Peck; Sean (of Cage): Ancient Evil (book)

Not content with fronting recent releases by Death Dealer and the Mercyful Fate pair of Michael Denner and Hank Shermann, Heavy Metal singer Sean Peck has been crafting a Science Fiction novel from which he and his band Cage have recorded the concept album, Ancient Evil (already reviewed on SoT... ). Here Peck expands greatly on the themes explored on the album, where a story of a prison guard from Victorian times, whose wife's ill health will surely be the end of her, is offered a strange and unimaginable cure for his love's condition. However to maintain her new found health, the bizarre, gut wrenching "cure" needs to be carried out again. From here things take a turn for the worse and the bizarre...

Mixing classic early sci-fi to something altogether more modern, in a Doctor Who meets costume drama kind of way, Peck has managed to put together a fast paced story that moves from set piece to set piece nicely. Threat and foreboding a constant companion as Elliott Worthington (our hero put in constant peril) begins a journey towards an unavoidable confrontation with a power humans can barely comprehend. Things do lose a little pace as the back story of the "Ancient Evil" of the book's title comes to light, yet with a rip snorting conclusion positively galloping into view, the end (or is it…?) of the story delivers in grand style. Occasionally the language slips out of the English, Victorian vernacular, into an unexpected modern American turn of phrase and yet the feel and tone of the story undoubtedly whisks you back to the desired time long gone. It's a small complaint when played out against the peril and situations the characters find themselves, our hero continually forced to use an inner strength he never knew he could possess.

Considering this is Peck's first foray into novel writing, I have to admit to being very pleasantly surprised at the pace and involved nature of Ancient Evil. In fact, I'd be lying if I was to suggest it didn't engage from the off and keep me hooked throughout. As a companion piece to the excellent Cage album, this is a must have, although I'm pleased to say this book also stands up very well on its own merits.

Added: November 8th 2015
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Cage online
Hits: 1965
Language: english

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