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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
For Halloween this year, I've started digging (pun intended in this case) into a couple of horror novels and this is the first I've finished.
Here's Amazon synopsis, that I can't improve upon without giving too much away:
"Mason Brand has fled his life as a celebrated photographer and renounced his past. He is living rough, as a hermit in the Welsh hills, when something happens to him among the mossy oaks. He begins to hear "the calling." Years later, giving society a final chance, Mason is living with sight of a colossal landfill dump, and he hears "the calling" again. Ths time he will heed it, and it will lead him, for he is called to assist in a terrible birth—out of the waste of human society comes a thing, and its enemy is human. Tackling the issue of the environment and landfill sites, this chilling fable of eco-horror asks what happens to all the unwanted things we bury, because they just won't go away."
I like the premise, even though it sounds like something out of a B-movie, especially the idea of mixing environmental awareness with horror. It is appropriately gross and gory, but it has moments of genuine creepiness, too. It does drag at times, though, which kills some of the suspense.
Here's Amazon synopsis, that I can't improve upon without giving too much away:
"Mason Brand has fled his life as a celebrated photographer and renounced his past. He is living rough, as a hermit in the Welsh hills, when something happens to him among the mossy oaks. He begins to hear "the calling." Years later, giving society a final chance, Mason is living with sight of a colossal landfill dump, and he hears "the calling" again. Ths time he will heed it, and it will lead him, for he is called to assist in a terrible birth—out of the waste of human society comes a thing, and its enemy is human. Tackling the issue of the environment and landfill sites, this chilling fable of eco-horror asks what happens to all the unwanted things we bury, because they just won't go away."
I like the premise, even though it sounds like something out of a B-movie, especially the idea of mixing environmental awareness with horror. It is appropriately gross and gory, but it has moments of genuine creepiness, too. It does drag at times, though, which kills some of the suspense.
Gripping Story
I may have just discovered a new author to add to my list of favorites. I picked it up under the recommendation of David Moody and I couldn’t be happier.
The story is such a unique twist on apocalyptic horror. I am simultaneously curious to see what happens in the book come to pass and terrified if it were actually possible. What makes the story scarier is just how believable Jospeh D’Lacey makes it seem possible.
I may have just discovered a new author to add to my list of favorites. I picked it up under the recommendation of David Moody and I couldn’t be happier.
The story is such a unique twist on apocalyptic horror. I am simultaneously curious to see what happens in the book come to pass and terrified if it were actually possible. What makes the story scarier is just how believable Jospeh D’Lacey makes it seem possible.
Once again D'Lacey combines a superb horror story with a more substantial story and a deeper more 'real' meaning. We start off in the town of Shreve, whose colossal landfill has taken over the identity of the town and its inhabitants as authorities from miles around use the area as their own personal dumping ground. In the midst of this carnage and waste however, there is something evolving and growing, something that will strike terror into the hearts of Shreve residents and force them to face the reality of their wasteful consumer lifestyles. As these creatures develop and begin to take over the town the story becomes a tale of a mini apocolypse where only the quick, strong and resourceful will survive.
Beneath this tale of terror D'Lacey weaves a deeper commentary on the wasteful nature of modern society and how little consideration is really given to where our waste goes and what happens to it when it gets there, by the authorities, those involved in the industry and the public as a whole. Once again he manages to get his message across without being preachy or condescending and again brings the reader's own negative feelings into play, hinting that the only reason this story is so terrifying is the reality behind it, that we all pretend is not really there.
I can honestly say, hand on heart, that there a few writers that have brought up so many emotions, thoughts and introspection through their work as D'Lacey has for me and I cannot wait to be horrified both by his stories and their personal and societal implications again. Stephen King is right, D'Lacey rocks!
Beneath this tale of terror D'Lacey weaves a deeper commentary on the wasteful nature of modern society and how little consideration is really given to where our waste goes and what happens to it when it gets there, by the authorities, those involved in the industry and the public as a whole. Once again he manages to get his message across without being preachy or condescending and again brings the reader's own negative feelings into play, hinting that the only reason this story is so terrifying is the reality behind it, that we all pretend is not really there.
I can honestly say, hand on heart, that there a few writers that have brought up so many emotions, thoughts and introspection through their work as D'Lacey has for me and I cannot wait to be horrified both by his stories and their personal and societal implications again. Stephen King is right, D'Lacey rocks!
It's a well thought, great written book but... There's is something missing. Like a spark in the characters or the storytelling. I loved the message, but not the messenger. At least, not as much as I thought would liked it.
I have to admit, I found this one a little underwhelming, which made me super sad because I have been looking forward to reading it for a while. It just took such a long time to get going - for the first 60 pages or so, there's no development of the monster, just the characters, who, honestly, I didn't like. They all seemed like pretty terrible people - Ray ultimately became my favorite, . But Mason, who I *think* is supposed to be the main character/hero, I found completely pretentious and unlikable. Maybe the point with his character was supposed to be that he wasn't as brilliant as he thought he was, but if that was the point it was never made clear. I agree with his perspective in general, but he just seemed kind of holier-than-thou in his environmentalism, and misanthropic in a way even I couldn't identify with.
I will say this, however - once the book picks up and the Garbage Man and friends start coming to life, the book gets *much* better. It is gross and gory, and the last half of the book is a much faster-paced, much more exciting eco-pocalyptic disaster scenario. For me though, it just took too long to get there, and the majority of the characters were not likable enough for me to care what happened to them. 3.5 stars.
Spoiler
he seemed to really come to life after separating from Jenny. They were bad for each other anywayI will say this, however - once the book picks up and the Garbage Man and friends start coming to life, the book gets *much* better. It is gross and gory, and the last half of the book is a much faster-paced, much more exciting eco-pocalyptic disaster scenario.
Spoiler
In my personal favorite gross-out moment, a guy gets his guts vacuum-tubed out by one of the garbage monsters.
What a great read! An unusual and (despite the title) fresh tale, very very well told.
Mr D'Lacey's writing style reminds me in some ways of Stephen King's. This is not just because of the "dark" tone and subject matter, nor the fact that King's review of Garbage Man is on the cover. It's because D'Lacey's narrative flows as well as King's (usually) does (and in some places better) -- reading the book was effortless. It's because D'Lacey has a knack for painting vivid characters who feel like people you've met, who make you cringe or feel sorry for them, who make you "root" for them.
I say this, but D'Lacey is very much is own writer, rather than a King clone. His ideas are inique, his characters more so, his techniques sneaky in a way King's aren't.
The story itself ... well, you can read other people's reviews for plot spoilers and teasers. I simply enjoyed a story about people's choices and the overwhelming message of a world reaping what it has sown.
A good read.
Mr D'Lacey's writing style reminds me in some ways of Stephen King's. This is not just because of the "dark" tone and subject matter, nor the fact that King's review of Garbage Man is on the cover. It's because D'Lacey's narrative flows as well as King's (usually) does (and in some places better) -- reading the book was effortless. It's because D'Lacey has a knack for painting vivid characters who feel like people you've met, who make you cringe or feel sorry for them, who make you "root" for them.
I say this, but D'Lacey is very much is own writer, rather than a King clone. His ideas are inique, his characters more so, his techniques sneaky in a way King's aren't.
The story itself ... well, you can read other people's reviews for plot spoilers and teasers. I simply enjoyed a story about people's choices and the overwhelming message of a world reaping what it has sown.
A good read.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
An agonisingly slow and somewhat confusing start that leads into a fast past survival story around the 70% mark. Reads as an anti abortion story, the dream scenes were something else. A strong message without being preachy, makes you think.
I wanted to like this more. The concept was fun, but buried too deeply in a sort of despair and grief to truly be entertaining.
