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Southern Gods
Recent World War II veteran Bull Ingram is working as muscle when a Memphis DJ hires him to find Ramblin' John Hastur. The mysterious blues man's dark, driving music—broadcast at ever-shifting frequencies by a phantom radio station—is said to make living men insane and dead men rise. Disturbed and enraged by the bootleg recording the DJ plays for him, Ingram follows Hastur's trail into the strange, uncivilized backwoods of Arkansas, where he hears rumors the musician has sold his soul to the Devil. But as Ingram closes in on Hastur and those who have crossed his path, he'll learn there are forces much more malevolent than the Devil and reckonings more painful than Hell…In a masterful debut of Lovecraftian horror and Southern gothic menace, John Hornor Jacobs reveals the fragility of free will, the dangerous power of sacrifice, and the insidious strength of blood.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2011
130 people are currently reading
4553 people want to read
About the author
John Hornor Jacobs
24 books758 followersJohn Hornor Jacobs, is an award-winning author of genre bending adult and YA fiction and a partner and senior art director at a Little Rock, Arkansas advertising agency, Cranford Co. His first novel, Southern Gods, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Excellence in a First Novel and won the Darrel Award. The Onion AV said of the book, “A sumptuous Southern Gothic thriller steeped in the distinct American mythologies of Cthulhu and the blues . . . Southern Gods beautifully probes the eerie, horror-infested underbelly of the South.”His second novel, This Dark Earth, Brian Keene described as “…quite simply, the best zombie novel I’ve read in years” and was published by Simon & Schuster’s Gallery imprint. Jacobs’s acclaimed series of novels for young adults beginning with The Twelve-Fingered Boy, continuing with The Shibboleth, and ending with The Conformity has been hailed by Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing as “amazing” and “mesmerizing.”Jacobs’s first fantasy novel, The Incorruptibles, was nominated for the Morningstar and Gemmell Awards in the UK. Pat Rothfuss has said of this book, “One part ancient Rome, two parts wild west, one part Faust. A pinch of Tolkien, of Lovecraft, of Dante. This is strange alchemy, a recipe I’ve never seen before. I wish more books were as fresh and brave as this.”His fiction has appeared in Playboy Magazine, Cemetery Dance, Apex Magazine and his essay have been featured on CBS Weekly and Huffington Post.Books:Southern Gods – (Night Shade Books, 2011)
This Dark Earth – (Simon & Schuster, 2012)
The Twelve-Fingered Boy – (Lerner, 2013)
The Shibboleth – (Lerner, 2013)
The Conformity – (Lerner, 2014)
The Incorruptibles – (Hachette/Gollancz, 2014)
Foreign Devils – (Hachette/Gollancz, 2015)
Infernal Machines – (Hachette/Gollancz, 2017)
The Sea Dreams It Is The Sky – (HarperCollins / Harper Voyager, October 2018)
A Lush and Seething Hell – (HarperCollins / Harper Voyager, October 2019)
Murder Ballads and Other Horrific Tales – (JournalStone, 2020)
This Dark Earth – (Simon & Schuster, 2012)
The Twelve-Fingered Boy – (Lerner, 2013)
The Shibboleth – (Lerner, 2013)
The Conformity – (Lerner, 2014)
The Incorruptibles – (Hachette/Gollancz, 2014)
Foreign Devils – (Hachette/Gollancz, 2015)
Infernal Machines – (Hachette/Gollancz, 2017)
The Sea Dreams It Is The Sky – (HarperCollins / Harper Voyager, October 2018)
A Lush and Seething Hell – (HarperCollins / Harper Voyager, October 2019)
Murder Ballads and Other Horrific Tales – (JournalStone, 2020)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 333 reviews
July 23, 2019
I admire the way John Hornor Jacobs' first novel combines different genres--private eye and hillbilly noir, Stephen King horror and H.P. Lovecraft terror, with a bit of "Gone With the Wind" and the Robert Johnson blues myth thrown in for good measure--into a coherent whole. Unlike many first novels--or perhaps I should just say "novels"?--its conclusion not only fulfills its conception, but deepens and enriches the tale.
A few words about about why I like the ending. (Pardon my vagueness, but I don't wish to give anything away.) I'm more of a terror fan than a horror fan, and often find that explicit violence--like explicit sexuality--results in comically detailed descriptions that are more likely to dissipate atmosphere than create it. The conclusion of "Southern Gods," however, is an exception. Although the climax generates the visceral disgust and moral revulsion typical of modern horror, it still preserves at its core the hint of a metaphysical terror, the possibility of something worse than anything we could ever see. The reader becomes virtually convinced that good and beauty have been destroyed, and yet a few pages later the book concludes on a positive note, a triumph of experience over the death of innocence that does not seem false or forced.
My major problem with the book is that Jacobs has not yet developed a distinctive, evocative style. I believe that every tale of fantasy or terror is responsible for creating its own lingering magic, and it does so primarily by an original use of language which suspends our disbelief and unties our moorings, allowing us to float on the sea of the unconscious, where the most memorable adventures are found. "Southern Gods" lacks such a language, and. as a consequence, although I admired the conception and delighted in the conclusion, my experience of Jacobs' world was over the moment I closed the book.
August 1, 2016
Bull Ingram is hired by Helios records head Scott Phelps to find two men: Earl Freeman, a missing employee, and Ramblin' John Hastur, a mysterious bluesman whose music can drive men mad. But what does Bull's job have to do with Sarah Williams, a woman who just fled her husband and fled back to Gethsemane, Arkansas with her daughter?
Sometimes, you read a first novel and pray the writer doesn't try for a second. This is not one of those novels. Southern Gods is a whole other animal. It's actually hard to describe. The closest comparison I could make would be to say it's like H.P. Lovecraft tried writing Gone with the Wind. It's mythos fiction but written in a more literary style with a Southern flair.
Bull Ingram is a brute of a man, a WWII vet who saw more than he wanted to overseas. He's a heavy for a small time mobster when he gets the call from Phelps. Sarah Williams is a woman tired of watching her husband drinking himself to death. I knew from the parallel nature of the story that they would eventually meet but the way they did wasn't something I would have guessed.
The Southern flavor is what makes the novel for me. Scott Phelps and Helios records seems to be a direct analogue of Scott Phillips and Sun Records, right down to the logo and the Memphis headquarters. JHJ makes good use of the 1951 Arkansas setting, from the peafowl to the segregation.
I have to admit, I wasn't completely sold on Southern Gods at first. It seemed to be moving too slowly for the first 40 or 50 pages. Then Ingram started getting closer to Ramblin' John Hastur and things kicked into high gear.
Much like Edward M. Erdelac's Merkabah Rider series, JHJ tries to fit H.P. Lovecraft's mythos into the same cosmology as the Judeo-Christian God, as well as many other pagan gods. I'd say he does a great job.
This is the point of the review where I justify not giving Southern Gods a five. Aside from the slow start I mentioned, it felt like the book had an identity crisis at times. While it was all tied together nicely at the end, I sometimes felt like JHJ wasn't sure what kind of story he wanted to tell. Is it Southern Gothic? Is it Mythos fiction? The end result was an inside the park home run for me but didn't quite manage to clear the fences.
The fact that he is able to tell an effective story about Hastur in 1951 Arkansas leads me to believe that JHJ is the real deal. I'll be ready when his next book hits the stands.
Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
Sometimes, you read a first novel and pray the writer doesn't try for a second. This is not one of those novels. Southern Gods is a whole other animal. It's actually hard to describe. The closest comparison I could make would be to say it's like H.P. Lovecraft tried writing Gone with the Wind. It's mythos fiction but written in a more literary style with a Southern flair.
Bull Ingram is a brute of a man, a WWII vet who saw more than he wanted to overseas. He's a heavy for a small time mobster when he gets the call from Phelps. Sarah Williams is a woman tired of watching her husband drinking himself to death. I knew from the parallel nature of the story that they would eventually meet but the way they did wasn't something I would have guessed.
The Southern flavor is what makes the novel for me. Scott Phelps and Helios records seems to be a direct analogue of Scott Phillips and Sun Records, right down to the logo and the Memphis headquarters. JHJ makes good use of the 1951 Arkansas setting, from the peafowl to the segregation.
I have to admit, I wasn't completely sold on Southern Gods at first. It seemed to be moving too slowly for the first 40 or 50 pages. Then Ingram started getting closer to Ramblin' John Hastur and things kicked into high gear.
Much like Edward M. Erdelac's Merkabah Rider series, JHJ tries to fit H.P. Lovecraft's mythos into the same cosmology as the Judeo-Christian God, as well as many other pagan gods. I'd say he does a great job.
This is the point of the review where I justify not giving Southern Gods a five. Aside from the slow start I mentioned, it felt like the book had an identity crisis at times. While it was all tied together nicely at the end, I sometimes felt like JHJ wasn't sure what kind of story he wanted to tell. Is it Southern Gothic? Is it Mythos fiction? The end result was an inside the park home run for me but didn't quite manage to clear the fences.
The fact that he is able to tell an effective story about Hastur in 1951 Arkansas leads me to believe that JHJ is the real deal. I'll be ready when his next book hits the stands.
Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
September 14, 2011
A wonderful and disturbing blend of genre-warping originality...
Southern Gothic meets Cthulhu Mythos…
Hard-boiled noir meets new weird horror…
Dark and gritty meets gruesome and gore...
