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100pagesaday's review
4.0
Camp Sumter or Andersonville is already hell on Earth for the Union soldiers. Starvation, unsanitary conditions and fighting between the prisoners means that survivors are surrounded by constant death. For Barclay Lourdes, a black soldier, Andersonville provides even more struggles. Barclay’s first objective is to survive, but he is in Andersonville for another reason, too. Barclay is trying to figure out just why the conditions are so bad and if something supernatural is at play. Barclay starts to notice many strange things in the camp, lead and bone in the cornmeal and strange brands on the dead. When he finds out what is really going on, it is much worse than he imagined.
At first this book sucked me in as a piece of historical fiction. The descriptions of Andersonville, the treatment of the prisoners and some of the shady business that went on inside was written in a gruesomely detailed fashion and I had no problem imagining the emaciated men, the gross food and the array of characters that patrolled the camp from either side. Barclay Lourdes was also an incredibly intriguing character, a black Union soldier, but never a slave. He is hiding secrets from the very beginning, but those secrets are very surprising and layered. The introduction of the supernatural element was definitely a slow build, but worth it. This wasn't something I was fully expecting, or anything I had even heard of before. It was interesting to see how this element just intensified and fed off of all the atrocities that were already happening in Andersonville. Overall, a very well done historical fiction novel with a touch of supernatural horror that managed not to take away from what really happened at Camp Sumter.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
At first this book sucked me in as a piece of historical fiction. The descriptions of Andersonville, the treatment of the prisoners and some of the shady business that went on inside was written in a gruesomely detailed fashion and I had no problem imagining the emaciated men, the gross food and the array of characters that patrolled the camp from either side. Barclay Lourdes was also an incredibly intriguing character, a black Union soldier, but never a slave. He is hiding secrets from the very beginning, but those secrets are very surprising and layered. The introduction of the supernatural element was definitely a slow build, but worth it. This wasn't something I was fully expecting, or anything I had even heard of before. It was interesting to see how this element just intensified and fed off of all the atrocities that were already happening in Andersonville. Overall, a very well done historical fiction novel with a touch of supernatural horror that managed not to take away from what really happened at Camp Sumter.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
sjj169's review
4.0
Barclay Lourdes is a black man with a big secret. He is headed south on a train and another black man dies and he steps into his identity. Ending up in Andersonville Prison. Andersonville is also known in the history books as Camp Sumter. A prison camp in Georgia for Yankee soldiers there have been rumors getting out about just how bad this prison is.
It's much, much worse.
I have a pretty strong stomach and a few times reading this book I got very queasy. Knowing it's based on an actual prison made it more in my head.
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
Barclay was reminded of the stories his Creole mother had told him as a boy of half-starved zombies, soulless slaves taken alive and ensorcelled from their graves to work until they wasted and died again. when he had actually seen such things in later life, they had not been half as repulsive as the men who now shambled before his eyes.
(there is no zombies in this story)
The camp is run by a cliquish group called the Raiders that take from the other prisoners and the camp itself is controlled by a calculating leader. Dang, I hate that I can't say much more.
Because I don't want to spoil anything. My feelings on the book are this, I was going to give it 3 stars until something happened and I though "well-played"..so four stars it is.
The book does ramble on at times but not enough that I wanted to stop reading it, I was totally hooked. I did keep stopping to look up and see how correct the author was on his history and I realized that I was never going to finish if I kept doing that. That's a sign that I'm into a book though. I cared enough to look into it more.
So if historical horror sounds good to you. Buckle your seatbelt and hold on. This one is a bumpy ride.
He said that the balances of the forces of good and evil is decided by humanity's actions.
Angels are born from every good deed, and each of mankind's sins creates a demon.
This creek features into the story all through out it.
A re-creation of the tents that the lucky few were able to have to sleep in.
The burying of the dead. Sometimes more bodies were going out this way than were coming in.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
I saw my friend 11811 (Eleven) reading this and it sounded right up my alley. Eleven reads some interesting things.. Plus, I am a total fangirl of the group Lynyrd Skynyrd..and when I first started following Eleven I thought he would be perfect in that group. So turn it up Eleven and read some more books that I want.
It's much, much worse.
I have a pretty strong stomach and a few times reading this book I got very queasy. Knowing it's based on an actual prison made it more in my head.
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
Barclay was reminded of the stories his Creole mother had told him as a boy of half-starved zombies, soulless slaves taken alive and ensorcelled from their graves to work until they wasted and died again. when he had actually seen such things in later life, they had not been half as repulsive as the men who now shambled before his eyes.
(there is no zombies in this story)
The camp is run by a cliquish group called the Raiders that take from the other prisoners and the camp itself is controlled by a calculating leader. Dang, I hate that I can't say much more.
Because I don't want to spoil anything. My feelings on the book are this, I was going to give it 3 stars until something happened and I though "well-played"..so four stars it is.
The book does ramble on at times but not enough that I wanted to stop reading it, I was totally hooked. I did keep stopping to look up and see how correct the author was on his history and I realized that I was never going to finish if I kept doing that. That's a sign that I'm into a book though. I cared enough to look into it more.
So if historical horror sounds good to you. Buckle your seatbelt and hold on. This one is a bumpy ride.
He said that the balances of the forces of good and evil is decided by humanity's actions.
Angels are born from every good deed, and each of mankind's sins creates a demon.
This creek features into the story all through out it.
A re-creation of the tents that the lucky few were able to have to sleep in.
The burying of the dead. Sometimes more bodies were going out this way than were coming in.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
I saw my friend 11811 (Eleven) reading this and it sounded right up my alley. Eleven reads some interesting things.. Plus, I am a total fangirl of the group Lynyrd Skynyrd..and when I first started following Eleven I thought he would be perfect in that group. So turn it up Eleven and read some more books that I want.
macbean221b's review
2.0
I received ANDERSONVILLE as an ARC through NetGalley.com.
To be completely honest, there were several points in this book where I almost gave up. The real story of what happened at Andersonville was scary enough, and I kept getting this feeling--an actual twisting feeling in my stomach--because adding paranormal elements (in an attempt to make it scarier...?) was just...really not the way to go. I kept going just to see how it would play out, and if the awful gut feeling would go away, and there were parts where I was interested enough in the characters to forget that I had a weird grimace on my face, but overall, I'm still wondering what possessed me to even request this one.
To be completely honest, there were several points in this book where I almost gave up. The real story of what happened at Andersonville was scary enough, and I kept getting this feeling--an actual twisting feeling in my stomach--because adding paranormal elements (in an attempt to make it scarier...?) was just...really not the way to go. I kept going just to see how it would play out, and if the awful gut feeling would go away, and there were parts where I was interested enough in the characters to forget that I had a weird grimace on my face, but overall, I'm still wondering what possessed me to even request this one.
beckylej's review
4.0
Barclay Lourdes was trying to run when he accidentally fought his way onto the train going to Andersonville prison. Or at least that's what he said.
In fact, Andersonville is exactly where Barclay wants and needs to be.
It seems something fishy is going on at the prison camp. Something beyond the conflict of war. Something truly evil.
It might not surprise readers to learn that Andersonville was a very real place and that there were horrors aplenty there.
Erdelac weaves a story of supernatural horror around the very real events and people of Andersonville; the raiders, the regulators, Father Whelan, and Big Pete are all taken from actual history. Henry Wirz, the commander of the prison, was also real and was convicted of war crimes as a result of the heinous treatment of the soldiers imprisoned there.
Military horror is kind of hard to come by, but it is a natural combination (I think) and one that amplifies all of the scary bits in a lot of ways. Nothing is more horrific than war and the Civil War is one that's still a sensitive topic for many. Erdelac combines the sentiments of the day with the very real Andersonville history (as mentioned above) and other fabulous aspects of the time as well - the First Lady's fascination with otherworldly issues, Pinkertons, Union/Confederate spies... throwing in a main character whose roots make him the perfect hero for this particular story.
Because Barclay is there under false pretenses, his own story is revealed to the reader in pieces as the tale progresses. Through his eyes we witness the awful atmosphere of the prison as he investigates the true cause behind it all. He's an interesting character both because of his skills and because of he is a free man from New Orleans. Erdelac does go into some of the politics of the war - how could he not - especially where Barclay is concerned. It makes Andersonville a more layered read than one might expect. And honestly, it was a welcome experience.
In fact, Andersonville is exactly where Barclay wants and needs to be.
It seems something fishy is going on at the prison camp. Something beyond the conflict of war. Something truly evil.
It might not surprise readers to learn that Andersonville was a very real place and that there were horrors aplenty there.
Erdelac weaves a story of supernatural horror around the very real events and people of Andersonville; the raiders, the regulators, Father Whelan, and Big Pete are all taken from actual history. Henry Wirz, the commander of the prison, was also real and was convicted of war crimes as a result of the heinous treatment of the soldiers imprisoned there.
Military horror is kind of hard to come by, but it is a natural combination (I think) and one that amplifies all of the scary bits in a lot of ways. Nothing is more horrific than war and the Civil War is one that's still a sensitive topic for many. Erdelac combines the sentiments of the day with the very real Andersonville history (as mentioned above) and other fabulous aspects of the time as well - the First Lady's fascination with otherworldly issues, Pinkertons, Union/Confederate spies... throwing in a main character whose roots make him the perfect hero for this particular story.
Because Barclay is there under false pretenses, his own story is revealed to the reader in pieces as the tale progresses. Through his eyes we witness the awful atmosphere of the prison as he investigates the true cause behind it all. He's an interesting character both because of his skills and because of he is a free man from New Orleans. Erdelac does go into some of the politics of the war - how could he not - especially where Barclay is concerned. It makes Andersonville a more layered read than one might expect. And honestly, it was a welcome experience.
bluekaren's review
5.0
This book is really scary.
I should just leave it at that, but I know you want me to elaborate.
Andersonville was a real place. During the Civil War the south had a camp where they kept their POWs. The south was losing and barely had enough money to provide for their own troops, so this camp had no budget. Camp Sumter, aka Andersonville, was the worst place to be for a union soldier, much less a black one. Andersonville was known for its cruel condition where death, disease, and starvation abound. The author of this story, Edward M Erdelac has re imagined Andersonville and all it’s horror, and then added a paranormal twist. This story the thing of nightmares.
I really enjoyed this story. I really enjoyed the pacing of this story. It was a slow, scary, build up into something very evil. The author threw in famous and infamous characters and their dialects making me wonder about what really happened. I highly recommend this macabre story for real horror fans.
theresaemig's review
1.0
I did not like this book at all. It started off really well but as soon as it moved into the otherwordly stuff it lost me altogether.
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