Book Review: Serenity Falls by James A. Moore

Originally posted as a single novel, Serenity Falls was recently released in a three volume mass paperback set. For fans of horror, especially those who enjoyed Stephen King back when he was writing books like It, Cujo and Salem’s Lot, this is definitely something you’d want to scoop up. Unlike some trilogies, especially ones that were originally conceived as a single novel, all three books of the series have a different feel to them.

The basic premise deals with the small rural New York town of Serenity Falls. While Serenity Falls may seem like your prototypical small town, it has a history of violence and death that far exceeds most small towns.


Book #1: Writ in Blood
Bob's Grade: B

Book one intermingles three tales together to set the framework for the rest of the series. Part gothic horror, part paranormal thriller Writ in Blood tells the tale of Simon McGruder, local eccentric, who decides that a complete history of the town is needed. As he starts to dig into the towns past we learn about Serenity Falls horrible past. The first tale told starts during the colonial period when the town first was founded as a supply station for England and it’s new world colonies. Albert Miles, a local man, is sent away to England on the mayor’s orders. While he was gone he wife is left alone to fend for herself. An uncommonly beautiful women, stories began to swirl, first of visits by local gentlemen, later the stories expand to that of evil and witchcraft. Eventually, Sarah Miles is put on trial for witchcraft and tortured raped and eventually killed by the town’s mayor. When he husband returns, he is obviously enraged. While the stories of witchcraft were unfounded in his wife, Albert Miles himself has a working knowledge of the dark arts. In his rage, he places a curse upon the town, written in rage and blood, that the town will never rest in peace, in life or death and that eventually, every soul will scream.

We then see how the curse has played out through the history of Serenity Falls. We see tragedies on small and large levels. We see husbands driven crazy, killing their whole family, women abducted and killed, never to be seen again, and one intriguing tale of a carnival and a few missing children. As with all tales in this book, it’s ends in death and tragedy on a grand scale.

Intertwined with the history of Serenity Falls, we follow the tales anti-hero, the other than human demon hunter Jonathon Crowley, who we first saw in Moore other book, Under the Overtree, as he is being stalked by a demon that is leading him to Serenity Falls. Crowley is your basic sarcastic, yet harsh hero. Even serving as humanities protector, he seems to have contempt for humanity and it’s vices. At times, it serves him well in this book, at other times, it’s just annoying. It seems he is more interested in passing judgment of people than doing his job. Yet, when his job comes up, and he needs to physically take on one of the many ghosts, demons and such in the book, the story just takes off. One intriguing aspect of Crowley’s character is that he is bound by certain rules that he must adhere too when dealing with both humanity and those beyond humanity. It adds an intriguing ethical subplot to the story.

All in all, Writ in Blood is a solid horror tale, full of intriguing characters. At times, the book reminds you of parts of It, especially the when King handles the history of Derry. In some levels, this first book is just an extended prologue to the tale that is to come, but it teases your interest just enough to pick up that next book.


Book 2: The Pack
Bob's Grade: B+

While probably having the worst name of the series, the second book is strongest of the series and it’s where the story truly takes off. This time the focus of the book is not on the curse haunting the town, or even out anti-hero Jonathon Crowley, who doesn’t even appear until until the second half of the book. This time the focus is on the townspeople, and even more so, the children.

The evil entity that has been slowly drawing Crowley to Serenity Falls, now focuses his energy on the town and playing games with it’s residents. Among the games he plays is possessing certain townsfolk, causing them to act outside of there character. The children themselves are tormented by ghosts and bad dreams, and one child becomes the conduit for the souls of Serenity Falls dead between this world and the world they have been trapped in since their deaths.

Yet, beyond the horror and mayhem, the true beauty of this novel is the developing the characters that were only briefly touched on in the first book. Sheriff Jack Michael’s, is more than just a loyal lawman, but a figure as tragic as the town itself. Mike Blake, the banker turn town drunk, pulls himself out of self imposed stupor since his wife died to begin once again gaining the respect of himself and his neighbors, only to have his world turned upside down in the form a beautiful, yet oddly familiar women. Deputy Victor Barnes, who we only saw as the helpful biker in the first book, becomes a main character, as a newly hired deputy who gives us an outsiders perspective on the town.

Then there is the kids. A group of misfired kids, like Farm boy Dave Pageant, feisty best friends Charlene and Jessie, and tormented Stan Long, may just be the towns only chance against the forces building up in the town. It doesn’t help that there is a pack of wild, seemingly changed dogs roaming the woods, terrorizing and slaughtering the residents of this cursed town.

Moore cleverly intermingles many horror archetypes, monsters and vampires, horny kids at make out point being terrorized, demonic possession, ghosts, and of course, the horrors of childhood bullies, yet, he understands the clichéd aspects and builds and manipulates the reader. Yet, while he has some of Stephen King’s flair for characters, he also has some of his flaws. Many scenes are overwritten and it can get hard to keep the multiple characters straight and try to remember their connection to the past. . He also uses the “hit you in the face” foreshadowing (…and that was the last time she ever saw her sister alive…) that is a literary trick, and one that becomes painfully obvious. Yet, in the end, The Pack works because the characters do. At times the story gets bogged down and confusing, but in the end, Moore it pulls off.


Book 3: Dark Carnival
Bob's Grade: B-

The third book picks up the story of the town of Serenity Falls, and builds on the characters we have met, yet, this book is mostly Jonathon Crowley’s tale. Crowley, the other than human demon hunter, takes center stage in the last segment. While many of the townspeople have suffered loss, many others have just been living life as normal. But that’s about to change, because the Carnival is coming.

Crowley still is unsure of what he it dealing with as the story starts, but he knows that the entity that has been plaguing him for a while is nothing more than a dangerous distraction from the real problems. He begins to realize that the secret to the mystery lies with the children. After dealing with the tormented Stan Long, he finds the entity had found a new host in the bodies of some of the towns children. Crowley finds this disturbing, yet also sees the possibilities that lay in this. As he lays his traps, he must also deal with his conflicting feelings for the mysterious women that Mike Blake has fallen for, one that he himself has had a past with.

While Crowley is brilliant and cunning in his deductions., the final battles he must have with the entity tormenting him and the town and the curse that is putting the bodies and souls of the town in jeopardy, turns brutally physical. Crowley, in the end, is looking for a fight and he finds one. As the carnival enters town, run by the souls of the outsiders slaughtered by the townspeople, Crowley has to put out one fire after another, before that final showdown.

Of all the books, this is probably the weakest, yet it is probably necessary do to the development of the story. The characters are in play, the battle has been set, and now, it just comes down to execution. I am someone who enjoys the buildup more that the actual action, so at points I found myself skimming through the brutal and garish action. While some aspects are predictable, Moore shows no fear of killing off main characters, and having things not go exactly how you would expect, Crowley is a worthy antihero, but he can become exasperating for the reader. His judgmental side attacks characters that we grow to like, and seems dismissive toward humans. Plus, he’s a bit too resourceful. Like Batman, he always has exactly what he needs to battle with the evil forces.

Yet, complaints aside, the series comes together well in this last book. While this is the final battle, the end leaves just enough ambiguity to leave the reader wanting more. I know if there is another book featuring Crowley, I’ll be reading it.

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