SFF

The Blade Between

by Sam J Miller
Ecco: HarperCollins. Dec. 2020. 384p. ISBN 9780062969828. $26.99. HORROR
COPY ISBN
Miller (Destroy All Monsters) takes on cosmic horror with chillingly realistic results. Ronan, a famous New York City photographer, comes home to the upstate New York town of Hudson to care for his dying father. Returning to the site of his childhood trauma, a place where being openly gay was dangerous, Ronan reconnects with his first crush, Dom, now a police officer, and hiswife Attalah, a community organizer, to help them save the town from gentrification. But Hudson is more than just a typical down-on-its-luck small town. Its rich history has a power that goes deep into the soil and transcends time and space, one that does not see humans as an obstacle but will protect itself at all costs.
VERDICT Filled with intense dread and unease; well-drawn if flawed characters; social commentary; and a satisfying resolution, this is a great example of how a century-old subgenre can still speak directly to today’s readers. Direct those who want more to John Langan’s The Fisherman, Caitlín R. Kiernan’s Agents of Dreamland, or T. Kingfisher’s The Twisted Ones.
Reviewed by Becky Spratford, La Grange, IL , Oct 01, 2020
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

Dreadful
by Rozakis, Caitlin
FICTION

Running Close to the Wind
by Rowland, Alexandra
FICTION

In the Shadow of the Fall
by Ogundiran, Tobi
FICTION

The Daughters’ War
by Buehlman, Christopher
FICTION

The Spice Gate
by Srivatsa, Prashanth
FICTION

The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur
by Grossman, Lev
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?