One could argue that the horror genre is the biggest in terms of possibilities. It’s full of sub-genres, but that doesn’t mean we’ve seen every type of scare it’ll ever offer. Writers, directors, animators, game designers, make-up artists and authors continue to shock and impress, thanks to imaginations that know no bounds, so it’s safe to expect more sub-genres to develop over time. There are simply too many story possibilities to be found within horror as a whole.
With his novel, We Will Rise, Tim Waggoner has written something that would fall into sub-genres relating to gore, survival and monstrosities. If it were a movie, it’d be considered to be a B movie and would be labelled as campy too, though I guess both of those things could be used to identify a book as well. It’s certainly not going to appeal to all horror fans, especially those who like their stories deep or cerebral. Hell, it’s unlike most of what I’ve read.
We Will Rise takes place in Echo Springs, Ohio, although its catastrophic happenings are also said to have occurred in every other part of the world. You see, a sort of Homecoming has begun, as the spirits of those who’ve died have started to return to earth. They’re filled with hatred for the living, too, and want revenge.
Things start well, as a man returns home from an overnight shift to get some much needed rest. It’s not in the cards, though; because his long deceased brother’s spirit returns to make things even. Then, we move on to meet others who are faced with the spirits of people they’ve lost. It’s honestly a fun and interesting opening, and by far my favourite part of this otherwise (mostly) forgettable book.
The overarching plot follows specific townspeople as they attempt to survive the day from Hell. The whole town is dealing with the same thing, but some have had better luck than others when it’s come to avoiding a quick death. Either that, or their ghosts have other plans for them. The result is a lot of gross out horror and violence for the sake of violence; as if the author wrote this book to get some of his sickest ideas down on paper. It’s crass, it’s violent and it’s full of blood, both figuratively and literally thanks to a man who’s obsessed with a serial killer.
I found that this book was all over the place, and also felt it was a bit too much. At least that was the case for me. This isn’t something I’d want to read more of, and I honestly read through it quickly to get it done with, because I owed a review. I wouldn’t call it good, nor would I really call it ok. It just is. Some will like it, though, because all types of horror have their audiences.
If you decide to read We Will Rise by Tim Waggoner, don’t expect depth or great writing. Expect chaos, gore and disturbing descriptions of characters, deaths and violence. This one isn’t for the faint of stomach, nor will it be for most people.
This review is based on a copy of the book that we were provided with. Thank you to Flametree Press and NetGalley. Receiving a free copy didn’t sway our opinion or affect our review.