2 out of 4 stars
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I rate Demon Freaks by J.R.R.R. (jim) Hardison 2 out of 4 stars, though it might have been a three if there were some indication of the age level most appropriate for the story. When I began reading, I expected something like a Christopher Moore novel (Bloodsucking Fiends, The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove), because I guess that’s really the only author I have read who can make a horror story legitimately hilarious. I had read the synopsis for Demon Freaks, and J.R.R.R. (jim) Hardison’s bona fides. I even looked at what categories it was shelved under on Amazon, and yet my impression of what I was getting into with Demon Freaks still missed the mark.
A pair of twin brothers, (the Slaughter twins...super rock n’ roll name), and their best friends, Meat, the class clown, and Kaitlyn, the more intuitive character in the group, are just about to be confronted with their SATs. Their horrible, smarmy, misanthropic teacher, Mr. Brom seems to enjoy their building horror over the test they will face the following day. But when the kids go to study at Meat’s parent-free cabin after school, they end up instead running for their lives, crashing their vehicles multiple times, getting possessed, and ultimately, almost being murdered. They face a fast-paced struggle to keep themselves and one another alive throughout the first half of the story, and then just when things seem to be calming down for a moment, the whole thing kicks up again with a new catastrophe.
What we have here is a light-hearted book for young people. I’m not sure what “young adult” actually means, so I’ll say it’s for kids 13 to, oh, maybe 19 (not adults). The language and content, even though the story is about evil occultists trying to murder a group of kids, manages to be very PG-13. Furthermore, the style of the author’s prose also lends itself to consumption by young readers through the use of language that is succinct and plot-focused where it could have otherwise taken advantage of thematic, atmospheric, or character-driven expansion. There are also many instances of characters telling each other things they already know in order to keep the reader up to speed—the traditional “As you know, Bob…” kind of moment. And, there’s just about zero potty mouth involved.
My first clue that I was reading a book for young people was the number of clichés present. At first, when I read phrases like “Seize them!” and “OK! OK! I’ll talk!” I suspected that the author had treated his topic with a subtle hint of contempt, as if by using horror and paranormal fiction tropes in such a well-trodden manner, he was making fun of the genres, and by extension, the reader. At the very least, I got the feeling that he didn’t take his characters or story seriously in any way. Part of what fed into this impression was how little time he spent developing the motivations and relationships of his characters. But then, about half-way through, I realized: this book isn’t supposed to be “deep” or realistic at all. It wasn’t written for the kind of crowd that would be discriminating enough to mind a story that is just fun and a little silly. Demon Freaks is supposed to be a good time, and Hardison gives the reader only enough character detail, thematic weight, and atmosphere to appreciate that. On top of all this, he does a fine job of making absolutely certain the reader is able to follow his logic and plot from start to finish, so as not to distract them from the effortless kicks he has in store.
Once I finally realized what kind of book I was reading, the only weak spots I could see were in the “softball” humor, which did make me actually laugh out loud a couple of times, but just not very often considering the story’s length. On further consideration, I thought this reinforced my notion that Demon Freaks would be a great book for kids, as they laugh a lot more easily than creaky, 35-year-old geezers like myself. All in all, I’d say that if you’re looking for something to put on your child’s summer reading list, this is a great option (as long as you don’t happen to keep a household where Satanism and demonic possession are regarded seriously, in which case it could be too scary for your child). However, if you are an adult, I’d say you’re better off buying this for your tween nieces and nephews than for yourself. I think it’s a bit shallow for grown-ups, but Demon Freaks is a solidly structured, quick-paced, and well-edited tale for the younger set.
PS…Some reviewers may see typos in this work as a result of the e-reading app they are using to view the mobi file. I have had great luck with Moon+Reader, and also the Kindle app, which can be side-loaded with external mobi files. For me, Demon Freaks was relatively error-free.
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Demon Freaks
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