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Deep in the Darkness
Hoping to build a perfect new life for his wife and young daughter, Dr. Michael Cayle leaves Manhattan to join a private practice in the small New England town of Ashborough, unaware of the dark secrets and terrible evil that lurks in the woods outside the town. Original.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Michael Laimo
43 books123 followersNEW NOVEL MISSED CONNECTION COMING MAY 21st 2024!
Michael Laimo's novels include FIRES RISING, ATMOSPHERE, DEEP IN THE DARKNESS, THE DEMONOLOGIST, FIRES RISING, SLEEPWALKER, and DEAD SOULS.
DEAD SOULS & DEEP IN THE DARKNESS have been made into feature-length films.
His short fiction has found its way into the pages of A WALK ON THE DARKSIDE, LOST ON THE DARKSIDE, HOT BLOOD XII: STRANGE BEDFELLOWS, SURREAL MAGAZINE, INHUMAN MAGAZINE, plus many more anthologies and magazines. He has three short story collections, including the recently released DARK RIDE, now available from Borderlands Press.
His new novel, the erotic thriller MISSED CONNECTION, will be released spring 2024.
Michael Laimo's novels include FIRES RISING, ATMOSPHERE, DEEP IN THE DARKNESS, THE DEMONOLOGIST, FIRES RISING, SLEEPWALKER, and DEAD SOULS.
DEAD SOULS & DEEP IN THE DARKNESS have been made into feature-length films.
His short fiction has found its way into the pages of A WALK ON THE DARKSIDE, LOST ON THE DARKSIDE, HOT BLOOD XII: STRANGE BEDFELLOWS, SURREAL MAGAZINE, INHUMAN MAGAZINE, plus many more anthologies and magazines. He has three short story collections, including the recently released DARK RIDE, now available from Borderlands Press.
His new novel, the erotic thriller MISSED CONNECTION, will be released spring 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
September 2, 2016
Dr. Michael Cayle moves from the city with his wife and young daughter to set up a private practice in the small town of Ashborough, New Hampshire. His new home is a half mile away from his nearest neighbor and the woods beyond his house seem to stretch on forever. He thinks his biggest problem will be trying to adjust to a new, quieter, slower pace of life, after always living in the city. Little does he know that he has bigger problems awaiting him beyond in those deep woods, where glowing golden eyes seem to be looking out at him and his family from the darkness of the woods.
This was a very enjoyable horror story that would make almost anyone afraid to live near the woods. I liked the main character Michael, and the story is written in his 1st person POV. It was interesting getting into his head and living out his terror and worst nightmares with him. The Isolates that lived out in the woods were horrifying little creatures. Very entertaining, disturbing, creepy, bloody and gruesome story. I never knew what to expect next.
This was a very enjoyable horror story that would make almost anyone afraid to live near the woods. I liked the main character Michael, and the story is written in his 1st person POV. It was interesting getting into his head and living out his terror and worst nightmares with him. The Isolates that lived out in the woods were horrifying little creatures. Very entertaining, disturbing, creepy, bloody and gruesome story. I never knew what to expect next.
June 4, 2014
This was my first brush with Laimo's work and I have to say that while I can see where he's liked as much as he is, it's not entirely my thing. I would honestly say that you really have to be in the right mindset for Laimo's work and perhaps this is why I didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to.
Part of me thinks that I may not have enjoyed this work as much because none of the characters are really all that likable. For example, Michael has a good reason to act the way he does, but he was also a jerk to people around him and I could never really forget that the move to the town was ultimately his choice: his wife agreed to it, but she never truly wanted to move out of Manhattan. It shows a callousness to his character that does make it easier to believe that he could alienate his family so much over the course of the novel while acting out of love for his daughter in other passages. But it is still hard to commiserate with him at times. I think that another thing that sort of irritated me was that there are long stretches where not a lot happens and I couldn't help but wonder if this would have been improved by it being about 20 pages shorter?
However when this book kicks into high gear, you can't help but race through the pages to find out what happens next. There's a wonderful sense of urgency and dread in the final portion of the book and I admit, I'm mildly curious to see how the sequel furthers the plot along.
Part of me thinks that I may not have enjoyed this work as much because none of the characters are really all that likable. For example, Michael has a good reason to act the way he does, but he was also a jerk to people around him and I could never really forget that the move to the town was ultimately his choice: his wife agreed to it, but she never truly wanted to move out of Manhattan. It shows a callousness to his character that does make it easier to believe that he could alienate his family so much over the course of the novel while acting out of love for his daughter in other passages. But it is still hard to commiserate with him at times. I think that another thing that sort of irritated me was that there are long stretches where not a lot happens and I couldn't help but wonder if this would have been improved by it being about 20 pages shorter?
However when this book kicks into high gear, you can't help but race through the pages to find out what happens next. There's a wonderful sense of urgency and dread in the final portion of the book and I admit, I'm mildly curious to see how the sequel furthers the plot along.
April 1, 2010
Imagine being stalked by something dark and evil, hungry for your tender muscles and soft skin, something that lives deep in the darkest shadows of the forest outside of your cozy new home. Something that is part beast, part man, part myth and living folklore, deadly, conniving and consciously set on making your life a little piece of hell. Such is the tale of Dr. Michael Cayle and his family who unknowingly move to Ashborough to escape the gray city life but instead they walk right into the lion's den. From the start something is off about the quiet place, the neighbors act strange, Cayle's new patients seem to have bizarre problems that leave them disfigured and the absence of pets and animals is truly alarming. Terror starts to build when Michael stops feeling welcome and starts to feel like a prisoner in his own home. He feels trapped by something lurking in the shadows, something that has glowing gold eyes watching him from the darkness. And so the battle begins, to save his sanity and his family, Michael Cayle must do some unthinkable acts and dirty his soul in the process. With each chapter being more outlandish than the last, the reader is almost scared to see what awaits on the next page. The climax of the novel seems to flow without ceasing as more chills and thrills continue to build up.
The author does a great job of building up the chill factor, I felt the terror, the cold iron grip on Cayle's throat and chest, the suffocating feeling of hopelessness and isolation, the feeling that end is near and there is no way out but to surrender to the hunger that waits in the deep dark woods. The scenes in the quiet, eerie woods were marvelous, I had the pleasure to spend many hours in various forests in my native country and they can be scary even in daylight with no monsters running around. The best part of the book, other than how damn creepy it was, must have been the writing. The words melt of the pages and sink right in, reading this book almost didn't feel like reading at all, everything felt as if it was happening before my very own eyes. Of course this is horror, so things go from dandy to rotten in a matter of moments and the book flows fast, it's a real luxury to enjoy a good book and breeze though it at the same time.
With so many books out there and so little time to actually read any of them I find myself being more picky and critical. After reading "Deep in the Darkness" my cynicism for finding good writers out there melted and my list of favorite authors opened its cob webbed door, and trust me, it's hard to get into my tightly woven list of favorites. Michael Laimo writes with passion and heart, humor and wit, not overshadowing his talent for gruesome and creative ways to raise the hairs on the readers flesh. Each page was skillfully woven with words that send electricity though my system, I can't remember the last time I had such an incredible time with a book. Another great thing about his writing is how real the characters are; I couldn't help but side with Michael Cayle, I could feel his humanity though the pages, his sorrows and slow crumble were achingly realistic. When things hot hairy between him and the once loving wife, I felt tormented that he was being stalked by a deadly force out in the wild and an angry wife at home, they both matched up pretty well drilling through the main character form both sides, taking him apart. Once I love a character his suffering becomes my suffering, and man, this book packs a punch, so watch out!
There is something for everyone in this book and I'm really looking forward to the sequel; it's set up to be a hell of a ride.
- Kasia S.
The author does a great job of building up the chill factor, I felt the terror, the cold iron grip on Cayle's throat and chest, the suffocating feeling of hopelessness and isolation, the feeling that end is near and there is no way out but to surrender to the hunger that waits in the deep dark woods. The scenes in the quiet, eerie woods were marvelous, I had the pleasure to spend many hours in various forests in my native country and they can be scary even in daylight with no monsters running around. The best part of the book, other than how damn creepy it was, must have been the writing. The words melt of the pages and sink right in, reading this book almost didn't feel like reading at all, everything felt as if it was happening before my very own eyes. Of course this is horror, so things go from dandy to rotten in a matter of moments and the book flows fast, it's a real luxury to enjoy a good book and breeze though it at the same time.
With so many books out there and so little time to actually read any of them I find myself being more picky and critical. After reading "Deep in the Darkness" my cynicism for finding good writers out there melted and my list of favorite authors opened its cob webbed door, and trust me, it's hard to get into my tightly woven list of favorites. Michael Laimo writes with passion and heart, humor and wit, not overshadowing his talent for gruesome and creative ways to raise the hairs on the readers flesh. Each page was skillfully woven with words that send electricity though my system, I can't remember the last time I had such an incredible time with a book. Another great thing about his writing is how real the characters are; I couldn't help but side with Michael Cayle, I could feel his humanity though the pages, his sorrows and slow crumble were achingly realistic. When things hot hairy between him and the once loving wife, I felt tormented that he was being stalked by a deadly force out in the wild and an angry wife at home, they both matched up pretty well drilling through the main character form both sides, taking him apart. Once I love a character his suffering becomes my suffering, and man, this book packs a punch, so watch out!
There is something for everyone in this book and I'm really looking forward to the sequel; it's set up to be a hell of a ride.
- Kasia S.
December 14, 2014
Dr. Michael Cayle and his family are moving to a small town in New Hampshire. They left Manhattan for some peace and quiet of the country. Michael will become the local doctor in the town of Ashborough. There is some unknown force that has a hold on this city. The surrounding towns want nothing to do with Ashborough. The town has a legend about some evil force that dwell in the woods. It seems that once you move here, there is no turning around. If you try to leave, you are attacked by these savage creatures who live in the woods. Cayle neighbor, Phillip Deighton takes Michael on the trip into the deep dark woods. He leads Michael to this strange rock formation that reminds him a little of Stonehenge. The center stone in this formation appears to be some type of altar. Deighton starts to spin a tale about ancient evil that lurks in the woods. Michael is starting to feel like a prisoner in his own home. Little does Michael know that his nightmare has just begun. Can Michael and family escape this cursed town in New Hampshire? Unfortunately the climax of this novel does not tell you the outcome. There is a sequel to this book, Return To Darkness. You will have to read the sequel to see if Michael and his family can escape Ashborough.
December 1, 2008
I was thinking about this after finishing it, and it occurred to me that Laimo has written a book that unfolds a lot like an Italian horror movie. You've got a normal family and a nice new house in a small town. Some weird things happen, then some bad things, then some terrible things, and in between it all people follow a logic that fits the story more than it does reality. Thrown in some creepy monsters and pagan rites and bizarre sex and you're in for a treat. Laimo is definitely on my watch list.
March 8, 2008
I couldn't finish reading this book. It is not because it is not well written...in fact, quite the opposite. My family and I are going to be moving to a remote, small town in New Hampshire, and I just could NOT finish reading this book after the first few chapters of the awful (in the sense that it fills you with such foreboding) beginning. I was seriously creeped out and just could not bring myself to finish reading the book. So I know NOTHING about what is going on in this book.
When we were considering Maine, I read Ketchum's "Off Season" and that creeped me out some, too. I should really learn to stay away from the horror novels.
If I could judge this book by the first few chapters, I would recommend it. I was creeped out in the first few chapters. I'll read it in full when I'm in a warm tropical isle and not looking at coming back home for at least a week. LOL
When we were considering Maine, I read Ketchum's "Off Season" and that creeped me out some, too. I should really learn to stay away from the horror novels.
If I could judge this book by the first few chapters, I would recommend it. I was creeped out in the first few chapters. I'll read it in full when I'm in a warm tropical isle and not looking at coming back home for at least a week. LOL
July 25, 2011
I loved it! Very creepy. I heard there may be a sequel coming out.
January 24, 2013
I wanted to like it. I tried, people. Okay? I tried. No matter what happened I knew what was coming. The descriptions, the ending and each twist and turn I foresaw from the second page of the damn book. The man has talent. You can see it in his writing. The stories are in there - somewhere.
As much as I hate comparing novels, I could not read this book without thinking of Pet Semetary, The Howling and Salem’s Lot. It's apparent that new territory has not been found in the writing world. This plot is overdone and shows a half-assed attempt on Laimo's part for being creative. Even a blind man could see where he was going!
Now to the good part. I love Laimo’s style of writing. This is the usual spot where I give you three adjectives to breakdown his M.O.. Well, I flat out refuse to! There aren’t enough descriptions in the world – you have to see it for yourself. He writes with an edge, oblivious to any set formula or pattern, penning his work with a need to bare his soul and give his nightmares life.
The atmosphere is reminiscent of a forest fire that is closing in on you, and fast. The smoke peaks in slowly at first, then before you know it, you’re knee deep in heat and smothering. The air reeks of danger and you find yourself dreading the outcome, but thrilled with the adrenaline rush. Throughout the book, the pace is constantly moving and shifting. The moment you think you’ve reached the climax, Laimo pulls a fast one and alters the speed.
The characters are the true stars of this book. Each player is significantly unique, yet absolutely common. Creating three-dimensional characters, Laimo fleshes them out with intelligence and emotion. The brilliance of this cast is that not one is memorable, yet they’ll haunt you for nights to come.
My rating? I give it a 3. Even though the storyline was less than par, grab this book used, simply to marvel at a new up-and-coming author! Would I read him again? Hell yes, in a heartbeat! Would I read this story again? Not for all the tea in china!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
As much as I hate comparing novels, I could not read this book without thinking of Pet Semetary, The Howling and Salem’s Lot. It's apparent that new territory has not been found in the writing world. This plot is overdone and shows a half-assed attempt on Laimo's part for being creative. Even a blind man could see where he was going!
Now to the good part. I love Laimo’s style of writing. This is the usual spot where I give you three adjectives to breakdown his M.O.. Well, I flat out refuse to! There aren’t enough descriptions in the world – you have to see it for yourself. He writes with an edge, oblivious to any set formula or pattern, penning his work with a need to bare his soul and give his nightmares life.
The atmosphere is reminiscent of a forest fire that is closing in on you, and fast. The smoke peaks in slowly at first, then before you know it, you’re knee deep in heat and smothering. The air reeks of danger and you find yourself dreading the outcome, but thrilled with the adrenaline rush. Throughout the book, the pace is constantly moving and shifting. The moment you think you’ve reached the climax, Laimo pulls a fast one and alters the speed.
The characters are the true stars of this book. Each player is significantly unique, yet absolutely common. Creating three-dimensional characters, Laimo fleshes them out with intelligence and emotion. The brilliance of this cast is that not one is memorable, yet they’ll haunt you for nights to come.
My rating? I give it a 3. Even though the storyline was less than par, grab this book used, simply to marvel at a new up-and-coming author! Would I read him again? Hell yes, in a heartbeat! Would I read this story again? Not for all the tea in china!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
July 24, 2020
“Głębia ciemności” Michael Laimo to kolejny przykład, że nie warto zawsze ślepo ufać recenzjom na portalach książkowych typu Lubimy Czytać. Co ciekawe zagraniczni czytelnicy w ocenie tego horroru już tacy srodzy i krytyczni nie są. Wina słabego przekładu? Po części owszem. Topornie brzmiący język, sztuczne dialogi plus błędy tłumaczeniowe w stylu „thank you from the mountain” - miałam wrażenie jakby pierwsze 20 stron tłumaczył ktoś kto angielskiego nauczył się z kursów video Magic English. Dalsze rozdziały na szczęście czyta się już płynnie, styl jest lekki i naturalny. Będę się upierać - nie ma szans żeby za przekład całości odpowiadała tylko i wyłącznie jedna osoba.
Przechodząc już do samej książki to Laimo stworzył całkiem oryginalny i ciekawy horror z elementami tajemnych rytuałów i folkloru. Najmocniejszą stroną powieści bez wątpienia są niezwykle plastyczne, działające na wyobraźnię drastyczne opisy. Wyraźnie widać że autor lepiej umie w gore niż w budowanie skomplikowanych, złożonych postaci. Laimo nie stroni od scen wyjątkowo brutalnych i bestialskich, w niektórych rozdziałach sceny śmierci zwierząt wyrastają niczym grzyby po deszczu. Co najbardziej kuleje w “Głębi Ciemności” to postaci - dosyć jednowymiarowe i nijakie, a i nadzwyczaj często zachowujące się irracjonalnie. Wracając do pozytywów to szalenie ciekawy był wątek tajemniczego kultu, który aż prosił się o szersze rozwinięcie. Książka jest dosyć krótka, więc bez problemu można było się pokusić o poświęcenie kilkudziesięciu dodatkowych stron na dokładniejsze przybliżenie wierzeń i praktyk krwawej sekty.
Pomimo paru mankamentów pod tą kiczowatą okładką kryje się całkiem porządny horror. Może nie dzieło na miarę powieści Strauba czy Simmonsa, ale już o klasę wyżej od książek Mastertona. Dobra rozrywka skutecznie wciągająca na parę godzin, a i do sięgnięcia po resztę twórczości autora czuje się zachęcona.
Przechodząc już do samej książki to Laimo stworzył całkiem oryginalny i ciekawy horror z elementami tajemnych rytuałów i folkloru. Najmocniejszą stroną powieści bez wątpienia są niezwykle plastyczne, działające na wyobraźnię drastyczne opisy. Wyraźnie widać że autor lepiej umie w gore niż w budowanie skomplikowanych, złożonych postaci. Laimo nie stroni od scen wyjątkowo brutalnych i bestialskich, w niektórych rozdziałach sceny śmierci zwierząt wyrastają niczym grzyby po deszczu. Co najbardziej kuleje w “Głębi Ciemności” to postaci - dosyć jednowymiarowe i nijakie, a i nadzwyczaj często zachowujące się irracjonalnie. Wracając do pozytywów to szalenie ciekawy był wątek tajemniczego kultu, który aż prosił się o szersze rozwinięcie. Książka jest dosyć krótka, więc bez problemu można było się pokusić o poświęcenie kilkudziesięciu dodatkowych stron na dokładniejsze przybliżenie wierzeń i praktyk krwawej sekty.
Pomimo paru mankamentów pod tą kiczowatą okładką kryje się całkiem porządny horror. Może nie dzieło na miarę powieści Strauba czy Simmonsa, ale już o klasę wyżej od książek Mastertona. Dobra rozrywka skutecznie wciągająca na parę godzin, a i do sięgnięcia po resztę twórczości autora czuje się zachęcona.
April 17, 2014
Michael Laimo is a master of horror. This is the only book of his that I have read, and I'm fully willing to label him as a master because this book is 100% mastery of the genre. The author does not rely on gore and easy scares. Not that there's anything wrong with that, and not that you won't find some of these things in the book. Oh there's some gore, don't worry. But Laimo has mastered the genre by building a story that is genuinely scary as fuck and creeps into your brain and sends chills down your spine so deep in the marrow you might fear permanent emotional scars. I'm not joking when I say that on a couple of night while reading this book I stayed up extra late and fell asleep on the couch with the lights on because I wasn't exactly keen on turning the lights off and going to bed.
It takes a lot to scare me. And Laimo achieved that. And aside from the scares, we have a very well written and expertly crafted tale that was fun from page one to the end.
I will be seeking out as many Michael Laimo books as I possibly can.
It takes a lot to scare me. And Laimo achieved that. And aside from the scares, we have a very well written and expertly crafted tale that was fun from page one to the end.
I will be seeking out as many Michael Laimo books as I possibly can.
June 20, 2014
This is a wonderful, horrifying story of a family (and community) versus a group of golden-eyed monsters in a small New York town. Ordinarily, I can't stand stories in which a family moves into a new home and is suddenly up against some kind of supernatural force, but Laimo isn't messing around. Those stories usually have a slow build, but he turns up the heat right away. The conflict is almost immediate, and it continues to harrow the reader throughout the novel. Ultimately, this is a story about communication and how the lack of it can destroy a family and the town around them. So much could have been averted if these people just talked to one another . . . but the monsters are very watchful, and if anyone says anything, they get torn to pieces. This is much better than ATMOSPHERE. And that ending . . . wow. You won't be disappointed.
June 6, 2011
When DR Michael Cayle decided to move his wife and young daughter from Manhattan . He only wanted the best for them. That,s why he accepted a private practice position in the small New England town of Ashborough. At first everything seemed quaint and peaceful. But Ashborough has some unimaginable secrets. Many of the towns people are strangely nervous. Some speak quietly of legends that no sane person could believe. But what he discovers drenched in blood in the woods makes him wonder if the legends are possibly true after all. He will soon be forced to believe, when he learns the terrifying identity of the golden eyes that peer at him from deep in the darkness
June 28, 2011
This is a book I couldn't stop reading. Believe me, no one was more surprised than me at how great this book is. It has everything great horror should have... characters you care about placed in insurmountable danger, creepy atmosphere that continues to build and raise the stakes, and a solid story that keeps you hooked. This story reminded me of a lot of Rick Hautala's books from the eighties (especially "Little Brothers"), but I enjoyed the twists and turns and very tight plotting. Everything is done for a reason in Laimo's new book and the pieces of his puzzle connect very naturally from beginnning to end.
August 15, 2021
”Things … things just aren’t right here.”
With Deep In The Darkness, author Michael Laimo’s sophomore novel delivers an entertainingly spooky — and slightly perverse — horror story that is a great reading choice for a few lonely nights in an isolated house, cabin or tent in a dark part of the woods.
