There are many different types of horror: paranormal, creature-feature, psychological, serial killer, splatter, cyberpunk and a few others. But there is one type of horror that lies in the shadows like a spider, one that few dare to glance its way out of fear that it might come for them in their dreams. This type of horror burrows under your skin, forces you to look at horror so terrible that you squirm in your seat.

This genre is called extreme horror.

As you have probably already figured out, An Angel Fallen by Andy Graham falls into this category. You really can’t read this story without feeling queasy. The protagonist, Mike, a bored, eighteen-year-old kid has made friends with Raph, a teenager who loves to torture and kill animals. Raph is the true monster in this book, make no mistake. He has no redeeming qualities and enjoys making life hell on earth for any and all creatures who have the misfortune of crossing his path. Perhaps it is for this reason that a fallen angel practically lands into his waiting arms. No doubt the real Hell could not compete with what Raph, a serial killer in training, can dish out for his own amusement.

Like most good extreme horror, it takes a strong soul and an even stronger stomach to get through this book. This novel drives home horror better than any Stephen King novel I’ve ever read. The terrible deeds are not softened or candy coated in any way. Even Mike, the main character, is despicable in his own way, acting through most of this book as a spineless enabler.

So the question is: Will Mike finally get the courage to stop Raph and save the angel?

No spoilers here, you will have to read the book to find out what Mike does or doesn’t do. The real question, I suppose, is are you the type of horror fan who can survive a book this strong? Or do you need to retreat to the land of sparkly vampires? Only you can answer that. But if you like it strong, this is the book for you.