The Tall Man by Phoebe Locke

On July 22, 2018August 20, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, ThrillerLeave a comment

The Tall Man Cover

Publisher: Wildfire

Publication date – 12 June 2018

Prepare to explore an urban legend in this dark and complex thriller from author Phoebe Locke, whose inclusion of a number of disturbing horror elements that have been influenced from the Slender Man phenomenon turn this exciting story into a must-read book for horror fans.

For years the mysterious Tall Man has haunted the minds of many people throughout England, but is he a figment of their imagination, evidence of their mental instability, or something far more real? In the 1990s, three girls pledge their loyalty to the Tall Man in the dark woods around their home.

In 2000, a young mother flees the demons of her past and abandons her newborn baby. 16 years later she returns to her family, believing the threat from the Tall Man has passed, but something is still stalking her and her daughter.

In 2018, after a teenager is cleared of murder in a controversial and highly publicised trail, she embarks on a worldwide tour, followed by a documentary film crew. Is she an innocent victim, or is she the latest tool of the Tall Man? Each of these events is connected to this sinister figure, but is he the powerful legend that these people believe he is? You decide, but remember, The Tall Man can make you special if you let him.

The Tall Man is the debut book from Phoebe Locke and is an intricate and deeply unsettling thriller that will hold an interesting appeal to fans of the horror genre. Overall The Tall Man is a fantastic thriller that makes full use of its horror elements to create an effective story that is both compelling and creepy at the same time. Locke has written in a number of shocking twists and turns for the reader to enjoy, while all of her characters are either afraid of or have been damaged by interactions with the Tall Man. The constantly haunting Tall Man is an interesting and unique addition to this story, and its effect on the book’s plot and the characters is truly powerful.

The book is broken into three parts, each focusing on different time periods during the 1990s, 2016 with a couple of chapters in 2000, with the final part set in 2018. Each of these parts is told from the viewpoint of different but related characters and is somewhat distinctive in style. The stories are also interconnected in a variety of ways, although the significance and full connections are not revealed until later in the book in some powerful and emotional scenes.

Without a doubt, the most intriguing and noticeable part of The Tall Man that readers will enjoy is Locke’s clever utilisation of one of the most interesting horror phenomenon in the world today, the Slender Man. The Slender Man is a fascinating fictional character introduced around 10 years ago that has had a surprising influence on society and some specific people. With the Slender Man film coming out in a few weeks, Locke has chosen a great time to use a pastiche of Slender Man in her story.

The Tall Man elements are a remarkable part of the book, and Locke has used them to full effect to enhance her story and to make the thriller elements more disturbing and creepy. Locke has included a number of references to the Slender Man lore, including his shadowy presence and his targeting of young children. There are also some captivating elements to the book that have been clearly influenced by real events tied to the Slender Man. This includes Locke’s own fictional version of the infamous Waukesha Stabbing incident of 2014, which is key plot point within the book and results in several shocking twists that will really stick in the reader’s memory. Locke also ensures that the reader is constantly left wondering about whether the Tall Man is a real supernatural being or whether he is a mere fantasy in the minds of the main characters that becomes a group delusion among the other characters. This element of uncertainty is a fantastic addition to this book and readers will be considering what the answer is long after they have finished reading The Tall Man.

While the storyline set in 2016 represents the most significant storyline plot-wise, I personally enjoyed the chapters set in 2018 the most. These chapters are based around a documentary film crew who are trying to make sense of an incident that occurred in the 2016 storyline. The documentary makers in the 2018 storyline are essentially trying to come up with the next bestselling true crime series, and there are several allusions to current documentaries, such as the Making of a Murderer series or the real-life Beware the Slenderman documentary that was released on HBO in 2017. As a result, the reader is taken behind the scenes to follow the filmmakers as they research the Tall Man phenomenon. This part of the book features detailed examinations of Locke’s Tall Man lore, and how it has affected a number of people, including the other storyline’s main characters. It is interesting to see how Locke’s fictionalised Tall Man differentiates from the classic story of The Slender Man, and readers will enjoy examining how Locke has created a fictional replica of an already fictional character. The 2018 storyline also has a series of hints about the climax of the book’s other storylines, all of which were chronologically set before it, and it was fascinating tying these hints together with the actual storyline.

The Tall Man is the perfect read for those looking for something special and who aren’t afraid of some eerie horror in complex and heart-pounding thrillers. With her debut book, Locke has proven that she is definitely an author to look out for and I’m excited to see what she comes up with next.

