Customer Reviews

Bad Paths

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

"Bad Paths" starts slowly and innocently drawing you in until you are hooked. Greg Dameron returns to his hometown for his estranged mother's funereal only to discover his family is involved in many shocking and horrifying traditions. Struggling to break free from his shameful legacy, Dameron finds that good can come from what seemingly is all evil. With descriptive detail and well-placed revelations, Justin Behrens has written an entertaining novel that breaks the mold of the traditional supernatural thriller and reads like the writing of a veteran novelist.

The horror genre is always in need of fresh new blood, and Justin Behrens seems to fit the bill quite nicely. At first glance, I thought Bad Paths, Behrens' debut novel, would be a good but somewhat derivative read, but I was wrong on that last point, as there's an unquantifiable freshness about the story as it unfolds. There's no ultimate battle of good vs. evil here, which isn't to say there's not plenty of action in the end, and the main character's family's legacy is not just another case of pure evil or Faustian bargains for power. In the end, Bad Paths is the story of a young man coming to terms with a special gift and a family history he had never known. Perhaps best of all, the whole story doesn't even revolve around the main character so much as it does a remarkable canine, and I love that about this novel.

In life, Greg Dameron's mother sheltered her son from his own family, leading a nomadic life that led anywhere but home in Iowa. Perhaps inevitably, his mother's reticence to talk about her past and her oftentimes odd, overprotective behavior created a distance between mother and son that could not be bridged before her death. Ironically enough, that death leads Greg back to the very place she isolated him from in life. He's in for quite an awakening in terms of his family history, as it doesn't take long for him to discover that the Dameron name is both feared and revered in this small town - or that his mother wasn't the only strange member of the family. His Aunt Claire is as nice as can be when he first arrives, but her oddities begin to surface once he gets settled in. His Uncle Ron seems like a harmless old drunk - until Ron takes it upon himself to warn Greg of the danger coming his way if he doesn't leave town within a couple of days. He says there are mysterious, frightening creatures lurking in the surrounding woods, but his attempt to capture security camera footage of one of them fails to move Greg, who does predictably acquiesce to his aunt's plea to stick around a few extra days. The best character by far in the novel is Spooky, a huge mastiff dog who enjoys watching The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock on TV, has quite a knack for getting into locked rooms (especially Greg's), and seems more human than canine sometimes. Greg is noticeably wary of the huge family pet initially, but Spooky becomes his greatest protector as he pushes forward to discover the truth about his highly dysfunctional family.

The novel can be jarring at times, as Aunt Claire has a few tricks up her sleeve and sometimes does the most shocking things right out of the blue. Two scenes stand out in particular, but I won't describe them here - I daresay the future reader will recognize them rather easily. I know some reviewers have mentioned the story's level of violence and gore, but I actually met with less than I expected of both - I certainly wouldn't consider it excessive. As for the ending, I must admit that I found it somewhat anti-climactic, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It does wrap up the story quite well and avoids taking the easy way out. Had Behrens grafted a thoroughly clichéd and predictable ending on to the novel, it would have nullified much of the satisfaction the reader derives from everything that precedes it. Perhaps the best thing about Bad Paths, though, is the evidence it provides for bigger and better things to come from this young author. Justin Behrens is a name that bears watching.

I really did not want to like this book. I was underwhelmed in the beginning, but you sort of latch on to the characters. The action had some intense moments, but it was not very scary for the most part. When they get into the house and start seeing things, it raised a few hairs! I thought the inclusion of the Dog as a protagonist was very unique, and I could have enjoyed the book just for that.

I would say that at the price point, it was an above average read!

There are not many horror-esque books out there - that I have read - that really thrill me, that keep me reading and on the edge of my seat. Bad Paths did just that. I absolutely love this book! On top of that, the author needs to get on writing another book! I would suggest that everyone with a strong stomach read this (it can get a little graphic).

The best thing about this story is ... well ... the story. If this book is any indication, the author seems to have quite a knack for storytelling. Bad Paths is one of those stories that once you start reading it, it demands your attention. When I started reading I only planned on reading maybe a few chapters but I ended up staying awake all night because I had to know what would happen next. A word of advice: if you do stay up all night reading, keep plenty of lights on ... this book goes from weird, to creepy, to just plain scary. Good stuff.

I just finished reading Bad Paths by Justin Behrens and I had to come back here and re-read the reviews that helped me decide to purchase this book.I could not disagree more strongly with the other reviews written here.This book,though showing a glimmer of promise,is extremely amatuerish .It is derivative to the point that Dean Koontz might want to contact his lawyer(a psychic dog!mysterious entitys!magical powers manifesting suddenly)I am not familiar with iUniverse press but this looks like a vanity press imprint.

Seeing nothing but 4 and 5 star reviews for this book is truly mystifying .

What can be more innocent than a small corn-town in Iowa? Well, just you wait a minute...Greg Dameron will get the worst welcome, as this poor boy returns home to bury his "crazy" mom. The story starts off slow and then abruptly shifts into bizarre confrontations with his mom's evil twin. Left me wondering...why didn't he get out when he could? Anyway, Greg, the highly analytical computer programmer, is plunged into the Twilight Zone, facing starvation (great description of dying for a grease feast) and humiliation. With only a trusty "angel" dog and his witty drunken uncle on his side, he faces a host of human and supernatural monsters, learns that his life was not what he thought it was. Can he find redemption before it is too late? High marks for originality and characterzations, with glimmers of grossness a la Bentley Little and homage to Koontz' dog hero. Read this if you like horror sprinkled with a bit of humor and are not offended by blood and sexual situations.

The best thing about this story is ... well ... the story. If this book is any indication, the author seems to have quite a knack for storytelling. Bad Paths is one of those stories that once you start reading it, it demands your attention. When I started reading I only planned on reading maybe a few chapters but I ended up staying awake all night because I had to know what would happen next. A word of advice: if you do stay up all night reading, keep plenty of lights on ... this book goes from weird, to creepy, to just plain scary. Good stuff.

I liked this book! I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked it up, but quickly found that I couldn't put it down once I opened the front cover. This is the story of a young man who gets reaquainted with his family and what an interesting group they are. His aunt who greeted him at the door with a warm hug quickly became a 'person of interest' in the whole dynamic of the book, and I just had to see what she was going to do next. Who Greg's father was, was unexpected and his actions were pretty intense. Uncle Ron, while drunk most of the time, was very likeable and definitely 'A Good Guy'. Then there's Spooky. If Rambo had a dog, this would be the one. No matter how bad things became knowing that Spooky could open doors and enter the room, you knew that everything was going to be o.k.

The author did a wonderful job of creating the characters, their emotions, the situations, and the ambiance of the scenes. The main character while sometimes the victim was very much the hero throughout the story. The ending was resolved well and the reader could close the book with a smile.

I look forward to future books by this author.

I liked this book! I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked it up, but quickly found that I couldn't put it down once I opened the front cover. This is the story of a young man who gets reaquainted with his family and what an interesting group they are. His aunt who greeted him at the door with a warm hug quickly became a 'person of interest' in the whole dynamic of the book, and I just had to see what she was going to do next. Who Greg's father was, was unexpected and his actions were pretty intense. Uncle Ron, while drunk most of the time, was very likeable and definitely 'A Good Guy'. Then there's Spooky. If Rambo had a dog, this would be the one. No matter how bad things became knowing that Spooky could open doors and enter the room, you knew that everything was going to be o.k.

The author did a wonderful job of creating the characters, their emotions, the situations, and the ambiance of the scenes. The main character while sometimes the victim was very much the hero throughout the story. The ending was resolved well and the reader could close the book with a smile.

I look forward to future books by this author.