BOOK INFO
Publisher: Samhain Horror
Length: 57 Pages
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
Daniel Gates is known as a “fixer”, someone who uses a variety of skills in order to collect obscure artifacts for his clients. He recently completed a high stakes mission in obtaining a a mirror made from human bone for a powerful corporation and is set to collect his payday before he is offered another job – travel to an obscure Scottish distillery to obtain a large bottle of mysterious whisky known as The Zero Malt. Gates is unable to turn down the offer with the promise of quadrupling his fee and having his history wiped clean with new papers.
Gates boards a train to Scotland and with plenty of time to kill and daydreams about calling it a career after this one more job swirling around his head. He decides to take a peek at the package given to him by Rothschild to use in exchange for more of The Zero Malt. The book is a custom leather-bound book that bears the marking “Choronzon’s Grimoire” and is filled with handwritten script that details the history of numerous occult objects and is full of indecipherable drawings. It is here that Gates discovers the true meaning of the mirror he handed over to Rothschild.
Gates loses the book on his travels but decides to take the meeting anyway, hoping he can salvage the deal with some smooth words and a more enticing offer. When he arrives on the island of the famed distillery, he is stunned by what he finds. Abandoned on the island with no way back, Gates has no choice but to try to make a deal. The distillery is seemingly empty, but Gates can’t shake the feeling that someone or something is watching him. What follows is a fever dream of events that finds Gates struggling for survival as he is plagued by horrifying visions that make him question his sanity.
Gates is an interesting character, a suave confident jack of all trades who has connections to black market items. He is a shadow, someone who manages to get his business cards to potential clients at just the right time. The air of mystery around him is what immediately draws the reader in, but what makes him standout is his very realistic portrayal. He has very real faults and has made numerous mistakes throughout his life and career. Despite his professional reputation and the things that he has undoubtedly seen, he also doesn’t seem to have all the answers. He finds himself in very real danger and at times you begin to see a vulnerability appear in him.
Lee is a supreme talent when it comes to building a sense of atmosphere and that is evident not only in The Lucifer Glass, but his other works as well. His writing is detailed and full of rich imagery that engages all the senses and helps immerse readers in the worlds that he creates. The novella format works extremely well for The Lucifer Glass, creating a fast-paced read that quickly drops the reader into a world of psychological horrors. While certain aspects of the story seemed to be a bit confusing at times, I thought The Lucifer Glass was a fun read and I think it will appeal to those who enjoy occult-based horror. Lee has at least another two books planned in the Daniel Gates universe, but I hope the stories continue well beyond that!
Rating: 4/5
LINKS
Samhain Horror’s Official Website
Purchase The Lucifer Glass on Amazon
The Horror Bookshelf 
Reblogged this on FrazerLee.com and commented:
My thanks to The Horror Bookshelf for this marvellous review of The Lucifer Glass.
[…] “Lee is a supreme talent when it comes to building a sense of atmosphere and that is evident not only in The Lucifer Glass, but his other works as well.…Lee has at least another two books planned in the Daniel Gates universe, but I hope the stories continue well beyond that!” (The Horror Bookshelf) […]