dnf @ 9%

I wanted to read some good horror, but this one was a no-go for me. It was my first and probably last book by Aron Beauregard, because his writing style is definitely not for me.

‘[…] took a deep breath of the unpolluted oxygen momentarily, then with sarcasm oozing from her eyes, said […]’

‘ […] the personality that infected Lillian […]’

‘[…] She didn’t want to distract from their mission with drunken foolery or the college clichés that were embedded in Lillian’s DNA. […]’

‘[…] as long as Lillian wasn’t annihilated nightly […]’

‘[…] As the HD video of the Aye-Aye hunting completed abruptly […]’

I may be getting oversensitive in my old age, but these made me grind my teeth. Nope, thank you.

This story was so much more than I expected. In the Hands of the Heathens by Aron Beauregard has an incredible tale of humanity and human failing within the brutal, compelling story. In fact, it drives it. There is definitive cause and effect within the plot. But don’t get me wrong, this book is all Aron Beauregard: tense, horrifying, bloody, and fast-paced. It’s a riveting tale with realistic, relatable characters and a fantastic folklore base.

As always, I feel I must take a moment to mention that this is Splatterpunk. It has some very disturbing content and graphic details of said disturbing content along with the brutal and impactful sociological mirroring. It is a socially important and entertaining story told with no punches pulled, just as it should be, but it is not for those with delicate constitutions or those who prefer more generalized horror stories.

I read this in two sittings because I ran out of opportunity during the first sitting. It was a disappointing but unavoidable situation. I would have preferred to read it cover to cover all at once; it’s hard to put down. I love this book. I love the cover. I love the backstory of the critters. I love the folklore. I love the characterization. This may be my favorite of Aron’s works yet. ( )