The Bone Factory

I'm not the first (or most influential) person to compare Nate Kenyon's writing to that of Stephen King, but damned if The Bone Factory, his third Leisure release, isn't going to make such critics even more firm in their convictions. Out of work father David Pierce gets a job at an isolated Canadian hydroelectric plant, leading to boardroom maneuvering and psychic-girl craziness due to a haunted house and some toxic chemicals. Throw in a bunch of unsolved, grotesque murders and a nutjob, and you've got a helluva good book. Kenyon juggles a multitude of elements as easily as any seasoned master of the genre. It's a quick read that stands out against most of the horror I've read this year. 4/5.

As with all good authors, Nate Kenyon improves with each book. His first novel, Bloodstone, was merely okay; its successor, The Reach, was good. The Bone Factory continues to show Kenyon's growth as a writer: it may not be perfect, but it is still a good horror novel. At first glance, The Bone Factory is reminiscent of Stephen King's The Shining. Both involve an unemployed father bringing his wife and child to a isolated area for a new job. In addition, the child has some sort of psychic ability that clues her in to possible danger. The similarities end there however. David Pierce is actually a nice guy and is not in danger of becoming another Jack Torrance. That's not to say that all will go well when David, wife Helen and daughter Jessie move to a tiny community on the U.S./Canadian border. David is going to work for a hydroelectric company to help set up a new plant; it seems like a dream job, especially since David lost his last job under unpleasant circumstances. Not all is going well at the job, however, as it is undergoing investigation for possible pollution. This, however, may be a secondary concern for David. The family that once occupied his new house left after their daughter disappeared in the local woods, an event that is particularly frightening to a protective father like David. In addition, Jessie is being plagued by more visions of monsters, especially a "blue man". And, as the reader knows, even if the Pierces don't, there is definitely something malevolent in the woods. I read a lot of horror fiction, so it's hard for me to be really wowed over by any but the really outstanding books. The Bone Factory doesn't fit in that category, but it is well-written horror that should impress the more casual fan of the genre. Even if you're more of a die-hard fan, you should not be disappointed.

Worried for the future especially their daughter Jessie, David and Helen Pierce are reaching the bottom of their savings. He is currently trying to get work having quit his last job when his superior stole his ideas without giving him any credit; his supervisor's boss sided against David so he left. In retaliation they blacklisted him as a malcontent in the industry; no one will hire him due to the lies. Hydro Development is building a hydroplant in an isolated area of Quebec. Michael Olmsted interviews and hires David for the position of completing the plan and overseeing the development of the reservoir in tiny Jackson. David and his family relocate to Jackson in the winter so can do little on the project. Jessie is clairvoyant, but her parents are in denial unable to accept the paranormal especially with their child. They soon learn the house they currently reside in, once had a little girl who just vanished without a trace; as did one of the searchers. Jessie and David see a shadow being, but both assume it is their active imagination while Helen fears she is being watched by a stalker though she sees no one. None of them understands the danger they face while a local deputy sheriff has stumbled onto a horrific site in the nearby woods that unless a miracle occurs could be the next stop for the Pierce trio. There is a growing sense of foreboding as animals and fish look strange and a psychotic person disappears. Jessie's visions increase that feeling as the reader senses like she does something is coming for her. As the Pierces put together the puzzle pieces, their chances of survival decreases; their only hope to get out alive is if David can find the missing links that relate the incidents to the project. Fans will enjoy Nate Kenyon's creepy horror thriller as the next stop for the Pierce family appears to be a one way ticket to hell. Harriet Klausner

Kenyon's third outing is intelligent horror that under no circumstances should be passed up. Set against Canada's wintry backdrop, "The Bone Factory" vibrates with atmospheric chills. With each page the horror builds, cresting into a frantic dash to the end. Kenyon excels not only at building tension, but creating characters that readers truly care about. Fostering that type of empathy in his audience can only make his stock rise as a writer. David Pierce and his family are living a very real horror: unemployment in a sagging job market. After losing his job over a matter of integrity, David has searched everywhere for work. Things are tense between he and his wife Helen. Worse, they're worried about their daughter, Jessie. A bright, precocious child, she suffers chronic nightmares and struggles with an obsessive compulsive disorder. They're at their wits end, and David fears his family will suffer irreparable damage if he doesn't find work soon. It seems to good to be true: a job offer at their most desperate moment, at a hydro-power plant in a small Canadian town. The Pierces move North, excited and relieved. It's not long, however, before David senses something amiss. A strange aura lingers in the frigid air, and unexpected accusations of environmental negligence puts him in the middle of an investigation he didn't expect. Has he been hired as a fall guy? What is his employer hiding? What invisible menace lurks in the snow-covered forest around his home...and how is it intruding into his daughter's dreams? Much like Mary SanGiovanni in her "Hollower" novels, Kenyon masterfully instills a mood of creeping, foreboding chills. This is a story that takes it time and builds, however, so it's best read and enjoyed leisurely, over a period of time. Also, Kenyon illuminates horrific elements that find their roots in the everyday: a crumbling family, spouses worried about their marriage, a war veteran scarred by more than just battle trauma. This type of substance will always have a greater impact than gore-filled bloodbaths, because it strikes at the very heart of being human and afraid.

The Bone Factory by Nate Kenyon is a quick, chilling horror story that will have you racing for your child's room to make sure everything is okay. As the story begins, Dave, Helen and Jessica Pierce are excited to be moving to the Jackson area as Dave finds work on a hydroelectric project taking shape in Canada. What they don't know is that a farmer has been found mutilated, a little girl has disappeared from her home, and deep in the woods a deputy found a gory storage shed all near this hydroelectric facility. Has Dave been hired as a Patsy? Can he protect his family so far away from civilization? But the house is paid for by the company and the family is sequestered at the finest resort in the area until they can move in. It seems like so much good fortune that it can't be true. Helen is a devoted teacher that just wants to do right by her daughter. She has been really stressed in the months Dave has been out of a job. Dave is a very educated engineer who just wants credit for his own ideas and is trying to make this job work for the good of his family. The most exciting character in this book is Jessica herself who has extraordinary visions and intelligence. Even the location is a character in this book as it plays its part in chilling, slowing and isolating the characters. The theme of this book is definitely horror of not providing for or protecting your family and learning to believe in the unseen and in psychic powers. This book made my heart race. It was fast paced and a quick read. The characters were believable and I enjoyed the mention of places familiar to me. If you are sure you want to be scared make sure your family is around. I give The Bone Factory a big thumbs up and would recommend it, especially for camping out.