A Mighty Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney

Burning Willow Press, 2016

ASIN: B01N3JL331

Available: Kindle edition

It is called “The Event”.  The skies suddenly darken accompanied by booming thunder, flashing lightning and pounding rain.  World- wide, over half of the human population disappears.  Those remaining are filled with dark spirits or bright spirits, depending on their character.  Is this the Rapture promised in the Bible, or a rupture in the barrier between fairy and human worlds?

Livi is a beautiful, gifted artist who paints prophetic pictures of a fantastic, future world.  She is stripped of her friends and pursued by “shadow-mans”, flawed men possessed by the dark spirits.  Her hopes of escape and asylum rest with others who also have gifts from the bright spirits, the “sparkle-angels”.  One of their gifts is the ability to telepathically hear the thoughts of their loyal dogs. Livi is the key to whether the dark spirits or the bright spirits triumph.

She takes refuge at a farm in rural South Carolina owned by Conor and his wife, and meets children who survived massacres by marauding “shadow-mans”. Conor has lost his memory and the bright and dark spirits are battling for control of him.

Livi’s greatest threat is from Victor, a wealthy art connoisseur, who has bought or stolen paintings of the future world by Livi and another gifted artist.  He derives power from the paintings and women, whom he seduces or rapes.  Victor believes that when he ravishes Livi, he will become a god, controlling the dark power of the fairy world on earth.  He captures Livi and brings her to his fortress. Can Conor and his friends rescue her and save the world from domination by “shadow-mans”?

The author, Kerry Alan Denney, has written other successful novels that combine fantasy, the supernatural, science fiction and horror.  The plot of A Mighty Rolling Thunder is imaginative and is well paced.  Its characters are one-dimensional, but effectively sympathetic or despicable.  However, I am worried that the author went overboard in portraying Victor, whom Livi calls a “misogynistic, paranoid, schizophrenic psychopath”.  The many descriptions of Victor’s stiffening “little god” and desire to spread his “demon seed” when he thinks of his victims will disturb some readers.  Denney also uses offensive, racist language and stereotypes, including the “N_____ word”, several times, which will also be upsetting to readers. Not recommended.

Contains: Violence, gore, and strong sexual and offensive language

Reviewed by Robert D. Yee