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Preternatural #1
Preternatural
This fast-paced adventure is a must-read for horror aficionados and lovers of all things that are scary, gruesome and thought-provoking.
Welcome to Meadowsville, the home of the most popular urban myth, Mr. Smith. This vicious, vampire-like entity rules over this booming town by any means necessary, slaughtering its citizens, and upholding a long-standing tradition. Follow several residents as they form an unlikely alliance to combat the common threat of this dangerous monster and embark on an undertaking that will change each of them and their town forever.
Welcome to Meadowsville, the home of the most popular urban myth, Mr. Smith. This vicious, vampire-like entity rules over this booming town by any means necessary, slaughtering its citizens, and upholding a long-standing tradition. Follow several residents as they form an unlikely alliance to combat the common threat of this dangerous monster and embark on an undertaking that will change each of them and their town forever.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2019
11 people are currently reading
1415 people want to read
About the author
Peter Topside
6 books1,450 followersI am an author, reviewer, and horror fanatic. I am also an accomplished, self-taught chef and baker, a proud father and husband, and a Clinical Exercise Physiologist by trade.
I had a rough upbringing, which bestowed many traumas on me, that remained in place for a long time. I spent years struggling with crippling anxiety and depression, but once I got to my lowest point, I made the difficult decision to fight for better mental health. I traveled to a lot of dark corners of my mind, confronting the deepest and scariest aspects of my PTSD, but was able to make it through successfully. Throughout my recovery process, I was able to funnel all of the energy, thoughts and feelings into my writing. My books are the culmination of my own personal, life-changing journey.
Follow me;
https://www.facebook.com/topsidepeter
https://www.instagram.com/ptopside/
https://twitter.com/PTopside
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peter...
I had a rough upbringing, which bestowed many traumas on me, that remained in place for a long time. I spent years struggling with crippling anxiety and depression, but once I got to my lowest point, I made the difficult decision to fight for better mental health. I traveled to a lot of dark corners of my mind, confronting the deepest and scariest aspects of my PTSD, but was able to make it through successfully. Throughout my recovery process, I was able to funnel all of the energy, thoughts and feelings into my writing. My books are the culmination of my own personal, life-changing journey.
Follow me;
https://www.facebook.com/topsidepeter
https://www.instagram.com/ptopside/
https://twitter.com/PTopside
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peter...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 4, 2022
Although I am relatively unfamiliar with the horror genre, give or take a few Stephen Kings and Justin Cronin’s ‘The Passage’ series, I unreservedly give Peter Topside credit for his stimulating tale of vampires and the forces that fight with and against them.
‘Preternatural’ delivered me the right amount of creepiness, enough depth in the characters to make them relatable and a decent plot.
All this engaged me.
It has primed me for more…
‘Preternatural’ delivered me the right amount of creepiness, enough depth in the characters to make them relatable and a decent plot.
All this engaged me.
It has primed me for more…
July 9, 2022
I know the author Peter via our love of the same kind of books, sharing reviews and comments via Good Reads, and I was excited to finally get to read his debut novel, which I’d been wanting to read for some time.
The story centres around a ‘folklore’ vampiric creature, named by the local townspeople as ‘Mr Smith’, whom we later find out is named ‘Blackheart’. He reigns ‘terror’ over the town killing members of the town folk throughout the years, with the Mayor, etc turning a blind eye. One day David, a neglected and abused boy, whom ‘Blackheart’ has had an interest in, since a young boy, is ‘turned’ into a vampire by him.
No spoilers here!!
This book has everything which I like, vampires, blood, vengeance, and is also quite emotional. This is a great read and am looking forward to reading the next ones in this awesome trilogy.
Highly recommend a rating of 5 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
The story centres around a ‘folklore’ vampiric creature, named by the local townspeople as ‘Mr Smith’, whom we later find out is named ‘Blackheart’. He reigns ‘terror’ over the town killing members of the town folk throughout the years, with the Mayor, etc turning a blind eye. One day David, a neglected and abused boy, whom ‘Blackheart’ has had an interest in, since a young boy, is ‘turned’ into a vampire by him.
No spoilers here!!
This book has everything which I like, vampires, blood, vengeance, and is also quite emotional. This is a great read and am looking forward to reading the next ones in this awesome trilogy.
Highly recommend a rating of 5 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
Read
May 30, 2021I’ve decided that I’m just too conflicted as to what to put in as a rating, but I overall liked Peter Topside’s
Preternatural
, so I’m going to submit this review without a rating.
