I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A father must take his son back into his haunted past years after a near-cataclysmic event nearly destroyed South Australia and the world once more hangs in the balance in author David A. Neuman’s “Kaleidoscopic Shades: Within Black Eternity”.

The Synopsis

Twelve years following a cataclysmic event that took civilization to the brink of no return, the Triplow family has finally found peace. Settling in Corona, California, has ensured that the past horrors and madness remain relegated to another time, another place.

On the morning of September 7th, 2022, that false perception is shattered when Bob Triplow is forced to take his son back to his past, and the horrors of childhood – a place truly out of this world – where he will struggle for sanity, while his son, a mere child of ten, will be compelled to make decisions upon which six billion lives depend.

The Review

I absolutely loved this story. It is a horror meets paranormal thriller mystery read that readers won’t get enough of. The world-building and mythology the author develops are so rich and captivating. The exploration of other worlds, shady organizations that meet underground, and the concept of time itself coming undone all blended together beautifully and naturally in this read. 

What stood out to me was the character-building that the author did in this story. The frightful emergence of Patrick Nesmith, aka the Man in Black, was certainly memorable, but what really was amazing to read was the author’s ability to create a group of friends who held a camaraderie and strength, with each member of the group finding their own unique trait that made them stand out. It reminded me of Stephen King’s writing, as it had a healthy balance of horror and world-twisting shocks with relatable and memorable characters. 

The Verdict

Haunting, captivating, and entertaining, author David A. Neuman’s “Kaleidoscope Shades: Within Black Eternity” is a must-read paranormal thriller and horror read! The blend of mystery and high strangeness was very reminiscent of projects like the Twilight Zone and Twin Peaks, but as a major fan of Stephen King, I also enjoyed the author’s writing style, as well as some Easter eggs from King’s own works, whether purposeful or not, such as the “Man in Black” villain in both King’s Dark Tower series and this book, as well as the group of kids facing a great evil found in books like King’s It. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your own copy of this book today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Born in Adelaide, Australia, David A. Neuman was gifted a vivid imagination that continues to this day to distort memories of childhood. In the late-seventies he left Norwood High School as an underachiever after his parents had moved from the burbs into the hills. Too easily distracted. Too ready to dream beyond the windows of the classroom, and journeyed from one college to another, graduating from Flinders University with a graduate certificate in behavioral science. Though his visible passion laid in lending a hand in others overcoming their physical and mental obstacles, he remained a dreamer.

Turning to writing early in life to express himself and give his imagination a playground upon which to run, odd scraps became serious tomes about 30 years ago and would have remained mothballed when the suggestion was raised that he should do something about it, debuting Kaleidoscopic Shades – within Black Eternity two years afterwards.

David continues to live in Adelaide, South Australia, where he remains a child at heart, accepting everyone regardless of their sexual orientations and their take on this big, fantastical universe – understanding that each and everyone of us are in this together.

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