Northwoods Deep

by Joel Arnold

Deep in the north woods, two sisters become lost; one stalked by a murderous ex-husband, the other unable to rid herself of the leeches that appear mysteriously on her skin.All are drawn to an old, dilapidated cabin.Inside lives an old man with awful urges, accompanied by a Rottweiler possessed by something…unnatural.But it’s what resides beneath the cabin that they should really be worried about.Please join award-winning author Joel Arnold on a ride over the river and through the woods straight into terror in his newest horror novel, Northwoods Deep._______________________________________________________________________What they're saying about Northwoods “Arnold's prose is descriptive, full, and rich. I felt as if I was there; seeing, tasting, and feeling the same things his characters do…if you're a horror fan I don't think you'll go wrong with this book. Joel Arnold is one of the most entertaining horror writers I've read in recent years.” - Brian Jarrett, author of Into the Badlands “With inspiration drawn from a North American Indian tribal legend, Northwoods Deep is a chilling tale of human failings exploited by an ancient evil. A horror story that managed to both scare and ensnare me, Northwoods Deep is an impressive novel by a talented author.” - Shelly Rae - Book’d Out Reviews “Northwoods Deep by Joel Arnold is a morbidly delicious tale that will keep you hooked and wanting more from beginning to end.” - Juniper Grove - Jaidis Shaw Reviews “This is the kind of horror that I can get into. Lost in the woods, and old cabin, a crazy old guy.....yeah, it's going there.”- Joe HempelSee just how deep horror can go...

Genres: Horror, Fiction

374 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2010

About the author

Joel Arnold is the author of several novels. His short stories and articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including WEIRD TALES, CHIZINE, AMERICAN ROAD MAGAZINE and Cemetery Dance's anthology SHIVERS VII. In 2010 he received both a MN Artists Initiative Grant as well as the Speculative Literature Foundation's Gulliver Travel & Research Grant.

Arnold teaches writing at student workshops throughout Minnesota and has given presentations about the Ox Cart trails of Minnesota and the Dakotas to several historical societies and other groups interested in history. He also serves as the literary director for the Savage Arts Council.

Arnold lives near the Twin Cities in Minnesota with his wife, two kids, two cats, a dog and a ball python. Plus he makes a mean coffee cake.

You can sign up for his newsletter here.

Reviews

[Jaidis Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Northwoods Deep by Joel Arnold is a morbidly delicious tale that will keep you hooked and wanting more from beginning to end. In an attempt to get away from her ex-husband who focuses his time on stalking her, Carol decides it would be good for her to get away and spend some time with her sister Brenda at the same time. The sisters quickly make plans to go on a camping trip where they will enjoy some fresh air and spend some time canoeing. Little did they know that their lives would be forever changed. Family bonds will be tested and personal strength stretched to the limits as Northwoods Deep takes you down the ultimate river ride of terror. And you would have to read the book to understand my next statement but take note: If anyone ever offers you a drink with the words ‘Special’ and ‘Brew’ in the title...just say no people...just say no.

This book does contain adult material and should be read only by mature adult audiences. Also, I would love to see Northwoods Deep in print form as I would love to have a copy on my bookshelf.

[Joe Hempel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of horror that I can get into. Lost in the woods, and old cabin, a crazy old guy.....yeah, it's going there.

Carol and her sister Brenda are taking kind of a canoe trip to really get away from Carols ex-husband Mitch, who is stalking her. He ends up hearing about it, and follows.

When this happens, her brother Jack starts to have dreams about his mother April (who he was responsible for killing in a car crash) telling him that his sisters were in trouble. So he and his father Allen, who has still never forgiven him for the death of April, goes after them, not exactly knowing when they hit the water.

Everything comes to a head at the Cabin in Northwoods deep where Agustus Meyer lives. He is the guardian of an ancient evil. Mitch is the first to really find out what happens, and it's here where the twisted Hansel and Gretel story comes into play, as it seems he's "fattening" them up for some sort of sacrifice.

I can't really go much more into detail as it will spoil the story, but I found it a real page turner.

The only gripe I had was that in the eBook version from B&N there was no separation of paragraphs when they are changing scene or location. You are reading about Carol and Brenda one paragraph and the next sentence the scene switches to Jack and Allen, but it runs together. I found myself having to re-read some sections because all of a sudden I was reading in a different location with different characters and thought maybe I missed something.

Overall though, a great book!!

[Brian Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I like about Joel Arnold is that he's not afraid to use his imagination. He's also not afraid to show us the most depraved, at their worst.

But that's why I read horror, after all.

Arnold's prose is descriptive, full, and rich. I felt as if I was there; seeing, tasting, and feeling the same things his characters do. He successfully creates vivid characters who all have distinct voices. There's a fairly large cast here, but I had no trouble keeping track of them.

This book starts out as a stalker-thriller, but quickly becomes a supernatural nightmare. Weaving these two distinctive evils together until they become complimentary is a testament to the author's creativity. There's also a great father and son subplot that rings with real emotion.

One word of warning; this book isn't for the squeamish. Arnold pulls no punches. Horror fans should really enjoy it, but chick-lit fans might have trouble getting some of the imagery out of their mind. There's this completely depraved scene with a dog and...well, you'll just have to read it. It's worth it.

The writing is top-notch, the editing is sound. The story is engaging and the characters are memorable. Plenty of story and scare for the buck.

So if you're a horror fan I don't think you'll go wrong with this book. Joel Arnold is one of the most entertaining horror writers I've read in recent years.

[Caleb Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cross-posted from Papyrus - Independent Author Reviews (http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/02/11/northwoods-deep-by-joel-arnold/)

Something's in the woods - something ancient. Will you survive it?

Northwoods Deep is what I would call a true horror. It has a dark power at its heart with which you become acquainted over the story by way of several nasty death scenes. It has a parallel human story that plays itself out until it becomes entwined with core horror story. It has various rather adult and - to be honest - depraved scenes along the way. So that out of the way, how successful was the book for me?

Firstly, removing any ancient evil from the storyline for the moment, what was left was really well told. The story of a fragmented family is woven from multiple points of view. The brother who killed his mother in a drunk driving accident, the father lamenting the loss of his wife, the sister trying to escape from an abusive ex-husband and the youngest sister who tries to keep them all together. All the good stuff is here: abuse, despair, guilt, forgiveness (or lack thereof) and even a family secret of two. For me, this is where the novel really excelled. I could feel Carol's despair in trying to escape her demented ex-husband and his cronies. I could appreciate Jack's ongoing struggle with the demon bottle and his relentless guilt over his mother's death. I could understand Allen's mixture of numbness and lament over the loss of his wife. I could even enjoy Mitch's point of view as he descended into a violent insanity over his obsession with Carol - with the help of his truly horrifying mother.

I believe if the author had decided to keep this as a completely human thriller, it could have been tweaked to be very effective. The only issue I had was that in the weaving of the present and background stories, I felt there was a bit of an over-share. Some elements of back-story were hinted at (quite successfully I feel) earlier on and I really enjoyed that I was able to draw my own conclusions and flesh out the probable details myself. I didn't then need the details to be delivered on a plate later in the novel. I felt a bit like the author didn't trust me to connect the dots with the previous information he'd given me. It took a bit of the shine off an otherwise fascinating and well told story.

Now to address the "ancient evil" or supernatural horror aspect of the story. The author utilises the previous survivor mechanism in Northwoods Deep and as expected the survivor becomes involved albeit rather superficially with our cast. It is through his involvement that we get to see the What that inhabits our destination. Although the plot device is a fairly obvious one, I like how it's employed, particularly because the author restrains himself from releasing historic, mythological details that would have, in my opinion, weighed down the story unnecessarily.

The How of our evil is both quite clear in some regards and completely mystifying in others. We see the actions through the use of a strange and unsettling character named Meyer and Watson, his dog. It's through Meyer's eyes that we experience some rather shocking and depraved scenes. We see the author walking the fine line between horrifying and horrifyingly pornographic, but I feel that Arnold maintains his balance successfully mainly due to his control of the details - just enough to horrify and sicken. That said, the more sensitive or squeamish of readers may not enjoy this aspect of the novel.

I think the Why is where the author reveals a few more layers of darkness to this story which reflects the evil back from the supernatural and into the natural. I like this kind of reversal in a horror story, where we understand that the evil is not some remote inhuman force, but is actually found in us, or that we're somehow complicit in its manifestation.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joel Arnold writes a wonderful story. The plot and characters are excellent. If you like to read horror books this one if for you. Keeps you on the edge of your seat turning the pages. Gives you that good creepy read that sends shiver down your spine and gives you nightmares.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very scary. The native american mythology and creepy old men were extremely frightening. I received this book for free through goodreads first reads.

[Yvette · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a disappointment for me. I was definitely caught up when I started reading it, but as I continued reading I wasn't sure where the story was headed and by the end I felt like I had wasted my time. There were too many loose ends left untied. For one, wtf actually happened in this story?? Did Carol and Jack make it out of there? What happened to Michael? Did Brenda and Mitch actually die? Am I just to assume that Allen died too? Did I miss something? WTF ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THIS BOOK???

I have SO many other questions about the story and characters but mostly I'll just leave it at what I wrote above. Don't get me wrong, it's not that every book has to have an ending where everything is answered and everyone lives happily ever after despite whatever hardship they've just face throughout the story. But shit, don't just throw together a bunch of ideas to write a book that doesn't seem at all cohesive by the end. Seriously, the nonsense about Hansel and Gretel and the gingerbread house? The only likeness that cabin had to the gingerbread house were just some silly illusions caused by the sunlight and the fact that Meyer supposedly could cook and was fattening them up just to keep them there. Why throw a kid's fairytale into the clusterfuck you've already created with this story, especially when it makes absolutely no sense at all!?

The absolute depravity of some of the characters also left something to be desired. There was no actual reason for some of the scenes and yet they were added in detail and were frankly quite gross and disturbing. Personally, I could've done without them. I clearly hate this book by the end and will likely not read anything else by this author.

[Alan Buckley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stupid ending. Disappointing.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was great at times and too far fetched at others. I was not satisfied with the ending. It seemed to end abruptly.

[Amanda Stamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well written, but the story I won't be reading again. I would've liked it better if it had more of a connection with the fairy tale that was implied.

[Cindy Kirkland · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful, just awful. This dragged for every page through the book.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Joel Arnold’s latest novel, two sisters, the oldest, escaping an abusive ex-husband turned stalker, set-out on a canoe trip in Minnesota backcountry. Downstream, an indescribable evil as ancient as the ground it sleeps under, grows restless with hunger.

A negative split is a term employed by distance runners to describe their race pace: start slow, finish fast. This is also the trajectory of most novels—the initial careful character sketches and diligent back-stories make way for faster and leaner plot lines as the story progresses.

Joel Arnold’s Northwoods Deep runs, then walks, then slows to a stroll, as if suddenly enjoying the view. In a work of horror, the effect is somewhat unsettling. When his protagonists descend into a nightmare world, reminiscent of something out of an early Clive Barker fantasy, the pace lingers, as if the author is unwilling to move past their suffering until it becomes gratuitous. One questions whether the price exacted for moral redemption, the thematic bread and butter of the genre, is, in this case, commensurate to the depravity. Fortunately, when dealing with the extremes of mental and physical durability, Arnold has a wonderful way with description, if only a series of succinct observations, that make his characters immediately familiar despite the (hopefully) unfamiliar situation.

References to mythology, both esoteric and pop-culture, sprinkled like breadcrumbs throughout the novel, offer explanation where none is required and do little to add intended gravitas to what is already a captivating and plausible storyline. However, there is a certain pleasure watching Arnold whip quaint and kitschy folklore until it’s covered in blood and no longer recognizable. One moth-worn convention left undisturbed is the hapless Out-of-Towners—two all-American girls in this instance—stumbling into the backyard of a backwoods psychopathic old coot. To Arnold’s credit the ensuing orgy of violence comes to pass while matters are fittingly complex as he seamlessly shifts between at least four main character third-person accounts. Northwoods Deep comes as close as anything in recent memory to detailing the behavioral traits of unadulterated malevolence.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to delight in scaring myself with tales of horror, I devoured Stephen King, Clive Barker, Dean Koontz, James Herbert etc but at some point the real world became scary enough, without the disturbed imaginations of authors and I put the genre aside. When Joel Arnold approached me with a review request for Northwoods Deep however I was impressed by the excerpt and decided that perhaps it was time to rediscover my enjoyment of the genre. What I learnt is that you are never too old to need a night light.

Arnold deftly weaves a tight plot that takes the worst of twisted human impulses and exaggerates them under the influence of a supernatural evil. Apprehension rises with each turn of the page as the story unfolds, the author skilfully manipulating events in a way that never feels contrived. I was totally engrossed in the story which is complimented by well developed characters.
The imagery is strong and the standard of writing high. It's fair I think, to warn of some graphic and sexually explicit scenes that are appropriate for a horror novel but nevertheless can be uncomfortable to read.

With inspiration drawn from a North American Indian tribal legend, Northwoods Deep is a chilling tale of human failings exploited by an ancient evil. A horror story that managed to both scare and ensnare me, Northwoods Deep is an impressive novel by a talented author.

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sister's love, a father's pain, a brother's guilt, a psycho ex husband, a creepy old hermit, and an Indian legend all come together in a story so descriptive and well written that I could almost smell the woods and hear the river. There are not many books that I assign the overused phrase of "page turner" and it may seem like I'm gearing up to call Northwoods Deep one of them....
Well I'm not. Because for me, this book was more rare than a page turner. I did not devour it in one sitting. This book was savored slowly over several days, even though I did not want to put it down. I forced myself to put it down. To make it last, simply because I don't know when I have enjoyed a book more, and I didn't want it to end. I do know it will probably be a long time before I find another one as good. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from the first chapter. It had me completely hooked and I finished this in a weekend (which is fast for me)! The characters seemed so real, the author really made me care about them and what was happening--it felt like they were old friends. Some really scary stuff goes on and through the whole book I was so anxious to get to the next page and see what would happen. Very creepy, scary and unexpected things go on, just what I like in a book. I could not recommend this more! A really great read! Can't wait to read more by Joel Arnold!

[Lori Franklin Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will start by saying that this book freaked me out. I mean really freaked me out. The ending was uber creepy, to say the least. The story line was okay, nothing new or daring, UNTIL THE END. After that, I was just numb. I know Joel Arnold definitely threw everyone for a loop with the ending, but it was just too creepy beyond words for me, and that is saying something, because horror is my favorite genre. Can I honestly say I don't know HOW I feel about this book?

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great addition to the written collection

All in all this book had some notable flare. Unique in its own fashion while carrying the traditional aspects and necessities of the true horror genre. With unexpected turns in the storyline and unique reference and twists the author has created a wonderful web of the macabre.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Northwoods Deep is a dark and suspenseful thriller, but no literary masterpiece. The scenes set in the cavern below the cabin are reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft, and his writing seems an obvious influence.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a Stephen King-ish story with the tension and mystery. However, I was not impressed with the sexual parts and the gore. This is not my type of story. I don't mind the mystery and the tension, but the other stuff I could do without, thank you very much.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

More meh than I'd hoped. Pretty simplistic rendering of an abusive husband. Had the germ of a good plot but nothing really head and shoulders above a lot of other horror. Characters were more than flat but less than fully realized. Plus everyone belches way too much.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was awesome! It was Very scary with lots of twists and turns. I am looking forward to reading some more from this author :)

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

started out good. too many story lines. ended oddly

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept my interest, for sure. A few REALLY, twisted scenes. The ending could have been better.

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my kind of reading. Very scary but too gross

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3 1/2 stars. Had me hooked from the beginning and really enjoyed it up until the end. The ending was weird and a bit of a let down.

[Jbgmfg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soo weird.

[Micah Shapiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

entertaining enough. a bit more back story to the old man, the dog and what was below the cabin could have made it much more interesting though

[Maz]

Dreadful.

I'll stick to Barker, Laymon and Ketchum thanks.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very scary and disturbing.. in a good way. One of my favorites.