Dominion

by Greg F. Gifune

When Daniel Cicero’s wife Lindsay is killed by a hit-and-run-driver, a large part of his own soul dies along with her. His happiness is shattered, his life destroyed. Unable to cope, he soon loses his job and eventually his sense of purpose, and as he descends into the throes of depression and sorrow, he spends his nights aimlessly wandering the streets of Boston and his days in a fog, living by rote, unable to move forward or to let go of the past. And then the anonymous phone calls begin. A man claiming Lindsay is still alive taunts and threatens him with facts he could not possibly know. When strange and frightening visions begin to appear on his computer, a firestorm of horrifying nightmares and painful memories are unleashed that haunt Daniel at every turn, and with everything he knew of good and evil, life, death, love and loss in question, he slowly descends into a terrifying world of malevolence and madness where technology and age-old evils have merged, and where the walls separating the living from the dead may no longer exist. In life…in death…and in the realms between the two…there is DOMINION.

Genres: Horror

342 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Called "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.

Reviews

[Karl]

This book is copy 140 of 275 copies printed and is signed and numbered by Greg F. Gifune.

[Lee Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts off a bit slow, but picks up about 1/4 in. Great prose, great characters, fun, dark and interesting story.

[David Agranoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This my second Greg F. Gifune novel, the first Children of Chaos I reviewed in April 2010, I got Dominion based entirely on the strength of that novel. It was knock-out of a book. I knew I wanted to read more Gifune, and this was important to my enjoyment of the novel. I went in blind, I didn't even read the back description on the cover. After the prologue which was intense, brutal and ugly I wasn't sure I could read a whole book like that.

Thankfully, that was just a much needed introduction as extreme as Ed Lee but important to the story. If you trust my opinion or my reviews just stop right here and read both Children of Chaos and Dominion. I think I liked the subject of COC a little bit more but Dominion was very tightly constructed and I enjoyed reading this novel.

OK, I am going to try to do this first part without spoilers but like I said you'll have a better time going into this book blind. Dominion is the tale of Daniel Cicero, A Boston Radio ad salesman who loses his wife in a tragic accident. She is killed crossing a highway, and the novel handles the grief in heart breaking and realistic way. After months of grief Daniel begins to wonder, what was she doing there? The only logical explanation is a late night meeting at the motel across the street from the mall where she was parked after hours. That is when the phone calls start a mysterious man calls insisting that his wife is alive.

Dominion is a great mystery, and has plenty of surprises and misdirection. Gifune is a talented Horror writer who is well known and respected in the horror underground and deserves to be breaking into the Mainstream.

Ok now for the spoilers review....

My only problem with Dominion came in it's final act. I think Gifune had done a wonderful job setting up the mystery and suggesting through out the story that supernatural explanation, or one based in Quantum physics was needed to explain the events. When it is revealed that his best friend had stolen and used his wife's identity I thought it was an excellent twist and made me feel effectively tricked. I was impressed because I thought the supernatural story thing was nothing more than misdirection. When the supernatural story line is re-introduced I felt like the end of a Friday the 13th movie when Jason got up one to many times. That said I really enjoyed the book, and will continue to work my way through his books.

[Alex Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greg F. Gifune set the bar quite high after my first taste of his writing with The Bleeding Season. And so I tried to pick my next read from his collection of work wisely. I wanted to be enthralled and thoroughly engrossed in a work of fiction that was just as intriguing and rewarding.
Well, I chose Dominion, and was not disappointed.
This had mystery, dread, intrigue, suspense and a scattered dose of horror. All the right ingredients to a good story.
What's more, Greg F. Gifune is a skilled writer and you'd be hard to find any typos here - which should be expected for any published writer, but is unfortunately not always the case, even with more popular and prolific authors.
Which begs the question: Why are novels of this author not found in major book stores??

In conclusion, I loved where this premise was taken and was pleasantly unpredictable. Just when I thought I had it figured out at points, the author managed to surprise me.
Look forward to reading a whole lot more from this guy!

[Amit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus! Jesus!! HOLY Christ!!!
It did get into my nerve and rattle me like a storm. I absolutely didn't see that coming. This book scared the hell out of me while I was in the end part of this great horror. Greg F. Gifune done an mind fu***ng work with this one. DAMN=JUST DAMN...

While it's a big horror book to read, in the first half - the story wasn't that much promising which I was expecting. But very slowly and gradually it was unfolding it's magic...

=Daniel Cicero’s wife Lindsey had been hit by a car on the road and she died at the spot tragically. Life changes after then for Daniel. Long after when he received a phone call from someone and that someone when told him on the phone; his wife not dead but alive, it was then Daniel's life shifted in dramatic chaos. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't work but all could think of that several phone calls from someone and been told that his wife didn't die. He ran for answer to everywhere, every person he should make contact. Until then with his Best friend Bryce and some private investigator something unthinkable calamity was happening to them or say more accurately with Daniel. The computer plugged in and switched on but show nothing in display at first but then horror unfolded all by itself. Daniel couldn't run away from it but found himself more deeper in that. Something luring in the dark, Something unhuman, unnatural and scary = very very scary,,,...

Total Rating : 5 from 5...

[Darren McGowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars

One of the few go to guys that gives me a huge dose of reality, mixed with some suspense and a touch of horror. There's no upbeat ending to these stories just real people facing conflicting feelings. This story follows a guy losing his wife and himself while hinting at the finality of death. I'll admit the afterlife aspect was a little odd but excellent story telling makes up for it.

[Boris Cesnik · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that was craving for a bit more editing. A recurring character with good old traits on the brink of repetition. The usual welcomed thread of writing skill. A solution/ explanation either too light or too unbelievable. A couple of punchy twists and a light touch Stephen King-esque finale not too gut wrenching nor shocking enough but just positively dire.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been too long since I read me some Gifune. Dude is solid.

“…you’ve opened doors that can never be shut.”