Review: Witchfinder Gallows at Twilight - William Hussey

A War Has Begun

Human will fight demon

The past will battle the future

Jake Harker will become the enemy...


Witchfinder Trilogy:
Dawn of the Demontide
Gallows at Twilight
The Last Nightfall (September 2011)

Visit the Witchfinder website for more information







Review:
Gallows at Twilight is the second book in the Witchfinder trilogy so although I won't include spoilers for this book it will be difficult not to mention some things from Dawn of the Demontide.  If you haven't read Dawn of the Demontide yet I'd highly recommend you start there and don't read the rest of this review.  If you're a fan of horror this is a series that is well worth picking up!

Jake and his friends may have managed to close the demon door but not before the Demon Father could escape from hell.  With the Demon Father gathering his allies and preparing for war it looks like things have taken a turn for the worse.  Jake is struggling to control his new powers but he is going to have to get a grip on them fast if they are going to survive the latest battle.  In order to save the future Jake finds himself faced with a journey into the past but can he change history and make it back to his own time or will he be executed for witchcraft before he can complete his mission?

I really enjoyed Dawn of the Demontide but William Hussey has managed to completely step things up a gear in Gallows at Twilight.  This book surpassed my expectations on every level and believe me that isn't because my expectations were low!  Gallows at Twilight is a gripping, action packed thrill ride that I didn't want to put down.  The story is even darker than the first book and Jake certainly isn't in for a comfortable ride in this book, in fact there are times that it seems impossible for the good guys to come out on top but you'll have to read it for yourself to find out if there are any casualties.

One of the things I wasn't too sure about before I started reading was the time travel aspect but I was pleasantly surprised at how well that worked.  Jake finds himself travelling back to 1645 in search of an item that could be vital in the war against the Demon Father but appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a crowded village probably wasn't the best way to make an entrance.  Jake is immediately accused of witchcraft and placed under arrest to await the arrival of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins.  What makes the scenes of torture that Jake suffers even harder to read is the fact that Matthew Hopkins is a real character from history and the methods used in the story have been taken straight from the English history books - you can't beat real life when it comes to inspiration for truly horrific things to do a character! 

Being at risk of execution for witchcraft is actually the least of Jake's worries though and he has far more dangerous trials ahead of him before the story is over.  Along with the characters we have already met in the previous installment William Hussey has pulled out all the stops when it comes to introducing a whole range of interesting creatures from trolls to banshees and much more besides and it can be difficult to tell who's side these creatures are on.  I don't want to give away anything in the plot as I don't want to spoil the journey for you but if you were a fan of Dawn of the Demontide then you're going to love Gallows at Twilight.  If you're new to the series but enjoy a truly gory horror story then get hold of the first book now.  I for one can't wait to read The Last Nightfall when it comes out later this year!

Source: Received from OUP in exchange for an honest review.

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