Preternatural starts out a trilogy featuring the town of Meadowsville. By all superficial appearances it’s pretty idyllic. People earn a lot. The place is clean and well-kept. And it’s safe…
Except it kinda, really isn’t. The legend that creates a tourist draw is the element that gives it its dark undercurrent. People on occasion die pretty horrifically. But the town doesn’t really like to talk about it. At least that is what I took away from the history. Our story starts, however, when the town can’t ignore the unexplained incidents any longer. It puts the townspeople, the Mayor, and the police chief at odds. We learn that the legend of “John Smith” is real. The legend is a vampire and he’s not a nice guy. He ramps up his periodic reign of terror. He makes a new vamp. Certain townsfolk fight back. Chaos, burning, death and fear ensue. It’s a well imagined story.
Here’s what I liked:
It’s a unique take on a vampire tale. I don’t think it was set in the 80s (though I could be wrong about that). But it had an 80s’s feel to it and I liked that a lot. Gave it nostalgic vibe for me. The author’s heart-felt emotions came out. Our main baddie, John Smith, who is seems like a pretty complex bloke. And the idea that he became a vampire because of . To me that was pretty compelling stuff.
Here’s what I wasn’t crazy about:
First, vampires are, to my way of thinking, very sensual, very visceral creatures in literature, whether its Anne Rice, Twilight, Sookie Stackhouse, and even Dracula. I didn’t get enough of that. To me there was narration, but I wanted more imagery, more description of what it felt like. Second, the story is told from an omniscient, present tense, POV. That’s a pretty challenging narration choice. I struggled with it.
I took a peek at the second volume and liked what I saw! So I am looking forward to giving the second book a read in the future.
Preternatural starts out a trilogy featuring the town of Meadowsville. By all superficial appearances it’s pretty idyllic. People earn a lot. The place is clean and well-kept. And it’s safe…
Except it kinda, really isn’t. The legend that creates a tourist draw is the element that gives it its dark undercurrent. People on occasion die pretty horrifically. But the town doesn’t really like to talk about it. At least that is what I took away from the history. Our story starts, however, when the town can’t ignore the unexplained incidents any longer. It puts the townspeople, the Mayor, and the police chief at odds. We learn that the legend of “John Smith” is real. The legend is a vampire and he’s not a nice guy. He ramps up his periodic reign of terror. He makes a new vamp. Certain townsfolk fight back. Chaos, burning, death and fear ensue. It’s a well imagined story.
Here’s what I liked:
It’s a unique take on a vampire tale. I don’t think it was set in the 80s (though I could be wrong about that). But it had an 80s’s feel to it and I liked that a lot. Gave it nostalgic vibe for me. The author’s heart-felt emotions came out. Our main baddie, John Smith, who is seems like a pretty complex bloke. And the idea that he became a vampire because of . To me that was pretty compelling stuff.
Here’s what I wasn’t crazy about:
First, vampires are, to my way of thinking, very sensual, very visceral creatures in literature, whether its Anne Rice, Twilight, Sookie Stackhouse, and even Dracula. I didn’t get enough of that. To me there was narration, but I wanted more imagery, more description of what it felt like. Second, the story is told from an omniscient, present tense, POV. That’s a pretty challenging narration choice. I struggled with it.
I took a peek at the second volume and liked what I saw! So I am looking forward to giving the second book a read in the future.
October 10, 2022
This was an interesting read. It reads much like a play vs a novel. A slightly different take on a vampire novel as one of the main characters has become a vampire with ethics...sort of. There are a lot of familiar vampire storylines and a lot of gore. The author touches on a fair amount of triggers, from child abuse, to sexual abuse. For anyone who is familiar with these it can definitely cause discomfort. However still important to the story. Because it read more like a play there was little introspection and reflection of characters internal thoughts which I would have liked to see more of to connect to the characters on a deeper level. This is a good Halloween read if you like vampires and gore. The author definitely can weave a tale to make you cringe.
Note, I read an earlier version and there are follow up books which are said to go more in depth on the characters, which may address some of the issues I mentioned.
Note, I read an earlier version and there are follow up books which are said to go more in depth on the characters, which may address some of the issues I mentioned.
August 10, 2022
Wow! This is a strange one to talk about. A unique book that gave me so many mixed feelings. While I am not the biggest fan of modern vampire stories, Peter Topside's "Preternatural" is both everything fans come to expect from the subgenre and yet entirely unique.
What was familiar here was the fast-paced onslaught of blood sucking, powerful eldritch beings cloaked in black, evil dogs, brutal vampire slaying, a small town conspiracy, and a metaphor for emergence into adulthood via the lens of supernatural metamorphosis. So for such a short novel, how was there any room left for something different?
I don't know! Ask Peter Topside how he did it! But what I can tell you is that he pulled it off. First of all, the whole thing is dripping with sociopolitical satire as well as crimson goo, and if you know me, I like my satire. The book is less about vampires than it is about an unusual small town dynamic--macabre tourism.
Since moving from New Orleans to the Midwest, I've lived in four small to mid-sized cities within an hour of a major metropolis. These are areas built on industry long gone, replaced by methadone clinics, urgent care centers, pawn shops, and second-hand stores. To help the economy, each of these places tried to attract a bit of tourism by exploiting the local history and folklore. No, Lincoln may not have slept there, but Capone had a speakeasy where bodies are rumored to still be walled up in the basement, or there was an old sanitarium now believed to be haunted, or some redneck once went nuts and axed their family in a quaint farmhouse, or there are woods where a monster was sighted and train tracks where the invisible hands of children killed in a crash will push you across if you idle your car too close. Stop by, have a martini at the old mob hangout, and hear all about the bodies in the cellar. Join a nightly team of ghost hunters to explore the haunted hospital. Book a night at the tragic murder farm, now a bed and breakfast. Take a hike to find the Piasa bird or some other local cryptid. Hop on a ghost tour and check out all the old homes of never-famous people and the haunted railroad tracks. Come every autumn for the annual fried pork snout festival--they put on a mean haunted house down in the cave on Farmer Brown's property and you get a free cucuzza if you come out alive!
Such is the set-up for the fictional Meadowsville, a town of about 75,000 souls who have been preyed upon by a vampire they call Mr. Smith since its founding. The town has learned to cope with it, of sorts. Everyone has to be indoors by curfew, and gangs of volunteer vampire hunters patrol the streets at night. This has attracted curious sightseers, and so now the whole ordeal is hyped up by the civic leadership in order to attract tourist revenue. Come eat Mr. Smith's favorite ribeye steak! Experience the Tour of Terrors! Enjoy Mr. Smith's passion fruit boba tea!
That in itself is fodder for a trilogy. But it doesn't stop there. It turns out Mr. Smith is really a fellow named Blackheart, and though he IS a pretty heartless character, he actually does have a soft spot. He tries to "help" an abused and bullied kid who is on the brink of suicide, and he sometimes feels bad for people he has hurt. He even will sit down and have a (brief) discussion about whether or not God exists. Blackheart is your typical seductive vampire, but he isn't one-dimensional.
There's a lot more layers here too, but you get the picture, and I don't want to spoil the whole thing. Let's just say that I was really surprised at the level of complexity here, though the prose that delivers this plot is about as simple as you can get, maintaining a flat, clinical tone that delivers the action straight without embellishments. Yet for as robotic the narrative voice, and as many things as the author tries to cram into a few pages, it is amazing just how much pathos and sensitivity went into this story. There are elements of this narrative that tug on heartstrings, reminiscent of James Whale's "Bride of Frankenstein."
But don't misunderstand me. This is not some Dostoevskian cry-fest. This is brutal horror action, and the last act of the book goes absolutely insane.
Also refreshing was the absolute lack of incessant pop culture references and partisan politics that mutilate the work of many of today's contemporary writers. These sorts of things tend to unnecessarily date a book, but here, Peter Topside barely gives the reader hardly any orientation in space or time. We don't know what decade we are in, or where in the world Meadowsville really is, yet we can still connect with the author's sophisticated themes. And what the novel does have is a healthy dose of uplifting spirituality, which takes a lot more guts these days than the nihilist anti-religious parroting we so often encounter in our entertainment.
I guess the reason for the mixed feelings is that this is mainly going to appeal to a limited demographic of horror readers rather than a general base, and yet some of that target audience will still have a few gripes. First of all, as I already said, the narrative voice is as pointed as a wooden stake, and so is not very descriptive, depriving horror fans of that creepy atmosphere that is perhaps even more important than plot. For example, part of the novel takes place on Halloween, but it just as well could have been spring break. Also, readers may conclude that there is too much going on, that not enough time is spent exploring all the different elements introduced here. I would sort of agree, yet this is the kind of richness that is needed to propel a trilogy beyond the initial setup, and so it succeeded in getting me interested to read the other books.
So "Preternatural" may be difficult to analyze on its own, but as it stands, I found it to be a solid and gory vampire tale that mixes themes of political corruption, the decline of the middle class small town, the failure of adult behavior to nourish child mental health, teenage angst, addiction, and a crisis of religious faith to elevate it far beyond its roots in familiar stories like "Fright Night," "The Lost Boys," and "Salem's Lot." You can read it in one evening or two, so I would say you stand to gain a lot from such a small investment of time.
SCORE: Four fangs!
What was familiar here was the fast-paced onslaught of blood sucking, powerful eldritch beings cloaked in black, evil dogs, brutal vampire slaying, a small town conspiracy, and a metaphor for emergence into adulthood via the lens of supernatural metamorphosis. So for such a short novel, how was there any room left for something different?
