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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
dark
tense
medium-paced
Valancourt Books has spoiled me, I think. By reprinting books by the likes of Michael McDowell, Ken Greenhall, and Bernard Taylor, they've come to represent a way to discover the lost gems of the horror genre. When I heard they would be publishing some reprints of the better novels featured in Grady Hendrix's Paperbacks from Hell, of course I signed up for the subscription service to get all of them. The Nest is the first in that series.
The thing is, Valancourt has also published books like Slimer and The Fungus, books that have some merit, but aren't really the best '80s horror had to offer. The Nest falls into that group, too, which surprised me, since it was the first novel in the series. The whole story felt overwrought, and the characters didn't resonate enough for me to care about them. As a result, it was hard to care much about the carnage that came from the mutated, giant, man-eating cockroaches.
For me, there are two classes of horror that are enjoyable: the first is the kind of horror that's effective, subtle and atmospheric, creepy and disquieting; the second is the kind of horror that's so bad that it's just fun to read, like riding a rollercoaster with your hands up the whole way. The Nest strives for the former while just dodging the latter, so it comes across as lackluster and uninteresting. I do give the author credit for giving the story some progressive touches (women scientists, strong women, and hints at an interracial romance) all the way back in 1980, but even then, it feels more like lip service than a genuine attempt at creating character. I'm hoping that the rest of the books in this short series will live up more to my expectations.
The thing is, Valancourt has also published books like Slimer and The Fungus, books that have some merit, but aren't really the best '80s horror had to offer. The Nest falls into that group, too, which surprised me, since it was the first novel in the series. The whole story felt overwrought, and the characters didn't resonate enough for me to care about them. As a result, it was hard to care much about the carnage that came from the mutated, giant, man-eating cockroaches.
For me, there are two classes of horror that are enjoyable: the first is the kind of horror that's effective, subtle and atmospheric, creepy and disquieting; the second is the kind of horror that's so bad that it's just fun to read, like riding a rollercoaster with your hands up the whole way. The Nest strives for the former while just dodging the latter, so it comes across as lackluster and uninteresting. I do give the author credit for giving the story some progressive touches (women scientists, strong women, and hints at an interracial romance) all the way back in 1980, but even then, it feels more like lip service than a genuine attempt at creating character. I'm hoping that the rest of the books in this short series will live up more to my expectations.
3.5 I can’t say this is good but it’s fun and gross and that’s the point. Enjoyable if you like books about killer bugs eating people’s faces off in Cape Cod (I do).
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood
Minor: Animal death, Racism, Sexism
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This was amazing! I already have a fear of roaches and thus was just a wild ride for me
This is the first of several Valencourt re-releases highlighting books from the delightful [b:Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction|33670466|Paperbacks from Hell The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction|Grady Hendrix|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1504436657s/33670466.jpg|54542087]. As expected, it's pure schlock, but it's sort of remarkable schlock.
For one thing, Douglas has no problem killing, well, pretty much everyone, in incredibly gruesome ways. It's been a long time since I've read B (or lower) grade horror, and it's wild to read a book where the author has no problem killing the sympathetic characters in awful ways with zero remorse. That includes children, by the way.
Also, Douglas was apparently fairly old at the time he wrote this book, and man does it ever show with how he writes about the young people. There are a couple of "punks" who take drugs, and, well...needless to say, Douglas had a hard time getting into their heads. Take this passage:
Well, hell, everyone knew hallucinogens could be dangerous. The risk was part of the fun. Like Russian roulette, in a way. You never did know when the shit might turn on you instead of turning you on. He shouldn't be worrying about it, the man frowned at himself. He knew what he was doing, all the way. If there was danger, it was worth it to him. Hopheads of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but the chains of the fools of convention!
Yeah. And that's not even the poor stoner who lies down in the woods and starts masturbating because the leaves feel so good against his body.
There are lots of weird turns of phrase here. Some of which can be chalked up to the New England setting, but that doesn't quite explain why one character yells out, "I'll get every one of you miserable damnnations!" A phrase, I'm fairly certain, has never been spoken aloud by any human, ever. Not even one with the wacky name of "Reed Brockshaw."
Douglas describes people in weird ways, even while describing cardboard cutout characters, and there's even a pipe smoking scientist and his "unusually feminine" gorgeous female partner. And in case you were worried, there's even an overlong sex scene with lots of nature metaphors. Clearly someone was getting paid by the word.
So yes, it's never going to approach high art, but what do you expect from a book about killer cockroaches? There's a joy in reading a book like this, and it delivers as expected. Recommended, if you're up for getting down and dirty.
For one thing, Douglas has no problem killing, well, pretty much everyone, in incredibly gruesome ways. It's been a long time since I've read B (or lower) grade horror, and it's wild to read a book where the author has no problem killing the sympathetic characters in awful ways with zero remorse. That includes children, by the way.
