The Walters family has just purchased the perfect home if only it weren't located in the small hick town of Harrington, Indiana, and if only it weren't haunted. David Walters is a liberal atheist now, but his minister father taught him from a young age that Satan would one day deceive all mankind by pretending his demons were extra terrestrials. The day the Walters family moves in, they spot a flying saucer outside their new home. Things only get stranger from there. David Walters is about to learn what it means to be truly haunted, forcing him to confront his past, fight for his family, his soul, and his sanity.
This is the first of five chapters in THE BOOK OF DAVID, a serialized tale of terror from Robert Kent, author of ALL TOGETHER NOW: A ZOMBIE STORY and PIZZA DELIVERY.
WARNING This horror story is intended for a mature audience. It's filled with adult language, situations, and themes. It's in no way appropriate for the easily offended or younger readers of BANNEKER BONES AND THE GIANT ROBOT BEES.
Robert Kent is the author of the horror novels THE BOOK OF DAVID and ALL TOGETHER NOW: A ZOMBIE STORY, and the novellas PIZZA DELIVERY and ALL RIGHT NOW: A SHORT ZOMBIE STORY.
Under the name Rob Kent, he writes middle grade novels such as BANNEKER BONES AND THE GIANT ROBOT BEES and BANNEKER BONES AND THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE.
He runs the popular blog for writers, MIDDLE GRADE NINJA, which features interviews and guest posts from authors, literary agents, and other publishing professionals, and was the recipient of Middle Shelf Magazine's Best Blog award. He also hosts the Middle Grade Ninja podcast. Robert Kent holds degrees in Literature and Creative Writing from Indiana University and owns over 900 Batman action figures. He lives with his family in Indianapolis where he teaches courses at the Indiana Writers Center and is hard at work on his next book.
I enjoyed this read (which I was granted for the asking) much more than I expected. Horror is not my thing these days, but it was well written with decent character development for each of the spouses in the story. This protagonist geared up to make lots of cash is willing to plot, plan, and strip both he and his wife of any ethics including scouting out the best church to attend as David succumbs to the power of the house he and his wife bought. The Book of David reminds me of The Amityville Horror without being much like it. Yesterday when I finished this first chapter I thought it was good but I will not get more of it. Then today I picked up Chapter 2. Sheesh.
I wish there was more to this book. I enjoyed the characters and the world the author created. It feels like there should be more to the story (which is why this is the first in a series, I suppose.) Seems slow at parts, focusing heavily on introducing you to the main character and parts of his backstory. Make sure you have access to the second book as soon as you're done, it ends on an intense cliffhanger.
A crazy, bonkers ride of a book! Started out as a haunted house, smooth, dark and creepy. Shoots off in a direction I had not foreseen, with violence and gore. Takes off into a Armageddon ticking-time bomb, and ends in a way that surprised me. A number of unanswered questions, but very character driven that more than makes up for it. I can see easter eggs of other writer’s influences all through out. Not a short novel by any means, but well worth the read!
This was a fun and fairly quick read. It had everything I wanted, a story that wasn't too complicated, only a handful of well described characters, and a setting I could easily picture. Things started happening towards the end of this book and the story continue in the next one, which shouldn't be a surprise based on the title. I'm interested enough to take a look the next book.
This reminds me of a origin story for a super hero. There is some dire forecasting going on so I know it's not going to remain that way, but I love the super hero feeling of it. The fact that Robert Kent peppers the story with pop culture references as well as some Shakespeare adages really keeps the story fresh. There are also quite a few references to the bible since David's parents were both Christian and although not a part of their lives, it seems like his upbringing is going to relate quite a bit to what is about to happen.
In the beginning of the story is also a repeated phrase. Although it gives David comfort, it gives me goosebumps! The story itself is about David and his family finding a house, which is not a sinister story at all. What starts the sinister feeling is this repeated phrase, over and over. Also, the idea that David firmly believes this house is THE house before he even steps foot into it. Yay for psychic feelings, NO for ghostly figures watching you from the house you want to buy!
The family itself seems quite normal. A few issues in their backgrounds, although the reader finds out less about his wife and more about David's background. Again, it felt like an origin story, where the reader gets to know about the characters and what they think before being thrown into the dark pit and being tested. Since I honestly love origin stories, and horror, this was right up my alley. Although, not much horror in this one until closer to the end but I am absolutely sure that anyone reading will know that something is going to happen. I was just waiting for that second shoe to drop!
The cover may say "chapter", but the reader is definitely getting a short novel - a story that builds with each book. Chapter One (or book one) sets an intriguing tone for the series that has me hooked.
This first book shapes the main characters - I love their wit and banter, very authentic and not forced. Harrington, Indiana - though fictional - reads like a very real Hoosier town. The Walters family has moved into a cozy yet creepy house just out of their budget enough I'm worried about their future. Flashbacks establish that David Walters grew up with an End-Times, whiskey-breath preacher of a father and this past is surely still haunting him.
And then David and his wife see a UFO.
This book ends with a cliffhanger - a chilling scene that answers whether that UFO was real or not. I really like these characters and, now, I'm dying to know if David is hiding his intentions for this small town. And are they really his own?
Kent's style keeps the action moving, whether it's flashback, dialogue, or precise description. The use of specific numbers is very interesting. Time, dollar amounts, totals. It reminded me of the Christian bible and the specificity of how many wives and cattle someone owned, the exact number of days someone wandered a desert, the total in a crowd. This and the sly reference to 1984 with David's precise reminders to himself that "reality is an act of will" are hallmarks of a story with engaging layers.
With The Book of David - Chapter One, you're getting a cool couple in a haunted house, a past frothing with religious fanatics, and a visitation from the unknown that promises so much more to come.
I want to start of by saying there is one other review of this book and it was obviously done by a fake account made by the author. How do I know? The account was made the month this book was published and there are no other reviewed books he had listed on the account. Also hearted this book five stars and praised the character development and plot. How original.
I'd do a full review here but I recently discovered there are two other chapters to this story as well as one being released on Halloween, which I was stupid enough to pre-order. I'm now stuck reading this well..."intriguing" series. I will do a full review once I finish them all...that is if I don't end up DNF-ing halfway through the second or third one.
Interesting enough, but not a standout in its genre. The narrative voice was more complex and nuanced than I expected (which is good; in my opinion there's no point to a horror novel if you don't really care what happens to the characters involved), but failed to actually instill a sense of fear or suspense in me. The premise itself is creepy and refreshingly bold, but the scenes building up on it came across as bland and tame. All in all, I had a fun read, but I'm not that hooked.
... meaning it was better than I hoped. Well-formed characters and settings, hump, deep... can't wait to read the next book. (And I NEVER say that; I leave most of these e-book-sequels -- justifiably -- unread.)