, wake something terrible from the past, we get a good idea what is going on.
The well-drawn main characters, especially Colin, were not all easily likable, which perfectly worked to make them real and believable. The book had a constant dream-like quality, and I felt like stepping into a nightmare where unimaginable things happened. However, the townsfolk participating in this sick dream were unable to see what was really going on and even enjoyed their cruel acts, like at a never-ending party in hell.
While the story had some predictable moments, it was unputdownable until the end, which still held a surprise.
However, I still wonder why the author chose to name the buyer of the mansion Klimt - with the constant references to art and the main subject of painting, I would have expected some connection to the painter...
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
March 30, 2015
I'm an unabashed Keith Deininger fan, but this can work against any new works as they are measured against old favorites. Expectations run high and it seems inevitable that they become unrealistic. Those expectations have been ratcheted up another notch after reading Within, because it is Keith's best work yet.
Lost youths as characters are one of Mr. Deininger's particular strengths, and his creation of the artist commune and its inhabitants is a high point of Within. There are a lot of players in motion in this relatively short novel (it seems like a story that could be drawn out in to a tombstone of a book by some authors) but nothing is given short shrift. The prose is economical and beautiful, never overstaying its welcome and painting a clear picture.
The threads are not all resolved by the end, so be warned if that is important to you. There are hints leading back to earlier works, but nothing overt that will leave a new reader in the dark. At some point I want to reread everything and connect the dots; that is the level of enjoyment that Keith Deininger gives me that I would consider such a "nerdy" task!
Within is an original take on a town driven in to the depths of madness. Readers of any fiction, not just genre, would be doing themselves a tremendous service by giving this a chance. 5 stars, highest recommendation!
Lost youths as characters are one of Mr. Deininger's particular strengths, and his creation of the artist commune and its inhabitants is a high point of Within. There are a lot of players in motion in this relatively short novel (it seems like a story that could be drawn out in to a tombstone of a book by some authors) but nothing is given short shrift. The prose is economical and beautiful, never overstaying its welcome and painting a clear picture.
The threads are not all resolved by the end, so be warned if that is important to you. There are hints leading back to earlier works, but nothing overt that will leave a new reader in the dark. At some point I want to reread everything and connect the dots; that is the level of enjoyment that Keith Deininger gives me that I would consider such a "nerdy" task!
Within is an original take on a town driven in to the depths of madness. Readers of any fiction, not just genre, would be doing themselves a tremendous service by giving this a chance. 5 stars, highest recommendation!
September 28, 2015
It is a little bit tough for me to rate this book.
On one hand, it was disturbing. It kept me awake at night (I'm serious) and made me wonder what could have possibly happened in the Mesa Rapids that lead to the current situation. What was behind all this. I was in suspense throughout the book, there was a lot of tension and an omnipresent feeling of unknown (which scared the shit out of me but which I loved).
On the other hand, I didn't understand this book completely. Although I was inside it 100%, holding my breath so many times, I still didn't understand completely why the situation was what it was. The final chapters gave a hint of that explanation, but I couldn't read between the lines :-(
For all these reasons, I think "Within" deserves 3-3.5*.
Thanks to Keith Deininger for kindly sending me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
On one hand, it was disturbing. It kept me awake at night (I'm serious) and made me wonder what could have possibly happened in the Mesa Rapids that lead to the current situation. What was behind all this. I was in suspense throughout the book, there was a lot of tension and an omnipresent feeling of unknown (which scared the shit out of me but which I loved).
On the other hand, I didn't understand this book completely. Although I was inside it 100%, holding my breath so many times, I still didn't understand completely why the situation was what it was. The final chapters gave a hint of that explanation, but I couldn't read between the lines :-(
For all these reasons, I think "Within" deserves 3-3.5*.
Thanks to Keith Deininger for kindly sending me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
April 14, 2015
Engaging story where nightmare bleeds into reality in a mansion where the parties never end. Like Hotel California, once you enter, you can never leave. Recommended.
December 30, 2020
Full review to come!
July 26, 2015
Within, by Keith, Deininger, is an interesting and dark new horror novel that succeeds largely on the merits of it's realistic characters and vivid locale.
In fact, the town of Mesa Rapids is so well realized that it becomes a character unto itself, and Deininger uses this to full effect. Located in the desert southwest of the U.S., on the Colorado River, it is a town with a history as varied as it is violent. From its original settling by pioneers and miners, the town saw a fundamental Christian takeover, a violent massacre prior to its current position as a bastion for the arts.
