Book review: "Dimentia" by Russell Coy

I recently ordered a copy of this book on the basis of it having one of the coolest covers I've seen. From the jacket, I had the sense that this was going to be a bit more haunting in tone, although it's actually a more of a horror romp.

This short blast of a novella establishes the stakes from the word "go", with the main character seeing a demonic being in his neighbourhood when he goes to collect his daughter from the school bus. The protagonist will have to start playing games on the creatures' own terms if he's going to keep his child safe. As other creatures start appearing, Coy (the surname is pretty misleading in terms of the novel's tone) clearly takes great pleasure in describing the bizarre and grotesque creatures his mind has coughed up. No doubt this is why this book has been compared by others to the Brian Yuzna film "Society", although I think it's more like a less sexualised version of Clive Barker's "The Hellbound Heart".

The references to real cultural artefacts is enjoyable, although they can start to muddle the pace/tone somewhat in the more climactic scenes. Nonetheless, this is a fun novella that one can take read in one sitting. Some of the action also suggests some interesting avenues for further adventures in the demons' realm. I'll be curious to see what Coy will do next if he has a more ambitious project in mind.