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The Dark Chorus
Oblivio salvationem Angelis opperitur
Oblivion awaits the Angel’s salvation
The Boy can see lost souls.
He has never questioned the fact that he can see them. He thinks of them as the Dark Chorus. When he sets out to restore the soul of his dead mother it becomes clear that his ability comes from within him. It is a force that he cannot ignore – the last shard of the shattered soul of an angel.
To be restored to the kingdom of light, the shard must be cleansed of the evil that infects it – but this requires the corrupt souls of the living!
With the help from Makka, a psychotically violent young man full of hate, and Vee, an abused young woman full of pain, the Boy begins to kill.
Psychiatrist Dr Eve Rhodes is seconded to assist the police investigation into the Boy’s apparently random ritualistic killings. As the investigation gathers pace, a pattern emerges. When Eve pulls at the thread from an article in an old psychology journal, what might otherwise have seemed to her a terrible psychotic delusion now feels all too real…
Will the Boy succeed in restoring the angel’s soul to the light? Can Eve stop him, or will she be lost to realm of the Dark Chorus?
Oblivion awaits the Angel’s salvation
The Boy can see lost souls.
He has never questioned the fact that he can see them. He thinks of them as the Dark Chorus. When he sets out to restore the soul of his dead mother it becomes clear that his ability comes from within him. It is a force that he cannot ignore – the last shard of the shattered soul of an angel.
To be restored to the kingdom of light, the shard must be cleansed of the evil that infects it – but this requires the corrupt souls of the living!
With the help from Makka, a psychotically violent young man full of hate, and Vee, an abused young woman full of pain, the Boy begins to kill.
Psychiatrist Dr Eve Rhodes is seconded to assist the police investigation into the Boy’s apparently random ritualistic killings. As the investigation gathers pace, a pattern emerges. When Eve pulls at the thread from an article in an old psychology journal, what might otherwise have seemed to her a terrible psychotic delusion now feels all too real…
Will the Boy succeed in restoring the angel’s soul to the light? Can Eve stop him, or will she be lost to realm of the Dark Chorus?
241 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2020
94 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Meggitt
3 books13 followersAshley Meggitt lives near Cambridge, UK, with his wife Jane. He left school to join a psychedelic rock band when he realised that sex, drugs, and rock and roll was a thing. Subsequently he went back to education and became head of IT for a Cambridge University College. In recent years Ashley has retrained in psychology and is now an associate lecturer in sports psychology. He is studying for his PhD. He also holds an MA in Creative Writing. The Dark Chorus is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 20, 2023
3 1/2 stars. I shot through the story so fast! It was hard to put down. I had a hook early on and some great character development throughout. The character for fun to follow from one intense scene to the next.
They charters have a lot of depth to them and no one is all good or bad. The struggle the charters have with there personal morales was fantastic. It made the charters feel incredibly real even when they deal with a strong supernatural plot. A plot the took some older ideas and presented it in a new and fun way, with lots of intense moments.
The writing was a bit of a mix bag and the pros could have been stronger. But that wasn’t enough to make the story any less enjoyable. With an explosive ending there’s not a point of that I didn’t enjoy myself. I can’t wait to re-read this book to read more from the author.
They charters have a lot of depth to them and no one is all good or bad. The struggle the charters have with there personal morales was fantastic. It made the charters feel incredibly real even when they deal with a strong supernatural plot. A plot the took some older ideas and presented it in a new and fun way, with lots of intense moments.
The writing was a bit of a mix bag and the pros could have been stronger. But that wasn’t enough to make the story any less enjoyable. With an explosive ending there’s not a point of that I didn’t enjoy myself. I can’t wait to re-read this book to read more from the author.
July 12, 2021
Never have I ever read a work based on soul restoration. I never foresaw that whenever I read one, it would have such an influence on me. The book is just wow! I would surely put it in one of the most enjoyable novels I have read this year. It gets out all the sentiments from its reader, passion, violence, misery, anxiety, joy. The writer has done the ideal amount of study on the subject & it begs attention from the readers.
Though the start was a tiny bit sluggish for me (I had to learn & understand various points as it's my first experience in this genre), the narrative later got interesting. I just couldn't part with it & completed it within a day. The novel-writing is bang-on & the few grammatical mistakes can simply be overlooked amidst such a solid & rare plot. The actors propel the narrative & unwind secrets on the way for the readers to examine.
The author so wonderfully explains even the bare everyday activities of personal life that I was completely in awe with it. If anyone desires to get out of their comfort reading zone, then this clearly is the one for you! Looking ahead to reading more dark fiction & stories from Ashley Meggitt.
Though the start was a tiny bit sluggish for me (I had to learn & understand various points as it's my first experience in this genre), the narrative later got interesting. I just couldn't part with it & completed it within a day. The novel-writing is bang-on & the few grammatical mistakes can simply be overlooked amidst such a solid & rare plot. The actors propel the narrative & unwind secrets on the way for the readers to examine.
The author so wonderfully explains even the bare everyday activities of personal life that I was completely in awe with it. If anyone desires to get out of their comfort reading zone, then this clearly is the one for you! Looking ahead to reading more dark fiction & stories from Ashley Meggitt.
December 20, 2020
Review:
WOW.
I can end my review there, right The? That pretty much sums up The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt! This may be one of the best books I have read this year.
It has everything. Fantasy, horror, mystery, and commentary on very relevant social issues. The writing is just incredible. I was immediately drawn in. I got very little sleep when I decided to read this because there was no chance of putting it down.
The characters. The plot. The pace. Honestly, I’m just impressed and having trouble writing a review that really details how incredible I thought this book was. You’re just going to have to trust me and read it. You won’t regret it.
Rating:
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
WOW.
I can end my review there, right The? That pretty much sums up The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt! This may be one of the best books I have read this year.
It has everything. Fantasy, horror, mystery, and commentary on very relevant social issues. The writing is just incredible. I was immediately drawn in. I got very little sleep when I decided to read this because there was no chance of putting it down.
The characters. The plot. The pace. Honestly, I’m just impressed and having trouble writing a review that really details how incredible I thought this book was. You’re just going to have to trust me and read it. You won’t regret it.
Rating:
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
October 12, 2020
I am in awe of Meggitt’s writing. His descriptive prose is as ethereal as the contents of the Boy’s fire-jars. My wish for this book – to have been in the ancient crypt to see the true beauty of the Dark Chorus. This is a complicated premise – dark souls must be collected to cleanse the shards of the soul of a fallen angel – the irony being, the more corrupt the soul, the better. You’ll need to concentrate from the start, but it’s worth every bit of brain power and, from the moment I discovered what the Dark Chorus was, I was hooked. First impressions of the Boy: it’s difficult to process what he’s doing, but when he tries to bathe Mrs Johnson in tea because he’s heard that tea is ‘a cure for all ills’ I fell in love with him. The Boy is a wonderful, naïve character; from his thirst for tea down to his parka jacket. I enjoyed the historical connection to the Victorian era – the creepy link with Eugenics and the racism the trio experience. The allies, Vee and Makka, are wonderful, well-drawn characters and I like their official roles in the Boy’s journey. Makka’s swagger, but big-brotherly protection of the Boy is, at times, quite moving.
The beautiful colours Meggitt uses are at odds with the horror and brutality of the story. Be warned – it gets graphic and dark, but somehow never loses its otherworldly, poetic quality. I love Dr Eve Rhodes’ role as the voice of reason, with the intriguing suggestion that she might also have seen the Dark Chorus. It’s also fascinating to see the Boy through her eyes, and we catch different glimpses of him and slowly become aware of the parallels between their lives.
There are achingly sad parts of the story – one with a small child (which I won’t spoil for you) and when the Boy cries for the first time, wondering what purpose tears serve. There’s also plenty of humour; the Boy wanting to sit upstairs on the bus; the timing of the Boy’s decision to test whether he likes bananas; plus, his thoughts about the seat coverings on the Tube. The introduction of Crisp’s Law, the word purgatio, ominous hooks in the ceiling, zippo lighters, headless birds, dead bees, worlds of dark reflections and paua-shell colours are all things which have left an imprint on my imagination. This is a sublime mystery with a hectic and frightening race to the end. An astonishing and absorbing read.
The beautiful colours Meggitt uses are at odds with the horror and brutality of the story. Be warned – it gets graphic and dark, but somehow never loses its otherworldly, poetic quality. I love Dr Eve Rhodes’ role as the voice of reason, with the intriguing suggestion that she might also have seen the Dark Chorus. It’s also fascinating to see the Boy through her eyes, and we catch different glimpses of him and slowly become aware of the parallels between their lives.
There are achingly sad parts of the story – one with a small child (which I won’t spoil for you) and when the Boy cries for the first time, wondering what purpose tears serve. There’s also plenty of humour; the Boy wanting to sit upstairs on the bus; the timing of the Boy’s decision to test whether he likes bananas; plus, his thoughts about the seat coverings on the Tube. The introduction of Crisp’s Law, the word purgatio, ominous hooks in the ceiling, zippo lighters, headless birds, dead bees, worlds of dark reflections and paua-shell colours are all things which have left an imprint on my imagination. This is a sublime mystery with a hectic and frightening race to the end. An astonishing and absorbing read.
February 8, 2021
The Dark Chorus is one of those novels that's hard to pin down. I'd been warned it was a dark and macabre read and was expecting gothic horror (not my usual choice of genre but I'm always up for a reading challenge) but the further I got into the book, the more I found it didn't fit into any neat pigeonhole - which made it more intriguing. It has supernatural and fantasy overtones, some historical context, such as Victorian era eugenics but it's also a pacey serial killer crime story and written in a literary style. It was the language and imagery that drew me in.
The trio of protagonists - Boy, Makka and Vee are all damaged characters, Makka and Vee from brutal life experiences and both have personal agendas connected to individuals they want to kill. Thirteen year old Boy (who is never named) is the central character and his mission is to release the soul of his dead mother, who became trapped in limbo at the moment she died. To do this he must capture souls of others through a murderous and gruesome process. Boy has an unusual psyche and thought pattern (though he develops some empathy and concern for Makka and Vee) so feels no guilt or responsibility for killing evil people. Because he's an amoral character and the others have cause to seek revenge, readers can sympathise and root for them despite their cold blooded murder hunt because their victims are impossibly depraved.
There is one other main character, psychiatrist Dr Eve Rhodes, who has been treating Boy, and she brings some moral perspective and focus to the story and contributes an element of an uplifting ending.
Ashley Meggitt has crafted a complex and fascinating novel which should appeal to readers of a range of genres.
The trio of protagonists - Boy, Makka and Vee are all damaged characters, Makka and Vee from brutal life experiences and both have personal agendas connected to individuals they want to kill. Thirteen year old Boy (who is never named) is the central character and his mission is to release the soul of his dead mother, who became trapped in limbo at the moment she died. To do this he must capture souls of others through a murderous and gruesome process. Boy has an unusual psyche and thought pattern (though he develops some empathy and concern for Makka and Vee) so feels no guilt or responsibility for killing evil people. Because he's an amoral character and the others have cause to seek revenge, readers can sympathise and root for them despite their cold blooded murder hunt because their victims are impossibly depraved.
There is one other main character, psychiatrist Dr Eve Rhodes, who has been treating Boy, and she brings some moral perspective and focus to the story and contributes an element of an uplifting ending.
Ashley Meggitt has crafted a complex and fascinating novel which should appeal to readers of a range of genres.
July 12, 2021
THE DARK CHORUS is the first book that I have read by Ashley Meggitt, and in a word—WOW!
I Love Meggitt’s writing style; though the content is violently intense at times, the mystery surrounding The Boy—as identified throughout the narrative and the storyline piqued my interest to the point I did not want to put the book down.
LOVE the opening paragraph:
‘I was born right here in this asylum – literally into bedlam, delivered into a stark white-tiled cell, in what I’ve come to think of as The Screaming Room. As quickly as I arrived, I left. Prised from my mother’s arms, I swapped one institution for another. But even as the car took me away, the darkness of my mother’s despair curled itself around my soul, anchoring me to her and my birthplace. I know this because I remember.’
Highly Recommend!
September 6, 2021
Reading The Dark Chorus is like taking an acid trip in an asylum. I wonder if this was how Ken Kesey felt when he wrote One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
As weird as that might sound, I mean it as a compliment. This book is intense in mood and atmosphere. The writing is crisp and taut and immersive. I was all in from the first sentence.
I was creeped out, horrified, sad, and I might’ve laughed a little. Is “emotional horror” a genre? Whatever. It is now.
Can’t wait to read more from this author!
As weird as that might sound, I mean it as a compliment. This book is intense in mood and atmosphere. The writing is crisp and taut and immersive. I was all in from the first sentence.
I was creeped out, horrified, sad, and I might’ve laughed a little. Is “emotional horror” a genre? Whatever. It is now.
Can’t wait to read more from this author!
October 10, 2020
When you start Ashley Meggitt's "The Dark chorus", the language Mr. Meggitt uses, automatically makes you aware that here is an author, not only with a firm grasp of evocative prose, but who has rightly mastered that same language – and by that, I mean has a degree in writing. And it shows, and you know instantly that the story is not going to go well. Either for its characters or our own feelings of unease.
Perhaps it’s a horror writer’s prerogative to notice when something dark and nasty crawls onto the same genre scene, and stare at that Horror writer’s distinct style with begrudging respect, but what starts out as admiration for prose, turns into shocked silence as the depravity of the book’s story takes hold – finely constructed madness, so enticing, it makes perfect sense to us even while we are “disgusted” by it. How cleverly the author has turned our own moral compass to face the completely opposite direction.
And “disgusted” does not come close. The Dark chorus has a child MC who we root for, we wish him to achieve his dark purpose. We cheer him on as he undergoes his killing spree. We rejoice at the violence of his protector. We rebel at the emotional wounds of his female mc. We are as dirty as his book is, turned toward that belief that drives the child.
The world in which Mr Meggitt places his characters is as dark and twisted as the souls themselves. Racism, sexism, bigotry, violence, gore – it is a brutal painting not lessened at all by his magnificent articulation, the poetry of his prose standing in garish contrast to the scenes he so adroitly paints. You are both in love with his style and yet disgusted by the bareness it shows, the happy blanket of civility ripped away to reveal the worst of humanity. And all of it seen through the blameless eyes of a child only wishing to save his mother’s soul – as pure an intent as there exists in fiction.
The Dark chorus is a book that requires time, to ruminate, to digest, to come as close to the author's vision as is possible. And then finally to look back and wonder how the hell he did it so well.
Damn you, Ashley. I’ve been lost in the Dark chorus for weeks.
It was a pleasure.
Perhaps it’s a horror writer’s prerogative to notice when something dark and nasty crawls onto the same genre scene, and stare at that Horror writer’s distinct style with begrudging respect, but what starts out as admiration for prose, turns into shocked silence as the depravity of the book’s story takes hold – finely constructed madness, so enticing, it makes perfect sense to us even while we are “disgusted” by it. How cleverly the author has turned our own moral compass to face the completely opposite direction.
And “disgusted” does not come close. The Dark chorus has a child MC who we root for, we wish him to achieve his dark purpose. We cheer him on as he undergoes his killing spree. We rejoice at the violence of his protector. We rebel at the emotional wounds of his female mc. We are as dirty as his book is, turned toward that belief that drives the child.
The world in which Mr Meggitt places his characters is as dark and twisted as the souls themselves. Racism, sexism, bigotry, violence, gore – it is a brutal painting not lessened at all by his magnificent articulation, the poetry of his prose standing in garish contrast to the scenes he so adroitly paints. You are both in love with his style and yet disgusted by the bareness it shows, the happy blanket of civility ripped away to reveal the worst of humanity. And all of it seen through the blameless eyes of a child only wishing to save his mother’s soul – as pure an intent as there exists in fiction.
The Dark chorus is a book that requires time, to ruminate, to digest, to come as close to the author's vision as is possible. And then finally to look back and wonder how the hell he did it so well.
Damn you, Ashley. I’ve been lost in the Dark chorus for weeks.
It was a pleasure.
November 12, 2020
Dark and magical
You know when you read a book that ticks so many of your boxes you wish you’d written it? That’s how I feel about The Dark Chorus. It has everything: epic fantasy, horror, violence, mystery and a big dose of couldn’t-be-more relevant social commentary .
The Boy is thirteen. His birth in an insane asylum could not have been a less auspicious start. Yet he has a special talent: he can see, and capture, the souls of others. This ability he intends to put to use saving the soul of his poor tortured mother, who he unwittingly trapped in limbo when he tried to hold onto her at the point of death. This is not an easy task, but requires a gruesome ritual - and the death of another soul.
Needless to say, The Boy’s plan does not go smoothly, sparking a series of events that will leave you breathless. Along with his troubled and hurting friends Makka and Vee, The Boy is propelled into ever more peril. Little by little, his destiny is revealed to have him marked for a higher purpose than even he could have dreamed. A purpose both pure and horrifically compelling.
An exceptional book with extraordinary characters that will walk with you as you read, and stay with you long after the last page is turned.
You know when you read a book that ticks so many of your boxes you wish you’d written it? That’s how I feel about The Dark Chorus. It has everything: epic fantasy, horror, violence, mystery and a big dose of couldn’t-be-more relevant social commentary .
The Boy is thirteen. His birth in an insane asylum could not have been a less auspicious start. Yet he has a special talent: he can see, and capture, the souls of others. This ability he intends to put to use saving the soul of his poor tortured mother, who he unwittingly trapped in limbo when he tried to hold onto her at the point of death. This is not an easy task, but requires a gruesome ritual - and the death of another soul.
Needless to say, The Boy’s plan does not go smoothly, sparking a series of events that will leave you breathless. Along with his troubled and hurting friends Makka and Vee, The Boy is propelled into ever more peril. Little by little, his destiny is revealed to have him marked for a higher purpose than even he could have dreamed. A purpose both pure and horrifically compelling.
An exceptional book with extraordinary characters that will walk with you as you read, and stay with you long after the last page is turned.
July 15, 2021
See more of my reviews and other bookish content here!
***I received a copy of the book from Blackthorn Book Tours, but I read the book via Kindle Unlimited to support the author with my page reads. My review consists of my honest assessment and opinions about the book.***
This book is not my usual read, but I was intrigued by the synopsis. It seemed like it blended horror, supernatural fantasy, and police procedural into a pretty epic story. While it did do that quite well, the book also displayed a deep understanding of psychology and left me thinking critically about my views on the psyche and the soul.
The story was incredibly dark, which I guess was to be expected given it followed a group of children who commit ritualistic murders. The writing style complemented the tone of the story perfectly, and the author did a superb job of using his words to create an aura that felt creepy and menacing. The pace of the book was steady throughout, and I was hooked from the first chapter to the last. The plot was fascinating, and I loved how the line was elegantly straddled between the fantasy elements being psychosis or the potential presence of an additional dimension most people cannot see. There were some times where the plot and lore felt a bit confusing and others where things seemed to happen just because they had to in order for the story to move forward (characters being in the perfect place at the perfect time multiple times without a good explanation). However, the way it all came together in the end made me forgive any misgivings I had along the way.
The character work was the highlight of this book. The main protagonist, the boy, was delightfully creepy to read. He maintained a childlike innocence throughout the story that was at odds with the cruelty and brutality of his actions, which made reading his thoughts incredibly unnerving. The other two children, Vee and Makka, each had intricate background stories of pain and loss, much like the boy, and the motivations and arcs of their characters were compelling to read. The protagonists were so well-developed that I found myself rooting for them more and more as the story went on despite the fact they were brutally murdering people. My only complaint about the characters would be that the antagonists did not receive the same level of nuance as the protagonists, but in a way that makes sense as we were seeing them through the eyes of the boy.
The psychological themes in this story really made me think about the complexity of human nature. The book explores many thought-provoking questions: Do people exist who are truly evil? Are there some people who are beyond redemption, and, if so, what does it take to get to that point? Does doing something bad for good reasons absolve someone of the horrific nature of the action itself? Are the mind and the soul the same entity, separate, or connected in some way? I especially loved how the author described the interplay between the mind and soul. It was truly beautiful to imagine. The boy's journey in the book also illustrated the importance of human connection to psychological health as he continually grows in his ability to empathize as he gets closer to Vee and Makka, which made him feel much more human as the story progressed.
Overall, the book was compelling to read and gripped me from beginning to end. It was shockingly dark and touched on topics that are not for the faint of heart. I never expected to be wanting cold-blooded killers to succeed, but by the end, I was firmly in their corner. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys horror, dark supernatural fantasy, or, especially, stories about murder (there is a lot of murder in this book).
***I received a copy of the book from Blackthorn Book Tours, but I read the book via Kindle Unlimited to support the author with my page reads. My review consists of my honest assessment and opinions about the book.***
This book is not my usual read, but I was intrigued by the synopsis. It seemed like it blended horror, supernatural fantasy, and police procedural into a pretty epic story. While it did do that quite well, the book also displayed a deep understanding of psychology and left me thinking critically about my views on the psyche and the soul.
The story was incredibly dark, which I guess was to be expected given it followed a group of children who commit ritualistic murders. The writing style complemented the tone of the story perfectly, and the author did a superb job of using his words to create an aura that felt creepy and menacing. The pace of the book was steady throughout, and I was hooked from the first chapter to the last. The plot was fascinating, and I loved how the line was elegantly straddled between the fantasy elements being psychosis or the potential presence of an additional dimension most people cannot see. There were some times where the plot and lore felt a bit confusing and others where things seemed to happen just because they had to in order for the story to move forward (characters being in the perfect place at the perfect time multiple times without a good explanation). However, the way it all came together in the end made me forgive any misgivings I had along the way.
The character work was the highlight of this book. The main protagonist, the boy, was delightfully creepy to read. He maintained a childlike innocence throughout the story that was at odds with the cruelty and brutality of his actions, which made reading his thoughts incredibly unnerving. The other two children, Vee and Makka, each had intricate background stories of pain and loss, much like the boy, and the motivations and arcs of their characters were compelling to read. The protagonists were so well-developed that I found myself rooting for them more and more as the story went on despite the fact they were brutally murdering people. My only complaint about the characters would be that the antagonists did not receive the same level of nuance as the protagonists, but in a way that makes sense as we were seeing them through the eyes of the boy.
The psychological themes in this story really made me think about the complexity of human nature. The book explores many thought-provoking questions: Do people exist who are truly evil? Are there some people who are beyond redemption, and, if so, what does it take to get to that point? Does doing something bad for good reasons absolve someone of the horrific nature of the action itself? Are the mind and the soul the same entity, separate, or connected in some way? I especially loved how the author described the interplay between the mind and soul. It was truly beautiful to imagine. The boy's journey in the book also illustrated the importance of human connection to psychological health as he continually grows in his ability to empathize as he gets closer to Vee and Makka, which made him feel much more human as the story progressed.
Overall, the book was compelling to read and gripped me from beginning to end. It was shockingly dark and touched on topics that are not for the faint of heart. I never expected to be wanting cold-blooded killers to succeed, but by the end, I was firmly in their corner. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys horror, dark supernatural fantasy, or, especially, stories about murder (there is a lot of murder in this book).
December 3, 2020
The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt is a book that combines a bit of everything - there was mystery, intrigue, drama, fantasy, dark humour and a large dollop of horror. A story that all I can say is "Wow"! I have read some superb books over 2020 and this counts among them.
I opened this book on kindle and that was me, done! It took me all my time to tear myself away and do 'normal' things.
The Dark Chorus begins in The Boy's world, the boy can see the lost souls of the afterlife and is desperately trying to free the soul of his dead mother, at first this goes very wrong for the boy but the people who all affect his life in one way or another are introduced to us. We have, Eve the police psychologist, Makka,a violent angry young man and an abused girl Vee.
The three teens form an unlikely friendship and we follow them as they find their way through the world attempting to collect corrupt souls and restore the angel whilst battling their own demons and trying to avenge those who have wronged each one of them.Their friendship is one that develops as Makka and Vee become as important as The Boy, to the story.
A story that has no half measures, one that has you there from the first page and demands your full attention, Ashley Meggitt got mine! The Dark Chorus is an almost anxiety inducing dark and gritty story, that kept me on the very edge of my seat.
Ashley Meggitt uses colours within the novel to give information, the way the colours allow The Boy and the reader to see into the souls of others, I liked this as I love visualisation and it created a picture in my head.
All in all, The Dark Chorus is a book that, once you have read you can't get it out of your head. It definitely made it's mark, like a lot of other DarkStroke Books published this year.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, DarkStroke Books and Ashley Meggitt for my copy of the book to give you my thoughts today on this great book.
I opened this book on kindle and that was me, done! It took me all my time to tear myself away and do 'normal' things.
The Dark Chorus begins in The Boy's world, the boy can see the lost souls of the afterlife and is desperately trying to free the soul of his dead mother, at first this goes very wrong for the boy but the people who all affect his life in one way or another are introduced to us. We have, Eve the police psychologist, Makka,a violent angry young man and an abused girl Vee.
The three teens form an unlikely friendship and we follow them as they find their way through the world attempting to collect corrupt souls and restore the angel whilst battling their own demons and trying to avenge those who have wronged each one of them.Their friendship is one that develops as Makka and Vee become as important as The Boy, to the story.
A story that has no half measures, one that has you there from the first page and demands your full attention, Ashley Meggitt got mine! The Dark Chorus is an almost anxiety inducing dark and gritty story, that kept me on the very edge of my seat.
Ashley Meggitt uses colours within the novel to give information, the way the colours allow The Boy and the reader to see into the souls of others, I liked this as I love visualisation and it created a picture in my head.
All in all, The Dark Chorus is a book that, once you have read you can't get it out of your head. It definitely made it's mark, like a lot of other DarkStroke Books published this year.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, DarkStroke Books and Ashley Meggitt for my copy of the book to give you my thoughts today on this great book.
July 12, 2021
Thank you to the author, publisher & BlackThorn Book Tours for gifting me an e-copy!
———
In this propulsive horror fiction, The Boy (with no name) has a gift of being able to see lost souls which he calls The Dark Chorus and he’s also able to look into a person’s soul by looking into their eyes. The Boy engages in ritualistic killings (though he doesn’t consider it that way) to restore souls towards the light. In particular, he wants to restore his mother’s soul. His first plan to restore her doesn’t quite go right and lands him in jail.
However with the help of another inmate, Makka, The Boy escapes after killing a pedophile and setting his dark soul free. From here onwards begins a cat and mouse chase between the police and The Boy, with The Boy always one step ahead of law enforcement. Meanwhile Dr. Eve who is working for the police, is really interested in The Boy’s case and begins researching on his ritualistic killings.
Things get more complicated and urgent for the police when Vee, the daughter of a high-ranking police officer, joins force with The Boy and Makka in restoring The Boy’s mother’s soul and also to kill Vee’s father who has been sexually abusing her. With Dr. Eve closing in on the trio with her research on Banuism (an esoteric movement of the talented few who collect corrupt souls). Banuism proposes a wild concept that an angel absorbed all the evil from mankind but its soul shattered in the process with many soul shards falling to earth. Banuism’s followers like The Boy’s role is to reunite the shards with the rest of the angel’s soul and to do this, he kills bad people with bad souls and cleanses them with his rituals. Part of his ritual involves a circle and a square within the circle depicted in my Instagram picture!
This is probably the second craziest wild ride book I’ve read and for 241 pages, it really packs a punch! This book is also available on KU!
———
In this propulsive horror fiction, The Boy (with no name) has a gift of being able to see lost souls which he calls The Dark Chorus and he’s also able to look into a person’s soul by looking into their eyes. The Boy engages in ritualistic killings (though he doesn’t consider it that way) to restore souls towards the light. In particular, he wants to restore his mother’s soul. His first plan to restore her doesn’t quite go right and lands him in jail.
However with the help of another inmate, Makka, The Boy escapes after killing a pedophile and setting his dark soul free. From here onwards begins a cat and mouse chase between the police and The Boy, with The Boy always one step ahead of law enforcement. Meanwhile Dr. Eve who is working for the police, is really interested in The Boy’s case and begins researching on his ritualistic killings.
Things get more complicated and urgent for the police when Vee, the daughter of a high-ranking police officer, joins force with The Boy and Makka in restoring The Boy’s mother’s soul and also to kill Vee’s father who has been sexually abusing her. With Dr. Eve closing in on the trio with her research on Banuism (an esoteric movement of the talented few who collect corrupt souls). Banuism proposes a wild concept that an angel absorbed all the evil from mankind but its soul shattered in the process with many soul shards falling to earth. Banuism’s followers like The Boy’s role is to reunite the shards with the rest of the angel’s soul and to do this, he kills bad people with bad souls and cleanses them with his rituals. Part of his ritual involves a circle and a square within the circle depicted in my Instagram picture!
This is probably the second craziest wild ride book I’ve read and for 241 pages, it really packs a punch! This book is also available on KU!
July 12, 2021
3.5 Rounded to a 4
The premise of this one was intriguing and enticed my darker side into reading it. Overall, I enjoyed the haunting atmosphere and the darker scenes as we experience The Boy's descent into madness. I also really enjoyed the supernatural aspects of The Boy's ability to see the soul's left behind and his ability to trap them.
That being said, I wish there was more background with The Boy, his mother and the circumstances that had him land where he was when we are first introduced to him. I suppose it may have been the author's intention to have the reader use their imagination and come to their own conclusions but for some this may be a turn off.
This is also a slower read with sprinkles of murder throughout, most of which is predictable. The predictability didn't bother me too much as most of these reads seem to veer in the same direction. I enjoyed the writing and the flow as well, even though it's slow. I think this would be a good one to add for those Spooktober lists because of the haunting atmosphere and the dark religious aspects the murders take on. For a debut this is well done and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me an E-Copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
The premise of this one was intriguing and enticed my darker side into reading it. Overall, I enjoyed the haunting atmosphere and the darker scenes as we experience The Boy's descent into madness. I also really enjoyed the supernatural aspects of The Boy's ability to see the soul's left behind and his ability to trap them.
That being said, I wish there was more background with The Boy, his mother and the circumstances that had him land where he was when we are first introduced to him. I suppose it may have been the author's intention to have the reader use their imagination and come to their own conclusions but for some this may be a turn off.
This is also a slower read with sprinkles of murder throughout, most of which is predictable. The predictability didn't bother me too much as most of these reads seem to veer in the same direction. I enjoyed the writing and the flow as well, even though it's slow. I think this would be a good one to add for those Spooktober lists because of the haunting atmosphere and the dark religious aspects the murders take on. For a debut this is well done and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me an E-Copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
July 19, 2021
While not for the faint of heart, this book is great for lovers of horror and the macabre.
This book completely surprised me and definitely delivers on spooky vibes and paranormal adventure.
**Strong content warning for pedophilia and sexual assault! There are strong adult themes, so be warned. Also warning for eye content - while I know that’s not a common one, it personally is my biggest trigger.
The story bounces between two main perspectives, one told in first person and the other in third. The first person narration, told by “The Boy,” is strongly an unreliable narrator; for at least the first half of the novel it’s unclear whether or not you can take the narrator at his word. As this is one of my favorite book tropes, I was instantly pulled in.
The Boy is trying to free souls and ultimately free his mother, though along the way he finds allies and realizes he can see living souls as well, and some souls have turned tar black. There are many twists and new developments as the Boy navigates his supernatural abilities. The reader is taken on an exciting and disturbing ride through the veil as the author explores the true nature of light and evil - things aren’t always as they seem.
This book completely surprised me and definitely delivers on spooky vibes and paranormal adventure.
**Strong content warning for pedophilia and sexual assault! There are strong adult themes, so be warned. Also warning for eye content - while I know that’s not a common one, it personally is my biggest trigger.
The story bounces between two main perspectives, one told in first person and the other in third. The first person narration, told by “The Boy,” is strongly an unreliable narrator; for at least the first half of the novel it’s unclear whether or not you can take the narrator at his word. As this is one of my favorite book tropes, I was instantly pulled in.
The Boy is trying to free souls and ultimately free his mother, though along the way he finds allies and realizes he can see living souls as well, and some souls have turned tar black. There are many twists and new developments as the Boy navigates his supernatural abilities. The reader is taken on an exciting and disturbing ride through the veil as the author explores the true nature of light and evil - things aren’t always as they seem.
November 29, 2020
The Dark Chorus
Ashley Meggitt
During the course of this story we meet “The Boy”, a 13 year old who has the special talent of being able to see and collect souls. He is trying to perform a ritual to save his mother from limbo, since he trapped her there during the time of her death. Unfortunately his ritual involves the death of another soul. Along the way he meets Makka, a psychotically violent young man and Vee, an abused young woman, both have been horribly treated by people who should have been protecting them. This leads to a bloody revenge filled crime spree, bringing on Dr Rhodes, a psychiatrist brought in by the police to try and help convict the three.
As I have stated before, horror/psychological thrillers are my favorite reads and I also enjoy a “smart book”, one that isn’t easy and makes you have to think while still fitting in to the horror/thriller category. The Dark Chorus is one of those books. While it can be somewhat difficult to read with its descriptive prose and souls that transfer around, this is one you need to stick with. Thank you to Rachels Random Resources and author Ashley Meggitt for the review copy of this book and allowing me to participate in this book tour.
Ashley Meggitt
During the course of this story we meet “The Boy”, a 13 year old who has the special talent of being able to see and collect souls. He is trying to perform a ritual to save his mother from limbo, since he trapped her there during the time of her death. Unfortunately his ritual involves the death of another soul. Along the way he meets Makka, a psychotically violent young man and Vee, an abused young woman, both have been horribly treated by people who should have been protecting them. This leads to a bloody revenge filled crime spree, bringing on Dr Rhodes, a psychiatrist brought in by the police to try and help convict the three.
As I have stated before, horror/psychological thrillers are my favorite reads and I also enjoy a “smart book”, one that isn’t easy and makes you have to think while still fitting in to the horror/thriller category. The Dark Chorus is one of those books. While it can be somewhat difficult to read with its descriptive prose and souls that transfer around, this is one you need to stick with. Thank you to Rachels Random Resources and author Ashley Meggitt for the review copy of this book and allowing me to participate in this book tour.
February 5, 2023
Well that just leapt into my top spot for 2023. Let's see if anything dislodges it.
I do not know if this is a horror, a psychological story, a forensic crime story: but it works. The characters are fantastic.
Vee and Macca and The Boy are so real from page one.
Very very good. Very good. 👌
I do not know if this is a horror, a psychological story, a forensic crime story: but it works. The characters are fantastic.
Vee and Macca and The Boy are so real from page one.
Very very good. Very good. 👌
December 28, 2020
The Dark Chorus (TDC) centres around a young boy, possessed of the ability to release trapped souls. The concept unfolds in his regret that he was unable to let his dying mother ‘go'; he sees it as a selfish act and blames himself for the fact that her soul did not run free. Instead it joined the ranks of the dark chorus comprising of other trapped souls. He hears their chaotic calls and they haunt him—tear at his own soul—so he spends his time collecting them before he can eventually set them liberate them. It reduces the noise while he searches for the lost essence of his mother.
Through his depiction of the boy in first person POV, Meggitt has managed an incredible achievement in his portrayal. The character is both innocent yet experienced, curious yet centred. Single-mindedly calm, he’s honest and unafraid – totally focused on his purpose. It’s these qualities that draws the other central characters—and the reader—to him. The POV offers the reader an intensely personal relationship with the character, and the narrative keeps it simple, his voice pure. Such composure is unusual in one so young—preternatural—and his friends unquestioningly abide by his needs and instructions as they enact his brutal ceremonies, the source of much of the horror in the book.
The strength of the boy and his purpose drives the plot, introducing other themes along the way: domestic violence; paedophilia; inequality; old age. It’s a really moving book and as I look back on it writing this, my overarching feeling is one of melancholy; difficult to pin down why. I think it’s to do with the boy’s obvious yearning for the mother he lost and regret (shame?) for his need to hold on to her. There’s such poignancy in that. And Meggit does something else. He juxtaposes some of the most horrific moments with the boy’s love of tea and fruit. I love the part where Makka is threatening Vee’s father. The chap’s bellowing away with forks being thrust in front of his face and the boy tells us: “I realise I am still holding the banana. I start to peel it. I am not sure if I really like bananas, but while I wait, I think I will give them another go.” His love of tea does the same thing. It may be a piss-take on how we English like the beverage so much as a panacea for all stresses—maybe not—but when all around him is in chaos, when he asks for a cup, it seems to ground us further into the implacable purpose of the boy.
Meggitt does widen the scope into his own mythos of Arta, and I wonder if this will be revisited in a second novel. I don’t want to go too far into this for the sake of spoiling, I just wondered, if TDC is to stand alone, whether we needed it. I liked the Boy as Enigma.
I loved it.
