Book Review: Seed by Ania Ahlborn

Jack Winter fled his rural home when he was just a boy, thinking he was leaving his nightmare behind forever. Now, years later, him and his family are in a car crash and he sees glowing eyes that he recognises... the evil thing that had followed him as a child has found him again.

"Jack knew those eyes, and it terrified him that they had found him again."

This is my second Ahlborn book after The Devil Crept In and I'm already hailing her as my Queen of Horror! It takes a lot to leave me feeling unsettled before bed, and Ahlborn definitely delivers with this one. I was going to sleep in strange hotel rooms imagining shadows in corners... thanks for the restless nights!!

One of my favourite things about Ahlborn's books is her writing, she has a way with words, and writes dialogue between characters in the most believable way. She is also a fan of pop culture references (much like Joe Hill), which I dig very much - there were a few King references in here that I particularly appreciated.

Ahlborn isn't afraid to go to DARK places in her storytelling, and as an avid horror reader, I really appreciate that. Too often when I read horror I can predict the upcoming ending, or you can tell that a horror author is holding something back... afraid to write something TOO polarising? Ahlborn doesn't do that, she doesn't chicken out of pulling some punches. There's nothing I enjoy more than reading a book and thinking to myself "holy shit...they won't go THAT dark" and then they do! I think this is why Pet Sematary is still my favourite King book. I was pretty new to reading horror and I was SHOOK that King went down such a dark path. Seed is also delightfully dark!

My only minor annoyance with Seed is some of the decisions that Jack made as a husband and as a father... but hey, if characters didn't make dumb decisions every now and again, we wouldn't have half as many great books as we do!

Already looking forward to my next Ahlborn - she has yet to disappoint. 4 stars.

Johann
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