3 out of 4 stars
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Raven’s Peak is not only the name of Lincoln Cole’s novel, but the name of the small mountain town which serves as the main setting of Cole’s story. This town conceals a great evil which afflicts the citizenry with a great madness, and it is up to Abigail Dressler and Haatim Arison to confront this evil and liberate Raven’s Peak from its malaise. While this summary makes the story sound like a typical horror yarn where good triumphs over evil, Cole has provided a more nuanced tale than one would expect.
Cole sets the tone for a creepy tale right from the start. From the introduction to the mad Reverend and his cleansing ritual, to Haatim being hired by George Wertman to track Abigail, to Haatim being saved by Abigail from Wertman’s true nature, the story has enough surprises to keep the reader enthralled. Cole’s elegant writing style certainly helps; he provides enough information to let the story flow yet doesn’t tip his hand completely and spoil an upcoming surprise.
The strongest part of the book is the relationship between the tough, no-nonsense Abigail and the drifting, seemingly hopeless Haatim. Being a novice in all matters supernatural, Haatim is understandably terrified at every turn, and reliant on Abigail simply to survive. However, he proves resilient when it counts, and the way that he and Abigail begin to complement each other despite their differences makes for an effective team. This complementary relationship is further illustrated by how smoothly Cole transitions between Abigail and Haatim throughout the book.
If I have any criticisms, they are the following. For starters, the second half feels somewhat rushed by contrast with the well-paced first half. The cliff-hanger ending is also somewhat off-putting. While Raven’s Peak is the first installment in a series, and therefore the stage is being set for the second installment, this rushed nature and inconclusive ending doesn’t allow the book to be appreciated as a stand-alone volume.
However, as part of a series, these criticisms will likely pale as the rest of the story falls into place. So long as Cole keeps to the strong character development and excellent pacing he exhibits here, this series will be a winner in the horror genre. And for horror fans who like well-paced stories with complex characters, Raven’s Peak will not disappoint.
In summary, I will award Raven’s Peak a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. I may come to regret not giving the full 4 out of 4 in future, but the rushed second half and cliff-hanger ending are disappointing aspects of an otherwise excellent horror story. I certainly recommend it but bear in mind that the subsequent volumes will be needed for a satisfactory resolution to this story.
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Raven's Peak
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