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The Devil's Whispers
In a silent, sleepy castle, evil has awakened…
Famed British lawyer Gerard Woodward is summoned to an ancient Welsh castle to assist a dying lord in his final affairs. But as his host slips closer to death, Gerard begins to feel less like a guest and more like a prisoner. When he finds himself locked inside his room, he realizes he must escape.
After finding his way out of his room, Gerard begins to wonder if he was safer locked inside. The labyrinthine halls echo secrets. A terrible wail and the rattling of chains sets his nerves on end. Something sinister is happening within the walls of Mathers Castle, and when he descends into the dungeons, he discovers a horrible secret…
In nearby London, children vanish into the night, animals are horribly mutilated, and a savage creature stalks the shadows. When Gerard’s wife, Raelyn, becomes the creature’s next target, his need to escape reaches a fever pitch. He must get out alive so he can dispel the evil that threatens to destroy his beloved Raelyn… and the rest of us.
Fans of epistolary Gothic horror classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray will devour The Devil’s Whispers.
Famed British lawyer Gerard Woodward is summoned to an ancient Welsh castle to assist a dying lord in his final affairs. But as his host slips closer to death, Gerard begins to feel less like a guest and more like a prisoner. When he finds himself locked inside his room, he realizes he must escape.
After finding his way out of his room, Gerard begins to wonder if he was safer locked inside. The labyrinthine halls echo secrets. A terrible wail and the rattling of chains sets his nerves on end. Something sinister is happening within the walls of Mathers Castle, and when he descends into the dungeons, he discovers a horrible secret…
In nearby London, children vanish into the night, animals are horribly mutilated, and a savage creature stalks the shadows. When Gerard’s wife, Raelyn, becomes the creature’s next target, his need to escape reaches a fever pitch. He must get out alive so he can dispel the evil that threatens to destroy his beloved Raelyn… and the rest of us.
Fans of epistolary Gothic horror classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray will devour The Devil’s Whispers.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
March 12, 2023
Gerard Woodward is called to a remote castle as Lord Mathers death is awaited by his family. But the story isn't as easy as it seems. It strongly reminded me on Dracula with the first part being similar to Jonathan Harker's experience. Also the storytelling in journal entries, diaries and letters strongly reminds on Dracula. But with the legend of the Xana, mysterious pots, involvement of the church, disappearing characters and the point of view of different persons the tale soon takes a spellbinding and extremely uncanny turn. Couldn't put it down and wasn't disappointed. In the contrary. Set in 1903 the author definitely captures the spirit of the past and comes up with a brilliant supernatural horror tale in the best 19th century tradition. Set in London, Cardiff and Swindon I honestly enjoyed it and can highly recommend it. What a positive surprise!
January 5, 2023
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on gore, animal abuse, excessive violence, kidnapping, & others.
In 1903 a lawyer travels to the countryside to stand over the bed of a dying man, to update his final Testament that reflects the whispers of the man before passing on. Unfortunately, Gerard realizes that his bedroom door is being locked from the outside, day in & day out, & his only source of social interaction is the delivery of his meals by a morose servant who seems to vanish at the drop of a hat. Back in the city, Realyn awaits with desolate dread, the return of her fiancé; having pleaded with him to not traverse the countryside for no other reason than she felt in her bones that he should not go. Amongst the cast of characters that the reader encounters we see the flummoxed behaviours of people who are both miraculously courageous in the dead of night & suddenly withheld by fear in broad daylight. Every bizarre action culminates in a grand battle of brute force & will against the demons who manifest themselves into beauty & beast.
Readers who are knowledgeable about the work of Bram Stoker will immediately recognize this book for what it is; an exact replica of the delivery of "Dracula" (1897). I can appreciate when an author seeks to pay homage to a classic piece of literature however, I could not piece together the premise of this plot with a thick enough thread to lead me to the conclusion that Stoker’s estate might view this as being a tribute rather than a copycat. Early on in my reading, I posed the question as to whether or not "Nosferatu"’s (1922) fate would befall this work as well or, perhaps had there been some understanding between the two parties that I am not aware of. Therefore, because I am unfamiliar with the legality behind the decision to entirely replicate the plot of "Dracula" in this modified work, I shall review the book at face value & speak no further on the similarities between the two works.
I will praise Hault for what he sought to achieve with this book. I truly think that with some tweaking & changes, made to the delivery of the story, he could have great success in translating his story into a movie format. The scenes that were intended to render terror & horror would so delightfully play out in a film & I do feel hopeful that this book will find its way into the hands of someone who could recreate the gore written in this story so as to really terrify audiences of all ages.
That being said, I found myself laughing more often than I thought was intended. I truly appreciated the desire for Shapeshifters & Changelings to feature in this plot. However, the writing style left something to be desired. Often, due to the intense similarities between Stoker & Hault’s delivery, I felt confused if the story was taking place in a more modern setting or in times of old. Due to this, & the inconsistent approach of vocabulary & grammar of the characters (primarily the women), I was unable to fully immerse myself in the story.
By this I mean, sometimes Raelyn would speak very eloquently & as a woman in the United Kingdom of 1903 might be expected to vocalize things. Then, she would employ curse words & be saying she wanted to murder someone & run rampant in the middle of the night chasing blood trails. Had the character been developed over the course of the story I might have viewed this shift appraisingly. Unfortunately, her character & that of Jayda’s felt somewhat out of place in the time & period in which the story takes place.
Perhaps I need it explained to me but, how is a woman who is weeping into her journal about the departure of her husband, the same person who is opening her door in the middle of the night when she knows there is a terror out in the streets mutilating animals? This same person is said to be a doctor but, looks upon her cousin, Nathan, who is very evidently having a psychological break, & decides to leave him to his own devices even after watching him consume an entire rat in a single gulp. The inconsistencies made it difficult to appreciate all the effort that was put forth in vanquishing the demons because everyone made such pitiful decisions throughout the story.
This book would benefit from a longer lead-up to the panic that the characters experience. Gerard is in the castle for something like two (2) nights & is immediately in hysterics because the door to his room is locked. He rants on & on about being a prisoner right after arriving & there was little build-up to his feeling that way. This alongside the descriptions of babies being kidnapped in the surrounding village & the appearance of a demonic ape; I wanted to understand the actual dread that was being trailed throughout the story but, I had to laugh because we read so little of anything to allow us to feel afraid.
It is difficult to write horror, I am not taking that away from the author & I am not saying that they did a horrendous job. What I am saying is that the scene in which Nathan eating an entire rat is gruesome & should be played up. Instead, Raelyn walks away thinking “ew”. The scene in which a giant-fanged primate is gripping the side of the estate as Gerard holds on to bricks for his life should have been further explored & because the story was written through journal entries, if a character was too frail to explain something, we didn’t hear about it again.
The folktales surrounding Shapeshifters live in almost every culture & society of people. The stories following these horrific creatures are as common in our verbal histories as any other. It would have been to the benefit of the story to lean into that. This story had so many good opportunities to instil horror into the hearts of the reader; mothers watching their children adopt adult-like facial patterns & perform absurd physical actions only to fall into death days later is horrific — describe that further, tell me what the surrounding areas think about these happenings.
Overall, had the retelling of folktales & myths been done in a different way I think I would have really loved the story. The combined efforts of Shapeshifters with Changelings were so very interesting & the addition of gruesome behaviour from otherwise psychotically sane individuals was enticing. Had we explored that further, rather than the emotional ineptitudes of all the characters, I would have felt more favourably about the book. I will hold out hope that this story becomes a movie because I truly feel as though the scenery could present a viewer with a horrific story.
Thank you to NetGalley, TCK Publishing & Lucas Hault for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
In 1903 a lawyer travels to the countryside to stand over the bed of a dying man, to update his final Testament that reflects the whispers of the man before passing on. Unfortunately, Gerard realizes that his bedroom door is being locked from the outside, day in & day out, & his only source of social interaction is the delivery of his meals by a morose servant who seems to vanish at the drop of a hat. Back in the city, Realyn awaits with desolate dread, the return of her fiancé; having pleaded with him to not traverse the countryside for no other reason than she felt in her bones that he should not go. Amongst the cast of characters that the reader encounters we see the flummoxed behaviours of people who are both miraculously courageous in the dead of night & suddenly withheld by fear in broad daylight. Every bizarre action culminates in a grand battle of brute force & will against the demons who manifest themselves into beauty & beast.
Readers who are knowledgeable about the work of Bram Stoker will immediately recognize this book for what it is; an exact replica of the delivery of "Dracula" (1897). I can appreciate when an author seeks to pay homage to a classic piece of literature however, I could not piece together the premise of this plot with a thick enough thread to lead me to the conclusion that Stoker’s estate might view this as being a tribute rather than a copycat. Early on in my reading, I posed the question as to whether or not "Nosferatu"’s (1922) fate would befall this work as well or, perhaps had there been some understanding between the two parties that I am not aware of. Therefore, because I am unfamiliar with the legality behind the decision to entirely replicate the plot of "Dracula" in this modified work, I shall review the book at face value & speak no further on the similarities between the two works.
I will praise Hault for what he sought to achieve with this book. I truly think that with some tweaking & changes, made to the delivery of the story, he could have great success in translating his story into a movie format. The scenes that were intended to render terror & horror would so delightfully play out in a film & I do feel hopeful that this book will find its way into the hands of someone who could recreate the gore written in this story so as to really terrify audiences of all ages.
That being said, I found myself laughing more often than I thought was intended. I truly appreciated the desire for Shapeshifters & Changelings to feature in this plot. However, the writing style left something to be desired. Often, due to the intense similarities between Stoker & Hault’s delivery, I felt confused if the story was taking place in a more modern setting or in times of old. Due to this, & the inconsistent approach of vocabulary & grammar of the characters (primarily the women), I was unable to fully immerse myself in the story.
By this I mean, sometimes Raelyn would speak very eloquently & as a woman in the United Kingdom of 1903 might be expected to vocalize things. Then, she would employ curse words & be saying she wanted to murder someone & run rampant in the middle of the night chasing blood trails. Had the character been developed over the course of the story I might have viewed this shift appraisingly. Unfortunately, her character & that of Jayda’s felt somewhat out of place in the time & period in which the story takes place.
Perhaps I need it explained to me but, how is a woman who is weeping into her journal about the departure of her husband, the same person who is opening her door in the middle of the night when she knows there is a terror out in the streets mutilating animals? This same person is said to be a doctor but, looks upon her cousin, Nathan, who is very evidently having a psychological break, & decides to leave him to his own devices even after watching him consume an entire rat in a single gulp. The inconsistencies made it difficult to appreciate all the effort that was put forth in vanquishing the demons because everyone made such pitiful decisions throughout the story.
This book would benefit from a longer lead-up to the panic that the characters experience. Gerard is in the castle for something like two (2) nights & is immediately in hysterics because the door to his room is locked. He rants on & on about being a prisoner right after arriving & there was little build-up to his feeling that way. This alongside the descriptions of babies being kidnapped in the surrounding village & the appearance of a demonic ape; I wanted to understand the actual dread that was being trailed throughout the story but, I had to laugh because we read so little of anything to allow us to feel afraid.
It is difficult to write horror, I am not taking that away from the author & I am not saying that they did a horrendous job. What I am saying is that the scene in which Nathan eating an entire rat is gruesome & should be played up. Instead, Raelyn walks away thinking “ew”. The scene in which a giant-fanged primate is gripping the side of the estate as Gerard holds on to bricks for his life should have been further explored & because the story was written through journal entries, if a character was too frail to explain something, we didn’t hear about it again.
The folktales surrounding Shapeshifters live in almost every culture & society of people. The stories following these horrific creatures are as common in our verbal histories as any other. It would have been to the benefit of the story to lean into that. This story had so many good opportunities to instil horror into the hearts of the reader; mothers watching their children adopt adult-like facial patterns & perform absurd physical actions only to fall into death days later is horrific — describe that further, tell me what the surrounding areas think about these happenings.
Overall, had the retelling of folktales & myths been done in a different way I think I would have really loved the story. The combined efforts of Shapeshifters with Changelings were so very interesting & the addition of gruesome behaviour from otherwise psychotically sane individuals was enticing. Had we explored that further, rather than the emotional ineptitudes of all the characters, I would have felt more favourably about the book. I will hold out hope that this story becomes a movie because I truly feel as though the scenery could present a viewer with a horrific story.
Thank you to NetGalley, TCK Publishing & Lucas Hault for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2022
The Devil's Whispers by Lucas Hault is a gothic horror novel that will make you question reality and the fantastical.
This gothic horror dream (or nightmare, if you wish) is told in a series of journal entries and letters. Following an esteemed lawyer when he's called to a famous Lord's castle, we see true evil take over and causes insanity among the town. Things only get worse as it spreads to our lead (Gerard's) loved ones.
This story will delight and horrify you all in one sitting. It brings forth my favourite gothic horror tropes and reminds me of books like The Turn of the Screw and The Picture of Dorian Gray. This is definitely a new fave of mine.
Overall, I think this is a bit of a niche book but is well worth the read if you love gothic horror. This is a hidden gem that is worth every second.
Four out of five stars.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This gothic horror dream (or nightmare, if you wish) is told in a series of journal entries and letters. Following an esteemed lawyer when he's called to a famous Lord's castle, we see true evil take over and causes insanity among the town. Things only get worse as it spreads to our lead (Gerard's) loved ones.
This story will delight and horrify you all in one sitting. It brings forth my favourite gothic horror tropes and reminds me of books like The Turn of the Screw and The Picture of Dorian Gray. This is definitely a new fave of mine.
Overall, I think this is a bit of a niche book but is well worth the read if you love gothic horror. This is a hidden gem that is worth every second.
Four out of five stars.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2022
The Devil’s Whispers by Lucas Hault is a horror novel.
First, let me thank the publisher TCK Publishing, and in particular Maria Inot and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The year is 1903, and against his beloved Raelyn's wishes, famed British lawyer Gerard Woodward travels to an ancient castle to help a dying man with his last will. However, he finds himself more of a prisoner than a guest in this castle. He is locked in his room and told that he will be allowed to leave when Lord Mathers dies. He starts to doubt the truth in this statement.
Gerard has no intention of being locked in his room, and finds a way out. However, this house does not seem to want to let him go.
Meanwhile back in London, Raelyn is anxious since Gerard has not returned nor written a letter. Her cousin Nathan arrives for a long awaited visit, but his actions seem different. Raelyn starts to suffer from nightmares. London is having it's own issues. Animals are being mauled to death and children are missing. Raelyn starts to wonder about her own sanity.
My Opinions:
A true gothic horror novel, reminiscent of Dracula, but not quite as good as the classic. I felt like the author took Dracula and just swapped the vampires for a different type of villain, although there was still some biting involved. I am sure the book is a tribute to the great Bram Stoker, but it fell a little short, and when that happens to a "replica", it spells doom for the new book.
However, that doesn't mean I hated the book. The writing was good, and "most" of it sounded like it took place in the early 1900's. The actual story moved at a good pace, and I liked that both Gerard and Raelyn had best friends that they could rely on. The characters were good, and the mythology behind the plot was explained fairly well.
The story is told through the journal entries and letters written by all the main characters. It was quite gruesome at times, but didn't really have a scary feel to it.
Anyway, I will be watching this author for more original work. I know he has a book of short stories out, so I may look into that.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information and contact details), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
May 30, 2022
It was as if I read again Bram Stoker's Dracula but with new elements. The writing style is the same, action, horror elements and lots of vampires.
Thank you Netgallet for this book.
Thank you Netgallet for this book.
February 26, 2022
I love anything creepy or scary, but I haven't read half as many horror novels as I'd have liked. So when the opportunity arose for me to read this, I was more than happy to do so! It's an epistolary novel, formed of a collection of letters and journal entries from various characters. I found the writing to be rather reminiscent of classic horrors like Dracula and Frankenstein, and it also reminded me a bit of the Shade trilogy by Merrie Destefano. While I did feel tension throughout, and definitely a sense of mystery and intrigue, I wouldn't describe this book as particularly 'scary'. I also found the plot to be a little confusing at times, but it was very interesting to see how all the little details tied together in the end.
It wasn't a fast-paced book, and there were quite a lot of unexpected happenings and strange events. I certainly didn't predict any of it in advance. It was quite different to anything I'd read before, but sadly I didn't really connect with any of the characters or feel any sort of emotion for or from them.
If you're a fan of eerie, mysterious books based on mythological monsters, I'd certainly recommend giving this a go. It's nice to read a new 'horror' that doesn't involve werewolves or vampires. I gave this 3.5 stars due to the lack of emotional connection with the characters and the slow pace, but I don't doubt that other readers may love it!
It wasn't a fast-paced book, and there were quite a lot of unexpected happenings and strange events. I certainly didn't predict any of it in advance. It was quite different to anything I'd read before, but sadly I didn't really connect with any of the characters or feel any sort of emotion for or from them.
If you're a fan of eerie, mysterious books based on mythological monsters, I'd certainly recommend giving this a go. It's nice to read a new 'horror' that doesn't involve werewolves or vampires. I gave this 3.5 stars due to the lack of emotional connection with the characters and the slow pace, but I don't doubt that other readers may love it!
February 16, 2022
Thanks to TCK Publishing for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
If the one star wasn't enough of a clue, I didn't like this book. It's a shame because I did enjoy reading it, I think Hault did an excellent job with the Gothic voice, but The Devil's Whispers is Dracula. It is literally Dracula without vampires, substituting another mythical creature and giving them vampiric qualities which don't fit in an attempt at originality. If you like books that pretend not to be Dracula but are actually Dracula then maybe you'll like this one, but I did not.
Read the full spoilerific review on my blog!
If the one star wasn't enough of a clue, I didn't like this book. It's a shame because I did enjoy reading it, I think Hault did an excellent job with the Gothic voice, but The Devil's Whispers is Dracula. It is literally Dracula without vampires, substituting another mythical creature and giving them vampiric qualities which don't fit in an attempt at originality. If you like books that pretend not to be Dracula but are actually Dracula then maybe you'll like this one, but I did not.
Read the full spoilerific review on my blog!
December 7, 2022
As others have noted The Devil's Whispers by Lucas Hault is like a love letter to the gothic stories of the past in particular Bram Stoker's Dracula and succeeds on many levels. I found it to be an overall good read and think that the language and style while possibly off-putting to some served it very well.
This is also another of those books that I could have sworn I had already reviewed and plan on rereading it to rewrite the review a little better.
Once again, thank you to #NetGalley, #TCKPublishing, and Lucas Hault for the ARC of #TheDevil'sWhispers.
This is also another of those books that I could have sworn I had already reviewed and plan on rereading it to rewrite the review a little better.
Once again, thank you to #NetGalley, #TCKPublishing, and Lucas Hault for the ARC of #TheDevil'sWhispers.
May 8, 2022
First I would like to thank TCK Publishing for giving me a free copy for a fair and honest review. Gothic Horror is something I have dipped my toe in on and off over the years. It's a genre that I have to be in the right mood for. On bright and sunny days it does quite seem to fit, for me at least it's the sort of book I wait to read until the sun's rays have slipped past the hills and the stars have started to appear. Now I have read some of the greats from Shelly to Stoker and Lovecraft and beyond but these have always been by authors who have long since slipped their mortal coils. So when offered the chance to read something that was not long out I jumped at the chance to see how Hault would tackle a genre so very rooted in the past.
This is one of those books that is easy to get rooted in straight from the get-go. Whilst some may not be so familiar with the Welsh landscape. The rolling forests and occasional castles can easily jump to the reader's mind. The world Hault wraps us up in is one that will be all too familiar to fans of the genre. That after all is the point of reading a genre-specific book. We want the brooding skies and the lurking evils. And as this author's work sweeps across England in the dead of the night he manages to capture a little of the magic of the old works. Maybe this is in part down to it being written epistolary. It is not often these days we see books formed in a collection of letters. But then again, I suspect that letter writing is somewhat of a lost art now. Either way, for the narrative he set out to tell us it has worked especially well.
I am starting to suspect that the work of lawyers use to involve a great deal more travel. As they whisked here and there creating legal bodies for the rich and powerful. There is also the point to be made that police forces weren't really what we know them to be today. So in search of a hero, one must look else were. And after all, it is still within the bounds of the legal world. In some measure due to the way this book is constructed, we get a greatly expanded cast of players. We can within a relatively short space contain a much larger world. Back at forths take weeks and months as our heroes try and outwit their foes. When it comes to said foes it was good to see that whilst the horror wrought on the streets was still there he had searched out something a little more interesting than the usual fare. More often than not it would seem these days that there are only three types of things that go bump in the night. And whilst it always makes for some fun entrainment it's pleasant once in a while to come across something I haven't heard of.
This was a book that I enjoyed more than I had been expecting. All the keys are played well and it is very easy to see how the author's work was inspired by the greats that have come before him. A gothic horror tale very much worthy of a bit of your time.
April 10, 2022
All my reviews can be found at: http://jessicasreadingroom.com
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This review will appear on my site on April 6, 2022.
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2.5 stars
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The Devil’s Whispers started with an interesting premise, but didn’t actually work for me. The novel is written solely in journal/ diary entries and letters, so we get each writer’s perspective of what is occurring. For a short novel it was a very slow-moving story. It seemed to drag for me and I know I missed some things while reading. Since reading, I have seen other reviews saying it is extremely close to Dracula but without vampires, but I can’t compare as I have not read that classic.
I tend to like novels with multiple narrators/ points of view, so I thought this novel would work for me. I was intrigued in the beginning, where Gerard was constantly locked in his room, but something was just missing for me as I read. Towards the end the novel did pick up and I was reading quicker. I could see this novel working as an audiobook with a full cast narration. That might truly bring it to life!
Maybe this book just came at the wrong time for me. I would give Hault another try if a future book sparked an interest to me. Many thanks to the publisher TCK Publishing, for sending me a copy to read and review. I just wish I had enjoyed it more. Though I do love the creepiness of the cover!
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This review will appear on my site on April 6, 2022.
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2.5 stars
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The Devil’s Whispers started with an interesting premise, but didn’t actually work for me. The novel is written solely in journal/ diary entries and letters, so we get each writer’s perspective of what is occurring. For a short novel it was a very slow-moving story. It seemed to drag for me and I know I missed some things while reading. Since reading, I have seen other reviews saying it is extremely close to Dracula but without vampires, but I can’t compare as I have not read that classic.
I tend to like novels with multiple narrators/ points of view, so I thought this novel would work for me. I was intrigued in the beginning, where Gerard was constantly locked in his room, but something was just missing for me as I read. Towards the end the novel did pick up and I was reading quicker. I could see this novel working as an audiobook with a full cast narration. That might truly bring it to life!
Maybe this book just came at the wrong time for me. I would give Hault another try if a future book sparked an interest to me. Many thanks to the publisher TCK Publishing, for sending me a copy to read and review. I just wish I had enjoyed it more. Though I do love the creepiness of the cover!
May 17, 2022
THE DEVIL'S WHISPERS is exquisitely old fashioned. I am reminded of the works of Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker. There is a timelessness to this epistolary gothic tale despite the fact that the journal entries written by the various characters are clearly dated throughout 1903.
My favorite horror trope is the vampire. There was a time that I wanted to own every vampire story ever written. My reasons for giving up on this ambition are too many for this review. The very standard horror tropes of vampire, werewolf, and zombie (yes, I know there are more) can lead to tunnel vision. I was sure that THE DEVIL'S WHISPERS was a vampire novel, and, in basic terms, it is. Lucas Hault writes a new vampire form by writing convincingly of the bloodsucker we all know and love.
Lucas Hault has also shown a mastery of the florid language readers have come to expect in all gothic romances. One doesn't just love the object of one's affections, one loves them undyingly, passionately, yet chastely. One doesn't just profess religious faith; one adores God in terms just shy of self-flagellation.
Anyone who has read FRANKENSTEIN and/or DRACULA will surely appreciate THE DEVIL'S WHISPERS.
My favorite horror trope is the vampire. There was a time that I wanted to own every vampire story ever written. My reasons for giving up on this ambition are too many for this review. The very standard horror tropes of vampire, werewolf, and zombie (yes, I know there are more) can lead to tunnel vision. I was sure that THE DEVIL'S WHISPERS was a vampire novel, and, in basic terms, it is. Lucas Hault writes a new vampire form by writing convincingly of the bloodsucker we all know and love.
Lucas Hault has also shown a mastery of the florid language readers have come to expect in all gothic romances. One doesn't just love the object of one's affections, one loves them undyingly, passionately, yet chastely. One doesn't just profess religious faith; one adores God in terms just shy of self-flagellation.
Anyone who has read FRANKENSTEIN and/or DRACULA will surely appreciate THE DEVIL'S WHISPERS.
February 17, 2022
I was looking forward to reading this, after reading promises that fans of Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray would devour this book.
However, I was left disappointed. The Devil's Whispers is very clearly written in homage to Bram Stoker's Dracula, but unfortunately it is written too closely and is too pale in comparison to the greater work.
I did enjoy parts of the book, and I wouldn't ordinarily be too critical of a book when comparing to a classic. However, this is very clearly heavily inspired by Dracula so it is difficult not to.
I would be interested to read something else by Hault, as there are definitely good aspects to their writing.
Thanks to Lucas Hault, NetGalley, and TCK Publishing for this copy.
However, I was left disappointed. The Devil's Whispers is very clearly written in homage to Bram Stoker's Dracula, but unfortunately it is written too closely and is too pale in comparison to the greater work.
I did enjoy parts of the book, and I wouldn't ordinarily be too critical of a book when comparing to a classic. However, this is very clearly heavily inspired by Dracula so it is difficult not to.
I would be interested to read something else by Hault, as there are definitely good aspects to their writing.
Thanks to Lucas Hault, NetGalley, and TCK Publishing for this copy.
February 21, 2022
Painfully slow and left with me with more questions than answers.
E-book reviewed in advance via NetGalley.
E-book reviewed in advance via NetGalley.
March 13, 2022
THE DEVIL'S WHISPERS, in setting and theme, is so reminiscent of those Gothic Suspense tales I greedily devoured as a child and adolescent. The brooding nightmarish isolated castle, the extremely wealthy dying patriarch, the surpassingly beautiful young heiress, the Welsh forests, the Edwardian era, and the oppressive perception of evil pervading both the castle and surrounds,: all resonates with that part of my soul which blossoms in Gothic [not Goth] environs. Mystery and terror enwrap our lonely Feckless Hero, a solicitor summoned to heed the ancient patriarch's deathbed instructions. Imprisoned in his castle room, he is subjected to terror both internally and externally. But his fears are not at all foundless....
May 1, 2022
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Maria Inot at TCK Publishing. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This is an old-school Gothic horror, which is compared to classics like Dracula in the blurb, and with very good reason.
The story is well-written, via epistolary style, and the author has perfectly captured the Gothic voice and tropes that made the book’s predecessors so successful. Perhaps a little too perfectly however… as I was reading, the plot and characters began to feel ever more familiar to me, and by the time I was only a few chapters into the story I felt like I was reading a translation of Dracula (with names and monster species changed) rather than a homage to it.
In modernising the older story, Hault has slipped in a few anachronisms that don’t really fit with the setting: some of the names feel too modern, and Raelyn’s profession, attitude and behaviours all fit our current era better than the one she inhabits.
The horror aspects of the story are genuinely horrific, and trigger warnings abound for child sacrifices, animal torture and mutilation, amidst the human-seeming monsters and evil-spirit possessions.
In fact, it just feels like such a shame that the author cleaved so closely to his source materials, as the horror is well done and the novel is well-written but there is just not enough originality in the material for readers of Dracula to consider this a distinct novel in its own right.
‘Contained in these pages is a collection of journal entries and letters exposing an evil that must never again rise from the shadows of the night. I speak not of vampires or werewolves or goblins of lore, but of something far more sinister.’
– Lucas Hault, The Devil’s Whispers
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
This is an old-school Gothic horror, which is compared to classics like Dracula in the blurb, and with very good reason.
The story is well-written, via epistolary style, and the author has perfectly captured the Gothic voice and tropes that made the book’s predecessors so successful. Perhaps a little too perfectly however… as I was reading, the plot and characters began to feel ever more familiar to me, and by the time I was only a few chapters into the story I felt like I was reading a translation of Dracula (with names and monster species changed) rather than a homage to it.
In modernising the older story, Hault has slipped in a few anachronisms that don’t really fit with the setting: some of the names feel too modern, and Raelyn’s profession, attitude and behaviours all fit our current era better than the one she inhabits.
The horror aspects of the story are genuinely horrific, and trigger warnings abound for child sacrifices, animal torture and mutilation, amidst the human-seeming monsters and evil-spirit possessions.
In fact, it just feels like such a shame that the author cleaved so closely to his source materials, as the horror is well done and the novel is well-written but there is just not enough originality in the material for readers of Dracula to consider this a distinct novel in its own right.
‘Contained in these pages is a collection of journal entries and letters exposing an evil that must never again rise from the shadows of the night. I speak not of vampires or werewolves or goblins of lore, but of something far more sinister.’
– Lucas Hault, The Devil’s Whispers
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
July 1, 2022
I enjoyed this gothic horror story. This is a new author for me which I truly enjoyed reading and look forward to seeing what is next. This is a well written story that has characters that pull you into the story. They made the story realistic. They are connectable, strong and supportive to each other. They have great growth throughout the story which made it easy to read. An entertaining story that you don't want to miss. The twists and turns had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what was lurking in the shadows. This is a really great story where the author used details to make it come to life. A story you dont want to miss. I highly recommend reading this book.
March 7, 2022
I received this book from Netgalley (courtesy of TCK Publishing) for an advanced copy to review.
I'm a fan of gothic horror stories and classic horror. This is why I chose to read 'The Devil's Whispers' when I saw it on Netgalley. Cleaver title. However, I am curious to where the areas of the book are along the lines of Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I very much see the Dracula style, it's very heavily Dracula style with little sprinkles of Frankenstein. After I released I was reading a similar story to Dracula and just went along for the ride.
I felt the story was organized well. Very clear chapters (journal and letter style) and I knew the POV with the many characters. The descriptions of the places and environment in the setting was done very well and planted great images in my head while reading the story.
One note to our author (I read at the end of the book he reads all reviews), during this time period there were no women doctors. Midwives--yes but men were doctors during that time period. I didn't let that get in the way of the story. I did enjoy Raelyn was an educated lady that was strong and determined.
I'm a fan of gothic horror stories and classic horror. This is why I chose to read 'The Devil's Whispers' when I saw it on Netgalley. Cleaver title. However, I am curious to where the areas of the book are along the lines of Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I very much see the Dracula style, it's very heavily Dracula style with little sprinkles of Frankenstein. After I released I was reading a similar story to Dracula and just went along for the ride.
I felt the story was organized well. Very clear chapters (journal and letter style) and I knew the POV with the many characters. The descriptions of the places and environment in the setting was done very well and planted great images in my head while reading the story.
One note to our author (I read at the end of the book he reads all reviews), during this time period there were no women doctors. Midwives--yes but men were doctors during that time period. I didn't let that get in the way of the story. I did enjoy Raelyn was an educated lady that was strong and determined.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2022
I thank TCK Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book that I freely chose to review.
The description recommends this book to fans of epistolary Gothic classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Being a big fan of Oscar Wilde, I won’t compare the novels, but I have read many reviews querying if The Devil’s Whispers can be considered an homage to Dracula, as it follows the original story very closely, basically changing the names, locations, and some of the details of the monster, but not much else. What came to my mind, when trying to find a way of defining it, is something akin to what music composers call “variations”. It’s been decades since I read Dracula, so I can’t (or indeed want) to write a blow-by-blow comparison of the two, but it is true that they are very similar. Some of the differences I can easily mention are the settings (no Transylvania here, although people who love Cardiff might take issue with the way it is portrayed in this novel), the professions of some of the characters (Raelyn is a doctor, but as many people have mentioned, a female doctor in the early part of the XX century [1903] would have had a very difficult time of it, and that is no way reflected in the novel), some of the myths and the beliefs surrounding the supernatural events are different, and, unless I am mistaken, women and children play much bigger parts than in the original.
This is not a historical novel, and anybody looking for accurate depictions of the era, the place, the language, or even the mores and habits, will be disappointed. Neither the Cardiff nor the London of the story have anything to do with reality, and the characters are not very consistent either. Things develop very quickly, and somebody passes from love to hatred in the blink of an eye (sometimes as a result of supernatural influences, that is true, but not always). Suspension of disbelief doesn’t quite cover the reading experience, as we have characters who can leave their jobs at the drop of a hat and disappear for days or weeks on end with no ill consequences, married people who profess their love for their husbands or wives but don’t hesitate before leaving them without a word of explanation or making contact again, to name but two. What the story has, though, is plenty of atmosphere, and an old-fashioned Gothic feel to it. Rather than a reinterpretation of the genre, this is something closer to what many of the stories from the era might have been like, many of which wouldn’t have survived until now or become classics. It makes me think of Little Women, the scene when Prof. Bhaer is disparaging the type of sensationalist romance stories one can find in newspapers, knowing full well that Jo writes them as well, and advises her to write stories that truly matter to her. Those titillating narrations are the kinds of stories that would have been popular at the time, and, why not? (I will not reveal what happens in Little Women, in case somebody hasn’t read it. If you haven’t, please do. I love it!)
I also kept thinking of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlett Letter among many other novels (I recommend it as well), who wrote about the differences between a novel and a romance (not a romantic novel in the sense of a love story, but something quite different).
This is what he wrote on the subject in his preface to The House of the Seven Gables (1851):
‘When a writer calls his work a Romance, it need hardly be observed that he wishes to claim a certain latitude, both as to its fashion and material, which he would not have felt himself entitled to assume, had he professed to be writing a novel. The latter form of composition is presumed to aim at a very minute fidelity, not merely to the possible, but to the probable and ordinary course of man’s experience. The former - while, as a work of art, it must rigidly subject itself to laws, and while it sins unpardonably so far as it may swerve aside from the truth of the human heart - has fairly a right to present that truth under circumstances, to a great extent of the writers own choosing or creation. If he thinks fit, also, he may so manage his atmospherical medium as to bring out or mellow the lights, and deepen and enrich the shadows of the picture, he will be wise, no doubt, to make a very moderate use of the privilege here stated, and especially to mingle the marvellous rather as a slight, delicate and evanescent flavour, than as any portion of the actual substance of the dish offered to the public. He can hardly be said, however, to commit a literary crime, even if he disregarded this caution.’
So, a novel has to be plausible, while in a romance, flights of fancy and imagination are allowed, and those are the working tools of the author. From that point of view, this book would fall into the category of a romance, and, readers who approach it as such, are likely to be swept by the story and enjoy the experience, but if you are looking for a well-written and high-quality novel as most critics understand it, you are bound to be disappointed.
To be fair, Bram Stoker wrote to entertain his readers and doesn’t seem to have been particularly concerned about issues such as classic status or high-brow definitions of quality. He had problems in the USA because he wanted his story to remain in the public domain rather than be copyrighted, so perhaps there is something more to the comparison than meets the eye.
I know this isn’t one of my usual reviews, but I hope people will get an idea of what they might find and if it is the kind of thing they’d like to read. There are scenes of violence, bizarre events aplenty, and some gore, but more in the style of classic horror than realistic modern descriptions. And I will agree with the recommendation to read Dracula as well if you haven’t yet. Oh, and don’t forget to keep eating onions!
The description recommends this book to fans of epistolary Gothic classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Being a big fan of Oscar Wilde, I won’t compare the novels, but I have read many reviews querying if The Devil’s Whispers can be considered an homage to Dracula, as it follows the original story very closely, basically changing the names, locations, and some of the details of the monster, but not much else. What came to my mind, when trying to find a way of defining it, is something akin to what music composers call “variations”. It’s been decades since I read Dracula, so I can’t (or indeed want) to write a blow-by-blow comparison of the two, but it is true that they are very similar. Some of the differences I can easily mention are the settings (no Transylvania here, although people who love Cardiff might take issue with the way it is portrayed in this novel), the professions of some of the characters (Raelyn is a doctor, but as many people have mentioned, a female doctor in the early part of the XX century [1903] would have had a very difficult time of it, and that is no way reflected in the novel), some of the myths and the beliefs surrounding the supernatural events are different, and, unless I am mistaken, women and children play much bigger parts than in the original.
This is not a historical novel, and anybody looking for accurate depictions of the era, the place, the language, or even the mores and habits, will be disappointed. Neither the Cardiff nor the London of the story have anything to do with reality, and the characters are not very consistent either. Things develop very quickly, and somebody passes from love to hatred in the blink of an eye (sometimes as a result of supernatural influences, that is true, but not always). Suspension of disbelief doesn’t quite cover the reading experience, as we have characters who can leave their jobs at the drop of a hat and disappear for days or weeks on end with no ill consequences, married people who profess their love for their husbands or wives but don’t hesitate before leaving them without a word of explanation or making contact again, to name but two. What the story has, though, is plenty of atmosphere, and an old-fashioned Gothic feel to it. Rather than a reinterpretation of the genre, this is something closer to what many of the stories from the era might have been like, many of which wouldn’t have survived until now or become classics. It makes me think of Little Women, the scene when Prof. Bhaer is disparaging the type of sensationalist romance stories one can find in newspapers, knowing full well that Jo writes them as well, and advises her to write stories that truly matter to her. Those titillating narrations are the kinds of stories that would have been popular at the time, and, why not? (I will not reveal what happens in Little Women, in case somebody hasn’t read it. If you haven’t, please do. I love it!)
I also kept thinking of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlett Letter among many other novels (I recommend it as well), who wrote about the differences between a novel and a romance (not a romantic novel in the sense of a love story, but something quite different).
This is what he wrote on the subject in his preface to The House of the Seven Gables (1851):
‘When a writer calls his work a Romance, it need hardly be observed that he wishes to claim a certain latitude, both as to its fashion and material, which he would not have felt himself entitled to assume, had he professed to be writing a novel. The latter form of composition is presumed to aim at a very minute fidelity, not merely to the possible, but to the probable and ordinary course of man’s experience. The former - while, as a work of art, it must rigidly subject itself to laws, and while it sins unpardonably so far as it may swerve aside from the truth of the human heart - has fairly a right to present that truth under circumstances, to a great extent of the writers own choosing or creation. If he thinks fit, also, he may so manage his atmospherical medium as to bring out or mellow the lights, and deepen and enrich the shadows of the picture, he will be wise, no doubt, to make a very moderate use of the privilege here stated, and especially to mingle the marvellous rather as a slight, delicate and evanescent flavour, than as any portion of the actual substance of the dish offered to the public. He can hardly be said, however, to commit a literary crime, even if he disregarded this caution.’
So, a novel has to be plausible, while in a romance, flights of fancy and imagination are allowed, and those are the working tools of the author. From that point of view, this book would fall into the category of a romance, and, readers who approach it as such, are likely to be swept by the story and enjoy the experience, but if you are looking for a well-written and high-quality novel as most critics understand it, you are bound to be disappointed.
To be fair, Bram Stoker wrote to entertain his readers and doesn’t seem to have been particularly concerned about issues such as classic status or high-brow definitions of quality. He had problems in the USA because he wanted his story to remain in the public domain rather than be copyrighted, so perhaps there is something more to the comparison than meets the eye.
I know this isn’t one of my usual reviews, but I hope people will get an idea of what they might find and if it is the kind of thing they’d like to read. There are scenes of violence, bizarre events aplenty, and some gore, but more in the style of classic horror than realistic modern descriptions. And I will agree with the recommendation to read Dracula as well if you haven’t yet. Oh, and don’t forget to keep eating onions!
April 26, 2022
gothic horror, anyone know what that means? if you have KU you can read it there. i do not. have i ever told ya bout my book blog experience, it didn't work that well, so it is gone. then for some stupid reason Amazon took away my abilities to REVIEW anything on their platform which is completely dumb. i could use so many other adjectives in there. i don't get how a platform can not give you an honest reason why they took that ability or right away. i did nothing wrong and i think it is so silly. yet every time i purchase something from them i get a ridiculous email saying review this experience, say how the seller is?? blah. blah. blah. so dumb. why send it?? slap in the face, right??! i think so. i have always been honest, i will say why i dislike something and i think as a seller or a person reading those reviews you deserve to hear an honest opinion, i would think whatever u r buying that is so important. why would you do any other way??? i mean then you might say why would you continue to buy from them, well, where else am i gonna buy books from? i have a kindle to read those books. thank the heavens that Goodreads allows for giveaways ...love those. thankful there. we find it odd that you can buy "deck cleaner", cheaper on Amazon than on Lowe's?? right. well, everyone has gotta worry about their doe ...it doesn't grow on trees. i think this is so true. do what you gotta do. for that reason, i wish to say, thank you to the publisher (they did wish for me to give their website and contact info. but i don't know how to do website links etc. here on Goodreads. when i have done that in the past it will not allow it? maybe you have to be an author to do links and such? maybe they think you are doing something not cool? not sure.) for contacting me and asking me to read and review this book for a honest review, thoughts, etc. i love it when folks do that. i wish i could give a review on Amazon (and you might be thinking why the heck are you telling this here Beth, well ...i don't have a platform to speak my thought any more, unless you are speaking travels. but who is traveling these days. i do have my travel blog. any who ...i review here and i am thankful that Goodreads, allows for my reviews to be continued to be logged here. thank you there. blessing to you. have a great day. be well. go read. enjoy life. spring is here in my Virginia world.) ((and my blog, sadly the blog is no more. life is sad when you have to let certain tasks you really wanted to become something bigger and badder, u know?? i wanted so much for my blog to be a place to enjoy and love by many but it just didn't grow or improve. i will continue to find a grow elsewhere.) any who ... i am glad i got a chance to check out Lucas' book. i appreciate the chance. suspense. that is always a genre i enjoy. as i always say ... i'm a type of reader that i don't follow a type of genre or author or whatever there. i do have a thought of ...can this author hold my interest?? i mean we could be talking mold on a shoe ...if you have can make it interesting i am so there. i look forward to reading more from Lucas. i did enjoy it. i wish him much success and thanks for making a great read. check it out. if you are one who enjoys this genre please do. if you are one who like me can read pretty much any genre ... take the time. so worth that time and curiosity in doing so.
May 28, 2022
I very rarely read/ review gothic horror novels but I was intrigued by this book - The Devil’s Whispers. Written by Lucas Hault and published by TCK publishing.
the novel is set in a creepy Welsh castle. The main character, Gerald Woodward is a British (English) solicitor who is brought to said castle to write the last will and testament of Lord Ferdinand Elvin Mathers who is dying. When Woodward is not with him he is locked in his room in the castle with the butler, Jared, at his service. Helena, Lord Mathers’ daughter, is greatly concerned for her father but she also has a striking resemblance to the woman Woodward sees as he travels to the castle. Despite being taken ill whilst at the castle Woodward discovers how eerie and scary the place can be. He is supposed to be locked in his room but manages to find a way out to explore the labyrinth of corridors and dungeons. Lack of sleep leads to terrifying nightmares that said his strength. He is further concerned to see Mathers at death’s door one day and full of health the next. The answer to this, as Woodwards discovers, is to be found in the dungeons.
Raelyn Atherton, Woodward’s fiancée, has remained in London. She has her own terrifying storyline to tell of children disappearing and animals being mutilated which is interlinked with her fiancé. I found it interesting that although this is a historical gothic horror novel there aren’t any swooning heroines. Raelyn is a physician who does not want a male escort to assist her.
Father Malcom Issac Simpson is not only a Christian but a supernatural investigator who assists Woodward in his increasingly complicated games as he tries to draw out Xana, a supernatural individual who presents herself as a beautiful young woman in order to draw her prey into her net.
The premise, devices and ideas behind the storyline are intriguing and add a new dimension to catch the readers’ attention. I enjoyed that the storyline was based around journal entries and letters between the main characters. There are several narrators whose voices add to the growing sense of horror and fear as the storyline progresses. This device, however, could also a double edged sword because if the reader loses concentration it is possible to forget who is narrating that particular journal entry. The pacing of the book needed some work. The first few chapters dragged as Woodward is taken to the castle. I know the author has to set the scene but this, I feel, could have been achieved much more succinctly and would then evoked and created the atmosphere needed for a successful gothic horror novel much more quickly and realistically. Once I got through the first few chapters the pace sped up and the storyline grabbed my attention. The fear of Woodward trapped in the castle seemed so much more palpable and realistic. One small pedantic issue - Woodward would be an English lawyer not British.
I enjoyed parts of this novel. It isn’t perfect for the reasons outlined above. I would like to read more of Hault’s work in the future to see how his writing style develops as the ideas are there and whilst they capture the readers’ attention the execution could be refined.
I was #gifted this novel by TCK Publishing but this has not influenced the views expressed in this review.
the novel is set in a creepy Welsh castle. The main character, Gerald Woodward is a British (English) solicitor who is brought to said castle to write the last will and testament of Lord Ferdinand Elvin Mathers who is dying. When Woodward is not with him he is locked in his room in the castle with the butler, Jared, at his service. Helena, Lord Mathers’ daughter, is greatly concerned for her father but she also has a striking resemblance to the woman Woodward sees as he travels to the castle. Despite being taken ill whilst at the castle Woodward discovers how eerie and scary the place can be. He is supposed to be locked in his room but manages to find a way out to explore the labyrinth of corridors and dungeons. Lack of sleep leads to terrifying nightmares that said his strength. He is further concerned to see Mathers at death’s door one day and full of health the next. The answer to this, as Woodwards discovers, is to be found in the dungeons.
Raelyn Atherton, Woodward’s fiancée, has remained in London. She has her own terrifying storyline to tell of children disappearing and animals being mutilated which is interlinked with her fiancé. I found it interesting that although this is a historical gothic horror novel there aren’t any swooning heroines. Raelyn is a physician who does not want a male escort to assist her.
Father Malcom Issac Simpson is not only a Christian but a supernatural investigator who assists Woodward in his increasingly complicated games as he tries to draw out Xana, a supernatural individual who presents herself as a beautiful young woman in order to draw her prey into her net.
The premise, devices and ideas behind the storyline are intriguing and add a new dimension to catch the readers’ attention. I enjoyed that the storyline was based around journal entries and letters between the main characters. There are several narrators whose voices add to the growing sense of horror and fear as the storyline progresses. This device, however, could also a double edged sword because if the reader loses concentration it is possible to forget who is narrating that particular journal entry. The pacing of the book needed some work. The first few chapters dragged as Woodward is taken to the castle. I know the author has to set the scene but this, I feel, could have been achieved much more succinctly and would then evoked and created the atmosphere needed for a successful gothic horror novel much more quickly and realistically. Once I got through the first few chapters the pace sped up and the storyline grabbed my attention. The fear of Woodward trapped in the castle seemed so much more palpable and realistic. One small pedantic issue - Woodward would be an English lawyer not British.
I enjoyed parts of this novel. It isn’t perfect for the reasons outlined above. I would like to read more of Hault’s work in the future to see how his writing style develops as the ideas are there and whilst they capture the readers’ attention the execution could be refined.
I was #gifted this novel by TCK Publishing but this has not influenced the views expressed in this review.
April 11, 2022
Read Full & Detailed review: https://cynthology.blogspot.com/2022/...
The book reminds us of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. All the details point in that direction. The adversaries acting in darkness, being afraid of sunlight, eating of rats, the bite marks. The only difference here is that the author has created a mythical creature of his own, called Xana, while borrowing heavily from folklore surrounding vampires.
The author has a grip on the action sequences, but my overall impression was that it was all rather unoriginal. The inspiration from Dracula is all too evident, and there is nothing to set this tale apart. It’s fine to create a mythical supernatural adversary, but making them like vampires while calling them Xana is unacceptable.
The author creates a sense of mystery that doesn’t always seep out of the pages. I couldn’t feel the sense of intrigue. There are strange things happening in the castle. Gerard has odd dreams of being hunted. There are strange beasts chained to rooms, and strange sounds are heard.
For the most part, it’s hard to tell what the fuss is about. Lord Mathers sometimes appears to be on his deathbed and sometimes in perfect health. Gerard has no clue what’s happening. Nor do we, but with much less patience and with no fear.
The book is written as a collection of letters and journal entries by various people. These include Gerard, his fiancée Raelyn Atherton, a doctor, his best friend, Ralph Brewer, her best friend, Jayda, a nun and a priest, Fr Malcolm Isaac Simpson. Unfortunately, there are so many perspectives that one begins to sound like another. There is nothing to distinguish one from another.
The journal and letters as a form of narrative technique can be limiting. Letters work best if there are only two correspondents. The more, the messier. The use of 3rd person omniscient narration would have improved the story.
None of the characters are developed. We get no backstory about them so it’s hard for us to care about them, and the sting of the horror falls short. The journal entries appear impersonal, and make it hard for us to relate to the characters.
In particular, Raelyn seemed totally unreal. Her anxiousness to learn the truth about a stranger, Mark Huddleston, is unbelievable. Also, she acts like a modern woman in 1903, which is unbelievable. She even uses curse words, which doesn’t fit her general persona at all. The author gives us the impression that men consulted female doctors back then as a matter of course.
The significance of the title was unclear, as was the reason for the abduction of children and the reason behind the house imprisonment of Gerard. We are not given any explanation about the Xana, their origin story, and why they exist.
All in all, not a book I’d recommend.
The book reminds us of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. All the details point in that direction. The adversaries acting in darkness, being afraid of sunlight, eating of rats, the bite marks. The only difference here is that the author has created a mythical creature of his own, called Xana, while borrowing heavily from folklore surrounding vampires.
The author has a grip on the action sequences, but my overall impression was that it was all rather unoriginal. The inspiration from Dracula is all too evident, and there is nothing to set this tale apart. It’s fine to create a mythical supernatural adversary, but making them like vampires while calling them Xana is unacceptable.
The author creates a sense of mystery that doesn’t always seep out of the pages. I couldn’t feel the sense of intrigue. There are strange things happening in the castle. Gerard has odd dreams of being hunted. There are strange beasts chained to rooms, and strange sounds are heard.
For the most part, it’s hard to tell what the fuss is about. Lord Mathers sometimes appears to be on his deathbed and sometimes in perfect health. Gerard has no clue what’s happening. Nor do we, but with much less patience and with no fear.
The book is written as a collection of letters and journal entries by various people. These include Gerard, his fiancée Raelyn Atherton, a doctor, his best friend, Ralph Brewer, her best friend, Jayda, a nun and a priest, Fr Malcolm Isaac Simpson. Unfortunately, there are so many perspectives that one begins to sound like another. There is nothing to distinguish one from another.
The journal and letters as a form of narrative technique can be limiting. Letters work best if there are only two correspondents. The more, the messier. The use of 3rd person omniscient narration would have improved the story.
None of the characters are developed. We get no backstory about them so it’s hard for us to care about them, and the sting of the horror falls short. The journal entries appear impersonal, and make it hard for us to relate to the characters.
In particular, Raelyn seemed totally unreal. Her anxiousness to learn the truth about a stranger, Mark Huddleston, is unbelievable. Also, she acts like a modern woman in 1903, which is unbelievable. She even uses curse words, which doesn’t fit her general persona at all. The author gives us the impression that men consulted female doctors back then as a matter of course.
The significance of the title was unclear, as was the reason for the abduction of children and the reason behind the house imprisonment of Gerard. We are not given any explanation about the Xana, their origin story, and why they exist.
All in all, not a book I’d recommend.
March 2, 2022
It has been a while since I have read a horror book. While I like the horror genre, I tend to avoid them because I mainly read at night. But, when the author emailed me and asked me to review The Devil’s Whispers, I accepted. I had decided that when I read the book, I would read it during the day. And I kept to that, believe it or not. While I am glad that I read The Devil’s Whispers, I was “meh” on the storyline and how the author presented the book.
The Devil’s Whispers had a slow-paced storyline that stayed pretty steady throughout the book. There was some lag in the middle of the book (during Jayda’s entries), and the book never recovered from that.
The Devil’s Whispers is not a traditionally written book. While it does have a plotline with the main characters, it is instead told through journal entries. I enjoy reading books written this way, and I feel that it is a different way to present a story. But, when there were more than two journal entries, I started getting confused and a little bored. I would have been thrilled with just reading the book through Gerard and Raelyn’s POV (with maybe Jayda’s popping in to clarify some scenes).
The Devil’s Whispers is a rewrite of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I have read many books that attempt to rewrite or write their take on that story. This book is no exception, except the vampires are different. They can give birth, but their babies need to be raised by humans to survive. They can shapeshift into various animals. They can go outside in the sunlight and survive in the water. I found it fascinating that while these vampires could travel, they could only do it within a certain radius of their vases (where they lived). And to kill them, you needed to break the vase.
I do want to touch upon trigger warnings. I usually do not include these in my reviews, but I feel that I need to make an exception in this case. This book is very violent, very bloody. There is gore (oh so much), animal abuse, excessive violence, and child death. I like to think that I have a high tolerance for things like that, but there were scenes where I had to put the book down because it was just too much.
I liked Raelyn, but I felt she didn’t match when the book was written. Her thoughts and actions were more of a modern-day woman than a woman of that era. Not to say I didn’t like her (I did), but it didn’t jive with me and made it hard for me to connect with her. I will say that she was very driven to find Gerard and help Noah, but she was also blind to what was happening around her.
I liked Gerard too. He was the real MVP of the book. He had escaped the vampires once, and he was willing to do whatever it took to beat them. He also loved Raelyn and was ready to do whatever it took to free her from the vampires. I loved those later chapters (that last battle was a doozy) because they breathed life into the book.
The end of The Devil’s Whispers was a little anti-climatic. I did like that everything was resolved. But, I wondered about something mentioned at the very end and if the threat was over.
I would recommend The Devil’s Whispers to anyone over 21. There is extreme violence, language, and sexual situations.
The Devil’s Whispers had a slow-paced storyline that stayed pretty steady throughout the book. There was some lag in the middle of the book (during Jayda’s entries), and the book never recovered from that.
The Devil’s Whispers is not a traditionally written book. While it does have a plotline with the main characters, it is instead told through journal entries. I enjoy reading books written this way, and I feel that it is a different way to present a story. But, when there were more than two journal entries, I started getting confused and a little bored. I would have been thrilled with just reading the book through Gerard and Raelyn’s POV (with maybe Jayda’s popping in to clarify some scenes).
The Devil’s Whispers is a rewrite of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I have read many books that attempt to rewrite or write their take on that story. This book is no exception, except the vampires are different. They can give birth, but their babies need to be raised by humans to survive. They can shapeshift into various animals. They can go outside in the sunlight and survive in the water. I found it fascinating that while these vampires could travel, they could only do it within a certain radius of their vases (where they lived). And to kill them, you needed to break the vase.
I do want to touch upon trigger warnings. I usually do not include these in my reviews, but I feel that I need to make an exception in this case. This book is very violent, very bloody. There is gore (oh so much), animal abuse, excessive violence, and child death. I like to think that I have a high tolerance for things like that, but there were scenes where I had to put the book down because it was just too much.
I liked Raelyn, but I felt she didn’t match when the book was written. Her thoughts and actions were more of a modern-day woman than a woman of that era. Not to say I didn’t like her (I did), but it didn’t jive with me and made it hard for me to connect with her. I will say that she was very driven to find Gerard and help Noah, but she was also blind to what was happening around her.
I liked Gerard too. He was the real MVP of the book. He had escaped the vampires once, and he was willing to do whatever it took to beat them. He also loved Raelyn and was ready to do whatever it took to free her from the vampires. I loved those later chapters (that last battle was a doozy) because they breathed life into the book.
The end of The Devil’s Whispers was a little anti-climatic. I did like that everything was resolved. But, I wondered about something mentioned at the very end and if the threat was over.
I would recommend The Devil’s Whispers to anyone over 21. There is extreme violence, language, and sexual situations.
May 3, 2022
I simply cannot get enough of fantasy horror, so naturally, I couldn't resist the opportunity to read and review Lucas Hault's The Devil's Whispers. If you're a fan of retellings and dark atmospheric reads, the odds are good that you'll enjoy this one.
Gerard Woodward is used to being summoned and wanted – he's a famous lawyer. Yet this latest summons is...unusual, to put it mildly. It's not just that he's staying in a literal castle. It's everything else about it, including that he feels more like a prisoner than a guest.
Perhaps that is a mercy, given the alternative. Is it safer to be locked within the walls or free out where the monsters roam? This is a question Gerard must answer if he wants to find his way back into the light.
I'm a huge fan of retellings and thus will jump at the chance to read any in my path. So when The Devil's Whispers came along, I didn't hesitate. However, I want to be upfront here: The Devil's Whispers reads more like an altered version of Dracula than a proper retelling. If you're okay with that, you'll probably enjoy this book.
Perhaps it would be better to say that The Devil's Whispers is an homage to Bram Stoker's Dracula. Clearly, Lucas Hault is a fan – every page radiates this fact. Again, some readers will appreciate this, while others will only be bothered by the direct parallels on the page.
I'm torn. On the one hand, the writing is quite good. On the other, it wasn't quite the level of deviation I expected from a retelling. It felt like the twists could have used some more fleshing out to make it unique. Then again, it is quite difficult to live up to the classics, so I'm striving to keep that in mind here.
Overall I'd say read The Devil's Whispers if you're looking for a love letter for fans of Bram Stoker, as that is very much what this tale is.
Thanks to TCK Publishing for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Gerard Woodward is used to being summoned and wanted – he's a famous lawyer. Yet this latest summons is...unusual, to put it mildly. It's not just that he's staying in a literal castle. It's everything else about it, including that he feels more like a prisoner than a guest.
Perhaps that is a mercy, given the alternative. Is it safer to be locked within the walls or free out where the monsters roam? This is a question Gerard must answer if he wants to find his way back into the light.
I'm a huge fan of retellings and thus will jump at the chance to read any in my path. So when The Devil's Whispers came along, I didn't hesitate. However, I want to be upfront here: The Devil's Whispers reads more like an altered version of Dracula than a proper retelling. If you're okay with that, you'll probably enjoy this book.
Perhaps it would be better to say that The Devil's Whispers is an homage to Bram Stoker's Dracula. Clearly, Lucas Hault is a fan – every page radiates this fact. Again, some readers will appreciate this, while others will only be bothered by the direct parallels on the page.
I'm torn. On the one hand, the writing is quite good. On the other, it wasn't quite the level of deviation I expected from a retelling. It felt like the twists could have used some more fleshing out to make it unique. Then again, it is quite difficult to live up to the classics, so I'm striving to keep that in mind here.
Overall I'd say read The Devil's Whispers if you're looking for a love letter for fans of Bram Stoker, as that is very much what this tale is.
Thanks to TCK Publishing for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
April 30, 2022
A British Lawyer Gerard woodward is summoned to an ancient castle to assist a dying lord in his final times, However his excitement soon to horror has he finds himself more as a poisoner than a guest, Will Gerard Woodward be able to escape? What is the mysterious yellow eyed creature roaming the castle and what is the mystery of ancient vase?
The Author has successfully maintained the horror element alive in different settings be it an old spooky castle or be it in board day light of London Street. Plot of the story revolves around classic old fashioned, gothic concept. I loved the imagination of author in creating the creature and its characteristics, which I found to be quite unique and interesting. The language of the book is crisp and the pace is free flowing. I loved the cover of the book, it doe proper justice to the story.
Even though the Cover of book was spot on I feel the author should have given more thought on the title of the book, I wish author would have given more detail description of Xana and their characters to aid the imagination of readers. Also , I feel I would have found it more interesting if the story would have been given more scientific rather than a spiritual angle. Readers need to concentrate on minute details, only thorough reading can be helpful to understand the concept when piece finally do fall into places. I feel the whole journaling part to be interesting however skipping though dates could be confusion nd effort required to remember the timeline takes away the continuity of the story element.
Conclusion: Anyone into Gothic, horror, ancient tale would definitely fall in love with the story.
Rating: It's 4.0/5 for me.
The Author has successfully maintained the horror element alive in different settings be it an old spooky castle or be it in board day light of London Street. Plot of the story revolves around classic old fashioned, gothic concept. I loved the imagination of author in creating the creature and its characteristics, which I found to be quite unique and interesting. The language of the book is crisp and the pace is free flowing. I loved the cover of the book, it doe proper justice to the story.
Even though the Cover of book was spot on I feel the author should have given more thought on the title of the book, I wish author would have given more detail description of Xana and their characters to aid the imagination of readers. Also , I feel I would have found it more interesting if the story would have been given more scientific rather than a spiritual angle. Readers need to concentrate on minute details, only thorough reading can be helpful to understand the concept when piece finally do fall into places. I feel the whole journaling part to be interesting however skipping though dates could be confusion nd effort required to remember the timeline takes away the continuity of the story element.
Conclusion: Anyone into Gothic, horror, ancient tale would definitely fall in love with the story.
Rating: It's 4.0/5 for me.
June 2, 2022
Gerard Woodward is meant to tie up a dying lord's affairs in his Welsh castle but soon feels more like a prisoner. He's locked inside his room, but escaping it doesn't help. Gerard hears wails and rattling chains, and the halls seem to echo secrets. A horrible secret is hidden in the dungeons of Mathers Castle as children begin to vanish in London, and animals are mutilated. A creature is loose, and Gerard’s wife Raelyn is the creature’s next target.
This is an epistolary novel, told in letters, journal entries, and other ephemera from the early 1900s. It very much evokes the nature of Dracula, with a bit more modernized language for current readers. The creepy atmosphere starts almost right away, with "baleful eyes" peering at Gerard through the window, and the traveling to the castle of his employer also mirrors Dracula. We also see Raelyn and others through their journals, where they detail nightmares and the concern that they create. The monster that worries the characters goes after small animals, young children and men in particular.
I'm a fan of vampire novels, and this was an interesting variation of the mythology. It's actually based on Asturian mythology, which I wasn't aware of before looking it up. The journals describe the creature, as well as others under its control, and the mounting sense of dread is well done. Anyone that enjoys Gothic horror will like this story.
This is an epistolary novel, told in letters, journal entries, and other ephemera from the early 1900s. It very much evokes the nature of Dracula, with a bit more modernized language for current readers. The creepy atmosphere starts almost right away, with "baleful eyes" peering at Gerard through the window, and the traveling to the castle of his employer also mirrors Dracula. We also see Raelyn and others through their journals, where they detail nightmares and the concern that they create. The monster that worries the characters goes after small animals, young children and men in particular.
I'm a fan of vampire novels, and this was an interesting variation of the mythology. It's actually based on Asturian mythology, which I wasn't aware of before looking it up. The journals describe the creature, as well as others under its control, and the mounting sense of dread is well done. Anyone that enjoys Gothic horror will like this story.
March 21, 2022
Okay. I'm going to address the elephant in the room straight off the bat. The Devil's Whispers is, essentially, Dracula.
The two books begin so similarly that, had I not accepted an advance copy in return for a review, I would have put the book down a few chapters in and not picked it back up again. Hault is clearly heavily influenced by Bram Stoker's masterpiece, and I can't blame him for that, but the similarities in both the story beats and even the characters was a little too much to overlook, and this is ultimately where The Devil's Whispers falters.
Hault manages to claw it back a little, though; creating his own mythos (albeit still very similar to vampires). His characterisation is simply okay, but the characters' voices and personalities are so similar that there is not much to distinguish one from another. I would have liked to see a little difference in personality, especially between the two main women who, on paper, seemed like the same person.
All this being said, I did enjoy the story for what it was, and finished it rather quickly and enthusiastically. Hault is an effective gothic writer and I'd be interested in reading some of his future works as long as he employed a little more creativity and originality.
The two books begin so similarly that, had I not accepted an advance copy in return for a review, I would have put the book down a few chapters in and not picked it back up again. Hault is clearly heavily influenced by Bram Stoker's masterpiece, and I can't blame him for that, but the similarities in both the story beats and even the characters was a little too much to overlook, and this is ultimately where The Devil's Whispers falters.
Hault manages to claw it back a little, though; creating his own mythos (albeit still very similar to vampires). His characterisation is simply okay, but the characters' voices and personalities are so similar that there is not much to distinguish one from another. I would have liked to see a little difference in personality, especially between the two main women who, on paper, seemed like the same person.
All this being said, I did enjoy the story for what it was, and finished it rather quickly and enthusiastically. Hault is an effective gothic writer and I'd be interested in reading some of his future works as long as he employed a little more creativity and originality.
February 24, 2022
The devil's whispers by Lucas Hault.
In a silent, sleepy castle, evil has awakened…Famed British lawyer Gerard Woodward is summoned to an ancient Welsh castle to assist a dying lord in his final affairs. But as his host slips closer to death, Gerard begins to feel less like a guest and more like a prisoner. When he finds himself locked inside his room, he realizes he must escape.After finding his way out of his room, Gerard begins to wonder if he was safer locked inside. The labyrinthine halls echo secrets. A terrible wail and the rattling of chains sets his nerves on end. Something sinister is happening within the walls of Mathers Castle, and when he descends into the dungeons, he discovers a horrible secret…In nearby London, children vanish into the night, animals are horribly mutilated, and a savage creature stalks the shadows. When Gerard’s wife, Raelyn, becomes the creature’s next target, his need to escape reaches a fever pitch. He must get out alive so he can dispel the evil that threatens to destroy his beloved Raelyn… and the rest of us.
A brilliant read. Spooky and creepy. Unputdownable. 5*.
In a silent, sleepy castle, evil has awakened…Famed British lawyer Gerard Woodward is summoned to an ancient Welsh castle to assist a dying lord in his final affairs. But as his host slips closer to death, Gerard begins to feel less like a guest and more like a prisoner. When he finds himself locked inside his room, he realizes he must escape.After finding his way out of his room, Gerard begins to wonder if he was safer locked inside. The labyrinthine halls echo secrets. A terrible wail and the rattling of chains sets his nerves on end. Something sinister is happening within the walls of Mathers Castle, and when he descends into the dungeons, he discovers a horrible secret…In nearby London, children vanish into the night, animals are horribly mutilated, and a savage creature stalks the shadows. When Gerard’s wife, Raelyn, becomes the creature’s next target, his need to escape reaches a fever pitch. He must get out alive so he can dispel the evil that threatens to destroy his beloved Raelyn… and the rest of us.
A brilliant read. Spooky and creepy. Unputdownable. 5*.
April 24, 2022
Classic gothic horror engenders fear and a feeling of being haunted. The best fiction induces terror in the reader and makes them wish they’d lit more candles. For me, The Devil’s Whispers hits the right notes—a creepy Cardiff mansion, an evil servant, and a dark, forbidding forest from which unholy things can emerge.
Like Dracula, an attorney is summoned to the home of a dying aristocrat. But unlike that famous Bram Stoker novel, there are no vampires. Instead, something ancient and terrifying awaits Gerald Woodward. And it’s a force that threatens not only his life but that of his fiancée and their close friends.
What I enjoyed most about this story was the author’s meticulous description. He creates a world I can almost see as Gerald does. And it’s a place that, frankly, I wouldn’t want to visit, except maybe for London. That great city is teeming with life, whereas Cardiff imbues an overpowering sense of melancholy—and worse.
If you enjoy inventive gothic horror featuring well-drawn, colorful characters, I recommend The Devil’s Whispers. It’s good, old-fashioned, diabolical fun.
Like Dracula, an attorney is summoned to the home of a dying aristocrat. But unlike that famous Bram Stoker novel, there are no vampires. Instead, something ancient and terrifying awaits Gerald Woodward. And it’s a force that threatens not only his life but that of his fiancée and their close friends.
What I enjoyed most about this story was the author’s meticulous description. He creates a world I can almost see as Gerald does. And it’s a place that, frankly, I wouldn’t want to visit, except maybe for London. That great city is teeming with life, whereas Cardiff imbues an overpowering sense of melancholy—and worse.
If you enjoy inventive gothic horror featuring well-drawn, colorful characters, I recommend The Devil’s Whispers. It’s good, old-fashioned, diabolical fun.
March 10, 2022
This novel was written epistolary style, and from the first journal entry of Gerard, our lawyer friend who is on his way to a mysterious castle, it reminded me of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Told through various journal entries, notes, and letters from one character to another, this is the story of a group of people fighting a supernatural force/creature that they ultimately come to know as the Xana. And it's just not one creature but a family of it.
I enjoyed many parts of the book but one thing that did ruin it for me was how often the characters would up and disappear without informing their friends or partners. I would be really upset and annoyed if my fiance up and left without so much as a note, and in the midst of a dangerous mystery!! That lack of communication as a plot device is really not my cup of tea.
If the book was also told in first or third person, I feel I may have enjoyed it more as well. There's just something about this book that made it feel as if dragged toward the end. All in all, not a bad story and I learned about a new creature!
TW of child disappearance/kidnapping
I enjoyed many parts of the book but one thing that did ruin it for me was how often the characters would up and disappear without informing their friends or partners. I would be really upset and annoyed if my fiance up and left without so much as a note, and in the midst of a dangerous mystery!! That lack of communication as a plot device is really not my cup of tea.
If the book was also told in first or third person, I feel I may have enjoyed it more as well. There's just something about this book that made it feel as if dragged toward the end. All in all, not a bad story and I learned about a new creature!
TW of child disappearance/kidnapping
April 12, 2022
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Thank you TCK Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review
I am always down for anything eerie and creepy and I generally will love anything that pops up under those categories, though this one feel a little short for me. I had expectations for epic classic horror and the vibes and blurb screamed this, which was what drew me in for this book
The Devil’s Whispers wasn’t as eerie or as scary as I was originally hoping, though there were points where the plot did get intense but that seemed to be balanced out by the plot holes.
The mythological monsters were an epic touch kinda mixing the monsters of old with a bit of monsters of new. And yes, the monsters definitely overshadowed the other characters, or at least they did for me.
Overall, it was a quick read, the pacing was consistent and I loved the classic gothic feel.
Bookstagram
Website
Thank you TCK Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review
I am always down for anything eerie and creepy and I generally will love anything that pops up under those categories, though this one feel a little short for me. I had expectations for epic classic horror and the vibes and blurb screamed this, which was what drew me in for this book
The Devil’s Whispers wasn’t as eerie or as scary as I was originally hoping, though there were points where the plot did get intense but that seemed to be balanced out by the plot holes.
The mythological monsters were an epic touch kinda mixing the monsters of old with a bit of monsters of new. And yes, the monsters definitely overshadowed the other characters, or at least they did for me.
Overall, it was a quick read, the pacing was consistent and I loved the classic gothic feel.
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