Beasts Shall Reign Over the Earth! is a detective thriller/horror novel by two brothers, namely Michael and Danny D’Agostino. Their combined efforts aim to bring you into a story that unfolds in downtown Manhattan, and they use quite a distinct style doing it. In fact, it puts a very light spin on what would be a very nasty situation. So, for the readers who want a different approach to detective thriller/horror, this might just be the book you are looking for.
Teresa Rodriguez is a rookie detective who wants nothing more than to be on the streets, fighting real crime and doing real detective work. Instead, she is stuck behind a desk pushing papers and getting ready to make some big moves. Then, out of nowhere, she gets called off desk duty and partnered with detective Morgan Jackson, an old-school cop who cannot wait for his retirement.
Their case involves investigating an alarming increase of missing and dead dogs, but it ultimately leads to finding human bodies as well. Unfortunately, the horror continues as Teresa’s initiative leads them to a killer that can turn all of New York into a giant graveyard.
I have to be honest and say I am on the fence regarding this particular book. On the one hand, I find it refreshing and very “theatrical”. But at the same time, I am not sure where Michael and Danny really wanted to take the plot in terms of horror and darkness.
This is mainly because of the script-style approach. And while the formatting does not look like a script, it creates a definitive atmosphere. For example, it feels like there is an important person narrating the story, but you never get to meet that person. Also, character traits and development are prioritized while the scenery descriptions do not seem very important. Of course, each writer will have their style and approach, meaning some readers might really like Michael and Danny’s writing style.
Moving on to plot development and originality, the pacing is incredibly quick. A lot of things happen over the course of only a few pages, which can either be good or bad depending on how you like it. As for the plot originality, there are some elements you do not read about too often. For example, Teresa’s character is a nice take on young women facing ethnicity and gender challenges. But you will also come across more familiar ideas that could seem a little predictable, like a tired and rather cynical detective Jackson.
There is no question that the characters have great depth, and for me, it was their dynamics that really drove the plot. If nothing else, you will remember them for a while after you finish the book.
From a personal point of view, Beasts Shall Reign Over the Earth! is not what I would really call scary. Instead, I find it entertaining and light-hearted as opposed to nail-biting and horrific. Who would I recommend it to? Young adults who like detective thrillers that will not have you sleeping with a baseball bat. Or, alternatively, anyone who likes a Broadway approach to horror.
Author Bio:
Michael and Danny grew up in a lower class neighborhood in Chicago’s Bridgeport community. As kids, it didn’t seem to matter to us. We didn’t realize we had so little because we were blessed to be raised by a truly dedicated, hardworking woman, our mother, who helped us find happiness and fulfillment as children. She not only encouraged us to explore our creativity but financed our college education by working as a clerk in a drug store. Our mother’s maiden name is Angeline Vitale.
By age 9, our first expression of creativity began with the design and construction of wood go-carts and box scooters, “Hotrods” as we referred to them, made from scrap wood and old crates. One of our first memorable experiences was a game of chicken against a neighborhood kid’s hotrod in the alley behind our house. Unfortunately, the other kid’s hotrod was destroyed. He went home crying – not a proud day for us, but exciting. Our most creative hotrod was a modified 30-gallon cardboard drum that we used to race down and challenge “Dead-Man’s Gulch,” a super steep hill heading down from the railroad tracks behind our house. We hate to admit it, but the most fun we ever had with this special rod, hill, and sport, was pushing our unknowing little sister down the hill and watching her crash – you just never knew what would happen when anyone challenged “Dead-Man’s Gulch.” Poor little sis.
In high school, Michael D’Agostino didn’t accomplish much other than chasing girls. But Danny distinguished himself by playing first trumpet in the school band. After college (Both Danny and Michael have degrees in Chemistry.), Danny took up comedy writing while Michael was busy earning patents as a research chemist. Danny’s specialized in the field of toxicology chemistry and maintained his interest in writing.
By 2005, the brothers hooked up, writing at least 35 major comedy projects: plays, screenplays, a novel, an audiobook, in addition to producing and directing comedy plays. Our first play was “The Dollar Store Lady,” directed by Danny, and we also produced video comedy, “SketchzillaTV,” and “Downtown Friday Night,” with Danny directing. Danny also wrote and composed all the background music for his acclaimed audiobook, “Creatures.”
Today, Michael and Danny are diligently formatting many of their comedy novels and projects for sales as ebooks, as well as paperback books. Their next works will be “Mister Mars” and “Back to Sovietsky.” Connect with the authors at dagostinocomedy@gmail.com.
Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
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