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A Winter Sleep
A WINTER SLEEP, the new novel from Greg F. Gifune.
In a haunted hotel on the outskirts of a forgotten town, a bizarre group of tenants guard a horrible secret. A troubled man on the run, with nothing left to lose, drives aimlessly along dark highways in search of redemption. A little boy, brutally attacked and left for dead, realizes the strange power his agony has granted him. An enigmatic homeless man with nightmares he can no longer control, lost in a violent dreamscape only he understands, watches and waits. As a snowstorm traps them all within the walls of the old hotel, where madness and depravity run wild, from the shadows, a new reign of lesser gods begins, and an aberrant evil fights for survival amidst the cold terror of a desolate winter, and the bloody dreams of the hopeless and the damned.
Cover art by Wendy Saber Core.
In a haunted hotel on the outskirts of a forgotten town, a bizarre group of tenants guard a horrible secret. A troubled man on the run, with nothing left to lose, drives aimlessly along dark highways in search of redemption. A little boy, brutally attacked and left for dead, realizes the strange power his agony has granted him. An enigmatic homeless man with nightmares he can no longer control, lost in a violent dreamscape only he understands, watches and waits. As a snowstorm traps them all within the walls of the old hotel, where madness and depravity run wild, from the shadows, a new reign of lesser gods begins, and an aberrant evil fights for survival amidst the cold terror of a desolate winter, and the bloody dreams of the hopeless and the damned.
Cover art by Wendy Saber Core.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2018
63 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
About the author
Greg F. Gifune
79 books352 followersCalled "One of the best writers of his generation" by both the Roswell Literary Review and author Brian Keene, Greg F. Gifune is the author of numerous short stories, several novels and two short story collections. His work has been published in a wide range of magazines and anthologies all over the world, and has recently garnered interest from Hollywood. His novels include The Bleeding Season, Deep Night, Saying Uncle, A View From The Lake, Night Work, Drago Descending, Blood In Electric Blue and Dominion.
Along with his short story collections, Down To Sleep and Heretics, his work has been nominated for numerous awards and is consistently praised by readers and critics alike across the globe. For seven years he was Editor-in-Chief of Thievin' Kitty Publications, publishers of the acclaimed fiction magazines The Edge: Tales of Suspense (1998-2004) and Burning Sky: Adventures in Science Fiction Terror (1998-2003), and currently serves as Associate Editor at Delirium Books.
The son of teachers, Greg F. Gifune was educated in Boston and has lived in various places, including New York City and Peru. A trained actor and broadcaster, he has appeared in various stage productions and has worked in radio and television as both an on-air talent and a producer. Earlier in life he held a wide range of jobs, encompassing everything from journalism to promotions.
The author of numerous novels, screenplays and two short story collections, his work has been consistently praised by critics and readers alike, and has been translated into several languages and published all over the world. Greg and his wife Carol live in Massachusetts with a bevy of cats.
Discover more about his writing at GregFGifune.com and UninvitedBooks.com.
Along with his short story collections, Down To Sleep and Heretics, his work has been nominated for numerous awards and is consistently praised by readers and critics alike across the globe. For seven years he was Editor-in-Chief of Thievin' Kitty Publications, publishers of the acclaimed fiction magazines The Edge: Tales of Suspense (1998-2004) and Burning Sky: Adventures in Science Fiction Terror (1998-2003), and currently serves as Associate Editor at Delirium Books.
The son of teachers, Greg F. Gifune was educated in Boston and has lived in various places, including New York City and Peru. A trained actor and broadcaster, he has appeared in various stage productions and has worked in radio and television as both an on-air talent and a producer. Earlier in life he held a wide range of jobs, encompassing everything from journalism to promotions.
The author of numerous novels, screenplays and two short story collections, his work has been consistently praised by critics and readers alike, and has been translated into several languages and published all over the world. Greg and his wife Carol live in Massachusetts with a bevy of cats.
Discover more about his writing at GregFGifune.com and UninvitedBooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 20, 2018
A haunting and melancholy work of literature—yet sentimental in the best way.
There's something "Silent Hill 2" about the down-on-his-luck protagonist's quest for redemption and to heal the past. And just like that excellent game, the creatures that he meets as a result are no coincidence. They're ambiguously symbolic, contrapuntally complementing the protagonist's woes. But the author holds back from explaining precisely how.
Between creatures and protagonist are crevices expertly left there in the narrative, which, through cosmic capillary action, uncomfortably eke out a black fluid from readers' skulls, gluing them to the book and revealing the wonderfully dark labyrinth of their own minds.
The night is unrelentingly dark. The wind blows out all flames. Strike the match anyway.
There's something "Silent Hill 2" about the down-on-his-luck protagonist's quest for redemption and to heal the past. And just like that excellent game, the creatures that he meets as a result are no coincidence. They're ambiguously symbolic, contrapuntally complementing the protagonist's woes. But the author holds back from explaining precisely how.
Between creatures and protagonist are crevices expertly left there in the narrative, which, through cosmic capillary action, uncomfortably eke out a black fluid from readers' skulls, gluing them to the book and revealing the wonderfully dark labyrinth of their own minds.
The night is unrelentingly dark. The wind blows out all flames. Strike the match anyway.
August 2, 2018
Ben Hooper finds himself driving through rural Pennsylvania during a winter storm, and ends up at a dive bar. After meeting an eccentric elderly man, he is convinced to wait out the storm at a nearby hotel called The Monarch. But once he arrives and meets the guests and hotel staff, who all live there, he soon realizes all isn't what it seems. For his memory of his recent past and new reality haunt him, making him question his sanity and the real reason why he's here and what awaits him in the bowels of the Monarch.
Darkly erotic, compelling and terrifying, this latest novel by Greg Gifune only enhances his standing amongst one of the best in horror. One of my Top Picks of 2018.
Highly recommended!
Darkly erotic, compelling and terrifying, this latest novel by Greg Gifune only enhances his standing amongst one of the best in horror. One of my Top Picks of 2018.
Highly recommended!
October 23, 2018
While I found the descriptions lush and enjoyable and the characters engaging, I could never stop thinking about how much more effective and powerful this tale would have been as a short story rather than as a novel-especially once some of the novelties started to wear out.
February 1, 2025
Gifune's take on a haunted house story.His atmospheric signature style horror really shines through here.Brilliant.
July 25, 2020
I felt like this story is a clumsy, poorly-written mash-up of "The Shining" & the movie "Identity." Craft-wise, the writing lacks any subtlety. The plot starts off promisingly, but quickly devolves into characters going off on long philosophical meditations about life, death, lies, reality, madness...oh, and most of the female characters are voluptuous and oozing sexual energy and the main (male) character has sex with several of them. Even after the point in the book where you'd think he would be too horrified to ever become aroused again. The ending is ambiguous with a "twist" but is predictable to the point of being cliché.
Boring, not scary.
A blurb on the back cover describes the author as "one of the best writers of his generation" & I am baffled by that assessment.
Boring, not scary.
A blurb on the back cover describes the author as "one of the best writers of his generation" & I am baffled by that assessment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2018
Super scary and hard to put down. I'll sleep with the lights on tonight.
June 18, 2018
Madness
I hadn’t planned on reading this whole book in one sitting, but once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Skillfully written in an engaging voice, as is typical of the Gifune books I’ve read, A Winter Sleep is one man’s horrifying descent into complete madness. Greg F. Gifune is a masterful storyteller. Well done!
I hadn’t planned on reading this whole book in one sitting, but once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Skillfully written in an engaging voice, as is typical of the Gifune books I’ve read, A Winter Sleep is one man’s horrifying descent into complete madness. Greg F. Gifune is a masterful storyteller. Well done!
April 27, 2018
Spookishly Delicious
Holy cow, what to say about this brilliantly written book. This story keeps you guessing until the very end. What would you do if the people who seem to be rescuing you aren't? Lies and nightmares abound, and what's that buzzing all about? A+++++
Holy cow, what to say about this brilliantly written book. This story keeps you guessing until the very end. What would you do if the people who seem to be rescuing you aren't? Lies and nightmares abound, and what's that buzzing all about? A+++++
October 18, 2018
WOW, this was awful.
August 11, 2019
A Horrific Tale
I wanted to read Gifune for a while now, I think this may not have been the best starter.
First off, he writes well. Upon the open, I thought I was going to love this book.
I did love it - to a degree. It has a lot of good atmosphere and a layered story that reveals itself.
If I had to separate the book into quarters, the 2nd quarter really dragged. I kept putting it down for other things. At about the halfway point, it really heats up.
There is a lot of psychological tension and biased narration you deal with in this book.
In the end, there was a bit of a fake out, which caused me to make this 3 stars instead of 4. I do like the story though, and I’ll pick up another 1-2 of Gifune’s books over time before I decide whether to add him to my “must read all” author’s list.
I wanted to read Gifune for a while now, I think this may not have been the best starter.
First off, he writes well. Upon the open, I thought I was going to love this book.
I did love it - to a degree. It has a lot of good atmosphere and a layered story that reveals itself.
If I had to separate the book into quarters, the 2nd quarter really dragged. I kept putting it down for other things. At about the halfway point, it really heats up.
There is a lot of psychological tension and biased narration you deal with in this book.
In the end, there was a bit of a fake out, which caused me to make this 3 stars instead of 4. I do like the story though, and I’ll pick up another 1-2 of Gifune’s books over time before I decide whether to add him to my “must read all” author’s list.
March 19, 2019
This is my second Gifune read in 2 weeks, something about his writing really pulls me into his stories. I love the suspense and the books are never as they seem in the beginning. This one threw me for a bit more of a loop than the last, but still very well written and intriguing. Highly recommended for anyone into suspense and horror styles.
June 27, 2018
Thought I'd had it figured out.
But I don't know if I did. Anyway, there were many beautifully written passages. Bizarre and fantastical passages. I'll definitely be reading more of this author.
But I don't know if I did. Anyway, there were many beautifully written passages. Bizarre and fantastical passages. I'll definitely be reading more of this author.
September 24, 2018
Enjoyably unpredictable
Like the unreliable narrator, the story is off kilter and untrustworthy... And that's a complement. I didn't give it 5 stars because it wasn't overly frightening, just darkly trippy. I'd recommend it if you need a quick fix of weird.
Like the unreliable narrator, the story is off kilter and untrustworthy... And that's a complement. I didn't give it 5 stars because it wasn't overly frightening, just darkly trippy. I'd recommend it if you need a quick fix of weird.
December 28, 2018
Shot in the dark
I chose to read this book randomly as it was a recommendation from reading The Deep by Nick Cutter. A Winters Sleep was a wonderfully written horror story that painted some truly frightening scenes.
I chose to read this book randomly as it was a recommendation from reading The Deep by Nick Cutter. A Winters Sleep was a wonderfully written horror story that painted some truly frightening scenes.
June 25, 2019
Interesting idea...
Well, that was a bit...odd. I have to say this twist was not one I had ever thought of but now that I’ve read it, that was rather interesting. Give it a shot, it’s a nice page turning afternoon read!
Well, that was a bit...odd. I have to say this twist was not one I had ever thought of but now that I’ve read it, that was rather interesting. Give it a shot, it’s a nice page turning afternoon read!
Read
July 23, 2019Deep snow hides the darkest secrets. Take every winter horror story you like, blend it with some some spooky sexy madness, and viola, this is what you have. Couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews