When Carter Weston journeys to recover an ancient grimoire from a seafaring Massachusetts village, he comes upon four men whose tales of past terror reveal a sleeping evil, the malevolence of which is matched only by its desire to return and reclaim dominion over the earth.
Miskatonic University has a long-whispered reputation of being strongly connected to all things occult and supernatural. From the faculty to the students, the fascination with other-worldly legends and objects runs rampant. So, when Carter Weston’s professor Dr. Thayerson asks him to search a nearby village for a book that is believed to control the inhuman forces that rule the Earth, Incendium Maleficarum, The Inferno of the Witch, the student doesn’t hesitate to begin the quest.
Weston’s journey takes an unexpected turn, however, when he ventures into a tavern in the small town of Anchorhead. Rather than passing the evening as a solitary patron, Weston joins four men who regale him with stories of their personal experiences with forces both preternatural and damned. Two stories hit close to home as they tie the tellers directly to Weston’s current mission.
His unanticipated role as passive listener proves fortuitous, and Weston fulfills his goal. Bringing the book back to Miskatonic, though, proves to be a grave mistake. Quickly, Weston realizes he has played a role in potentially opening the gate between the netherworld and the world of Man. Reversing the course of events means forgetting all he thought he knew about Miskatonic and his professor and embracing an unknown beyond his wildest imagination.
Professional Reviews
The book that has me hooked on horror again!
That Which Should Not Be is the winner of JournalStone's 2011 Horror Writing Contest!
As a student at the mysterious Miskatonic University, Carter Weston is accustomed to the well-known reputation of the school's association in all things occult and supernatural. When Professor Thayerson sends Carter on a secretive search for a dark and powerful book, he doesn't even blink an eye. Shortly after Weston reaches the seaside town of Anchorhead in pursuit of the Incendium Maleficarum, The Inferno of the Witch, he meets a small group of fascinating men in a local tavern. Deep into the night, the men share their stories with Carter--stories that are chock full of paranormalcy and evil. Two particular stories seem to deal directly with the very item Carter is in search of, proving their chance meeting anything but. Will Weston find what he is looking for, and what could this mean for the fate of the entire world?
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher for proofing and review.
Since this book is the winner of the Horror Writing Contest, it is indeed of the horror genre. I have not read horror in years...YEARS! JournalStone is corrupting me! Nevertheless, this is a fantastic novel and absolutely worth first place!
For starters, I think this is one of my favorite book covers, at least of the JournalStone published books. It really captures one of the pivotal scenes of the novel and puts a face, so to speak, on the evil that threatens the world.
Okay, so it really wasn't that scary. Actually, a tremendous amount of the "fantasy" out there could be labeled horror but probably would be read less. The worst this did to me was give me some interesting material for some pretty creative dreams! Yes, there are a few rather gruesome parts in Jack's trapper story, and the whole psychotic professor deal was a bit disturbing, but the overall plot was first class fiction in my opinion. (At least, I hope it is fiction!)
I love how the different stories within the narrative tied the beginning and ending together so perfectly. It was a truly creative and entertaining way to slowly add pieces to the puzzle of Miskatonic and the darkly magical books involved. There were the necessary twists, turns, and deceptions that I feel are essential to a good horror or suspense novel. You will find no objection from me that Mr. Talley is a fantastic writer!
Did you ever wonder what happened after the Archangel Michael through the demons out of heaven? Let one of them guide you through the origin of evil in the world.
The Butcher's Boy
- 2011 Readers Favorite Award Silver Medal Winner in Horror - Fiction
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Thirty-one years ago, Buxly the Butcher went to trial for killing h
