“Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble” is probably one of the most-known witches chants in literature – cackled by the three witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Although The Tragedy of Macbeth isn’t a tale of horror – although when it comes to horror stories, witches have always featured heavily. Witches sit at the crossroads of folklore, superstition, the darker corners of human imagination and come in many forms – good and bad. Unlike other horror staples such as demons, vampires or ghosts, witches are frightening because they blur the line between the mundane and the supernatural – they can be anyone, anywhere, hidden behind an ordinary life until their power surfaces. From ancient crones concocting curses around the cauldron in the deepest, darkest part of the woods to modern day practitioner of the occult who weave sinister magic into everyday settings, witches embody the unknown, the fear of forbidden knowledge and the consequences of tapping into forces far beyond human understanding and control. Horror stories that centre on witchcraft often explore themes of corruption, obsession and the terrifying idea that some stories, once written, refuse to stay buried. And J.D. Barker’s Forsaken takes a witch driven horror in a direction with a fresh, unsettling twist that makes the novel feel both classic and contemporary. And for Stephen King fans, look out for the references to Needful Things and Leland Gaunt!
Forsaken is the debut novel of J.D. Barker and the first in The Shadow Cove Sage series (although published in 2014 subsequent novels in the series haven’t been forthcoming – yet!). The story focuses around a bestselling author, Thad McAlister, who finds himself writing a story in an old journal, a story he never intended to tell. His latest novel seems to pour out of him as if dictated by an unseen force – it’s a tale about a witch from the 17th century whose cruelty and power are the stuff of nightmares. As Thad becomes consumed by the writing process, his wife Rachael begins experiencing terrifying events at home, suggesting that the witch from Thad’s manuscript may not be confined to the page after all.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Forsaken and I even enjoyed the dual timelines (which I’m not a big fan of), going back to the witch trials in England and forward to the modern-day. The story is more than just the telling of a witch story, it is packed with psychological dread and is a fantastically creepy read.
Thad is a best-selling author and has just hand-written his latest novel, it tells the story of a centuries old witch just referred to as Her. But is it really a story of fiction or something more sinister? With Her story finally told She wants to come back and Thad has just opened the door to make that happen. And his pregnant wife Rachael is going to play a very big part in the event.
The story is about the resurgence of a centuries old witch, but to come back things need to happen. The story as a whole is about Thad who needs to protect his family from the witch and Her evil deeds while carrying out Her demands. Then there is the story of Rachael who is at home and isolated from the world where evil minions ensure she cannot leave the house or have contact with the outside world. The story also flashes back to 1692 uses passages from Thad’s book and follows the Journal of Clayton Stone and Her. While they are all separate strands of the story, they all flow extremely well together in a fluid joined-up way that makes Forsaken a really engaging page turner.
The story is steeped in atmospheric dread, capturing the brutality of life, religious influence and the paranoia surrounding witchcraft. While the modern-day part of the storyline delivers a more psychological terror. Rachael’s isolation, the strange occurrences in the house and the growing sense that something ancient is tightening its grip create a relentless tension. Clickity, click, click!
I found Forsaken to be a gripping, atmospheric and unsettling witch‑centric horror / supernatural novel. While it starts (and ends) by playing homage to Stephen King’s Needful Things it definitely has its own identity. The pacing is sharp, with a fantastic layering of the story. And the twists are excellent.
Forsaken is a brilliant story with superb twists and fantastic storytelling.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £11.50 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit jdbarker.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
