Book Review: Halcyon by Rio Youers

Halcyon by Rio Youers

Hardcover, 377 pages

Published July 10th 2018 by St. Martin's Press

It is really hard to for us to rationally deal with the massive acts of domestic terrorism and killings that have plagued america in recent years. It is natural that horror novels are starting to deal with such issues. That is at the heart of this novel, but it doesn't dominate the story. At the heart of this novel is Martin Lovegrove and his two daughters who appear to be random victims after a school shooting at a near-by school. Out of this crisis Martin moves his family to a beautiful isolated island between the the borders of Canada and New York.

The Forgotten Girl was one of my favorite reads of last year. Rio Youers is a very talented writer who has recently had some mainstream success. the last novel was a very Firestarter like psychic road thriller. Through strong characters and intense moments that book just really hit for me. The last moment of the school shooting is exetremly powerful. There is also a moment of pure tension that happens out at the middle of a lake that showed the authors skill at creating suspense.

This new novel is being marketed as a thriller but come on now, it is a pure horror novel. Once again Youers plays with psychic characters, although it is more subtle in this novel than the last. However when Youers brings the terror it is as strong of a horror novel as you could hope for. This cult that separates itself from society may appear peaceful and serene but of course they are up to something darker and more deadly.

I read this book based on the strength of the author's last novel and went in totally cold on the plot. I feel the first one hundred pages were setting up a totally different book. The second half was better than I expected. As far as a horror novel about a cult I personally preferred Nick Cutter's Little Heaven that had a more supernatural McCammon/Barker feel to it. If you are a fan of modern horror Rio youers is certainly a writer that you need to follow. I think His novels Westlake Soul and The Forgotten Girl worked a little better for me, but this is certainly a strong entry.

As a piece about Trauma it is a good companion to another 2018 release Burning Sky by Weston Ochse. Read both if you ask me.