Antitheus released from the gates of hell on  10/16/2017!

ANTITHEUS, a supernatural tale of horror by best-selling, award-winning author G.A. Minton. 

Trapped by a blizzard in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a group of clergymen attending a religious conference are thrown into a gruesome battle with evil incarnate itself. One by one, the holy leaders are being brutally slaughtered by an unknown, malevolent entity. Facing impossible odds and running out of time, the survivors must work together to match wits against this deadly adversary. It’s an epic battle of Good versus Evil, with the winner taking all. . .the fate of every man, woman, and child hangs in the balance!                    
Conjured up from the vivid imagination of G.A. Minton, the award-winning author of TRISOMY XXI, comes a tale of unspeakable horror. Akin to Seven, The Prophecy, and Angel Heart, ANTITHEUS takes the forces of light and darkness to a whole new level—holding an unforeseen ending that will both surprise and amaze its reader. Prepare yourself for a terrifying trip into the world of infinite evil! 

ANTITHEUS has received the following awards:

5-STAR Review by Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite

It all starts in room 22 of The Goldmine Lodge when the graying innkeeper, Zeke Reinhart, knocks at the door to inform its occupant that it is time for breakfast and that all the other guests are already at table, waiting for him. When he pushes the door open after several attempts to get an answer from Mr. Stan Loomis, he is greeted with “the unmistakable stench of rotting flesh” and the ghastly image of the man he’s come to invite for breakfast. 

Zeke calls Sheriff Scott Parker to report a murder, but it looks like something beyond murder. The group of clergymen - who have gathered for a religious conference and who are now trapped by a snowstorm in the Sierra Nevada Mountains - are pulled into a battle that is far deadlier than anything they could imagine. And their adversary is a vicious and ruthless entity. Read on to find out what the survivors must do to stay a step ahead of the evil haunting them. Antitheus by G.A. Minton is part horror, part supernatural thriller, a gripping story that will leave the reader with shivers. 

I finished this book before realizing I’d even started reading, absorbed in the intense action and the well-crafted, dramatic scenes that touched all sorts of emotions in me. G.A. Minton has a unique signature for descriptive prose and his writing conjures images, scents, and emotions that literally flood the reader’s senses. I also enjoyed how he awakens the sense of fear and urgency in his characters, steeping them in very tight situations. The plot is riveting, imagined with unexpected detours. The drama is intense, the characters believable and rock-solid, and the entire piece is mind-blowing. Antitheus is written to read like an irresistible spell for fans of thrillers and realistic tales of horror. 

horror news network review of antitheus

The Goldmine Lodge is a picturesque retreat nestled deep in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Perfect for a conference of revered religious leaders to get away from it all and discuss the beliefs and ideals they are so passionate about. Little did they know that an evil lurks in the shadows, stalking them, biding its time. A hellish storm is coming and the endless torrent of snow isn’t even the half of it.

Zeke Reinhart, the aging owner of the once prosperous inn, finds one of his esteemed guests brutally murdered. With a sense of foreboding he just can’t shake, he calls in his longtime friend Sherriff Parker. The pair has no idea what they are in for as all means of escape dwindles with each inch of snow that quickly accumulates on the ground. Soon they are all trapped and someone, or something, is picking off the clergymen one by one, leaving a macabre slaughter in its wake.

The conference quickly becomes a game of survival, the ultimate fight between good and evil, and the fate of the world hinges on who will win. Will good triumph over the darkness? Or will the world be overcome by the worst evil imaginable?

Author G.A. Minton’s sophomore effort gives us a masterfully mixed bag of survival horror, supernatural thriller and classic suspense, all woven into a frightening story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing style is intelligent and full of details, enticing readers to use all of their senses as Minton takes them on a trip reminiscent of horror masters such as Stephen King and Christopher Golden. The descriptive prose really shined in the murder scenes which were a delightfully gruesome feast of blood and gore, something I personally loved. I could see, hear, smell, feel every spine-tingling moment.

The cast of characters were likeable and well-rounded. The author offers just enough backstory on each of them to give us a clear picture of who they were and the parts they played without bogging down the story. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between the main character, Zeke Reinhart, and his longtime buddy Sherriff Parker. Their exchanges seemed effortless and natural as they braved everything G.A. Minton threw their way.

The plot moves at an almost breakneck pace, plunging readers directly into one murderous scene after another. Each transition effectively builds tension and dread as the characters fight to unravel the supernatural mystery unfolding rapidly around them. I really appreciate an author that can keep me guessing right along with the characters. That talent makes for a much more thrilling and intriguing read.

The other element Minton absolutely nails is the rich and icy atmospheric terror Antitheus is steeped in. I have an unabashed fondness for seasonal horror and this hit that spot for me. There is nothing better than curling up on a chilly night and diving into a wintery tale of horror. I relished each bone-chilling scene, grateful to be tucked into my warm corner of the world and far away from the snowy hell between these pages.

I’m anxious to see what the future holds for G.A. Minton. I have placed his first novel, Trisomy XXI, on my reading list, and I’m hoping to see more of his work in the future. In summary, I recommend this novel and I believe it will appeal to a wide audience since it dips its frostbitten toe into so many different genres in such a clever way. If you enjoy a griping and creepy story that is a horrific buffet for the senses, Antitheus is definitely for you.

