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Dark Twilight
In a masterful tradition of Stephen King, the author of The Unseen and Shadow Child spins a blood-curdling tale of supernatural terror on a Vermont island.
"Citro does for Vermont what Stephen King does for Maine."
— J.N. Williamson, author of Ghost and The Night School
"Citro does for Vermont what Stephen King does for Maine."
— J.N. Williamson, author of Ghost and The Night School
211 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 12, 2018
Dark Twilight's protagonist searches for the legendary monster of Lake Champlain, cousin to the Loch Ness legend, but that's not the monster that creeps through the marsh and attic and boarded-up monastery of this book... Citro is a master at conveying an atmosphere that I can not only visualize, but feel: a chilly island in Vermont, quaintly insular during the day, eerie and menacing by night; the crackle and pop of leaves and twigs being trod upon, wind in the trees, footsteps in the attic, sobbing in the night... the characters are swiftly and deftly fleshed-out, rueing their past failures while dreaming of their futures, real enough to see myself in them and yet still capable of surprising me... a spell of sorts is cast on this island's residents, one of dislocation and forgetting, allowing terrible things to happen that can't be recalled; the author's powers are at his peak during those weird, unnerving moments... the best and saddest surprise of this excellent novel: there are no monsters, not really, just people who are trying to understand themselves, filled with confusion and fearful of being alone, dreaming of something, of someone to share their days and nights...
July 29, 2016
“In the cold, uncharted waters, a dark serpentine form roved silently…”
Who knows what’s down there?
Nearly 5,000 years ago, the Babylonians offered animal sacrifices to Ea, the great fish monster. The Bible speaks of Leviathan. Norse sailors feared the Midgard Serpent, and – in the days of Beowulf – Grendel rose from an underwater lair to tear sleeping warriors limb from limb. A combination of dread and fascination has always typified mankind’s attitude toward things that lurk in the murky depths. And Loch Ness isn’t the only body of water to boast a legendary creature.
In numerous other books, Joseph Citro has established himself as an authority on the spookier aspects of American folklore. Utilizing half-forgotten myths, he’s carved a niche for himself as a chronicler of New England (especially) horrors. A prime entry in this series, DARK TWILIGHT relates the fate of a young man bent on discovering the truth about Vermont’s fabled Lake Champlain Monster, a quest that transcends the goal. Seeking a prehistoric behemoth, the hero finds… much more than he bargained for.
Offering much the same sort of thrills to be found in vintage cryptozoological texts like Bernard Heuvelman’s ON THE TRACK OF UNKNOWN ANIMALS or Willy Ley’s EXOTIC ZOOLOGY, Citro treats the reader to a complete chronology of the monster, tracing sightings all the way back to the mid-1600s, and the author’s detailed knowledge of his subject and vivid sense of place vastly enrich the proceedings. Here, the setting couldn’t be more ominous – an island in the middle of a frozen lake. Where better to hunt monsters? As if this weren’t eerie enough, the author also provides a haunted house… and the creepiest ruined monastery this side of Northanger Abbey.
Be warned: a whip crack of a surprise ending highlights Citro’s macabre sense of humor – strong stuff!
Who knows what’s down there?
Nearly 5,000 years ago, the Babylonians offered animal sacrifices to Ea, the great fish monster. The Bible speaks of Leviathan. Norse sailors feared the Midgard Serpent, and – in the days of Beowulf – Grendel rose from an underwater lair to tear sleeping warriors limb from limb. A combination of dread and fascination has always typified mankind’s attitude toward things that lurk in the murky depths. And Loch Ness isn’t the only body of water to boast a legendary creature.
In numerous other books, Joseph Citro has established himself as an authority on the spookier aspects of American folklore. Utilizing half-forgotten myths, he’s carved a niche for himself as a chronicler of New England (especially) horrors. A prime entry in this series, DARK TWILIGHT relates the fate of a young man bent on discovering the truth about Vermont’s fabled Lake Champlain Monster, a quest that transcends the goal. Seeking a prehistoric behemoth, the hero finds… much more than he bargained for.
Offering much the same sort of thrills to be found in vintage cryptozoological texts like Bernard Heuvelman’s ON THE TRACK OF UNKNOWN ANIMALS or Willy Ley’s EXOTIC ZOOLOGY, Citro treats the reader to a complete chronology of the monster, tracing sightings all the way back to the mid-1600s, and the author’s detailed knowledge of his subject and vivid sense of place vastly enrich the proceedings. Here, the setting couldn’t be more ominous – an island in the middle of a frozen lake. Where better to hunt monsters? As if this weren’t eerie enough, the author also provides a haunted house… and the creepiest ruined monastery this side of Northanger Abbey.
Be warned: a whip crack of a surprise ending highlights Citro’s macabre sense of humor – strong stuff!
February 7, 2019
It's been quite a while since I've cracked into some "ancient horror history", outside of a few republished books, and I am glad to have returned to it.
These classics, often referred to these days as "Paperbacks from Hell", are essentially why I started the blog in the first place.
It was a bit of a struggle to pick the right one to get back into the swing of it. I started another book, one that was 600 pages, that was just too slow-moving, and frankly, daunting in its size and prose. I put that one aside for another time, before settling into this, a slightly safer bet.
I recently read and reviewed Joseph Citro's excellent book Shadow Child, his first work published, which made me feel this, Dark Twilight AKA Lake Monsters, was going to be a very safe bet for a good, well-written time.
Well-written, it was, for sure. But much, much less fun than Shadow Child.
There's some cool things about Dark Twilight, but really it's just far too slow and misleading to hold in the same high regard as it's older sibling, Shadow Child.
Excuse me, younger sibling.
As it turns out, Dark Twilight was the first book Citro wrote, shut down by a few publishers, before being pulled from the rubble later in his career, surely after the success of Shadow Child.
So, Dark Twilight is the first born. If we approach this book from the psychological theory of birth order, it makes sense.
Statistically speaking, first born children tend to have a special place to their parents. This is where a parent cuts their teeth, makes many mistakes, but are held in a high regard by virtue of their being "the first". First novels are very much the same. Folks tend to seek out first novels, by the allure of it being where an author started, where they come from, and its often interesting for readers to see an author grow.
Of course, this book came out in 1991, when we didn't have the luxury of the internet to find out all these neat facts, so I imagine readers mostly assumed this was Citro's fourth novel, as it was his fourth (and last by a major publisher) novel released.
All of that aside, it reads far more like a freshman than a senior. The skill set that Citro carries as an author is there, it's just not matured yet.
Present traits that carry over from Shadow Child, is Citro's uncanny ability to evoke atmosphere. Dark Twilight takes place on a small Vermont Island, and the author does a fantastic job of making the reader feel as those they are there. It was a huge part of what made Shadow Child stand out, and it certainly does some favors for this title. The writing itself is quite good, but the story is where Dark Twilight fizzles out.
It's far more a mystery novel than a horror novel, at least for the first 90% of the book. It gets grim and fast for the last 20 pages or so, but it's slow going for the majority prior. The dark, twisty climax is a good amount of fun, very EC comics in it's build-up, but it just takes forever to get there.
Beyond that, what the hell does the title, Dark Twilight have to do with anything!? What does that title even mean? Perhaps this is why Citro reverted back to his original title, Lake Monsters, when getting the rights back from the now defunct Warner Books.
It sure sports a great cover, though. I wonder how many copies this thing sold, cuz that cover is just amazing.
But anyway, the story. The one I didn't care for.
Harrison is a fairly standard horror novel antagonist who is having a hard time. You know the type, lost his job or his girlfriend or his something or all of the above, and he plans to reinvigorate his life by hunting monsters for a potential second career. Upon hearing of a legendary lake monster in Vermont, he heads to a small island town off the coast to seek the creature.
That creature never surfaces, but lots of Vermont bumpkins, religious cults and the occasional spooky thing does. And there are monsters, only not the one he's looking for.
So, it's a fine book, nothing crazy, nothing awful, but its all just kinda blah. Very little happens in the way of horror, for at least the first two-thirds of the book.
And when the horror appears in the EC Comics form, it's just too little, toon late. Not a total dud, but just not worth seeking out. Read it if you've got a copy and nothing else to read. Otherwise, it's a pass.
I give it a 2/5
Originally posted on my blog at http://undivineinterventions.blogspot...
These classics, often referred to these days as "Paperbacks from Hell", are essentially why I started the blog in the first place.
It was a bit of a struggle to pick the right one to get back into the swing of it. I started another book, one that was 600 pages, that was just too slow-moving, and frankly, daunting in its size and prose. I put that one aside for another time, before settling into this, a slightly safer bet.
I recently read and reviewed Joseph Citro's excellent book Shadow Child, his first work published, which made me feel this, Dark Twilight AKA Lake Monsters, was going to be a very safe bet for a good, well-written time.
Well-written, it was, for sure. But much, much less fun than Shadow Child.
There's some cool things about Dark Twilight, but really it's just far too slow and misleading to hold in the same high regard as it's older sibling, Shadow Child.
Excuse me, younger sibling.
As it turns out, Dark Twilight was the first book Citro wrote, shut down by a few publishers, before being pulled from the rubble later in his career, surely after the success of Shadow Child.
So, Dark Twilight is the first born. If we approach this book from the psychological theory of birth order, it makes sense.
Statistically speaking, first born children tend to have a special place to their parents. This is where a parent cuts their teeth, makes many mistakes, but are held in a high regard by virtue of their being "the first". First novels are very much the same. Folks tend to seek out first novels, by the allure of it being where an author started, where they come from, and its often interesting for readers to see an author grow.
Of course, this book came out in 1991, when we didn't have the luxury of the internet to find out all these neat facts, so I imagine readers mostly assumed this was Citro's fourth novel, as it was his fourth (and last by a major publisher) novel released.
All of that aside, it reads far more like a freshman than a senior. The skill set that Citro carries as an author is there, it's just not matured yet.
Present traits that carry over from Shadow Child, is Citro's uncanny ability to evoke atmosphere. Dark Twilight takes place on a small Vermont Island, and the author does a fantastic job of making the reader feel as those they are there. It was a huge part of what made Shadow Child stand out, and it certainly does some favors for this title. The writing itself is quite good, but the story is where Dark Twilight fizzles out.
It's far more a mystery novel than a horror novel, at least for the first 90% of the book. It gets grim and fast for the last 20 pages or so, but it's slow going for the majority prior. The dark, twisty climax is a good amount of fun, very EC comics in it's build-up, but it just takes forever to get there.
Beyond that, what the hell does the title, Dark Twilight have to do with anything!? What does that title even mean? Perhaps this is why Citro reverted back to his original title, Lake Monsters, when getting the rights back from the now defunct Warner Books.
It sure sports a great cover, though. I wonder how many copies this thing sold, cuz that cover is just amazing.
But anyway, the story. The one I didn't care for.
Harrison is a fairly standard horror novel antagonist who is having a hard time. You know the type, lost his job or his girlfriend or his something or all of the above, and he plans to reinvigorate his life by hunting monsters for a potential second career. Upon hearing of a legendary lake monster in Vermont, he heads to a small island town off the coast to seek the creature.
That creature never surfaces, but lots of Vermont bumpkins, religious cults and the occasional spooky thing does. And there are monsters, only not the one he's looking for.
So, it's a fine book, nothing crazy, nothing awful, but its all just kinda blah. Very little happens in the way of horror, for at least the first two-thirds of the book.
And when the horror appears in the EC Comics form, it's just too little, toon late. Not a total dud, but just not worth seeking out. Read it if you've got a copy and nothing else to read. Otherwise, it's a pass.
I give it a 2/5
Originally posted on my blog at http://undivineinterventions.blogspot...
September 25, 2011
I like a very wide variety of book subjects. One of these subjects is monsters. I enjoy books like Jaws, MEG, and other types of giant critters what are just waiting out there somewhere for lunch to come by.
I bought this book after reading the reviews and was curious to see what kind of monster inhabited Lake Champlain. This author did a great job of weaving major plots and sub plots and developing his characters. I'm not much into Yankee Gothic, but this was a nice change.
The central character is a man who goes looking for a monster he doesn't find; who finds a monster he isn't looking for; and whose odyssey is a search for himself - and a monster hunt of its own. The author seldom gets bogged down in dialog, and when he does describe a bog, he does so in a way that you can see, feel, taste, and smell the bog. Oh yeah, and lets not forget the haunted house, the closed up monastery, and the tight lipped locals.
Toward the end, some additional characters are developed; characters that have had a behind the scenes influence on the story from the beginning.
I believe that you'll like this book and I do recommend it for a good read!
I bought this book after reading the reviews and was curious to see what kind of monster inhabited Lake Champlain. This author did a great job of weaving major plots and sub plots and developing his characters. I'm not much into Yankee Gothic, but this was a nice change.
The central character is a man who goes looking for a monster he doesn't find; who finds a monster he isn't looking for; and whose odyssey is a search for himself - and a monster hunt of its own. The author seldom gets bogged down in dialog, and when he does describe a bog, he does so in a way that you can see, feel, taste, and smell the bog. Oh yeah, and lets not forget the haunted house, the closed up monastery, and the tight lipped locals.
Toward the end, some additional characters are developed; characters that have had a behind the scenes influence on the story from the beginning.
I believe that you'll like this book and I do recommend it for a good read!
March 15, 2024
Infamous Vermont folklorist Joseph Citro fills Dark Twilight with intriguing regional details, which increased my interest in his nonfiction work.
Although this wasn't his first novel to be published, it was allegedly the first he wrote. To my mind, it shows a budding writer's growing pains: lots of clichés, stiff dialogue, uniformly stock/stereotypical characters, and unconvincing relationships.
Although the plotting is lumpy at times, the writing is rarely unclear and I have to give it props for generally sturdy storytelling—it's never a drag to get through. I was also delighted by the perverse, downbeat ending, which reads like an explicit nod to Lovecraft, the most pessimistic king of New England dark fiction.
Although this wasn't his first novel to be published, it was allegedly the first he wrote. To my mind, it shows a budding writer's growing pains: lots of clichés, stiff dialogue, uniformly stock/stereotypical characters, and unconvincing relationships.
Although the plotting is lumpy at times, the writing is rarely unclear and I have to give it props for generally sturdy storytelling—it's never a drag to get through. I was also delighted by the perverse, downbeat ending, which reads like an explicit nod to Lovecraft, the most pessimistic king of New England dark fiction.
February 24, 2020
Very good book!
March 6, 2014
I used to be a passionate, devoted reader of horror fiction back in my teens and twenties. There is some great stuff out there: well-written, interesting, and scary! Unfortunately, there isn't very much of it, so once you've read through the horror canon, you are left sifting through chaff. I don't read much horror any more, but since this one was written by Joe Citro (a Vermont folklorist who wrote a few great nonfiction books bout New England), I thought I'd give it a try.
Ooops. Instead of being about the Lake Champlain monster, it's about something else. It's not poorly written, but it is quite boring and predictable. It took me four days to read it (it's only about 200 pages long) because I kept not caring about what happened. Yawn.
I can't find any good fiction to read.
Ooops. Instead of being about the Lake Champlain monster, it's about something else. It's not poorly written, but it is quite boring and predictable. It took me four days to read it (it's only about 200 pages long) because I kept not caring about what happened. Yawn.
I can't find any good fiction to read.
August 3, 2016
It started out making me think it was going one way then it totally went the other way. Not sure how I feel about that.
November 21, 2020
3.5 stars. Left me wanting something more, but a solid read.
July 19, 2017
Quick read
This is the third Joseph Citro book I have read and I will most likely read the other ones he has written. He developed his characters well and often surprised you with a plot twist that keeps you turning the page. I think my biggest disappointment was the books ending. It just seemed to me to be almost juvenile and took what is otherwise a good book and made it seem silly. I wish he could go back and rewrite the last few chapters to match the ending with the caliber in which he wrote the prior chapters.
This is the third Joseph Citro book I have read and I will most likely read the other ones he has written. He developed his characters well and often surprised you with a plot twist that keeps you turning the page. I think my biggest disappointment was the books ending. It just seemed to me to be almost juvenile and took what is otherwise a good book and made it seem silly. I wish he could go back and rewrite the last few chapters to match the ending with the caliber in which he wrote the prior chapters.
June 7, 2019
Couldn't get into or care About characters. Not enough story!
January 8, 2024
The writing was great!!! But…. Was disappointed by the whole story. The insert was kinda misleading??? Just my opinion. This was a weird book…. But I did like it. Happy Reading :)
January 27, 2013
This is the first book I completed for my Goodreads 2013 reading challenge, and I can say that the bar has been set so low that it can only get higher.
Hindsight is 20/20, but if I'd read the afterword first, I'd have known that this is Citro's first novel, though it was his second published. So it wasn't good enough to get published on its own; he had to publish something better (presumably) and build a name for himself. Ugh.
His afterword notes that he wrote the characters and the setting as tribute to the gothic horror novels of Stoker and Lovecraft, but his homage really falls flat. The characters are underdeveloped and forgettable, the plot and conflict are boring, and there's very little atmosphere. Add to that one of the worst narrators I've listened to (he reads the dialogue even more goofy than it is and each character ends up sounding like a queer amalgamation of child and octogenarian) and you've got yourself one dull little monster book.
Hindsight is 20/20, but if I'd read the afterword first, I'd have known that this is Citro's first novel, though it was his second published. So it wasn't good enough to get published on its own; he had to publish something better (presumably) and build a name for himself. Ugh.
His afterword notes that he wrote the characters and the setting as tribute to the gothic horror novels of Stoker and Lovecraft, but his homage really falls flat. The characters are underdeveloped and forgettable, the plot and conflict are boring, and there's very little atmosphere. Add to that one of the worst narrators I've listened to (he reads the dialogue even more goofy than it is and each character ends up sounding like a queer amalgamation of child and octogenarian) and you've got yourself one dull little monster book.
August 1, 2014
This book just didn't do it for me. From the title and description, I expected a man to be searching for a lake monster. The story starts out that way but then takes a turn and goes off on another plot. There's several holes in the new plot that are either poorly explained or not at all - the girl, her family and the supernatural rape come to mind. At the conclusion of the book, there is a short chapter about the monster that was being sought but by this time, you've been on the new plot for so long, you've forgotten about it and it feels out of place and just thrown in.
July 21, 2014
Sometimes Graphic
Sometimes Graphic
This book was at times difficult to follow with so many loose ends flapping around that it wasn't easy to read. Having said that, this book may interest those who enjoy gothic writing. While I didn't really enjoy this book as I am not a fan of gothic, I would say that it may be entertaining for others. Individual choice for individual readers.
Sometimes Graphic
This book was at times difficult to follow with so many loose ends flapping around that it wasn't easy to read. Having said that, this book may interest those who enjoy gothic writing. While I didn't really enjoy this book as I am not a fan of gothic, I would say that it may be entertaining for others. Individual choice for individual readers.
March 24, 2013
I wanted to like this book more, as it started out well enough and Citro is a decent writer. It gets a tad dull by the midway point and the conclusion is bizarre. That said, I like Citro's writing and look forward to reading more of his work.
July 3, 2007
Not exactly what I was expecting but not a disappointment! This book gets the atmosphere of northern Vermont right.
September 3, 2010
Book stunk, horrible ending glad it was only 230 pages!
December 3, 2010
One man trying to solve the mystery of the monster at Lake Champlain finds himself in a rare predicament involving religion, survival, fate, love and just flat out "out of this world" experiences.
January 15, 2011
I'll be kind and say Citro has a naive misunderstanding of women. I found the supernatural rape scene to be quite disturbing but not in a good way.
May 18, 2014
A little short, I wanted more.
December 9, 2014
Interesting setting, interesting characters, unexpected ending. Not a book to read late at night while alone.
May 13, 2015
Didn't like it. Would not recommend.
December 25, 2015
Wasn't much in this story about the lake monster. Misleading. I bought this hoping for a lake monster. Instead it's just people. Disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2014
Ick. The second star is because I did manage to finish it. But I wish that I had not bothered.
Read
April 3, 2018Very Enjoyable, good read, wanted to finish it right away. Thanks Mr. Citro
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews