A Review of "The Monsters in our Shadows" by Edward J. Cembal

If you enjoyed “Logan's Run,” but wished it were a bit darker, then you will probably love “The Monsters in our Shadows” by Edward J. Cembal.

In a sort of alternate future, humankind has been devastated by Shivers, a ghostlike being that attaches itself to a person and eventually devours them. There is no knowing when the beast will decide to feed. You could live with your shiver for years. Once the Shiver consumes its host, it will eat any person it comes across. Anthem is the Exilist for Atlas, a small settlement of survivors. His job is to remove those who are about to be consumed by their Shiver and leave them on the other side of the city wall so the Shivers won’t run amuck in the town. But then, the town’s leader sends him on a mission beyond the wall to save the small population, and Anthem learns that all is not as he has been taught.

This was a fun read. Don’t you love it when, as a reader, you come up with a solution to a problem, and you think, “Boy, I hope the author solves it this way,” and the author does? So satisfying! This was a really novel take on near-future sci fi and horror. While some questions are left unanswered, the adventure along the way is full of twists and turns and emotion and tension. I can't wait to see the movie that comes from this material.

Cembal’s “The Monsters in our Shadows” is the first book I’ve read of his, but I’m definitely interested in more. I recommend this read to fans of dystopian horror. I received this book from NetGalley.

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