Darkness Unbound #1: Lady in Black [BOOK REVIEW]

Lady in Black CoverAuthor: Glenn Porzig
Publisher: Graphic Entertainment
Genre:  Supernatural Thriller
Unique Elements: Spiritualism, demonic possession, ritualistic murders
Series: Darkness Unbound, Book #1
Release Date: June 23, 2014
Number of Page: 98 Pages
MSRP: $8.99
Discount Link: Click Here
Website: Click Here
Purchase Site: Click Here
Reviewed by: Reverend Leviathan
Final Score: 4.5 Moons (Out of 5)

Detective Drake is investigating ritualistic murders.  Aided by an old friend and nun, Sister Marian, he attempts to track down this supernatural killer while she does everything in her power to overcome her fears and gain the faith needed to finally put an end to a demonic entity.

Story

Brilliant Moon Award

Opening with what sounds like a scene from Poltergeist, the reader is introduced to “the shadow man,” the main antagonist of the story who can take on (or possess) many different forms.  Sister Marian is a nun who may have a dark secret.  Shorty after reading about this shadowy figure slaughtering a family, the nun wakes up screaming and tells her friend Sister Mary Francis that she saw herself murder a family.  What sort of connection does she have to this murder?  Enter Detective Drake, an officer in the homicide division.  He notices an eerie similarity to a series of murders over a decade ago.  He contacts Sister Mary Francis, a friend from the past, and they begin investigating together.

The murders seem to be Satanic in nature, and somehow Sister Marian sees them taking place, like she’s the one doing them.  Demonic possession?  Look into the person’s eyes and you will know.  Both Drake and Sister Marian know that they must stop the killings, and a dark secret that ties them together is the answer to the whole thing.

Dynamics

I could not put this book down!  The story was not predictable and was full of suspense.  Porzig works hard at providing so much detail in the scenes that take place it’s not hard to imagine what’s going on in the pages; a movie will be playing in your head.  Sometimes so much detail is given that it can be pretty gruesome.  (Not for the faint of heart.)

As a Catholic who is interested in demonology I was very impressed with the detail and descriptions of the exorcism rites taking place; they seem very true to the real deal, especially the Latin. There’s a little surprise in the middle of the story when all of a sudden it becomes about a zombie apocalypse (sort of); adds a nice touch to it.

The characters were well-formed and have their own personal struggles.  Sister Marian has a lot of mystery surrounding her in the beginning of the story, and little by little more is revealed, making her character very interesting and also very easy to sympathize with.  Where she fits into the whole story is unpredictable.

Gothic Fit

This is a very dark murder mystery with ties to the occult and the supernatural.  Horror runs through the book with very disturbing images described in detail during the massacres.  Demonic activity and exorcisms abound in the story making it even more entertaining for the Gothic reader.

Closing Thoughts

For those who like mystery mixed with dark spirituality, this is definitely a book to check out.  An amazing introduction to the Darkness Unbound series!

Story: 4.0 Moons (out of 5.0)
Dynamics: 5.0 Moons (out of 5.0)
Gothic Fit: 5.0 Moons (out of 5.0)
Final Score (not an average): 4.5 Moons (out of 5.0)

Score: Four point five moons

Author: Reverend Leviathan

Reverend Leviathan is the Music & Media Editor at DarkestGoth Magazine. He has been part of the Gothic community since his high school years. He released an album in 2008 entitled "Eden's Graveyard," and in 2022 released "Vampire Friar." He has also self-published a book, Gothlic: The Testimony of a Catholic Goth. He specializes in music (Goth, ambient, industrial, horror punk and doom metal) and independent films. You can follow him at Facebook.com/revleviathan7. If you have questions about having your music or media reviewed or featured at DarkestGoth, you can email Reverend Leviathan directly. (Not all music or media will be eligible for coverage by DGM, due to its style or the current knowledge base of DGM staff. If your media is accepted, we are currently estimating a 90-120 day turnaround for reviews and/or other coverage, so please plan requests accordingly.)

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