SYNOPSIS
Will Burgess is used to hard knocks. Abandoned by his father, son of a drug-addicted mother, and charged with raising his six-year-old sister, Will has far more to worry about than most high school freshmen. To make matters worse, Mia Samuels, the girl of Will’s dreams, is dating his worst enemy, the most sadistic upperclassman at Shadeland High. Will’s troubles, however, are just beginning. Because one of the nation’s most notorious criminals—the Moonlight Killer—has escaped from prison and is headed straight toward Will’s hometown. And something else is lurking in Savage Hollow, the forest surrounding Will’s rundown house. Something ancient and infinitely evil. When the worst storm of the decade descends on Shadeland, Will and his friends must confront unfathomable horrors. Everyone Will loves—his mother, his little sister, Mia, and his friends—will be threatened. And very few of them will escape with their lives.
REVIEW
Coming-of-age? Check. Terrifying monster? Check. Slasher? Check. I swear this book was written just for me.
This book caught my eye first with its amazing cover. The mood it conveys is a perfect representation of the content within. It’s dark. It’s creepy. It’s fun. It’s perfect.
There is a lot going on in this book. Jonathan Janz doesn’t waste a word while weaving this terrifying tale. Every character is handled with care, given depth and written with a distinct personality. The story is told in first person from the perspective of Will Burgess. What I really appreciate about the way Janz writes Will is that he actually feels like a kid. The way he talks can be immature and childish. His jokes and references don’t feel adult. This is a problem, one I can live with, in other stories narrated by kids. They often feel too mature for their age, even the great Stephen King is guilty of this. But Will never feels wise beyond his years. He isn’t special or super smart. He’s just your average kid thrust into extreme situations and acts appropriately.
Children of the Dark deals with heavy themes of abuse and neglect and Janz handles these with care and realism. He doesn’t shy away from the issues but it never feels exploitative.
The monsters in this story are wholly original and absolutely horrifying. They are brutal and merciless, just how I like my monsters. I have no idea if these are rooted in any urban legend but to me they were unique and had echoes of the bat-people from The Descent on steroids.
The Moonlight Killer is also equally terrifying. The fact that Janz was able to make a human villain match the monsters in terms of being scary is a testament to his storytelling and characterization. This isn’t some mustache twirling big bad, he’s a sick fucking guy with his own set of rules and morals.
But it’s not all serial killers and monsters. There’s a whole town full of kids and adults and while not everyone can get time in the spotlight, no one feels wasted or like fodder for the monsters and killer. Whenever someone dies in this book, it is always a shock and you feel the loss thanks to the depth of character.
Children of the Dark is…dark. It’s brutal, doesn’t hold its punches and no character is to sacred. Janz has no problem killing off people you love, ripping your heart like his titular monsters. With a stellar cast of well imagined characters, vicious and scary-as-fuck monsters and a killer that will make your skin crawl, Janz balances all of this on the tip of a razor sharp claw with ease. If you want your Stranger Things to have more bite, this is the book for you.
Even better, there’s a sequel on the way! Children of the Dark 2: The Night Flyers is coming soon so keep an eye for that. I absolutely cannot wait for it.
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