Part of Book of the Beast Trilogy by Robert Stallman, book 3
First published 1982
Barry carries a terrible secret. The creature inside him once stalked terrified prey through darkness, leaving behind the scent of musk and bones stripped of flesh. Now the Beast inhabits Barry's human form, and Barry has built a life worth defending. He has a wife and children who depend on him. A chance encounter with a young Indian woman changes everything. She leads him to a Navajo reservation where Barry learns about the Great Leap, a passage into another dimension that could solve his impossible dilemma. The Beast must depart. Barry the husband and father must remain. Two beings share one body, but only one can survive the choice ahead.
Genres: fantasy, horror, supernatural, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Navajo Reservation
192 pages · Paperback · Pocket Books
Content warnings: body-horror, violence