FICTION

The Heavens Rise

by Christopher Rice
Gallery: S. & S. Oct. 2013. 336p. ISBN 9781476716084. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781476716107. F
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Son of famed horror novelist Anne Rice, this New York Times best-selling author (A Density of Souls; The Moonlit Earth) is also widely known for featuring gay characters in his works. However, this release, set in the Louisiana swamp, is not about any of his characters' sexuality but rather is Rice's first attempt at horror. As a teenager, Niquette Delongpre was exposed to a parasite when her family uncovered a well on their property. For ten years she has struggled to deal with her newfound power and, along with childhood best friends Ben and Anthem, to remember the fateful events of that evening when her parents disappeared. Nikki soon learns that the well water that infected her has a menacing otherworldly secret that could destroy the world.
VERDICT Rich with New Orleans history and atmosphere, this hypnotizing supernatural work delves into dark family secrets, ancient powers, and superhuman abilities. The book is curiously, if a bit disjointedly, organized, with the third-person narrative arranged by the major characters of Ben, Anthem, and Marshall (offering those particular protagonists' viewpoints), while Nikki's journal entries supplement the story line. Despite this flaw, supernatural horror and thriller readers who enjoyed Douglas Clegg's Neverland and Robert McCammon's Boy's Life will want to pick up Rice's quick-paced coming-of-age story of a group of friends hoping to escape their haunted past.
Reviewed by Carolann Curry, Mercer Univ. Lib., Macon, GA , Sep 15, 2013
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