October by Michael Rowe

ChiZine, 2017

ASIN: B076ZMWGPN

Available: Kindle edition, audiobook, MP3 CD

Michael Rowe is one of those writers who can swing from the eloquent prose of a Peter Straub to the brutality of a Richard Laymon. His novels Enter, Night, and Wild Fell were excellent examples of pushing the envelope while holding onto what makes the genre so good. October is the best of Rowe’s writing yet: a traditionally-styled tale, with some surprise twists. At only 151 pages, it can, and should, be read in one sitting, for the reader to feel the full impact.

Mikey Childress is a bully’s dream. He’s not exactly the most popular kid in town; he’s undersized, and a bit odd. His one friend, Wroxy, isn’t much different from him, but she is much more comfortable with who she is. Mikey wants more out of life; he wants to be accepted, to be loved for who he is, and to not have the crap kicked out of him on a daily basis.

When Mikey stumbles upon a black mass in the woods of his town, he’s terrified.  When the bullies’ beatings of him intensify, though, becoming more dangerous, Mikey investigates what happened during the summoning he witnessed. October truly takes off then; a new friend shows up at school, someone who Mikey has always wanted and needed in his life, who may be just a little too good to be true. The novel could have become cliched at that point, but instead, Rowe takes a hard left into the unexpected, forcing the characters to examine what they truly want and need in their lives, and has a surprise ending. While a twisty novel like this one can only truly surprise the reader on a first read, October is worth reading a second time. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Dave Simms