The Eldritch Twins

The Eldritch Twins #1

by Nick Vossen

Weirdness is in their blood.

After a near cataclysmic worldwide event shook the foundations of society and unleashed numerous supernatural hazards onto the Earth, twins Quincy and Lilly just want to lead their lives as normally as possible. However, this proves to be quite difficult. The twins are the heirs of legendary horror writer and occultist W.A. Swansong, who has been declared a prophet now that many of his gruesome creations appear to really exist.

When a mysterious inheritance falls into the twins’ hands, a strange and violent secret organization becomes hell-bent on finding them. Quincy and Lilly are forced to flee their hometown of New Orleans, leading them on a wild, supernatural chase throughout the southern United States. With only a handful of allies and a trapped Fire Vampire named Tim, the twins uncover a great mystery tied to their inheritance, the source of all pandemonium, and even the true origins of mankind.

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2019

About the author

Nick Vossen was raised on blockbuster films from the 80s and 90s as well as fantasy and sci-fi novels, comics and games. No matter the medium, his love for storytelling grew ever larger. Having always had a fascination with the fantastical and weird, he quickly grew fond of authors such as Terry Pratchett, H.P. Lovecraft, Neil Gaiman and many more. During the winter of 2017 Nick released an anthology of short, weird fiction entitled The Fissures Between Worlds, which delves into the strange places on Earth where time does not flow as it should. It was received quite favourably, and so Nick’s desire to tell more stories grew. He has since been privileged to appear in several other anthologies, magazines and short story compilations and has quite a few projects still in the works. His biggest fascinations and inspirations are old forgotten woodlands, the deepest depths of the oceans and the unsettling, uncanniness of retro futurism.

Nick graduated in Media- and Culture studies at Utrecht University in The Netherlands. He is currently working as a freelance creative writer and author. He also frequently works on projects in the Dutch indie-film industry, putting his talents to use in art-direction, set-dressing and of course screenwriting. His first novel, The Swansong Conspiracy (book 1 of the Eldritch Twins series) was released at the end of 2020 by Parliament House Press and well received. The book series offers a unique blend of coming-of-age comedy, supernatural horror and mystery.

Reviews

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I wanted to post my review YESTERDAY, but my messy brain is just plain stupid and I totally forgot to upload the review.

Okay, so before I officially get in to my thoughts on this book, which are insanely positive, because I loved every part of it. I just COULD NOT stop reading. I flew through the book.

1. PLOT
The characters have 'weirdness' in their blood and this plot was kind of weird at times, but in a good kind of way!

When reading the book we follow our two main characters: Quincy and Lily: the Swansong twins! The world has changed, so much, you won't recognize it. The changing happened because of a obelisk with an inscription written on it in the midst of the dessert. It is a message from Deus (God). God is really disappointed in humankind and he no longer wants to be apart of the world as it is right now. He left humankind to rot. (I can actually totally understand if this would happen in real life, because the world has gone to shit).

So basically after God left the world has grew even more shittier! Creatures that wouldn't dare to walk on our planet came from the darkest places. Imagine vampires, ghouls, demons and more being a part of your everyday life, for the oncoming three years. (Sounds like a great place to live, right?!)

Then we learn that there is a legacy: The Swansong family! Yes, our beloved main characters are important, luckily! The twins will have to solve the riddles and face many kinds of danger on their path to seek redemption for humankind when also trying to figure out if certain characters are their ally or their enemy.

2. THE CHARACTERS
I loved all the characters! They felt like a human being, a real person. They are intelligent, funny and very, very brave. They have a full personality! It's refreshing to read a book with great plot and great characters! <3

Even though we follow Quincy and Lily we also get to learn secondary characters, whom have a personality AS WELL! (Freaking amazing, right?!)

3. THE WRITING
Okay, I may have spilled already that I LOVED the writing style. It really sets the tone of the story and just in general of how good this book is. It was so much fun to read the story and to connect with the narration style.

4. CONCLUSION
It may be clear, at least I hope so, that I freaking adore this book. It's definitely one of the best books I've read this year.

The author can be so proud of himself for writing a story that won't be forgotten soon. It lingers, which is great! I personally love when I read a book and it stays with me forever. :)

The Swansong Conspiracy will definitely keep readers on the edge of their seat until the very last page, until the very last word, until the very last dot on the last page. It was so insanely good.

I highly recommend reading this one! :)




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Happy release day! I just finished reading it and it was SO good!

[Angélique (Bookdragon Society) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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🇬🇧 | E N G |
I have received this eARC by The Parliament House Press in exchange of an honest review.

Title : The Swansong Conspiracy
Author : Nick Vossen
Genre : Dark Fantasy
Rate : 4 / 5

Weirdness is in their blood… Well, it was indeed a weird and entertaining book.

