Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “14 (Threshold, #1)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

14

(Threshold #1)

Peter Clines (Goodreads Author)

3.95 · Rating details · 28,447 ratings · 3,405 reviews

Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.

There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment.

Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd li ...more

Get A Copy

Kindle Edition, 372 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Permuted Press

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about 14, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Science Fiction of the 21st Century

899 books — 7,848 voters

Permuted Press

137 books — 74 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.95 ·

Rating details

· 28,447 ratings · 3,405 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of 14 (Threshold, #1)

Jul 02, 2015 Dan Schwent rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, lovecraftian, birthday-2015

When broke and directionless Nate Tucker finds an extremely affordable apartment, things quickly take an odd turn. Why does the light in Nate's kitchen always act like a black light? What's with the seven legged cockroaches? And why are all the other apartments as quirky as his? That's what Nate and the other tenants of the Kavach building aim to find out. But will they survive what they find?

After reading The Fold, I had the fever and the only cure was more Peter Clines! 14 has all of wh ...more

flag 119 likes · Like · see review

Oct 01, 2012 Michael rated it did not like it

I am genuinely mystified by the positive reviews of 14, which are everywhere. I picked it up entirely because of the positive buzz, and was greatly disappointed. Not immediately, but progressively, until what started as mild curiosity ended as a struggle to finish.

Fourteen is often compared to LOST, and I agree with this assessment to the extent that -- like LOST -- it raises and ultimately fails to answer innumerable questions that only exist to make the mystery seem deeper and more I am genuinely mystified by the positive reviews of 14, which are everywhere. I picked it up entirely because of the positive buzz, and was greatly disappointed. Not immediately, but progressively, until what started as mild curiosity ended as a struggle to finish.

Fourteen is often compared to LOST, and I agree with this assessment to the extent that -- like LOST -- it raises and ultimately fails to answer innumerable questions that only exist to make the mystery seem deeper and more complex than it is.

Like many “high concept” mysteries, 14 starts with an excellent idea but fails in its execution because the author underestimates the audience. Again, like LOST, the ultimate “answer” is completely unguessable, because the details that lead up to it are irrelevant and the level of absurdity is unpredictably high. This will doubtless gives some readers a sense of payoff merely because they guessed incorrectly, but it will frustrate readers who expect details A and B to add up to, if not C, then at least something and not wasted time as the story gradually gets around to telling you what it’s about.

That is the biggest problem with the novel. It’s blundering and telegraphed, with “mysteries for the sake of mysteries” and pop-culture references for the sake of pandering to its audience and -- worst of all -- characters who behave illogically so that the mystery will last long enough for a novel, and the events that trigger the finale will actually happen.

Even given that the characters themselves are uninteresting (worse, they are capital-I “Interesting!” which makes them all the more boring, because why explore a character when you can just give them histories and talents that are designed to do the work for you), nothing is more frustrating than characters acting illogically. They fail to do the obvious things because had they done anything a normal person might have done, the mystery would not have played out.

It would be impossible to explain their failures as characters without spoiling the book. Suffice it to say that the more you think about 14, the less sensible is the behavior of every character in it and the more profoundly and idiotically convenient are the details that lead them to the conclusion and the more confusing the mismanagement of those with more information than the reader.

It is ultimately maddening to know you have participated in a meaningless series of unexplained (and unexplainable) mysteries, but it is more maddening to have -- once the “big reveal” takes place -- no doubt as to the outcome whatsoever.

So, ultimately, if you liked LOST, as so many people did -- with its endless unanswered and ultimately pointless questions -- and particularly if you like the left-field ending of LOST, then you may appreciate the book. Again, provided you don’t care about the depth of the characters (which are more shallow than those in LOST) and you don’t think about the plot.

Another example of how popular does not necessarily mean good, even if you’ve enjoyed previous titles by the author.
...more

flag 114 likes · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2012 Trudi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, 2013, what-the-bleep, survive-this, fantastical-speculative, group-in-peril, horror, october-country-2013

I have a book shelf named "what the bleep" for books that unexpectedly shock my delicate sensibilities, blow my mind, and/or turn it into a pretzel. Sometimes the "what the bleep" is shouted in disgust or disappointment (as in -- this book sucks and the weirdness cannot save it). Other times, I shout it with glee for books that break my brain or tickle it so deliciously I can't help rubbing my hands together and cackling like a villain ripped from the pages of a Marvel comic.

I am delighted to r ...more

flag 86 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2014 Will M. rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal, 2015, horror

This highly acclaimed horror novel was very underwhelming for me. It's one of those novels with a perfect premise, but the plot was lacking. I don't think it's the author's fault though, because with the idea in his mind, endless possibilities were on the line. I enjoyed the novel overall, but I'm not completely satisfied.

There were more positives than negatives in this novel. I'm going to start talking about the negatives.

The plot contained a good amount of cliche, and t ...more

flag 74 likes · Like · see review

May 08, 2018 Ginger rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, 2018

Have you ever read a book (or listen in this case) and it just surprises the hell out of you?!
THIS BOOK DID!! 5 STARS!!

14 was AWESOME! No, really, it was. I can’t believe I haven’t read this or heard about it more. I was looking for an engaging audiobook last week and came across 14.

This book has a mystery about a building along with hints of horror and sci-fi woven throughout.
How could I not try this? It's every genreSTARS!!
you?!
THIS ...more

flag 75 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2017 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: horror, reality-bending, fanboy-goes-squee, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery

Break out your 1d6 investigators, it's time to do some dangerous explorations! Scooby-Gang style.

Seriously though, it's hard to describe what you love in a novel when it ought to come out as a great reveal and a near pitch-perfect blend of mystery, cthuhlu tales, science fiction, fantasy, and of course the mainstay of Horror. Because that's what this is. Pure Horror with all the greatest tidbits you could want from all the other genres. It reminds me an awful lot of his other novel, ...more

flag 58 likes · Like · see review

Sep 24, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, urban-fantasy

This is an excellent book, no doubt about it. It only fails to get a 5 star rating (from me)because there are a couple of stereotypes that screamed at me (and one that annoys me when it's used because by now it's soooooo tired) and a few stereotypical situations/plot devices. (view spoiler) ...more

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

Sep 21, 2015 Lisa rated it really liked it

I absolutely loved this book! It had everything I look for in a story. Very atmospheric, some pretty awesome characters, and a huge dreadful mystery. I was reading this book at a pretty good clip, until the discovery of what was in room 14. Then it threw me completely out of what was going on. So at about 70% through, I had to quit reading and take a week off. I wasn't even sure if I was going to finish this story. But I kept thinking about it , and finally got back to it. I'm very happy that I ...more

flag 40 likes · Like · see review

Feb 25, 2019 TS Chan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobook

4.5 stars.

A fascinating and engaging genre-bending novel with excellent characterisation, elevated by the narrator's superb voice-acting.

14. Firstly, the number, when spoken in Chinese sounds like "will/must die". Due to this superstition, there are numerous buildings in my part of the world which do not use this number. You will instead get Level 13a or Unit 13a in place of 14, and sometimes even a jump from 13 to 15. I started the book with this notion at the back of my head. And all I knew about the story t/>A 4.5 stars.

A fascinating and engaging genre-bending novel with excellent characterisation, elevated by the narrator's superb voice-acting.

14. Firstly, the number, when spoken in Chinese sounds like "will/must die". Due to this superstition, there are numerous buildings in my part of the world which do not use this number. You will instead get Level 13a or Unit 13a in place of 14, and sometimes even a jump from 13 to 15. I started the book with this notion at the back of my head. And all I knew about the story then was that the building was strange and mysterious. A potent and thrilling combination, and yet I was still pleasantly surprised with the direction the story took.

The narrative unfolded as the main protagonist, Nate Tucker, was looking for a new place to stay in Los Angeles under a tight budget. As chance would have it, he met someone who was just moving out of an apartment which has a rent that was almost too cheap to be true. I don't know about others, but when something was too good to be true, I tended to get suspicious.

As Nate moved in, he gradually met and came to know some of his neighbours. Veek, the "in-house wireless provider" who has a computer setup that was more elaborate and extensive than her job seemed to require. Tim, also newly moved in, a self-proclaimed ex-publisher that was much too knowledgeable than he should be. Xela, the artist with blue hair who loved to sunbathe naked on the rooftop deck. Roger, a grip in the movie industry who has the hots for Xela. Debbie and Clive, a lovely couple, who lived in the most unique apartment unit in the whole block. Then there's Oskar, the building manager, and a religious, self-righteous dude named Andrew, who according to Nate's POV has perfect Lego hair.

14 is a blend of mystery and science fiction, with a touch of horror and even fantasy. It is also a story of friendships forged through a common purpose, shared experiences and even desperation. I found the characters to be well-written. They felt so real and relatable that I can imagine being friends with them. In my opinion, this was primarily achieved through the natural dialogue between these characters, and Ray Porter's superb narration and voice-acting made it even better.

The story did take quite a while to unravel, so some of you might find it a bit slow in the beginning. However, the time it took to get to the big revelations made sense to me. It also served to develop the characters and their connections more realistically. Once I hit the halfway mark, I was trying to find more and more time to listen to the audiobook by taking long walks.

As this is the kind of book best experienced going in with as little information as possible, I am not going to elaborate any further. I will just say that it is a thoroughly engrossing novel that concluded satisfactorily, and I'm very glad that I've experienced it via the audiobook.

You can purchase the book from Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide); or the audiobook from Audible

You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions. ...more

flag 39 likes · Like · see review

Nov 30, 2015 Melissa (Mel’s Bookshelf) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

Well, what an unexpected gem 14 was! Loved the audiobook! What an amazing performance by Ray Porter! I honestly thought at times that I was listening to ten totally different voices! Extremely impressive! Got LOST in it!

Nate has just moved into a new and dirt cheap apartment, and something isn’t quite right. With all the rooms of the building in fact… And the basement… And who is across the street in the car monitoring the building 24/7? What are the property managers hiding? And wha ...more

flag 37 likes · Like · see review

Jun 08, 2013 Ash Wednesday rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: JJ Abrams and Drew Goddard fanboys and girls

Shelves: adult, review, netgalley, head-trip, horror, sci-fi, sounds-like-a-tv

4 STARS
It was always wrong when the pest got so big you could hear them walking.

Now I can't be the only one having goosebumps over the thought of giant roaches making those skittery noise in the kitchen, can I?

Show of hands, who's a fan of LOST?

Okay, who's a fan of LOST because of the Jack-Kate-Sawyer storyline? Or maybe Boone. Remember Boone, Losties?

Yeah, this might not be for you.

On the other hand, if you're a fan of The Dharma Initiative, the giant foot, Penny's boat andSTARS
It ...more

flag 32 likes · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2013 Steve rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, mystery, read-in-2015, horror, audio-book, favorites, favorites-audio

Almost instantly becoming one of my favorites, Peter Clines' "14" is a near-flawless mystery-thriller-horror (in that order) with human characters as richly portrayed as the book's strongest presence: the hauntingly unforgettable Kavach Building. What begins as a self-referenced Scooby Doo hunt for clues into the apartment building's eccentricities soon becomes a treasury of mind-bogging concepts of time/history, space/location, and insider/outsider. Reality is challenged and rocked to its found ...more

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Dec 24, 2012 Becky rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror, science-fiction, ebook_nook, 2013, reviewed, multi-dimensional, fantasy

This book ruined my day today. I started it yesterday and flew through 80% of it, forcing myself to stop around 1am because I had to work today. But, I stopped right when things were getting really intense, and I couldn't stop my brain from trying to continue the book in my head. So I didn't get very much sleep last night, and therefore today dragged by in a haze of exhaustion and crankiness.

This was not improved upon arriving home to find my boyfriend sleeping on the couch. I want to sleep, da ...more

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Jan 03, 2017 Veronique rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites-5and4-5, 2017

4.5

What a fun book!

The narrative introduces Nate, a run-of-the-mill guy stuck in a dead-end job, looking for a place to live in L.A. By luck, he finds an apartment that is not only greatly located but cheap too. The other residents seem ok, but very soon Nate starts noticing strange and weird things...

Clines spends plenty of time fleshing out his characters, especially the main ones, to the point that you just become attached to them. The same is true with the ...more

flag 27 likes · Like · see review

Mar 30, 2019 ChopinFC rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks, sci-fi, horror

14 was easily the strangest and the most wild ride book-experiences I’ve read in 2019!

