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Cedar Hill #5
Far Dark Fields
The lone survivor of a brutal massacre returns to Cedar Hill 35 years later only to find a series of missing children has the town in a panic. He also discovers that Hoopsticks, the local mythical bogeyman, is all-too-real.
323 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2009
2 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Gary A. Braunbeck
223 books232 followersGary A. Braunbeck is a prolific author who writes mysteries, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mainstream literature. He is the author of 19 books; his fiction has been translated into Japanese, French, Italian, Russian and German. Nearly 200 of his short stories have appeared in various publications.
His fiction has received several awards, including the Bram Stoker Award in 2003 for "Duty" and in 2005 for "We Now Pause for Station Identification"; his book Destinations Unknown won a Stoker in 2006. His novella "Kiss of the Mudman" received the International Horror Guild Award in 2005."
His fiction has received several awards, including the Bram Stoker Award in 2003 for "Duty" and in 2005 for "We Now Pause for Station Identification"; his book Destinations Unknown won a Stoker in 2006. His novella "Kiss of the Mudman" received the International Horror Guild Award in 2005."
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 29, 2011
Braunbeck's Far Dark Fields is an engaging read, but mainly for fans of his Cedar Hill stories. If I had not read his other work, I would have been confused by all the backstories and mythology that are piled into this book. New readers should definitely not read this before checking out some of his other novels. I would recommend starting with my personal favorite, Mr. Hands, and then Coffin County.
I had thought this was the final volume of the Cedar Hill saga, but the ending makes it seem as if there might be one more. Which is fine, but I can tell things are getting quite bizarre and ethereal and might not bring in new readers who will surely be left behind. I would enjoy seeing Braunbeck write stand-alone stories that have nothing to do with Cedar Hill. I've enjoyed the town and it's mysteries and quirky characters, but I think it is time to move on. As always, Braunbeck produces great writing and original concepts, and Far Dark Fields is no exception. Although this was my least favorite of his books, it is still stronger than most of what is currently being published.
I had thought this was the final volume of the Cedar Hill saga, but the ending makes it seem as if there might be one more. Which is fine, but I can tell things are getting quite bizarre and ethereal and might not bring in new readers who will surely be left behind. I would enjoy seeing Braunbeck write stand-alone stories that have nothing to do with Cedar Hill. I've enjoyed the town and it's mysteries and quirky characters, but I think it is time to move on. As always, Braunbeck produces great writing and original concepts, and Far Dark Fields is no exception. Although this was my least favorite of his books, it is still stronger than most of what is currently being published.
September 5, 2015
I was really disappointed... the first half of the book was actually quite engaging. But in the second half of the book, I just feel like the author doesn't care anymore. The ending is so nonsensical and weird, and none of the plotlines get resolved at all...
The build-up of the protagonist learning the tragic circumstances of his adoption and loss of his birth-family, and the reactions of the people around him, and how he must help his students cope with their grieve.... all of that is absolutely great.... but then we go to the protagonist's hometown where we dick around with the townsfolk and listen to a lot of interesting stories... and it's 50 page until the paperback ends, and you aren't sure how the author plans to wrap up everything that he's created... ... in short, NOTHING gets resolved.
The build-up of the protagonist learning the tragic circumstances of his adoption and loss of his birth-family, and the reactions of the people around him, and how he must help his students cope with their grieve.... all of that is absolutely great.... but then we go to the protagonist's hometown where we dick around with the townsfolk and listen to a lot of interesting stories... and it's 50 page until the paperback ends, and you aren't sure how the author plans to wrap up everything that he's created... ... in short, NOTHING gets resolved.
September 29, 2009
Braunbeck's latest Cedar Hill novel is an excellent addition to the cycle. It re-visits his famous story Safe," and brings together some of the main characters from other Cedar Hill works for the first time. It's an ambitious undertaking because the most striking element of the original story was that the violence was random and remained unexplained; here he confronts and examines the underlying motivation. The only problem is that it ends abruptly and leaves you hanging for the next part of the story. They form the fellowship and agree to go after the ring and that's it. The publisher should have included some sort of warning that it isn't entirely self-contained. Nevertheless, readers of the earlier books in the cycle won't be disappointed in the current book, and will be anxious for the next volume.
February 26, 2010
I got Rickroll’d on Far Dark Fields. I’ve never read Braunbeck, but I’ve heard good things. This novel, however, doesn’t seem to deliver on the promise of the cover copy. The infant survivor of a killing spree confronts a new spree killer on his deathbed and finds out the secret of a childhood monster, the teaser leads you to believe. Instead, the whole book is about the protag’s backstory and his returning to Cedar Hill to talk to a bunch of people and hear stories. And, apparently, it’s part one of two. I rarely judge an author on the basis of a single book, though, so I’ll give part two a shot.
April 16, 2014
Did not expect this book to end the way it did, leaving the door wide open for a sequel, hence the four star review rather than a five. I was looking for a definite ending. Didn't get it, but I will buy the sequel as this first book was dynamite. Enjoy the interactions of the characters. Braunbeck writes believable dialogue that sounds oh-so-right. The idea he tackles in this story is heavy (just the way I like 'em), and I look forward to reading the next installment to see where he takes me and the characters.
July 10, 2012
This is a dark fantasy, a VERY dark fantasy that has moments of absolute ghastly gore and violence, some of which done to children. However, the final three chapters so wonderfully wrap up the story and put a spin on it that changes all the violence into something else, something I don't think I can nail down for a definition. If Ray Bradbury were to have written a graphic ghost story, this would be it. I've read two other "Coffin County" novels, one I loved and one I abhored. Having read those other two books prepared me for what this novel had to offer. Simply summed up, the premise is that an infant survivor of a killing spree is grown and feels the urge to return to his original home, looking for some type of resolution. The reader gets to re-experience the graphic killing of his family and friends, but after this, and once in Cedar Hills, Geoff Conover meets the locals, and that's when the book improves. I could spend forever reading about the denizens of this town and its rich history, to say nothing of the artifacts and stories found in the Hangman. I don't know if horror lovers will enjoy this book, but if you're expecting something "different" then this would be the book for you. I look forward to reading more by Gary A. Braunbeck.
July 29, 2012
Although I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, as I have any and all of Gary Braunbeck's work thus far, I have to say that it is my least favorite of the Cedar Hills series. Wonderfully written and well worth reading, I just don't feel it measured up as well as the others. I think by far my favorite of the series is Coffin County. I enjoyed Mr. Hands a lot too though so I guess in reality I'd be hard pressed to pick my overall favorite. Looking forward to reading more of Gary's work in the near future.
August 22, 2016
This one started off strong, but did not hold my interest with non-stop excitement like Coffin County. Instead of being scary, it was syrupy-sweet. And the put-downs of death metal--which, along with thrash, black metal, and grindcore are the only exciting forms of music, if you ask me--are uncalled for.
February 9, 2010
Freaking brilliant. Braunbeck's Coffin County series is weird and wonderful. Highly recommended. Read the rest of the series as well.
January 22, 2014
Different from what I expected. Sinister to a mild degree then turns sci-fi at the end. Not sure who I could recommend it to.
January 29, 2019
“Far Dark Fields” should be a nice treat for fans of Gary A. Braunbeck’s “Cedar Hill” stories. It references events from previous stories set in the fictional Ohio town, and many characters return as well. Where I’m afraid “Fields” doesn’t quite work is in the second half, wherein Braunbeck attempts a larger explanation connecting the series of tragedies and weird occurences visiting the town over several decades.
The opening chapters are captivating; a forty-year-old teacher reflects on a mass shooting he survived as an infant, just as a similar incident has become the subject of recent headlines. He investigates the history and folklore of Cedar Hill, for an explanation. And, he does get one, but see if you can stay with it till the end! I started losing it about fifty pages from the conclusion—but I will suggest the way the book ends, a sequel, you’d think, is on the way. But a quick look at Braunbeck’s bibliography shows that this is the last book in the series, and it came out almost ten years ago.
The opening chapters are captivating; a forty-year-old teacher reflects on a mass shooting he survived as an infant, just as a similar incident has become the subject of recent headlines. He investigates the history and folklore of Cedar Hill, for an explanation. And, he does get one, but see if you can stay with it till the end! I started losing it about fifty pages from the conclusion—but I will suggest the way the book ends, a sequel, you’d think, is on the way. But a quick look at Braunbeck’s bibliography shows that this is the last book in the series, and it came out almost ten years ago.
July 16, 2012
Thirty years ago, on the 4th of July, teenager Andy Leonard went on a killing spree. The victims included everyone in his house plus a number of bystanders as Andy drove through town. The only person Andy purposely spared that night was 10-month-old Joseph. As a grown man, Joseph, renamed Geoff Conover by his adopting parents, returned to the town of his birth, Cedar Hill, Ohio, in search of answers to two questions: why did Andy Leonard go on his killing spree, and why was he, Geoff, spared?
The search for answers leads Geoff to the darkest corners of Cedar Hill as he meets a group of locals who spend their time together swapping stories about their own strange encounters in this town where, the Reverend assures Geoff, “Weird sht happens here. Get used to it.” The tales unfold at the Hangman’s tavern where stories are used as currency and everyone begins to understand that whatever force drew Geoff back to Cedar Hill, it’s something very strong and it’s affecting the others in the group as well. The Reverend finally takes Geoff on an even stranger journey beneath Cedar Hill as they chase after the town boogeyman known only as Hoopsticks.
FAR DARK FIELDS is the latest novel in my Gary Braunbeck library, and it’s quite an interesting animal. I already knew that the bulk of Braunbeck’s work was set in Cedar Hill and that the stories formed a cycle, but at times I had trouble figuring out the timelines. FAR DARK FIELDS clears that up and does a great job of tying together every previous Cedar Hill novel, giving it a specific place in the chronology and tying up all of our previous characters’ loose ends. And judging by the stories told about this town, the Reverend was right: weird sht happens there.
I was slightly confused by this novel, however. It begins two years after Geoff first went to Cedar Hill, with the police knocking on his door near 4 in the morning. There’s been another murder spree in town and the gunman, Bruce Dyson, refuses to talk to anyone but Geoff. So he’s taken by helicopter to Cedar Hill to find out what Dyson, a person he’s never officially met, has to say to him. The problem is the novel never gets back to that part of the story. We go into the flashback of Geoff’s first visit to Cedar Hill and by the time we reach the end, we’re still there. An attentive reader can piece together the bits of story throughout the novel and figure out WHY Dyson wants to talk to Geoff Conover, but we never get to see that meeting or confirm our suspicions about just what kind of secrets the boy wants to divulge. And that’s disappointing because I believe actually getting to witness that meeting would have given the reader and the novel itself a much-deserved sense of closure. Yes, in our minds, we can read this book and make it all work out logically in our heads, but it’s just the not the same as the author’s confirmation. Not that I think Braunbeck needed to spell it all out for us, but with a novel as non-linear as this one, a little help wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
What Braunbeck did absolutely right in this one, though, was in tying together all of his previous Cedar Hill novels; I loved that part. And even though I never got a real sense of knowing some of the previous characters, it was still a pleasure to see them again and find out what they’ve been up to since my last encounters with them.
I think at times Braunbeck plays a little too loose with “weird” stuff that goes down and uses it as crutch to keep making weird stuff happen without feeling the need to ever justify any of it. And to an extent, if that is his thought process, I agree with it completely; the weird shouldn’t always be explained. But I do feel that, within the confines of a novel like this the weird should have something to do with the plot, but I don’t think that’s the case overall here. There were a few things Geoff Conover experienced during his first day in Cedar Hill that, to me, felt shoved in to fill space and I didn’t see how they had anything to do with the Hoopsticks story or anything. I could be wrong, maybe there were small details I missed, but I don’t think so. If I’m reading the novel correctly, they just didn’t belong, plain and simple. That being said, they weren’t enough to diminish my enjoyment of the novel, not in the least.
FAR DARK FIELDS isn’t the best Gary A. Braunbeck novel, but for fans of his Cedar Hill stories, it definitely fits into the line-up and deserves to follow the ones that came before. He does take steps in trying to explain just WHY it is so much violence takes place in this town, although I felt that explanation was cheap and simple and, quite honestly, beneath Braunbeck’s talent as a writer. After all, his imagination is unparalleled and his skill with words reminds me, at the best of times, of classic Ray Bradbury, especially when he’s really on a roll. But in the end, it is what it is and FAR DARK FIELDS is a well-written book with an, at times, so-so plot that is bound to leave a lot of readers scratching their heads in the end.
The search for answers leads Geoff to the darkest corners of Cedar Hill as he meets a group of locals who spend their time together swapping stories about their own strange encounters in this town where, the Reverend assures Geoff, “Weird sht happens here. Get used to it.” The tales unfold at the Hangman’s tavern where stories are used as currency and everyone begins to understand that whatever force drew Geoff back to Cedar Hill, it’s something very strong and it’s affecting the others in the group as well. The Reverend finally takes Geoff on an even stranger journey beneath Cedar Hill as they chase after the town boogeyman known only as Hoopsticks.
FAR DARK FIELDS is the latest novel in my Gary Braunbeck library, and it’s quite an interesting animal. I already knew that the bulk of Braunbeck’s work was set in Cedar Hill and that the stories formed a cycle, but at times I had trouble figuring out the timelines. FAR DARK FIELDS clears that up and does a great job of tying together every previous Cedar Hill novel, giving it a specific place in the chronology and tying up all of our previous characters’ loose ends. And judging by the stories told about this town, the Reverend was right: weird sht happens there.
I was slightly confused by this novel, however. It begins two years after Geoff first went to Cedar Hill, with the police knocking on his door near 4 in the morning. There’s been another murder spree in town and the gunman, Bruce Dyson, refuses to talk to anyone but Geoff. So he’s taken by helicopter to Cedar Hill to find out what Dyson, a person he’s never officially met, has to say to him. The problem is the novel never gets back to that part of the story. We go into the flashback of Geoff’s first visit to Cedar Hill and by the time we reach the end, we’re still there. An attentive reader can piece together the bits of story throughout the novel and figure out WHY Dyson wants to talk to Geoff Conover, but we never get to see that meeting or confirm our suspicions about just what kind of secrets the boy wants to divulge. And that’s disappointing because I believe actually getting to witness that meeting would have given the reader and the novel itself a much-deserved sense of closure. Yes, in our minds, we can read this book and make it all work out logically in our heads, but it’s just the not the same as the author’s confirmation. Not that I think Braunbeck needed to spell it all out for us, but with a novel as non-linear as this one, a little help wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
What Braunbeck did absolutely right in this one, though, was in tying together all of his previous Cedar Hill novels; I loved that part. And even though I never got a real sense of knowing some of the previous characters, it was still a pleasure to see them again and find out what they’ve been up to since my last encounters with them.
I think at times Braunbeck plays a little too loose with “weird” stuff that goes down and uses it as crutch to keep making weird stuff happen without feeling the need to ever justify any of it. And to an extent, if that is his thought process, I agree with it completely; the weird shouldn’t always be explained. But I do feel that, within the confines of a novel like this the weird should have something to do with the plot, but I don’t think that’s the case overall here. There were a few things Geoff Conover experienced during his first day in Cedar Hill that, to me, felt shoved in to fill space and I didn’t see how they had anything to do with the Hoopsticks story or anything. I could be wrong, maybe there were small details I missed, but I don’t think so. If I’m reading the novel correctly, they just didn’t belong, plain and simple. That being said, they weren’t enough to diminish my enjoyment of the novel, not in the least.
FAR DARK FIELDS isn’t the best Gary A. Braunbeck novel, but for fans of his Cedar Hill stories, it definitely fits into the line-up and deserves to follow the ones that came before. He does take steps in trying to explain just WHY it is so much violence takes place in this town, although I felt that explanation was cheap and simple and, quite honestly, beneath Braunbeck’s talent as a writer. After all, his imagination is unparalleled and his skill with words reminds me, at the best of times, of classic Ray Bradbury, especially when he’s really on a roll. But in the end, it is what it is and FAR DARK FIELDS is a well-written book with an, at times, so-so plot that is bound to leave a lot of readers scratching their heads in the end.
August 26, 2009
Book 1 of 3, Vegas Vacation '09. Of the many thriller books that are endlessly compared to Stephen King, this one actually comes close. Characters aren't quite as well rounded, plot lines still loosey-goosey in the end, but a better-than-expected airport book.
April 21, 2012
A waste of my reading time!
May 14, 2025
This is the 5th book in the Cedar Hill series, where this story takes place. I hadn't read any of the others and this one was somewhat of a stand-alone story. Our main character returns to Cedar Hill to get answers to his being the only survivor of a gruesome murder spree that happened when he was a baby. The story was very interesting in the beginning but lost me a bit in the 2nd half. The ending was ok and we did get answers, but it also is a foreshadowing to what appears be the plot of the next story in this series.
September 18, 2022
honestly as a standalone book it maybe a 3/5.
In the series itself its still the worst, but a pretty good one, especially all the throwbacks to the older books like mr hands.
Hoopsticks beeing a good guy did bug me tho, like after Coffin County i was sure he is atleast semi bad, even if you take the part of 'doing it so the big bad thing aint waking up', like the flashbacks of Coffin County where he killed the whole family as a settler? idk
In the series itself its still the worst, but a pretty good one, especially all the throwbacks to the older books like mr hands.
Hoopsticks beeing a good guy did bug me tho, like after Coffin County i was sure he is atleast semi bad, even if you take the part of 'doing it so the big bad thing aint waking up', like the flashbacks of Coffin County where he killed the whole family as a settler? idk
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2023
I couldn't get into this book mostly because of the narrator. He thinks he's clever, but he really isn't. It rubbed me the wrong way almost as much as the structure of the story. It sounds like a good idea, but the execution turned me off. Your mileage may vary.
April 8, 2013
2.5 stars out of 5. If this had been the first book by Gary A. Braunbeck I read then I would not of liked it. I feel like the novel struggles to stand on its own. The book is good, but is best read at the end of his Cedar Hill books. I've read Mr. Hands, and Coffin County, so I was able to catch some of the character's significance and allusions, however there is so much in Far Dark Fields that the characters and other stories are shadows of themselves fighting for center stage. Mr. Hands is an awesome book, but I don't get any sense of what it is from this book. The Broken One seemed pointless, and I did not like its "bro" talk. Some of the dialogue has a weird feeling, a little forced and maybe even unnatural? It does not really move the plot. It seems to be more concerned about showing how chummy everyone is, and at being clever; there are many examples of sarcastic comments where something is used to replace the word ass. The scenes with Geoff and his family feel like they are trying too hard. I feel that there could have been another title for the book. The sign on the cover reading Cedar Hill says more about what it's about. Cedar Hill is a mess. As the book will tell you, "crazy shit happens here, don't try to explain it." Far Dark Fields explains why things are so messy, and why there is a pattern in the chaos just as there is in a flock of birds or a mass shooting (book reference). At the end of the book, it gets really metaphysical but it pulls it off, and that I believe is the book's biggest credit (and my favorite part). Gary did copy and paste a paragraph from Coffin County into Far Dark Fields, but in a place that makes sense- plus it's a really good paragraph. Far Dark Fields is a good book, but I don't think it's good enough to boast at the beginning, "Here is a story; if you listen carefully, at the end, you'll be someone else." I'll be reading more Gary A. Braunbeck, and I'm sure more things from Far Dark Fields will click into place.
October 31, 2009
Not bad, but the story was just... incomplete. I'm hoping that means that there will be another book, maybe even two. We still don't have the story about what he did with the Reverend, and we never did learn what happened when he went to see Dyson. Also, if Hoopsticks is now the good guy, where's our bad guy? That was a bit of a letdown.
This was like a story within a story within a story. It was kind of interesting to read, but at points did become bothersome. I think some of the problem was that the voice was exactly the same. There was no change between Bill telling his story and Geoff telling his story. It felt like the same narrator, even though it was obviously a different one, since both stories were told in first person.
Overall, it was pretty good. The story of Andy Leonard gave me chills. Honestly, that was the scariest part for me. Maybe I'm just no longer afraid of the boogeyman, because I wasn't afraid of Hoopsticks at all, even when we thought he was bad. I was more creeped out by the Broken One than Hoopsticks.
I will probably pick up some of Braunbeck's other titles, because the people of Cedar Hill do have some very interesting stories to tell.
This was like a story within a story within a story. It was kind of interesting to read, but at points did become bothersome. I think some of the problem was that the voice was exactly the same. There was no change between Bill telling his story and Geoff telling his story. It felt like the same narrator, even though it was obviously a different one, since both stories were told in first person.
Overall, it was pretty good. The story of Andy Leonard gave me chills. Honestly, that was the scariest part for me. Maybe I'm just no longer afraid of the boogeyman, because I wasn't afraid of Hoopsticks at all, even when we thought he was bad. I was more creeped out by the Broken One than Hoopsticks.
I will probably pick up some of Braunbeck's other titles, because the people of Cedar Hill do have some very interesting stories to tell.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2014
Braunbeck handles hot button material with an incredibly deft and sensitive hand. This is an emotional journey for the reader and the protagonist thanks to Braunbeck's skill as a writer. You can feel the emotional energy Braunbeck expends to make his characters come to life.
Besides one section that stumbled the book for me near the end, the only shortcoming here is that it ends up feeling like a setup for a bigger story to follow. What I loved about this story is that went in a direction that totally surprised me.
Besides one section that stumbled the book for me near the end, the only shortcoming here is that it ends up feeling like a setup for a bigger story to follow. What I loved about this story is that went in a direction that totally surprised me.
March 14, 2015
I picked from this Cedar Hill series, because I was looking for a book set in my hometown for a reading challenge. Ultimately, I think I chose wrong, because the second half of this book seems like a setup for the next one. Overall it's not terrible. It's fairly well written while still feeling disjointed. The combo of actual details of my hometown with completely made up details was at times distracting, but most readers won't have that issue.
August 11, 2009
What started off as a seprate story made it's way into a reminder of what has happend in Cedar Hill in past books but I never expected it to end the way it did (Hoopsticks, a good guy?)and on such a cliff hanger. Now I have to wait for Mr. Braunbecks next book...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2009
Gary Braunbeck may be the best horror writer in the world
December 27, 2009
Interesting book--veers from horror to dark fantasy near the end, but it works well. I hate cliffhangers though. Now I'll need to keep an eye out for the next one, and who can remember to do that?
November 12, 2010
Secrets of Cedar Hill are revealed.
Read
July 9, 2018Well this book had a lot and left me feeling like WHAT!! just happened! It was really weird and not in a good way. It has a mummified ghost,physically challenged hero and a priest that had all the answers,even if it happened at the end. It was rough to read and left me with more questions than answers.Oops lets not forget BORING.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews