Customer Reviews

Far Dark Fields

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The latest book in Braunbeck's Cedar Hill series, FAR DARK FIELDS will be devoured by fans, but it may leave new readers confused and cold. As I am somewhere in the middle, I should be the ideal person to review this, right? I mean, I have read two of Braunbeck's previous novels set in that haunted Ohio town, but have missed two, so while some names and events were familiar to me, a good portion were not. While Mr. Braunbeck does provide some explanation of past events, enough is left for the fans of Cedar Hill to fill in the blanks that novices to that creepy Midwest town might be left scratching their heads. Ok, that bit of proviso out of the way, let's get to the juicy bits.

Geoff Conover, a high school English teacher is our protagonist in this tale. A student at his school goes on a killing spree and heads towards his old home town of Cedar Hill. The kid is wounded, dying, but using his last breath he asks to speak to Geoff. The teacher, a survivor of a mass murder himself, reluctantly goes to speak with the kid. What follows is a mystery involving the local bogeyman with the great name of Hoopsticks and the reason he was spared so many years before. That mystery unfolds through a series of flashbacks, and then some flashbacks, and then a few more flashbacks. Remember when I said people new to Cedar Hills may feel a bit lost? Well this is where that will happen.

There are enough good fright moments here to satisfy most horror junkies even if they're new to Braunbeck's haunted world. One particular good part had Geoff descending into the very bowls of Cedar Hill in his hunt for the truth. Fan or not, that was great stuff. Furthermore Braunbeck's trademark warm and easy to read style is in full effect and the man can spin a heck of a yarn. That said, not everything is perfect with this book. The explanation for Hoopsticks leaves a little something to be desired and leaves a lot of things unexplained. I can only assume that was done so that in a future book such questions could be wrapped up. In a similar fashion, the end of this the novel was also a bit so-so and pretty blatantly sets things up for a sequel. Now I don't mind sequels, but I do like the stories before them to have their own clear and satisfying endings. I can't honestly say that FAR DARK FIELDS has that.

Cedar Hill fans should get this book as it continues to expand the mythology of that town nicely. Those new to Gary A. Braunbeck should probably pick up some of his earlier titles, not only to see if his style meshes with their tastes (always a good idea), but to become familiar with the thick backstory needed to enjoy this book to the fullest. So depending upon who you are, buy accordingly.

Reviewed for Shroud Magazine by Brian M. Sammons

Braunbeck's Far Dark Fields is an engaging read, but mainly for fans of his Cedar Hill stories. If I had not read his other work, I would have been confused by all the backstories and mythology that are piled into this book. New readers should definitely not read this before checking out some of his other novels. I would recommend starting with my personal favorite, Mr. Hands, and then Coffin County.

I had thought this was the final volume of the Cedar Hill saga, but the ending makes it seem as if there might be one more. Which is fine, but I can tell things are getting quite bizarre and ethereal and might not bring in new readers who will surely be left behind. I would enjoy seeing Braunbeck write stand-alone stories that have nothing to do with Cedar Hill. I've enjoyed the town and it's mysteries and quirky characters, but I think it is time to move on. As always, Braunbeck produces great writing and original concepts, and Far Dark Fields is no exception. Although this was my least favorite of his books, it is still stronger than most of what is currently being published.

Far Dark Fields is an intense novel about love, loss, good, evil, and Gary Braunbeck's amazing fictional world within Cedar Hill, Ohio. If you've read any of Gary's previous Cedar Hill novels, you know that this fictional town has been masterfully created by Braunbeck's excellent descriptions, and skillful prose.

This writer's voice is a warm, welcomed one; you know the amazing feeling of sitting in front of a campfire and hearing a tale that not only scares you, but warms your heart? Well, that's the feeling that will consume you when you read anything by Gary Braunbeck.

Others might disagree, because of all the history and previous Cedar Hill novels, but I think the writing in Far Dark Fields is just so good, that it can be enjoyed as a stand alone book. It would help to have read the previous novels, In Silent Graves, The Keepers, Mr. Hands, and Coffin County-all just as magical and expertly written by Gary.

When you reach the end of this book, you'll be sad because you'll wish it to never end. But you will have experienced the amazing writing talent of one of the best writers working today.

If you haven't read Braunbeck yet, you're missing something special. Far Dark Fields is one of Gary's best, in my opinion. Dont Miss It!

Horrordude.

Gary Braunbeck is one of the best writers in the genre...and out of the genre actually.
FAR DARK FIELDS moves the C edar Hill universe closer to an ending.
A very emotionally draining novel, this one concerns a mass murder and a survivor looking back to try and assuage his guilt for living through it.
Another winner from Braunbeck.

Gary Braunbeck is easily one of those authors that I must read the second I get one of his books. His prose is literate without being pretentious or inaccessible, and you feel like you know his characters and live in Cedar Hill yourself.

Yes, there are some stories here that have appeared elsewhere, but this is not pure laziness on Braunbeck's part. Rather, it is more like a spider web. You see the individual strands and the outline of the web in his previous works. With Far Dark Fields, it becomes clear that you can see more strands connected to the ones already seen, that those strands are strengthening the overall web.

Far Dark Fields has strengthened the story of Cedar Hill and has broadened its scope. It feels like every word written about Cedar Hill has a purpose and that purpose is finally starting to show itself.

Highly recommended, along with his other works.

Very well written horror romp. I read this with out having read the previous Cedar Hill novels and while I don't recommend reading it without reading the earlier novels I was still able to follow along and enjoy the story. Also note that this book ends with a To be Continued... even if it doesn't say that it does on the cover.

There are only two author's publishing today that can get me to drop whatever I'm doing or make me change my plans when their latest release arrives on my doorstep. Gary Bruanbeck is one of them.

There is no other author in my opinion that can tap into a readers own dark fears or confusion and force the reader to confront them... no matter how uncomfortable or horrifying they may be as Braunbeck does, and he does it superbly and without apology.

For those Braunbeck fans who have followed along with Gary on his past Cedar Hill novels, Far Dark Fields is the Holy Grail, the one we've all been waiting for. Far Dark Fields is the first volume (of two) in his epic Cedar Hill series that brings the various plotlines and characters from his numerous Cedar Hill novels and short story collections to its conclusion.

For new Braunbeck readers, I would point out, that though Far Dark Fields is a continuation of his Cedar Hill novels it is also a stand alone novel that can be enjoyed without having read the previous works.

I won't repeat the plot line here in this short review, you can read it in the synopsis above and in the other reviews listed here, but I will ask you this...

...have you ever read a news story or seen one on television about a mass murder, say a shooting spree that was so horrendous you just had to pause and ask yourself...how in God's green earth could anyone do something that horrible? Of course you have, but then did you give it much more thought after that, or did you just go onto the next news story?

Did you ever 'really' try to get into the murderers mind and wonder what he was thinking? Did you ever think about what his motivations may have been beyond what the reporters told you? How about the victims? Have you ever put yourself in their shoes? What do you think went through their heads as they were retreating from the gunman in a panic and felt a bullet plunging into thier bodies? What if some of them were caught unawares...what was in their minds in those brief seconds between realization and being gunned down? Did you ever consider the thought process of the victims who might have been brave enough to confront the killer? What were these people thinking as they rushed toward a certain death? And God bless them...how about the relatives and the friends of the ones whose lives were taken? Could you even really know their loneliness, their sadness, or even their anger?

And did you ever wonder what it felt like to be a survivor of something like this?

Gary Bruanbeck does think of these things. And in Far Dark Fields, these thoughts are just as terrifying as the monster pulling the trigger, the killing itself, and the unseen hand orchestrating the devastation.

Don't pass this one up folks.

Originally posted from Dread Central:

We live in horrible times. Admit it. Watch the evening news to see tales of random shootings, hate crimes, and people generally behaving like animals without reason. We are also a nation of voyeurs, otherwise, every tragedy that occurs wouldn't be turned into a movie-of-the-week or the latest inspired-by-true-events Oscar-winner. But while the camera lens is focused on the immediate victims and the perpetrator, one question has never really been answered: What about the others, whose lives were touched by the tragedy but didn't wind up a news story because they neither died nor became media whores? It's an interesting position to consider, and one that Gary Braunbeck considers fully in his novel Far Dark Fields.
A continuation of stories put into motion in novels such as Mr. Hands and Coffin County, Far Dark Fields follows a high-school English teacher named Geoff Conover, who was only a baby when he became the lone survivor of a brutal massacre (perpetuated by a family member). Now, more than thirty years later, another young man walks into his school and, without warning or reason, opens fire. The gunman turns the gun on himself, but survives in the hospital just long enough to give Conover a final message: "Hoopsticks," the deranged killer that haunts Cedar Hill and the strange area known to locals as "Coffin County." Prompted by the ghosts of those slain by the boy and by the crazed Hoopsticks, Conover returns to Cedar Hill, and walks into pure madness and pain.

Braunbeck is at his best in this book, which is the first in a two-part story (the sequel will be released soon). His settings are fully realized, inviting the reader into the town and making him feel right at home. From the scent of sizzling cheeseburgers on the grill at the diner to the alcohol-soaked air of the local bar, The Hangman, Cedar Hill comes to vivid life, so much so that the reader will feel that, not only is the place real, but after reading this book he'll swear it's somewhere he's been. The characters are so well depicted and developed that Braunbeck pulls off the most difficult of all tasks: emotionally involving the reader in the plot. The scenes of terror are, in fact, terrifying. The points of confusion will have the reader scratching his head right alongside the characters. And there is at least one scene that packs such a powerful punch that if, after reading it, there isn't a lump in your throat and tears in your eyes, you have no soul.

In the past, there have been various monikers assigned to Braunbeck. "Up and comer," "heir to the horror throne," etc. With this novel, he is no longer any of these as he shows his mastery of the genre by creating a piece that leaves the reader emotionally wrung-out. As visceral as a heart-beat, as gut-wrenching as a kick to the groin, Far Dark Fields is brilliant.

I heard Gary Braunbeck talking at a convention about this book, and to answer the first reveiwer, this novel is based on Braunbeck's story "Safe", in much the same way that Coffin County was based on his story "Haceldama". Anyhow, "Safe" blew me away when I first read it, but not that many other people have been able to read it because it was in a small press book ... I think only a couple hundred were printed & the books were pretty expensive. Mr. Braunbeck wanted to make his whole Cedar Hill cycle of novels available to his readers and tie the whole story he's been telling together for us -- this seems like a very thoughtful move on Mr. Braunbeck's part and not at all "lazy".

So anyway, this is an excellent, gripping novel & anyone who has read & enjoyed Braunbeck's novels in the past will enjoy it ... I guess I would add that if you haven't read his books before, you probably shouldn't start with this one because it does reference things that happened in In Silent Graves, Keepers, Mr. Hands, Coffin County, etc. ... I mean you would still enjoy it, I think, just not as much. But start with In Silent Graves if you're a brand-new reader.

This book was OK. The premise was good and the book had some interesting parts to it but I thought that parts of it were odd. I also don't like the fact that the book was to be continued at the end. I also thought the book had bit of a change once the main character went to Cedar Hill. I found the first half to be creepy and had the possiblity of being scary. The 2nd half went into much more sci-fi and lost the creepiness it had going. It was ok but not spooky like it was in the first place. I'm unsure if I want to get the next part will wait and read the reviews when that one comes out.