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What Moves the Dead (Sworn Soldier, 1)
An Instant USA Today & Indie Bestseller
A Barnes & Noble Book of the Year Finalist
A Goodreads Best Horror Choice Award Nominee
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Community Reviews
3.75/5
I think the author's style fleshed out this classic well-known story. It didn't repeat the original, it genuinely added to it. In addition, the characters were fantastic and compelling.
The creepy and raw elements were greatly executed, accompanied by a narrator that was charismatic but did not downplay the events happening.
If there's anything to criticize about this, is that the introduction went a bit longer than I expected, but definitely paid off in the end.
I think the author's style fleshed out this classic well-known story. It didn't repeat the original, it genuinely added to it. In addition, the characters were fantastic and compelling.
The creepy and raw elements were greatly executed, accompanied by a narrator that was charismatic but did not downplay the events happening.
If there's anything to criticize about this, is that the introduction went a bit longer than I expected, but definitely paid off in the end.
A cool story but very special writing. A bit slow at the start, but it’s a cool concept and reminds me of “The Last of Us”
3.75/5
When retired officer Alex Easton receives a letter from their friend Madeline Usher claiming that she's dying they don't hesitate and immediately head for the Usher estate in Ruravia. Upon arriving Alex notices that both Usher siblings are worse for wear, as is the house and its surroundings, and something odd is going on with the hares around the property. As the days pass and Madeline's condition worsens and becomes stranger, Alex must uncover the secret behind this disease unless they want to become the next victim of this illness.
A retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's well known "The Fall of the House of Usher" with a twist, I really enjoyed this. It expands on themes of the original one, and its longer, while not being a carbon copy. T. Kingfisher adds her on brand of horror to this tale and you can feel her style leaping out of the page. The standouts in this book were the characters, they are all fleshed out and meticulously constructed. I specially like Alex, their narration was funny but didn't downplay the horrors. The answer to the mystery was quite good too and creepy enough to compete with Edgar Allan Poe. I do wish that the pacing had been a bit tighter. For a novella it felt like the introduction dragged on and the action entered the frame quite late.
Every sense I had honed over years on the battlefield was screaming that something was not as it appeared. I could feel it. The dead don't walk.
When retired officer Alex Easton receives a letter from their friend Madeline Usher claiming that she's dying they don't hesitate and immediately head for the Usher estate in Ruravia. Upon arriving Alex notices that both Usher siblings are worse for wear, as is the house and its surroundings, and something odd is going on with the hares around the property. As the days pass and Madeline's condition worsens and becomes stranger, Alex must uncover the secret behind this disease unless they want to become the next victim of this illness.
A retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's well known "The Fall of the House of Usher" with a twist, I really enjoyed this. It expands on themes of the original one, and its longer, while not being a carbon copy. T. Kingfisher adds her on brand of horror to this tale and you can feel her style leaping out of the page. The standouts in this book were the characters, they are all fleshed out and meticulously constructed. I specially like Alex, their narration was funny but didn't downplay the horrors. The answer to the mystery was quite good too and creepy enough to compete with Edgar Allan Poe. I do wish that the pacing had been a bit tighter. For a novella it felt like the introduction dragged on and the action entered the frame quite late.
from the authorâs note: âitâs not malicious; it has no way of knowing that humans really, really hate it when you make dead things walk aroundâ
my half theory was right, but Sally Field's voice still echoed in my head at the twist
at the end I was still a little jarred on 'how?' it happened or even more so 'what was driving it?' but I think those are just the right lingering questions for a horror book to leave me with. Similar to Hill House, it seemed like maybe the environment itself was just inexplicably bad but wouldn't stand to go uninhabited.
Kingfisher did a great job of clarifying what it was in the author's note and that we would not learn the answers from the narrator because of the science available in 1890whatever. That said, I'm choosing to believe there's a supernatural element to it. Maybe that makes it scarier for me in the moment, maybe that just makes it seem less tangible the longer I dwell on it. Maybe both. Either way, I'll be keeping my distance from lakes for a little bit.
my half theory was right, but Sally Field's voice still echoed in my head at the twist
at the end I was still a little jarred on 'how?' it happened or even more so 'what was driving it?' but I think those are just the right lingering questions for a horror book to leave me with. Similar to Hill House, it seemed like maybe the environment itself was just inexplicably bad but wouldn't stand to go uninhabited.
Kingfisher did a great job of clarifying what it was in the author's note and that we would not learn the answers from the narrator because of the science available in 1890whatever. That said, I'm choosing to believe there's a supernatural element to it. Maybe that makes it scarier for me in the moment, maybe that just makes it seem less tangible the longer I dwell on it. Maybe both. Either way, I'll be keeping my distance from lakes for a little bit.
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