Review: Not that original, but has fresh elements and solid writing
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 2, 2014
I received a copy from this book in exchange for an honest review.This is my first read by Colin F. Barnes, and it’s definitely far from dissapointing. Dead Five’s Pass is dark, terrible, and harbors a form of cosmic horror creepy enough to startle you in your seat. Very Lovecraftian, with a Cthulhu-like monster threatening the lives of people in a small town. I don’t typically find this type of dark fiction very creepy, but Colin F. Barnes succeeded where plenty of others have failed – Dead Five’s Pass is definitely terrifying, especially when you stop to think about what would happen if this took place in real life.Carise, our main character, has some dark shadows in her past, most of them related to her relationship with her now ex-boyfriend, Marcel. However, when a distressed call arrives from a group of mountain climbers, Carise needs Marcel’s help if she wants to save those kids.However, what Carise and Marcel find as they reach the mountain, is something darker than either of them could’ve imagined. Not only are the kids’ lives at stake, but perhaps even the lives of all humanity.The story doesn’t rank that high in originality, but it offers plenty of fresh elements to make up for that. Carise is a troubled heroine, a failure at many things, and only succesful in a handful of others. This makes her intriguing. Marcel? Hardly as interesting. He’s okay, I suppose, but I found him kind of dull.For a novella, I was truly impressed by the amount of character development and plot development. Carise at the end of the book barely resembles the Carise we met at the start.Strong writing, good plot, solid characters, and creepy. What more can you want?