I don't know! Ask Peter Topside how he did it! But what I can tell you is that he pulled it off. First of all, the whole thing is dripping with sociopolitical satire as well as crimson goo, and if you know me, I like my satire. The book is less about vampires than it is about an unusual small town dynamic--macabre tourism.
Since moving from New Orleans to the Midwest, I've lived in four small to mid-sized cities within an hour of a major metropolis. These are areas built on industry long gone, replaced by methadone clinics, urgent care centers, pawn shops, and second-hand stores. To help the economy, each of these places tried to attract a bit of tourism by exploiting the local history and folklore. No, Lincoln may not have slept there, but Capone had a speakeasy where bodies are rumored to still be walled up in the basement, or there was an old sanitarium now believed to be haunted, or some redneck once went nuts and axed their family in a quaint farmhouse, or there are woods where a monster was sighted and train tracks where the invisible hands of children killed in a crash will push you across if you idle your car too close. Stop by, have a martini at the old mob hangout, and hear all about the bodies in the cellar. Join a nightly team of ghost hunters to explore the haunted hospital. Book a night at the tragic murder farm, now a bed and breakfast. Take a hike to find the Piasa bird or some other local cryptid. Hop on a ghost tour and check out all the old homes of never-famous people and the haunted railroad tracks. Come every autumn for the annual fried pork snout festival--they put on a mean haunted house down in the cave on Farmer Brown's property and you get a free cucuzza if you come out alive!
Such is the set-up for the fictional Meadowsville, a town of about 75,000 souls who have been preyed upon by a vampire they call Mr. Smith since its founding. The town has learned to cope with it, of sorts. Everyone has to be indoors by curfew, and gangs of volunteer vampire hunters patrol the streets at night. This has attracted curious sightseers, and so now the whole ordeal is hyped up by the civic leadership in order to attract tourist revenue. Come eat Mr. Smith's favorite ribeye steak! Experience the Tour of Terrors! Enjoy Mr. Smith's passion fruit boba tea!
That in itself is fodder for a trilogy. But it doesn't stop there. It turns out Mr. Smith is really a fellow named Blackheart, and though he IS a pretty heartless character, he actually does have a soft spot. He tries to "help" an abused and bullied kid who is on the brink of suicide, and he sometimes feels bad for people he has hurt. He even will sit down and have a (brief) discussion about whether or not God exists. Blackheart is your typical seductive vampire, but he isn't one-dimensional.
There's a lot more layers here too, but you get the picture, and I don't want to spoil the whole thing. Let's just say that I was really surprised at the level of complexity here, though the prose that delivers this plot is about as simple as you can get, maintaining a flat, clinical tone that delivers the action straight without embellishments. Yet for as robotic the narrative voice, and as many things as the author tries to cram into a few pages, it is amazing just how much pathos and sensitivity went into this story. There are elements of this narrative that tug on heartstrings, reminiscent of James Whale's "Bride of Frankenstein."
But don't misunderstand me. This is not some Dostoevskian cry-fest. This is brutal horror action, and the last act of the book goes absolutely insane.
Also refreshing was the absolute lack of incessant pop culture references and partisan politics that mutilate the work of many of today's contemporary writers. These sorts of things tend to unnecessarily date a book, but here, Peter Topside barely gives the reader hardly any orientation in space or time. We don't know what decade we are in, or where in the world Meadowsville really is, yet we can still connect with the author's sophisticated themes. And what the novel does have is a healthy dose of uplifting spirituality, which takes a lot more guts these days than the nihilist anti-religious parroting we so often encounter in our entertainment.
I guess the reason for the mixed feelings is that this is mainly going to appeal to a limited demographic of horror readers rather than a general base, and yet some of that target audience will still have a few gripes. First of all, as I already said, the narrative voice is as pointed as a wooden stake, and so is not very descriptive, depriving horror fans of that creepy atmosphere that is perhaps even more important than plot. For example, part of the novel takes place on Halloween, but it just as well could have been spring break. Also, readers may conclude that there is too much going on, that not enough time is spent exploring all the different elements introduced here. I would sort of agree, yet this is the kind of richness that is needed to propel a trilogy beyond the initial setup, and so it succeeded in getting me interested to read the other books.
So "Preternatural" may be difficult to analyze on its own, but as it stands, I found it to be a solid and gory vampire tale that mixes themes of political corruption, the decline of the middle class small town, the failure of adult behavior to nourish child mental health, teenage angst, addiction, and a crisis of religious faith to elevate it far beyond its roots in familiar stories like "Fright Night," "The Lost Boys," and "Salem's Lot." You can read it in one evening or two, so I would say you stand to gain a lot from such a small investment of time.
SCORE: Four fangs!
May 6, 2021
This story took me on a ride into vampire terror!
