Those Across the River

Nov 24, 2011 Lou rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, july-read

Francis Nichols inherits a house and its possessions from his departed Aunt in Whitbrow. But this comes with a stark warning from her to sell the property and keep the money and not to live there. She warned him that bad blood lies in that dwelling and the place will smell out what's in you and claim you for it's own.
Something insidious is gathering attention from across the river. One by one people go missing and turn up dead. This story is a good old chiller of an intriguing tale of something...more

11 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2013 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who enjoy horror

Recommended to Katy by: netGalley

Shelves: ebook, net-galley

Please note: Read and reviewed in October 2011 from a copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis: Frank Nichols had carried on an affair with Eudora Lehman for two years before her husband discovered them. Disgraced and blacklisted, Frank has been unable to find another job in a University, but, in what appears to be a great stroke of luck, he inherits a house from his late mother’s sister. She warns him to just sell the house – to not move down to Georgia – but he d...more Please note: Read and reviewed in October 2011 from a copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis: Frank Nichols had carried on an affair with Eudora Lehman for two years before her husband discovered them. Disgraced and blacklisted, Frank has been unable to find another job in a University, but, in what appears to be a great stroke of luck, he inherits a house from his late mother’s sister. She warns him to just sell the house – to not move down to Georgia – but he decides that it would be a good idea to write a book about his great-grandfather who, after the end of the Civil War, refused to release his slaves and treated them so badly that they rose up in revolt and killed him, his family, and all his livestock. So, he and Dora move to Whitbrow, Georgia, where Dora has been offered a teaching position to replace Frank’s aunt in the high school. However, it’s not long after they arrive that Frank begins to notice the superstitious awe with which the townsfolk view Megiddo forest, across the river. Once a month, on the full moon, they send two pigs over the river – no one is really sure how this began, although there are a lot of rumors. However, times are hard, and the townsfolk decide to stop wasting pigs they could be eating. That’s when things begin to go horribly wrong. That’s when people begin to die …

My Thoughts: I’ve read a lot of creepy books over the past couple of months; I think this is the creepiest. The build-up of suspense and horror starts slowly and subtly, with hints and clues and vague allegations. However, once those across the river are revealed completely, things progress rapidly. A crescendo is reached and it seems like that might be the end, only for things to start back up, reach another crescendo … it’s like watching a horror movie when you think the monster is dead, but they aren’t really and they pop back out at you time and again. I loved it - I think it might give me nightmares, but I loved it! If you like horror, you will LOVE Those Across the River.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

May 10, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: classic-horror, fantasy-horror, historical-thriller, horror, literary-fiction

If Tennessee Williams wrote horror fiction this is what it would read like. "Those Across the River" is old school horror written by a poet. This is what I want every horror novel to be when I pick it up.

Haunted by a scandalous past Frank Nichols and his beloved wife Eudora have arrived in Whitford, Georgia, where Frank is hoping to revive his nearly decimated academic career by writing a book about his ancestors who once owned a large plantation in the town. Whitford has a great many secrets a...more If Tennessee Williams wrote horror fiction this is what it would read like. "Those Across the River" is old school horror written by a poet. This is what I want every horror novel to be when I pick it up.

Haunted by a scandalous past Frank Nichols and his beloved wife Eudora have arrived in Whitford, Georgia, where Frank is hoping to revive his nearly decimated academic career by writing a book about his ancestors who once owned a large plantation in the town. Whitford has a great many secrets and some traditions that seem ignorant and downright idiotic to the young couple. As one might expect things do not turn out at all well when they decide to try to change things in this sleepy little southern town. There are things in Whitford that don't like change.

Buehlman spends a terrific amount of time painting the people and the town itself with a wonderfully broad and colorful brush, we come to know these people intimately. Which makes what happens in the final parts of the book so sad and terrifying. I came to care about characters that a less talented author would have treated as set dressing.

Another key to the wonder this book held for me is the passionate, deeply loving relationship between Eudora and Frank. These two absolutely adore each other. They have gone to great lengths to be together and the reader can feel the strength that bond gives them.

Buehlman is also careful to tease his readers very carefully with the mystery that surrounds Whitford. We see early on that something just ain't right here but Buehlman takes his sweet time getting there and the tension is terrific. There are some amazingly gripping scenes in the bayous surrounding the town that made my hair stand on end and all I was reading about was a bunch of men searching through the swamps not knowing what they were even looking for.

For those with weak stomachs? It isn't really until the final pages that things take a turn for the graphic. Its been several months since I read the book and there's still one image that I haven't quite been able to scrub from my brain. But I honestly think that has more to do with the power of Buehlman's word choices and how he crafts the scenes and less to do with the actual moments in the story itself.

I truly loved this book. It was haunting and horribly violent yet romantic and deeply sad. Buehlman is an incredibly gifted wordsmith who's every novel I look forward to snapping up.

(less)

10 likes · like · see review

Oct 10, 2011 Jo Anne B rated it 2 of 5 stars

I did not like this book.

I didn't like either of the main characters, Frank and Eudora. They were sarcastic and uninteresting. They seemed unintelligent despite being scholars. Frank, a war veteran and professor, inherits a house that he was warned against living in. But he moves there anyways to get away from his previous job where his girlfriend, Eudora, committed adultery with him creating a huge scandal. The new town is creepy from the get go but they both carry on and try to fit in. Two pi...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 18, 2013 Zora marked it as couldnt-get-into

nothing happens for 20 pages, there are unnecessary misspellings to indicate dialect: "dint git" for "didn't get." So no.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

See this review on 1776books.net...
http://1776books.blogspot.com/2011/09...

I find myself reading a plethora of debut novels lately...S.J. Watson's wonderful Before I Go to Sleep, Rosamund Lupton's Sister, and now Christopher Buehlman's Those Across the River. These novels all have an element of suspense and mystery to them, but Buehlman's is just plain creepy...in a good way. For this is not a mystery novel in every sense of the word. This is truly a horror story.

Frank Nichols, great grandson of...more

like · see review

Feb 27, 2013 Pamela Aidan rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't read horror much, but the promise of Southern Gothic Horror from a new, rising star piqued my curiosity; so I bit. Well, Those Across the River might make a passable horror flick with lots of CGI, but as literary Horror it was...so disappointing. Failed academic Frank Nichols and his "wife" Eudora (it's 1935 after all) have moved to a conveniently inherited house in southern Georgia so Frank can pretend to write a book about a notorious ancestor. Unfortunately, this well-worn scenario l...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 13, 2012 Christian rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found it difficult to put this one down, owing largely to the strength of Buehlman's writing.

Buehlman's narrative voice is particularly strong for the vast majority of the work. Southern Gothic elements are painstakingly woven into the narrative in Faulkner-come-O'Connor fashion. The narrator's jibes concerning Southern culture and religion are well played, a bit snarky without becoming preachy, and his casual racism is spot-on for the era -- especially with its attendant, subsumed guilt. Once...more

5 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2011 Criminal Reads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Character Development: In this book book we follow a couple as they run away from their problems and move into a small town. Here the couple is written as the main character, but I almost feel as if the town should be it. While the man and woman are given a background, for me it read as it really could be any couple written into the book. The town would have reacted the same. It’s not until the very end of the book that we learn just why the things are happening and what they have to do with the...more

like · see review

Dec 21, 2011 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm on holiday break so I am indulging in some pleasure reading which for me means mystery and thrillers. This book appealed to me as a story of intrigue and mystery in the old South. It is set in 1935 small town Georgia. During the height of the recession and without a job, a college professor returns to the old family home that is across the river from where his great-grandfather owned a large plantation and was notoriously cruel to his slaves, eventually being killed by them in an uprising. H...more

like · see review

Dec 04, 2011 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars

In Those Across the River, ChristopherBuehlmann gives us a straight-up horror novel. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t read much horror; usually it is too grisly for my taste. The descriptions of this novel intrigued me for some reason, so I took the chance. During the Great Depression, Frank and his girlfriend Dora are looking for a new start, and Frank is conveniently left a house in a small Georgia town (which his deceased aunt begs him to sell, not inhabit). The first clue that somethi...more In Those Across the River, ChristopherBuehlmann gives us a straight-up horror novel. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t read much horror; usually it is too grisly for my taste. The descriptions of this novel intrigued me for some reason, so I took the chance. During the Great Depression, Frank and his girlfriend Dora are looking for a new start, and Frank is conveniently left a house in a small Georgia town (which his deceased aunt begs him to sell, not inhabit). The first clue that something is really wrong, of course, is that Frank and Dora are adulterous, since Dora was married when she fell in love with Frank. Although they appear in town as a conventional married couple, they are not yet wed. Dora has been hired to teach school, and Frank, a historian by profession, plans to write a book about his ancestor who had a plantation across the river. Stories of the ancestor’s cruelty to his slaves continue to this day.
As they become more a part of their new town, Frank and Dora are surprised by the monthly ritual of sending two pigs (complete with flower garlands around their necks) across the river. The pigs have never been seen again, although two pigs a month should have produced a thriving colony of wild boars. When the town votes to stop the monthly tradition of sending the pigs, the trouble starts.
I received this book from Netgalley as a review copy. It was a good “starter” horror novel, as the horror built up gradually, and the grisly descriptions were (to some extent) restrained. By the time things really get rocking in the horror department, the reader is hooked on the story and willing to put up with the gore in order to find out what happens. Typically, the protagonists make mistake after mistake, as they ignore warning signs until it is way too late. The only thing that irritated me about the writing was the repetition of certain phrases. These would first come up in a non-threatening situation, then the narrator (Frank) would repeat them in his head at various times as he remembered something about the situation. The phrases didn’t seem all that sinister, and the payoff wasn’t quite there when the phrases were repeated during the climax of the novel.
All horror books are sick, and this one is no exception, though perhaps it is less sick than most contemporary horror. Nonetheless, the story pulled me through, and for a couple of days, this was the book I couldn’t put down. 3.5/5* (would be higher if I enjoyed horror)(less)

like · see review

Nov 17, 2011 Tony rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: thrillers

THOSE ACROSS THE RIVER. (2011). Christopher Buehlman. ***.
I am not a fan of the horror genre, but his novel was recommended as being a cut above the usual entrants. I learned that a cut can be pretty thin. It’s the tale of a couple, Frank Nichols and his soon-to-be wife Eudora, who have moved to a small town in GEORGIA to claim his inheritance of a plantation that was owned by his ancestors. The plantation is across the river that borders the town, in an area covered by DENSE WOODS. When Frank...more

like · see review

Nov 14, 2011 Majanka rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, horror, werewolves

Frank Nichols is a veteran of the Great War, a failed academic and a hopeless romantic. His girlfriend Eudora, was actually married to his college professor before he met her and they fell in love at first sight. Traumatized not only by his failing academic career but also by losing his best friend on the battlefield, Frank is determined to start anew with Eudora, somewhere far away from their old life. And what better place to start anew than in the city of Whitbrow, where his ancestor’s estate...more Frank Nichols is a veteran of the Great War, a failed academic and a hopeless romantic. His girlfriend Eudora, was actually married to his college professor before he met her and they fell in love at first sight. Traumatized not only by his failing academic career but also by losing his best friend on the battlefield, Frank is determined to start anew with Eudora, somewhere far away from their old life. And what better place to start anew than in the city of Whitbrow, where his ancestor’s estate, the Savoyard Plantation, still lies in ruins but could give Frank enough inspiration to write a book capable of putting him back on the university payroll.

