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Low Red Moon (Chance Matthews #2)

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 427 ratings · 40 reviews

Several years after the events in Threshold, Chance and Deacon have married. They're looking ahead to the future, trying to put the past behind them. But new nightmares await them as a woman with a need for violence enters their lives. And something even worse has followed her...

Paperback, 337 pages

Published November 4th 2003 by Roc Trade

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Sep 17, 2010 Juushika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: status-owned

Married, living in a new apartment, with a child on the way, Chance and Deacon are trying to make a go at a normal life. But when Chance begins to have vivid, violent visions and Deacon, a gifted psychic, is pulled into a police search for a serial killer, their peace and safety are utterly destroyed. Low Red Moon is the second in a loose series featuring these characters, and it's a story of otherworldy forces, approaching madness, and the people that try to survive within this chaos. It has a...more Married, living in a new apartment, with a child on the way, Chance and Deacon are trying to make a go at a normal life. But when Chance begins to have vivid, violent visions and Deacon, a gifted psychic, is pulled into a police search for a serial killer, their peace and safety are utterly destroyed. Low Red Moon is the second in a loose series featuring these characters, and it's a story of otherworldy forces, approaching madness, and the people that try to survive within this chaos. It has a number of unequivocal strengths: The cast is beautifully realized, and recovering alcoholic Deacon and murderous Narcissa steal the showa combination of destructive personalities and compelling motivations makes each stand out. The ghouls, vampires, and gods which haunt the edges of Kiernan's world give the plot depth and intrigue. And, as always, Kiernan's prose is rich, artful, and a pleasure to read.

But while I enjoy all of Kiernan's novels, somelike Threshold, like The Red Treestrike me as superb: they are arresting, terrifying, and I return to them again and again. Low Red Moon is not such a book. Rather, like Daughter of Hounds, it is enjoyable, and good, but not quite great. It doesn't seem to contain quite enough. The aspects which haunt the fringes of the text, from the ghouls which construct the fantasy landscape to the characters which tie it to Kiernan's other novels, sometimes distract from or overwhelm the plot at handa problem exasperated by the fact that Chance, although apparently the protagonist, lacks agency, and the book's pacing is at first too leisurely and then too rushed, which makes for slow buildup and an abrupt conclusion. Many aspects of the novel shine, but too much in Low Red Moon feels overshadowed or underexploredas if the heart of the action (and the best of the book) is occurring offstage and, rather than intrigued by the mystery, the reader is simply left disappointed. That not all of Kiernan's novels meet the high standard of her best work is hardly a failing. Low Red Moon is still enjoyable, thoughtful, and artfuljust as I would expect from Kiernan. I do recommend it. But it's not my new favorite.(less)

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Dec 18, 2010 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2010

I have really come to consider Caitlin Kiernan as one my top three favorite authors. I often follow her blog, and compare other reads to works of hers. This book continues from the end of Threshold, the story picking up from there. I found this one to be more conventional in the horror sense, yet it was more intimate and accessible. This is Deacon's tale. He is the central protagonist in this one, and it is through his growth and maturation that the story unfolds. Deacon must accept his gifts, h...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Tim rated it 5 of 5 stars

WARNING: SLIGHT SPOILERS

This is a wonderful, chilling, surreal Lovecraftian novel from one of today's most powerful literary voices. The novel mainly concerns three characters: Deacon and Chance Silvey and Narcissa (gotta love that name!)Snow. Deacon and Chance, a married couple here, appeared in Kiernan's earlier work "Threshold," and both are complicated, fractured characters. Deacon is battling the demon of alcoholism and the curse of psychic visions. Chance is a paleontologist (a clear nod t...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book had a lot of potential but lost me with the disjointed plot. There were several points where I was left feeling like I was missing a key piece of information for the story and character motivations to make sense. The pace of the story varied from too slow to information overload. Narcissa was an incredible villain and I feel that the story only scratches the surface of doing her evil due justice. Deacon was obnoxious. Chance felt like she was floating through the story. Several of the...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Spencer Distraction rated it 5 of 5 stars

My absolute favorite of Caitlín R. Kiernan's full-length novels. The mythos she has created is so damn amazing, and makes me wish I were a child of the cuckoo, or at least a mercury-eyed, sharktooth-smiled dusty old vampire waltzing to the victrola, causing dirt and time to fall from the floor onto the heads ov the ghouls in the cellar. Daughter of Hounds goes further into this intricate world, but there is something about Narcissa Snow's relentless violence in her desperation to be accepted by...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013

I somewhat foolishly (okay, very foolishly) read this one out of sequence, picking it up before reading "Threshold". I think it actually stands fairly well on its own, though.

It's fascinating going through and reading Kiernan's novels from the beginning. I love the links between her books (Daria Parker's music is referenced in "Low Red Moon", for example, and there are quotes from "Alice in Wonderland" which thread through this and later books).

As a standalone novel, this doesn't quite gel. It's...more

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Sep 10, 2008 Trisha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: horror/supernatural lovers

It's interesting how disparate the reviews to this book are. It seems to be a love it or hate it kind of book!

I loved it, more than any of Kiernan's that I've read, with the possible exception of Murder Of Angels, certainly better than Threshold.

I agree somewhat with other reviewers about the characters in this book, or at least the protagonists- I really didn't like them much, didn't hate them exactly, but I didn't connect with them until at least the last third of the book. When it came down t...more

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Jul 04, 2008 Daniel rated it 4 of 5 stars

[Note: The author, miffed by my saying I did not like any of her characters, personally attacked my review on her blog.]

Caitlin R. Kiernan is one of the rising stars of horror, and her literary prowess is once again on display in her novel Low Red Moon. Not only is the story a most unpredictable of sequels to her highly acclaimed novel Threshold: A Novel of Deep Time, it is streaked with deadly slashes of originality. Whereas Threshold was rooted in a neo-Gothic Lovecraftian universe, Low Red Mo...more [Note: The author, miffed by my saying I did not like any of her characters, personally attacked my review on her blog.]

Caitlin R. Kiernan is one of the rising stars of horror, and her literary prowess is once again on display in her novel Low Red Moon. Not only is the story a most unpredictable of sequels to her highly acclaimed novel Threshold: A Novel of Deep Time, it is streaked with deadly slashes of originality. Whereas Threshold was rooted in a neo-Gothic Lovecraftian universe, Low Red Moon is a more conventional tale brandishing a fascinating, intriguing, yet slightly incomprehensible source of evil. We first meet murderess Narcissa Snow sitting in a hotel room that she has remade into a bloody chamber of horrors, arguing with the voices of a lifetime of victims as she waits fervently for a phone call. We are given strange glimpses of a dark fellowship which Narcissa is determined to join, and it soon becomes clear that whatever horror she will unleash in these pages is done in pursuit of that one goal, a desire to belong in a group of indefinable monsters somewhere in a yellow house in Providence.

After dipping our toes in the bloody pool of this sadistic killer's persona, the scene shifts to Birmingham, Alabama, where Deacon Silvey and Chance Matthews, the primary characters in Kiernan's earlier novel Threshold, are married and expecting a child. Theirs is a most unconventional of partnerships: Chance is a learned paleontologist and Deacon is an unemployed recovering alcoholic and reluctant psychic. Against his wishes, Deacon finds himself being consulted by the local police on a series of recent murders. Not only can Deacon "see" the murders as they were committed, he in turn can be seen in those visions by the killer and is made to understand that she comes seeking him.

A strange man and teenaged girl only thicken the plot, for they come to Deacon in search of the woman they know is searching for him. Deacon is never sure whom to trust or believe, but he does know that his pregnant wife is in danger as long as this killer is on the loose. I have to admit I found several aspects of this novel confusing, and my enjoyment of the story was limited somewhat by the fact that I simply did not like a single character in these pages. Deacon is an inscrutable man, keeping secrets from the police, his wife, and (when he can do it) himself, and he is constantly on the verge of giving up and retreating back into alcoholism. Toward the end of the novel, some of Deacon's actions and thoughts struck me as remarkable if not incomprehensible, further damaging the rather low opinion I already had of him. His wife Chance is far less complicated but even harder to like, constantly nagging Deacon about his involvement in psychic matters she puts no stock in; if there is love in this relationship, it is not easy to find.

As far as the plot goes, I feel as if I'm missing a few pieces to the puzzle. Narcissa Snow is a fascinating, truly disturbing murderess, yet her reasons for all the bad things she did never made complete sense to me, and one possible aspect of her identity felt completely out of place in the context of the novel. The conclusion, for its part, works pretty well, maintaining the darkness which seems to brood over the entire novel. The epilogue does not completely succeed in pulling together some of the disparate storylines of the preceding pages, but it does make an honest, appropriately subtle attempt.

Low Red Moon seemed to hang over my imagination like a death shroud, mimicking in some small way the effects of Deacon's constant migraines on his well-being. This is simply a dark tale that likes to skip rocks across the lake of hopelessness. A sense of gloom and doom is appropriate to the tale being told, but a cast of characters who do not, in my perception, share a single spark of life among them made this otherwise compelling read something to be endured as well as enjoyed. (less)

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Jul 09, 2009 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book I've read by Caitlin Kiernan and as much as I love the others (Silk, Murder of Angels & Threshold) this was by far my favorite.
Low Red Moon picks up with Chance, Deacon and Sadie a few years down the road after Threshold. Sadie is pursuing her writing with the support of her parents and Deacon is now sober and married to Chance. Adding stress and anticipation to the mix; Chance is pregnant and due to deliver quite soon. But the impending arrival of an unplanned baby...more

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Jul 04, 2008 John rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, fantasy

After reading "Bradbury Weather" in Subterranean magazine, I decided I wanted to have a closer look at Caitlín R. Kiernan's fiction. After some consideration, I picked up Low Red Moon from a local bookstore and read it through. I was enthralled, having a harder and harder time putting it down the farther I got into the work.

First off, the present tense narrative threw me in the beginning. Modern fiction conditions the reader to read in the past tense so when I started reading the book; it was di...more After reading "Bradbury Weather" in Subterranean magazine, I decided I wanted to have a closer look at Caitlín R. Kiernan's fiction. After some consideration, I picked up Low Red Moon from a local bookstore and read it through. I was enthralled, having a harder and harder time putting it down the farther I got into the work.

First off, the present tense narrative threw me in the beginning. Modern fiction conditions the reader to read in the past tense so when I started reading the book; it was difficult and slow. However, it worked well with the flashback being in past tense. The changes in tense gave the reader a definite indicator when they were in the story. I overcame the tense issue about 50 pages in and was reading at full speed.

Another problem I had, which is entirely with me, was I was trying to define what Narcissa was. At first, taking a hint from the title, I thought she was a werewolf. Then I began to doubt that, thinking that perhaps she was a ghoul. I knew Kiernan had steeped her story in Lovecraftian Mythos and because I knew that, I tried to drop the character into a preconceived hole. Needless to say, the she did not fit in any holes, but she was still an enjoyable and very flawed character.

The story is well told over all. The pacing. I enjoyed Detective Downs, Starling Jane and Scarborough Pentecost. The description was overwrought at times, but it did not slow the story too much. Her world was also well thought out and not fully explained - which is good. I liked how she pioneered her own mythos, not falling into the worn ruts that modern fiction and role-playing games have made.

I do have to say, I found the ending was too sketchy. I understand why the scenes seem to skip was characters fade in and out of consciousness and action. However, I am interested in exactly how Deacon left the tunnel with the baby. I did not expect it to be an easy thing and with leaving it out of the story, it detracted from it.

I would definitely recommend this story to friends interested in fantasy, horror or the Lovecraftian vein (in fact, I already have). Kiernan has a very distinct style, and I look forward to reading future works from her.(less)

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Jan 15, 2008 Words rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 23, 2009 Sandy Lender rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very bloody, very dark. There were occult images that I'm not familiar with that enhanced the feeling of darkness and the sense of hate the invading character had for the main character. I won't give it away, but it was quite disturbing.

Now, having said that, the author has a very unique style that lets you see the scenes very vividly. She's gifted with her words. As I said above, it was disturbing. For an author to disturb the reader, she has to be good. Bravo to Caitlin Kiernan.

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Jul 29, 2011 Jayne added it

Starts out weird, and continues with the weird.
It's one of the Mythic genre but I can't really tell which one. About halfway through, things get a little clearer.
The main character is a recovering alcoholic. Non of the players are really likeable, and by the end I was hoping everybody would die.

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Feb 07, 2012 Chere rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

Kiernan's work is very hard to find here, and I luckily found this in a shelf of bargain books. I didn't expect to enjoy it this much, and it's such a pleasant surprise that the story exceeded my expectations. Dark, disturbing and nightmarish, it is an excellent piece of horror!

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Nov 27, 2012 Desiree Hames rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolute-brilliance, favorites

I loved this book. I loved the story and the characters and Kiernan's trusty backdrop of Birmingham. I believe she represents the children of the 90's and their need for real and original horror. This is just one beautiful mind fuck, much like her other works.

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Feb 06, 2013 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-series

This book is pretty dark, but a fascinating horror story. It is the sequel to Threshold, which you need to read first. This one is different from its predecessor and is a Werewolf ( anong other things )story. You will want to read it in one sitting.

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May 25, 2012 Ellen Herbert rated it 3 of 5 stars

While this was written a few years ago and it is clear that her style is evolving, I completely enjoyed this book - got a chill, empathized with the characters, even the unbalanced, doomed anti-hero. Reading Kiernan will always take one deep into places seldom visited and this book is no different.

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Aug 02, 2009 Cher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, magical-realism, werewolves

By page 9, I am utterly absorbed. I think Kiernan is a genius with words and about as sick as my brain. Let's just hope she stays enough in this world for me to focus. I got really tired of characters mincing about the washed out netherworlds of Murder of Angels (which was written beautifully, I just couldn't keep focused on all that vague otherness.)

Okay, this book was equally inexplicable as her previous novels. She merely hints at why the otherworldliness should be true.

I also want to mention...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Kylie added it

Shelves: my-library, urban-fantasy, horror-and-paranormal

I was bit disappointed that there wasn't a great deal of reference to Threshold in this, but as the plot goes in a completely different direction it's fair enough.

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Jul 19, 2007 Juliet rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had high hopes for this book judging from the amount and the sheer level of good reviews all around the book cover from well-renowned fantasy authors (like Gaiman and Straub, for instance). I found the book quite disappointing, however, and I couldn't wait for it to end. I didn't like the characters (except for Chance but only during the first half of the book) and the story was confusing especially at the end. It just didn't come together for me. I liked the way she tells the story though and...more

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Jun 14, 2013 Philipp rated it 5 of 5 stars

Once you read "treshold" you just have to read this one, sort of a sequel. Different style from other Horror books. I will contin ue to read Kiernan's books!

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Oct 06, 2012 Josie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: bookcrossed

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11448658

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Feb 26, 2012 Annie Arbuckle added it

I really disliked this book. Not sure if it was the writer's style or the past/present changes...just didn't care for it.

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Sep 14, 2008 Sarai rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysterysuspense, fiction

Okay this book started off really good I was sucked and wanted to read more and more. Until the middle where things started to slow down and explanations started to tangle things up. Had i the opportunity to read it straight through and not break it up over many days this might have read smoothier. However, I was unable to finish it and not because it wasn't good or interesting but because it was slower than I anticipated. I might pick it up later and try again.

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Dec 04, 2011 Angie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

See review of "Threshold." Book is second in a series of three. I have read #3 first, then "Threshold" (#1), then this one.

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Oct 12, 2009 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-fantasy-horror

Dark and haunting, this follow-up to Threshold features the continuing story of Chance and Deacon from the earlier novel. Once again Kiernan, creates a mythic thriller that leaves you questioning what is real and what are the delusions of the unstable protagonist. Outstanding.

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Jul 25, 2007 mister rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ?

Shelves: darkandviolent

Sort of a Fairy tale slash where-wolf story. This woman writes an really good book. Classic, modern-day, fantasy-horror. The charectors are real, and flawed.The pages howl with despair, and loss. and the blood flows and flows! The villain is fucking scary, and the fairies even scarier. Not for the squeamish or those who insist on a happy ending.

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Jan 12, 2010 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who loves horror fiction

Shelves: borrowed-from-library

I thought it was a bit slow moving at first, but I was totally hooked by a few chapters in. It turned into such a page turner! Glad I stuck it out. Gets pretty gruesome in parts, but for good reason. Top notch horror fiction. Definitely not for the faint of heart though.

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Sep 18, 2010 Count Jared rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantastic-fiction, science-fiction

Now I have that [good:] song stuck in my head. And I knew she was going to tear my guts out with the ending; she always does. Very good with the guts-tearing, our Ms Kiernan.

My highest recommendation. Five stars, from word 1 to the final full stop.

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Apr 16, 2008 Lyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

There's an urgency in Kiernan's style, beyond just the use of the present tense; her mastery of building tension, of making the impossible visceral, of discomfiting your brainspace. 'scuze me; I need to check under the bed...

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Low Red Moon (Chance Matthews #2)

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