Tides of Shadow by Rob Gilchrist
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Tides of Shadow by Rob Gilchrist
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tides of Shadow" by Rob Gilchrist.]
Tides of Shadow by Rob is best described as a post-apocalyptic fantasy but there are several parts that can easily fit in the horror category. I had no idea what I was in for when I started this book. It’s like Zombieland meets The Gunslinger meets Borderlands with a little Greek mythology thrown in for good measure. It sounds like an odd mix, but Gilchrist brings it all together beautifully.
We meet Eric as he’s walking down a highway littered with long abandoned cars. A voice that speaks directly to his mind has been giving him directions to go here or there, and that is exactly what he’s been doing. He wears a cowboy hat and carries 2 guns and sword at his waist; the world is a dangerous place. People are scarce and untrustworthy and the animals seem to have all mutated into bigger and meaner versions of themselves. Even the rain has turned to flesh melting acid. Eventually Eric’s path crosses with the man who has been speaking in his head. His name is Zygan, son of Hermes, and he tells him that there are 2 other sword carriers he must find to successfully complete his task. They all have to go north into the Dead City.
Flash back to present day Chicago. Eric wakes up to his alarm but something is very wrong, he feels like vomiting and his head is popping and throbbing. All of a sudden the windows shatter inwards and all of Chicago is rocked. Looking out the window he sees it, a giant trident has fallen from the sky and landed in downtown Chicago, 2 blocks away from his apartment. Absolutely stunned, Eric rushes to his neighbor’s apartment and watches the live news broadcast with them. With the city in chaos, Eric decides his best bet is to go stay with his parents in Kentucky. While making his escape, Eric befriends a man named Red and invites him to join him at his parent’s house.
Back in Erics present, it’s raining and he has taken shelter in an abandoned gas station. A loud bang alerts him to the presence of a wolf sporting a large wound on his backside. Eric feels bad and opens the door, but the wolf doesn’t seem interested so Eric tosses out a piece of jerky and falls asleep. A voice in his head brings Eric back to consciousness. After some initial confusion, he realizes it’s the wolf speaking to him. Enjoying the conversation after his lonely journey, Eric allows the wolf, who names himself Lex, to travel with him. With his unusual new companion in tote, Eric continues North and his search for the two sword bearers and the Dead city.
After reaching Kentucky, Red, Eric and his parents have trouble processing the news reports regarding the phenomenon in Chicago. They can’t wrap their heads around the idea that the world as they know it has changed. There is a spreading sickness that causes extreme aggression and cannibalism; the government has quarantined large areas. In addition to the trident falling from the sky, a large mountain has appeared from the earth. It’s from this mountain that Haden, son of Hades, appears although there are no reporters around to see it. He can’t remember much now that he’s on earth, just that a deal was made and he has to find a man known as the wanderer.
I didn’t have any real problems with this book. There were some awkward sentences but the meaning was always clear and they weren’t ever so awkward that they disrupted the flow of the story. This book also isn’t for the faint of heart; there are some very graphic scenes. They are short but a little disgusting. It’s not a negative thing, just a fair warning.
This book is all kinds of awesome; I had an extremely hard time putting it down. Gilchrist did a wonderful job of simultaneously following Eric’s journey in the present and revealing the beginning of his journey starting with the trident appearing in Chicago. He is also such a vivid storyteller that I actually had dreams about living in this wasteland. It’s a book I know I’m going to enjoy reading again and absolutely cannot wait for the next book to come out. I give this book 4 out of 4 stars and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror, fantasy and/or adventure stories.
***
Buy "Tides of Shadow" on Amazon
Tides of Shadow by Rob is best described as a post-apocalyptic fantasy but there are several parts that can easily fit in the horror category. I had no idea what I was in for when I started this book. It’s like Zombieland meets The Gunslinger meets Borderlands with a little Greek mythology thrown in for good measure. It sounds like an odd mix, but Gilchrist brings it all together beautifully.
We meet Eric as he’s walking down a highway littered with long abandoned cars. A voice that speaks directly to his mind has been giving him directions to go here or there, and that is exactly what he’s been doing. He wears a cowboy hat and carries 2 guns and sword at his waist; the world is a dangerous place. People are scarce and untrustworthy and the animals seem to have all mutated into bigger and meaner versions of themselves. Even the rain has turned to flesh melting acid. Eventually Eric’s path crosses with the man who has been speaking in his head. His name is Zygan, son of Hermes, and he tells him that there are 2 other sword carriers he must find to successfully complete his task. They all have to go north into the Dead City.
Flash back to present day Chicago. Eric wakes up to his alarm but something is very wrong, he feels like vomiting and his head is popping and throbbing. All of a sudden the windows shatter inwards and all of Chicago is rocked. Looking out the window he sees it, a giant trident has fallen from the sky and landed in downtown Chicago, 2 blocks away from his apartment. Absolutely stunned, Eric rushes to his neighbor’s apartment and watches the live news broadcast with them. With the city in chaos, Eric decides his best bet is to go stay with his parents in Kentucky. While making his escape, Eric befriends a man named Red and invites him to join him at his parent’s house.
Back in Erics present, it’s raining and he has taken shelter in an abandoned gas station. A loud bang alerts him to the presence of a wolf sporting a large wound on his backside. Eric feels bad and opens the door, but the wolf doesn’t seem interested so Eric tosses out a piece of jerky and falls asleep. A voice in his head brings Eric back to consciousness. After some initial confusion, he realizes it’s the wolf speaking to him. Enjoying the conversation after his lonely journey, Eric allows the wolf, who names himself Lex, to travel with him. With his unusual new companion in tote, Eric continues North and his search for the two sword bearers and the Dead city.
After reaching Kentucky, Red, Eric and his parents have trouble processing the news reports regarding the phenomenon in Chicago. They can’t wrap their heads around the idea that the world as they know it has changed. There is a spreading sickness that causes extreme aggression and cannibalism; the government has quarantined large areas. In addition to the trident falling from the sky, a large mountain has appeared from the earth. It’s from this mountain that Haden, son of Hades, appears although there are no reporters around to see it. He can’t remember much now that he’s on earth, just that a deal was made and he has to find a man known as the wanderer.
I didn’t have any real problems with this book. There were some awkward sentences but the meaning was always clear and they weren’t ever so awkward that they disrupted the flow of the story. This book also isn’t for the faint of heart; there are some very graphic scenes. They are short but a little disgusting. It’s not a negative thing, just a fair warning.
This book is all kinds of awesome; I had an extremely hard time putting it down. Gilchrist did a wonderful job of simultaneously following Eric’s journey in the present and revealing the beginning of his journey starting with the trident appearing in Chicago. He is also such a vivid storyteller that I actually had dreams about living in this wasteland. It’s a book I know I’m going to enjoy reading again and absolutely cannot wait for the next book to come out. I give this book 4 out of 4 stars and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror, fantasy and/or adventure stories.
***
Buy "Tides of Shadow" on Amazon
Latest Review: "When Dragons Die" by Mark Franzosa
