Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Dark of The Grey, Part One: The Awareness is a horror novella written by G.E. Perlin. Nathan's comfortable existence in Deer Harbor, Washington, was being disrupted by a series of recurrent dreams or episodes that seemed to occur on a weekly basis. It had been going on for about a year before his girlfriend's concern and worry turned into anger and an ultimatum that he get help. The loud noises, odd odor, and brilliant colors that inevitably accompanied his return to a waking state were often paired with his striking out physically. He had been horrified when he discovered that he had hit Mary as he awoke, and her nose was bleeding. Nate was in his late twenties and had garnered enough of a reputation for his coding abilities that he was able to make a nice living working from home. The isolation and natural beauties of Deer Harbor and his modest yet comfortable home on four acres was something he was understandably reluctant to leave, but therapists were non-existent there, and the long trip to Seattle was the only solution. Nate picked a therapist online and set up an appointment, little realizing the chain of events that would unfold when he met with Dr. Karington.

G.E. Perlin's horror novella, The Dark of The Grey, Part One: The Awareness, is atmospheric and haunting. The episodes Nate experiences capture the worst that dreams seem to offer, while the sensory events that accompany them made me wonder if there was indeed a physical condition at the root of it all. Perlin sets up his main character perfectly. The reader quickly gets into his personality, his past, his lifestyle, and his lucrative job coding top-secret snippets from a government entity. I found myself envying him his remote island home. The horror in this tale builds up slowly and inevitably, starting with hints of terror amidst the odd discomforting odors accompanying his return to a waking state. His appointment with Dr. Karington ramps up the suspense while keeping the truth behind it all obscured and tantalizingly out of focus. I enjoyed reading The Dark of The Grey, Part One: The Awareness, and highly recommend it to horror fiction fans.