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The West Virginia Vampire #1
Darkened Hills
When evil descends on a small West Virginia town, who will survive?
Jonathan did not start out his life to become a rambler, it just worked out that way. William was a troubled youth with something to hide. Both were from Melas, a small town tucked away in the West Virginia hills… a town where disappearances are happening more and more frequently.
After the suicide of a wanted serial killer, the townsfolk thought the nightmare was over. But when a centuries-old vampire is discovered they find out the hard way it’s just getting started.
Dark secrets can only stay hidden for so long and when the devil comes to collect, there will be hell to pay. Can Jonathan and William find a way to stop the vampire before it’s too late?
Find out in Darkened Hills!
Darkened Hills is a gothic vampire novel written in the spirit of Dracula with much more sinister characters and much more eroticism then the old Victorian classic.
** Warning: this book contains violence, sex, adult language and is intended for a mature audience. Reader discretion is advised. **
Jonathan did not start out his life to become a rambler, it just worked out that way. William was a troubled youth with something to hide. Both were from Melas, a small town tucked away in the West Virginia hills… a town where disappearances are happening more and more frequently.
After the suicide of a wanted serial killer, the townsfolk thought the nightmare was over. But when a centuries-old vampire is discovered they find out the hard way it’s just getting started.
Dark secrets can only stay hidden for so long and when the devil comes to collect, there will be hell to pay. Can Jonathan and William find a way to stop the vampire before it’s too late?
Find out in Darkened Hills!
Darkened Hills is a gothic vampire novel written in the spirit of Dracula with much more sinister characters and much more eroticism then the old Victorian classic.
** Warning: this book contains violence, sex, adult language and is intended for a mature audience. Reader discretion is advised. **
258 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2010
5 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Gary Lee Vincent
42 books32 followersGary Lee Vincent was born October 8, 1974, in Clarksburg, WV, USA.
Gary is an accomplished author, actor, musician, film producer, director and entrepreneur. In 2009, he founded Burning Bulb Publishing to help promote up-and-coming authors. In 2010, his horror novel Darkened Hills was selected as 2010 Book of the Year WINNER by Foreword Reviews Magazine.
Books by Gary Lee Vincent:
NOVELS
- Attack of the Melonheads (with Bob Gray and Solon Tsangaras)
- Belly Timber (with Solon Tsangaras and John Russo)
- Passageway
- When the Bedposts Shake
- The Best Actors That Ever Lived
- Impound
- Hell's Bells (ongoing)
THE BLACK CIRCLE CHRONICLES
- Prove Your Love
- Strange New Powers
- Night Wings
- Sheep Amongst Wolves
- Lord of the Birds
DARKENED - THE WEST VIRGINIA VAMPIRE SERIES
- Darkened Hills
- Darkened Hollows
- Darkened Waters
- Darkened Souls
- Darkened Minds
- Darkened Destinies
THE DOUGLAS RIVER VAMPIRE SERIES
- River
- Icarus (coming soon)
ANTHOLOGIES (as Contributing Editor)
- The Big Book of Bizarro
- Westward Hoes
- Rise of the Dead
NON-FICTION
- The Winner, The Loser
- Agelations: Unlocking The Secret Strategies of the Rich To Help You Succeed In Business & in Life
- Configuration Management
COMIC BOOKS
- The Tailsman (with Rich Bottles Jr. and Stuart J. Brown)
- Demoneye (with David J. Fairhead and Little Sun)
As a musician, he started into vocal music early in life through choral programs at both church and school. While in High School, he was honored as an All-State bass vocalist. Gary began playing the guitar and writing songs at age 13, attained BMI accreditation at age 14, and had his first Billboard Music Review at 23.
In 2005, Gary won Song of the Year for best Christian song Where Would I Be in the VH1 Song of the Year competition, a program that supports the VH1 Save The Music charity. Said song appears on Gary Lee Vincent's Somewhere Down The Road release.
Musical releases by Gary Lee Vincent:
- 100 Percent
- Passion, Pleasure, and Pain
- Somewhere Down The Road
In addition to music and literature, Vincent's hobbies include acting, exotic travel, hiking, and photography.
Gary is an accomplished author, actor, musician, film producer, director and entrepreneur. In 2009, he founded Burning Bulb Publishing to help promote up-and-coming authors. In 2010, his horror novel Darkened Hills was selected as 2010 Book of the Year WINNER by Foreword Reviews Magazine.
Books by Gary Lee Vincent:
NOVELS
- Attack of the Melonheads (with Bob Gray and Solon Tsangaras)
- Belly Timber (with Solon Tsangaras and John Russo)
- Passageway
- When the Bedposts Shake
- The Best Actors That Ever Lived
- Impound
- Hell's Bells (ongoing)
THE BLACK CIRCLE CHRONICLES
- Prove Your Love
- Strange New Powers
- Night Wings
- Sheep Amongst Wolves
- Lord of the Birds
DARKENED - THE WEST VIRGINIA VAMPIRE SERIES
- Darkened Hills
- Darkened Hollows
- Darkened Waters
- Darkened Souls
- Darkened Minds
- Darkened Destinies
THE DOUGLAS RIVER VAMPIRE SERIES
- River
- Icarus (coming soon)
ANTHOLOGIES (as Contributing Editor)
- The Big Book of Bizarro
- Westward Hoes
- Rise of the Dead
NON-FICTION
- The Winner, The Loser
- Agelations: Unlocking The Secret Strategies of the Rich To Help You Succeed In Business & in Life
- Configuration Management
COMIC BOOKS
- The Tailsman (with Rich Bottles Jr. and Stuart J. Brown)
- Demoneye (with David J. Fairhead and Little Sun)
As a musician, he started into vocal music early in life through choral programs at both church and school. While in High School, he was honored as an All-State bass vocalist. Gary began playing the guitar and writing songs at age 13, attained BMI accreditation at age 14, and had his first Billboard Music Review at 23.
In 2005, Gary won Song of the Year for best Christian song Where Would I Be in the VH1 Song of the Year competition, a program that supports the VH1 Save The Music charity. Said song appears on Gary Lee Vincent's Somewhere Down The Road release.
Musical releases by Gary Lee Vincent:
- 100 Percent
- Passion, Pleasure, and Pain
- Somewhere Down The Road
In addition to music and literature, Vincent's hobbies include acting, exotic travel, hiking, and photography.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 29, 2010
Darkened Hills lends a modern twist to the classic style of a horror novel and is artfully entwined with the cords of a murder mystery, a love story and set to the backdrop of ‘Melas’ a small American town two hours south of Pittsburgh PA.
The tale follows Jonathon Harker, curious about his former hometown of Melas – returns as a grown man after more than twenty years to discover that 43 (and counting) townsfolk are unaccounted for and strange occurrences are unfolding all around the town. Those that remain in the tight knit, yet tainted community are certainly not as they first appear and corruption is lurking behind almost every door. Harker is distracted by the charms of an old flame’s sister and the unexplainable lure of the looming hilltop presence of ‘Madison House’ The house is steeped in local history and a possible restoration project soon becomes a deadly obsession – but the current residents have more than just a hold on the town below them. Echoes of the past reverberate eerily through the present of Jonathan Harker’s life and the coincidences slowly become chillingly apparent, meanwhile a dark, blood thirsty storm is gathering strength, preparing to rain down on anyone, foolish - or greedy enough to cross into its path. Will Jonathan save the town before all hell breaks loose?
Flavours of Bram Stokers ‘The lair of the white worm’ and ‘Dracula’ are combined with extracts from Edgar Allen Poe throughout this novel to create a chilling, atmospheric and harrowing tale of murder lust and gore, which will creep up on the reader leaving a spine tingling feeling and the desire for a sequel.
As an ardent fan of the horror genre and novels by authors such as Anne Rice and Laurell K Hamilton I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a gripping tale of murder and mayhem.
The tale follows Jonathon Harker, curious about his former hometown of Melas – returns as a grown man after more than twenty years to discover that 43 (and counting) townsfolk are unaccounted for and strange occurrences are unfolding all around the town. Those that remain in the tight knit, yet tainted community are certainly not as they first appear and corruption is lurking behind almost every door. Harker is distracted by the charms of an old flame’s sister and the unexplainable lure of the looming hilltop presence of ‘Madison House’ The house is steeped in local history and a possible restoration project soon becomes a deadly obsession – but the current residents have more than just a hold on the town below them. Echoes of the past reverberate eerily through the present of Jonathan Harker’s life and the coincidences slowly become chillingly apparent, meanwhile a dark, blood thirsty storm is gathering strength, preparing to rain down on anyone, foolish - or greedy enough to cross into its path. Will Jonathan save the town before all hell breaks loose?
Flavours of Bram Stokers ‘The lair of the white worm’ and ‘Dracula’ are combined with extracts from Edgar Allen Poe throughout this novel to create a chilling, atmospheric and harrowing tale of murder lust and gore, which will creep up on the reader leaving a spine tingling feeling and the desire for a sequel.
As an ardent fan of the horror genre and novels by authors such as Anne Rice and Laurell K Hamilton I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a gripping tale of murder and mayhem.
