Demon Dance

by T. Chris Martindale

The ghosts are calling…the dance is about to begin… The year is 1890, and the vanquished Native tribes see one fleeting ray of hope in the coming of the Ghost Dance religion. Its peaceful rituals promise the return of the buffalo herds and the resurrection of their great warrior nation. But a different dance is taking place in the mountains to the west. And it heralds the return of something far older… Only three stand against it—a legendary frontiersman struggling for a piece of his former glory, a Lakota Sioux mystic trying to save his own people from damnation, and a young daughter of the range who has to grow up fast and shoot even faster. In their hands lies not just the salvation of the West, but the fate of the earth for all eternity…

Genres: Horror, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Westerns

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

T. Chris Martindale wrote a few horror novels back in the day—four to be exact. The first two were fairly well received, one even nominated for Best First Novel by the Horror Writers of America as they were known at the time. But the last two were barely noticed, possibly due to crappy distribution and some truly embarrassing covers. That and the general drying up of the horror market in the ’90s suggested to Martindale that maybe writing wasn't his bag after all. So he stopped.

Flash forward to 2017. His vampire novel Nightblood gets a mention in Grady Hendrix's book, Paperbacks from Hell, and that leads to it being reprinted for the first time in almost thirty years. Now Crossroad Press has offered to reprint his other three titles as well—Where the Chill Waits, Demon Dance, and The Voice in the Basement. Martindale says he's excited to see these works available for a new audience after all this time.

Questions for the author (aside from “What the hell you been doing for the last thirty years!”) can be sent to tchrismartindale@outlook.com.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure if 'action-horror' is a genre, but it seems to be Martindale's groove. His Nightblood was something of a cross between Rambo and 'Salem's Lot and a lot of fun. DD likewise is full of action, but set in 1890 in Nebraska (largely) and basically consists of a rag-tag group trying to stop the unleashing of hell on Earth, and of course, facing lots of trials and tribulations along the way.

Our main characters are introduced quickly: Willie, a 17 y.o. girl with a quick draw; Tol, a somewhat washed up, semi-famous cowboy, and No Moon, an old Oglala shaman/medicine man. One day in a small Nebraska town, a 'Wild West' show rolls in. Tol is featured in the show, and Willie has a fascination with the old west, reading her half-penny thrillers all the time. Willie works in the local store/trading post with her Da, and the morning of the show she meets Tol, only to find out his is something of a drunk. Nonetheless, he gives her a free ticket to the show. Meanwhile, No Moon is desperately fleeing to the town to find Tol, being chased by some kind of demons...

This is not really a character or plot driving novel, but more like an action adventure set in the old west. I am not a big fan of westerns, but given that this is really a horror novel with the wild west as a back drop, it reads fine. Essentially, a new 'witch' had rounded up 10 shamans from 10 tribes for one last act of vengeance. The 'Ghost Dance' (actually a real event) failed to revive the tribes or drive out the White man, so now it is time to go for broke with the 'Demon Dance'. Martindale builds on/draws upon American Indian lore here, but I really have no idea if he did his homework or just made shit up. In any case, the small town the night of the show gets attacked by demons and Tol and No Moon manage to kill them, only to earn a night in the local jail. Willie gets them out (using her .45 peacemaker) and the trio heads off to try to stop the Demon Dance...

DD is definitely not a very deep read, but it has no pretense of being so either. Martindale serves us up a horror-western-action adventure with the aim to entertain and he does. Not quite a gripping and action packed as Nightblood, but still a decent, fun read. 3.5 stars, rounding down due to the cheese dripping from the ending.

[DJMikeG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly entertaining "Weird Western". Basically, it reads like a horror version of"True Grit" with monsters and demons. Not the best novel I've ever read, but very entertaining for what it is. Martindale has yet to disappoint. I'll definitely be reading more of his work.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very good one from T. Chris Martindale. This one takes place in the Old West and there are some great, gory descriptions.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the writing is a little clunky and it's FAR from historically accurate, this is a fun ride in both horror and western. As long as you don't expect a groundbreaking masterpiece, you'll at least have a fun time.