LIT

The effects of trauma, depression, anxiety, and human suffering manifest as literal monsters in this series starter from SF/fantasy author Anthony.

The story follows three remarkable characters from very different walks of life who have one thing in common: They’re haunted by terrible creatures called “Leviathans,” brought forth by extreme traumatic experiences and mental illness. Ellie Jameson is a school janitor who’s hounded by a giant Slender Man-esque Leviathan that destroys her family, causing a mental breakdown that forces her into state-mandated therapy; during on session, she can still hear the monster’s “rasping breath” and “feel its cold and smell its nauseating stench.” Sam Morris is a struggling advertising executive whose Leviathan manifests as a giggling, creepy little girl begging him to “come play” and victimizes family members and colleagues in Sam’s vicinity during times of extreme stress. Joshua Fielding is an 8-year-old with an alcoholic mother who has an abusive boyfriend; the youngster’s Leviathan emerges as a giant “Monster Dog” that follows him to school, where he tries to avoid prying questions from teachers and friends. Although the characters are from separate worlds, their stories begin to overlap as Ellie and Sam prepare for an upcoming event of horror and mayhem and Joshua encounters his Monster Dog for the first time. Debut author Anthony, a registered nurse, effortlessly interweaves together elements of mythology and dark SF to create a world in which trauma’s harm is far more than mere metaphor. The plot is consistently engaging, displaying an understanding of genre tropes, and the author shows a skill for storytelling that surpasses that of some more established authors. Most notable is Anthony’s ability to smoothly move between each character’s point of view, which not only gives the reader a complete story, but also a proper basis for understanding the detailed world the author has built in these pages.

A delightfully gruesome story that will continue to haunt readers long after they reach its end.