A review by vsbedford
In the Shadows of Men by Robert Jackson Bennett

5.0

Robert Jackson Bennett plants his whole foot in this novella - this is a small package that carries a lot, lot, lot of weight. There's a very cinematic quality to it? There's not much writing that spools out like this; it's very tangible, and economic, and clear in its vision and Bennett's ability to pick the very right word makes me JEALOUS. He is working in a very particular area of American Southern (or rather Texan) Gothic ghost story (with a tinge of horror) and I don't think there's much to be improved upon in his take and its exploration of manhood/manifest destiny. Fans of his Divine Cities series or of Foundryside may sort of bounce off this (it's without a scrap of light or humor) but it's very much in the vein of his earlier work like Mr. Shivers or American Elsewhere. A strong recommend but with a trigger warning for abuse, sexual violence, VAW, and drug addiction; it's not overly graphic but it's there.

I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.