While the themes are certainly familiar to the average horror fan — from the small town with a dark secret to the strange shapes with golden eyes lurking in the woods — Laimo provides just enough of a rather grotesque twist on the tropes to create a pretty unsettling tribe of antagonists, then springs a nasty trap that rather believably shuts the door on the main characters running anywhere. Laimo does an excellent job of pacing, picking things up as as the characters’ sense of desperation grows, accelerating to an outright hair-raising run as the monsters arrive in force; the grunts, growls and snaps of approaching teeth and claws feel so uncomfortably near that even the reader’s pulse begins to quicken.
But though I liked this book a lot, I can’t quite move it past ‘enjoyable’ to the outright ‘amazing’ category. For one, main character Michael Cayle seems like an awful doctor, too squeamish at the slightly of blood and too chicken-livered to stay conscious during the book’s good parts. The more serious issue is structural; the prologue telegraphs the fate of the major characters far too soon which undercuts the later tension and … slight spoiler here … there’s a baby that … well, if you’ve been a fan of inbred, hillbilly horror for more than half-a-second you can guess where that’s going …
Still … despite a few flaws, Deep In The Darkness is certainly worth your time as Laimo demonstrates a strong voice for the supernatural and more than capable skill in delivering a chilling tale that comes together with a gory exclamation at the end. As horror books go, a solid four stars and an author to watch for more.
November 3, 2021
“Głębia ciemności” Michael Laimo to kolejny przykład, że nie warto zawsze ślepo ufać recenzjom na portalach książkowych typu Lubimy Czytać. Co ciekawe zagraniczni czytelnicy w ocenie tego horroru już tacy srodzy i krytyczni nie są. Wina słabego przekładu? Po części owszem. Topornie brzmiący język, sztuczne dialogi plus błędy tłumaczeniowe w stylu „thank you from the mountain” - miałam wrażenie jakby pierwsze 20 stron tłumaczył ktoś kto angielskiego nauczył się z kursów video Magic English. Dalsze rozdziały na szczęście czyta się już płynnie, styl jest lekki i naturalny. Będę się upierać - nie ma szans żeby za przekład całości odpowiadała tylko i wyłącznie jedna osoba.
Przechodząc już do samej książki to Laimo stworzył całkiem oryginalny i ciekawy horror z elementami tajemnych rytuałów i folkloru. Najmocniejszą stroną powieści bez wątpienia są niezwykle plastyczne, działające na wyobraźnię drastyczne opisy. Wyraźnie widać że autor lepiej umie w gore niż w budowanie skomplikowanych, złożonych postaci. Laimo nie stroni od scen wyjątkowo brutalnych i bestialskich, w niektórych rozdziałach sceny śmierci zwierząt wyrastają niczym grzyby po deszczu. Co najbardziej kuleje w “Głębi Ciemności” to postaci - dosyć jednowymiarowe i nijakie, a i nadzwyczaj często zachowujące się irracjonalnie. Wracając do pozytywów to szalenie ciekawy był wątek tajemniczego kultu, który aż prosił się o szersze rozwinięcie. Książka jest dosyć krótka, więc bez problemu można było się pokusić o poświęcenie kilkudziesięciu dodatkowych stron na dokładniejsze przybliżenie wierzeń i praktyk krwawej sekty.
Pomimo paru mankamentów pod tą kiczowatą okładką kryje się całkiem porządny horror. Może nie dzieło na miarę powieści Strauba czy Simmonsa, ale już o klasę wyżej od książek Mastertona. Dobra rozrywka skutecznie wciągająca na parę godzin, a i do sięgnięcia po resztę twórczości autora czuje się zachęcona.
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Przechodząc już do samej książki to Laimo stworzył całkiem oryginalny i ciekawy horror z elementami tajemnych rytuałów i folkloru. Najmocniejszą stroną powieści bez wątpienia są niezwykle plastyczne, działające na wyobraźnię drastyczne opisy. Wyraźnie widać że autor lepiej umie w gore niż w budowanie skomplikowanych, złożonych postaci. Laimo nie stroni od scen wyjątkowo brutalnych i bestialskich, w niektórych rozdziałach sceny śmierci zwierząt wyrastają niczym grzyby po deszczu. Co najbardziej kuleje w “Głębi Ciemności” to postaci - dosyć jednowymiarowe i nijakie, a i nadzwyczaj często zachowujące się irracjonalnie. Wracając do pozytywów to szalenie ciekawy był wątek tajemniczego kultu, który aż prosił się o szersze rozwinięcie. Książka jest dosyć krótka, więc bez problemu można było się pokusić o poświęcenie kilkudziesięciu dodatkowych stron na dokładniejsze przybliżenie wierzeń i praktyk krwawej sekty.
Pomimo paru mankamentów pod tą kiczowatą okładką kryje się całkiem porządny horror. Może nie dzieło na miarę powieści Strauba czy Simmonsa, ale już o klasę wyżej od książek Mastertona. Dobra rozrywka skutecznie wciągająca na parę godzin, a i do sięgnięcia po resztę twórczości autora czuje się zachęcona.
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November 4, 2020
Zombie-land meets Rosemarie's Baby! This chilling tale of a strange town in New England where a young doctor and his family have relocated...once you get there, you can NEVER leave...Hotel California anyone? I was hooked from the introduction! Dr. Michael Cayle and wife want to raise their daughter in a quiet setting, not the hustle and bustle of NYC. Taking over the medical practice, and home, of a deceased doctor appears to the the answer. However, once the family arrives, strange occurrences begin. The story is written in the form of an audio diary and is brilliant! I swear that I saw glowing, yellow eyes in my backyard the night after listening to this tale :-)
Excellent narration helps to make this book worth the listen!
I accepted a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Excellent narration helps to make this book worth the listen!
I accepted a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2020
Ein eindrucksvoller Horrorschocker, der eine Mischung aus Monsterhorror und dem klassischen einsamen Haus im Wald bietet. Besonders gut fand ich tatsächlich die Idee, einen Arzt als Hauptfigur einzusetzen. Dieser bietet einen ganz neuen Blickwinkel und einen erfrischenden Erzhählstil; vor allem im Bezug auf Dinge, die man vielleicht schon aus anderen Horrorromanen kennt, aber anders wahr genommen hat. Das einzig "schlechte" ist, dass der Protagonist als Arzt auch kein Problem damit hat, eklige Wunden etc. detailliert zu beschreiben, ein schwacher Magen sie hiermit vorgewarnt. Mich konnte das Buch überzeugen, ist auf jeden Fall mal was anderes als die üblichen Monsterhorror-Geschichten.
September 15, 2018
DEEP IN THE DARKNESS by Michael Laimo was 369 pages of intensity. Fast paced, well thought out and begging to be read. I will not spoil anything in this novel, as I feel going in not knowing what to expect is crucial in horror reading. With 5 pages left in the book I was certain I was giving this book a 2 or MAYBE 3 star rating....then, I finished the book with a smile on my face, realizing that the auther had completely sold me on a assumption that I knew what I was reading.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
November 18, 2019
This is a very fast read. It's not the most original horror I've read, but it keeps moving, so it's hard to put down. I do wish that the author had run the book past someone with medical training, though. The narrator being a doctor and doing incredibly unbelievable things for a doctor (being nauseated and faint at minor injuries, referring to "leg bones" instead of femurs, etc) broke my immersion. Clearly a book about monsters isn't "believable," but the monsters are supposed to be the place where I suspend my disbelief, not the mundane.
August 10, 2021
audible:This was a gorey story.The monsters came too soon.I like to ease into my horror.A town,run by monsters needs a new doctor.The story needed fleshing out,background.Chet Williamson was a wonderful narrator...which is why I kept listening.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
July 20, 2017
I wish there was more!!! 😭
November 2, 2018
It's a good horror book even if a few of the twists are a bit signposted . It has a brisk pace and is a good read
August 27, 2019
A great book.
December 17, 2008
"Deep in the Darkness" begins with a doctor who through a friend, finds out about a job opening in New Hampshire in a small town called Ashborough. The main plot focuses on the protagonist describing the events of what happened to him and why he is recording everything. There are a couple of side plots dealing with his neighbor down the road, an old lady that knows all, and the jeapordy the town is in.
The story is very identical to Stephen King's "Pet Semetary" which also has a doctor moving into a small town to take up a practice there. He is not happy with his current family situation and is apprehensive with the move to a small town. There is an old man and his wife as neighbors and he will take the doctor on a journey through the woods to show him the clearing that will become an important part to the story. The clearing is similar to the Micmac burial ground. They also have pets that are named after a famous people. In "Pet Semetary" the pet was called Church which was short for Winston Churchill, and in "Deep in the Darkness", the pet was called Jimmy Page or Page for short. There are more similarities, but to avoid spoilers you will have to look for them yourself.
The "Isolates", to me, are a Lovecraft type of horror element. Basically a mishappen human style of subterrainian dweller that usually only come out at night. They are an ancient race that have been around for thousands of years.
The writing in in the first person point of view which I do not care for much. Not saying that there are not good stories that are written using this style, I just think this story may have been better utilizing the third person POV. Most of the story for me was hard to get through. I just could not get into the writing as much as I would have liked. Even when I was wide awake, I would find myself nodding off while I was reading.
The character developement was well done even though I couldn't get into them or their current delima. At first, it felt like the novel was just going to be a PG-13 type story with the worst of the language that was spoken being words like "damn" or "hell", but later as the story progresses, so too does the language that better fits the situation and builds as the situations become more irritable. There is also a well balance of the character decisions moving the plot as much as the plot moves the character decisions. The overall character development made sense and fit well.
Minor criticisms
1) The chosen POV. This is minor, but I, for one am not a fan of the first person so usually I hesitate reading books with this POV
2) The main set up was just too identical to "Pet Semetary". This could have been intentionally done by the author or he may not have read the story in which it is identical to.
3) The writing flowed, but felt bland. I felt that I had to push myself too much to get through the story and that there wasn't enough suspense or situations that made me want to see what was going to happen next.
4) This has nothing to do with the author or the story, but is a major turn off when selecting a book to read. The publisher puts order forms smack dab in the middle of the book. If I wanted an informercial in the middle of a story, I would watch TV. The first thing I do is tear it out and that leaves a crease in the middle of the binding and this time I accidentally tore out one of the pages and didn't realize it and ended up thowing it away. Thankfully it was the ending of one chapter and the beginning of the next so I didn't miss much and was able to get the gist of what happened.
Some positives that I found
1) As I mentioned before, the character development was great. It all made sense and fit the character's personalities and change as it would realistically.
2) The gore content, at times seemed a bit excessive, was good. This is a horror novel after all an if someone does not want to ready about blood and gore, need to read a different genre. I even liked how Mr. Laimo was able to add some humor to the gore.
3) Speaking of humor, even though there was some humor in the novel; some chuckles, some laugh out loud, and some roll of the eyes type, ther could have been a bit more clever humor, but all in all, it worked.
Overall this is an average horror novel. This was the first that I have read of Mr. Laimo and certainly will not be the last. He has named "Dead Souls" as his favorite work to date and so I will have to order it, since I can not find it in any bookstore around here. Taking into account that "Deep in the Darkness" is an earlier work, I will look forward to seeing what the later works have in store. I would recommend this book to those that need a huge amount fo blood and gore in their stories. If you are looking for a book that will scare you, this will probably not do it.
A movie rating of this novel would be borderline "R"/"NC-17".
Graphic violence, explicit blood and gore, strong language, and nudity.
The story is very identical to Stephen King's "Pet Semetary" which also has a doctor moving into a small town to take up a practice there. He is not happy with his current family situation and is apprehensive with the move to a small town. There is an old man and his wife as neighbors and he will take the doctor on a journey through the woods to show him the clearing that will become an important part to the story. The clearing is similar to the Micmac burial ground. They also have pets that are named after a famous people. In "Pet Semetary" the pet was called Church which was short for Winston Churchill, and in "Deep in the Darkness", the pet was called Jimmy Page or Page for short. There are more similarities, but to avoid spoilers you will have to look for them yourself.
The "Isolates", to me, are a Lovecraft type of horror element. Basically a mishappen human style of subterrainian dweller that usually only come out at night. They are an ancient race that have been around for thousands of years.
The writing in in the first person point of view which I do not care for much. Not saying that there are not good stories that are written using this style, I just think this story may have been better utilizing the third person POV. Most of the story for me was hard to get through. I just could not get into the writing as much as I would have liked. Even when I was wide awake, I would find myself nodding off while I was reading.
The character developement was well done even though I couldn't get into them or their current delima. At first, it felt like the novel was just going to be a PG-13 type story with the worst of the language that was spoken being words like "damn" or "hell", but later as the story progresses, so too does the language that better fits the situation and builds as the situations become more irritable. There is also a well balance of the character decisions moving the plot as much as the plot moves the character decisions. The overall character development made sense and fit well.
Minor criticisms
1) The chosen POV. This is minor, but I, for one am not a fan of the first person so usually I hesitate reading books with this POV
2) The main set up was just too identical to "Pet Semetary". This could have been intentionally done by the author or he may not have read the story in which it is identical to.
3) The writing flowed, but felt bland. I felt that I had to push myself too much to get through the story and that there wasn't enough suspense or situations that made me want to see what was going to happen next.
4) This has nothing to do with the author or the story, but is a major turn off when selecting a book to read. The publisher puts order forms smack dab in the middle of the book. If I wanted an informercial in the middle of a story, I would watch TV. The first thing I do is tear it out and that leaves a crease in the middle of the binding and this time I accidentally tore out one of the pages and didn't realize it and ended up thowing it away. Thankfully it was the ending of one chapter and the beginning of the next so I didn't miss much and was able to get the gist of what happened.
Some positives that I found
1) As I mentioned before, the character development was great. It all made sense and fit the character's personalities and change as it would realistically.
2) The gore content, at times seemed a bit excessive, was good. This is a horror novel after all an if someone does not want to ready about blood and gore, need to read a different genre. I even liked how Mr. Laimo was able to add some humor to the gore.
3) Speaking of humor, even though there was some humor in the novel; some chuckles, some laugh out loud, and some roll of the eyes type, ther could have been a bit more clever humor, but all in all, it worked.
Overall this is an average horror novel. This was the first that I have read of Mr. Laimo and certainly will not be the last. He has named "Dead Souls" as his favorite work to date and so I will have to order it, since I can not find it in any bookstore around here. Taking into account that "Deep in the Darkness" is an earlier work, I will look forward to seeing what the later works have in store. I would recommend this book to those that need a huge amount fo blood and gore in their stories. If you are looking for a book that will scare you, this will probably not do it.
A movie rating of this novel would be borderline "R"/"NC-17".
Graphic violence, explicit blood and gore, strong language, and nudity.
August 26, 2019
The book is unquestionably great.
March 11, 2014
Non amo il libri in cui gli autori, per aumentare il numero complessivo di pagine, inseriscono scene inutili ai fini del racconto, o si dilungano eccessivamente in descrizioni o storie parallele, ma allo stesso modo non amo neanche quando si taglia eccessivamente sulla storia, lasciando nel lettore troppi punti interrogativi.
Questo è il caso di questo libro, che è il perfetto esempio di "could have been better". La partenza nei primi capitoli è quasi un palese plagio di Pet Cemetary: famiglia che si trasferisce in un paesino sperduto, casa isolata, marito che fa il medico, animale domestico (qui è un cane, ma fa una fine peggiore del gatto di pet cemetary, visto che almeno lui tornava una volta morto), vicino di casa amichevole ma inquitante e cimitero posizionato nei boschi dietro la casa dove si viene portati dal vicino inquietante. Se si riesce a tollerare tutto ciò, la storia poi riesce a prendere una sua piega personale, riducendo notevolmente le similitudini con il libro di King; purtroppo però la sensazione che si ha è che tutto avvenga troppo velocemente, ma non con ritmo serrato allo scopo di creare trepidazione e suspance, ma proprio per sorvolare su determinate situazioni.
Alcuni esempi:
-la storia si svolge in un paese, ma di tutto il paese vengono presentati tre abitanti in croce e tra questi non c'è neanche lo sceriffo, personaggio immancabile della narrativa americana;
-la descrizione storica degli Isolati, i cattivi del libro per intenderci, è solo abbozzata in maniera molto frettolosa;
-gli stessi Isolati prima sembra siano umani mutati geneticamente, poi sono creature sovrannaturali che risponondo ad un Dio cornuto, ma non si capisce chi sia questa divinità , cosa faccia e perchè lo faccia;
Tutte queste situazioni contribuiscono a rendere la storia, che poteva veramente essere molto avvincente e con un buon potenziale orrorifico, in un libretto buono per la spiaggia o per un pomeriggio invernale, a patto di non avere grosse pretese in termini di emozioni.
Ultima nota, la scenza gore finale era ampiamente risparmiabile.
Questo è il caso di questo libro, che è il perfetto esempio di "could have been better". La partenza nei primi capitoli è quasi un palese plagio di Pet Cemetary: famiglia che si trasferisce in un paesino sperduto, casa isolata, marito che fa il medico, animale domestico (qui è un cane, ma fa una fine peggiore del gatto di pet cemetary, visto che almeno lui tornava una volta morto), vicino di casa amichevole ma inquitante e cimitero posizionato nei boschi dietro la casa dove si viene portati dal vicino inquietante. Se si riesce a tollerare tutto ciò, la storia poi riesce a prendere una sua piega personale, riducendo notevolmente le similitudini con il libro di King; purtroppo però la sensazione che si ha è che tutto avvenga troppo velocemente, ma non con ritmo serrato allo scopo di creare trepidazione e suspance, ma proprio per sorvolare su determinate situazioni.
Alcuni esempi:
-la storia si svolge in un paese, ma di tutto il paese vengono presentati tre abitanti in croce e tra questi non c'è neanche lo sceriffo, personaggio immancabile della narrativa americana;
-la descrizione storica degli Isolati, i cattivi del libro per intenderci, è solo abbozzata in maniera molto frettolosa;
-gli stessi Isolati prima sembra siano umani mutati geneticamente, poi sono creature sovrannaturali che risponondo ad un Dio cornuto, ma non si capisce chi sia questa divinità , cosa faccia e perchè lo faccia;
Tutte queste situazioni contribuiscono a rendere la storia, che poteva veramente essere molto avvincente e con un buon potenziale orrorifico, in un libretto buono per la spiaggia o per un pomeriggio invernale, a patto di non avere grosse pretese in termini di emozioni.
Ultima nota, la scenza gore finale era ampiamente risparmiabile.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2009
I found this book in the discount rack (THANKFULLY) and only paid a buck. If would of paid full price, well…
After reading all the reviews and seeing how positive they were I was really looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately this book was a cheap Stephen King ( PET CEMETERY ) knock off that found it self repeating - with phrases like: I stuck my hand in my mouth to keep from screaming; I felt giddy; golden eyes, like fireflies four feet off the ground; ect. ect. ect. - and a main character ( a doctor mind you. That acts if he’s never seen a trauma before ) that was not only a dud but very annoying.
The book centers around Dr. Michael Cayle, who uproots his family from New York City to take over the practice in the small New England town of Ashborough. Right from the beginning things don’t seem right to Michael. And after he meets his new neighbor and his wife it’s pretty clear that there’s something wrong. And as I read I should of heeded the warning and stopped reading. But I only brought the one book and after suffering through a 190 pages the first day figured I just see it through to the end. Maybe I’ll have a change of heart. Sadly no.
I found myself not caring about Michael or his family and their ordeal, and couldn’t wait for this book to finally come to an end.
After reading all the reviews and seeing how positive they were I was really looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately this book was a cheap Stephen King ( PET CEMETERY ) knock off that found it self repeating - with phrases like: I stuck my hand in my mouth to keep from screaming; I felt giddy; golden eyes, like fireflies four feet off the ground; ect. ect. ect. - and a main character ( a doctor mind you. That acts if he’s never seen a trauma before ) that was not only a dud but very annoying.
The book centers around Dr. Michael Cayle, who uproots his family from New York City to take over the practice in the small New England town of Ashborough. Right from the beginning things don’t seem right to Michael. And after he meets his new neighbor and his wife it’s pretty clear that there’s something wrong. And as I read I should of heeded the warning and stopped reading. But I only brought the one book and after suffering through a 190 pages the first day figured I just see it through to the end. Maybe I’ll have a change of heart. Sadly no.
I found myself not caring about Michael or his family and their ordeal, and couldn’t wait for this book to finally come to an end.
February 15, 2017
Wow! While horror will always be my favourite genre, I've become a bit disappointed with it recently, but this one is amazing.
September 10, 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written and touched on an aspect of horror that I have not read in a while: mysterious that are fully known but hidden. I am sure there are plenty of books like this out there and I am glad I caught this one. The writing was consistent and the mood was tense.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Lovecraft lore. The entities in the book who are "against" the protagonist have been there long before European settlers came. In fact, it made me want to learn more about them, almost a pre-story about the anthropology and development of the other society living side-by-side with modern man and demanding acknowledgment and reward.
I am sure there are metaphors to other hidden societies that are around us, such as the homeless or those with mental illness. The small town setting focuses the story on a very small cast of characters which brought the story out in a better way than I believe a large city would have as it added to the isolation and suspense.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Lovecraft lore. The entities in the book who are "against" the protagonist have been there long before European settlers came. In fact, it made me want to learn more about them, almost a pre-story about the anthropology and development of the other society living side-by-side with modern man and demanding acknowledgment and reward.
I am sure there are metaphors to other hidden societies that are around us, such as the homeless or those with mental illness. The small town setting focuses the story on a very small cast of characters which brought the story out in a better way than I believe a large city would have as it added to the isolation and suspense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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