Satan’s Grip by Paul Sherman
Young Adult Fantasy
Published by Dreaming Big Publications
Reviewed by Sydney C
ABOUT THE BOOK
116 pages
Inspired by the black magic novels of Dennis Wheatley. Esther’s eighth birthday. The day that her mother, Charlotte, had been fearing. As a teenager, Charlotte had gotten involved in a satanic cult and had made a promise to Satan that he could have her first born child. At the same time, she really didn’t believe any of this was true. It was just a silly thing she did to fit in. But now…Can Charlotte save Esther from Satan’s grip? Or is she destined to fulfill that long-ago promise?
MY REVIEW ⎜3 out of 5 stars
For those who love dark fantasy novels, they will be hooked by the second chapter. The mother/daughter dynamic adds an intriguing layer to a very engaging plot. The book is fast paced but not rushed, descriptive yet not too wordy, which is a nice balance! Though I’m not a fan of the language used, it doesn’t hinder the action, characterization, or imagery in any way. What I love most is that Sherman allows the reader’s imagination to play a part in the imagery, which is the secret to a true horror story. The readers can feel the danger from the front page. Charlotte is a tangible, strong, and courageous character who will go to hell, itself, to protect her child.
I do wish that there was more background information about Charlotte and those in the satanic cult from their youth. It would add depth to the story, as well as more characterization to the minor characters that only appear a few times.
I would definitely recommend this book to Young Adult readers looking for a light, yet engaging read. There is major potential for a sequel, and even a series! The story of Charlotte and her daughter, Esther, would leave any reader wanting more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul Sherman is a teacher, author, and director of Youth Theatre. He has had stories published in various hard copy magazines, but most recently, he has had three fantasy-horror stories (The Jokers of Sarzuz, Daemon Page, and Missed!) published by TWB Press which are available on Amazon, OmniLit, etc. He has also written poetry and plays which have been performed at various locations in the UK, including the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. His play “Kilmainham Kids” about the children imprisoned in the gaol in Dublin in the 1850’s is shortly to be published.
He is currently working on a collection of short stories “Tales out of Herm” all set in different locations of Herm Island, one of the smaller Channel Islands, but steeped in history and mythology and ripe for short story settings.
https://www.amazon.com/Satans-Grip-Novella-Paul-Sherman/dp/0692675639/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478129915&sr=8-1&keywords=satan%27s+grip
Young Adult Fantasy
Published by Dreaming Big Publications
Reviewed by Sydney C
ABOUT THE BOOK
116 pages
Inspired by the black magic novels of Dennis Wheatley. Esther’s eighth birthday. The day that her mother, Charlotte, had been fearing. As a teenager, Charlotte had gotten involved in a satanic cult and had made a promise to Satan that he could have her first born child. At the same time, she really didn’t believe any of this was true. It was just a silly thing she did to fit in. But now…Can Charlotte save Esther from Satan’s grip? Or is she destined to fulfill that long-ago promise?
MY REVIEW ⎜3 out of 5 stars
For those who love dark fantasy novels, they will be hooked by the second chapter. The mother/daughter dynamic adds an intriguing layer to a very engaging plot. The book is fast paced but not rushed, descriptive yet not too wordy, which is a nice balance! Though I’m not a fan of the language used, it doesn’t hinder the action, characterization, or imagery in any way. What I love most is that Sherman allows the reader’s imagination to play a part in the imagery, which is the secret to a true horror story. The readers can feel the danger from the front page. Charlotte is a tangible, strong, and courageous character who will go to hell, itself, to protect her child.
I do wish that there was more background information about Charlotte and those in the satanic cult from their youth. It would add depth to the story, as well as more characterization to the minor characters that only appear a few times.
I would definitely recommend this book to Young Adult readers looking for a light, yet engaging read. There is major potential for a sequel, and even a series! The story of Charlotte and her daughter, Esther, would leave any reader wanting more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul Sherman is a teacher, author, and director of Youth Theatre. He has had stories published in various hard copy magazines, but most recently, he has had three fantasy-horror stories (The Jokers of Sarzuz, Daemon Page, and Missed!) published by TWB Press which are available on Amazon, OmniLit, etc. He has also written poetry and plays which have been performed at various locations in the UK, including the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. His play “Kilmainham Kids” about the children imprisoned in the gaol in Dublin in the 1850’s is shortly to be published.
He is currently working on a collection of short stories “Tales out of Herm” all set in different locations of Herm Island, one of the smaller Channel Islands, but steeped in history and mythology and ripe for short story settings.
https://www.amazon.com/Satans-Grip-Novella-Paul-Sherman/dp/0692675639/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478129915&sr=8-1&keywords=satan%27s+grip
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