The Fly King

The Fly King

Within the pages of this novel you will meet many people that will provide you with reasons why dreaming can bring you either joy or fear. Within the pages you will meet two young newborn girls born to two loving parents but something happens at the moment they come into this world that will destroy one and create another in the image of someone possessed by evil. Ani and Rachel were conjoined twins and were very close growing up. Their mother died in childbirth and an aunt brought them up. At first they both flourished but then something happened to change it all. Rachel grew taller, healthier and Ani seemed to be getting pale, tired and could barely move. When the doctor checked them out he related that Rachel was absorbing all of Ani’s positive nutrients and blood and Ani died shortly after. Rachel when you meet her in the present you will realize that something is very off about her. But, first let me clue you in about her brother Delroy that she knows nothing about. Deformed, deranged, hideous, and seriously shorter than most his age, Delroy has become fixated with hurting others, creating fear and hardly facing reality as he takes on a demonic approach and his actions will bring chills to the reader’s body every time you encounter him.
Rachel and Gavin are a team in work and in life. Deciding to travel to the mountains renting a bus in order to create music for a children’s album. But, although things seem okay while traveling something horrific happens when they arrive and Rachel meets the town psychic or witch and things take on a darker color. Dreams that haunt as Magdalena remembers her mother and recall taking her last breath. But, when she encounters Rachel things change and for some reason she manages to come to see her unannounced, lets our her dog Kiki and then Gavin realizes that something within Rachel changes. But, how and why?

She becomes uncontrollable, erratic, and even irate. At times she appears irrational with the way she interacts with Gavin. Disappearing into the woods, singing a nursery rhyme that deals with the Fly King and then hearing it again as Magdalena too seems entranced with this rhyme and the many different versions of it. But, Delroy meanwhile learns he has a sister, his landlord steals his money and forces him out and then he takes a young girl hostage and literally takes her apart. This is just the start of what he thinks he should do as he becomes possessed with killing young women, taking their blood and putting it all over him in different places and at the end stating: the fly king cometh! Flies are at the heart of this novel and their meaning scary as they represent evil and much more. As Father Lieberman enters the basement of his church to get more bibles for the parishioners why did he find thousands of flies among the books and in the basement? When asked by Bertha to keep the church unlocked at night, he was going to but the end result was tragic. Every step of the way each character is soiled flawed and has his/her own demons to deal with. Rachel finds herself going towards Jack who owns a convenience store and has other things in mind for her. Magdalena seems possessed in learning more about the flies, research and even creating potions one for Bertha’s daughter, one for the father and each one having their own bizarre result or reaction.

When Rachel finally returns home and wakes after being drugged as Gavin was too, why is she do hungry and why does she escape after he cares for her leading her to Jack? Rachel even thinks she is pregnant after having her period the week before and told she would never have children. Already thinking she was showing and promising, but lying to Gavin, that she would seek out a doctor and medical treatment. Something is making her act so odd and something within her seems to be controlling her actions and her mind. But what or who?

Rachel and Magdalena form a tentative bond and when a spell is cast on Rachel the end result is devastating to say the least. It is supposed to be a protection spell but instead the voice of Ani comes through and Rachel thinks someone either her sister or Magdalena is trying to kill her child that’s if she is really pregnant. Meanwhile Delroy is on a killing rampage getting stronger each time and projecting that the victim is his sister namely Rachel.

Rachel seems possessed in many respects and Magdalena seems caught up in the horrors of what she is going through as Delroy has his minions doing his dirty work and many more women are paying dearly with their lives. As the author describes his carnage the ritual with the saran wrap and the joy he gets in doing the things to these innocent people we hear Rachel’s mother warning her about Delroy and that she needs to come home to be safe. With her stomach growing and Delroy on her trail when she meets her brother for the first time the scene is so vividly depicted and you hear his voice so evil and demonic you wonder whether she will turn into him or realize what he is really after.

The symbol of doom is the raven who follows the path of each of the characters to their many destinations as we hear the voice of Henn the Fly King as the author tells us that he fathers his own sister’s baby. As the characters from the past relate the events that will happen in the present we meet many more who not only want Henn to meet his demise but two others too. A group of village men drinking and gossiped about how they want to rid Henn’s family and get them out of the village. They wanted not only them put Magdalena too. Their descriptions of the mother and the daughter are based on what they think they appeared to be thinking or wanting to do and the end result you won’t believe what they did to Gwennie and her mother and then Henn. Requiring someone to kill them or else and then the lethal dagger that controls the power of the Fly King and his emotions, what happens when they decide to bury them all alive. Henn’s chest, face and body were covered in his sister’s blood. But, what they did next was even more horrific as they bludgeoned him into silence. The raven moved and sensed a movement on the flat surface in front of the cave and saw that it was Henn King. The figure of Henn is described so graphically that the reader will feel his pain and see his image if you take a mental picture of what the author describes. Delroy finds Rachel and her baby Daniel is born but he is not what other children would be and when she realizes that this child might take on the role as Fly King from Delroy and the way he feeds and reacts she has a decision or choice to make and only someone with a strong moral fiber and moral values will be able to carry out. Delroy also tried to kill Gavin but did he succeed? What happens will terrify readers as lives will be taken, Delroy will profess to Rachel how he will take on the world, who will live and who will die and worse what the role of the flies will be when he rules. Killing James and then burning down the pub made him stronger but he would not relent or give up. What happens when Rachel has the dagger in her hands will she take action and rid the world of the Fly King and his demon son? What about Magdalena will she be forfeited too? Hear the flies buzz all around the forest. See Rachel as she felt them upon her. Understand her plight and her fears and watch as she realizes the end result. Hearing the voice of Ani as she confesses to feeling responsible for her death will she understand these words: Be strong, my sister. Darkness lies at the doorstep true. Look into it. You were always the one, Rachel. Always the strongest. I would have failed where you will no. Something inside spoke to me to leave this world, and I did. In a sense it was Ani’s way of being strong too. She let her go and she needed to do what needed to be done. She never really left her but will Rachel do the impossible? Hear the rhyme that she relates and listen to the flies. The child in her arms singing the lullaby what wills the end result be? A child’s whose body was not humanly formed and the end result you have to learn for yourself as Rachel finds that her fate and that of others will sealed upon her final actions. Will she remain in the forest? Will she return to her life with Gavin? What promise did Bertha make to Magdalena and will she keep it? What power lies within the dagger and what powers will be unleashed if Bertha does not heed the warning of her friend and honor her last request. The ending lets you know that the reader is in for more when the author pens his next novel because the curse might still be there as those that went after Henn and his family are paying through Delroy in the present. What is the final fate and who if anyone will face the wrath of THE FLY KING! Will he rise again? Lies, power, control deceit, hate, revenge, stereotyping, paranormal events, witches and curses are at the heart of this horror novel and you the reader may enter the pages of this book but remember: What Magdalena warns Bertha of at the end make sure you follow suit. Readers will learn what happens when the system fails and a child who has disabilities fall by the wayside and when neglecting to follow up on his/her placement. Delroy was a tragic figure that never felt loved and took out his hate on anyone that attempted to get close to him but mostly women. An interesting novel that reflects the issues that I sited and what happens when someone who is different finds himself all alone in the world and a sister who blames herself for the death of her own twin and is in need of help.
A novel that many who are experiencing being different, foster care and foster care counselors who need to realize that everyone needs love, understanding and hope. Interesting to see what happens next.

Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ magazine