I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Aetherchrist by Kirk Jones Published by Apex Book Company on May 22 2018
Genres: Adult, Horror
Pages: 138
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: A disturbing and atmospheric story that had some cool ideas but didn’t quite deliver overall.
When I saw the cover of Aetherchrist I just knew I had to read it. I mean, come on! It’s such a cool cover. And after reading this VERY dark novella, I can say that the cover perfectly suits the story. The question is, how do I feel about Aetherchrist? On one hand, it satisfied my love of horror and ended up surprising me at every turn. However, this isn’t an easy read, and if you’re looking for something light and entertaining, you definitely won’t find it here. This book is grim and depressing and horrific, but I have to give the author credit for coming up with an original idea that really made me think.
Reymond, a door-to-door knife salesman, arrives in a small Vermont town to try his luck with the locals. But something is very wrong with the town. At the first house he visits, he notices a wall of old, stacked up televisions, broadcasting nothing but static. But later when he returns to the house, his image is on every TV. Reymond sees himself wearing clothes he hasn’t worn yet, in places he’s never been. The TVs seem to be broadcasting the future, because the next day, Reymond realizes he’s doing exactly what he saw on TV the day before.
It doesn’t take long before the images on the screen depict a horrifying future, which ultimately comes to pass. And someone is stalking Reymond, a man with no eyes who is determined to blind Reymond as well. As Reymond’s life starts to unravel, he finds himself trying to escape a violent and bloody future. But the images on the TV don’t lie, and Reymond has nowhere to run.
Jones takes the idea of a collective consciousness and envisions a world where those people who are sensitive to receiving certain radio transmissions can communicate with each other, even when they are miles apart. Reymond meets a man named Bill who has figured out a very gruesome way to fuse his body with a transmitter in order to become one with these transmissions. This idea is (sort of) explained at the beginning of each chapter with short paragraphs from Bill’s copious notebooks full of research on the subject. I liked this idea, which gives the reader a little more information in an honestly confusing story.
I enjoyed the first half of the novella the most, in which Reymond commits a terrible crime and then watches his life spiral out of control, as one crime leads to another. But when he meets an unhinged woman named Aero and follows her on a quest to a nearby radio tower, the story takes a weird turn and never quite recovers. I loved the idea of Reymond being able to see his future play out on TV screens, but the resolution didn’t quite work for me.
This is a blood-soaked, depressing story with absolutely no glimmer of hope, and the only reason I’m rating it as high as I am is because I appreciate the overall package. I received a digital review copy from the publisher, but I also purchased a finished paperback, which is simply beautiful. Apex is a fantastic small publisher, and just because this wasn’t my favorite of their books doesn’t mean I won’t keep reading and supporting them. Oh, and Kirk Jones is an excellent writer, even though I didn’t care for the story.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
Oh, that cover is so nice, yes. Certainly one to catch the eye. Such a good review, also! I’m interested in this one now. 🙂
Thanks, I’d love to hear other perspectives, so maybe you’ll review it some day:-)
I’ve been trying to read more short stories/novellas, so I might pick this one up because it sounds super creepy. Great review! I’ll definitely keep your thoughts in mind while I read.
It’s a quick read and if you’re looking for creepy, it’s hard to beat.
I’ve been curious about this one and I might pick it up eventually. However, after reading your review, I may not be in an hurry. However, I love supporting smaller publishers.
Apex is a fantastic publisher, and I’m always going to try their books:-)
A great review, Tammy – I always think it is the mark of a quality book blogger to write well about a book that didn’t inspire you – and you did an excellent job:)
Aw thanks Sarah! I always try to find things I like, even in books that don’t work for me.
This is an intriguing premise, and the only detail that cools my enthusiasm a little is the lack of hope in the story. Still, I might give this one a chance – thanks for sharing! 🙂
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It really was a cool idea, I’m looking forward to reading more from this author:-)
This doesn’t sound like one for me at the moment. Too bleak. Thanks for an excellent review.
Lynn 😀
Yeah, definitely not for everyone:-)
Hmm, I have to admit, I had hoped for a higher rating from you. It still sounds interesting and I’d still like to read it, though thanks for the warning about the depression and no glimmer of hope – I gotta be in a certain mood for these types of books, so now I’ll be prepared 😀
That cover is lovely, and even though you weren’t completely wowed with this one I think I am going to give it a read! It may be awhile because mood reader here, but it sounds worth it for me. Great review!
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This sounds a little too dark and depressing for my tastes, but the premise does sound good. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.
Not going to lie, that cover is really stunning. I can only imagine how beautiful it is as a paperback copy. Hopefully the author’s next book will be far more amazing for you, Tammy. Great honest review. 😉
Whew. I think I’d definitely have to be in the *right* frame of mind for this sort of darkness. I’d probably need a breather after and something light and fluffy lol
I bought this one on a whim recently (I also like to support smaller publishers!) and I was planning on reading it soon. The cover really drew me in, it’s so creepy!