Reviews

“He Who Walks in Shadow hearkens to the classic pulp era of the 1930s and does justice to the Mythos that H.P. Lovecraft and the best of his successors have established. Talley skillfully blends high adventure and black magic against a backdrop of encroaching cosmic horror.” -Laird Barron, author of The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All

“Talley’s unusual prose style creates an authentic Lovecraftian atmosphere that is further supported by the epistolary format of the novel, which is set in 1933 and is composed of letters, journal entries, and newspaper articles. This is high adventure that strides across the purple field of Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.” -Donald Tyson, author of Necronomicon: The Wanderings of Alhazred

“Talley truly has a way with words, and some of the descriptions left me breathless.” -Chantal Noordeloos, author of Angel Manor

“Infusing his tale with both real and weird history (The Russian Revolution/The Tunguska Event), brilliant characters and a real sense of dread, Talley has done something incredible…..he’s not only given life to the Mythos….under his guidance, it is evolving. Highest possible recommendation.” –Horror After Dark.

“While The Reborn might lack the Lovecraftian touches readers of Talley’s other works have so enjoyed, it is nevertheless a more-than-solid work of speculative fiction, new in its approach to contemporary issues and captivating in its forays into a near-future world.

Highly recommended.” –Collings Notes

“Without doubt the best piece of fiction (of any genre) I’ve read this year, The Reborn takes a spin on eugenics and links it with a war that destroys much of the world….The concept alone is stellar, but the breakneck speed of the narrative, the impressive twists the story takes, and Talley’s obvious skill as a writer, are what truly make this tale of a dystopian future unputdownable.” – Horror After Dark

“Brett Talley weaves a good tale, and I liked The Reborn quite a bit. It’s a dark, sometimes ugly story, but it is not without humanity and hope. I will definitely keep my eyes open for more of the author’s work in the future. Providing we have a future, that is.” – Horror Drive-In

“VERDICT -This unique and unnerving read is a sure bet for horror and SF fans… the horror elements are very well written and fascinating.” – ­Rebecca M. Marrall, Western Washington Univ. Libs., ­Bellingham – Library Journal.

“Talley follows Stoker finalist That Which Should Not Be with another tale of cosmic horror. This tale of aliens preying on humanity stands out from the crowd thanks to the strength of Talley’s prose and creative imagination.” – Publishers Weekly.

“With THE VOID, Brett J. Talley guides us out to the vastness of space and deep into the landscape of nightmare. Talley gives us elegant prose that whispers unspeakable horrors. Highly recommended.”- Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author of ASSASSIN’S CODE and DEAD OF NIGHT

“A cosmically magnificent piece of dark science fiction. Talley is a gifted story teller. Every word is an inevitable piece derived from a past dream, and every sentence, a haunting insinuation of what might come next.” – Benjamin Kane Ethridge, Bram Stoker Award winning author of BLACK & ORANGEand BOTTLED ABYSS.

“The Void is one of the best horror novels that I’ve read this year, hands down. It is a vast improvement on That Which Should Not Be and firmly establishes Brett Talley as an author to watch out for in the future.” – Starburst Magazine

“Talley has composed an immensely effective novel. It’s rare we stumble onto a new author so consistent in their capability to allure us into their next anticipated journey. Talley proves That Which Should Not Be, his debut effort, was no fluke. He’s here to stay. – HorrorNews.net

“What these stories always offer is a rich world where a great evil creates darkness in the tale that is both inviting and holds great interest. In Brett J. Talley’s That Which Should Not Be I have to admit I think I’ve found one of the best homages to Lovecraft I have read. I’d go so far as to use the almost cheesy line that it’s “a Love letter to the work of Lovecraft”. Anybody with any interest in Lovecraft’s work will recognise the style of writing and the on-going themes that Talley has pulled into the book, if you ever wanted an introduction to Lovecraft then this is a good place to start. I’d go so far as to say if you read this and enjoy it as much as I did then you should push yourself into reading some Lovecraft, it’s not as accessible as this book but it does share a lot of the style that Brett J. Talley manages to re-create in his work.” –Paul Metcalf, Pissed OffGeek

“Finally, it is easy to see why this first novel of Brett J. Talley’s has received the notice and acclaim that have followed it, and That Which Should Not Be marks a welcome and stylishly enjoyable addition to the Lovecraftian Mythos as well as a promising and talented introduction of a new authorial talent to the horror genre in Brett J. Talley. I know that I, for one, will be looking forward with great anticipation to his next novel.”—Norm Rubenstein, Horror World

“This is a fantastic debut novel and fits right into the Lovecraft mythology. Even if Lovecraft is not usually your thing, I would still say that this book is worth checking out; such is the quality of the writing and the gripping nature of the stories being told. It more than deserves the nomination it received for this year’s Bram Stoker awards.  Suffice to say that when I finished this book, I had an uncontrollable urge to go back and read some of the original Lovecraft classics. I can’t give it a better recommendation than that.” –Graeme Reynolds, Starburst Magazine  

“Winner of JournalStone’s horror novel writing contest, Brett J. Talley has written a wonderful homage to occult horror.  Each of the stories told to our protagonist is unique and scary by itself while adding to the overall atmosphere and theme of the novel as a whole.  Each character is nicely fleshed-out and their individual stories come together beautifully.  With references to Lovecraft, Stoker and even the Bible, That Which Should Not Be reads like the best 19th and early 20th century horror stories about the occult and ancient god-like monsters.  I look forward to reading more by Talley in the future. Highly recommended.”  –Colleen Wanglund, Monster Librarian

“I hope to see more Lovecraftian fiction from Talley. I recommend THAT WHICH SHOULD NOT BE to readers who are looking for some newer Lovecraftian tales, as this is one of the better novel-length efforts I’ve come across in years. Because it neatly ties in some other more traditional horror themes and tropes (e.g., the wendigo, the Flying Dutchman, evil cultists and psychopaths) with the Cthulhu Mythos, I think that fans of horror fiction who have not yet encountered the Mythos should enjoy this one as well.”  –J. Andrew Byers, Bibliorex

“But the recently published That Which Should Not Be, by Brett J. Talley, is great.  In fact, it’s one of the best Lovecraftian novels I have ever read, and I don’t say that lightly.” –Mike Davis, Editor-in-Chief, Lovecraft eZine

“I would encourage fans of Lovecraft’s fiction to check out That Which Should Not Be, which ends up not as a pastiche or knock-off but rather as a loving and dedicated tribute that presents a new story in another author’s world.”  —Hellnotes

“Taken as a whole, That Which Should Not Be is a welcome addition to the ranks of the Cthulhu Mythos. . . .Highly recommended.” —Collings Notes

“Brett J. Talley is a man with talent, and this book certainly makes him an author to watch. Fast-paced, classy, and with some terrific prose, this is an excellent read for horror fans. Very highly recommended.”  —DreadCentral.com

“That Which Should Not Be is a fresh, intelligent, yet traditionally told story….Well written and well edited, Talley’s That Which Should Not Be draws you into a simpler time, where monsters are god-creatures best left alone by man.”  –Clayton Bye, Editor-in-Chief, The Deepening

“Four and a half suspenseful, frightening tales in one. . . . Talley is wonderful at crafting suspense, and each sub-story pays homage to a high theme of occult horror.  Plenty of suspense and chills to satisfy occult-horror fans.”  —Kirkus Reviews

“Talley’s odyssey into the unknown makes this tale a heart stammering page turner from beginning to end.  Talley’s use of present, to past and foreshadowing rivals that of any successful commercial author in contemporary horror fiction. His characters are well crafted and personable.”  –Dave Gammon, HorrorNews.net

“Written in Lovecraftian style, That Which Should Not Be is lushly evocative, like black velvet.”  —The Literary Mind Blender

“I simply can’t explain how amazing this book really is, but it left me wanting more.” —For the Love of Books