The Rundown
In small town America, a storm unearths a long dead body that is only the first in a string of troubling and connected incidents. In this outwardly ordinary place, a pact of good must confront a legacy of evil before a terrible power can manifest. Thrown into the centre of it all, a bachelor is haunted by the appearance of an old love, a killer gets in over his head, and a group of meddling kids may have meddled their last…
Reaching for Stephen King by way of the Hardy Boys, By Summers Last Twilight is as much an adventure thriller as it is a supernatural horror. While there’s certainly moments of graphic violence and fantastic monsters, at the heart of the tale are a group of friends unravelling the secrets of a sinister cult, and the pace and tone are more James Patterson than James Herbert. This has its advantages; the novel leaps from incident to incident without hesitation, and while it may sacrifice the creep of more traditional horror, it also joyfully abandons the crawl.
The tale unfolds in Wyvern Falls, a cozy slice of Americana with an underbelly of abandoned mansions and sunken caves that make the ideal locale for dark magic rituals. With a broad cast of heroes and villains that could have stepped out of an episode of Twin Peaks, the novel is never short of a colourful character. From charming private detectives, to a Goonies-style club of teen adventurers, to a Robert Rodriguez style hitman, By Summers Last Twilight is bursting at the seams with memorable players.
Much more than its dark and serious title would suggest, By Summers Last Twilight is an affectionate romp through familiar horror territory, and mortal danger never gets in the way of the sense of fun. There’s action, there’s mystery and there’s humour to the point that oftentimes you’d be forgiven for forgetting you’re even reading a horror. In contrast, though, when the horror mythos of By Summer’s Last Twilight is presented, it is done so with utter confidence. The Lovecraftian style cult leader at the centre of the plot is well researched and intriguingly presented, lending that solid hook of plausibility that is so vital for suspending ones disbelief.
The Recommendation
By Summers Last Twilight, with only a few omissions of the more graphic descriptions, could have easily been billed as a Stranger Things style YA adventure. As it stands, with plenty of sex and violence throughout, the novel is an unapologetic thrill ride for those who have a taste for the supernatural.
The Rating
3.5 Stars (out of 5): Pretty good. For the right audience, this could be great. Sure, there were some issues, but it was still worth the read.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: CharacterizationThe Links
The Reviewer
Steve Wetherell
Visit Steve Wetherell‘s website.By Summers Last Twilight, with only a few omissions of the more graphic descriptions, could have easily been billed as a Stranger Things style YA adventure. As it stands, with plenty of sex and violence throughout, the novel is an unapologetic thrill ride for those who have a taste for the supernatural.
Read By Summer’s Last Twilight
