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A review by thecaptainsquarters
In the Shadows of Men by Robert Jackson Bennett
4.0
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this horror fantasy novella eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here are me honest musings . . .
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. I love Robert Jackson Bennett as an author;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. Who doesn't like to read about haunted motels?
This novella tells the story of two brothers who decide to go into business by renovating an old motel in West Texas. Their past was dysfunctional to say the least and they are trying to get a little bit ahead for once by catering to the workers of the fracking industry. However the motel has an unsavory familial past which bleeds into the brothers' present.
This is an atmospheric read where the graphic elements of the story are not the focus and happen off the page and yet the horror is always present. The blending of psychological and paranormal elements is so well done and balanced. For such a short story, it packs an both an emotional and philosophical punch about generational abuse, the effects of trauma, society's reactions to violence, sibling relationships, and class privilege.
The story is unsettling, sad, disturbing, and yet ends on a hopeful note. I feel that this novella highlights the author's skills. It is a book where the subject matter wasn't quite what I was expecting and yet I ended up being fascinated by how it turned out. That ending was so bittersweet.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Side note: This novella reminds me of how much I need to visit his backlog. Arrr!
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. I love Robert Jackson Bennett as an author;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. Who doesn't like to read about haunted motels?
This novella tells the story of two brothers who decide to go into business by renovating an old motel in West Texas. Their past was dysfunctional to say the least and they are trying to get a little bit ahead for once by catering to the workers of the fracking industry. However the motel has an unsavory familial past which bleeds into the brothers' present.
This is an atmospheric read where the graphic elements of the story are not the focus and happen off the page and yet the horror is always present. The blending of psychological and paranormal elements is so well done and balanced. For such a short story, it packs an both an emotional and philosophical punch about generational abuse, the effects of trauma, society's reactions to violence, sibling relationships, and class privilege.
The story is unsettling, sad, disturbing, and yet ends on a hopeful note. I feel that this novella highlights the author's skills. It is a book where the subject matter wasn't quite what I was expecting and yet I ended up being fascinated by how it turned out. That ending was so bittersweet.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Side note: This novella reminds me of how much I need to visit his backlog. Arrr!