Everything the Darkness Eats
by Eric LaRocca
June 2023
Clash Books
320 pages
Horror / Queer
I had mixed feelings about the first novella I—and the entire internet—read, yet saw promise there. Dread inducing conversation about an antique apple peeler? More, please! There was promise there, and while the rest of the story sort of fizzled and underdelivered on the genre; I wanted to see more. I wanted this to be good. Like, really good. Especially with such a great title.
I’ve not given up entirely, as there were strong characters here—even if they were contradictory and acted in ways that were baffling and incongruent with their profession; or what they said five minutes previous or what information they learned moments ago… but they were interesting at the very least. Being able to visualize a fictional person is half the battle, yet after accomplishing that, this book dropped it’s sword. Beyond that, as I said; baffling.
On the upside, it features really compelling queer characters, and they are all front and centre. This alone could be why so many loved this book. Maybe we were a little starved for very good adult queer dark urban fantasy. Or, as my friend and author Regina Saint Claire said in her review: “I have a soft spot for any book that takes itself this seriously and yet is so preposterous.” Perhaps my similar soft spot is solely reserved for Richard Laymon books, but I digress.
At Dark I Become Loathsome is up next, so the author has another chance as I still hang on to my initial interest. I adore Clash Books and everything they touch so I am still glad to have won this reading copy in my Stoker Con swag bag, and I am very interested to see what Blackstone Publishing and Big Bald Head do going forward.
Wherever I land with LaRocca next, I will still have to read Starving Ghosts in Every Thread since that summary and the reviews have always been very tempting!