Violet: Scott Thomas
Reviewed by Steve Stred
This may shock a lot of folks, but I never read ‘Kill Creek.’ When I began to fully engage and interact with the horror community on Twitter, this book was getting A TON of love. People left, right and centre were raving about it and I knew I had to check it out.
Unfortunately, at the time, I stumbled onto a Twitter fight between two folks. In this subtweet battle, one of the folks spoiled nearly every aspect of the book. It wasn’t even something I could avoid. I’d close Twitter, go back to work and when I’d reopen it – the first tweet that would load would be another subtweet.
Needless to say, I messaged a few folks and all of them said – no point in reading the book now – you already know the twists and turns.
KR: You can read a spoiler-free Kendall Review of Kill Creek HERE
When ‘Violet’ was announced, I was excited! I wasn’t going to let this one slip away. So thanks to Mr. Thomas, Inkshares and Netgalley for letting me get an early ARC. Also – my sincerest apologies – as I completely dropped the ball on the release date, so I powered through this over the last few days.
‘Violet’ is a slow burn. It opens up telling a bit of the back story and Thomas uses some fantastic language to set the tone. Paraphrasing – he writes things like “the town was creating its own darkness.” Lines like this that really gave the reader the atmospheric dread early on.
This one is a slow burn. No doubt about it. As things unfold, I was reminded a bit of reading some of George RR Martin’s epic “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, where things would link back to stuff discussed/described 100’s of pages prior.
This book is one that you really need to take your time and digest everything that Thomas throws at you. At times it’ll feel like it’s dragging a bit, but I found that I wanted to know just what happens.
I’d compare this book more to a mini-series than a movie. The author wanted to fill six episodes worth of stuff versions 120 minutes, so at times there are some slower spots, but if you can power through, then you’ll be rewarded.
For me, I would have bumped this up to a 5 star if things moved a bit quicker, but at the end of the day, I think Thomas executed exactly what he wanted too, and for that, readers will be richly rewarded!
Violet
For many children, the summer of 1988 was filled with sunshine and laughter. But for ten-year-old Kris Barlow, it was her chance to say goodbye to her dying mother.
Three decades later, loss returns–her husband killed in a car accident. And so, Kris goes home to the place where she first knew pain–to that summer house overlooking the crystal waters of Lost Lake. It’s there that Kris and her eight-year-old daughter will make a stand against grief.
But a shadow has fallen over the quiet lake town of Pacington, Kansas. Beneath its surface, an evil has grown–and inside that home where Kris Barlow last saw her mother, an old friend awaits her return.
You can buy Violet from Amazon UK & Amazon US
Steve Stred
Steve Stred writes dark, bleak horror fiction.
Steve is the author of the novels Invisible & The Stranger, the novellas The Girl Who Hid in the Trees, Wagon Buddy, Yuri and Jane: the 816 Chronicles and two collections of short stories; Frostbitten: 12 Hymns of Misery and Left Hand Path: 13 More Tales of Black Magick, and the dark poetry collection Dim the Sun.
On September 1st, 2019 his second collection of dark poetry and drabbles called The Night Crawls In will arrive. This release was specifically created to help fund the 1st Annual LOHF Writers Grant.
Steve is also a voracious reader, reviewing everything he reads and submitting the majority of his reviews to be featured on Kendall Reviews.
Steve Stred is based in Edmonton, AB, Canada and lives with his wife, his son and their dog OJ.
You can follow Steve on Twitter @stevestred
You can visit Steve’s Official website here
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