The Plot …

The Swansong Conspiracy is a first novel full of action, humor and strangeness. The beginning of the story was captivating from the very first chapters : God abandoning Humanity, leaving room for creatures as vile and monstrous. We also appreciate the abundance of pop culture references and easter egg in the story.

The Writing...

The strength of this novel and its particularity is its narrative. A narration different from what we are used to reading, but very pleasant and well thought out. The narrator does not hesitate to break the fourth wall with the reader. With a beautifully executed narration, the narrator engages the reader and makes reading the story very entertaining.

Kudos to the author for writing very good action scenes. The altercations and fights with the monsters are frightening as if taken straight out of a movie like Alien or the universe of Lovecraft.

In Short...

A very promising first novel. An intelligent and humorous writing that will make the pages of the book scroll to any reader.

It is a novel that is fast paced with action scenes that will make you shiver and keep you from closing the book. Full of twists and frightening creatures, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.

A first novel for this author that was a nice surprise. This book offers a unique blend of coming-of-age comedy, supernatural horror and mystery. A dark fantasy novel with a SF side that will find its audience easily.

“Those who have the courage to stand up to something that’s way over their heads with all of the cards stacked against them… those beings are… admirable.”

➡️ ➡️ ➡️ The full review is posted on my blog :
https://thebookdragonsociety.wordpres...

[Lotte Janssen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankful for the early review copy I received, because I loved this book from beginning to end. Nick has written about an interesting concept: not the world is going to end, but has ended with spoopy consequences troubling everyday life. As a nerd (and a book nerd), the pop culture references made me giggle out loud (there isn’t an abbreviation for this kind of har-har variety, but there should be). Nick has found original ways to show how the world has changed, my favourite being the comic con day with astral visitors. The books from Parliament House are promising and I will read more in the future. Put it on your to do list, because you won’t regret it.

[M.J. Mallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to the author for an ARC copy. Apologies for taking a while to review.

I loved this. I loved how crazy it is... The characters of Lily and her twin brother Quincy are awesome as is the Fire Vampire, Tim. I especially liked Tim and his character arc was just brilliant. It's a very fast paced read and there are times where you shift from the twins to Sean's scenes and you kind of go, whoa... hold on there... whose this? And what's about to happen now? This took a bit of getting used to... But, I guess it's intentional. It's the kind of novel that will have you gripping your seat, or howling with laughter.

The strengths of The Swansong Conspiracy lie in the characterisation, (particularly via the dialogue,) the humourous and engaging plot and the well written action scenes. The banter between the twins is spot on. There are also some amazing descriptions in the book and the story is unusual and weird but in a good way.

So, a definite recommend for me especially if you would like to read something a little less 'normal.'

While reading The Swansong Conspiracy I kept on having this sensation as if an animated reel of all these ghostly, strange and dangerous characters was going on in my head. I can see The Swansong Conspiracy transferring well to film. Great debut, Mr. Vossen. Highly imaginative. I'm impressed.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

When I started The Swansong Conspiracy, I wasn't sure if I was going to like the story. I was definitely pleasantly surprised. I was quickly pulled into the world that the author has created. I liked his take on why supernatural creatures are now a reality in this world. The twins were great characters and ones I would love to follow in their further adventures. They were given a task and I am rooting for them to complete it in future books. Time was also a fun character. I listened to the audiobook for this. I thought that the narrator did a great job with the voices. My only complaint was the laugh he had for Tim. I could have done without that. I definitely recommend checking this one out.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very fun story. Tim was definitely the star of the show because of his overdramatic personality and sass. I thought that the way the story was told was really neat. The plot switched from one storyline to the next which made it seem like an action movie and gave the book an urgent pace. Another thing I loved about the book was the detailed world building and beautiful descriptions of architecture. The tone of the book was also very lighthearted and humorous despite the violence and creepy bits. I felt like this book could be a standalone because the main threat was defeated and the twins just needed to wipe out the leftover monsters. But since the creation of the twins' monster fighting mission this book series is like a TV series with them defeating a different monster every episode while running from Haven, the evil organization.

[Sheila G]

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[Kat Mullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

- New Adult (the twins are in their early 20s!)
- No Romance (purely family & adventure)

Imagine a teen road trip, on the run, mystery movie with monsters and a secret spy organisation. That is what this is. But with 21 year olds. I had no idea what to expect going in, and honestly, I had no idea what to expect when I got to the end. In this world God has abandoned humanity and the flood gates opened to all manner of monsters, creatures, and aliens. You never knew what you were gonna meet next and this book would work so well as a movie!

