The Raven

The promising premise of this horror extravaganza from Janz (The Dark Game)—a near future in which rogue genetic experiments have liberated traits latent in human DNA and turned many people into creatures out of monster stories—is underserved by the novel’s thin, meandering plot. Crossbow-wielding Dez McClane—nicknamed Raven from his days teaching English students the works of Edgar Allan Poe—traverses the post-apocalyptic terrain of northern Indiana searching for his kidnapped girlfriend, Susan. Along the way, he has dustups with cannibals, lycanthropes, and, finally, the were-minotaur who abducted Susan to sell as livestock months earlier. The action scenes crackle with considerable energy, but as the tale careens from one moment of mayhem to the next it becomes repetitive, as does Dez’s nonstop self-flagellation over how he believes he failed both Susan and his family. The novel ends with several subplots unresolved and no clear indication that they’ll be tied up in a sequel. The gore is successful, but readers hoping for robust scares should look elsewhere. (Sept.)