Forest of Shadows [Paperback]

Hunter Shea (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

The dead still hate!

 
John Backman specializes in inexplicable phenomena. The weirder the better. So when he gets a letter from a terrified man describing an old log home with odd whisperings, shadows that come alive, and rooms that disappear, he can’t resist the call. But the violence only escalates as soon as John arrives in the remote Alaskan village of Shida. Something dreadful happened there. Something monstrous. The shadows are closing in…and they’re out for blood.
 

Editorial Reviews

Review

“With Forest of Shadows debut novelist Hunter Shea combines ancient evil, old school horror and modern style. Highly recommended!”
--Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author of The Dragon Factory

“Hunter Shea is the real deal, folks! Forest of Shadows is a ghost story with attitude. Dark, intense and not afraid to get down and dirty; just the way I like them.”
--Gord Rollo, Author of Valley of the Scarecrow and Crimson

“Shea's Forest of Shadows delves deep into the unknown. A thrill-ride of a read!”
--Alexandra Holzer, author of Growing Up Haunted
 

Book Description

John Backman specializes in inexplicable phenomena. The weirder the better. So when he gets a letter from a terrified man describing an old log home with odd whisperings, shadows that come alive, and rooms that disappear, he can’t resist the call. But the violence only escalates as soon as John arrives in the remote Alaskan village of Shida. Something dreadful happened there. Something monstrous. The shadows are closing in…and they’re out for blood.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Samhain Publishing; 1 edition (January 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1609286642
• ISBN-13: 978-1609286644
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #867,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hunter Shea is the author of the novels Forest of Shadows, Swamp Monster Massacre, Evil Eternal, Sinister Entity and The Graveyard Speaks. His stories have appeared in numerous magazines, including Dark Moon Digest, Morpheus Tales and the upcoming anthology, Shocklines : Fresh Voices in Terror. His obsession with all things horrific has led him to real life exploration of the paranormal, interviews with exorcists and other things that would keep most people awake with the lights on. He is also half of the Monster Men video podcast, a fun look at the world of horror. You can read about his latest travails and communicate with him at www.huntershea.com, on Twitter @HunterShea1, Facebook fan page at Hunter Shea or the Monster Men 13 channel on YouTube.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasant Surprise October 19, 2011

By S. J. Belz

Format:Kindle Edition

Finally horror has come back to the mass market. Well sort of...Fresh off of Samhain's new horror line comes a great novel by Hunter Shea, titled 'Forest of Shadows'.

I admit that I was sketchy at first when I read the premise, I was not too convinced I was going to buy this book. But after watching the author on his podcast 'Monster Men' with fellow author and pal Jack Campinsi, I felt like I could trust Hunter to deliver a good book. And trust me, Hunter delivers.

I feel that this novel is similar to an old car. It has a few kinks and it is slow to start, but then this novel takes off and drives you to the end like a dream.

First, Hunter crafts a web of characters and events. It takes some time to stew, not a whole lot of action, but I think it all adds meat to the story. It helps the story become not just another ghost story. Instead its a non-traditional family in a unique situation facing a town with a dark secret; oh and then there are some ghosts as well. I was skeptical at first, wondering if all of this characterization was necessary, but its the characters that help make this book stand out. I find the book akin to the movie 'Poltergeist'. Its not just about the ghosts, but about the strength of family.

The only reason why I did not give this book 5 stars is because the novel features a lot of explanation on paranormal hunting and ghost-hunting science. From watching the podcasts of 'Monster Men', I can guess that Hunter is a just a huge dork when it comes to this topic. So when the main character becomes a paranormal investigator, I can see Hunter Shea leaking onto the pages.

I find the topic interesting, but I also found that some of the explanations on the science of paranormal investigation made the flow of the story stumble.

All in all, a great surprise and a great book. I recommend reading this book in a silent house. It will have your spine tingling and have you wondering if you are truly alone in the house.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting angle but ... February 25, 2012

By HorrorJunkie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The story started out interesting enough and did hold my interest. Sadly I was almost 70% through the book before anything in the "horror" genre started to really unfold and trust me when I say that I use the term horror LOOSELY, not a single goose bump was felt. As a mystery this novel is a solid 4 star but I bought it hoping for a good scare which was nonexsistent so the best I can do is 3 stars.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Hunter Hits the Target October 20, 2011

By RRJames

Format:Kindle Edition

It is easy to see why Samhain selected Hunter Shea's "Forest of Shadows" as an initial offering in its new horror line. You have to make a good first impression.

Paranormal investigator John Backman, reeling from personal tragedy, brings the people dearest to him to a house with a history in Shida, Alaska. Hunter builds John, and all his main characters, with back stories and details that let you really feel them. Even the town seems alive, though not in a way the local Chamber of Commerce would approve.

Each part of this harrowing tale unfolds and creates a rich story that spans generations. You will run through the last hundred pages like one of Alaska's charging grizzlies as the story reaches it's suspenseful climax.

Hunter has a second book, "Evil Eternal" coming from Samhain. I'd keep an eye out for it.