I don't normally read novellas, but when I do, I expect them to all be as action packed and scary as P. Djèlí Clark's upcoming Ring Shout . I read this book in one sitting last night and I legit had nightmares about it. I'm not sure if it's the frightening cover or the paranormal horror of the storyline, but Ring Shout is a must read in your October's horror selections. Ring Shout takes place in a post-World War I world during Prohibition, where the film Birth of a Nation takes a different form in American history. The film has been placed under a hex that has turned Klu Klux Klan members into monsters upon viewing it. Not everyone knows about this powerful spell, but Maryse Boudreaux and her friends set out to kill the monsters in hiding before they can hurt anymore people. This book touches upon race and discrimination during the height of segregation and Klu Klux Klan membership, and gives it a paranormal spin that is perfect for horror fans. This is my first read from P. Djèlí Clark, but I can't wait to see what else this author has in store for me. Ring Shout may very well be one of the scariest books I've read this year.

I received an ARC of Ring Shout from Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review.

Roll back the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer seventy-five years to 1922, a year which was still chilly in the shadow of the Great War; replace the vampires with Lovecraftian entities which have hijacked the Ku Klux Klan, and replace the Scoobies with three Black women—Sadie Watkins, Cordelia “Chef” Lawrence, and Maryse Boudreaux. This is the best way I can describe P. Djèlí Clark’s latest novella Ring Shout, and like Buffy, it’s relentlessly entertaining but also resonant with metaphors which are effective despite their lack of subtlety.

Sadie, Chef, and Maryse are instantly likeable from the first chapter. Clark’s characterizations are clean and clear; Ring Shout’s action sequences—of which there are many—are kinetic and thrilling and I had a blast with every single one them, but I found myself craving more downtime with the three women because their dialogue crackles with the authenticity of real friendship, and it was a sincere joy just to enjoy their banter and easy rapport. Secondary characters don’t quite get the development they need to fully shine; this is an unfortunate side effect of the novella format, and I can’t help but wonder if Ring Shout would have benefitted from fewer characters.

Perhaps the most striking element of Ring Shout is the density and complexity of its mythology. The hierarchy of villains is surprisingly dimensional for such a short book, with multiple factions and distinct characters who have dynamics among themselves, and Clark’s ability to make it all coherent rather than an awkward mishmash of disparate elements is truly impressive. The world of Ring Shout is one of infinite potential: I can imagine sequels populated with a variety of gods, aliens, demons, and monsters, and nothing would feel out-of-place in Clark’s capable hands.

I do have one complaint: I want more! It’s not that I think Ring Shout should be longer—the story is the right length, its brevity becoming a weakness only when some emotional beats fail to land not because of any storytelling shortcomings, but because we simply have not spent enough time with the characters. (Bringing it back to Buffy: I am reminded of the Jesse arc in the opening episodes, which suffers from the same problem.) But the core issue is that Ring Shout feels like the pilot of a television series, or the first entry of a serial, and reading it without knowing if or when the next installment is coming is unsatisfying in a way it wouldn’t be if it were a full novel.

This may be an unfair criticism; I’m frustrated more with the untapped potential which exists in the negative space beyond the boundaries of the book than I am with the book itself—and I admittedly don’t know what I would have done differently if I were involved in the writing or publishing of Ring Shout. Expand the story by 100-200 pages? That would stretch it too thin. Publish it alongside successive entries in an omnibus edition? That seems presumptuous. Have the next installment lined up for publication six months out? That would be my ideal solution, but it seems unreasonable to expect that kind of turnaround from the author and the publisher.

This is all a roundabout way of saying that I really liked this book and I’m grumpy because I don’t know how long I’ll have to wait before I get to spend more time in this world and with these characters. This criticism will, I hope, eventually become irrelevant. But in the meantime, I highly recommend Ring Shout. I don’t want to wait alone. I want you to feel grumpy too.

Maryse is a young woman in Macon, Georgia with a magic sword and a burning fire in her belly to kill the evil Ku Klux monsters reigning terror all over the south. Saving the world from this monstrous, demonic evil is no easy task.

A sorcerer has called upon the evil in people’s hearts to create physical monsters of the humans who are already monsters, which I thought was such a scary and interesting way of expressing the evil of Ku Klux and white supremacy. This science fiction novella was truly scary. Maryse is a strong character who must come to terms with her own fear and become stronger to defeat these evils that have killed her family and friends. There was a heavy supernatural element in this story with some really terrifying visuals of not only Clyde the Butcher, a giant man with mouths all over his body, but the real deal evil that is fear that manifests into the most disturbing hatred.

This was so different from anything I have read before and I look forward to reading more of Clark’s award winning stories.

This book was very original. The characters carried the story really well. The story is very well developed in this short amount of space. It was scary and full of metaphors representing racism.

I really enjoyed it. Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

I read a brief tagline for Ring Shout that was along the lines of, “a dark fantasy historical novella that gives a supernatural twist to the Ku Klux Klan’s reign of terror” and I was sold. I love everything the tagline promises: Dark Fantasy. Historical Fiction. Novella. Supernatural. Give me all of those things.

Ring Shout not only delivered on these promises, but it also flew past all of my expectations making this book a solid contender for my favorite book of 2020.

The most important aspect of my reading experience with Ring Shout is that I read it on my Kindle and I could highlight a specific mention in the book so that a definition or Wikipedia entry would get pulled up; I was able to, at the touch of the screen, educate myself on the references while I was reading. This interactive part of my experience was an integral part of why this book was such a success for me. I highly recommend reading it on a device so that you could do the same. When I’m reading a physical copy, I always have intentions of looking things up while I’m reading, but honestly, I never do.

It’s my understanding that P. Djèlí Clark is a nom de plume for science-fiction writer Dexter Gabriel. Gabriel is also a historian which explains why this novella is jam-packed with rich, historical elements. I felt like I was getting a solid education on Black history while also enjoying a dark fantasy tale with magical realism and seriously scary horror.

This is also a character-driven story. Clark’s female protagonists are larger-than-life and immediately worthy of emotional investment. I might have fallen in love with a character named Sadie—for obvious reasons, but mostly because she was brave and sassy. The main character, Maryse Boudreaux, is equally loveable.

Maryse is a “chosen one” hero. At some point in her life, she was singled out as a protector and given a magic sword. The sword embodies the war cries and testimonies of martyrs and fighters who have gone before her as they have embarked on similar quests for justice against oppression. Maryse’s specific mission is to rid the world of “Klu Kluxes,” monsters disguised as everyday members of the KKK. Things get tricky for Maryse when a new leader shows up on the scene, amplifying an even darker message of hate.

The stakes are so high in this story and the evil is overwhelmingly powerful and scary. Clark moves this tale along at a breakneck pace with edge-of-your-seat suspense. Every chapter ends with a fresh urgency to continue. I want more for this universe. I hope P. Djèlí Clark has more Maryse Boudreaux stories to tell because, even though Ring Shout felt like a complete book and I was not found wanting, I could see the potential for Maryse’s journey to either continue into more quests/adventures or for the author to write some of the backstories to some of the unusual/unique characters.

Even if we only get Ring Shout out of this universe, it truly is enough. I am enraptured by this book and can’t sing its praises loud enough or long enough. I’ll forever be recommending it as an all-time favorite.

I used this review copy to interview the author on The Fantasy Inn podcast. The interview can be found here: https://thefantasyinn.com/2020/09/29/e52-p-djeli-clark-interview/

***eArc provided by Netgalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review***

I never stop being pleased as punch about the books that Tor/Forge publishes, and P. Djèlí Clark's Ring Shout is no different. The pitch of this horror/fantasy is that Birth of a Nation was a spell that allowed demons to inhabit the bodies of Ku Klux Klan members, feeding on the hate that exists in their souls. And if that's not the perfect pitch for me, then I don't know what could be.

Maryse is a young Black resistance fighter who is gifted with the sight - she can see the demons who've taken over the bodies of the local, vocal racists in Macon, Georgia. Armed with a magical blade, she is the only thing standing between the Klan and the end of the world.

This story is masterful, to say the least. It's fast paced, visceral, and expertly written. The characters are all well established, even in such a short amount of time, and I can see this Lovecraftian nightmare being adapted and streamed into our homes.

All-in-all, it's an excellent horror, a superb reimagining of historical hatred, and I can't wait to read more from Clark.

For fans of Lovecraft County and The Ballad of Black Tom, this is another new title that battles both Lovecraftian monsters and racism.

Picture, if you will it's 1922 Georgia, and the Ku Klux Klan are literal monsters. Not difficult, but imagine more teeth.
Now imagine a group of badass, sword-wielding Black women on a quest to hunt down and eradicate the Klansmen.

Packing punches left and right with fight scenes, African folklore, and social commentary, it's hard to imagine it all fits in 200 pages.

Thank you Netgalley for my digital review copy

Bravo to P. Djèlí Clark’s, Ring Shout! It was more than I was hoping for and then some. In fact, I felt reading this in the fall in anticipation of Halloween was a timely offering. What Clark gives us a thoughtful dose of monsters, magic, fantasy, and mayhem.

I loved the characters, the setting, the interweaving of historical fact and fiction and just the right amount of humor. In essence, imagine a hunter and beast slayer versus one of the greatest evils of mankind and multiply that by infinity.

This is one of those books you must read for yourself and if you’re like me will gobble it up in one or two settings. It’s a ride you won’t easily forget!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant balance of hero's journey, traditional horror, monster hunting, and racial justice, RING SHOUT is exactly the kind of poignant genre-mashing adventure we need in 2020. Clark pulls no punches, showing us right away that the KKK are not just monstrous, they're literal monsters, and it's up to an unlikely crew of Black women (mostly) to take them down.

The references to Shouts and other songs, as well as real-life KKK events and sites of violent injustice (Tulsa massacre is an example) as well as the horrific movie Birth of a Nation - taking that as a form of witchcraft was honestly brilliant.

I did like that the Butcher and his ilk really showed how directionless hate can be. That the monsters could change sides, no problem. But that our heroes' real strength (her magical sword fed by anger and love and vengeance from Black victims throughout history) is not the same as blank hatred.

Also - the ending hints at the possibility of more stories in this world, which I am so here for!

Does anyone craft a novella better than P. Djeli Clark? Ring Shout takes place in Macon, Alabama in a United States that is very similar to our history, except in this history the founders of the Ku Klux Klan were sorcerers who summoned demons on top of a mountain. Demons that can disguise themselves as human and feed on hate, but when their disguise is peeled away have pointed white skulls and scythe-like claws. As if history wasn’t terrifying enough, Clark had to go and add an extra layer of horror to it.

Maryse is a Black woman in a small team of Black women who hunt down the Ku Klux monsters and slaughter them. Maryse is strong and no nonsense. She has secrets in her past that she has buried deep and is frantically trying to keep buried. But also a destiny that is rushing closer. It reminded me a lot of Dread Nation by Justina Ireland, there are a lot of common themes, but the terror is definitely turned up a notch or two.

This book is so expertly crafted. Not a word goes to waste and the tension twists tighter and tighter until the final reckoning moment at the end. Absolutely magnificent. I can’t wait to hand sell it.

A Lovecraftesque fantasy/horror set in Prohibition Georgia at the height of the Ku Klux Klan, Ring shout is a book filled with hate, magic and a host of kick ass women who I instantly fell in love with. Clark starts this book off with a bang and you easily find yourself getting swept away on Maryse's journey, flying through the just over 200 pages.

I hadn't read anything by the author before, though I have a few of his works on my TBR, so I had little idea what I was getting myself in for. This is a horror book in every sense of the world, and whilst there are the traditional monsters, blood and gore, the true horror of Ring Shout is the hate that seeps through the pages. It shows you how blind hate can change you from the inside out. How it can worm it's way deep inside you. But how hate for a reason, justified hate, the hate of a people persecuted for the colour of their skin can bring a kind of power.

Filled with racial commentary that is unfortunately still relevant in today's society, you could call Ring Shout almost prophetic in how it brings to light issues that could apply to today as easily as 80 years ago. It is a much needed book, one that shows the true monsters in the world don't always look like monsters, they can look exactly like you and me, and it can sometimes be too late before you realise the difference.

The big strength of this book are its characters. Maryse is the MC and alongside Sadie and Chef she leads the 'Ku Klux' hunting team thanks to a sword gifted to her by 'Haints' that contains the anger of every person the Klan has killed. These three women are brilliantly depicted, strong, resilient, hilarious and unafraid to run away from a fight. In fact they are the ones that usually run towards danger. It takes a rare talent to get readers to resonate with characters in so few pages, but I defy you not to 'click' with these characters instantly. They are so human, faults and all, but it is their humanity that gives them their strength.

I can't recommend this book more. But if 'Ku Klux's, actual monsters that have infiltrated the clan, get hunted down by three badass black women' doesn't convince you, I don't know what will.

"Who is to blame for the hate that hate made?" (I love this quote so muuuucchhhh)

I found the idea for this book very original, the characters are entertaining and the story itself has a lot of potential. I liked the "monsters" very much, they are scary and represent an even more terrifying idea: hatred made flesh.

I would have liked a better explanation of the universe and a more complete plot, but overall it's an interesting read. I didn't connect much with the characters.

A mixture of a historical Noel with horror, fantasy, racism, dark humor all blended together to create a tour de force.

Fascinating and gripping mix of horror and suspense. It's for fans of the TV show Lovecraft County. The writing is lyrical, great characters and lots of action.

Ring Shout is my best read of 2020!!!
Clark's interpretation is beautifully presented as he helps us understand how hate can poison us all. This book shows the grotesque nature of people filled with hate through his beautifully disturbing depictions.. sometimes absurd... but the absurdity is absolutely appropriate!

The reader is carried away into a time period when the KKK incited fear, but the fantasy element is inspiring as we live the story in the shoes of three bad ass protagonists! There are stories of each character that are developed incrementally and woven delicately into the plot.

Maryse, Sadie and Chef take us on a wild ride. Sadie's story was a bit underdeveloped, but her fiery sass kept me giggling and giving her high fives! Their stories are everything Black Girl Magic! (literally....MAGIC!) I especially loved that the intersectionality of race and gender was explored and the main characters did not conform to traditional gender norms.

If you like/love the Netflix series Lovecraft Country you will totally love Ring Shout!

A thrilling and macabre book that explores what the 1920s would have looked like if White Supremacy was backed by truly monstrous, supernatural beasts. The Klan, or garden-variety racist humans, and the Ku Kluxes, demonic carnivores, are mobilizing and it is up to three fearless black heroines to save the day. Using tropes of popular pulp horror, and masterfully interweaving African Folklore with American history, this is a clever and engaging book.

In this novella, monster-fighter Maryse Boudreaux has a magic sword and a pocket full of African folktales starring Bruh Rabbit, Bruh Fox, and their animal brethren living by their wits. Maryse and the women who fight beside her must use their wits as they battle the supernatural terrors disguised as Ku Klux Klansmen and the hell on earth they threaten to unleash.
The novella's lyrical language drew me in:
"All of them--men, women, even little baby Klans--down there grinning like picnic on a Sunday. Got all kinds of fireworks--sparklers, Chinese crackers, sky rockets, and things that sound like cannons. A brass band competing with that racket, though everybody down there I swear clapping on the one and the three. With all the flag-waving and cavorting, you might forget they was monsters."
The Lovecraftian horror kept me turning pages, and the oft-ignored U.S. Black history made me want to read beyond this novella. The time is now for this book if you're a fan of dark fantasy horror. I'm a new fan of P. Djèli Clark.

<I>Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.</I>

A quick review for a quick read. This book is a fast paced, wild read from start to finish and one you'll have trouble putting down until its over. Clark has a real talent for establishing distinct characters and unique voices quickly and for world building without losing any momentum from the action. I loved how easy Clark's clear writing style makes it for the reader to "see" everything that is happening. I also really liked the historical part of this. I love historical fantasy and this is easily one of the most believable twists I've ever read. Clark makes it so you can't help but think "oh these monsters absolutely exist - and are still among us."

This is a great standalone, but I also would not hesitate to read more adventures of Maryse and co.

An excellent entry into the "historical fiction, but fantasy" genre, and an unflinching look at racism in the US. It was slightly hard to read a various points, and all the content warnings, but also this country has (and continues to) done horrific things to black people for its entire existence, so nothing was gratuitous.

I received an e-arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.