Through his depiction of the boy in first person POV, Meggitt has managed an incredible achievement in his portrayal. The character is both innocent yet experienced, curious yet centred. Single-mindedly calm, he’s honest and unafraid – totally focused on his purpose. It’s these qualities that draws the other central characters—and the reader—to him. The POV offers the reader an intensely personal relationship with the character, and the narrative keeps it simple, his voice pure. Such composure is unusual in one so young—preternatural—and his friends unquestioningly abide by his needs and instructions as they enact his brutal ceremonies, the source of much of the horror in the book.
The strength of the boy and his purpose drives the plot, introducing other themes along the way: domestic violence; paedophilia; inequality; old age. It’s a really moving book and as I look back on it writing this, my overarching feeling is one of melancholy; difficult to pin down why. I think it’s to do with the boy’s obvious yearning for the mother he lost and regret (shame?) for his need to hold on to her. There’s such poignancy in that. And Meggit does something else. He juxtaposes some of the most horrific moments with the boy’s love of tea and fruit. I love the part where Makka is threatening Vee’s father. The chap’s bellowing away with forks being thrust in front of his face and the boy tells us: “I realise I am still holding the banana. I start to peel it. I am not sure if I really like bananas, but while I wait, I think I will give them another go.” His love of tea does the same thing. It may be a piss-take on how we English like the beverage so much as a panacea for all stresses—maybe not—but when all around him is in chaos, when he asks for a cup, it seems to ground us further into the implacable purpose of the boy.
Meggitt does widen the scope into his own mythos of Arta, and I wonder if this will be revisited in a second novel. I don’t want to go too far into this for the sake of spoiling, I just wondered, if TDC is to stand alone, whether we needed it. I liked the Boy as Enigma.
I loved it.
July 13, 2021
You can read my FULL NON-SPOILER review at my site: https://inkdrinkerhana.wordpress.com/...
November 24, 2020
A deep dark book. A well thought out plot told in the first person. It’s a thinking person’s novel as it makes you question the meaning of the soul. The narrator, the boy see only logic in his behaviour as he seeks his mother’s lost soul. A unique tale.
October 13, 2020
The Dark Chorus is the sound of lost souls who cannot pass on to the afterlife. The Boy can hear them, see them, and he must release the soul of his mother, through a series of ritualistic killings and a little help from his friends.
Ashley Meggitt brilliantly combines ethereal atmospherics and beautiful imagery with gruesome violence, a lot of swearing, and even some dark humour, to create a highly memorable horror.
I really enjoyed the series of gothic locations (abandoned hospitals, church crypts, London squats) and colourful characters (particularly memorable are an eccentric Cambridge professor and a heartbreakingly cute little half-sister), and the historical trail that takes us from ancient religions to Victorian eugenics to neo-Nazis.
Along with police psychiatrist Eve, you find yourself rooting for the murderous teens, who are endearingly drawn and have a curious innocence to them even when committing acts of shocking violence. They are far less wicked than the adults who have ruined their lives.
The Dark Chorus kept me breathless and guessing right until the very end. A very modern gothic that blends horror, ghost story and police procedural - highly recommended.
Ashley Meggitt brilliantly combines ethereal atmospherics and beautiful imagery with gruesome violence, a lot of swearing, and even some dark humour, to create a highly memorable horror.
I really enjoyed the series of gothic locations (abandoned hospitals, church crypts, London squats) and colourful characters (particularly memorable are an eccentric Cambridge professor and a heartbreakingly cute little half-sister), and the historical trail that takes us from ancient religions to Victorian eugenics to neo-Nazis.
Along with police psychiatrist Eve, you find yourself rooting for the murderous teens, who are endearingly drawn and have a curious innocence to them even when committing acts of shocking violence. They are far less wicked than the adults who have ruined their lives.
The Dark Chorus kept me breathless and guessing right until the very end. A very modern gothic that blends horror, ghost story and police procedural - highly recommended.
October 27, 2020
Ashley Meggitt is without doubt a phenomenal literary talent. The finest of Cormac McCarthy, Stephen King and Donald Ray Pollack pervade the pages of this book yet his writing remains original throughout with a relentless sense of unease. His writing style is is both eloquent and succinct, at no point does the internal cinema relent and the mise en scène remains dark, dirty, grotesque and seedy, yet light remains throughout in the main character and his child's eye view. Every word counts, each sentence rewarding. Ashley Meggitt must surely be recognised as one of the UK's masters of this genre.
October 19, 2020
Dark!
Very gritty but utterly compelling. This is not a genre that I would normally go for, but I loved it. Well written and crafted story line. I’ll be watching Ashley Meggit’s progress with interest.
Very gritty but utterly compelling. This is not a genre that I would normally go for, but I loved it. Well written and crafted story line. I’ll be watching Ashley Meggit’s progress with interest.
October 14, 2020
Outstanding
The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt is unquestionably one of the best books I've read this year. Beautifully written with a dramatic melody that tells the eerie tale of a boy seeking redemption. It is a story of love, life, and loss. Of friendship, duty, and honor. Of murder and salvation. It literally is music on paper - the title apt in more ways than one. Loved it and can't wait to see what other haunting tales this extraordinary author will create.
The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt is unquestionably one of the best books I've read this year. Beautifully written with a dramatic melody that tells the eerie tale of a boy seeking redemption. It is a story of love, life, and loss. Of friendship, duty, and honor. Of murder and salvation. It literally is music on paper - the title apt in more ways than one. Loved it and can't wait to see what other haunting tales this extraordinary author will create.
November 24, 2020
This is a completely different read for me, a book out of my comfort zone should we say. A bit wierd, a bit woah whats going on? Took me a while to get use to it all I.e the spirits, rituals, souls, transferring etc as I have no clue about that at all. We all have our own beliefs about that sort of thing but for me it's not something I've thought about.
However, after a few chapters I got into it. SURPRISE. I know it shocked me too. I did enjoy it in the end, something different. Mix between reality and the unknown. A little fantasy, horror, suspense and thriller. This book has it all and does get dark at points. Very descriptive which brings the story more to life for me and brilliantly written. Not something I would have picked up for myself but I'm glad I got the chance to read it!
A well deserved four stars from me.
However, after a few chapters I got into it. SURPRISE. I know it shocked me too. I did enjoy it in the end, something different. Mix between reality and the unknown. A little fantasy, horror, suspense and thriller. This book has it all and does get dark at points. Very descriptive which brings the story more to life for me and brilliantly written. Not something I would have picked up for myself but I'm glad I got the chance to read it!
A well deserved four stars from me.
July 12, 2021
Oh man, where do I start with this book? I absolutely loved it! The Dark Chorus is a dark and beautiful book which dug into my soul. Ashley Meggitt is a wonderful writer who brought his characters to life and captivated me with his story. Beautifully written with hints of horror, sadness, despair and surrealism. I loved the unique concept and the characters were just perfect and so vivid. Honestly, one of the best book I’ve read this year. I can’t say enough to do this book justice. If you’re a fan of great writing, a bit of darkness and fantasy and characters that will stay with you long after you’re done reading, get this book! All the magical stars💕
July 17, 2021
The Dark Chorus is one of those books where you begin to question what you're reading. As soon as the book begins we discover the Boy, a thirteen-year-old who has spent his whole life in orphanages and care homes since his mothers death; a teen who believes that he can see the spirits of the dead all around him. He uses his ability to find and trap the soul of his mother, and transfers this into a woman. When this doesn't go well he ends up killing the woman in a ritualistic way in order to free his mothers soul.
This act ends up with the Boy being found by the police and sent to a young offenders institute. It's here that you begin to question if what you saw in the first few chapters was real, as the book now seems to be grounded in reality, and healthcare professionals point at all the different ways in which the Boy is delusional and dangerous. As the reader you begin to suspect that this isn't a book about souls and magic, but about a deeply disturbed individual who needs to be stopped from causing more harm. But then other characters, people outside of the Boy's 'delusion' start to see and experience things, and you realise that the book is actually blending the fantastical with the real, and that it's keeping one foot firmly in each camp.
This is the fine line that Ashely Meggitt manages to walk across the entire book, and uses two differing narratives to do so with great effect. For the majority of the novel we follow the Boy, with the story being told in a first person perspective as he sets out on his deadly mission. However, there are times when the book jumps away from him and we join Dr Eve Rhodes, a psychiatrist helping the police with his case. These parts of the book are written from a third person perspective, and take a much more grounded and analytical view of events; and much of it is presented more as a police investigation procedural as Eve helps the police.
The mixing of these two narrative styles is very well done, and ends the book a unique feel as one moment we can be spending time with the Boy, who literally sees souls and can stare into the very heart of what makes people tick with his powers; whilst the next page we could be seeing police examine a crime scene and talking about paranoid delusions and motives. The Boy's parts bring the fantastical to the mundane, whilst Eve's help to anchor the rest of the book in the real world, leading to the fantastical nature of the story never feeling too weird to be accepted.
Over the course of the narrative the Boy ends up recruiting two other teens into his mission, the first is an Asian boy names Makka, a psychotically violent young man who's goal in life is to find the racist criminal who raped his mother; swearing to kill the man for destroying his mothers life, even though it led to his birth.
The two of them also come across a girl names Victoria, who they manage to save from being raped by one of Makka's father's Nazi friends. She's a young girl who's been sold into child sex by her wealthy and well connected father, but has bee on the run for some time.
Not only do these two characters help the Boy, but they end up being connected as we learn that Makka's father and his friends have been hired to track down and recapture Victoria by her father. It does feel at time like it's fate, rather than random chance that brings the three of them together, and connects them in these ways; which is somewhat fitting as we learn more and more about the Boy and the powers he's connected to over the course of the story.
It should be noted before jumping in to read the book, though, that it is an incredibly violent narrative. Meggitt doesn't shy away from including physical violence, and some pretty brutal murder scenes. For the most part these feel somewhat acceptable, as the Boy and his friends target people whose souls are beyond redemption. Their victims end up being rapists, child molesters, racists, and thugs. They go after people who prey on the weak, who hate others for being different, the kind of people that most would look at and say shouldn't be a part of civilised society.
This means that The Dark Chorus can feel incredibly dark at times, and I'm glad that when I was asked onto the blog tour I was made aware of some of this via content warnings, as if you were to go into in unprepared for the racist language and violent killings it'd probably take you aback somewhat; even though you'd probably get a sense of satisfaction in seeing bad people getting punished. One thing that I was not warned about before reading, and that I feel I should make potential readers aware of, is a small moment of casual transphobia that's thrown into the book. It's a single throwaway line, where Meggitt is describing how run down and illicit a certain part of London is, and mentions a 'fashion outlet for transsexuals'. This might not seem like much, and it's not really, but it was enough to throw me out of the book for a moment; and it was something that I kept circling back to thinking about. It felt completely unnecessary, and in all honesty I did contemplate not continuing the book; but then I'd have missed out on what is a pretty decent read. Yes, it's only one moment; but it's one that can harm, so to those reading this who might be considering picking up the book please be aware that this is something that happens.
On the whole I really enjoyed the book. I found that Meggitt was able to craft a really compelling and layered story; one where I was never sure what to expect and that I was eager to find out what happens next. The characters were interesting, and I'd have liked it if we could have spent some more time with them in the quiet moments between the big beats of the story, as I'd have loved to have found out more about them. Especially Victoria.
The Dark Chorus is a brutal book, one that takes it's readers to some dark places, yet manages to include some beauty too. The descriptions of the souls that the Boy sees, the Dark Chorus as he calls it, are some beautifully described moments that offset the often depressing banality of the real world places these child vigilantes are forced to stay in. The book walks a fine line between horror and police thriller, and will have you guessing and wondering a lot of the time; but it's a book that I really enjoyed, and am glad I read.
This act ends up with the Boy being found by the police and sent to a young offenders institute. It's here that you begin to question if what you saw in the first few chapters was real, as the book now seems to be grounded in reality, and healthcare professionals point at all the different ways in which the Boy is delusional and dangerous. As the reader you begin to suspect that this isn't a book about souls and magic, but about a deeply disturbed individual who needs to be stopped from causing more harm. But then other characters, people outside of the Boy's 'delusion' start to see and experience things, and you realise that the book is actually blending the fantastical with the real, and that it's keeping one foot firmly in each camp.
This is the fine line that Ashely Meggitt manages to walk across the entire book, and uses two differing narratives to do so with great effect. For the majority of the novel we follow the Boy, with the story being told in a first person perspective as he sets out on his deadly mission. However, there are times when the book jumps away from him and we join Dr Eve Rhodes, a psychiatrist helping the police with his case. These parts of the book are written from a third person perspective, and take a much more grounded and analytical view of events; and much of it is presented more as a police investigation procedural as Eve helps the police.
The mixing of these two narrative styles is very well done, and ends the book a unique feel as one moment we can be spending time with the Boy, who literally sees souls and can stare into the very heart of what makes people tick with his powers; whilst the next page we could be seeing police examine a crime scene and talking about paranoid delusions and motives. The Boy's parts bring the fantastical to the mundane, whilst Eve's help to anchor the rest of the book in the real world, leading to the fantastical nature of the story never feeling too weird to be accepted.
Over the course of the narrative the Boy ends up recruiting two other teens into his mission, the first is an Asian boy names Makka, a psychotically violent young man who's goal in life is to find the racist criminal who raped his mother; swearing to kill the man for destroying his mothers life, even though it led to his birth.
The two of them also come across a girl names Victoria, who they manage to save from being raped by one of Makka's father's Nazi friends. She's a young girl who's been sold into child sex by her wealthy and well connected father, but has bee on the run for some time.
Not only do these two characters help the Boy, but they end up being connected as we learn that Makka's father and his friends have been hired to track down and recapture Victoria by her father. It does feel at time like it's fate, rather than random chance that brings the three of them together, and connects them in these ways; which is somewhat fitting as we learn more and more about the Boy and the powers he's connected to over the course of the story.
It should be noted before jumping in to read the book, though, that it is an incredibly violent narrative. Meggitt doesn't shy away from including physical violence, and some pretty brutal murder scenes. For the most part these feel somewhat acceptable, as the Boy and his friends target people whose souls are beyond redemption. Their victims end up being rapists, child molesters, racists, and thugs. They go after people who prey on the weak, who hate others for being different, the kind of people that most would look at and say shouldn't be a part of civilised society.
This means that The Dark Chorus can feel incredibly dark at times, and I'm glad that when I was asked onto the blog tour I was made aware of some of this via content warnings, as if you were to go into in unprepared for the racist language and violent killings it'd probably take you aback somewhat; even though you'd probably get a sense of satisfaction in seeing bad people getting punished. One thing that I was not warned about before reading, and that I feel I should make potential readers aware of, is a small moment of casual transphobia that's thrown into the book. It's a single throwaway line, where Meggitt is describing how run down and illicit a certain part of London is, and mentions a 'fashion outlet for transsexuals'. This might not seem like much, and it's not really, but it was enough to throw me out of the book for a moment; and it was something that I kept circling back to thinking about. It felt completely unnecessary, and in all honesty I did contemplate not continuing the book; but then I'd have missed out on what is a pretty decent read. Yes, it's only one moment; but it's one that can harm, so to those reading this who might be considering picking up the book please be aware that this is something that happens.
On the whole I really enjoyed the book. I found that Meggitt was able to craft a really compelling and layered story; one where I was never sure what to expect and that I was eager to find out what happens next. The characters were interesting, and I'd have liked it if we could have spent some more time with them in the quiet moments between the big beats of the story, as I'd have loved to have found out more about them. Especially Victoria.
The Dark Chorus is a brutal book, one that takes it's readers to some dark places, yet manages to include some beauty too. The descriptions of the souls that the Boy sees, the Dark Chorus as he calls it, are some beautifully described moments that offset the often depressing banality of the real world places these child vigilantes are forced to stay in. The book walks a fine line between horror and police thriller, and will have you guessing and wondering a lot of the time; but it's a book that I really enjoyed, and am glad I read.
January 19, 2021
Horror novels are not my natural ‘go to’ genre – but I do like a well written book. I had heard so many good things about The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt that curiosity got the better of me and I decided to read it, to form my own opinion. I was not disappointed.
The Blurb
Oblivio salvationem Angelis opperitur
Oblivion awaits the Angel’s salvation
The Boy can see lost souls.
He has never questioned the fact that he can see them. He thinks of them as the Dark Chorus. When he sets out to restore the soul of his dead mother it becomes clear that his ability comes from within him. It is a force that he cannot ignore – the last shard of the shattered soul of an angel.
To be restored to the kingdom of light, the shard must be cleansed of the evil that infects it – but this requires the corrupt souls of the living!
With the help from Makka, a psychotically violent young man full of hate, and Vee, an abused young woman full of pain, the Boy begins to kill.
Psychiatrist Dr Eve Rhodes is seconded to assist the police investigation into the Boy’s apparently random ritualistic killings. As the investigation gathers pace, a pattern emerges. When Eve pulls at the thread from an article in an old psychology journal, what might otherwise have seemed to her a terrible psychotic delusion now feels all too real…
Will the Boy succeed in restoring the angel’s soul to the light? Can Eve stop him, or will she be lost to realm of the Dark Chorus?
The Review
The style and sophistication of Meggitt’s style of writing is a delight. The story is original and gripping. I am so glad I read this book.
The Dark Chorus tells of a boy, able to release trapped souls and the author, through his depiction of the boy in first person, managed an incredible achievement. The boy is innocent and experienced, curious and centred.
The story tells of his misery that he could not let his dying mother ‘go’. He blames himself for the fact that her soul did not become free upon her death, but joined the ranks of the dark chorus which is made up of other rapped souls. He can hear their chaotic calls and they haunt him. As a result of this, the boy collects them and works towards setting them free. The premise of the story is complicated because dark souls must be collected to cleanse the shards of the soul of a fallen angel therefore the more corrupt the soul, the better. The author requires his readers to concentrate from the very beginning, and it is worth doing so. As soon as I discovered what the Dark Chorus was, I was hooked. The writing is glorious: the story fascinating: the characters beautifully drawn. Also, this author is clever, for example he teases his readers by contrasting dark descriptions of action in the novel with the boy’s love of tea and fruit.
It is the strength of the boy and his determination that drives the plot by introducing other themes. These include paedophilia, domestic violence, inequality and old age. This is a dark tale (as reflected by the title) that is not for the faint hearted, but it is also a moving book that left me with a feeling unresolved melancholy. This is because of the boy’s yearning for the mother he lost and his need to hold on to her.
