I decided to take a stab at Deathless, the sequel to his early novel Pressure.
In this one, Alex Fletcher is still in recovery from surviving Darren Rust, the serial killer who was once his best friend, the man who made him a killer, the man who murdered his wife and daughter. Now, Rust is in prison and Alex is trying to step back into the dating world. He meets Luna. Smart, sexy, kinky, she might just be the antidote to his loneliness. At first, it’s great, until he notices some odd behavior on her part. Maybe she’s not as stable as he thought she was? Is there something in her past that should worry him? Is Darren’s influence over his life really over?
Pressure was the first Strand novel I ever read and while it was entertaining, it was a dark, intense, and gruesome experience. Kind of a lighter, more palatable version of Jack Ketchum (no offense to Jack Ketchum hardcore fans, but his work can be harrowing). While Strand often lets his sense of humor shine through his books, this one was more bleak than humorous. You could say the same for Deathless. While both books are great, you should be forewarned that both can be rough, especially if horror isn’t your go-to.
With that being said, there are some shocks and surprises in this one. One of the revelations that comes early in the book isn’t a big surprise to the reader and I don’t think it’s meant to be since this book is a sequel. What had me going the whole time was the constant wondering of what would happen to Alex. We constantly see him being placed in one compromising situation after another, his sense of right and wrong is constantly challenged. Will he ever get out of the trap that he finds himself in? It also makes me wonder what his or anybody’s capacity for suffering can truly be, especially as we reach the end of the book. That is probably as far as I can go without revealing too much.
Rather than give you a play by play, please accept my recommendation to read this book, given that your capacity for uncompromising psychological horror can take it. As usual, Strand offers a gripping read. I like the way that this book wraps up, even if it makes me want to take a break and read something lighter afterward. You can order his books through Amazon or directly from his website https://jeffstrand.wordpress.com.
Grade: A-
Written by Nicholas Montelongo
In this one, Alex Fletcher is still in recovery from surviving Darren Rust, the serial killer who was once his best friend, the man who made him a killer, the man who murdered his wife and daughter. Now, Rust is in prison and Alex is trying to step back into the dating world. He meets Luna. Smart, sexy, kinky, she might just be the antidote to his loneliness. At first, it’s great, until he notices some odd behavior on her part. Maybe she’s not as stable as he thought she was? Is there something in her past that should worry him? Is Darren’s influence over his life really over?
Pressure was the first Strand novel I ever read and while it was entertaining, it was a dark, intense, and gruesome experience. Kind of a lighter, more palatable version of Jack Ketchum (no offense to Jack Ketchum hardcore fans, but his work can be harrowing). While Strand often lets his sense of humor shine through his books, this one was more bleak than humorous. You could say the same for Deathless. While both books are great, you should be forewarned that both can be rough, especially if horror isn’t your go-to.
With that being said, there are some shocks and surprises in this one. One of the revelations that comes early in the book isn’t a big surprise to the reader and I don’t think it’s meant to be since this book is a sequel. What had me going the whole time was the constant wondering of what would happen to Alex. We constantly see him being placed in one compromising situation after another, his sense of right and wrong is constantly challenged. Will he ever get out of the trap that he finds himself in? It also makes me wonder what his or anybody’s capacity for suffering can truly be, especially as we reach the end of the book. That is probably as far as I can go without revealing too much.
Rather than give you a play by play, please accept my recommendation to read this book, given that your capacity for uncompromising psychological horror can take it. As usual, Strand offers a gripping read. I like the way that this book wraps up, even if it makes me want to take a break and read something lighter afterward. You can order his books through Amazon or directly from his website https://jeffstrand.wordpress.com.
Grade: A-
Written by Nicholas Montelongo
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