Title: Mirror of the Nameless
Author: Luke Walker
Genre: Horror, Dark Fiction
Age Group: Adult (18+)
Rating: 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In a world controlled by three monstrous gods ready to destroy everything at any point they choose, Dave Anderson knows the only way he can survive is to do the same as everybody else – keep his head down, question nothing and hope he doesn’t end up sacrificed to the gods. That’s his plan until he discovers his teenage daughter is risking her life in an attempt to rid the world of its rulers.
Terrified of losing his daughter, Dave joins her boyfriend in a frantic search while trying to avoid the authorities eager to offer him to their dark lords. The men must fight their way through a country governed by fear towards a derelict manor where a weapon for change and hope awaits. Here, a long-dead writer has left clues pointing to an object that might free the world of its terrible masters…or lead to something far worse…
I’ve been looking for a while for a book that really grabs me, that doesn’t let me go even after I’ve finished reading. My search is over. Mirror of the Nameless grabbed me from the start, pushed me to the edge of my seat, left me waiting for more, and ended in a rollercoaster of terror and chaos. The plot was so original, the descriptions so vivid, the stakes so high that even when I was done reading, I couldn’t let it go. If you want to know what true dark fiction is, the gripping, mind-blowing, life-changing type of fiction, then read Mirror of the Nameless. You won’t be disappointed.
The world has gone mad. Three monstrous gods terrorize civilization. One of them makes it rain mutated flesh, another turns people crazy so they start attacking each other. People who die while the gods have their unholy rituals of destroying mankind, are seen as sacrifices. In this dystopian civilization where everyone fights against everyone, no one is to be trusted, and attacks can happen at any random moment, Dave searches for his missing daughter, Ashleigh. Tom, Ashleigh’s boyfriend, helps him on this quest. Tom truly loves Ashleigh, which is extraordinary considering how rare love is in this messed up world.
The book reads like a movie, and the kind of horror movie that really leaves you breathless. There’s no escape, never. There’s no safe spot, no place where you can relax for a while and gather your strength. The moment Dave and Tom think they’re safe, another god shows up to teach them otherwise.
Throw in some Lovecraftian themes, like a deceased writer leaving messages from beyond the grave to stop this madness, and you’ve got a mix of gory and spooky that is both impressive and utterly terrifying. Then add in some humanity, some tough choices, and by halfway through, I had no idea who to root for anymore, or why. Dave makes some choices along the way that’ll forever change him, and the Dave we see at the end is a stark contrast to the Dave at the start. Then, with one final choice to make, I couldn’t possibly predict what decision Dave would make. It was completely unpredictable, and that’s what scared me the most.
There are no breaks in this book, not for the main characters, not for the reader. The plot travels from one dark place to another, even darker spot. Relentless and unforgiving, like the gods tormenting the world. It’s a bleak future, but it makes for the best horror read I’ve had all year. Since I devour horror books like candy, that means a lot
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