5-STAR Review by Christian Sia for Readers’ Favorite

Antitheus by G.A. Minton is a blend of horror and fantasy, a story that brilliantly handles the all-time conflict between good and evil. The very title of the book suggests a subject that is “against God,” and yes, readers are drawn into a world where evil incarnate meets mortality. While on a religious conference in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a group of religious men is embroiled in the worst battle ever. The snowstorm could be enough to make the men feel distraught and desperate to get away, but then something evil is killing their members, one by one, and if they can’t work together to beat it, the entire team will be vanquished. Can they outwit an evil so powerful and relentless? As every moment passes, they become weaker and fewer. What conquers at the end? Is the fate of humanity being re-designed? 

G.A. Minton knows perfectly well how to give his readers the creeps and goosebumps. The story starts with a dramatic incident, the discovery by the hotel keeper, Zeke Reinhart, that something horrible has happened to one of his guests, an ordained preacher by the name of Stan Loomis, but it is just the beginning. From this moment on, the reader moves from one horrific scene to another. The writing is exceptionally good, highly descriptive, and it captures the pulse of the characters, the wonderful setting that seems to blend beautifully with the theme and the compelling characters. The plot moves like a race and there is no stop or rest for the reader. Antitheus is a masterfully executed story that will entertain fans of horror and stay with them for a long time. Couldn’t put down! 

4-STAR Review By Benjamin Ookami for Readers’ Favorite

A big fan of horror stories featuring demonic entities, I had to read Antitheus by G.A. Minton. In 1921, a discovery of gold was made. In 1968, Zeke and his wife bought the property and went on to become the owners of The Goldmine Lodge. The Shepherds of God, a group of seven holy men, are guests. Scott Parker, the Sierra County Sheriff, is called by Zeke. One of the holy men has been killed. His body has been left without a heart and the killer has left a message written in the victim's blood. On his way there, Sheriff Parker briefly encounters a creature with red eyes. Gus, the lodge's tour guide, takes the guests into the mine, a feature of the lodge. They return with one less holy man.

G.A. Minton doesn't just put his characters in those places that one can only describe as spine-chilling, but adds a freezing blizzard and random earthquakes to present them with even more obstacles. At first, it looks like whoever or whatever is killing those poor members of The Shepherds of God and leaving messages in their own blood is a red-eyed demon or an animal, but it is eventually revealed that there is more to it than that. The author gives readers enough information about each character to connect with them. One of the innkeeper's guests is researching something which offers a Eureka moment, but Minton is a crafty author. A persistent killer demon and a batch of victims with a small chance of escaping make this a worthwhile horror novel.

Feathered quill book review by amy lignor

Harken back to Stephen King’s now-famous characters who were trapped in a huge hotel with a blizzard raging outside (while the demons raged within), and throw in some of the debates regarding right vs. wrong that Dan Brown focused upon in his now-famous tale, and you will create a mixture from where this incredible book could have been born.

Now, we’re not talking the Overlook Hotel here. We are talking about an isolated place set high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where a hotel was built by a mining company back in the early 1900’s. A mine sits nearby where coal was being excavated when a vein of gold was unearthed. Once the gold was gone, the mining company closed up shop and abandoned the place. A man named Zeke Reinhart, along with his now deceased wife, purchased the inn, took out a huge loan to remodel the place, and renamed it The Goldmine Lodge. They even re-opened the mine and offered free tours. Zeke and Greta turned their venture into a success, but once Greta passed on, Zeke noticed that everything else was dying off as well. 

When the tale begins, the only visitors at the Lodge are a group of religious leaders calling themselves "The Shepherds of God." From various faiths, these people are holding their annual conference; setting their differences aside, they’re working to find ways to get more young people involved in religion. Unfortunately for this group, there is a true evil at play that wants to stop their good works.

As Zeke sees the thunderheads amass and knows that a blizzard is taking shape, he doesn’t expect to also go into one of the hotel’s rooms to find a virtual massacre of one of the Shepherds, with a note left on the wall over the corpse reading: They All Lose Heart. Zeke immediately calls the Sheriff who is a ways away and lets him know what has happened. The Sheriff says to lock the dead man’s room; he will be starting towards the location immediately, hoping to beat incoming snow.

Trying not to scare the other Shepherds, Zeke does his best to break the news calmly and not tell them what the room looks like and the horrific act that took place there. He tells them that the law is on the way and then suggests they take a tour of the mine, perhaps to get their thoughts off the tragedy that has just occurred. It doesn’t take long, however, before another horror occurs, another note is found, and another step on a journey that will bring fear to the reader, as well as the cast of characters, is taken. From the priest to the rabbi to even a nun who just happens to have some frightening reading material with her on the trip, readers will be amazed at the twists and turns this story takes before it comes to a thrilling conclusion.

To say this is simply one of those good vs. evil battles would really not do this tale justice; it’s too well-written. The author has made sure that every character has that touch of evil. Even Zeke’s own dog, Rip, is descended from Nazi killer guard dogs. Minton has made sure no stone was left unturned.

Quill says: If you want that great horror story that’s intelligent and frightens you to death, this is the book for you!