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Book Review: Stranded by Bracken MacLeod


Stranded by Bracken MacLeod
Tor Books, 2016
ISBN-10: 0765382431
ISBN-13: 978-0765382436
Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition.

Stranded is the kind of book that generates plenty of hype and high expectations, and it delivers on all that’s promised, and more. It’s a genre-hopping blockbuster that draws immediate, apt, comparisons to The Terror, The Thing, and even The Twilight Zone: a tour-de-force of claustrophobic thrills that places the book in the same field as Simmons, Koontz, and Golden.

 
The ship Arctic Promise contains a motley crew of characters, drawn in vivid strokes. Noah, the main character, is on what he hopes to be his last mission, before heading home to his daughter. The captain of the Promise is also Noah’s father-in-law, and blames Noah for the death of his own daughter, Noah’s wife. The captain has no reservations about his thoughts of his son-in-law departing this world as soon as possible.
 

En route to a rig, the ship runs into a dense fog, and is soon stuck in ice.  The ice quickly surrounds them, trapping them, and sentencing them to a frozen death if they cannot find a way out.  One by one, the ship’s crew falls ill with a mysterious illness. Problems are further compounded by the loss of all communications with the outside world.  Finally, Noah and a team leave the ship, and head to a strange structure barely visible in the distance. What they discover there might have them wishing the weather had already killed them.

 
To deliver further details would only ruin the many surprises and twists that hide within the pages. Each time the story seems to settle in, the author wrenches readers into a deeper, darker world that is nothing like what is expected, but results in a plot that is nearly impossible to steer away from.

 
Bracken MacLeod has written a novel that undoubtedly will garner him a wide base of readers. Part thriller, part horror, part sci-fi, and all great story, Stranded is destined to be on the year’s “best of” lists and will likely become a film (it ought to be). The writing is strong, and the characters rich in depth, especially once they reach their destination.  This tale will stick with those who are brave enough to fall into the chilled, claustrophobic, world MacLeod has transported them to, leaving a sense of never having left the strange frozen world, just like the best of Rod Serling’s tales.

 
Recommended as one of 2016’s most thrilling reads.
 
Reviewed by David Simms

Posted on September 28, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: The Family Man by Tim Lebbon (writing as T.J. Lebbon)

The Family Man by Tim Lebbon (writing as T.J. Lebbon)

HarperCollins, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-0008122911

Available: Used paperback, audio download.
Note: Also available in the UK as new paperback, Kindle edition, and audio download.

 

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” Eleanor Roosevelt’s words pull the pin on this explosive, rapid fire thriller by a master of horror and thrillers. The Family Man begs to be read in a single sitting, yet readers will wish to take their time with the fine writing and fascinating characters.

Last year, Lebbon, well known for his superb horror novels (which includeThe Nature of Balance, The Silence, and Face) decided to dive into the waters of the thriller genre with The Hunt (reviewed here) and emerged with a winner that combined the best of both genres. His newest offering, The Family Man, has an even tighter story that pits friends Dom and Andy against a ruthless gang– and each other. Bland Dom accepts Andy’s challenge to step up the excitement in their lives by robbing the local post office– no weapons, no one hurt, quick and easy– the thrill of a lifetime.

It doesn’t turn out to be that simple. After Dom and Andy get away with a sweet score, a second set of robbers arrives, and exacts a gore-filled revenge on the postmaster and her granddaughter. The friends’ plan to return to their staid lives quickly unravels, and Dom’s family is targeted and forced to run, as they begin to realize there is much more to fear from the evil gang.

Rose and Holt, key figures from Lebbon’s previous novel, The Hunt, return in this story, each with a stake in stopping the villains. It will be tough to slow down the reading, as the style is gripping and deceptively simple, yet filled with finely tuned nuance and subtext. Prepare to lose several hours to a thrillingly wild ride. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by David Simms

Posted on September 19, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: The Fisherman by John Langan

The Fisherman by John Langan

Word Horde Books, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1939905215

Availability: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

Imagine, if you will, a dark tale co-written by Peter Straub and Thomas Ligotti, filtered through the whimsical sensibilities of Neil Gaiman, and spoken to a friend over beers at a campfire. If that description conjures up something tantalizing to you, John Langan’s The Fisherman might just be what you’re looking for this year. Intriguing and unique, it almost begs to be read on the porch, with feet up and a drink in hand..

 

The Fisherman is a novel about a pair of widowers attempting to find purpose in their lives. Both suffer from guilt and damaged psyches after the deaths of their wives, and each seeks a way to get back on track.

 

The pair begin fishing, a peaceful, solitary sport that allows plenty of time for introspection and bonding between them. One suggests an ideal spot– Dutchman’s Creek– a place not found on any map, and rife with local legend.  The men discover the complex story through the owner of a diner.

 

At the creek, they discover Der Fisher, also known as The Fisherman. He offers redemption to both men, but at a price. What ensues is a conflict between wits, souls, and cosmic forces, that will shake the reader free of any preconceived notion of what to expect.

 

The Fisherman is meant to be experienced as a journey, like a raft ride down a mysterious river. The story is deeply layered, and Langan keeps readers engaged while skillfully leading them through labyrinthine passages. Langan’s smart, smooth tale-spinning succeeds on all levels, and will likely find audiences in places reaching far beyond the horror crowd. Highly recommended

 

Reviewed by David Simms

 


Posted on September 13, 2016 by , Reply
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