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Witchfinder #2
Gallows at Twilight
Eight pale hands - some with fingers stripped down to the bone - rose out of the earth. Slimy with rain, the rat-gnawed heads of four soldiers loomed into view. They moaned at the sky and their cry moulded itself into a word: 'FLLLLLLEEESSSSSSSSHHHHH!' The Demon Father has escaped from hell and walks among us, his trident symbol branded into the earth in countries all over the world. A scorching beacon. A call to arms. A sign that war is coming. Jake is struggling to harness his powers and live up to his reputation of the boy who closed the demon door. But now he must push all doubt aside. To stop the Demon Father Jake must change the course of history - embark on a treacherous journey deep into the past and into another dimension, filled with horror and pain. A place where innocent people are tried and tortured. A place where the law of the Witchfinder rules. Let the rushes be lit for there will be gallows at twilight.
- GenresFantasyHorrorYoung Adult
448 pages, Paperback
First published December 22, 2010
6 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 16, 2011
Gallows at Twilight is the second book in the Witchfinder trilogy so although I won't include spoilers for this book it will be difficult not to mention some things from Dawn of the Demontide. If you haven't read Dawn of the Demontide yet I'd highly recommend you start there and don't read the rest of this review. If you're a fan of horror this is a series that is well worth picking up!
Jake and his friends may have managed to close the demon door but not before the Demon Father could escape from hell. With the Demon Father gathering his allies and preparing for war it looks like things have taken a turn for the worse. Jake is struggling to control his new powers but he is going to have to get a grip on them fast if they are going to survive the latest battle. In order to save the future Jake finds himself faced with a journey into the past but can he change history and make it back to his own time or will he be executed for witchcraft before he can complete his mission?
I really enjoyed Dawn of the Demontide but William Hussey has managed to completely step things up a gear in Gallows at Twilight. This book surpassed my expectations on every level and believe me that isn't because my expectations were low! Gallows at Twilight is a gripping, action packed thrill ride that I didn't want to put down. The story is even darker than the first book and Jake certainly isn't in for a comfortable ride in this book, in fact there are times that it seems impossible for the good guys to come out on top but you'll have to read it for yourself to find out if there are any casualties.
One of the things I wasn't too sure about before I started reading was the time travel aspect but I was pleasantly surprised at how well that worked. Jake finds himself travelling back to 1645 in search of an item that could be vital in the war against the Demon Father but appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a crowded village probably wasn't the best way to make an entrance. Jake is immediately accused of witchcraft and placed under arrest to await the arrival of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins. What makes the scenes of torture that Jake suffers even harder to read is the fact that Matthew Hopkins is a real character from history and the methods used in the story have been taken straight from the English history books - you can't beat real life when it comes to inspiration for truly horrific things to do a character!
Being at risk of execution for witchcraft is actually the least of Jake's worries though and he has far more dangerous trials ahead of him before the story is over. Along with the characters we have already met in the previous installment William Hussey has pulled out all the stops when it comes to introducing a whole range of interesting creatures from trolls to banshees and much more besides and it can be difficult to tell who's side these creatures are on. I don't want to give away anything in the plot as I don't want to spoil the journey for you but if you were a fan of Dawn of the Demontide then you're going to love Gallows at Twilight. If you're new to the series but enjoy a truly gory horror story then get hold of the first book now. I for one can't wait to read The Last Nightfall when it comes out later this year!
Jake and his friends may have managed to close the demon door but not before the Demon Father could escape from hell. With the Demon Father gathering his allies and preparing for war it looks like things have taken a turn for the worse. Jake is struggling to control his new powers but he is going to have to get a grip on them fast if they are going to survive the latest battle. In order to save the future Jake finds himself faced with a journey into the past but can he change history and make it back to his own time or will he be executed for witchcraft before he can complete his mission?
I really enjoyed Dawn of the Demontide but William Hussey has managed to completely step things up a gear in Gallows at Twilight. This book surpassed my expectations on every level and believe me that isn't because my expectations were low! Gallows at Twilight is a gripping, action packed thrill ride that I didn't want to put down. The story is even darker than the first book and Jake certainly isn't in for a comfortable ride in this book, in fact there are times that it seems impossible for the good guys to come out on top but you'll have to read it for yourself to find out if there are any casualties.
One of the things I wasn't too sure about before I started reading was the time travel aspect but I was pleasantly surprised at how well that worked. Jake finds himself travelling back to 1645 in search of an item that could be vital in the war against the Demon Father but appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a crowded village probably wasn't the best way to make an entrance. Jake is immediately accused of witchcraft and placed under arrest to await the arrival of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins. What makes the scenes of torture that Jake suffers even harder to read is the fact that Matthew Hopkins is a real character from history and the methods used in the story have been taken straight from the English history books - you can't beat real life when it comes to inspiration for truly horrific things to do a character!
Being at risk of execution for witchcraft is actually the least of Jake's worries though and he has far more dangerous trials ahead of him before the story is over. Along with the characters we have already met in the previous installment William Hussey has pulled out all the stops when it comes to introducing a whole range of interesting creatures from trolls to banshees and much more besides and it can be difficult to tell who's side these creatures are on. I don't want to give away anything in the plot as I don't want to spoil the journey for you but if you were a fan of Dawn of the Demontide then you're going to love Gallows at Twilight. If you're new to the series but enjoy a truly gory horror story then get hold of the first book now. I for one can't wait to read The Last Nightfall when it comes out later this year!
April 27, 2015
Gallows at Twilight is the second book in the Witchfinder trilogy, which started with Dawn of the Demontide and will conclude with The Last Nightfall.
The first thing to say is that this trilogy is not for young readers, or the frail at heart.. this may be a young adult book, but it’s a horror story which comes at you at full speed, with humour and teenage relationships all thrown in the mix.
Dawn of the Demontide was a good read, but it’s now obvious that it was somewhat held back by having to set up the stories and characters. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the opening book, but this one ramps it up quite a few notches!
Having not had a chance to re-read the first book, I was concerned whether I’d get lost in this mid-section, but William gets it just right, reminding us what happened, without going over it all again.
Jake is a character who’s already gone through an awful lot for a teen, but in Gallows at Twilight, there’s much more to come. William takes the historical figure of Matthew Hopkins, a witchfinder from the time of the English Civil War, and uses his rather horrifying methods of ‘detection’ to add their own horror.
To get back to this age, William uses a very clever form of time travel – one I can’t help thinking about whenever I get a headache!
Added to the mix is a witches meeting held in Wembley Stadium, a loyal troll and civil war zombie soldiers, to name but a few! There’s a clever mix of old and new, and even some humour.
For young adults who are looking for a fast paced, clever horror, you can’t go wrong with this series. I’d also say the same to older adults too! William, please hurry with the conclusion!
The first thing to say is that this trilogy is not for young readers, or the frail at heart.. this may be a young adult book, but it’s a horror story which comes at you at full speed, with humour and teenage relationships all thrown in the mix.
Dawn of the Demontide was a good read, but it’s now obvious that it was somewhat held back by having to set up the stories and characters. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the opening book, but this one ramps it up quite a few notches!
Having not had a chance to re-read the first book, I was concerned whether I’d get lost in this mid-section, but William gets it just right, reminding us what happened, without going over it all again.
Jake is a character who’s already gone through an awful lot for a teen, but in Gallows at Twilight, there’s much more to come. William takes the historical figure of Matthew Hopkins, a witchfinder from the time of the English Civil War, and uses his rather horrifying methods of ‘detection’ to add their own horror.
To get back to this age, William uses a very clever form of time travel – one I can’t help thinking about whenever I get a headache!
Added to the mix is a witches meeting held in Wembley Stadium, a loyal troll and civil war zombie soldiers, to name but a few! There’s a clever mix of old and new, and even some humour.
For young adults who are looking for a fast paced, clever horror, you can’t go wrong with this series. I’d also say the same to older adults too! William, please hurry with the conclusion!
July 1, 2013
A brilliant sequel that betters its predecessor in every way. With more interesting characters, tense situations, horror and excitement this proves that Hussey is a master of YA fantasy horror. The prose is elegant and gripping and its impossible not to get drawn into the twisting, turning plot arc and the mythology of this series. Highly recommended.
December 13, 2011
okay the second book,,,i can say waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the first although Simon's mother identity was obvious XD but really loved it...it had some good parts and many breath taking moments, if u like horror that is the trilogy for you :)
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews