Harbor by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Premise: Anders and Cecilia live a happy life with their daughter, Maja, on the island of Domarö in the archipelago off the coast of Sweden. Then, on a day trip to the lighthouse, Maja disappears without a trace and their lives are turned upside down.

They can’t handle the loss and they leave the island and separate, with Anders falling into drunkenness. In an attempt to regain some sanity, he comes back to Domarö to find answers with the help of his strong-willed grandmother, Anna-Greta, and her life partner of fifty years, the magician, Simon. Anders learns that there are more strange occurrences happening that natives of the island are keeping secret, including his own grandmother.

Simon may not be a native of Domarö, but he is keeping his own secret: the fact that he is bound to a strange centipede-like insect that is actually a magical creature called a Spiritus that allows him to have a connection with water. And water is everywhere. The sea might just be the source of the strange occurrences, and the size and reach of the sea is great. But these things still might not be enough to keep a father from searching for his lost daughter.

Themes: Some events can send ripples through the lives of many people, such as the loss of a child or the choices of an entire island to make a living. They can have an effect not only on those directly involved but also for generations following. We learn that the secrets of Domarö are because of things that happened long ago, and those events might just be the reason for Maja’s disappearance.

Harbor is really a story about what lengths a father is willing to go to find his child. Can he pull himself from the pits of despair and do whatever it takes to save his little girl? Even with a crumbling marriage and downward spiral into addiction and self-loathing, Anders still can find strength through his love of Maja, and that love might also even heal the other wounds.

This is also a story of facing fears. Whether it be irrational fears of an inanimate object, the fear of committing to marriage, or the fear of having to face tragedy, Harbor brings these fears to the forefront and forces the characters to wallow in them.

Pros: Harbor is a deeply depressing story that actually brought about redemption for not just the characters, but the island of Domarö itself. It did it in such a unique and non-cliche way that the ending’s contrast to the rest of the book made me glad I finished reading it. The atmosphere on the island feels suppressing and claustrophobic and Lindqvist’s prose gives us suspense by not allowing us to escape the tension too quickly. He makes the reader sit in it and ponder it, sometimes without providing relief. This proves to be pretty effective and we are left with a tension-filled, uncomfortable story throughout.

Cons: The book could have been cut down a hundred pages and still not lost much of anything. It just dragged on at times and the cuts could have brought more of a sense of urgency in Anders finding Maja. There were a few unnecessarily graphic scenes, both violent and sexual in nature, and one that is just plain gross. They didn’t add much to the story for me, and since this book was too long anyway they could have been easily dropped.

The book is filled with strange sentence structure, many times combining multiple sentences with commas instead of semicolons or splitting them into separate sentences. These just felt like run-on sentences. I don’t know if it was from a translation from Swedish to English or just intentionally done bad structure, but it started to bother me. Just use a period and start a new sentence. Don’t combine two complete sentences with a comma. It’s annoying.

Recommendations: Harbor is a creepy story of the immensity of the sea and the power it holds. I felt uncomfortable while reading it, but in a good way because of the nature of the plot. I was expecting a defeatist story with no hope or chance of redemption, but I was pleasantly disappointed. Give it a chance if you have the time for a dark and eloquent tale of loss and despair. While being a long story that can drag at times, the payoff is worth it in the end.

John Ajvide Lindqvist’s website
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The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood

Premise: Dr. Cathcart and his nephew Mr. Simpson go on a moose hunting trip deep into the wilderness of northern Canada with their guides Hank Davis and the French Canadian Joseph Défago, along with their Indian cook, Punk. They split up to cover more ground, Dr. Cathcart with Hank and Simpson with Défago, but the rumor of a creature that wanders the wild where they are headed begins to stir in their minds.

When Défago takes off unexpectedly, Simpson attempts to follow him, but Défago is so swift that he is unable to keep up. The strange tracks he leaves, however, reveal that Défago was chasing something else, something with even stranger tracks. Stranger still is the lingering scent of something unexplainable that those who have smelled it can only describe as the “odor of lions.”

Simpson somehow is able to make it back to the original camp alone. Dr. Cathcart and Hank are surprised to see him, especially without his guide. But when Défago returns on his own, he is somehow changed. Dr. Cathcart might know something of his condition, but it is Punk’s response in the end that is most telling.

Themes: The Wendigo is a story of the unknown, not only the stories and rumors of something in the wilderness, but the sheer anxiety of going into unexplored territory and living off the land and by your wits. This is a classic monster tale that asks the question, “Who or what is the monster here?”

The changes someone goes through when facing uninhabited lands can be thrilling, but it can also take a toll on your mind. At least, that is what The Wendigo says to us. The “call of the wild” can bring about a ferocity in a man that makes him lose a little of himself in the wild. And when brought back into civilization, that part of himself may not come back.

Pros: With classic horror stories the suspense is built by simply not showing the monster and by contrasting the fantastic with the mundane. Even in such a short story The Wendigo is packed with the perfect amount of character development, a vast setting, and an unsettling chill of something watching you at every turn.

Cons: Many authors of classic horror risk belaboring points and drawing out suspenseful situations through repetition, and The Wendigo is no exception. It can be tedious at times, but only briefly, if there is such a thing as briefly tedious. Thankfully, it is short and those parts can easily be plowed through.

Recommendations: If you have read Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley and are looking for more authors of their ilk, look no further than Algernon Blackwood. The Wendigo gives us a look at the unknown and brings with it both fear and wonder, which many times both go hand in hand. It is authors like Blackwood with such a mastery of the craft of storytelling that make me enjoy reading classics. Go read this now, especially since it is fairly short and you can download the ebook for free.

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Sketchy Behavior by Erynn Mangum

Premise: Kate Carter is your average teenager with artistic talent. However, when her class assignment to sketch someone based on a description ends up capturing a serial killer, her whole life in her small town turns upside-down. When one of the killer’s friends shoots at Kate when she is riding in a parade, the police have to protect her wherever she goes, including living with her family.

Against her father’s wishes, Kate’s mom decides the family needs to go to church, where she finds the normally mute Justin from her art class to be quite talkative. She has become a local celebrity, so wherever she goes people recognize her, which is strange because she has few friends and now people at school know who she is.

Kate and her family and friends are in different places in their beliefs, and her questions also lead her to wonder who she can really trust. They may have caught the murderer, John X, but his accomplice is still out there.

Themes: As the genre implies, this Christian young adult book has characters searching for faith. They are each in different places in their belief, from Kate and her family being new to this Christianity thing to DJ and Justin having a more developed faith in God.

Sketchy Behavior is primarily a thriller/mystery, with a few twists and turns to leave the reader guessing what will happen next. We don’t know who is trying to kill Kate, and the truth is held back until the very end.

This is also a book about family. The Carters are a strong family unit. Though they have their differences of opinion and their normal arguments, such as what Kate should do with her future, they still obviously love each other and want the best for each other.

Pros: Kate Carter is funny. She is a well-developed character and I immediately liked her. I wanted her talent to shine and take her places. Being someone who goes to church regularly, I felt like most of the faith elements were familiar, from the gray-haired old ladies to the hipster worship band in girl pants. It didn’t feel too forced into the story, though for Christian YA I might have infused the story with even more.

Cons: There were way too many popular culture references. It felt like there was at least one every other page, and some of them are already dated. I have a feeling they might make this book dated in just a few years. Although this was about Kate, most of the secondary characters were underdeveloped. Also, I had a gripe with a main plot point of the book. Since I have experience working with a law enforcement agency, I know that the police would have never released the name of the sketch artist for a known serial killer, let alone if it was done by a sixteen year old girl. It just wouldn’t happen. I had another gripe having to do with background checks for law enforcement agencies, but I don’t want to give any spoilers. Besides, it might be different for a small town police force.

Recommendations: A clean, funny, and suspenseful story, Sketchy Behavior is the kind of book I would let my young teen read. It has the kinds of questions someone very young might have about God, not attempting to give any complex answers to those questions. For adults, the story may be too simplistic in some areas, but it has an intelligent and strong teenage female protagonist with heart that young readers will enjoy.

Erynn Mangum’s website
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Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

Premise: In a post-apocalyptic world, the zombie virus had spread and zombies run rampant. The place where Remy King and her brother Max had been living is overrun with zombies and she is forced to escape. The only problem is that she thinks Max has been taken by the soldiers there to a quarantine to the north. That is her goal, but one of the other girls there, Harlow, ends up coming with her.

Along the way, they find a zombie-eating lion (of course), which Remy quickly names Ripley after Sigourney Weaver’s character in Alien. They also meet Blue, the reliable and intelligent pre-med student, and Lazlo, the former rock star. This small group encounters marauders, a religious cult, and of course zombies on the way to the quarantine where Max supposedly has been taken.

Remy must do everything she can to get to her brother, to find out where he is and what has happened to him. They hope to make it to the quarantine, but will Max be there even if they do?

Themes: Obviously, this is a story of survival. Not only must they survive zombies, but they must also survive their encounters with other people.

Hollowland is also a story of a journey. Getting from one point to another with a vehicle is one thing, but when roadblocks are thrown in the way the journey is more difficult. Going on foot becomes even more difficult when the way is teeming with zombies. It is also a journey of growth for the characters, as well.

Remy goes through a lot of self-discovery in the story, facing death, her ability to survive, be a leader, and keep other people alive. She also discovers herself as it pertains to romantic relationships. Her dislike of Lazlo is put to the test. Can she care for someone when survival is so uncertain?

Pros: If you like gory scenes of zombies being killed in strange and inventive ways, that is about all Hollowland has going for it. The other reason I even read it is that it is currently a free download on Amazon.

Cons: This is a classic case of show, don’t tell. That is, it is a case of what not to do. In a first person perspective, this book suffers from explaining things through internal monologue rather than just having them actively engage in the action. Another problem was even though this is first person, a very vital piece of information is held back until over halfway through the book, a piece of information that the protagonist knows that is only revealed seemingly when it suits the author in order to build false suspense. This is just sloppy writing, not to mention the myriad of grammar and spelling errors that plague this novel. There are more minute details that could have used some research, such as the main character sharpshooting a man off a roof a block away with a handgun. On top of all these things, we are left with a cliffhanger that requires us to read the next book in the series to find out what happens to the protagonist. The real problem is that at the end of this emotionless book with stilted prose I just didn’t care about any of the characters.

Recommendations: If you like mindless stories about zombies, this book might be for you. Its only redeeming quality is that it cost me nothing other than my time to read it. Other than that, I can think of much better books to waste time with than this. If you are going to self-publish, at least have the decency to have your books edited. I can see why Ms. Hocking had collected so many rejections by traditional publishers after reading Hollowland. I suppose she may have the last word since she has made millions in book sales, but it doesn’t make her books any better quality, at least not this one. If Hollowland is any indicator of her writing, I doubt I will ever read anything else she writes.

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Shadow’s Son by Jon Sprunk

Premise: Caim is an assassin for hire followed by an ethereal spirit named Kit. He has special powers that allow him to control and wrap himself in shadows. He is going about his killing business when everything starts to go wrong. It all begins with a missed bow shot in a crowded party and goes downhill from there.

Things get a little hairy so he decides to lay low for a while, but his financier Mathias wants him to do one last lucrative job. The only problem is it is a job his rival Ral apparently didn’t want. When Caim arrives at the job, the old aristocrat is already dead and his daughter Josephine walks in on Caim standing over the body. He could have left it at that and either taken off or killed her as well, but somehow the Sacred Brotherhood from the True Church shows up expecting her and her father to both be dead and Caim is dragged into a political and other-worldly struggle for power.

In the middle of all the political maneuvering comes Josey’s discovery about her father. And when Caim learns more about his parentage he is faced with accepting his powers and what that means for him and his search for his mother. With an evil sorcerer Levictus, Ral, and more coming after them, will Caim and Josey survive?

Themes: Politics are all over this novel, complete with uprisings, alliances, corruption, and backstabbing (literally and figuratively). With other political powers such as the Elector Council (the leaders of the True Church), the Sacred Brotherhood (the Church’s enforcers), and the Azure Hawks (an underground militia group led by Hubert Vassili, the archpriest’s son). Religion plays a role in Shadow’s Son almost as another political entity. The True Church was responsible for ousting the former Nimean emperor. They have gained in power with the help of the Sacred Brotherhood and the Elector Council. While not inherently evil, the hierarchy of the Church wields its power more like a governmental entity of a theocracy than a religious group.

We see a lot pointing towards acceptance of ability and acceptance of self in Caim and Josey. Caim must accept who he is in order to achieve his potential and Josey must accept who she is (without giving too much away) and play her role in the grand scheme.

This is also a story about justice and seeking revenge, with Caim looking for his father’s killer, Josey wanting to discover her father’s killer and the reasons behind his death, and then Levictus seeking revenge against the Church.

Pros: The dialog set apart most of the characters to be distinct each in their own voice. I was intrigued with Caim’s powers and the similarities and differences they had between those of Levictus the sorcerer. Levictus is a good foil to Caim, both in how they wield their powers and in their desire for justice. Kit is just plain fun, but seems to be hiding more than we know about her. And the pace of the action ranged from mostly breakneck to whirlwind the rest of the time. I loved the idea behind the shadow magic.

Cons: Some of the main character actions seemed arbitrary against their constructed motivations, such as how Caim only seems to kill bad guys and when he decides to spare Josey with little to no real explanation other than it felt wrong to leave here there alive. Also, when does he and doesn’t he trust his powers? At first Caim uses his powers as just another tool, but when he begins to fear they are more sinister than he thought he stops using them. At some point he gives into them, but there were a couple of times that was unclear when he decides to trust them near the end. I could have used some more depth into the shadow magic system and background of some of the characters in general. Also, the whole rape scene felt totally unnecessary.

Recommendations: Shadow’s Son is a strong showing for a debut novel and for a series, with characters that stand out against the backdrop of the world that is being created. I actually wanted to be critical about Shadow’s Son for cliche characters and setting, but it was done well enough that the faults were overshadowed by what I liked. The dialog is great and the action kept up its pace so much that my complaints were soon left in the shadows. While not the most original concept dealing with assassins, the shadow magic is unique. I only wish the author would have given us more glimpses of it being used. I want to know more about Caim’s powers and his search for his mother and I want to find out what happens with Kit and Josey as well. I suppose reading the sequel, Shadow’s Lure, will be in my future.

Jon Sprunk’s website
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