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Devourer of Souls
Sophan
An ancient game of chance and Fate. One boy's smoldering hate, another boy's need to make things right, and a father's ghosts of Vietnam past. These are the key players in this latest tale of revenge and reparation performed on the stage of the strange Adirondack town of Clifton Heights, NY.
The Man in Yellow
Tahawus is a small, isolated Adirondack town just north of Clifton Heights. A quiet place filled with simple people of an ardent faith, nothing much ever happens there...until the man in yellow comes calling. He knows your worst nightmares, and he can offer your fondest wish. All you need is faith...and a mouth from which to scream.
An ancient game of chance and Fate. One boy's smoldering hate, another boy's need to make things right, and a father's ghosts of Vietnam past. These are the key players in this latest tale of revenge and reparation performed on the stage of the strange Adirondack town of Clifton Heights, NY.
The Man in Yellow
Tahawus is a small, isolated Adirondack town just north of Clifton Heights. A quiet place filled with simple people of an ardent faith, nothing much ever happens there...until the man in yellow comes calling. He knows your worst nightmares, and he can offer your fondest wish. All you need is faith...and a mouth from which to scream.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2014
25 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Lucia
100 books366 followersKevin Lucia is the ebook and trade paperback editor at Cemetery Dance Publications. His short fiction has been published in many venues, most notably with Clive Barker, David Morell, Peter Straub, Bentley Little, and Robert McCammon.
His first short story collection, Things Slip Through, was published by Crystal Lake Publishing in November, 2013. He's followed that with the collections Through A Mirror, Darkly, Devourer of Souls, Things You Need, October Nights, and the novellas Mystery Road, A Night at Old Webb, and The Night Road.
His first short story collection, Things Slip Through, was published by Crystal Lake Publishing in November, 2013. He's followed that with the collections Through A Mirror, Darkly, Devourer of Souls, Things You Need, October Nights, and the novellas Mystery Road, A Night at Old Webb, and The Night Road.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 26, 2020
This book!! A huge thank you to the author for making this one free during the Great Quarantine of 2020. Also, thank you Melanie for reading this with me.
I had heard about Kevin Lucia and know several people that praise him, but i had never read him until this. First thing first, I love the cover art! I couldn't stop looking at it. Ok, the writing is really good. It smooth and flowing. The story is so good and engaging, you don't want to stop reading even when your eyes are burning fromseeing the sign of The Yellow King lack of sleep. The chapters are short which makes it go by even faster.
This book is 2 short stories but take place in the same area. The first story is about a guy named Jake, growing up, the tragedies and scars of war, racism, fear and something not of this world.
The second story is about a traveling healer and that is all i want to say about that one. It was my favorite of the 2.
I got 2 other books from Kevin Lucia and can not wait to read those too. I highly recommend this to all my friends!
I had heard about Kevin Lucia and know several people that praise him, but i had never read him until this. First thing first, I love the cover art! I couldn't stop looking at it. Ok, the writing is really good. It smooth and flowing. The story is so good and engaging, you don't want to stop reading even when your eyes are burning from
This book is 2 short stories but take place in the same area. The first story is about a guy named Jake, growing up, the tragedies and scars of war, racism, fear and something not of this world.
The second story is about a traveling healer and that is all i want to say about that one. It was my favorite of the 2.
I got 2 other books from Kevin Lucia and can not wait to read those too. I highly recommend this to all my friends!
August 7, 2015
Welcome to Clifton Heights. A quiet little town where the shadows gather
.......from the far flung jungles of Viet Nam, where the horrors of war spawned a hate that forces two boys to play an ancient game of Fate and supernatural vengeance called SOPHAN...
....to the neighboring town of Tahawus, a God fearing little burg where the populace falls sway to a faith healer who promises miracles at an unspeakable price, and the young son of the town's pastor whose denial of his own faith is strong enough to reveal what lies beneath the false face of THE MAN IN YELLOW...
This is quiet horror at it's best, subtle and unsettling. It lingers in your waking hours, and transports you back to Clifton Heights in your nightmares.
Kevin Lucia is, without a doubt, the heir apparent to the legacy of the late Charles L. Grant.....a master at weaving tales of whispers and shadows...the chill touch of night fog and the sound of the wind in the eaves.
.......from the far flung jungles of Viet Nam, where the horrors of war spawned a hate that forces two boys to play an ancient game of Fate and supernatural vengeance called SOPHAN...
....to the neighboring town of Tahawus, a God fearing little burg where the populace falls sway to a faith healer who promises miracles at an unspeakable price, and the young son of the town's pastor whose denial of his own faith is strong enough to reveal what lies beneath the false face of THE MAN IN YELLOW...
This is quiet horror at it's best, subtle and unsettling. It lingers in your waking hours, and transports you back to Clifton Heights in your nightmares.
Kevin Lucia is, without a doubt, the heir apparent to the legacy of the late Charles L. Grant.....a master at weaving tales of whispers and shadows...the chill touch of night fog and the sound of the wind in the eaves.
December 4, 2016
I can't get enough of Clifton Heights!
DEVOURER OF SOULS, by Kevin Lucia, is a collection including two novella-length stories within the wraparound framework of two friends discussing the "unnatural" events that tend to plague Clifton Heights. Father Ward and the town Sheriff, Chris, meet at their usual diner, The Skylark, to each share one of those eerie, inexplicable tales with each other.
Readers new to Lucia's town of Clifton Heights will not have any problems jumping right into the book. This is a place where disappearances and other...peculiar things occur more often than anywhere else. A place where the inhabitants learn early on to accept that most of these events will remain unsolved, and simply go on with their lives as though nothing were amiss.
The first story that the Sheriff shares with Father Ward is entitled "Sophan". Down the infamous Bassler Road a nice Vietnamese man, Mr. Trung, grew blueberries that that the entire town bragged about. He also had a large flower garden surrounding an Oriental-style gazebo and rectangular koi pond. A boy named Jake harbors an unusual hatred of the man, due possibly to the fact that his father returned from the Vietnam was....not quite the same man who went in..
"Vietnam had broken Jake's dad . . . whatever he'd done had broken something deep inside him, and he'd passed that brokeness on to Jake . . ."
Jake's friend, Nate Slocum, (also a long-ago friend of Father Ward's), witnessed some bizarre and horrifying events that haunted him mercilessly ever since. In Nate's own words: ". . . I hollowed out a little more every year, became a little emptier inside as time passed. . . "
More unsolved mysteries for the town. . .
Next, Father Ward tells the Sheriff of a strange encounter he had with a man by the name of Stuart Michael Evans. This man came from a small town just north of Clifton Heights, which causes one to wonder just how far the unique "atmosphere" in that town extends. The story entitled "The Man in Yellow" details a town's need for faith, at any cost.
". . . Humans are a contradictory species. We cling onto something as intangible as faith . . . However, all of us, deep down inside, really crave proof that our faith is real . . . "
This second tale had a decidedly "Lovecraftian" vibe to it all throughout. A very intriguing narration that left behind more questions than answers. But then, that's what the residents of this town have come to expect.
". . . sometimes we don't see things until they're ready to be found."
So come and take a visit to Clifton Heights and Kevin Lucia's incredible imagination. You may not understand all that you find there, but that's quite all right.
You probably won't be able to leave there, anyway. . .
Highly recommended!
DEVOURER OF SOULS, by Kevin Lucia, is a collection including two novella-length stories within the wraparound framework of two friends discussing the "unnatural" events that tend to plague Clifton Heights. Father Ward and the town Sheriff, Chris, meet at their usual diner, The Skylark, to each share one of those eerie, inexplicable tales with each other.
Readers new to Lucia's town of Clifton Heights will not have any problems jumping right into the book. This is a place where disappearances and other...peculiar things occur more often than anywhere else. A place where the inhabitants learn early on to accept that most of these events will remain unsolved, and simply go on with their lives as though nothing were amiss.
