Stars: 4.5 out of 5.

This is one darn good book! It's a bit of a cross between Stephen King's It and a superhero story, as the protagonists are children that had to fight an unimaginable evil in their high school year. That experience changed them in ways that, even twenty years later, still weigh on them. But those are not ordinary children. All four have superpowers. One has a photographic memory and absolute recall, and also phenomenal powers of deduction. One is a genius inventor with an almost computer-like brainpower. One is half Fair Fold prince who is stronger, faster, and more ruthless than any adult. And finally, one is a literal magician.

It was interesting to get to know these children and their adult versions. I loved that the chapters were split between THEN and NOW, so we got to gradually uncover both what happened during that fateful night of New Year's Evil during their high school year and what is happening in the present when they are all called back into Middleton for the 20-year reunion. We are gradually introduced to each of the four protagonists and shown what makes them special, but we also discover what drew them together and allowed them to defeat Colchester the first time.

I must admit that the NOW chapters were rather depressing, especially when showing their lives before they came back for the Reunion, because all of them, except for Alana, maybe, seemed to have lived in a holding pattern. They had so many dreams and goals before New Year's Evil, and they just let those turn into ash. It's especially apparent for Eric who lost his real magic and spent 20 years being a stage magician in Las Vegas, and drinking himself into an early grave.

So while returning to Middleton isn't something none of them wanted, that return allows them to finally kill the past once and for all. To resolve issues that were left hanging. To defeat the evil that was left to linger and fester because of cowardice. And by doing that, they can let go of that past and finally start living the lives they were destined to have. That's a powerful message right there.

My only complaint is that the Followers are a very stupid bunch for an evil death cult. I know that humans can be cruel, petty, and selfish, but come on, are you telling me that so many people went along with literally bringing about the end of the world and expected to survive it? Or even gain anything from it? And not kids. Normal adult people who should know better.

But that's just a small gripe. If you want a good character-driven book and you loved It, then I suggest you go and get Reunion. You won't regret it.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reunion by Christopher Farnsworth was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. This book was science fiction meets adventure meets horror with scenes of several different books we are familiar with. If you or someone you know may enjoy a fast paced "hero" type horror book, give this one a try.

4 Stars

Four friends return home twenty years after their initial encounter with a sinister supernatural entity to once again save their town from evil.

A girl detective. A boy genius. A warrior princess. A young magician.

The fate of Middleton rests in their hands.

This new epic from indie favourite Christopher Farnsworth is like X-Men meets It meets The Breakfast Club.

And I can’t believe it hasn’t been getting more attention.

“Reunion” is fast-paced and funny, with gritty but loveable characters, spine-tingling descriptions, and one hell of an unexpected twist ending.

Science Fiction meets Horror meets Adventure meets FUN.

Very enjoyable story of when the outcast saviours have to revisit their "golden years" and yet again save the sheeple from themselves.

This is the kind of book you race through to find out what happens, and then sigh contentedly at the resolution. Farnsworth takes old tropes and nods to famous fictional characters and crafts something entirely new and exciting. This is a book worth reading, sharing, and recommending.

“Magic, Eric discovered, is nothing more than rewriting the story at that very basic level: using specialized information to create a new set of rules, creating a world out of the trillions of possible ones that exist.”

This was a freaking fantastic read! A tale of monsters, adventure, and saving the world.

The story shifts in time from the past to the present, and the author does this wonderfully. It doesn’t take away from the adult characters’ story and enhances the experience for the reader.

I loved the characters and would like to read more about them. Either in a tale about their childhood exploits, or a continuation of their adult life.

You really can’t go wrong adding this one to your reading list. It’s seriously amazing!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Farnsworth Radio LLC for a copy!

A fast read, and a fun one at that. It moved at a lightning pace, and the creative way that the backstory of the universe is delivered was a delight. It ticked all my boxes, and it's not often you get a really well written horror/fantasy novel that combines almost everything I love.

A fun, quick read. Creative way to do an info dump. It held my attention to the end and then wrapped things up nicely; while still leaving an option to expand into a series.

I just completed my read of an ARC of Christopher Farnsworth's "Reunion," published by Farnsworth Radio LLC. I was drawn to the title because a number of years ago I picked up a book entitled "Blood Oath" by the same author. That book introduced me to the very memorable character of a vampire sworn to serve the President of the United States in combatting supernatural forces not easily confronted by conventional "law enforcement." I became an immediate fan of this author and continued to follow the vampire in question, Nathaniel Cade, in other texts. My enthusiasm led me to examine "Reunion," even though it is not in that series. I was not disappointed! The book is about four young people with very specific skillsets and gifts confronting an existential threat to the world in a small town in middle America. There are striking similarities between this text and Stephen KIng's "The Stand" as well as many of his other books. "Reunion" starts off with a bang and proceeds at a breakneck pace to its apocalyptic conclusion. Those of you who are familiar with Farnsworth's canon will not be surprised at the writer's obvious mastery of his material, but this is a new direction for him, and that always makes things interesting. I don't want to give too much away other than to say that fans of this subgenre of horror, with deep roots in the literature of horror/fantasy, will find the read richly rewarding. If I have any significant criticism it is with the highly derivative nature of the plot. But one must remember that some fields and themes are worth plowing again and again, with each author adding to his predecessors' accomplishments. Enjoy your read, it is fun and fast.

Five stars! I loved this book so much! In fact, I wish it had been longer - or two books, or three. I could have read several books about the protagonists when they were children, and I certainly would have loved to see more of their struggle in this one.

Christopher Farnsworth's REUNION is a heartbreakingly triumphant story that tells us you can never go home again, but maybe you can make a new one. I've not read other books by this author, but I plan to now!