The Pack: Serenity Falls, Book II

I found this book completely by fluke. It caught my eye on the quick-picks shelf as I was leaving the library. I thought it was a werewolf book, so I snatched it up and left. It was the first of Jim's books I read, so, out of order, yes, but it really didn't matter to me. I bought the entire new Serenity Falls books within a week, and soon after, I bought Under the Overtree. I adore Jim's writing, and The Pack is no exception.

If you haven't read the first book in the Serenity Falls Trilogy, Writ in Blood, you should. Writ in blood sets the stage, with a horrible and brutal rape/torture and murder of accused witch Elizabeth miles. Then comes The Pack. It is strongly written but reads slower than the first book. Moore is laying all the ground work for the climax of the story in book three. Even though slower reading, it is still creepy and fun. Jonathan Crowley, one of the best and strangest "good guys" I have read about, and I was happy to have him show up in the second half of this book. I am hooked, and will read the last of the three books just as soon as I can get my hands on it in paperback. Well worth your time to read, worth the cost to purchase too.

Originally posted as a single novel, Serenity Falls was recently released in a three volume mass paperback set. For fans of horror, especially those who enjoyed Stephen King back when he was writing books like It, Cujo and Salem's Lot, this is definitely something you'd want to scoop up. Unlike some trilogies, especially ones that were originally conceived as a single novel, all three books of the series have a different feel to them. The basic premise deals with the small rural New York town of Serenity Falls. While Serenity Falls may seem like your prototypical small town, it has a history of violence and death that far exceeds most small towns. Book 2: The Pack While probably having the worst name of the series, the second book is strongest of the series and it's where the story truly takes off. This time the focus of the book is not on the curse haunting the town, or even out anti-hero Jonathon Crowley, who doesn't even appear until until the second half of the book. This time the focus is on the townspeople, and even more so, the children. The evil entity that has been slowly drawing Crowley to Serenity Falls, now focuses his energy on the town and playing games with it's residents. Among the games he plays is possessing certain townsfolk, causing them to act outside of there character. The children themselves are tormented by ghosts and bad dreams, and one child becomes the conduit for the souls of Serenity Falls dead between this world and the world they have been trapped in since their deaths. Yet, beyond the horror and mayhem, the true beauty of this novel is the developing the characters that were only briefly touched on in the first book. Sheriff Jack Michael's, is more than just a loyal lawman, but a figure as tragic as the town itself. Mike Blake, the banker turn town drunk, pulls himself out of self imposed stupor since his wife died to begin once again gaining the respect of himself and his neighbors, only to have his world turned upside down in the form a beautiful, yet oddly familiar women. Deputy Victor Barnes, who we only saw as the helpful biker in the first book, becomes a main character, as a newly hired deputy who gives us an outsiders perspective on the town. Then there is the kids. A group of misfired kids, like Farm boy Dave Pageant, feisty best friends Charlene and Jessie, and tormented Stan Long, may just be the towns only chance against the forces building up in the town. It doesn't help that there is a pack of wild, seemingly changed dogs roaming the woods, terrorizing and slaughtering the residents of this cursed town. Moore cleverly intermingles many horror archetypes, monsters and vampires, horny kids at make out point being terrorized, demonic possession, ghosts, and of course, the horrors of childhood bullies, yet, he understands the clichéd aspects and builds and manipulates the reader. Yet, while he has some of Stephen King's flair for characters, he also has some of his flaws. Many scenes a

James does a great job creating characters ... lots of them. I was eagerly awaiting the return of Jonathon Crowley and wasn't disappointed. Can't wait for the third one!

After setting up the dark historical background and giving a brief introduction to present day Serenity Falls in the first book of this trilogy, Writ in Blood, Moore gets down to telling the story of the curse taking effect in the town. The social fabric of the town is efficiently set out, particularly those who will become a tool for the coming evil. As with the first book, Moore has crafted a real page turner that is difficult to put down. He can let his most memorable character not make his entrance until halfway through without impacting this reader's enjoyment. Moore gives just enough description to fire the reader's imagination, allowing the rare piece of graphic detail to have a larger impact. Looking forward to reading the final book.