Book report: Riverwatch

The entry you are about to read, my book report on the horror novel Riverwatch, was prepared offline and slated to go "live" today. This morning I logged on and went through my usual routine, first checking my e-mail. I swallowed hard when I saw that a gentleman by the name of Joseph Nassise had posted a comment on my blog.

If you're not laughing yet, let me help you a little:

Hi Brenda,

Joe Nassise here, author of RIVERWATCH. Since you were kind enough to pick up one of my books, I thought I'd return the favor. Anything in particular you might recommend?

Best,
Joe

Yikes! Being the gutless wonder that I am, I immediately read through my prepared post to make sure I hadn't written anything about Mr. Nassise's book that might tick him off. (He is, after all, an individual who is capable of thinking up things like winged beasts ripping the entrails out of a human body and then draping them across--oh, never mind.) But in the end, I didn't change a thing. His note was polite and friendly, so I figure he must be a good sport. And if he isn't--well, at least he doesn't know where I live.

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The Romance Novel Challenge was designed to broaden my own reading horizions while teasing some of you who have never read a romance novel (or an inspirational romance novel) into giving one a try. I promised to share my impressions of the books I am "forced" to read, so here is the fourth of my book reports:

Michelle Pendergrass agreed to read an inspirational romance novel if I would accept her challenge to read Joseph Nassise's Riverwatch, another horror novel. With two Stephen King books already under my belt, it took no small amount of courage for me to crack open this one.

In Riverwatch, an ancient evil is accidentally loosed and a winged beast goes on a killing spree that is described in gruesome detail. Michelle, I'm afraid I did a lot of page-skipping with this book, but Nassise's tale was actually quite riveting.

The first third of the book contains no gore, so I quickly slipped into the story. But while I enjoyed it less and less as things got bloody--people aren't just killed, they're tortured and mutilated by the beast--I didn't stop reading. What redeemed the story for me was the heroism of the three friends and one stouthearted police officer, not all of whom outlive the beast.

Although the main characters could have been better developed, I liked the way they were portrayed as ordinary people rather than superheroes. At first they're reluctant to believe in the evil surrounding them, and when they realize the truth, they'd rather not get involved, thanks. Let somebody else save the world. That felt very real to me.

Michelle, the ending seemed a little abrupt, but the truth is that I came very close to liking Riverwatch. I believed in the monster, so I can see why you and other horror fans would go for this story. If the gore factor had been ratcheted down a few notches, I'd probably have to recommend it as a gripping read.

My previous book reports, on Stephen King's Bag of Bones, Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, and Stephen King's Misery are here, here, and here, respectively.

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Mr. Nassise [just in case he's still reading and not out in his toolshed sharpening his ax], thanks for dropping by my blog. If you're serious about trying an inspirational romance novel, here's one that I like a lot. And please allow me to wish you every success with Heretic: The Templar Chronicles, which I understand is due out this fall.