A small backstory:
Meadowsville is a small community that is surrounded in myth and legend with a creature of the night (vampire) that the townspeople have dubbed Mr. Smith. When animals start being killed along with some town citizens the community wants the mayor to step in and do something to stop the killings. All towns have their secrets, but some people in Meadowsville decide to rise up and take matters into their own hands as the mayor just seems to fade into the background deciding to do nothing.
On the scene comes Christian whose daughter is a victim from a vicious attack and from that moment on Christian decides that he is going to put a stop to the killings anyway he can as he teams up with two people in the community to help him rid the town of the vampire.
Who is the vampire that roams the town? Does Christian put a stop to the killings? No spoilers here as you will just have to read the book.
Thoughts:
The world building of the story was a little slow in the beginning of the book, but once I hit the 45% mark the pace picked up with more things happening with the vampire and when the story hits the part where Christian comes on the scene then the story goes into full overdrive along with the vampire becoming more active.
There was lots of blood and gore in the last half of the book but there was lots of suspense and mystery surrounding the town plus the vampire legend. The story evolved more as I moved along in the book and I learned more about the vampire creature along with how the town became wrapped with the legend/myth of the vampire. This is the first book in a trilogy so I will be curious to see how the story plays itself out into the second book. Giving this one four "fanged vampire" stars!
A small backstory:
Meadowsville is a small community that is surrounded in myth and legend with a creature of the night (vampire) that the townspeople have dubbed Mr. Smith. When animals start being killed along with some town citizens the community wants the mayor to step in and do something to stop the killings. All towns have their secrets, but some people in Meadowsville decide to rise up and take matters into their own hands as the mayor just seems to fade into the background deciding to do nothing.
On the scene comes Christian whose daughter is a victim from a vicious attack and from that moment on Christian decides that he is going to put a stop to the killings anyway he can as he teams up with two people in the community to help him rid the town of the vampire.
Who is the vampire that roams the town? Does Christian put a stop to the killings? No spoilers here as you will just have to read the book.
Thoughts:
The world building of the story was a little slow in the beginning of the book, but once I hit the 45% mark the pace picked up with more things happening with the vampire and when the story hits the part where Christian comes on the scene then the story goes into full overdrive along with the vampire becoming more active.
There was lots of blood and gore in the last half of the book but there was lots of suspense and mystery surrounding the town plus the vampire legend. The story evolved more as I moved along in the book and I learned more about the vampire creature along with how the town became wrapped with the legend/myth of the vampire. This is the first book in a trilogy so I will be curious to see how the story plays itself out into the second book. Giving this one four "fanged vampire" stars!
May 8, 2022
This is an interesting take on the same old vampire story.
The quaint town of Meadowsville is under the spell of an urban legend that, while stimulating the economy, may also be contributing to their ultimate downfall. There is no shortage of emotional, psychological, and physical trauma in this tale — and I'm not just talking about the eccentric blood-sucker. But perhaps that's the price for striking a deal with the devil.
The quaint town of Meadowsville is under the spell of an urban legend that, while stimulating the economy, may also be contributing to their ultimate downfall. There is no shortage of emotional, psychological, and physical trauma in this tale — and I'm not just talking about the eccentric blood-sucker. But perhaps that's the price for striking a deal with the devil.
August 14, 2024
A touching twist on vampire tales, reading and feeling like a modern-day fable. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in blood-soaked Meadowsville!!
4 Surprisingly Delightful Stars
4 Surprisingly Delightful Stars
January 15, 2022
3.5 stars
This is a fast-paced vampire story set in a small town. It's very violent and very sad.
The story was interesting enough and some of the imagery really made me wince! It's about damaged people; some of whom may, or may not turn into 'monsters'.
I'm undecided on my feelings for the main characters...it's very much a story where there are varying degrees of 'good' and 'bad', where your allegiances are constantly being challenged. I liked that most about this book.
I will be interested in carrying on with the series (I just need to prepare for the darkness!)
This is a fast-paced vampire story set in a small town. It's very violent and very sad.
The story was interesting enough and some of the imagery really made me wince! It's about damaged people; some of whom may, or may not turn into 'monsters'.
I'm undecided on my feelings for the main characters...it's very much a story where there are varying degrees of 'good' and 'bad', where your allegiances are constantly being challenged. I liked that most about this book.
I will be interested in carrying on with the series (I just need to prepare for the darkness!)
December 22, 2022
This is a very fast-paced vampire horror. Because of its length, plot elements develop very quickly. If you enjoy that, you’ll enjoy this novella. For me character development was sacrificed for this quick pace, leaving me unconnected to the characters.
I could tell this was used as some therapy for the author as a lot of trauma is mentioned; this could’ve been elevated even more through more showing of the character’s traumas and more scenes with the characters themselves.
Overall, a decent debut novel by Topside.
I could tell this was used as some therapy for the author as a lot of trauma is mentioned; this could’ve been elevated even more through more showing of the character’s traumas and more scenes with the characters themselves.
Overall, a decent debut novel by Topside.
January 16, 2022
The town of Meadowsville has a secret, an evil that rules over them.
The author Peter Topside is a chef, baker, a self proclaimed movie fanatic, proud father,husband and clinical exercise physiologist. When I read his profile my heartbeat dropped as I thought to myself "ok, but what does he know about horror". Peter's debut novel told me exactly what he knows about horror, he knows enough to impress the heck out of me.
The story revolves around the town of Meadowsville. A small town harboring an evil entity referred to by the townspeople as Mr. Smith and thee group of residents determined to end his reign of terror.
This book is a fast paced and an easy read with excellent characters and a solid horror story that had me turning the lights on in the house. The story is engaging from beginning to end. Peter's visual descriptions of the town are vivid and left me with a sense of familiarity.
The characters are all well rounded and diverse, each with a distinct personality. For me the standout is the villain Mr. Smith, a monster whose very presence in the story leaves you feeling a terror that is so deep it is hard to shake him off, even after you put the book down (if you are able to put it down).
Preternatural is book 1 of a trilogy and if the other 2 are half as good as this one I am going to want to read them all. The perfect book for those evenings where a good scare is what the reader is looking for, this one will not disappoint.
The author Peter Topside is a chef, baker, a self proclaimed movie fanatic, proud father,husband and clinical exercise physiologist. When I read his profile my heartbeat dropped as I thought to myself "ok, but what does he know about horror". Peter's debut novel told me exactly what he knows about horror, he knows enough to impress the heck out of me.
The story revolves around the town of Meadowsville. A small town harboring an evil entity referred to by the townspeople as Mr. Smith and thee group of residents determined to end his reign of terror.
This book is a fast paced and an easy read with excellent characters and a solid horror story that had me turning the lights on in the house. The story is engaging from beginning to end. Peter's visual descriptions of the town are vivid and left me with a sense of familiarity.
The characters are all well rounded and diverse, each with a distinct personality. For me the standout is the villain Mr. Smith, a monster whose very presence in the story leaves you feeling a terror that is so deep it is hard to shake him off, even after you put the book down (if you are able to put it down).
Preternatural is book 1 of a trilogy and if the other 2 are half as good as this one I am going to want to read them all. The perfect book for those evenings where a good scare is what the reader is looking for, this one will not disappoint.
January 2, 2021
I really wanted to like this book, and you know what I did. Don't get me wrong this will not be the best written book you will read, or is it wrote book you will read, but I don't care. I found it to be a great story. Ths story is full of passion, anger, action and I believe it may have been a cathartic experience for the author to complete this work. I found it very emotional at times. This is a good vampire story.
December 15, 2020
The concept of the town and the monsters in it was brought out excellently well. The various characters and the devious villain was a highlight in the story. Real horror scenes which any horror story reader would enjoy. Liked it.
February 18, 2024
i DEVOURED this book! I fell asleep reading it and woke up to finish it 😅 it was so good!
very classic vampire novel, with layers of different meaning and insight to different traumas without too much detail to be triggering. I seriously cannot WAIT to read the next one.
*this book was given to me for free to review, but my review is 100% truthful!*
very classic vampire novel, with layers of different meaning and insight to different traumas without too much detail to be triggering. I seriously cannot WAIT to read the next one.
*this book was given to me for free to review, but my review is 100% truthful!*
August 27, 2021
Good read...
This was a pretty good read. Its a bit jumpy in the first few chapters, but comes together overall, making it a pretty interesting book
This was a pretty good read. Its a bit jumpy in the first few chapters, but comes together overall, making it a pretty interesting book
October 30, 2022
Fascinating!!
I have never read a horror before. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and read this book. I couldn't put it down!! I read it start to finish in about four hours!! So looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy
I have never read a horror before. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and read this book. I couldn't put it down!! I read it start to finish in about four hours!! So looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy
November 12, 2025
Meadowsville, with a population of 75,000, a politically useless Mayor and an ineffective Police Chief. This is just a place on a map with an evil presence.
Peter Topside takes you through this town and its legend of "Mr Smith." The tension builds then rises to an explosive battle. Its focus is good, evil, revenge and redemption.
The townspeople partake in this legend as a tourist magnet , cashing in on the sale of "Merch" and tours based on Mr.Smith.
For the key characters that Peter Topside creates, they find the unthinkable horror.
After finishing the1st book of the trilogy, I look forward to reading Book 2.
Preternatural Evolution.
Four Stars
Peter Topside takes you through this town and its legend of "Mr Smith." The tension builds then rises to an explosive battle. Its focus is good, evil, revenge and redemption.
The townspeople partake in this legend as a tourist magnet , cashing in on the sale of "Merch" and tours based on Mr.Smith.
For the key characters that Peter Topside creates, they find the unthinkable horror.
After finishing the1st book of the trilogy, I look forward to reading Book 2.
Preternatural Evolution.
Four Stars
June 18, 2023
Thrilling, interesting, quick read. This was my first horror story so I don't really know this genre. This book is about a vampire that haunts the town that turned their backs on him allowing him to be turned into the monster he is now. I definitely like the different take on how vampires can turn others into vampires, and the story was good but I was hoping for a bit more action and a little more horror. This book was very well written and I will continue the story with the next book in the series.
September 1, 2022
I greatly enjoyed this redemption story. It is fun, exciting and the action never ceases. I also love the heart-warming ending. I will continue with this trilogy and look forward to the next two books. I give this a 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
December 30, 2021
This book had a really interesting storyline and is a a great read for the teenager in your life that loves all things horror. At first it seems as though the monster is a vampire and yet he really isn’t. There are vampire-esque qualities but there is so much more to it than that. It was interesting reading the first few chapters getting to know the characters and trying to determine which ones would play the biggest roles in the book.
It doesn’t take long before you get to figure that out and I was surprised to find out who would be a main monster lead. There was great friendships developed in the book that made it all the more interesting to see how they either grew or deteriorated as the book progressed. The ending had some of what I expected but took on a life of its own with pieces that I was not expecting. Don’t worry I won’t ruin it for you but just know that there is more than you will expect.
Underlying all of this monster hunting and murder is a tale of a teenager overcoming his anxiety and trauma. It was interesting to read how this character developed from a kid who was scared of speaking with girls to someone who stood up against the great evil.
Overall I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next installment.
It doesn’t take long before you get to figure that out and I was surprised to find out who would be a main monster lead. There was great friendships developed in the book that made it all the more interesting to see how they either grew or deteriorated as the book progressed. The ending had some of what I expected but took on a life of its own with pieces that I was not expecting. Don’t worry I won’t ruin it for you but just know that there is more than you will expect.
Underlying all of this monster hunting and murder is a tale of a teenager overcoming his anxiety and trauma. It was interesting to read how this character developed from a kid who was scared of speaking with girls to someone who stood up against the great evil.
Overall I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next installment.
December 28, 2021
Beyond The Normal
This is a story of good and evil set in a town holding a dark secret. People are being killed and it’s a secret some townsfolk want covered up. Good eventually wins over but at a cost and for some it’s the ultimate cost. I enjoyed the glimpse into the characters lives, their daily struggles made them seem more real to me. They struggled with life and with love while doing the best they could. This touches on alcohol abuse, depression and past sexual assault is mentioned although not experienced in real time but it’s handled well. The story is well paced and it ends with a hint of what might be ahead in the next book. Well done on your debut, I enjoyed reading Preternatural.
This is a story of good and evil set in a town holding a dark secret. People are being killed and it’s a secret some townsfolk want covered up. Good eventually wins over but at a cost and for some it’s the ultimate cost. I enjoyed the glimpse into the characters lives, their daily struggles made them seem more real to me. They struggled with life and with love while doing the best they could. This touches on alcohol abuse, depression and past sexual assault is mentioned although not experienced in real time but it’s handled well. The story is well paced and it ends with a hint of what might be ahead in the next book. Well done on your debut, I enjoyed reading Preternatural.
November 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It's one of those, at least, for me, where you want to take your time. It's quite an intricate story with lots going on. I loved the plot and the characters and I'm pleased to know there are more follow-on books that I will be absolutely getting. I'm looking forward to diving back into the world.
The gory bits were great! Very skillfully told.
The gory bits were great! Very skillfully told.
May 13, 2021
Preternatural is a vampire story that takes place in a small town named Meadowsville. The town has a legend/mythology that a vampire named Mr. Smith lives in an abandoned mansion atop a hill that overlooks the town. This legend brings in guided tours and such and has made tourism a big part of the town. Animals turn up mutilated and dumped regularly, but when people start to go missing the citizens of the town want the mayor and sheriff to do something about it.
This is a pretty short and very enjoyable vampire novel – it’s part #1 of a trilogy in the making. I enjoyed the main villain of the story quite a bit, I found his rituals and mannerisms to be pretty unique, as well as how he was turned. After reading quite a few vampire stories I appreciate the unexpected. This book was written and edited well, and I am looking forward to part #2 of the trilogy.
I give this 4.5 Stars – a real page-turner.
This is a pretty short and very enjoyable vampire novel – it’s part #1 of a trilogy in the making. I enjoyed the main villain of the story quite a bit, I found his rituals and mannerisms to be pretty unique, as well as how he was turned. After reading quite a few vampire stories I appreciate the unexpected. This book was written and edited well, and I am looking forward to part #2 of the trilogy.
I give this 4.5 Stars – a real page-turner.
August 25, 2020
This was not only a page-turner but a quick and entertaining read as well! Perfect for anyone looking for their next scary read!
April 25, 2023
PRETERNATURAL – by Peter Topside – Urban Legend? Yes, Please!
That. Was. Awesome!!
‘Welcome To Meadowville…’
‘God Almighty, who lives above,
Hear my prayers and feel my love.
Please keep me safe until day’s light,
Using every bit of your power and might.
As this town is plagued by a century-old myth.
And that name we fear is Mr. Smith.’
Highly Recommend!
Thank you, Peter Topside, for providing me with a Paperback copy of PRETERNATURAL at the request of an honest review.
That. Was. Awesome!!
‘Welcome To Meadowville…’
‘God Almighty, who lives above,
Hear my prayers and feel my love.
Please keep me safe until day’s light,
Using every bit of your power and might.
As this town is plagued by a century-old myth.
And that name we fear is Mr. Smith.’
Highly Recommend!
Thank you, Peter Topside, for providing me with a Paperback copy of PRETERNATURAL at the request of an honest review.
August 2, 2024
I haven’t read a horror novel for many years but I was interested in reading this one as the author based it on his traumatic childhood which makes reading this book a whole different experience. While the author mentions he included symbolism he also said it can be read at face-value which is how I read it. Unfortunately symbolism is one of the reasons I failed English in high school so it’s lost on me. But I enjoyed it as a horror novel.
While reading I was constantly thinking about the trauma the author experienced and if I’m guessing correctly it was worse than I thought. Home and family should be a safe place. If you don’t like school or hate your job I think it’s important to have a place you can go to be yourself and relax, not where you need to walk on eggshells.
Overall a great book and I look forward to reading the entire series.
While reading I was constantly thinking about the trauma the author experienced and if I’m guessing correctly it was worse than I thought. Home and family should be a safe place. If you don’t like school or hate your job I think it’s important to have a place you can go to be yourself and relax, not where you need to walk on eggshells.
Overall a great book and I look forward to reading the entire series.
November 5, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A small town is on very hard times. Employment is falling, crime is rising, and there are murders by a supernatural creature everyone calls Mr. Smith.
A kid with issues turns into a monster, while a man tries to save his town. Didn't feel really scary to me.
A small town is on very hard times. Employment is falling, crime is rising, and there are murders by a supernatural creature everyone calls Mr. Smith.
A kid with issues turns into a monster, while a man tries to save his town. Didn't feel really scary to me.
November 7, 2022
Disclaimer: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book was really easy and fun to read. I loved the story. The town full of secrets and lies was a great setting. The backstory was great. I liked it so much that I bought the rest of the trilogy.
This book was really easy and fun to read. I loved the story. The town full of secrets and lies was a great setting. The backstory was great. I liked it so much that I bought the rest of the trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2022
3.5 Stars.
Overall, I enjoyed my time in Meadowsville, if that's the right word for such epic darkness. The story drew me in, and I'm certainly interested to see what happens in the next book.
Tough subject matters pose challenging questions... if all your subject to do is darkness, will you ever be able to see the light? And I'm a big vampire fan, so there's that.
It took me a while to get into the flow with a few jumpy first chapters, and some of the writing felt a little stiff in parts, but it certainly did its job in piquing my interest for the rest of the series.
Overall, I enjoyed my time in Meadowsville, if that's the right word for such epic darkness. The story drew me in, and I'm certainly interested to see what happens in the next book.
Tough subject matters pose challenging questions... if all your subject to do is darkness, will you ever be able to see the light? And I'm a big vampire fan, so there's that.
It took me a while to get into the flow with a few jumpy first chapters, and some of the writing felt a little stiff in parts, but it certainly did its job in piquing my interest for the rest of the series.
June 26, 2023
Great first book!
I have read the first edition of the book as well, and this one was smoother, and flowed well. The story is the same, with a little added detail, and makes for a good horror psychological thriller. Will the town finally take a stand against it's very physical and emotional demons? I won't spoil it, but I loved revisiting the story.
The characters are fleshed out and the plot is good. I also love the new cover - it fits the rest of the series really well!
I have read the first edition of the book as well, and this one was smoother, and flowed well. The story is the same, with a little added detail, and makes for a good horror psychological thriller. Will the town finally take a stand against it's very physical and emotional demons? I won't spoil it, but I loved revisiting the story.
The characters are fleshed out and the plot is good. I also love the new cover - it fits the rest of the series really well!
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