My Rating:

Four stars

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Awakened by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

On July 16, 2018August 20, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, Science Fiction3 Comments

Awakened Cover.jpg

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date – 26 June 2018

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First-time author James Murray, of Impractical Jokers fame, teams up with veteran science fiction writer Darren Wearmouth to bring you the fast-paced, action-packed horror extravaganza, Awakened.

It is the unveiling of New York’s newest subway line, one of the most ambitious underground construction programs in the world. The new express line will travel through a series of new tunnels that are now connecting the various suburbs previously separated by the Hudson River. At the centre of this new expansion is the Visitor’s Pavilion, a gleaming state-of-the-art control centre and shopping hub situated beneath the Hudson.

The first run of the new system has been set up as a massive event, featuring the press, civic dignitaries, New York City’s mayor and even the president of the United States. However, when the train rolls into the Visitor’s Pavilion it is not the triumphant occurrence that the waiting crowd was expecting; instead it is a scene of carnage. The train that arrives is deserted, with all the passengers missing. Not only that, but ragged holes have been made in the side of the carriages and the floors are covered in blood.

As the crowd panics and attempts to flee what appears to be a massive terrorist attack, an explosion rocks the tunnels and methane starts to flood the entire subway system. As the tunnels begin to fill with gas and the slightest spark could result in another explosion, those trapped in the Visitor’s Pavilion soon discover that a far more dangerous threat is stalking them. Something has been living under New York and the construction of the new tunnels has woken it up. As this new threat starts to pick off both the trapped crowd and the rescuers attempting to reach them, it falls to New York’s mayor Tom Cafferty, NYPD SWAT member Sarah Bowcut and subway technician Diego Munoz to discover what is down in the dark with them. The more they dig, the more they realise that they are dealing with something far more dangerous than they could possibly imagine, and that a sinister conspiracy has been keeping it hidden from the rest of the world.

This bold new book is the result of a collaboration between comedian James “Murr” Murray and Darren Wearmouth, a science fiction and horror writer with a number of joint novels already under his belt. The idea for Awakened was originally developed by Murray some years ago, and represents the first novel in a new series that the two authors have been working on, with two future additions already planned for 2019 and 2020.

Awakened is a captivating adventure, science fiction and horror hybrid that goes straight for the reader’s imagination whilst throwing their action centres into overdrive. This is one of the fastest-paced novels of 2018, as the book’s characters are forced to be quick and decisive in order to escape death. There are ton of great sequences as the characters encounter the various dangers converging on them and must work on a range of elaborate and desperate escape and rescue attempts. Murray and Wearmouth are able to weld together some exciting scenarios around this concept, and readers will enjoy watching the characters adapting to the problems they encounter, such as methane in the tunnels stopping them from using guns or flames to defend themselves. In addition to these excellent action sequences, Awakened contains some truly creepy scenes that will really appeal to horror aficionados. The characters are assailed with a range of strange sightings, noises from the darkness and the disturbing voices of children crying for help from just outside the character’s line of sight. This pulse-pounding content is absolutely fantastic and ideal for those who love a startling adventure.

Murray and Wearmouth have also created an intriguing monster to attack the protagonists in the subway tunnel. Without giving too much away, Awakened’s monstrous element is unique and plays into humanity’s fear of the dark and the creatures that could reside there. The nature of the threat is revealed at just the right time, as the authors waited until the audience would be sufficiently engrossed in the book. The eventual full reveal is one of the most memorable parts of the book, as it contains some great reactions from the characters encountering them, whilst at the same time rewarding the reader’s curiosity in a big way. The authors work to ensure that their audience’s imagination and curiosity is continuously piqued throughout the entire story. There is also a complex and fascinating conspiracy element that is woven into this part of the book which is intriguing to discover and unravel. It is definitely a notable part of the story, and it looks like it will be major part of the next books in series.

The authors make significant use of multiple perspectives and viewpoints throughout Awakened. This type of storytelling often works well for these large-scale horror novels, and this book is no exception. This breakdown of point-of-view characters allows the reader a much larger picture of what is going on, especially as the various viewpoints tie together into one massive, high-powered story. It is fun watching the actions of one group of people impact the decisions or choices of another group of people who are located in a different part of the book’s sprawling, underground setting. This also allows the reader to see smaller scenarios that add to the whole story, such as one fantastic sequence which sees someone attempt to rescue the passengers only to meet their doom. Despite it being this character’s only scene, his death affects the rest of the characters and there are multiple viewings of his corpse throughout the book to spook those who had no idea of his fate.

