Taking on a novel where one has zero preconceived notions
can be liberating. Almost no information about the author exists online ... and there
is relatively no news about said book. One of the reasons I do this is to
discover works like The Fourth Fog ... a book unique in the
genre.
Newlyweds Ben and Tula have moved into area ‘C’ and a new
apartment complex. Ben is a book editor surrounded by a mish-mash of unlikable individuals. Tula works as a nurse ... but their home is far from the
welcoming sanctuary they envisioned. Soon, an infestation of flies take root as
something in the ceiling perishes. Yet the flies appear to be something far
more sinister than the common house fly: they have purpose and intent – a
malign, elusive quality. Not only that, but Ben has become increasingly
dependent on a popular drug called HAL. But are these things the sole cause of Ben's small
but meaningful signs of increasing paranoia?
To call this novel ‘bleak’ is an understatement. But I have
an inclination this is exactly what the author intended. Beginning with a mere
domestic setting, there is a slow build-up of palpable dread, enhanced by Ben’s
slow downward spiral into confusion and melancholy. It reaches boiling point
when supernatural elements – never overtly defined – are inserted into the mix with gross management but ultimately superior handling. Although
the backdrop and plot are pertinent, the whole bizarre thing seems to be a
vehicle for the author’s unique prose and depressing (yet droll) social
commentary.
With a tag line consisting of: A Horror Novel for the Ages staring God, Terror and (you guessed it)! KILLER FLIES ... The Fourth Fog is more than recommended for those seeking something distinctive and different.
