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tracyreads's review against another edition
4.0
Yes! I needed this fun, gory, 80s romp this week. Full review to come for the Sci Fi and Scary website!
When an ebook boasts a badass metal playlist before the first page of the book, YOU LISTEN TO IT. At about 10% in, I chose my favorites from the list, turned it up, and enjoyed the atmosphere.
To begin in ‘Scapegoat’, friends from Mike Rawson’s “wilder” days show up in spectacular fashion – a dirty, smoke-belching RV (it is NOT a camper), a louder than life “bestie”, and plans to “road trip it” to Wrestlemania III. Stereotypical metal heads past their prime? I say no AND yes. These characters are so well-drawn they don’t deserve the negative connotation that the word “stereotype” conveys, but man, if they don’t conjure up familiar memories and a sense of an era gone by. These characters are FUN.
The synopsis above mentions a “cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys” and who are tasked with completing a ritual to hold off evil. This group of characters has a bit less depth. However, they are designed with care and fit with the flow of the story. Next, when the two seemingly disparate groups are forced together, this book really gets moving. Towards the end, as the climax nears and the reader learns just what this cult is up to, be sure to hold on as the gore and guts ramp up into some of the most visceral scenes I’ve read this year.
Finally, the writing in ‘Scapegoat’ is akin to watching a movie on a drive-in theatre’s big screen. It moves well, the dialogue is true to the characters and I can envision this playing out. Another plus: the writing between the two authors is seamless. It is difficult to tell where Howe stopped and Newman started or vice versa, and I love it. I think if I go back and re-read I’d be able to pick it out. I was too engaged in a well-flowing story to be bothered with that the first time through. This book is well-executed and well-edited. I will definitely check out more from both of these authors.
When an ebook boasts a badass metal playlist before the first page of the book, YOU LISTEN TO IT. At about 10% in, I chose my favorites from the list, turned it up, and enjoyed the atmosphere.
To begin in ‘Scapegoat’, friends from Mike Rawson’s “wilder” days show up in spectacular fashion – a dirty, smoke-belching RV (it is NOT a camper), a louder than life “bestie”, and plans to “road trip it” to Wrestlemania III. Stereotypical metal heads past their prime? I say no AND yes. These characters are so well-drawn they don’t deserve the negative connotation that the word “stereotype” conveys, but man, if they don’t conjure up familiar memories and a sense of an era gone by. These characters are FUN.
The synopsis above mentions a “cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys” and who are tasked with completing a ritual to hold off evil. This group of characters has a bit less depth. However, they are designed with care and fit with the flow of the story. Next, when the two seemingly disparate groups are forced together, this book really gets moving. Towards the end, as the climax nears and the reader learns just what this cult is up to, be sure to hold on as the gore and guts ramp up into some of the most visceral scenes I’ve read this year.
Finally, the writing in ‘Scapegoat’ is akin to watching a movie on a drive-in theatre’s big screen. It moves well, the dialogue is true to the characters and I can envision this playing out. Another plus: the writing between the two authors is seamless. It is difficult to tell where Howe stopped and Newman started or vice versa, and I love it. I think if I go back and re-read I’d be able to pick it out. I was too engaged in a well-flowing story to be bothered with that the first time through. This book is well-executed and well-edited. I will definitely check out more from both of these authors.
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