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kkehoe's review against another edition
3.0
A decent ghost story that handles the concept of a flooded town better than most that have tried.
pbanditp's review against another edition
4.0
Owen is in mourning after the death of his younger sister. He decides to visit the house she was renting and try to piece together her last days. She was renting a house on the shores of Chapel Lake which is a popular diving destination due to the submerged town under the lake. His sister drown while diving and Owen does not think it was an accident. This is a combination ghost, cult, and who done it. It was well written with some honest characters that you will feel bad for.
Duncan Ralston is amazing with the different types of books he can write. I have read four of his books and no two are similar.
Duncan Ralston is amazing with the different types of books he can write. I have read four of his books and no two are similar.
bittersquirrel's review against another edition
4.0
Ralston did an awesome job setting the atmosphere with this one. A bulk of the story taking place underwater, this book gave off a dark and sometimes oppressive feel that certainly helped amp up the creep factor. I loved the unwinding of the characters, and how we learned more about their relationship as the story progressed. It was in the end quite a heart warming ghost story!
theremightbecupcakes's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kkehoe's review
3.0
A decent ghost story that handles the concept of a flooded town better than most that have tried.
wolverinefactor's review
2.0
Notice: I was given this book for free by the author for an honest review.
I would definitely give this a 2.5 but that isn't an option so I knocked it down to a 2. I'm also hard in books, I rarely hand out a 5. So this is probably a 3 or 3.5 for most.
The story was Intriguing enough to keep me going and ignoring the other book I was reading at the same time. The creepy scenes showed promise but they never really got to me like say Heartshaped Box did. There's a point near the end that just annoyed me for a few different reasons but I don't want to spoil it. The final pay off was a little underwhelming as well.
The writing is competent but just coming off reading Freedom it felt a bit lackluster but I can't blame the author for that. The characters are all interesting except the guy with Down syndrome whose written in a very peculiar manner.
If you like ghost stories this is pretty middle ground. Definitely would make a good beach read and the book flew by.
I would definitely give this a 2.5 but that isn't an option so I knocked it down to a 2. I'm also hard in books, I rarely hand out a 5. So this is probably a 3 or 3.5 for most.
The story was Intriguing enough to keep me going and ignoring the other book I was reading at the same time. The creepy scenes showed promise but they never really got to me like say Heartshaped Box did. There's a point near the end that just annoyed me for a few different reasons but I don't want to spoil it. The final pay off was a little underwhelming as well.
The writing is competent but just coming off reading Freedom it felt a bit lackluster but I can't blame the author for that. The characters are all interesting except the guy with Down syndrome whose written in a very peculiar manner.
If you like ghost stories this is pretty middle ground. Definitely would make a good beach read and the book flew by.
jeanne25's review
4.0
3.5 stars round to 4 for the writing if not or the content.
I am conflicted about this book. I love Ralston's writing but I am more partial to the books like Woom and Midwives. This story was a slow burn. While I knew from the blurb that it would have religious aspects, I didn't realize how mired it would be in quotes and sermons. Normally this would have been an instant turn off and the book would have been delegated to DNF. My first mistake was starting with the audible. There is nothing positive that I can say about the narrator. I switched over to the e-book and it was the difference between night and day. I am glad I switched mediums rather than calling it off entirely. Ralston creates some stunning imagery that I could more easily focus on without the distraction of the audible monotone. Ralston has a rare talent and so far all of his books have been worth the time to read. This isn't my favorite Ralston to be honest but it is less about the writing and more about personal taste. I may revise this review when I have had more time to consider it. Probably not though.
I am conflicted about this book. I love Ralston's writing but I am more partial to the books like Woom and Midwives. This story was a slow burn. While I knew from the blurb that it would have religious aspects, I didn't realize how mired it would be in quotes and sermons. Normally this would have been an instant turn off and the book would have been delegated to DNF. My first mistake was starting with the audible. There is nothing positive that I can say about the narrator. I switched over to the e-book and it was the difference between night and day. I am glad I switched mediums rather than calling it off entirely. Ralston creates some stunning imagery that I could more easily focus on without the distraction of the audible monotone. Ralston has a rare talent and so far all of his books have been worth the time to read. This isn't my favorite Ralston to be honest but it is less about the writing and more about personal taste. I may revise this review when I have had more time to consider it. Probably not though.
thefancifulreader's review
3.0
"Flock was the word that sprung to mind, and he found himself thinking: He tends to his flock like a shepherd."
Owen is a man who has been afraid of deep water since he was a child, without knowing why. When his sister, Lori, drowns scuba diving, Owen finds himself haunted by a figure from his past, and driven to discover long buried secrets.
This book had a very interesting premise and promised many of the things I love in my horror; ghosts, secrets, and an atmospheric location. It was unfortunately dragged down by an unnecessary romance and strangely provided information.
I overall enjoyed the story and the haunting, and the power the ghosts exerted upon the world. The haunting was fuelled by death, religion, and even a possible demon. Sometimes involving too many aspects in one haunting can diminish the impact, but in this case it worked well.
The location was a unique one. Instead of exploring a single, haunted house, we travel with Owen to a quiet, idyllic lakeside town with a dark secret and troubled waters. I enjoyed every moment of discovering more and more of the town and its inhabitants.
Unfortunately, my enjoyment of Salvage was diminished somewhat by the romance. While the romantic partner was fascinating, and a welcome presence, the romance felt forced, rushed, and honestly, creepy and unnecessary.
I also found myself confused on more than one occasion by what was driving the characters in their actions. Much of this confusion frustratingly stemmed from the fact that the author kept knowledge from the reader that the characters already knew. This works in some situations, but in this one, I think it impacted negatively.
Overall, I enjoyed the story of Salvage, and the writing style of Duncan Ralston, even with the negatives that I mentioned. And though it took me a while to get through this book, I think that was more related to my overall mood than the book. I would recommend it for lovers of horror, especially those who want more than just an angry ghost in their haunting.
Owen is a man who has been afraid of deep water since he was a child, without knowing why. When his sister, Lori, drowns scuba diving, Owen finds himself haunted by a figure from his past, and driven to discover long buried secrets.
This book had a very interesting premise and promised many of the things I love in my horror; ghosts, secrets, and an atmospheric location. It was unfortunately dragged down by an unnecessary romance and strangely provided information.
I overall enjoyed the story and the haunting, and the power the ghosts exerted upon the world. The haunting was fuelled by death, religion, and even a possible demon. Sometimes involving too many aspects in one haunting can diminish the impact, but in this case it worked well.
The location was a unique one. Instead of exploring a single, haunted house, we travel with Owen to a quiet, idyllic lakeside town with a dark secret and troubled waters. I enjoyed every moment of discovering more and more of the town and its inhabitants.
Unfortunately, my enjoyment of Salvage was diminished somewhat by the romance. While the romantic partner was fascinating, and a welcome presence, the romance felt forced, rushed, and honestly, creepy and unnecessary.
I also found myself confused on more than one occasion by what was driving the characters in their actions. Much of this confusion frustratingly stemmed from the fact that the author kept knowledge from the reader that the characters already knew. This works in some situations, but in this one, I think it impacted negatively.
Overall, I enjoyed the story of Salvage, and the writing style of Duncan Ralston, even with the negatives that I mentioned. And though it took me a while to get through this book, I think that was more related to my overall mood than the book. I would recommend it for lovers of horror, especially those who want more than just an angry ghost in their haunting.