The main character is Colin, a young man escaping the certainty of graduate school to try and find his place in the art community as a painter. Colin is three dimensional and well fleshed-out and is the focus of the narrative in both the third person and through excerpts from his journal. When the reader is presented with his journal, which is interesting and insightful, the entire passages are set in italics. It’s not a criticism of the story, but book formatting, that such long passages are not pleasing to the eyes when entirely italicised. The other characters work to a varying degree, Maddy and the mysterious Mr. M chief among them, where the characters of Lauren and Jeremy come off a bit flat. Young Zach is a highlight.
As the story unfolds, each individual character is the focus of separate chapters. This makes the flow a bit uneven, though the author does a good job of keeping the less interesting and less essential characters’ passages brief before getting back to the meat of the story. The tale moves forward with a generally brisk pace, fuels mainly by the readers desire to see what is in store for the characters. The novel builds from a small, intimate tale of individual characters to an almost cataclysmic showdown on a city-wide scale.
There are times when the story becomes dream-like and seems to veer away from reality. This adds an interesting element that keeps the reader on their toes, knowing that any time what they think they know may be wrong. And there’s no frustrating waiting to see what is real or what isn’t, as the answers to that come quickly. There are times when the characters, too, are forced to question reality. They find themselves consulting a small card, left for them that asks “Is this a dream?” It’s a good question.
The ending of the story is satisfying in its combination of resolution and ambiguity. Character arcs are brought together, questions about the villain and Mesa Rapids are addressed, but Deininger leaves some questions unanswered. This works very well to leave the reader with a sense of the mysterious that was prevalent throughout the novel.
In fact, the town of Mesa Rapids is so well realized that it becomes a character unto itself, and Deininger uses this to full effect. Located in the desert southwest of the U.S., on the Colorado River, it is a town with a history as varied as it is violent. From its original settling by pioneers and miners, the town saw a fundamental Christian takeover, a violent massacre prior to its current position as a bastion for the arts.
The main character is Colin, a young man escaping the certainty of graduate school to try and find his place in the art community as a painter. Colin is three dimensional and well fleshed-out and is the focus of the narrative in both the third person and through excerpts from his journal. When the reader is presented with his journal, which is interesting and insightful, the entire passages are set in italics. It’s not a criticism of the story, but book formatting, that such long passages are not pleasing to the eyes when entirely italicised. The other characters work to a varying degree, Maddy and the mysterious Mr. M chief among them, where the characters of Lauren and Jeremy come off a bit flat. Young Zach is a highlight.
As the story unfolds, each individual character is the focus of separate chapters. This makes the flow a bit uneven, though the author does a good job of keeping the less interesting and less essential characters’ passages brief before getting back to the meat of the story. The tale moves forward with a generally brisk pace, fuels mainly by the readers desire to see what is in store for the characters. The novel builds from a small, intimate tale of individual characters to an almost cataclysmic showdown on a city-wide scale.
There are times when the story becomes dream-like and seems to veer away from reality. This adds an interesting element that keeps the reader on their toes, knowing that any time what they think they know may be wrong. And there’s no frustrating waiting to see what is real or what isn’t, as the answers to that come quickly. There are times when the characters, too, are forced to question reality. They find themselves consulting a small card, left for them that asks “Is this a dream?” It’s a good question.
The ending of the story is satisfying in its combination of resolution and ambiguity. Character arcs are brought together, questions about the villain and Mesa Rapids are addressed, but Deininger leaves some questions unanswered. This works very well to leave the reader with a sense of the mysterious that was prevalent throughout the novel.
August 13, 2016
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
When the wealthy and enigmatic art collector Harold Klimt moves into the long dilapidated house known as the Upshaw Mansion, most don’t think twice about it. But when Mr. Klimt begins to throw lavish parties for the town’s elite, Colin Thorne—a young, aspiring artist still grieving over the recent death of his childhood friend—sneaks inside the house to explore, suspicious something's wrong.
What he finds are the buried secrets of a town with a troubled history and something else…a plane of horror so vast that it threatens to alter reality.
Soon after that, Mr. Klimt offers Colin a job—painting a mural in the basement of the Upshaw Mansion. As Colin becomes more and more obsessed with the dark vision he is creating, the horror begins to bubble to the surface of not only his psyche, but the entire town.
I have read a number of books by Keith Deininger and this one would surely have been the best so far...
There is something very "horror" about simple things have such terrifying effects on a person or a whole community. It is very reminiscent of Stephen King or Bentley Little. Small towns and communities becoming deeply affected by the darkness within a person or object. And, when an author can reach for those two authors and compare pretty well, that's a good thing by me.
The story itself is very well written - I was intrigued by the "haunted house" to start with and then, when Colin starts to do the mural, reading his decline into the horror that started to overtake the town, it was a great edge-of-the-seat read.
Another very cool offering from DarkFuse publishers...I thank them for this ARC.
Paul
ARH
When the wealthy and enigmatic art collector Harold Klimt moves into the long dilapidated house known as the Upshaw Mansion, most don’t think twice about it. But when Mr. Klimt begins to throw lavish parties for the town’s elite, Colin Thorne—a young, aspiring artist still grieving over the recent death of his childhood friend—sneaks inside the house to explore, suspicious something's wrong.
What he finds are the buried secrets of a town with a troubled history and something else…a plane of horror so vast that it threatens to alter reality.
Soon after that, Mr. Klimt offers Colin a job—painting a mural in the basement of the Upshaw Mansion. As Colin becomes more and more obsessed with the dark vision he is creating, the horror begins to bubble to the surface of not only his psyche, but the entire town.
I have read a number of books by Keith Deininger and this one would surely have been the best so far...
There is something very "horror" about simple things have such terrifying effects on a person or a whole community. It is very reminiscent of Stephen King or Bentley Little. Small towns and communities becoming deeply affected by the darkness within a person or object. And, when an author can reach for those two authors and compare pretty well, that's a good thing by me.
The story itself is very well written - I was intrigued by the "haunted house" to start with and then, when Colin starts to do the mural, reading his decline into the horror that started to overtake the town, it was a great edge-of-the-seat read.
Another very cool offering from DarkFuse publishers...I thank them for this ARC.
Paul
ARH
September 30, 2016
You’ve got to give Keith Deininger credit. He doesn’t rehash old similar themes in his work. Instead, he experiments and takes chances with narratives. I just finished one of his more recent novels called Within. At face value, this is a story about a haunted mansion, which we’ve all seen often enough. Someone new comes into town and purchases the crumbling mansion in a seedier part of town. Soon, those who are invited to visit one of the many parties thrown by the owner become possessed by the inner workings of the house’s evil presence. Indeed, the entire town falls under his spell. The malevolent antics of Mr. Klimt and his eerie mansion result in numerous character disappearances, terrifying hallucinations and dreams of our protagonists, and increased aggression and debauchery of townsfolk. I was reminded of two haunted mansion novels: the classic Ghost Story by Peter Straub (especially the impact on the town), and the most recent Slade House by David Mitchell. I felt Deininger’s Within ranked right up there with these two. However, that wasn’t the biggest unique surprise. The portrayal of Mr. Klimt, the owner of the mansion and the perpetrator of evil who throws lavish parties to entice the unwitting into his snare, is remarkably similar to Jay Gatsby. Many of the party scenes paralleled the festivities on West Egg. This was the first time I’ve ever seen the setting and characters of The Great Gatsby influence the plot of a horror novel. Keith Deininger has guts to try – and he pulled it off.
June 1, 2015
Within takes place in a small town Mesa Rapids. There is a house known as Upshaw Mansion that has been unoccupied for a very long time. Harold Klimt buys Upshaw Mansion. He starts throwing parties on Friday nights and sends out invitations. Colin goes with his housemates to the party. He meets Mr. Klimt and is hired to paint a mural in his basement. Why? Zach , a young boy lives next door and sees a man "kill" his best friend. He names the man Mr. M and knows that he was seen by Mr. M. Who is Mr. M? As time goes by, many of the people in Mesa Rapids start acting strangely and even look dirty as if they hadn't was their laundry in a while. People are not reacting normally even when they see strange things on their walks. These people have not gone to the parties. What is going on?
The author hooks you into the novel from the very first page. The more you read, you realize something is very wrong in Mesa Rapids since Harold Klimt moved into town. The story is surreal and dark with light moments. Mesa Rapid's community seems not to realize that anything is wrong. When I finished this horror novel, I realized I had read one of the best horror novels I've ever read. If you like horror stories, read this!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The author hooks you into the novel from the very first page. The more you read, you realize something is very wrong in Mesa Rapids since Harold Klimt moved into town. The story is surreal and dark with light moments. Mesa Rapid's community seems not to realize that anything is wrong. When I finished this horror novel, I realized I had read one of the best horror novels I've ever read. If you like horror stories, read this!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
April 13, 2015
I received this book via NetGalley to give an honest review.
I like horror stories I grew up reading horror and watching horror movies, so when I saw the blurb and cover I figured this book would be a really good horror story being told.
