Rating: 
Summary: Scary and Thought Provoking
Review: I have long ago become immune to scary stories actually scaring me but this one holds a disturbing theme that reminds me of every religious fanatic out there. I was often reminded of Jim Jones and the Heaven's Gate cult when I read this story. Some people can become so consumed with their religion that they would result to... well I don't want to spoil the story. Scott weaves a very frightening tale of how a group of people are taken in by a sinister preacher. They attend his services out of guilt, religious fervor, or whatever. Some people and see through this and try to stop things and that is what makes the story so good. You get inside the heads of each character and why they believe the way they do. A very good tale for a rainy day!
Rating: 
Summary: When Good Things Go Wrong.
Review: I have to admit that, after reading Nicholson's great short fiction collection Thank You For The Flowers, I was expecting a lot from his debut novel The Red Church. After all, the premise had everything required to churn a good, old-fashioned horror tale: a haunted church, a demonic priest, children in distress and a whole town thrown in the middle of the utlimate battle between good and evil.Where did things go wrong? One thing is for sure: Nicholson knows how to write good suspense. In The Red Church, we find Archer McFall, a preacher who returns to his sleepy home town to reopen the red church, a place that has been standing since the 1860s and who's pass is less than glorious. As Archer rides back into town, everyone seems to be affected by his return. And people start dying. And people start seeing things. And the ghosts dwelling inside the church come alive. Not bad huh? But somehow, the novel isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Maybe that's because Nicholson never gives us any real characters to care for. I just didn't believe these people. Their actions were typical of the B-movie horror film (it seemed to me that they always picked the wrong decision, even when they knew better), and their dialogue often sounded false. Nicholson tries to arouse sympathy in his readers through Ronnie, a young boy who seems to be at the heart of everything, and his dad Dave. But the characters are so bland that you never really care for them. And Nicholson goes a little too heavy on the religious undertones at times. In the end, everyone (even the kids!) seem to be religious fanatics. That said, I have to admit that Nicholson did create some very suspensful scenes in this book. On that takes place under water in a car is particularly affecting. Another that takes place inside a barn will chill you to the bones. But it's still not enough to completely save the book, although it does redeem it to some level. It's unfortunate that The Red Church fell victim to the first-novel syndrome, because it did show a lot of potential. Maybe Nicholson's next effort will be the great horror novel he is more than capable of writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Great start!
Review: I love the premise behind this book. It takes things that scare us from childhood and makes them bigger, which makes them that much scarier as adults. Especially when it comes to going to church. Who hasn't been scared by all the brainwashing tactics they can use? The only thing I noticed is that during the marital spat between David and Linda the conversation dragged out a little more than it should have. But other than that I just loved the book! Can't wait to read the others.
Rating:
Summary: Smooth and Creepy read
Review: I picked this book up due to cover blurb from my favorite author, Bentley Little. Nicholson's debut novel is a fun, creepy, great story, bringing to mind films such as FROM BEYOND and novels such as the early works of Clive Barker. An easy read at 351 pages (and not-too-small print), The RED CHURCH is sure to please fans of the genre looking for a good summer read.
Rating:
Summary: Not Bad, Not Bad at All...
Review: I picked up this book at DragonCon when it came out so that I would have a little something to keep me occupied in my hotel room. I just wanted a light read by an author whom I had never heard of. This seemed like a perfect little book for the occasion.
I was not disapointed. It took me 2 or 3 days to read and it held my interest. Religion is a spooky subject in my opinion anyway. I will have to admit that I found the ending a little anti-climatic, but the trip there is charming (in a horror type way).
It isn't a literary masterpiece by any means, you can tell it is a first timer's effort. I think that Scott Nicholson has a lot of potential though, and The Red Church was good enough that I am interested in reading more novels by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Keep the lights on for this one
Review: I read this while vacationing on the Disney Cruise Line. Even surrounded by Mickey and all his friends, I was absolutely creeped out.
Nicholson's imagery through words will have you taking a second glance at every old church you pass. A chilling read.
Rating: 
Summary: Not at all scary
Review: I was hoping to enjoy this book, judging from the reviews, but it wasn't very good and it wasn't at ALL scary. There's no way I would call this a "horror" novel; I've read a lot of horror and this doesn't qualify. It's sort of a mystery with a supernatural flavor. The drawbacks: 1) characters are very one-dimensional (so the reader doesn't even care if they are killed), 2) the "bad guy" is known from the very start, 3) the dialogue is stilted. I could go on, but suffice it to say that I would recommend this book only if you have nothing else to read and are pretty desperate.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive debut
Review: I was so glad to see a new horror novel on the shelf (and happy to see Pinnacle doing more than reprinting horror novels from their past) that I didn't hesitate to snatch this book up. And I'm really glad I did. THE RED CHURCH is an impressive debut by a new author and quite a ride... In Whispering Pines, NC, the old Red Church has stood as a dark testament to a family's twisted beliefs and a vigilante killing many years ago in the small mountain community. Nobody can forget the day a congregation rose up and hung their preacher, Wendell McFall, for his twisted beliefs. Now his offspring has come to town and opened the old church back up. He is taking up where his ancestor left off and according to him, "Sacrifice is the currency of God."... This is a pretty wild ride. Nicholson employs monsters, cannibalism, the undead, ghosts, and a disturbing zealotry that creates quite a witch's brew of a horror novel. And his passion really burns up the pages. Highly recommended for horror fans.
Rating:
Summary: A great first novel
Review: I've heard a lot of good things about this books, so I throught I'd give it a chance. I was very pleased on how good this book was. In the mid 1860's a chruch was built for the Reverend Wendall McFall. His sermons were about God's other Son. He was going to undo all of the work that Jesus did. But for this to happen, a sacrifice was needed. A sacrifice had to be a child. When he did this, the towns people hanged him. They thought that it was going to be the end....it was just the beginning. Then in present day someone comes and claims that he's God's other son, then the murders start. Are they the work of this "other son" or are they the work of a creature that haunts the church. And who is this creature. Read the book and find the answers Nicholas has a powerful style of writing. He has the abablity to keep the read glued to the page. The characters are life like, you help to want to get to know them. If you love horror, then you have to start this book. You won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: The Second Son isn¿t very Nice
Review: In the 1800's the preacher of the red church in Whispering Pines told the story of how God had two sons, Jesus was good, the other was not. Should the second son become flesh, all would suffer. To prevent the coming of the second son the preacher sacrificed a child, however to his chagrin the town was not pleased, they hung him from a tree in front of the church. As time moved on people started seeing the preacher's ghost, cackling and swaying from the hanging tree, plus it appears there is a monster in the belfry, a dark creature with wings and claws. In the present the Reverend Archer McFall, a descendent of the hanging preacher, comes to town. He buys the red church, which is currently being used as a barn, and reopens it. He calls himself God's second son and he's come to prepare his flock, but he's really come to get even. The Red Church is written in kind of a southern gothic flavor that will draw you right in. There are enough twists in this tale to keep you guessing and I really loved the ending, I think you will too. Reviewed by Stephanie Sane
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