Joanne Pence, award-winning, USA Today best-selling author, will have her latest book Ancient Shadows released on March 18, 2015. Her reputation aside, Pence has a very disciplined manner of writing, which is quite rare. Her tone is clear and concise while she creatively blends in descriptions that are very important for the imagination of the reader.
For those familiar with Pence’s previous novel, Ancient Echoes, will note that Ancient Shadows has the same protagonist, however it is a standalone novel in its own right.
One by one, a horror film director, a judge, and a newspaper publisher meet brutal deaths. A link exists between them, and the deaths have only begun…
The story follows a middle-aged, ex-archeologist called Michael Rempart and his rather secluded life in Florence. After a dying priest pays him a visit and gives him what Michael later finds to be a philosopher’s stone, his peaceful existence gets severely disrupted. While he attempts to come to terms with his fate, several other strange things start to occur. The stone, which holds tremendous power, is the only way to end the strange onslaughts.
Following the instructions from the priest, Michael makes his way to The Old Silk Road where the stone has to be replaced in order stop the work of ancient demons. Given his connection with a long line of alchemists, Michael is caught unprepared to face a danger he never anticipated. Ultimately he has to fight a history that doesn’t just involve his own demons, but also those sent from pure evil.
Ancient Shadows is a very creative mixture between suspense, horror and a little drama. The research, logic and authority the book was written with never leaves the reader in any doubt. For those who aren’t history fanatics it‘s going to be challenging to make a distinction between fact and fiction. From the first page through to the last, Pence shows a confidence in her ability and her story.
Readers who like more suspense and action rather than blood and gore will love Ancient Shadows. Pence has a very clean style and in some cases it might be too clean for hardcore horror fans. Everything is prim and proper regarding vocabulary and precision. Even though her “surprise plot” deliveries are perfectly done, the overall feel leans more towards Danielle Steele as opposed to Stephen King.
Some readers might find the tone a little cold and disconnected, but this is just a matter of personal taste and doesn’t really speak to the writer. This is usually a natural result when such technical gift is involved. From a personal point of view, it’s nice that Pence didn’t hesitate to get into the story too quickly. Despite the fact that the book is somewhat mid-paced the story unfolds rather quickly. There is no point where the author seemed rushed due to the need to finish the book, and once again it shows the great control she has.
Anybody who can appreciate a more traditional approach to writing rather than an artistic style should find Ancient Shadows very entertaining. It’s pure quality from start to finish. The hero might be a little too clean-cut and the story lightly touches Hollywood melodrama, but that is what makes the book so inviting for an array of readers. On the horror scale it falls a little short, but it’s definitely worth reading.
Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
Joanne Pence is an award-winning and USA Today best-selling author of mysteries, historical fiction, romance, fantasy, and most recently, horror. Born and raised in San Francisco, she has been a journalist, analyst for the Federal government, taught school in Japan, and now makes her home in the foothills north of Boise, Idaho, with her husband, two dogs, four cats, and a peacock who showed up one day and refuses to leave. www.joannepence.com
Also by Joanne Pence:
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