The first story that the Sheriff shares with Father Ward is entitled "Sophan". Down the infamous Bassler Road a nice Vietnamese man, Mr. Trung, grew blueberries that that the entire town bragged about. He also had a large flower garden surrounding an Oriental-style gazebo and rectangular koi pond. A boy named Jake harbors an unusual hatred of the man, due possibly to the fact that his father returned from the Vietnam was....not quite the same man who went in..
"Vietnam had broken Jake's dad . . . whatever he'd done had broken something deep inside him, and he'd passed that brokeness on to Jake . . ."
Jake's friend, Nate Slocum, (also a long-ago friend of Father Ward's), witnessed some bizarre and horrifying events that haunted him mercilessly ever since. In Nate's own words: ". . . I hollowed out a little more every year, became a little emptier inside as time passed. . . "
More unsolved mysteries for the town. . .
Next, Father Ward tells the Sheriff of a strange encounter he had with a man by the name of Stuart Michael Evans. This man came from a small town just north of Clifton Heights, which causes one to wonder just how far the unique "atmosphere" in that town extends. The story entitled "The Man in Yellow" details a town's need for faith, at any cost.
". . . Humans are a contradictory species. We cling onto something as intangible as faith . . . However, all of us, deep down inside, really crave proof that our faith is real . . . "
This second tale had a decidedly "Lovecraftian" vibe to it all throughout. A very intriguing narration that left behind more questions than answers. But then, that's what the residents of this town have come to expect.
". . . sometimes we don't see things until they're ready to be found."
So come and take a visit to Clifton Heights and Kevin Lucia's incredible imagination. You may not understand all that you find there, but that's quite all right.
You probably won't be able to leave there, anyway. . .
Highly recommended!
September 6, 2014
Brilliant. I can't wait to read more from Lucia!
March 26, 2015
Stephen King and Robert McCammon are arguably the two kings of the hill when it comes to coming-of-age horror stories. Well, if Devourer of Souls is any indication, Kevin Lucia is scratching and clawing his way to join them at that mountaintop.
The book isn't a straight-up novel, but rather two separate novellas joined by a throughline akin to Bradbury's Illustrated Man. And it's the first of the two, "Sophan," that I feel is the standout and has me singing Lucia's praises.
Set in upstate New York, the interludes feature four men (a teacher, a preacher, a doctor, and the sheriff) discussing the strange happenings in the area at a diner, with a book that contains much of what's happened thus far.
"Sophan" relates the tale of a young boy and his group of friends during a summer in which childish games and family secrets turn deadly. Nate, the narrator, worries about his pal Jake. Well, pal might not be the word, since Jake has a huge chip on his shoulder and winds up being more of a pain in the ass to Nate and the other boys most times. It's when they check out the flea market and see Mr. Trung's table of trinkets that Nate finally sees something in Jake's eyes that he hasn't seen before. Fear.
The brooding tension that builds along the way, coupled with the ever escalating weirdness surrounding Mr. Trung and the game that so fixates both Nate and Jake, make for a very memorable and highly satisfying story. It's the kind of story that makes a reader eager to see what else its author can come up with.
Fortunately, readers don't have to wait long, as the book leads right into the next story, "The Man in Yellow." Set in a neighboring town, and slightly reminiscent of King's Needful Things, with a stranger the narrator comes to call the man in yellow rides into town with promises and health and prosperity, if only the townsfolk will come round to his way of worship. It's a seductive call for most in town, but for the narrator whose physical limitations leave him feeling not only tempted, but burdened as even his own father seems drawn to the preacher's sermons of healing the sick and injured. It's a story with some real old school menace to it, and a touching friendship put through the wringer and the narrator and his best friend soon find themselves at odds over how the man in yellow might help them both, and what price might ultimately have to be paid.
Devourer of Souls feels almost like an homage at points to the best of what horror provided back in the 80s, while also displaying Lucia's deftness at getting right to the heart of his protagonist and putting each through an enthralling bit of hell to show it. If these Clifton Heights tales are just the beginning of what he has in store, I look forward to seeing just what that might be.
The book isn't a straight-up novel, but rather two separate novellas joined by a throughline akin to Bradbury's Illustrated Man. And it's the first of the two, "Sophan," that I feel is the standout and has me singing Lucia's praises.
Set in upstate New York, the interludes feature four men (a teacher, a preacher, a doctor, and the sheriff) discussing the strange happenings in the area at a diner, with a book that contains much of what's happened thus far.
"Sophan" relates the tale of a young boy and his group of friends during a summer in which childish games and family secrets turn deadly. Nate, the narrator, worries about his pal Jake. Well, pal might not be the word, since Jake has a huge chip on his shoulder and winds up being more of a pain in the ass to Nate and the other boys most times. It's when they check out the flea market and see Mr. Trung's table of trinkets that Nate finally sees something in Jake's eyes that he hasn't seen before. Fear.
The brooding tension that builds along the way, coupled with the ever escalating weirdness surrounding Mr. Trung and the game that so fixates both Nate and Jake, make for a very memorable and highly satisfying story. It's the kind of story that makes a reader eager to see what else its author can come up with.
Fortunately, readers don't have to wait long, as the book leads right into the next story, "The Man in Yellow." Set in a neighboring town, and slightly reminiscent of King's Needful Things, with a stranger the narrator comes to call the man in yellow rides into town with promises and health and prosperity, if only the townsfolk will come round to his way of worship. It's a seductive call for most in town, but for the narrator whose physical limitations leave him feeling not only tempted, but burdened as even his own father seems drawn to the preacher's sermons of healing the sick and injured. It's a story with some real old school menace to it, and a touching friendship put through the wringer and the narrator and his best friend soon find themselves at odds over how the man in yellow might help them both, and what price might ultimately have to be paid.
Devourer of Souls feels almost like an homage at points to the best of what horror provided back in the 80s, while also displaying Lucia's deftness at getting right to the heart of his protagonist and putting each through an enthralling bit of hell to show it. If these Clifton Heights tales are just the beginning of what he has in store, I look forward to seeing just what that might be.
June 25, 2014
Review copy
If Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft had a bastard child, his name would be Kevin Lucia. Devourer of Souls is one of the most creepy books I've read in some time. By the way, that's a compliment. I love creepy. Mixing small town realism with Lovecraftian style mythos, Lucia has delivered two loosely connected stories in one entertaining new book.
Devourer of Souls is set in the fictional town of Clifton Heights, and areas nearby, in the Adirondack mountains. There is a small group of men who meet at the Skylark diner and discuss it's secrets. You see, strange things happen in Clifton Heights and, for some reason, these men know more about those things than your average citizen.
First up, two boys, Nate Slocum and Jake Burns, both sons of single fathers who served in Vietnam, but the similarities end there. They are introduced to the ancient game of Souphan (Fate) by an elder Vietnamese man named Mr.Trung. Jake believes Mr. Trung has captured his father's soul through this game and Jakes's plan for revenge leads to dire consequences.
The later story takes place in the nearby town of Tahawus where the man in yellow has come to lead Vacation Bible School at the local church. "...the man in yellow offered folks much subtler prizes: health. Freedom from physical and emotional pain. Acceptance and belonging. Stronger eyesight, confident speech. Clean, clear breath. And the townspeople lapped those things up like newborn kittens drinking milk, never once considering the cost."
In addition to the man in yellow, there's also a reference to Carcosa. Out of curiosity, I reached out to Kevin and asked if he watched HBO's True Detectives. Kevin says he plans to, but had not seen an episode. My response was that I think Kevin's Muse and Nic Pizzolatto's Muse must be drinking buddies.
Keven Lucia has a gift for putting creepy down on the page and there are a lot of nice touches to the stories, like the Wednesday night creature features in the park the boys like to attend. Very cool.
Devourer of Souls is available now in paperback and will be available as an e-book on June 30th, 2014, through Amazon.com, from Ragnarok Publications who are really on a roll of late.
Highly recommended.
If Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft had a bastard child, his name would be Kevin Lucia. Devourer of Souls is one of the most creepy books I've read in some time. By the way, that's a compliment. I love creepy. Mixing small town realism with Lovecraftian style mythos, Lucia has delivered two loosely connected stories in one entertaining new book.
Devourer of Souls is set in the fictional town of Clifton Heights, and areas nearby, in the Adirondack mountains. There is a small group of men who meet at the Skylark diner and discuss it's secrets. You see, strange things happen in Clifton Heights and, for some reason, these men know more about those things than your average citizen.
First up, two boys, Nate Slocum and Jake Burns, both sons of single fathers who served in Vietnam, but the similarities end there. They are introduced to the ancient game of Souphan (Fate) by an elder Vietnamese man named Mr.Trung. Jake believes Mr. Trung has captured his father's soul through this game and Jakes's plan for revenge leads to dire consequences.
The later story takes place in the nearby town of Tahawus where the man in yellow has come to lead Vacation Bible School at the local church. "...the man in yellow offered folks much subtler prizes: health. Freedom from physical and emotional pain. Acceptance and belonging. Stronger eyesight, confident speech. Clean, clear breath. And the townspeople lapped those things up like newborn kittens drinking milk, never once considering the cost."
In addition to the man in yellow, there's also a reference to Carcosa. Out of curiosity, I reached out to Kevin and asked if he watched HBO's True Detectives. Kevin says he plans to, but had not seen an episode. My response was that I think Kevin's Muse and Nic Pizzolatto's Muse must be drinking buddies.
Keven Lucia has a gift for putting creepy down on the page and there are a lot of nice touches to the stories, like the Wednesday night creature features in the park the boys like to attend. Very cool.
Devourer of Souls is available now in paperback and will be available as an e-book on June 30th, 2014, through Amazon.com, from Ragnarok Publications who are really on a roll of late.
Highly recommended.
August 13, 2016
This one has been on my wish list for a while and when I saw that it was available on KU along with narration, I jumped on it and am very glad that I did. This review is for the Audible edition.
Initially, I did not realize that this was two linked novellas, so I had a bit of a wtf moment when the second story started. I’m not that bright, but finally figured it out, and settled back into it quite nicely. I’m sure if I was reading, instead of listening, it would not have been an issue. Or maybe, if I just read the synopsis before I started…whatever.
Both “Sophan” and “The Man in Yellow” were very well written and outside of some minor repetitive thoughts in TMIY, both tales were suspenseful and sinister with supernatural undertones of cosmic horror. I was impressed how Kevin was able to create two very different atmospheres in his stories yet keep them (thinly) connected. Very well done and a solid 4 stars. I look forward to more from Mr. Lucia.
Initially, I did not realize that this was two linked novellas, so I had a bit of a wtf moment when the second story started. I’m not that bright, but finally figured it out, and settled back into it quite nicely. I’m sure if I was reading, instead of listening, it would not have been an issue. Or maybe, if I just read the synopsis before I started…whatever.
Both “Sophan” and “The Man in Yellow” were very well written and outside of some minor repetitive thoughts in TMIY, both tales were suspenseful and sinister with supernatural undertones of cosmic horror. I was impressed how Kevin was able to create two very different atmospheres in his stories yet keep them (thinly) connected. Very well done and a solid 4 stars. I look forward to more from Mr. Lucia.
June 24, 2014
I don't think I'd ever read anything from this author before, and I've been missing out.
The stories are all interlinked without feeling forced, which too many authors do. Their is a flow to them, and with each story I swore I was going to turn off my Kindle and go to bed. I ended up reading the book in one night, and despite being tired, felt it was justified.
The "Stand By Me" vibe leads into the "True Detective" one with ease, and each story is unique and will keep you guessing until the next twist.
Highly recommended!
The stories are all interlinked without feeling forced, which too many authors do. Their is a flow to them, and with each story I swore I was going to turn off my Kindle and go to bed. I ended up reading the book in one night, and despite being tired, felt it was justified.
The "Stand By Me" vibe leads into the "True Detective" one with ease, and each story is unique and will keep you guessing until the next twist.
Highly recommended!
June 20, 2014
Last October I reviewed fellow author Kevin Lucia's first short story collection Things Slip Through (from Crystal Lake Publishing). Now while horror isn't the genre I write in, I do very much enjoy reading it (Stephen King being my all time favorite author) and I find Kevin's stories to be some of the more effective, mainly because his goal isn't to just hit you with gore and gross you out. He gives you characters to care about and then sucker punches you when something terrible happens to them (and many terrible things happen in Devourer, but I'm getting ahead of myself). He lingers on suspense. He also takes pride in giving readers a haunted setting in his town of Clifton Heights, a place that's quickly becoming more and more its own main character with each published tale. And I'm very happy to report that Kevin's next big release - an e-book collection of two novellas called Devourer of Souls (out June 30 from Ragnarok Publications) - satisfies as a follow-up to Things and also stands very well on its own.
From the publisher:
Welcome to Clifton Heights, an average Adirondack town. It's nice enough, really. Except after dark. Or on cold winter days when you're all alone...
Sophan.
An ancient game of chance and Fate. One boy's smoldering hate, another boy's need to make things right, and a father's ghosts of Vietnam past. These are the key players in this latest tale of revenge and reparation performed on the stage of the strange Adirondack town of Clifton Heights, NY.
The Man in Yellow.
Tahawus is a small, isolated Adirondack town just north of Clifton Heights. A quiet place filled with simple people of an ardent faith, nothing much ever happens there...until the man in yellow comes calling. He knows your worst nightmares, and he can offer your fondest wish. All you need is faith...and a mouth from which to scream.
Review:
Devourer's two novellas ("Sophan" and "The Man in Yellow") tell separate stories in different locations in and around Clifton Heights but share a few similarities. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that both stories are from the point of view of children (some older, some younger) and how they react to their parent/parents in the situations they find themselves in. Sometimes the parents are helpful with advice, and other times they are actually the ones endangering their child.
The stories have a "coming-of-age" flavor to them (more so in the way of "The Body" [or what you may know of as Stand By Me] rather than the more innocent bunch from The Sandlot, though there are no real comparisons to these stories outside a common theme). Macabre forces beyond their control accelerate the growth of these characters to deal with something far beyond their years, and this is where Lucia shines. Not in the darkness of his tales - we know he is quite capable of that from Things and other stories under his belt - but in how the progress of these characters comes across as not only necessary but believable.
Quite often, in horror especially, we find a character who acts in a bizarre way in order to meet the demands of the story. Here, these characters act how we expect them to. How we would. How anyone would. And that means feeling the consequences of choice.
One character makes a decision - an awful, regretful decision - near the end of Sophan, that while isn't heroic, nor provides us with a flashy ending, is the way it should be. And in Lucia's signature style, the beast is kept more to the peripheral, because it isn't the main focus here (though he does create quite the antagonist in "The Man in Yellow"). These aren't tales of heroes or anyone suddenly stepping up to tee-off against evil. These are tales of young people reacting, scared out of their minds, and the instinct of survival kicks in.
Sometimes survival isn't always being brave. And we learn that through Lucia's meek and rebellious, though well-meaning, characters.
The storytelling device used here is a continuation from Things, where Sheriff Chris is meeting with a friend (this time Father Ward) and discussing local stories found in a journal - the stories being "Sophan" and "The Man in Yellow." This doesn't mean you need to have read Things in order to enjoy Devourer. If you have, you'll get more out of these new tales as the whole of Clifton Heights and its surrounding area and citizens become a little bit more defined, though there's still plenty around the fringe that's left out of focus.
