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The Darkness of the Womb
If you want a dark fantasy novel that will both chill you and make you think, then look no further than The Darkness of the Womb!
Read the book that Kirkus Reviews calls "like life itself: messy, painful and chaotic, yet laced with love and compassion."
Marigold Haunt wanted nothing more in life than to get pregnant, and at the age of 49, she finally gets her wish. But inside her mind and body, chaos wreaks havoc, as her baby, who is the future messiah of the world, doesn’t want to be born. Meanwhile, Lords Imagination and Logic, who are constantly at war within the universal mind, are fighting over the future of the baby. Now, only Marigold can decide her child’s ultimate fate by journeying inside his subconscious and convincing him to want to live.
Praise for The Darkness of the Womb An impressive first foray into the realm of dark fantasy. - Kirkus Reviews Its suspenseful and thought-provoking storyline makes THE DARKNESS OF THE WOMB an exciting and thoughtful read for those who enjoy quests set in the landscape of the human mind with unique and unexpected protagonists. - Indiereader.com Scroll up and grab a copy today.258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2013
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About the author
Richard B. Knight
6 books61 followersRichard B. Knight (The “B” stands for Brandon) teaches Language Arts during the day and writes fiction at night. He decided that he wanted to be a novelist back in the fourth grade. It was all quite spontaneous. Back then, his teacher asked all of the students what they wanted to be when they grew up, and while many students chose “doctor”, or “lawyer”, or “astronaut,” Richard, wanting to be funny, chose “drag queen garbage man”. It wasn’t until his peers starting reading off their choices that Richard decided that it would probably behoove him to write down another profession. He has stuck with “novelist” ever since.
Richard has a love of movies, video games, and comic books, and all three influences come through in his writing. You can find the website for his debut novel, The Darkness of the Womb, here: http://thedarknessofthewomb.com/. Richard loves making friends. Would you like to be one of them?
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 29, 2015
I received this book free for review from the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review. Despite the coolness of receiving a free book, I’m absolutely candid about it below because I believe authors and readers will benefit most from honest reviews rather than vacuous 5-star reviews.
The nutshell view on this book is ... well, complicated. Our protagonist is pregnant with a long-awaited child but before she can give birth she's cast into this surreal Jungian alternative existence where she must essentially do battle with the archetypes of human psychology to get her baby to come out into the light of the world. The important thing to know about this book is that it's twisted and at times rather non-deterministic and not like any book you've ever read.
To the positive, the book defies all previous standards for what a novel should be. Whatever Hollywood standards you have in mind about the classic American family should be manfully thrown out a window. This book takes all that and twists it provocatively into something new. I've read a lot of books in my decades on this planet but never a book that was simultaneously so horrifying and bizarre while retaining a strong thread of realism and remained so grounded in the everyday. The author's use of imagery is keenly creepy and will remain firmly lodged in my brain for an extremely long time. This is an exceptionally well crafted bit of prose.
To the negative, I'm not sure that this will be everyone's cup of tea. This book is at times dark, hopeless and always keeps the reader guessing. Lots of what's in this book doesn't entirely make logical sense but that's exactly the joy of it for me. Those wishing for a more straightforward narrative will be disappointed but anyone wanting a rollercoaster of almost Lovecraftian murk will be very fondly attached to this novel.
In summary, this is a twisted and dark tragic tale of one important life as it makes its transition into the world. I can imagine this very easily as the opening novel in an epic series. Exceptionally impressive. And I don't say that at all lightly.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
The nutshell view on this book is ... well, complicated. Our protagonist is pregnant with a long-awaited child but before she can give birth she's cast into this surreal Jungian alternative existence where she must essentially do battle with the archetypes of human psychology to get her baby to come out into the light of the world. The important thing to know about this book is that it's twisted and at times rather non-deterministic and not like any book you've ever read.
To the positive, the book defies all previous standards for what a novel should be. Whatever Hollywood standards you have in mind about the classic American family should be manfully thrown out a window. This book takes all that and twists it provocatively into something new. I've read a lot of books in my decades on this planet but never a book that was simultaneously so horrifying and bizarre while retaining a strong thread of realism and remained so grounded in the everyday. The author's use of imagery is keenly creepy and will remain firmly lodged in my brain for an extremely long time. This is an exceptionally well crafted bit of prose.
To the negative, I'm not sure that this will be everyone's cup of tea. This book is at times dark, hopeless and always keeps the reader guessing. Lots of what's in this book doesn't entirely make logical sense but that's exactly the joy of it for me. Those wishing for a more straightforward narrative will be disappointed but anyone wanting a rollercoaster of almost Lovecraftian murk will be very fondly attached to this novel.
In summary, this is a twisted and dark tragic tale of one important life as it makes its transition into the world. I can imagine this very easily as the opening novel in an epic series. Exceptionally impressive. And I don't say that at all lightly.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
October 31, 2015
BLUF: This book contains well-built characters and a walk through a fantasy world consisting of characters that represent the embodiments of human characteristics. It is bit gloomy at times, but I enjoyed this book.
The Darkness of the Womb weaves our reality with the Internal Landscape, the reality we enter before and after life. In our reality, Marigold and Jeff are down on their luck. Actually, they are barely scraping by on Jeff’s salary. Jeff tries hard at work, but his supervisors are out to make the lives of their subordinates miserable. Marigold is unfortunately unemployed and very fortunately pregnant. Jeff and her have been trying, unsuccessfully, for children for a while now. Little do they know, their son wants to be miscarried. It is up to them to venture in the Internal Landscape to save him from himself and bring him into their world.
The Reality
My complaint about the day-to-day portion of this story is that it is filled with negative emotions/occurrences. These correspond with the story and are absolutely supposed to be there, but, as a reader, I don’t like to feel depressed by reality. Let’s just say that I prefer my reality to be written a little less realistically.
