Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Divine Scream - by Benjamin Kane Ethridge - Hard to categorize, but wonderfully imaginative

4 of 5 Stars     Review copy

If you've never read Benjamin Kane Ethridge be prepared for a wild ride, like a roller coaster in the dark, you just don't know which way your're going to go, you just know it'll be fast, furious, and filled with twists and turns.

When Jared Kare meets his personal Banshee, he doesn't know what to think. "A myriad of considerations passed through Jared's mind.  She was going to rob him.  She was going to hurt him.  She's a female serial killer.  He had fallen into a trap to be murdered--over boobs."

Up until now Jared's life has been fairly ordinary, but all that's about to change in a heartbeat.  To say things become a bit surreal doesn't begin to describe what happens in Divine Scream.  Actually what happens in the course of the next twenty-four hours is damn near indescribable, unless you happen to be Benjamin Kane Ethridge.

As strange as the story is, I quickly found myself totally immersed in the writer's world. Mixed in with all the weirdness, there is a wonderful story of feelings, emotions, and relationships. One line I particularly like was, "never forget, a best friend is the greatest kind of problem to have."  So true.

I've come to accept that Benjamin's mind doesn't work like mine.  Having read Black & Orange and Nightmare Ballad,  I've learned to expect the unexpected. So I just strap myself into the passenger seat and go along for the ride.

BTW, one footnote, Benjamin writes drunk really well.  Wait, I'm not saying he was drunk when he was writing, what I mean is there's a great scene in Divine Scream where one of his characters is falling-down drunk and he really captured the experience with his words. Phew.

Also, kudos to Rob Grom for putting together a very eye-catching cover.

Divine Scream is a multi-layered story combining horror and fantasy, all in an amazing world from the wild and vivid imagination of a talented writer.  It's available now in both paperback and e-book formats from JournalStone publishers.

Definitely recommended.



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