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Gothick
Emma thought death was the end, but it was only the beginning.Through the advancement of nineteenth century science, Emma has been brought back to life, but not as she was. She has become a new person, created from the sewn remains of the dead. Emma awakens in a strange new world that she doesn't understand. The life she left behind still echoes within her, though no matter how she reaches for it, the memories slip away.Yet another force hides in the shadows, and threatens to throw Germany into war. Emma's newly found world begins to crumble, and she must soon decide whether she wishes to begin her life anew or continue with the life she left behind--and whether she belongs in the world of the living or the dead.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
367 pages, Paperback
Published March 12, 2018
7 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Steven Winters
3 books3 followersSteven Winters was a little weirdo who grew up obsessing over Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Tales from the Crypt. From these works, he started writing horror stories before he barely knew how to put a sentence together. Now, he’s grown up to be a bigger weirdo who still loves the bizarre and macabre. So, not much has changed. He spends his time watching Horror movies, reading, playing video games, and writing while living in the scariest place in America—FLORIDA. Steven holds a Master’s degree and has also published the fantasy-horror, Gothick.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 10, 2021
An intriguing tale of life, death and identity set in late 1800s Germany. While it does read like an indie novel from a writing style point of view, I enjoyed the strange and twisted gothic vibes I got from it while it did well to avoid the usual Frankenstein's monster tropes.
A woman wakes from the dead with only fleeting glimpses of her memories... And a completely different body. Dominike Wurde is the one who woke her, naming her Emma and crowing about his reversal of death without resorting to the dark magicks of Necromancy. In his version of Germany, a governing body known as the Majesty takes a very dim view of the supernatural, particularly the violent and shambling untote. Yet even they cannot deny that Emma isn't your average zombie - she talks, she thinks, she feels. Dominick is most pleased until a new supernatural threat throws his town into chaos, and Emma finds herself caught up in the center, all the while struggling with who she was and who she is now.
I really liked the story. I'd half expected a paranormal romance or else some kind of zombie thriller, but it's neither. There's plenty of suspense, and though the foreshadowing is heavy enough for us to work out exactly what's going on well before the characters themselves, there's fun to be had as they work things through. No character is pure good or evil; Dominick is prideful but capable of better, Emma wilful but gentle, even the mysterious Leon has hidden depths of melancholy . There's definite nuance to all the characters that I really appreciated, and female characters are just as capable as the menfolk.
I say this reads like an indie novel because, at times, it felt like it could use a little more editorial input. Things like words repeating close together, characters always doing the same thing (Emma grunts a lot for a lady!) or scenes jumping about could feel a little jarring . A little more development of character relationships would have helped rather than some of the insta-friendships that developed (oh Friedrich, I wanted to know you better! How did you become friends with Emma?) and explain some of the past with Dominick and Siegfried.
A note on the historical/geographical setting: to European eyes it's a Germany (and little section in England) via North America. Phrases like "kitchen island" or a character baking "chocolate chip cookies" (surely anyone from Nördlingen would prefer their speciality of Vanillekipferln!) tended to stick out as Americanized and/or modern. And yes, sorry to pick, but typo-gremlins do occur in this edition.
A little more editorial polish would really make this action and intrigue gaslamp gothic(k) shine. Yet for all my nitpickings I do love a different kind of period paranormal, and it was an enjoyable indie read; one that gives good closure at the end.
A woman wakes from the dead with only fleeting glimpses of her memories... And a completely different body. Dominike Wurde is the one who woke her, naming her Emma and crowing about his reversal of death without resorting to the dark magicks of Necromancy. In his version of Germany, a governing body known as the Majesty takes a very dim view of the supernatural, particularly the violent and shambling untote. Yet even they cannot deny that Emma isn't your average zombie - she talks, she thinks, she feels. Dominick is most pleased until a new supernatural threat throws his town into chaos, and Emma finds herself caught up in the center, all the while struggling with who she was and who she is now.
I really liked the story. I'd half expected a paranormal romance or else some kind of zombie thriller, but it's neither. There's plenty of suspense, and though the foreshadowing is heavy enough for us to work out exactly what's going on well before the characters themselves, there's fun to be had as they work things through. No character is pure good or evil; Dominick is prideful but capable of better, Emma wilful but gentle, even the mysterious Leon has hidden depths of melancholy . There's definite nuance to all the characters that I really appreciated, and female characters are just as capable as the menfolk.
I say this reads like an indie novel because, at times, it felt like it could use a little more editorial input. Things like words repeating close together, characters always doing the same thing (Emma grunts a lot for a lady!) or scenes jumping about could feel a little jarring . A little more development of character relationships would have helped rather than some of the insta-friendships that developed (oh Friedrich, I wanted to know you better! How did you become friends with Emma?) and explain some of the past with Dominick and Siegfried.
A note on the historical/geographical setting: to European eyes it's a Germany (and little section in England) via North America. Phrases like "kitchen island" or a character baking "chocolate chip cookies" (surely anyone from Nördlingen would prefer their speciality of Vanillekipferln!) tended to stick out as Americanized and/or modern. And yes, sorry to pick, but typo-gremlins do occur in this edition.
A little more editorial polish would really make this action and intrigue gaslamp gothic(k) shine. Yet for all my nitpickings I do love a different kind of period paranormal, and it was an enjoyable indie read; one that gives good closure at the end.
October 2, 2018
The beautifully crafted alternative gothic Germany, provides a wonderful atmosphere for the tense drama. With fascinating and compelling characters, it makes for an read that will keep you needing to know what’s next.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews