(Reviewed by JD Jung)
When I started reading The Eye of Goliath, I was immediately intrigued by Dr. Edward Pierce, a physician running a sanatorium outside Edinburgh who uses hypnosis and other controversial methods to treat soldiers suffering from the psychological effects of World War I. His newest patient, engineer David Bradley, is a particularly disturbing case. After being stationed alone at the remote Eye of Goliath lighthouse off the coast of Argentina, Bradley returns deeply traumatized. His bizarre habit of “swimming” across the floor of his room until he collapses especially fascinates Dr. Pierce.
As Dr. Pierce reads Bradley’s diary, we discover the horrifying experiences that led to his breakdown. These passages are graphic, disturbing, and, for me, some of the most gripping parts of the novel.
However, I felt Bradley’s story should have been more of a subplot, as I wanted more emphasis on Dr. Pierce and his own descent into madness. The novel felt somewhat lopsided, with Bradley’s experiences receiving more attention than I felt was needed, while Pierce’s increasingly disturbing journey could have been explored further.
Still, there is plenty to recommend here. This isn’t quite a traditional horror novel, but it certainly creates an atmosphere of psychological dread and unease. The graphic descriptions won’t be for everyone, but I enjoyed them because they added to the book’s unsettling atmosphere.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers, historical WWI-era fiction and disturbing stories, The Eye of Goliath may just be for you. It’s definitely worth exploring.