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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
Dang, I really wanted to enjoy this as much as I did 'Until Summer Comes Around' but it just didn't hit the mark as much for me. The plot was brilliant with a scary killer and the people trying to stay safe from him, however, the issue I had was that it felt like I was reading a literal mash-up of a Stephen King and Joe Hill novel. I know they're father/son but there were pieces of this that felt at home in a King novel, some in a Hill novel and, I wouldn't have minded this, I just missed the Rolfe in it all! It's a good read though, with some scenes that kept me awake, it's just wasn't as appealing to me as 'Until Summer Comes Around'. Still look forward to a new novel by Glenn though!
I was provided this ARC of #AugustsEyes by #NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This is a slow burn. The first 45% or so, is a lot of explaining, events, and it doesn't seem to flow really well. The constant topic jumping makes the story stale.
Then, you get to that 50% mark and everything starts ramping up. All the loose ends start coming together and weaving into one solid, relative narrative.
To be absolutely honest, before getting to the meat of the story, I thought I may DNF this with a 1 star. That being said, I hate not giving something a fair chance. It is completely worth being patient and seeing this story through.
4 stars and they are well deserved.
This is a slow burn. The first 45% or so, is a lot of explaining, events, and it doesn't seem to flow really well. The constant topic jumping makes the story stale.
Then, you get to that 50% mark and everything starts ramping up. All the loose ends start coming together and weaving into one solid, relative narrative.
To be absolutely honest, before getting to the meat of the story, I thought I may DNF this with a 1 star. That being said, I hate not giving something a fair chance. It is completely worth being patient and seeing this story through.
4 stars and they are well deserved.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
As a firm favorite author, Glenn Rolfe, I was over the moon to be reviewing his new release, August’s Eyes. Dreams that bleed into reality? Reminiscent of Nightmare on Elm Street…yes, please!
John has a great life. Fulfilling career, beautiful wife, a roof over their head. The only thing that is missing from their life is a baby. Sarah longs to complete their family but John feels settled with how they are now. They’ve tried before and he can’t bear to see that hurt etched upon his wife’s face again. Things begin to change for John when he starts having disturbing dreams. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for their content but is the passage of time trying to alert him to something? Dreams are such a weird phenomenon. They feel so real at the time, awakening to confusion and the physiological effects of what our subconscious puts us through. August’s Eyes is an examination of how realities can become blurred, how the brain is our ultimate defense strategy.
These dreams are getting to John. Daily activities like work and interactions with colleagues are affected by the amount of restful sleep he isn’t getting. He just attributes it to stress but when he makes an appointment with Dr. Soctomah, his wife’s therapist, it becomes apparent that his brain is compartmentalizing traumatic events. His sessions with the therapist shake John’s life foundations. John’s memories, pain, and state of mind come over him like the rushing waves of a tsunami.
John’s hometown, Spears Corner has a dark history. It has around twelve graveyards and death is written upon its foundations. A native American tribe resided on land here and ultimately perished at the hands of Spears Corner’s founder. The past has a habit of remembering the deeds committed and John knows this better than anyone.
Glenn Rolfe has this habit of writing seriously creepy characters and August’s Eyes is no exception. His words are as heavy as lead and the narrative is heavy with potential. It is the perfect storm of angst. The story is emotive and a true depiction of how the human condition is the real evil lurking in the dark shadows. Rolfe has a repertoire of cunning and depravity and he isn’t hesitant to subject his readers to a fresh helping.
August’s Eyes was a superb read, which I read in intense excitement. I savored every dark word.
John has a great life. Fulfilling career, beautiful wife, a roof over their head. The only thing that is missing from their life is a baby. Sarah longs to complete their family but John feels settled with how they are now. They’ve tried before and he can’t bear to see that hurt etched upon his wife’s face again. Things begin to change for John when he starts having disturbing dreams. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for their content but is the passage of time trying to alert him to something? Dreams are such a weird phenomenon. They feel so real at the time, awakening to confusion and the physiological effects of what our subconscious puts us through. August’s Eyes is an examination of how realities can become blurred, how the brain is our ultimate defense strategy.
These dreams are getting to John. Daily activities like work and interactions with colleagues are affected by the amount of restful sleep he isn’t getting. He just attributes it to stress but when he makes an appointment with Dr. Soctomah, his wife’s therapist, it becomes apparent that his brain is compartmentalizing traumatic events. His sessions with the therapist shake John’s life foundations. John’s memories, pain, and state of mind come over him like the rushing waves of a tsunami.
John’s hometown, Spears Corner has a dark history. It has around twelve graveyards and death is written upon its foundations. A native American tribe resided on land here and ultimately perished at the hands of Spears Corner’s founder. The past has a habit of remembering the deeds committed and John knows this better than anyone.
Glenn Rolfe has this habit of writing seriously creepy characters and August’s Eyes is no exception. His words are as heavy as lead and the narrative is heavy with potential. It is the perfect storm of angst. The story is emotive and a true depiction of how the human condition is the real evil lurking in the dark shadows. Rolfe has a repertoire of cunning and depravity and he isn’t hesitant to subject his readers to a fresh helping.
August’s Eyes was a superb read, which I read in intense excitement. I savored every dark word.
Review appears in the June 1 and 15, 2021 issue of Booklist Magazine: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2021/06/what-im-reading-my-heart-is-chainsaw.html
Three Words That Describe This Book: shifting POV, unflinchingly menacing, contemplation on evil
Three Words That Describe This Book: shifting POV, unflinchingly menacing, contemplation on evil
Childhood trauma is one of the worst things a person could ever experience. So, what if that trauma started manifesting in adulthood, in your nightmares?
First, I just want to warn. This book contains sensitive subject matter so be warned. Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks. Rolfe knows horror.
This isn't my first foray into a Rolfe book. Blood and Rain and Chasing Ghosts were standouts for me. This book joins them. Yes, it is a coming of age tale, but it's much more than that. Beyond the horrific moments, there is a story here of human nature and relationships. It gets to the heart of what's at stake when horror enters a life.
I never go into much detail about the story because I really hate spoilers. I'm sure others do as well so you're welcome. I just have to say that this was a book I did not want to put down. For every parent who has ever feared that lurking stranger, the exact one we warn our children about, this book will chill you to the bone. Be warned.
I have more of Rolfe's backlist which I plan to read, but if he keeps writing books like this, it's going to be difficult to find the time to get back to them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read this book.
First, I just want to warn. This book contains sensitive subject matter so be warned. Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks. Rolfe knows horror.
This isn't my first foray into a Rolfe book. Blood and Rain and Chasing Ghosts were standouts for me. This book joins them. Yes, it is a coming of age tale, but it's much more than that. Beyond the horrific moments, there is a story here of human nature and relationships. It gets to the heart of what's at stake when horror enters a life.
I never go into much detail about the story because I really hate spoilers. I'm sure others do as well so you're welcome. I just have to say that this was a book I did not want to put down. For every parent who has ever feared that lurking stranger, the exact one we warn our children about, this book will chill you to the bone. Be warned.
I have more of Rolfe's backlist which I plan to read, but if he keeps writing books like this, it's going to be difficult to find the time to get back to them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Gather all your twisted friends, this is a great book club read- which is hard when reading the ARC for review because I wanted to discuss this so bad. I wanted to praise the characters, and curse out the characters, and speculate about what was going on and what was going to happen.
August Eyes is full of small town horror. Welcome to Spears Corner Maine, a town with a dark history and more graveyards than a town this size has any right to have.
Johnny’s friend Ethan was kidnapped and murdered when they were kids. It was so traumatic that Johnny blocked it from his memory. Now as an adult, he is suffering from recurring nightmares that may be tied to his past, however, his nightmares don’t only occur when he sleeps.
I am not typically a fan of dream sequences to advance a plot but it works in this book because of the tension, the creepy characters, and those damn spiders.
August Eyes is full of small town horror. Welcome to Spears Corner Maine, a town with a dark history and more graveyards than a town this size has any right to have.
Johnny’s friend Ethan was kidnapped and murdered when they were kids. It was so traumatic that Johnny blocked it from his memory. Now as an adult, he is suffering from recurring nightmares that may be tied to his past, however, his nightmares don’t only occur when he sleeps.
I am not typically a fan of dream sequences to advance a plot but it works in this book because of the tension, the creepy characters, and those damn spiders.
2021 brings a new opportunity to get rolfed, and you know I had to read this one ASAP. Rolfe, Flametree Press and his editor are doing a wonderful job together, and with each new title Rolfe’s writing is getting better.
I really enjoyed this story. The pages flowed so easily, even though the subject matter at times is very difficult. This is a well written, nasty, brutal book that I also found to have a surprising amount of heart. By the time I finished it and read the final chapter and the epilogue, for a brief moment in time, Rolfe made me feel like a human, and not the robot I actually am. Well done.
I recommend this one to fans of Rolfe’s work, and it’s a great starting point for newcomers, as was his previous release.
I really enjoyed this story. The pages flowed so easily, even though the subject matter at times is very difficult. This is a well written, nasty, brutal book that I also found to have a surprising amount of heart. By the time I finished it and read the final chapter and the epilogue, for a brief moment in time, Rolfe made me feel like a human, and not the robot I actually am. Well done.
I recommend this one to fans of Rolfe’s work, and it’s a great starting point for newcomers, as was his previous release.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love this book!
It was creepy and spine-chilling. The characters are great and I got to love and care for them a lot. The story is great and the fact that such things are real is terrifying.
This one is underrated and more people should read it!!!
It was creepy and spine-chilling. The characters are great and I got to love and care for them a lot. The story is great and the fact that such things are real is terrifying.
This one is underrated and more people should read it!!!