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kristytallman 8 September 2010

Kristy Tallman's book is a delirious experience. It is a creation that breaks all the rules of the horror-novel genre, at least what that genre has become in recent decades (with floods of mindlessly gore-drenched books without vision or artistry) -- Tallman's book belongs with those of the classic writers in the field, like Arthur Machen (who, like Tallman, blended a poetic voice with a deep and disturbing look into the dark places of the soul). On the surface the narrative follows a police investigation of a series of ritualistic murders, but Tallman wisely uses this as a framework only. She is also a gifted poet, and the pages are quickly filled with lush and evocative imagery and experiences, all bringing the reader deeper and deeper into an exploration of rogue, forbidden desire. Things are not merely described in this book from the outside, they are felt with a remarkable intensity by the narrator,
and through him, by us. The investigation goes off the rails as the detective himself becomes seduced by the powers at play in the hollows and slopes of the Virginia mountains, and the book reads like a feverish dream, jabbing so far into the psyche that like its characters, I was seduced myself, going over with abandon into Tallman's alluring plunge through visions of all-encompassing desire. You may feel a delicious guilt as you close the book and wish for more, but that is part of the spell here: there are ways to make the darkest passions more than can be resisted, and Kristy Tallman knows them all. -- Malcolm J. Deeley, Poet & Artist

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kristytallman 8 September 2010

My hat is off to the author on this one. Is it true that poets make the best novelist? I think Kristy Tallman proves the answer is yes. Because of the author's rythmic flow and great metrical harmony I found myself deeply rapped in this story. Her style gently painted images in my head that I will never forget.
Watching Cole wade his way through the darkness cast by North Mountain was both exciting and and erotic. I would recomend it to anyone who likes a good fast paced thriller that is full of great imagery and greater emmotions that the author presents in a fine fashion. Nice work, and I am looking forward to reading more from Kristy. -- Mike Wall, Author

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kristytallman 8 September 2010

The All-Soul's Faire by Kristy Tallman, reads like a wickedly wonderful ghost story that keeps you enthralled to the very end. I found the story delightfully disturbing, yet I also found myself moved by the actions of the intriguing well-written characters. Detective Cole is a seemingly innocent bystander in the sinful happenings on North Mountain. After meeting the strange backwoods Hicks Family, he finds himself with more questions than answers about the murders on the mountain. The ever sweet Ms. Ryder reminds me of my own grandmother. When she states, "We all have some inner sins we contend with." I read a bit deeper into this tale of horror and wondered if all humans didn't suppress some inner sins that only pure evil could bring out. Were we faced with our sinful secrets could we still suppress them even if they were served to us on a silver platter? Would Detective Cole s own sinful desires cause him to forget everything and succumb to the mountain's spell? Tallman's talent in writing shows in her ability to captivate the reader to the very end. I loved that the ending wasn't what I expected. It left me wanting more and hopeful of a sequel. --L.Ferrell ~ Publisher, Realm of Insanity Press

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kristytallman 8 September 2010

Sin, sex, backwoods morals and the supernatural all come together in a strange brew of a novel called The All-Soul's Faire, a chilling mystery with elements of dark magick that will keep you guessing until the end. Author Kristy Tallman writes about the backwoods of the Appalachian Mountain country of Virginia with skill, and so she should, having lived there and fallen prey to the mountain mystique. In The All-Soul's Faire, she deftly combines horror and crime suspense with some truly shocking elements involving deep dark secrets held by the enigmatic Hicks family, a family associated with the Devil himself. Detective Cole Bryant is the likeable protagonist saddled with the job of discovering who is behind a series of brutal, ritualistic murders of young people in the North Mountain area, a region said to be cursed and full of legend and lore. Bryant hooks up with a lovely medical examiner named Janice, but before their love can blossom, he finds himself drawn closer to a magnetic backwoods man and his two beautiful daughters who are not what they seem to be on the surface. Tallman combines descriptive scenes with solid dialog and intrigue that moves the story to the stunning, unexpected conclusion. The sex scenes are on-the-edge, and the supernatural underpinnings make this one spooky novel that will haunt you. But it s the spell of the characters that most draw you into this story of sin and evil and the dark side of desire. You might even find yourself, when the story is over, asking that all-important question: What would you do? --Curled Up With A Good Book © Marie D. Jones, 2007