thomaswjoyce's review
5.0
Slatsky has produced a genuinely disturbing story complete with great characterisation, a creepy setting and unsettling ties to real-life mysteries.
Christopher Slatsky is a Weird Horror Fiction author living in LA whose debut collection, Alectryomancer and Other Weird Tales (Dynatox Ministries, 2015), was universally praised by fellow horror authors such as Adam Nevill, Michael Wehunt, Phillip Fracassi and S.P. Miskowski. With such an impressive debut, the next book was bound to be hotly anticipated, and Slatsky has duly delivered.
The story revolves around the protagonist, Irepani, someone who has had his share of troubles in the past. He hints at having crossed the Mexican border to gain access to the US, a period of homelessness and struggle with alcohol abuse. But he has managed to find stability, relying on his own trinity; his cousin Lorena, his beloved pet dog Codeja and god. But he longs for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of the city. So, when he hears about the Leman fire lookout tower deep in the forest, he loads up with supplies and borrows Lorena’s jeep and takes Codeja away for a well-earned break to clear his head. But he doesn’t reckon on the secret hidden within the nearby Leman Observatory. And the shadowy forces at work.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the story is just how much of the details are based on real events. There is indeed a Palladium at Night satellite that was launched by United Launch Alliance, but the government agency responsible for operating the satellite and its purpose remain a mystery. There are references to PAN and Jack Parsons, a real historical figure, a pioneer in the field of jet propulsion infamous for his occult beliefs and ties to Aleister Crowley. Slatsky has utilised one of the stranger and lesser-known figures of history to cultivate an unsettling tale of weird horror.
To read the full review, please visit This Is Horror.
Christopher Slatsky is a Weird Horror Fiction author living in LA whose debut collection, Alectryomancer and Other Weird Tales (Dynatox Ministries, 2015), was universally praised by fellow horror authors such as Adam Nevill, Michael Wehunt, Phillip Fracassi and S.P. Miskowski. With such an impressive debut, the next book was bound to be hotly anticipated, and Slatsky has duly delivered.
The story revolves around the protagonist, Irepani, someone who has had his share of troubles in the past. He hints at having crossed the Mexican border to gain access to the US, a period of homelessness and struggle with alcohol abuse. But he has managed to find stability, relying on his own trinity; his cousin Lorena, his beloved pet dog Codeja and god. But he longs for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of the city. So, when he hears about the Leman fire lookout tower deep in the forest, he loads up with supplies and borrows Lorena’s jeep and takes Codeja away for a well-earned break to clear his head. But he doesn’t reckon on the secret hidden within the nearby Leman Observatory. And the shadowy forces at work.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the story is just how much of the details are based on real events. There is indeed a Palladium at Night satellite that was launched by United Launch Alliance, but the government agency responsible for operating the satellite and its purpose remain a mystery. There are references to PAN and Jack Parsons, a real historical figure, a pioneer in the field of jet propulsion infamous for his occult beliefs and ties to Aleister Crowley. Slatsky has utilised one of the stranger and lesser-known figures of history to cultivate an unsettling tale of weird horror.
To read the full review, please visit This Is Horror.
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