HuckleBuck411
It's very hard to explain this rambling tale with a very Lovecraftian feel. Possibly it's a fictional version of a possible outcome if one or more of the “Old Ones” finally comes back to take back control of the Earth and the nightmarish consequences for humankind. In such a case would there be an organization of specialists that comprehended what was taking place and try to fight back in a mostly futile attempt to save humanity? That appears to be the premise of this book.
It's very hard to explain this rambling tale with a very Lovecraftian feel. Possibly it's a fictional version of a possible outcome if one or more of the “Old Ones” finally comes back to take back control of the Earth and the nightmarish consequences for humankind. In such a case would there be an organization of specialists that comprehended what was taking place and try to fight back in a mostly futile attempt to save humanity? That appears to be the premise of this book.
An intense read where two women from a ship on a mission to begin exploiting the planet Shroud are forced down in a specialized exploration pod to the surface of the planet when an explosive accident occurs aboard ship. Shroud, with a crushing gravity, has a thick, poisonous atmosphere creating a completely corrosive and lightless environment on the surface. However, there is a form of monstrous intelligent life in the dark on Shroud. The long-shot chance for the women's survival requires that they walk their pod across half the planet to a space elevator that the exposition had driven down into the polar region of Shroud. Needless to say, their journey is a harrowing one constantly dogged/escorted by some of the strange lifeforms on the planet. Though the women are unable to communicate in any meaningful way with the aliens, the aliens, on the other hand are learning much as they study the pod on its long journey. This was an entertaining read about a very emotionless, unprincipled human future where the species' main goal is to continue to move out into the galaxy stripping planets of resources and setting up colonies and outposts, even when other lifeforms exist on the worlds they exploit, and where individual humans are also nothing more than resources that are kept on ice if and until they are needed. My only criticism of the story is toward the ending where the human crews above Shroud seem to have no clue what is going on and make some very obvious mistakes even after observing what has been happening on the surface of Shroud.
An intense read where two women from a ship on a mission to begin exploiting the planet Shroud are forced down in a specialized exploration pod to the surface of the planet when an explosive accident occurs aboard ship. Shroud, with a crushing gravity, has a thick, poisonous atmosphere creating a completely corrosive and lightless environment on the surface. However, there is a form of monstrous intelligent life in the dark on Shroud. The long-shot chance for the women's survival requires that they walk their pod across half the planet to a space elevator that the exposition had driven down into the polar region of Shroud. Needless to say, their journey is a harrowing one constantly dogged/escorted by some of the strange lifeforms on the planet. Though the women are unable to communicate in any meaningful way with the aliens, the aliens, on the other hand are learning much as they study the pod on its long journey. This was an entertaining read about a very emotionless, unprincipled human future where the species' main goal is to continue to move out into the galaxy stripping planets of resources and setting up colonies and outposts, even when other lifeforms exist on the worlds they exploit, and where individual humans are also nothing more than resources that are kept on ice if and until they are needed. My only criticism of the story is toward the ending where the human crews above Shroud seem to have no clue what is going on and make some very obvious mistakes even after observing what has been happening on the surface of Shroud.
Another seat-of-the-pants adventure story in the Academy series. The planet, unofficially called Deep Six, is about to be destroyed and ships, both scientific and in the media and tourist trade, are there to witness the collision of the planet with a gas giant. It was believed only primitive life existed on the planet, but when scans reveal signs of a past civilization, an Academy ship is rerouted so a small landing party can spend a week investigating before the planet's destruction. Unfortunately, the approach of the gas giant begins to destabilize the planet leading to the destruction of the only landing craft available to the small landing party now marooned on the doomed planet. With time running out and the conditions on the planet rapidly deteriorating, the landing party and those in orbit in space must brainstorm to come up with a rescue plan. The tension and action never let up as the small group crosses a land teaming with dangerous flora and fauna to reach one possible solution. This is a well-written tale with great character development.
