Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: Damnation Books
ISBN 10: 1615723544
ISBN 13: 978-1615723546
ASIN: B004U7FOA0
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Author
Reviewer: Tyson
Synopsis: "Life held little interest for Jacob…until he found death.
Abused and neglected, Jacob’s only solace comes when he is alone in the woods or in the arms of his new girlfriend. But when he stumbles across a hidden bunker filled with human skulls, he learns what true suffering is. Drawn to examine the skulls, he finds there is more than just empty blackness behind their lifeless stares. Through their eyes he watches them die.
With every glance, he witnesses another murder, the memories of the dead playing out inside his mind until reality becomes a blur. A primal cruelty awakening, Jacob returns to the morbid comfort of the skulls, over and over again. But when he happens upon a fresh skull, a victim tortured and slain for his amusement alone, he knows his time has come. Face to face with death, Jacob must choose whether to resist the darkness that dwells inside or condemn himself forever, murdering his innocence on the edge of an axe."
When Tim approached me to read Skulls he did not tell me much other than it is very different from his Armageddon Bound or Sepulchral Earth series. He was telling the truth as Skulls is a not what I was expecting and it was quite haunting at times.
Skulls is about a troubled teen named Jacob, his mother has left him to the care of an abusive and more often drunk father and an indifferent step-mother. He lives a dejected life where the only humanity he has found is his girlfriend, who ensures he is properly fed and has some happiness in his dispirited existence. Jacob is your typical crestfallen youth who could really go either way depending upon which way you push him. His girlfriend tries to bring out the best in him where his father does everything in his power to destroy what little hope he has in his life.
Jacob and his friends are out in the woods playing "Zombie" and drinking beer when Jacob uncovers a underground lair containing several human skulls. When Jacob looks into the empty eye sockets he is drawn into the very last moments of that person's life. Each life is brought to an untimely end by a masked man with an axe. The memories become more and more powerful and draw Jacob to return and learn more of the fates of those skulls and why more skulls are found each time he returns. As the need to return to the underground lair becomes addiction, he begins to change and this is noticed by his friends, girlfriend, and local law enforcement.
The memories he replays are interesting and horrifying, yet tastefully done. There is just enough gruesome details to give you the overall outcome of the victim, yet never over the top. Not to mention the fact that while this is a horror novel there is a bit of mystery as someone is watching Jacob enter and exit the lair and adding skulls to the collection. When everything is finally brought to a conclusion I found that I was completely wrong with who I thought the killer was which is something that I enjoyed. I like it when it comes from right field.
Skulls is a great choice for a Halloween read and if you have not had the opportunity to read anything by Tim Marquitz, this is the perfect time to start. While the story is short, it is one of his best to date. You will not be disappointed. Highly Recommended.
Style 9
Characters 10
Plot 9
Overall 9/10
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