Title - A Gathering of Crows
Author - Brian Keene
Year - 2011
Stand Alone or Series -Stand Alone
Pages - 204
Reading Time - July/August 2011
Rating - 7/10
Brian Keene is no stranger to me. It's one of those authors that I follow and read each and every book he releases. I have three more to read in my house but I am yet to read them .
Almost every book he released is a continuation of the Labyrinth mythos he created. Starting with The Rising and City of the Dead, by far my favourite alongside with The Conqueror Worms and the short story novel that links with the first two books The Rising - Selected Scenes from the End of the World. Then we've got The Dead Sea, Urban Gothic and Darkness on the Edge of Town also have some shed some information bout this mythos. The only one that I think don't have nothing on this mythos is Castaways (but I could be mistaked).
Unfortunally for me I should have read Ghostwalk and Dark Hallow because on the most important characters here is also on those books. I will read them shortly.
This book focus more on the Labyrinth and for the first time we get a glimpse of what is the Labyrinth and what it stands for. We learn more of the mythos and that was a plus on this tale. The connection with the Ronoake incident is also a plus side. The rest of the characters besides Levi are well accomplished but as The Dead Sea and Urban Gothic I failed to connect with most of them. I think Keene is focusing on integrating some types of characters like gay and black people and in my opinion they are not that well done. Again those young white boys behaving like black folk. I mean in a small town in the middle of nowhere should this people exist at all? I don't know.
Besides that I really enjoy the comeback of a war veteran and his problems integrating the small community. I think that character was good. But Levi Stoltzfus, the ex-Amish Magus was in my opinion the only character likeable. The evil characters are also on their "best" behaviour and enter in the mythos easily. Top notch. If you follow Brian Keene then read this book because some questions are answered here. If you are new or just want a quick read then I advice you to head for The Rising and City of the Dead.
I think Brian Keene is slowly becoming on the most interesting horror writers out there. He writes fast-paced books with interesting lovecrafian beasts and some good characters. I really hope he continues to write in his mythos.
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