Synopsis
In Scarburn County, Tennessee there is a small mountain community called Black Rock, known for its unusual and prevalent blight that affects all vegetation . . .
When an unexpected death forces Christopher “Kit” McNeil to return to his small hometown in the Tennessee mountains after eighteen years, he must confront his past and a secret he’s kept since he was twelve.
A talented guitarist with a history of bad choices and even worse luck, Kit soon reunites with an old friend and learns about recent disappearances and mysterious deaths in the area. They begin to wonder if it’s connected to what they witnessed in the woods when they were kids and if a creepy local family is involved. Stranger still, almost half of their high school graduating class has died.
When more shredded bodies begin appearing, Kit becomes a suspect. But what he discovers is even more frightening—evil has set its sights on him and his friends and it won’t stop until it gets what it needs.
Can Kit and his friends band together in time to stop this ancient evil? Or will a new reign of terror that the Cherokee once called Uyaga be unleashed to roam the earth once more?
Review
Re-sharing my review of this one for a little boost!
Just a bit late with this one, but I bought an audiobook copy to help me catch up. The narration from Nathaniel Gray was very good and added to my enjoyment.
The town of Black Rock was always referred to as cursed, but what if it actually was, genuinely? This is a horror novel that features a dark, ancient entity plaguing the town with disappearances, surprising deaths, and bad luck. Kit thought he had gotten out, taken his guitar and moved on with his life. But a surprise visit home, due to the loss of his mother, has drawn him right back into the craziness—and he’s front and center for the show.
For me, Kit wasn’t the most interesting or endearing main character I’ve ever read. However, I did like the fact that he’s forty, a bit heavy, and kind of at rock bottom. It was at least of interest to read a story that doesn’t feature the typical main. And Kit was not without qualities. His willingness to sacrifice is quite a good one, too. He’s not your typical hero, and the loser rocker atmosphere was definitely something that read as real.
The ancient Uyaga’s use of children was very disturbing, and the descriptions of how they looked made me think along the lines of NOS4A2, which I quite liked, but the stories are very different. This one mixes the occult demonic entity with disappearance for an almost murder mystery x supernatural feel. It worked for me.
Personally a 4/5*, a nice horror entry, but with quite a quick climax.
Leave a Reply