In an attempt to catch up on all the books I’ve agreed to
review, I’ll be posting two this week. First up, Duncan Bradshaw’s rather unique Hexagram.
When I got this one, I was told to take my time so I
could see exactly what Bradshaw was attempting to do here, and I have to admit
that was good advice. This is not a book you just want to blast through as
quick as you can; it’s one you’ll want to savor instead.
The basic premise is that the ancient Inca believed we are
all made of stardust, and if they harvest enough, they can call down their God
to save them from the Conquistadors and make the world a better place. When the
ritual is interrupted, though, the belief turns to obsession that lasts
throughout history until finally enough has been collected that it can be
completed.
Don’t think this is just a straight horror novel. While it
has elements of it, certainly, it also touches on science fiction, alternate
history, and straight fantasy. This is in no way a detriment, either. Bradshaw
weaves these things together into a story (or should I say, series of stories)
that are compelling and powerful in their own right.
I particularly enjoyed the way he interspersed real-world
events such as Jack the Ripper and Jonestown into the story, giving a method to
the madness of those who actually committed those atrocities. While I seriously
doubt the Ripper or Jim Jones (who goes by a different name here) were
harvesting stardust from their victims, it’s a nice thought experiment to think
that maybe they did.
Also of note is the way the stories connect to one another,
but are their own tales. Each even seems to have a slightly different writing
style, based on the point in history they occur, the location, and the
characters involved. It kept me entertained since there was always something
new right around the corner, and is a testament to Bradshaw’s writing ability
to flow so seamlessly between those sometimes disparate styles.
The only complaint I have is that the Prologue and Epilogue
felt a little rough in comparison to the rest of the book. While the connection
to the whole is there, it still felt a little like an entirely different
meta-arc from what we got in the rest of the tales through history. Definitely
the most fantastical of the tales woven together here.
Still though, I definitely say this is a book worth reading,
and in fact worth re-reading as well. I plan to, if for no other reason than so
I can look back over Bradshaw’s presented history with the foreknowledge of
where it’s all going to see better how it all fits together. If you’re looking
for something a little different from the typical horror fare, grab Hexagram; you will not be disappointed.
4/5 Stars
Follow
along the tour with these hashtags: #Hexagram
#IncanRituals #HookofaBook
Hexagram, Synopsis
·
File Size: 3282 KB
·
Print Length: 232 pages
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Publisher: EyeCue Productions (July 25, 2016)
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Publication Date: July 25, 2016
Their lands plagued by
invaders, the Inca resort to an ancient ritual. By harvesting star dust from
people, they hope to accumulate enough to raise the sun god, Inti, and reclaim
their lands.
Yet when the
collection is interrupted, it sets in motion events which will rattle human
history.
Six stories.
Six different time periods. One outcome.
We are all
made of stars.
When an
ancient Inca ritual is interrupted, it sets in motion a series of events that
will echo through five hundred years of human history. Many seek to use the
arcane knowledge for their own ends, from a survivor of a shipwreck, through to
a suicide cult.
Yet...the
most unlikeliest of them all will succeed.
Biography
Duncan P.
Bradshaw lives in the county of Wiltshire, nestled around the belly button of southern England, with his wife
Debbie, and their two cats, Rafa and Pepe. During the day, he is a mild
mannered office goon, doing things which would bore you, if he was forced to
tell you. At night, he becomes one with a keyboard, and transforms his weird
and wonderful thoughts into words, which people, like you, and me, can read.
Why not pop
over to his website, http://duncanpbradshaw.co.uk/ or give him a like over on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/duncanpbradshaw or read his ravings on his blog, http://duncanpbradshaw.blogspot.co.uk/
Praise for Hexagram
“Hexagram is
a visceral journey through the dark nooks and crannies of human history.
Lovecraftian terror merges with blood sacrifices, suicide cults and body horror
as Bradshaw weaves an intricate plot into an epic tale of apocalyptic dread.” –
Rich Hawkins, author of The Last Plague trilogy
“A
rip-roaring boy’s own adventure yarn. This novel contains multitudes, and the
sheer scale and breadth of the story is exhilarating. A glorious, unhinged
thrill ride.” – Kit Power, author of GodBomb!
Praise for
Bradshaw's Writing
“Duncan
Bradshaw has a fantastic writing style. He gets you engrossed in the characters
from the very outset. His mix of comedy and horror and real life are superb.” –
Confessions of a Reviewer
“The true
genius of Duncan P. Bradshaw is the rollercoaster ride of words and
expressions. I have never seen an author go from the depths of dark and
gore to laugh out loud all within the same paragraph.” – 2 Book Lovers Reviews
“Remember,
you’ve now willingly plunged yourself into the mind of Duncan Bradshaw. You’re
completely at the mercy of his strange imagination and all the eccentric
oddities that his curious mind can conjure up.” – DLS Reviews
“Bradshaw is
able to weight the horror set pieces with a dry humour and plenty of laugh out
loud moments.” – UK Horror Scene
“One of the
first things that I did after reading The Black Room Manuscripts, was
to go out and buy Class Three by Duncan Bradshaw. I just found his
writing in Time for Tea to have this gleeful kind of undertow
to the carnage he wrought on his tea drinkers and wanted to see what his
writing was like in a longer format.” – Ginger Nuts of Horror
Purchase
Links
Want to Feature Duncan Bradshaw?
If you’re a
member of the media or a blogger and you’d like to feature Duncan Bradshaw or
Hexagram, then please contact Erin Al-Mehairi, publicist, at
hookofabook@hotmail.com
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