We try to stay up to date on horror books, but sometimes we still miss out. So when night marchers by J. Lincoln Fenn It came out as an e-book in 2018, but I missed it. It remained a blind spot for me. gallery book I was contacted about the release of a paperback. Now, not only can you read this book, but you can also talk about it to make more people aware of it. And considering that Fenn gave us a “horror” novel with this novel, I think a lot of people will like this novel.
night marchers It has a variety of narrative structures. It begins with a letter written in the past, then moves to the present tense and modern perspective. Mysterious text-based communications are scattered throughout. This letter is written by a woman named Irene, a distant relative of Julia, the novel’s protagonist. The choice for Julia to receive the letter first, rather than being introduced to it as she reads it, was an effective choice for two main reasons. The first is that it immediately sets the tone. I was immediately drawn into Eileen’s experience. Her scientific thinking amplified the fear around her, so I wanted to know more.
Which brings me to the second benefit of opening a book with her letters: it sets the pace. When Julia arrives on the island, there is a very different atmosphere. Interrupting her story to give readers a glimpse of the past would undo the horror Fenn has built. Instead, readers can see a mirror between past and present. That familiarity also helps make the third narrative voice even more disturbing. Sometimes I talk about Julia teeth Interrupted by cryptic text-based communications. These help to show that she is in more darkness than she knows and that the reader is as well.
The atmosphere is the defining jewel of this hotel night marchers Crown. I mentioned earlier that this book falls under the category of “Sporol.” For the uninitiated, this term refers to horror involving mushrooms. Reality can get a little hazy when mushrooms are involved. Julia’s perspective is also confusing. This plot has so many threads, involves multiple unreliable parties, and the narrator is unreliable. However, this cannot be classified as a defect. It ultimately feels immersive. Internally everything makes sense, so I choose to believe that it was an artistic intention.
I’ve managed to write this review without discussing the context of the title or even the plot. Because for me, that structure was what made this book even better. Now I’m not saying there’s nothing fun about it. A ghost that calls you to walk with him when you step into a forbidden land? A cult on an island where entry is restricted to all but the ultra-wealthy? Science with dire global consequences? Pretty cool! The only thing that got me out of it was almost necessary for this story and this genre as a whole. The problem was Julia.
She was the perfect protagonist for this novel. When you have a conversation like this, you need someone who doesn’t know enough to say no, but is desperate enough to stay. Julia had both of those qualities. She also happens to have experience with wealthy people and is a former investigative reporter. Add in her connections to the Chauffeur family behind the powers that be, and she was truly made for this. Who are all the main characters? And indeed, after all, I can’t even argue with these. As mentioned above, it is internally consistent. Sometimes it gets a little too much for me.
But overall, I liked this book. In fact, I’ve already recommended it directly to someone. There are flaws built into some of this horror, and you can’t blame Fenn for leaning into them. Again, I can’t say more than that, but “leaning into it” worked very well. What’s more, the paperback is also really gorgeous. You can get it on October 29th just in time for Halloween.
Cover image and advance copy provided by Gallery Books.
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