 Another month and another new book from Darkfuse publications. I swear to god this publisher has taken up more of my time, this last year, than any other publisher out there. So it's good thing that the time spent between the pages of their books has been some of the most enjoyable and fun filled periods I have had this year. So when you factor in author such as William Meikle, whose novels and short stories have thrilled me for more years than I care to remember, you just know you are in for something special. It started not with a bang, or even a whimper, but with a hum. A hum so insidious that the townsfolk don't pay much attention to it. Little do they know that the hum is the heralding trumpet call of the end of their world. It's only when the townsfolk start coming down nosebleeds and headaches, and an ever expanding hole is discovered under a septic tank that they sit up take notice. But is it too late them? With The Hole William Meikle has found the shining centre jewel in his splendid crown of writing achievements. While The Hole maintains the fantastic pulp sensibilities that made his previous novels such a joy to read, he has upped his game to stellar heights with the addition of some of his most rounded and fully fleshed characters to appear within the pages of his books. Yes some of the characters may seem familiar, the big friendly town sheriff, the feisty female Dr, and a pair of fabulous written town drunks. However these characters are fleshed out with enough unique character traits that they escape the confines of their cypher heritage. As for the narrative, in a way that mirrors the the plot itself, the story starts of with that little hum, that gets into your head and refuses to leave. It builds from hum to a full on orchestral crescendo that will have you giving it a Last Night of The Proms standing ovation. The Hole plays on some excellent riffs, such as small town paranoia, mistrust of the government, with nods to Invasion of The Bodysnatchers, and some other classic genre films. At the centre of this fabulous story is a pounding pulp rhythm, onto which Meikle has layered a philharmonic gemstone of plots, characters, and thrills to create a triumphant symphonic masterpiece of modern genre writing. THE HOLEIt starts with an odd hum that brings headaches and nosebleeds to the inhabitants of a remote, sleepy country town. Then a sinkhole begins to form…and out from that hole comes the townspeople's worst nightmares. File Under Horror Novel ReviewComments are closed.
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