Jean-Paul Michell

I've read five or six of Campbell's novels, and desired to read this one for several years. Finally got a hold of a copy, and..... Pros - Strong opening, good-ish characters, interesting concept (though it's never really expanded on or delved into much detail), and a very strong climax. There are a handful of genuinely creepy parts, and one moment at the start of the story's climax that is truly nightmarish. Cons - As mentioned briefly above, the concept for the plot and reason for the main horror element is indeed interesting, but the author himself seems to shrug off any details and potential answers to the many questions that arise when the 'prophetic dream' element is introduced. Not that big of a deal really, but a major gripe I DO have with this novel is the bulk of the middle section of the story - it just drags on and on, with hardly any horror, foreboding, or genuine suspense happening for a seemingly interminable length of time. It's like the writer forgot he was penning a horror story all together; Characters drone about their daily lives with all the intrigue and investment of a soap commercial, and I felt like I couldn't get through the middle segment fast enough. Frankly, Campbell should've trimmed a good 70-80 pages off this book; the story would have been far better for it. I'd never recommend anyone skip parts of a story; but I'm almost tempted to say exactly that about Incarnate. The climax and ending are worth trudging through the middle if you are a fast reader; otherwise, you may want to actually skip past a few parts....

Hits hard, both sonically and poetically, and takes you through an anguished yet satisfying emotional journey.