Chuck Tingle is best known for his “Tinglers” short erotic novels and their wonderful photoshopped cover art, for his outspoken message that “Love is Real,” and his relative anonymity. That theme of “Love is Real” is at the heart of his major press debut, Camp Damascus.
From beloved internet icon Chuck Tingle, Camp Damascus is a searing and earnest horror debut about the demons the queer community faces in America, the price of keeping secrets, and finding the courage to burn it all down.
Welcome to Neverton, Montana: home to a God-fearing community with a heart of gold.
Nestled high up in the mountains is Camp Damascus, the self-proclaimed “most effective” gay conversion camp in the country. Here, a life free from sin awaits. But the secret behind that success is anything but holy.
And they’ll scare you straight to hell.
Rose Darling a young adult, soon to graduate high school, is the protagonist/first-person narrator. She has memorized several idiosyncratic facts, she loves her parents, and is a devoted member of the Kingdom of the Pine, an Evangelical Christian church in Neverton, Montana. The church is all-encompassing, it guides Rose’s thoughts, opinions, and how to live her life. However, when Rose begins experience supernatural events, she soon questions her memories. At the start of the novel when she is hanging out with friends, especially Martina, Rose thinks she sees a red-polo clad figure in the distance. At dinner, Rose inexplicably vomits mayflies. As thoughts of Martina again enter Rose’s mind, thoughts that lead Rose to continually tell herself that she’s not gay, the figure wearing the red polo gets closer. Although human shaped, it most certainly isn’t human, Rose realizes as it gets closer. This is just the beginning and Rose starts to ask questions. In a strict evangelical, super-close-knit church community, questions are most definitely not welcome. Especially about Camp Damascus, a successful gay-conversion camp and the central focus of the community.
Tingle’s “mainstream” debut (by mainstream I mean books not focusing on butts, inanimate objects/concepts, and pounding) is incredibly assured. Rose is a fully-realized, believable, multi-dimensional, empathetic character. As Rose reveals more of her personality, it becomes clear she is neurodiverse. It is that element of her character that forms her core and her inquisitive nature. Her focus on the missing parts of her past drive her forward, despite her father and her psychiatrist’s protestations to the contrary. Any time she veers the slightest from the strict scriptures of the Kingdom of the Pine, the word respect comes back to hit her in the face, “Respect” being the first of the four “Precepts” or Tenets of the Kingdom. Can we all say “indoctrination?”
Rose comes to realize she spent time at Camp Damascus and accepts the fact that she’s gay, is horrified at what was done to her, the other people who spent time at the Camp, and the girl who was unfortunate enough to be the object of Rose’s affections. But once Rose starts her prying and realizes she may not be alone in her thoughts about Camp Damascus, watch out. It is love and compassion that drive her, ultimately. Like Dr. Tingle proclaims, “Love is Real.”
The supporting characters come across as genuine and true to their beliefs. Her mother is loving and supportive of Rose’s well-being (as long as it fits within the Kingdom’s Tenets) and goes on neighborhood walks with Rose to discuss the scripture of Pastor Bend, the head of Kingdom of the Pine. It seems wholesome, as does the chumminess she shares with her father, he seems loving and wants what’s best for Rose. At least according to the dictates of the Kingdom of the Pine, and what a fascinating, believable cult the Kingdom of the Pine is. They don’t allow their members to watch “Terror Movies,” read Peter Pan, or really experience any kind of culture outside of what the Kingdom proscribes. From the parents to the “volunteer” counsellors at Camp Damascus (Rose spent time as one), they all help to create this secluded cultish society.
Yes, there are quite a few Messages in Camp Damascus, neurodivergent people matter and can strive; let people be who they are and love how and who they love; trying to squeeze everybody into a myopic worldview and narrow vision of love is evil. But this book wouldn’t work if it didn’t tell a damned good story. I’ve pointed out the incredible character of Rose, there are true moments of horror and terror, some great horror images evoked in the pages. It works as a gripping horror novel as much as it has a message. It is a thrilling story and it is the kind of story that just may help people suffering in some of the same ways as Rose is suffering.
I’m a boring old white, cisgender male. As John Scalzi states I’ve got the “Lowest Difficulty Setting.” I couldn’t be further away from Rose in just about every way. But I found so much to empathize with her and loved her just as she was and couldn’t help but root for her every page of the book.
I know Chuck Tingle has another horror novel coming from Tor Nightfire and I can’t wait to read it.
Highly recommended, very likely a top 5 or 10 2023 book for me.
© 2023 Rob H. Bedford
Hardcover | 256 pages
July 2023 | Published by Tor Nightfire
https://www.chucktingle.com/
Excerpt: https://www.tor.com/2023/07/11/excerpt-camp-damascus-by-chuck-tingle/
Review copy courtesy of the publisher
