Darkborn

Okay, this book was not slow by any stretch. Matthew Costello gives very interesting characters and a plot that just moves along at a crisp pace. The plot involves some teenagers getting hold of an ancient book of black magic rituals and then attempting one on a lark. Well, something gets raised. Okay, there is tension, there are horrible deaths, regrets etc. I'm not a huge fan of horror, so when I say I really enjoyed this one, I am saying that this was a good read. Finally, there is the ending. There is a twist at the end of this novel that was just awesome. I can't tell you how darkly DARKBORN was heading, but... Well, I can't tell you where this is going because I don't want to give too much away, but if you read this novel, do not skip ahead to see how it comes out. This is a book that works up to one fantastic finish!!!

Once in awhile one comes across a horror book that delivers so, it needs to be read by any fan of the genre. DARKBORN is that kind of a book. From its dark and creepy intro to its knockout yet heartfelt conclusion, this inventive novel confirms the talent of a writer who knows how to pack a punch. Childhood fears have never been so much fun under his skillfull pen. You'll be sitting on the edge of your seat wondering how he'll end it all. Besides, his new take on evil is reason enough to grab yourself a copy. Do it now, and enjoy the book to its very last word.-----Martin Boucher

I recently reread this gem and I appreciated it even more the second time around. A group of young school boys steal an old book on the occult and decide to perform one of it's demonic rituals just for kicks. It appears to be a failure and nothing more than a silly game until years later when the participants begin to die in gruesome ways and it becomes apparent that a demonic force was unleashed. One man must stop the horror and send the Adversary back to hell, risking his own existence in the process. The plot unravels a little slowly at first, but it's very suspenseful, and it really picks up half way through. The last hundred pages or so move like a wild amusement park ride. Costello wraps the story up in a very clever way that I found really satisfying and neat. (Something that's difficult for the most experienced and popular writers to pull off.) This book is well worth looking for as are all of his books. When's the next horror novel, Mr. Costello? We want more!