On the whole this collection is breezy, atmospheric, and right to the point. Perfect for summer reading.
Devourer of Souls will be available June 30.
From the publisher:
Welcome to Clifton Heights, an average Adirondack town. It's nice enough, really. Except after dark. Or on cold winter days when you're all alone...
Sophan.
An ancient game of chance and Fate. One boy's smoldering hate, another boy's need to make things right, and a father's ghosts of Vietnam past. These are the key players in this latest tale of revenge and reparation performed on the stage of the strange Adirondack town of Clifton Heights, NY.
The Man in Yellow.
Tahawus is a small, isolated Adirondack town just north of Clifton Heights. A quiet place filled with simple people of an ardent faith, nothing much ever happens there...until the man in yellow comes calling. He knows your worst nightmares, and he can offer your fondest wish. All you need is faith...and a mouth from which to scream.
Review:
Devourer's two novellas ("Sophan" and "The Man in Yellow") tell separate stories in different locations in and around Clifton Heights but share a few similarities. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that both stories are from the point of view of children (some older, some younger) and how they react to their parent/parents in the situations they find themselves in. Sometimes the parents are helpful with advice, and other times they are actually the ones endangering their child.
The stories have a "coming-of-age" flavor to them (more so in the way of "The Body" [or what you may know of as Stand By Me] rather than the more innocent bunch from The Sandlot, though there are no real comparisons to these stories outside a common theme). Macabre forces beyond their control accelerate the growth of these characters to deal with something far beyond their years, and this is where Lucia shines. Not in the darkness of his tales - we know he is quite capable of that from Things and other stories under his belt - but in how the progress of these characters comes across as not only necessary but believable.
Quite often, in horror especially, we find a character who acts in a bizarre way in order to meet the demands of the story. Here, these characters act how we expect them to. How we would. How anyone would. And that means feeling the consequences of choice.
One character makes a decision - an awful, regretful decision - near the end of Sophan, that while isn't heroic, nor provides us with a flashy ending, is the way it should be. And in Lucia's signature style, the beast is kept more to the peripheral, because it isn't the main focus here (though he does create quite the antagonist in "The Man in Yellow"). These aren't tales of heroes or anyone suddenly stepping up to tee-off against evil. These are tales of young people reacting, scared out of their minds, and the instinct of survival kicks in.
Sometimes survival isn't always being brave. And we learn that through Lucia's meek and rebellious, though well-meaning, characters.
The storytelling device used here is a continuation from Things, where Sheriff Chris is meeting with a friend (this time Father Ward) and discussing local stories found in a journal - the stories being "Sophan" and "The Man in Yellow." This doesn't mean you need to have read Things in order to enjoy Devourer. If you have, you'll get more out of these new tales as the whole of Clifton Heights and its surrounding area and citizens become a little bit more defined, though there's still plenty around the fringe that's left out of focus.
On the whole this collection is breezy, atmospheric, and right to the point. Perfect for summer reading.
Devourer of Souls will be available June 30.
June 29, 2014
This is the first horror based title I've picked up in a while, and I must say that it's rekindled my love for the genre.
Devourer of Souls gives the reader a bonus straight from the off, since it's two stories for the price of one, loosely connected, but offering subtly different styles. The first(Sophan) has a "Stand by me", early King vibe to it, with vignettes of nostalgia and a grounding in palpable suspense that keeps the pages turning. The second (The Man in Yellow) is by turns visceral and beguiling. More Lovecraftian in its approach, it builds up slowly, impendingly, before hitting the reader with a climax that arrives like a freight train.
Both stories introduce antagonists which are both compelling and skin crawlingly creepy. Neither of them come across as overtly 'boo! hiss!' bad guys right away, and that works so much in each story's favour, drawing the reader in, in much the same way as the ill fated characters are drawn in to their fates.
For fans of creepy, old school, almost chapter play style horror, Devourer of Souls is essential reading. I certainly hope that the author has plans to revisit Clifton Heights in future stories.
Devourer of Souls gives the reader a bonus straight from the off, since it's two stories for the price of one, loosely connected, but offering subtly different styles. The first(Sophan) has a "Stand by me", early King vibe to it, with vignettes of nostalgia and a grounding in palpable suspense that keeps the pages turning. The second (The Man in Yellow) is by turns visceral and beguiling. More Lovecraftian in its approach, it builds up slowly, impendingly, before hitting the reader with a climax that arrives like a freight train.
Both stories introduce antagonists which are both compelling and skin crawlingly creepy. Neither of them come across as overtly 'boo! hiss!' bad guys right away, and that works so much in each story's favour, drawing the reader in, in much the same way as the ill fated characters are drawn in to their fates.
For fans of creepy, old school, almost chapter play style horror, Devourer of Souls is essential reading. I certainly hope that the author has plans to revisit Clifton Heights in future stories.
February 1, 2017
One of the highest rated books on my to-read list, and here I was in the mood for something creepy. No brainer.
This was pretty good, and structured as two linked novellas between a central narrative. The influence of Stephen King here is obvious, albeit laid on a little too thickly with the repetitive italic thoughts. You know, where the protagonist keeps having these thoughts interspersed in the middle of paragraphs, like King is wont to do, but these got very repetitive to the point where it was distracting.
But, this a minor quibble in the grand scope of things. This is a good pair of stories, and there were some genuinely unsettling moments.
I'm in the vast minority of Goodreads reviewers by not absolutely gushing 5 stars over this one, I'm more of a "liked it" kind of guy.
And I liked it. Three stars it is.
This was pretty good, and structured as two linked novellas between a central narrative. The influence of Stephen King here is obvious, albeit laid on a little too thickly with the repetitive italic thoughts. You know, where the protagonist keeps having these thoughts interspersed in the middle of paragraphs, like King is wont to do, but these got very repetitive to the point where it was distracting.
But, this a minor quibble in the grand scope of things. This is a good pair of stories, and there were some genuinely unsettling moments.
I'm in the vast minority of Goodreads reviewers by not absolutely gushing 5 stars over this one, I'm more of a "liked it" kind of guy.
And I liked it. Three stars it is.
June 15, 2014
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Kevin Lucia's Devourer of Souls was a positive surprise for me. I was eager to read it, because I had heard good things about his short story collection (Things Slip Through). When I began to read Devourer of Souls, I was almost instantly impressed by the author's writing style and ability to build suspense, and found myself being mesmerized by the novel's contents.
Devourer of Souls has a bit different kind of structure than other horror novels. It's a novel that consists of two novellas and three shorter pieces that link the novellas together. The two novellas are: Sophan and The Man in Yellow. The happenings in them take place in Clifton Heights.
Here's a bit of information about the two novellas:
Sophan: A story about Nate and Jake. Jake's is Nate's friend and has had a difficult childhood. Nate notices that there's something going on between Jake and Mr. Trung that feels weird to him. Mr. Trung has a strange game called Sophan. Soon things become weirder as the happenings begin to unfold...
The Man in Yellow: A story about a man, Stuart Michael, who comes to Father Ward and asks for forgiveness. The man begins to tell his story: He was the son of the town's pastor. He has cerebral palsy (CP) that has affected him. The man tells about the man in yellow, Reverend McIlvian, who offered people what they desired most - health...
Sophan is a wonderfully creepy horror story with a few weird fiction elements and The Man in Yellow is a powerful horror story that grows into a fascinating weird fiction story as the events begin to unfold. These stories are both memorable and scary. They're the kind of horror stories that will stick to your mind because of their weird atmosphere and gradually growing sense of unease and weirdness.
In Sophan the author writes fluently about adolescence, fear and odd behaviour. I have to mention that the also author writes fluently about what happened in Vietnam and how it affected men. The conversation between Nate and his father is simply excellent. There's even a Lovecraftian element in this story.
It was great that Kevin Lucia dared to address domestic violence in Sophan. The relationship between Jake and his father is difficult and Jake gets beaten up. This kind of violence adds realism and a disturbing atmosphere to the storyline that's difficult to forget.
The Man in Yellow has wonderful Lovecraftian elements that will be of interest to all readers who enjoy reading Lovecraft's stories and cosmic horror. This novella is one of the most intriguing modern weird fiction novellas I've read to date, because the author combines adolescent fears and strange happenings in an unsettling way. The author writes well about faith and the consequences of believing in something.
Everybody who knows me knows that I love weird fiction, because it's often head and shoulders above normal kind of horror and dark fantasy in terms of style, creepiness and originality. Because I love weird fiction and these stories represent good weird fiction, I liked them very much. It's easy to see that Kevin Lucia is interested in H. P. Lovecraft's stories, Cthulhu mythology and good old-fashioned horror and weird fiction.
One of the best things about Devourer of Souls is that the author writes about small town life, innocence and adolescence in a convincing and realistic way. His descriptions of the places, happenings and characters are excellent, because he creates a vivid image of a community that's being haunted by something supernatural.
It's also worth mentioning that Sophan and The Man in Yellow are complex stories, because they have depth and layers in them. Everybody who reads these stories will be impressed by the author's storytelling and his ability to create an unsettling atmosphere.
The character development in these stories is very good. I enjoyed reading about the characters, because they felt realistic and had their own traits. The author wrote surprisingly well and harrowingly about the characters' lives, feelings, strengths and weaknesses.
These stories reminded me slightly of Stephen King's old stories (the Night Shift era stories) and other similar horror stories. Kevin Lucia shows signs of the same kind of inventiveness and creativity as King did in his Night Shift collection. I'm not sure if Stephen King's old stories have been a source of inspiration to the author, but I wouldn't be surprised if they've inspired him to write this novel.
In my opinion Kevin Lucia is a talented horror author and deserves more recognition among horror readers. He's able to combine modern horror and weird fiction elements in a fluent way, which is something that only a handful of authors are capable of doing. If Kevin Lucia continues to write this kind of horror fiction and keeps on polishing his writing skills, he'll have a very bright future ahead of him as a horror author.
Devourer of Souls offers excellent entertainment for horror and dark fantasy readers. I can recommend Devourer of Souls to everybody who enjoyes reading entertaining and well written horror stories, because it contains two excellent novellas that will chill your heart. If you're looking for a horror novel that will unsettle you and awake feelings of fear in you, Devourer of Souls is the novel you've been looking for.
Excellent horror fiction!
Kevin Lucia's Devourer of Souls was a positive surprise for me. I was eager to read it, because I had heard good things about his short story collection (Things Slip Through). When I began to read Devourer of Souls, I was almost instantly impressed by the author's writing style and ability to build suspense, and found myself being mesmerized by the novel's contents.
Devourer of Souls has a bit different kind of structure than other horror novels. It's a novel that consists of two novellas and three shorter pieces that link the novellas together. The two novellas are: Sophan and The Man in Yellow. The happenings in them take place in Clifton Heights.
Here's a bit of information about the two novellas:
Sophan: A story about Nate and Jake. Jake's is Nate's friend and has had a difficult childhood. Nate notices that there's something going on between Jake and Mr. Trung that feels weird to him. Mr. Trung has a strange game called Sophan. Soon things become weirder as the happenings begin to unfold...
The Man in Yellow: A story about a man, Stuart Michael, who comes to Father Ward and asks for forgiveness. The man begins to tell his story: He was the son of the town's pastor. He has cerebral palsy (CP) that has affected him. The man tells about the man in yellow, Reverend McIlvian, who offered people what they desired most - health...
Sophan is a wonderfully creepy horror story with a few weird fiction elements and The Man in Yellow is a powerful horror story that grows into a fascinating weird fiction story as the events begin to unfold. These stories are both memorable and scary. They're the kind of horror stories that will stick to your mind because of their weird atmosphere and gradually growing sense of unease and weirdness.
In Sophan the author writes fluently about adolescence, fear and odd behaviour. I have to mention that the also author writes fluently about what happened in Vietnam and how it affected men. The conversation between Nate and his father is simply excellent. There's even a Lovecraftian element in this story.
It was great that Kevin Lucia dared to address domestic violence in Sophan. The relationship between Jake and his father is difficult and Jake gets beaten up. This kind of violence adds realism and a disturbing atmosphere to the storyline that's difficult to forget.
The Man in Yellow has wonderful Lovecraftian elements that will be of interest to all readers who enjoy reading Lovecraft's stories and cosmic horror. This novella is one of the most intriguing modern weird fiction novellas I've read to date, because the author combines adolescent fears and strange happenings in an unsettling way. The author writes well about faith and the consequences of believing in something.
Everybody who knows me knows that I love weird fiction, because it's often head and shoulders above normal kind of horror and dark fantasy in terms of style, creepiness and originality. Because I love weird fiction and these stories represent good weird fiction, I liked them very much. It's easy to see that Kevin Lucia is interested in H. P. Lovecraft's stories, Cthulhu mythology and good old-fashioned horror and weird fiction.
One of the best things about Devourer of Souls is that the author writes about small town life, innocence and adolescence in a convincing and realistic way. His descriptions of the places, happenings and characters are excellent, because he creates a vivid image of a community that's being haunted by something supernatural.
It's also worth mentioning that Sophan and The Man in Yellow are complex stories, because they have depth and layers in them. Everybody who reads these stories will be impressed by the author's storytelling and his ability to create an unsettling atmosphere.
The character development in these stories is very good. I enjoyed reading about the characters, because they felt realistic and had their own traits. The author wrote surprisingly well and harrowingly about the characters' lives, feelings, strengths and weaknesses.
These stories reminded me slightly of Stephen King's old stories (the Night Shift era stories) and other similar horror stories. Kevin Lucia shows signs of the same kind of inventiveness and creativity as King did in his Night Shift collection. I'm not sure if Stephen King's old stories have been a source of inspiration to the author, but I wouldn't be surprised if they've inspired him to write this novel.
In my opinion Kevin Lucia is a talented horror author and deserves more recognition among horror readers. He's able to combine modern horror and weird fiction elements in a fluent way, which is something that only a handful of authors are capable of doing. If Kevin Lucia continues to write this kind of horror fiction and keeps on polishing his writing skills, he'll have a very bright future ahead of him as a horror author.
Devourer of Souls offers excellent entertainment for horror and dark fantasy readers. I can recommend Devourer of Souls to everybody who enjoyes reading entertaining and well written horror stories, because it contains two excellent novellas that will chill your heart. If you're looking for a horror novel that will unsettle you and awake feelings of fear in you, Devourer of Souls is the novel you've been looking for.
Excellent horror fiction!
April 3, 2020
I forgot to review this! A solid 4 stars, it's actually 2 stories but liked the 2nd one much better. Both are Lovecraftian, and if you know some Robert W Chambers you'll really appreciate it. My one bug with it, was that between 2 stories and approximately 10 characters, there were no women! The exception was a waitress (!!!!) and a bitchy older sister who is only really appears in mention.
I'll read Lucia again, I hope some of his other work is a little more gender balanced.
I'll read Lucia again, I hope some of his other work is a little more gender balanced.
January 31, 2021
A priest and a sheriff walk into a diner....and over pancakes they regale each other with horrific tales they've learned of about residents of their town. This book contained two nice little novellas connected together by the aforementioned plot device. The small town horror behind closed doors reminded me of the works of Gary A. Braunbeck and Charles L. Grant. I own another book in this series and will definitely be checking it out.
March 17, 2016
Kevin Lucia’s debut collection, 2013′s Things Slip Through, was a fine set of stories set in the fictional Adirondack town of Clifton Heights. Framed by a wraparound story that connected each piece to form something potentially much bigger, it introduced its readers to an intriguing mythos. Devourer of Souls is set up in much the same way, but connects two novellas rather than a host of short stories. A new set of characters is introduced, with a few familiar faces showing up here and there.
“Sophan” sees a return to Clifton Heights. Set in the late 80′s, it’s supernatural horror of the classic, slow-burn variety. The narrator, Nate Slocum, recalls the strange, life-changing events of one boyhood summer, beginning with the discovery of a seemingly innocuous game. Playing the game has dire consequences, and souls are at stake when the secrets concealed by a kindly old man and a grudge-bearing boy collide. Lucia skillfully incorporates PTSD and abuse into eldritch occurrences, and here, as in Things Slip Through, the supernatural and human horrors are bound inextricably.
“The Man in Yellow” is set in Tahawus, a small town north of Clifton Heights. A deeply unsettling story of faith tested and twisted, it concerns a stranger whose sermons reach straight into the truest desires of his new acolytes. His motives, of course, are decidedly nefarious. Much of the prose is dreamlike, as the insecurities of the protagonist draw him into a crippling darkness he may never return from.
A high level of suspense is maintained in each novella, and the feeling of dread is strong, particularly in “The Man in Yellow” (as well as the brief coda that follows). There’s a vaguely moralistic tone to the stories but, as one character remarks, “This town’s grayness is something I’m still getting used to.” On a technical level, the writing is tight and the plots well-constructed. Devourer of Souls further cements Kevin Lucia as a distinctive voice in horror and the fantastic, and it’s as good a place as any for new readers to jump in. Recommended.
review originally posted at http://www.hellnotes.com
“Sophan” sees a return to Clifton Heights. Set in the late 80′s, it’s supernatural horror of the classic, slow-burn variety. The narrator, Nate Slocum, recalls the strange, life-changing events of one boyhood summer, beginning with the discovery of a seemingly innocuous game. Playing the game has dire consequences, and souls are at stake when the secrets concealed by a kindly old man and a grudge-bearing boy collide. Lucia skillfully incorporates PTSD and abuse into eldritch occurrences, and here, as in Things Slip Through, the supernatural and human horrors are bound inextricably.
“The Man in Yellow” is set in Tahawus, a small town north of Clifton Heights. A deeply unsettling story of faith tested and twisted, it concerns a stranger whose sermons reach straight into the truest desires of his new acolytes. His motives, of course, are decidedly nefarious. Much of the prose is dreamlike, as the insecurities of the protagonist draw him into a crippling darkness he may never return from.
A high level of suspense is maintained in each novella, and the feeling of dread is strong, particularly in “The Man in Yellow” (as well as the brief coda that follows). There’s a vaguely moralistic tone to the stories but, as one character remarks, “This town’s grayness is something I’m still getting used to.” On a technical level, the writing is tight and the plots well-constructed. Devourer of Souls further cements Kevin Lucia as a distinctive voice in horror and the fantastic, and it’s as good a place as any for new readers to jump in. Recommended.
review originally posted at http://www.hellnotes.com
July 27, 2014
That second story, The Man in the Yellow is some of the best small town Horror I've read. Nice conflict in a young man with Cerebral Palsy who sees how his dad looks at him in shame. When the Man in Yellow comes to town and brainwashes people with promises of healing, things get incredibly creepy. The first story had a terrific ending along the same sense of terror, I just wish the earlier portion had made me want to read as much as the end. Slow burn but worth holding on to see it explode.
July 17, 2014
There are strange, unexplainable things occurring in and around the Adirondack town of Clifton Heights. Four men know the real stories—Chris, the sheriff, Gavin, a writer and teacher, Fitzy, a doctor, and Father Ward. Chris and Father Ward meet at a diner to discuss the latest story written in a special journal that chronicles all of the stories.
In “S?ph?n” we are introduced to Jake, a young boy abused by his alcoholic father who returned from Vietnam with PTSD and many scars. Mr. Trung, a Vietnamese immigrant who sells blueberries to the town has a dark history with Jake and his family and it all revolves around an ancient game that for Jake, had very real consequences. Jake is determined to set things right and he asks his friend Nate for help. Things go horribly wrong and Nate runs off, leaving Jake behind. Jake went missing and now, years later, Nate must finish the game that Jake started.
“The Man in Yellow” takes place in a nearby town that has been abandoned for years after a fire in the church killed everyone who lived there. A charismatic preacher dressed entirely in yellow has arrived in town claiming to be a healer. Two boys who are both disabled—Stuart and Bobby—are the key to the preacher’s success, but it has nothing to do with saving souls in the name of a Christian god. Stuart realizes that there is something very wrong and attempts to stop the preacher before he can complete his plans.
There isn’t much the men can do about the bizarre happenings, but they collect the stories and understand that there is definitely something supernatural at work here.
Devourer of Souls is two novellas connected with a wrap-around story, a style Lucia began in his prior short story collection Things Slip Through. The stories are chilling, disturbing, and creepy without being weighed down by blood and guts, which makes for some fantastic storytelling on Lucia’s part. The characters are believable and you grow to care about them before the cruelty of their fates hits you like a punch to the gut. The writing is so compelling and well-done that I read Devourer of Souls in one sitting—I couldn’t put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed Souls and highly recommend it. I also encourage you to pick up Things Slip Through so you can completely immerse yourself in the town of Clifton Heights.
In “S?ph?n” we are introduced to Jake, a young boy abused by his alcoholic father who returned from Vietnam with PTSD and many scars. Mr. Trung, a Vietnamese immigrant who sells blueberries to the town has a dark history with Jake and his family and it all revolves around an ancient game that for Jake, had very real consequences. Jake is determined to set things right and he asks his friend Nate for help. Things go horribly wrong and Nate runs off, leaving Jake behind. Jake went missing and now, years later, Nate must finish the game that Jake started.
“The Man in Yellow” takes place in a nearby town that has been abandoned for years after a fire in the church killed everyone who lived there. A charismatic preacher dressed entirely in yellow has arrived in town claiming to be a healer. Two boys who are both disabled—Stuart and Bobby—are the key to the preacher’s success, but it has nothing to do with saving souls in the name of a Christian god. Stuart realizes that there is something very wrong and attempts to stop the preacher before he can complete his plans.
There isn’t much the men can do about the bizarre happenings, but they collect the stories and understand that there is definitely something supernatural at work here.
Devourer of Souls is two novellas connected with a wrap-around story, a style Lucia began in his prior short story collection Things Slip Through. The stories are chilling, disturbing, and creepy without being weighed down by blood and guts, which makes for some fantastic storytelling on Lucia’s part. The characters are believable and you grow to care about them before the cruelty of their fates hits you like a punch to the gut. The writing is so compelling and well-done that I read Devourer of Souls in one sitting—I couldn’t put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed Souls and highly recommend it. I also encourage you to pick up Things Slip Through so you can completely immerse yourself in the town of Clifton Heights.
September 16, 2016
Kevin Lucia's latest offering "Devourer of Souls" expertly twists the knife of suspense, creep, and that primal fear that lives in the back of your monkey-brain with every page you turn.
Playing brilliantly on a tangibly disturbing and unsettling elements, the steadily rising barometric pressure of impending doom swells throughout each of the two novellas like a brewing thunderstorm.
Populated by likable, believable, and intimately relatable characters, the human element of each story climbs right off the pages to sit next to you in the room while you read along. If you're a reader of an age with these characters --- they're old chums you remember from school and summer time shenanigans of being up to no good. Lucia's work in "Devourer of Souls" is a living, breathing transport back to that coming-of-age place and time.
The effective intensity of that only magnifies when you realize, by turns, these poor souls are doomed. One dare too far. One wrong turn in the woods. One moment of misplaced courage when the right answer should have been to run away and not look back. Characters so real and lifelike that for a little stroke of better luck --- they could have been YOU.
And there's nothing you can do as the reader to save them...
Blatant gore-feasting is replaced (refreshingly) with imagery that is genuinely disturbing -- the style of creep that prickles up under your skin and looms over your shoulder wheezing rancid breath. The good creep. The REAL creep.
The parallels being made by reviewers to Stephen King's golden-era tales are genuine. There is a mastery of the genre blooming here. Readers take heed.
With "Devourer of Souls" Kevin Lucia has earned a permanent and honored place on my shelf. I can't wait to see what he offers up next.
Playing brilliantly on a tangibly disturbing and unsettling elements, the steadily rising barometric pressure of impending doom swells throughout each of the two novellas like a brewing thunderstorm.
Populated by likable, believable, and intimately relatable characters, the human element of each story climbs right off the pages to sit next to you in the room while you read along. If you're a reader of an age with these characters --- they're old chums you remember from school and summer time shenanigans of being up to no good. Lucia's work in "Devourer of Souls" is a living, breathing transport back to that coming-of-age place and time.
The effective intensity of that only magnifies when you realize, by turns, these poor souls are doomed. One dare too far. One wrong turn in the woods. One moment of misplaced courage when the right answer should have been to run away and not look back. Characters so real and lifelike that for a little stroke of better luck --- they could have been YOU.
And there's nothing you can do as the reader to save them...
Blatant gore-feasting is replaced (refreshingly) with imagery that is genuinely disturbing -- the style of creep that prickles up under your skin and looms over your shoulder wheezing rancid breath. The good creep. The REAL creep.
The parallels being made by reviewers to Stephen King's golden-era tales are genuine. There is a mastery of the genre blooming here. Readers take heed.
With "Devourer of Souls" Kevin Lucia has earned a permanent and honored place on my shelf. I can't wait to see what he offers up next.
August 25, 2014
Remember how Stephen King originally released The Green Mile as a serial novel? Lucia is basically doing that. He's building the world of Clifton Heights in segments that are also reminiscent of both Alfred Hitchcock Presents, in the tone/psychology of the stories, and The Twilight Zone, in the way that the stories are doled out - all these short stories are complete in and of themselves but, collectively, work together to build this world where anything can happen.
But I have no idea where the overall story is going or what Lucia's planning and that's half the fun. Once I turn the last page and start thinking about the bigger picture, I can imagine anything and I have no idea if I'm right or wrong in my assumptions. I have to wait for Lucia to clue me in. He can throw any subject he wants at me. Psychodrama, splatter-plunk, supernatural horror, paranormal romance. Lovecraftian monsters, aliens, fairies, serial killers, worms holes, ghosts, cryptozoological creatures, demonic possession. I won't be surprised; I expect it. Like The Twilight Zone and Stephen King's Maine - anything can happen in Clifton Heights and I won't know what until I tune in to the next installment.
I'm biased. I've followed Kevin Lucia for years now and I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review, probably because of that bias, but I follow Lucia because I enjoy what he does. I look forward to future Clifton Heights stories.
But I have no idea where the overall story is going or what Lucia's planning and that's half the fun. Once I turn the last page and start thinking about the bigger picture, I can imagine anything and I have no idea if I'm right or wrong in my assumptions. I have to wait for Lucia to clue me in. He can throw any subject he wants at me. Psychodrama, splatter-plunk, supernatural horror, paranormal romance. Lovecraftian monsters, aliens, fairies, serial killers, worms holes, ghosts, cryptozoological creatures, demonic possession. I won't be surprised; I expect it. Like The Twilight Zone and Stephen King's Maine - anything can happen in Clifton Heights and I won't know what until I tune in to the next installment.
I'm biased. I've followed Kevin Lucia for years now and I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review, probably because of that bias, but I follow Lucia because I enjoy what he does. I look forward to future Clifton Heights stories.
June 5, 2014
Capturing the borderline world between innocence and adolescence in small town life, DEVOURER OF SOULS’ two novellas, “Sophan” and “The Man In Yellow” smoothly blend in dark, supernatural elements in a wonderfully honest way. I’m reminded of Stephen King’s early work. In a genre where fictional characters are too quick to accept the supernatural, here there is doubt, a fight against the inevitable badness that’s coming. Kevin Lucia works well in the novella form, building every character as real, fleshed out people. This builds empathy - you want to follow them even when stepping too close to the darkness. I really, really enjoyed these stories – the rare and joyous moment as a reader when you watch the events unfold, feel the weather on your skin, smell the smells, and do not notice the written words before you. It brings a satisfaction when the tales are done, regardless of how dark ending might be. Winding around these two is an arching narrative of two friends, a police constable and priest, discussing the stories we’re about to read. It’s a way of introducing them and adding epilogues to the action. Though they work well enough, I didn’t think they were overly necessary because the true core of this book are the novellas themselves.
July 18, 2015
If you read and enjoyed his collection Things Slip Through last year, then you know what you’re getting here. It’s more of the same from Lucia, save that this contains two novellas within a linking framework in place of the more numerous shorter stories last time around. The author handles the small town horror sub-genre as well as anybody currently writing, and his fictional Clifton Heights sits comfortably among the many other such places on the literary horror reader’s tourist map.
June 30, 2014
Lucia created a perfect blend of nostalgia and terror in this. He has channeled the same truth as has Stephen King in his best works: Horror -- true horror -- happens best at the intersection of vulnerability and strength.
February 16, 2015
Devourer of Souls is two short, wonderfully written tales of subtle horror, cleverly packaged within another story that seems to promise more weird tales from the town of Clifton Heights. Loved it! Slow burn horror done right, with a satisfying, creepy conclusion.
October 2, 2014
Lucia gives us a one-two punch Mike Tyson-style with two darkly sweet and imaginative novellas. Both are rife with characters that pop off the page and take our hand, leading us into a world so real its slashes and bruises will never heal.
Sophan
Lucia successfully rekindles the magic and turbulence of adolescence. Nate is doing his best to help his community, his friends. However, festering racism and the horrors of Vietnam exposes a facet of Clifton Heights that’s unique and eerily familiar. Lucia’s influences are hidden; this novella is his—firmly cementing Clifton Heights alongside “Lovecraft Country” and King’s Castle Rock.
The Man in Yellow
Tahawus isn’t a stone’s throw away from the events above. It’s a small, simple town centered on faith and good old fashioned hard work. Stuart is fresh out of High School and on his way to Vacation Bible Studies. He does his best to help his family while he secretly pines for a life of Rock N’ Roll fame and, more importantly, a body bereft Cerebral Palsy. But a new man of faith arrives…a man in yellow. With grace and ease, Lucia pays homage to Lovecraft whilst permanently etching his own haunting vision into our soft gray matter.
Both novellas expand Clifton Heights, and our imagination. Lucia’s voice is strong, and the suspense reaches a rare, high-water mark. At times harrowing and horrific, there is a rare humanity—and monstrosity—the author easily taps. Everything in Clifton Heights isn’t always what it seems. Sometimes you only find what you’re looking for when it’s ready to be seen. Devourer of Souls proves that Lucia’s writing career is destined to be a long one.
Sophan
Lucia successfully rekindles the magic and turbulence of adolescence. Nate is doing his best to help his community, his friends. However, festering racism and the horrors of Vietnam exposes a facet of Clifton Heights that’s unique and eerily familiar. Lucia’s influences are hidden; this novella is his—firmly cementing Clifton Heights alongside “Lovecraft Country” and King’s Castle Rock.
The Man in Yellow
Tahawus isn’t a stone’s throw away from the events above. It’s a small, simple town centered on faith and good old fashioned hard work. Stuart is fresh out of High School and on his way to Vacation Bible Studies. He does his best to help his family while he secretly pines for a life of Rock N’ Roll fame and, more importantly, a body bereft Cerebral Palsy. But a new man of faith arrives…a man in yellow. With grace and ease, Lucia pays homage to Lovecraft whilst permanently etching his own haunting vision into our soft gray matter.
Both novellas expand Clifton Heights, and our imagination. Lucia’s voice is strong, and the suspense reaches a rare, high-water mark. At times harrowing and horrific, there is a rare humanity—and monstrosity—the author easily taps. Everything in Clifton Heights isn’t always what it seems. Sometimes you only find what you’re looking for when it’s ready to be seen. Devourer of Souls proves that Lucia’s writing career is destined to be a long one.
July 17, 2014
Kevin Lucia just bumped himself high on the list of authors that I will look for in the future. Devourer of Souls resonated with me on so many levels, I can honestly say I was spell bound from start to finish. The book consists of two horror novellas connected by the frame story of four grown men from this supernaturally afflicted area discussing and recording the strangeness that marks all it encounters. Set in the Adirondaks, the lovecraftian tales feature the memory of youth (genX kids coming of age in the late 80's early 90's) and the horrors they are exposed to because of the Vietnam war and religion. I can't choose which tale I love more, as they complement each other and allegorically reveal how as young people we are subjected to the legacy of pain and insanity of our communities and families. With a pitch-perfect balance of nostalgia, darkness, and pathos Lucia has looked back on the world of yesterday, a world so technologically different then today, yet so hauntingly close for some of us. This reminds me of Keene's Ghoul, but personally with more resonance. Can't wait to see what comes next.
I recieved a free electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, this book is well worth the price, as it is an example of how small presses can highlight talent that everyone should be enjoying.
I recieved a free electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, this book is well worth the price, as it is an example of how small presses can highlight talent that everyone should be enjoying.
August 29, 2014
DEVOURER OF SOULS features two novellas, ‘Sophan’ and ‘The Man in Yellow’. Overall, DEVOURER OF SOULS is excellent; tapping into the primordial and collectively unconscious fears humans share. Two men meet in a diner, old friends, and share tales of the secrets they know to be true. Ones which should never see the light of day, but in sharing do not halve the fear, but multiplies it exponentially. ‘Sophan’ features a primitive, yet deadly Vietnamese game of chance where the price is your soul. ‘The Man in Yellow’ only wants the most precious thing from his followers…and proves the adage, “All that glitters is not gold”. I preferred ‘Sophan’ to ‘The Man in Yellow’, but they were both amazing. Clinging to your psyche long after you’ve finished, DEVOURER OF SOULS is one of the most delightfully dark tomes I’ve read in a while. This author is wickedly talented!
November 20, 2018
The chance to visit Clifton Heights once again is an experienced I can’t wait for. These two stories or just as entertaining as the others I’ve read. I will be reading every piece of Clifton Heights literature that Mr. Lucia writes. This is truly a great body of work.
December 5, 2020
All I have to say is, if you love horror, read this book! Read the entire series. How have I never heard of this author? Original ideas, beautiful wrining, and scary as hel. I wish him every good thing in all his future writing endeavors.
May 4, 2025
2 novellas. Both set in or around Clifton Heights. Still not a place I’d ever want to visit. Onto book 3!
July 4, 2014
Being a long-time fan of Stephen King, I found it pretty hard to resist agreeing to review this book after I read that blurb, up there. Creepy horror in a small town has ticked my boxes since I was a teenager being seriously freaked out by It (and I suspect that explains a thing or two), so this was a bit of a no-brainer…
…And it pays off, I’m happy to say. The comparison to King is more than passing speculation, and Kevin Lucia clearly has a knack for writing creepy atmosphere into his stories.
Devourer of Souls appears to be an account of two stories within one book, though really it’s more like three stories. There are the two being recounted (see above) – one through a journal entry that is all that seems to remain of its writer, and the other through the recollection of one of the men reading it – and there’s the quieter background story of the narrator and his journal-finding friend, which frames the two. It’s that third story that really interested me, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
The first of the stories is, to my mind, the stronger of the two. Sôphân is the written account by a man who’s gone missing of What Really Happened to a local boy who went missing years before. I won’t spoil it with detail, but the ‘confession’ (not a word chosen entirely randomly; the finder of the journal is a priest) both sheds light on one strange disappearance and simultaneously leaves a big old question mark hanging over the second – obviously, with its writer having gone mysteriously missing, there’s no actual resolution here. All we can do is wonder…
The second story, The Man In Yellow, has a bit more of the Lovecraft vibe about it. This time it’s more overt horror, a bit more on the side of shocking than subtle creeping, though it’s still effective. This one’s told by the priest, Father Ward, who finds the journal detailing the first story, and it ties the whole thing back into the third story in this book. The story of what these two men decide to do with what they know, and how they handle it.
Ha, you don’t think I’m going to give that away, do you? Nah.
But I will say that the overall story’s ending was a nice little thinker. There’s no dramatic posing of heroes here – though if you’ve taken that Stephen King comparison all the way to a conclusion you probably already guessed that. Kevin Lucia spins a couple of nicely creepy horror stories into a yarn that I’m still picking at and unraveling days after having finished the book. And that is a job well done. My only (small) complaint is a nitpick within the writing itself; there’s a bit of repetitive phrasing that kind of glared within the narrative, and that kind of thing tends to be a nuisance to me. All in all, though, it wasn’t bad enough to spoil my enjoyment completely. If you can overlook those little things, and you’re looking for good solid horror to enjoy, then I’d recommend this one, easy.
…And it pays off, I’m happy to say. The comparison to King is more than passing speculation, and Kevin Lucia clearly has a knack for writing creepy atmosphere into his stories.
Devourer of Souls appears to be an account of two stories within one book, though really it’s more like three stories. There are the two being recounted (see above) – one through a journal entry that is all that seems to remain of its writer, and the other through the recollection of one of the men reading it – and there’s the quieter background story of the narrator and his journal-finding friend, which frames the two. It’s that third story that really interested me, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
The first of the stories is, to my mind, the stronger of the two. Sôphân is the written account by a man who’s gone missing of What Really Happened to a local boy who went missing years before. I won’t spoil it with detail, but the ‘confession’ (not a word chosen entirely randomly; the finder of the journal is a priest) both sheds light on one strange disappearance and simultaneously leaves a big old question mark hanging over the second – obviously, with its writer having gone mysteriously missing, there’s no actual resolution here. All we can do is wonder…
The second story, The Man In Yellow, has a bit more of the Lovecraft vibe about it. This time it’s more overt horror, a bit more on the side of shocking than subtle creeping, though it’s still effective. This one’s told by the priest, Father Ward, who finds the journal detailing the first story, and it ties the whole thing back into the third story in this book. The story of what these two men decide to do with what they know, and how they handle it.
Ha, you don’t think I’m going to give that away, do you? Nah.
But I will say that the overall story’s ending was a nice little thinker. There’s no dramatic posing of heroes here – though if you’ve taken that Stephen King comparison all the way to a conclusion you probably already guessed that. Kevin Lucia spins a couple of nicely creepy horror stories into a yarn that I’m still picking at and unraveling days after having finished the book. And that is a job well done. My only (small) complaint is a nitpick within the writing itself; there’s a bit of repetitive phrasing that kind of glared within the narrative, and that kind of thing tends to be a nuisance to me. All in all, though, it wasn’t bad enough to spoil my enjoyment completely. If you can overlook those little things, and you’re looking for good solid horror to enjoy, then I’d recommend this one, easy.
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