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Incarnate
Summer, 1976. For Ryan, turning thirteen is a big deal.
Turning thirteen while staying at a haunted house? Amazing.
After pleading with his parents to stay in The Matthews House, they’ve agreed.
This summer will be the best vacation they’ve ever had.
Too bad something still claims the house as its own.
Something Lillian Matthews accidently called forth all those years ago.
Ryan and his parents will have to fight to survive this summer,
When they meet evil Incarnate in the flesh.
Turning thirteen while staying at a haunted house? Amazing.
After pleading with his parents to stay in The Matthews House, they’ve agreed.
This summer will be the best vacation they’ve ever had.
Too bad something still claims the house as its own.
Something Lillian Matthews accidently called forth all those years ago.
Ryan and his parents will have to fight to survive this summer,
When they meet evil Incarnate in the flesh.
ebook
First published October 4, 2021
10 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Steve Stred
90 books685 followersAn award-winning author, Steve Stred lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and son.
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
His novel 'Churn the Soil' won the Best Horror Novel award in the 2024 Indieverse Awards.
His novel 'Mastodon' and his novella' Sacrament' were both nominated for Splatterpunk Awards.
He is represented by Kodie Van Dusen at The Rights Factory and Alec Frankel at Independent Artist Group.
Outside of writing, Steve received his Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2008, and became a Certified Canadian Pedorthist in 2013.
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
His novel 'Churn the Soil' won the Best Horror Novel award in the 2024 Indieverse Awards.
His novel 'Mastodon' and his novella' Sacrament' were both nominated for Splatterpunk Awards.
He is represented by Kodie Van Dusen at The Rights Factory and Alec Frankel at Independent Artist Group.
Outside of writing, Steve received his Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2008, and became a Certified Canadian Pedorthist in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
October 12, 2024
Set in 1976 a family of three spends their summer holidays in a haunted house belonging to a long deceased relative. What happened in that house? Why is it shunned by the population of the small village? Steve inserts all the proper ingredients for full blown horror. Only the portal/gate theory, the blending of different realms and the ending won't fully come up with his other ideas. There is also a bit of repetition (the stories from the past twice told) at the end before the showdown. Otherwise a chilling tale full of creepy horror. Pulp horror with some of its finest moments. Really recommended!
September 20, 2025
This was a good haunting-based story. Steve Stred took some unique approaches to an otherwise traditional lore, and I believe that it all paid off. The family dynamics were solid, between Craig, Nora, and Ryan, and added to the allure of all the creepy happenings at their new property. I, especially, enjoyed the creatures here most of all. One reminded me a lot of the Jersey Devil, which was fun, but there were a bunch involved, all scary and made of pure nightmare fuel. They also weren't used excessively, being more prominent in the latter portion of the book. The ending wasn't my favorite, as it was obvious, but was still a decent conclusion. This type of story, not being my preferred type of horror, tends to be boring and long-drawn, however, the author really did a fine job keeping everything streamlined and interesting.
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April 1, 2026Hear the hooves. Fear the clues. Incarnate will please horror readers. A disturbing, wicked, and haunting tale from the mind of Steve Stred.
September 26, 2021
1970s Satanic weirdness? Incarnate might be my favourite Stred book yet. Twisted, brutal, and scary.
June 12, 2022
If you haven't read Incarnate yet, you need too! I finished the audiobook today and let me tell you this book kicks ass! Full of the top tier writing we've all come to expect from Steve, this book is a creepy, unsettling, thrill ride! Shep Pryor also does a great job with the narration.
January 19, 2022
I’ve read a lot of Steve Stred’s books, and what I love about his work is that it speaks to me on a level that really pulls me into the stories and characters. But let me say this ‘Incarnate’ is the best book Steve’s written to date (in my personal opinion).
The prose in this story is beguiling and fast and there is such an energy to it that I devoured this book in less than a day, the story just reaches out and grabs you, like a face hugger in alien - I couldn’t look anywhere else whilst I was reading this, the story gripped me from the first page to the last page and I think I even missed eating my lunch because I was so wrapped up in wanting to know more - and I never miss lunch!
Steve takes the haunted house trope and gives it a shot of smack - what we get is the demented offspring of the haunted house, and Steve brings the horror and the dread - and the pacing of the book is too notch, not once does it dip or become tedious - it’s a romp of a book that shows how brilliant Steve is and why he’s an author I’ll always read!
Steve is an incredible talent and this tale really cements him as a household name in my opinion - if you’ve not read Steve before I’d highly recommend all his works, all have been brilliant, but this one is a masterpiece!
The prose in this story is beguiling and fast and there is such an energy to it that I devoured this book in less than a day, the story just reaches out and grabs you, like a face hugger in alien - I couldn’t look anywhere else whilst I was reading this, the story gripped me from the first page to the last page and I think I even missed eating my lunch because I was so wrapped up in wanting to know more - and I never miss lunch!
Steve takes the haunted house trope and gives it a shot of smack - what we get is the demented offspring of the haunted house, and Steve brings the horror and the dread - and the pacing of the book is too notch, not once does it dip or become tedious - it’s a romp of a book that shows how brilliant Steve is and why he’s an author I’ll always read!
Steve is an incredible talent and this tale really cements him as a household name in my opinion - if you’ve not read Steve before I’d highly recommend all his works, all have been brilliant, but this one is a masterpiece!
October 2, 2021
A fast moving tale of good vs evil set in a creepy house in some spooky woods, most of the action taking place in the summer of 1976. Stred delivers the goods as always here, meaning that if you pick up a Stred book, don’t expect sunshine and sing alongs. And don’t get too attached to anyone. What you can expect, is that you’re in for a horrifically entertaining ride full of dread and fear. This one hit all my horror sweet spots. And for gods sake, if you happen to find yourself alone, near some dark woods, and suddenly start to hear a clippity-clop sound coming from those woods, run like hell.
October 8, 2021
Longer review to come, but I'll say this straight up.
Stred's work is getting better and better with each new release and Incarnate is him writing at the top of his game. He takes the tropes of the haunted house narrative and uses them to create a story that cherry-picks the best elements of the creature feature, the possession genre, and the cabin in the woods to create something entirely unique. It's a wild and fun ride, and on more than one occasion, I had to stop and shake my head at just how good it was! Buy this book.
Stred's work is getting better and better with each new release and Incarnate is him writing at the top of his game. He takes the tropes of the haunted house narrative and uses them to create a story that cherry-picks the best elements of the creature feature, the possession genre, and the cabin in the woods to create something entirely unique. It's a wild and fun ride, and on more than one occasion, I had to stop and shake my head at just how good it was! Buy this book.
May 10, 2022
Review to come
February 11, 2023
3.5/5
Overall a solid Demon, haunted house story. I enjoyed the twists & turns and was surprised by the way Stred ended it! Personally from other reads by him this doesn’t quite match up but still a good read!
Overall a solid Demon, haunted house story. I enjoyed the twists & turns and was surprised by the way Stred ended it! Personally from other reads by him this doesn’t quite match up but still a good read!
October 3, 2021
Review to come. Steve's done it again with his scariest and craziest story yet!
May 22, 2022
This was fun. If I were a pre-teen and I found out that one of my deceased ancestors lived in a haunted house, I would want to spend time there, too. In the back of my mind, I would know it was BS. Unless I were a main character in a book. Then maybe things wouldn't turn out so well for me.
I loved how this book opened with a seance. It was equally kewl that while they're staying in the house, the kid is reading a book about the house. So it's a book within a book. What I didn't like was how the last chapters on such book was repeated. Other than that, it was a fun read
I loved how this book opened with a seance. It was equally kewl that while they're staying in the house, the kid is reading a book about the house. So it's a book within a book. What I didn't like was how the last chapters on such book was repeated. Other than that, it was a fun read
October 15, 2021
An engrossing story about a supposedly haunted property and land that the locals don't dare to venture near. Did Lillian really invite something over from the other side, or is it all just small town rumours?
Steve has certainly upped his writing game and this book is evidence of it. Very well written with good scenic descriptions, you get pulled quickly into the lore behind the house and Ryan's (and his family's) journey to find out what really happened all those years ago. Before arriving, Ryan hopes that the house is actually haunted, but by the end, will he feel the same?
Steve has certainly upped his writing game and this book is evidence of it. Very well written with good scenic descriptions, you get pulled quickly into the lore behind the house and Ryan's (and his family's) journey to find out what really happened all those years ago. Before arriving, Ryan hopes that the house is actually haunted, but by the end, will he feel the same?
February 17, 2022
There are things of this world that we know frighteningly little about. Portals, let's say. Or monsters that walk on hooves. For young Ryan and his parents, the protagonists of Stred's very enjoyable INCARNATE, they are about to find out. Be it by book, by travel, or the ultimate sacrifice, rest assured, fun will be had. Go forth, seek out, purchase and enjoy. Tell 'em another lover of the Matthews house sent you.
October 9, 2021
Excellent read!
Very enjoyable book from the start. Nice sense of foreboding throughout. Lovable family. Nice to read a Horror story where the parents are actually nice and loving towards the kid. Well written. Definite recommend!
Very enjoyable book from the start. Nice sense of foreboding throughout. Lovable family. Nice to read a Horror story where the parents are actually nice and loving towards the kid. Well written. Definite recommend!
September 17, 2021
Venture into the dark recesses of Stred’s mind, where one is forced to feast with demons and disturbing horrors during a hauntingly hazy 1970’s summer. Clive Barker fans take note.
January 29, 2022
Incarnate is a real page turner.
I fell in love with 12 year old Ryan immediately. His character is written with such sincerity and honesty, I was drawn completely into his world.
With references to Alice Cooper, Bowie, KISS, and even ACDC, the time period was recreated brilliantly.
Incarnate is no walk in the park. It's a terrifying story filled with chilling moments and horrifying imagery. The house and the monsters come alive, jumping off the page, beckoning the reader to turn the next page, if they dare. I couldn't stop. The story was so gripping, I had to find out what happened next.
I fell in love with 12 year old Ryan immediately. His character is written with such sincerity and honesty, I was drawn completely into his world.
With references to Alice Cooper, Bowie, KISS, and even ACDC, the time period was recreated brilliantly.
Incarnate is no walk in the park. It's a terrifying story filled with chilling moments and horrifying imagery. The house and the monsters come alive, jumping off the page, beckoning the reader to turn the next page, if they dare. I couldn't stop. The story was so gripping, I had to find out what happened next.
December 16, 2021
En stark trea. Bra och enkel story. Inget tjafs. Bara kusligt och mörkt! Christoffer gillar!
October 10, 2021
Another fun and fast paced easy read from the prolific Canadian writer Steve Stred. A thirteen-year-old boy finds himself on vacation with a house with a very dodgy history. When he discovers an old book about the house things take a darker turn. Has some great moments, especially in the second half.
April 20, 2025
I had this book on my TBR for quite a while, when I saw the cover I knew I had to read it. It did not disappoint! Stred is amazing at writing folk horror. I really enjoyed the excerpts from the book that's a part of the story. One of the things that really stood out to me was how good Stred was at describing the photos that were in that book. Even though I really really wanted there to be actual photos, I wasn't disappointed because he did so well conveying the horrors those photos captured. Grab this book if you like folk horror, demons and parallel realities!
Want to read
February 6, 2022The cover sucks: but the blurb sounds so good.
January 30, 2024
Stred is fast becoming a go-to-guy for quality horror!!
November 23, 2021
A decent horror story with a creature that's pretty creepy. The prologue was great but I thought that the book overall lacked a bit of originality. Also a couple of things bugged me. The way two characters react when someone close to them dies was pretty unrealistic. Also numerous passages from the book are repeated later on. I get that that was part of the story but I didn't need to read the same 4 or 5 pages again.
Steve is a great writer and he does the macabre really well. His father of lies trilogy is great and ill definitely check out more of his stuff. Unfortunately this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.
Steve is a great writer and he does the macabre really well. His father of lies trilogy is great and ill definitely check out more of his stuff. Unfortunately this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.
December 27, 2021
Absolutely loved this nostalgic trip of being a young teenager. Except everything is on fire and scary as hell! So well wrote with solid storytelling and dialogue I will definitely be checking out more of this author's work.
March 27, 2022
Disclaimer: I was given a free e-copy of this novel by the author. This has in no way impacted my review, and the below thoughts are mine alone.
4.5
Incarnate is both a haunted house novel and a creature feature. Steve Stred has taken the best bits of both these genres, slammed them together and created an absolute firecracker of a novel.
This book is fucking brutal. It's disgusting, grotesque and it's packed full of horrific imagery, and I loved every single second of it. It's genuinely scary too, it had me leaving the blinds closed just so I wouldn't have to look outside and into the night.
Parts of this novel reminded me of all my favorite A24 movies. There was a similar level of dread, a similar twisted sense of confusion that settled within my stomach and refused to budge. This is one of the very best horror novels I've read in a long time.
A huge thank you goes out to Steve for providing me with this awesome reading experience.
4.5
Incarnate is both a haunted house novel and a creature feature. Steve Stred has taken the best bits of both these genres, slammed them together and created an absolute firecracker of a novel.
This book is fucking brutal. It's disgusting, grotesque and it's packed full of horrific imagery, and I loved every single second of it. It's genuinely scary too, it had me leaving the blinds closed just so I wouldn't have to look outside and into the night.
Parts of this novel reminded me of all my favorite A24 movies. There was a similar level of dread, a similar twisted sense of confusion that settled within my stomach and refused to budge. This is one of the very best horror novels I've read in a long time.
A huge thank you goes out to Steve for providing me with this awesome reading experience.
February 5, 2022
What a great, fun story this is. The prologue is great, setting you up for the shadow that hangs over the rest of the story. From there, we're kind of transported into a coming-of-age tale, with a young lad convincing his parents to head off to the family's supposedly haunted house in a small forest town.
This set up - especially after the quite scary intro - is quite gentle, but what surprised me about Incarnate is just how dark the turns it took were. Some moments of genuine shock and terror as a reader, which only made me need to read more.
The ending was extremely satisfying and I have no hesitation in giving this 5⭐
This set up - especially after the quite scary intro - is quite gentle, but what surprised me about Incarnate is just how dark the turns it took were. Some moments of genuine shock and terror as a reader, which only made me need to read more.
The ending was extremely satisfying and I have no hesitation in giving this 5⭐
March 23, 2022
Such an engaging, fulfilling read! Perfect for the rainy night I read a majority of it on. Like in the previous three Stred books I've read, he pulled me with his crisp prose and relatable characters and never let go. With INCARNATE, he delivers a haunted house/demonic/parallel world/ creepy creature/coming-of-age mash-up filled with perfect amount of action, dread, and heart. I loved the protag Ryan and felt like I was in lockstep with him during his and his family's often horrific, intriguing journey. Highly recommend!
May 13, 2023
A teen explores the history of a haunted house when he goes there to stay with his parents, Desperate to find a ghost he gets more than he bargains for encountering a demon. A good solid story and decent writing, it just didn't wow me but it's worth picking up and I look forward to reading Mastodon.
December 12, 2021
Another strange and entertaining read from Steve Stred. Satanic beasts, creepy woods, haunted house, freaky parallel settings, action, and gore; it's all here.
November 19, 2022
About the Author
Steve Stred writes dark, bleak fiction.
I kind of wish that was the first thing I read in this book. Maybe then, I could've prepared myself. With as much horror as I've read, more than some, much less than others, you'd think I would get used to not having clearly happy endings. But, they still get me every time. And they piss me off. Then I take a few moments to reflect over the story (so I can bring you all another one of my stunning GR reviews lol). And, more times than not, I let the anger go and enjoy the book for what it was meant to be.
**A few moments later...
This story was darkly unique, darkly creative and, well, dark. I don't remember the last time a horror book made me literally bite my nails due to pure tension, creepiness and suspense.
The idea of a hell portal inadvertently being opened during a seance meant to help a grieving family, and releasing a demon that kills them all and continues to haunt the home because the portal was never closed, is brilliant. The creatures are scary, the other worldliness is awesome and the fight to figure out how to close the portal and save the Matthews family is suspenseful and (for me) a real nail biter.
And, now that I've had time to digest what I've read, the ending was pretty damn good altogether.
4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️
Also please help support indie authors. Thank you and goodnight.
Steve Stred writes dark, bleak fiction.
I kind of wish that was the first thing I read in this book. Maybe then, I could've prepared myself. With as much horror as I've read, more than some, much less than others, you'd think I would get used to not having clearly happy endings. But, they still get me every time. And they piss me off. Then I take a few moments to reflect over the story (so I can bring you all another one of my stunning GR reviews lol). And, more times than not, I let the anger go and enjoy the book for what it was meant to be.
**A few moments later...
This story was darkly unique, darkly creative and, well, dark. I don't remember the last time a horror book made me literally bite my nails due to pure tension, creepiness and suspense.
The idea of a hell portal inadvertently being opened during a seance meant to help a grieving family, and releasing a demon that kills them all and continues to haunt the home because the portal was never closed, is brilliant. The creatures are scary, the other worldliness is awesome and the fight to figure out how to close the portal and save the Matthews family is suspenseful and (for me) a real nail biter.
And, now that I've had time to digest what I've read, the ending was pretty damn good altogether.
4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️
Also please help support indie authors. Thank you and goodnight.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews