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liisp_cvr2cvr's review
5.0
Whoooooo! This book… This book will make you utter ‘fucks’ and ‘oh nos’ and ‘ughs’ like no other.
Bone Harvest is not your regular wham-bam-thankyou-mam horror where everything goes to pot quickly in a singular line with zero crossroads, making it a perfect drugstore horror shelf filler. Oh no. Bone Harvest is a folk horror you invest in. You give it your time and attention as it steadily, persistently and consistently excavates all the feels from your soul through your eyes. Yes, god damn it, I hate cannibalism elements- it’s the only thing that will forever make me so very queasy, but with this small caveat (and the fact cannibalism occurs only a handful of times *shudders*)- what is there NOT to love in this book? It’s a dirty little secret of nearly 500 pages filled with ancient mystery, historical and mystical air weaving its tendrils through modern day disbelief and it stands solid on a folktale. I mean, folktales are always somewhat the ‘unreliable narrators’ – sure, there’s probably a lot added for the passing it forward generation to generation around a campfire or what have you. But also- the story has to get its weight from somewhere, right?
Bone Harvest is not your regular wham-bam-thankyou-mam horror where everything goes to pot quickly in a singular line with zero crossroads, making it a perfect drugstore horror shelf filler. Oh no. Bone Harvest is a folk horror you invest in. You give it your time and attention as it steadily, persistently and consistently excavates all the feels from your soul through your eyes. Yes, god damn it, I hate cannibalism elements- it’s the only thing that will forever make me so very queasy, but with this small caveat (and the fact cannibalism occurs only a handful of times *shudders*)- what is there NOT to love in this book? It’s a dirty little secret of nearly 500 pages filled with ancient mystery, historical and mystical air weaving its tendrils through modern day disbelief and it stands solid on a folktale. I mean, folktales are always somewhat the ‘unreliable narrators’ – sure, there’s probably a lot added for the passing it forward generation to generation around a campfire or what have you. But also- the story has to get its weight from somewhere, right?
mullane45's review
3.0
3.5 rounded down.
James Brogden’s folky British horror novels are a reliably entertaining read, although I don’t think any have quite hit the heights of Hekla’s Children, which was the first I came across.
This one opens unexpectedly, in the trenches of World War I, as a deserter runs into a strange group out in No Man’s Land that will change his life forever. Indeed, it’s well over a hundred pages before literally anything referenced in the book’s blurb comes into play, which was fun, as it meant I had no idea where any of it was going. And it certainly goes to some places.
Eventually we meet Dennie Keeling, an aging woman in the present day, who is worried that dementia is slipping in, and spends her days tending her allotment and trying not to dwell on past regrets. When a strange couple arrives to take over a neighbouring plot – a plot with a sordid past that Dennie had more than one hand in - strange events begin to occur in the allotment and in the wider community. But with Dennie’s suspicions about the newcomers growing just as fast as her mind is slipping, who will ever believe her wild claims?
Enjoyed this on the whole, but ultimately, I feel like it bit off slightly more than it could chew. There’s a lot going on here, with everything from ancient gods, ageless cults, psychic abilities, ghosts, and murderers getting a look-in, alongside more grounded issues like aging, dementia, cancer, and how to keep slugs off your allotment. It’s a heady mix, and the balance is struck quite nicely up to a point, but it somewhat collapses under its own weight by the final act, especially with new characters suddenly introduced and given unexpected prominence. The set-piece that ends the second act feels like it should have been the climax, as what follows during the actual denouement doesn’t have anywhere near the same impact or excitement.
Still, there’s a lot to enjoy. The WWI opening is great, with the sense of misery, blood, mud and shit that was the world of the trenches very palpable, and Brogden continues to conjure some deliciously (horribly) evocative imagery throughout. He’s not the most flowery writer, but he can certainly paint an image.
Obviously nobody is as good as Stephen King, but if you want a folky British version – with effective horror stories set around the West Midlands, rather than Maine – then Brogden is your guy.
James Brogden’s folky British horror novels are a reliably entertaining read, although I don’t think any have quite hit the heights of Hekla’s Children, which was the first I came across.
This one opens unexpectedly, in the trenches of World War I, as a deserter runs into a strange group out in No Man’s Land that will change his life forever. Indeed, it’s well over a hundred pages before literally anything referenced in the book’s blurb comes into play, which was fun, as it meant I had no idea where any of it was going. And it certainly goes to some places.
