Catalysts, a new horror novella from author Charles Yallowitz (Legends of Windemere), is perfect for a quick afternoon read. Even better if it is a drizzly and/or dark afternoon, because then the particular spell of this book can work its full – horrific – magic on your soul.
Catalysts presents readers with a true monster, one that is fascinating to watch, even as my stomach twisted a little bit at the carnage it wrecks. As much as I wanted to slap them, the characters are very real. It was easy to see a little bit of myself not only in the two main characters, but also in the ensemble cast. These men and women were the readers’ entry into the terror going on within the celebrity convention and each one was a well-drawn personality to either hope for, or revile.
I particularly enjoyed the juxtaposition of the scenes in the elevator with the chaos and slaughter outside. And as a warning to those faint of heart, it is slaughter. Personally, I enjoyed it – the descriptions were delightfully gross, and at one point, I swore I could feel the squelching of blood under my toes. The elevator scenes themselves were harrowing in their own way. It is never an easy thing to watch two people help each other spiral deeper into a personal darkness.
The story was tight and the culprits. . . I don’t want to spoil anything, but it was clever. Not only that, the book itself was a slow-burn creepy that hit me the next day. I enjoyed it and I recommend it – Catalysts is perfect for this time of year, or any time you want to peer into the darkness. And lucky you, you can buy it at Amazon!
Review based on a pre-release digital copy provided by the author.
From the Author
When trapped in an elevator together, Jeffrey and Darla learn that misery doesn’t always love company. With the screams of death and chaos echoing from outside, they find themselves slowly slipping into a world of fear and darkness they may never recover from. All the while, something is terrorizing the convention outside and turning the guests and celebrities into psychotic monsters.
The D/A Dialogues 
There’s something about reading about characters who interact in close proximity to one another. They’re not only limited to the physical walls surrounding them, but also by the moral laws. Much of what I read about this story reminds me of those old 1960s Twilight Zone episodes, which I love whenever they pop on TV. I’m looking forward to getting this, it sounds interesting and equally entertaining!
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Reblogged this on DANIELLE TAYLOR.
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Reblogged this on The Literary Syndicate and commented:
Katie reviews Catalysts! She agrees with me, that it is an amazing book! Check it out my friends!
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Reblogged this on Legends of Windemere and commented:
Fresh review of Catalysts!
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