Fresh, unique story-telling meets the writing talent to do it right.
This is a debut novel? Shut the front door! No way. You might as well dial in the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel as this is an easy win. Tightly plotted with great characters and a back-story/mythology that will glue you to the page. This is a great find.
PLOT SUMMARY
Bull Ingram is a HUGE man working as a debt collector for a local loan shark in the post World War II South. While being hired by a local record executive to track down a missing employee, Bull hears a recording from a pirate radio station of a legendary blues singer known as Ramblin' John Hastur. Hastur's music is mesmerizing and powerful, but deeply disturbing and is rumored to literally drive people insane.
As Bull listens to the lyrics, “Have you seen the yellow sign? Have you found the yellow sign?,” he feels the music's effects and is seriously shaken by the experience.soothes wakes the savage beast and drives people to commit abominations.
That is just the tip of the iceberg plot-wise but enough to give you a good idea about the story and the more you discover on your own, the better.
THOUGHTS
First: This is NOT for the squeamish. There are some seriously graphic and disturbing acts committed/discussed in the narrative. Several of the more shocking are depictions of rituals and mutilations found in the Necronomicon which plays a part in the story. Below is an example of one of the rituals so you can get an idea of the level of horror...WARNING...it's pretty graphic...:
Second: Be prepared for a major Lovecraftian CTHULHUgasm that could leave you spent and shaking. Southern Gods is one of the more realistic, detailed explorations of the Cthulhu Mythos that I’ve read. While staying faithful to the established mythos, John Horner Jacobs creates an original, well fleshed back story that I just loved. What's more impressive is that I think the back story will appeal to both fans of the Cthulhu mythos as well as those that are either unfamiliar with or (perish the thought) don’t care much for it. The story really stands well on its own.
Third: Great, well drawn characters abound. Bull, the disenfranchised, ex-soldier whose been made cynical by life but is not yet wholly lost to that cynicism. Sarah, a tough survivor of an abusive marriage whose family history may hold the key to Bull’s search. Sarah’s daughter, Franny, whose innocence and kindness help to melt the wall around Bull. Plus Father Andrez, a renegade Catholic priest who is the story’s repository of knowledge relating to the dark arts and lore of the elder gods.
Fourth: John Horner Jacobs has some writing chops and his prose is incredibly polished for this being a debut novel. Particularly effective were his depictions of the “effect” that Rambling John’s music had on his audience. The scene at Ruby’s...pure gold. Plus, as graphic as they are, the descriptions of the rituals and acts from the Necronomicon are very imaginative and certainly memorable. Bottom-line, Jacobs has skills.
Fifth: Unpredictable. Don’t get comfortable because Jacobs doesn't play it safe with his narrative or his characters. The end is fantastic but a serious shocker and things will happen that will make you double-take, WTF and go bug-eyed. You've been warned.
In sum, a brilliant debut and a real gem of a find. If you are a fan of dark, gothic horror and can handle some disturbing images, this is a must read.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!
Southern Gothic meets Cthulhu Mythos…
Hard-boiled noir meets new weird horror…
Dark and gritty meets gruesome and gore...
Fresh, unique story-telling meets the writing talent to do it right.
This is a debut novel? Shut the front door! No way. You might as well dial in the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel as this is an easy win. Tightly plotted with great characters and a back-story/mythology that will glue you to the page. This is a great find.
PLOT SUMMARY
Bull Ingram is a HUGE man working as a debt collector for a local loan shark in the post World War II South. While being hired by a local record executive to track down a missing employee, Bull hears a recording from a pirate radio station of a legendary blues singer known as Ramblin' John Hastur. Hastur's music is mesmerizing and powerful, but deeply disturbing and is rumored to literally drive people insane.
As Bull listens to the lyrics, “Have you seen the yellow sign? Have you found the yellow sign?,” he feels the music's effects and is seriously shaken by the experience.
More than the rhythm, more than the guitar, the man’s voice made Ingram feel like something was wrong, like something was not right with the world and this man’s words were the first outward sign of a deeply buried, world-spanning cancer.The record exec wants Bull to travel to Arkansas and find the missing employee as well as track down Ramblin' John and sign him up. Bull takes the assignment and finds himself thrust into a small town, southern Lovecraftian nightmare complete with "elder gods," religious apocrypha and a mysterious blues man whose music
That is just the tip of the iceberg plot-wise but enough to give you a good idea about the story and the more you discover on your own, the better.
THOUGHTS
First: This is NOT for the squeamish. There are some seriously graphic and disturbing acts committed/discussed in the narrative. Several of the more shocking are depictions of rituals and mutilations found in the Necronomicon which plays a part in the story. Below is an example of one of the rituals so you can get an idea of the level of horror...WARNING...it's pretty graphic...:
He caught his breath.Despite the very graphic nature of the prose, I found none of it gratuitous and the shocks were incorporated to convey the level of horror and depravity that the characters were up against.
An illustration glared back at him. A grotesquely fat man sat naked in the middle of the floor marked with designs, a knife in his hands. Blood pooled around him, from a wound in his crotch. He’d severed his own testicles. In the next panel, the man crouched over a bowl and defecated in it, blood spilling onto the feces from the wound in his groin. In the last panel, the man, with a look that could be pain or joy, sculpted a creature from the shit, pushing his severed testicle inside his creation, into its chest...
Second: Be prepared for a major Lovecraftian CTHULHUgasm that could leave you spent and shaking. Southern Gods is one of the more realistic, detailed explorations of the Cthulhu Mythos that I’ve read. While staying faithful to the established mythos, John Horner Jacobs creates an original, well fleshed back story that I just loved. What's more impressive is that I think the back story will appeal to both fans of the Cthulhu mythos as well as those that are either unfamiliar with or (perish the thought) don’t care much for it. The story really stands well on its own.
Third: Great, well drawn characters abound. Bull, the disenfranchised, ex-soldier whose been made cynical by life but is not yet wholly lost to that cynicism. Sarah, a tough survivor of an abusive marriage whose family history may hold the key to Bull’s search. Sarah’s daughter, Franny, whose innocence and kindness help to melt the wall around Bull. Plus Father Andrez, a renegade Catholic priest who is the story’s repository of knowledge relating to the dark arts and lore of the elder gods.
Fourth: John Horner Jacobs has some writing chops and his prose is incredibly polished for this being a debut novel. Particularly effective were his depictions of the “effect” that Rambling John’s music had on his audience. The scene at Ruby’s...pure gold. Plus, as graphic as they are, the descriptions of the rituals and acts from the Necronomicon are very imaginative and certainly memorable. Bottom-line, Jacobs has skills.
Fifth: Unpredictable. Don’t get comfortable because Jacobs doesn't play it safe with his narrative or his characters. The end is fantastic but a serious shocker and things will happen that will make you double-take, WTF and go bug-eyed. You've been warned.
In sum, a brilliant debut and a real gem of a find. If you are a fan of dark, gothic horror and can handle some disturbing images, this is a must read.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!
November 9, 2015
“Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast.” ~ William Congreve
If music does indeed have the power to soothe, then it seems fair to assume it might be able to anger and incite the listener as well. After all, the less-than-dulcet tones of Slim Whitman have been known to do this:
Now, imagine hearing music that would make you want to murder the person standing next to you . . .
"I haven't heard nothing like that ever in my life, and I don't mean that in a good way. I started getting worked up, like I wanted to kill somebody, like I was going crazy, like the bottom had dropped out of the well. Do you know what I mean?"
Rabbit nodded, face serious. "Like everything you ever known has died. Like it's all over, 'cept for the crying."
It's 1951, and Bull Ingram has been hired to find a missing employee whose job it is to distribute payola to radio stations. Ingram soon discovers that everything is linked to a mysterious musician - Ramblin' John Hastur - and his strange, otherworldly recordings.
Hastur opened his mouth.
And sang.
There were landscapes contained in the noise, landscapes and strange, foreign harmonies that no human ear was meant to hear. It was music, but screaming too, black tri-tones blasting forward.
Then the crowd goes wild . . . and insane. The audience becomes a writhing mass of blood-lust fueled depravity. Why this music is even powerful enough to raise the dead. . .
The interesting and unusual setting combined with the idea of ANCIENT EVIL using popular music to incite lewd and violent behavior (something parents have believed for generations) makes this a pretty darned good horror novel. However, the last 37 pages, , made me snort and say, "Yeah. Right." Keep in mind that I am old and cynical, so maybe it's just me. BUT, then came this terrific epilogue - poignant, melancholy, yet full of hope - and I started wishing for a sequel. Boing! went the star-meter and 4 pointy things it is!
So, if you're looking for an original, spooky read, and can handle violence and mature themes - tune in for a good time.
If music does indeed have the power to soothe, then it seems fair to assume it might be able to anger and incite the listener as well. After all, the less-than-dulcet tones of Slim Whitman have been known to do this:
Now, imagine hearing music that would make you want to murder the person standing next to you . . .
"I haven't heard nothing like that ever in my life, and I don't mean that in a good way. I started getting worked up, like I wanted to kill somebody, like I was going crazy, like the bottom had dropped out of the well. Do you know what I mean?"
Rabbit nodded, face serious. "Like everything you ever known has died. Like it's all over, 'cept for the crying."
It's 1951, and Bull Ingram has been hired to find a missing employee whose job it is to distribute payola to radio stations. Ingram soon discovers that everything is linked to a mysterious musician - Ramblin' John Hastur - and his strange, otherworldly recordings.
