Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

After suffering a cardiac arrest while at his grandson’s football game with his wife Barb, Luke wakes up a year later from a coma, mute, unable to walk, and confined to a hospital bed. However, it’s not his condition that unnerves him as much as the weird dreams and visions he has in his hospital bed. They involve demonic forms which, as he learns later, are part of an Irish legend. As the legend goes, the fomori, which are servant demons, need to feed Balor, their king, the souls of innocent children to get him strong enough for an event that would send the world into untold disaster. Balor could use Beltain, the second fire festival coming in three weeks, to accomplish his evil plans. Thanks to cryptic messages and guidance from his late father’s ghost, the secret to defeating and stopping Balor may have been revealed to Luke. He has to race against time and beat the odds of ever leaving his hospital bed and standing on his feet, or losing everyone he loves and more. Get yourself Clancy Weeks’ The Ward to discover how it all goes down.

This novel is going to have you hooked and turning the pages from cover to cover. If you are looking for a horror novel, Clancy Weeks’ The Ward is just what you should be looking for. Weeks features a fascinating and dynamic cast. The subtle and macabre tone of the storyline had me on the edge of my seat. Using evocative depictions, sharp dialogue, and sarcastic introspective commentary, Weeks sucked me into the cast’s conflicts which included family drama, domestic violence, small-town gossip, and so much more. All these coupled with the wit accompanying the narration made it feel like I was watching a Hollywood horror movie. I’d like to see The Ward on the big screen. This is the type of book that builds up the mystery as the plot engages you with an incredibly enthralling backstory, all while treating you to scary and spine-chilling scenes.