I haven't read any of the previous Supernatural books so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I was highly impressed by The Unholy Cause, an engrossing 300-page novel (paperback) penned by Joe Schreiber. The story follows Sam and Dean Winchester into the world of Civil War reenactments, a scene surely filled with kooks in their own right but nothing too violent and horrific.
The novel begins with a typical cold open of Supernatural--gory, disgusting and at the same time, mesmerizing for the monstrosity of events that just occurred. Soon the brothers go to the small town where they pretend to be feds, meet the local LEOs, and interview witnesses, slowly piecing everything together. It plays out much like an episode with all the twists and turns and ghoulish happenings.
Set somewhere in the middle of the fifth season, the novel is quite ambitious, tying in the Apocalypse in a way never portrayed on screen; it's epic in all regards. Near the end of the book, I was thinking to myself that the story would make for an awesome episode and then I remembered the budget constrictions. Writing allows scenes of greater numbers, greater destruction in true proportions of the Apocalyse never before seen.
Schreiber clearly understands the show and his dialogue is as close to authentic as it gets. Dean's smarmy attitude, Sam's bookish seriousness, and Castiel's on-the-nose literalism come through fluidly. The mythology is surprisingly deep and dives into issues not addressed on the show. I'm a fan of the show and I felt the book really encompassed everything from the unique dynamic between the brothers to the foreboding nature of the fifth season.
I'm not sure how non-viewers would react to the book, especially when there are so many references to past events that will fly over their heads--and that may be for the better. Fans will revel in the characterization and the deep mythology which have their fingerprints all over the pages.
And since I've been overwhelming positive about the novel, I have to warn that the book still is pulp fiction. It's not intended to be the next Faust. The prose is rather simple and easy to read--perfect for those of us who sit on the couch all day and watch television!
