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A review by thomaswjoyce
Behemoth by Pete Kahle, H.P. Newquist
4.0
The book begins with a few passages from the bible, all concerning the existence of a fearsome creature whose only purpose is to remind mankind of their lowly place in God’s plan. As with all faiths, there are those followers who pick and choose what rules to follow and how strictly they adhere to the rules. At the other end of the spectrum, there are the religious zealots, those who very clearly see the line drawn in the sand, those who follow the bible without question. The inhabitants of small town Morris are the latter. Ruled by descendants of the original settlers, and naturally unwelcoming to outsiders, they have some very strange rituals. And one very dark secret.
When a passing journalist stops for gas and strikes up a friendly conversation with the young daughter of the gas station owner, his interest in the small town is piqued. Much to his misfortune. Despite cover-ups and a lack of help from most of the locals, a series of unfortunate occurrences set him on a collision course with the town rulers, and the horrifying creature they worship.
Protagonist Robert Garrahan, editor for prestigious newspaper the New York Globe and author, is a level-headed man. He believes in stone-cold facts and takes the world at face-value. If he can’t see something, or it doesn’t have two corroborating sources, he treats it with the kind of scepticism we would expect from a “newspaperman”. Despite the insistence of the Morris locals who seek his help, he refuses to believe in the existence of the titular Behemoth. But the reader knows different, thanks to the third person point-of-view and alternating chapters. These are often very short and conducive for a reader who can only read a book in short bursts. On the other hand, it could also lead readers to think: “Just one more chapter…”
There are a few instances where the story seems to wander from the main thrust of the narrative. But these are generally few and far between and the main storyline is compelling enough to keep us wondering what will happen next. By the time Garrahan has seen enough to realise that there is certainly something sinister going on in Morris, we are gripped and fully invested in the outcome. The scenes with the creature are genuinely terrifying and filled with dread, thanks to Newquist’s use of setting and descriptive language. And the antagonists, especially Malden and Leonard, are suitably sinister. While Malden is driven by the belief that he is doing the Lord’s work, Leonard is simply evil. But both are very believable characters and could well have been taken from real life. It all makes for an immersive and terrifying read, complete with a mysterious and scary creature, and an examination of the dangers of religious extremism in small-town America.
When a passing journalist stops for gas and strikes up a friendly conversation with the young daughter of the gas station owner, his interest in the small town is piqued. Much to his misfortune. Despite cover-ups and a lack of help from most of the locals, a series of unfortunate occurrences set him on a collision course with the town rulers, and the horrifying creature they worship.
Protagonist Robert Garrahan, editor for prestigious newspaper the New York Globe and author, is a level-headed man. He believes in stone-cold facts and takes the world at face-value. If he can’t see something, or it doesn’t have two corroborating sources, he treats it with the kind of scepticism we would expect from a “newspaperman”. Despite the insistence of the Morris locals who seek his help, he refuses to believe in the existence of the titular Behemoth. But the reader knows different, thanks to the third person point-of-view and alternating chapters. These are often very short and conducive for a reader who can only read a book in short bursts. On the other hand, it could also lead readers to think: “Just one more chapter…”
There are a few instances where the story seems to wander from the main thrust of the narrative. But these are generally few and far between and the main storyline is compelling enough to keep us wondering what will happen next. By the time Garrahan has seen enough to realise that there is certainly something sinister going on in Morris, we are gripped and fully invested in the outcome. The scenes with the creature are genuinely terrifying and filled with dread, thanks to Newquist’s use of setting and descriptive language. And the antagonists, especially Malden and Leonard, are suitably sinister. While Malden is driven by the belief that he is doing the Lord’s work, Leonard is simply evil. But both are very believable characters and could well have been taken from real life. It all makes for an immersive and terrifying read, complete with a mysterious and scary creature, and an examination of the dangers of religious extremism in small-town America.