Receiving a request to review this book out of the blue, I jumped into The Many with little idea of what expect other than it was the first in a series and it promised to be scary. And The Many delivered handsomely. A supernatural horror, The Many draws inspiration from a number of pop culture quarters - the slasher horror films of the 1980's, a little bit of the Exorcist and the zombie survival genre made famous by the likes of World War Z.
Joe Stone brings these together into a kinetic, truly terrifying and, at times, disturbing narrative set within an idyllic New England town that suddenly goes to hell in a hand basket - literally. Through the chaos Stone brings together six disparate characters who have no previous association with one another and forces them to work together for their very survival. They are a surprisingly appealing team, challenged by the hellish nightmare that threatens them. When Satan presents himself, he goads each of them with their own private 'sins' yet each of them are able to put them aside in the face of something that is far greater than themselves.
Stone creates scenes of crackling tension, guttural violence and, surprisingly, moments of quiet reflection that lift this novel up from being a generic slasher fest, offering the reader something that is thought provoking. Readers are warned however that it is, at times, particularly violent so I would not recommend it for the faint hearted.
The Many is the first in a series and it sets the reader up for a sequel that has a lot of potential.
I'm in for the ride.