Chindi by Timothy Bryan begins in Northeastern California in the fall of 1862, diving into the story of a man named Abraham. As Abraham and his brother Billy dig something up in the rural landscape, they find a horrifying skull that strikes fear deep into their hearts. The story then travels across the plains to find a Native man named Chief Hakan as he discovers the bodies of a murdered family. He assumes the worst—that their tribe is being attacked.

The meat of the story begins with conflict. After the shocking deaths of many good people, Lieutenant Crook realizes that the Native Americans must be attacking white settlers. This spurs him to ready his men for battle, as more disastrous deaths occur around them. As we watch him struggle to understand why the conflict is happening, we learn that Abraham has been possessed by a being named Chindi—as he traverses the landscape, he collects the bodies of the dead, raising them to join him in his trek.

I found Chindi to be a harrowing story that explores history while emphasizing elements of horror. I loved the action throughout the story, and found Crook’s battles with the creature haunting and intriguing. As Crook and his men learned of the demons entering the bodies of the dead, I felt their fear along with them, completely entranced by the terrifying tale.

I would have liked to see even more description of the actual monsters. I had a hard time picturing the creatures at first, but I was thankful when Bryan explored the fearful aspects of their appearance. However, I sometimes felt that the increased dialogue took away from the atmospheric terror.

If you’re a fan of horror stories, Chindi takes the idea of a classic western and turns it into something absolutely haunting. I loved the unique nature of the monsters and enjoyed how history played a part in this spooky story. I recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting and scary read this Halloween season.

Pages: 243 | ASIN: B09FSCS87K