Eventually we meet Dennie Keeling, an aging woman in the present day, who is worried that dementia is slipping in, and spends her days tending her allotment and trying not to dwell on past regrets. When a strange couple arrives to take over a neighbouring plot – a plot with a sordid past that Dennie had more than one hand in - strange events begin to occur in the allotment and in the wider community. But with Dennie’s suspicions about the newcomers growing just as fast as her mind is slipping, who will ever believe her wild claims?
Enjoyed this on the whole, but ultimately, I feel like it bit off slightly more than it could chew. There’s a lot going on here, with everything from ancient gods, ageless cults, psychic abilities, ghosts, and murderers getting a look-in, alongside more grounded issues like aging, dementia, cancer, and how to keep slugs off your allotment. It’s a heady mix, and the balance is struck quite nicely up to a point, but it somewhat collapses under its own weight by the final act, especially with new characters suddenly introduced and given unexpected prominence. The set-piece that ends the second act feels like it should have been the climax, as what follows during the actual denouement doesn’t have anywhere near the same impact or excitement.
Still, there’s a lot to enjoy. The WWI opening is great, with the sense of misery, blood, mud and shit that was the world of the trenches very palpable, and Brogden continues to conjure some deliciously (horribly) evocative imagery throughout. He’s not the most flowery writer, but he can certainly paint an image.
Obviously nobody is as good as Stephen King, but if you want a folky British version – with effective horror stories set around the West Midlands, rather than Maine – then Brogden is your guy.
unwrappingwords's review
5.0
It’s rare I find a book that keeps me gripped by my throat, refusing to let go until I finish it. I’m usually pretty good at reading a few – and only a few – chapters before heading to sleep, but Bone Harvest had me staying up late just so I could find out how things would turn out. Even when I wasn’t reading it, I found myself drawn to the characters, thinking about the strangeness of the Farrow, their god, and the politics involved on a local community allotment.
I love horror, from all countries, but I have been reading a lot of USA based horror recently, and to dig my teeth into something so very British was an absolute joy.
Bone Harvest starts in the trenches of World War I, where a man called only the deserter, searches for something away from the donkeys leading lions to slaughter. The deserter finds it, in a way, with a mysterious company who follow orders from no man, and who eat whatever they can find in No Man’s Land.
It’s hard to go much more into plot without giving things away. The book jumps forward in points, and the technique was handled well, carrying the reader through the intervening years and allowing us to see the changes on the characters as the Twentieth Century turns into the Twenty-First. The main bulk of the novel takes place in a present day small community, where an elderly woman called Dennie struggles with dementia, and distrusts her new neighbours.
Various viewpoints come into play throughout the novel. The Farrow are worshippers of an ancient god, who either draw in or come up against the allotment residents. It makes for an interesting dynamic. The characters throughout are well written and believable, with Dennie refusing to admit anything is wrong, David doing anything he can to protect his family, and Angie, who just wants to maintain control of the allotments. But my particular favourite character is Everett, a man who charms those around him, who does whatever he can to remain in control, and who calls everyone ‘chum’. He’s one of those characters who’s endearing, even though you don’t particularly want him to be.
The small touches make this novel really stand out for me. The sense of Britishness comes through nicely and naturally, and the various settings – from the trenches to the village where we originally meet the Farrow, and right through to the allotment and farm later on – are drawn wonderfully, allowing the reader to vividly picture them and the characters who inhabit them.
It’s hard in this book to know who to root for. Not to say the good guys aren’t clear, but the bad guys are engrossing, and it makes you want to see them succeed, in some ways anyway. Brogden also does something clever towards the end, flipping some of the ideas carried throughout the book, and allowing the reader to see certain situations in a new light.
It’s a fantastic book that, despite its length, I tore through. I cannot recommend this one highly enough, and I suggest it gets added to your TBR asap.
I love horror, from all countries, but I have been reading a lot of USA based horror recently, and to dig my teeth into something so very British was an absolute joy.
Bone Harvest starts in the trenches of World War I, where a man called only the deserter, searches for something away from the donkeys leading lions to slaughter. The deserter finds it, in a way, with a mysterious company who follow orders from no man, and who eat whatever they can find in No Man’s Land.
It’s hard to go much more into plot without giving things away. The book jumps forward in points, and the technique was handled well, carrying the reader through the intervening years and allowing us to see the changes on the characters as the Twentieth Century turns into the Twenty-First. The main bulk of the novel takes place in a present day small community, where an elderly woman called Dennie struggles with dementia, and distrusts her new neighbours.
Various viewpoints come into play throughout the novel. The Farrow are worshippers of an ancient god, who either draw in or come up against the allotment residents. It makes for an interesting dynamic. The characters throughout are well written and believable, with Dennie refusing to admit anything is wrong, David doing anything he can to protect his family, and Angie, who just wants to maintain control of the allotments. But my particular favourite character is Everett, a man who charms those around him, who does whatever he can to remain in control, and who calls everyone ‘chum’. He’s one of those characters who’s endearing, even though you don’t particularly want him to be.
The small touches make this novel really stand out for me. The sense of Britishness comes through nicely and naturally, and the various settings – from the trenches to the village where we originally meet the Farrow, and right through to the allotment and farm later on – are drawn wonderfully, allowing the reader to vividly picture them and the characters who inhabit them.
It’s hard in this book to know who to root for. Not to say the good guys aren’t clear, but the bad guys are engrossing, and it makes you want to see them succeed, in some ways anyway. Brogden also does something clever towards the end, flipping some of the ideas carried throughout the book, and allowing the reader to see certain situations in a new light.
It’s a fantastic book that, despite its length, I tore through. I cannot recommend this one highly enough, and I suggest it gets added to your TBR asap.
vanquishingvolumes's review
3.0
3 Stars - I Liked This Book
Spanning from World War 1 to modern times, this novel follows a cult across the years as they seek to modernize their worship to maximize the rewards they reap from their god, Moccus. I didn’t know anything going into this book, and while I appreciated the writing style I was underwhelmed by the story as a whole. It ultimately became a story of unlikely heroes against those sucked into cult worship, and while not bad it just wasn’t interesting enough to keep me guessing or on the edge of my seat.
Spanning from World War 1 to modern times, this novel follows a cult across the years as they seek to modernize their worship to maximize the rewards they reap from their god, Moccus. I didn’t know anything going into this book, and while I appreciated the writing style I was underwhelmed by the story as a whole. It ultimately became a story of unlikely heroes against those sucked into cult worship, and while not bad it just wasn’t interesting enough to keep me guessing or on the edge of my seat.
zuly's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
nora_nevermore's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
raeaeae's review
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dave_holwill's review against another edition
5.0
Moccus be praised, it's another terrifying story from JB. From the trenches of World War 1 to the allotments of 21st Century England the old gods refuse to rest and you can't really trust anyone. Generous helpings of creepy are spooned over characters you really don't want this to happen to in a winning formula. If you're already a fan you'll love this, and if you're not, you soon will be.
markyon's review
4.0
As I type this, we’re just a few days before Halloween. Although the book is out in November, and therefore missed 31st October, it still has enough creeps to hold out until next year.
In 4 – 5 books James has been developing a little niche of contemporary horror. They’re rather like Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins books in that they often use a contemporary setting to envisage rather odd events.
In Bone Harvest we see what happens when a seemingly delightful young couple set up home in a quiet village. However, in the first quarter of the book, mainly set in the years 1915-1968, reveal their dark secret. Despite their friendliness and charm, they are really servants of the ancient Celtic boar god Moccus, with the task of killing then resurrecting their rejuvenated god every 26 years. To do this, they are gifted with slower aging and a longer than normal life expectancy.
To show this, the story begins in 1915 with Everett, a deserter in WW1 who in the No Man’s Land of France is inducted into The Grey Brigade, a group who in order to survive develop a taste for human flesh. Everett is persuaded to become a follower of Moccus. Returning to rural Wales, he discovers what a commitment to the god can mean when he is given the difficult task of butchering the god to allow its reappearance. With his lover Ardwyn, the ‘Mother’ of the group, Everett with Ardwyn and Gar (a devoted child of Moccus) breakaway from the group in Wales and begin to form a new group in rural Dodbury.
The story then moves to the present, where we continue the story mainly through Dennie Keeling. Dennie lives with her Great Dane Viggo in Dodbury. A widower, with her children all grown up and left home, one of her greatest contentments these days is spending time on her allotment, to the point where she often prefers to sleep in her allotment shed with Viggo rather than at home. When a derelict allotment near hers is bought by a young couple, strange things start to happen – people prowling at night, strange noises from the new shed built by the newcomers. Dennie becomes suspicious, and begins to dream about her friend Sarah who used to own the derelict plot. The thing is that Sarah is dead, having murdered her abusive husband and then committed suicide in prison. Are these nightmares revivified guilt, chilling prophesies or a sign of Dennie’s advancing Alzheimer’s dementia?
This one reads fast and well. Its scale is ambitious, managing to blend ancient folklore with Wicker Man-style events in contemporary rural England! The trick is to make these often-bizarre events seem plausible, and James does this by filling in a backstory in the first quarter of the book before showing us events in the present.
Strongest of all though is the characterisation, and especially that of Dennie with her faithful dog Viggo, whose relationship to me equals that of Harry Dresden and Mouse. Dennie is straight out of Midsommer Murders, a likeable if irascible old lady with pin-point accurate observations of what is around her and always with a cup of tea close to hand. (This is a book where tea, and cake, are never far away from the main characters.) The fact that the book is set mainly in the Spring and a warm Summer shows us that creepy things can happen at any time, not just Halloween and the Winter.
The world of nature, as shown by Dennie’s observations on the allotment, are juxtaposed with less mundane elements to show a life that is quite – well, normal. By creating such a recognisable lifestyle, the plot taps into that Fritz Leiber vibe where strange ancient rituals are being obscured by the mundanity of modern society. This can be summed up as “Do you really know what that nice neighbour at Number 17 is like?”
This is James’ biggest and perhaps most ambitious book to date. A story of allotments and ritualistic cannibalism, it read very quickly and easily. Fans of the Merrily Watkins books or the Wychwood series should like this. A great read.
In 4 – 5 books James has been developing a little niche of contemporary horror. They’re rather like Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins books in that they often use a contemporary setting to envisage rather odd events.
In Bone Harvest we see what happens when a seemingly delightful young couple set up home in a quiet village. However, in the first quarter of the book, mainly set in the years 1915-1968, reveal their dark secret. Despite their friendliness and charm, they are really servants of the ancient Celtic boar god Moccus, with the task of killing then resurrecting their rejuvenated god every 26 years. To do this, they are gifted with slower aging and a longer than normal life expectancy.
To show this, the story begins in 1915 with Everett, a deserter in WW1 who in the No Man’s Land of France is inducted into The Grey Brigade, a group who in order to survive develop a taste for human flesh. Everett is persuaded to become a follower of Moccus. Returning to rural Wales, he discovers what a commitment to the god can mean when he is given the difficult task of butchering the god to allow its reappearance. With his lover Ardwyn, the ‘Mother’ of the group, Everett with Ardwyn and Gar (a devoted child of Moccus) breakaway from the group in Wales and begin to form a new group in rural Dodbury.
The story then moves to the present, where we continue the story mainly through Dennie Keeling. Dennie lives with her Great Dane Viggo in Dodbury. A widower, with her children all grown up and left home, one of her greatest contentments these days is spending time on her allotment, to the point where she often prefers to sleep in her allotment shed with Viggo rather than at home. When a derelict allotment near hers is bought by a young couple, strange things start to happen – people prowling at night, strange noises from the new shed built by the newcomers. Dennie becomes suspicious, and begins to dream about her friend Sarah who used to own the derelict plot. The thing is that Sarah is dead, having murdered her abusive husband and then committed suicide in prison. Are these nightmares revivified guilt, chilling prophesies or a sign of Dennie’s advancing Alzheimer’s dementia?
This one reads fast and well. Its scale is ambitious, managing to blend ancient folklore with Wicker Man-style events in contemporary rural England! The trick is to make these often-bizarre events seem plausible, and James does this by filling in a backstory in the first quarter of the book before showing us events in the present.
Strongest of all though is the characterisation, and especially that of Dennie with her faithful dog Viggo, whose relationship to me equals that of Harry Dresden and Mouse. Dennie is straight out of Midsommer Murders, a likeable if irascible old lady with pin-point accurate observations of what is around her and always with a cup of tea close to hand. (This is a book where tea, and cake, are never far away from the main characters.) The fact that the book is set mainly in the Spring and a warm Summer shows us that creepy things can happen at any time, not just Halloween and the Winter.
The world of nature, as shown by Dennie’s observations on the allotment, are juxtaposed with less mundane elements to show a life that is quite – well, normal. By creating such a recognisable lifestyle, the plot taps into that Fritz Leiber vibe where strange ancient rituals are being obscured by the mundanity of modern society. This can be summed up as “Do you really know what that nice neighbour at Number 17 is like?”
This is James’ biggest and perhaps most ambitious book to date. A story of allotments and ritualistic cannibalism, it read very quickly and easily. Fans of the Merrily Watkins books or the Wychwood series should like this. A great read.
rosiecake666's review
3.5
Starts off with a soldier from WW1 who lives in No Man's land as he's a deserter (someone who doesn't take orders)
After the War the soldier finds this village ran by a sadistic cult called the Farrow
He gets married and moves to a village (still with the cult) & an elderly woman called Dennie has her suspicions about the new neighbours