Though the story is good it wasn't a true horror story for me.
Mesa Rapids a small town where bad things happen. There is a house that no one has lived in for years until one day someone moves in someone named Mr. Klimt. Now he is a mysterious person as no one knows who he really is but he throws great parties or so it seems. All of this comes crashing down when four characters find out the truth and try to stop it all.
We have a lot of different character point of views and even though it did seem to go together decently I have never been a big fan of having more than three P.O.V.'s. Then it just becomes too much to keep together on this character and that character.
There is some graphic scenes so readers beware and you often have to ask yourself is this a dream or is it reality, too bad we don't have a card like Zach did in the story.
I have to say the ending was crazy good, something I didn't really think would happen I though it would be a H.E.A. ending.
The characters were okay, I didn't get invested in them and connect but they did go good with the story.
I like horror stories I grew up reading horror and watching horror movies, so when I saw the blurb and cover I figured this book would be a really good horror story being told.
Though the story is good it wasn't a true horror story for me.
Mesa Rapids a small town where bad things happen. There is a house that no one has lived in for years until one day someone moves in someone named Mr. Klimt. Now he is a mysterious person as no one knows who he really is but he throws great parties or so it seems. All of this comes crashing down when four characters find out the truth and try to stop it all.
We have a lot of different character point of views and even though it did seem to go together decently I have never been a big fan of having more than three P.O.V.'s. Then it just becomes too much to keep together on this character and that character.
There is some graphic scenes so readers beware and you often have to ask yourself is this a dream or is it reality, too bad we don't have a card like Zach did in the story.
I have to say the ending was crazy good, something I didn't really think would happen I though it would be a H.E.A. ending.
The characters were okay, I didn't get invested in them and connect but they did go good with the story.
February 22, 2016
Art collector Harold Klimt comes to live in Upshaw mansion. The mansion is a place that has been linked to mysteries and bad things seem to happen around the mansion. Harold himself is a mysterious man but starts throwing parties and sends invitations for people to attend. Colin and his friend Derek were out for a ride and got hit two different times Eric doesn’t make it and dies. There is a house across the street from the mansion Maddie and Jeremy and three others live there. When Rich moves out Colin moves in. Colin and his housemates all go to one of the parties at the mansion. While there Colin is offered a job to do a mural in the cellar. But things started to go downhill as the mural emerges.
I didn’t understand all of this story I think there was just far too many characters. But the characters I did like felt real to me and I did like that alot. Also some mysteries remained that were in the story. Well I did like the plot and story [ except where didn’t understand it as I have already mentioned ]. Yes it even spooked me at times. All and all was a good horror story and I do recommend.
I received an ARC of this story for an honest review.
I didn’t understand all of this story I think there was just far too many characters. But the characters I did like felt real to me and I did like that alot. Also some mysteries remained that were in the story. Well I did like the plot and story [ except where didn’t understand it as I have already mentioned ]. Yes it even spooked me at times. All and all was a good horror story and I do recommend.
I received an ARC of this story for an honest review.
March 22, 2015
Mesa Rapids is a town that goes bad when a Mr Harold Klimt moves into long abandoned and neglected Upshaw Mansion he rekindled it's dark and forgotten history. with a host of local characters each on their own path the malevolence unleashed comes to a dire and bloody conclusion. Can generations of darkness be finally laid to rest.
As much as I enjoyed the premise of this story and the history behind the town of Mesa Rapids, I found myself bogged down with the number of characters in this horror thriller. A little simplification would have made a much bigger impact I think, allowing more time for characterisation.
As much as I enjoyed the premise of this story and the history behind the town of Mesa Rapids, I found myself bogged down with the number of characters in this horror thriller. A little simplification would have made a much bigger impact I think, allowing more time for characterisation.
March 24, 2015
Reading 'Within' was, to me, like reading an amalgam of 'Salem's Lot (strange men come to town and cause havoc), The Shining (haunted house), and Floating Dragon (hallucinogenic, distorted, unsettling events) - but that's not a bad thing! 'Within' stands on its own as a great horror tale, slowly increasing the unease and overall sense of things going terribly wrong in the artist's town of Mesa Rapids. The writing is great and the characters interesting, while the plot draws you in and then drags you along to an unnerving conclusion.
*Free copy through NetGalley*
*Free copy through NetGalley*
September 15, 2016
This was a great haunted house / haunted town story with fantastic descriptions which dripped with dread and psychedelia. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because there wasn't really a story line until around the 50% mark.
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