I dislike writing wholeheartedly negative reviews, especially for local authors, but I find myself more than frustrated with this novel. It is my first read of Heller's, and it has left a poor enough taste in my mouth (and mind) that I am reluctant to try even his bestselling Dog Stars. In order to be most fair, I'm simply going to list what I disliked most about this book, after listing the qualities I did enjoy.Of the things I appreciated, the accuracy of the author's descriptions of outdoor activities, particularly fishing and horse training, is at the top of the list. The author obviously knows about the beauty of these activities first hands. Secondly, I did appreciate that there was backstory to the main character.Of the things I did not like (at all), there were far more than what I enjoyed. You won't know it until you run across it, but there are some spoilers to Heller's earlier The River throughout this book. The main character, Jack, is the same main character as The River. Second, but a personal preference, is that I disliked the style of writing. While some described it as lyrical, the majority was some of the most prosaic writing I've ever read, with sentences abruptly short and sharp. While descriptions of fly fishing are indeed lyrical, the rest of the book seems to be abrupt in changes of topic, perspective, etc. Third, the language. Again, this is largely a personal preference. However, the excessive, gratuitous use of foul language turned me off early on. If I hadn't been reading this for a book club, I'd have stopped within a chapter. The problem is not simply that there is language, it is that the foul language does not serve a literary purpose. All characters swear regularly and in the same way, no matter what region of the country, cultural, or social background they come from. Not all cowboys emit such language from their mouths in every sentence, nor does every other individual in the world. Characters become more and more shallow as their personal style of speaking is not conveyed. When all characters speak and think the same, it does nothing to improve the plot.Fourth, the plot itself was thin. It seems to me as thought it is a rewrite of The Island of Dr. Moreau - except, the island is now a fishing lodge in the Rockies, and the beasts are men themselves (although they are perhaps more accurately described as monsters and vampires). Yet there is little to explain why the atrocities that happen behind the veil of the lodge's blissful-looking surroundings actually occur. Why the two lodges? Why hire unknowing guides instead of invested employees? Why was the former guide killed? What about the boots? What about Shea's mother? Who is Alison, and why is she there without prior knowledge? So many unresolved plot points, as well as the fact that the mystery itself seems trite yet disturbing (I wasn't anticipating some of the nauseatingly violent scenes), make it a poor work in my opinion. (Also, why in the world would someone not immediately die after being shot in the chest by an AR-15?!)