The Banished by Steven Marshall

While enjoying a picnic with her fiancé, Leo, Yvonne basked in the elation of her newly discovered pregnancy. It was not until they were lost in the woods, that Yvonne would soon know that there may not be a secure future ahead for her. Leo was taken prisoner by a strange savage breed of cannibal mutants that survived (notice I did not say lived) in the woodlands. He would later be used as a bargaining ransom of sorts as the mutants needed help, and through Yvonne was the only way they would be able to get what they needed.

Eight inmates exposed to chemical radiation made it to the other side of the wall during their escape to safety, but they were permanently disfigured from the inhalation of nearly fatal chemicals. Surviving in the wilderness on only human flesh and nature's fruits, this hybrid breed, now freaks of nature, unknowingly had to fulfill a prophecy with Yvonne and find a new sanctuary in hopes of surviving the harsh winter.

The prophecy has cursed the men and Yvonne is dragged into the madness. Although she seems to see the human sides of what the creatures used to be, the fate of her and her unborn child will be left in the hands of these lethal killing machines. Will they protect her with their lives…or take hers for nourishment? The prophecy has yet to be fulfilled…

Steven Marshall's dark cryptic novel The Banished will keep you repulsed and intrigued about what will happen next all throughout the novel. This fast paced, action horror novel has very well written detailed blood bath scenes as well as true human emotion to make it come to life and give it dimension. It proves that inside every dark, savage creature there is still some shred of humanity clinging on. The Banished even has some dark erotica and supernatural, yet earthly horror elements that takes a surprising end twist…a must read!

This novel receives 5 of 5 Bloody Hearts!

More info/contact: www.stevenmarshallhorror.com

The Banished, by Steven N. Marshall, is a fast paced action horror thriller that prefigures a visual piece that would play very well on the wide screen. Marshall’s story opens with a “Prelude” that puts the entire story into context for the reader. He opens “Fall from Paradise,” his first chapter, very sweetly and does an excellent job of setting up the image of purity and innocence for the fall he expertly crafts later in the story. Marshall deliberately creates the sense that he is a hopeless romantic and will inevitably rob the reader of any hardcore sex, violence, and horror. His writing seems to blush and even feels like it’s getting tongue tied. It’s a ruse. When you least expect it, Marshall dispenses with the romance and takes you for a ride. A characteristic of Marshall’s prose is that he forces you to watch. You want to look away, but he draws you in with very well choreographed fight scenes and vivid sexual encounters.


It is this level of detail that adds realism to the story. Marshall after all is describing a race of mutants whose introduction to the reader makes them so otherworldly that the reader at first can’t tell if they are humans, aliens, or something supernatural. Marshall does an excellent job developing (or should I say humanizing) his mutant characters as the story proceeds. And he weaves his plot with poignant vignettes that reinforce the enmity between man and nature. The contrast between the story’s romantic beginning and shocking ending drives this narrative to its true roots: sustained and palpable horror. You’re living in a world of violent and hideously disfigured mutants; and there is no visible means of escape.