Threshold
Author: Caitlin Kiernan
Publisher: ROC
ISBN-10: 045146124X
ISBN-13: 978-0451461247
Rating: 8/10

Threshold, Caitlin Kiernan, book review, sci-fi, urban fantasy
There are few things to say about Caitlin Kiernan. Few bad things, that is. Since her debut novel, “The Five of Cups“, fifteen years ago, she has consistently delivered original and spine-tingling prose. Threshold is no different. Despite its short length it is packed with enough twists and turns to satisfy any insomniac. Yet the novel isn’t without its issues. However, on balance, the pluses far outweigh the minuses.

Set in the present day, the novel follows three Gen-X types. Chance Matthews a graduate student majoring in paleontology, Deacon Silvey a college dropout eking by doing odd jobs for minimum wage, and Sadie Jasper, Deacon’s girlfriend. On the surface, they appear to be normal thirtysomethings, yet they all harbor dark secrets within themselves; the kind related to things that go bump in the night. When a mysterious force threatens their existence the trio must to go toe to toe with the monsters lurking in the alleyways and sewers of their native Birmingham. With help from an equally mysterious girl with a checkered past of her own, they face up to the boogeymen in the dark, and within their own hearts.

Far from being a generic horror or generic science fiction novel, the book’s ambiguous style and unique storyline is a delightful departure from the formulaic writing so common in both genres. It doesn’t hurt that the human characters, while having supernatural traits, are still authentic figures, with palpable wants, needs and emotions that sometimes defy them. The combination of fresh storytelling and rich characterization are ample reasons to read the book. Yet it does have its drawbacks.

While the storytelling is rich, the flow of events can sometimes be confusing. Sometimes it is difficult to tell what happened when, and often one will struggle to piece together a timeline. On top of the “Lost”-style vibe, Kiernan occasionally drops the reader in the thick of the action, as if she assumes that they already know that monster X is chasing Chance or Dancy, or she supplies the reader with back stories that are sometimes muddied. On balance though, the deficiencies of the book aren’t as significant as its colorful prose.

John Winn – Staff Writer
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