The Lost and the Lurking

I guess it needs to be said that Manly Wade Wellman is not your typical pulp horror writer, and that he has great strengths, but also some weaknesses. I'd call most of Wellman's occult tales adventure rather than horror, and they are pretty much black-and-white; his heroes represent the power of goodness fighting the inferiority of evil. This is the third novel-length adventure of Appalachian bard/hero, John (no last name), sometimes called "Silver John" or "John the Balladeer." John, a wandering minstrel, is an unabashed simple Christian, but his adventures are not bible-thumping and are intended to present the culture and myths of Appalachia. Unfortunately this can sometimes lead to some ideas being repeated. What makes this fun to read is Wellman's amazing ability to convey local dialect effectively in print, and his real feel for the landscape in which he sets the action. This is not standard horror fare and I think any open-minded horror enthusiast will find this a welcome change from the stereotypical tropes that populate the genre nowadays! All that being said, I think Wellman's strength was in the short story format, and I'd recommend short-story collections of the same character, "Who Fears the Devil" or "Owls Hoot in the Daytime," ahead of this adventure. John wanders Appalachia, playing and collecting the "old-timey" songs he plays on his silver-stringed guitar. Hosted by good men with an ear for music, John not infrequently encounters people whose greed and selfishness make them go to the devil -literally. Stubborn courage alone cannot save their intended victims; they need the true spirit and hard-won wisdom of John.

Yes, I read the other review. It's true, and it's not. Manly Wade Wellman did actually live in the Appalachians, and he knew the people he was writing about. They are Christian, but not the Christians city folks are used to. These Christians actually studied and followed the teachings of Jesus, unlike 104% of modern city self professed Christians. The stories are a combination of mountain folklore, pure fantasy and Christian principles. As such, it is well worth reading. Anything by Wellman is worth reading, but most especially the Silver John series.