The CrackerStack

Share this post

A book about Appalachian supernatural stuff

crackerstack.substack.com

A book about Appalachian supernatural stuff

No joke, this author's name is "Manly Wade Wellman"

Graham Bradley
Jan 20, 2023
1
Share
Share this post

A book about Appalachian supernatural stuff

crackerstack.substack.com

I kept messing up his name and saying “Well-Made Manly Man” but that’s wrong.

The Old Gods Waken Audiobook, written by Manly Wade Wellman | Downpour.com

Anyway.

Someone in WriterDojo mentioned this, so I grabbed it from the library. It’s short and good. Wellman wrote horror with a supernatural bent and an American setting, but sort of in the classic Gothic vein of the genre. Just creepy enough to keep you worried but interested.

His writing is also big on informing the reader about different areas of theology and the occult. In this case you’ve got everything from 13th century Christianity, to pre-Roman Bretonic druidism and ancient Cherokee lore, all wrapped up in one big car crash of a story.

The plot is straightforward: some druidic hillbillies are digging around in North Carolina to dredge up an old god of their religion, acquire power, etc. They trespass onto some good Christian folks’ land in the process. Hillbilly honor gonna hillbilly honor, and soon they’re just about dueling.

Our traveling man John finds himself in the middle of it, and goes to work resolving it. Along the way, the druids capture a good Christian woman, so John and the Christian bois team up with a Cherokee medicine man whose gods are also in the area. They all face off.

It also appears to be part of a larger series called Silver John. Chances are I will check out more. Wellman died in 1986 and this story was originally published in 1979. He concluded the rest of the series in 1984, the year I was born, so that endears it to me a little.

That said, most of the Silver John tales are short stories, and the other novels aren’t yet available on audio, so I’d have to get them in print at some point. Another neat fact: they made a movie about the character in 1974, and the cast featured the late great Denver Pyle. He wasn’t in the lead role. Fans of The Dukes of Hazzard will know him as Uncle Jesse, and I love me some Dukes.

Anyway, this was good and short and endearing. Worth the listen.

Subscribe, you’ll get an email whenever I publish.

1
Share
Share this post

A book about Appalachian supernatural stuff

crackerstack.substack.com
Comments
Top
New
Community

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Graham Bradley
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing