Review: Ungodly by Braedon Riddick

Author Braedon Riddick unleashes a sinister story of dread and doom with his debut novel Ungodly, a grim, spine-chilling horror show.

On a mysterious mountain in the wild parts of North Carolina, an unassuming town suffers the dark creep of horror as tragedy begins to strike in increasingly terrible ways, pushing the unprepared citizens to the brink of sanity and desperation. In this time-jumping, non-linear novel, readers are plunged into a puzzle of action from the very start, and must put the pieces together as they are introduced to the town’s various inhabitants, and victims.

Amanda, the central figure, is a young woman with a wickedly sharp personality who refreshingly breaks away from common stereotypes of young females in horror literature. She is well-balanced in the prose, and her dynamic relationship with Brian drives the story forward. Many of the secondary characters fall into recognizable high-school or small-town roles, including Brian, at times, but there is a shadowy aura over everyone – no one is free of suspicion, and no one ever feels truly safe.

As the string of disturbing events in town reaches a fever pitch, an even darker evil reveals itself, one that is controlling the minds of innocent citizens, spreading fear, chaos, and destruction. From seemingly demonic possession and cyber terror to dangerous testosterone levels and “throbwalkers,” this book resonates on some familiar waves, and dabbles in delicate themes, but also boasts a visceral originality. Dramatic, ominous, and high on action, particularly in the second half, Riddick demonstrates a puppeteer’s skill in storytelling, and a decidedly dark streak of imagination.

Unlike so many other pulp horror novels, there isn’t a predictable path to this tale, nor is it solely focused on a singular plot line. The writing has a casual and conversational flow, and pop culture references are peppered in the prose, which gives the book a contemporary feel. Most characters are multi-dimensional and believable in their dialogue, further bolstered by Riddick’s obvious love of language.

At times, however, the author does get carried away with turns of phrase and creative syntax, leaving behind overworked sentences that don’t always gel with simpler lines. Some of the descriptive language comes across as flat and declarative, and there are many splashes of informality that feel out of place or downright jarring. For instance, the personalities of the characters seem to influence the tone of the narration, such as “totally” being unironically used to describe interactions in Amanda’s sorority house, or the use of misogynistic language – not by a character, but by the narrative voice. This can make the writing feel inconsistent and unfocused, in addition to the plot being somewhat tangential, as there isn’t a clear arc to the story.

That being said, the nebulous nature of the evil threat invading this mountain town makes for a suspenseful read, and creativity is in high supply throughout the novel. While the writing may stumble in its complexity and consistency, Ungodly is an engrossing tale that hits the right notes for fans of horror and dark thrillers, or even those new to darker fiction.