Putting that aside, I enjoyed the main characters here. The more the story uncovers about the lives and characteristics that create the characters, the more you enjoy them. They were real people (well built) and I connected with them quickly. Steve becomes the main character in this realm. He’s an odd duck, but very likable.
The Internal Landscape
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the fantasy portion. (Fantasy is far from my preferred genre.) Knight’s personification of instinct, logic, purpose, love, and lust is brilliant. The conflicts and confusion between these characters will keep you entertained and intrigued.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It leaves you wondering, “What’s next?” without feeling robbed of an ending. (AKA, It’s tied up nicely, but leaves room for a sequel.)
The Darkness of the Womb weaves our reality with the Internal Landscape, the reality we enter before and after life. In our reality, Marigold and Jeff are down on their luck. Actually, they are barely scraping by on Jeff’s salary. Jeff tries hard at work, but his supervisors are out to make the lives of their subordinates miserable. Marigold is unfortunately unemployed and very fortunately pregnant. Jeff and her have been trying, unsuccessfully, for children for a while now. Little do they know, their son wants to be miscarried. It is up to them to venture in the Internal Landscape to save him from himself and bring him into their world.
The Reality
My complaint about the day-to-day portion of this story is that it is filled with negative emotions/occurrences. These correspond with the story and are absolutely supposed to be there, but, as a reader, I don’t like to feel depressed by reality. Let’s just say that I prefer my reality to be written a little less realistically.
Putting that aside, I enjoyed the main characters here. The more the story uncovers about the lives and characteristics that create the characters, the more you enjoy them. They were real people (well built) and I connected with them quickly. Steve becomes the main character in this realm. He’s an odd duck, but very likable.
The Internal Landscape
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the fantasy portion. (Fantasy is far from my preferred genre.) Knight’s personification of instinct, logic, purpose, love, and lust is brilliant. The conflicts and confusion between these characters will keep you entertained and intrigued.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It leaves you wondering, “What’s next?” without feeling robbed of an ending. (AKA, It’s tied up nicely, but leaves room for a sequel.)
March 7, 2015
I'll be honest: this book was not exactly my cup of tea, but that is not to say it was not well-written and unique in its style. As other reviewers here have said, I believe this would appeal to a Lovecraftian crowd, as well as fans of Neil Gaiman, for the way the book blends a dark and tragic concept with elements of science fiction and fantasy.
I found myself identifying most with the husband character, Jeff Haunt, even though he is technically a secondary character to Marigold and Aiden. His story was heartbreaking to me in how frequently things go wrong for him. His family is broke to the point that they literally are not sure where their next meal will come from, he loses his job in one of the early chapters, and on top of all that he has to endure his pregnant wife going into a "coma" of sorts.
Marigold's journey through a metaphysical landscape is interesting, creative, and philosophical in nature. I will confess that it, at times, did not entirely make sense, and that Marigold's reasons for being there were obscure at first, but the prose was such that I could at least follow a general idea of what was happening and eventually the purpose of the journey is revealed.
Knight does have a talent for vivid description, and there are some gruesome moments in the book. Not in a horror sense, but in a biological gross-out sort of way. In the context of the plot, these scenes are not out of place.
This is a good first novel; well-paced and imaginative. While I was not in love with it, I do believe there is an audience of people who would adore it, and we will probably see more insightful fiction coming from the mind of Richard B. Knight.
I found myself identifying most with the husband character, Jeff Haunt, even though he is technically a secondary character to Marigold and Aiden. His story was heartbreaking to me in how frequently things go wrong for him. His family is broke to the point that they literally are not sure where their next meal will come from, he loses his job in one of the early chapters, and on top of all that he has to endure his pregnant wife going into a "coma" of sorts.
Marigold's journey through a metaphysical landscape is interesting, creative, and philosophical in nature. I will confess that it, at times, did not entirely make sense, and that Marigold's reasons for being there were obscure at first, but the prose was such that I could at least follow a general idea of what was happening and eventually the purpose of the journey is revealed.
Knight does have a talent for vivid description, and there are some gruesome moments in the book. Not in a horror sense, but in a biological gross-out sort of way. In the context of the plot, these scenes are not out of place.
This is a good first novel; well-paced and imaginative. While I was not in love with it, I do believe there is an audience of people who would adore it, and we will probably see more insightful fiction coming from the mind of Richard B. Knight.
December 18, 2013
Review of The Darkness of The Womb by Richard B. Knight
Aiden Haunt is fated to become the next Messiah, but there's a problem. Aiden wants absolutely nothing to with his destiny, so decides to cast himself from the Tree of Life. In effect, attempting suicide before he's even born. Thus begins the quest to convince Aiden to want to be born to accept his destined role in the future of humanity. But be warned, this tale is bleak with nary a puppy or rainbow to be found, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I absolutely love the feel of this story, dark, bleak, and just a wee bit twisted, a highly original concept executed masterfully by Mr. Knight.
The story starts with Aiden's soon-to-be Father, Jeff Haunt, a middle-aged high-school teacher in an inner city hellhole, very nearly broke and on the knife edge of losing his job. The only glimmer of hope in his life is the impending birth of his long awaited first child , but Jeff's whole world comes crashing down on him after a series of misfortunes and he and his wife suddenly find themselves cast into The Internal Landscape to 'save' their son.
This book gets an EPIC 5 Stars from me, and I very much look forward to reading more from Mr. Knight.
Aiden Haunt is fated to become the next Messiah, but there's a problem. Aiden wants absolutely nothing to with his destiny, so decides to cast himself from the Tree of Life. In effect, attempting suicide before he's even born. Thus begins the quest to convince Aiden to want to be born to accept his destined role in the future of humanity. But be warned, this tale is bleak with nary a puppy or rainbow to be found, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I absolutely love the feel of this story, dark, bleak, and just a wee bit twisted, a highly original concept executed masterfully by Mr. Knight.
The story starts with Aiden's soon-to-be Father, Jeff Haunt, a middle-aged high-school teacher in an inner city hellhole, very nearly broke and on the knife edge of losing his job. The only glimmer of hope in his life is the impending birth of his long awaited first child , but Jeff's whole world comes crashing down on him after a series of misfortunes and he and his wife suddenly find themselves cast into The Internal Landscape to 'save' their son.
This book gets an EPIC 5 Stars from me, and I very much look forward to reading more from Mr. Knight.
March 20, 2015
This is a book that has its flaws. I'll be the first to admit it (some of the dialogue tags didn't come out so great with the move from Microsoft Word to ebook, and maybe I'm a bit too blunt with certain characters). I'm my own worst critic. But as a whole, I think I left enough cliffhangers throughout the story and made the characters interesting enough that I have to think that most people, if they gave it a chance, would like it. It's not for everyone. There's a lot of violence and some coarse language, as well as a pretty explicit scene involving a woman tied to a tree stump, but if you're into horror and you like your fantasy more realistic than full of elves and magic, then I think you'll really like this book and take something away from it. Give it a go.
January 6, 2014
I found this book imaginative and engaging. Knight has painted a picture with his words of colorful characters and surroundings. He has brilliantly weaved a tale and gave it life. Perhaps there is some symbolism, and certainly thought-provoking storylines intertwined here, but what makes this book great is it is a great story. It's original, an easy read, and one that you can't put down until you're finished. It leaves you thinking about the story long after the story ends.
For me there were some things I though implausible, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I would highly recommend this book, not just for lovers of fantasy genre, but to anyone reading to read a good book.
For me there were some things I though implausible, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I would highly recommend this book, not just for lovers of fantasy genre, but to anyone reading to read a good book.
April 21, 2015
I was recommended this book from a friend and i was not disappointed. This book is so imaginative and engaging, that it is very hard to put down. Richard B. Knight has painted a picture with his words of colorful characters and surroundings that are interesting and believable. He has brilliantly weaved a tale and given it life. The amazing eerie, creepy fantasy horror in this book, reminded me of an early Stephen King, when his books was so brilliant that it left you thinking about the story long after it ends. This is a MUST READ and highly recommended.
September 23, 2015
This was an interesting take on life after death which will make you think throughout the book and even more so after the last sentence. It is a journey through the afterlife which is unlike anything you have ever read before with lots of symbolism and philosophy elements. It is a book that makes one think about things and in different and unique ways. Battle between the will to live and death with so many other different aspects thrown in.
November 25, 2014
Unusually complex story line, a (possibly too random) swirling mix of the psychological, marital, mythical, sexual, religious, and 'haunted'. Still, I enjoyed the story, and cared about the characters. I'm not convinced that all of the themes are fully coherent, and it's more gritty (language, story) than needed, but it was a compelling story.
September 28, 2014
Darkness of the Womb by Rich Knight is a masterful tale that sends the reader down a metaphysical journey that will leave one pondering about the narrative for hours after the last sentence.
It’s a tale about the unknown; a surface read would offer a journey into life after death (or by chance a stasis of purgatory, trapped between life and death) where the protagonists accompany and battle the very facets of what builds up the human condition (personified characters that represent imagination, logic, instinct, etc) A deeper read will find a plethora of sublevel reads, whether you pull a stronger religious read from the narrative, or more of a mother/child journey or even a higher concept of the mechanics of the human soul, etc.
The Review:
Knight’s tale is dark, at times it’s twisted with images of horrific monsters that leave strange images almost stained on the reader's brain. When it comes to pure enjoyment of the book, I would definitely rate this as a top notch five star outing. If you enjoy a book that isn’t all flash and pizazz, but has a deeper meaning to tell, this book is for you. If you���re only into books for their surface read and want excitement then, sure, this book works as well. They journey into the more fantastical realms are filled with adventure and actions. However, the heart of the narrative is meant to linger on your brain and make you question life, death, and even the miracle of birth.
Give this book a shot! You won’t regret.
Critique:
This book stands alone in a sea of independent authors as far as Knight’s ability to write crisp clean, and often times haunting prose. This by far is one of Knight’s strongest points in the narrative, from a lexicon and syntax view point the book hits hard. Sentence flow and dialogue are dead on. Knight doesn’t try to prove he is a wordsmith by using fancy words or complicated sentence structures. No, he proves his is an above-average writer by using the quickest and leanest amount of words to paint beautiful and descriptive pictures. This is not an easy talent to have, and it takes years to perfect. Knight is one of the few who, in my opinion, masters the art.
From a narrative stand point, we’ll start with what works:
The dual layer of worlds Knight creates is fantastic and interesting. It creates a foil that allows the narrative to venture off into more of the dark fantasy world where many of Knight’s most wickedest creations come to fruition, but it also cements the reader into the real world where the two lands marry beautifully. This connection, for the most part, works very well.
The driver of the story is simple; Mother loses baby. Mother must leave her home and venture forth to rescue said baby. This is the journey we receive, mix in the brilliant dual layered world, and introduce a handful of characters like Imagination and Logic, and the world fleshes out into this crazy spiritual often times blood thirsty war, and we have the canvas to paint our characters into.
For as much as I liked the story itself, there were things that I think could have been implemented stronger.
I spoke in length about how much I loved the setting (Knight’s world building). However, it almost had a negative effect on the story. It was far more interesting than any of the characters Knight centralized the realm around. Marigold and her husband Jeff were too dull. There was simply no juxtaposition between the two, the entire narrative’s juxtaposition stems from their missing child, and as far as their relationship went, they were old, tired, poor, but they had love, even if it was a bit stale. It just didn’t work, and when certain events pan out (spoiler alert) like Jeff’s death, it felt so anti climatic. I just didn’t care, it evoked no emotional connection, and I didn’t quite feel it from Marigold either. Sure, she wanted revenge, but beyond the revenge it fell flat.
Jeff and Marigold needed further development. They needed more at stake. The way the narrative creates itself, they never feel all that important; they were just pawns in a bigger game never playing a big enough role in the world to matter. Now, here’s the catch, if they were more developed, built up stronger, unique juxtaposition, they wouldn’t have to matter to the narrative. They would matter to the reader who invested time into them because of their deep multi-dimensional aspects. You can have a lame world with little setting with two masterfully created characters and write an astounding book; you can have an astounding world with lackluster characters and have a book that could use some rewrites to find its potential.
Things I loved:
-Knight’s style, simple yet haunting prose.
-The multi layered world, personified human traits as characters, and the horrific monsters Knight creates
- The metaphysical journey, pondering the inner workings of the human condition, birth, etc.
Things that didn’t work:
-Marigold and Jeff mere pawns, flat characters who feel like they’re just along for the ride.
- The setting often times took precedent over the actual characters.
- Logic, Imagination, Instinct at times became confusing to follow.
It’s a tale about the unknown; a surface read would offer a journey into life after death (or by chance a stasis of purgatory, trapped between life and death) where the protagonists accompany and battle the very facets of what builds up the human condition (personified characters that represent imagination, logic, instinct, etc) A deeper read will find a plethora of sublevel reads, whether you pull a stronger religious read from the narrative, or more of a mother/child journey or even a higher concept of the mechanics of the human soul, etc.
The Review:
Knight’s tale is dark, at times it’s twisted with images of horrific monsters that leave strange images almost stained on the reader's brain. When it comes to pure enjoyment of the book, I would definitely rate this as a top notch five star outing. If you enjoy a book that isn’t all flash and pizazz, but has a deeper meaning to tell, this book is for you. If you���re only into books for their surface read and want excitement then, sure, this book works as well. They journey into the more fantastical realms are filled with adventure and actions. However, the heart of the narrative is meant to linger on your brain and make you question life, death, and even the miracle of birth.
Give this book a shot! You won’t regret.
Critique:
This book stands alone in a sea of independent authors as far as Knight’s ability to write crisp clean, and often times haunting prose. This by far is one of Knight’s strongest points in the narrative, from a lexicon and syntax view point the book hits hard. Sentence flow and dialogue are dead on. Knight doesn’t try to prove he is a wordsmith by using fancy words or complicated sentence structures. No, he proves his is an above-average writer by using the quickest and leanest amount of words to paint beautiful and descriptive pictures. This is not an easy talent to have, and it takes years to perfect. Knight is one of the few who, in my opinion, masters the art.
From a narrative stand point, we’ll start with what works:
The dual layer of worlds Knight creates is fantastic and interesting. It creates a foil that allows the narrative to venture off into more of the dark fantasy world where many of Knight’s most wickedest creations come to fruition, but it also cements the reader into the real world where the two lands marry beautifully. This connection, for the most part, works very well.
The driver of the story is simple; Mother loses baby. Mother must leave her home and venture forth to rescue said baby. This is the journey we receive, mix in the brilliant dual layered world, and introduce a handful of characters like Imagination and Logic, and the world fleshes out into this crazy spiritual often times blood thirsty war, and we have the canvas to paint our characters into.
For as much as I liked the story itself, there were things that I think could have been implemented stronger.
I spoke in length about how much I loved the setting (Knight’s world building). However, it almost had a negative effect on the story. It was far more interesting than any of the characters Knight centralized the realm around. Marigold and her husband Jeff were too dull. There was simply no juxtaposition between the two, the entire narrative’s juxtaposition stems from their missing child, and as far as their relationship went, they were old, tired, poor, but they had love, even if it was a bit stale. It just didn’t work, and when certain events pan out (spoiler alert) like Jeff’s death, it felt so anti climatic. I just didn’t care, it evoked no emotional connection, and I didn’t quite feel it from Marigold either. Sure, she wanted revenge, but beyond the revenge it fell flat.
Jeff and Marigold needed further development. They needed more at stake. The way the narrative creates itself, they never feel all that important; they were just pawns in a bigger game never playing a big enough role in the world to matter. Now, here’s the catch, if they were more developed, built up stronger, unique juxtaposition, they wouldn’t have to matter to the narrative. They would matter to the reader who invested time into them because of their deep multi-dimensional aspects. You can have a lame world with little setting with two masterfully created characters and write an astounding book; you can have an astounding world with lackluster characters and have a book that could use some rewrites to find its potential.
Things I loved:
-Knight’s style, simple yet haunting prose.
-The multi layered world, personified human traits as characters, and the horrific monsters Knight creates
- The metaphysical journey, pondering the inner workings of the human condition, birth, etc.
Things that didn’t work:
-Marigold and Jeff mere pawns, flat characters who feel like they’re just along for the ride.
- The setting often times took precedent over the actual characters.
- Logic, Imagination, Instinct at times became confusing to follow.
May 8, 2015
*I received a free ebook copy of this novel directly from the author, after showing interest in a giveaway of the novel in the Goodreads First Reads program.*
I admit I did not know quite what to expect from The Darkness of the Womb before reading it. After finishing the novel, which author Richard B. Knight kindly provided me here on Goodreads, I can say that it is definitely a unique read. I don’t think it really compares to anything I’ve read before. I don’t particularly seek out horror novels, which I guess this one would be shelved as, but it definitely delivered the creep factor with full-force. I suppose it could also be considered fantasy, so I would venture to say it is a decent fantasy-horror read.
The main characters in the novel, Jeff and Marigold Haunt are a down-on-their-luck middle-aged couple in New Jersey who just so happen to have finally become pregnant, during less than fortunate circumstances. I’m not sure if Mr. Knight intended for the characters to come off as average Americans, or if he intended them to come off as pathetic. If his intention was the latter, he definitely did a very good job, as the characters are pathetic to the point that they seem lacking any semblance of a backbone. It actually eventually becomes tiresome while reading and it’s somewhat difficult to connect with them or sympathize with their plight. I found it a bit difficult to care what happened to them or identify with them, even if I could identify with their everyday struggles. All of the other characters in the story are realistic, but not very interesting to read about. The author obviously meant to provide a cast of characters which the reader could probably encounter in their day-to-day travels, but unfortunately it doesn’t allow for the most exciting read. None of the characters are very unique or well-developed, but all seem to be more of an “average Joe” archetype.
The story itself was an interesting one, as the Internal Landscape is a very unique idea on its own. If I had to use one word to describe the overall feel of the tale, it would be uncomfortable. The author did an excellent job of lacing creepy imagery throughout, not giving the reader time to rest between grotesque descriptions. Although there were many impressive horror elements and some crude language, the writing as a whole still came off as slightly unrefined in parts. I could imagine the author is a “gamer” in parts when reading, with all of the different colors and beams and flashes of light along with the personifications of human concepts. The focus on colors and portals was a bit much and I feel the novel would have been stronger with more of a focus on the horror elements. As I said, the story is interesting, but I think a slightly more polished writing style could bring it to life a little more. I also felt some of the themes were not fully developed or coherent, although I don’t think it distracted from the story too much. I was particularly curious about how the subject of religion, Aiden being the messiah, and the role of God could be further developed in the story.
I would say there were some slight grammar errors, but nothing grave. I did feel the writing was a bit choppy at times. Certain areas of the novel seemed to read a bit like a comic book. Also, some phrases like “mentally gritted his teeth” came off as a bit unsophisticated, along with the use of “memories flashing like on a jumbotron” or sex “fast like a locomotive”, but I think those are stylistic choices and just not to my particular liking.
Altogether, I would say that The Darkness of the Womb is a solid first novel. I look forward to Mr. Knight writing more in the horror genre, as he definitely has a talent for creating freakish concepts. I would recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys horror with fantastical elements or anyone who enjoys reading an incredibly unique story unlike anything else out there. Also, if you enjoy babies in creepy places or grotesque vaginal imagery, then this is definitely your jam. Thanks again to author Richard B. Knight for the opportunity to read his unique first novel!
May 18, 2014
Whether you believe in Heaven and Hell or the first law of thermodynamics, one thing is for sure, it takes imagination to think about anything to do with the afterlife, or the before life in this book. No matter what you believe, creating and reading this book takes an awful lot of imagination! The idea that we can fight for our lives even prior to being born or that in the case of Aiden, we could choose to commit suicide before being born, is definitely a new concept. This concept is what kept Aiden’s parents fighting for him through so much.
Although the actual plot was interesting for some reason I noticed that I just couldn’t connect with the story. I wanted to, I liked the characters, I loved the idea behind the story, I was cheering for the right side for once, everything was in place, and yet … I just didn’t feel it. The writing is also good so I know that it wasn’t due to that. Just something didn’t mesh for me.
Now, in defense to the author, I love reading spiritual books, however, I do not love reading fictional books about spirituality. And although this book is only an underlying idea about spirituality and how we accept or do not accept religion, I think that held my thinking back. And I really had to think about the landscape that they found themselves in, about the characters in that landscape, and how the plot was working within the landscape. All in all I just wanted something different, which again doesn’t reflect the author. This is a … it’s me, not you.
So, I’m thinking if you have an open mind and enjoy fantasy then you’ll want to grab this one even if just to expand your thinking a little. It really was an interesting and exciting read.
Merged review:
Whether you believe in Heaven and Hell or the first law of thermodynamics, one thing is for sure, it takes imagination to think about anything to do with the afterlife, or the before life in this book. No matter what you believe, creating and reading this book takes an awful lot of imagination! The idea that we can fight for our lives even prior to being born or that in the case of Aiden, we could choose to commit suicide before being born, is definitely a new concept. This concept is what kept Aiden’s parents fighting for him through so much.
Although the actual plot was interesting for some reason I noticed that I just couldn’t connect with the story. I wanted to, I liked the characters, I loved the idea behind the story, I was cheering for the right side for once, everything was in place, and yet … I just didn’t feel it. The writing is also good so I know that it wasn’t due to that. Just something didn’t mesh for me.
Now, in defense to the author, I love reading spiritual books, however, I do not love reading fictional books about spirituality. And although this book is only an underlying idea about spirituality and how we accept or do not accept religion, I think that held my thinking back. And I really had to think about the landscape that they found themselves in, about the characters in that landscape, and how the plot was working within the landscape. All in all I just wanted something different, which again doesn’t reflect the author. This is a … it’s me, not you.
So, I’m thinking if you have an open mind and enjoy fantasy then you’ll want to grab this one even if just to expand your thinking a little. It really was an interesting and exciting read.
Although the actual plot was interesting for some reason I noticed that I just couldn’t connect with the story. I wanted to, I liked the characters, I loved the idea behind the story, I was cheering for the right side for once, everything was in place, and yet … I just didn’t feel it. The writing is also good so I know that it wasn’t due to that. Just something didn’t mesh for me.
Now, in defense to the author, I love reading spiritual books, however, I do not love reading fictional books about spirituality. And although this book is only an underlying idea about spirituality and how we accept or do not accept religion, I think that held my thinking back. And I really had to think about the landscape that they found themselves in, about the characters in that landscape, and how the plot was working within the landscape. All in all I just wanted something different, which again doesn’t reflect the author. This is a … it’s me, not you.
So, I’m thinking if you have an open mind and enjoy fantasy then you’ll want to grab this one even if just to expand your thinking a little. It really was an interesting and exciting read.
Merged review:
Whether you believe in Heaven and Hell or the first law of thermodynamics, one thing is for sure, it takes imagination to think about anything to do with the afterlife, or the before life in this book. No matter what you believe, creating and reading this book takes an awful lot of imagination! The idea that we can fight for our lives even prior to being born or that in the case of Aiden, we could choose to commit suicide before being born, is definitely a new concept. This concept is what kept Aiden’s parents fighting for him through so much.
Although the actual plot was interesting for some reason I noticed that I just couldn’t connect with the story. I wanted to, I liked the characters, I loved the idea behind the story, I was cheering for the right side for once, everything was in place, and yet … I just didn’t feel it. The writing is also good so I know that it wasn’t due to that. Just something didn’t mesh for me.
Now, in defense to the author, I love reading spiritual books, however, I do not love reading fictional books about spirituality. And although this book is only an underlying idea about spirituality and how we accept or do not accept religion, I think that held my thinking back. And I really had to think about the landscape that they found themselves in, about the characters in that landscape, and how the plot was working within the landscape. All in all I just wanted something different, which again doesn’t reflect the author. This is a … it’s me, not you.
So, I’m thinking if you have an open mind and enjoy fantasy then you’ll want to grab this one even if just to expand your thinking a little. It really was an interesting and exciting read.
April 28, 2015
5*'s
Brilliant. Concise.
Rich put on a clinic for indie authors with this work.
Not only was it a delightfully dark subject, with a gritty, merciless series of events(which appeal to me personally), but it was inventive, the writing was clean and succinct in the way that classical masters wrote the books we're all familiar with, the characters were vivid, and the fantasy was very well balanced against the reality of it all.
The tale follows the efforts of the Haunts, a husband and wife who are late in child bearing, in convincing their unborn child to want to live, rather than miscarry.
How can this be, you might ask?
Simple.
Rich crafted a world within a world, an internal landscape within mankind's collective mind...akin to pagan-like beliefs of the astral realm, the dreamworld, the ether, where we are all connected. Some might call it the awe, or even God itself, depending on their outlooks.
Regardless of what you call it, or how you view it, the effect in tDotW was masterfully wielded, creating an environment that was dreamlike, as one would expect being a limbo between prebirth, life, and death.. but also an environment that was richly populated...predominantly by the key fantasy elements in this story: The Archetypes, a series of incarnations of metaphysical aspects of the human condition such as Instinct, Love, Purpose, Logic, Imagination, and surely many more which could have been involved like so many innumerable comic book universe characters, but simply didn't get any screen time because this wasnt their story.
This was the infant messiah, Aiden Haunt's, story and that of his parents' unfortunate struggles.
Maybe I read too much into it, maybe others will see what I've written here and think this is some high brow philosophical, boring story.
I assure you it's definitely NOT.
In fact, the book is rife with action and the magic inherent within the imagination of the human mind. I find myself loving that aspect, as a fantasy and action adventure guy myself. It kept me turning pages, and I finished it in only a few days...which is saying a lot, as I'm quite busy.
But even the casual reader should find it a quick, clean read, and might even take away from it, a new perspective on life, and maybe even, God, if there is such a thing.
Overall, the writing as well, was solid.
I think I only found a single word choice that I personally might have gone a different way with, but it easily could have been just an oversight...
This is heady work, and people should really take note. The indie world doesn't get them like this very often. High marks on creativity, originality(from my perspective), and form.
Nailed the dismount, took the gold.
Buy it, enjoy it.
Brilliant. Concise.
Rich put on a clinic for indie authors with this work.
Not only was it a delightfully dark subject, with a gritty, merciless series of events(which appeal to me personally), but it was inventive, the writing was clean and succinct in the way that classical masters wrote the books we're all familiar with, the characters were vivid, and the fantasy was very well balanced against the reality of it all.
The tale follows the efforts of the Haunts, a husband and wife who are late in child bearing, in convincing their unborn child to want to live, rather than miscarry.
How can this be, you might ask?
Simple.
Rich crafted a world within a world, an internal landscape within mankind's collective mind...akin to pagan-like beliefs of the astral realm, the dreamworld, the ether, where we are all connected. Some might call it the awe, or even God itself, depending on their outlooks.
Regardless of what you call it, or how you view it, the effect in tDotW was masterfully wielded, creating an environment that was dreamlike, as one would expect being a limbo between prebirth, life, and death.. but also an environment that was richly populated...predominantly by the key fantasy elements in this story: The Archetypes, a series of incarnations of metaphysical aspects of the human condition such as Instinct, Love, Purpose, Logic, Imagination, and surely many more which could have been involved like so many innumerable comic book universe characters, but simply didn't get any screen time because this wasnt their story.
This was the infant messiah, Aiden Haunt's, story and that of his parents' unfortunate struggles.
Maybe I read too much into it, maybe others will see what I've written here and think this is some high brow philosophical, boring story.
I assure you it's definitely NOT.
In fact, the book is rife with action and the magic inherent within the imagination of the human mind. I find myself loving that aspect, as a fantasy and action adventure guy myself. It kept me turning pages, and I finished it in only a few days...which is saying a lot, as I'm quite busy.
But even the casual reader should find it a quick, clean read, and might even take away from it, a new perspective on life, and maybe even, God, if there is such a thing.
Overall, the writing as well, was solid.
I think I only found a single word choice that I personally might have gone a different way with, but it easily could have been just an oversight...
This is heady work, and people should really take note. The indie world doesn't get them like this very often. High marks on creativity, originality(from my perspective), and form.
Nailed the dismount, took the gold.
Buy it, enjoy it.
May 30, 2015
I received this book from the author as part of the goodreads free giveaway program, and I'm glad I did. Otherwise, I may never have discovered this fresh new face in fiction. Richard B. Knight delivers an intriguing novel with a distinctive take on love, loss, and redemption.
Marigold and Jeff Haunt had been married for 28 years, and during that time had tried to have children regularly. Unfortunately, the two times Marigold did conceive ended in miscarriage. The one thing that never ended was the Haunt's love for each other, in fact they were more in love with each other after all that time. That's why when Marigold, at age 49, conceived again, both she and Jeff were ecstatic. Even after Marigold lost her job and money became tight, both parents were looking forward to sharing their love with a new addition to the family. Marigold was just praying this baby made it to term. It was probably their last chance at having a family.
Jeff was having his own problems. Teaching at a dysfunctional New Jersey school, Jeff had only been working their for a little more than a year. But Jeff needed this job for the health insurance as well as being the sole source of income for his family. On one of the worst days in his life, a classroom accident resuled in Jeff being fired. So many emotions running through his mind, Jeff was just glad he still had Marigold and the baby. Upon returning home, Jeff discovered Marigold had suffered an accident and was in a coma, making Jeff's day from hell complete.
Once in the coma, Marigold entered the landscape, a place where babies reside before they are born and others come to resolve issues in their life before they move on. Human emotions, such as Imagination, Instinct, Logic, Purpose, and Love, take on human form. In this strange new environment, Marigold learned that her son Aiden did not want to be born. With the help of the Instinct persona, Marigold must find her way to Aiden and convince him to be born.
This book was the most unique description of birth and death that I have ever read. The descriptions of the landscape and personification of human emotions are among the most unique things I have ever read. The book did seem to drag a bit in places, but my desire to find out what would happen to the main characters kept the pages turning. It was a quick read, with short chapters and plenty of places to stop until next time. However, as I stated previously, I just couldn't put the book down and finished in two days. A very solid debut for Mr. Knight, and I will definitely be looking forward to his next offering.
Marigold and Jeff Haunt had been married for 28 years, and during that time had tried to have children regularly. Unfortunately, the two times Marigold did conceive ended in miscarriage. The one thing that never ended was the Haunt's love for each other, in fact they were more in love with each other after all that time. That's why when Marigold, at age 49, conceived again, both she and Jeff were ecstatic. Even after Marigold lost her job and money became tight, both parents were looking forward to sharing their love with a new addition to the family. Marigold was just praying this baby made it to term. It was probably their last chance at having a family.
Jeff was having his own problems. Teaching at a dysfunctional New Jersey school, Jeff had only been working their for a little more than a year. But Jeff needed this job for the health insurance as well as being the sole source of income for his family. On one of the worst days in his life, a classroom accident resuled in Jeff being fired. So many emotions running through his mind, Jeff was just glad he still had Marigold and the baby. Upon returning home, Jeff discovered Marigold had suffered an accident and was in a coma, making Jeff's day from hell complete.
Once in the coma, Marigold entered the landscape, a place where babies reside before they are born and others come to resolve issues in their life before they move on. Human emotions, such as Imagination, Instinct, Logic, Purpose, and Love, take on human form. In this strange new environment, Marigold learned that her son Aiden did not want to be born. With the help of the Instinct persona, Marigold must find her way to Aiden and convince him to be born.
This book was the most unique description of birth and death that I have ever read. The descriptions of the landscape and personification of human emotions are among the most unique things I have ever read. The book did seem to drag a bit in places, but my desire to find out what would happen to the main characters kept the pages turning. It was a quick read, with short chapters and plenty of places to stop until next time. However, as I stated previously, I just couldn't put the book down and finished in two days. A very solid debut for Mr. Knight, and I will definitely be looking forward to his next offering.
August 17, 2015
3/4 stars (I only rate up to 4; Goodreads's system doesn't mesh with my own :P)
I don't really even know what to say about this book! It's unlike anything I've ever read before. The language is super-descriptive and I would love to see it as either a film (I'm already dream-casting it in my head!) or a graphic novel, because the visuals described are almost hard for me to get my head around. I think I might be missing the deeper meaning or symbolism of a lot of things but that gives me incentive to read it again! Three stars instead of four because sometimes in the "real life" bits the writing feels a little awkward and stilted; fantasy and the surreal is definitely the writer's big strength.
With thanks to the author for providing me a complimentary copy for review purposes; sorry it took me so long!
I don't really even know what to say about this book! It's unlike anything I've ever read before. The language is super-descriptive and I would love to see it as either a film (I'm already dream-casting it in my head!) or a graphic novel, because the visuals described are almost hard for me to get my head around. I think I might be missing the deeper meaning or symbolism of a lot of things but that gives me incentive to read it again! Three stars instead of four because sometimes in the "real life" bits the writing feels a little awkward and stilted; fantasy and the surreal is definitely the writer's big strength.
With thanks to the author for providing me a complimentary copy for review purposes; sorry it took me so long!
April 4, 2015
It's awesome when you come across books that are completely unique. This book centers around a couple in their late forties who finally get their dream of the wife getting pregnant. After an accident the mother, Marigold, learns that her child doesn't want to be born. She decides to risk it all to give her child a chance at life. This book is filled with a satisfying mix of fantasy and adventure. The locations are described so vividly you can see yourself there. This book is impossible to put down, sucking you in, and leaving wanting to see what happens next. I highly recommend it and want to thank Richard for giving me an opportunity to read it!
April 10, 2014
The Darkness Of The Womb by Richard B Knight
4 Stars
What an odd story! I can honestly say I have never read anything like this before so this book gets points for uniqueness right off the bat.
Aiden is an unborn baby, but after seeing images of how his life is going to pan out he doesn’t want to be born and decides to jump from the tree of life. Unfortunately for him, the powers that be believe he is the new messiah and has to be born, so they do everything in their power to save him.
In the ‘real’ world we have the boys parents, who are in their late forties and are going through work related issues and a difficult time financially. Both meet a sticky end when an accident leaves his mother, Marigold, in a coma and on the same day his father, Jeff loses his job and kills himself.
We are then taken into an alternate level of existence with characters such as Logic, Imagination and Instinct and a whole host of other such like beings, and the battle is on between the ones wanting Aiden to live and the ones who want him to die.
It is without doubt a ‘down the rabbit hole’ type of story, and I had to dig deep in my imagination to visualise the scene. The writing is very ‘male’ even without knowing the authors name, this was obvious just from the references made to Marigold’s ‘lady parts’ when we came across Love and Lust, no female would be so crass I’m sure!
Though the story was not difficult to follow or understand, it wasn’t to my taste. I am not religious in anyway but I have the feeling there may be some out there who could be offended by this interpretation of what touches on a religious theme.
Copy supplied for review
4 Stars
What an odd story! I can honestly say I have never read anything like this before so this book gets points for uniqueness right off the bat.
Aiden is an unborn baby, but after seeing images of how his life is going to pan out he doesn’t want to be born and decides to jump from the tree of life. Unfortunately for him, the powers that be believe he is the new messiah and has to be born, so they do everything in their power to save him.
In the ‘real’ world we have the boys parents, who are in their late forties and are going through work related issues and a difficult time financially. Both meet a sticky end when an accident leaves his mother, Marigold, in a coma and on the same day his father, Jeff loses his job and kills himself.
We are then taken into an alternate level of existence with characters such as Logic, Imagination and Instinct and a whole host of other such like beings, and the battle is on between the ones wanting Aiden to live and the ones who want him to die.
It is without doubt a ‘down the rabbit hole’ type of story, and I had to dig deep in my imagination to visualise the scene. The writing is very ‘male’ even without knowing the authors name, this was obvious just from the references made to Marigold’s ‘lady parts’ when we came across Love and Lust, no female would be so crass I’m sure!
Though the story was not difficult to follow or understand, it wasn’t to my taste. I am not religious in anyway but I have the feeling there may be some out there who could be offended by this interpretation of what touches on a religious theme.
Copy supplied for review
November 22, 2013
The novel begins with a yet-to-be-born baby falling from the highest branch of the Tree of Life, in an attempt to commit suicide. Does the author have your attention yet? He had mine. Upon further reading we discover that the baby is suicidal because he has dreamed his future and doesn’t like what he sees. Flash to what would be interpreted as the ‘real’ world where his parents reside, and the lives of the main characters really start rolling downhill.
‘Darkness of the Womb’ written by Robert B Knight, is an interesting novel, reminiscent in its use of non-traditional character names and interesting character roles, of the work ‘Pilgrims Progress’. He takes on the concept of Messiah and gives it an interesting and imaginative fantasy twist. As a Christian I wasn’t offended by his interpretation, but I’m sure there will be some people who will find the story line offensive.
The novel is fast paced and at times felt like I was reading a Picasso or a Munch, which I enjoyed. Some scenes were a bit difficult to wade through due to extensive dialogue, but this is just my opinion and should not keep you from experiencing Knight’s interesting writer’s voice or this novel.
‘Darkness of the Womb’ written by Robert B Knight, is an interesting novel, reminiscent in its use of non-traditional character names and interesting character roles, of the work ‘Pilgrims Progress’. He takes on the concept of Messiah and gives it an interesting and imaginative fantasy twist. As a Christian I wasn’t offended by his interpretation, but I’m sure there will be some people who will find the story line offensive.
The novel is fast paced and at times felt like I was reading a Picasso or a Munch, which I enjoyed. Some scenes were a bit difficult to wade through due to extensive dialogue, but this is just my opinion and should not keep you from experiencing Knight’s interesting writer’s voice or this novel.
November 7, 2013
Have you ever pictured what Logic would look like? How about Imagination or Instinct? In The Darkness of the Womb, Rich Knight takes on just that describing the tale of Jeff and Marigold Haunt and what they go through for their son, Aiden. I'm not going to lie, this book is strange! But in a good way. Knight takes you on a wild ride to and through a different realm that seems totally plausible and just unique enough to make you wish it was real. I haven't read a story this quickly in quite some time as I just couldn't put it down because I kept asking myself what in the world could possibly happen next. Definitely on my recommendation list!
May 7, 2015
This book was certainly very different from anything else I have read. It was quite weird and creepy in some areas, but compelling in all the right places. I particularly liked the characters, as each had their own personality. Despite a few grammatical errors here and there, it was a great read, and I look forward to reading more of Richard's books. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark fiction and/or fantasy.
In compliance with FTC guidelines, I am obligated to disclose that I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
In compliance with FTC guidelines, I am obligated to disclose that I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
August 30, 2015
The Darkness of the Womb takes the reader on a thrilling journey through the world that lies between life and death. In a refreshingly original way it explores topics of our own fates, purpose, and will to live. Richard B. Knight was able to keep my emotions and interest invested with a dynamic plot and masterly crafted imagery. I can say with certainty that the visuals that launched off the pages throughout this story will be embedded in my mind for years to come.
March 4, 2016
Join me as we explore the landscape. A place where a child chooses not to be born, a mother willing to risk eternal darkness to convince her child to live. We will meet with instinct and imagination who lead us on to discover what logic, purpose and fate have instore for all of us.
I was given this book through Goodreads giveaway.
I was given this book through Goodreads giveaway.
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