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rock_n_reads's review against another edition
4.0
2019 has been an unforgettable year for me, in many ways. While it has been clouded with sorrow, there have been some sunny moments as well. One bright spot this year is my discovery of even MORE talented authors. My bookshelves are bursting with new found favorites, and Matt Hayward’s work is among them.
I feel like I showed up a bit late to the party, but then I claimed a quiet spot in a dark corner and never left. Now I’ve been sitting here with a stack of Matt’s books, trying to pace myself so that I don’t run out of reading material before something new is released.
Unfortunately, I did not succeed at this plan, as just last night I finished reading the new short story collection. (Prepare yourselves—that review is coming in the next couple days).
Apologies for the long-winded intro, but I felt it was necessary. Now, I’m ready to discuss THE FAITHFUL.
Like all of Matt’s writing, this novel contains an unforgettable cast of characters. They are all lovable but flawed, making them relatable and realistic to the reader. The character development is one of my favorite aspects of this story. I especially enjoyed Jonesy and the budding relationships he had with both Leo and Caleb, each unique, with a mix of tough and tender moments along the way.
I was drawn into the story from the start, and as always, I enjoyed that there was a well balanced a mix of horror, heart, and humor. Once things got going, there was a continued sense of dread and I really wanted to see these characters make it through their ordeal safely. There’s a healthy dose of gore and creepiness in this tale—it’s not easy to forget the terrifying townsfolk of Elswich or the horrors that ensue. An overall great story, and another recommended read—you should add it to your shelf soon, if you haven’t already grabbed a copy.
I feel like I showed up a bit late to the party, but then I claimed a quiet spot in a dark corner and never left. Now I’ve been sitting here with a stack of Matt’s books, trying to pace myself so that I don’t run out of reading material before something new is released.
Unfortunately, I did not succeed at this plan, as just last night I finished reading the new short story collection. (Prepare yourselves—that review is coming in the next couple days).
Apologies for the long-winded intro, but I felt it was necessary. Now, I’m ready to discuss THE FAITHFUL.
Like all of Matt’s writing, this novel contains an unforgettable cast of characters. They are all lovable but flawed, making them relatable and realistic to the reader. The character development is one of my favorite aspects of this story. I especially enjoyed Jonesy and the budding relationships he had with both Leo and Caleb, each unique, with a mix of tough and tender moments along the way.
I was drawn into the story from the start, and as always, I enjoyed that there was a well balanced a mix of horror, heart, and humor. Once things got going, there was a continued sense of dread and I really wanted to see these characters make it through their ordeal safely. There’s a healthy dose of gore and creepiness in this tale—it’s not easy to forget the terrifying townsfolk of Elswich or the horrors that ensue. An overall great story, and another recommended read—you should add it to your shelf soon, if you haven’t already grabbed a copy.
lilyn_g's review
4.0
This is my first Matt Hayward book. I really had no clue what to expect going in, other than some religious nutfuckery with a side of Lovecraft. Well, both of those elements were definitely present. As well as a splash of Alien that made me very happy at key scenes.
The Faithful was a good read. It hooked me immediately. I had to know what was happening. In a lot of ways it reminded me of an abbreviated version of The Stand (at least from what I read of The Stand). Lots of people use the ragtag band of heroes going up against overwhelming odds, but few can do it in a way that lend it a good, thick atmosphere and still propel it forward at a nice clip. Hayward does this very well.
I liked the characters. Well, mostly I liked Leo, but the rest were pretty good too. Early on someone on Twitter that was discussing the book with me said that they imagined Leo as George Carlin. It fit perfectly, and set how I saw him throughout the book. Jonesy was a bit of a stubborn asshole, and I appreciated that. It made him feel real. Sometimes Caleb’s speech threw me off. I don’t think I ever ‘fixed’ him in my head like I did the other characters, so when he slapped a character and said (a word that many religious people strongly object to, so I’ll be nice here), I was a bit taken aback.
I did have a few issues. There’s an issue with it going from pouring down rain to dusty dry that yanked me out of the story for a while. Little things like that I tend to get fixated on. Also at one point there’s a character that’s on page that’s referred to both as Mrs. Cole and Cole in a flip-flopping fashion. I honestly thought there were two different characters in the room and that it was weird that they were both named Cole for a bit.
After these caught my attention, the story seemed to drag for a spell. I’m sure this is mostly because I’m anal and fixate on relatively unimportant things, but I do feel like the middle lacked a bit of the magic found in the beginning and end.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed The Faithful. Especially the climactic scene scene that had me giggling with gory glee. While the general path it follows is one many readers will recognize, it’s still a read worth your time. I know I’d be willing to pick up more work from Matt Hayward in the future.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
The Faithful was a good read. It hooked me immediately. I had to know what was happening. In a lot of ways it reminded me of an abbreviated version of The Stand (at least from what I read of The Stand). Lots of people use the ragtag band of heroes going up against overwhelming odds, but few can do it in a way that lend it a good, thick atmosphere and still propel it forward at a nice clip. Hayward does this very well.
I liked the characters. Well, mostly I liked Leo, but the rest were pretty good too. Early on someone on Twitter that was discussing the book with me said that they imagined Leo as George Carlin. It fit perfectly, and set how I saw him throughout the book. Jonesy was a bit of a stubborn asshole, and I appreciated that. It made him feel real. Sometimes Caleb’s speech threw me off. I don’t think I ever ‘fixed’ him in my head like I did the other characters, so when he slapped a character and said (a word that many religious people strongly object to, so I’ll be nice here), I was a bit taken aback.
I did have a few issues. There’s an issue with it going from pouring down rain to dusty dry that yanked me out of the story for a while. Little things like that I tend to get fixated on. Also at one point there’s a character that’s on page that’s referred to both as Mrs. Cole and Cole in a flip-flopping fashion. I honestly thought there were two different characters in the room and that it was weird that they were both named Cole for a bit.
After these caught my attention, the story seemed to drag for a spell. I’m sure this is mostly because I’m anal and fixate on relatively unimportant things, but I do feel like the middle lacked a bit of the magic found in the beginning and end.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed The Faithful. Especially the climactic scene scene that had me giggling with gory glee. While the general path it follows is one many readers will recognize, it’s still a read worth your time. I know I’d be willing to pick up more work from Matt Hayward in the future.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
tracyreads's review
5.0
4.5 STARS! i went back and forth between 4 and 5 and decided to split the difference.
I came to this book in the midst of a reading slump - I hadn't read one sentence in three days and I just didn't want to. After 90+ books since May and end of semester grading for the college courses I instruct, I think my brain was just DONE. I spent those days binge-watching Supernatural and hanging out with my family.
Then I picked up The Faithful. I snuck in a few pages when the book first arrived and knew I was in for a treat, but alas grading and work and life kept me from it until December. When I jumped back in I found myself enveloped in a fantastic world that moved at a breakneck speed and that "slump" was no more. So if anything else, thanks to Matt for reinvigorating my need to read!
The synopsis does a great job of letting you know the basics so I'll leave that part to you. I found the characters believable and engaging, and for the most part, the pacing was spot on. I did think the end rushed things a bit and some of the flipping between worlds threw me off, but in general, I was happy with this book. I'm a sucker for evil cults and in my estimation, Hayward portrays this one with style. It was different enough that I was intrigued, yet familiar enough that I felt a comfort in returning to a subgenre I truly enjoy.
I have The Practitioners up soon by Hayward and Lacey and I cannot wait to dig in. I will definitely pick up whatever Matt puts down in the future.
I came to this book in the midst of a reading slump - I hadn't read one sentence in three days and I just didn't want to. After 90+ books since May and end of semester grading for the college courses I instruct, I think my brain was just DONE. I spent those days binge-watching Supernatural and hanging out with my family.
Then I picked up The Faithful. I snuck in a few pages when the book first arrived and knew I was in for a treat, but alas grading and work and life kept me from it until December. When I jumped back in I found myself enveloped in a fantastic world that moved at a breakneck speed and that "slump" was no more. So if anything else, thanks to Matt for reinvigorating my need to read!
The synopsis does a great job of letting you know the basics so I'll leave that part to you. I found the characters believable and engaging, and for the most part, the pacing was spot on. I did think the end rushed things a bit and some of the flipping between worlds threw me off, but in general, I was happy with this book. I'm a sucker for evil cults and in my estimation, Hayward portrays this one with style. It was different enough that I was intrigued, yet familiar enough that I felt a comfort in returning to a subgenre I truly enjoy.
I have The Practitioners up soon by Hayward and Lacey and I cannot wait to dig in. I will definitely pick up whatever Matt puts down in the future.
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