Review: Dark and Gritty World of Deacon Chalk
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 26, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A short, descriptive introduction to the dark and gritty world of Deacon Chalk, monster hunter.Opening Sentence: "Tell me what it is I'm looking at."The Review:I was really excited when I received That Thing at the Zoo to read for review. It looked like an interesting new series with a lot of promising potential. I am a huge horror fan and this appealed to me on so many levels. Let me just say that I was not disappointed.That Thing at the Zoo is a prequel to James Tuck's upcoming debut dark urban fantasy, Blood and Bullets. In this novella we get an introduction to the main character, a bada$$, gun toting monster hunter, Deacon Chalk. Deacon's world was turned upside down when he learned that monsters really existed, they killed his family, and now he hunts them down and kills them. He is called to the Atlanta Zoo after several animals are slaughtered. He hunts down the culprit with the help of a redneck, mullet wearing zookeeper and his truly unique team that consists of a manager of a strip club and a priest.James R. Tuck really delivered with this e-novella. His descriptions really draw you in; make you feel like you are there right along side Deacon. The monsters are scary, the way that they are supposed to be in horror, the language is raw and gritty and the characters are tough. Deacon is a no nonsense character who wants to protect people from the monsters that tore his life apart and he is prepared to do whatever is necessary to accomplish that. He still has hard times where the pain from his memories threatens to overwhelm him but he knows that in order to do right by his family that he needs to move forward and do what he can to make sure that others don't have to live his misery.I am proudly from the south, most authors make a mess of writing about the south but Tuck did it without seeming condescending or without the usual mockery. Sure we have rednecks like Jimmy, the zookeeper, but that's not all we have. I really believed in Deacon's character, the bald headed, gun toting, tatted up tough guy, monster hunter that really has a good heart. Probably because I know a few people who match that description, well minus the monster hunting.I was really drawn into this world that Tuck created and I cannot wait to dive into Blood and Bullets and continue to learn more about Deacon and his world.The Deacon Chalk Occult Bounty Hunter Series:1. That Thing at the Zoo2. Blood and Bullets (February 7, 2012)3. Blood and Silver (August 7, 2012)FTC Advisory: Kensington Publishing provided me with a copy of That Thing at the Zoo. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.