Literature Review: Crimson by Gord Rollo

“The small town of Dunnville is no stranger to fear. Evil has stalked its dark streets once before, twenty years ago leaving in its wake a legacy of blood and madness. These days, no one in the town likes to talk about it much. Some folks deny it ever happened…

But four boyhood friends are about to discover the truth, though no one will believer them. Their parents think they’ve been listening to too many scary stories. But what the boys have released from an icy well is no legend. It’s very real indeed, and it will soon terrify Dunnville to its very core. Unspeakable horror is running free…and the nightmares of the past are about to begin again.”

In the illustrious tradition of Summer of Night by Dan Simmons,  Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon, It and The Body by Stephen King, Dorchester Publishing gives us Crimson by Gord Rollo.

Coming of age novels are one of my personal favorites. Something about reliving one’s childhood has always been dear to me. The above four are my all time favorites and after reading Crimson I just might have to add one more to my list.

I didn’t really like Mr. Rollo’s first book Jigsaw Man, too much explicit gore and sexual depravity for my tastes. I really wasn’t sure what to expect out of Crimson but what I didn’t expect was such a well written scary fun book.

The first four pages of the book are one of the most disturbing horrific prologues I have ever read. Mr. Rollo paints a bleak terrifying image that sets the tone for the rest of the story…and it only gets better from there.

Mr. Rollo’s pacing is masterful, eerie and just plain frightening, you won’t be able to wait to get to the next page. His haunting imagery is top notch with a bevy of monsters to keep all us monster lovers happy.

And yes there is plenty of bloodshed. But Mr. Rollo uses it to advance the sheer terror and suffering of the main characters and the townsfolk that are caught up in the unfortunate actions of the four young boys.

This book is grand in scope and plot and will keep you up into the deep hours of the night.

Due for release from Dorchester Publishing in March of 2009, this is a must read for the upcoming year.