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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Special thanks to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for allowing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Long story short, this book is amazing and my only critique is I want MORE! Andrew Najberg has written an absolute masterpiece here and the world building has led me to want more more more!
The story is in a post-nuclear society, where they have essentially lost (but trying to regain) all of the “old” technology that to us right now, is just everyday technology. The way Najberg has his characters react to some of these techs (they’re confused or only heard rumors) and the way certain titles and words to these future people have morphed from words commonplace in our time…is just genius. You can tell he is an author that has done his homework as well as thought smartly about how a future post-war society would react to things we see every day.
The island itself is spooky and there is a lot of horror going on in this story. The characters are well developed, each unique, and you root for them as the story starts to take a turn. Like I said above, my ONLY critique would be that I want more! I want to know MORE about this post-war society as a whole, I want to know every single detail about these characters, and I wish I could have another 500 pages of lore within this setting.
I really hope this book turns in to a series. Maybe not with these characters or even at this setting, but definitely within this world created. There is so much potential and I will be waiting for ANYTHING else released about this place.
Najberg is a wonderful writer. When characters are in pain, you feel it! When they are stressed out or tired, you feel the same. You root for them and worry…I stayed up wondering if they would be okay! It is a wonderful horror novel that could EASILY be turned into a multi-million dollar budget movie.
An absolute treasure to read if you’re into Horror and up for some mysterious island type vibes. I was entranced on page one and even after finishing this book, I am eager for more! 10/10 !!
Long story short, this book is amazing and my only critique is I want MORE! Andrew Najberg has written an absolute masterpiece here and the world building has led me to want more more more!
The story is in a post-nuclear society, where they have essentially lost (but trying to regain) all of the “old” technology that to us right now, is just everyday technology. The way Najberg has his characters react to some of these techs (they’re confused or only heard rumors) and the way certain titles and words to these future people have morphed from words commonplace in our time…is just genius. You can tell he is an author that has done his homework as well as thought smartly about how a future post-war society would react to things we see every day.
The island itself is spooky and there is a lot of horror going on in this story. The characters are well developed, each unique, and you root for them as the story starts to take a turn. Like I said above, my ONLY critique would be that I want more! I want to know MORE about this post-war society as a whole, I want to know every single detail about these characters, and I wish I could have another 500 pages of lore within this setting.
I really hope this book turns in to a series. Maybe not with these characters or even at this setting, but definitely within this world created. There is so much potential and I will be waiting for ANYTHING else released about this place.
Najberg is a wonderful writer. When characters are in pain, you feel it! When they are stressed out or tired, you feel the same. You root for them and worry…I stayed up wondering if they would be okay! It is a wonderful horror novel that could EASILY be turned into a multi-million dollar budget movie.
An absolute treasure to read if you’re into Horror and up for some mysterious island type vibes. I was entranced on page one and even after finishing this book, I am eager for more! 10/10 !!
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
So, I'm a girl who loves "expedition" horror. Archaeology expeditions as depicted in Michael Rutger's The Anomaly, and in this case, a team on a cataloguing survey of an abandoned prison. The name of said prison is Gollitok, and if that in itself doesn't sound menacing, the story is even more perilous.
Through the entire novel, there is a sense of something not being right, and not just because the characters are saying it. There is a palpable feeling of dread as the story progresses through increasingly gruesome discoveries. This is an island prison that was really much more than just a prison. The various elements of strange phenomena and wildlife are very Lovecraftian in nature. There's something the "Bureau" did not disclose to the team, and some know more than others. This makes for a difficult time for the team in addition to the horrors that await them.
This is my first Najberg novel, and it will not be my last. Any story that keeps me filled with dread is a sure winner, and Gollitok proves he certainly has a talent for it.
Through the entire novel, there is a sense of something not being right, and not just because the characters are saying it. There is a palpable feeling of dread as the story progresses through increasingly gruesome discoveries. This is an island prison that was really much more than just a prison. The various elements of strange phenomena and wildlife are very Lovecraftian in nature. There's something the "Bureau" did not disclose to the team, and some know more than others. This makes for a difficult time for the team in addition to the horrors that await them.
This is my first Najberg novel, and it will not be my last. Any story that keeps me filled with dread is a sure winner, and Gollitok proves he certainly has a talent for it.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was just ok for me. The story is solid, but I really couldn't connect with any of the characters. They were all so frustrating and hard headed to the point of being problematic just to be problematic.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had to wait a long time to read this one and I may have overhyped it in my head a little bit. The premise and worldbuilding are very good but everything seems a bit rushed. I would have appreciated this one being a bit longer and slower to really drag out the tension. That said, I did have fun with it - just not quite as good as some other things I've read lately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Vomit
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I absolutely enjoyed this book! It was horror, mysterious, gory, all the great things! It did start off a bit slow but when it picked up it was amazing!
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
slow-paced