Also, Douglas was apparently fairly old at the time he wrote this book, and man does it ever show with how he writes about the young people. There are a couple of "punks" who take drugs, and, well...needless to say, Douglas had a hard time getting into their heads. Take this passage:
Well, hell, everyone knew hallucinogens could be dangerous. The risk was part of the fun. Like Russian roulette, in a way. You never did know when the shit might turn on you instead of turning you on. He shouldn't be worrying about it, the man frowned at himself. He knew what he was doing, all the way. If there was danger, it was worth it to him. Hopheads of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but the chains of the fools of convention!
Yeah. And that's not even the poor stoner who lies down in the woods and starts masturbating because the leaves feel so good against his body.
There are lots of weird turns of phrase here. Some of which can be chalked up to the New England setting, but that doesn't quite explain why one character yells out, "I'll get every one of you miserable damnnations!" A phrase, I'm fairly certain, has never been spoken aloud by any human, ever. Not even one with the wacky name of "Reed Brockshaw."
Douglas describes people in weird ways, even while describing cardboard cutout characters, and there's even a pipe smoking scientist and his "unusually feminine" gorgeous female partner. And in case you were worried, there's even an overlong sex scene with lots of nature metaphors. Clearly someone was getting paid by the word.
So yes, it's never going to approach high art, but what do you expect from a book about killer cockroaches? There's a joy in reading a book like this, and it delivers as expected. Recommended, if you're up for getting down and dirty.
This one is the first book in Valencourt's line of "Paperbacks From Hell" novels. These are reprints of 80s horror novels that were featured in Grady Hendrix's nonfiction book Paperbacks From Hell.
I preordered the whole line because I trust both Hendrix and Valencourt Books to find some wothwhile stuff.
After this book, I still hold that trust in them, with a few qualifiers.
It's a tale as old as time: giant mutant cockroaches terrorize a small New England Island.
The book alternates between three different speeds. First, grisly descriptions of mayheam and death:
Qualifier #1: The violence gets worse. This is a gross-out book, for sure.
The second speed is scientists condescending to islanders. For example:
Qualifier #2: Be prepared for long stretches of science lectures about insect behavior.
Third gear is rare, but there is the occasional "romantic" scene.
Qualifier #3: Gross.
All that said, this was a fun reminder of the pulpy horror novels I was reading when I was a kid,feeling like I was getting one over on my parents.
I preordered the whole line because I trust both Hendrix and Valencourt Books to find some wothwhile stuff.
After this book, I still hold that trust in them, with a few qualifiers.
It's a tale as old as time: giant mutant cockroaches terrorize a small New England Island.
The book alternates between three different speeds. First, grisly descriptions of mayheam and death:
"The first roach went directly for the rabbit's eyes. The men heard the click of the breaking cornea as the insect mandibles pressed in. "
Qualifier #1: The violence gets worse. This is a gross-out book, for sure.
The second speed is scientists condescending to islanders. For example:
"You know, Elias, there are some ants with so strong a bite that if you try to pull them away, the ant's head will separate from body before its teeth will let go!"
The old eyes widened. "Thunderation!"
Qualifier #2: Be prepared for long stretches of science lectures about insect behavior.
Third gear is rare, but there is the occasional "romantic" scene.
"I do frighten you, don't I, Peter?"
"He said huskily, "Because I've been falling in love with you."
"That's not frightening, that's supercaledeliciouswhatever!"
Qualifier #3: Gross.
All that said, this was a fun reminder of the pulpy horror novels I was reading when I was a kid,feeling like I was getting one over on my parents.
Fun 80's horror read. Killer cockroaches are on the loose on this island off of Cape Cod, and no one is safe.
3.5 stars. I hate bugs so much. The body horror in this was top notch, and the writing was surprisingly good.
I probably wouldn’t have read this book if it hadn’t been included in the new Paperbacks From Hell series, because the original is hard to come by. It’s a classic “when animals attack” book, and it reads like a satisfying b-movie (which I believe it was adapted for, but I haven’t seen). There is a fair share of overwriting and purple prose, but that actually makes the gory scenes more effective (and, yes, they are quite gory). I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that these roaches are aggressive in their craving of human flesh.
Pretty much anyone who reads this book is going to know what they’re in for before they even pick it up, but that’s not a bad thing; it’s a satisfying and better than competently written story. And, like Will Errickson points out in the intro to this edition, it’s written by someone who has actually been to the Cape, and who actually put in research to make most of the book seem believable. That said, I could have done without the pages and pages of scientific explanation, literally presented as a lecture by scientists. Oh well, sometimes the gore is worth the wait.
Pretty much anyone who reads this book is going to know what they’re in for before they even pick it up, but that’s not a bad thing; it’s a satisfying and better than competently written story. And, like Will Errickson points out in the intro to this edition, it’s written by someone who has actually been to the Cape, and who actually put in research to make most of the book seem believable. That said, I could have done without the pages and pages of scientific explanation, literally presented as a lecture by scientists. Oh well, sometimes the gore is worth the wait.