It is also worth noting that Murray and Wearmouth have made several homages to other works of horror within Awakened. I was particularly drawn to several noticeable references and parallels throughout the book to Jurassic Park. For example, there is a great reference early in the book involving the phrase “no expense had been spared” being used when discussing the celebrity written audio elements of the initial ride. In addition, some of the characters actually compare their situation to Jurassic Park, which I found to be amusing. These are a fun element to watch out for, and readers will enjoy noticing these throughout the book, while at the same time, appreciating that they do not overwhelm Awakened’s central horror based theme.

Awakened is a fantastic horror read that really amps up the adventure and action, leaving the reader excited for more. With a sinister monstrous element and an enjoyable narrative containing an elaborate conspiracy-laden storyline, this collaboration between Murray and Wearmouth is a roaring success and readers should be eager to see what this duo cooks up next.

My Rating:

Four stars

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A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal

On May 30, 2018August 23, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Horror, Science Fiction5 Comments

Publisher: Hachette

Publication Date – 29 May 2018

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From the inspired mind of Raymond Villareal comes one of the most captivating and thought-provoking literary achievements of 2018. Have you ever wondered what would happen if vampires came into existence in the modern world? Villareal’s debut novel, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising, explores the possibility of such an event through a comprehensive fictional oral history, much like Max Brooks’ observation of a zombie apocalypse in World War Z.

The body of a young woman in an Arizona morgue awakens and disappears into the night. This mysterious event will start a chain reaction around the world that no one could predict. The CDC investigator consulting on the case soon discovers that the woman was suffering from a mysterious disease with several incredible symptoms. Subjects are stronger, faster, suffer a violent reaction to sunlight, have unnaturally long lives and are utterly enthralling to humans. More importantly, they must consume blood to survive and can pass the disease on by biting another human. As attempts to quarantine the disease fail and additional bodies start disappearing, the world quickly realises that vampires are real and here to stay.

As more and more people are infected, many of those who have been turned begin to reintegrate back into society. These new creatures call themselves ‘gloamings’, finding the term ‘vampires’ to be derogatory. Soon, many of the rich and famous are flocking to the gloamings, hoping to join their ranks and be re-created. With their natural talents enhanced, the gloamings start accumulating significant wealth, power and influence as they infiltrate all levels of human society while attracting followers to their side. Gloamings infiltrate the government, powerful companies and the Catholic Church. One gloaming even begins a run for high political office.

However, not everyone is enamoured by the gloamings. A faction of the church is determined to stop the vampire incursion and has formed its own militia to fight gloamings throughout the world. Following a series of high profile cases, the FBI starts a taskforce focusing on crimes by gloamings. The original CDC investigator continues her research into the virus despite intense political and social pressure to stop. In New Mexico, a skilled political motivator soon discovers a terrible secret about his employers. This is the start of the vampire uprising; the world will never be the same.

Written in the format of a history book, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is an epistolary novel that uses a series of fictional documents and testimonials to tell the story. Villareal presents a large portion of the story within chapters representing testimonials from certain characters specifically taken for a history book. Other chapters are written in the format of important documents from the fictional world and are made to represent interrogation notes, congressional transcripts, government reports and articles in scientific and legal journals. In addition to these longer chapters, Villareal has also included numerous shorter entries that are presented as news stories, public interest articles, transcripts pulled from popular media sites, emails and the comments section of a message board. As a result of all these different formats and documents types, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising has the uncanny feel of an actual history book, which is further reinforced by the inclusion of footnotes in most of the longer chapters, and three short appendices slipped into the back on the book. This is a marvellous way to structure the book and it speaks to Villareal’s skill that he was able to tell such a captivating narrative using this style of writing.

By employing fictional testimonies and documents originating from a number of different characters, Villareal is able to tell an extremely wide-reaching story about the introduction of vampires. Most of the longer chapters are written in the style of testimonies from characters in the United States, while many of the shorter articles show a wide view of the rest of the world. This allows Villareal to focus his main story in one specific country and focus his analysis on how the United States would react to such an event. At the same time Villareal is also able to illustrate a much wider story showing how the vampire uprising would affect the entire world. Exceptions to this are the chapters featuring the gloamings causing a religious and ideological schism within the church. These chapters focus the plot on characters throughout Europe and represent some of the more fascinating fictional postulations within A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising.

While the book contains numerous narrators, authors and interviewees telling their specific stories, Villareal is still able to produce a clear overall narrative about the introduction of vampires to the world. While Villareal initially has the individual narrators tell their own stories, eventually the characters meet and interact, allowing the multiple storylines to combine into one overarching plot. The smaller articles and extra details within some of the longer features also allow the reader to have an amusing examination about how some social groups and individuals may react to the introduction of vampires, including celebrities such as Taylor Swift. The end result is very well-done, overarching narrative that takes the multiple storylines within and turns it into an exciting and comprehensive overall plot.

While this is a piece of fiction, it also serves as an examination and critique of modern society. Villareal postulates that if vampires ever did appear society would be split between distrusting such creatures and worshiping them, while the rich, famous and powerful would all try to join them, turning the gloamings into the ultimate elitist clique. Villareal examines extremely plausible ways in which the gloamings could influence humans and attempt to win them to their side, with one chapter in particular describing how a vampire might win an election. The result is a perceptive and astute examination of current human nature that will leave readers spinning.

A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is one of the most impressive books of the year. Raymond Villareal produces an insanely compelling story while using a unique and clever format that clearly highlights his skill and imagination. In addition to being incredibly entertaining, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is also an insightful piece of social commentary that will greatly amuse readers. This is a truly magnificent piece of fiction and an outstanding debut from Villareal.

My Rating:

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Nights of the Living Dead edited by George A. Romero and Jonathan Maberry

On May 30, 2018March 5, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Horror, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Tie-in Novel6 Comments

Nights of the Living Dead Cover

Publisher: Duckworth

Australian Publication Date – 1 December 2017

World Publication Date – 11 July 2017

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In 1968, the late, great, George A. Romero created one of the most iconic films in horror movie history, Night of the Living Dead. Night of the Living Dead has had many lasting impacts in the world of film, but one of the most significant things it did was to firmly enforce the terror of the zombie into the public consciousness and set the rules for all future zombie works.

Since that day, zombies have dominated people’s minds and pop culture in all its forms. From movies to television and comic books, zombie stories infest modern fiction. The introduction of zombies has also influenced the world of literature, with many prominent authors producing some incredible and varied works of zombie fiction. From World War Z to Warm Bodies, these bestsellers have enthralled the world, with many serving as inspiration for other mediums.

One significant piece of zombie literature published in 1989 was Book of the Dead, edited by John Skipp and Craig Spector. Book of the Dead was an anthology of short stories based on the zombie apocalypse premise introduced in Night of the Living Dead. With a foreword by Romero himself and bringing together original stories from a large number of prominent horror authors, including Stephen King, this iconic book is considered one of the first pieces of zombie literature. It produced two follow up anthologies, Still Dead and Mondo Zombie.

Now, the concept of a zombie anthology book has again been resurrected in Nights of the Living Dead, edited by George A. Romero and Jonathan Maberry.

Nights of the Living Dead contains 20 new and unique stories from a distinguished group of authors. Each of these stories is set in a world forever changed by a zombie apocalypse and shows the horror through the eyes of a range of different survivors enduring a number of different scenarios. Police, doctors, murderers, white supremacists, scientists and showmen all examine different sides of the classic zombie apocalypse. Many of the stories are set in more contemporary times, exploring how people in 2017 would react to this phenomenon while also allowing some commentary of current social issues.

Fans of the original movie may also be interested in several stories set during the events of the film. The connection that some of these stories have to Night of the Living Dead is somewhat minor, with the stories merely being set in the same year, thus allowing the reader to assume they are set during the same outbreak. Other stories have a far more significant connection to the events of the movie. John Russo’s story is a direct sequel to the movie and follows some of the posse that played a significant part in the end of the film. Another story, by Isaac Marion, is told from the perspective of a minor character in the film, Karen Cooper, and features her dramatic and eventually violent interactions with other characters in the movie.

Perhaps one of the best features of Nights of the Living Dead is the sheer talent that has been gathered together to write this book. Numbered among the contributors are some of the most influential writers of zombie fiction, including both of the Night of the Living Dead’s original screenwriters, Romero and Russo. The other writers include multiple Bram Stroker Award winners, such as editor Jonathan Maberry, whose contribution to zombie culture includes working on the Marvel Zombies series. Many of the authors have their own zombie fiction novels and series, including Isaac Marion, writer of Warm Bodies, Briane Keene, author of The Rising, and Mira Grant, author of the Newsflesh series. The list of contributors also includes people who have worked on zombie comics and television shows, including one of the writers and co-creators of Z-Nation, Craig Engler.

The various contributions to the anthology allow the reader to enjoy a range of zombie stories which may appeal to different people. Personal favourites include David Wellington’s short story set around the International Space Station and Mira Grant’s emotional tale set in a zoo. Other great stories includes Craig Engler’s tale of vigilante justice in a world of zombies and a new original contribution by George A. Romero, which also takes the time to examine racism in more modern times. Readers may also be interested in the forewords from Romero and Maberry, which examine their experiences with the movie and how it has influenced zombie culture for the last 50 years.

Nights of the Living Dead is an exciting anthology series that presents the reader with 20 new and unique stories from some of the leading minds in zombie fiction. With a range of different and exciting stories of the zombie apocalypse, many with ties to the original movie, this is a must-read book for all fans of zombie fiction and the man who inspired it all.

My Rating:

Four stars

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Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

On May 30, 2018August 29, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Horror, LGBT+, Science Fiction17 Comments

Publisher: Orbit

Publication Date – 14 November 2017

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From one of the brightest stars in horror and science fiction, comes a heart pounding and imaginative story about terrifying creatures in the deep.

Mermaids have always been the stuff of legends, whether they feature in sailors’ cautionary tales or children’s stories. Seven years ago, when Imagine Entertainment sent a mockumentary team out to the Mariana Trench about the Atargatis they found just how real mermaids were, but with no survivors and only unbelievable leaked video footage to tell their story, the incident is either considered a tragic accident at sea or derided as a hoax.

Now, Imagine Entertainment are planning a second expedition to the Mariana Trench to find incontrovertible proof of mermaids and show the world what happened to the crew of the Atargatis. Larger and better prepared, the second expedition sets out onboard the giant pleasure cruiser Melusine, hosting state-of-art research facilities and filled with the leading experts in a range of marine sciences.

Also onboard are Victoria Stewart, whose beloved sister died upon the Atargatis, and the world’s leading expert on mermaids, Dr Jillian Toth, who is still haunted by her decision not to accompany the original expedition.

Arriving at the Mariana Trench, it doesn’t take long for the mermaids to appear. But these mermaids are not the stuff of children’s stories. They are real, they are dangerous and they are very, very hungry.

Grant has impressive science fiction and horror credentials, including her zombie thriller series Newsflesh and her ‘science-gone-wrong’ inspired Parasitology series. Drowning in the Deep is another outstanding story of horror from Grant and is a worthy sequel to her exciting 2015 novella, Rolling in the Deep.

By far one of the best things about Drowning in the Deep is how Grant turns mermaids, long associated with fairy tales and Disney movies, into credible monsters for her book. Using a combination of suspenseful and descriptive writing, bestowing the creatures with several creepy abilities and loading the book with a range of scientific explanations to make them as plausible as possible, Grant has succeeded in creating scary mermaids.

An interesting feature of the book is the manner in which Grant introduces the mermaids to the story. Rather than taking the traditional path and gradually revealing the monsters over the course of the first half of the book, Grant discloses the mermaids in all their gory glory within the first few pages of the book. All the characters know what they will be up against well in advance; the thrills come in discovering whether that is enough to ensure their survival.

Grant also takes time to introduce all the key characters and explain their backgrounds and motivations. This adds to the story and creates a range of characters whose fates readers will be deeply concerned for. In addition, she makes good use of multiple viewpoints to tell the story. Chapters are presented from the perspectives of each of the main characters, some of the minor characters, the mermaids themselves and even a pod of dolphins. This results in an intricate tapestry of a story and allows for a wide variety of scenes and a deeper understanding of the mystery and horror that is the mermaid.

Grant adds several fun additions to the front of each chapter, such as biography extracts, descriptions of videos, blog posts, articles from a cryptozoology periodical and a number of sections of a lecture from one of the characters, Dr Toth. This is a great way to add a lot of additional background without disturbing the flow and suspense of the overall story. Grant also includes quotes from the characters at the front of the chapters. These quotes help set the tone for the overall book and for the individual chapters. An example of this can be seen in a quote set up at the beginning of the book: “Did you really think we were the apex predators of the world?” Attributed to the story’s mermaid expert, Dr Toth, this is a great way to draw in the reader’s initial interest while at the same time setting a tone of dread as the ship full of overconfident scientists drifts closer to the trench.

Overall, Into the Drowning Deep is an enthralling read and one of the standout books so far in 2018. It is guaranteed to make you think twice about swimming in the ocean.