Customer Reviews

Bloodstone (Five Star) (Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's been a long time since I've read a horror story like this one. Most horror novelists are either very good at openings but then the rest of the tale doesn't hold up, or they are excellent a mood but the characters are weak, or sometimes you get the occasional author who struggles in the beginning but if you can make it 50 pages or so into the book, it really gets rocking and rolling. For a debut novel, I am unbelievably impressed by the even-ness of the entire book. We start out creepy, and the level of creepiness remains from beginning to end. We have multidimensional characters that we care about, and an intriguing plot that includes both present day and also letters from over a hundred years ago. Honestly I found the letters to be very engaging and would like to read more on that particular tale.

Short Summary: We open with Bill Smith having kidnapped "Angel" a junkie and prostitute, he is being plagued by dreams of the undead coming after him and seems to be drawn to a place he has never been. Angel is also having the dreams and has been hiding behind her addiction to keep them at bay. The two finally end up in a small town in Maine (why is it always Maine?) where they feel that something dark and sinister is about to occur and somehow they have a part to play. Meanwhile, Jeb Taylor's homicidal father has passed away in prison and Jeb collects his father's belongings, among which include some very strange and ancient artifacts. Jeb's behavior soon begins changing and horrific dreams begin to plague his mind as well.

I found this to be one of the most well thought out "first novels" I've read in a long time. I truly enjoyed the read. It is fairly fast paced and as I mentioned earlier, the level of "creepy" begins right off the bat and remains with you from beginning to end. True there are a lot of unexplained things in this book, but sometimes that just adds to the terror. Many people have compared him to an "Early Stephen King" and I can see the similarities, though I actually preferred this novel to the "More recent Stephen King novels." On the whole this was a very fun read and I look forward to more books by Mr. Kenyon.

I found Bloodstone, the debut novel by Nate Kenyon, to be a superb story. Not definable by a single genre, Bloodstone at times is a mystery, a horror, a thriller, yet at its heart is a story of love and the search for redemption. With twists that would make Dan Brown envious, and pacing you'd expect from a more seasoned author, Kenyon takes the reader on a coast to coast ride that will keep you guessing until the last page.

It is easy to see why several authors have referenced Stephen King when reviewing this book. Like King, Kenyon takes the time to breathe life into his characters. His world is very much our own, where you find not black and white, but varying shades of grey. Bloodstone takes such archetypes as the alcoholic ex-con and the prostitute junkie, moves gets past the stereotypes, and allows these characters the chance to be heroes.

The line between good and evil is razor thin and the choices made along the way determine on which side the protagonists ultimately fall. The beauty is that when these hard choices are made, Kenyon has so engrossed the reader into the story and fleshed out the characters so completely, that you feel an emotional connection. And that is what I look for in a book.

I recommend you find a copy of Bloodstone and thank me later.

Nate Kenyon has written an outstanding first novel. Bloodstone's plot is a thrill ride, the imagery is vivid and disturbing, Kenyon's characters have depth, and the ending is poignant and satisfying. Highly recommended!

As a fellow Five Star author, I can say with some authority that this is a tale worth reading even if you're not into horror stories. Nate has a way of making (or should I say forcing?) the reader to turn the next page to see what happens next. I'm not a big blood and guts fan but boy, this book hits the mark. I'd give it six stars if Amazon allowed it!

Good job, Nate. Keep up the bloodletting!

Jon Baxley

Author: THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY

(a Five Star medieval fantasy epic)

Kenyon's book is an amazing debut. Where has he been? I found myself staying up until 3am because I knew I couldn't sleep without reading the rest.

The character's are well thought out and there's a nice twist that leaves you satisfied at the end. The only question I have is, where's his next book?

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book, and I wasn't disappointed with the read.

It started off like a murder mystery novel (not that I mind that as I love a good mystery as well) and quickly picks up steam and pulls you along as the story unfolds. The terrors and the nightmares build chapter by chapter until I was finding it harder to put the book down and ended up staying up late to finish it.

The line about "every town has it's ghosts" ring just as true for White Falls as it does for my own sleepy little town.

I look forward to seeing more novels from this author.

Bloodstone is a return to the classic theme involving a small, secluded town with a dark secret. Strangers with dreams, an outcast teenager, a town prophet, and a history of violence converge in a steady buildup to a satisfying climax. The writing was solid throughout, but I felt at times Kenyon was holding back from turning the horror-dial up a few notches. With the exception of the final 50 pages, the tone, although creepy and atmospheric, floated in the PG-13 realm. My tastes run a little more hardcore than that, but that's just me. For a first novel, this book shows real talent and a wonderful understanding of defining characters and their emotions. I very much look forward to Nate Kenyon's next title.

In "Bloodstone" Nate Kenyon has written a classic horror story of high caliber. The reader is easily immersed in the mystery of the correlation between the founding fathers of the town and the current residents and it becomes obvious that evil never dies... it just waits for the right circumstances to surface again. Kenyon has such a brilliant command of words that the elaborate descriptions of people, places and events seems so thorough and natural as if the reader witnessed the events themselves. It is good to see horror taken back to its basic and most chilling form.

Bloodstone is a must read. The story is thrilling with a lot of complex and interesting characters. It begins with Billy Smith who is an ex-con struggling with his past and trying to begin a new life but never forgetting his mistake because he believes it keeps him grounded. Remembering what he has done keeps him from taking that drink he keeps thinking about. He is haunted by relentless dreams and voices that convince him to kidnap a prostitute by the name of Angel. He soon learns she is also tormented by similar dreams and voices. They are both drawn to the small town of White Falls, Maine, where together they begin to unravel the mystery of why they are there and what they are supposed to do. The chills and thrills build as they dig into the towns past history and have to confront the horrific things they find. The twists are fantastic and the ending must be good fighting evil -- it's the only choice. You will be shocked at the discoveries and know the end must be as it is. Your goosebumps will have goosebumps...

He was an alcoholic who didn't care about much of anything until the day he was driving drunk and killed a mother and two children. Billy Smith spent ten years doing hard time for his crime but when he was paroled he was still in the prison of his mind. About a year after he left prison, he starts hearing voices and sees visions of a woman. He finds her on the beach, a prostitute and a junkie named Angel.

He kidnaps her and the voices draw him to the small Maine town of White Falls. Angel now stays with him willingly because she is having the same dreams and visions and hearing the same voices. There is a darkness to the town, an evil that Billy and Angel can sense even if they don't know what it is or what it wants besides the two of them for reasons they don't understand. This evil is going to culminate during the spring festival and only Billy can stop a malevolent spirit from coming through a portal and completing a plan set in motion almost three centuries ago.

Reminiscent of Salem's Lot, BLOODSTONE is a terrifying horror novel that is action oriented yet doesn't neglect the development of the characters that come across as believable to the audience. Even ghosts take on a new dimension in this chilling tale as Nate Kenyon's concept of what they are is both original and frightening. This is the kind of horror novel that will make readers want to sleep with all the lights in the neighborhood shining brightly.

Harriet Klausner