For those of you about to embark in the ‘14 book’ experience beware:

It’s a crazy messed up roller coaster ride, which will either leave you breathless and laughing or puking your guts out by the end!!

No. really. It’s that type of a book! I knew as little as possible going into the book, and as the pages flew by, I kept asking myself: what the fudge am I reading?? To characterize the book in the ‘horror’ genre, or sci-fi w2019!
For ...more

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Jun 14, 2018 Melody Sams rated it it was amazing

What a weird little trip! I’d expect nothing less from the author of The Fold. If you don’t mind a bit of a slow build up, you’ll be rewarded with some really fascinating and inventive sci-fi throughout the second half of the book. It definitely had a similar tone to The Fold, and I can’t help but think those two books might be connected. I’m definitely looking forward to more of Clines work!

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Veeral rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, horror, urban-fantasy, favorites-of-2012, apokalipsa, read-in-2012

Let me start by saying that this was one of the best mystery/ horror books I have read this year.

This book has being compared to the TV series Lost and I can understand why. Because as I have said earlier, this is one of the tautest mystery/horror thrillers I have read in a long long time.

So, I would try to review this book without revealing even the mundane details which I think might hint towards the mystery of this book.

Basic Plot

Nathan (Nate) Tucker is our down-to-earth protagonist w/>Basic ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Midas68 rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First half was pretty Good!!?!
2nd half was a sadistic exercise in Lobotomy.

It's hard to be mature and review a book with one word when that word is
"STUPID"
But it pretty much does the job spot on.

So many DUMB responses from characters, that the only way to forgive/forget one is to be amazed how bad the next one is.

Spoiler Alert

A CIA like group in control of a Science Magical building machine that protects our universe from a Lovecr ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2017 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

A man wandering through life aimlessly finds friends and a compelling mystery when he moves into a new apartment building.

Nate's new building is an interesting place. The kitchen in his apartment has a light fixture that gives off black light no matter what bulb he puts in it. The place seems to have an emerald green cockroach problem. Apartment 14 has four enormous padlocks on its door. And as Nate begins to meet his neighbors, they all have pieces to add to the mystery as well. As ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Chris rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I would like to caution future readers on purchasing this book. The first 10 hours or so are fairly interesting but the plot devolves into cheesy madness shortly thereafter. Even before however, there were pretty obvious flaws that I was willing to overlook at the time (not after the story unfolded) namely 1-dimentional characters and worse, those characters behaving in unrealistic ways in order to keep the story going. Truthfully I’m rating it as a two so you the people don’t write it off as so ...more

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Bill rated it really liked it

This one starts out a bit of a slow burn as we are introduced to the Kavach building and its tenants. Then it morphs into a mystery/thriller type of story, as the characters who call the apartment building their home start to experience strange happenings and messages hidden within the walls of the Kavach. As more is revealed, it quickly becomes apparent that something much more sinister is going on here. Much more.

Enter the Squales. No wonder the rent was so affordable.

I enjoyed t ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2017 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-read

A very fun genre-bending read. I read The Fold in 2015 and thought at the time that some parts of it didn't really work for me, but after reading this one, The Fold makes more sense. I think the two books work well as companion novels, with this one providing some context for the other.

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2012 G.K. Hayes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wow. Just wow. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in years.

14 is a Science Fiction Mystery Weird Horror SteamPunkish Historical Dooms Day Suspense novel that somehow manages to work on every level. It kept me guessing throughout and tied up things very nicely at the end.

One of the things that always bothers me about some Weird Fiction is that there is no explanation for the Weird Happening. "It's like real life. Sometimes weird shit just happens." No, sorry. I'm not reading non-fict Wow. Just wow. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in years.

14 is a Science Fiction Mystery Weird Horror SteamPunkish Historical Dooms Day Suspense novel that somehow manages to work on every level. It kept me guessing throughout and tied up things very nicely at the end.

One of the things that always bothers me about some Weird Fiction is that there is no explanation for the Weird Happening. "It's like real life. Sometimes weird shit just happens." No, sorry. I'm not reading non-fiction, I'm not reading about Real Life – this is Fiction. If the author doesn't know why it happened, he should write something else.

Peter Clines knows what and how, and who and where, and even why things are so weird in the old Los Angeles brownstone, and he tells us most of it. While not everything I read has to be tied up in a nice bow, it sure is nice when it happens.

The story starts slow, but carries you along, introducing the people who live in this incredible apartment building. The characterization is a little weak in spots, but the story is so compelling that you really don't care. This is a book that you just gobble up, reading late into the night. And when you're done, you actually feel good about reading it, satisfied, if a bit shaken and battle scarred.

I was listening to 14 on audio — the reader/actor is just terrific, by the way — while driving down the expressway in an area that is very familiar, somewhere I’ve been many, many times. Well there’s a big climax a little over half-way through and I was so into the story that I drove right past my exit, and I didn’t even care. Now that’s a good book!

If Mr. Clines had stopped there, it still would have been a satisfying read. But he keeps going and things get really crazy as we discover the truth about who built the building and why. Then some crazy people show up, do some crazy things, and something Really Crazy happens. This builds to another incredible climax which leaves you breathless and hurting.

Wow. Just Wow!

So good you'll want to read it again. Think I'll start right now.
...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Nov 06, 2016 Cindy Newton rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audible, owned-books, sci-fi

I've been mulling the ending of this book for a few days now, and I think I can now give it three stars. Right after I initially finished the book, I was leaning more toward two stars. I know many of my friends were enchanted by this story, but I just . . . wasn't. I really liked The Fold, and saw some similarities in the plot concepts. I felt like the presentation of that (view spoiler) was handled much better in The I've been mulling the ending of this book for a few days now, and I think I can now give it three stars. Right after I initially finished the book, I was leaning more toward two stars. I know many of my friends were enchanted by this story, but I just . . . wasn't. I really liked The Fold, and saw some similarities in the plot concepts. I felt like the presentation of that (view spoiler) was handled much better in The Fold than in 14.

*** SPOILERS AHEAD *** Proceed at your own risk!!

The context was much easier to envision and accept in the other book. The premise of this book--the house as a machine that holds the alternate universes at bay--just seemed a little too much to wrap my head around, and left me with so many questions. If the house/machine was built in fairly recent history by what's-his-name (the skeleton in the wall), then what was going on before that time? The squales were roaming the Earth unchecked, and no one talked about it? They had access to the Earth but just didn't know it? I mean, why weren't they here? Maybe I missed that part--I did listen to the audio version.

I found quite a bit of the book boring as it slowly built up to the big reveal. The parts where they met endlessly to discuss their confusion about the measurements of their apartments--that was less than exciting. Then they actually started measuring, which was even more of a snoozefest. There were some exciting parts, such as discovery of the skeleton, and, of course, the fact that apartment 14 was occupied by--Outer Space. Why? I didn't understand why there was a portal to space in this machine. The plot seems to pull rather heavily on Lovecraft, even incorporating him into the history of the machine and creating a link between the alternate reality and his "fictional" creatures. Maybe if I had already read Lovecraft's stories, this book would have resonated more with me. (Yes, Lovecraft is on my to-read list; I just haven't gotten to him yet)!

I liked the characters, especially Tim. He was definitely my favorite! And I have to know this--is there anyone who read this book who didn't know that Andrew was not a good guy? I mean, was there anyone who could not immediately tell that he was going to be trouble? I'm not sure if his eventual actions were supposed to be a surprise, but I thought his real role was painfully obvious from his first appearance. Viek (not sure of spelling--audiobook!) came across as old and grumpy most of the time, but I was okay with the way things turned out.

My problems with the writing are well-documented in my status updates. There was A LOT of repetition of certain phrases, mainly "shrugged," with "nodding" and "smirking" coming in as honorable mentions. Michael was kind enough to look it up for me, and "shrug" was used over 100 times! I mean, it's such a specific motion, and when you think about it, how often do people actually DO it? Not very, in my experience! It just really bugged me. Other than that, I found the writing very simplistic and somewhat lacking in the descriptive element.

All told, it was okay. I liked the ending enough to pull it up another star, but I think The Fold is the superior tale. Don't mark it off your list because of me, though! I'm probably reading it wrong. I have always seen myself as a fan of sci-fi, but the last few books I have read in that genre have annoyed me more than anything else. I think I will avoid sci-fi for the remainder of the year--maybe 2017 will be a better year for it! ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Dec 18, 2012 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror, science-fiction, mystery, fantasy, audiobook, paranormal

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

I'd like to start this review off with some background information. So for the past year, I've been playing a massively multiplayer online role-playing survival horror game called The Secret World. The developers' description of it as a "dark fantasy" MMO is quite apt, due to its paranormal setting and the creepy mysteries-of-the-unexplained nature of the story and quests, heavily inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. So that's why when a fellow game 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

I'd like to start this review off with some background information. So for the past year, I've been playing a massively multiplayer online role-playing survival horror game called The Secret World. The developers' description of it as a "dark fantasy" MMO is quite apt, due to its paranormal setting and the creepy mysteries-of-the-unexplained nature of the story and quests, heavily inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. So that's why when a fellow gamer asked me for a book recommendation that has the same kind of vibe, my mind immediately went to Peter Clines' 14.

At the time, I hadn't read the book myself but I'd heard good things and knew from its description and others' reviews that it could be thematically and atmospherically similar to what my friend was looking for. A group of tenants living in a strange apartment building where bizarre things like strange light fixtures, wonky room temperatures, and mutant green cockroaches with extra legs are an everyday occurrence? The book definitely has that creepy-paranormal feel going for me.

Anyway, little did I know, in so many ways this book turned out even more like The Secret World than I could have possibly imagined. Those familiar with the game will know that there are certain types of quests called "Investigation Missions" that require the player to find facts and solve puzzles. That's pretty much how I saw this book. The main character Nate and his fellow neighbors gather to examine all the oddities they've found in their own apartments, and together they try to solve the mystery of the old Los Angeles brownstone they call home.

Overall this was a fantastic read, quite different in tone and subject compared to the author's other books that I've read and very much enjoyed, mainly the Ex-Heroes series. But the things I loved, such as Clines' light style and funny dialogue, are still all there. I've noticed he is excellent when it comes to writing about large ensemble casts. In the case of Ex-Heroes, it was his engaging and unique band of superheroes; in 14, it's the diverse group of tenants living in the strange Kavach Building. Clines gives them all distinct personalities even if at times they are a little cliched, and the conversations that result are always natural, witty and entertaining.

In terms of the story, I think some might find it slow to take off, particularly at the beginning and especially if you're expecting something more along the lines of pure horror. There are certainly horror elements in this book, but for the most part there's nothing too frightening. Is 14 scary? No, not really; there's nothing that would give me trouble sleeping anyway. But creepy and a bit unsettling? Definitely. This eeriness strengthens throughout the course of the novel with each new discovery of weirdness in Nate's building, every one of them adding to the atmosphere.

Beyond that, it's going to be hard to talk about the plot without giving too much away. I can't say I was a big fan of the ending, but after all that build-up everything does come to a head in a big, meaningful, almost overwhelming way. That, I can guarantee.

In general, 14 is a tough book to categorize, but think a mix of science fiction and fantasy with a dash of horror, with emphasis on mystery, paranormal, and topics relating to unexplained phenomena. It's a lot like the show Lost in this regard, but with a heavier dose of humor. A fun read all around, which held my attention from the first page to the last. ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2014 Kaora rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars

I discovered this book through the Goodreads Choice Awards. I have been slightly disappointed by some of the books that I found on there, but happily this was not the case.

14 is about Nate, who moves into a new apartment in a historical landmark. He soon discovers strange things about the building, including locked apartments and, green cockroaches with an extra leg. When he starts meeting his neighbor, each one has something strange they've noticed about their apartments a 3.5 stars

I discovered this book through the Goodreads Choice Awards. I have been slightly disappointed by some of the books that I found on there, but happily this was not the case.

14 is about Nate, who moves into a new apartment in a historical landmark. He soon discovers strange things about the building, including locked apartments and, green cockroaches with an extra leg. When he starts meeting his neighbor, each one has something strange they've noticed about their apartments as well. But once they start to investigate, they may uncover something that should remain uncovered.

I felt that the pace for this book was perfect, and while it did have a few issues it kept me entertained from start to finish. I enjoy a book that presents questions on top of questions before it begins to provide answers.

My main issues stem with the characters. There are a lot of them. Some of them are rather cliche, and I did struggle at times to keep them straight in my head. That is fine it is a horror novel I'm not expecting amazing characterization and backgrounds for each character.

And I'm going to put on my ranty hat, so if you don't like it skip the next few paragraphs.

What bothered me was the portrayal of women. Do all women need to be portrayed as catty? Do grown women really refer to each other as "bitch", an insult cloaked as a term of endearment? Do they need to play those stupid little games? I'm mad at you because you didn't tell me what you found out first! The only other female in the book, the one that hardly shows up at all because she seems to have a good head on her shoulders just cries and whimpers when it all goes down.

And you know I may have been able to let all of that go, and just enjoy the book if there wasn't a little slut shaming thrown into the mix.

And now he was down there with Roger and that slut. What was unfair, but it was how she found herself thinking of Xela more and more. How's that old joke go? she thought. The difference between a nymph and a slut? A nymph sleeps with everyone. A slut sleeps with everyone except you.

All in all, a good horror story with a good pace and great setting, but it does have a few issues. I loved that HP Lovecraft that was thrown into the mix and that the ending wrapped up a lot of loose ends, but still left a little mystery.

Definitely a book for someone who wants a quick and creepy horror read.

Cross posted at Kaora's Corner. ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 Eric rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, snarkers, favs, sarcasm-is-my-shield, paranormal, pop-culture-goodness, i-should-be-sleeping-really-i-shoul, multiple-povs, geek-sheik, adult-contemporary

Loved it. I don't want to ruin a thing so this review is going to be short. Peter Clines is KATN, every book is honestly getting better and better. Funny thing is, I thought he was already at the top of his game with his Ex series. I am speechless. The book centers around a group living in an strange apartment. By the time things get going you won't even realize how much information you gleamed or how much time has past. I honestly was surprised at moments and other times glad to see things happ ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2018 Sheila rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2018

3 stars--I liked the book.

This rating is largely based on the story. It was exciting, fast paced, and completely bonkers. This is sci-fi (pretty "hard" sci-fi, too) with some horror elements, and unlike anything I've read before. The story was great fun!

The writing however... oh boy. The writing gets 1 star--I didn't like it. I'm pretty sure this was written at a 4th-grade reading level. Characters are blank and there's no beauty in the prose. Female characters were espec ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2013 seak rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2013, audio, arc-review

I got really far behind on reviews so these are not only short, but terribly written!

This is actually my first book by Peter Clines even though I first heard of him through his zombie/superhero series starting with Ex-Heroes. In Stephen King-like fashion, Clines puts together a team of apartment-dwellers who have a mystery to solve involving the apartment complex they live in (including the mysterious door 14). There's the protagonist who's relentlessly curious, the expert who is abl ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Dec 23, 2012 Chris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fbr-2013

4.5 stars, rounding up.

What a trip. It starts out as a light read and gets you really invested in the characters. And then, yeah...Read it.

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Horror Aficionados : March 2018 Group Listen: 14 by Peter Clines	22	94	Mar 27, 2018 06:04AM
Apocalypse Whenever: December 2016: "14" by Peter Clines	152	124	Jan 04, 2017 02:11PM
2017 Reading Chal...: 14 by Peter Clines	1	21	Apr 09, 2016 11:58AM
Lovers of Paranor...: 14 by Peter Clines	2	51	Feb 09, 2016 11:33AM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Horror

849 users

Science Fiction

405 users

Fiction

337 users

Mystery

318 users

Fantasy

263 users

See top shelves…

About Peter Clines

Peter Clines

3,142 followers

Peter Clines is the author of the genre-blending -14- and the Ex-Heroes series.

He grew up in the Stephen King fallout zone of Maine and--inspired by comic books, Star Wars, and Saturday morning cartoons--started writing at the age of eight with his first epic novel, Lizard Men From The Center of The Earth(unreleased).

He made his first writing sale at age seventeen to a local newspaper, and at the age of nineteen ...more