“Redemption” by John Everson – The Best of Horror (Review)

John Everson is one of the most prolific horror authors of the decade. His decadent prose combined with his usually strong narrative arcs make for a match made in horror heaven. Everson’s third book in The Curburide Chronicles, Redemption, proves why Everson is a flawless auteur with a progressive writing style that makes my knees buckle.

His usage of adjectives and adverbs is pure perfection; he describes without being onerous; he speaks without being laborious. Everson is like the gingerbread cookie that subtly slips into our coffee mugs without leaving crumbs behind. As a critic, it’s my duty to find flaws in an author’s work, yet much like Terry M. West, Everson lacks the “flaw” gene.

Instead of focusing on Redemption, I want to (need to) bring Everson’s talent to light. Reading his work is akin to being bathed in a deep red autumn dusk. His prose flows fluently with fluidity. The characterization, made sense in its fictional narrative. 

Everson’s characters are entirely devoid of the cardboard-munching cliché which befalls so many other characters in horror fiction. Their stories and actions are succinct, smooth and soulful.

Soulful.

That is what Everson’s writing contains – a soulful ambience which I graciously accept without prejudice. I am pleased by Everson’s work. And you should be too. Because, dear readers, only a handful of horror authors “get it” at the end. Horror is a fickle genre. One moment it’s zombies and the next we’re reading about sparkling vampires with odd sexual urges. Clichés come and go in horror, therefore it takes a stalwart to rise above the rest.

Everson is that stalwart.

And I thank him for giving me a renewed interest in horror fiction.

RATING: 5/5

Reviewed by Renier Palland.

Renier started his writing career as a film critic in the early 2000’s. A few years later, he was employed as a Senior Entertainment Writer at one of the biggest entertainment websites on the planet. He worked alongside celebrities, Hollywood agents and entertainment bigwigs for more than seven years. 

His debut splatterpunk trilogy, War Game, is slated for a 200 000-print USA and European release in March of 2018. The official launch will be held at Barnes & Noble in New York City. 

If you’d like to chat to him about love, life, literature and all things horror, contact him via FACEBOOK or EMAIL. (Just click on the links!)

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:

What if you woke up in hell?

Alex hadn’t really thought of what would happen after she dragged Ariana through the portal to close the gate between worlds. She hadn’t given sacrificing herself a thought, she’d just wanted to end the demonic summoning before it was too late.

But when Alex wakes up on the other side, in the world of the Curburide, she has to think fast if she ever wants to see Joe Kieran, or Earth, again. Her only ally is an occult serial killer. Demons are searching for both of them, and there’s nothing demons love more than human fear and pain. They feed on it. In the world of the Curburide, demons are everywhere.

And they’re hungry…

The stunning conclusion to the story that began in Covenant and Sacrifice!