Shadows Abyss by L. N. Frost
Independently Published (December 2020)
116 pages; $10.24 paperback, $4.99 e-book
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
Luna Nyx Frost (Nicole) is a native to Baltimore, Maryland, and has been writing for the last twenty years. She is a blind author and writes poetry, urban fantasy, and paranormal. Her debut novel HUNTED: The Immortal’s Kiss cowritten with Emberly Lily Summers is available on Amazon. After publishing her poetry book. Shadow Abyss: A Book of Poetry, she has had other poems featured in anthologies such as Maryland’s Best Emerging Poets by Z Publishing and in Fae Thee Well by Dreampunk Press. Her passion for writing and reading doesn’t stop at sonnets and novels. Her inspiration mostly comes from nature, ancient history, and classic literature. Luna has also looked up to the magnificent work of poets such as Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickens. She has also read many works by Shakespeare and fables by The Brothers Grimm. Luna has also been intrigued by the great ancient civilizations. Her collection, Shadows Abyss, is available now.
Frost is clearly interested in horror. The bulk of this manuscript is horror poetry, with a few dark fantasy leaning poems thrown in for good measure. Oft the poems lean towards the narrative, as in “Creature of the Night,” which begins
The intoxicating aroma
of mortal blood
awakens animated corpses
from eternal slumber.Their life support extended
by each drop of crimson blood
torn from the throats of those
that falls victim to their hypotonic gaze.
This poetry style, prose-sentences edited to poetic lines, is certainly one that is en vogue, especially in the speculative community. Frost is tapping into that poetic lineage in these poems, very clearly, and crafting poetic tales of horror within it.
The poems, though rooted in myth and legend, read as very contemporary and spirited. For example, “Toxic Discomposure” begins with lines that seem to echo the COVID-19 lockdowns, but in a very gothic way
The world is filled with fear
many stays locked inside their homes
hoping to avoid the dangers
avoiding the odds of getting hurtSome go the extra mile
using works of fiction
locking themselves inside their minds
thinking that worlds of make believe
are better comforts then realityYet, there comes a time
when books are closed, and doors are opened
when we face what we try so hard to avoid
with shaky hands we step into the unknown
This is the sort of dense poetry, thick with language, that one can expect from L. N. Frost.
Overall, Shadows Abyss reads like a solid first collection of horror poetry. There are narratives throughout, couched in heavy language that adds a gravity and weight to the book. Some readers will struggle through these nightmares, and there is a trigger warning because of this, but those that are able and willing to make the exploration will surely find what they’re looking for. The fact that they can do so for free (editor’s note: if they are Kindle Unlimited subscribers) before purchasing the book makes this a win-win for both reader and author, and horror fans are encouraged to read and support L. N. Frost’s Shadows Abyss.
