I purchased the Twice as Dark e-book, which also includes the novel The Nightmare Within, but I really didn't want to wait til I finished the second novel before writing a review of Where Darkness Dwells.

This book is certainly aptly titled because it is a very dark story. And it is clear that the darkness of which Krisch writes has many dwelling places, including the human heart. Beneath the surface of Coal Hollow there lie two undergrounds. One is the Underground Railroad which transported slaves to freedom. The other Underground leads to eternal imprisonment and damnation while giving a mockery of paradise and eternal life.

Yes, it is a story of contrasts. Light (sunlight) and darkness; good and evil, hope and despair, the living and the undead, religion and myth. It is a novel where sometimes redemption is only achieved through the ultimate of sacrifices. Where eternal life is a curse and liberation can only be sought through death. Where evil and good live on and continue to battle beyond death.

The people of Coal Hollow are complex. They are flawed. They are weak, afraid, or simply vain and selfish, and yet in spite of this are also capable of supreme sacrifice and heroism. There are touching (and heartbreaking) scenes in which goodness shines through in the darkest of places in this novel. Choices are made: some refuse to be tempted and flee while others take up arms against the evil that emerges from the Underground to drag the living down to Hell. Yet no character's action is without cost.

This is a very dark,and ultimately heroic and redemptive novel that escapes the nihilism that tales of this type often fall prey to. And it is not soon forgotten. A scene of a child searching for a home, a scene of young parents sacrificing all for their baby, and a scene of eternal suffering and damnation that would chill Dante himself run through your imagination long after the last page is turned.

Yeah, I probably need to read a book about puppies right now; but I will remember this book for a long time and will be reading more by Glen Kirsch, both now, and I am sure through the years. ( )

Coal mining and the great depression are horrors in their own right, but add to that an underground world where no one dies and they want you, (and if you are like me and a bit claustrophobic and afraid of being buried alive) Where Darkness Dwells by Glen R Krisch will have you cringing and shivering, maybe even keeping you up at night. LOL

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I haven't read much in this genre besides a few Clive Barker books, but I definitely enjoyed reading this one, so much so that I had to finish it within a couple of days. There are several layers of secrets about the town and its inhabitants that will keep your interest going until the end. I think having the story take place in the 1930s and with flashbacks even further back in time was bold, but well executed and tied well with the story. I feel I got a real taste of both the place and the era, even though I'm from Europe and I've hardly spent any time in the Midwest.

I am unsure whether the use of the supernatural "above ground" benefited or hurt the story, but in some cases it might have been unnecessary. Personally, I would also have preferred a different ending, an ending that would match the darkness and cruelness of the underground. Finally, there were a couple of minor loose ends/questions left unanswered, but nothing serious enough to detract from the book as a whole.

All in all, very good work and highly recommended especially for genre fans. ( )

Excellent horror story. Friends since childhood, Jimmy and George sneak out to have an adventure from stories fueled by local legend. Once they sneak into the long empty mine tunnels they meet more than they ever bargained. The book was hard to put down. Well written it would also make an excellent movie! A great way to spend an afternoon in the sun! ( )

The story starts with two teenagers, George and Jimmy, going to have one last midnight adventure. The plan is to sneak into the abandoned coal mines to get White Bane, a legendary fish. But while there, they stumble upon something they shouldn’t. Jimmy is caught and George makes a break for it.

Then a hobo named Cooper wanders into Coal Hallow. While coming into town, he sees an abandoned house and is being pulled to it. There is something about that house that he needs to know.

Ellie, George’s sister, and Jacob, Jimmy’s brother, search for Jimmy after George’s body is found. They go see Greta, the local witch woman. She confirms that Jimmy is close by. But Jimmy’s mother would rather believe that Jimmy ran off to the army and to avoid his responsibilities.

But there is a darker possibility, the Underground. A special place where people don’t die, where they stay young and heal from injuries. But this is not the wonderful world it sounds like. Those that found the place have become full of hate and have corrupted their world.

This was an interesting read. I don’t know what I was expecting but it sure wasn’t what happened. I loved the concept of the Underground. I would have liked to find out where it came from. Great idea with the residents and what happens to them. I’ll admit that I’m a little torn on the ending. I feel like it could have ended with a little bit more dynamic finish to the Underground.

Beyond that, I did really like this story. For those people that like thrillers and horror stories, I think you would really like this story. I can’t wait to read more of Glen Krisch’s stories.

I received this book from Library Things and the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )