Two-Time Bram Stoker Award-winning author Robert P. Ottone brings the terror of Amityville back to life with chilling precision in Amityville Awakens.
The Amityville Horror House is demolished, unleashing terror upon the unsuspecting suburban community of North Amityville and its neighboring Village. With the fabled house gone, the two towns begin experiencing an onslaught of unsettling phenomena.
People go missing. A putrid, almost fungal spore-like mold begins festering across lawns. Shadows move and orbs glitter in the night. An unlikely band of characters comes together to battle a supernatural nightmare that threatens to tear all of Long Island apart.
Ottone’s inspired, fresh take on the most famous haunted house in the world is a sprawling supernatural tale of evil as it often comes: where you live, where you sleep.
A new take on a foundation of horror.
As a child of the 70s and 80s, I couldn't help but become familiar with "The Amityville Horror." It was simply one of those things that inevitably came up as part of my initial exposure to the genre, like "The Omen" or "The Exorcist." I wouldn't say I'm a fan of it but when something like that makes an impression on you during your youth, it tends to stick with you in a way that few things do later in life.
Thus, I was game to give "Amityville Awakens" a try, having heard the author read an excerpt from it during an appearance on the "Galactic Terrors" podcast, and ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
The core premise of the tale, which is revealed fairly quickly, involves the iconic horror house being torn down, releasing everything bad that had been contained within its walls into the surrounding community. I found the whole concept of a haunted house essentially infecting a region as a result of its demolition very intriguing as it's something I haven't really come across before and I feel Ottone made good use of and got a lot out of that as things unfolded.
As is typical of the genre, and these sorts of stories in particular, things eventually escalate to points that are rather over the top and outlandish but I felt like most of that was fairly well earned and made sense in the context of the story being told, especially given the themes typically associated with the Amityville mythos. That said, newcomers to the genre or those who only dabble in horror may find certain aspects off-putting or excessive but I personally believe the author managed to walk the line between thoroughness and gratuity for the most part.
There were a few minor elements of "Amityville Awakens" that didn't completely land for me but, overall, I found it to be a solid and satisfying read, significantly bolstered by its unique premise and the generally confident and consistent quality of Ottone's writing.
Bottom line: If you're looking for an intense and interesting horror read that does something new with the expected components that are usually involved in depicting Amityville's horror legacy, I'd definitely recommend a visit to this "open house."