The Lord of Always

by David Brian

When the one you love gets dragged to Hell, will you follow?

For Frank and Roz Tanner, booking a honeymoon at Penhale House, set amid beautiful Cornish landscapes, should have been the perfect getaway. But the house sits on a nexus point; a gateway to demonic realms.

Amid a turbulence of twisting realities, and facing legions of fallen angels and nightmarish servitors, Frank and Roz become separated. Frank turns to a local pensioner for assistance. But the enigmatic George Smoke is a man who offers more questions than answers.

Confronted by dark gods and cosmic abominations, Frank faces a battle for his wife's soul. It seems a fight he is destined to lose... but he must succeed. Saving Roz is the key to everything.

Genres: Horror, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy

390 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2018

About the author

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-...

Once More with Feeling
"There are people in the house. They have the children. What should we do?"

Available October 17th, 2022. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDMCLZVQ

I was born into a world of horror... Well, not quite, but almost! To be more precise, my 'very sudden' arrival into this world came about via a broken cinema seat. It was a seat into which my heavily pregnant mother found herself wedged. Once it had collapsed beneath her bulk, the resulting chaos of attempting to free her - perhaps not surprisingly - induced a rather rapid labor.
Talk about a grand entrance.
I'm guessing it was something of a talking point among those present, and probably for many years after.
Oh, yeah, and the film that was showing? It was The Phantom Of The Opera!


I have had a fascination with all aspects of the horror genre since my childhood, and it is a major driving force in my desire to write entertaining stories.


Carmilla: The Wolves of Styria is my first novel; It's the story of Laura Bennett, who finds everything changes on the day a beautiful and mysterious stranger first enters her life...

A novel length re-imagining of J.S. Le Fanu's original novella, Carmilla: The Wolves of Styria draws on much of the original narrative, but also introduces an array of new Characters to bring a whole new level of horror, and tragedy, to the legend of Carmilla.

The novel is co-authored by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and David Brian.

Collections of my short stories can be found in the fantasy books Dark Albion, Kaleen Rae, and The Cthulhu Child.

Reviews

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lord of Always by David Brian is a novel partly set during differing time periods. As Frank Tanner battles to overcome the fog of his Alzheimer's, he remembers Cornwall, in 1959, and how he and Rosalind traveled there for their honeymoon - which then turned into a living nightmare.

It turns out that Cornwall sits on a nexus point, and is a gateway used by an array of frightening creatures - all of which have a blood-lust for selected humans.

As they attempt to evade the demonic invaders, Frank and Roz become separated. So Frank turns to a local villager for assistance, but George Smoke seems to have plenty of secrets of his own.
And when one of the demonic invaders refers to George as being one of the 'fallen', Frank suspects he may be in way over his head.

This was an interesting read, and it actually started out quite lighthearted. Though it steadily grew darker. It's fair to say that The book probably affected me in ways that it won't most readers, but my mother suffered with Alzheimer's for several years, so parts of the writing really resonated with aspects from my personal life. I suspect that the author has also experienced this illness at close hand, because certain passages made me tear up.

I'd have to say that this book is as much a fantasy novel as it is horror, and I had to google before I realized many of the things referred to are grounded in Gnostic teachings - which makes it even scarier.

As I said, this book actually started out fairly lighthearted, and many of the passages had me smiling. Then the story turned grittier, and it grew even more interesting once the Gnostic stuff came into it. Then things turned...well, scary, crazy and bizarre, but in a mostly good way. Although it is genuinely a horror story, I think The Lord of Always is also, at its source, a story about the journey of life. Because, honestly, I cried at the end of this book. It was - at least for me personally -heartbreaking. It was also oddly inspiring.

I received a copy of The Lord of Always from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, David Brian.

[Netanella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters and great plot drive the action in this dark fantasy horror tale set in the shifting realities of a Cornwall honeymoon vacation gone to hell for young couple Frank and Roz. For body horror enthusiasts, there's enough blood and viscera in several scenes to fill an abattoir twice over. And for those who prefer their horror cosmic deep and mind-fucked, there are Gnostic archons and other deities causing mass chaos for the puny humans who've accidentally slipped into a new dimension.

I enjoyed this story quite thoroughly, and it was a pleasant surprise for me. As a couple, Frank and Roz were extremely likeable, and the secondary story line that frames the main story, of an elderly Frank suffering from dementia and slowly remembering the past, added a poignant touch that balanced out the cosmic terror and the exploding monkeys.

I also found a new drink I want to try: scrumpy, pints of which were consumed in large quantities by the characters in the novel. Between the local brew and the salt/blood/washing up liquid cocktail for demonic defense, David Brian has inspired my creative juices. Kudos to the author for an awesome novel!

[Jonathan Bless · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not even sure what genre this fits into. At it's core it is a love story, but it is coated with lashings of fantasy, cosmic horror, time travel, reincarnation and batshit crazy ancient gods. Wherever it sits, it kept me entertained!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Frank and Roz Tanner head down to Cornwall for their honeymoon, on what is their first holiday together, things get strange from the moment they arrive. Missing train passengers, a station master who tells conflicting stories, and a stranger from the village who looks just like one of their neighbors back home...wait a minute, it is their neighbor from back home!

The oddity continues as the couple discover a beautiful valley, lined with plants and animals which should not exist there. Still, though, neither has any sense of danger. And then they are attacked! Fleeing back to the sanctuary of their hotel, they find that the building has changed. It has morphed into a darkly threatening house of nightmares, occupied by demonic entities.

When Roz and Frank get separated, Frank turns to the villager who looks just like his old neighbor from back home. The old man, whose name is George Smoke, says they must work together to overcome the evil that is occurring. It becomes obvious to Frank that George knows more than he is willing to say, but he must still put his trust in the pensioner if he is to rescue his wife and escape from this nightmare.

This was certainly a page turner, and I honestly don't know where writers get their weird ideas from. There is a lot going on in this story, and although it has its share of gory evisceration, this never feels like gore for gores sake. The overriding story arc has its strength in Roz and Frank's relationship, which is the real cornerstone of this book.

I would describe The Lord of Always as character driven weird fiction/fantasy horror, and I'd recommended it for anyone looking for something a little different.
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, David. I enjoyed your book.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of The Lord of Always in exchange for an honest review. And I'm glad I decided to read this novel by David Brian. It certainly held my interest.

It is the year 1959, and Frank and Roz are a couple looking forward to enjoying their honeymoon break in the south-west county of Cornwall, England. Weird shit starts happening from the moment their train arrives, and what begins as little oddities soon turns into encounters with deadly creatures.

There were so many twists and fluctuations in the pacing and tone of this story that I had no clue what lay ahead, and I suspect this was a deliberate ploy by the author to keep us guessing. I liked the explanation for the demons/angels(?) and for why things were occurring.

There is a side story running through this novel wherein the older (modern day) Frank is suffering with dementia. This was an interesting addition, and I liked how this played into the main story and how it ended.

I would describe The Lord of Always as a good book that would particularly appeal to anyone liking books about reincarnation or 'out there' weird religious/cosmic monsters type fiction.

[Kaddi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tanners are a young couple whose honeymoon turns into the trip from hell. The holiday had already been plagued by a series of odd events. But when they are attacked by strange glowing balls of energy that contain horrifying humanoid figures intent on microwaving their asses, things take a turn for the worse. Things get even stranger, weird tentacle-monsters, and porcine-like humanoids also attack the couple.

During the mayhem they get separated, and Frank seeks help from a stranger in the village - a man he already knows. This sets the scene for a titanic struggle involving all manner of cosmic unpleasantness!

I received an ARC of The Lord of Always in exchange for an unbiased review. I thought this was a nicely paced story of Cosmic Horror(?) in which I liked all the main protagonists, and there was always enough going on to make me keep turning pages. A good book but perhaps best avoided by those with devout conviction in God.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and reviewed a number of books by David Brian so I'm definitely a fan, but I think this is my favourite of his stories.
The Lord of Always is a horror story about a couple named Frank and Roz, and their attempts to avoid being splatted(!) by demonic/angelic entities, and this was a story that held my interest and kept me wanting to know what would come next.
However, there is also a subplot here, focusing on an elderly Frank and his battle with dementia. I was surprised how well the two stories worked side by side, and, in fact, the parts involving elderly Frank were my favourite sections of the book.
Well written, and in places extremely touching, The Lord of Always was an at times bloody, often frightening, but always entertaining, story about the strength of love.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of an ARC copy I received from the author.
I've read and reviewed a lot of books by David Brian, not just limited to ARC copies. I generally enjoy his writing style, and his stories tend to vary greatly in subject matter--although a majority are based around the supernatural.

The Lord of Always follows the exploits of a young couple who are staying in the village of Boscastle, in Cornwall. In the present, Frank Tanner is battling to hold his life together as dementia assaults his mind. A chance discovery leads Frank on a journey of rediscovery as he begins to remember the events of 1959, when he and his wife Rosalind traveled to Cornwall, for their honeymoon.

In 1959, the couple are bothered by unusual incidents from the time their train arrives at Camelford station. Other passengers go missing, an employee at the station gives them a bizarre version of local history, and they see someone in the village who should not/cannot be living in Cornwall.

Later in the day, after settling in at a local hotel, the couple head off to explore the region. Things still seem 'not right' as they discover animals and plants not local to England, and soon after this they are attacked by an array of strange beings.

During the confusion, Frank and Roz get separated. So Frank seeks help from a local man who looks just like George Smoke, an old friend and neighbor from back home in Northampton. But the local isn't just identical to his friend, he claims that he is George Smoke.
Against his better judgement, Frank is forced to place his trust in the old man as they face a battle against cosmic demons/angels, and hellish porcine monsters.

Every now and again this story takes a time jump back to the present day, focusing on Frank's battle with dementia, and I found these portions of the story really touching. Initially I found the time jumps a little jarring as they pulled me away from the action in 1959, and it was only later into the story that I realized why the author ran these events in tandem with the main action. It actually made for a really good finale, with an ending that on its own would have made the novel worth reading.

A good book, although anyone with deeply Christian beliefs might do well to avoid this one.

[Chael Katane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty decent read about an area in England where reality is being ripped apart. Supernatural entities are seeping into this world, and they have their own plans which don't include a healthy future for the people they are hunting.

This was a good story, but it could have been so much better if the action started sooner. The author spent time developing the characters of Frank and Rosalind, yet I already knew they were deeply in love because I learned that in the first few pages. The book could have done without such in depth build up, because once the action started it was great.

I see from another review that some of the topics covered in this story have a basis in Gnostic teachings, so I'm off to read up some more. I'm fascinated to see how much Brian borrowed from these scriptures, because The Lord of Always presented some interesting ideas.

I received an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. In summary: a well written and decently edited story that was a good read, and could have been a great read with a little less characterization.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cards on the table here: I used to work with David Brian. Although that was a long time ago. And I did buy my own copy of The Lord of Always. So I guess that allows me the right to write an unbiased review.

This novel starts off with a fella named Frank Tanner, who we learn is suffering the onset of dementia in his twilight years.
Frank (re)discovers a bizarre object, sealed away in the back of a dresser, and he starts to recall events from years before. In 1959, Frank and his wife, Roz, had traveled down to the West Country, expecting to take in the beautiful countryside and hospitality of the area, as they enjoy their honeymoon.
Having already experienced some odd events, they are then attacked by an array of bizarre creatures, and this results with them becoming separated.
Frank seeks help from George Smoke, a local pensioner who is identical to a man Frank knows from back home.
As the duo battle to save Roz, they must overcome cosmic deities and their monstrous minions. As the older, present day Frank remembers these past events, he realizes they are his trigger to understanding the true nature of reality - and it is a truth which is terrifying.
This was a good book that kept me turning pages, and it threw out some really interesting (and perturbing) theories about the nature of the beings that may be watching over us.

[Amy Cornwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly entertaining story about a likeable young couple whose honeymoon becomes a holiday in hell. The year is 1959 and Frank and Roz Tanner are headed down to Cornwall to celebrate their wedding. But right from the get go it becomes apparent that things are "off!" Train passengers disappear, deserted towns suddenly become filled with life, and monkeys explode. Yep! Monkeys explode!
And all because a dimensional rift has opened in Cornwall, loosing an array of cosmic fiends.

The story is told from two points of view. Those of the young Frank, who is battling to save his abducted wife from the "old gods" and their terrible servitors. And then the elderly Frank, now living in the modern world, and fighting a losing battle against dementia.

There was a lot to like here. The story actually started out fairly light-hearted, then gradually grew darker as the dangers revealed themselves. It was also quite sad in places, especially being privy to the disjointed workings of elderly Frank's mind.

This was a solid and entertaining read. Sort of Lovecraftian, but with a lot more action than the mythos books. And don't forget to look out for exploding monkeys!

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting dark fantasy about a couple named Roz and Frank Tanner, and the horrors that plague their honeymoon trip to the south-west of England. As the young lovers battle for survival against cosmic deities, tentacled slime monsters, dark angels, hoggish pig-monsters, and exploding monkeys, (yep! exploding monkeys!), we also visit a future in which an elderly Frank battles to overcome the curse of age related dementia.
In a story which is at times thought provoking, often thrilling and scary, and with other moments that are surprisingly touching, I found myself rooting for Roz and Frank to succeed.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

ETA: i'd made my mind up to give The Lord of Always 4 stars. But having spent the last couple of days with this story rattling around in my head, i'm bumping with the extra star. It's a good book.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess my big issue with this story was the protagonist (to me) didn't come across as an English Gentleman Who had fought in World War 2.
The Antagonist's motivation was also very lacking I didn't quite understand why they did what they did other than that it was explained that they were flawed.

[Jenna Auburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and reviewed a handful of books from this author, initially because I read some positive reviews for The Boy on the Beach and then realised he was based less than thirty miles from myself. I've enjoyed everything I've previously read, but this was really good.

The book is set over two time periods. The 1950s, when a young couple named Frank and Roz Tanner are on their honeymoon in Cornwall, and in more recent times when the elderly Frank is battling dementia. During his moments of clarity, Frank is able to remember the truth about the trip he and Roz made to Cornwall those years earlier.

The fact that Frank is an unreliable narrator makes the events that occur all the more daunting. And what occurs is a full on Lovecraftian nightmare of invading deities and servitor archons, alongside tendril laden monstrosities and exploding monkeys! Yes. Exploding monkeys!

The story has a real Lovecraftian vibe, but involves way more action than the progenitor ever featured in his tales. I also found some of the dementia focused scenes to be profoundly touching. My grandfather suffers this awful condition, and the scenes featured here were very well written. Don't be mistaken though, there is more than enough spilled blood and cosmic havoc to keep the action rolling.
This is my favourite book by David Brian.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot. I've read a few of David Brian's books, initially because he lives in the same county as me. This seems different from the other works I've read, but in a good way.

Roz and Frank Tanner are a newly married couple heading down to south-west England for a holiday. The trip starts out in a weird way when other passengers vanish from their train carriage. Things only continue to get weirder as the mystery progresses, residents in the village they are visiting who resemble their neighbours at home, strange lights blinking in the sky and glowing orbs that act with sentient violence, humanoid pig-men hunting in packs... did I mention the exploding monkeys!!?

And all of it tied to returning cosmic beings, Old Gods acting with vengeful purpose.

A nice addition to the story is the author's side arc, wherein we see Frank many years later in the throes of burgeoning dementia, struggling to recall and understand the true nature of what happened to him all those years ago: hoping that finding an answer to this question might provide a way to save his mind, and his soul.

At its core this is a love story. Two people struggling to survive amid an onslaught of monsters and twisting realities, and yet always focusing on the way they feel about each other. In parts this is quite light hearted and funny, and in other parts it is violent and downright frightening, but it is consistently a really interesting and entreating read.
I found the parts which focus on old Frank to be particularly moving, and on more than one occasion these brought a tear to my eye. I've never much been in to cosmic horror (if that's what this is?), but I enjoyed this book hugely.