Hastur opened his mouth.
And sang.
There were landscapes contained in the noise, landscapes and strange, foreign harmonies that no human ear was meant to hear. It was music, but screaming too, black tri-tones blasting forward.
Then the crowd goes wild . . . and insane. The audience becomes a writhing mass of blood-lust fueled depravity. Why this music is even powerful enough to raise the dead. . .
The interesting and unusual setting combined with the idea of ANCIENT EVIL using popular music to incite lewd and violent behavior (something parents have believed for generations) makes this a pretty darned good horror novel. However, the last 37 pages, , made me snort and say, "Yeah. Right." Keep in mind that I am old and cynical, so maybe it's just me. BUT, then came this terrific epilogue - poignant, melancholy, yet full of hope - and I started wishing for a sequel. Boing! went the star-meter and 4 pointy things it is!
So, if you're looking for an original, spooky read, and can handle violence and mature themes - tune in for a good time.
July 3, 2012
There is a music that once heard has an effect upon the listener and also there are books out there filled with pages that once glanced at have an effect upon the reader. Occult books that document other gods, worlds, and evil forces some may see them as Humbug and false but other know too well of their power over the reader and the deadly consequences of its recitation. Evil calls to itself and many characters in this story are to be caught in its path, an evil plan, a plan that only certain powers could destine for its subjects. One man Ingram, the main protagonist, an ex-marine nicknamed Bull due to his largeness, has been hired to track down some missing people. He finds himself in search of a mysterious musician and a music that stirs very obscure and Ill feelings within, destruction seems to be left in the path of the music. He is by trade a man for hire and has killed many, he will not hesitate to kill his enemy and deliver a blow with a sharp delivery of efficiency. Ingram finds himself caught in a web of a secret world filled with murder and vile acts perpetrated by the most darkest forces possible. This story brings me back to darkness present in stories written by H.P Lovecraft (by way of Robert Chambers) and Hjortsberg's Falling Angel.
Fate delivers him to the doorstep of a woman and her children, they will discover that they need him more than ever as they too find themselves part of a bloody ill fate to come.
The author has successfully written a dark arcane story of blues and murder, he lays out the story well and really immerses you in an original story that deals with secret powers and books, all things dark and evil. He has conjured up characters that you will remember and keeps you wanting more to come in the story. A southern story with all things southern the landscape and the people but with a Lovecraftian twist of gothic horror. I am really looking forward to his next noir story of the arcane. He is a writer to watch out for and has already for his first novel be nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for superior achievement in a a first novel. A winner of the Darrell Award for best novel.
Check out the review and Book trailer of his novel This Dark Earth @ my webpage: http://more2read.com/review/this-dark-earth-by-john-hornor-jacobs/
Read an excerpt from his forthcoming novel This Dark Earth out July 3rd 2012: Excerpt @http://www.johnhornorjacobs.com/this-dark-earth-excerpt/
Fate delivers him to the doorstep of a woman and her children, they will discover that they need him more than ever as they too find themselves part of a bloody ill fate to come.
The author has successfully written a dark arcane story of blues and murder, he lays out the story well and really immerses you in an original story that deals with secret powers and books, all things dark and evil. He has conjured up characters that you will remember and keeps you wanting more to come in the story. A southern story with all things southern the landscape and the people but with a Lovecraftian twist of gothic horror. I am really looking forward to his next noir story of the arcane. He is a writer to watch out for and has already for his first novel be nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for superior achievement in a a first novel. A winner of the Darrell Award for best novel.
"Ingram heard this new dark music and felt moved and upset and aroused all at once. The deep beats and rhythms, the mournful wails from Negro mouths singing such plain rhymes so heartfelt, so stark and true, they struck him powerfully. For a moment he felt like he had never really heard music before, like he had been missing some component of his soul that had not come shipped in the original package."
"The strange, high-pitched sound ripped at his mind again, and his sanity skittered away like butter on a hot pan. He keeled over into the grass and ripped at his eyes, his ears; anything to stop the sound, stop the darkness. Blackness pushed in form all sides, invading his body, and he knew no more."
"Baal, Cybele. Mithras. Hastur. Chernobog. Rakshaa. Ahriman."
Check out the review and Book trailer of his novel This Dark Earth @ my webpage: http://more2read.com/review/this-dark-earth-by-john-hornor-jacobs/
Read an excerpt from his forthcoming novel This Dark Earth out July 3rd 2012: Excerpt @http://www.johnhornorjacobs.com/this-dark-earth-excerpt/
May 20, 2013
One of those impulse buys I picked up based on the cover, and that turns out to be better than expected. Horror is not my favorite genre, I am either turned off by extreme gore or I start giggling if the vampires start to sparkle or the action goes over the top with ridiculous odds. The main appeal for 'southern Gods was initially the music: although I have a really big blues collection on cd's, I have not often found bluesmen as literary protagonists (there's one in The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove). Ramblin' John Hastur is one of those mythical musicians that folks say made a deal with the devil and sold his soul in exchange for the power to create magic with his guitar (Robert Johnson?). This being a horror novel, listening to Hastur's music drive people into a killing rage, and even worse.
I'll stop here and mention that the blues angle turned out to be misleading, a red herring that is useful to push the plot forward in the first half of the novel, and is largely abandoned in the later stages. The real focus is on a hardboiled private investigator from Memphis, Lewis 'Bull' Ingram, sent to find the bluesman and another missing person in Arkansas. A parallel story follows Sarah Williams Reichardt, a young mother retreating to Arkansas with her daughter after one to many punches from her drunken husband. The period is the early 1950's, right after World War II, with Ingram trying to live by his wits and his huge fists. The two stories come together in the opulent plantation mansion of the Reichardt family, the focal point of supernatural manifestations that may be associated with events from a previous generation (already hinted at in the prologue in the prologue).
John Hornor Jacobs is a good storyteller, with a knack for snappy dialogue and gloomy atmosphere, a natural feel for pacing and characterization without getting bogged down in descriptions or overanalysis of motivations and morality. For me, the first half of the novel worked best, with its noir style of the hardboiled gumshoe trying to do his job even when he realizes he is in way over his head. The highpoint of the action is reached at a roadhouse blues concert that would translate very well as a movie, something like From Dusk Till Dawn or Planet Terror . The story in fact doesn't stop here, but the Reichardt mansion chapters, while keeping true to the positives aspects I've mentioned, show some hesitations and miscalculations, as in trying to explain too much about the gods and the mythology, forcing a largely unnecessary sex encounter and rushing the most important scene at the end.
A solid three star, that gets an extra for being a debut novel and an easy read.
October 9, 2011
As a first book, Southern Gods is an outstanding achievement. When I first read the outline for the story, involving music, noir, the deep south, and Lovecraftian horror, I had my doubts. I feared name dropping on the music end, and been-there, done-that, on the Horror end. Not so, at least not until the end. When it comes to Horror, Jacobs isn't doing anything new. Where he succeeds is with his craftsmanship. He spends a great deal of time developing character and establishing atmosphere, time, and place. This is foundational stuff for good Horror, and is rightly pointed out as being the reason for Stephen King's ongoing popularity.
The fast coming music scene in the South (1951) is the launch pad for Jacobs' story, and it's introduction of Horror (here, it's truly Devil's music) is seamless. The main character, former Marine, and current muscle, is Bull Ingram (better pay your debts). He kind of reminds me a bit, at least physically, of a nicer version of Robert Mitchum's bad ass from Cape Fear. (Jacobs does a great job with his post war noir here, showing the sense of dislocation and overall meaninglessness of life for returning veterans.) Bull is sent on a seek-and-find mission by a slick, tough talking music producer (very well done). One of this producers payola guys has gone missing in Arkansas (bad shit happens in Arkansas). At the heart of this is the mysterious blues man, John Hastur, who is heard from time to time on an unpredictable pirate radio show. His music truly drives you mad. The search through freak-zone Arkansas is the best part of the book. Living dead, bad bars, black figures in the woods (very Hawthorne with that, and very effective). Note; My wife and I spent some time at school in Arkansas, and we really liked it. Wonderful people, some good friends.
Paralleling Bull's search is the story of Sarah Williams, recently separated from her abusive husband. She returns home with her daughter to the Big House, which seemed a bit Gone With the Wind hokey to me, but it turns out to be a good setting for future horrors (evil books -- I love evil books). Nevertheless, Sarah's part of the story is somewhat less interesting, but eventually the two threads (Bull and Sarah's) intertwine (literally). It's at that point, about two thirds of the way through the novel, that the spell was broken. Events speeded up, chapters grew shorter, characters flattened out. Not closing the deal story-wise had me thinking about rating Southern Gods 3 stars, but the writing for most of this book is terrific, and Jacobs shows such promise, that 4 stars (for a first novel) seems appropriate. As a reviewer, I want you to read the book. I definitely want to read more from Jacobs. He has a bright future in Dark fiction.
The fast coming music scene in the South (1951) is the launch pad for Jacobs' story, and it's introduction of Horror (here, it's truly Devil's music) is seamless. The main character, former Marine, and current muscle, is Bull Ingram (better pay your debts). He kind of reminds me a bit, at least physically, of a nicer version of Robert Mitchum's bad ass from Cape Fear. (Jacobs does a great job with his post war noir here, showing the sense of dislocation and overall meaninglessness of life for returning veterans.) Bull is sent on a seek-and-find mission by a slick, tough talking music producer (very well done). One of this producers payola guys has gone missing in Arkansas (bad shit happens in Arkansas). At the heart of this is the mysterious blues man, John Hastur, who is heard from time to time on an unpredictable pirate radio show. His music truly drives you mad. The search through freak-zone Arkansas is the best part of the book. Living dead, bad bars, black figures in the woods (very Hawthorne with that, and very effective). Note; My wife and I spent some time at school in Arkansas, and we really liked it. Wonderful people, some good friends.
Paralleling Bull's search is the story of Sarah Williams, recently separated from her abusive husband. She returns home with her daughter to the Big House, which seemed a bit Gone With the Wind hokey to me, but it turns out to be a good setting for future horrors (evil books -- I love evil books). Nevertheless, Sarah's part of the story is somewhat less interesting, but eventually the two threads (Bull and Sarah's) intertwine (literally). It's at that point, about two thirds of the way through the novel, that the spell was broken. Events speeded up, chapters grew shorter, characters flattened out. Not closing the deal story-wise had me thinking about rating Southern Gods 3 stars, but the writing for most of this book is terrific, and Jacobs shows such promise, that 4 stars (for a first novel) seems appropriate. As a reviewer, I want you to read the book. I definitely want to read more from Jacobs. He has a bright future in Dark fiction.
May 14, 2012
Flannery O'Connor marries H. P. Lovecraft.
Now that's a wedding I would love to attend. OK, so I might be stretching the point here but John Hornor Jacobs has managed to write an intriguing marriage of Southern Gothic and Lovecraftian horror. The plot of Southern Gods evolves around an ex-veteran knuckle breaker in the early 50s who is paid to find a record company promo man and a mysterious blues singer called Rambling John Hastur. The bluesman's music is rumored to send people into uncontrolled behavior pertaining to violence and sex. In a sub-plot that melds quickly with the main idea, a southern lady has returned to her ancestral home and is translating some of her uncle's private Latin based books with potentially devastating results. The novel blends two things that I love, The Cthulhu Mythos and the blues, into a coherent package. The Southern Gothic influence also assures more characterization than you usually get in Lovecraftian pastiches. This is an astounding good debut novel which should appeal to general horror fans as well as the more specialized Lovecraft fanatics. Four and a half stars.
Now that's a wedding I would love to attend. OK, so I might be stretching the point here but John Hornor Jacobs has managed to write an intriguing marriage of Southern Gothic and Lovecraftian horror. The plot of Southern Gods evolves around an ex-veteran knuckle breaker in the early 50s who is paid to find a record company promo man and a mysterious blues singer called Rambling John Hastur. The bluesman's music is rumored to send people into uncontrolled behavior pertaining to violence and sex. In a sub-plot that melds quickly with the main idea, a southern lady has returned to her ancestral home and is translating some of her uncle's private Latin based books with potentially devastating results. The novel blends two things that I love, The Cthulhu Mythos and the blues, into a coherent package. The Southern Gothic influence also assures more characterization than you usually get in Lovecraftian pastiches. This is an astounding good debut novel which should appeal to general horror fans as well as the more specialized Lovecraft fanatics. Four and a half stars.
November 15, 2015
1951: Former Marine Lewis ‘Bull’ Ingram is hired by a Memphis music mogul to find one of his payola peddlers who has gone missing in back-country Arkansas and also to track down a bluesman whose music gives the title ‘I put a spell on you’ new meaning. John Horner Jacobs' debut novel may be the best horror story I've read in the last couple years. Some of the key scenes could have been done better but others are very well done. Overall, it is a very creative story, rich in atmosphere and with a plot that blends horror and noir and doesn’t fall apart at the end as many horror novels do. Be sure to wear your hip-waders though. It gets bloody.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
September 5, 2011
If you like the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft or any of the authors influenced by him (which is pretty much anyone who has written a horror novel in the last century) then you should definitely read this. It's a horror story set in the 1950s South, mixing Elder Gods with the blues, full of gibbering, ichor-spewing corpses, mad cultists, twisting, writhing, tentacled abominations, and a final confrontation on a riverboat (of course). John Hornor Jacobs renders a loving, gory tribute to Lovecraft, moving a typical Cthulhu mythos tale from the chilly coast of New England to the backwoods of Arkansas.
The story starts with Bull Ingram, a WWII vet who now works as hired muscle, being sent to Arkansas to find a man named Early Freeman and a pirate radio station that broadcasts songs that drive men insane. Bull, who as his nickname implies, is very, very big (a fact that gets emphasized in just about every single chapter, including the chapter with the sex scene in which yes, we learn that Bull is very, very big ifyouknowwhatImean) soon finds that he has bitten off more than even he can chew when he is attacked by a dead man and nearly driven insane by an encounter with a dark god. Of course he doesn't know it's a god, but with what's left of his sanity, he makes his way to a riverside honky tonk and witnesses a bloodbath of an orgy from which he barely escapes alive. Washing up on the shore of an estate downriver, he meets Sarah Williams, a one-time college girl now raising her daughter alone on her family's ancestral estate. This estate happens to be a place where 75 years ago, one of Sarah's ancestors got up from his deathbed and hacked his mother and his brother to death before walking into the woods and disappearing, never to be seen again.
Throw in a Catholic priest, a copy of the Necronomicon, a spiteful bitch of a mother who you already know is going to turn out to be a minion of the forces of evil even before you meet her, and an innocent little girl with "Sacrificial Victim" practically written on her forehead, and you've got everything you need for a horror thriller. The author ups the stakes by making it not just about saving Sarah's daughter, but also saving the world. (If you involve Elder Gods, of course you have to save the world.)
Southern Gods is John Hornor Jacobs's debut novel, and it's a darn sight better than most debut novels. The writing, the plot, and the characters are all solid, and since it hit every high point in a good adventure-horror novel, I give it 4.5 stars; half a star deducted because some of the characters were not quite as fully fleshed out as I would have liked, and the ending was a bit pat and predictable. Nonetheless, full marks for a fantastic adventure that isn't shy about spilling blood and guts. You'll probably guess who will survive and who won't long before the final scene, but you'll want to keep reading anyway, and the climax is intense and not just a little horrifying.
The story starts with Bull Ingram, a WWII vet who now works as hired muscle, being sent to Arkansas to find a man named Early Freeman and a pirate radio station that broadcasts songs that drive men insane. Bull, who as his nickname implies, is very, very big (a fact that gets emphasized in just about every single chapter, including the chapter with the sex scene in which yes, we learn that Bull is very, very big ifyouknowwhatImean) soon finds that he has bitten off more than even he can chew when he is attacked by a dead man and nearly driven insane by an encounter with a dark god. Of course he doesn't know it's a god, but with what's left of his sanity, he makes his way to a riverside honky tonk and witnesses a bloodbath of an orgy from which he barely escapes alive. Washing up on the shore of an estate downriver, he meets Sarah Williams, a one-time college girl now raising her daughter alone on her family's ancestral estate. This estate happens to be a place where 75 years ago, one of Sarah's ancestors got up from his deathbed and hacked his mother and his brother to death before walking into the woods and disappearing, never to be seen again.
Throw in a Catholic priest, a copy of the Necronomicon, a spiteful bitch of a mother who you already know is going to turn out to be a minion of the forces of evil even before you meet her, and an innocent little girl with "Sacrificial Victim" practically written on her forehead, and you've got everything you need for a horror thriller. The author ups the stakes by making it not just about saving Sarah's daughter, but also saving the world. (If you involve Elder Gods, of course you have to save the world.)
Southern Gods is John Hornor Jacobs's debut novel, and it's a darn sight better than most debut novels. The writing, the plot, and the characters are all solid, and since it hit every high point in a good adventure-horror novel, I give it 4.5 stars; half a star deducted because some of the characters were not quite as fully fleshed out as I would have liked, and the ending was a bit pat and predictable. Nonetheless, full marks for a fantastic adventure that isn't shy about spilling blood and guts. You'll probably guess who will survive and who won't long before the final scene, but you'll want to keep reading anyway, and the climax is intense and not just a little horrifying.
January 2, 2015
Southern Gods is the debut horror novel by John Hornor Jacobs. It’s also a well crafted piece of historical fiction set in the 1950s, and it was recently in the running for the 2011 Stoker award for best first horror novel. Part Lovecraft, part noir, the story centers on Bull Ingram, a WWII veteran haunted by the war who finds work as a private investigator and muscle man for hire.
The writing is sharp, the historical era, southern gothic setting, and characters all gracefully drawn with detail and atmosphere that never feels overburdened with description, even though one of the things I enjoyed about Jacobs’ prose is the touch of poetry that suffuses the narrative.
The tale moves along at a brisk pace with a gripping opening section, and it didn’t take long for me to care about the characters. As Bull pursues Ramblin’ John Hastur, a mysterious Blues Man, into the delta swamps we are with him on the trail of a singer whose music has the power to drive people insane with murderous rage. It’s a wonderfully harrowing premise that leads to some great scenes of confrontation with zombies who have been victims of the hellish music, and Hornor (also a guitarist) writes about music with authenticity and passion.