Another seat-of-the-pants adventure story in the Academy series. The planet, unofficially called Deep Six, is about to be destroyed and ships, both scientific and in the media and tourist trade, are there to witness the collision of the planet with a gas giant. It was believed only primitive life existed on the planet, but when scans reveal signs of a past civilization, an Academy ship is rerouted so a small landing party can spend a week investigating before the planet's destruction. Unfortunately, the approach of the gas giant begins to destabilize the planet leading to the destruction of the only landing craft available to the small landing party now marooned on the doomed planet. With time running out and the conditions on the planet rapidly deteriorating, the landing party and those in orbit in space must brainstorm to come up with a rescue plan. The tension and action never let up as the small group crosses a land teaming with dangerous flora and fauna to reach one possible solution. This is a well-written tale with great character development.
This is a very upsetting read told from the vantage point of a little girl. A monstrous entity has latched on to little Bela, calling itself other mommy, and always asking for permission to enter Bela's heart. Soon the horrific entity makes itself known to Bela's parents and others. The tale becomes a non-stop horror ride as Bela's parents desperately search for a way to rid themselves of the monster that may appear at anytime and anywhere. As possible solutions reach dead ends, one after another, a final desperate attempt is made that will reveal dark family secrets, but will this final act be the family's salvation? This is one story that will stay with you long after finishing the book.
This is a very upsetting read told from the vantage point of a little girl. A monstrous entity has latched on to little Bela, calling itself other mommy, and always asking for permission to enter Bela's heart. Soon the horrific entity makes itself known to Bela's parents and others. The tale becomes a non-stop horror ride as Bela's parents desperately search for a way to rid themselves of the monster that may appear at anytime and anywhere. As possible solutions reach dead ends, one after another, a final desperate attempt is made that will reveal dark family secrets, but will this final act be the family's salvation? This is one story that will stay with you long after finishing the book.
This was a fast read, but I think it does a disservice to Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos with reverse racism and over-the-top senseless violence.
This was a fast read, but I think it does a disservice to Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos with reverse racism and over-the-top senseless violence.
Barker has written a character, though not a literal blood-drinking vampire, as evil as Bram Stoker's Dracula, using up victims to maintain an eternal existence. However, the author has also added dark Lovecraftian aspects to this horror story as well; a story that spans hundreds of years (and even eons) and global locations, although the main part of the story covers the period from the 70s up to present time. A chance meeting at an airport in Japan between two people who lost someone close to this long-lived woman sets off a search across time and world locations to find her and end her path of human destruction. Along the way the reader is exposed to the stories of people who lost a friend or a family member to the woman in her many incarnations. Included in this montage is one strange love story that will play a major part in the horrific conclusion as the now decaying woman stalks her latest victim. This is a uniquely blended horror tale.
Barker has written a character, though not a literal blood-drinking vampire, as evil as Bram Stoker's Dracula, using up victims to maintain an eternal existence. However, the author has also added dark Lovecraftian aspects to this horror story as well; a story that spans hundreds of years (and even eons) and global locations, although the main part of the story covers the period from the 70s up to present time. A chance meeting at an airport in Japan between two people who lost someone close to this long-lived woman sets off a search across time and world locations to find her and end her path of human destruction. Along the way the reader is exposed to the stories of people who lost a friend or a family member to the woman in her many incarnations. Included in this montage is one strange love story that will play a major part in the horrific conclusion as the now decaying woman stalks her latest victim. This is a uniquely blended horror tale.
A curse that originated in 1635 at the British estate called The Bridge returns in the year 1866 to haunt, Elsie, the newly married, newly widowed pregnant lady of the The Bridge. The curse comes in the form of lifelike painted wooden characters bought as a lark by the then lady of the estate in 1635 and called companions. In 1866 the companions have now come to resemble persons from 1635 that were involved in the original story that created the curse; a story written down in two journals by the then lady of the estate, Anne, and locked away in a shuttered room of the great house. At the opening of the book, the reader finds a badly burned Elsie confined to a mental ward in a hospital retelling the tale of the horrible supernatural events that occurred at The Bridge to an attending physician. How he interprets her story may decide whether she will be convicted of crimes, be sent to an insane asylum or least likely freed. This is a tale that starts out strange and builds to horrible with a nasty twist at the end.
A curse that originated in 1635 at the British estate called The Bridge returns in the year 1866 to haunt, Elsie, the newly married, newly widowed pregnant lady of the The Bridge. The curse comes in the form of lifelike painted wooden characters bought as a lark by the then lady of the estate in 1635 and called companions. In 1866 the companions have now come to resemble persons from 1635 that were involved in the original story that created the curse; a story written down in two journals by the then lady of the estate, Anne, and locked away in a shuttered room of the great house. At the opening of the book, the reader finds a badly burned Elsie confined to a mental ward in a hospital retelling the tale of the horrible supernatural events that occurred at The Bridge to an attending physician. How he interprets her story may decide whether she will be convicted of crimes, be sent to an insane asylum or least likely freed. This is a tale that starts out strange and builds to horrible with a nasty twist at the end.
The author takes the reader back to the early 70s at the tail-end of the “free love” drug and booze-soaked days of folk-rock when music was innovative and meant something, produced on vinyl, and album covers were wonderful art expressions. This story is specifically about an English band made up of four young male musicians and a talented teenage American girl singer who are set the task of creating a second album after their mildly successful first release. Their manager rents the very old Wylding Hall for the summer so the band will be isolated and focus on creating the music for the new album. While a large part of the band's experience at the Hall is idyllic, but with the inevitable sexual tension, there is something else dark that exists within the Hall and around the wooded grounds, especially at the mysterious ancient barrow within the woods. A place the locals warn them to stay clear of. The chapters of the book are broken into the narratives of each individual group member, their manager, a girlfriend, a reporter and a photo taker present day looking back at their experiences, some very strange, from that long-ago summer, as the group wrote and practiced the songs that eventually would end up on their second and last album. The only member not present is the main writing and singing musical talent of the group who is deceased and it may have something to do with a girl who showed up on the scene that summer and with whom he became infatuated with. As the story unwinds, the strangeness grows and moves towards its mysteriously horrific conclusion. This reader found it to be one of the better, creepily satisfying tales within the horror genre.
The author takes the reader back to the early 70s at the tail-end of the “free love” drug and booze-soaked days of folk-rock when music was innovative and meant something, produced on vinyl, and album covers were wonderful art expressions. This story is specifically about an English band made up of four young male musicians and a talented teenage American girl singer who are set the task of creating a second album after their mildly successful first release. Their manager rents the very old Wylding Hall for the summer so the band will be isolated and focus on creating the music for the new album. While a large part of the band's experience at the Hall is idyllic, but with the inevitable sexual tension, there is something else dark that exists within the Hall and around the wooded grounds, especially at the mysterious ancient barrow within the woods. A place the locals warn them to stay clear of. The chapters of the book are broken into the narratives of each individual group member, their manager, a girlfriend, a reporter and a photo taker present day looking back at their experiences, some very strange, from that long-ago summer, as the group wrote and practiced the songs that eventually would end up on their second and last album. The only member not present is the main writing and singing musical talent of the group who is deceased and it may have something to do with a girl who showed up on the scene that summer and with whom he became infatuated with. As the story unwinds, the strangeness grows and moves towards its mysteriously horrific conclusion. This reader found it to be one of the better, creepily satisfying tales within the horror genre.
A shivering tale of one man alone in the Arctic during the long night and on top of that haunted by a threatening ghost of a man who died long before in the same spot.
A shivering tale of one man alone in the Arctic during the long night and on top of that haunted by a threatening ghost of a man who died long before in the same spot.
Mickey7, along with this second book in the series, is one of the best Science Fiction stories of its kind since The Murderbot Diaries. Definitely, two thumbs up.
Mickey7, along with this second book in the series, is one of the best Science Fiction stories of its kind since The Murderbot Diaries. Definitely, two thumbs up.
Mickey7, along with this second book in the series, is one of the best Science Fiction stories of its kind since The Murderbot Diaries. Definitely, two thumbs up.
Mickey7, along with this second book in the series, is one of the best Science Fiction stories of its kind since The Murderbot Diaries. Definitely, two thumbs up.
The best humorous science fiction book I've read since The Murderbot Diaries.
The best humorous science fiction book I've read since The Murderbot Diaries.
The best humorous science fiction book I've read since The Murderbot Diaries.
The best humorous science fiction book I've read since The Murderbot Diaries.
