Red Right Hand

Charlotte Moore has fought her way through the darkest places of the human soul, but nothing prepares her for her encounter with the Man in Black, an elder god brandishing a wicked sword in his red right hand. Marking her as his Acolyte, the Man in Black informs Charlie that she must help him locate and destroy his demonic brethren before they have a chance to lay waste to all humanity. And to make sure she doesn’t get any second thoughts, Charlie’s new master binds her love, Daniel, to him as his minion.

Black’s disturbing imagery, breakneck pace, and visceral prose makes Red Right Hand feel like a literary roller coaster ride through hell without the safety bar. All you can do is hang on, scream yourself hoarse, squirm uncomfortably, and wish that it would never end. Black’s pacing is admirable, slowing down occasionally to let you catch your breath before mercilessly plunging you back into the cold dark void full of horrors more felt than seen. The super-short chapters make the story a bit choppy, but within the first few pages you’re hooked, and there’s no getting off the ride until you get to the end.