The Devil in Gray

Title: The Devil in Gray

Author: Graham Masterton

Published in: 2004

Date read: 12th April 2017

Score: 3/5

Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Devil in Gray" by Graham Masterton, published in 2021, is a historical horror novel that delves into a dark and bloody chapter of American history, weaving supernatural terror into the brutal reality of the American Civil War.

The story is set primarily in the South during the Civil War, a period already steeped in immense human suffering, violence, and despair. Masterton expertly uses this historical backdrop to amplify the horror.

The protagonist is Sergeant Major Josiah Grey of the Union Army. He is a hardened veteran, a veteran of countless battles, and a man who has witnessed the grim realities of war up close. However, he soon finds himself confronting a horror far greater than any battlefield enemy.

Josiah's unit, and eventually other soldiers, begin to encounter a chilling, impossible entity known as "the Gray Man" (or the "Devil in Gray," as the title implies). This isn't just a metaphor for death or the brutality of war. It's a literal, malevolent supernatural entity that appears on battlefields, in hospitals, and in camps, preying on the wounded, the dying, and those filled with despair.

The Gray Man is a being of pure evil, feeding on the pain, fear, and suffering generated by the war. It's an ancient force, perhaps drawn to the immense bloodshed of the conflict. Its presence causes inexplicable deaths, madness, and grotesque transformations. It manipulates the environment, creates illusions, and torments its victims before claiming them.

Josiah Grey, a man of strong moral character despite the horrors he has witnessed, becomes determined to understand and somehow combat this monstrous entity. He realizes that the Gray Man is not bound by allegiances; it preys on both Union and Confederate soldiers, seeing only the raw human misery it can consume.

His quest takes him through the devastated landscapes of the South, encountering the physical and psychological toll of the war, as well as the superstitious fears of the local populace who have their own legends of similar entities. He must decipher clues, connect the seemingly random outbreaks of horror, and confront the very embodiment of the conflict's darkest aspects.

The novel is a visceral and often graphic portrayal of both historical warfare and supernatural terror. It explores themes of the dehumanizing nature of war, the lingering trauma it inflicts, and the idea that immense suffering can literally breed evil. The climax involves a desperate confrontation between Josiah Grey and the terrifying Gray Man, in a battle where sanity and survival hang in the balance, amidst the backdrop of a nation tearing itself apart. "The Devil in Gray" is a unique blend of historical fiction and relentless horror.

Comments:
Despite being entertained by the book, I just didn't enjoy it much. I hate to say it, especially after enjoying some of his other books so much.

Books that we've read by Graham Masterton (9):
Charnel House (1978), Walkers (1989), Prey (1992), Fortnight of Fear (1994), Tooth And Claw (Jim Rook, #2) (1997), Snowman (Jim Rook, #4) (1999), The Devil in Gray (2004), The Doorkeepers (2012), Forest Ghost (2014)