As the plot develops, an Elder Gods mythos comes into play. For me this cranked up the cool factor at first, but when these elements are explored in a couple of dialogue scenes with a priest, the story lapses into a bit of info dump. Nothing wrong with a nod to Lovecraft in my opinion, but I ultimately felt that the story could have been told without borrowing anything. At times the Lovecraft references feel like little more than atmospheric name dropping mingled with historical mythology. That said, I do love the way Jacobs handles the Necronomicon, and how Bull Ingram is tied to the bull god Mithras in some wonderfully magical scenes.
Jacobs is especially gifted with dialogue. The voices, wit and grit of his characters often carry the story, and you never have to go for long without good line.
It’s a little daunting that this is a first novel when you consider how good the writing is. It’s clear that the author has read a lot of great southern authors, and is to some extent paying tribute to them here as well as to Lovecraft. I suspect that as Jacobs develops his style in future books, he will only improve with greater use of subtlety.
But this is a horror novel and there are places where it should be anything but subtle. Southern Gods delivers some real shocks, especially in the climax.
I will avoid spoilers here, but I have to say that long after finishing the book, I still don’t know how I feel about the ending. In fact, I’ve put off writing this review hoping that my feelings about it would cohere, but I still have strong mixed reactions. Maybe that’s a good thing. On the one hand it feels like the author wants to have his cake and eat it too, but on the other, he does stay true to the rules established at the outset. There’s some truly horrific stuff at the climax, enough to make me a little uncomfortable, but it is a horror novel, and Southern Gods, like its protagonist, pulls no punches.
The writing is sharp, the historical era, southern gothic setting, and characters all gracefully drawn with detail and atmosphere that never feels overburdened with description, even though one of the things I enjoyed about Jacobs’ prose is the touch of poetry that suffuses the narrative.
The tale moves along at a brisk pace with a gripping opening section, and it didn’t take long for me to care about the characters. As Bull pursues Ramblin’ John Hastur, a mysterious Blues Man, into the delta swamps we are with him on the trail of a singer whose music has the power to drive people insane with murderous rage. It’s a wonderfully harrowing premise that leads to some great scenes of confrontation with zombies who have been victims of the hellish music, and Hornor (also a guitarist) writes about music with authenticity and passion.
As the plot develops, an Elder Gods mythos comes into play. For me this cranked up the cool factor at first, but when these elements are explored in a couple of dialogue scenes with a priest, the story lapses into a bit of info dump. Nothing wrong with a nod to Lovecraft in my opinion, but I ultimately felt that the story could have been told without borrowing anything. At times the Lovecraft references feel like little more than atmospheric name dropping mingled with historical mythology. That said, I do love the way Jacobs handles the Necronomicon, and how Bull Ingram is tied to the bull god Mithras in some wonderfully magical scenes.
Jacobs is especially gifted with dialogue. The voices, wit and grit of his characters often carry the story, and you never have to go for long without good line.
It’s a little daunting that this is a first novel when you consider how good the writing is. It’s clear that the author has read a lot of great southern authors, and is to some extent paying tribute to them here as well as to Lovecraft. I suspect that as Jacobs develops his style in future books, he will only improve with greater use of subtlety.
But this is a horror novel and there are places where it should be anything but subtle. Southern Gods delivers some real shocks, especially in the climax.
I will avoid spoilers here, but I have to say that long after finishing the book, I still don’t know how I feel about the ending. In fact, I’ve put off writing this review hoping that my feelings about it would cohere, but I still have strong mixed reactions. Maybe that’s a good thing. On the one hand it feels like the author wants to have his cake and eat it too, but on the other, he does stay true to the rules established at the outset. There’s some truly horrific stuff at the climax, enough to make me a little uncomfortable, but it is a horror novel, and Southern Gods, like its protagonist, pulls no punches.
September 3, 2012
Whenever you read a book that’s received nearly universal praise, it’s always hard not to assume the hype will outpace reality. Not so with Southern Gods. In this homage to Lovecraftian fiction, John Jacob Horner has smashed a homerun and served notice to all who are paying attention that his is a talent to be reckoned with.
Bull Ingram is the kind of guy you seek out when you have a job that needs doing, no matter what it takes to get it done. Hired by a Memphis DJ to hunt down a missing employee, Ingram finds in the backwoods of Arkansas an ancient evil. And Ramblin’ John Hastur goes before him.
Southern Gods is a masterful combination of southern gothic and Lovecraftian fiction. Horner’s descriptions are captivating, and as a native southerner myself, I felt as though every page was covered in kudzu and dripping with Arkansas humidity. The horror is fresh and real, with some of the most vivid and disturbing scenes I can remember. This is an adult book folks, and it is not for the faint of heart.
Is there room for improvement? Probably. The first half of the book is superior to the last half, and the scene at Ruby’s is by far the highlight of the novel. But these are nitpicks at worst. Worthy of the hype, I would recommend Southern Gods without hesitation. But beware, once you hear the song of Ramblin’ John, you will find it hard indeed to escape its power.
Bull Ingram is the kind of guy you seek out when you have a job that needs doing, no matter what it takes to get it done. Hired by a Memphis DJ to hunt down a missing employee, Ingram finds in the backwoods of Arkansas an ancient evil. And Ramblin’ John Hastur goes before him.
Southern Gods is a masterful combination of southern gothic and Lovecraftian fiction. Horner’s descriptions are captivating, and as a native southerner myself, I felt as though every page was covered in kudzu and dripping with Arkansas humidity. The horror is fresh and real, with some of the most vivid and disturbing scenes I can remember. This is an adult book folks, and it is not for the faint of heart.
Is there room for improvement? Probably. The first half of the book is superior to the last half, and the scene at Ruby’s is by far the highlight of the novel. But these are nitpicks at worst. Worthy of the hype, I would recommend Southern Gods without hesitation. But beware, once you hear the song of Ramblin’ John, you will find it hard indeed to escape its power.
February 19, 2020
Worth a read simply for the passages of terror that play out like wildfire. Unfortunately, there are too many sequences that are inert and block-y that prevent Gods from reaching over the line to greatness. Decent characterization with a main character than gets shelved to the background much to the novel's detriment. I liked it, but it could/should have been so much more.
Go South, but you'll wish it was hotter
Or
Don't miss the Southern entrance, even though--- Never mind.
Go South, but you'll wish it was hotter
Or
Don't miss the Southern entrance, even though--- Never mind.
August 29, 2011
This is more than a 3 star read, but not quite enough to round up to 4 stars. The potential for a fabulous story carried me through until a sudden shift in point of view. The main character, Bull, seemed to take a back seat to Sarah and the action became hers, with Bull fading into the background like a supporting actor. I lost a bit of interest at that point. Bull's character and background were more interesting, and though I was sympathetic to Sarah, she would have been better as a support to Bull. In fact, the dynamic between Bull and Ramblin' John Hastur was excellent. With Sarah, the tension was lost since she never actually met Hastur. The story abruptly changed focus to her family and background.
As for zombies, and gore - the horror elements were all there. For some reason I was less drawn into those scenes than I have been with other horror stories, such as HORNS by Joe Hill. I'm not certain why - just saying. On the positive side, SOUTHERN GODS plot and characters, especially Hastur and Bull, were very well drawn. This was quite a decent book, and one I'll remember for several elements, such as oily mouth'ed zombies.
As for zombies, and gore - the horror elements were all there. For some reason I was less drawn into those scenes than I have been with other horror stories, such as HORNS by Joe Hill. I'm not certain why - just saying. On the positive side, SOUTHERN GODS plot and characters, especially Hastur and Bull, were very well drawn. This was quite a decent book, and one I'll remember for several elements, such as oily mouth'ed zombies.
November 15, 2014
***3.5***
A missing person assignment turns out to be something that Bull Ingram would have never imagined. This war veteran is hired to find a missing employee of a Memphis DJ and to discover the origin of disturbing music that seems to be broadcast from a secret radio station. Soon, Bull finds out that the music is more than he expected.
Bull is not the only one connected to all this. From the Prologue we are introduced to Rheinhart family and the horrible events that started all this evil in 1878. In 1950, Sarah left her abusive husband to care for her sick mother. Everything that happens to either Sarah or Bull takes them a step closer to each other and the evil.
The story starts slow, but then picks up, but the events in the end are too gruesome. There are no words that could describe properly just how disturbing this part of the book is. It wasn't necessary. Even the 'happy' part of the ending is not enough to fix what the gruesomeness ruined.
I cannot rate this low, because it is a good horror story. I cannot rate it higher either, because the ending was over the top. It would be much scarier if it didn't cross that line.
A missing person assignment turns out to be something that Bull Ingram would have never imagined. This war veteran is hired to find a missing employee of a Memphis DJ and to discover the origin of disturbing music that seems to be broadcast from a secret radio station. Soon, Bull finds out that the music is more than he expected.
Bull is not the only one connected to all this. From the Prologue we are introduced to Rheinhart family and the horrible events that started all this evil in 1878. In 1950, Sarah left her abusive husband to care for her sick mother. Everything that happens to either Sarah or Bull takes them a step closer to each other and the evil.
The story starts slow, but then picks up, but the events in the end are too gruesome. There are no words that could describe properly just how disturbing this part of the book is. It wasn't necessary. Even the 'happy' part of the ending is not enough to fix what the gruesomeness ruined.
I cannot rate this low, because it is a good horror story. I cannot rate it higher either, because the ending was over the top. It would be much scarier if it didn't cross that line.
March 27, 2018
For me it was an Amazing book.