It did take me a minute to understand the writing style because I didn’t know who was talking. But once I figured it out the narrator was quite entertaining. They break the fourth wall a lot because they’re telling us, the reader, a story.

I really liked Lilly, Tim the Fire Vampire was great, and I had multiple moments where I was like ‘hey, Supernatural!’ or ‘hey, Stranger Things!’ The town ‘Lafayette’ is mentioned multiple times and I’ve discovered that I can no longer read that name normally anymore. Thanks, Hamilton 😂

The story followed the fantastical, but also followed the story of two 20-somethings finding their way. Lilly mentions they didn’t know their purpose until they received the letter that set them off on this adventure. And honestly, big 20s mood. This is the first in a series and I don’t know how the next book is gonna top the big names they met in this one.😛

Thanks Parliament House for the review copy!

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quincy and Lilly Swansong live in a world where God has left our world and all the creatures of darkness have taken over. Both are the heirs of famous horror author WA Swansong. Because of their inheritance it has fallen into their laps to protect the world from the coming destruction.

But they are not the only ones that know of the mysterious inheritance. A shadow organization is determined to stop them. From a dark wizard to torturing a friend they will do whatever it takes to destroy the world.

Quincy is a college kid and Lilly works in a pet store that has seen combat. They only have each other and are determined to get to the end of this mystery inheritance. They happen upon a fire demon, Tim, that helps them along with a couple others.

There are all kinds of creatures from stories, legends and the dark corners of the mind that make an appearance. I personally loved the sand worm and Lilly mentioning that she knew she shouldn’t have told people to release them after they get to a certain size.

I really enjoyed this story. There was a ton of sarcastic humor and horror to keep me entertained the whole time. Marcus Rothenberg did an amazing job narrating the story and kept me hooked. I am so ready to dive into the next book in the series and now have to impatiently wait.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to listen to and post an honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to read an early review copy.

What a delightfully weird, fast-paced adventure. The author has created an incredibly entertaining, suspenseful, spooky story riddled with dark humor and imaginative characters and monsters. The story echoes elements of Lovecraft, without feeling archaic and cliché. It keeps its reader questioning and at times manages to be transcendentally creepy.

I think the author did an especially good job with the descriptions. He describes unbelievable things in real-world terms so they are easy to visualize and become concrete for the reader.
The story is driven by likable characters you badly want to know personally. You'll love Quincy and Lily, hope for them, fear for them as they try to figure out the family secret.

The Eldritch twins is not a book I can in good conscience recommend to a general audience. It is going to appeal to more of a niche audience. For fans of Lovecraft, Grady Hendrix and David Wong I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

[Kayla Ware · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, a big fat thank you to Mr. Nick Vossen for offering me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A ghoulish world riddled with gruesome monsters and snarky sarcasm. The Eldritch Twins proved to be a creative, captivating, and enthralling adventure. Mouthwatering violence and gore was described vividly, and scenery came to life in ways I did not expect from this debut novel. There were definitely aspects of the writing style and formatting that I did and did not enjoy—a lot of that comes down to technicality and personal preference—but the story was strong enough to keep me engrossed and had plenty of odd, quirky, unpredictable little moments to keep me on my toes. ”What do we know? We’re just cats.”

This book also had a lot of references from classic witchcraft and the game Dungeons and Dragons.

I definitely would not recommend this book to the general public; the writing style, storytelling, and humor seem as though it would appeal to a very specific audience range. I would, however, suggest this book to fans of H. P. Lovecraft, Dungeons and Dragons, and Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Overall, I'd give this a 3.5-4/5. Would I be interested in picking up the sequel? Absolutely!

[A Belle & A Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio Review
Story 4
Performance 5
Overall 4

The Swansong Conspiracy is Indiana Jones mashed with Supernatural. Nonstop action from page one, the roller coaster of events led Lily and Quincey on one heck of a ride. This book has it all: aliens, demons, and even God.

I love it when secondary characters steal the show and that is just what Tim did! A fire vampire trapped in a lamp, he is hilarious in his rants and tantrums.

The writing is detailed and brings the story to life before your eyes.

The narrator, Marcus Rothenburg, is absolutely brilliant. I loved his portrayal of Crawley. Rothenburg lent a unique voice to each character.

[The Reviewera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars

Amazingly woven like an interesting spell of adventure, Highly recommend it! I only leave positive feedback and reviews when the product meets my expectations. If this review has been helpful, please click “yes”, or if I've left anything out, feel free to ask.

[Nikita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't thought this book will going to be this good. It was , as you might expect , entertaining , a total different piece of adventure from every aspect.
It sets a very high bar for whatever he does that comes next.
Must Read

[Erik Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy it much.