However, once they arrive in the Canary House in Whitbrow and get to know the town’s people, Frank and Dora soon discover the continous feeling of dread wavering over the community. The people in Whitbrow are friendly enough, but they are often unkind to strangers, and they warn Frank occassionally not to venture to the forest beyond the river. But Frank can’t help himself and armed with only a camera, he crosses the river, only to find himself being followed by a strange puberescent boy who throws rocks at him. Although strangely unsettled by the entire experience, Frank tries to hide it from his wife upon arriving back home. But he certainly doesn’t feel like going into those woods any time soon…

Things take a turn for the worst soon enough. When the local community decides to put an end to the monthly tradition of releasing pigs into the woods because of the failing economy, it seems like something from the woods is after the town’s people. It begins by a traumatizing experience in the local school, expands with the gruesome murder on a young boy and ends with the creatures from across the river preying upon the entire village. Frank and his fellow town’s men realize they have to do something against the threat from the woods – but what can they do to save themselves from these monsters?

I have to admit that as soon as I read the premise from Those Across The River, I was intrigued. Usually, monsters hidden in woods or cannibals hidden in hills (The Hills Have Eyes, for example) don’t scare me. More often than not I find myself laughing at this type of horror movies, because they’re so over the top and make the story sound so absolutely unbelievable that I cannot help but laugh. However, this wasn’t the case with Those Across The River, and I realized that from as soon as I opened up the book. The constant feeling of tension and dread is immense and overwhelming, and starts from page one. The entire time while I was reading this book, I was sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for something unsettling and scary to happen. It certainly didn’t dissapoint. The built-up is amazing, and the climax is even more earth-shattering.

This isn’t the slash and kill kind of horror, and I think it could probably be best described as Southern Gothic Horror. Christopher Buehlman has a way with words and prose that both creates a distance between the written word and the reader, making the text sound sometimes distorted and strange – which is always excellent when writing horror, in my opinion, because it adds to the mystery surrounding the why, how and what is attacking the town, in this case – and manages to pull the reader in from page one. It actually takes a long while before we actually find out what is hiding in those woods as a reader: cannibals? werewolves? witches? an ancient tribe? ghosts? But even when the mystery is solved, and we know what exactly is preying upon those poor souls living in Whitbrow, the horror is far from over. In fact, it’s only just begun…

Buehlman’s main characters are strong and well-developed. Frank Nichols is a person with a complex personality: he seems like a brave enough fellow, especially when during a treck to the forests across the river he chooses to stay whereas others chose to leave, but he also suffers from his own less-than-positive views about himself. He doesn’t regard himself as being very much at all, and he often fears Dora will leave him for a better man, a wealthier man or a more educated man. Although his self-confidence is lacking and he often shows a mistrust in humanity in general, he’s also an intelligent, straight-forward and good-natured person eager to help others. Dora is an interesting character as well, although she clearly isn’t as well-developed and complex as Frank. I liked her for her kindness of heart, her ability to feel along with the victims of the assaults and the fact that she could put up with a lot more than I first gave her credit for. I like it when a character surprises me, and Dora definately succeeded in that department.

Those Across The River takes places in 1935 during the great Depression, in the interbellum between the two wars that have ripped the entire world to shreds. Christopher Buehlman portrays this time period excellent and with an eye for detail that is most astonishing. This author really is a master of language, and he’s confident enough in his own abilities to take the time to describe scenes in full detail when necessary or adequate for the story. He also uses a far broader vocabulary than half the horror authors out there, another something I should congratulate him for. As a not-native English speaker, I had to occassionally consider what a certain word could mean, and test the boundaries of my knowledge frequently, which I found exciting to say the least.

Don’t let the soft, cheerful beginning of this novel, with Frank and Eudora settling into their new home as a happy-go-lucky couple fool you. Don’t be mistaken by the good-heartedness of their neighbors and their will to help each other, even through the dark days of the Depression. At its core, Those Across The River is a full-blown, brutal, terrifying and masterfully written horror novel that will keep you thinking about it for days, even after you’ve long finished it. I would not be surprised to see this work somewhere on the list of classics along with Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft. If Christopher Buehlman continues to amaze me with his excellent writing skills, eye for detail and understanding of historical events, I will have to name him as my favorite horror author ever. For now, I’m eagerly anticipating his next work, and hoping that it will sweep me off my feet as much as Those Across The River has. Recommended to all horror fans, but not to the faint of heart.

(less)

like · see review

Nov 12, 2011 Remittance Girl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Buehlman's prose is a pleasure to listen to. His descriptive writing is rich and takes you there. His characters are complex and human and deeply engaging. Even his minor characters are fresh and vivid. The setting is eerie, the premise is intriguing. We are all set up for a wonderful walk through the strange, strange south. Then, about two thirds of the way through the book, I get the sense that that someone told the author to quit pissing around and being literary and write a novel just like o...more

like · see review

Sep 30, 2011 Ann Collette rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm very much a fan of erudite authors dipping into genre fiction. Sticking to the basic conventions while demonstrating just how flexible the limits of those conventions can be, writers like Scott Turow, Tom Franklin and Glen Duncan have brought new respect to genre fiction. Though this book isn't up to the level of THE LAST WEREWOLF, it's a smart and sophisticated read, with a strong sense of place and time. Unable to find a job, Frank, an academic and WWI vet haunted by his service, decides t...more I'm very much a fan of erudite authors dipping into genre fiction. Sticking to the basic conventions while demonstrating just how flexible the limits of those conventions can be, writers like Scott Turow, Tom Franklin and Glen Duncan have brought new respect to genre fiction. Though this book isn't up to the level of THE LAST WEREWOLF, it's a smart and sophisticated read, with a strong sense of place and time. Unable to find a job, Frank, an academic and WWI vet haunted by his service, decides to move, with Eudora, the woman he lives with, to a house he inherits in the boonies in Georgia. At first the house seems charming, as does the area surrounding it. But it's not long before the warning Frank received from the aunt who left him the house is reinforced by the locals -- there's something creepy going on across the river and it's best to avoid it. Of course, this is exactly where Frank wants to go, as he's set on writing a book about a exceptionally evil and vicious slave-owning ancestor who once had a plantation there. Normally, I don't see much point to prologues but this book starts with such a terse and scary one it's always at the back of your mind as you read and when the payoff comes, it doesn't disappoint. I did have a few questions -- why didn't Frank ever tell any of the townspeople about the boy with the filed teeth when he first encountered him? And why didn't he warn Martin after he betrayed him? But these were small quibbles that didn't interfere with the pace of the book at all. I felt the nightmares could have been cut some and I definitely felt Eudora wasn't a fully realized character -- she was just T and A. Supposedly, she was a teacher but the only comment passed on her abilities as a teacher was how distracintg her great ass must be when she turns her back to the class... Within the first 10 pages, there were 2 sex acts between Frank and Eudora so from the get go, I knew Dora would be a very limited character. Frank's another story, though -- very smart, but in a lot of denial; always pushing himself when he knows his curiousity and at times, condescending attitude, is just going to make trouble for himself and Eudora, but unable to stop himself. And that's the best part of the book -- when he finally finds himself in the middle of the very trouble he's been warned against stirring up, it's creepy, scary -- and resonant with unexpected moral complexity. The prose is clean as a whistle and the last quarter of the book is very strong and completely satisfying, setting up what could be a kick ass sequel were the author to focus on developing EUDORA in her new incarnation as fully as he did on developing Frank as a character in this book. (less)

like · see review

Sep 14, 2011 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hmmmmmmmm, vamps-and-other-paranormal-pleasure, work-review-related-reading

This book is deeply creepy, and I only made it more so by reading it on a weekend as the
moon was coming full. And the moon definitely plays a role in this story, set in the
rural south in 1936. Frank and Eudora, posing as man and wife though they hadn't quite
made it official yet, have come to live in the house bequeathed to him by his aunt. It
came with a curse, interestingly enough, and a dire warning from his aunt to just sell
the house and not come to see it ever. It seemed to stem from a great...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 06, 2011 Richard Gazala rated it 4 of 5 stars

The roots of Christopher Buehlman's novel, "Those Across the River," are tangled inextricably in the classic Southern Gothic literary tradition. Emblematic of the best of the genre, Buehlman's writing is as elegant as it is powerful. Through deft choices of language, idiom, place and pace, he conveys well the cadence of life in the American South at a time the country teetered between the first and second World Wars, the Great Depression raged with seeming immortality, and the American Civil War...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 19, 2011 Kelly Cochran Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh, that was fun! I was lucky enough to have an advanced copy of this debut novel loaned to me. I am so glad it was, what a ride! I am a fast reader and I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. So I took my time with the beginning half. I moved from North to South, I sweated, I loved, I laughed, and was disgusted by reminders of a time that is thankfully gone,but not always finished. Then things started getting really weird. Not just the "languid backwoods redneck" weird, but the "deeply di...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 22, 2011 Janl rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was also fortunate to see an advance copy of this book and endorse John Michael Decker’s review in every respect. I had no idea this was a horror story, which I wouldn’t normally choose to read, hence I read it with an open mind. The first chapter enthralled me, and by the time I realised it was a horror story, I was hooked.

I was familiar with the author’s writing ability from his plays and poetry, but i wasn’t expecting a well-crafted work of such exceptional quality, depth, erudition and ma...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 11, 2011 John rated it 5 of 5 stars

Those Across the River Review

By

John Michael Decker

The year is 1935. Frank Nichols, a former history professor from Chicago, has moved to the quaint little town of Whitbrow, Georgia with his paramour Eudora. Frank’s intention is to write a book chronicling the history of his ancestor, an infamous Civil War general. But Whitbrow is a town with many dark secrets. Secrets which threaten to erode not only Frank and Eudora’s newfound happiness, but their belief in a rational world as well. There is so...more Those Across the River Review

By

John Michael Decker

The year is 1935. Frank Nichols, a former history professor from Chicago, has moved to the quaint little town of Whitbrow, Georgia with his paramour Eudora. Frank’s intention is to write a book chronicling the history of his ancestor, an infamous Civil War general. But Whitbrow is a town with many dark secrets. Secrets which threaten to erode not only Frank and Eudora’s newfound happiness, but their belief in a rational world as well. There is something evil dwelling in the old Savoyard Plantation across the river. It is something ancient with a connection to Frank that he can scarcely imagine. It has a long memory… and it is patient.

Thus begins Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman. The best horror novel I have read in years. I say this not because Chris Buehlman is a dear friend of mine. I say it honestly because it really is just that good. Although this book won’t be released until September of this year, I have been lucky enough to receive an advanced copy. To say that Those Across the River is a page-turner is putting in mildly. I’ve been busy and yet I still burned through this novel in three days.

Christopher Buehlman excels at pacing and he is a confident enough storyteller so that he really takes his time setting up his scenes. He is a master of language and this book effortlessly transported me to another time. Another place. I felt all of the pressures of surviving in the Great Depression. I could smell the sweat of the characters as they were traipsing through the dark woods. I could hear all the sounds of the humid August night in Georgia. The tension was slowly ratcheted up, and the more I read, I found myself being filled with a deepening sense of dread. I was fully invested in the characters so when the truly horrific stuff happened it was well earned by the author.

Now there are a lot of people who are going to read this and compare Chris Buehlaman to Stephen King or Dean Koontz. I would dispute this claim. Don’t get me wrong… the material in this book is similar to things that have been covered by other horror authors. And I am a big fan of King and Koontz. But to me, reading a novel by someone like Stephen King is like eating at McDonalds. It’s good, it’s fast, and it’s usually pretty satisfying. But reading a Christopher Buehlman novel is like dining on filet mignon with an interesting red wine and classical music playing in the background. This is literary, historical, horror and I really think that Buehlman’s unique writer’s voice puts him in a category all his own. I can easily see this book being translated into a movie. I can see Chris attaining real fame with this work. So if you want to get in on the ground floor of something really special, I highly recommend that you pre-order a copy of Those Across the River today.

Copyright 2011 John Michael Decker. No reprints without written permission.

http://www.amazon.com/Those-Across-Ri...(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is probably, hands down, one of the best horror novels to come along in years.

I don't say that lightly, because aside from Stephen King, there aren't that many writers out there who can create such an elaborate, historically-based scenario that just positively drips with dread before exploding into horror. Christopher Buehlman, a playwright, poet, and comedian, captures the mannerisms of 1930s-era America and successfully immerses the reader in a story that grows more and more horrific and...more

like · see review

Oct 28, 2011 Paul Pessolano rated it 2 of 5 stars

“Those Across the River” by Christopher Buehlman, published by Ace Books.

Category – Fiction/Literature

Frank Nichols inherits an old house and is warned not to live in it but sell it. The house is a family estate that was once a thriving plantation with slaves. The plantation is in Whitbrow, Georgia and was the scene of horrendous atrocities by Lucien Savoyard, Frank’s great-grandfather.

It is said that the slaves revolted and dealt a cruel death to the members of the Savoyard family.

Frank and hi...more “Those Across the River” by Christopher Buehlman, published by Ace Books.

Category – Fiction/Literature

Frank Nichols inherits an old house and is warned not to live in it but sell it. The house is a family estate that was once a thriving plantation with slaves. The plantation is in Whitbrow, Georgia and was the scene of horrendous atrocities by Lucien Savoyard, Frank’s great-grandfather.

It is said that the slaves revolted and dealt a cruel death to the members of the Savoyard family.

Frank and his wife Eudora, having fallen on hard times, ignore the warning to sale the house and hope to begin a new life in Whitbrow. Frank begins to meet the people of the town and find that they are friendly but a little on the odd side. He is told that it is dangerous to cross the river, and if you do make sure you return before dusk.

The town of Whitbrow has an odd custom of driving pigs into the forest every month for some unknown reason. The town can no longer afford to do this and decide that the tradition will end. This may prove to be a fatal error.

It seems that those individuals who voted to discontinue the practice are facing cruel deaths that also include their family members. A posse is formed to hunt down those responsible, and the river is crossed.

The posse encounters strange creatures that can regenerate parts of their bodies that have been destroyed by bullets or knives.

Frank’s wife, Eudora, who voted to have the custom halted becomes a victim of these creatures and becomes one of them.

Frank, still in love with Eudora, attempts to continue living with her with disastrous results.

He finds that he must eradicate the creatures and enlists two of his friends to return to Whitbrow to help him. This too does not go well and Frank must live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life.

This is a good read but does not fulfill either the category of Fiction/Literature or Horror. It has a very slow start but does capture the reader’s interest as you get further into the book.
(less)

like · see review

Aug 23, 2011 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Not a good idea to read late into the night. It said horror book and it was a nightmare. Very well told nightmare.
Frank and Eudora moved into a house in Whitbrow that his aunt had left him. She also wrote a letter to sell the house dont ever go their.
Frank was a collage professor and had an affair with a student Eudora who was married to another professor.
Frank lost his job and Eudora just got her license to teach and had a hard time in 30's to get a job.
So Eudora got offered a teaching job in W...more

like · see review

Oct 28, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Rebecca by: Melanie

Shelves: books-to-buy

Christophe the Insultor, the author's alter-ego, is an evilly funny man. This book is just evil--in the best way possible. This is good, old fashioned book horror, done the way only a truly intelligent writer can manage. Anyone can do hack and slash; only a true talent can spin so much terror out of so much atmosphere and really, very little gore until the very end. Buehlman takes a page from Hitchcock's play book, relying on suspense and innuendo, hints and foreshadowing, images seen from the c...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 28, 2011 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Writer and poet Christopher Buehlman (whose alter ego is the hilarious Christophe the Insultor) turns in a hair-raising Southern gothic horror tale of ancient curses and undying evil as his debut novel. Something evil lurks in Megiddo Wood near the little town of Whitbrow, Georgia, dating from the days of the wealthy but sadistic Lucien Savoyard and his murder at the hands of his plantation slaves seventy years ago, shortly after the end of the Civil War.

I got a signed copy of this for Christmas...more

like · see review

Oct 15, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Frank and Dora are a cute couple, in love, trying their own thing. Frank was a very together character - trustworthy, brave, devoted. Maybe not too quick to catch on to the fact though, that the town was headed for trouble. Pay close attention to the town forum part of this book, this is the event that sets the rest of the book in motion, although you might not realize it while reading it. I was a little bored at this stage in the book, and didn't read it too closely, and then later went back to...more Frank and Dora are a cute couple, in love, trying their own thing. Frank was a very together character - trustworthy, brave, devoted. Maybe not too quick to catch on to the fact though, that the town was headed for trouble. Pay close attention to the town forum part of this book, this is the event that sets the rest of the book in motion, although you might not realize it while reading it. I was a little bored at this stage in the book, and didn't read it too closely, and then later went back to reread it. There is a definite slow build to action, but I ended up loving this book so much, that I immediately gave it to my brother to read when I was done.
It took me some time to get into this book. I kept picking it up, reading a little, then putting it back down for a few days. I just thought the first half was so slow, and not that scary. However, once it hit the halfway mark, I couldn't put the book down! It was creepy, scary, everything I wanted and expected. One of the spookiest parts for me is when the main characters need help, they are alone on the street, and the rest of the townsfolk lock their doors and windows against them, unwilling to help. It was just so coldhearted, it creeped me out. There are also seriously gross descriptions, and scary situations throughout. And I loved every minute of it.
Much like the Krewe of Hunters series, I found myself wanting to know more about what exactly happened at the Savoyard Plantation all those years ago. It is explained in bits here and there, and the reader can read between the lines and put the whole story together, but I wanted more explanation on it. This seems to be a big thing for me in books. I think if an author is going to allude to something in the past, I think they should fully explain it. Maybe it is the history buff in me, I don't know. I have a degree in History, so maybe that is why I need/want to know more.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book! It was a slow started, but had a big finish!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 26, 2011 Stephanie Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, owned

"Those Across the River" is a masterfully written debut novel from Christopher Buehlman. It follows Frank Nichols and his wife Eudora as they move to rural Georgia to inherit a house from his aunt. Frank plans to write a book about the history of his family, their plantation, and the terrible events that happened there. But what first appears to be a sleepy little town soon turns into a fight for survival against something they have never imagined.
Buehlman’s novel transports the reader back in...more

like · see review

Sep 24, 2011 Ken rated it 5 of 5 stars

Not since reading Andrew Davidson’s, The Gargoyle have I thoroughly enjoyed a piece of speculative fiction as much as Those Across The River. This atmospheric, well-written book is sure to become a modern day horror classic to be ranked right up there with works by authors like Stephen King, Dean Koontz and John Saul. Mr. Buehlman is one of the few, recent authors that can right good, authentic southern dialogue without making the characters sound like mentally impaired hillbillies.

Down on his l...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 13, 2011 Doskoi_panda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loups Garou by any other name...

Those Across the River is very, very good. It's the 1930's small town south of Harper Lee, has the creeping dread of Stephen King's Salem's Lot or Pet Cemetery and the brutality of Candyman. It's the picture of a small town during the Depression, with a festering wound dating to the Civil War; a rotting plantation, barbaric cruelty and payments made, for fear, for revenge or for vengeance.

The novel begins with Frank and Dora moving from Chicago to Whitbrow, Georgi...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Leilani rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

I've been curious about this book for a while, having seen the author for the past several years as Christophe the Insultor at the renaissance fair (where he always shows off an immensely large & imaginatively vulgar vocabulary). When I read that it was nominated for a World Fantasy Award, I finally got around to buying the audiobook. It was an interesting change of pace from my usual fare. The writing is rich & full of atmosphere, the town feels like a real place fully populated with ba...more

like · see review

title link	preview: Those Across the River
avg rating	preview: Those Across the River Goodreads rating: 3.58 (1478 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10772903-those-across-the-river?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311703498l/10772903.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10772903-those-across-the-river?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman[/url]

Those Across the River

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (12)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Christopher Buehlman

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Those Across the ...

Quotes from Those Across the River