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GRAVEWALKER
"I form the light, and create I make peace, and create I the Lord do all these things.”
Isaiah 45:7
1888. Northern Minnesota. A great evil of murdered children rise out the grave. They rise from a terrible and faraway place called 'Dollhouse.' It is a mass grave deep in the Minnesota wilderness. Reanimated by a hideous angel of death, the children are re-created as dolls; all of them bearing white dresses and black eyes and insatiable hunger for human suffering. The dolls descend from the trees and bending rows of corn to find their still living parents.
Survivors are overtaken by great sorrowing and unyielding misery. Among them is Jack Carson. He is a former outlaw trying to atone for his sins. But, when he is left behind what he thinks is the rapture, Jack grows spiteful. He survives by accepting offers that feed his former legend as ‘Carson that find, Carson that kill.’
And one day, because of this reputation, Jack accepts a strange offer from a man named Andrei. Andrei is a Russian immigrant driven to find his missing children who not been devoured by the dolls . . . but taken by them. To find Andrei's missing children, the men embark on a journey that weighs their souls in the sweltering conflicts of love, faith and the blistering will to survive in a funeral procession, widowed world.
"GRAVEWALKER" is a gallant and imposing sprawl, a grinding and torturous tale. Subtle beauty, abyssal hollowness. Vicious primal brutality. It is epic horror, colossal tragedy. Brooding and austere. "GRAVEWALKER" is a rare novel by a rare author. Huber is at his best here. Unrivaled in raw emotion, unparalleled in intensity. Relentlessly obsessed with abyssal depravity and degradation. Brutal, yet tender. Big and bold and emotional horror with a blackened draw that horror desperately needs more of.
** PRODUCT CONTAINS INTENSE SEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE, GORE, TERROR, SOME LANGUAGE, SOME SEXUALITY AND DISTURBING IMAGES. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Isaiah 45:7
1888. Northern Minnesota. A great evil of murdered children rise out the grave. They rise from a terrible and faraway place called 'Dollhouse.' It is a mass grave deep in the Minnesota wilderness. Reanimated by a hideous angel of death, the children are re-created as dolls; all of them bearing white dresses and black eyes and insatiable hunger for human suffering. The dolls descend from the trees and bending rows of corn to find their still living parents.
Survivors are overtaken by great sorrowing and unyielding misery. Among them is Jack Carson. He is a former outlaw trying to atone for his sins. But, when he is left behind what he thinks is the rapture, Jack grows spiteful. He survives by accepting offers that feed his former legend as ‘Carson that find, Carson that kill.’
And one day, because of this reputation, Jack accepts a strange offer from a man named Andrei. Andrei is a Russian immigrant driven to find his missing children who not been devoured by the dolls . . . but taken by them. To find Andrei's missing children, the men embark on a journey that weighs their souls in the sweltering conflicts of love, faith and the blistering will to survive in a funeral procession, widowed world.
"GRAVEWALKER" is a gallant and imposing sprawl, a grinding and torturous tale. Subtle beauty, abyssal hollowness. Vicious primal brutality. It is epic horror, colossal tragedy. Brooding and austere. "GRAVEWALKER" is a rare novel by a rare author. Huber is at his best here. Unrivaled in raw emotion, unparalleled in intensity. Relentlessly obsessed with abyssal depravity and degradation. Brutal, yet tender. Big and bold and emotional horror with a blackened draw that horror desperately needs more of.
** PRODUCT CONTAINS INTENSE SEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE, GORE, TERROR, SOME LANGUAGE, SOME SEXUALITY AND DISTURBING IMAGES. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 7, 2017
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 5, 2017
Here is another tale of devilry from John Huber. This one is set in the Old West, where men were men and little girls were demons.
If I told you that “GraveWalker” was a story about a zombie apocalypse and the hero is a tough-as-nails zombie killer, I would be doing the book a great disservice. This book may use those tropes, but it goes much deeper and rises to greater heights. Rooted deeply in the Christian Mythos, this is a book about a man and his faith in God, even though he knows his God is a liar.
“GraveWalker” introduces a new kind of Undead. These are vampiric, or maybe they're like modern zombies, feeding on the living. But they are invisible to most people and to those unlucky enough to see them in their final moments, they appear as tiny, doll-like little girls.
One man who can always see them is Jack Carson. Perhaps he sees them because he is almost blind, his eyes given over to the darkness. Carson also possesses the ability to feel the emotions of those around him. Often, this ability leaves him devastated as he feels their pain as his own. Their fears and hatreds become his own. Carson may be a murderer but he is forever punished, raped by the dark thoughts and feelings of everyone he meets.
But never doubt that Jack Carson has an endless ability to feel sorry for himself. He bemoans his fate for pages and pages. One of the few criticisms I have of this book is the repetition in places. Another is that it's like a Romance novel: There's a little action and a whole lot of feelings about it. If this book was just about the events, it would be a short story.
Some of the writing might lose readers. “Silence holding like a death wish roiling thicker by the second, hoping for a screech in the faraway places, anything, at the last, to know they were not lonesome, fallen angels, forgotten by the eyes in the unblind.” Taken out of context, that's pure gibberish. But Huber is all about emotion, intense emotion. Don't try to make sense of it, just go with the discomforting feelings and the oppressive atmosphere, because that bemoaning and dread and mounting unease is the heart of the book.
