The debut novel by Atlanta author Matthew W Quinn, basically a Lovecraft Lite tale set in rural Georgia rather than New England. The first book in Matthew W Quinns The Long War. Followed by a sequel The Atlanta Incursion.
The novel contains examples of:
- Aliens in Cardiff: Edington is located about 30-40 minutes southwest of Atlanta and many people are moving from the city to have bigger houses and better schools while still commuting to the big city for work.
- Beware the Nice Ones: The sweet-natured, thoughtful, insecure Amber bashes in Reed's head with a brass lamp when he threatens Sam and his wife Brenda with a gun.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: If Phil hadn't been so indulgent with Sam, who is a distant relative by marriage, Sam would have been killed before he had the chance to make his Heel–Face Turn.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Phil chews out one of his enforcers for using racial slurs and and blames lunch-meat Bill for impregnating his girlfriening her rather than Slut-Shaming her. He also makes it abundantly clear to the aforementioned enforcer that cult dissident Sam is only to be beaten, not killed.
- Heel–Face Turn: Sam starts out by objecting to the killing of a fellow veteran by the cultists, eventually realizes the titular thing is not actually a god, and betrays the cult.
- He Knows Too Much: Phil, high priest of the cult worshiping the titular monster, orders James and the other witnesses abducted and fed to the monster so they don't talk.
- Hidden Depths: Redneck teens one assumes would be racist include a black teen in their clique and don't seem to care two of the Atlanta teens are in an interracial relationship.
- Lovecraft Lite: Gunfire can hurt the thing in the woods and Claymore directional mines will kill it. And seeing it won't drive people insane.
- Redemption Equals Death: Sam is killed in the final battle in the cult's lair.
- Silk Hiding Steel: Amber when Sam is threatened by a murderous cult member.
- Slut-Shaming: Averted. Cult leader Phil condemns Bill for knocking up his girlfriend and not marrying her rather than condemning the girlfriend.
- The Men in Black: One of them appears a couple times in the story.
- Town with a Dark Secret: Edington, Georgia