It`s not the first book I read from J Hornor Jacobs, the other had good ideeas, but hadn`t made such an impression on me.
This one was more horror, more Lovecraft inspired and I guessed that`s one of the reason that I enjoyed so much.
It has very good and likeable characters, very good descriptions and a tense and black atmosphere, an interesting ideea to play with, in short, a lot of goody things to read and enjoyed about.
I hoped that all will end well, and I was kinda shocked of some of the going of some of the main events, but the ending has repaired this impression.
I know, this is a horror book and truly it has some gruesome scenes but you quite don`t expect the writer to go there. Even if you suspect that some characters will make their move, still it was quite unsettling.
This was a book to remember!...
It`s not the first book I read from J Hornor Jacobs, the other had good ideeas, but hadn`t made such an impression on me.
This one was more horror, more Lovecraft inspired and I guessed that`s one of the reason that I enjoyed so much.
It has very good and likeable characters, very good descriptions and a tense and black atmosphere, an interesting ideea to play with, in short, a lot of goody things to read and enjoyed about.
I hoped that all will end well, and I was kinda shocked of some of the going of some of the main events, but the ending has repaired this impression.
I know, this is a horror book and truly it has some gruesome scenes but you quite don`t expect the writer to go there. Even if you suspect that some characters will make their move, still it was quite unsettling.
This was a book to remember!...
Read
November 12, 2015Have you ever been so engrossed in a story only to be disappointed as it tanks at the end? That's what happens here in Southern Gods. Here's the thing -- it's one thing to create a world where such things are possible, but it's another thing all together to at least try to make your story somewhat believable in the context of that world. This is a case where the book starts out well, I'm having fun with it, and then all of a sudden, to quote Chinua Achebe, "things fall apart."
for plot, etc. click here; or be surprised and continue reading.
There are two main threads in this story and up to chapter 20 I was actually quite engrossed in this for me brain-candy read. It appealed to the mystery/pulp reader in me and I was having a fine time with it. And then I reached chapter 20, where
the two main threads come together and all hell literally breaks loose in both strands. Sadly, it's at this juncture where things start to also royally tank. At this point it was like the author said "what the hell do I now, once I have my two main characters come together?" The result isn't pretty -- there is the stupidest sex scene, a truly bad deus ex machina episode complete with divine intervention (super ouch), crappy dialogue and super huge plot holes that just made me crazy. Oy! It was like another author took over and had no clue what to do to bring this book to a decent close. And as I noted up front, even in the context of the world Jacobs has created here where such things can happen, the ending was just badly done -- to the point where I wanted to toss the book across the room. For me, even in a book like this that I consider major brain candy, there's really no excuse for that sort of thing -- and it was incredibly frustrating. Jacobs could have done so much more with this story; as it is, it was disappointing to say the least.
a huge aarrghhh from me....
for plot, etc. click here; or be surprised and continue reading.
There are two main threads in this story and up to chapter 20 I was actually quite engrossed in this for me brain-candy read. It appealed to the mystery/pulp reader in me and I was having a fine time with it. And then I reached chapter 20, where
the two main threads come together and all hell literally breaks loose in both strands. Sadly, it's at this juncture where things start to also royally tank. At this point it was like the author said "what the hell do I now, once I have my two main characters come together?" The result isn't pretty -- there is the stupidest sex scene, a truly bad deus ex machina episode complete with divine intervention (super ouch), crappy dialogue and super huge plot holes that just made me crazy. Oy! It was like another author took over and had no clue what to do to bring this book to a decent close. And as I noted up front, even in the context of the world Jacobs has created here where such things can happen, the ending was just badly done -- to the point where I wanted to toss the book across the room. For me, even in a book like this that I consider major brain candy, there's really no excuse for that sort of thing -- and it was incredibly frustrating. Jacobs could have done so much more with this story; as it is, it was disappointing to say the least.
a huge aarrghhh from me....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2011
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/09/...
It’s getting closer and closer to my favorite time of the year. October is just around the corner (which of course means Halloween),and the weather is finally cooling down. For me,this means sprinkling in some horror with my urban fantasy. There’s been a bit of an influx of Southern Noir in both film and books lately,and the atmosphere that books set in the deep south creates is always a draw for me. Southern Gods has been on my radar for a while for a few reasons:a.) It’s a Night Shade Books publication b.) Did you get a load of the awesomeness of that cover?,and c.)It just plain sounded good. The cover establishes the mood and the feel of the novel perfectly,which is always a plus for me. Crack this sucker open,and you’re in for a wild ride. Bull Ingram (he’s a ginormous brute of a man,the name says it all),WWII vet and strong-arm for hire,is hired by a radio station owner to find a salesman that seems to have gone missing while on the road,promoting new artists. The salesman is not the type to jump off the radar,and his family and the station owner is genuinely worried. Keep in mind,this is 1951 Arkansas,so Bull has a lot of legwork ahead of him. He’s also asked to find out anything he can about a bluesman called Ramblin’ John. Little does he know (but will soon find out),Ramblin’ John is anything but human,and bad news all the way around. Just how bad,Bull will soon find out. Meanwhile,Sarah Reinhardt is fleeing her abusive husband with her young daughter,to return to her family home. So,what do this young mother and Bull Ingram have to do with each other? Quite a lot,actually,and their paths will eventually converge in order to fight an ancient evil that threatens to end humanity as we know it.
Southern Gods starts off with a bang,and it rarely lets up. Take the hot,steamy landscape of 1951 Arkansas,throw in the walking dead,blues that have the power to take over your soul (and not in a good way),and the mythos of the Old Gods,and you have a potent cocktail that goes down smooth,then hits you like a freight train. Bull is a man that’s rough around the edges,a bit tortured,and the author certainly puts this poor man through his paces. Sarah is looking for something (or someone) to believe in,and also an escape from her misery. She finds this to a certain extent in her oldest friend,Alice,who still runs her family home,however,the presence of her ailing and controlling mother puts a bit of a damper on things,to say the least. Southern Gods isn’t for the faint of heart,folks. There is some toe-curling violence here (nothing gratuitous,however,yet some of it is disturbing),but there are also a few scenes that are genuinely creepy,like,little-,hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck-standing-up creepy,and the author knows just how,and when,to temper the out-and-out scary with the moments of creeping terror. There is also another huge component to this story: hope. It shines in Sarah and Bull, especially in Sarah's love for her daughter, and their humanity and strength elevates this novel far above the usual horror fare. If you love southern goth,intelligent horror,Cthulhu,and just plain outstanding writing (don’t forget having your pants scared off),you’ll love Southern Gods!
It’s getting closer and closer to my favorite time of the year. October is just around the corner (which of course means Halloween),and the weather is finally cooling down. For me,this means sprinkling in some horror with my urban fantasy. There’s been a bit of an influx of Southern Noir in both film and books lately,and the atmosphere that books set in the deep south creates is always a draw for me. Southern Gods has been on my radar for a while for a few reasons:a.) It’s a Night Shade Books publication b.) Did you get a load of the awesomeness of that cover?,and c.)It just plain sounded good. The cover establishes the mood and the feel of the novel perfectly,which is always a plus for me. Crack this sucker open,and you’re in for a wild ride. Bull Ingram (he’s a ginormous brute of a man,the name says it all),WWII vet and strong-arm for hire,is hired by a radio station owner to find a salesman that seems to have gone missing while on the road,promoting new artists. The salesman is not the type to jump off the radar,and his family and the station owner is genuinely worried. Keep in mind,this is 1951 Arkansas,so Bull has a lot of legwork ahead of him. He’s also asked to find out anything he can about a bluesman called Ramblin’ John. Little does he know (but will soon find out),Ramblin’ John is anything but human,and bad news all the way around. Just how bad,Bull will soon find out. Meanwhile,Sarah Reinhardt is fleeing her abusive husband with her young daughter,to return to her family home. So,what do this young mother and Bull Ingram have to do with each other? Quite a lot,actually,and their paths will eventually converge in order to fight an ancient evil that threatens to end humanity as we know it.
Southern Gods starts off with a bang,and it rarely lets up. Take the hot,steamy landscape of 1951 Arkansas,throw in the walking dead,blues that have the power to take over your soul (and not in a good way),and the mythos of the Old Gods,and you have a potent cocktail that goes down smooth,then hits you like a freight train. Bull is a man that’s rough around the edges,a bit tortured,and the author certainly puts this poor man through his paces. Sarah is looking for something (or someone) to believe in,and also an escape from her misery. She finds this to a certain extent in her oldest friend,Alice,who still runs her family home,however,the presence of her ailing and controlling mother puts a bit of a damper on things,to say the least. Southern Gods isn’t for the faint of heart,folks. There is some toe-curling violence here (nothing gratuitous,however,yet some of it is disturbing),but there are also a few scenes that are genuinely creepy,like,little-,hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck-standing-up creepy,and the author knows just how,and when,to temper the out-and-out scary with the moments of creeping terror. There is also another huge component to this story: hope. It shines in Sarah and Bull, especially in Sarah's love for her daughter, and their humanity and strength elevates this novel far above the usual horror fare. If you love southern goth,intelligent horror,Cthulhu,and just plain outstanding writing (don’t forget having your pants scared off),you’ll love Southern Gods!
February 23, 2012
Southern Gods is the debut novel of John Hornor Jacobs.
I wasn't sure at first how much I was going to like Southern Gods. It started out with a great, atmospheric prologue which should have been a good thing, but prologues always send off warning signals to me that the book is going to need a lot of help hooking me. Then, as I expected, it had a slow start. I didn't have a lot of confidence that the book was going to be extraordinary, but I was wrong. Really wrong.
I loved Southern Gods.
In the end, the build up became one of my favorite things about Southern Gods. It was like a huge crescendo. It started out small and just got bigger and better until it was downright awesome. I even grew to love the prologue which is rare for me.
There are two separate story lines going on in the first half of Southern Gods. In one, Bull Ingram is hired to find a missing person, and he gets tangled up in an investigation of a really creepy blues man and a radio station that changes frequencies and plays the devil's music. In the other, Sarah and her daughter have returned to her family's home where Sarah discovers there are evils she never knew existed. Once these two story lines converge, Southern Gods moves from creepy to scary to terrifying. I'm glad I wasn't reading it in public because you could visibly see the horror on my face.
If you love a well developed horror story, you will love Southern Gods. It was so unique and so surprising. I am now a big fan of John Hornor Jacobs. I cannot wait to get my hands on his next book.
I wasn't sure at first how much I was going to like Southern Gods. It started out with a great, atmospheric prologue which should have been a good thing, but prologues always send off warning signals to me that the book is going to need a lot of help hooking me. Then, as I expected, it had a slow start. I didn't have a lot of confidence that the book was going to be extraordinary, but I was wrong. Really wrong.
I loved Southern Gods.
In the end, the build up became one of my favorite things about Southern Gods. It was like a huge crescendo. It started out small and just got bigger and better until it was downright awesome. I even grew to love the prologue which is rare for me.
There are two separate story lines going on in the first half of Southern Gods. In one, Bull Ingram is hired to find a missing person, and he gets tangled up in an investigation of a really creepy blues man and a radio station that changes frequencies and plays the devil's music. In the other, Sarah and her daughter have returned to her family's home where Sarah discovers there are evils she never knew existed. Once these two story lines converge, Southern Gods moves from creepy to scary to terrifying. I'm glad I wasn't reading it in public because you could visibly see the horror on my face.
If you love a well developed horror story, you will love Southern Gods. It was so unique and so surprising. I am now a big fan of John Hornor Jacobs. I cannot wait to get my hands on his next book.
March 24, 2013
I saw this book a few times across a couple bookstores. The plot sounded intriguing, and I'm trying to give small-press books more space on my shelf. So I picked it up.
It took me about 10 pages to realize I probably wasn't going to like it. And about 50 more to confirm my first impression. I forged ahead anyway.
This book tries to be Lovecraft and it tries to be Noir. However, the writing is so pedestrian that it ends up being a dollar-bin knock-off of both. And I can't count the number of cheap cliches sprinkled throughout the storyline, from the tough-guy with a morally questionable vocation turned hero to the magic artifacts that characters just 'sense' have power to a pretty condescending portrayal of late-Depression-era black blues culture.
Also, consider this a public service announcement: just saying "everything is connected" does not actually count as tying everything together. Don't do this anymore, people who write things.
It took me about 10 pages to realize I probably wasn't going to like it. And about 50 more to confirm my first impression. I forged ahead anyway.
This book tries to be Lovecraft and it tries to be Noir. However, the writing is so pedestrian that it ends up being a dollar-bin knock-off of both. And I can't count the number of cheap cliches sprinkled throughout the storyline, from the tough-guy with a morally questionable vocation turned hero to the magic artifacts that characters just 'sense' have power to a pretty condescending portrayal of late-Depression-era black blues culture.
Also, consider this a public service announcement: just saying "everything is connected" does not actually count as tying everything together. Don't do this anymore, people who write things.
November 1, 2019
This is a first rate reinterpretation of the classic Weird Fiction trope of the Yellow King into the early 20th century rural South. With cosmic beings trying to break into our world and use us as fodder for their own means, the bones of this story are tried and true for the fan of Lovecraftian tales. What makes this book great is the flesh and skin draped on the skeleton.
This book is an example of why the Lovecraftian novel, as a sub genre of horror/fantasy/sci-fi only gets better with time. This novel shows a deep appreciations for early 20th century race dynamics, Southern culture, Blues music, and class issues which would not have been on the radar of previous generations. It allows for classic cosmic horror to be twisted and explored in different ways and trough different lenses than those allowed by early Weird Fiction authors.
If you like these sort of tales - and of course I hope you do - this book’s for you. It won’t disappoint.
This book is an example of why the Lovecraftian novel, as a sub genre of horror/fantasy/sci-fi only gets better with time. This novel shows a deep appreciations for early 20th century race dynamics, Southern culture, Blues music, and class issues which would not have been on the radar of previous generations. It allows for classic cosmic horror to be twisted and explored in different ways and trough different lenses than those allowed by early Weird Fiction authors.
If you like these sort of tales - and of course I hope you do - this book’s for you. It won’t disappoint.
January 16, 2020
2.5* (Somewhere between it’s ok and I liked it).
What drew me to this book was the unique merging of lovecraftian tale with the blues legend/myth of the American south. Since I’m a fan of both these kind of tales and the early blues and rock’n’roll, there were some things here that I found enjoyable. Of course, there are references to Cthulhu Mythos, and easter eggs like Sam Phelps and Helios studios got a chuckle from me.
What I didn’t like was the writing itself. It just didn’t grip me the way I thought (and hoped) it would. The book started losing me halfway through, and by the final third I nearly lost interest. I also felt that at some places things should have been left implied rather than explicitly described.
What drew me to this book was the unique merging of lovecraftian tale with the blues legend/myth of the American south. Since I’m a fan of both these kind of tales and the early blues and rock’n’roll, there were some things here that I found enjoyable. Of course, there are references to Cthulhu Mythos, and easter eggs like Sam Phelps and Helios studios got a chuckle from me.
What I didn’t like was the writing itself. It just didn’t grip me the way I thought (and hoped) it would. The book started losing me halfway through, and by the final third I nearly lost interest. I also felt that at some places things should have been left implied rather than explicitly described.
October 27, 2014
An excellent horror novel, especially considering this is the author's first book. You get a real feel for life in the south in 1951 and I like how the R&B music came into play. There were chills and thrills throughout the book, with characters you really cared about. A bit of a twist in the end, but not entirely unexpected. Highly recommended.
September 28, 2011
Bull Ingram is sent into Arkansas to find a man, a salesman of sorts that sells blues and rock music, at that time considered "Negro Music" to white radio stations that play it, profit from it, but still consider it something of a novelty. And to find a radio station that broadcasts strange music that mentally effects the listener. This double quests bring him face to face with the Pale Man, and Ramblin' John Hastur, whispered legends in the backwoods and the whisperings aren't. Parallel to Bull's story is Sarah's, a battered wife who flees home to Arkansas from an abusive marriage. Her and her daughter try to find a new life, a pursuit that leads her to look into her family tree and the strange mysteries within.
A review in four caveats.
Caveat the First. This book is a Mythos-esque story, but like much of contemporary horror/fantasy, it busies itself a good deal with re-invention of the legends that make up its backend. Think not of Lovecraft or Chambers, the two key writers whose works have been diffused through it, but more of Brian Lumley and his Titus Crow novels. In fact, though I have no idea if Jacobs has read them, they are the closest thing I would compare: creatures of the mythos reconfigured as something like flesh and blood entities that can be faced off through various means [in other words, Lumley by way of Derleth], and how interact with the world in a fairly tangible way. Other elements that come to mind are American Gods (book) and Angel Heart (movie). Depending on the flavor you like your Mythos stories, this can be either a +1 or a -1. For me it was more a minus than a plus, but I saw what Jacobs was going for and appreciate it of a kind. Only go into it if you are ok with variations on classic mythos themes, especially the ubiquitous Necronomicon and what it is really on about, being nearly restitched whole cloth.
Caveat the Second. This book is set in the 1950s, and Arkansas. Has shout outs to Southern Noir. A little bit of Lansdale, a little bit of Woodrell. The problem is that after the first third or so, maybe the first half, the setting and time period take such a backseat that it becomes all too easy to lose them. The Delta as a character reaches its peak about the time Bull Ingram comes to an old radio station in the woods and, shortly after, follows a club to a dockside bar with a one-off performance. After this point, the book might as well be contemporary New England for all the consistency of setting it maintains. Having read this book right after reading The Sound and the Fury, it might be that my tastebuds for Southern culture infusing a work were dimmed and so I needed it to be more stark (and for others, discussions of vines and river-side bathing might be enough), but I would have loved to see more. Also, while this book does have Southern Noir tendencies, it is probably better to think of it more like a Fantasy novel set in relatively modern times. In fact, towards the end, it becomes quite literally a sword and sorcery tale and Bull becomes more Conan than not.
Caveat the Third. This book is not subtle. In fact, when a coworker spotted me reading, his second sentence about it, after saying, "I just finished it and liked it..." was, "It's not subtle." He tells the truth. It tells much more than shows. Even though the telling is interesting there are those that will not like this. There are section that make Zadok Allen look like a man of little words. As a longer novel with the legends more spread out, it might have been a little less like a brick smashing into your reading time, but as is it mostly just states the stakes, places the bets quite openly, and then rolls the dice. At least, in a couple of instances, it is fairly unfliching.
Caveat the Fourth. The book's two greatest pleasures - music in both the sense of the mystery, horrific radio station and in other brief references, as well as tapping into old legends and fairy tales - are woefully underused.
Fair to good book. Not a long read. Outside of completely underusing Hastur and his/its/etc long history of mythos (He Who Should Not Be Named gets named a hell of a lot, just saying, and the King of Yellow is woefully absent) it is mostly ok, give or take a few sections.
A review in four caveats.
Caveat the First. This book is a Mythos-esque story, but like much of contemporary horror/fantasy, it busies itself a good deal with re-invention of the legends that make up its backend. Think not of Lovecraft or Chambers, the two key writers whose works have been diffused through it, but more of Brian Lumley and his Titus Crow novels. In fact, though I have no idea if Jacobs has read them, they are the closest thing I would compare: creatures of the mythos reconfigured as something like flesh and blood entities that can be faced off through various means [in other words, Lumley by way of Derleth], and how interact with the world in a fairly tangible way. Other elements that come to mind are American Gods (book) and Angel Heart (movie). Depending on the flavor you like your Mythos stories, this can be either a +1 or a -1. For me it was more a minus than a plus, but I saw what Jacobs was going for and appreciate it of a kind. Only go into it if you are ok with variations on classic mythos themes, especially the ubiquitous Necronomicon and what it is really on about, being nearly restitched whole cloth.
Caveat the Second. This book is set in the 1950s, and Arkansas. Has shout outs to Southern Noir. A little bit of Lansdale, a little bit of Woodrell. The problem is that after the first third or so, maybe the first half, the setting and time period take such a backseat that it becomes all too easy to lose them. The Delta as a character reaches its peak about the time Bull Ingram comes to an old radio station in the woods and, shortly after, follows a club to a dockside bar with a one-off performance. After this point, the book might as well be contemporary New England for all the consistency of setting it maintains. Having read this book right after reading The Sound and the Fury, it might be that my tastebuds for Southern culture infusing a work were dimmed and so I needed it to be more stark (and for others, discussions of vines and river-side bathing might be enough), but I would have loved to see more. Also, while this book does have Southern Noir tendencies, it is probably better to think of it more like a Fantasy novel set in relatively modern times. In fact, towards the end, it becomes quite literally a sword and sorcery tale and Bull becomes more Conan than not.
Caveat the Third. This book is not subtle. In fact, when a coworker spotted me reading, his second sentence about it, after saying, "I just finished it and liked it..." was, "It's not subtle." He tells the truth. It tells much more than shows. Even though the telling is interesting there are those that will not like this. There are section that make Zadok Allen look like a man of little words. As a longer novel with the legends more spread out, it might have been a little less like a brick smashing into your reading time, but as is it mostly just states the stakes, places the bets quite openly, and then rolls the dice. At least, in a couple of instances, it is fairly unfliching.
Caveat the Fourth. The book's two greatest pleasures - music in both the sense of the mystery, horrific radio station and in other brief references, as well as tapping into old legends and fairy tales - are woefully underused.
Fair to good book. Not a long read. Outside of completely underusing Hastur and his/its/etc long history of mythos (He Who Should Not Be Named gets named a hell of a lot, just saying, and the King of Yellow is woefully absent) it is mostly ok, give or take a few sections.
August 7, 2022
I would give this possibly 3 1/2 stars. It starts out very good -- very atmospheric, very creepy Southern Gothic. It spooked me a little reading it late at night.
About halfway through it switches gears and starts becoming Lovecraftian Horror, and then it starts to feel rushed, like the author was in a hurry to wrap things up. It felt really unfinished. I would have liked to have read the book that this started out being, as opposed to the one it ended up as.
About halfway through it switches gears and starts becoming Lovecraftian Horror, and then it starts to feel rushed, like the author was in a hurry to wrap things up. It felt really unfinished. I would have liked to have read the book that this started out being, as opposed to the one it ended up as.
September 10, 2014
"Southern Gods" is a Lovecraftian novel set in rural 1950's Arkansas. Jacobs does a great job mixing a hard-boiled-esque detective story with a tale of something much, much older.
Good job!
4 1/2 STARS
Good job!
4 1/2 STARS
August 2, 2011
Still reading, still reading--Blues man named Ramblin John Hastur is stirring up trouble in 1950s Arkansas, and it's up to Bull Ingram to track'em down. Most excellent so far...
August 14, 2011
Hell-hound blues! Zombies! Lovecraft! Jacobs' engrossing gris-gris will take ya down to the crossroads and on then to the Deep Places where the hungry Old Ones sho gon git'cha!
July 21, 2022
“That Ramblin’ John sings with the Devil’s voice and plays with the Devil’s hands. That when he sings, it’s like he’s casting a spell. That he’s got songs that if you heard them, they’d drive you mad. That his songs can raise the dead (…) “They say his voice can get a woman with child if she hears it in full”
———————————-
Prologue: A dying & bitter young boy observes a shape shifting entity and is offered a costly way out of death.
-the 50s: WWII vet & muscle Bull Ingram, is hired to find Ramblin’ John Hastur (a blues singer.. of sorts).
Ramblin’ John Hastur and also the man who went missing on his trail under particularly mysterious circumstances.
Hastur’s music is said to be played on ever-changing radio frequencies, to drive the living mad and make the dead rise.
It’s a dark path Bull will be finding himself on, one where even the dead can’t seem to stay still and where greedy and mad gods rule.
-Part mystery steeped in Lovecraftian lore, part southern gothic and a fully realized creep fest; an engaging read full of scares. An impressive debut. Enjoyed this a lot.
This is only the second John Hornor Jacobs book I’ve read, but I’ll be digging into more soon.
July 15, 2017
2,5 stars.
Review contains spoilers.
I started reading this book and I loved it so much I thought I would be recommending it to anyone, not just to horror fans. It was so beautiful and creepy and original. The prologue made me shiver. Then the descriptions of the insane music - wow, it was mesmerizing, made me both terrified and terribly curious about it. The feeling of the place - the South - and the time - 1951 - was amazing. Bull Ingram was so noir, but his PTSD made him human and vulnerable. And Lovecraftian motives - just hinted at - were all the more creepy because you guessed and anticipated.
I loved the book all the way while Bull was searching for Early and for Ramblin' John Hastur, everything that happened on the way was fabulous. And then - bang! - it was as if the book was replaced with a different one. The great idea about the music that was driving people mad - forgotten. Early - the guy Bull is looking for. Oh yeah, he finds him all right - and that's all, he doesn't even bother to let Early's wife know, not to mention the guy who hired him. And who was Ramblin' John before Early? Were they different people? And why did he sound as if singing hurt him? And what's the mystery of the radio station? And what was the music for, anyway? And why was it rhythm and blues? It seemed to be linked to the Black culture, and then John Hastur we see is White, and Wilhelm is White, WTF?
Never mind. Instead we're having tedious infodump from a Catholic priest. And hasty romance. And the most cliched plot twist out there: a little girl kidnapped. And then some action in the obligatory battle of good vs. evil - where everything is so predictable it made my teeth ache. Of course, the mother turns into a wolf. Of course, Wilhelm-the-evil-guy wants to mount Sarah. Of course, the razor will come to play. Of course, someone's heart is gonna be used to give life to someone else. Of course, in the end it's gonna be kids, Sarah and Alice.
In other words, the story that was beautiful, scary and original, has fizzled out into very mainstream "horror" - quotation marks are here for a reason; and it disappoints me so much. And why "Southern Gods", by the way? What's so Southern about them? I have a feeling it was supposed to be different story but then something happened, publishing maybe.
Review contains spoilers.
I started reading this book and I loved it so much I thought I would be recommending it to anyone, not just to horror fans. It was so beautiful and creepy and original. The prologue made me shiver. Then the descriptions of the insane music - wow, it was mesmerizing, made me both terrified and terribly curious about it. The feeling of the place - the South - and the time - 1951 - was amazing. Bull Ingram was so noir, but his PTSD made him human and vulnerable. And Lovecraftian motives - just hinted at - were all the more creepy because you guessed and anticipated.
I loved the book all the way while Bull was searching for Early and for Ramblin' John Hastur, everything that happened on the way was fabulous. And then - bang! - it was as if the book was replaced with a different one. The great idea about the music that was driving people mad - forgotten. Early - the guy Bull is looking for. Oh yeah, he finds him all right - and that's all, he doesn't even bother to let Early's wife know, not to mention the guy who hired him. And who was Ramblin' John before Early? Were they different people? And why did he sound as if singing hurt him? And what's the mystery of the radio station? And what was the music for, anyway? And why was it rhythm and blues? It seemed to be linked to the Black culture, and then John Hastur we see is White, and Wilhelm is White, WTF?
Never mind. Instead we're having tedious infodump from a Catholic priest. And hasty romance. And the most cliched plot twist out there: a little girl kidnapped. And then some action in the obligatory battle of good vs. evil - where everything is so predictable it made my teeth ache. Of course, the mother turns into a wolf. Of course, Wilhelm-the-evil-guy wants to mount Sarah. Of course, the razor will come to play. Of course, someone's heart is gonna be used to give life to someone else. Of course, in the end it's gonna be kids, Sarah and Alice.
In other words, the story that was beautiful, scary and original, has fizzled out into very mainstream "horror" - quotation marks are here for a reason; and it disappoints me so much. And why "Southern Gods", by the way? What's so Southern about them? I have a feeling it was supposed to be different story but then something happened, publishing maybe.
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