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angethology's review against another edition
3.5
"This band was what mattered; what had always mattered, and after everything, they were going to make it mean something to the rest of the world. Finally."
[3.5 stars] Horror and metal are two of my favorite things, and I love the idea of actually bringing the whole 'Satanic Panic' into fruition in novels. Stephen Oaks just got out of rehab and is determined to bring his metal band Polyphemus back together and catapult themselves into fame and riches. But because of all the bad press he's accumulated due to his addiction, everyone else in the band is a little skeptical, especially with other aspects of their personal lives at stake. When Oaks meets Anton, a supposed life coach who can turn his life upside down, he transforms into an entirely different person — he seems to be a few steps closer to his dreams, but what would it take for him to get there?
I love the music references and the way the jam sessions, concerts, technical aspects are described in the book. It's very well-written in that regard and it's clear that the author has a great passion and has done his research in this department. They would often intertwine with this sort of surreal reality that ties in with the supernatural aspect that Oaks is exposed to. And while the characters seem like the typical rock stars dabbling in drugs and misogynistic attitudes at times, the author does satirize these elements and I didn't find their insufferable personalities to hinder my enjoyment of the novel. The main thing that I'm critical about is probably how much of the book is spent of investing time in the characters' personal lives, individually. It felt a bit slow-paced (which is not a huge issue at times) and stagnant, but then the action would come in full-force.
The cultish elements along with the gore and the entity are quite eerie, vile but hypnotic; also strangely sexual in a way that's not too outlandish or seemingly done out of shock value. I did manage to get a little more invested in Spiros' character and how his relationship with his family works out, that part feels a little more fleshed out. But India's character and most of the female characters that are mentioned feel even flatter than the rest, and it was hard for me to accept Oaks' immediate sincere attachment to India (and vice versa).
Besides those issues I still thoroughly enjoyed them, this is very much a horror novel for metal enthusiasts who love to see this sort of chaos being manifested in an over-the-top, sensationalized way with blood and guts on the top.
Thank you NetGalley and DarkLitPress for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
[3.5 stars] Horror and metal are two of my favorite things, and I love the idea of actually bringing the whole 'Satanic Panic' into fruition in novels. Stephen Oaks just got out of rehab and is determined to bring his metal band Polyphemus back together and catapult themselves into fame and riches. But because of all the bad press he's accumulated due to his addiction, everyone else in the band is a little skeptical, especially with other aspects of their personal lives at stake. When Oaks meets Anton, a supposed life coach who can turn his life upside down, he transforms into an entirely different person — he seems to be a few steps closer to his dreams, but what would it take for him to get there?
I love the music references and the way the jam sessions, concerts, technical aspects are described in the book. It's very well-written in that regard and it's clear that the author has a great passion and has done his research in this department. They would often intertwine with this sort of surreal reality that ties in with the supernatural aspect that Oaks is exposed to. And while the characters seem like the typical rock stars dabbling in drugs and misogynistic attitudes at times, the author does satirize these elements and I didn't find their insufferable personalities to hinder my enjoyment of the novel. The main thing that I'm critical about is probably how much of the book is spent of investing time in the characters' personal lives, individually. It felt a bit slow-paced (which is not a huge issue at times) and stagnant, but then the action would come in full-force.
The cultish elements along with the gore and the entity are quite eerie, vile but hypnotic; also strangely sexual in a way that's not too outlandish or seemingly done out of shock value. I did manage to get a little more invested in Spiros' character and how his relationship with his family works out, that part feels a little more fleshed out. But India's character and most of the female characters that are mentioned feel even flatter than the rest, and it was hard for me to accept Oaks' immediate sincere attachment to India (and vice versa).
Besides those issues I still thoroughly enjoyed them, this is very much a horror novel for metal enthusiasts who love to see this sort of chaos being manifested in an over-the-top, sensationalized way with blood and guts on the top.
Thank you NetGalley and DarkLitPress for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
mafaichney's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
vinomanscott930's review against another edition
3.0
Decent read. Cliche'ish with the whole sex, drugs, rock and roll (metal in this case) and demon possession. Ending was pretty over the top.
panicatthebookstore's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this one. I mean, rock music, drugs, deals with the devil. What's not to like? Right?
Unfortunately it just didn't hit home for me. It took forever for the story to really start going anywhere, and honestly, it just felt like the majority of it was about the guys in the band smoking, drinking and doing drugs. Things finally started happening towards the end, but by then I had kind of lost interest and just was not enjoying it. I kind of speed read the ending just so I could finish reading.
Unfortunately it just didn't hit home for me. It took forever for the story to really start going anywhere, and honestly, it just felt like the majority of it was about the guys in the band smoking, drinking and doing drugs. Things finally started happening towards the end, but by then I had kind of lost interest and just was not enjoying it. I kind of speed read the ending just so I could finish reading.
drakaina16's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to DarkLit Press for providing a review copy.
I wanted to love this book. It had so many things I love going for it - deals with an entity, a rad cover and, most especially, heavy metal. The author has excellent taste in music (and the playlist is a very nice touch). I ended up liking the book, but I thought it was way longer than it had to be. There were some very nice kills along the way, though. The main characters were all stereotypical band dudes, with little in the way of redeeming qualities. I'm not sure you're meant to like them, though. Overall, it was a pretty fun, if long-winded, ride.
I wanted to love this book. It had so many things I love going for it - deals with an entity, a rad cover and, most especially, heavy metal. The author has excellent taste in music (and the playlist is a very nice touch). I ended up liking the book, but I thought it was way longer than it had to be. There were some very nice kills along the way, though. The main characters were all stereotypical band dudes, with little in the way of redeeming qualities. I'm not sure you're meant to like them, though. Overall, it was a pretty fun, if long-winded, ride.
doctorbradford's review against another edition
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Polyphemus
By Zachary Ashford
First of all, I want to give a huge thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and review!
Holy Guacamole, what a ride. This was metal through and through. The story, the music, the characters, all of it. This read like a classical tragedy but in a modern setting with metal band members. This was deep.
It was evident throughout the book that this was a passion project, and the author poured himself into it. I've only ever dipped my toes into metal music, but I could appreciate all the references and nods to bands in the book.
This gets a full 5 ⭐️ rating from me. I would highly recommend this.
By Zachary Ashford
First of all, I want to give a huge thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and review!
Holy Guacamole, what a ride. This was metal through and through. The story, the music, the characters, all of it. This read like a classical tragedy but in a modern setting with metal band members. This was deep.
It was evident throughout the book that this was a passion project, and the author poured himself into it. I've only ever dipped my toes into metal music, but I could appreciate all the references and nods to bands in the book.
This gets a full 5 ⭐️ rating from me. I would highly recommend this.
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