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Thy Fearful Symmetry
The end of the world started in Glasgow, with a kiss. Two people - two creatures - fated to be eternal enemies downed their blazing spears and loved. To do so, they broke rules hardwired into the DNA of the universe. The universe noticed. The universe broke. Now Heaven and Hell are hunting them. Nobody on Earth can help them. Worst of all, the fabric of reality is unravelling around them, the Apocalypse has been brought forward a millennium, and it might all be their fault. On cold streets, the last tattered remnants of humanity must draw faith in a world that has no more use for them. As the masses pray and crawl on bloody knees, the few must restore the fearful symmetry between good and evil - for the sake of all. Blood will flow. Fire will fall. Days will end.
358 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2012
16 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Richard Wright
28 books50 followersAn author of strange, dark fictions currently returned to Glasgow in Scotland after several years in India.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 22, 2012
So, this was really, REALLY excellent, an epic, apocalyptic tale that was paced masterfully. The characters are very well drawn, the plot intricate but NOT convoluted, with some very nice twists. It balances a tightrope between a bleak ending, and one offering at least a glimmer of hope, and manages to pull it off. Also some pretty intriguing metaphysical musings RE: the nature of God and human suffering and providence, and good and evil. Excellent, should not be missed over overlooked.
April 14, 2013
I went into this book, not really knowing what to expect, but it came highly recommended by a friend so I dug in. I actually won a copy of the book in a giveaway and it was probably not the one I would have chosen for myself because I don't read a lot of "horror" genre stories.
Wow. I was completely hooked. I loved the small twists, loved the fact that there was character development for all of the people we were introduced too, and loved how even when things were completely falling apart, there were still people who hoped. I was on the edge the entire time, waiting to see how this would all play out.
Great story - would definitely recommend this one as a fantastic read!
Wow. I was completely hooked. I loved the small twists, loved the fact that there was character development for all of the people we were introduced too, and loved how even when things were completely falling apart, there were still people who hoped. I was on the edge the entire time, waiting to see how this would all play out.
Great story - would definitely recommend this one as a fantastic read!
January 6, 2013
Not many apocalyptic stories are going to be lighthearted stories -- and this is no exception, but there are very humorous bits as well as some parts that have you really rooting for several of the characters involved. This was a very masterfully written book with several subplots that definitely kept you guessing as to who were the good guys, who were the bad guys, and what exactly was going to be the end result (which I will admit, I did not see coming!)
I will definitely be seeking out more of Mr. Wright's works as I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read of his thus far!
I will definitely be seeking out more of Mr. Wright's works as I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read of his thus far!
November 15, 2012
Who would have thought that the Apocalypse would start not as the result of some celestial plan but as the result of two ill fated immortals who wanted nothing more than to love each other? When Ambrose and Pandora, two angels, fall in love and try to find happiness together, they begin a chain of events that starts the end of the world much earlier than the creator had planned. By being together they broke an inherent rule of the universe and the only way to right it is to wipe the slate clean. The dead will rise and the skies will fall, but can a pair of cops, a disinchanted priest who's made a huge error in judgement, and a grieving spouse stop the End of Days?
Wow. Thy Fearful Symmetry is one of the most imaginative and dark horror/end of the world scenario stories I've read in a long time. It takes a broad cast of three dimensional and interesting characters and mixes it with religious dogma, stirs it up, and cranks out an addictive page turner.
Wright does a fantastic job of melding the the everyman/woman with the celestial. Malachi is a man bent on revenge. His wife was irreparably harmed by an Angel and he has one mission in life: kill her. Officer Gemmel and his subordinate Jackie Summers find themselves in the middle of something bigger than they can possibly comprehend when the man only known as Ambrose is at the center of a mass murder. Calum is a priest that just wanted to serve the Lord but ends up being the protector of two fallen angels and damns himself in the process. Ambrose and Pandora are two fallen angels on the run from the forces of Heaven and Hell and their love throws the world into chaos. Each character from the divine to the mundane plays a pivotal role in a complex plot about heaven vs. hell.
The 'mythos' that Wright set up for the book is vivid and imaginative. His rules for how angels and demons, gods and men, interact are amazing. They mix religious dogmas with ideas of his own creation and are well used to put his characters, quite literally, through hell. This is a DARK book and if you're looking for a happy or definitive ending, you won't get it here. But that's ok. Sometimes the endings that leave you wondering are just as good as the ones where everything is tied up in a neat little bundle.....as long as they're handled well and this was handled very well. It's not a ride-into-the-sunset ending but it's satisfying.
No book is perfect and I did find a few things that roused my inner nit picker. While the book is well written, I found the massive use of commas to make for awkward sentences sometimes. That's not to say that there are any true grammatical 'errors' but sometimes the constant use of commas in many of the sentences makes the flow stutter a bit. Here's a shorter example: 'Calum could hear others, in the distance.' That's a shorter one but when running into several of these in a row it gives the prose a stacatto feel. Also, sometimes he uses effect/cause formation to his sentences rather than cause then effect. Example: 'Rather than head for the church proper, with its din of human voices squabbling in terror, Pandora reached down for him again.' There's nothing wrong with the sentence but stylistically, it reads a little awkward. Anyway, those are a couple minor quibbles with the book. While I loved it, sometimes the choppy feel of those sentences along with the multitude of commas took me out of the story. That's not a bash on the author. It's just a preference.
All said and done, this is really a great work of dark fiction. It's almost hard to classify. Is it horror? Yes. Is it a thriller? With it's healthy dose of action and mayhem, I'd say yes. Is it paranormal/urban fantasy? It its way. The Fearful Symmetry is an amalgamation of several genres that's filled with vivid imagery, great character moments and some seriously dark subject matter and events. Do yourself a favor and check it out. I'll be looking into more of Wright's books in the immediate future.
Wow. Thy Fearful Symmetry is one of the most imaginative and dark horror/end of the world scenario stories I've read in a long time. It takes a broad cast of three dimensional and interesting characters and mixes it with religious dogma, stirs it up, and cranks out an addictive page turner.
Wright does a fantastic job of melding the the everyman/woman with the celestial. Malachi is a man bent on revenge. His wife was irreparably harmed by an Angel and he has one mission in life: kill her. Officer Gemmel and his subordinate Jackie Summers find themselves in the middle of something bigger than they can possibly comprehend when the man only known as Ambrose is at the center of a mass murder. Calum is a priest that just wanted to serve the Lord but ends up being the protector of two fallen angels and damns himself in the process. Ambrose and Pandora are two fallen angels on the run from the forces of Heaven and Hell and their love throws the world into chaos. Each character from the divine to the mundane plays a pivotal role in a complex plot about heaven vs. hell.
The 'mythos' that Wright set up for the book is vivid and imaginative. His rules for how angels and demons, gods and men, interact are amazing. They mix religious dogmas with ideas of his own creation and are well used to put his characters, quite literally, through hell. This is a DARK book and if you're looking for a happy or definitive ending, you won't get it here. But that's ok. Sometimes the endings that leave you wondering are just as good as the ones where everything is tied up in a neat little bundle.....as long as they're handled well and this was handled very well. It's not a ride-into-the-sunset ending but it's satisfying.
No book is perfect and I did find a few things that roused my inner nit picker. While the book is well written, I found the massive use of commas to make for awkward sentences sometimes. That's not to say that there are any true grammatical 'errors' but sometimes the constant use of commas in many of the sentences makes the flow stutter a bit. Here's a shorter example: 'Calum could hear others, in the distance.' That's a shorter one but when running into several of these in a row it gives the prose a stacatto feel. Also, sometimes he uses effect/cause formation to his sentences rather than cause then effect. Example: 'Rather than head for the church proper, with its din of human voices squabbling in terror, Pandora reached down for him again.' There's nothing wrong with the sentence but stylistically, it reads a little awkward. Anyway, those are a couple minor quibbles with the book. While I loved it, sometimes the choppy feel of those sentences along with the multitude of commas took me out of the story. That's not a bash on the author. It's just a preference.
All said and done, this is really a great work of dark fiction. It's almost hard to classify. Is it horror? Yes. Is it a thriller? With it's healthy dose of action and mayhem, I'd say yes. Is it paranormal/urban fantasy? It its way. The Fearful Symmetry is an amalgamation of several genres that's filled with vivid imagery, great character moments and some seriously dark subject matter and events. Do yourself a favor and check it out. I'll be looking into more of Wright's books in the immediate future.
September 15, 2012
One word for Richard Wright's novel: Intense. Thy Fearful Symmetry isn't a read for a sunny day at the beach. No, this book is more the type that you drag into your bed and read under the covers with a flashlight. The end of the world as we know it is here. The apocalypse, Judgement Day, call it what you will. It's upon us, and Richard Wright's view of that day is sure to scare the living daylights out of you!
First off I have to applaud the brilliant cast of characters that make their debut in this story. From the two creatures who start this process, right on down to a priest who has lost his faith, each character has a perfectly designed space in the story line. In fact, that's what drew me into this story. We all like like to believe that we'd react logically and practically in the face of terror. However I quickly realized that the reactions in this story are spot on. Imagine a world where fire rains from the sky at the same time as pure, white snow. A world where the dead walk the Earth. Faced with that, logic goes out the window. The people in this story are raw and real. Broken and sullied. Terrified.
I definitely recommend that you have a strong stomach for what you'll find in Thy Fearful Symmetry. That's not to say that this is your run of the mill, pulpy horror novel. Quite the opposite actually, as this is one of the best story lines I have read in a long time. The writing is gorgeous, evoking the perfect emotions at just the right times. Mixing horror and thriller aspects, Thy Fearful Symmetry literally kept me right on the edge of my seat. Let me be the first to say that I hope, if the world does end, it doesn't end this way.
At the end of the day, despite a few minor issues, I completely loved this book. I devoured every single page of Thy Fearful Symmetry in one sitting, hanging on each word, eagerly flipping pages with fear in my heart. This isn't a happy read, but it is definitely enjoyable. The love of two beings who shouldn't be together, the way human kind reacts when the world is at its end, all of this culminates into one amazing read. I highly recommend Richard Wright's book. You absolutely need to read this one.
First off I have to applaud the brilliant cast of characters that make their debut in this story. From the two creatures who start this process, right on down to a priest who has lost his faith, each character has a perfectly designed space in the story line. In fact, that's what drew me into this story. We all like like to believe that we'd react logically and practically in the face of terror. However I quickly realized that the reactions in this story are spot on. Imagine a world where fire rains from the sky at the same time as pure, white snow. A world where the dead walk the Earth. Faced with that, logic goes out the window. The people in this story are raw and real. Broken and sullied. Terrified.
I definitely recommend that you have a strong stomach for what you'll find in Thy Fearful Symmetry. That's not to say that this is your run of the mill, pulpy horror novel. Quite the opposite actually, as this is one of the best story lines I have read in a long time. The writing is gorgeous, evoking the perfect emotions at just the right times. Mixing horror and thriller aspects, Thy Fearful Symmetry literally kept me right on the edge of my seat. Let me be the first to say that I hope, if the world does end, it doesn't end this way.
At the end of the day, despite a few minor issues, I completely loved this book. I devoured every single page of Thy Fearful Symmetry in one sitting, hanging on each word, eagerly flipping pages with fear in my heart. This isn't a happy read, but it is definitely enjoyable. The love of two beings who shouldn't be together, the way human kind reacts when the world is at its end, all of this culminates into one amazing read. I highly recommend Richard Wright's book. You absolutely need to read this one.
October 31, 2012
Wow. I picked up this book because I thought the blurb sounded intriguing and I didn't really know exactly what I was getting myself into. Paranormal, Horror, Thriller or Fantasy? Whatever it was it got under my skin and terrified me to pieces.
Here is a small excerpt:
"Then his eyeballs began to sizzle and pop, dripping scalding fluids over his cheeks that raised blisters across his blackening face. When he opened his mouth to howl, steam shot forth as though from a dragon's maw. A distant crackling, the first true sound he had heard in that place, told him his hair was on fire. "
Wright's writing, although at times a tad overdone, was exquisite. As a reader I've grown to like the less is more approach and sometimes I will begin to scan the pages when an author over-educates, describes or explains things. I loved the biblical inclusion to the story and the entire plot as a whole. It was haunting and unique and wonderful.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves horror, dystopian or apocalyptic books. Wright has a beautiful imagination. Well done.
Here is a small excerpt:
"Then his eyeballs began to sizzle and pop, dripping scalding fluids over his cheeks that raised blisters across his blackening face. When he opened his mouth to howl, steam shot forth as though from a dragon's maw. A distant crackling, the first true sound he had heard in that place, told him his hair was on fire. "
Wright's writing, although at times a tad overdone, was exquisite. As a reader I've grown to like the less is more approach and sometimes I will begin to scan the pages when an author over-educates, describes or explains things. I loved the biblical inclusion to the story and the entire plot as a whole. It was haunting and unique and wonderful.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves horror, dystopian or apocalyptic books. Wright has a beautiful imagination. Well done.
November 7, 2012
I found this book at the Indie Book Shelf and was intrigued, especially because the week I read it I had passed through Glasgow (where the story is set) - a fair enough reason for choosing a book! This is a tale of angels and demons, written by an athiest. It was fast-paced, gory, humorous, human and bleak in places too. Wright's description bordered on the over-written in a few places where I would have preferred more judicious use of a red pen; however, I didn't mind it too much because it is, after all, an epic tale of angels and demons - his style lent itself to the theme somewhat and the majority of the writing was cleanly delivered. What was missing for me was a three-dimensional cast of female characters: I felt at times they were included as plot devices and supporting characters. Overall very enjoyable and entertaining.
June 5, 2014
I really struggled to put this book down. It's a great read. Be prepared for some gore - I'm not a horror fan, but I can cope with the supernatural which this is. The characters in this book feel convincingly real... and flawed. I cared about all of them. This is really well worth buying.
Want to read
August 23, 2012This sounds freaking awesome!
September 18, 2012
Nice premise, pretty good execution. There's even zombies.
April 19, 2018
Brilliant read
This is really good. I love a touch of the supernatural. And this has more than a touch .I am sure it's not to everyone 'e taste, but it you enjoy good verses evil to for it.
This is really good. I love a touch of the supernatural. And this has more than a touch .I am sure it's not to everyone 'e taste, but it you enjoy good verses evil to for it.
April 21, 2018
DNF - couldn't get into this despite many high level reviews loving it
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews