Across the Dunes: A Thrilling Folk Horror Adventure

Across the Dunes: A Thrilling Folk Horror Adventure by Daniel Soule.

SOME LEGENDS ARE TRUE… EVEN IF YOU PRAY THEY AREN’T 

It has been a while since we reviewed anything from Daniel Soule, and when Danial contacted me the other week with a request to review his latest novel, Across The Dunes, we did the usual and sent a reply without a standard reply. However, I was in between books and had my mind set on reading another book. But for some reason, I decided to scan the book while waiting for my lunch to cook. Three hours later, I had devoured almost half of Across The Dunes while my lunch went cold in the air fryer.

This is something that has probably only ever happened once before. Something to come between me and food takes a hell of a lot.

I even ended up staying up late that night to finish it.

As you can probably tell from the above introduction, I loved Across The Dunes. But what makes this book so unique?

Well, for starters, it’s a folk horror novel, which happens to be one of my favourite sub-genres of horror novels. But it is also a folk horror novel based on a coastal farming community. And no, it is nothing like the Wickerman; well, it is to a small degree. Ancient ways bred into the genetics of a local community and an outsider that is key to the story. But that is where the similarities end. While Wickerman was more of a supernatural horror, Across The Dunes quickly descends into an action-packed visceral horror that will leave you out of breath with its breakneck narrative.

But I digress; why do I love folk horror, especially those based on farms or a coastal village? That is because, as a child, I spent most of my holidays and weekends working at my grandparents’ farm just outside St Andrews. Now, while my Grandfather owned the farm, my Grandmother ruled the roost. She was a “wise woman”, filled with old ways and the rituals that shaped the generations that preceded her.

These ways were drilled into me, so I still get wary of the fields during the Witching hours. And Across the Dunes spoke to those ways that were buried deep into my psyche.

It is hard to talk about Across The Dunes without giving away much of what makes this book unique. What starts as a fairly standard narrative, with a big Montser in the dunes threatening to destroy the village and the return of the prodigal son who is destined to save everyone, is cast aside to reveal a much more detailed and at times. I say this with the utmost respect, bat shit crazy narrative filled with some fantastic characters and plot developments.

I particularly liked how the main protagonist starts as the main focal point of the story but gets sidelined, allowing the secondary characters to shine. In particular, his son Sam, his new best friend Tink, and the utterly brillaint Nush.

The interplay between Sam and Tink is brillaint; Soule cleverly uses Sam’s love for movies to create a bond between Sam and Tink. These moments provide a sense of sweetness and innocence between the unrelenting horror of what is happening to them and around them.

Thedn there is Nush is just righteous, an ambitious Realtor looking to make a fortune and secure her place in her father’s boutique Estate Agency; she initially comes across as the sort of person you’d expect to be working for a firm like that.

However, Soule doesn’t believe in caricature, and he masterfully shapes her into a strong woman who not only stands on her own two feet but metaphorically, at one point, takes the bull by the balls. Her initial response to meeting one of the key figures of the novel is one of the best passages of character development I have read in many a year. I don’t want to say too much about it as it will spoil your enjoyment of the novel.

We even have a butcher who makes Hilary from A League of Gentlemen look 100% sane and cuddly. My stomach is still turning at the descriptions of his meat. It will be long before I have a sausage for my breakfast.

In terms of plot, again, there isn’t a lot I can say without spoiling the book for you. In the most simplistic terms, the plot deals with ancient deals made to keep a Godlike Worm at bay, but the magic that has bound the monster is weakening. The old rituals have not been observed, which keeps her at bay in the dunes. She is about to break free and, with her army of followers, will devour anyone and everyone who gets in her way.

Going into more depth will seriously damage your enjoyment of this novel.

With each chapter, Daniel Soule throws something new into the mix; you will like me to sit there with your eyes wide open while you pick your jaw up from the floor as Soule unveils yet another layer to the plot. He throws everything, including the kitchen sink, into the novel’s final act, but he metaphorically throws in a cow shed as well.

It would have been easy for the final two-thirds of Across the Dunes to become a mess, with all the characters getting free space to breathe and the multiple narrative and plot elements he chucks into the mix. But Soule knows what he is doing. At no point does the story feel cluttered, and more importantly, does it ever fall into silly hyperbole and farce?

Soule keeps everything tight and interconnected; the fantastical elements blend perfectly with the everyday world. Even when the characters face the giant worm’s sphincter, you never feel that he has strayed from the seriousness of what he initially set out to achieve.

Soule knows precisely where and when to drop [p a scene that will leave you chilled to the bone. From the true nature of the pact to the truth about the village and the use of some of the finest folkloric creatures of English history. Across the Dunes hits every beat of what makes a great horror novel with the timing of a virtuoso conductor. Across the Dunes is a symphonic novel that you cannot help but be swept up into its crescendo-like climax.

Across the Dunes takes the basics of folk horror and pumps it full of steroids. It is both respectful to the old ways and, simultaneously, breathes new life into what can sometimes feel like a tired genre.

Overall, Across the Dunes is a masterclass in how to blend folklore with visceral horror, crafting a narrative that is as thrilling as it is thought-provoking.

Daniel Soule captures the rawness of rural life and delves into the complexities of human nature amidst chaos. The chilling atmosphere, combined with well-developed characters, makes this more than just a story of survival; it becomes a haunting exploration of what lies beneath the surface of our communities and identities.

Soule’s ability to weave in dark humour amidst the spine-chilling terror provides a balance that keeps readers on their toes, ensuring that they never lose touch with the gravity of the unfolding events. As the stakes rise and the monstrous threat becomes inevitable, you find yourself racing alongside the characters, heart pounding, fully invested in their fates.

Across the Dunes stands apart as a bold and refreshing entry into the folk horror genre in a market crowded with copycats. Echoing the timeless warnings of the past that still resonate today. If you enjoy a thrilling ride that challenges your perceptions and leaves you questioning the very fabric of reality, this is a novel you cannot miss.

Prepare yourself for a journey that will not only thrill but also chill, reminding us that sometimes the legends we hope are just tales have a way of becoming our harshest realities.

Across the Dunes by Daniel Soule.

SOME LEGENDS ARE TRUE… EVEN IF YOU PRAY THEY AREN’T 

In a forgotten English coastal town, a sinister fairy tale lies in wait beneath the dunes. When an estranged father and son return to sell the family home, an ancient magical pact between their family and elemental powers of nature is set in motion. Father and son must try to find each other as they confront the lethal curse that has plagued their family through the ages. In so doing, they will learn that happily ever after comes at a high price, but only if they are brave enough to cross the dunes.  

For fans of Graham Joyce’s The Tooth Fairy and Stephen King’s Fairy Tale comes an addictive novel uniquely blending fantasy and horror. Across the Dunes is a heart-stopping tale of ancient curses and family bonds that will haunt you long after the final page. 

Further Reading

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