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Run Date: March 26, 2025
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Review:

Haunting and deliciously weird, I loved every moment with this book.

Told in two parts, Kentucky Dragon digs into cultism, body horror, and family secrets. When Mark is young, he meets the chicken man for the first time. A man who isn’t quite a man, the chicken man has come to collect on a debt. As Mark and his brother, Don, work to unravel the mystery of their family’s secrets, they find themselves wrapped in something much large than them with life-altering consequences. Eighteen years later, Mark has been doing what he’s told, putting the events of his youth behind him and not digging deeper. That is, until he receives a call from Germany from a woman that claims to be his should-be-dead older sister. Mark finds himself thrust back into the secrets he’s been avoiding and playing a game he didn’t even know he was a part of.

Kentucky Dragon is one of the strangest books I’ve read recently, which makes it an instant win for me. It’s visceral and gory, so if that’s not your flavor of horror, definitely steer clear. It doesn’t hold back any of its punches, digging its claws in deep, mixing atmospheric weirdness with bloody mutilations and lingering questions. The novel, especially the beginning, gave very classic horror vibes, in the line of something like The Auctioneer or Rosemary’s Baby. Something about the tone and the complete unflinching, but not overdramatic, descriptions really harkened back to that ‘60s-‘70s horror-lit vibe.

The best part of the novel, other than the weird, of course, was the pacing. The book ramps up the tension gradually, keeping its secrets locked close to its chest, while managing to unleash a barrage of horror with each consecutive chapter. Little innocuous details from Mark’s childhood come into play later in the book, leaving us interconnecting strings to follow into the present.

While the book only has a short cast of characters, they were all enjoyable. They each have personality and distinct motives. I understood why the characters were doing what they were doing. I’m also a stickler for a good villain, and the chicken man gave me that. He’s just normal enough to have that edge of uncanny valley. He talks smart, doesn’t baby Mark or Don, and has a general air of calm inevitability that made him a great character on the page.

Things that didn’t resonate as well? The focus on Nazism, especially toward the end of the novel. There was some strange (not in a good way) Nazi-apologist rhetoric that made me uncomfortable in a way that a horror novel shouldn’t do. Might just be me being sensitive or missing some context, but it made me uncomfy in a bad way.

This novel also struggles overall by having just a not-good ending. Not in a way that horror novels sometimes have bad endings, but the ending just wasn’t good. If it’s setting up for a sequel (which I’d definitely read), that can be forgiven. It feels like the setup to a sequel sort of ending, so I can forgive it if that’s the case.

Overall, loved it. Great premise. Fantastic villain. Slow bleeding of secrets.

Michael Park’s Kentucky Dragon is a haunting and atmospheric psychological thriller that delves into the dark corners of memory, trauma, and the secrets that refuse to stay buried. With its gripping narrative and richly drawn characters, this novel is a compelling exploration of the past’s enduring grip on the present.

The story begins with Mark, an eleven-year-old boy who encounters the enigmatic and unsettling “chicken man.” This mysterious figure introduces Mark to a world of violence and manipulation, leaving a lasting scar on his psyche. As the snow in Kentucky melts due to a mine fire burning deep underground, the chicken man’s actions leave Mark traumatized. Over time, Mark convinces himself to forget the horrors he witnessed, burying them beneath years of bourbon and therapy.

Eighteen years later, the chicken man returns, pulling Mark back into a web of dark secrets and unresolved debts. From Kentucky to New York City to a German village where a coal fire has been burning for centuries, Mark is forced to confront the truth about his family’s past and the flames that never extinguish.

Park’s writing is both evocative and immersive, capturing the tension and unease of Mark’s journey with precision. The novel’s exploration of themes like memory, trauma, and the cyclical nature of violence is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. Mark is a compelling protagonist, his vulnerability and determination making him a character readers will root for, even as they are drawn into the darker aspects of his story.

The supporting cast, including the enigmatic chicken man and the various figures Mark encounters on his journey, adds depth and complexity to the narrative. The pacing is masterful, with each twist and turn heightening the suspense and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Park’s prose is lyrical and evocative, capturing the beauty and danger of the settings with equal skill.

Kentucky Dragon is a story of redemption and reckoning, of the past’s power to shape the present and the courage required to confront it.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, but I sadly found the writing lacking; I was only able to make it a few pages before stopping. It was too descriptive of inane items, almost like the author was writing using a template or checklist for “interesting writing”. The book may definitely get better from there, but I couldn’t get that far.