With his high IQ and questionable SQ, Jim was slightly geeky and socially awkward, especially in front of girls. Resentful of his lack of female companions, Jim resigns himself to a lonely life. However, everything changed during a hike to a canyon in South-Eastern Utah. After witnessing an unearthly ritual taking place in the depths of the canyon, he fled the scene. A malevolent spirit started following him everywhere, threatening his sanity and life. Meanwhile, reports of missing hikers in the canyon pepper the media. Is there a link between Jim’s experience and these disappearances? What happens when he revisits the place? To know more, read Coyote, a novel by Charles Combee.

Charles Combee presents a harrowing, spine-tingling tale that will haunt readers long after they finish the book. With an ancient, vengeful god on the prowl, it was impossible to feel even a moment’s relief. Like Jim, I felt an uncanny presence at the edge of my field of vision. Combee has created the ultimate enemy; an evil that can transcend the barrier of time and can’t be killed. The dark rituals, mystical dreams, and eerie netherworld created a miasma of supernatural threads. I perceived this story to be somewhat allegorical, highlighting the fact that killing enemies is easier than destroying the darkness living in the depths of our psyche. Jim not only battles the immortal god but also faces his inner demons to earn redemption. I recommend Coyote to anyone who appreciates dark supernatural stories.

Coyote by Charles Combee sees the protagonist, Jim, hike into a ravine to camp overnight. His peaceful rest is broken by insistent music and he witnesses the wild coyote dance. Terrified, he scrambles up the side of the ravine into his waiting vehicle. In the next chapter, a young girl called Audrey narrowly escapes being massacred by the coyotes with the rest of her family. Somehow Coyote begins visiting Jim, taunting the human with his presence. Jim returns to the valley and performs a ritual that recovers Audrey from another dimension. Will his mysterious dreams help Jim banish the Coyote?

Coyote by Charles Combee is an intense psychological adventure fused with new adult concerns. The first-person narrative suited Jim’s introverted personality, and I happily identified with Jim’s point of view when the girl he fancied appeared to snub his interest. It was a revelation when Anne revealed the problem had been generated by his lack of social skills. The references to his workmates and peers also requiring social intelligence were thought-provoking. I really enjoyed the life lesson as Jim’s ability to care for others, and especially let go of his grudge towards women, proved key elements in his struggle with the demigod. I liked the allusions to “Ludwig Van Coyotehoven” and “Figaro” that underlined the role sound played in the ritual. I found the journey into the other dimension convincing even though it must have involved a form of shamanic projection. Altogether, Coyote by Charles Combee is an intelligent, quirky fantasy I can recommend to readers.

Coyote is a supernatural horror novel by Charles Combee. Jim was camping amidst the canyons of Southeast Utah when he stumbled upon an ancient ritual involving creatures led by a coyote-like monster, unlike anything he had previously seen. Fleeing for his life, Jim inadvertently becomes connected to the creature pursuing him, who is now out for his blood. Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Audrey's life turns upside down during a hiking trip in the mountains when she witnesses her entire family being devoured by coyotes while she is stuck in an alternate realm. Plagued by nightmares and visions, Jim learns of a way he can stop the Coyote from ruining Audrey's life, but is he brave enough to put his own life in danger for a stranger? What will he choose to do?

The vibe you get when reading Coyote is like Stranger Things meets Predator. Author Charles Combee's debut novel is a stellar addition to the supernatural horror genre with its trademark thrills and suspense-filled scenes to entice the reader from start to finish. Combee's narrative is crisp and concise, and he wastes little time in immersing the reader in the action. This is primarily a plot-driven narrative, and the two main characters are thrown into the meat of the story from the start. The brief interactions between Jim and Audrey were my favorite sections of the book. I also enjoyed the unpredictability of Coyote's powers, as I felt it made the creature much more intimidating for the reader. I will recommend Coyote to readers who enjoy supernatural horror stories.

In Coyote by Charles Combee, Jim has a good life, a career in IT, his own place, a car, and a few friends, although he sometimes struggles to meet women as he’s a bit awkward socially. During one of his solo hikes, he comes across a god-like creature in the form of a coyote, but with human features and wearing clothes. Because Jim saw him, Coyote terrorizes him persistently. After reading multiple news reports concerning missing people, including a young family with a 12-year-old girl, Coyote visits Jim in his home and plants missing clothing items to frame Jim for the murder of these people. Jim has no choice but to take on a god and come face to face with death and the supernatural world of the woods.

Coyote by Charles Combee is an imaginative and magical story of a young man and his journey to self-discovery. I enjoyed reading this book because of the beautiful descriptions of the scenes and nature. It is eloquently written and entertaining. The exploration of Jim’s social anxiety is fascinating, and I think it will resonate with many people who face similar challenges in connecting with others and building meaningful friendships. Through helping a young girl who is a victim of the creature, Jim identifies the actual cause of his inability to connect and build significant relationships. He learns that to bond with people, you must see them much as you hope they will see you.

Great read!
I am a fan of Coyote mythos and Combee does a GREAT job on his research of the indigenous societies and their relationship to the trickster spirit - Coyote. Sometimes mankind sees things we were not meant to see ... and then those entities have to take things into their own hands to right whatever cosmic balance has been upset.
The characters are well thought out and easy to "see" in your mind. Their motivations are very clear. The tension is THICK.
The one hang-up that I had was the change in POV that the author uses. It gave me a little read-hiccup at first, but once I realized it was by choice (to call out the focus on the Primary character) I was able to run with it.
Great supernatural suspense in a modern setting.
(I was gifted a copy of this book to read and am leaving a review).