The story of Salem Hawley and his quest of searching the disappearance of bodies from the cemetery.. takes him to unknown occult scenarios in this horror historical fiction. A perfect prequel novella!
Unnerving! ... It truly is the perfect blend of gore, horror and action. An adrenaline-fueled, no punches pulled, onslaught of gruesome action! The very definition of a page turner.

This novella is set a few years after the American Revolutionary War. The titular main character, Salem Hawley, won his emancipation after fighting on the side of the colonies and seems to be a teacher in New York. His opposites, including the other main character Hereford, are white doctors in pursuit of monsters.

Gore, graphic torture and body horror, body snatchers, peripheral racial tension, lack of decent female characters (mainly dead whores), hints of Lovecraft and some really twisted characters. Not the crime story with a supernatural twist and a strong black character I was looking for. Hawley was pretty lame and did not come across as a title character.

The first chapter started this off with a human vivisection in quite some detail, including sexual tension I could have done without (repeatedly). Generally the torture scenes made me uncomfortable and the violence just felt gratuitous. By chapter six I was pretty much done with this disturbing narrative, but curiosity kept me going. Chapter seven was so over the top and frankly disgusting that it veered into the absurd and by the time I was done with that gore fest, I just kept going out of stubbornness.

The ending really requires to continue with the sequel Borne of the Deep to get some closure, which I will most likely not do. This was definitely too much gore, graphic violence and nasty characters for my taste. Alas, if you are a fan of hardcore horror with a hefty helping of blood splatter and crunching bones, this might be for you.

Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars for me, with a beautiful cover and a story that doesn‘t do it for me.

Apparently inspired by Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and the New York Doctors‘ Riot of 1788.

I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

Read this one in early 2020 but forgot to update here!! This is a really great entry into a new series, although I wish it had spread some of the background / exposition out a little bit more. Cosmic horror isn't something that every author can pull off, but Hicks does it very well with this one. The existence of racial bigotry towards our main Black character is jarringly reminiscent of some of the things we still see today, which added layers to this one. Definitely going to check out the other books in the series!

3.5 stars rounded up.

I haven't read much Lovecraftian horror, but if this is a good indication of the subgenre, it's clearly something I need to explore! I really enjoyed the blend of history and horror in this novel, and I appreciated that the author very obviously put some significant research into the story.

I did feel that this novella fell into the "first in series" trap of spending a bit too much time on the background and world-building, but I was never bored. Plus, once the action does get going, it REALLY gets going. There's blood and guts and tentacles aplenty, and I was downright giddy over the eldritch delights within these pages. The ending is also quite the cliffhanger, so I know I'll be picking up book two soon!

This book with its combined Lovecraftian vibe amidst racial struggles reminded me of Lovecraft Country. This book was much more gory and not as engrossing.

I love the Lovecraftian feel of this book. Just wasn't a fan that it was part of a series. I'm not really big on series, so had I known otherwise I wouldn't have requested for it.

Hicks' flare for history and wild gore carry this novella. If you're looking for an interesting horror read, check this one out.

I would highly recommend his works, BROKEN SHELLS, REVOLVER,and THE MARQUE.

A warped slice of cosmic horror set in a great historical setting. Believable dialogue, terrifying villains and some extreme body horror. I cant wait for the next part.

The Resurrectionists is an amazing novella filled with a complex mix of body snatching, murder, "The Old Ones", and Frankenstein themes. Set in the days just after the American Revolutionary War, Salem Hawley fought and successfully won his emancipation but is reluctantly drawn into another horrific battle where there is so much more at stake on a cosmic scale. This short introduction to a new series is mindbending, gory, and has the subtle atmospheric flavor of the Lovecraftian world. Oh, did I mention the tentacles? I cannot wait to see how the series plays out.

This author is on my one-click list so when I heard about his new work, I knew that I would need to read it, being a historical horror was a bonus.
As you are introduced to Salem Hawley a freed slave, a man of honour, trying to do the right thing for his friends putting his own life in danger. When graves of his friends are being robbed, he knew that he had to investigate.
This book is full of action from page one and I found myself not wanting to put it down. The characters brought out all sorts of emotions and whilst I took to Salem straight away, I had an instant disliking to the doctors behind the scheme. The descriptive scenes instantly transported you to 18th century America. The historical context is well researched and whilst I do not know a lot about American history, I enjoyed reading the acknowledgements and finding out where in history this story was based. The macabre act of grave robbing draws you into something more sinister than medical research. As the situation at the hospital gets more intense and the doctors are closer to them achieving the end goal, the scenes got darker and if you love gruesome death scenes then this is a book for you.
As this was a fast read, my only disappointment was that I finished it so quickly and I am looking forward to Bones of the Deep

The Resurrectionists is an ambitious project, but then again a historical cosmic horror novel has no chance existing without that ambition. Fortunately, Michael Patrick Hicks has the chops and delivers a story that is as frightening as it is unique.

There's a lot to discover and hone in on in this novella, from the rampant racism of the time period to the deviant plans of the "plague doctors" to our lead character, Salem Hawley, who commands your attention with every scene. Then there's the violence, and for horror fans, this will have you grinning from ear to ear. There are no heroes in this story, but rather flawed and broken characters, and even our protagonist walks past lines many authors wouldn't cross. I did feel I could have used a little more depth to some of the "villains" as the motivation for their plans didn't pull me all the way across the aisle onto their side, but other than that this is a spectacular start to what will surely be a successful and dreadful series. (The best kind).

Hicks consistently challenges himself rather than writing the same novel over and over, and it's been great to watch his growth from extreme horror to dystopian political fiction to sci-fi horror and now this. Incredibly researched while balancing story, characters, and the darker elements you might expect with Hicks' writing, this is a book you don't want to miss.

The Resurrectionist was a very well-written book. I enjoyed reading it even though it did not turn out to be one of the subgenres of horror that I usually read. I thought it was quite scary.

Based on the blurb, this novella sounded like the perfect read for me; post-Revolutionary War New York setting, bodysnatchers, racial tension, gothic horror and secret societies with an interest in the occult and the supernatural. I thought I'd really enjoy it and to start with I was drawn in and intrigued by the characters. I wanted to find out what it was the plague doctors were up to and whether they'd succeed in their 'experiments'. However, the almost constant sexualised or brutal graphic descriptions just disrupted the flow of the narrative as the plot progressed. I'm not easily put off and usually enjoy a good horror story but this read as if a lot of it was written purely for shock value rather than to build a good story. It felt like much of the language used was gratuitous and I just found it jarring. On top of that events seemed to escalate way too quickly without much development and then monsters appeared. If I'd known it was going to go down that route I wouldn't have bothered so I think the blurb was a bit misleading. As a result, I abandoned my reading of it at about halfway through as I just wasn't enjoying it. The majority of the characters were making my skin crawl and there wasn't enough 'good' to counterbalance all of the evil. Overall, it's not a book I'd recommend unfortunately.

You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com

Salem Hawley won his freedom after the war, but he still holds his scars. Now, he finds himself drawn into a new war, one unlike anything he could have imagined. The medical and scientific community are doing experiments, on the living and the dead, and when the bodies of one of Hawley's close friend's loved ones are taken to be used in this awful way, Hawley decides it's time to fight back. No one protects the Black man's graveyard, no one looks out for the loved ones who have passed on, so it is up to Hawley to make sure it stops. What he doesn't realise is, the doctors that he is going up against are not all as they seem, they have access to a power of unimaginable strength, they are trying to take governance of this power, and not for the good of mankind. Will Hawley be able to battle against the belief that the colour of one's skin does not dictate your intelligence and heart? And will he be able to fight against what the doctors are hoping to bring about?

I was SUPER excited when I came across this title on Netgalley. I mean, just LOOK at that cover would you? It is ridiculously eye catching and really drew me in. That's kind of where it all stopped though. The premise of the story, once I'd read it on Netgalley, also interested me. I mean, we're talking about a free man who holds his head up high and battles wrong doings in a world that sees him as a savage and below them simply because of the colour of his skin. We have doctors who, in the name of science and medicine, are trying to bring forth creatures that they once saw on a battlefield, not caring at all that IT COULD DESTROY THE WORLD! So you've got all the trimmings to make a FANTASTIC story. However, for me, it just didn't turn out that way unfortunately. The story was good, don't get me wrong, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on what exactly I didn't really enjoy about it...I feel like the pacing had a lot to do with it. We have big stuff going on, and this is where I'll also put in a trigger warning, there is graphic detail of torture (essentially) so if this is not something you can read, want to read, or you struggle reading it, this one is definitely not for you. There is especially great graphic detail into the torture and murder of women, so I want to make that very clear for those of you who are unable to read such content.

So yes, there was a lot of stuff going on...I just felt like it dragged so much. It was incredibly slow moving, and it took me over a week to read a book that has around 150 pages...so I feel like that is a testament unto itself that the pacing really needed some work. There was definite creep factor to the story which I felt was executed quite well, and I really felt for Hawley and his friend for their people's plight and what they were trying to stop. I feel like the ostracising of people of colour is still very prevalent today, so I loved the parallels that I saw.

The character of Hawley himself seems very interesting, but to be honest I thought he would have more of a front running role...to me, he felt almost like a secondary character. The doctor, Hereford (I think), came across as the main character, in this instalment anyway. So that threw me a little because I was under the impression that we would be seeing the story through Hawley's eyes the whole time. It's not a massive deal, and I didn't have great issues with it, I was just prepared to read a story that focused more on what Hawley was doing rather than what the doctors were.

I felt that this story had a very old, gothic, supernatural feel to it, which was great. I want to say lovecraftian, but I don't think it's quite the same. Hicks definitely knows how to execute his craft well and he shows great promise in the horror genre. I am interested to see where this series heads, as I know that we have not seen the end of the doctors and Hawley (I know that's pretty obvious because this book is saying it is #1), so odds are I will continue with this series. I'm really hoping that I can get over the pacing and just throw myself into the story completely, therefore enjoying it more in the end. I know that I am in the minority with my rating of this story, and for that I'm sincerely glad. I'm hoping that the series can win me back with the next instalment.

I received this via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved it guys. This book was just what I wanted It to be. The world building was fun and enticing. The characters were very well flushed out. I loved the plot of this. I can not wait to read more by this author. I highly recommend this book.

hank you to Netgalley & High Fever Books for providing me with a copy of The Resurrectionists in exchange for an honest review!

Let me start off by saying that The Resurrectionists is not a bad novella, whatsoever. It just didn't do much for me. I wasn't really pulled into the story until about 60% in & even then, I wasn't really feeling it.

My favorite thing about The Resurrectionists is definitely the main protagonist, Salem Hawley. He's a very good person & you'll find yourself rooting for him the entire time. If there was more Hawley in this book, I think I would have found more enjoyment in it.

On the opposite end of the Hawley spectrum, are the Resurrectionists & holy heck, ghouls -- they are crazy sonovvaguns. Pure evil. The entire cast of antagonists will cause you to cringe & lemme tell ya, you will love to hate them.

There are very heavy themes of racism in The Resurrectionists & at times, I found it hard to read -- but honestly, y'all that's a good thing. We tend to brush racism off, so having it blatantly written in front of you forces you to acknowledge that racism does happen.

The Resurrectionists is very graphic & there's hella gore -- which again, that's a good thing. Michael Patrick Hicks does an amazing job at writing out details; making it very easy to imagine the entire thing.

The Resurrectionists is a good start of a series & I really think that those who enjoy historial fiction & Lovecraftian horror will enjoy this novella.

This was a great start into a new series featuring the free black man Salem Hawley in the time after the American Revolution. The book tackles several topics at once, such as the still ongoing discrimination of black people, gruesomely displayed in the stealing of buried bodies for 'medical' purposes. Combine this with some doctors intent on studying, or rather conjuring the Other Ones, some otherworldly creatures inhabiting a parallel universe. While I immensely felt for Salem and his fight against the Resurrectionists, the supernatural element of the story was a nice-to-have, but not necessary add-on, without which the book would have been just as thrilling. However, I understand that the appearance of the Other Ones open up an even larger playground for further installments in the series. The author created a multilayered, well-thought plot with complex characters that definitely succeeds to get a reader instantly hooked to the series.

I'd been meaning to pick up some of Michael Patrick Hicks' work for quite some time after hearing friends rave about it, so I'm really pleased to have finally gotten the chance to do so with The Resurrectionists! I'm a big fan of subversive Lovecraftian horror, so I jumped at the chance to read this little novella featuring a recently freed slave as its hero, and I won't hesitate to tell you that Salem is so damn easy to root for. He's a genuinely likeable character and I definitely found myself on the edge of my seat more than once, worried for his safety.

The stakes are very high in The Resurrectionists, as our biggest threat isn't even the terrifying monsters seeping into our world so much as it is the ways that humans will destroy one another without a moment's remorse, whether their fuel be hate, racism, or simple cruel curiosity. Besides Salem and a few very minor side characters, don't go into this one expecting to find too many characters to love!

Hicks' writing is lovely and quick to the chase, and there's a lot of oddity and depravity here that's really fantastically well-done, though sensitive stomachs might want to steel themselves before heading into the scenes in the surgical rooms as there's a lot of gore (which I enjoyed to no end).

The only real complaint that I had, and the reason I couldn't quite mark this one higher than 4 stars, is that sometimes it felt like I was reading two separate storylines in the same novella, rather than two sides of the same story. That could totally just be me and the weird funk I've been in with my reads lately, but even the ending of this novella had me feeling like the plot had been buried a bit. While it wasn't a perfect read, I still had fun with it and would be interested in checking out more of Hicks' work in the future.

Thank you so much to High Fever Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! I thought the plot was fascinating, and the writing thoroughly engaging!

"The Resurrectionists" is the first in a series surrounding the adventures of Salem Hawley, a man of color who is free after the Revolutionary War. He is wrapped up in trouble because some people are stealing the bodies from the graves of the black community, to sell to the university for research. What unfolds is a something more that he hoped for. The story moves fast and it has very good description and gory as hell, and the plot has several elements of a great horror story. Part Lovecraft, part Frankenstein, the story is actually it's best elements.

The part that I did not like is I found it interesting that the Salem Hawley character is the least developed character in the whole thing. There is ample time spent with the evil doctors and grave robbers, describing the foul and disgusting things they are doing, but there is very little in the way of character development for Salem Hawley. I did not connect with him as the main character in this novella and series. I also found it odd that there is a moment toward the beginning where Hawley and his friend Jeremiah, would have been 100% killed. When they face the resurrectionists at the site of the pauper's grave, they get in a fight, get beat up, and the story continues. It seems like an iffy choice in the plot because there was absolutely no reason whatsoever that the two black characters would have escaped that moment. A few of the decisions that Hicks made during the writing of this story makes me scratch my head some, and it really distracted from my reader experience.

Michael Patrick Hicks can write though. He can make the reader see and smell the streets and the open graves and the dead bodies. His style is very descriptive and methodical, and even though this is quite a short novella, it is very lush and actually very strong writing. I have high hopes for the rest of the series, and I will be checking out some of his other work. This series can get better, and I will keep reading it because of the writing, but I'm not sold on it yet.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.