I would be careful to whom I recommended this novel because it would not suit the faint of heart. Having said that, I have already recommended it to two friends, both of whom were gripped by it. I thoroughly enjoyed The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt and this is an easy 5* review.
The Author
Ashley Meggitt lives near Cambridge, UK, with his wife Jane. He left school to join a psychedelic rock band when he realised that sex, drugs, and rock and roll was a thing. Subsequently he went back to education and became head of IT for a Cambridge University College. In recent years Ashley has retrained in psychology and is now an associate lecturer in sports psychology. He is studying for his PhD. He also holds an MA in Creative Writing. The Dark Chorus is his debut novel.
Val Penny
The Blurb
Oblivio salvationem Angelis opperitur
Oblivion awaits the Angel’s salvation
The Boy can see lost souls.
He has never questioned the fact that he can see them. He thinks of them as the Dark Chorus. When he sets out to restore the soul of his dead mother it becomes clear that his ability comes from within him. It is a force that he cannot ignore – the last shard of the shattered soul of an angel.
To be restored to the kingdom of light, the shard must be cleansed of the evil that infects it – but this requires the corrupt souls of the living!
With the help from Makka, a psychotically violent young man full of hate, and Vee, an abused young woman full of pain, the Boy begins to kill.
Psychiatrist Dr Eve Rhodes is seconded to assist the police investigation into the Boy’s apparently random ritualistic killings. As the investigation gathers pace, a pattern emerges. When Eve pulls at the thread from an article in an old psychology journal, what might otherwise have seemed to her a terrible psychotic delusion now feels all too real…
Will the Boy succeed in restoring the angel’s soul to the light? Can Eve stop him, or will she be lost to realm of the Dark Chorus?
The Review
The style and sophistication of Meggitt’s style of writing is a delight. The story is original and gripping. I am so glad I read this book.
The Dark Chorus tells of a boy, able to release trapped souls and the author, through his depiction of the boy in first person, managed an incredible achievement. The boy is innocent and experienced, curious and centred.
The story tells of his misery that he could not let his dying mother ‘go’. He blames himself for the fact that her soul did not become free upon her death, but joined the ranks of the dark chorus which is made up of other rapped souls. He can hear their chaotic calls and they haunt him. As a result of this, the boy collects them and works towards setting them free. The premise of the story is complicated because dark souls must be collected to cleanse the shards of the soul of a fallen angel therefore the more corrupt the soul, the better. The author requires his readers to concentrate from the very beginning, and it is worth doing so. As soon as I discovered what the Dark Chorus was, I was hooked. The writing is glorious: the story fascinating: the characters beautifully drawn. Also, this author is clever, for example he teases his readers by contrasting dark descriptions of action in the novel with the boy’s love of tea and fruit.
It is the strength of the boy and his determination that drives the plot by introducing other themes. These include paedophilia, domestic violence, inequality and old age. This is a dark tale (as reflected by the title) that is not for the faint hearted, but it is also a moving book that left me with a feeling unresolved melancholy. This is because of the boy’s yearning for the mother he lost and his need to hold on to her.
I would be careful to whom I recommended this novel because it would not suit the faint of heart. Having said that, I have already recommended it to two friends, both of whom were gripped by it. I thoroughly enjoyed The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt and this is an easy 5* review.
The Author
Ashley Meggitt lives near Cambridge, UK, with his wife Jane. He left school to join a psychedelic rock band when he realised that sex, drugs, and rock and roll was a thing. Subsequently he went back to education and became head of IT for a Cambridge University College. In recent years Ashley has retrained in psychology and is now an associate lecturer in sports psychology. He is studying for his PhD. He also holds an MA in Creative Writing. The Dark Chorus is his debut novel.
Val Penny
July 14, 2021
Before I begin this review of the horror novel, The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt, I would like to give some trigger warnings for this book. There are graphic scenes of psychosis, and psychiatric patients being mistreated in a mental health facility. For readers who are sensitive to these kinds of topics, I wouldn’t recommend this book.
The Dark Chorus follows a boy without a name who can see and collect lost souls from the Dark Chorus, which is where the dead who are unable to move on to the afterlife remain – a limbo if you like. His mother is one of these lost souls and he attempts to save her from limbo by trapping her inside another woman, only unintentionally to drive that woman mad. He then kills the woman to get his mother’s soul back, but the murder lands him in an asylum for the criminally insane. The boy must find another way to save his mum’s soul, but that means escaping the asylum.
What I liked about this book was the writing. The story was scary in the right places, and you could feel the weather vividly, which is key for a good horror book. I also appreciated the themes regarding the mistreatment of and lack of empathy shown to some of the most vulnerable people, the mentally ill, even though I question the execution, which leads me to my next point.
I struggled to connect with the characters.
It is possibly because I am not the right audience. I have suffered with mental illness and feel the representation of conditions I am familiar with was not always accurate. So, I would ask you to keep that in mind before you read on.
The Psychiatrist, Dr Eve Rhodes, who is assigned the unnamed boy and assists the police with the murder investigation, is supposed to be a sympathetic character. However, several of her assessments of psychotic patients can be uncomfortable to read. For example, she explains how she must protect herself from violent patients, and there are no patients that we meet that aren’t violent. However, mentally ill patients, particularly psychotic ones, are more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators. I would let this trope slide if the main character, who isn’t violent and is very well-behaved, was also mentally ill, but he isn’t. He’s psychic (rather than psychotic) and his experiences and beliefs are real.
What also makes this read disturbing is that Makka, the boy’s friend and another patient of Dr Eve Rhodes, is an extremely violent psychotic, further perpetrating the idea that the mentally ill are violent. I’m not saying that there can’t be violent mentally ill characters in books, but to be an accurate representation they need to be mixed with some mellow mentally ill characters too, especially in a time where people still believe all psychotics are violent.
It is worth noting, though, that Makka is sympathetically drawn.
The uniform representation of the psychiatric patients is a shame because otherwise this is a fascinating horror story addressing deep philosophical questions and with a tight plot. I feel down the road as we begin to build a repertoire of positive representation of the mentally ill, I might be able to enjoy this book more. But as it stands, it was a difficult read.
I still recommend it to fans of the horror genre. The Dark Chorus is a beautifully written book. But I would shy away from this if you know someone who has or if you have experienced a psychiatric illness.
The Dark Chorus follows a boy without a name who can see and collect lost souls from the Dark Chorus, which is where the dead who are unable to move on to the afterlife remain – a limbo if you like. His mother is one of these lost souls and he attempts to save her from limbo by trapping her inside another woman, only unintentionally to drive that woman mad. He then kills the woman to get his mother’s soul back, but the murder lands him in an asylum for the criminally insane. The boy must find another way to save his mum’s soul, but that means escaping the asylum.
What I liked about this book was the writing. The story was scary in the right places, and you could feel the weather vividly, which is key for a good horror book. I also appreciated the themes regarding the mistreatment of and lack of empathy shown to some of the most vulnerable people, the mentally ill, even though I question the execution, which leads me to my next point.
I struggled to connect with the characters.
It is possibly because I am not the right audience. I have suffered with mental illness and feel the representation of conditions I am familiar with was not always accurate. So, I would ask you to keep that in mind before you read on.
The Psychiatrist, Dr Eve Rhodes, who is assigned the unnamed boy and assists the police with the murder investigation, is supposed to be a sympathetic character. However, several of her assessments of psychotic patients can be uncomfortable to read. For example, she explains how she must protect herself from violent patients, and there are no patients that we meet that aren’t violent. However, mentally ill patients, particularly psychotic ones, are more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators. I would let this trope slide if the main character, who isn’t violent and is very well-behaved, was also mentally ill, but he isn’t. He’s psychic (rather than psychotic) and his experiences and beliefs are real.
What also makes this read disturbing is that Makka, the boy’s friend and another patient of Dr Eve Rhodes, is an extremely violent psychotic, further perpetrating the idea that the mentally ill are violent. I’m not saying that there can’t be violent mentally ill characters in books, but to be an accurate representation they need to be mixed with some mellow mentally ill characters too, especially in a time where people still believe all psychotics are violent.
It is worth noting, though, that Makka is sympathetically drawn.
The uniform representation of the psychiatric patients is a shame because otherwise this is a fascinating horror story addressing deep philosophical questions and with a tight plot. I feel down the road as we begin to build a repertoire of positive representation of the mentally ill, I might be able to enjoy this book more. But as it stands, it was a difficult read.
I still recommend it to fans of the horror genre. The Dark Chorus is a beautifully written book. But I would shy away from this if you know someone who has or if you have experienced a psychiatric illness.
May 31, 2021
Spoilers: Ashley Meggitt's The Dark Chorus is a disturbing supernatural novel about a protagonist with an almost hypnotic power of stealing and capturing souls from the body.
The Narrator is a seriously troubled young man who spent most of his life in children's homes and psychiatric wards. His mother just died and he knows because as she died, he took her soul and put it into what he calls, The Dark Chorus, the souls that he collected and he carries with him. He is haunted by this ability, whether he does it out of malice, self-defense, or accidentally.
He is caught in the act of killing a woman during a ritual and he is judged to be mentally insane. His psychiatrist, Dr. Rhodes tries to find out the root of his strange story. The Narrator makes a pair of new friends, Makka and Vee. It isn't long before the trio are on the run with law enforcement and psychiatric services following close behind.
The book begins terrifyingly and pretty much stays that way. The Narrator's opening ritual is nightmarish as the souls wail at him in a chorus that sounds like all of Hell has a sound system just for The Narrator. His ritual ends up depriving his mother of her memories and identity to the point where she doesn't recognize him. It gets worse when he assaults a family friend, Mrs. Johnson, a woman that he insists wanted to die, to exchange her soul for his mother's. It's a mesmerizing and eerie ritual that sets the stage for the rest of the book.
While the Narrator has this unique power, he is not invincible. In fact, he is often susceptible to other character's manipulations and desires. He becomes aware of this as he hides with Makka and Vee. His two friends are frightened of him but are also motivated by their own avarice, rage, and need for violence against those who have them. The more that they drag their new friend into hiding with suspicious allies and family members, the more they fuel his connection to the Drain Chorus and his souls. Their desires for an end to their pain only adds to the Narrator's.
While Makka and Vee could be considered The Narrator's friends, they are also interested in their own personal gain. The only one who is genuinely concerned for him is Dr. Rhodes. As they search for the boy, Rhodes doubts his elaborate story. At first Rhodes plays on one of my favorite tropes: whether what is happening is real or just part of Insanity. After all, The Narrator could have imagined the whole ritual in the beginning and Makka and Vee could be playing along with The Narrator's fantasies for their own means.
However, that changes once Rhodes starts peering into The Narrator's past and finds out about his connections to a mysterious cult. The Narrator's back story serves as an explanation for the strange events and makes him even more isolated because of decisions that were not of his own doing.
His souls can't connect him to anyone, even himself. This is what Dr. Rhodes connects with him. She is the only person who truly cares for and wants to try to understand him. She wants to see beyond his ability to the real suffering person inside.
The Dark Chorus gives us a unique power and the suffering that a person who has it can go through. They can feel used, misunderstood, discredited, and alone: just drifting along like a soul without a body.
The Narrator is a seriously troubled young man who spent most of his life in children's homes and psychiatric wards. His mother just died and he knows because as she died, he took her soul and put it into what he calls, The Dark Chorus, the souls that he collected and he carries with him. He is haunted by this ability, whether he does it out of malice, self-defense, or accidentally.
He is caught in the act of killing a woman during a ritual and he is judged to be mentally insane. His psychiatrist, Dr. Rhodes tries to find out the root of his strange story. The Narrator makes a pair of new friends, Makka and Vee. It isn't long before the trio are on the run with law enforcement and psychiatric services following close behind.
The book begins terrifyingly and pretty much stays that way. The Narrator's opening ritual is nightmarish as the souls wail at him in a chorus that sounds like all of Hell has a sound system just for The Narrator. His ritual ends up depriving his mother of her memories and identity to the point where she doesn't recognize him. It gets worse when he assaults a family friend, Mrs. Johnson, a woman that he insists wanted to die, to exchange her soul for his mother's. It's a mesmerizing and eerie ritual that sets the stage for the rest of the book.
While the Narrator has this unique power, he is not invincible. In fact, he is often susceptible to other character's manipulations and desires. He becomes aware of this as he hides with Makka and Vee. His two friends are frightened of him but are also motivated by their own avarice, rage, and need for violence against those who have them. The more that they drag their new friend into hiding with suspicious allies and family members, the more they fuel his connection to the Drain Chorus and his souls. Their desires for an end to their pain only adds to the Narrator's.
While Makka and Vee could be considered The Narrator's friends, they are also interested in their own personal gain. The only one who is genuinely concerned for him is Dr. Rhodes. As they search for the boy, Rhodes doubts his elaborate story. At first Rhodes plays on one of my favorite tropes: whether what is happening is real or just part of Insanity. After all, The Narrator could have imagined the whole ritual in the beginning and Makka and Vee could be playing along with The Narrator's fantasies for their own means.
However, that changes once Rhodes starts peering into The Narrator's past and finds out about his connections to a mysterious cult. The Narrator's back story serves as an explanation for the strange events and makes him even more isolated because of decisions that were not of his own doing.
His souls can't connect him to anyone, even himself. This is what Dr. Rhodes connects with him. She is the only person who truly cares for and wants to try to understand him. She wants to see beyond his ability to the real suffering person inside.
The Dark Chorus gives us a unique power and the suffering that a person who has it can go through. They can feel used, misunderstood, discredited, and alone: just drifting along like a soul without a body.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2021
Some books are a pleasure to read. Others, more of a nightmare. The Dark Chorus, the debut novel from British writer Ashley Meggitt, gave me pleasure, in that it is exquisitely written — but man, those nightmares are going to follow me around for a while.
The novel unfolds in two distinct voices and personalities. The Boy, who remains unnamed throughout, is the primary character. He sees lost souls, calling them his Dark Chorus. Among these souls is the one that belongs to his mother. When we first meet the Boy, he’s in a boys’ home, but he manages to sneak out and persuade a local woman to become the new owner of his mother’s soul. Unfortunately for the poor woman, the ritual involves her death. The Boy’s powers of persuasion and his ability to see these souls is a gift (or curse) that has supernatural and historic origins. These are explored in detail throughout the story. But for now, once he knows his ritual has been unsuccessful, he persists in his mission, despite the intervention of Ma’am, the local detective inspector (also unnamed), and Dr Eve Rhodes, his appointed psychiatrist — the second point-of-view of the novel. Her journey to understanding the Boy’s motivations is as engrossing to read as the Boy’s exploits themselves.
By far the most amazing aspect of The Dark Chorus is the relationship between the triumvirate of the Boy; Makka, an angry and pathalogically violent young man of mixed-Asian heritage; and Vee, a young and damaged girl whom the boys rescue from men who wish to commit heinous acts in her. As they form a friendship, while on the run from both the law and men who want them dead, the Boy’s mission to save his mother’s soul takes on a different perspective. Learning more about his power and his history, the Boy decides he must condemn all corrupted souls into oblivion. The scenes of violence are not for the faint-hearted, but all kudos to Ashley Meggitt: while the death scenes are extreme and bloody, they are not gratuitous. Think of the Boy as being Dexter-like, with only the truly evil being vanquished into nothingness.
Dr Eve Rhodes is a compelling character in her own right. Without giving too much away, as The Dark Chorus proceeds, she learns she may have a connection to the Boy’s power. What she does with this knowledge provides much of the climax’s intensity. As outlandish as all of this may seem at first glance, there is a visceral realism to these dirty streets of London. I give Ashley Meggitt full praise for writing a novel that both horrified and moved me. His hold over his characters only goes so far, because there are forces beyond even his control at work here. For better or worse, when people start dying, there is chaos behind it. But there is also a cleansing taking place, a natural order of things, the way life and death take on a meaning that is unknown to only a few.
The Dark Chorus is a story of revenge and redemption. It is the story of love and loss. It is also the story of the power of friendship and connection. The Boy cannot do what he needs to do without Makka, Vee, and Dr Rhodes. And they in turn, cannot complete their own arcs without him. This is a breath-taking work from an author to keep an eye out for.
The novel unfolds in two distinct voices and personalities. The Boy, who remains unnamed throughout, is the primary character. He sees lost souls, calling them his Dark Chorus. Among these souls is the one that belongs to his mother. When we first meet the Boy, he’s in a boys’ home, but he manages to sneak out and persuade a local woman to become the new owner of his mother’s soul. Unfortunately for the poor woman, the ritual involves her death. The Boy’s powers of persuasion and his ability to see these souls is a gift (or curse) that has supernatural and historic origins. These are explored in detail throughout the story. But for now, once he knows his ritual has been unsuccessful, he persists in his mission, despite the intervention of Ma’am, the local detective inspector (also unnamed), and Dr Eve Rhodes, his appointed psychiatrist — the second point-of-view of the novel. Her journey to understanding the Boy’s motivations is as engrossing to read as the Boy’s exploits themselves.
By far the most amazing aspect of The Dark Chorus is the relationship between the triumvirate of the Boy; Makka, an angry and pathalogically violent young man of mixed-Asian heritage; and Vee, a young and damaged girl whom the boys rescue from men who wish to commit heinous acts in her. As they form a friendship, while on the run from both the law and men who want them dead, the Boy’s mission to save his mother’s soul takes on a different perspective. Learning more about his power and his history, the Boy decides he must condemn all corrupted souls into oblivion. The scenes of violence are not for the faint-hearted, but all kudos to Ashley Meggitt: while the death scenes are extreme and bloody, they are not gratuitous. Think of the Boy as being Dexter-like, with only the truly evil being vanquished into nothingness.
Dr Eve Rhodes is a compelling character in her own right. Without giving too much away, as The Dark Chorus proceeds, she learns she may have a connection to the Boy’s power. What she does with this knowledge provides much of the climax’s intensity. As outlandish as all of this may seem at first glance, there is a visceral realism to these dirty streets of London. I give Ashley Meggitt full praise for writing a novel that both horrified and moved me. His hold over his characters only goes so far, because there are forces beyond even his control at work here. For better or worse, when people start dying, there is chaos behind it. But there is also a cleansing taking place, a natural order of things, the way life and death take on a meaning that is unknown to only a few.
The Dark Chorus is a story of revenge and redemption. It is the story of love and loss. It is also the story of the power of friendship and connection. The Boy cannot do what he needs to do without Makka, Vee, and Dr Rhodes. And they in turn, cannot complete their own arcs without him. This is a breath-taking work from an author to keep an eye out for.
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