Genre: Horror
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Publication Date: 22nd Jan 2016
Pages: 53
CHAD’S REVIEW:
A copy of The Moon in Your Eyes was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Adrian W. Lilly, in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by Amazon Digital Services
The Moon in Your Eyes is a great, fun, quickie of a read. I was looking forward to reading this as, save for Twilight and True Blood, I kind of felt like werewolves haven’t had a chance to have their time in the spotlight as of late. Maybe when Hollywood has their fill of witches and creepy dolls, we can get a good and proper werewolf phase.
I thought the book had a nice, nostalgic feel of a classic B horror film. Adrian W. Lilly did a great job crafting this narrative and pacing it out, leading up to an end that left me grinning.
The premise is simple enough, as I think works best for stories of this type. A group of disparate characters are brought together to go on a week-long camping trip, designed to leave your technological habits behind and take part in the glories of nature. All the characters have different motivations for being along for the trip and Lilly does a nice job presenting them all with little vignettes before the story gets underway.
One thing I would note here is that in a story that is this short, it can be difficult to pull it off with such a large cast of characters. Lines are blurred and people start blending together. Being completely honest, as I started to read the book, this was running through my mind. However, Lilly does a pretty good job keeping everyone straight and lends a unique enough voice to them that it isn’t too much trouble, telling who’s who. I did find that there wasn’t any particular character that I found myself rooting for or against. I didn’t really feel particularly invested in any of them, save for the fact that they are all in the same situation of distress. However, for the kind of story this is, I think that is ultimately more effective. I don’t see this necessarily as a character driven story as much as the horror of their situation and seeing it unfold.
Lilly does a good job finding the archetypes within this story and mixes them together quite well. Whether it’s the teenager with the attitude problem or the concerned mother or the self-involved or the ones simply trying to make healthier life decisions, this story definitely gives each character a reason for being on the screen.
One thing that could have made the story stronger, in my opinion would be if it was a little bit longer. There are moments where the book felt rushed to me and I kind of wish the tension had been drawn out a little bit more. The monster makes its presence known very early in the book and everyone seems to figure out quite rapidly what they are dealing with. There seems to be very little mental transition with the characters who quickly come to terms with the notion of discovering that werewolves are real. And there is one of my personal pet peeves when one of the characters identifies the monster as a werewolf, stating, “haven’t you seen any movies?” or something to that effect. My problem with that particular device whenever I have seen it used is that it purports to artificially place the story in some realm that exists above and outside that of the “normal” world of fiction and make-believe. I’m already willing to cast up my suspension of disbelief going into the story, techniques like this aren’t needed.
The quality of the writing is good. I thought that Lilly was efficient with the prose and while I thought some of the physical descriptions could have been punched up a little, overall I thought it was well done. It’s an efficient story. It goes in, hits you where it counts, and strolls off the stage. Maybe there is something to be said for that.
I didn’t feel like the story really strayed too far in terms of trying to take any risks or break new ground. However, the ending provides a nice little twist that, for me, ended up elevating the book to the four star rating I would give it.
Overall, great reading experience. It would be a nice option to distract yourself on a short flight or on a road trip and I was happy to have had the opportunity to read it.
General rating:
★★★★
Reviewed by Chad Clark.
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Book Synopsis:
A group of strangers enters the woods on a week-long camping trip to escape technology. But, the trek meant to test their endurance has them fighting for their lives when they cross paths with a blood-thirsty werewolf.
Victor is the guide on the expedition, and he has only one goal: to use his years of experience to get everyone in and out safely. Eighteen-year-old Taylor, and his mother, Leah, are only joining the trip after a judge ordered Taylor, who caused a car wreck while texting, to go. Odette is hoping to shed a few pounds while treating herself to a relaxing week in the woods after a long, hard year. Tech-addicted Brent is always looking for a challenge, and burnt out with mud runs, thinks this week-long hike is just the thing. Chelsea read in her favorite blog that this was the new thing to do, so she’s doing it. Merle used to always camp with his wife before she died, and he thinks camping with a group is the best way to try again.
But the first night they are awakened by the sound of an animal outside their tents. When Victor investigates, something tackles him to the ground. Suddenly, the camp erupts into chaos, and the campers scatter, only to be hunted down, and watch in horror, as their numbers dwindle.
Adrian W. Lilly is the author of The Moon in Your Eyes, The Runes Trilogy (The Wolf at His Door, The Wolf in His Arms, and The Wolf at War), The Devil You Know and Red Haze. Adrian's writing focuses on strong character development and the nuances of fear that build toward horror. The mansion in his first novel was inspired by houses in the Victorian neighborhood where he lives. He is a fan of Gothic suspense movies and novels, which greatly influence his writing.
Adrian writes novels, short stories and poetry and has spent many years as a copywriter in the advertising industry.
And for more about Adrian, visit his site or find him on social media:
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon Page
