Stolen Tongues

Let me preface my review by saying that it has been a long time since I've not only read a full novel, but devoured it in 3 days, staying up late and waking up early to do so. I used to be an avid reader but with adulthood comes responsibilities, and there is often little time to get invested in a book. In addition, I am very critical and particular with what I read, and a lot of the books today are boring, they don't hook you immediately, or they drag on without purpose or payoff. So this brings me to my point - THIS BOOK HOOKED ME! The entire 300+ pages, I was fully invested the whole time and could not wait to find out more. It was like a really good horror mystery, trying to figure out the clues and what it all meant. So very good - I cannot express how much I loved this book and how good it felt to be hooked by a story again. The author's writing style is simple but beautiful - easy to follow but artfully crafted. A lot of his phrases are highlight-worthy and quotable. The characters were very relatable. In fact, a story he told about himself in the book was a direct experience I had myself, and his quote about how he categorized people into two groups - those who value politeness over honesty and those who do the opposite - rang very true to me as well. And the scare factor was real - I legitimately was frightened and put on unease during this entire read. I got scared at night after reading it, I couldn't look outside my sliding glass door into the darkness without wondering if something was there...looking back.If you want a solid story that keeps you interested and delivers on the scares and some gore, then please read this book!**Now for some potential spoilers (not really, but kind of)...****This book is definitely for fans of Reddit/nosleep and CreepyPasta. The author even says in his bio that he "came from the bowels of reddit". He was also featured on the No Sleep Podcast, so I'm assuming he has been part of that scary story community for awhile. This story specifically reminds me of "Anansi's Goat Man" featured on CreepyPasta - possibly my favorite scary short story. Once you read both, you'll see why. It also reminds me of The Blair Witch Project and a little bit of The Conjuring (both amazing horror movies), in the whole way that they unearth clues about the incident. It follows a lot of the horror tropes but in a fresh way that I think many like myself find intriguing.As a history major, he really does his research on the subject of Native cultures without belaboring with too many extraneous details. He pays respect to the culture, and I appreciated the way he handled the topic. I'm really interested in this topic as well, so it was nice to see it explored tastefully.The ending had a good payoff and was well done. A lot of the time, the ending of a horror story is the worst and the build up falls short, but this was not the case in this book.Overall, a must-read!

“Our beliefs are a very private thing… My people tell a lot of stories about the mountain… Unfortunately, Pale Peak has a terrible history, s most of our stories are sad. Or scary… But… [this] creature… doesn’t come from the world of the dead, but somewhere else, farther beyond it. I don’t exactly know how to translate his name for you. You could call these creatures the hollow ones. They’re jealous of living things, and the joy of this world. Jealous of its sunlight. They have none of it.”What is meant to be a romantic getaway in a remote cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains on Pale Peak turns into the beginning of what appears to be a non-ending nightmare of increasing proportions for Felix and his fiancé, Faye, both in their late twenties. The cabin belongs to Faye’s parents and she hasn’t visited it since she was a child. In practically no time at all, Faye, who already suffers from a sleep disorder, begins to hear things—voices—outside of the cabin. On a walk in the woods the couple come across what appears to be an oversized dreamcatcher “dangling [and] twirling” from a tree. “The thing was made of twigs and bones, expertly bent into strained and taunt shapes. Pieces of ragged twine swung from it, some of it tied with hawk feather. More string was woven through its center in the shape of a mangled spider web.” More alarming is “the dark form of a person” first Faye and later Felix sees in the woods—“an adult man, devoid of detail,” which appears to be ever growing in boldness. Far too large to be a human, whatever it is begins to approach their cabin more and more often, circling it, as if it wants in. And then there are the multitude of voices coming from the woods.STOLEN TONGUES (2017, 318pp.) by Felix Blackwell has a unique history. “Originally a contest-winning story on reddit dot com’s horror community NoSleep, STOLEN TONGUES” with little promotion and largely through word-of-mouth “has received widespread acclaim and is now being adapted into a feature film.” Starting in 2016, due to positive feedback, Blackwell continued adding “updates” to his original story until readers encouraged him to “crowdfund the story into a proper novel” according to the author’s introduction to the book. He assures readers STOLEN TONGUES “is a fully developed and expanded version” of his original tale.There is no denying the creepy effect of events in STOLEN TONGUES. As Faye’s behavior, especially when asleep, becomes more and more erratic and bizarre, when the narrator, Felix, moves from skeptic to believer and a resolute protector of his fiancé, the novel is an undeniable page turner. The author’s inclusion of Native American lore and superstition, although left vague, is reminiscent of THE WENDIGO (1910) by Algernon Blackwood and so many other successive works of folklore horror. Blackwell’s inclusion of Native American characters is successfully done without succumbing to stereotypes or romanticizing various tribes and cultures. Indeed, Blackwell includes a fascinating Afterword, “A Word on Natives in Fiction,” in which he details his initial reluctance as a non-Native American of including Indigenous people in his novel unless he could get it right.Blackwell’s prose is simple and attractive, detailed when it needs to be as well as filled with nebulousness to maintain the suspense of his story. The woods of Pale Peak are especially soundly portrayed as are veiled, malevolent references to the area. Even with a minimum of characters, some of whom clearly have secrets they are not willing to share in spite of the havoc their silence creates, Blackwood creates a dynamic atmosphere regarding their possible aenigmas and fates. When it clearly becomes necessary for the story’s plot, the author takes his two main characters and places them in a more welcoming setting, but the comfort does not last, surely much to the reader’s delight.As well done and addictive as STOLEN TONGUES is, doesn’t mean there aren’t concerns about the book— glitches which are not uncommon to many newer writers. There are a few occasions when events or characters’ actions and/or what they say are simply illogical. At times descriptions of these ostensible contradictions for a reader looking for more than just a creepy story are likely to be perplexing, possibly even distracting. There is a bit more repetition than perhaps necessary in the novel. This may be due to its origin as an on-going story, the lack of more characters, or simply to accentuate the uncanniness factor of the novel. The appearance of a well-known quotation from the late Charlton Heston from his NRA spokesman days can be perceived as either clever or jarringly out of place. For a self-published book, the text is exceptionally clear of typos and formatting errors until shortly after the book’s mid-way point. Although it serves a minor purpose which will linger in the reader’s mind throughout the book, the book’s Prologue seems too long and detailed for the purpose it does eventually serve. Better editing could and should have addressed or clarified these matters.As more and more terrifying sights and sounds manifest themselves in the woods, at the cabin, and elsewhere and characters begin to die gruesome deaths at the hand of the creature, At’an-A’anotogkua (more easily known as “the Imposter”), Blackwell makes most of the book’s inconsistencies fade from the reader’s mind and the story becomes the primary focus. One exception is the purpose of references to the cellar of the mountain cabin and its contents which are only briefly mentioned and then left unaddressed with no explanation as are some other minor details the author leaves lingering. Are these unexplained elements meant to be a part of the story’s mysteriousness and inexplicable nature of the unknown, simply overlooked by the author, or hints of a sequel to come?The motivation of the supernatural presence and pursuit of the couple is unraveled in the book’s finale and can be perceived in one of two ways: as either a most unusual incentive by a most unnatural being of unknown conception or simply somewhat silly. It is all left up to the reader’s imagination and their commitment and fascination with the story to decide. Regardless of some quirks, STOLEN TONGUES is clearly a work by a young writer who is well worth watching. The novel, creative and at times chilling as it is, is already more entertaining than some published work by more experienced writers. [NOTE: Felix Blackwell has also published a collection of short stories, THE COLD PEOPLE: AND OTHER FAIRY TALES FROM NOWHERE (2016) and a second novel, IN THE DEVIL’S DREAMS (2019).]

(Contains no spoilers)This book started off so well! It hooks you in & is very creepy. Well written. However I personally felt that 3/4 of the way in, it started to loose momentum. It mentions certain elements of the story as if they are going to be revealed as huge "ah-ha" moments that brings all the little pieces together but it falls flat. The ending was anticlimactic & doesn't match the momentum that the rest of the book had. I didnt think the big reveals were that interesting & it didnt really have anything to do with the story or the "why" of the antagonist & their main interest. I overall enjoyed it minus the ending & would try other books from this author.

I couldn’t put it down!I wish more aspects had been dug deeper, like carrot the parrot? But overall it was highly entertaining and terrifying!

If youve ever wondered "how can people even be scared by reading a BOOK", then this one is for you. As an avid horror reader, I thought nothing of it at first, just something to keep my mind occupied. But after a few pages, I was hooked, and only stopped reading to eat and sleep.

This was a powerful work of art, piece of story telling. This was my first experience of Felix Blackwell and I would definitely try another novel from them.The characters were strong and interesting, with great depth. The settings were descriptive, making it so you felt you were right there with them.The theme of the book was different and super interesting. The under currents of grief, fears and relationships (love) were extremely powerful and just added strength to the tale.Please read this.

It is a spine-chilling journey into the depths of horror that left me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The book is a masterclass in the art of suspense, delivering an experience that lingers long after the final page. From the very first chapters, Blackwell sets an ominous tone that permeates the entire narrative. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter building upon the last, creating a relentless sense of dread. The author skillfully uses suspense and unexpected twists to keep the reader guessing, all while maintaining an underlying sense of unease.The horror elements in "Solen Tounger" are not simply about jump scares; they are psychological, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling. Blackwell taps into the darkest corners of the human psyche, creating an experience that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of the horror genre.I found myself captivated by the intricate web of terror that Blackwell weaves, and the book's ability to elicit genuine fear is a testament to the author's skill. "Solen Tounger" is not just a horror novel; it's a harrowing exploration of fear itself, making it a must-read for those who appreciate the genre.

Entregue em bom estado, sem qualquer estrago.Ainda não li, mas pelas recomendações, dizem ser muito bom.