I picked up Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World, Cullen Bunn‘s adult debut novel, because as a longtime reader of his comic work I expected a wild ride. What I got was something far bigger, stranger, and even bloodier than I expected, and that is really say something when it comes to Bunn. What begins as a small-town murder mystery turns into a crazy mix of cosmic horror, mayhem, and few surprising heartfelt moments I didn’t see coming.
The bodies are stacking up on Wilson Island.
The town’s sheriff has his suspicions but no genuine evidence for an arrest, even as the murders continue and appear increasingly ritualistic in nature. And when an arrest is finally made, all hell breaks loose—literally—as a terrifying horror rises to envelop the town. Soon it’s all up to an unforgettable and motley group of residents to band together and eliminate an ancient evil in a desperate struggle for survival.
Those familiar with Bunn’s work in the world of comics, such as Harrow County or A Legacy of Violence (two of my favorites), know what to expect when the writer crafts a tale. But Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World is something truly special. Not only is Bunn’s first foray into adult prose, it also feels like a bold step for his storytelling: an ambitious horror novel filled with brutality and gore that goes hard until the very last page.
The small-town setting of Wilson Island and the grounded storytelling made the monstrous feel almost believable. At its core, the story had this classic feel to it, but with Bunn’s signature eerie touch. The isolated community with a sense of a lurking threat was a familiar setting that was turned sinister. unn’s vivid descriptions transported me to the Island with each intricate detail.
Stories which feature a wide cast of characters usually take me a while to get into, if I can even succeed, but that wasn’t the case with Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World. Bunn gives each character just enough of a backstory and history to make them feel fully lived-in, which allows us as the reader to care about what happens to them. Without this connection, the stakes are just not that hight and the horror wouldn’t land as hard, but here is so does.
Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World by Cullen Bunn mixes slasher horror, cosmic terror, monstrous creatures, and honestly so much more to deliver a terrifying novel. Bunn crafts a characters that carry emotional weight and a setting that is atmospheric with a strong sense of place. It’s a big, messy, wild, and viscerally gory story that we have come to expect from Bunn.
Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World is available at bookstores everywhere from Gallery Books. The audiobook, narrated by Timothy Andrés Pabon, is available via Libro.fm!
