Forest of the Damned (Supernatural Series Book 3)
Forest of the Damned
By Lee Mountford
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
From the very beginning I was drawn to this story. When a story involves a team of paranormal investigators I am always on board. I’m not quite sure why. Perhaps because it combines three things that I enjoy. Investigation/research, the paranormal and solving puzzles. This group of investigators are tackling a place called the Black Forest. A place where an entire village simply disappeared but not before things got weird. The team consists of four individuals. All hoping to encounter an intense legitimate experience with the paranormal and to get it all on camera. They all have different motivations for this hope. This said, when it actually happens they are freaked out. I myself don’t understand this. We see this in the movies as well. If you go looking for something long enough you will eventually find it. I mean this is the whole point…to document and prove the existence of something that defies what we think of as reality, to prove life after death, to find something bigger than ourselves. Then they all breakdown when what they seek reveals itself to them. It’s always so frustrating. But then you have those that run headlong into the situation, recklessly so in most cases, usually getting themselves and others killed. This group has a few of each type it seems.
Ken seems well put together in the beginning. He’s the leader of the group and is running the show. He’s also the oldest and most experienced with camping and hiking. Very serious about paranormal investigation and experienced in the process. Then you find out the reason that he is so determined to find proof of the hereafter. This reason makes him a very easy target for the sinister entities. It, in fact, even makes him easier to lure away from the group. Baggage does that, especially guilt. It makes him completely irrational.
We don’t get to know Tony very well as he is the first to disappear but honestly he seems to be the most well grounded person setting out on this adventure. He is what I call the peace-maker. He’s well versed in paranormal investigation and stays level headed. I think that’s why he goes first. He is the biggest threat to the entities. The one with the fewest weaknesses to attack.
James is both and annoying dick yet also displays moments of really decent practicality. When Roberta and Tony want to call it James makes the point that this is what they went to the Black Forest for. Finding proof was the entire point so when they start to get it everyone is surprised. I never much understood that in movies when they were actually having decent experiences they want to flee. I also don’t understand those that don’t want to leave once things take a step in the “were not getting out of here alive” direction. This is Ken…at least for a little while. Because of this, it goes past the point of no return and people start to die. There is indeed a very fine line to this. It’s a delicate balance. Now James does see the point of no return looming on the horizon and even though he was once gung ho he now shows some common sense and recommends getting the hell out! Not the easiest of targets but has a bad habit of thinking too often with his small head rather than the big one. Unfortunately, like so many in horror, he lets himself be distracted with sex and that is the end of James.
Roberta does seem like an enthusiastic, well balanced individual in the beginning. It’s unfortunate that she gets poisoned by the forest itself and it’s kidda gross. Honestly I’d freak out if that shit dripped into my mouth. I mean she doesn’t just shrug it off but there is no way I’d be swallowing…ever again maybe. It does confound me some that the group does not realize that the substance that dripped into her mouth was the corruption that allowed the witch in. With less than 80 pages left and they still have not mentioned it. They continue to contemplate why Roberta is acting the way that she is. Do they not remember the corrupt tree and it’s nast getting into her mouth….it’s only been a couple of days for crying out loud. Plus it does periodically drip from her mouth so there’s that too. So that part is somewhat frustrating.
Closing thoughts:
Not for those that are easily offended by sexual content. While it’s not overly explicit there is a good clip of scenes that involve intimate contact. There is also gore combined with the sexual content and it’s disturbing. I’m not gonna lie. Probably for me a completely different reason than normal folk but disturbing none the less. Think about fucking a mummy, like a mummified body, but one that moves on its own. See…disturbing.
And it would not be this disturbing if it were not well written with great detailed descriptions. Mountford has a way of bringing the most nightmare worthy entities to life. It’s utterly delicious Ghoulies.
