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reads_vicariously's review
2.0
Man, I really wanted to like this book. I loved the setting and all the descriptive imagery made it easy to picture myself strolling on that black sand beach or cowering in fear in those dark underground tunnels. I also thought the "creature" design was compelling and it had some cool moments. And that one jolting, brutal massacre scene? *chefs kiss*
With its emphasis on cults and cosmic horror, this book should have been right up my alley. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to enjoy it. Sure there's flat, cliche dialogue and various plot holes, but I can overlook those to some degree if I care about the characters. And I think that's where the book lost me the most. I didn't like or empathize with anyone in the story. They're just too much like cardboard cutouts from other sci-fi/action stories and that, along with the stilted dialogue and nonsensical decision-making, is why even when the story ramps up in the second half I found it hard to get excited.
Honestly, I enjoyed the book more in the second half for sure, especially when I began to re-frame it as a cheesy B-movie flick. I kept wanting to yell at the screen/page "why are you doing that?" and "why are you saying it that way?". So in that way it was kind of fun, but I also don't think that's what the author was going for. There's definitely a good story outline and character types here, but for me the execution just didn't make them any more than that.
With its emphasis on cults and cosmic horror, this book should have been right up my alley. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to enjoy it. Sure there's flat, cliche dialogue and various plot holes, but I can overlook those to some degree if I care about the characters. And I think that's where the book lost me the most. I didn't like or empathize with anyone in the story. They're just too much like cardboard cutouts from other sci-fi/action stories and that, along with the stilted dialogue and nonsensical decision-making, is why even when the story ramps up in the second half I found it hard to get excited.
Honestly, I enjoyed the book more in the second half for sure, especially when I began to re-frame it as a cheesy B-movie flick. I kept wanting to yell at the screen/page "why are you doing that?" and "why are you saying it that way?". So in that way it was kind of fun, but I also don't think that's what the author was going for. There's definitely a good story outline and character types here, but for me the execution just didn't make them any more than that.
spooky_librarian's review
4.0
(3.5⭐️ rounded up for Goodreads!)
“Behold the Dark....Behold the Dark...Behold the Dark.”
I think it’s safe to say this book was a pretty decent start to my new year!
Sean O’Connor’s THE BLACKENING is a cosmic horror set in beautiful Iceland—specifically the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara and the small village of Vik. There’s a dark, slimy evil lying in wait, tourists gone missing, and an unsuspecting village in peril. When hot tempered, disgraced cop John Ward suspects a growing danger to be a possible threat to the Northern Lights Festival, he takes on the heavy duty of protecting the innocent no matter the cost.
I’ll be honest. Going into this book, I did not like the protagonist. I found him a bit cliche as the angry cop with the sad past. And the other characters needed a bit more depth and development as well. Personal relationships escalated a little too quickly, making emotional interactions a little hard to believe. Basically the book was off to a rocky start.
But that didn’t discourage me from pushing forward. Before I knew it, the story started gaining momentum and I found myself flipping through pages of exhilarating chaos. There was no going back, like the moment you reach that dizzying first peak on a roller coaster. I’m talking blood, guts, and plenty of gore contrasting with rich Icelandic landscape, vibrant northern lights, and fathomless black caves. I couldn’t help but feel like this would’ve been a terrifying, cinematic beauty if ever adapted to the big screen.
What truly won me over was the monster. It was both familiar while still unique in such a way that I don’t want to give away too much of its description so readers can go into it as blind as I was. But trust me, you’ll be left squirming and squeamish!
Fans of cosmic horror should definitely give this one a try!
(Special thanks to Night Worms and author Sean O’Connor for this #NightWormsBookParty review copy)!
“Behold the Dark....Behold the Dark...Behold the Dark.”
I think it’s safe to say this book was a pretty decent start to my new year!
Sean O’Connor’s THE BLACKENING is a cosmic horror set in beautiful Iceland—specifically the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara and the small village of Vik. There’s a dark, slimy evil lying in wait, tourists gone missing, and an unsuspecting village in peril. When hot tempered, disgraced cop John Ward suspects a growing danger to be a possible threat to the Northern Lights Festival, he takes on the heavy duty of protecting the innocent no matter the cost.
I’ll be honest. Going into this book, I did not like the protagonist. I found him a bit cliche as the angry cop with the sad past. And the other characters needed a bit more depth and development as well. Personal relationships escalated a little too quickly, making emotional interactions a little hard to believe. Basically the book was off to a rocky start.
But that didn’t discourage me from pushing forward. Before I knew it, the story started gaining momentum and I found myself flipping through pages of exhilarating chaos. There was no going back, like the moment you reach that dizzying first peak on a roller coaster. I’m talking blood, guts, and plenty of gore contrasting with rich Icelandic landscape, vibrant northern lights, and fathomless black caves. I couldn’t help but feel like this would’ve been a terrifying, cinematic beauty if ever adapted to the big screen.
What truly won me over was the monster. It was both familiar while still unique in such a way that I don’t want to give away too much of its description so readers can go into it as blind as I was. But trust me, you’ll be left squirming and squeamish!
Fans of cosmic horror should definitely give this one a try!
(Special thanks to Night Worms and author Sean O’Connor for this #NightWormsBookParty review copy)!
readingvicariously's review
2.0
Man, I really wanted to like this book. I loved the setting and all the descriptive imagery made it easy to picture myself strolling on that black sand beach or cowering in fear in those dark underground tunnels. I also thought the "creature" design was compelling and it had some cool moments. And that one jolting, brutal massacre scene? *chefs kiss*
With its emphasis on cults and cosmic horror, this book should have been right up my alley. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to enjoy it. Sure there's flat, cliche dialogue and various plot holes, but I can overlook those to some degree if I care about the characters. And I think that's where the book lost me the most. I didn't like or empathize with anyone in the story. They're just too much like cardboard cutouts from other sci-fi/action stories and that, along with the stilted dialogue and nonsensical decision-making, is why even when the story ramps up in the second half I found it hard to get excited.
Honestly, I enjoyed the book more in the second half for sure, especially when I began to re-frame it as a cheesy B-movie flick. I kept wanting to yell at the screen/page "why are you doing that?" and "why are you saying it that way?". So in that way it was kind of fun, but I also don't think that's what the author was going for. There's definitely a good story outline and character types here, but for me the execution just didn't make them any more than that.
With its emphasis on cults and cosmic horror, this book should have been right up my alley. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to enjoy it. Sure there's flat, cliche dialogue and various plot holes, but I can overlook those to some degree if I care about the characters. And I think that's where the book lost me the most. I didn't like or empathize with anyone in the story. They're just too much like cardboard cutouts from other sci-fi/action stories and that, along with the stilted dialogue and nonsensical decision-making, is why even when the story ramps up in the second half I found it hard to get excited.
Honestly, I enjoyed the book more in the second half for sure, especially when I began to re-frame it as a cheesy B-movie flick. I kept wanting to yell at the screen/page "why are you doing that?" and "why are you saying it that way?". So in that way it was kind of fun, but I also don't think that's what the author was going for. There's definitely a good story outline and character types here, but for me the execution just didn't make them any more than that.
spookishmommy's review
I was intrigued by the setting taking place in Iceland but unfortunately, this book was not for me. I gave it about 50 pages and just couldn't get into it. I promised myself in 2021 I wouldn't force myself to finish something that isn't holding my interest.
motherhorror's review
3.0
THE BLACKENING is my third Seán O'Connor read. The last book, WEEPING SEASON was a fast paced, page-turner. I enjoyed it. This book seemed to mash-up a favorite genre, Crime/Murder Mystery (set in Iceland! Bonus) with a not-so-favorite genre, Cosmic Horror.
The book starts off with a bit of Amity/Jaws vibe when a woman disappears under very mysterious circumstances and the lead investigator wants to cancel a big tourist attraction for the safety of the townsfolk but the Police Commissioner vetos this with a concern for tourist dollars over safety.
A subplot with some scientists develops. They are researching a black substance found at the location where the missing woman was last seen. This sub-plot, in my opinion, should have lead the story. For me, this is just a case of one part of the story being more interesting for the reader than the other and a growing frustration anytime the focus shifts to the less unique storyline. I loved touring around Iceland with O'Connor because it felt so authentic--to the point where I'm sure the author has either traveled there a few times or just researched the hell out of it. The cosmic horror element was a great compliment to the missing woman story and then when THE BLACKENING transitions into a creature-feature is when I felt a little bit of a lift. However, with all the set-up, thin character development, and some clunky dialog weighing these aspects down--the wind dropped out of the sails for me.
A solid 3 stars that could have easily been 4 or 5 with some re-working. As per usual, I will always read anything O'Connor puts out because he does have a unique storytelling voice that I enjoy.
The book starts off with a bit of Amity/Jaws vibe when a woman disappears under very mysterious circumstances and the lead investigator wants to cancel a big tourist attraction for the safety of the townsfolk but the Police Commissioner vetos this with a concern for tourist dollars over safety.
A subplot with some scientists develops. They are researching a black substance found at the location where the missing woman was last seen. This sub-plot, in my opinion, should have lead the story. For me, this is just a case of one part of the story being more interesting for the reader than the other and a growing frustration anytime the focus shifts to the less unique storyline. I loved touring around Iceland with O'Connor because it felt so authentic--to the point where I'm sure the author has either traveled there a few times or just researched the hell out of it. The cosmic horror element was a great compliment to the missing woman story and then when THE BLACKENING transitions into a creature-feature is when I felt a little bit of a lift. However, with all the set-up, thin character development, and some clunky dialog weighing these aspects down--the wind dropped out of the sails for me.
A solid 3 stars that could have easily been 4 or 5 with some re-working. As per usual, I will always read anything O'Connor puts out because he does have a unique storytelling voice that I enjoy.
findingmontauk1's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
I keep telling myself I love or want to love cosmic horror, but maybe that sub-genre just is not my thing. But here is an element of cosmic horror that I DO love: I love creepy tentacle horror. But that is not what defines cosmic horror in totality. That might have been the reason I did, for the most part, enjoy THE BLACKENING by Seán O'Connor. Tentacles just get me. Maybe I need to focus on the tentacles and not the word/description "cosmic" anymore?
THE BLACKENING is the story of an Icelandic village that is about to have a Northern Lights Festival. Tourists start to go missing. There is an angry and hot-tempered cop who ultimately wants to do the right thing, a power hungry and greedy police commissioner, and a quirky and curious scientist and her research assistant. I wanted more from these characters than some of the same tropes and repetitive dialogue. I could not connect to any of them and was already fairly annoyed by our lead protagonist, police inspector John Ward, from the first few pages of his entrance.
I did really enjoy the Icelandic scenic descriptions of black sand beaches, underground caves, and when the overall mood would be detailed. I thought the action that picks up heavily in the last 1/3 of the book was written well and turned this book into something more fast-paced. And I think descriptions of some of the deaths, the corpses in the aftermath, the combination of Nordic noir with cultish monster mayhem, and the monster itself were quite intriguing. So I think my biggest issue with the book is the character development or somewhat lack thereof.
(Special thanks to Night Worms and author Seán O’Connor for this #NightWormsBookParty review copy)!
THE BLACKENING is the story of an Icelandic village that is about to have a Northern Lights Festival. Tourists start to go missing. There is an angry and hot-tempered cop who ultimately wants to do the right thing, a power hungry and greedy police commissioner, and a quirky and curious scientist and her research assistant. I wanted more from these characters than some of the same tropes and repetitive dialogue. I could not connect to any of them and was already fairly annoyed by our lead protagonist, police inspector John Ward, from the first few pages of his entrance.
I did really enjoy the Icelandic scenic descriptions of black sand beaches, underground caves, and when the overall mood would be detailed. I thought the action that picks up heavily in the last 1/3 of the book was written well and turned this book into something more fast-paced. And I think descriptions of some of the deaths, the corpses in the aftermath, the combination of Nordic noir with cultish monster mayhem, and the monster itself were quite intriguing. So I think my biggest issue with the book is the character development or somewhat lack thereof.
(Special thanks to Night Worms and author Seán O’Connor for this #NightWormsBookParty review copy)!
teamredmon's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
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