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digerbop's review against another edition
2.0
This book didn't pull me in with its unique storyline or well-rounded characters. I had a hard time relating with the characters because there was little going for any of them. Even the ones with the greatest potential ultimately fell flat for one simple reason--the main "evil" in this book is too evil. Once it comes in contact with any given character they are helplessly swayed regardless of personal conviction or desire and become faceless, brainless zombie-like characters. There are the select few that somehow escape such infection, but it seems a bit lackluster. Only one character had the supposed "faith" that makes him nit effected the same way, but there are other characters that aren't effected and don't have the same faith system.
Ultimately it is another story with lots of gross things and some religion undertones to bring in the "horror" elements. What makes a "horror" book good is the psychological turmoil that the evil has on the characters and the hard choices they are forced to make because of it. The Red Church is lacking in this crucial area.
Though the religious undertones and well thought out and work better than in many books, nothung else really hits home. There is enough depth in the religious plot to not just book the book down after chapter one, but not enough of anything else to really draw in or stick with the reader.
Ultimately it is another story with lots of gross things and some religion undertones to bring in the "horror" elements. What makes a "horror" book good is the psychological turmoil that the evil has on the characters and the hard choices they are forced to make because of it. The Red Church is lacking in this crucial area.
Though the religious undertones and well thought out and work better than in many books, nothung else really hits home. There is enough depth in the religious plot to not just book the book down after chapter one, but not enough of anything else to really draw in or stick with the reader.
thereadingknitter's review against another edition
1.0
"Hold onto your pants, because Nicholson is about to scare them off."--J.A. Konrath, Origin
For 13-year-old Ronnie Day, life is full of problems: Mom and Dad have separated, his brother Tim is a constant pest, Melanie Ward either loves him or hates him, and Jesus Christ won't stay in his heart. Plus he has to walk past the red church every day, where the Bell Monster hides with its wings and claws and livers for eyes. But the biggest problem is that Archer McFall is the new preacher at the church, and Mom wants Ronnie to attend midnight services with her.
Sheriff Frank Littlefield hates the red church for a different reason. His little brother died in a freak accident at the church twenty years ago, and now Frank is starting to see his brother's ghost. And the ghost keeps demanding, "Free me." People are dying in Whispering Pines, and the murders coincide with McFall's return.
The Days, the Littlefields, and the McFalls are descendants of the original families that settled the rural Appalachian community. Those old families share a secret of betrayal and guilt, and McFall wants his congregation to prove its faith. Because he believes he is the Second Son of God, and that the cleansing of sin must be done in blood.
"Sacrifice is the currency of God," McFall preaches, and unless Frank and Ronnie stop him, everybody pays.
-------
Professionally formatted by Dellaster Design. A Stoker Award finalist and alternate selection of The Mystery Guild Book Club, my spiritual thriller "The Red Church" explores a boy's struggle with faith when his mother attends a haunted church. Inspired by real-life legends in the Southern Appalachian Mountains where I live, the novel mirrors my own search for faith, love, and deeper mysteries. I hope you'll try my other novels DRUMMER BOY, THE SKULL RING, and SPEED DATING WITH THE DEAD. I invite you to contact me at or at Amazon Central. Thanks for sharing this journey with me.
My Review - I gave up on this book...I mean I started it on March 9th and was only 75 pages into it by March 16th. So I gave it up, don't usually do that on books but couldn't get into it.
For 13-year-old Ronnie Day, life is full of problems: Mom and Dad have separated, his brother Tim is a constant pest, Melanie Ward either loves him or hates him, and Jesus Christ won't stay in his heart. Plus he has to walk past the red church every day, where the Bell Monster hides with its wings and claws and livers for eyes. But the biggest problem is that Archer McFall is the new preacher at the church, and Mom wants Ronnie to attend midnight services with her.
Sheriff Frank Littlefield hates the red church for a different reason. His little brother died in a freak accident at the church twenty years ago, and now Frank is starting to see his brother's ghost. And the ghost keeps demanding, "Free me." People are dying in Whispering Pines, and the murders coincide with McFall's return.
The Days, the Littlefields, and the McFalls are descendants of the original families that settled the rural Appalachian community. Those old families share a secret of betrayal and guilt, and McFall wants his congregation to prove its faith. Because he believes he is the Second Son of God, and that the cleansing of sin must be done in blood.
"Sacrifice is the currency of God," McFall preaches, and unless Frank and Ronnie stop him, everybody pays.
-------
Professionally formatted by Dellaster Design. A Stoker Award finalist and alternate selection of The Mystery Guild Book Club, my spiritual thriller "The Red Church" explores a boy's struggle with faith when his mother attends a haunted church. Inspired by real-life legends in the Southern Appalachian Mountains where I live, the novel mirrors my own search for faith, love, and deeper mysteries. I hope you'll try my other novels DRUMMER BOY, THE SKULL RING, and SPEED DATING WITH THE DEAD. I invite you to contact me at or at Amazon Central. Thanks for sharing this journey with me.
My Review - I gave up on this book...I mean I started it on March 9th and was only 75 pages into it by March 16th. So I gave it up, don't usually do that on books but couldn't get into it.
williemeikle's review against another edition
5.0
Scott Nicholson's The Red Church is fast paced, scary, and damn good fun... everything a good horror novel should be. It's also more than that. It's insightful, thoughtful and sometimes downright poetic. The tale of a search for meaning, and the meaning of faith resonated with this lapsed Church of Scotland reader, and got me thinking about things I hadn't considered since my own teenage years. Scott's skillful use of several viewpoint characters, each with their own take on what is happening, only tightens the tension. I read this on the Kindle version, but I need to seek out a hard copy. This one's a keeper
cafo6's review against another edition
5.0
Very nicely written, realistically creepy and the characters ring true. Scott Nicholson's writing feels like some of Stephen King's, where you can feel the dirt on the ground and hear the accents surrounding you. Very nicely done.
drew5287's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
djotaku's review against another edition
2.0
I got this book as part of a Humble Bundle years ago. It was my first occult horror, unless you count Dean Koontz books, which - now that I think about it - seems to share at least some genre space with this book. Quick note for anyone new to my reviews - I use the Goodreads tooltips to inform how many stars I give a book. At the time I'm writing this review, 2 stars is "it was OK".
I definitely give the author credit for creativity. The occult enemy in this book was an original - not a typical creature from heaven or hell. This kept the narrative fresh and kept me guessing. At first, I thought perhaps this was going to be more akin to a thriller in which nothing supernatural was going on. But like the Robert Rodriguez movie From Dusk Til Dawn, eventually it became clear that our main antagonist did have some kind of powers and wasn't merely delusional or an amazingly powered con artist. But the mythology this book was proposing () was so foreign a concept that I wasn't sure throughout the entire book whether it was meant to be truth or a lie. The eventual reveal was a huge surprise, although there were hints all along.
I liked the various points of view throughout the novel, that kept it fresh and allowed the author to provide lots of points of view with different bits of information missing, especially the Ronnie's perspective. Overall, it was well put together and really kept me on my toes. So why the lower rating? Mostly the ending left me wanting and left me a little nonplussed about what exactly had happened after all that buildup. The epilogue - the final part with the antagonist - brought it up to 2 stars.
Overall, this wasn't for me. I'm not fully giving up on the genre, though. And you might like this book if occult horror is up your alley - don't let it falling flat for me keep you from what might be a great book.
I definitely give the author credit for creativity. The occult enemy in this book was an original - not a typical creature from heaven or hell. This kept the narrative fresh and kept me guessing. At first, I thought perhaps this was going to be more akin to a thriller in which nothing supernatural was going on. But like the Robert Rodriguez movie From Dusk Til Dawn, eventually it became clear that our main antagonist did have some kind of powers and wasn't merely delusional or an amazingly powered con artist. But the mythology this book was proposing (
Spoiler
that Archer McFall was the second son of GodI liked the various points of view throughout the novel, that kept it fresh and allowed the author to provide lots of points of view with different bits of information missing, especially the Ronnie's perspective. Overall, it was well put together and really kept me on my toes. So why the lower rating? Mostly the ending left me wanting and left me a little nonplussed about what exactly had happened after all that buildup. The epilogue - the final part with the antagonist - brought it up to 2 stars.
Overall, this wasn't for me. I'm not fully giving up on the genre, though. And you might like this book if occult horror is up your alley - don't let it falling flat for me keep you from what might be a great book.
sailor_virgo's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this a lot. I will definitely check out more books by the author.
gnostalgia's review against another edition
4.0
Yet another great story by the "Duke of Disturbing" Scott Nicholson. I guess that you would have to call this vintage Nicholson since this was his first novel. If you are looking for an introduction into Nicholson's work, I couldn't think of a better novel.
In the "Red Church", we pick up the story of Ronnie Day. His life is filled with family problems, and to further complicate his young life, he must walk past the haunted Red Church. The church has a dark history and it is the home of the dreaded Bell Monster. Wendell McFall, the former pastor of this church, committed crimes so evil that he was lynched by the people of the town 150 years ago.
Under the pastorage of Archer McFall, Wendell's descendant, the Red Church begins to stir once again. A plague of mutilation murders portends the return of evil to this rural community.
I really enjoyed the book. It could easily sit next to Peter Straub or Stephen King on your bookshelf. I thought of Straub's "Ghost Story" and King's "Silver Bullet" while reading this book.
I give it 4 1/2 stars.
In the "Red Church", we pick up the story of Ronnie Day. His life is filled with family problems, and to further complicate his young life, he must walk past the haunted Red Church. The church has a dark history and it is the home of the dreaded Bell Monster. Wendell McFall, the former pastor of this church, committed crimes so evil that he was lynched by the people of the town 150 years ago.
Under the pastorage of Archer McFall, Wendell's descendant, the Red Church begins to stir once again. A plague of mutilation murders portends the return of evil to this rural community.
I really enjoyed the book. It could easily sit next to Peter Straub or Stephen King on your bookshelf. I thought of Straub's "Ghost Story" and King's "Silver Bullet" while reading this book.
I give it 4 1/2 stars.
jackobotts's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0