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Obedience
It is a lazy summer day in the Appalachian foothills of Tennessee; much like the day before, and the day before that. Everything seems normal - at least on the surface; like an idyllic, pastoral painting; the sky dyed with pastels of blue and white, the ground carpeted with dark green fescue and bluegrass, a clapboard farmhouse resting on top of a hill, sugar maples, oaks and Eastern red cedars providing welcome shade from the heat of a Tennessee summer sun. You can almost see moving images of little children running barefoot through the grass; an era before tweeting and texting and the triumph of technology over all.
Alas, appearances lie.
Behind the clapboard farmhouse sits a red barn, all bright and new looking; fresh enough to lull a casual observer into believing it the benign keeper of hey for cattle and shelter for goats. A closer look reveals the color to be not barn red, but blood red.
Locals tend to close their eyes when passing by that barn. Something is just not right about it. Some say it is unnatural. Some say it's obscene and evil. But they don't say such things out loud, for the owner of the barn is Sheldon Sprigg, a well-respected man of the cloth, the preacher at Hare’s Corner Church of God Incarnate. Sheldon is the most upright man in these parts. He keeps the law religiously, and makes sure his wife and teenaged daughter do too. After all, to obey is better than sacrifice.
Still, there's just something that not right about that barn.
Alas, appearances lie.
Behind the clapboard farmhouse sits a red barn, all bright and new looking; fresh enough to lull a casual observer into believing it the benign keeper of hey for cattle and shelter for goats. A closer look reveals the color to be not barn red, but blood red.
Locals tend to close their eyes when passing by that barn. Something is just not right about it. Some say it is unnatural. Some say it's obscene and evil. But they don't say such things out loud, for the owner of the barn is Sheldon Sprigg, a well-respected man of the cloth, the preacher at Hare’s Corner Church of God Incarnate. Sheldon is the most upright man in these parts. He keeps the law religiously, and makes sure his wife and teenaged daughter do too. After all, to obey is better than sacrifice.
Still, there's just something that not right about that barn.
200 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2016
2 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Michael Potts
10 books160 followersMichael Potts is a writer of Southern Fiction, Southern Gothic, horror, and poetry originally from Smyrna, Tennessee. He is the author of End of Summer (Tullahoma, TN: WordCrafts Press, 2011), a Southern Fiction novel, and the horror novels Unpardonable Sin (WordCrafts, 2014) and Obedience (WordCrafts, 2016). His poetry chapbook, From Field to Thicket, won the 2006 Mary Belle Campbell Poetry Book Award of the North Carolina Writers' Network. WordCrafts Press also published his book, Aerobics for the Mind: Practical Exercises in Philosophy that Anybody Can Do in 2014. His creative nonfiction essay, "Haunted," won the 2006 Rose Post Creative Nonfiction Contest of the NC Writer's Network. He is a 2007 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University's program, "The Writers' Loft," and is a 2007 graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop held at St. Anselm's College in Manchester, NH. He has authored many scholarly publications, and is currently Professor of Philosophy, Methodist University, Fayetteville, North Carolina. He and his wife, Karen, live in Coats, NC, with their three cats.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 17, 2016
I just finished reading one of Michael's books, the one called Obedience. OMG! That was the best read I have had in a long time. This book should totally be made into a movie! I would compare it to the caliber of Stephen King! I could only read it during my lunch hour, as much as I would have liked to bring it home to keep reading, but it was too scary, I only wanted to read it mid-day, not at night and not at home alone! The funny part of all this was that one day I sitting in one of the rocking chairs in front of the college library reading a totally intense part of the story and didn't notice this storm burst in. The sky darkened and the wind started blowing as the story became darker and darker at the same time. All of a sudden at the exact moment the evil character pounced, a huge lightening bolt and earth shaking thunder clap struck extremely close by... And I practically jumped out of my skin and almost threw the book in the air! Luckily, it was almost time for me to go back to the office as I was totally freaked out at that point. Holy smokes!