November 15, 2010
If you like blood thirsty vampire stories then this book is for you. Mixed with sex, intrigue and gore it’s a great read that gets you gripped from the beginning. You WANT to know the story that Jonathan has to tell about his small hometown of Melas, just south of Pittsburgh. You then HAVE to know the ending which has a few twists along the way with lots of bloodfest and vivid deaths.
The story starts with Jonathan and his young friend William who seem nomads however they have both come from the same town and have a strange story to tell. Jonathan grew up in Melas and returned for the first time in 20 years. William is incarcerated in a children’s home there. There are some pretty strange characters now living in Melas who have no idea what is about to happen to them. Horrific events take place centred around the old mansion on the hill, Madison House and its mysterious occupants. Whilst Jonathan is having a whirlwind sex romp with an ex’s younger sister, death descends on the town like a huge wave wiping out most of the occupants.
Jonathan and William escape before it’s too late for them too but they keep in touch with news of their home town through the media. Melas becomes a ghost town, almost literally, and remaining townsfolk are still disappearing. So Jonathan and William go back to try and thwart the evil still there.
Are they able to stop the demonic forces in play………or not?
It’s a great read for those into bloodfest, sexy, horror stories.
The story starts with Jonathan and his young friend William who seem nomads however they have both come from the same town and have a strange story to tell. Jonathan grew up in Melas and returned for the first time in 20 years. William is incarcerated in a children’s home there. There are some pretty strange characters now living in Melas who have no idea what is about to happen to them. Horrific events take place centred around the old mansion on the hill, Madison House and its mysterious occupants. Whilst Jonathan is having a whirlwind sex romp with an ex’s younger sister, death descends on the town like a huge wave wiping out most of the occupants.
Jonathan and William escape before it’s too late for them too but they keep in touch with news of their home town through the media. Melas becomes a ghost town, almost literally, and remaining townsfolk are still disappearing. So Jonathan and William go back to try and thwart the evil still there.
Are they able to stop the demonic forces in play………or not?
It’s a great read for those into bloodfest, sexy, horror stories.
October 8, 2011
The Blood is the Life....as the quote goes, but for me, the ink is the life, and man does it come alive on the pages of this book!!! I really suspected I was going to love this book before I even began, and, true to form, Mr. Vincent did not disappoint. I ABSOLUTELY loved the tribute to classic Victorian horror novels present in this work. Vincent makes his vampires like they are supposed to be: scary, ruthless, lustful, and INCREDIBLY bloodthirsty. No, their skin doesn't sparkle when sunlight touches them, so if you want vampires like that, look elsewhere. Who the hell wants to read about vampires that can go out in the sun anyway? That takes away the whole climactic scene in the classic vampire tales where our band of rag-tag heroes wage battle against the vampire just as the last rays of sun disappear beyond the horizon! And so it goes in this book. I think this book is exactly what we, as a vampire obsessed society needs: an example of how great a REAL vampire story can get. I have read some criticism of this work that rabidly insists Mr. Vincent "stole" this idea from Stephen King's "'Salem's Lot", which is a load of sh*t. That is akin to saying that H.P. Lovecraft "stole" Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" when he wrote his story "Herbert West: Re-Animator" just because both have mad scientists working on bringing corpses to life! So if there is anyone out here who is shying away from reading this book due to such a rabid and uncalled for comparison, let's put the myth to bed right now: Darkened Hills is as much like "'salem's Lot" as "Twilight" is to "Dracula"! (And yes, I have read all these works, so I feel authorized to make the comparison).
Actually, Vincent's book is MUCH more Victorian and Gothic stylistically. I kept thinking of the layout of "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" because of the semi-epistolary feel of some of the sections. For example, the section in which Harker and William are watching "Ghostowns" and see their hometown of Melas, WV on the TV is described in much the same way that the "Bloofer" lady is described in "Dracula." Whereas Stoker uses an "excerpt" from the local paper, Vincent uses images of the TV segment, complete with intermediary statements like "Camera cuts to footage of a large prison-like structure going up in flames. Reporter continues:" This type of writing has been lost to the ages, and Vincent gracefully resurrects it in this work. The short chapters, and easily digestible "bits" told from many different characters' perspectives gives the reader a feel of observation and objectivity, rather than feeling as though we are stuck with one narrator's version of events through the entire book. It also lends itself to the feeling of serialization that Gothic works often used due to the fact that they were published piece by piece in newspapers of the age. I honestly can't remember a book that seems so genuinely Gothic in scope, but yet so contemporary at the same time. I really don't think many writers could pull it off. Kudos, Mr. Vincent.
All in all, I would certainly recommend this book to any and all, ESPECIALLY for this time of the year. This is a very fast paced read, and even if you are an incredibly busy person, you can pick this book up, bang out a couple pages, and easily make it to a "break" until the next time you get a few minutes. Everyone in WV should certainly read this book, and feel proud to have such a talented writer living so close, oozing his oddity amongst us! The characters are very well developed, the plotline is seamless (until the cliffhanger at the end, of course, but that is what the second installment is for!), and the writing is VERY refreshing compared to most of the crap that has been deluging vampire lit for the last decade or so. Thank you SO much, Mr. Vincent, for reminding us all what vampires used to be, and how fun they can still be!
Actually, Vincent's book is MUCH more Victorian and Gothic stylistically. I kept thinking of the layout of "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" because of the semi-epistolary feel of some of the sections. For example, the section in which Harker and William are watching "Ghostowns" and see their hometown of Melas, WV on the TV is described in much the same way that the "Bloofer" lady is described in "Dracula." Whereas Stoker uses an "excerpt" from the local paper, Vincent uses images of the TV segment, complete with intermediary statements like "Camera cuts to footage of a large prison-like structure going up in flames. Reporter continues:" This type of writing has been lost to the ages, and Vincent gracefully resurrects it in this work. The short chapters, and easily digestible "bits" told from many different characters' perspectives gives the reader a feel of observation and objectivity, rather than feeling as though we are stuck with one narrator's version of events through the entire book. It also lends itself to the feeling of serialization that Gothic works often used due to the fact that they were published piece by piece in newspapers of the age. I honestly can't remember a book that seems so genuinely Gothic in scope, but yet so contemporary at the same time. I really don't think many writers could pull it off. Kudos, Mr. Vincent.
All in all, I would certainly recommend this book to any and all, ESPECIALLY for this time of the year. This is a very fast paced read, and even if you are an incredibly busy person, you can pick this book up, bang out a couple pages, and easily make it to a "break" until the next time you get a few minutes. Everyone in WV should certainly read this book, and feel proud to have such a talented writer living so close, oozing his oddity amongst us! The characters are very well developed, the plotline is seamless (until the cliffhanger at the end, of course, but that is what the second installment is for!), and the writing is VERY refreshing compared to most of the crap that has been deluging vampire lit for the last decade or so. Thank you SO much, Mr. Vincent, for reminding us all what vampires used to be, and how fun they can still be!
November 20, 2010
Since I am from WV I always enjoy reading books written by WV authors. Gary Lee Vincent is a new to me author that in writing Darkened Hills has written one of my favorite genres vampire/horror fiction. The setting is in the great state of WV, in a tiny town called Melas, a fictionalized town that sits about two hours outside of Pittsburgh Pa, the town was once a thriving community but due to the dark forces that enveloped the community it became a ghost town, many of the residents started moving away when people started disappearing, but there are forty-three residents that are unaccounted for, including the town's doctor and his wife. What could have happened to the residents, and how can that many people disappear without a trace?
Johnathan Harker has come back to his hometown in the hopes of purchasing the Madison House for back taxes, but that doesn't happen. Even though the house appears abandoned, in truth, the person living there is the worst kind of evil there is. The vampire that lives in Madison House, had been leading a very low profile life for years, hiring a couple of townspeople to bring him people to feed on, people that wouldn't be missed and then their bodies would be disposed of. As if that's not bad enough, one night something far worse is unleashed, something that has an unquenchable thirst for blood! Can anyone put a stop to the evil that has the tiny town in its clutches, and will anyone survive?
This story grabs you and sucks you in and doesn't turn you loose. The whole town of Melas is full of weird, characters, from the guy who likes to "herd cats" to the alcoholic real estate agent who makes a deal with the devil, or the guy who donates "hamburger meat" to the church, and it really isn't hamburger meat at all! A story that never gets dull, just when you think nothing worse can happen, guess what it does. With the way the story ended it leaves its readers wanting more, and we can only hope for a sequel that gives us the story of Ralphie!
This book is a must read for anyone that loves horror, blood,dark humor, gore, and vampires from your worst nightmare! Be warned once you start reading this book, you wont be able to put it down, its just that good!
Johnathan Harker has come back to his hometown in the hopes of purchasing the Madison House for back taxes, but that doesn't happen. Even though the house appears abandoned, in truth, the person living there is the worst kind of evil there is. The vampire that lives in Madison House, had been leading a very low profile life for years, hiring a couple of townspeople to bring him people to feed on, people that wouldn't be missed and then their bodies would be disposed of. As if that's not bad enough, one night something far worse is unleashed, something that has an unquenchable thirst for blood! Can anyone put a stop to the evil that has the tiny town in its clutches, and will anyone survive?
This story grabs you and sucks you in and doesn't turn you loose. The whole town of Melas is full of weird, characters, from the guy who likes to "herd cats" to the alcoholic real estate agent who makes a deal with the devil, or the guy who donates "hamburger meat" to the church, and it really isn't hamburger meat at all! A story that never gets dull, just when you think nothing worse can happen, guess what it does. With the way the story ended it leaves its readers wanting more, and we can only hope for a sequel that gives us the story of Ralphie!
This book is a must read for anyone that loves horror, blood,dark humor, gore, and vampires from your worst nightmare! Be warned once you start reading this book, you wont be able to put it down, its just that good!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2011
Let me start this review with a little disclosure. I've read horror fiction before, but I generally prefer fantasy and science fiction. I'm also a small press author with a work available in the fantasy category which was purchased by someone who also purchased Darkened Hills. I looked at this book and I was afraid this was another example of the "romantic vampire" material deluging the teen reader market at the moment. I just simply don't care for romantic vampires. I like the Max Schreck "Nosferatu" interpretation of the vampire as representing the core of the vampire myth - a night dwelling, blood sucking, cold blooded killer. I then read two negative reviews on Amazon which are usually more telling about what I might like, and what I might dislike about a book. The first review gave it two stars, and indicated the subject matter was not the preference of the reader which I thought was fair enough. The second lesser review was a hate driven diatribe by a rabid fan of Stephen King. I like Stephen King well enough, and I enjoyed reading his "The Dark Tower" series of books. If someone can complain something came too close to Stephen King without being Stephen King enought to piss off an fan, then I figured this could possibly be a book I'd enjoy. I ordered the book, and finished it in two days.
As I read the Darkened Hills I was pleased to find that no brooding gloomy goth boy hunk vampires were present in the work. These vampires are the kind of smart evil monsters fueled by a hunger for blood which harkens back to Bram Stoker's Dracula. These are the kind of vampires I can read and enjoy. The author also adds that touch of small home town sensibility complete with oddball personalities, local color, and a evil plot that gets set on its ear by bumpkin redneck good old boy cantankerous behavior. It was fun to read about evil monsters being set on their ears by small town folk with a "get 'er done" kind of attitude. If I have any quible with the book, it is that Mr. Vincent neglected to pull the favorite redneck tool out of the handyman's box. Where was the duct tape? Perhaps we'll be lucky enough to see an appearance in the next book.
As I read the Darkened Hills I was pleased to find that no brooding gloomy goth boy hunk vampires were present in the work. These vampires are the kind of smart evil monsters fueled by a hunger for blood which harkens back to Bram Stoker's Dracula. These are the kind of vampires I can read and enjoy. The author also adds that touch of small home town sensibility complete with oddball personalities, local color, and a evil plot that gets set on its ear by bumpkin redneck good old boy cantankerous behavior. It was fun to read about evil monsters being set on their ears by small town folk with a "get 'er done" kind of attitude. If I have any quible with the book, it is that Mr. Vincent neglected to pull the favorite redneck tool out of the handyman's box. Where was the duct tape? Perhaps we'll be lucky enough to see an appearance in the next book.
April 17, 2012
Book Title: "Darkened Hills" & “Darkened Hollows”
Author: Gary Lee Vincent
Published By: Burning Bulb Publishing
Age Recommended: 17+
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 3
Review: “Darkened Hills” and “Darkened Hollows” is a vampire series written by Gary Lee Vincent with scenes reminiscent of both “Dracula” and “Salem’s Lot.” While there was good action and a semi-interesting plot, I was not overly impressed as I felt the book was more the authors own rendition of two greater horror classics.
The books weren’t bad but still lacked the quality I expected from this writer. I would still recommend them if you are looking for a decent horror read related to vampires. I gave both books a 3 on the Raven Rating Scale, I have to say were these books a movie… they would be a B rated horror from the 80’s at best.
Synopsis: A tale of gripping psychological horror!
When evil descends on a small West Virginia town, who will survive?
Jonathan did not start out his life to become a rambler, it just worked out that way. William was a troubled youth with something to hide. Both were from Melas, a small town tucked away in the West Virginia hills... a town where disappearances are happening more and more frequently.
After the suicide of a wanted serial killer, the townsfolk thought the nightmare was over. But when a centuries-old vampire is discovered they find out the hard way it's just getting started. Dark secrets can only stay hidden for so long and when the devil comes to collect, there will be hell to pay. Can Jonathan and William find a way to stop the vampire before it's too late? Find out in Darkened Hills!
Darkened Hills is a gothic vampire novel written in the spirit of Dracula with much more sinister characters and eroticism then the old Victorian classic.
Author: Gary Lee Vincent
Published By: Burning Bulb Publishing
Age Recommended: 17+
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 3
Review: “Darkened Hills” and “Darkened Hollows” is a vampire series written by Gary Lee Vincent with scenes reminiscent of both “Dracula” and “Salem’s Lot.” While there was good action and a semi-interesting plot, I was not overly impressed as I felt the book was more the authors own rendition of two greater horror classics.
The books weren’t bad but still lacked the quality I expected from this writer. I would still recommend them if you are looking for a decent horror read related to vampires. I gave both books a 3 on the Raven Rating Scale, I have to say were these books a movie… they would be a B rated horror from the 80’s at best.
Synopsis: A tale of gripping psychological horror!
When evil descends on a small West Virginia town, who will survive?
Jonathan did not start out his life to become a rambler, it just worked out that way. William was a troubled youth with something to hide. Both were from Melas, a small town tucked away in the West Virginia hills... a town where disappearances are happening more and more frequently.
After the suicide of a wanted serial killer, the townsfolk thought the nightmare was over. But when a centuries-old vampire is discovered they find out the hard way it's just getting started. Dark secrets can only stay hidden for so long and when the devil comes to collect, there will be hell to pay. Can Jonathan and William find a way to stop the vampire before it's too late? Find out in Darkened Hills!
Darkened Hills is a gothic vampire novel written in the spirit of Dracula with much more sinister characters and eroticism then the old Victorian classic.
January 15, 2014
At first glance ‘Darkened Hills’ looks like any other run-of-the-mill vampire book. With its unsubtle references to Bram Stoker’s, ‘Dracula’ and Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot,’ one might dismiss the novel for being yet another uninspired regurgitation. Horror readers are all too familiar with vampire lore and its tropes; therefore it takes an exceptional vampire story to stand tall above the rest. Gary Vincent not only succeeds in doing that, but does so while providing buckets of laughs and snorts.
‘Darkened Hills’ is an eccentric mishmash of gothic horror, pop culture, and black, tongue-in-cheek comedy. I appreciated the author’s nod to my favorite show, ‘Breaking Bad’ with the character, Walt Pinkman. I also loved how Vincent opened each chapter with a quote from one of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories. Each quote foreshadowed the events of the chapter—a strange, but dexterous touch on the author’s part. But no, this is not a literary horror novel. Nor does it try to be. There is gore and splatter for comedic effect. Most memorable is the scene when that man runs over a herd of cats with his lawnmower. Do feline guts and “girlie cams” add much suspense? No. Was it funny? Hell yes. And that sums up much of what ‘Darkened Hills’ accomplishes here.
This book is an ode to popular vampire novels before it. Vincent does not attempt to supersede the legacy of Stoker and King, but rather poke fun at it and revel in their entertainment value. The campiness is a refreshing approach and reminded me of Robert Rodriquez’s movie, ‘Planet Terror.’ Even as I write this sentence, I am replaying the ridiculous “Cat Herding” scene in my mind and am grinning again.
I wouldn’t say ‘Darkened Hills’ is frightening, but it is funny and there’s plenty of cheese, sex, and violence to love.
‘Darkened Hills’ is an eccentric mishmash of gothic horror, pop culture, and black, tongue-in-cheek comedy. I appreciated the author’s nod to my favorite show, ‘Breaking Bad’ with the character, Walt Pinkman. I also loved how Vincent opened each chapter with a quote from one of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories. Each quote foreshadowed the events of the chapter—a strange, but dexterous touch on the author’s part. But no, this is not a literary horror novel. Nor does it try to be. There is gore and splatter for comedic effect. Most memorable is the scene when that man runs over a herd of cats with his lawnmower. Do feline guts and “girlie cams” add much suspense? No. Was it funny? Hell yes. And that sums up much of what ‘Darkened Hills’ accomplishes here.
This book is an ode to popular vampire novels before it. Vincent does not attempt to supersede the legacy of Stoker and King, but rather poke fun at it and revel in their entertainment value. The campiness is a refreshing approach and reminded me of Robert Rodriquez’s movie, ‘Planet Terror.’ Even as I write this sentence, I am replaying the ridiculous “Cat Herding” scene in my mind and am grinning again.
I wouldn’t say ‘Darkened Hills’ is frightening, but it is funny and there’s plenty of cheese, sex, and violence to love.
November 22, 2010
Gary Lee Vincent has created a vampire novel that goes against the recent trend for romanticising blood suckers and goes back to the depraved and monstrous fiends of traditional vampire legends. There’s no sexy smouldering coolness like Jean-Claude in Laurell K Hamilton’s “Anita Blake” series or soul searching teenage tenderness like Edward Cullen in Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight” trilogy. This vampire is pure unadulterated demonic evil, from his talon like hands down to the wings on his back. This is a cold hearted creature that’s the stuff of nightmares, not fantasies!
Pure dark horror fiction at its best, the author will have you recoiling at times as the tale takes a few particularly dark turns. You’ll be kept in suspense as the story unfolds, with secrets hinted at and dark forces slowly unveiled, until the book suddenly reaches it’s awful and horrific climax. With sex thrown in for good measure, you really cannot go wrong with this read that will definitely keep you enthralled until the end (and probably make you want to keep the lights on too!).
At some points I actually found myself closing my eyes in a vain attempt to block out the images created in my mind by the words on the page. I can’t actually remember the last time a book had that effect on me. As the deathly drama unfolds, many of Vincent’s characters are transfixed by the horror they are witnessing, and believe me you will be too!
Pure dark horror fiction at its best, the author will have you recoiling at times as the tale takes a few particularly dark turns. You’ll be kept in suspense as the story unfolds, with secrets hinted at and dark forces slowly unveiled, until the book suddenly reaches it’s awful and horrific climax. With sex thrown in for good measure, you really cannot go wrong with this read that will definitely keep you enthralled until the end (and probably make you want to keep the lights on too!).
At some points I actually found myself closing my eyes in a vain attempt to block out the images created in my mind by the words on the page. I can’t actually remember the last time a book had that effect on me. As the deathly drama unfolds, many of Vincent’s characters are transfixed by the horror they are witnessing, and believe me you will be too!
October 20, 2010
This novel really sucks! But for a vampire novel that's a good thing. Author Gary Lee Vincent, who has written about real estate investing in his Agelations book, centers this horror novel on an evil old house overlooking a small town in West Virginia. The hero (or perhaps antihero is a better description) of the story is unnaturally drawn to the house, which is up for Sheriff's sale, but the fanged protagonist who owns the house suddenly foregoes its libertarian disposition and pays off the tax lien. The battle spills out into the town and soon the sleepy little village erupts into a pernicious Peyton Place. In a town where everyone knows everyone else, including everyone else's business, the whole matter ends up in reprobate when a force even more evil than the house and its owner arrives in the village. Beware reader: This is not your teenager's PG-13 romanticized vampire novel. This horrific novel stirs up the flames of hell like a real stoker.
October 15, 2010
I wrote the book, so of course I loved it! I have been blogging about it on the book's website - www.DarkenedHills.com - so please feel free to review the teasers and watch the book's official trailer.
In a nutshell, the book is about vampires and old evil, and how an unlikely good must confront it. First reviews of the book have been pretty good, but you can be the judge for yourself. Give it a read, if you dare!
In a nutshell, the book is about vampires and old evil, and how an unlikely good must confront it. First reviews of the book have been pretty good, but you can be the judge for yourself. Give it a read, if you dare!
October 18, 2010
I wrote the book, so of course I loved it! I have been blogging about it on the book's website - www.DarkenedHills.com - so please feel free to review the teasers and watch the book's official trailer.
In a nutshell, the book is about vampires and old evil, and how an unlikely good must confront it. First reviews of the book have been pretty good, but you can be the judge for yourself. Give it a read, if you dare!
In a nutshell, the book is about vampires and old evil, and how an unlikely good must confront it. First reviews of the book have been pretty good, but you can be the judge for yourself. Give it a read, if you dare!
December 7, 2023
I think the author's intention was to create a novel like a cool, exciting and sexy horror B-movie, and it was successful in many ways: a well-executed small-town setting with a wide range of characters and personalities; and there's an evil feel that hangs over the whole book like a cloud; that sense of foreboding was very well-accomplished. And the author had some good tongue-in-cheek fun with the readers.
April 1, 2015
In a time when everyone and their mom is writing a vampire-romance-Twilight-knockoff, it's nice to come across an author who keeps their monsters scary and vile. :)
January 7, 2011
I'm sorry that I just couldn't get into this book. I was very excited to have won it from LibraryThing and looked forward to the review. But I had several issues that kept me from enjoying the story.
First of all, the character names really threw me for a loop as they are the same from Bram Stoker's "Dracula": Jonathan Harker, Mina (Wilhelmina), Lucy and Raymond Renfield. It was distracting as I kept picturing the characters from the original vampire saga.
This is definitely NOT a book for young readers. It is very violent and gory and there are a lot of gratutious sex scenes. I'm not squeamish by any means, but there was a section regarding torturing cats that I found extremely offensive. That part pretty much overshadowed the rest of the book for me.
This is not one of the glittery, sparkly teen angst vampire novels. The storyline is a much darker, monster story that is what nightmares are made of. I think that if the author had used original character names and hadn't gone as much for the bloody shock value, his plot could have really made for a much better and longer story. The basic bones are there but I just couldn't get past the points I mentioned above.
I do want to note that I LOVE the cover and that several readers on Goodreads and LibraryThing had a completely different response to the book. This review is strictly MY personal reaction to it and I hope you'll check out what others thought of it. I appreciate the author and LibraryThing giving me a chance to read the book.
First of all, the character names really threw me for a loop as they are the same from Bram Stoker's "Dracula": Jonathan Harker, Mina (Wilhelmina), Lucy and Raymond Renfield. It was distracting as I kept picturing the characters from the original vampire saga.
This is definitely NOT a book for young readers. It is very violent and gory and there are a lot of gratutious sex scenes. I'm not squeamish by any means, but there was a section regarding torturing cats that I found extremely offensive. That part pretty much overshadowed the rest of the book for me.
This is not one of the glittery, sparkly teen angst vampire novels. The storyline is a much darker, monster story that is what nightmares are made of. I think that if the author had used original character names and hadn't gone as much for the bloody shock value, his plot could have really made for a much better and longer story. The basic bones are there but I just couldn't get past the points I mentioned above.
I do want to note that I LOVE the cover and that several readers on Goodreads and LibraryThing had a completely different response to the book. This review is strictly MY personal reaction to it and I hope you'll check out what others thought of it. I appreciate the author and LibraryThing giving me a chance to read the book.
February 18, 2014
Let me just start out by saying that I adore gore and blood, and this book is full of it. The hamburger meat scene…oh boy! That was a doozy. Made me glad I’m a vegetarian.
I especially loved two elements in this book: dark humor and REAL damn vampires! Vincent’s vamps are certainly NOT of the sparkly breed, and that’s a relief. Sorry, fan girls! Also, I absolutely loved the campiness that abounded in this book. I found myself laughing out loud several times. The book definitely has that 80s late night horror movie vibe, which I can appreciate. I can see this being transformed into a comic book series.
It’s very obvious that this book is a nod to Dracula and Salem’s Lot. I liked how Vincent painted the setting of this novel: very typical small town, everybody knows everybody with the usual colorful characters. Never been to West Virginia, but I like when a writer can transport you to a place and paint a vivid picture. I’ll be reading the rest of the series.
I especially loved two elements in this book: dark humor and REAL damn vampires! Vincent’s vamps are certainly NOT of the sparkly breed, and that’s a relief. Sorry, fan girls! Also, I absolutely loved the campiness that abounded in this book. I found myself laughing out loud several times. The book definitely has that 80s late night horror movie vibe, which I can appreciate. I can see this being transformed into a comic book series.
It’s very obvious that this book is a nod to Dracula and Salem’s Lot. I liked how Vincent painted the setting of this novel: very typical small town, everybody knows everybody with the usual colorful characters. Never been to West Virginia, but I like when a writer can transport you to a place and paint a vivid picture. I’ll be reading the rest of the series.
November 16, 2010
I keep telling myself I'm over vampire books and yet I keep reading them. This one just didn't bring anything new to the table. It wasn't a bad story, but it was very hastily told in some parts. I found myself confused about who was doing what and when, and I could really have done without the gratuitous sex, but that's just me. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had drawn more on the vampires themselves instead of them just being creatures you don't really meet until halfway through the book, and then they are mainly just mindless eating machines. I just wanted more, and I finished this book not really sure what I was supposed to get out of it.
February 2, 2011
I do like a good vampire novel but this one left me wanting a bit more. The pace was set at such a fast rate that there wasn't much time for character development. Also, I think that while enhancement can be made to stories by a bit of "borrowing", this one seemed to be too focused on other vampire stories (Dracula, Van Helsing) to really find its own foot in originality. It seemed to me based on the characters and storyline that the author gives an air of not being well read (which may or may not be the case but the writing was not as unique as I would have hoped). I did enjoy the read but since it was overwhelming with cliches- I would only call it mildly entertaining.
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November 2, 2013I have to say that this is an interesting read and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I met Gary at the Collingswood Book Festival in NJ in 2012. His book was on my shelf and I wanted a relatively thrilling read. This did it! On to the next book!
September 1, 2011
It was an interesting version of Salem's Lot with Brahm Stokers: Dracula mixed in. Lots of action.
December 31, 2013
Wanted to love it. I LOVE VAMPIRE HARDCORE BOOKS!!! Have been reading vampire books since the 80's. Really was hopeful but something was missing. :(
March 10, 2015
This was a book that I think would make a great movie.
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