By Lou Rera
The Cure by JG Faherty is a wonderfully written novel, a true horror novel. I thought of it like a crazy elevator ride, each floor was a new level to the story, and when the doors to certain floors opened, I wanted to just stick my head out, take a quick look, close the door, and get the hell out of there.
The Cure takes you in unexpected directions that Faherty’s imagination masterfully realizes. Dr. Lea DeGarmo, a dedicated veterinarian with a true love for animals, and the man she’ll soon fall in love with, police officer John Carrera, meet during a failed robbery at a fast food restaurant. Bullets fly, and the end result is tragic. But as the novel’s title suggests, Dr. DeGarmo possesses a special power, the Cure, through which she is able to bend the hands of fate in other directions.
But just like anyone with super powers, dark forces (supernatural or otherwise) can pop up and try to exploit those special abilities. That’s a pretty good way to put it. Tar Nova is a henchman of a corporate boss with global reach and power, and his mission is to make Leah DeGarmo’s life miserable. He’s an amoral character hell-bent on getting what his superiors want, but also looking for a way to fulfill his own greedy plans. That’s where all the fun begins. Faherty takes The Cure in the direction of pure evolved evil. DeGarmo’s powers are as terrifying as Clive Barker’s cube in Hellraiser. Once you’re able to open certain doors, there’s no turning back, and the terror that awaits you is described as the burning breath of a horrific creation so strong that John Carrera, the only person Leah DeGarmo can trust, doubts his loyalty and love for her.
The film also suffers from some exaggerated flaws. There are too many “bad guys” vying for Leah DeGarmo’s power. They’re all the usual thugs, rival gangs, greedy corporate mongers, and of course a shadowy government agency that’s looking for a new and better way for their soldiers to kill. At one point, chaos in the dark corridors of a gang detention center turns into a killing spree with too many bodies to count. I think at this point Faherty could have pulled back against DeGarmo. It’s clear that she needs to get out of town.
But other than that, this is a wild read with many unexpected twists. Faherty has a talent for this, having written a ton of short stories and novels. Anyone who can write sentences like “napalm burned through his veins, hammers pounded his bones, giant hands twisted his every organ” has the makings of a good horror novel. JG Faherty’s The Cure is worth a read. For readers with pets, no matter how well they treat the creature you call “furry,” you’ll think twice about shaking hands with your favorite veterinarian.
Book here.
score:4/5
