The Painted Darkness

By: Brian James Freeman

Narrated by: Alexander MacDonald

When Henry was a child, something terrible happened in the woods behind his home, something so shocking he could only express his terror by drawing pictures of what he had witnessed. Eventually, Henry's mind blocked out the bad memories, but he continued to draw, often at night by the light of the moon.

Twenty years later, Henry makes his living by painting his disturbing works of art. He loves his wife and his son, and life couldn't be better...except there's something not quite right about the old stone farmhouse his family now calls home. There's something strange living in the cramped cellar, in the maze of pipes that feed the ancient steam boiler.

A winter storm is brewing, and soon Henry will learn the true nature of the monster waiting for him down in the darkness. He will battle this demon and, in the process, he may discover what really happened when he was a child - and why, in times of trouble, he thinks: I paint against the darkness.

But will Henry learn the truth in time to avoid the terrible fate awaiting him...or will the thing in the cellar get him and his family first?

Written as both a meditation on the art of creation and as an examination of the secret fears we all share, The Painted Darkness is a terrifying look at the true cost we pay when we run from our grief - and what happens when we're finally forced to confront the monsters we know all too well.

©2010 Brian James Freeman (P)2012 Brian James Freeman

Critic reviews

"Fast-paced, satisfying horror... a compelling read thanks to skillfully composed prose that builds tension and evokes emotional response." ( Publishers Weekly)

"The tone and building dread reminds me of classic Stephen King. Great velocity and impact, and super creepy. Don't go in the basement!" (Stewart O'Nan, New York Times best-selling author of The Night Country)

"Brian James Freeman's evocative tale about the dark corners of an artist's imagination is elegant and haunting." (David Morrell, New York Times best-selling author of The Shimmer)

Predictable

This author is a very talented writer but he lacks flare. The story was intriguing for a few minutes and then you realized where the author was taking you and there you have guessed how the story is going to end. After having done that you feel let down and sad because there is nothing to be done to make the story turn out better.
The narrator was very good and did his best to instill suspense, mystery and thrills but it wasn't enough.

Good story, needed a different narrator

The story of the dark side of creativity is very interesting, and I would like to see more stories like this from this author. Unfortunately, the narrator doesn't fit the story. He has a nice voice, I think he'd be great for educational books, but he's not very emotive and tends to read the story with the same tone and energy throughout. "Henry paints in the attic", Henry goes down to the boiler", "Henry finds slaughtered rats in his basement". The same voice, the same steady rhythm, even when the character is running for his life. Too bad, the story is really fun.

Good Author

Brian James Freeman is becoming one of my favorite authors. He has a knack for drawing you into a story almost immediately. My only complaint is that I feel like the story shouldn't end! I hope he will come out with some novel-lengthed books in the future, but for now, novellas, short stories, and children's books (The Zombie who Cried Human) are around to keep me coming back for more. Can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

The narration on this book was good - nothing spectacular, but not distracting either (which is a must for audiobooks!)

Snoozer

I didnt finish, and that's saying something I have never walked out of a movie or not finished a book. no matter how terrible. I do feel a tad unfair. the authors story may have been ok but I wouldnt know, the narrator was awful. I may try another of the authors titles, they SEEM interesting but I wont listen to that narrator again

weird for the sake of being weird .

too many oddities that can't be grasped other than if this is a book about the inner life of a schizophrenic. unclear if he killed his family, and this is a reversion into childhood schizophrenia, bright on by the death of his father ? none of it meshes with hypothermic hallucinations, or carbon monoxide poisoning from the old boiler.
too weird to be interesting.

Page-turner story about creativity's demons!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Fascinating if twisted tale about the (sometimes scary) creative impulse that resides in all of us. Really enjoyed the narration-Alex captures the protagonist's emotions so realistically, I never doubted he was experiencing every moment of the story himself. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a perfect marriage of fear and soul-searching!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Painted Darkness?

The scene when Henry battled the monster in his basement.

Which character – as performed by Alexander MacDonald – was your favorite?

The protagonist, Henry.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Henry reconciled with his father.

A perfect creepy tale with an amazing narrator!

What did you love best about The Painted Darkness?

The Painted Darkness is an easy to listen to, fascinating story. The narrator is pitch-perfect and it feels like the narrator teamed up with the author to give everything a cohesive feel that is sometimes missing from audiobooks. I found myself replaying this adventure in my head long after it was over. The quiet terror of the story was an absolute joy to listen to.

What about Alexander MacDonald’s performance did you like?

I've never heard anything by Alexander McDonald before, but I know for sure I will. His voice recording is top-notch, and I will be seeking out new books narrated by him.

Good Story!

The Category says it all: coming of age, horror
A kid has nightmares like all kids do but he’s extra creative so his nightmares are extraordinary especially one which haunted him into adulthood. Having to deal with death as a child or even as an adult would give anyone nightmares. I thought it was a good tale. Short and to the point. It was good. I don’t have anything negative to say about this story.The narrator was excellent! Well done!