Scary as all get out. I had read a previous novel from Rolfe that I believe is called The Window, which was very scary and very well written. This novel was even more maturely written and I could see the growth between this book and that past one, in Rolfe as a writer. Highly recommended for horror fans. Flame Tree Press continues to impress and provide terrific titles for horror/speculative fiction fans.

Glenn Rolfe is my go-to guy for original horror novels. August's Eyes is no exception as the author cranks up the gore and emotions. Characters you root for and characters you boo are the best. Highly recommended.

This was a decent read - I thought my review already posted, but upon further inquiry it seems to have not saved. My review is also gone from other websites - curious indeed. From what I remember, this is written well but lost my attention in several places. It's one I'd recommend to certain students of mine

Just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought. From the description, it should have been my style, but it was not.

August's Eyes, the latest from Glenn Rolfe, shelves the supernatural monsters for a minute in favor of real monsters. The story begins with a flashback to John's (our protagonist) childhood. As he witnesses the abduction of a friend. In the opening pages, the reader faces an all-too-real dilemma. How would you react in that scenario? The obvious answer is to try and heroically fight a full-grown adult or report it to the police. Rolfe does a phenomenal job of exploring the struggles with finding the right answer, and it lays the groundwork for a hell of a novel.
What follows is trademark Glenn Rolfe. There's viciousness and brutality that never feels gratuitous, always in service of the story. There are numerous name drops and pop culture references to put the reader in John's headspace. That tact won't work for every reader, but it's been my experience that Rolfe employs it just right. We have a despicable antagonist straight from the annals of the worst true crime and well-developed, imperfect characters we can't help but be intrigued by, even when we step away from rooting for them for a moment.
A complete book with elements the author's long-time readers will love and traces of new ground that will keep them coming back, August's Eyes is a great 2021 horror offering.

When I dove into this book, I was immediately taken back to a trip out east a few years back. I was at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where over 100 victims of the Titanic disaster are buried. As I was looking at gravestones I mentioned that I had never experienced such an impactful “graveyard”. I was quickly corrected as the keeper of the cemetery was nearby and stated that there is a slight difference between a graveyard and a cemetery. A graveyard has a church on its grounds, while a cemetery does not. Sounds like a lot of wordsmithing to me, but when I looked it up, he was accurate. I am not sure how many people are aware of this difference, as most (like me) use the terms interchangeably.

With that being said, I enjoyed Mr. Rolfe’s book tremendously. This is a novel about a social worker who experiences a traumatic event when he was a teenager and it has now bled into his present-day dreams. This is a “past meets the present” story with a paranormal twist. How can a serial killer who was executed years earlier still wreak havoc in someone’s life today?

Mr. Rolfe is an expert storyteller. He has a vivid way of relaying the action without bogging the reader down in page after page of descriptive narration. The reader develops a relationship with the characters and we feel their happiness, heartbreak, and palpable fear throughout the novel. The story builds in energy and excitement until you are three-quarters of the way through, then you will not be able to set the book down. The tension at the end of the story is almost unbearable. It puts all the pieces of the puzzle together and the final picture is one that will leave you with mixed feelings: pleased that you now understand the dreams, yet sad as we lose someone we care about.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

AUGUST’S EYES – by Glenn Rolfe – The Ending, My Heart!

Social Worker John Colby grew up in Spears Corner, Maine, a seemingly quiet town that just so happens to be abundant with graveyards—a serial killer's sinister sadistic playground.

When John’s nights are plagued with horrible dreams that seep into reality, his wife, Sarah, convinces him to see a therapist that enables him to confront the past, one his mind has worked so hard to forget.

AUGUST’S EYES is a Dark Horror novel equated with Jack Ketchum’s books; though I haven't read his work yet, I am familiar with the premise.

Rolfe does an excellent job setting up the story through the Prologue, just enough to keep the reader in the know as we bear witness to John’s past and how it ties into the present.

If you’re not a fan of Dark Horror, I would say this book may not be for you, but if you are, then I say buckle up—You’re in for one h*ll of a ride!

Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for providing me with an eBook of AUGUST’S EYES at the request of an honest review.

Glenn Rolfe has a way of touching things that are horrendous in concept and executing them to a point where it's near impossible to look away. After reading two of his works I can confidently say he has become an instant-read.

This was another great horror read, with scenes of disturbing horror and visceral guts! However I did not love it as much as I did his book 'Until Summer Comes along' which i gave a 5 star rating.

3.5 Stabbys.

EXCELLENT HORROR WRITING AND STORYTELLING!

John and Sarah are a lovely and happily married young couple who are very much in love and the only thing missing right now from their lives is a baby. Sarah aches for a family of their own while John is content with their life at the moment. The couple live in a small town where John grew up and almost everyone knows one another in this small place. This is a town known for their many cemeteries since it's unusual history goes back a few hundred years to a native American Indian tribe which had reservations on this piece of land and unfortunately a serious bloody and nasty past that many of the residents haven't any knowledge of. When John was a boy he witnessed a horror that his mind buried deeply within his subconscious until the present time when suddenly he begins having frightening dreams night after night which starts putting a strain on his life and marriage until the nightmares become intertwined with reality and it's only a matter of time that not only is John's sanity is at risk but his life and anyone he loves may not survive this bizarre and horrific realm of death and evil personified.

WoW! This was a book that hopefully only nightmares are made of. The story was twisted, sick, spooky, creepy, bizarre and EMOTIONAL! Glen Rolfe's writing and characterization was stellar. If ever a cliche was fitting "This book is not for the faint of heart" has never been more true. I haven't read a horror story in a long time that made me feeling the "heebie jeebies". Absolutely cringe worthy. Now, with all that said I almost cried at the end. The storytelling evoked immense emotion which has to summarize the author as a great writer. Usually today's horror books are so over the top with gore or nonsense that I feel very cheated by the time I've finished reading. Don't get me wrong there is plenty of repulsive gore and all the nasties that go along with a horror story. I cannot recommend this thrilling and chilling book to any and all Horror Lovers!I

WARNING! The subject matter is not for sensitive readers or anyone under 18 years of age.

I want to thank first the author Glen Rolfe, the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic horror story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this captivating book a rating of 5 TERRIFYINGLY CREEPY 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!!

Happy Publication Day! August 17, 2021
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
Author: Glen Rolfe

Definitely a creepy read this one. The idea of dreams merging with reality and bringing your forgotten past memories back to haunt you just terrifies me. The descriptions of Graveyard Land had a very ethereal feel, I could feel the chill as I read. Word of caution that this does deal with issues of child abduction and abuse that at times was uncomfortable to read but it didn't feel gratuitous.

An interesting tale. Very edgy at times. Quite gripping. You get invested into the characters right away. The opening is a little rough to get through due to the subject matter, but after it all gets tied together, you see why it was important. Glenn Rolfe is a great writer.

Ghosts can haunt us, but so do memories. These ghosts of memory haunt us with the joys we can never again know as well as the regrets that make us second-guess ourselves. Sometimes, these memories can be patient. They can wait a long time, emerging years later, clawing their way out of our psyches where we buried them. Such is the fate of the protagonist in Glenn Rolfe’s supernatural thriller August’s Eyes.

When John Colby was a boy, he saw something he shouldn’t have. He saw a young friend get kidnapped by a killer the press called the Ghoul of Wisconsin. John buried this event deep in his mind until years later, when an adult John, now married and a social worker, is tormented by dreams where he is a boy and trapped in a place called Graveyard Land, and there is a Ghoul in that graveyard that he doesn’t want to find him. John thought that it was just a dream but that dream is intruding on the waking world, terrorizing his family and friends. The Ghoul is also very real, and he wants little Johnny to come with him to Graveyard Land and stay there forever.

Rolfe’s work is very reminiscent of Stephen King with its developed characters, slow-building tension, and epic, otherworldly confrontations. However, there’s a little bit of Jack Ketchum creeping in, or at least an extreme sensibility that shows Rolfe doesn’t mind exploring the subject of child abduction and assault. The book does indeed get dark, but it never feels exploitative. Rolfe does this by populating his book with characters that are more than one-dimensional hostages, characters that the reader can get to know, love, and cheer for as they fight their way through the story’s darkness. From wife Sarah, who is supportive of her husband while having her own interests, to Patrick, a hard-working teenager who gets a chance to put his true crime knowledge to use. Finally, there’s John Colby himself, who has his flaws, but he is still a likable protagonist and ultimately demonstrates the strength of character needed to fight back against the Ghoul and his minions. The book left a few gaps in the overall mythology, placing the main villain too deeply into the shadows at times, while the plot also moved too quickly, zipping quickly between chapters and storylines, but August’s Eyes is still a great read for people who wish Stephen King would really cut loose. The book was still an enjoyable stroll through Graveyard Land even with some serious darkness always nipping at my heels.

Where do I begin?!?! Serial killers... monsters .... good vs evil ......
John felt like a high school friend, same interests etc. made him relatable and likeable.
The ending had me alllllllll in my feelings!

John is having nightmares. Lurid dreams of graveyards, of missing boys and the monster who took them. Visions that leave him terrified upon waking. Dreams that unlock a memory from childhood that John has suppressed for years. A man and a van. A friend who disappeared. A decision of self preservation.

As the dreams become more surreal and vivid, John starts to unravel the mystery of what happened when he was a child. As he attempts to find the monster that lurks in their small town and right a childhood wrong at the expense of the life he's built.

But what is dream and what is reality?

Part cosmic horror part coming of age horror. An excellent combination if you ask me.

Thank you to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.

this was a great horror novel, I enjoyed the way Glenn Rolfe writes. The characters were great adn I enjoy going through this story.

I was introduced to Glenn Rolfe's novels a few years ago (Blood and Rain. Superior werewolf book. Highly recommended) and quickly became a fan. I can count on one hand the number of authors whose novels I automatically buy without hesitation. Glenn Rolfe is one of them.
The story begins with a small town's coming of age courtesy of a horrific tragedy.
John Colby starts to have nightmares that bring back unwelcome memories of his childhood which include a couple of friends with unusal names who he does not remember. John decides to see a psychiatrist to get to the root of these recurring nightmares which involve a visit to a place called Graveyard Land.
I don't like to describe the storyline of a book too much because I don't want to spoil it for others who plan to read it. Suffice it to say that I found the story riveting and the characters well developed. The story hit home on so many levels and I admit I cried at the end of the book which is not normal for me with horror novels. He made me care about John and his journey.
i defintely recommend August's Eyes to anyone who likes horror.

As a firm favorite author, Glenn Rolfe, I was over the moon to be reviewing his new release, August’s Eyes. Dreams that bleed into reality? Reminiscent of Nightmare on Elm Street…yes, please!

John has a great life. Fulfilling career, beautiful wife, a roof over their head. The only thing that is missing from their life is a baby. Sarah longs to complete their family but John feels settled with how they are now. They’ve tried before and he can’t bear to see that hurt etched upon his wife’s face again. Things begin to change for John when he starts having disturbing dreams. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for their content but is the passage of time trying to alert him to something? Dreams are such a weird phenomenon. They feel so real at the time, awakening to confusion and the physiological effects of what our subconscious puts us through. August’s Eyes is an examination of how realities can become blurred, how the brain is our ultimate defense strategy.

These dreams are getting to John. Daily activities like work and interactions with colleagues are affected by the amount of restful sleep he isn’t getting. He just attributes it to stress but when he makes an appointment with Dr. Soctomah, his wife’s therapist, it becomes apparent that his brain is compartmentalizing traumatic events. His sessions with the therapist shake John’s life foundations. John’s memories, pain, and state of mind come over him like the rushing waves of a tsunami.

John’s hometown, Spears Corner has a dark history. It has around twelve graveyards and death is written upon its foundations. A native American tribe resided on land here and ultimately perished at the hands of Spears Corner’s founder. The past has a habit of remembering the deeds committed and John knows this better than anyone.

Glenn Rolfe has this habit of writing seriously creepy characters and August’s Eyes is no exception. His words are as heavy as lead and the narrative is heavy with potential. It is the perfect storm of angst. The story is emotive and a true depiction of how the human condition is the real evil lurking in the dark shadows. Rolfe has a repertoire of cunning and depravity and he isn’t hesitant to subject his readers to a fresh helping.

August’s Eyes was a superb read, which I read in intense excitement. I savored every dark word.

August's Eyes by Glenn Rolfe is a mind trip horror that involves past trauma and dreams that can effect reality. The novel was fast paced and has some scenes of horror that will get under your skin. This book reminded me a lot of the Jennifer Lopez movie The Cell meets the villain from Joe Hill's N0S4A2. This book has a lot of fun pop culture references, and little bits of odd humor. I liked and cared about the main character John or Johnny still being tormented by a mistake he made as a scared kid that represses in his living dreams. This book is pretty brutal and not for everybody with trigger warnings of rape, abduction, and child abuse, book doesn't go into crazy detail but enough to unnerve the reader. I want to think Glenn Rolfe who reached out to me on Goodreads and asked if I would like to read his book. I want to think Flame Tree Press and netgalley for providing the book to me. August Eye's by Glenn Rolfe was published on August 17th 2021.

The Plot: When John was a teenager he saw his friend Ethan get abducted into a van and was so terrified about it he repressed it. John now has these dreams where he is a young teenager with two other boy's one with out eyes called August and anther boy called One Eye who has you guessed it one eye, they play in a graveyard land. The dreams scare him but also comfort him in some way. In real life John has a job which he hates, a great wife, after 2 failed pregnancies their relationship remains strained, his best friend is Pat a 16 year old neighbor kid with a mohawk. The dreams start feeling more real when his dream starts getting scary and in real life John sees a van that terrifies him and feels like it is watching him.

What I Liked: I looked the talk about different books both nonfiction and fiction. I liked the moment of wicked humor. John was a great character that I could identify with, a man trying to good but sometimes royally screwing up. August and the twist with his character was really good. The climax was done really well and was a satisfying ending. The dream scenes were my favorite and always interesting. I loved all the pop culture references to the 90's during the flashback and the modern day pop culture.

What I Disliked: The plot line between Sarah and John and the tries for pregnancy, never felt like it belonged in this story. I wanted something that dealt with John's repressed trauma, and tied it in to the story better. I do not like the cover art for this, it should have been spiders coming out of eye holes in my opinion.

Recommendation: I recommend you checking out August Eye's if you are in need of a good horror that will trip your mind a little bit. The trigger warnings of rape, child abuse, and abduction will keep some away but if you can stomach those things then this is a solid horror with a heart. I rated August's Eyes by Glenn Rolfe 4 out of 5 stars.

The ghosts of a man's past come back to haunt him in this twisted nightmare caught somewhere between a coming-of-age story and a mid-life crisis. A serial killer, ancient curse, and waking dream world join forces with depression, anxiety, and marital discord to weave a tangled web of grief where even sleep offers no escape.