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The Dark Filament Ephemeris #1
Through the Deep Forest
THE WORLD IS WINDING DOWN.
Centuries after humanity's last stand against the Dark Filament, their servants--the bloodthirty creatures known as Incarnates--hunt down anyone under the age of eighteen. Civilization is broken, and the remaining population is elderly, isolated and hopeless.
Sixteen-year-old Korden Bright has lived his entire life behind the Barrier, a mystical shield which hides him from the Incarnates. There, a group of ancient men from the time before apprentice him in the magical discipline of artcraft, based upon one's creativity and force of will.
When the Barrier is breached, Korden will have to journey across a post-apocalyptic America, from the shores of a place once called California, all the way to the Shroud in the far east, which marks the battlelines of the armies of the Filament. But first he'll have to survive the wild forest just beyond his village, where he might find something far worse than Incarnates...
Centuries after humanity's last stand against the Dark Filament, their servants--the bloodthirty creatures known as Incarnates--hunt down anyone under the age of eighteen. Civilization is broken, and the remaining population is elderly, isolated and hopeless.
Sixteen-year-old Korden Bright has lived his entire life behind the Barrier, a mystical shield which hides him from the Incarnates. There, a group of ancient men from the time before apprentice him in the magical discipline of artcraft, based upon one's creativity and force of will.
When the Barrier is breached, Korden will have to journey across a post-apocalyptic America, from the shores of a place once called California, all the way to the Shroud in the far east, which marks the battlelines of the armies of the Filament. But first he'll have to survive the wild forest just beyond his village, where he might find something far worse than Incarnates...
460 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2016
78 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Russell C. Connor
38 books77 followersRussell C. Connor has been writing horror since the age of five, and is the author of two short story collections, four eNovellas, and ten novels. His books have won two Independent Publisher Awards and a Readers’ Favorite Award. He has been a member of the DFW Writers’ Workshop since 2006, and served as president for two years. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his rabid dogs, demented film collection, mistress of the dark, and demonspawn daughter.
His next novel, Predator, will be available in the fall of 2018.
His next novel, Predator, will be available in the fall of 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 13, 2017
UPDATE 11/13/2017: We had the great opportunity to interview Russell C. Connor on our podcast! Go here to listen or check it out on your iTunes/podcatcher app.
Read this review and more at Book Geeks Uncompromised!
"Balance is key. Never shut yourself off from any possibility, but don't let that possibility control you either."
As many dystopia stories go, it has been centuries since the end of civilization as people on Earth knew it. The Dark Filament and its demon Incarnates came from nowhere and went about their mission: to deprive humanity of hope.
Their most efficient method of doing this? Slaughtering all of mankind's children. Anyone under the age of 18 is a target of the Incarnates. Those older are only killed if they stand in the way of the demons.
Understandably, the remaining pockets of civilization refuse to allow their citizens to have children and in some areas all contact between men and women in strictly forbidden. With the use of a magic that was discovered around the time the demons began their assault, some humans are able to survive to be hundreds of years old. But even with this magic, there are not many people left in the world.
Sixteen year old Korden Bright just might be the youngest person left on the planet.
He has been raised behind the protection of a magical Barrier that hides him and the small community that he lives in from the Incarnates. But 16-year-olds aren't really known for their willingness to stay within a few square miles their whole life knowing that there is a vast world just beyond their reach.
I found this story to be a wonderful mix of a dystopia with a high dose of high fantasy. Note: HIGH fantasy. This story has a dystopic setting but it really reads more like what you would expect from more “traditional” fantasy.
This blending of genres I felt worked really well. Dystopias have been kind of overdone in the past few years and there were elements of so many other stories here; Korden's story, for example, felt a lot like Rnad al'Thor from The Wheel of Time. But there was never any point where reading it where I got a sense of “Oh, I've read this before...”
Also, I just absolutely love the reason for the apocalypse. Demons that seek to eradicate hope and thus target children. It is terrifying because it strikes at something that humanity as a whole, across nationalities and religions, holds sacred. These demons don't kill indiscriminately. They are savage but they kill with purpose.
This was a very refreshing read that took familiar, sometimes overdone, elements from other stories and blended them into something unique.
Read this review and more at Book Geeks Uncompromised!
"Balance is key. Never shut yourself off from any possibility, but don't let that possibility control you either."
As many dystopia stories go, it has been centuries since the end of civilization as people on Earth knew it. The Dark Filament and its demon Incarnates came from nowhere and went about their mission: to deprive humanity of hope.
Their most efficient method of doing this? Slaughtering all of mankind's children. Anyone under the age of 18 is a target of the Incarnates. Those older are only killed if they stand in the way of the demons.
Understandably, the remaining pockets of civilization refuse to allow their citizens to have children and in some areas all contact between men and women in strictly forbidden. With the use of a magic that was discovered around the time the demons began their assault, some humans are able to survive to be hundreds of years old. But even with this magic, there are not many people left in the world.
Sixteen year old Korden Bright just might be the youngest person left on the planet.
He has been raised behind the protection of a magical Barrier that hides him and the small community that he lives in from the Incarnates. But 16-year-olds aren't really known for their willingness to stay within a few square miles their whole life knowing that there is a vast world just beyond their reach.
I found this story to be a wonderful mix of a dystopia with a high dose of high fantasy. Note: HIGH fantasy. This story has a dystopic setting but it really reads more like what you would expect from more “traditional” fantasy.
This blending of genres I felt worked really well. Dystopias have been kind of overdone in the past few years and there were elements of so many other stories here; Korden's story, for example, felt a lot like Rnad al'Thor from The Wheel of Time. But there was never any point where reading it where I got a sense of “Oh, I've read this before...”
Also, I just absolutely love the reason for the apocalypse. Demons that seek to eradicate hope and thus target children. It is terrifying because it strikes at something that humanity as a whole, across nationalities and religions, holds sacred. These demons don't kill indiscriminately. They are savage but they kill with purpose.
This was a very refreshing read that took familiar, sometimes overdone, elements from other stories and blended them into something unique.
March 5, 2020
Not for young adults or teens.
Narrator: decent differentiation of characters, good rhythm
Language: shit, hell, damn, bastard, ass
Sex: talk of erections, arousal, penis/member/cock, homosexual relationships, homosexual action, mention of rape
Story: the core story is super interesting, the amount of sexual content makes it appropriate for over 18 years despite the main character being 16. There’s a solid amount of gore too but not nearly as much as the sex talk. A good chunk is truly not necessary and doesn’t add to the story as much as it detracts from it.
I liked the unique twists in the story and Stone was my favorite character by far. I wish there was less of the blatant sex references and such as they just weren’t necessary in my opinion.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Narrator: decent differentiation of characters, good rhythm
Language: shit, hell, damn, bastard, ass
Sex: talk of erections, arousal, penis/member/cock, homosexual relationships, homosexual action, mention of rape
Story: the core story is super interesting, the amount of sexual content makes it appropriate for over 18 years despite the main character being 16. There’s a solid amount of gore too but not nearly as much as the sex talk. A good chunk is truly not necessary and doesn’t add to the story as much as it detracts from it.
I liked the unique twists in the story and Stone was my favorite character by far. I wish there was less of the blatant sex references and such as they just weren’t necessary in my opinion.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 3, 2020
The author of this book lives about five minutes from me, and although I have seen him at an event or two at a couple of now-defunct bookstores in Fort Worth (The Last Word and/or Restaurant of the Mind) we've never actually exchanged words in person that I can recall. As a local author, I feel called to support other local authors, and I just happened to find a paperback copy of this book on the shelf of an interesting store called Horror Freak. I confess that this wasn't one the books I had really been wanting to read from this author, but that store didn't have those titles. So I grabbed this one and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading it. This seems to be the first of an epic journey/series reminiscent of Stephen King's The Dark Tower but in a world all its own.
August 3, 2023
Very Engrossing!!
Korden is about to turn sixteen in a world that is all but dying. Things called Incarnates are roaming the land in search of children just like Korden. In this strange but familiar future world, Korden needs to leave his humble village behind in search of what has created the Incarnates. But he's just a boy and what can a mere boy actually do in the face of the very thing that has caused all of the world's destruction?
Great first book to this series! Think Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars and they had a baby named Mad Max! Very amazing blend of genres!
Recommend highly!!
Korden is about to turn sixteen in a world that is all but dying. Things called Incarnates are roaming the land in search of children just like Korden. In this strange but familiar future world, Korden needs to leave his humble village behind in search of what has created the Incarnates. But he's just a boy and what can a mere boy actually do in the face of the very thing that has caused all of the world's destruction?
Great first book to this series! Think Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars and they had a baby named Mad Max! Very amazing blend of genres!
Recommend highly!!
May 15, 2025
I loved Russell Connor’s horror books. No one writes grounded and flawed characters better. His character work is what really gets me invested in the story and concerned when characters enter dangerous situations. Fantasy has never really been my genre but Connor’s horror books had some fantastical plot points that I decided to give the first installment of his “Dark Filament Ephemeris” series a shot and I wish I had read this sooner! This book is loaded with mystery about the setting and the way answers are given are so clever. It takes place post-apocalypse but at the start we’re unsure how far in the future the apocalypse started from modern/current day which is really smart because I think it will help keep the book from aging. Our lead Korden is very easy to get behind. Having never left his small community of only old men, this sixteen year old’s inexperience, vulnerability, and naivety lead to so many “oh, no!” moments that made the horror elements hit hard. Cannot wait to pick up the next part of the story.
May 28, 2018
This was the first book of Russell Connor's I'd read, and now I'm going to have to seek out more. I loved the unique way he approached the Fantasy angle, with enough of his Thriller roots tied in to keep me on my toes. He built an interesting world and then had so much going on that there is plenty still left open for the next book to pick up on - I can't wait!
August 3, 2019
This is the first book I have read by this author and I am very impressed. It certainly will not be my last book! The book captured my attention from the start and pulled me in all of the way through the book. I could not put it down! I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 21, 2020
They hunt anyone under 18 so the older generation protect them as much as they keep by hiding them behind the barrier teaching them the skills they need to survive. When a breach happens he will need to venture into the unknown. What will be find out there? Can he look after himself? See what he will find
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 29, 2020
This is the first book I’ve read by Russell Connor but it definitely won’t be the last! It is a very unique dystopian novel, 1 in The Dark Filament Ephemeris series, that has much drama, tension and horror. The main protagonist (and his “sidekick”) are great characters and the world is very well described. I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it. Im off to get book 2 now, hurray!
Read via Kindle Unlimited
Read via Kindle Unlimited
January 8, 2022
If You Love Twists and Turns
If you love twists and turns in your books,I would highly recommend Through the Deep Forest. Follow the main character's ourney through surprise after surprise, frightening and also heart wrenching. I'm definitely continuing to the next book, and reading past my bed time.
If you love twists and turns in your books,I would highly recommend Through the Deep Forest. Follow the main character's ourney through surprise after surprise, frightening and also heart wrenching. I'm definitely continuing to the next book, and reading past my bed time.
November 11, 2020
Unique!!!
I liked this story but it needed a glossary to keep up with some of the words that I did not understand.
I liked this story but it needed a glossary to keep up with some of the words that I did not understand.
August 1, 2025
A pensive and thrilling adventure through a magical forest. Combining elements of Hatchet, Fallout, and The Wheel of Time, this was a thoroughly enjoyable adventure.
May 12, 2018
Dystopian stories have become pretty popular, however, this is a very unique take on the genre. I really enjoyed the storyline and such creative ideas!! I stretched my usual reading genre with this one (I don't read horror-type stories) and I personally could have done with a little less description of one or two of the bloody scenes but it was still written well. I cannot wait for book 2!!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews