I don't think I'm going to grow tired of Brian Keene. In fact, because this is the third book featuring the character Levi Stoltzfus, I'm now on the hunt for the other two -Ghost Walk and Dark Hollow.

Now I've read a few things by Keene, including Dead Sea, Darkness on the Edge of Town and a zombie short story from The New Dead, still I can tell you that the man is a genius. On the back cover of A Gathering of Crows, his latest, The Horror Review calls him "the next Stephen King," which might be going too far because Keene hasn't disappointed me yet.

Starting off with five crows gathering of five crows right outside of the small town of Brinkley Springs, the book leads you down the winding path that invokes the Lovecraftian Cthulhu Mythos mixed in with the wit and wisdom of Brian Keene's writing. The five crows, who serve one of the Thirteen - which Keene also invokes in Darkness on the Edge of Town - by the name of Meeble. Keene also uses his knowledge of American history by using the unsolved mystery of Roanoke Colony, explaining the origins of the shape-shifting crows.

As usual, Keene offers up the horror that we all know and love, mixing it with the human nature - both light and darkness that cloud us - and adds in a little bit of religious tolerance. It's a page turner and a good book to have in your tote during these last week of dog days. Make good use of it. Go to the beach and read away. ( )

One of the nice things about long plane rides is plenty of time to read a book. I was on a flight back from London when I was able to speed through this book. To be honest though, I think that this would have been a "stay up late, can't put down" type of book even if I was reading it at home. The story grasps you quickly and pulls you into the chaos.

Brinkley Springs is a small town that is slowly dying. There are no industries or major companies there and people are gradually leaving. One night, five mysterious and powerful entities come to Brinkley Springs to speed up the process by slaughtering every living creature and feasting on their soul. Fortunately, Levi Stoltzfus is within the town when the creatures arrive. What follows is mayhem, death, and tons of Keene's Labyrinth mythos.

The story itself is not overly complex: supernatural being comes to a small town to destroy it and must face someone who has the power to stop them. At the same time though, Keene has woven so many different elements into the story that it becomes so much more. The amount of research completed for the book is obvious: tons. I was able to recognize much of the mythology and religions and supernatural events that were described but there was also a lot I didn't know. Was that real stuff I didn't know? Was it made up by Keene for the book? It would take hours for me to figure out. In the end it doesn't matter because it makes the story more real. Then there are the usual characters that you would expect in a small-town horror story, made richer by Keene's constantly well-written prose. By the time I was finished, I was well pleased and satisfied. It makes me yearn even harder for more of the Labyrinth mythos. ( )

Keene is at his best in A Gathering of Crows. This novel takes place in a mountain town in West Virginia. Four subordinates of an elder god roll into town and tear apart the locals. Fortune has it that Levi Stoltzfus just happens to be traveling through. Levi battles the four, enlisting the assistance of some of the locals. The novel is a gruesome bloodbath. There are many scenes of harrowing brutality. Keene develops the secondary characters as well as the antagonists. Keene also develops an interesting back story of the antagonists. The book is a visceral read not for the faint of heart with an interesting ending. I highly recommend. ( )

Brian Keene at his best. Need I say more? ( )

If the dogs die, I am throwing this book across the room and taking Mr. Keene off my list to ever read again.

Okay, so the magic man gets rid of the bad guys and makes it all didn't happen for the people but the pets stay dead? No, no, no and NO.

Mr. Keene, your books are not aerodynamic, please work on that. ( )