(A review copy was provided by Titan Books.)

Jago is a rare horror novel.  It is the kind that says something new.  A world of varied horrors opens up for the reader and expands from the confines of the story into the world.  The characters in this book react in ways that are more genuine than most novels about the paranormal.   Entire ways of thought would have to be changed in order to accept and understand that which is taking place before the characters’ eyes.  It has always bothered me when many writers have something extraordinary happen and the characters continue on just as we in the “real world” do.  If the afterlife or the existence of previously unexplained beings were confirmed everything else would change.  This isn’t a story about the world at large, but Newman’s characters react in ways that are so genuine I had to point it out from the beginning.

The story is about the title character, Anthony Jago, a religious, cult, influential, creepy leader who sets up in an English village called Alder.  Paul and Hazel come to town to conduct research and end up in the middle of Jago’s mysterious designs along with the large music festival.  These backdrops allow for so much to happen and the book becomes as unpredictable as Jago himself.

Don’t be intimidated by the size of the book.  Over 600 pages of Jago plus 100 more of additional short stories.  However as long as you’re reading this book at the right time that length is quickly overcome.  This is the perfect book to start reading right before bed, then through interest and sheer terror morning is here and you’re all sorts of pissed off at yourself for not getting any sleep and now a full day of work lies ahead.  But the tale is worth every moment of sleeplessness and will be tonight as well.