by Ed Wetterman
Wow, I think I have a new author to follow! If you have not read The Devil in Gray, I recommend it to you. Its set in Richmond, Va., but it definitely has a Pinebox campaign feel. Here is hype from the back of the book:
A young woman brutally hacked to pieces in her Virginia home—with a weapon over a hundred years old. A retired Army officer butchered—by an invisible attacker. A young man blinded in his bathtub—then boiled alive. What do all the victims have in common? What malevolent nightmare stalked them?
He is not dead, but not truly living. He cannot be killed, only trapped. And for years he was trapped, buried alive in a desperate attempt to end the terror. But now he is free again, free to complete his ghastly mission—free to slaughter the unsuspecting. Is he a spirit? An immortal madman? Was he ever human? What is… the devil in gray?
Writing: 4 Stars
I enjoy how quickly Masterson’s scenes move, the story never bogs down and is constantly building suspense and each new episode of horror has a twist that makes it different. The hero is Martin Decker, a detective for Richmond’s finest. He is a true adventure hero, though his sexual escapades detract from his otherwise stellar character. Masterson allows the story to develop his characters, and does a good job, however he is definitely not on the King level of character development. His horror scenes are awesome however, and I can’t wait to go get some of his earlier books. Masterson is a very prolific writer, and as an avid reader of horror and fantasy, I can’t believe I haven’t read any of his works before now. My only disappointment, and it’s a very minor one, was at the very end of the book where a small crowd gathers and sings a “rousing battle hymn written by Albert Pike.†I thought this was weak, but it was good for a chuckle (albeit a small one), and if that is what Masterson wanted to achieve, he did so.
Plot: 5 Stars
This book read quickly and easily and every scene built on the previous ones. I really liked his use of Santeria and the various “Saints†was great. Decker’s supernatural foe is something new that combines spiritualism, possession, and some great vampiric atmosphere, that was familiar, yet with a new spin that I found very enjoyable. There are several surprises throughout the story, and I honestly never new what was going to happen next. Very good, tight plot.
Gaming Uses: 5 Stars
Some movies and books are just flat out “Gamer Movies†or “Gamer Books.†As I read this book I was constantly thinking of how to do these things in gaming, and so I would rate The Devil in Gray as a Gamer Book. I definitely will be investigating Santeria some more, and may even come up with something using ideas from it in a future publication. The villain would make a great bad guy in any modern horror game based in the US South, though I suppose you could create something similar in just about any culture.
Final Points: 4.66 (Out of 5)
I recommend this book for anyone looking for Gaming Horror Ideas, or who just enjoy a good horror book. One note of warning, this book is definitely R rated and does include some sexually explicit scenes.
