The Climb: First Steps

by Mark Perry

A boy with a certain soul traverses high school life while mourning the loss of a parent and slowly reconnecting with another. Still reeling from the death of his late mother, Marc August tries to fit into a new town and home with his over-worked father. Nestled deep in the pacific northwest, the town of Sunset Heights is a place of mystery. Canopied under the chilled northwestern flora. A town without cadence, huddled over by the gray constant cover of clouds. An out-of-the-way hamlet far displaced from the next towns and cities. For those who can find it, a passing waypoint for all the things that go bump in the night. Witness as Marc navigates his way through a myriad of secrets and mysteries hidden in plain sight, all the while trying to lead a normal teenage life, in hopes to live up to his mother's final wishes. First steps Marc stumbles into a series of events that forever and completely change his reality as a simple high school student. The disappearance of certain townsfolk sparks the curiosity of Marc and his group of close friends. When someone close to their circle goes missing, they decide that any gruesome possibility must be faced to find the truth. Inspired by real monsters and cryptid lore from around the globe, The Climb explores several legends and myths, werewolves, vampires, magic, relics, souls, and people of great importance and renown. Witness the first steps of The Climb.

158 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2021

Reviews

[Nicholas Yandell · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot of story and depth packed into this small volume, striking an impeccable balance between a character-based coming-of-age story, a multicultural folklore exploration, and a dark fantasy. It also helps for me, that this book is set in the Pacific Northwest, a region I live in and love, and is a perfect location, I'd imagine, for all kinds of fantastic happenings.

Deep within the woods, in a region called the Dark Divide (which is a real, 76,000-acre, road-less, wilderness region in western Washington), a mysterious air surrounds the town of Sunset Heights and its inhabitants. At a time when townsfolk are disappearing, a recently transplanted Marc Anton August, begins a new year of high school. Amidst a time of adjustment, living alone with his father after his mother's recent death, Marc just wants to make the most of his blossoming friendships and settle into a life normalcy. But, as a life-threatening confrontation with magical forces leads him into a fated rendezvous with an ancient secret society, Marc begins to question his own history. As he becomes more immersed in understanding the magic around him, he's forced to face fears and discomfort, questioning who he really is, and what role he has to play in the unfolding events embroiling Sunset Heights.

In this atmospheric setting, character histories become intertwined with classic fairy tales, religious imagery, and folklore, and the author does wonders in flushing out this epic little world he has created. Beginning as an intimate character exploration, the story takes a surprising shift of direction throughout the middle, and turns into an action-packed fantasy in the second half. It's a story with a satisfying finish, but also leaves you longing to know what awaits these characters and this little town in future volumes.

[Mark M Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction into the mysterious world of —The Climb. A boy moves to a far and out of the way town hidden deep within the Pacific Northwest with his overworked father as his mothers dying wish. Marc tries to fit in as a normal high school student all the while uncovering certain secrets the town holds.
Pulled suddenly into action by unforeseen and inexplicable events can Marc maintain the facade and live up to his mothers wishes?

Inspired by several classical legends and myths, The Climb: First Steps is a young adult, dark fantasy, horror, and an entryway into the things that go ‘bump in the night’.