Review: 5* for writing and genre appeal; 2* for other readers
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2012
Satan Carol, ISBN 9781617980138, Wild Child Publishing, e-book format byAlan Steven Kessler is a story that begins in 1848 and moves to activities 180 years later when the inhabitants of the world have `reaped what they have sown'.This is the first `spiritual horror' story I have read, and admittedly it would not be one of my choice. However, I find it a most interesting read. The theme is about the attempts of an all-powerful Mr. Green (Satan) to obtain for his invalid son, the `golden soul' that was released when an invalid Irish child died during the years of the great famine. It begins with the thoughtless actions of greedy, selfish and self-indulgent characters and their effect on others, and progresses to expound on the continued existence of these reincarnated, as well as other, similarly inclined individuals, as Satan's attempts continue to be thwarted. His attempts are confounded by the `free will' given to man and the fact that he, too, finds a necessity to `play by the rules'.It is a little difficult to adjust to the story and to make some of the `leaps' necessary from point to point, perhaps because of my unfamiliarity with the genre. However, the author quite succinctly describes persons exhibiting all of the baser aspects of life along with their actions, and satirically, persons exhibiting a purportedly deep belief in God. His accounts of the situation during the Irish disaster, as well as descriptions of the modern cities construction and the actions of the inhabitants are equally well done, but macabre, to say the least.In summary, Satan Carol is a well-written satire on religion and what is happening in the world today. As such, it provides the reader with much `food for thought'. It is a book that should have great appeal to aficionados of the genre. For the non-aficionado, it is most interesting, but perhaps not one's first choice to read. Reviewed by John H. Manhold, award winning author of fiction/non-fiction.