The Harvest    by Scott Nicholson Order:  USA  Can Pinnacle, 2003 (2003) Softcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Martina Bexte Tamara Leon and her family have recently settled in Windshake, a small town nestled deep in the heart of the Appalachians. A psychology professor, Tamara finds herself enjoying the rural, slow moving flavour of her new home. But she's unable to shake persistent and increasingly unsettling visits of her 'gloomies', telepathic messages she receives that often predict future events. Quiet for some time, they've returned with a frightening vengeance. At first they make no sense to Tamara. Over and over again she hears the whispered and sibilant message, 'shu-shaaaa' and has no idea what it might mean, let alone who or what is speaking in her mind. Citizens like Chester Mull and business man Herbert De Walt are also coming to realize there's something strange happening, that may just have something to do with the odd green glow coming from the woods where few venture, other than local hunters and moonshiners. An alien entity that has traveled the far reaches of the universe has come to Earth to begin its deadly harvest of humans, eager to add their essence to its vast consciousness. At first it's easy to lure Earth life forms into its insidious embrace. But the entity soon discovers that a few humans have discovered its hiding place and agenda, people who will fight back, no matter how many of their brethren have been changed by the entity, and sent out to spread the word of the absolute bliss awaiting mankind. A large and rich cast of multi-layered characters, crackerjack pacing, a credible plot twist on the much-used and often abused 'aliens from space' theme and most of all, masterful imagery, make Scott Nicholson's The Harvest a cut above anything I've read in the dark fantasy/SF genre in a good long while. The combination of ordinary humans being changed by the alien, with a select few battling an unknown and unstoppable threat, is not only creepy but also a lot of fun to read. Who needs to rent a scary video when one of Scott Nicholson's books is available! Here's hoping his next one's out soon -- I already predict it'll be even better than The Harvest. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more SF books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews