And we are back with Part two of John F. D. Taff’s THE FEARING: WATER & WIND! The next installment releases from Grey Matter Press on August 20th, so be sure to pick up your copy asap!

The first part landed with somewhat mixed results for me, even though I still enjoyed it, but with novel serialization’s sometimes the stakes just have to heat up some and here, they swamping the reader.

The introduction of Reverend Mark Hubert in Savannah is a welcome addition, since his witness of the mother of all hurricane’s is a pulse pounding, nerve-wracking scene. Having grown up on the coast, I really felt this chapter in a lot ways. The trek of Adam and his crony, Jelnik, still feels rather mysterious, but clearly something very dark is creeping closer. Kyle, Sarah, and Carli are still trying to figure out their next step and if they can work together. Our sight seeing group in Arizona may have stumbled on someone who has a theory as to what the root of all of these calamities actually are…

Taff has done a fantastic job with pacing these installments, maybe too good of a job, because I am left satisfied, but frustrated. We leave some of the more general post-apocalyptic horror behind and gone straight into survival horror as each of the characters now how to contend with not only their greatest fears, but others who have managed to survive this long.

There are moments in this part that will leave the reader nauseated, horrified, and legitimately nervous and there is little else that can be said in praise of horror. Taff has weaved a complex story that may be a slow burn, but its terrors are very present and grasping through the pages.

I’m ready for the next installment, but it is a crime that it isn’t here already!