Shadow Animals by Keith Deininger

When I began reading Keith Deininger’s new book, Shadow Animals, I thought, “Wow, this reads a lot like Neil Gaiman. By the time I was finished the story I wondered if perhaps Neil took a trip into the ninth circle of hell and met Clive Barker there where, together, they spawned off the demon baby that is Shadow Animals.

Shadow Animals is hard to describe or review. One reason for this is that it’s so short I don’t want to go into the plot too much in fear of ruining what happens to potential readers. So, let’s go with the basics. The story’s protagonist, Saul, is looking for his missing son, Ezzy, who went missing in “the forest”. I put quotations around the forest because this forest is known as the place where people enter and never come back.

Saul’s goal is to find his son and fix his family. His intentions are good. But as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Shadow Animals is a dark fantasy set in a world that is both beautiful and violently horrifying. I compared Keith’s work to two other brilliant authors, and I know that I am not far off the mark on saying so. And yet Keith keeps his own voice and vision intact throughout the entire story. This is Keith Deininger’s work, and you, dear readers, are in for a treat.

Five full Dweller Heads.