Because not many books give us this depth of insight: “... creation was God’s greatest mistake. He made man in his own image, and the image of God was flawed. It was angry, passionate, grievous, stricken, afflicted and wretched with sorrow. Jack read hundreds of examples in the Holy Scriptures and memorized them all. God was wrathful, envious, jealous, demanding, authoritative and celestial beyond his capability to understand the ramifications of even his own actions. If He could truly understand the work of his hands, surely God would not have made men in his own image; flawed, ruled by emotion, triggered by hatred and deceptive vices like vipers. God’s nature made men raise weapons against each other in our infantile understanding of the miracles of life because God himself could not understand what he had risen, what he had brought to life.”
Once again, The Man takes on the role of a Greek Chorus, announcing and commenting on the action. The Man has an interesting commentary on Creation, stating that when the Creator, flawed in His own way, attempts to make things like us, He often makes mistakes along the way. Yet these flawed creations are more dear to the flawed Creator than those things He has made perfect. As such, those who are flawed and broken, inside or out, are the most unique... and the most Godlike.
(Interestingly enough, the last book I read, “Dead Corpse” by Nuzo Onoh, presents an oddly similar concept. In Onoh's native Nigerian metaphysics, people such as albinos are outcasts of the gods, but as the gods have shone an extra interest in them, they are therefore imbued with a deeper, more unique spiritual power. Hence the reason witchdoctors wish to make sacrifices of them.)
Despite a few criticisms about the ongoing recriminations and self-loathing, this is a powerful book. Although drawn from Christian mythology, “GraveWalker” has several powerful scenes of visual horror that will resound for any reader.
If I told you that “GraveWalker” was a story about a zombie apocalypse and the hero is a tough-as-nails zombie killer, I would be doing the book a great disservice. This book may use those tropes, but it goes much deeper and rises to greater heights. Rooted deeply in the Christian Mythos, this is a book about a man and his faith in God, even though he knows his God is a liar.
“GraveWalker” introduces a new kind of Undead. These are vampiric, or maybe they're like modern zombies, feeding on the living. But they are invisible to most people and to those unlucky enough to see them in their final moments, they appear as tiny, doll-like little girls.
One man who can always see them is Jack Carson. Perhaps he sees them because he is almost blind, his eyes given over to the darkness. Carson also possesses the ability to feel the emotions of those around him. Often, this ability leaves him devastated as he feels their pain as his own. Their fears and hatreds become his own. Carson may be a murderer but he is forever punished, raped by the dark thoughts and feelings of everyone he meets.
But never doubt that Jack Carson has an endless ability to feel sorry for himself. He bemoans his fate for pages and pages. One of the few criticisms I have of this book is the repetition in places. Another is that it's like a Romance novel: There's a little action and a whole lot of feelings about it. If this book was just about the events, it would be a short story.
Some of the writing might lose readers. “Silence holding like a death wish roiling thicker by the second, hoping for a screech in the faraway places, anything, at the last, to know they were not lonesome, fallen angels, forgotten by the eyes in the unblind.” Taken out of context, that's pure gibberish. But Huber is all about emotion, intense emotion. Don't try to make sense of it, just go with the discomforting feelings and the oppressive atmosphere, because that bemoaning and dread and mounting unease is the heart of the book.
Because not many books give us this depth of insight: “... creation was God’s greatest mistake. He made man in his own image, and the image of God was flawed. It was angry, passionate, grievous, stricken, afflicted and wretched with sorrow. Jack read hundreds of examples in the Holy Scriptures and memorized them all. God was wrathful, envious, jealous, demanding, authoritative and celestial beyond his capability to understand the ramifications of even his own actions. If He could truly understand the work of his hands, surely God would not have made men in his own image; flawed, ruled by emotion, triggered by hatred and deceptive vices like vipers. God’s nature made men raise weapons against each other in our infantile understanding of the miracles of life because God himself could not understand what he had risen, what he had brought to life.”
Once again, The Man takes on the role of a Greek Chorus, announcing and commenting on the action. The Man has an interesting commentary on Creation, stating that when the Creator, flawed in His own way, attempts to make things like us, He often makes mistakes along the way. Yet these flawed creations are more dear to the flawed Creator than those things He has made perfect. As such, those who are flawed and broken, inside or out, are the most unique... and the most Godlike.
(Interestingly enough, the last book I read, “Dead Corpse” by Nuzo Onoh, presents an oddly similar concept. In Onoh's native Nigerian metaphysics, people such as albinos are outcasts of the gods, but as the gods have shone an extra interest in them, they are therefore imbued with a deeper, more unique spiritual power. Hence the reason witchdoctors wish to make sacrifices of them.)
Despite a few criticisms about the ongoing recriminations and self-loathing, this is a powerful book. Although drawn from Christian mythology, “GraveWalker” has several powerful scenes of visual horror that will resound for any reader.
August 8, 2019
Much more than a horror story
Dark. Dark dark dark.
Jack is a great character. Flawed and cursed and awful, but you can’t not feel for the guy. I followed him on his journey like a mouse walking into a room full of snap-traps.
The story itself is creepy AF, especially the way it’s told. Huber’s work is equal parts rough-hewn poetry that fits the time and world perfectly, Old Testament wrath-of-a-careless-and-heartless god folktale, and competent story.
There are also beautiful charcoal illustrations spread throughout that so completely capture the feel that I can’t help but wonder what cane first- the story or the illustrations.
I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it.
Dark. Dark dark dark.
Jack is a great character. Flawed and cursed and awful, but you can’t not feel for the guy. I followed him on his journey like a mouse walking into a room full of snap-traps.
The story itself is creepy AF, especially the way it’s told. Huber’s work is equal parts rough-hewn poetry that fits the time and world perfectly, Old Testament wrath-of-a-careless-and-heartless god folktale, and competent story.
There are also beautiful charcoal illustrations spread throughout that so completely capture the feel that I can’t help but wonder what cane first- the story or the illustrations.
I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it.
July 7, 2023
This is the second book I have read by John Huber. He is turning into one of my favorite authors! Hauntingly beautiful writing.
April 8, 2018
Beautifully and Horrifically Written
At it's core, this is a zombie apocalypse book, a common branch of the horror genre, but the classify this book as such is a huge disservice to both the writer and the book. This is not a blood, guys, and gore for shock and to make you feel sick kind of book, despite there being no shortage of blood, guys, or gore. This book is done tastefully, or as tasteful as you can get given the subject material.
For the book, the story is impeccable, incredibly unique, and most importantly, scary. Horrifying at times. This is not an easy read, and for it to be so, it would not carry the impact that it does. The "zombies" are creepy beyond measure. Doll like little girls, vicious, and pray you never see one yourself. The art included within the pages is equally as gruesome and gorgeous.
The style that it is written in is not for the type of reader that prefers to read without thinking. John Huber's writing style is written eloquently and carries weight. The words he uses and the way in which he uses them are both smart and dark. You need to understand that his style will take you to places most writers fear: a place that requires you to think. He can string the story along so effortlessly that you dread closing the book to do anything. He is an amazing writer.
This book is true to the horror genre. You will find pain, terror, blood, gore, despicable events and actions within it's pages. Christian imagery is entwined beautifully into these pages, but certainly not in a preachy or religious way. It's simply perfect for this book and our main character. The characters are flawed, exceptionally unique, and you will feel deeply for each.
Perhaps the only complaint I might have, and it's not an actual complaint, is that the first few pages took me out of my comfort zone name wise. Simply because I didn't know how to pronounce a few. Like I said, not a complaint at all because it works for the book, but I used the first letter of their names rather than trying to pronounce them in my head.
I loved this book. I loved Jack Carson. He was gritty, deep, both lamentable and feared. I loved the writing. I loved that I needed to give my full attention to properly appreciate it. I loved Gravewalkers far more than most books that use "zombies", but as I said before, it really isn't fair to use that as a way to describe this book. This is not a zombie book. It's a well written horror novel by a well spoken storyteller, and both are a very rare find in our beloved genre.
You need this book. You know you need it.
At it's core, this is a zombie apocalypse book, a common branch of the horror genre, but the classify this book as such is a huge disservice to both the writer and the book. This is not a blood, guys, and gore for shock and to make you feel sick kind of book, despite there being no shortage of blood, guys, or gore. This book is done tastefully, or as tasteful as you can get given the subject material.
For the book, the story is impeccable, incredibly unique, and most importantly, scary. Horrifying at times. This is not an easy read, and for it to be so, it would not carry the impact that it does. The "zombies" are creepy beyond measure. Doll like little girls, vicious, and pray you never see one yourself. The art included within the pages is equally as gruesome and gorgeous.
The style that it is written in is not for the type of reader that prefers to read without thinking. John Huber's writing style is written eloquently and carries weight. The words he uses and the way in which he uses them are both smart and dark. You need to understand that his style will take you to places most writers fear: a place that requires you to think. He can string the story along so effortlessly that you dread closing the book to do anything. He is an amazing writer.
This book is true to the horror genre. You will find pain, terror, blood, gore, despicable events and actions within it's pages. Christian imagery is entwined beautifully into these pages, but certainly not in a preachy or religious way. It's simply perfect for this book and our main character. The characters are flawed, exceptionally unique, and you will feel deeply for each.
Perhaps the only complaint I might have, and it's not an actual complaint, is that the first few pages took me out of my comfort zone name wise. Simply because I didn't know how to pronounce a few. Like I said, not a complaint at all because it works for the book, but I used the first letter of their names rather than trying to pronounce them in my head.
I loved this book. I loved Jack Carson. He was gritty, deep, both lamentable and feared. I loved the writing. I loved that I needed to give my full attention to properly appreciate it. I loved Gravewalkers far more than most books that use "zombies", but as I said before, it really isn't fair to use that as a way to describe this book. This is not a zombie book. It's a well written horror novel by a well spoken storyteller, and both are a very rare find in our beloved genre.
You need this book. You know you need it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews