Eutopia: A Novel of Terrible Optimism

This debut horror novel by the author of acclaimed short story collection Monstrous Affections “establishes him as a worthy heir to the mantle of Stephen King” (National Post). Set in 1911, Eutopia “mixes utopian vision, rustic Americana, and pure creepiness. . . . Nickle blends Little House on the Prairie with distillates of Rosemary’s Baby and The X-Files to create a chilling survival-of-the-fittest story” (Publishers Weekly). Situated on the edge of the woods and mountains of northern Idaho, the tiny settlement of Eliada is an industrialist’s attempt to create heaven on earth. But its secrets are soon to be unveiled, as Jason Thistledown, the sole survivor of a mysterious plague in Montana, and Andrew Waggoner, a black doctor nearly lynched by the KKK, delve beneath the façade of the utopian mill town. What they discover is science warped by ideology—and an unearthly monster that preys on the faith of its own true believers . . . “A story of piano-wire suspense, grotesque horrors, and, above all, visceral insight into the race politics of American horror, and how they are bound up with the American project itself.” —Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing Praise for David Nickle “His stories are dark, wildly imaginative, and deeply compassionate—even when they’re laced with righteous anger.” —Nathan Ballingrud, author of Wounds “David Nickle is Canada’s answer to Stephen King. His writing charms even as it slices like a blade between the ribs: sharp, subtle, and never less than devastating.” —Helen Marshall, author of Gifts for the One Who Comes After

About the Author :
David Nickle is an award-winning Toronto-based author and journalist. He has written several novels and numerous short stories. Nickle’s most recent book is Volk: A Novel of Radiant Abomination (2017).

Review :
PRAISE FOR EUTOPIA   “Nickle blends Little House on the Prairie with distillates of Rosemary’s Baby and The X-Files to create a chilling survival-of-the-fittest story. . . . [His] bleak novel mixes utopian vision, rustic Americana, and pure creepiness.” —Publishers Weekly   “Toronto author David Nickle’s debut novel, the follow-up to his brilliantly wicked collection of horror stories Monstrous Affections, establishes him as a worthy heir to the mantle of Stephen King.” —The National Post   “Try to imagine a collaboration by Mark Twain and H. P. Lovecraft, with Joe R. Lansdale supplying final editorial polish. Or if that’s too difficult to imagine, read the book and see for yourself.” —The New York Review of Science Fiction   “If smart, innovative horror is nice, it still has to strike at the base of the skull. . . . Nickle knows that horror needs to strike at nerve endings and not get too cerebral; Eutopia does that by getting out of its own way.” —Philadelphia City Paper   “Eutopia is as frightening in its social message as it is with its religious themes, and features irresistible prose. . . . A top-notch novel all around.” —The Horror Fiction Review