Review: An intriguing mix of history, legend, mystery and literary horror
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 1, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.When I started reading Ancient Enemy, I wasn’t sure I would like it. It sounded like a typical story of a family attacked by some kind of monsters, which would turn out to be something lame, like a werewolf or something. However, I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out the monsters in this book are original, refreshing, creatures from the depths, creatures from history and myth, that the author has brought to life on the pages of this book.Inspired by a real life mystery, namely that of the sudden disappearance of the Anasazi over a thousand years ago, Michael McBride weaves an intriguing story that mixes history, legends, mystery and literary horror into one impressive tale.Main character Sani Natonaba lives with his ill grandfather, who can no longer talk after a stroke, his alcoholic mother, his best friend – his horse – and their cattle, in a small trailer in an isolated corner of the Navajo reservation. But night after night, his sheep get attacked and slaughtered by a ferocious animal unlike any he’s seen before. His grandfather knows more about the mysterious creature, but sicne he’s unable to communicate, it’s up to Sani to discover the clues on his own. The clues lead him to a journey to the distant past, where he discovers a truth so horrible it had better stayed hidden.One of the best DarkFuse novellas put forward this year, if you ask me. Considering the consistent quality of these books, that’s saying something. I’ll definitely keep this author on my watchlist.