Al Sarrantonio, Orangefield

Orangefield

Al Sarrantonio

Cemetery Dance, 2002, $35.00

ISBN: 158767064X

Orangefield, New York, the center of pumpkin farming, hosts an annual Pumpkin Days Festival. However, the fun gala is seen by Samhain the Celtic Lord of Death as a means to serve his Lord the Dark One. He has selected three damaged souls to sacrifice themselves, so that a portal for the Dark One to enter the human realm on Halloween night can be opened.

Army veteran Aaron Peters still suffers from physical injuries while serving in Somalia, but his psychological wounds are much greater and more useful to the Lord of Death. Aaron, combined with psychopathic incredibly medicated Jordie and innocent teen Annabeth Turner, make for a perfect triad, as he quietly manipulates each one to sacrifice themselves in order to bring the Dark one over from beyond.

ORANGEFIELD is a fun Halloween thriller filled with chills, as the audience anticipates that Samhain will succeed in his endeavor due to the weaknesses of the three chosen ones. The five key characters (the human trio, Samhain and the Dark One) seem genuine, as they hold "internal" discussions between the Lord of Death and the others, but that also tends to decelerate the speed of the fall of the threesome. Fans who enjoy a fine horror tale will want to spend Halloween in upstate New York with Al Sarrantonio as your host (also see the sequel HALLOWS EVE).