One other day, after my lunch-time read had been nearly as intense, I was walking up the back steps on the way to my office when I felt a large open hand brush across the top of my head from front to back as if someone had reached out from behind me, touching the top of my head. I stopped dead in my tracks, equating it to the hand of the devil-creature who had put it's hands on its victim in the segment I had just read. I slowly turned around, heart pumping out of my chest, only to look back and see a low hanging tree branch at just the height to feel like a hand. I laughed right out loud, totally relieved that it was not the creature from the story! So again... Michael's story was truly a heart stopper! Every step of the way, my imagination was taken to that place and to the barn and I could visualize every scary moment. I would love to see what a film maker could do with this as a movie. I don't know what others have said, but I have read a lot of scary stories and many by Stephen King and this one was so visually acute and intense, drawing me into every scene, it was amazing! I would definitely recommend this book to any horror story enthusiast! Looking forward to reading the other books
One other day, after my lunch-time read had been nearly as intense, I was walking up the back steps on the way to my office when I felt a large open hand brush across the top of my head from front to back as if someone had reached out from behind me, touching the top of my head. I stopped dead in my tracks, equating it to the hand of the devil-creature who had put it's hands on its victim in the segment I had just read. I slowly turned around, heart pumping out of my chest, only to look back and see a low hanging tree branch at just the height to feel like a hand. I laughed right out loud, totally relieved that it was not the creature from the story! So again... Michael's story was truly a heart stopper! Every step of the way, my imagination was taken to that place and to the barn and I could visualize every scary moment. I would love to see what a film maker could do with this as a movie. I don't know what others have said, but I have read a lot of scary stories and many by Stephen King and this one was so visually acute and intense, drawing me into every scene, it was amazing! I would definitely recommend this book to any horror story enthusiast! Looking forward to reading the other books
February 22, 2019
In the picturesque Appalachian foothills in Tennessee, we find a little farmhouse and barn that looks like it could be in a picture. But there is something wrong with this place, something wrong with the barn. The locals know and feel it but don’t dare voice t to Sheldon Sprigg, the local preacher. The barn is his and his is being guided to do the lords work. But which lord?
This book is downright creepy. A story of a preacher that is taking guidance from a dark entity and never questioning those orders, even when they say his daughter is bad and needs to be punished. I man that thinks of murder and is determined to keep those in his house under an iron thumb. Then there is the barn with its supernatural origins and evil intent.
This is an amazing horror story that had me creeped out numerous times. I had an idea what might happen but I was lead into the story like a lamb to the slaughter. Not everything that looks perfect it, remember, Lucifer was the most beautiful of the angels.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
This book is downright creepy. A story of a preacher that is taking guidance from a dark entity and never questioning those orders, even when they say his daughter is bad and needs to be punished. I man that thinks of murder and is determined to keep those in his house under an iron thumb. Then there is the barn with its supernatural origins and evil intent.
This is an amazing horror story that had me creeped out numerous times. I had an idea what might happen but I was lead into the story like a lamb to the slaughter. Not everything that looks perfect it, remember, Lucifer was the most beautiful of the angels.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
June 3, 2016
As an author, I would rather not review my own book (!) but point out something that comes out through the story--the theme--legalistic religion is toxic religion. When law excludes love, you end up with nasty characters like the preacher in the novel, who wants to murder his own daughter because she is mildly rebellious. Anyone who was brought up in a harsh, legalistic religious system would find this book covering a familiar theme.
March 7, 2018
The purpose of art in all its forms is to make us feel something deeply enough that it causes deep discussions, inner reflection, and maybe even a shift in our world view. The horror genre is especially adept at this, particularly when it comes to themes of social expectations and religion. Obedience tackles the ills of following a blindly dogmatic approach, and it also explores how easily people can be lured into doing things that make absolutely no sense in the name of religion.
For example, the preacher is more than willing to accept the monstrosities he's hearing and thinking as the word of Jesus. It doesn't seem to occur to him that a deity who would command him to treat his wife and child horribly isn't worth worshiping. And, like most people, he allows his existing biases to shape how he hears and reacts to things.
Whether you hate or love organized religion, this book has much to offer you on the topic of religious extremism. At one point, the preacher actually wishes the commandment against killing didn't apply to one specific person, and he doesn't see anything wrong with that line of thought. This type of zealous approach is exactly how people get killed by religious extremists in the real world.
This may be an uncomfortable read for some, but it's definitely worth the ride.
For example, the preacher is more than willing to accept the monstrosities he's hearing and thinking as the word of Jesus. It doesn't seem to occur to him that a deity who would command him to treat his wife and child horribly isn't worth worshiping. And, like most people, he allows his existing biases to shape how he hears and reacts to things.
Whether you hate or love organized religion, this book has much to offer you on the topic of religious extremism. At one point, the preacher actually wishes the commandment against killing didn't apply to one specific person, and he doesn't see anything wrong with that line of thought. This type of zealous approach is exactly how people get killed by religious extremists in the real world.
This may be an uncomfortable read for some, but it's definitely worth the ride.
November 28, 2019
Scary. Creepy. Would make a great film.
July 14, 2016
The premise of Obedience is interesting and not entirely without foundation. The devil can and often does try to deceive us into thinking he is something that he is not, and this occurs even in fiction, as in the Last Temptation of Christ, for example. Also, I particularly liked the way the theology was introduced. One obvious theological hole the author seems to have missed is that the devil does not live in hell. Currently he's our problem. He will ultimately be sent to hell, but not until judgement day.
The story itself reads like young adult fiction. All of the main characters are clearly young adult and they see the world from a young perspective. That said, the nature of the subject is a little far out for young adult, but not completely out of the ballpark.
The characters were a bit simplistic and some of them draw on clichés. For example, the angry old minister and the rebellious daughter. The two main characters seem to have a great deal in common to the point that in some ways they are interchangeable. They are separated by north and south, urban and rural, and that sort of thing, but we don't really get to know them well enough to predict what they will do. Also, though not uncommon in young adult fiction, some of these characters are introduced too fast. The boyfriend character goes from a nervous love interest in one scene to a heroic savior and dedicated mate only a few pages later. Likewise, the old man who actually knows the history of the barn seems to appear out of nowhere and no reference even to his existence is given before he suddenly turns up. Finally, some of the situations these characters find themselves in would normally be a bit too much for such young people. The idea of burning down a barn would not be a casual thing, for example, and at some points in the story they casually discuss murder.
I did like some of the imagery, however. Honestly, the first third of the story was particularly riveting. The supernatural appearance of the barn was well introduced and their first encounter inside was quite well done. It reminded me of some of the imagery in the movie 1408. I think, however, that the story gets less descriptive towards the latter half and contained more telling than showing.
Overall, Obedience has some merit, but may need more character development and description
The story itself reads like young adult fiction. All of the main characters are clearly young adult and they see the world from a young perspective. That said, the nature of the subject is a little far out for young adult, but not completely out of the ballpark.
The characters were a bit simplistic and some of them draw on clichés. For example, the angry old minister and the rebellious daughter. The two main characters seem to have a great deal in common to the point that in some ways they are interchangeable. They are separated by north and south, urban and rural, and that sort of thing, but we don't really get to know them well enough to predict what they will do. Also, though not uncommon in young adult fiction, some of these characters are introduced too fast. The boyfriend character goes from a nervous love interest in one scene to a heroic savior and dedicated mate only a few pages later. Likewise, the old man who actually knows the history of the barn seems to appear out of nowhere and no reference even to his existence is given before he suddenly turns up. Finally, some of the situations these characters find themselves in would normally be a bit too much for such young people. The idea of burning down a barn would not be a casual thing, for example, and at some points in the story they casually discuss murder.
I did like some of the imagery, however. Honestly, the first third of the story was particularly riveting. The supernatural appearance of the barn was well introduced and their first encounter inside was quite well done. It reminded me of some of the imagery in the movie 1408. I think, however, that the story gets less descriptive towards the latter half and contained more telling than showing.
Overall, Obedience has some merit, but may need more character development and description
March 25, 2018
A breathtaking thriller! This is one of the most compelling thrillers I've ever read. Right from the beginning there is a creepy feeling to the book and to the barn in particular. The tension is present from the start and builds to very the end in a whirlwind of horrifying, supernatural tumult. The two lead girls are perfectly paired and grab your heart immediately. Throughout the book they grow from girls to brave young woman. A great read!
February 5, 2019
Review coming soon!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews