REVIEW: The Seance Room: The Seed of Change

The Seance Room: The Seed of Change is a story about a Senator from Hollywood, California that is given a chance to reflect upon the (potential?) consequences of his quest for votes, after a fateful visit to ”˜The Seance Room“. It is told in a dark, moody tone that evokes the feel of a classic anthology series of the past. To call this a modern EC Comics tale would be a very accurate description.

Keyla K. Valerio“s painterly art is very good, but I thought the lighting and color, in particular, were outstanding. Some panels are filled with deep reds that really pop, especially on modern digital screens. It does tend to go overboard in some panels, with details being muddied by this focus on lighting. Character proportions seem off in certain panels and the art could be more detailed, but it’s hard to complain about the quality of this art.

I really liked the book“s cover. The creepy eyes peering at the reader and the nails clutching at our host, Enrich Weiss“ neck, really prepares you for the mood of what“s inside.

The book has a good, brisk pace to it, but I felt like it would have benefited from additional pages to strengthen the final act. The first act of the story does a great job of showing how sleazy the Senator is, through questionable actions and a biting personality. This book does present a politically charged topic that some may find questionable and it does take a giant leap in the final act that notches down the believability of the story. Ben Goldsmith’s dialog is workmanlike, it progresses the story, but it’s not noteworthy in comparison to the artwork.

If you are a fan of classic television anthology series such as Tales from the Crypt, The Outer Limits, or The Twilight Zone, you will get enjoyment from this book. The book“s lighting and mood are exceptional, but I felt the rest of the book was merely above average.

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. If you are a horror, anthology fan, this could be a 4. Overall, it’s a solid start to a series that has great potential. I do see myself following up with this series.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Written by Ben Goldsmith
Art by Keyla K. Valerio
Published by Source Point Press

Get your copy HERE