What do you think?
Rate this book
Winterset: Short Stories of Pixies, Demons, and Fiends
Winterset, Iowa. A peaceful, rural Midwest town... with a secret: it harbors a gateway to another world, a world filled with supernatural creatures of legend. Irish-born Father Donahey has been assigned to Winterset, Iowa after many years of service as a Catholic priest in South America. But he finds something quite different from the life of books and long rural walks that he expects. The community is awash with supernatural creatures, some friendly, many decidedly not. From selkies and pookas of Irish mythology to pixies, demons and shape-shifting werecreatures, Father Donahey must deal with them all to protect his new parish, and the world at large, from chaos and destruction.
190 pages, Paperback
Published March 6, 2019
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 4, 2021
“Winterset: Short Stories of Pixies, Demons, and Fiends” by Dennis Maulsby, is a gathering place for supernatural stories and talented writing. Its focus is on Father Donahey, who just wants to look out for his new flock in the Iowa town of Winterset. It’s a small place of legends, but are the legends based on fact? This place is far different from South America, where he served for years. The priest finds that his new community is full of paranormal creatures, and not all of them are nice. These creatures are out to wreak havoc on his parish, and it’s up to him to protect everyone, but can he? This well-published, well-reviewed author gives the gift of imagination and spirt in the short stories contained in this volume.
From the first few pages, you will get a sense of the kind of writing a good author is capable of. Maulsby writes with lots of detailed description, sets the perfect tone for each story, and allows the reader to become personally familiar with the characters, settings, and mythical creatures. The background of wise Father Donahey is interesting, and so are the creatures. Sometimes you don’t know whether to be frightened, charmed, or both. The author is skilled at bringing the creatures to life and making everything seem believable. Though there are some fantasy elements, they aren’t always cute. Some can be dark, and if you are into learning more about the dark side and reading about the entities that may inhabit it, then you will be more than informed and entertained.
I like that the retired priest finds some challenges in his new homeplace, and we see his character grow over the course of the stories. Winterset is a portal of sorts, the Grand Central Station for all things mystical. But the priest doesn’t have to fight these spiritual battles alone. He has help from others who have their own special abilities. Some of the stories are eerie, some lighter than others, but all well-written and engrossing. If it’s creatures of the night you’re looking for, your search is over with “Winterset: Short Stories of Pixies, Demons, and Fiends” by Dennis Maulsby.
From the first few pages, you will get a sense of the kind of writing a good author is capable of. Maulsby writes with lots of detailed description, sets the perfect tone for each story, and allows the reader to become personally familiar with the characters, settings, and mythical creatures. The background of wise Father Donahey is interesting, and so are the creatures. Sometimes you don’t know whether to be frightened, charmed, or both. The author is skilled at bringing the creatures to life and making everything seem believable. Though there are some fantasy elements, they aren’t always cute. Some can be dark, and if you are into learning more about the dark side and reading about the entities that may inhabit it, then you will be more than informed and entertained.
I like that the retired priest finds some challenges in his new homeplace, and we see his character grow over the course of the stories. Winterset is a portal of sorts, the Grand Central Station for all things mystical. But the priest doesn’t have to fight these spiritual battles alone. He has help from others who have their own special abilities. Some of the stories are eerie, some lighter than others, but all well-written and engrossing. If it’s creatures of the night you’re looking for, your search is over with “Winterset: Short Stories of Pixies, Demons, and Fiends” by Dennis Maulsby.
Read
July 14, 2019MWSA Review
Winterset by Dennis Maulsby is a fantastical creation of mystical magical proportions, at once charming and deadly, fanciful and dark. Maulsby has conjured up a feast of short stories featuring Father Donahey, a retired Catholic priest. Donahey, born in Ireland and having served for most of his life in South America, has moved to Winterset, Iowa. He didn’t choose the locale to spend time protecting the world from denizens of destruction; he moved there to enjoy long walks in between reading good books in his retirement. But Winterset is the site of a worldwide inter-dimensional gateway for supernatural beings, most of them of the unfriendly variety. Pulled into the maelstrom of havoc created by otherworld entities, Donahey battles evil, aided by friends who exhibit supernatural powers themselves.
The writing is captivating and intense, placing the reader in the midst of the action—surrounded by the sights, scents, and sensations of cataclysmic struggles—almost as if the reader has been transported into the pages of the book.
Keep your nightlight on.
Review by Betsy Beard (July 2019)
Winterset by Dennis Maulsby is a fantastical creation of mystical magical proportions, at once charming and deadly, fanciful and dark. Maulsby has conjured up a feast of short stories featuring Father Donahey, a retired Catholic priest. Donahey, born in Ireland and having served for most of his life in South America, has moved to Winterset, Iowa. He didn’t choose the locale to spend time protecting the world from denizens of destruction; he moved there to enjoy long walks in between reading good books in his retirement. But Winterset is the site of a worldwide inter-dimensional gateway for supernatural beings, most of them of the unfriendly variety. Pulled into the maelstrom of havoc created by otherworld entities, Donahey battles evil, aided by friends who exhibit supernatural powers themselves.
The writing is captivating and intense, placing the reader in the midst of the action—surrounded by the sights, scents, and sensations of cataclysmic struggles—almost as if the reader has been transported into the pages of the book.
Keep your nightlight on.
Review by Betsy Beard (July 2019)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews