Book Worm Review: Things We Fear
Summer has just begun, and fear is in season.
School’s out, and the faculty at Fairington Elementary School are free for the summer. Emily Young can’t deny her attraction to Aaron Jackson, the Ed Tech from her classroom, but she’s afraid of being hurt again. Meanwhile, Aaron is determined not to let his phobia of drowning prevent him from enjoying the sun and the sand of Maine’s best beach town.
But they’re about to learn real fear. Fairington is home to a monster. Phys Ed teacher Matt Holmes has more to offer the ladies than a perfect smile. He’s a killer and he’s got his sights set on Emily.
Who at Fairington will conquer their fears? And who will fall to a psychopath’s hellbent rage?
Fear is something that we all face in our lives, in one way or another. In Things We Fear the talented Glenn Rolfe explores different types of fear and how his characters struggle to face and deal with their fears. His characters are well-developed and relatable to the reader. School teacher Emily deals with her avoidance of potential relationships for fear of being hurt again as she gets to know Ed Tech Aaron better. Aaron, on the other hand, spends his summers at the beach, struggling and forcing himself to face his phobia of drowning, stemming from a childhood accident. While these two characters work to face their fears, they must also face the depraved evil of Phys Ed teacher Matt, a serial killer who loves to create fear in his victims. Rolfe’s foray into the warped mind of a serial killer gives readers a new and thrilling look at the wickedness and fear to be found in humanity.
This is a fascinating tale that instantly drew me into the seemingly normal lives of Rolfe’s characters. Things We Fear is an incredible balance between facing your fears and the horrors found in those who live to create fear in those around them. I was completely enthralled with both the story and characters from the beginning and couldn’t put the book down. Rolfe displays an incredible talent in creating characters with which his readers can identify. This was an excellent read and one I definitely recommend to all. Overall, Rolfe shows us that sometimes there is more to fear than fear itself.
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"Glenn Rolfe is an author, singer, songwriter and all around fun loving guy from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King and Richard Laymon.
He and his wife, Meghan, have three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.
He is the author the novellas, Abram’s Bridge, Boom Town, and his latest, Things We Fear (March, 2016), the short fiction collection, Slush, and the novels The Haunted Halls and Blood and Rain (October 2015). His first novella collection, Where Nightmares Begin, will also be released in March 2016. His next book, Chasing Ghosts, will be coming by 2017.
He is hard at work on many more. Stay tuned!
Praise for Things We Fear
"Things We Fear is a compulsively readable tale of obsession and dark suspense, with one of the creepiest villains I've encountered in recent years." -- Tim Waggoner, author of The Way of All Flesh
"Glenn Rolfe's new thriller is addictive. A quick, compelling read. Rolfe creates tension with a minimal amount of words. His characters are so well-drawn they come alive (before they die)." -- Duncan Ralston, author of Salvage
"Fast paced and tense, with one of the most interesting monsters I've read about in recent times." -- Patrick Lacey, author of A Debt to Be Paid
"Glenn Rolfe is quickly establishing a name for himself as one of a number of excellent new writers to ensure the horror genre is kept alive and well. His previous books – Abram’s Bridge, Boom Town and Blood and Rain – have also served to show the extensive breadth of his imagination and Things We Fear carries on that trend. Quite simply, each story is fresh, new, exciting, and unpredictable." -- Catherine Cavendish, author of Dark Avenging Angel
"In this frighteningly real look at true horror, Rolfe manages to up the ante of tension while balancing genuinely heartbreaking moments, while showcasing his talent for creating unforgettable characters placed in equally unforgettable moments." -- David, Beneath The Underground
"There is a definite old school feel about this novella. It isn’t an over the top gore fest. Instead, what we have is a tense, psychological thriller that builds steadily towards a fitting climax." -Adrian Shotbolt, at Ginger Nuts of Horror