Into the Fire

This week the CFBA Tour features Darkness Follows, Mike Dellosso’s fourth novel, published by Charisma House (Realms).

Mike Dellosso, the true gentleman writer of Christian horror, continues to illustrate and employ the supernatural in his stories. Contrasting the darkness to the light, in Darkness Follows Mike ventures into the occupation of the depraved soul as it either battles for rescue or succumbs to the evil desiring to possess it.

Each one of Mike’s novels travels to a different place, visiting flawed protagonists and wicked antagonists. Darkness Follows presents Sam Travis, husband to Molly and father to Eva. Sam survived a serious fall from a roof but came away with physical and spiritual damage that resurrects the memories and feelings of his traumatic youth with his demonic older brother Tommy. His past produces both fear and dread so he’s never shared what he endured with Molly. Molly came from a family with an abusive father and an inattentive mother and packs around her own scars. Little Eva is a child full of faith and carries on a friendship with Jacob who no one else can see, someone she describes as covered with glitter.

Sam’s head injury has interfered with his ability to continue his carpentry business, and he’s forced to rely on disability payments as he slowly recovers. His mood begins to swing to the dour and depressed after a mysterious blast through his front window shatters the glass and panics his family. Although Sam hasn’t shot a rifle in years, he’s well acquainted with the sound of a gunshot, and he insists that’s exactly what it was even when the police and his wife search everywhere for a bullet and can’t find one. During this strange episode, Sam discovers some Civil War writings reminiscent of a soldier’s journal which are penned in Sam’s handwriting. He has no memory of writing the words. The downhill slide of his self-worth, his attitude, and his overall conduct proceeds in a frightening spiral as he allows himself to be absorbed into the darkness of soul that threatens to overtake him.

Plunked into Sam’s story are the writings of another Samuel who’s watched his soldier friends fall in battle, horrific scenes of suffering and chaos and loss written in Sam Travis’s handwriting unbeknownst to him how he’s recorded the words. Along with this distant recollection of war are the hauntings of Sam’s deceased older brother Tommy’s demonic antics which escalate to terrifying proportions. All these episodes push Sam to a place he no longer seems able to resist. The only one who understands his decline is his little daughter Eva who receives her information from Jacob.

When Eva’s life is threatened, Sam determines his final plan.

Ultimately this is a story about generational sin, a speculative tale about how darkness can follow families and lead to their destruction, but how unconditional love can overcome the darkness and bring both repentance and forgiveness.

This is not an easy-going speculative thriller. Sam’s descent into darkness is an ugly thing to watch and in the process we lose our initial compassion for the man because it seems to happen with little resistance. Molly fails to inspire that same compassion in me, but that’s probably me. While I understand her efforts to assist and watch over her husband, she comes across as unsympathetic at times, lacking empathy for his position as a man. Her intentions are good, but she doesn’t satisfy as a character, in spite of her personal history, until the end.

The introduction of the sociopath antagonist is interesting but the explanation of who he is never quite fills in the blanks with the timing and direction of his life.

Little Eva is by far the most desirable character along with Jacob who never speaks to the reader.

The strange history and inspiration for the idea of this novel came from a real life journal penned by Mike’s uncle through the eyes of a young Civil War soldier, but Mike’s uncle claimed he couldn’t remember writing any of it.

The story is at its best from Chapter 53 to the unique and well done choice for ending the book. Mike Dellosso fans will appreciate Darkness Follows as another different kind of entry into supernatural horror. I do caution animal lovers and those who react to strong violence: some harsh scenes demonstrate the utter depravity of spiritual darkness manifested in the physical realm.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_33?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=darkness+follows+by+mike+dellosso&sprefix=darkness+follows+by+mike+dellosso

Father, you’ve watched over Mike through illness and health. You’ve given him many stories to write, and you’re not finished yet. He’s a man of integrity and honesty, and I ask your continued blessing upon his life along with meeting his need for creative supply. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.