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Northwoods
Some borders should never be crossed. From the author of The Beast of Barcroft comes a waking nightmare of a horror novel that’s sure to thrill readers of Stephen King and Bentley Little. Ex–Delta Force Davis Holland, now an agent for the Customs and Border Protection, has seen it all. But nothing in his experience has prepared him for what he and the local sheriff find one freezing night in the Minnesota woods. Investigating reports of an illegal border crossing, the two men stumble across a blood-drenched scene of mass murder, barely escaping with their lives . . . and a single clue to the a small wooden chest placed at the heart of the massacre. Something deadly has entered Holland’s territory, crossing the border from nightmare into reality. When news of the atrocity reaches wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance, he sends a three-person team north to investigate. Not long ago, the members of that team—Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud—were nearly killed by a vengeful shapeshifter. Now they are walking wounded, haunted by gruesome memories that make normal life impossible. But there is nothing normal about the horror that awaits in the Northwoods.Praise for Northwoods “[Bill] Schweigart has again penned an entertaining entry in what is a very appealing and original series. With its vivid descriptions and realistic but sympathetic characterizations, Northwoods will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.”—New York Journal of Books “Hell-Yeah-Here-It-Comes, no-holds-barred, epic action . . . another solid story from a writer whom fans of King and Koontz are sure to enjoy.”—Scifi and Scary Book Reviews “Schweigart really knows how to write an exciting and surprising narrative and this book takes horror to a whole new level.”—I Wuv Books “A fast-paced, chilling read.”—Books & Such “One of the best monster books I have ever read.”—It’s a Mad Mad World
277 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2016
About the author
Bill Schweigart
6 books98 followersBill Schweigart is the author of THE GUILTY ONE (3/21/23) and "Women and Children First," a story co-written with James Patterson in THREE DAYS TO LIVE (2/14/23). He is also the author of The Fatal Folklore Trilogy, which includes THE BEAST OF BARCROFT, NORTHWOODS, and THE DEVIL'S COLONY. He is a former Coast Guard officer who drew from his experiences at sea to write the nautical thriller, SLIPPING THE CABLE and the romantic comedy, RUNNING LIGHT. Bill currently lives in Arlington, VA with his wife and daughter, who along with their monstrous Newfoundland and four cats, provide him with all the adventure he can handle.
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February 11, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
I enjoyed this book. I like books about monsters/cryptids and whatever else you can throw at me.
Agent Davis Holland and Sheriff Gil Ramsey are out in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota checking out some info they got about a disturbance. The next thing they know they are being chased by some THING they can't see because they were blinded by a light. <---Makes you start singing that song doesn't it? (for us old school people)
Anyhoo, Gil gets his eye sight back faster than Davis and he's dragging them through the forest. Whatever IT is plows through Gil knocking him of to the side and keeps on going. But that's not the creepy part, they end up finding some people all mutilated laid out around a little chest. ? It's like Raiders of the Lost Ark, in a sense.
Gil also gets attacked by a Wendigo, shape shifter person thing that is giggling the whole time. Some giggling dude trying to eat my face off.. not my idea hike in the woods!
Sooooo, this cryto dude named Severance calls in some peeps to check all of this stuff out. They are sent off looking for some sea monster. This would be Dr. Alex Standingcloud, Lindsey Clark, and Ben McKelvie. I am aware these people were from one of the author's other books that I can't wait to read. They all come together at the different reservations, The Red Cliff Reservation in Wisconsin and the Four Hills Reservation in Minnesota. It seems they all meet up at some point with Gil and Davis.
There is a lot of craziness going on in this book! I really enjoyed it though. I loved the different monsters and stories in the book and I liked the characters. I think if you like cryptid stories you will probably like this book. I also look forward to going back and reading some of the author's other books
AND, they left this one open to another book and I like where they will be going :-D
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
I enjoyed this book. I like books about monsters/cryptids and whatever else you can throw at me.
Agent Davis Holland and Sheriff Gil Ramsey are out in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota checking out some info they got about a disturbance. The next thing they know they are being chased by some THING they can't see because they were blinded by a light. <---Makes you start singing that song doesn't it? (for us old school people)
Anyhoo, Gil gets his eye sight back faster than Davis and he's dragging them through the forest. Whatever IT is plows through Gil knocking him of to the side and keeps on going. But that's not the creepy part, they end up finding some people all mutilated laid out around a little chest. ? It's like Raiders of the Lost Ark, in a sense.
Gil also gets attacked by a Wendigo, shape shifter person thing that is giggling the whole time. Some giggling dude trying to eat my face off.. not my idea hike in the woods!
Sooooo, this cryto dude named Severance calls in some peeps to check all of this stuff out. They are sent off looking for some sea monster. This would be Dr. Alex Standingcloud, Lindsey Clark, and Ben McKelvie. I am aware these people were from one of the author's other books that I can't wait to read. They all come together at the different reservations, The Red Cliff Reservation in Wisconsin and the Four Hills Reservation in Minnesota. It seems they all meet up at some point with Gil and Davis.
There is a lot of craziness going on in this book! I really enjoyed it though. I loved the different monsters and stories in the book and I liked the characters. I think if you like cryptid stories you will probably like this book. I also look forward to going back and reading some of the author's other books
AND, they left this one open to another book and I like where they will be going :-D
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
September 28, 2016
I have to admit that typically when I read about a prospective new book and I see something like “former Delta Force” or “special forces assassin” or “Navy SEAL trained ninja” or whatever the hell else, I treat it with the same disdain as reading about the latest zombie or urban fantasy vampire romance nonsense and drive on past.
So when I saw Bill Schweigart’s new novel that promised a visit with a former Delta Force guy, my first thought was the same eye rolling dismissal. But … this is the same guy who wrote the very entertaining 2015 novel The Beast of Barcroft, and WAIT! some of the same characters! I’ll be damned, this is a …
sequel
Which I usually give the s***can nod the same as teenage undead special forces dystopian crossbow specialists.
But …
Schweigart demonstrated his verve once before, this is a very narrow and exceptional sub-genre to which I am inclined – and I see the term cryptozoology - and what the hell, let’s roll on into Northwoods, Schweigart’s 2016 novel.
First of all, Schweigart is on to something very cool with this series. Some likeable protagonists, a rich benefactor, way cool Native American Dr. Alex Standingcloud, and cryptozoology. Cryptozoology! How awesome is that?? Let’s find the Jersey Devil! Where’s Bigfoot? You know there’s gotta be a Lock Ness monster somewhere, right?
I’m picking up what he’s throwing down.
Northwoods, Schweigart’s 2016 publication picks up about a year after the events in Beast of Barcroft. Ben and Lindsay have kept up but are still weirded out by their earlier adventure. So when Severance calls and says that the Mystery Machine needs to tool it up to the great northern woods, this turns into another cryptozoological good time. Schweigart makes this one even better by adding in some Lovecraft references.
I just liked typing cryptozoological.
Cryptozoological.
Cryptozoological.
Cryptozoological.
Fun.
So when I saw Bill Schweigart’s new novel that promised a visit with a former Delta Force guy, my first thought was the same eye rolling dismissal. But … this is the same guy who wrote the very entertaining 2015 novel The Beast of Barcroft, and WAIT! some of the same characters! I’ll be damned, this is a …
sequel
Which I usually give the s***can nod the same as teenage undead special forces dystopian crossbow specialists.
But …
Schweigart demonstrated his verve once before, this is a very narrow and exceptional sub-genre to which I am inclined – and I see the term cryptozoology - and what the hell, let’s roll on into Northwoods, Schweigart’s 2016 novel.
First of all, Schweigart is on to something very cool with this series. Some likeable protagonists, a rich benefactor, way cool Native American Dr. Alex Standingcloud, and cryptozoology. Cryptozoology! How awesome is that?? Let’s find the Jersey Devil! Where’s Bigfoot? You know there’s gotta be a Lock Ness monster somewhere, right?
I’m picking up what he’s throwing down.
Northwoods, Schweigart’s 2016 publication picks up about a year after the events in Beast of Barcroft. Ben and Lindsay have kept up but are still weirded out by their earlier adventure. So when Severance calls and says that the Mystery Machine needs to tool it up to the great northern woods, this turns into another cryptozoological good time. Schweigart makes this one even better by adding in some Lovecraft references.
I just liked typing cryptozoological.
Cryptozoological.
Cryptozoological.
Cryptozoological.
Fun.
February 15, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
This one ended up being okay for me. I liked it but not nearly as much as I liked this author's previous book, The Beast of Bancroft. I had no idea that this book was part of a series and still don't see it listed as such anywhere that I looked but it does feature many of the same characters. Readers will probably be okay reading this one as a stand alone but they will miss out on a few references to the first book.
I was actually really happy to see some of the characters from The Beast of Bancroft show up in this story. Ben McKelvie and Lindsay Clark were great together in the first book. Unfortunately they spent more time apart during this story and I didn't like Lindsay as much. Alex Standingcloud played a much more prominent role in this book and I really liked his character. Some new characters were also introduced and I really liked Davis Holland a lot.
I think my biggest issue was that there was just too much going on in the book at times. There were several different creatures show up in the book instead of focusing on one kind of monster. The characters split up from each other and a lot of the action seemed to really be happening at the same time just to different people. I like a lot of action but it seemed that when things started going in this book there wasn't even time to breathe.
I love the idea behind this book. Everything that we believe is myth could be real. I really enjoyed the focus on Native American legend in this book. When I picked this book up, I was hoping for something bloody with a lot of action and it succeeded in both of those areas. Some of the things that happen in this story really made my skin crawl. I loved the creepy factor in this book.
I would recommend this book to others. It was a really solid read with a lot of action. The cryptid mythology that shows up in this book was really a lot of fun. This is the second book by Bill Schweigart that I have had a chance to read and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Hydra via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
This one was okay. Lot of action and weird stuff but it didn't keep my interest as well as I would have liked.
This one ended up being okay for me. I liked it but not nearly as much as I liked this author's previous book, The Beast of Bancroft. I had no idea that this book was part of a series and still don't see it listed as such anywhere that I looked but it does feature many of the same characters. Readers will probably be okay reading this one as a stand alone but they will miss out on a few references to the first book.
I was actually really happy to see some of the characters from The Beast of Bancroft show up in this story. Ben McKelvie and Lindsay Clark were great together in the first book. Unfortunately they spent more time apart during this story and I didn't like Lindsay as much. Alex Standingcloud played a much more prominent role in this book and I really liked his character. Some new characters were also introduced and I really liked Davis Holland a lot.
I think my biggest issue was that there was just too much going on in the book at times. There were several different creatures show up in the book instead of focusing on one kind of monster. The characters split up from each other and a lot of the action seemed to really be happening at the same time just to different people. I like a lot of action but it seemed that when things started going in this book there wasn't even time to breathe.
I love the idea behind this book. Everything that we believe is myth could be real. I really enjoyed the focus on Native American legend in this book. When I picked this book up, I was hoping for something bloody with a lot of action and it succeeded in both of those areas. Some of the things that happen in this story really made my skin crawl. I loved the creepy factor in this book.
I would recommend this book to others. It was a really solid read with a lot of action. The cryptid mythology that shows up in this book was really a lot of fun. This is the second book by Bill Schweigart that I have had a chance to read and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Hydra via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
This one was okay. Lot of action and weird stuff but it didn't keep my interest as well as I would have liked.
February 16, 2016
Ex–Delta Force Davis Holland is now working for the Customs and Border Protection up in the North. It's a more peaceful place to work than Douglas, Arizona where he worked until his bosses transferred him up north after an attack against him. But that is about to change when he and a local sheriff stumbles over a massacre in the woods. Someone or something is loose in the woods, something dangerous.
Wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance sends Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud to investigate. They have not seen each other for around a year, not since a deadly shapeshifter almost killed dem in Barcroft. Now they must once against face danger together.
Northwoods is the sequel to The Beast of Barcroft and despite the fact that I haven't read the book was it quite easy to get into the story. The three main character Ben, Lindsay, and Alex have all bad memories of facing down the shapeshifter the year before and now they are once again investigating something paranormal.
Davis and Barnabus Sheriff Gil were attacked in the woods where the massacre took place and they are still a bit jumpy 2 months later when Ben (and his cat Gus), Lindsay, and Alex travels up north and soon all hell breaks loose.
This book is really great, I find that Bill Schweigart did a marvelous work with creating both very likable characters and an intensive story. I loved the setting of the peaceful towns like Barnabus and how everything very fast goes to hell when the town is attacked. When people start to die and Ben, Lindsay, Alex, and Davids have to start fighting then the book really gets thrilling. I was constantly worried that something would have happened or the main characters or poor Gus the cat and I was almost exhausted when I finished the book after worrying so much about the characters.
Northwoods is one of the best monster books I have ever read. I love the monster-of-the-week episodes X-files when Mulder and Scully were out in the woods hunting bigfoot etc. and this book had some X-files vibes. Now I really want to read The Beast of Barcroft!
Thanks to Hydra and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance sends Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud to investigate. They have not seen each other for around a year, not since a deadly shapeshifter almost killed dem in Barcroft. Now they must once against face danger together.
Northwoods is the sequel to The Beast of Barcroft and despite the fact that I haven't read the book was it quite easy to get into the story. The three main character Ben, Lindsay, and Alex have all bad memories of facing down the shapeshifter the year before and now they are once again investigating something paranormal.
Davis and Barnabus Sheriff Gil were attacked in the woods where the massacre took place and they are still a bit jumpy 2 months later when Ben (and his cat Gus), Lindsay, and Alex travels up north and soon all hell breaks loose.
This book is really great, I find that Bill Schweigart did a marvelous work with creating both very likable characters and an intensive story. I loved the setting of the peaceful towns like Barnabus and how everything very fast goes to hell when the town is attacked. When people start to die and Ben, Lindsay, Alex, and Davids have to start fighting then the book really gets thrilling. I was constantly worried that something would have happened or the main characters or poor Gus the cat and I was almost exhausted when I finished the book after worrying so much about the characters.
Northwoods is one of the best monster books I have ever read. I love the monster-of-the-week episodes X-files when Mulder and Scully were out in the woods hunting bigfoot etc. and this book had some X-files vibes. Now I really want to read The Beast of Barcroft!
Thanks to Hydra and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
March 17, 2016
Schweigart has done it again. Northwoods is book #2 in his cryptozoology thrill ride of a series (I hear he's already hard at work on book #3). After teaming up to defeat the bloodthirsty and relentless shapeshifter in The Beast of Barcroft, Lindsay and Ben are back to tackle a nightmare that makes the Beast of Barcroft look like child's play.
A year after the incident in Barcroft, Ben and Lindsay have become best friends. A call from the wealthy cryptozoologist, Richard Severence, brings the two to the Apostle Islands off the northern coast of Wisconsin's shores of Lake Superior. Meeting up with their Ojibway friend, Alex StandingCloud, they are sent to the scene where a gruesome massacre has taken place in the northern woods. Customs and Border Patrol officer, Davis Holland, stumbled upon it one night when investigating what appeared to be an illegal entry across the border. The only clue to the origins of the bloodbath is a strange and ornately carved wooden box. Is an old Native American folktale responsible for unleashing hell on this sleepy northern town?
Northwoods is a return to form for Schweigart after the excellent The Beast of Barcroft. He uses the X-Files template in a creative and interesting way weaving Native American folklore in with a remote setting to produce a feeling of helpless isolation. Northwoods worked from me. From the interesting characters, the unique setting, and tapping into the combination of Native American legends with cryptozoology, it all adds up to a fun read that I'm looking forward to continuing in the upcoming third installment. My only knock on the story is that more background wasn't fleshed out to explain the box and the creatures, but I have a feeling that will be delved into more in the next book of the series.
4 1/2 genies in a bottle out of 5
** This book was an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2J1...
A year after the incident in Barcroft, Ben and Lindsay have become best friends. A call from the wealthy cryptozoologist, Richard Severence, brings the two to the Apostle Islands off the northern coast of Wisconsin's shores of Lake Superior. Meeting up with their Ojibway friend, Alex StandingCloud, they are sent to the scene where a gruesome massacre has taken place in the northern woods. Customs and Border Patrol officer, Davis Holland, stumbled upon it one night when investigating what appeared to be an illegal entry across the border. The only clue to the origins of the bloodbath is a strange and ornately carved wooden box. Is an old Native American folktale responsible for unleashing hell on this sleepy northern town?
Northwoods is a return to form for Schweigart after the excellent The Beast of Barcroft. He uses the X-Files template in a creative and interesting way weaving Native American folklore in with a remote setting to produce a feeling of helpless isolation. Northwoods worked from me. From the interesting characters, the unique setting, and tapping into the combination of Native American legends with cryptozoology, it all adds up to a fun read that I'm looking forward to continuing in the upcoming third installment. My only knock on the story is that more background wasn't fleshed out to explain the box and the creatures, but I have a feeling that will be delved into more in the next book of the series.
4 1/2 genies in a bottle out of 5
** This book was an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2J1...
February 18, 2016
Review copy
It's been a year since the events in The Beast of Barcroft and friends Ben McKelvie and Lindsay Clark are still trying to put their lives back together when they each get a call from the mysterious, and very wealthy, Richard Severance, asking them to drop everything and head to Minnesota.
Richard has a fascination with cryptozoology, a pseudoscience involving the search for animals whose existence has not been proven due to lack of evidence. This includes living examples of animals that are otherwise considered extinct, animals whose existence lacks physical evidence but which appear in folklore, such as Bigfoot and Chupacabra; and wild animals dramatically outside their normal geographic ranges.
In The Beast of Barcroft the cryptid was a mythical creature out of native american folklore, in Bill Schweigart's new book, Northwoods, there're multiple threats and once again Ben and Lindsay end up in the middle of the commotion. By the way, it's not necessary to read The Beast of Barcroft first, but it wouldn't hurt.
I love how the author wasted little time in getting to the action and presenting the reader with a thrilling mystery to be unraveled over the course of the book. Schweigart's characters are multi-faceted and delightfully flawed, just like the people we know in real life. This is good, because what they encounter is so fantastical, it's nice to have some kind of grounding in reality.
Much of the story takes place on the shores of Lake Superior, or Lake Gitchigumi, I mention this for no other reason than to say Gitchigumi. I just love the way the word rolls off of my tongue.
Northwoods is not without its flaws, but I don't care. It was a fun read with plenty of monsters and as the pages dwindled there was plenty of action, providing an adrenaline rush which was truly satisfying.
Northwoods is available now as an e-book from Hydra, an imprint of Random House.
Recommended for monster fans everywhere.
Bill is a former Coast Guard officer who drew from his experiences at sea to write the taut nautical thriller, Slipping the Cable. He's also the author of the chilling thriller, The Beast of Barcroft, which finds a devilish creature stalking the residents of Arlington. Bill currently lives in Arlington, VA with his wife and daughter, who along with their monstrous Newfoundland and mischievous kitten, provide him with all the adventure he can handle.
It's been a year since the events in The Beast of Barcroft and friends Ben McKelvie and Lindsay Clark are still trying to put their lives back together when they each get a call from the mysterious, and very wealthy, Richard Severance, asking them to drop everything and head to Minnesota.
Richard has a fascination with cryptozoology, a pseudoscience involving the search for animals whose existence has not been proven due to lack of evidence. This includes living examples of animals that are otherwise considered extinct, animals whose existence lacks physical evidence but which appear in folklore, such as Bigfoot and Chupacabra; and wild animals dramatically outside their normal geographic ranges.
In The Beast of Barcroft the cryptid was a mythical creature out of native american folklore, in Bill Schweigart's new book, Northwoods, there're multiple threats and once again Ben and Lindsay end up in the middle of the commotion. By the way, it's not necessary to read The Beast of Barcroft first, but it wouldn't hurt.
I love how the author wasted little time in getting to the action and presenting the reader with a thrilling mystery to be unraveled over the course of the book. Schweigart's characters are multi-faceted and delightfully flawed, just like the people we know in real life. This is good, because what they encounter is so fantastical, it's nice to have some kind of grounding in reality.
Much of the story takes place on the shores of Lake Superior, or Lake Gitchigumi, I mention this for no other reason than to say Gitchigumi. I just love the way the word rolls off of my tongue.
Northwoods is not without its flaws, but I don't care. It was a fun read with plenty of monsters and as the pages dwindled there was plenty of action, providing an adrenaline rush which was truly satisfying.
Northwoods is available now as an e-book from Hydra, an imprint of Random House.
Recommended for monster fans everywhere.
Bill is a former Coast Guard officer who drew from his experiences at sea to write the taut nautical thriller, Slipping the Cable. He's also the author of the chilling thriller, The Beast of Barcroft, which finds a devilish creature stalking the residents of Arlington. Bill currently lives in Arlington, VA with his wife and daughter, who along with their monstrous Newfoundland and mischievous kitten, provide him with all the adventure he can handle.
July 17, 2017
Without realizing this was a sequel (hey, it had a good price on Audible and looked my speed), I embarked upon the journey that is Northwoods. To be honest, I think I did myself a service and eliminated the pages and pages of backstory and description that most authors use to set up characters - don't know, but didn't feel I needed to know more about Ben, Lindsay, Alex and Severance to enjoy the story (if my spelling of their names is wrong, remember I listened to the story and if I didn't read the summary in detail before buying the book, I'm sure as shit not going to do it now).
I found this story very predictable. The thing is, though, I'm not sure if it is predictable or whether I just stubbornly clung to a theory I had right from the beginning and it turned out to be right. I would let other reviewers influence you in that regard and suggest you take my opinion with a grain of salt (whatever that expression means).
Anyway, thinking I knew what was going on isn't the same as knowing, and it didn't make this tale any less enjoyable. I could have done without the lesson in Lake Superior sunken vessels (a minor point), but other than that and one other slower point, this book was smooth sailing from start to finish. The author repeatedly switches to the point of view of the character in the midst of the action, and man, can he write some good action! Yeah, this is horror, but it's also an adventure and action-packed thriller akin to James Rollins' Amazonia. Plus it was creature creative (a term I just coined), and that always gets two thumbs up in my book.
Characters in this tale were mostly likeable even for a bastard like me. I liked Severance the best (go figure), particularly how he proved himself to be much more than he seemed, though I perhaps identified with Ben the most (being sort of a fuck up myself). Plus, there was Gus, and the war council, and people getting shot and shredded left and right - what's not to like? The good guys did have a tendency of appearing in the right place at the right time, but whatever.
The action ramps up to an all-out, balls-out melee (quite literally for some of the baddies), and culminates with a satisfying conclusion. It was so good that - and I can't believe I'm saying this - the sex scenes were unwanted distractions.
So... 4 stars for the first half and 5 for the second.
I found this story very predictable. The thing is, though, I'm not sure if it is predictable or whether I just stubbornly clung to a theory I had right from the beginning and it turned out to be right. I would let other reviewers influence you in that regard and suggest you take my opinion with a grain of salt (whatever that expression means).
Anyway, thinking I knew what was going on isn't the same as knowing, and it didn't make this tale any less enjoyable. I could have done without the lesson in Lake Superior sunken vessels (a minor point), but other than that and one other slower point, this book was smooth sailing from start to finish. The author repeatedly switches to the point of view of the character in the midst of the action, and man, can he write some good action! Yeah, this is horror, but it's also an adventure and action-packed thriller akin to James Rollins' Amazonia. Plus it was creature creative (a term I just coined), and that always gets two thumbs up in my book.
Characters in this tale were mostly likeable even for a bastard like me. I liked Severance the best (go figure), particularly how he proved himself to be much more than he seemed, though I perhaps identified with Ben the most (being sort of a fuck up myself). Plus, there was Gus, and the war council, and people getting shot and shredded left and right - what's not to like? The good guys did have a tendency of appearing in the right place at the right time, but whatever.
The action ramps up to an all-out, balls-out melee (quite literally for some of the baddies), and culminates with a satisfying conclusion. It was so good that - and I can't believe I'm saying this - the sex scenes were unwanted distractions.
So... 4 stars for the first half and 5 for the second.
June 17, 2017
OMG what can I say , just like the first book in this series this one is just a good, once I started reading I didn't want to stop, only time I did was because of a stupid headache, but all the time I had it , I want to pick this back up and finish it, and just like the first one I got pulled into the story,going to have to pick both of them up when I can.
December 1, 2015
“Make no mistake, friend, there are monsters.” He held out his hand. “But there are knights too.”
Gorier action packed sequel!!!
One year after the battle with the Jersey Devil a cryptid sighting in Minnesota has Severance calling in Ben and Lindsay to meet Dr. Alexander Standingcloud, my favorite character, to investigate. Davis, ex special forces and current Fed, is a new character following a lead on possible zombies attacks when he meets Ben McKelvie. They are barely introduced when the situation gets wildly out of control and they are running and fighting for their lives. The action in this book starts early and never lets up!
Ben McKelvie - still looking for the Jersey Devil in his spare time. Takes his Maine Coon named Gus everywhere; I love this about him! Ben is a sarcastic, funny, loyal man. He's still in love with Lindsay but what drives him is the connection he felt to his recently deceased father during the last battle with the Jersey Devil.
“Remember that scene in Jaws when Hooper sees what’s left of Chrissie Watkins in a bucket and says, ‘This isn’t a boat accident . . .’?” McKelvie spread his arms, gesturing at the spirit house, the hole, all of it. “This isn’t a boat accident.”
Dr. Lindsay Clark - Zoologist for the Smithsonian and Ben's best friend, she came out of the Jersey Devil battle shaken enough to make some positive changes in her life. I was so happy to hear she had broken up with her emotionally abusive girlfriend, Faith... until Faith came back for a booty call and Lindsay didn't tell her off. Sigh. Weak. For a smart girl, she's pretty dumb.
“You want me to wake you if there’s a gremlin on the wing?” she asked. “No,” [Ben] said, but she detected a hint of a smile as he reclined his chair.
Dr. Alexander Standingcloud - Professor at George Mason University. It's hard for him to come home to his father who wanted him to stay and become the next Chief. Alex still has terrible memories of being stabbed in the burning basement but he is happy to see Ben and Lindsey. He will do anything to protect the picturesque town that he grew up in.
"They saw Alex then, pushing himself off the craft and running, not away from the pack, but deeper into it—charging forward and parting the sea of demons, hacking and slashing with a ferocity Ben had never seen before."
Richard Severance - dapper billionaire and cryptozoologist. This novel flashes back to when Richard first met Alex on a wendigo hunt. Richard is a focused and determined individual whose deeper motivations and desires are yet to be revealed.
"Severance was that intoxicating lover who upends your life in a flash then just as quickly leaves without looking back."
Agent Davis Holland - transferred up to small town Minnesota after a work related tragedy left him in need of some peace. He's pushed out of the official investigation by the Feds and their layers of secrets but Severance doesn't waste resources.
“I have to save my town,” said Davis quietly. “No,” said Ben, transfixed by the red smear of snow where the man had been. “We have to save the next town.”
I got everything I wanted with this sequel: more action, more Alex, more X-Files vibe. My wish for the next book would be more Severance.
Gorier action packed sequel!!!
One year after the battle with the Jersey Devil a cryptid sighting in Minnesota has Severance calling in Ben and Lindsay to meet Dr. Alexander Standingcloud, my favorite character, to investigate. Davis, ex special forces and current Fed, is a new character following a lead on possible zombies attacks when he meets Ben McKelvie. They are barely introduced when the situation gets wildly out of control and they are running and fighting for their lives. The action in this book starts early and never lets up!
Ben McKelvie - still looking for the Jersey Devil in his spare time. Takes his Maine Coon named Gus everywhere; I love this about him! Ben is a sarcastic, funny, loyal man. He's still in love with Lindsay but what drives him is the connection he felt to his recently deceased father during the last battle with the Jersey Devil.
“Remember that scene in Jaws when Hooper sees what’s left of Chrissie Watkins in a bucket and says, ‘This isn’t a boat accident . . .’?” McKelvie spread his arms, gesturing at the spirit house, the hole, all of it. “This isn’t a boat accident.”
Dr. Lindsay Clark - Zoologist for the Smithsonian and Ben's best friend, she came out of the Jersey Devil battle shaken enough to make some positive changes in her life. I was so happy to hear she had broken up with her emotionally abusive girlfriend, Faith... until Faith came back for a booty call and Lindsay didn't tell her off. Sigh. Weak. For a smart girl, she's pretty dumb.
“You want me to wake you if there’s a gremlin on the wing?” she asked. “No,” [Ben] said, but she detected a hint of a smile as he reclined his chair.
Dr. Alexander Standingcloud - Professor at George Mason University. It's hard for him to come home to his father who wanted him to stay and become the next Chief. Alex still has terrible memories of being stabbed in the burning basement but he is happy to see Ben and Lindsey. He will do anything to protect the picturesque town that he grew up in.
"They saw Alex then, pushing himself off the craft and running, not away from the pack, but deeper into it—charging forward and parting the sea of demons, hacking and slashing with a ferocity Ben had never seen before."
Richard Severance - dapper billionaire and cryptozoologist. This novel flashes back to when Richard first met Alex on a wendigo hunt. Richard is a focused and determined individual whose deeper motivations and desires are yet to be revealed.
"Severance was that intoxicating lover who upends your life in a flash then just as quickly leaves without looking back."
Agent Davis Holland - transferred up to small town Minnesota after a work related tragedy left him in need of some peace. He's pushed out of the official investigation by the Feds and their layers of secrets but Severance doesn't waste resources.
“I have to save my town,” said Davis quietly. “No,” said Ben, transfixed by the red smear of snow where the man had been. “We have to save the next town.”
I got everything I wanted with this sequel: more action, more Alex, more X-Files vibe. My wish for the next book would be more Severance.
January 31, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy for my honest review.
After I finished this book, I took another look at the cover art, thinking it didn’t really work. Then I thought about the story, and appreciated the subtlety. It works.
And I also ran into a few references to the authors earlier book, The Beast of Barcroft, while reading this one. Many of the characters are in both books and I’ll be grabbing it to see how they came together and how they survived. Should be another wicked fun read.
Circumstances land Davis Holland, an agent for Customs and Border Protection, in a small town in the Minnesota woods. He settles in, makes friends with the local police force and the citizens, and finds he likes the small town life.
A routine check on a possible illegal border crossing changes things. Davis and the town sheriff discover a massacre in the woods. Bodies torn apart, gnawed upon. And resting on a stump in the center of the carnage, a small wooden chest. Such an innocuous looking item, yet it’s allure is deadly.
From there, it doesn’t take long for things to get wiggy. Reinforcements are called in. People who’ve dealt with supernatural entities. Members of the team split up to find answers. Then they all converge for the final reckoning. And what a final reckoning it is.
The suspense and scares begin and escalate. Some scenes rock you back on your heels. People dye. A lot of them. Some you like too. I can’t say I’m crazy about it when an author kills off characters I’ve become attached to, but that sure does hit home and make the story more genuine. So, I guess I do like it.
Grab a copy. Dig in. Prepare for plenty of spine tingling action and hair raising suspense. It begins, then never lets up.
After I finished this book, I took another look at the cover art, thinking it didn’t really work. Then I thought about the story, and appreciated the subtlety. It works.
And I also ran into a few references to the authors earlier book, The Beast of Barcroft, while reading this one. Many of the characters are in both books and I’ll be grabbing it to see how they came together and how they survived. Should be another wicked fun read.
Circumstances land Davis Holland, an agent for Customs and Border Protection, in a small town in the Minnesota woods. He settles in, makes friends with the local police force and the citizens, and finds he likes the small town life.
A routine check on a possible illegal border crossing changes things. Davis and the town sheriff discover a massacre in the woods. Bodies torn apart, gnawed upon. And resting on a stump in the center of the carnage, a small wooden chest. Such an innocuous looking item, yet it’s allure is deadly.
From there, it doesn’t take long for things to get wiggy. Reinforcements are called in. People who’ve dealt with supernatural entities. Members of the team split up to find answers. Then they all converge for the final reckoning. And what a final reckoning it is.
The suspense and scares begin and escalate. Some scenes rock you back on your heels. People dye. A lot of them. Some you like too. I can’t say I’m crazy about it when an author kills off characters I’ve become attached to, but that sure does hit home and make the story more genuine. So, I guess I do like it.
Grab a copy. Dig in. Prepare for plenty of spine tingling action and hair raising suspense. It begins, then never lets up.
June 24, 2017
One of the things I love most about Bill Schweigart is that for me he is a bit of an unknown quantity. Having read only one of his books I don’t have a feel yet for how far he’ll go or what he will do. No character is safe and pretty much anything can and will happen.
Northwoods starts in a similar way to the previous book in the series The Beast of Barcroft with the introduction of a new character, Davis Holland, and something mysterious lurking in the woods.
However while the Best of Barcroft was more of a creature feature with a lot of mystery over what if anything is in the woods it’s clear from the start that this time it’s something from myth or legend. No real creature could be responsible for the level of carnage, so it’s more of a case of working out what creature is responsible and how to stop it.
There are a lot of local legends in the area and tales of missing persons going back years. A lot of these legends and stories are set out in this story and that makes for some fascinating reading. I have no idea if any of these stories are based on real legends but I imagine that they are.
While new character Davis Holland brings a different dimension to the team with his military experience I have to admit I still really love returning characters Ben and Lindsay. Ben is the everyman character with no special skills or knowledge who is thrown into exceptional circumstances. He’s probably more lucky a lot of the time than skilled and seems to have a natural talent for saying the wrong thing which brings a lot of humour to the story.
He also has the most incredible crush on Lindsay which considering he’s the wrong sex to be her type makes for an interesting dynamic between the two. Lindsay is definitely the more knowledgeable and practical of the two so has the upper hand as far as the relationship goes. They flirt a bit, argue a lot, he’s overprotective and she get’s frustrated with him but they do depend on each other. Their relationship changes and develops over the course of this book and it comes under threat a few times which was kind of worrying as they are definitely one of my favourite partnerships.
This story is a lot bigger and a lot more gruesome and violent than the Beast of Barcroft. The author has definitely stepped it up in terms of carnage and while I prefer slightly subtler horror story rather than a lot of blood and gore there are still some very creepy moments. What makes it even better is the unpredictability. No character is safe in this series and anyone could be lost at the most unexpected moment. There was one moment in particular which came out of nowhere and left me completely stunned. One of those “oh my god, he can’t do that can he?” type moments.
For the most part the pacing is spot on and while there are a couple of bits which are a little slow, the author does a fantastic job of building up the tension to a truly immense conclusion.
It’s not a perfect book but I would definitely rate Bill Schweigart as one of my favourite horror authors at the moment. I’m looking forward to more in the series to see where it goes next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Northwoods starts in a similar way to the previous book in the series The Beast of Barcroft with the introduction of a new character, Davis Holland, and something mysterious lurking in the woods.
However while the Best of Barcroft was more of a creature feature with a lot of mystery over what if anything is in the woods it’s clear from the start that this time it’s something from myth or legend. No real creature could be responsible for the level of carnage, so it’s more of a case of working out what creature is responsible and how to stop it.
There are a lot of local legends in the area and tales of missing persons going back years. A lot of these legends and stories are set out in this story and that makes for some fascinating reading. I have no idea if any of these stories are based on real legends but I imagine that they are.
While new character Davis Holland brings a different dimension to the team with his military experience I have to admit I still really love returning characters Ben and Lindsay. Ben is the everyman character with no special skills or knowledge who is thrown into exceptional circumstances. He’s probably more lucky a lot of the time than skilled and seems to have a natural talent for saying the wrong thing which brings a lot of humour to the story.
He also has the most incredible crush on Lindsay which considering he’s the wrong sex to be her type makes for an interesting dynamic between the two. Lindsay is definitely the more knowledgeable and practical of the two so has the upper hand as far as the relationship goes. They flirt a bit, argue a lot, he’s overprotective and she get’s frustrated with him but they do depend on each other. Their relationship changes and develops over the course of this book and it comes under threat a few times which was kind of worrying as they are definitely one of my favourite partnerships.
This story is a lot bigger and a lot more gruesome and violent than the Beast of Barcroft. The author has definitely stepped it up in terms of carnage and while I prefer slightly subtler horror story rather than a lot of blood and gore there are still some very creepy moments. What makes it even better is the unpredictability. No character is safe in this series and anyone could be lost at the most unexpected moment. There was one moment in particular which came out of nowhere and left me completely stunned. One of those “oh my god, he can’t do that can he?” type moments.
For the most part the pacing is spot on and while there are a couple of bits which are a little slow, the author does a fantastic job of building up the tension to a truly immense conclusion.
It’s not a perfect book but I would definitely rate Bill Schweigart as one of my favourite horror authors at the moment. I’m looking forward to more in the series to see where it goes next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
May 18, 2016Northwoods is the second book in a series by author Bill Schweigart based around cryptozoological creatures. Now I enjoy a good creature feature. It’s good honest fun. In Northwoods Ben and Lyndsay are summoned to investigate sighting of a creature. Meeting up with Alex Standingcloud they discover the horrors that Davis Holland from Customs and Boarder Patrol along with Sheriff Gil Ramsey gave discovered in Northwoods.
Creature features are the kind of books that I find hugely entertaining when well written. In this second installment by Bill Schweigart we get a well written novel. My main issue with the book is the developing characters of Ben and Lyndsay. This book is set about a year from the first installment, and I kind of feel like this story would have worked better if it had been set in a time frame nearer to the first book. It would have allowed the character development to flow better.
With Northwoods you definitely have to suspend disbelief when reading, as some of the characters reactions to events in the book do not feel altogether right. Because of this the character so not always feel easy to relate to. Now this is the second installment featuring Ben, Lyndsay and Alex, but we are introduced the the character of Davis, who as a character I actually prefer to the already established characters. I think this is because he seems a more well rounded character.
The plot is interesting and fast paced, but at some points seems to jump a little and it feels like there are sections missing. Some of the later parts of the book feel rushed, like the author could not wait to get to the end.
So how do I rate Northwoods?
Northwoods is a solid second installment, however as a result of the rushed plot and unrealistic responses from characters, I would rate this 3 stars.
****Disclaimer – I purchased this book with my own money. This is my honest review****
Creature features are the kind of books that I find hugely entertaining when well written. In this second installment by Bill Schweigart we get a well written novel. My main issue with the book is the developing characters of Ben and Lyndsay. This book is set about a year from the first installment, and I kind of feel like this story would have worked better if it had been set in a time frame nearer to the first book. It would have allowed the character development to flow better.
With Northwoods you definitely have to suspend disbelief when reading, as some of the characters reactions to events in the book do not feel altogether right. Because of this the character so not always feel easy to relate to. Now this is the second installment featuring Ben, Lyndsay and Alex, but we are introduced the the character of Davis, who as a character I actually prefer to the already established characters. I think this is because he seems a more well rounded character.
The plot is interesting and fast paced, but at some points seems to jump a little and it feels like there are sections missing. Some of the later parts of the book feel rushed, like the author could not wait to get to the end.
So how do I rate Northwoods?
Northwoods is a solid second installment, however as a result of the rushed plot and unrealistic responses from characters, I would rate this 3 stars.
****Disclaimer – I purchased this book with my own money. This is my honest review****
February 4, 2016
Northwoods Nightmare! 3.5 stars...
Northwoods is a supernatural horror story that will have you looking twice at the people you know! It had lots of action and lots of gore. Schweigart also does a good job of incorporating supernatural elements but I found I wasn't quite believing the unbelievable. I also thought this story was really, too similar, to his first book, The Beast of Barcroft so I wasn't as shocked or surprised by some of the elements. What I enjoyed most was the dialogue between the main characters that returned from the first book and seeing how their stories developed. I also love how Schweigart throws some humor into the mix. He really knows how to add it in where it sounds natural and not cheesy or forced. Overall a good gruesome story that will keep you entertained. I just hope next time Schweigart will give us a little something different then what we've seen in these first two books.
*I received this ARC from Netgalley & Hydra Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Review also posted at:
http://empressreece.booklikes.com/pos...
Northwoods is a supernatural horror story that will have you looking twice at the people you know! It had lots of action and lots of gore. Schweigart also does a good job of incorporating supernatural elements but I found I wasn't quite believing the unbelievable. I also thought this story was really, too similar, to his first book, The Beast of Barcroft so I wasn't as shocked or surprised by some of the elements. What I enjoyed most was the dialogue between the main characters that returned from the first book and seeing how their stories developed. I also love how Schweigart throws some humor into the mix. He really knows how to add it in where it sounds natural and not cheesy or forced. Overall a good gruesome story that will keep you entertained. I just hope next time Schweigart will give us a little something different then what we've seen in these first two books.
*I received this ARC from Netgalley & Hydra Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Review also posted at:
http://empressreece.booklikes.com/pos...
February 16, 2016
I’m fast becoming a fan of Bill Schweigart. I love the way he takes some of our favorite legendary beasties, and twists and turns them into something new, scary, and very, very deadly.
Now, I won’t tell you which beastie he takes on here. I can only tell you that it’s an old favorite done in a very new way.
In Northwoods, we revisit the characters from The Beast of Barcroft, and it’s a team I’m happy to see again. They’re even stronger in this book – and still a whole lot of fun.
The book is violent, faced-paced, and just may have you peeking over your shoulder if you read it late at night.
I’ll happily read anything Bill Schweigart throws my way. He’s a welcome new voice in horror!
• ARC provided by Netgalley.
Now, I won’t tell you which beastie he takes on here. I can only tell you that it’s an old favorite done in a very new way.
In Northwoods, we revisit the characters from The Beast of Barcroft, and it’s a team I’m happy to see again. They’re even stronger in this book – and still a whole lot of fun.
The book is violent, faced-paced, and just may have you peeking over your shoulder if you read it late at night.
I’ll happily read anything Bill Schweigart throws my way. He’s a welcome new voice in horror!
• ARC provided by Netgalley.
Read
February 16, 2016REVIEW: NORTHWOODS by Bill Schweigart
NORTHWOODS, like its predecessor, THE BEAST OF BARCROFT, is a cryptozoologist's dream, and ditto so for those fascinated with Native American folklore. The intrepid trio of Ben McKelvie, Department of Defense analyst, Lindsay Clark of the National Zoo, and Alex Standingcloud, Ph.D. and native of a Northwoods reservation, combine once again under the auspices of cryptozoologist Richard Severance, to hunt a hodag on an island in Upper Michigan. Meanwhile, Border and Customs Agent Davis Holland uncovers what he expects to be a drug pipeline in the Minnesota countryside--but which instead is a portal for otherworldly creatures.
NORTHWOODS, like its predecessor, THE BEAST OF BARCROFT, is a cryptozoologist's dream, and ditto so for those fascinated with Native American folklore. The intrepid trio of Ben McKelvie, Department of Defense analyst, Lindsay Clark of the National Zoo, and Alex Standingcloud, Ph.D. and native of a Northwoods reservation, combine once again under the auspices of cryptozoologist Richard Severance, to hunt a hodag on an island in Upper Michigan. Meanwhile, Border and Customs Agent Davis Holland uncovers what he expects to be a drug pipeline in the Minnesota countryside--but which instead is a portal for otherworldly creatures.
Read
February 17, 2016Book: NORTHWOODS by Bill Schweigart
Genre: Horror, though the publisher lists it as urban fantasy
Series: Second book, first is THE BEAST OF BARCROFT
USA Release Date: February 16, 2016
Source: Arc provided by the publisher, Hydra, via NetGalley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Recommended?: Yes, with the caveat that for all its diverse characters, the presentation of the Ojibwe people and the use of Native American beliefs as monster-bait can be frustrating. The story is interesting, though, a fast-paced adventure with monsters and gore and a team-as-chosen-family that I really started to love by the end.
Note: Links to the books are Amazon affiliate links.
Review:
When I first saw NORTHWOODS on NetGalley, I was immediately drawn by that cover, which is both interesting enough to make me want to read the story, and a great throwback to the cheesy monster horror movies that I love. There’s a lot in the summary that appealed to me: a monster in the Minnesota woods, cryptozoology, a team previously formed in the hunt for a shapeshifter and now dealing with the trauma of that, and I was excited to have the chance to read it.
This is very much a plot-driven story – as you might expect from a book about monstrous murders in the deep winter woods — but Schweigart has also created some fine characters here. Though I haven’t read the first book in the series, THE BEAST OF BARCROFT, I had no trouble immersing myself in the story, in large part, I think, because it opens with a new character, Davis Holland. Davis is a Black man who has seen too much war both as Delta Force and as Customs and Border Protection, and he is my absolute favorite character in the book. He balances federal and local law enforcement politics well, mostly with ease, but when it comes back to bite him in the ass, he doesn’t let anything stop him from protecting his new home.
I was also very intrigued by Lindsay Clark and Alex Standingcloud, though less so by Ben McKelvie, who generally comes across as the standard straight white guy asshole protagonist readers are supposed to root for. Lindsay is a white lesbian, smart and sharp and shaken by what happened to them in the previous book; Alex has been mostly estranged from his Ojibwe family, particularly his father, until he has to recover from the events of THE BEAST OF BARCROFT. Now the monstrous has come home to roost, and Alex is struggling with his own identity while trying to figure out what is killing people around him. While all three are dealing with their trauma, it feels particularly real when Lindsay and Alex are alone in the woods and dealing with their trauma in different ways.
There are multiple monsters in NORTHWOODS, terrible, frightening, and wondrous, and watching these two teams – Davis and his friend, Sheriff Gil Ramsey, work together from the first chapter, and Lindsay, Alex, and Ben come into the story from a different angle – try to figure out what has gone wrong, and how to save the people in the local towns, intrigued me enough I read the book in one sitting. The descriptions are sparse, but it works with the pacing, and I liked blunt writing style quite a bit.
The part I had the hardest time with was the Ojibwe characters and the use of Native American lore for monsters, which also occurs in THE BEAST OF BARCROFT, as referenced in this book. It often comes across as appropriative, and I am leery of books written by white people that use Native American religious belief as actual real life monsters. I also thought John Standingcloud’s dialog was off in the pacing and word choices. (John is Alex’s father.) I’m not sure about the use of “Standingcloud” as their last name, either; all references I can find to it use “Standing Cloud,” and I can’t confirm it is usually an Ojibwe name. I can’t speak to whether the details are correct – there is quite a bit about Ojibwe burial rituals, for example – but generally they seem, to me, to be done with respect and not there for exploitation. However, the Red Cliff reservation is real, as is the Red Cliff Band, and there is no indication from the author that he worked with anyone from the reservation so as not to cause harm with his writing.
There is also a spoilery thing that happens which I found infuriating. I will put it at the end of the review, so you can skip it if you choose, but it is related to this concern.
Summary:
I enjoyed the hell out of the story, and I liked that the characters were so diverse, though at times, it felt like a surface diversity, with no real weight to their experiences as men of color or a white lesbian to give them depth. I am leery of the use of the Ojibwe people, and particularly the Native American religious beliefs as a background for the monsters, particularly with the new information the characters receive at the end. In many ways, the Ojibwe characters are there as background for the white characters to learn what they need to know about the monsters, and that’s a pretty shitty use of the Magical Native American trope (which does not require actual magic, but is more about the deep spiritual wisdom provided by the character to the white main characters). I really do want to read more about Davis, Alex, and Lindsay, though Ben and the rich white cryptozoologist can spend 100% less time on screen and I’d be happy, and I’ll be picking up THE BEAST OF BARCROFT to see where it all began.
SPOILERS BELOW
I am furious that a huge part of the ending is the death and resurrection of the great white savior, Ben, while John Standingcloud and a number of unnamed Ojibwe men sacrifice themselves so the white people can live. The fact that Alex and Davis both survive salvaged this a little, but it really drove home the fact that the Ojibwe people were really there to be background for the white people a lot of the time, and there is a point where Alex literally tells the rich white cryptozoologist that he is the savior, he has to live, so Alex and Davis will stay behind to make sure the white man and the white woman can escape, which is so much bullshit I almost couldn’t finish the book.
Genre: Horror, though the publisher lists it as urban fantasy
Series: Second book, first is THE BEAST OF BARCROFT
USA Release Date: February 16, 2016
Source: Arc provided by the publisher, Hydra, via NetGalley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Recommended?: Yes, with the caveat that for all its diverse characters, the presentation of the Ojibwe people and the use of Native American beliefs as monster-bait can be frustrating. The story is interesting, though, a fast-paced adventure with monsters and gore and a team-as-chosen-family that I really started to love by the end.
Note: Links to the books are Amazon affiliate links.
Review:
When I first saw NORTHWOODS on NetGalley, I was immediately drawn by that cover, which is both interesting enough to make me want to read the story, and a great throwback to the cheesy monster horror movies that I love. There’s a lot in the summary that appealed to me: a monster in the Minnesota woods, cryptozoology, a team previously formed in the hunt for a shapeshifter and now dealing with the trauma of that, and I was excited to have the chance to read it.
This is very much a plot-driven story – as you might expect from a book about monstrous murders in the deep winter woods — but Schweigart has also created some fine characters here. Though I haven’t read the first book in the series, THE BEAST OF BARCROFT, I had no trouble immersing myself in the story, in large part, I think, because it opens with a new character, Davis Holland. Davis is a Black man who has seen too much war both as Delta Force and as Customs and Border Protection, and he is my absolute favorite character in the book. He balances federal and local law enforcement politics well, mostly with ease, but when it comes back to bite him in the ass, he doesn’t let anything stop him from protecting his new home.
I was also very intrigued by Lindsay Clark and Alex Standingcloud, though less so by Ben McKelvie, who generally comes across as the standard straight white guy asshole protagonist readers are supposed to root for. Lindsay is a white lesbian, smart and sharp and shaken by what happened to them in the previous book; Alex has been mostly estranged from his Ojibwe family, particularly his father, until he has to recover from the events of THE BEAST OF BARCROFT. Now the monstrous has come home to roost, and Alex is struggling with his own identity while trying to figure out what is killing people around him. While all three are dealing with their trauma, it feels particularly real when Lindsay and Alex are alone in the woods and dealing with their trauma in different ways.
There are multiple monsters in NORTHWOODS, terrible, frightening, and wondrous, and watching these two teams – Davis and his friend, Sheriff Gil Ramsey, work together from the first chapter, and Lindsay, Alex, and Ben come into the story from a different angle – try to figure out what has gone wrong, and how to save the people in the local towns, intrigued me enough I read the book in one sitting. The descriptions are sparse, but it works with the pacing, and I liked blunt writing style quite a bit.
The part I had the hardest time with was the Ojibwe characters and the use of Native American lore for monsters, which also occurs in THE BEAST OF BARCROFT, as referenced in this book. It often comes across as appropriative, and I am leery of books written by white people that use Native American religious belief as actual real life monsters. I also thought John Standingcloud’s dialog was off in the pacing and word choices. (John is Alex’s father.) I’m not sure about the use of “Standingcloud” as their last name, either; all references I can find to it use “Standing Cloud,” and I can’t confirm it is usually an Ojibwe name. I can’t speak to whether the details are correct – there is quite a bit about Ojibwe burial rituals, for example – but generally they seem, to me, to be done with respect and not there for exploitation. However, the Red Cliff reservation is real, as is the Red Cliff Band, and there is no indication from the author that he worked with anyone from the reservation so as not to cause harm with his writing.
There is also a spoilery thing that happens which I found infuriating. I will put it at the end of the review, so you can skip it if you choose, but it is related to this concern.
Summary:
I enjoyed the hell out of the story, and I liked that the characters were so diverse, though at times, it felt like a surface diversity, with no real weight to their experiences as men of color or a white lesbian to give them depth. I am leery of the use of the Ojibwe people, and particularly the Native American religious beliefs as a background for the monsters, particularly with the new information the characters receive at the end. In many ways, the Ojibwe characters are there as background for the white characters to learn what they need to know about the monsters, and that’s a pretty shitty use of the Magical Native American trope (which does not require actual magic, but is more about the deep spiritual wisdom provided by the character to the white main characters). I really do want to read more about Davis, Alex, and Lindsay, though Ben and the rich white cryptozoologist can spend 100% less time on screen and I’d be happy, and I’ll be picking up THE BEAST OF BARCROFT to see where it all began.
SPOILERS BELOW
I am furious that a huge part of the ending is the death and resurrection of the great white savior, Ben, while John Standingcloud and a number of unnamed Ojibwe men sacrifice themselves so the white people can live. The fact that Alex and Davis both survive salvaged this a little, but it really drove home the fact that the Ojibwe people were really there to be background for the white people a lot of the time, and there is a point where Alex literally tells the rich white cryptozoologist that he is the savior, he has to live, so Alex and Davis will stay behind to make sure the white man and the white woman can escape, which is so much bullshit I almost couldn’t finish the book.
July 17, 2016
http://lynns-books.com/2016/03/14/nor...
Northwoods is the second book I’ve read by Bill Schweigart (the first being the Beast of Barcroft) and I have to say I’m hooked on this series now. This review may contain spoilers for the first book so please be aware of that and I would also add that although this is a sequel and has characters from the first book I think it could quite easily be read as a standalone. These books are a great combination of superstition and creepiness and a great cast of characters all charging around at breakneck speed.
The start of the story introduces us to two new characters. Davis, an ex forces guy who now works for border control and the local sheriff are about to go into the Superior Forest investigating a tip off they’ve received. What they find there instead is quite chilling. A scene of death awaits them in the woods – dead bodies and blood soaked snow surround a strange and ancient looking chest that seems to be luring Davis forward. At the same time Ben McKelvie and Lindsay Clark, who remained friends after the events of Barcroft brought them together, are about to receive a call from Severance seeking their assistance with an investigation that will take them into Minnesota looking for more mythical creatures.
This is a really good, chilling and often times adrenalin soaked read with an excellent ending!
Firstly, the characters. I really like Bill and Lindsay. They’ve remained friends – the only ones who can truly understood what horrors took place in Arlington. They make a good, if somewhat slightly abrasive towards each other, team. Then we have the other double act in Severance and Alex Standingcloud. I said after book one that these two were show stealers and that still remains true here although that being said Davis puts in a very good supporting role as well.
The writing is very persuasive, I loved that we had this cold and stark setting that really added to the chill factor and the author can certainly write creepy! The coldness and the forest and lake settings all added to the tone and I loved the beast that was stalking beneath the water!
In terms of criticisms, nothing really to go to town on. There’s a little bit of crazy going on here in terms of the animals involved, we never really get to the bottom of what exactly the mysterious ‘chest’ is all about – although I’m sure that that’s something that’s being saved for future stories.
But what an ending! Oh my goodness, I was like ‘oh no’ and ‘oh yes’ and ‘oh no!’ What a thrill ride. I’m really looking forward to where the author takes us next and what scary critters he can rustle up to give us the goosebumps.
I received a copy of Northwoods courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Northwoods is the second book I’ve read by Bill Schweigart (the first being the Beast of Barcroft) and I have to say I’m hooked on this series now. This review may contain spoilers for the first book so please be aware of that and I would also add that although this is a sequel and has characters from the first book I think it could quite easily be read as a standalone. These books are a great combination of superstition and creepiness and a great cast of characters all charging around at breakneck speed.
The start of the story introduces us to two new characters. Davis, an ex forces guy who now works for border control and the local sheriff are about to go into the Superior Forest investigating a tip off they’ve received. What they find there instead is quite chilling. A scene of death awaits them in the woods – dead bodies and blood soaked snow surround a strange and ancient looking chest that seems to be luring Davis forward. At the same time Ben McKelvie and Lindsay Clark, who remained friends after the events of Barcroft brought them together, are about to receive a call from Severance seeking their assistance with an investigation that will take them into Minnesota looking for more mythical creatures.
This is a really good, chilling and often times adrenalin soaked read with an excellent ending!
Firstly, the characters. I really like Bill and Lindsay. They’ve remained friends – the only ones who can truly understood what horrors took place in Arlington. They make a good, if somewhat slightly abrasive towards each other, team. Then we have the other double act in Severance and Alex Standingcloud. I said after book one that these two were show stealers and that still remains true here although that being said Davis puts in a very good supporting role as well.
The writing is very persuasive, I loved that we had this cold and stark setting that really added to the chill factor and the author can certainly write creepy! The coldness and the forest and lake settings all added to the tone and I loved the beast that was stalking beneath the water!
In terms of criticisms, nothing really to go to town on. There’s a little bit of crazy going on here in terms of the animals involved, we never really get to the bottom of what exactly the mysterious ‘chest’ is all about – although I’m sure that that’s something that’s being saved for future stories.
But what an ending! Oh my goodness, I was like ‘oh no’ and ‘oh yes’ and ‘oh no!’ What a thrill ride. I’m really looking forward to where the author takes us next and what scary critters he can rustle up to give us the goosebumps.
I received a copy of Northwoods courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
June 17, 2016
Some borders should never be crossed. From the author of The Beast of Barcroft comes a waking nightmare of a horror novel that’s sure to thrill readers of Stephen King and Bentley Little.
Ex–Delta Force Davis Holland, now an agent for the Customs and Border Protection, has seen it all. But nothing in his experience has prepared him for what he and the local sheriff find one freezing night in the Minnesota woods.
Investigating reports of an illegal border crossing, the two men stumble across a blood-drenched scene of mass murder, barely escaping with their lives . . . and a single clue to the mayhem: a small wooden chest placed at the heart of the massacre. Something deadly has entered Holland’s territory, crossing the border from nightmare into reality.
When news of the atrocity reaches wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance, he sends a three-person team north to investigate. Not long ago, the members of that team—Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud—were nearly killed by a vengeful shapeshifter. Now they are walking wounded, haunted by gruesome memories that make normal life impossible. But there is nothing normal about the horror that awaits in the Northwoods.
I bought and read Beast of Barcroft, so when I saw the sequel was released, I bought it. I finally got around to read it. The characters from the first book, Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud, along with wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance, returned for this one. This time, Richard sends Ben and Lindsay to Bayfield, Wisconsin. This is where Alex came from, from the Red Cliff reservation. He meets them there, as he had been convalescing there after the beast from Barcroft. Mysterious sightings of something in the woods and lurking in the water have reached Richard's ears. When they get there, they see that Maddie is the area's Loch Ness monster that lives in the lake and they sort of laugh it off, thinking that maybe Richard sent them on some hunt for something more fantasy than real like the monster from the first book. Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection agent Davis Holland and the sheriff of nearby Barnabus, Gil, had their own weird run in with something supernatural where men are found almost eaten, something big nearly ran down them in the woods, and a chest is at ground zero. A chest that Davis locks up and takes with him. Soon by all parties involved, they wonder if more than one monster is terrorizing the region.
There's nothing better than a good old monster horror novel to pass the time. And just like the first book, Bill Schweigart delivers the goods. lock, stock, and scare. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Ex–Delta Force Davis Holland, now an agent for the Customs and Border Protection, has seen it all. But nothing in his experience has prepared him for what he and the local sheriff find one freezing night in the Minnesota woods.
Investigating reports of an illegal border crossing, the two men stumble across a blood-drenched scene of mass murder, barely escaping with their lives . . . and a single clue to the mayhem: a small wooden chest placed at the heart of the massacre. Something deadly has entered Holland’s territory, crossing the border from nightmare into reality.
When news of the atrocity reaches wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance, he sends a three-person team north to investigate. Not long ago, the members of that team—Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud—were nearly killed by a vengeful shapeshifter. Now they are walking wounded, haunted by gruesome memories that make normal life impossible. But there is nothing normal about the horror that awaits in the Northwoods.
I bought and read Beast of Barcroft, so when I saw the sequel was released, I bought it. I finally got around to read it. The characters from the first book, Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud, along with wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance, returned for this one. This time, Richard sends Ben and Lindsay to Bayfield, Wisconsin. This is where Alex came from, from the Red Cliff reservation. He meets them there, as he had been convalescing there after the beast from Barcroft. Mysterious sightings of something in the woods and lurking in the water have reached Richard's ears. When they get there, they see that Maddie is the area's Loch Ness monster that lives in the lake and they sort of laugh it off, thinking that maybe Richard sent them on some hunt for something more fantasy than real like the monster from the first book. Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection agent Davis Holland and the sheriff of nearby Barnabus, Gil, had their own weird run in with something supernatural where men are found almost eaten, something big nearly ran down them in the woods, and a chest is at ground zero. A chest that Davis locks up and takes with him. Soon by all parties involved, they wonder if more than one monster is terrorizing the region.
There's nothing better than a good old monster horror novel to pass the time. And just like the first book, Bill Schweigart delivers the goods. lock, stock, and scare. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
July 11, 2016
Northwoods by Bill Schweigart is packed with so much action and suspense that I had to read it cover to cover, nonstop. Unputdownable. Was Bill Schweigart influenced by Stephen King? I think that is a definite possibility.
Our first foray into the woods brings back memories of my own…the snow falling, shaking the branches for a snow shower, the cold crispness of the air, but I never found a chest of any kind and after reading Northwoods, I’m glad I didn’t. I was surprised it started in the woods and not in the water because of the cover, but…
Ben, Lindsay and Alex Standingcloud had faced a cryptid before and manged to come out of it in once piece. This time would be different. I hate/love that the author is not afraid to kill off his characters and I wonder who will survive.
The “Jaws” scene totally freaked me out. OMG! Is he dead? Has he been eaten? Please tell me NO! Bill, what are you doing to me?
As their world goes crazy, the horror takes over, the pace quickens and so does my heartbeat. I found myself holding my breath as I read along.
WOW. Fantastic. Another wonderful twist! I was beginning to think it was possible, so it was not a total surprise.
The chapters are devoted to each character’s version of events and I enjoyed seeing it from their perspective. I love how the group has grown to function as a unit determined to save the world. I am hoping their bravery and heroics will bring a miracle to light.
The writing creates a fast paced tempo that, at times, left me breathless. The battles were fierce and I could not anticipate the outcomes. I would love to read more about this gang and their efforts to save the world from creatures that do not belong among us humans.
Northwoods by Bill Schweigart is a novel all horror lovers will want on their reading list. I will be following his work from here on out and adding them to my reading list.
I received an ARC of Northwoods by Bill Schweigart in return for an honest review.
To see more visit http://www.fundinmental.com
Our first foray into the woods brings back memories of my own…the snow falling, shaking the branches for a snow shower, the cold crispness of the air, but I never found a chest of any kind and after reading Northwoods, I’m glad I didn’t. I was surprised it started in the woods and not in the water because of the cover, but…
Ben, Lindsay and Alex Standingcloud had faced a cryptid before and manged to come out of it in once piece. This time would be different. I hate/love that the author is not afraid to kill off his characters and I wonder who will survive.
The “Jaws” scene totally freaked me out. OMG! Is he dead? Has he been eaten? Please tell me NO! Bill, what are you doing to me?
As their world goes crazy, the horror takes over, the pace quickens and so does my heartbeat. I found myself holding my breath as I read along.
WOW. Fantastic. Another wonderful twist! I was beginning to think it was possible, so it was not a total surprise.
The chapters are devoted to each character’s version of events and I enjoyed seeing it from their perspective. I love how the group has grown to function as a unit determined to save the world. I am hoping their bravery and heroics will bring a miracle to light.
The writing creates a fast paced tempo that, at times, left me breathless. The battles were fierce and I could not anticipate the outcomes. I would love to read more about this gang and their efforts to save the world from creatures that do not belong among us humans.
Northwoods by Bill Schweigart is a novel all horror lovers will want on their reading list. I will be following his work from here on out and adding them to my reading list.
I received an ARC of Northwoods by Bill Schweigart in return for an honest review.
To see more visit http://www.fundinmental.com
December 15, 2015
Ben, Lyndsay, and Alex Standingcloud are reunited once again for this brilliant sequel to Bill Schweigart's "The Beast of Barcroft". This time, Ben and Lyndsay head to Alex's hometown in Wisconsin at the urging of Richard Severance. Where Severance has interest is where monsters are sure to be. After a tift with Lyndsay, Ben heads to far northern Minnesota, where "other" graves have been reported to be desecrated, like in Wisconsin. Here, he meets up with ex-Delta Force team member, turned Customs and Border Protection agent, bad to the bone Davis Holland.
What is so great about this sequel is the very scary beginning that reminds one of M. Night Shyamalan. You know something bad is happening, but you are not privy to just what at first. By the time you realize it is monsters who shape shift into their human prey, it is too late to turn back. Bill Schweigart has you completely invested in the main characters and what is to follow. Let there be a warning: This book is NOT for the faint of heart. It is a full on balls to the wall greatest of horrors which will leave you squirming like an earthworm on a sidewalk on a hot summer day. You will be gasping for air after holding your breath, fearing what will happen next. And that fear is not unfounded. This is like book one on steroids. You can't predict what will become of these characters. The characters, themselves, don't know what is in store for them. I can tell you that Bill Schweigart has no mercy for his audience. His aim is to scare the living hell out of you; and, by God, he succeeds! Catch'a on round three, back to Jersey!
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Hydra and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of the book to read and give my honest review.
What is so great about this sequel is the very scary beginning that reminds one of M. Night Shyamalan. You know something bad is happening, but you are not privy to just what at first. By the time you realize it is monsters who shape shift into their human prey, it is too late to turn back. Bill Schweigart has you completely invested in the main characters and what is to follow. Let there be a warning: This book is NOT for the faint of heart. It is a full on balls to the wall greatest of horrors which will leave you squirming like an earthworm on a sidewalk on a hot summer day. You will be gasping for air after holding your breath, fearing what will happen next. And that fear is not unfounded. This is like book one on steroids. You can't predict what will become of these characters. The characters, themselves, don't know what is in store for them. I can tell you that Bill Schweigart has no mercy for his audience. His aim is to scare the living hell out of you; and, by God, he succeeds! Catch'a on round three, back to Jersey!
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Hydra and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of the book to read and give my honest review.
February 25, 2016
Oh man, this book was so good! This is a sequel to Schweigart’s first novel The Beast of Barcroft, but can also be read as a standalone. Unfortunately I had not read TBoB, and for that I am VERY disappointed! However, I am so very thankful that it was recommended to me and I ended up requesting Northwoods from Netgalley, and now I am a firm fan of Mr. Schweigart, Alex, Lindsay, and Ben! Plus the new guy Davis! Of course I am still weary and unsure of Severance.
Northwoods follows Alex, Lindsay and Ben a year after the events of TBoB, and everyone is for the most part scarred, but functioning. I missed a lot of the dynamic because I hadn’t read the first book, but it didn’t take away anything. It was still exciting and bone chilling.
I loved the characters, loved the plot; and I can’t wait to read the next installment!
I received this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Northwoods follows Alex, Lindsay and Ben a year after the events of TBoB, and everyone is for the most part scarred, but functioning. I missed a lot of the dynamic because I hadn’t read the first book, but it didn’t take away anything. It was still exciting and bone chilling.
I loved the characters, loved the plot; and I can’t wait to read the next installment!
I received this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2016
NORTHWOODS is the sequel to THE BEAST OF BARCROFT. Bill Schweigart brings his fantastic writing talents back into play, this time to the north woods of Wisconsin. If you're looking for gore and action and an X-Files type storyline, look no further. NORTHWOODS has the creatures you want also.
I enjoyed this very much. I hope you do also. I received my copy from Random House/Hydra.
I enjoyed this very much. I hope you do also. I received my copy from Random House/Hydra.
August 16, 2017
This was an enjoyable book to listen to. I liked the characters. The story was well written, a little scary, a little gross & action packed. The narration was very good BUT, according to me, everybody I know, and Gordon Lightfoot is is pronounced Gitchi-GOO-me not Gitchi-gimme!
February 18, 2016
I love Bill Schweigart novels, and I feel sure you will also. The beginning chapter is action packed with horror, blood, guts, gore, and unexplained happenings as something deadly and evil has come to the Superior National Forrest outside Barnabus Minnesota. Davis Holland, Agent for Customs and Border Protection, another flawed hero, is thrown immediately into the middle of the action.
Story Line:
Agent Holland receives a report of intrusion from the border and investigates along with Sheriff Gil Ramsey. The horror they face is mine boggling. Mysterious blinding lights, a dark entity of the darkest evil, a savage bite, an intriguing chest, and savaged dead bodies, is just the beginning and sets up the story. From this point, the book steam rolls along without any hesitation or missteps.
The original heroes in Beast of Barcroft, Ben McKelvie, Richard Severance, Alexander Standingcloud, and Lindsay Clark, are back again to look evil in the face and chase down another monster. We learn more about Alex Standingcloud in this book.
Billionaire Richard Severance has called the team back together again to investigate strange things happening on Red Cliff Reservation near Bayfield Wisconsin in which buried bodies are desecrated.
A Native American evil monster has been seen; they will find that bodies on the Four Hills Reservation Superior National Forest Minnesota have suffered defilement as well. Something is loose and hungry!
Suspense Level:
Bill Schweigart has written another horror book of the first order. This book review was easy to write; his talent is inspiring. I hope I can do the book justice. This book starts with a bang and continues from there to the final page. I found it to be a fast paced thrill ride with horrors and monsters; you can almost feel the evil.
My attention never waned as Mr. Schweigart set the story up expertly, held my attention, and continued to intrigue throughout the book. Mr. Schweigart wove these evil events into one tale of monsters and mystical creatures.
Characters, Plotting And Development
As with his previous book offering, Mr. Schweigart starts the action early and weaves a story that will hold your attention throughout the book. The character development and pacing of the story was great; he leaves you panting for more. I can't wait for the next novel in this series.
He has the ability to draw you into the story with the written word. He has created another frightening story of monsters and evil, wove all the threads of the tale together and created a cohesive story.
Our new cast of characters Gil, Davis and others have their faults, flaws and insecurities as well. Mr. Schweigart skillfully portrays his character as we are, and shows as humans we have the ability to become and do more than we think.
Recommendation:
This book is a stand-alone, however, I recommend reading the Beast of Barcroft, the 1st book of the series, as you will get the back story of Ben, Richard, Alex, and Lindsay; as an added bonus it is a great novel.
Mr. Schweigart's characters are not portrayed as knights in shining armor; they are portrayed as we are, a little tarnished and with all our baggage. I recommend this book to mature readers.
This was an excellent book and I look forward to installment three of this book series. I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest book review.
Books reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author's opinion; book reviews on line under my name are my opinion.
Story Line:
Agent Holland receives a report of intrusion from the border and investigates along with Sheriff Gil Ramsey. The horror they face is mine boggling. Mysterious blinding lights, a dark entity of the darkest evil, a savage bite, an intriguing chest, and savaged dead bodies, is just the beginning and sets up the story. From this point, the book steam rolls along without any hesitation or missteps.
The original heroes in Beast of Barcroft, Ben McKelvie, Richard Severance, Alexander Standingcloud, and Lindsay Clark, are back again to look evil in the face and chase down another monster. We learn more about Alex Standingcloud in this book.
Billionaire Richard Severance has called the team back together again to investigate strange things happening on Red Cliff Reservation near Bayfield Wisconsin in which buried bodies are desecrated.
A Native American evil monster has been seen; they will find that bodies on the Four Hills Reservation Superior National Forest Minnesota have suffered defilement as well. Something is loose and hungry!
Suspense Level:
Bill Schweigart has written another horror book of the first order. This book review was easy to write; his talent is inspiring. I hope I can do the book justice. This book starts with a bang and continues from there to the final page. I found it to be a fast paced thrill ride with horrors and monsters; you can almost feel the evil.
My attention never waned as Mr. Schweigart set the story up expertly, held my attention, and continued to intrigue throughout the book. Mr. Schweigart wove these evil events into one tale of monsters and mystical creatures.
Characters, Plotting And Development
As with his previous book offering, Mr. Schweigart starts the action early and weaves a story that will hold your attention throughout the book. The character development and pacing of the story was great; he leaves you panting for more. I can't wait for the next novel in this series.
He has the ability to draw you into the story with the written word. He has created another frightening story of monsters and evil, wove all the threads of the tale together and created a cohesive story.
Our new cast of characters Gil, Davis and others have their faults, flaws and insecurities as well. Mr. Schweigart skillfully portrays his character as we are, and shows as humans we have the ability to become and do more than we think.
Recommendation:
This book is a stand-alone, however, I recommend reading the Beast of Barcroft, the 1st book of the series, as you will get the back story of Ben, Richard, Alex, and Lindsay; as an added bonus it is a great novel.
Mr. Schweigart's characters are not portrayed as knights in shining armor; they are portrayed as we are, a little tarnished and with all our baggage. I recommend this book to mature readers.
This was an excellent book and I look forward to installment three of this book series. I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest book review.
Books reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author's opinion; book reviews on line under my name are my opinion.
November 6, 2018
Audiobook
Story: C, Narration: A-
Not a review, just some thoughts for personal reference. Spoilers.
No synopsis--I think I may ditch those altogether, except on rare occasions. So, just my observations in no order.
Another Halloween read that didn't terrify me--a giant weenie--just made me slightly tense at times.
I didn't read the first book, so maybe that would have made a difference. I didn't feel invested in any of the characters. Well, except Gus the cat. And when something bad happened to Gus* I was upset. But I wasn't really upset about the other characters' fates all that much, even when some of them met, or seemed to meet, very bad ends.
I really didn't get why Ben and Lindsay were friends, other than their shared experience in the first book. But that didn't seem to be enough to sustain it. And I really didn't get why Ben was romantically attracted to Lindsay. Part of that, I think, was do to the narration--which was otherwise mostly OK, but the male narrator emphasized Lindsay's whiny bitchiness. I may be wrong, but I think it may not have been as strong and offputting if I'd read her dialog and processed it only in my head rather than heard the constant "wah, wah, wah."
I liked Ben OK, but really never got what we brought to the party.
I liked Davis a lot, and think his addition to the team was a big plus. I also liked Gil, but wasn't as attached to him. Good thing.
There was an interesting twist in that there was a benign/somewhat helpful force that was also opposed to the evil force, much to Ben & Co's benefit. Didn't see that coming.
I liked the setting. It was mostly used to good effect, but I wish it had been incorporated even more.
Even tho the book failed to knock my socks off, I'm interested enough that I'd consider picking up the next in the series, if only to read more about Davis. I also have some interest in book #1 due to the setting. So, overall, an OK read--I just wish there'd been more to it.
*Gus makes it out fine. Whew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2016
I was expecting the story to be somewhere along the lines of the previous book Beast of Barcroft. Something like another episode of Scooby Doo where the gang encounters another cryptid and solve the mystery. But Schweigart ramps it up to 11 in this one and I actually didn't expect what happened. Sure there were hints of it at the beginning but like the previous book you won't find out what the creature is until later on. At first I was led to believe it was this rogue Native American river fish god but there's this plot about some box where another form of nasty comes out that creates a 'zombie'-ish ghul twist at the peak of the story. The plot was fun and adequately interesting to say the least.
The characters were well defined I like the addition of Davis with his expertise and military background. Alex Standingcloud's background is explored because the story deals with NAtive American lore at first (branches out to weird x10 later on) which is very nice and Severance is still a Tony Stark wannabe which is all well and good. I hate Ben more and more though. He's like Pinocchio pretending to be a real person with real feelings but ultimately feels like a block of wood and feels fake. This applies to Lindsay as well although to a lesser degree. Shame they're being the focus of the story (especially Ben the ever so special one meeting cryptids and genies left and right) because I feel their angsty/traumatized personality is not really working out. I mean it's okay being sarcastic and cynical but this feels like they are 12 year olds entering puberty, not adults. Kinda ruins it for me a bit but does not break the book as a whole.
Overall it's a good book and it leaves everything open for the third one which I look forward to reading.
The characters were well defined I like the addition of Davis with his expertise and military background. Alex Standingcloud's background is explored because the story deals with NAtive American lore at first (branches out to weird x10 later on) which is very nice and Severance is still a Tony Stark wannabe which is all well and good. I hate Ben more and more though. He's like Pinocchio pretending to be a real person with real feelings but ultimately feels like a block of wood and feels fake. This applies to Lindsay as well although to a lesser degree. Shame they're being the focus of the story (especially Ben the ever so special one meeting cryptids and genies left and right) because I feel their angsty/traumatized personality is not really working out. I mean it's okay being sarcastic and cynical but this feels like they are 12 year olds entering puberty, not adults. Kinda ruins it for me a bit but does not break the book as a whole.
Overall it's a good book and it leaves everything open for the third one which I look forward to reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2016
Cryptids: Animals which are commonly not believed to exist, but actually may.
I didn't read the first book in this series THE BEAST OF BARCROFT but there was enough backstory given in NORTHWOODS that I didn't feel too lost. It sounds like a humdinger of a story too so I just might slip it into my reading pile.
Resident Agent Davis Holland of Customs and Border Protection lives in Barnabus, Minnesota. He is in charge of patrolling a vast area around Barnabus and the Canadian border. Alerted by sensors and drones, he and Sheriff Gil Ramsey go out in the frigid weather, trying to track down some suspicious activity on the border. They find carnage and a mysterious, alluring box.
The action ramps up from there. The cast from THE BEAST OF BANCROFT finds their way to the area. Legendary creatures, hyenas (in Minnesota you say), more legendary creatures all converge and a bloodbath takes over.
This is a fast moving horror tale with fully realized characters: Ben and his Maine Coon cat Gus; his best friend Lindsay, a National Zoo zoologist; Dr. Alex Standingcloud, Ojibwe and George Mason University’s professor of Native American Indigenous Studies; and Richard Severance, billionaire cryptozoologist; and including the Minnesota contingent.
I did think there was a bit much being handed to me at once to wrap my mind around and all the details weren't wrapped up tightly by the end of the story (so I assume there will be more stories in the same vein by author Schweigart) but I did enjoy NORTHWOODS and will be looking for more stories in the future.
NOTE: I received this book from Random House through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
I didn't read the first book in this series THE BEAST OF BARCROFT but there was enough backstory given in NORTHWOODS that I didn't feel too lost. It sounds like a humdinger of a story too so I just might slip it into my reading pile.
Resident Agent Davis Holland of Customs and Border Protection lives in Barnabus, Minnesota. He is in charge of patrolling a vast area around Barnabus and the Canadian border. Alerted by sensors and drones, he and Sheriff Gil Ramsey go out in the frigid weather, trying to track down some suspicious activity on the border. They find carnage and a mysterious, alluring box.
The action ramps up from there. The cast from THE BEAST OF BANCROFT finds their way to the area. Legendary creatures, hyenas (in Minnesota you say), more legendary creatures all converge and a bloodbath takes over.
This is a fast moving horror tale with fully realized characters: Ben and his Maine Coon cat Gus; his best friend Lindsay, a National Zoo zoologist; Dr. Alex Standingcloud, Ojibwe and George Mason University’s professor of Native American Indigenous Studies; and Richard Severance, billionaire cryptozoologist; and including the Minnesota contingent.
I did think there was a bit much being handed to me at once to wrap my mind around and all the details weren't wrapped up tightly by the end of the story (so I assume there will be more stories in the same vein by author Schweigart) but I did enjoy NORTHWOODS and will be looking for more stories in the future.
NOTE: I received this book from Random House through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
February 16, 2016
I received Northwoods by Bill Schweigart from NetGalley. The free Kindle e-book ARC was approved by Random House Publishing Group - Hydra; in exchange for an honest review.
The cover was a lure, the description was a many barbed hook.
The beginning of the story was slow for me. There are scientific terms I am not accustomed to seeing, and had to look up.
This is not a typical fiction novel. There are a host of well formed characters that I needed to get settled in my brain.
This is not a series, but a continuation of earlier work The Beast of Barcroft. I have not yet read the prior book, but I will now.
This book stands alone, but having read "Beast..." would have launched me into the rhythm and hierarchy of the story faster.
This is a suspenseful, supernatural book. No sissies need apply. It is horrible and amazing. I would not have missed Northwoods for the world.
If you love warriors, the supernatural, our natural world and folklore, do not pass this up.
I recommend reading "The Beast of Barcroft" first, but it is not necessary. Like me you will be reading it after the fact.
Bill Schweigart has a new fan.
The cover was a lure, the description was a many barbed hook.
The beginning of the story was slow for me. There are scientific terms I am not accustomed to seeing, and had to look up.
This is not a typical fiction novel. There are a host of well formed characters that I needed to get settled in my brain.
This is not a series, but a continuation of earlier work The Beast of Barcroft. I have not yet read the prior book, but I will now.
This book stands alone, but having read "Beast..." would have launched me into the rhythm and hierarchy of the story faster.
This is a suspenseful, supernatural book. No sissies need apply. It is horrible and amazing. I would not have missed Northwoods for the world.
If you love warriors, the supernatural, our natural world and folklore, do not pass this up.
I recommend reading "The Beast of Barcroft" first, but it is not necessary. Like me you will be reading it after the fact.
Bill Schweigart has a new fan.
January 4, 2016
I'd go for 3.5 stars if I had the option. Schweigart brings back the characters from The Beast of Barcroft, which I very much enjoyed, for another adventure of the paranormal, this time set amidst the primeval forests abutting Lake Superior. I enjoy the sense this book gives of a burgeoning paranormal strikeforce--sort of mystical Avengers Initiative made up of broken, terrorized people whose primary qualification is that they're already survived this kind of thing at least once, and funded at the whim of a drinky, effete bajillionaire. It's at once charmingly DIY (a trait I adore in my paranormal investigators) and rather nutty. What could possibly go wrong?! (This book already makes it clear that the starting lineup may not all make it to the first official game of the season...)
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself, looking forward to future possibilities. I enjoyed this book, and felt propelled along to the extent that I finished it in about two days, which is always a good sign. My main complaint is that I feel it goes too far, too fast. That's both in terms of the world-building--the shape of the central conflicts going forward seems pretty well set, though I suppose there's still plenty of room for nuance--and in terms of the plot of this single book, which starts out normally-enough paced and then abruptly goes COMPLETELY BONKERS. It's thrilling, to be sure, but the pacing felt just a tad uneven to me.
But in the end, this is definitely a book about the love between a man and his cat, and I'll dig that no matter what. Yeah.
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself, looking forward to future possibilities. I enjoyed this book, and felt propelled along to the extent that I finished it in about two days, which is always a good sign. My main complaint is that I feel it goes too far, too fast. That's both in terms of the world-building--the shape of the central conflicts going forward seems pretty well set, though I suppose there's still plenty of room for nuance--and in terms of the plot of this single book, which starts out normally-enough paced and then abruptly goes COMPLETELY BONKERS. It's thrilling, to be sure, but the pacing felt just a tad uneven to me.
But in the end, this is definitely a book about the love between a man and his cat, and I'll dig that no matter what. Yeah.
January 7, 2016
Ben McKelvie and Gus his cat, are currently in Bayfield, Wisc. His partner, Lindsay Clark is with him. Richard Severance, a very rich reclusive, has sent them there to check on a local legend. It seems that there have been several sightings of a Lock Ness type creature. They were met by Dr. Alex Standingcloud, a Native American and teacher in Native American folklore and myth. Alex is was also sent by Severance to join them.
Border Patroll Resident Agent Davis Holland is stationed in Barnabus. Minn. Gil Ramsey is the local sheriff and his friend. Gil often goes with Davis as backup when illegals are spotted crossing the border. This time it is something different and downright wierd.
Cryptozoology is the study of creatures of myths and legends. That is what these two groups are interested in. A boy do they find it. This is a scarry adventure into the supernatural. One that will stay with you for a long time. Big sea creatures on one side and shape changing, people eating demons on the other. You will love the characters involved and probably not like Severance. The action is incredable and hardly lets you take a breath. I just love this kind of story. Well detailed and descriptive of the location and people in the nice, frendly towns.
Be sure to read "The Beast of Barcroft" also. They could be stand alone but more fun to read both.
I had the Kindle version
Border Patroll Resident Agent Davis Holland is stationed in Barnabus. Minn. Gil Ramsey is the local sheriff and his friend. Gil often goes with Davis as backup when illegals are spotted crossing the border. This time it is something different and downright wierd.
Cryptozoology is the study of creatures of myths and legends. That is what these two groups are interested in. A boy do they find it. This is a scarry adventure into the supernatural. One that will stay with you for a long time. Big sea creatures on one side and shape changing, people eating demons on the other. You will love the characters involved and probably not like Severance. The action is incredable and hardly lets you take a breath. I just love this kind of story. Well detailed and descriptive of the location and people in the nice, frendly towns.
Be sure to read "The Beast of Barcroft" also. They could be stand alone but more fun to read both.
I had the Kindle version
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