Gods of Howl Mountain

Taylor Brown has written another winner with GODS OF HOWL MOUNTAIN. Atmospheric and suspenseful, the novel is gritty for sure, but each scene is portrayed masterfully and I loved every minute spent with Rory and Granny. The character development is outstanding and I felt as though I really knew these people intimately. Same goes for the setting. I like how Brown keeps things moving - the pace is never bogged down and yet we are also treated to striking descriptions that make us feel as though we're present in 1950's NC. Brown has quickly become one of my favorite writers. If you've read FALLEN LAND or THE RIVER OF KINGS you'll love this one too. And if you haven't, well, what are you waiting for?

Wow! Just wow! Brown has penned a masterpiece this time. I enjoyed his last book, "River of Kings", but this one....wow! His ability to describe a scene; the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and even the "aura" is incredible. You cannot read this and not feel that you are there, in the mountains of North Carolina in the 1950's. The character development is strong and convincing. The moonshiners, the lawmen, the church members, the healers. The suspense, the violence, the coming of age romances. The mystical, magical character of Granny is especially strong. And the plot is so believable and flows along at such a rapid rate that you cannot put the book aside, but find that you have to take breaks, otherwise you may find yourself actually swept away in the maelstrom! Super highly recommend this book!

I have a soft spot reserved for history served up Americana style, especially, the early to mid part of the 20th century. This novel stood boldly defiant in the face of bootleggers, thieves and scoundrels scattered throughout the mountains of North Carolina. So grab your scattergun and get ready for the ride of your life. Adequate time had been devoted to the main characters that were well-drawn out. Fully-developed scenes followed an action-driven storyline that kept my eyes glued to the print. The ending came with no disappointment. A shot of adrenaline delivered with a sonic boom. No way around It, Taylor Brown penned an entertaining narrative deserving of attention.

Recovering Korean War veteran Rory Docherty had returned home to Howl Mountain, North Carolina. A piece of him left behind. His foot. It had sustained damage beyond repair. The result of an enemy hand grenade that had his name on it. A memento of the war had left him with a nagging, aching peg leg. Still painful were the ever present demons of war that continually invaded his mind. You can leave the war...

In simpler times, long before the ADA, back in 52', there was little work for a one-legged man. Not looking for any handouts, Rory took what he could find. Immediate employment took him back in the lucrative, family business - moonshining. Delivery and collections. Tiger spit, so it was called by some, hailed at 120 proof. That'll do it. Happy to be working, though, not exactly the career move he had in mind.

Every business had it's competition and bootlegging was no exception. It was not uncommon in those parts to see blood spilled with the hopes of closing down a competitor. Cutthroat business. Tempers raged and guns blazed. Welcome home soldier.

Along the clients delivery route, Rory met a green-eyed girl who stole his heart and soul. Lust at first sight. She belonged to a fierce competitor. Not off to a great start. A conundrum in the making. Hope for the best but plan for the worst. He could never get her out of his mind. Only time would tell.

To further complicate matters, the government revenuers were always in pursuit of the bootleggers. It was a cat-and-mouse game. Their mission was simple. Shut them all down. No matter what it took. Easier said than done. Many times their encounters ended in deadly violence. For many of the mountain people, it was all they knew. Either continue to eat or starve. Not much of an option.

Since his return, Rory found himself face-to-face with a despicable character. The son of one of the main competitors was hell-bent on destroying him. Literally. Always harsh words and violence ensued whenever their paths crossed. It was plain, they were soon headed for a showdown. A deadly one. It was inevitable. And what better place than a racetrack where anything goes. High speed bumper cars. Hot rod versus hot rod. Only one of them would leave the track.

This ARC was was received complements of NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Gratitude sent to St. Martin's Press for allowing this pre-release to be made available.

1950's, South Carolina, the place Rory returns to after his service in Korea cost him the part of one leg. He returns to the mountain home of his granny, the women who raised him after his mother was committed to an asylum. Violence visited her, harm irrevocaly changed her life, and she was never able to raise her own son, never spoke again to tell who was responsible.

To read a Taylor Brown novel is to be drawn into the world he creates. His use of imagery, makes one feel as if they were actually there, observing all that happens. His characters drawn authentically, real people with real problems, flaws, soft spots, hopes and dreams. In this novel it is the world of white lightening, bootleggers, the beginning of auto racing, my husband a huge NASCAR fan, I was familiar with part of this. Ardent churchgoers, snake handlers, not a big fan of snakes, revenue agents and corrupt sheriffs, all under the control of a man they refer to as the King of the Montain. A time when herbs and plants were used for healing, loved this part, learning how they were used. Where a family meant everything and where violence was a way of life. There is plenty of action, revenge factors, fast cars and a love interest, alot going on but woven semlessley into the narrative. I loved every minute if it, and could have read more.

I have now read all three of this talented author's novels and enjoyed them all, though River of Kings is still my favorite. Haven't forgotten the horse though in Fallen Land. If you haven't experienced his novels yet, and you like gritty southern fiction mixed with great characters and some history thrown in, definitely give him a try. Don't think you'll be sorry.

This was my monthly read with Esil and Angela and as always loved their viewpoints and treasure these reads.

ARC from Edelweiss.

Gods of Howl Mountain was the first book I've read by Taylor Brown. He has a very distinctive style and sensibility. Set in the mountains of North Carolina in the 1950s, Brown portrays an insular world with its own rules and sense of justice. This is a gritty story full of moonshine, home remedies, corruption, car racing, dark religion and rough justice. The story is focused on Rory and his Granny. Rory is a recent Korean War veteran, who lost part of his leg in the war and now runs moonshine for a living. He lives with his Granny -- portrayed as old but only 54 years old -- who is tough as nails. In the background is a violent incident that happened many years ago that led to Rory's mother becoming silent and living in an asylum. It's a short book, but there are many intertwined narratives strands leading to a dramatic ending.

I really enjoyed Brown's writing. It's a real talent to be so descriptive while keeping the story moving so swiftly. I absolutely loved Rory and Granny as characters -- Brown does not fall into the trap of depicting stereotypical southern mountain dwellers, but rather he has created fully dimensional complicated people. Where the story waned a bit for me is that at times it became too action packed -- care races and hard scrabble fights aren't really my thing. But this is a minor criticism. Overall, this was an excellent read and I will look for Brown's earlier books.

One warning: you may not want to read this one if snakes freak you out. Lots of snakes...

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy. (This one won't be published until March 2018.)

And thanks to Diane and Angela for another excellent buddy read and for introducing me to Taylor Brown.

Taylor Brown invites the reader to this place and time with such fantastic descriptive writing and in a page you are there . To this mountain in 1950’s North Carolina, to the land of moonshine and makeshift churches where snakes rule, where evil deeds of the past still haunt, to a place of healing herbs and potions, violence, deceit and greed - all so gritty and dark and so beautifully written with a sad love story at the center of it . Brown has such a command of the language, nothing flowery here, just perfect descriptions with the perfect adjectives that made me reread some passages just to feel them again and see what he wants us to see.

Rory, a whiskey runner, is haunted by his time in the war in Korea, by the loss of a limb, by the killings, and by what happened to his mother before he was born. His Grandmother, feisty and formidable Granny May is haunted by what happened to her daughter and by what she had to do in the past for them to survive. So it’s Rory’s mother story that is central to the novel. I love that we get to know it from Bonni’s perspective with short chapters interspersed so we get to know how much she loved the Gaston boy. Flashbacks to the past from both Rory and Granny are seamless as well. They take us to the past but tell us so much about where they are in the moment, in their thoughts of the past.

No need to to rehash the plot, only to say it’s action packed in places , introspective in others, sad but with the injection of humor at times, repeating myself but gritty, sometimes violent and gruesome but all in all a fabulous story of the south, of love and family. 4+ stars from me.

This was a monthly read with my great Goodreads friends Diane and Esil. It took three tries to find one we all thought positively about and thanks to Taylor Brown this was it.


I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

I spent a little more time reading this than I should have because I was so, so enthralled with the setting and characters. It's the 1950s, right after WWII, and wounded soldier Rory Docherty returns home and begins running whiskey as a bootlegger. He lives with Granny May, a bit of a famous and infamous character in the mountains of North Carolina where the story is set. Brown's character and setting development is amazing and it caused me to not really be able to put this book down. I could easily picture myself there next to Rory, riding shotgun in Maybelline as he traversed North Carolina backcountry. The way the past was interwoven with the present was really interesting, as well, with the story of Rory's mom and what happened to her to strike her dumb, interwoven with the current events. One learns that the past can affect the present, and the smallest actions can have lasting reactions.

The Gods of Howl Mountain tells the story of Rory Docherty, a whiskey-running veteran of the Korean War and Granny May, his spunky, folk healer grandmother, living in the mountains of North Carolina. The story unfolds as Rory struggles with his experiences in Korea, the questions about his institutionalized mother’s mysterious past, and as he makes a living running bootleg whiskey through the mountains. I enjoyed everything about this novel.

The characters were so well developed and interesting. Rory was the main character but I felt like Granny May was the most impactful. She was definitely my favorite and the most memorable character in this story. I know nothing about cars and could care even less but the effect that Maybelline, Rory’s souped up Ford coupe, had on him was well done. It added one more layer of interest to the character. In fact, there was a lot of car talk throughout the book. Something I would have thought would cause me to become bored or disinterested. Instead, I found it added to the story, like I was sharing something with the people of the mountain community.

The writing was engaging and atmospheric, I was transported to the mountains of 1950’s North Carolina every time I picked up this novel. There was a lot going in this story - the discovery of Rory’s mother’s assailant and her lover’s murderer, his relationship with the serpent handling preacher’s daughter, his own inner struggles, the trials and tribulations of whiskey running - but it was all very well organized. Taylor Brown is a phenomenal storyteller. (To me his storytelling is reminiscent of Stephen King and his writing style of George R.R. Martin – quite the combination!).

I would highly recommend this one and look forward to enjoying more written by Taylor Brown. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity read and review this wonderful book.

Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown is set in the NC mountains and is about running moonshine, fast cars and the early days of stock car racing. Though not a fan of racing or moonshine for that matter I liked this book. It is a story of people doing what they must do to survive and the price they must pay for that existence and long held secrets. This story also features mountain folklore, corrupt government officials, sex and even healers. I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author.
#moonshine, #race cars, #mountain healers,