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Nightcrawlers
Two hundred years ago, the village of Clavitt Fields was burned to the ground. It was hoped that what lived there had perished in the fire. But they did not perish. They went underground...
For generations, they lived and bred in darkness, adapting themselves to a subterranean existence. Now they are rising to the surface, and what they've become is a horror beyond belief, a crawling nightmare of evil and bloodthirsty violence bent on destruction.
The night is alive...and it belongs to them.
NIGHTCRAWLERS, the horrifying new novel from master of suspense Tim Curran.
For generations, they lived and bred in darkness, adapting themselves to a subterranean existence. Now they are rising to the surface, and what they've become is a horror beyond belief, a crawling nightmare of evil and bloodthirsty violence bent on destruction.
The night is alive...and it belongs to them.
NIGHTCRAWLERS, the horrifying new novel from master of suspense Tim Curran.
- GenresHorrorLovecraftianEbooks
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2014
17 people are currently reading
665 people want to read
About the author
Tim Curran
149 books599 followersTim Curran lives in Michigan and is the author of the novels Skin Medicine, Hive, Dead Sea, Resurrection, The Devil Next Door, and Biohazard, as well as the novella The Corpse King. His short stories have appeared in such magazines as City Slab, Flesh&Blood, Book of Dark Wisdom, and Inhuman, and anthologies such as Shivers IV, High Seas Cthulhu, and Vile Things.
For DarkFuse and its imprints, he has written the bestselling The Underdwelling, the Readers Choice-Nominated novella Fear Me, Puppet Graveyard as well as Long Black Coffin.
Find him on the web at: www.corpseking.com.
For DarkFuse and its imprints, he has written the bestselling The Underdwelling, the Readers Choice-Nominated novella Fear Me, Puppet Graveyard as well as Long Black Coffin.
Find him on the web at: www.corpseking.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
February 9, 2014
When a bulldozer unearths corpses in a field, it's up to the police to figure out what's going on. Out-of-towner cop Kenney wonders what the rest of the police aren't telling him, what all the townspeople know but are afraid to do anything about: the degenerate subterraneans that lurk in the tunnels beneath the town of Haymarket...
I got this from Netgalley and the fine folks at DarkFuse.
So... I loved this book! It covers a lot of ground that I love in horror books, most notably the secrecy of small towns and degenerate subhuman cannibals... or are they?
Curran took me for a ride. I was all set for the story to go off an on inbred hillbilly serial killer tangent but it went in a completely different, even creepier direction.
The way the story unfolded was well done. After some teaser encounters with the underground dwellers, Kenney reads through the sheriff's file on incidents involving them, leading toward the third act, which was pretty much a dungeon crawl in the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the town.
This was only my second Tim Curran book but it won't be the last. He did a great job in building the suspense, conveying a feeling of claustrophobia, and describing the gore in horrid detail.
As I said before, the story progressed in a direction I didn't expect and the ending was more of that vein. Nightcrawlers held my attention tight the entire time and was the most fun I've had reading a horror novel in ages. Five stars.
I got this from Netgalley and the fine folks at DarkFuse.
So... I loved this book! It covers a lot of ground that I love in horror books, most notably the secrecy of small towns and degenerate subhuman cannibals... or are they?
Curran took me for a ride. I was all set for the story to go off an on inbred hillbilly serial killer tangent but it went in a completely different, even creepier direction.
The way the story unfolded was well done. After some teaser encounters with the underground dwellers, Kenney reads through the sheriff's file on incidents involving them, leading toward the third act, which was pretty much a dungeon crawl in the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the town.
This was only my second Tim Curran book but it won't be the last. He did a great job in building the suspense, conveying a feeling of claustrophobia, and describing the gore in horrid detail.
As I said before, the story progressed in a direction I didn't expect and the ending was more of that vein. Nightcrawlers held my attention tight the entire time and was the most fun I've had reading a horror novel in ages. Five stars.
March 3, 2014
This book was a BLAST! I don't even know where to start. This is old school, Lovecraftian horror at its finest. It even goes so far as to provide an imaginative explanation for this cosmic horror, which I loved.
An old abandoned town causes talk. Especially when people are anywhere near this town, they tend to hear things. They tend to see things. Sometimes they don't make it back to their towns or cities of origin. Sometimes they get pulled down, never to been seen or heard from again.
I'm not even going to talk about the plot, because I am aching to talk about Mr. Curran's imaginative skills and his ability to get what he sees in that imagination onto paper, (or your Kindle screen!), in the most vivid way possible. I "saw" things in this book that I have never seen...nay, have never even imagined before! White things. Things like mushroomy, maggoty humans. Things like....well, seriously, it's fantastic!
This is another underground story by Mr. Curran that scared me and freaked me out right down to my bones. (If you haven't read The Underdwelling, you should!) What I liked most about it, is the complete turn the story makes, which takes it right out of creature feature territory and right into the world of Lovecraft and cosmic horror. How does one turn a B movie fest into a Lovecraftian masterpiece? You will have to read this book to find out. (Unfortunately you will have to wait, since it won't be available to the public for another month. This is yet another benefit of the Darkfuse Kindle Club. They hit a home run with this one!)
An old abandoned town causes talk. Especially when people are anywhere near this town, they tend to hear things. They tend to see things. Sometimes they don't make it back to their towns or cities of origin. Sometimes they get pulled down, never to been seen or heard from again.
I'm not even going to talk about the plot, because I am aching to talk about Mr. Curran's imaginative skills and his ability to get what he sees in that imagination onto paper, (or your Kindle screen!), in the most vivid way possible. I "saw" things in this book that I have never seen...nay, have never even imagined before! White things. Things like mushroomy, maggoty humans. Things like....well, seriously, it's fantastic!
This is another underground story by Mr. Curran that scared me and freaked me out right down to my bones. (If you haven't read The Underdwelling, you should!) What I liked most about it, is the complete turn the story makes, which takes it right out of creature feature territory and right into the world of Lovecraft and cosmic horror. How does one turn a B movie fest into a Lovecraftian masterpiece? You will have to read this book to find out. (Unfortunately you will have to wait, since it won't be available to the public for another month. This is yet another benefit of the Darkfuse Kindle Club. They hit a home run with this one!)
September 13, 2019
Figata, figata e figata!
May 4, 2014
This was an ARC from NetGalley.
What begins as an homage to Lovecraft's "The Colour Out of Space" becomes something so much more as Curran cuts his own path, offering up a horrifying alternative explanation for the Mythos in this nightmarish thrill ride concerning what may be lurking below the ground. Mind blowing in it's implications, this novel is proof positive that Curran's imagination is without equal.
Highly recommended!
Publication date: March 4, 2014
What begins as an homage to Lovecraft's "The Colour Out of Space" becomes something so much more as Curran cuts his own path, offering up a horrifying alternative explanation for the Mythos in this nightmarish thrill ride concerning what may be lurking below the ground. Mind blowing in it's implications, this novel is proof positive that Curran's imagination is without equal.
Highly recommended!
Publication date: March 4, 2014
September 11, 2019
C'è tanto Lovecraft in questo piccolo gioiello orrorifico di Tim Curran.
Il romanzo è in pratica un omaggio al racconto Il colore venuto dallo spazio, ma l'atmosfera di orrore cosmico che si respira è anche quella de La casa sfuggita e tanti altri classici del Solitario di Providence, mista a scene agghiaccianti da b-movie, che esplode alla fine nel più turpe e disturbante body-horror carpenteriano.
E la storia fa paura davvero, talmente tanta che neanche ci si accorge dei personaggi appena abbozzati (l'ispettore Kenney ha due matrimoni falliti alle spalle ed ama il suo lavoro, punto) a parte la splendida Elena Blasdhenas, anziana depositaria di segreti indicibili.
Un racconto teso, cupo, claustrofobico ed inquietante, a base di boschi nebbiosi, paesini sperduti dimenticati da Dio, tunnel sotterranei, e le creature da incubo che li infestano.
Un libro che si fa leggere tutto di un fiato e che spaventa, inquieta ed inorridisce come pochi, senza dare un attimo di tregua al lettore.
Cinque stelle piene per me.
March 27, 2025
I really like Curran's work, and this was fun, but in the end I thought it was a bit of a let down, especially compared to his other works like Dead Sea, which really rocked. Perhaps it was more the format, basically a novella or a really short novel, as you can only pack so much into a shorter book. Nonetheless, this starts with a bang and then just keeps going! All in all, everything takes place in just a day or so, although Curran does have many flashbacks (albeit short ones).
This starts off as a police procedural of sorts. A small town in Wisconsin serves as the setting, where a power company began to run a new line over some abandoned farmland when the dozer started uncovering bodies. Of course, this drew the local law, the county sheriff and the state troupers. Our lead, head of the state trouper contingent, has seen bodies before, but an entire field of them, most partially eaten (by what?!?), and even some bodies that had obviously been embalmed?!? WTF? Serial killer?
The highlight of this revolved around the gloomy, spooky atmosphere Curran created right from the get go. First, rain, rain, rain, turning the 'body field' into a swamp, with rising mist and fog; it only gets worse and worse. Things start going 'off' right from the start as well. A pair of deputies, assigned to keep reporters away, travels on a lonely, muddy road when they stop to take a leak. One of them thinks he hear or sees something and heads down the road's embankment where something happens and he screams and disappears. The remaining deputy looks around, but finally hightails it out. Then, we learn something of the local legends of the place (can you say small town with a big, nasty secret?) and things go quickly downhill from there...
Stories like this have become something of a cliche, or maybe a worn trope, but Curran does it well here. Between the atmosphere and the general spooky feeling the book engendered, this seems to be at least a 4 star read, but the denouement? Nah. I will not say more than it has an eldritch theme to it. 3.5 stars, rounding down for the ending.
This starts off as a police procedural of sorts. A small town in Wisconsin serves as the setting, where a power company began to run a new line over some abandoned farmland when the dozer started uncovering bodies. Of course, this drew the local law, the county sheriff and the state troupers. Our lead, head of the state trouper contingent, has seen bodies before, but an entire field of them, most partially eaten (by what?!?), and even some bodies that had obviously been embalmed?!? WTF? Serial killer?
The highlight of this revolved around the gloomy, spooky atmosphere Curran created right from the get go. First, rain, rain, rain, turning the 'body field' into a swamp, with rising mist and fog; it only gets worse and worse. Things start going 'off' right from the start as well. A pair of deputies, assigned to keep reporters away, travels on a lonely, muddy road when they stop to take a leak. One of them thinks he hear or sees something and heads down the road's embankment where something happens and he screams and disappears. The remaining deputy looks around, but finally hightails it out. Then, we learn something of the local legends of the place (can you say small town with a big, nasty secret?) and things go quickly downhill from there...
Stories like this have become something of a cliche, or maybe a worn trope, but Curran does it well here. Between the atmosphere and the general spooky feeling the book engendered, this seems to be at least a 4 star read, but the denouement? Nah. I will not say more than it has an eldritch theme to it. 3.5 stars, rounding down for the ending.
October 26, 2014
4.5
I am very squeamish and easily disgusted, but if the story has supernatural elements, it's fine. I won't even mark this anything else but horror so as not to reveal too much.
In case you were wondering if it was possible to make something like the Morlocks more revolting or frightening, you'll see here it can be done and more.
Nightcrawlers is about consequences. What happens when the skeletons of past won't stay buried anymore? The blurb and that cover don't leave much out, but you will still be surprised. You can't imagine the kind of creatures Curran created here or the places the characters find themselves in throughout the book.
A minor quibble: Kenney's name is used where Godfray's should be in one place.
'...sooner or later your skeletons clawed out of their moldy closets and your demons slipped out of their boxes.'This story is disgusting, horrifying and even a bit humorous (the last one would be a spoiler if explained). As strange as it may sound after that sentence, I enjoyed it a lot. It's been a while since a book made my hair rise. Tim Curran seems to know everything that terrifies (Dead Sea) or disgust me (Nightcrawlers) and while I may not love it as much as Dead Sea or my favourite Skin Medicine, this book packs quite a punch.
I am very squeamish and easily disgusted, but if the story has supernatural elements, it's fine. I won't even mark this anything else but horror so as not to reveal too much.
In case you were wondering if it was possible to make something like the Morlocks more revolting or frightening, you'll see here it can be done and more.
Nightcrawlers is about consequences. What happens when the skeletons of past won't stay buried anymore? The blurb and that cover don't leave much out, but you will still be surprised. You can't imagine the kind of creatures Curran created here or the places the characters find themselves in throughout the book.
A minor quibble: Kenney's name is used where Godfray's should be in one place.
September 10, 2016
Little girls chewing on dog bones. Hideous ghostly gnarled figures knocking on your windows at night. Bones start turning up at an old abandoned farm. Cops go missing in woods that locals avoid. Secret buried come crawling out of the mud. Clavitt Fields, a small hamlet is burnt to the ground 200 years ago, but locals know that something terrible is living beneath the ruins, Nightcrawlers.
Elena Blasdenhas lived near to the old Ezren farm all her life. When police start investigating bones turning up, she knows no good will come of it. That's why she leaves scraps outsiders every night, feeding the Nightcrawlers. But the truth will out, and Elena finds herself telling the police of the troubling history of the Ezren farm and Clavitt Fields.
This book is so much fun to read. When I wasn't reading Nightcrawlers I was thinking about it, wondering what was going to happen next. Nightcrawlers is not a character study, it's just enjoyable outright fun horror in absolutely the best form. The old lady, Elena is such a great character, adding a another layer of interest to the book.
What I liked most about Nightcrawlers was the fact that the story keeps changing. What you think is happening in the first few chapters changes and this keeps happening throughout the book. The story kept me completely on my toes. Tim Curran is the master of interesting storytelling. It's why I will continue to read his books with such enjoyment. Absolutely 5 stars!
Elena Blasdenhas lived near to the old Ezren farm all her life. When police start investigating bones turning up, she knows no good will come of it. That's why she leaves scraps outsiders every night, feeding the Nightcrawlers. But the truth will out, and Elena finds herself telling the police of the troubling history of the Ezren farm and Clavitt Fields.
This book is so much fun to read. When I wasn't reading Nightcrawlers I was thinking about it, wondering what was going to happen next. Nightcrawlers is not a character study, it's just enjoyable outright fun horror in absolutely the best form. The old lady, Elena is such a great character, adding a another layer of interest to the book.
What I liked most about Nightcrawlers was the fact that the story keeps changing. What you think is happening in the first few chapters changes and this keeps happening throughout the book. The story kept me completely on my toes. Tim Curran is the master of interesting storytelling. It's why I will continue to read his books with such enjoyment. Absolutely 5 stars!
February 18, 2014
Some words of advice, if you’re contemplating going on a pot holing expedition then leave reading this till after you come back. Tim Curran has a wonderfully unique imagination unlike anything I’ve read before and that’s mainly why I have over a dozen of his books that I’m going to read this year.
We join the story at the beginning of an investigation involving not just local law enforcement but state troopers as well, digging in a field unearths corpses, lots of them and bones covered in strange bite marks. The burial ground of a serial killer or something much worse, a history it seems the locals are fully aware of, strange and deadly things have been happening in the area of Clavitt Fields, a town burnt to the ground 200 years ago and it’s now about to get a much wider audience.
In charge of the investigation is officer Kenney and he’s about to learn all the secrets of what lies beneath this cursed place and the death it brings.
There are some genuinely scary moments early on in this story, Tim Curran is the master at creating an unnerving atmosphere and when an officer goes missing, Kenney heads a search party into the mist and trees. This in itself is creepy but when officer Kopecky finds himself underground in a subterranean crawl space, well, alarming just doesn't cover it, tense beyond belief maybe even panic and it’s written superbly well.
We then get a slightly slower middle section to the book as the history of the place and its inhabitants both past and present are revealed, this sets everything up for a nightmarish ending encompassing a euphoric evil that is terrifying in its entirety.
Recommended
We join the story at the beginning of an investigation involving not just local law enforcement but state troopers as well, digging in a field unearths corpses, lots of them and bones covered in strange bite marks. The burial ground of a serial killer or something much worse, a history it seems the locals are fully aware of, strange and deadly things have been happening in the area of Clavitt Fields, a town burnt to the ground 200 years ago and it’s now about to get a much wider audience.
In charge of the investigation is officer Kenney and he’s about to learn all the secrets of what lies beneath this cursed place and the death it brings.
There are some genuinely scary moments early on in this story, Tim Curran is the master at creating an unnerving atmosphere and when an officer goes missing, Kenney heads a search party into the mist and trees. This in itself is creepy but when officer Kopecky finds himself underground in a subterranean crawl space, well, alarming just doesn't cover it, tense beyond belief maybe even panic and it’s written superbly well.
We then get a slightly slower middle section to the book as the history of the place and its inhabitants both past and present are revealed, this sets everything up for a nightmarish ending encompassing a euphoric evil that is terrifying in its entirety.
Recommended
February 10, 2014
Tim Curran is a mastermind when it comes to creating horrific images of creatures you've never imagined before! His latest novel starts out with a bang, the terror and mystery building immediately. I could picture being in the middle of the rising mist along with his characters, discovering things that were best never seen.... Curran's strong use of imagery creates a palpable atmosphere of claustrophobic horror. My only mild complaint is that the ending seemed, to me, to lose some of the intensity that the first 3/4 contained. Nonetheless, Tim Curran remains at the top of his game in his new novel from DarkFuse!
Recommended!
Recommended!
February 16, 2014
The book started off discovering bodies. Lots of bodies that had been eaten by something. I thought the story was going to go one way but then the author came out and smacked me upside the head with a whole different direction completely.
Was I scared? Nah not really, but then I am a hateful heifer. Will I read more from this author? Most certainly.
Thanks Netgalley and Darkfuse.
Was I scared? Nah not really, but then I am a hateful heifer. Will I read more from this author? Most certainly.
Thanks Netgalley and Darkfuse.
November 7, 2017
At once an exercise in immediate horror with a narrative that has been whittled down to its essentials, Nightcrawlers is also a revelry of language, putting to use a rangy vocabulary to craft scenes of terror in excess. The plot is simple but worthy of an early Cronenberg film: a mass burial site is uncovered outside of a sleepy Wisconsin town, and the ill-considered police investigation that follows is menaced by subterranean ghouls. Small town secrets and imaginative body horror build to an ambitious finale of dread and wonder. The small cast of characters are functionary but realistically utilized as events play out in a forest soaked with fog, the muddy ruins of a village and the slimy underground labyrinth beneath. A fast paced read that is impressively oppressive with its descriptive pyrotechnics. Language is horror. Will read more Curran.
December 2, 2014
The Colour Out of Space meets THE DESCENT (2005.) That's the best I can come up with for a description but I think it will suffice. This was a very clever story with all the Curran hallmarks. Unfortunately, like the late HP, this includes a lack of character development. I had to drop a full star in this case because it was more lacking than usual. It's hard to care about a story if you don't care about it's characters.
His go-on-for-fucking-ever descriptiveness is as prominent as always and I can usually deal with that too but here it seemed more pronounced than usual, sometimes to the point of redundancy.
This would have been better as a novella but it was still a very clever and original story. When Curran is not at his best, he is still pretty damn good. Recommended despite all those nasty things I just said.
His go-on-for-fucking-ever descriptiveness is as prominent as always and I can usually deal with that too but here it seemed more pronounced than usual, sometimes to the point of redundancy.
This would have been better as a novella but it was still a very clever and original story. When Curran is not at his best, he is still pretty damn good. Recommended despite all those nasty things I just said.
March 23, 2015
Like most of Curran's works, Nightcrawlers is big on atmosphere, detailed descriptions, Lovecraftian overtones, and gross-out horror. Unlike most of Curran's works, Nightcrawlers is extremely light on memorable characters or their any kind of decent development. Instead, the reader is tasked to deal with a group of almost interchangeable police officers, state troopers and other law enforcement officers. In fact, they're so alike that Curran at one point loses track of which character he is following, dropping in the wrong name mid-way through a chapter. Most of the officers are given one defining characteristic to remember them by, such as Chipney, who had a family at home. (And I bet you can guess what his chances of survival are ...)
What Curran does do well is flesh out his monsters, and Nightcrawlers is no exception. The things hiding beneath Bellac Fields and what drives them to do what they do are both unique and unsettling enough to be remembered. And it's this aspect that saves Nightcrawlers from being a disappointing failure, propping it up into being an okay way to spend 270-odd pages.
In essence, as far as this reader of horror is concerned, Nightcrawlers was a lesser entry into Curran's rapidly growing bibliography. He has far superior works - novels like Dead Sea and novellas such as Blackout - which should serve as better introductions to what he is capable of. But if you're already a Curran-fan looking for something without much investment which might cause you a shudder or two of revulsion, then this one should do the job. If only just adequately.
2.5 to 3 Bad Ways to Go for Nightcrawlers.
What Curran does do well is flesh out his monsters, and Nightcrawlers is no exception. The things hiding beneath Bellac Fields and what drives them to do what they do are both unique and unsettling enough to be remembered. And it's this aspect that saves Nightcrawlers from being a disappointing failure, propping it up into being an okay way to spend 270-odd pages.
In essence, as far as this reader of horror is concerned, Nightcrawlers was a lesser entry into Curran's rapidly growing bibliography. He has far superior works - novels like Dead Sea and novellas such as Blackout - which should serve as better introductions to what he is capable of. But if you're already a Curran-fan looking for something without much investment which might cause you a shudder or two of revulsion, then this one should do the job. If only just adequately.
2.5 to 3 Bad Ways to Go for Nightcrawlers.
March 5, 2014
A well written story with that Lovecraft feel to it. With Tim's writing you get that vivid feeling like your right there. He creates this eerie atmosphere for you when your reading. I've been a big fan of his work, Tim Curran is a must read for me. The story starts out with bones and bodies being found in a field. The local and state cops get called in to investigate. Then cops disappear under ground. Then Kenney the man in charge, finds out about the strange things that have happen over the years in this area. Then they investigate this old burned out area (Clavitt Fields), this is when the story gets going. I gave Nightcrawlers 4 stars.
March 4, 2014
I haven't got the creeps from reading since Ketchum's "Off Season"
What is haunting Bellac Road? People have been disappearing for years and strange noises come from the woods. A dark adventurous trip into what lurks below.
After a group of law enforcements go on the look for a fellow officer all hell brakes loose with these strange lovecraftian beings plan to engulf the world above. One of the best reads for me in awhile, with a strange hallucinogenic twist at the end.
Thank you Netgalley and Dark Fuse for letting this book seep into mind.
What is haunting Bellac Road? People have been disappearing for years and strange noises come from the woods. A dark adventurous trip into what lurks below.
After a group of law enforcements go on the look for a fellow officer all hell brakes loose with these strange lovecraftian beings plan to engulf the world above. One of the best reads for me in awhile, with a strange hallucinogenic twist at the end.
Thank you Netgalley and Dark Fuse for letting this book seep into mind.
February 9, 2014
Not a bad story. It reads like a late night horror movie. It has a decided lack of character depth and plot development. The creatures are what it advertises and what it delivers.
If you like books with stock characters that battle creatures throughout a story in a light, fun read then this book is for you.
If you like books with stock characters that battle creatures throughout a story in a light, fun read then this book is for you.
April 11, 2017
Mamma mia che brividiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!! 4 e mezzo su 5 :D
Recensione per Romance & Fantasy for Cosmopolitan Girls :)
http://fidibooksblog.blogspot.it/2017...
Recensione per Romance & Fantasy for Cosmopolitan Girls :)
http://fidibooksblog.blogspot.it/2017...
April 10, 2017
Una piccola città e i suoi orrendi segreti.
Nessuno avrebbe mai potuto conoscere, mai potuto sospettare, il genere di cose che strisciavano sotto la sua superficie.
E la maggior parte delle città aveva dei segreti, Kenney lo sapeva, oscure e terribili verità sepolte in modo che i cittadini potessero dormire la notte.
Quando la Wisconsin Electric decide di installare una nuova linea elettrica che passa anche dal piccolo paese di Heymarket, sa che dovrà lavorare anche in terreni abbandonati popolati da ex fattorie ormai alla deriva o capanni abbandonati. Tutto regolare, no?
I problemi sorgono quando, scavando in un campo della contea, il grosso bulldozer della compagnia elettrica dissotterra moltissimi corpi. I lavori si fermano ed entra in gioco il tenente Kenney, assegnato al macabro caso.
Pensò: ‘ne abbiamo trovati otto finora, otto maledettissimi corpi’.
Erano distesi sotto incerate di plastica vicino alle fosse da cui erano stati estratti. Cinque donne, due uomini, un bambino. Finora. Finora.
Quella parola continuava a risuonargli nella testa. Otto corpi lì, in una fattoria del Wisconsin, di tutti i dannati posti. Quando chiuse gli occhi, rivide le facce massacrate, che a volte non erano affatto facce, ma tele d’osso scolorite e senza carne. E quello era brutto abbastanza, sicuro, fino a quando non si notavano le condizioni dei corpi, i segni su di essi, e allora tutto diventava sensibilmente peggio.
Tutti i poliziotti assegnati alle indagini sono visibilmente scossi dal terribile numero di corpi rinvenuti e la situazione inizia a peggiorare quando uno di loro sparisce: Kenney con l’aiuto dei suoi colleghi, lo sceriffo e altri agenti si allontanano dal luogo del ritrovo e si addentrano nella foresta oscura per poi raggiungere il villaggio di Clavitt Fields ma dell’agente Riegan non c’è traccia.
Hyder scosse il capo. «Per favore», disse, il volto madido di sudore. «Andiamocene. Andiamocene e basta.»
Kenney decise che il momento era arrivato. Ci vollero cinque minuti per uscire dal villaggio. Altri cinque prima che la foresta oscura lo bloccasse dalla visuale. E per tutto il tempo Kenney continuava a pensare e a pensare. A pensare che qualcosa di orribile fosse accaduto in quelle rovine, che qualcosa di orribile stesse ancora accadendo. Quel posto era diventato cattivo, era stato avvelenato fino alle radici. L’essenza stessa del villaggio era diventata rancida e contaminata, il suo sangue ormai nero e tossico come bile. Un uomo poteva far finta di non sentirla, ma era lì. Una presenza fisica abominevole.
Consapevole, viva, e mortale.
Tim Curran trasporta il lettore in un’atmosfera cupa e piena di tensione che mi ha conquistata sin dal primo capitolo.
La narrazione in terza persona gli permette di cambiare spesso punto di vista per fornire al lettore una visione più ampia dei diversi personaggi che si buttano in quest’avventura.
Lo stile di Curran è il suo tratto distintivo e ciò che mi ha affascinato di più: scorrevole, intenso e suggestivo.
E proprio grazie a questo riesce a creare un’ambientazione tetra e viscida che strega e si impossessa dell’animo del lettore fino allo sconvolgente finale.
La foresta cominciava a premere da tutti i lati. Era buia, umida e ruvida, il vento che faceva risuonare i rami più alti come ossa. Arbusti cresciuti in forme innaturali e alti come un uomo spezzavano la griglia di ricerca. Più di una volta Kenney ebbe l’impressione che un cespuglio si fosse mosso all’angolo del campo visivo e fu colpito dalla sensazione folle e irrazionale che fossero vivi e senzienti. Spostandosi, cancellando le impronte della compagnia, facendo girare tutti quanti a vuoto, mischiandoli come carte in modo che non ritrovassero più la via.
Pensieri di quel tipo gli lasciavano la gola secca come cenere.
Erano pensieri folli, sicuro, ma non si biasimava per come si sentiva o per come si sentivano gli altri, con i volti tirati e tesi, quasi che i teschi sottostanti stessero cercando di liberarsi. Quel posto ti entrava dentro e, per quanto potessi provarci, era difficile capirlo. Ma c’era. Nelle tue viscere e nella tua testa, strisciando lungo la spina dorsale. Forse Hyder aveva ragione: magari era l’aria. Forse c’era qualcosa di negativo, per quanto poco scientifico potesse essere.
I personaggi e il lettore stesso avvertono questa presenza malvagia al limitare dei propri pensieri ma senza riuscire a individuarla, senza capire che cosa – o chi – popola la notte.
“Nightcrawerls” è un horror acutamente costruito, un romanzo che tiene alta la tensione senza porvi mai fine.
Questo è l’incubo di Clavitt Fields e potrebbe diventare anche il vostro.
Era come se la pelle dell’universo conosciuto fosse stata lacerata e lui stesse osservando la lesione, pur sapendo che c’era qualcosa là fuori, in quell’oscurità senza fondo, che lo avrebbe fatto impazzire se lo avesse visto.
Pensò che, se fosse stato da solo, probabilmente sarebbe scappato urlando nella notte.
Nessuno avrebbe mai potuto conoscere, mai potuto sospettare, il genere di cose che strisciavano sotto la sua superficie.
E la maggior parte delle città aveva dei segreti, Kenney lo sapeva, oscure e terribili verità sepolte in modo che i cittadini potessero dormire la notte.
Quando la Wisconsin Electric decide di installare una nuova linea elettrica che passa anche dal piccolo paese di Heymarket, sa che dovrà lavorare anche in terreni abbandonati popolati da ex fattorie ormai alla deriva o capanni abbandonati. Tutto regolare, no?
I problemi sorgono quando, scavando in un campo della contea, il grosso bulldozer della compagnia elettrica dissotterra moltissimi corpi. I lavori si fermano ed entra in gioco il tenente Kenney, assegnato al macabro caso.
Pensò: ‘ne abbiamo trovati otto finora, otto maledettissimi corpi’.
Erano distesi sotto incerate di plastica vicino alle fosse da cui erano stati estratti. Cinque donne, due uomini, un bambino. Finora. Finora.
Quella parola continuava a risuonargli nella testa. Otto corpi lì, in una fattoria del Wisconsin, di tutti i dannati posti. Quando chiuse gli occhi, rivide le facce massacrate, che a volte non erano affatto facce, ma tele d’osso scolorite e senza carne. E quello era brutto abbastanza, sicuro, fino a quando non si notavano le condizioni dei corpi, i segni su di essi, e allora tutto diventava sensibilmente peggio.
Tutti i poliziotti assegnati alle indagini sono visibilmente scossi dal terribile numero di corpi rinvenuti e la situazione inizia a peggiorare quando uno di loro sparisce: Kenney con l’aiuto dei suoi colleghi, lo sceriffo e altri agenti si allontanano dal luogo del ritrovo e si addentrano nella foresta oscura per poi raggiungere il villaggio di Clavitt Fields ma dell’agente Riegan non c’è traccia.
Hyder scosse il capo. «Per favore», disse, il volto madido di sudore. «Andiamocene. Andiamocene e basta.»
Kenney decise che il momento era arrivato. Ci vollero cinque minuti per uscire dal villaggio. Altri cinque prima che la foresta oscura lo bloccasse dalla visuale. E per tutto il tempo Kenney continuava a pensare e a pensare. A pensare che qualcosa di orribile fosse accaduto in quelle rovine, che qualcosa di orribile stesse ancora accadendo. Quel posto era diventato cattivo, era stato avvelenato fino alle radici. L’essenza stessa del villaggio era diventata rancida e contaminata, il suo sangue ormai nero e tossico come bile. Un uomo poteva far finta di non sentirla, ma era lì. Una presenza fisica abominevole.
Consapevole, viva, e mortale.
Tim Curran trasporta il lettore in un’atmosfera cupa e piena di tensione che mi ha conquistata sin dal primo capitolo.
La narrazione in terza persona gli permette di cambiare spesso punto di vista per fornire al lettore una visione più ampia dei diversi personaggi che si buttano in quest’avventura.
Lo stile di Curran è il suo tratto distintivo e ciò che mi ha affascinato di più: scorrevole, intenso e suggestivo.
E proprio grazie a questo riesce a creare un’ambientazione tetra e viscida che strega e si impossessa dell’animo del lettore fino allo sconvolgente finale.
La foresta cominciava a premere da tutti i lati. Era buia, umida e ruvida, il vento che faceva risuonare i rami più alti come ossa. Arbusti cresciuti in forme innaturali e alti come un uomo spezzavano la griglia di ricerca. Più di una volta Kenney ebbe l’impressione che un cespuglio si fosse mosso all’angolo del campo visivo e fu colpito dalla sensazione folle e irrazionale che fossero vivi e senzienti. Spostandosi, cancellando le impronte della compagnia, facendo girare tutti quanti a vuoto, mischiandoli come carte in modo che non ritrovassero più la via.
Pensieri di quel tipo gli lasciavano la gola secca come cenere.
Erano pensieri folli, sicuro, ma non si biasimava per come si sentiva o per come si sentivano gli altri, con i volti tirati e tesi, quasi che i teschi sottostanti stessero cercando di liberarsi. Quel posto ti entrava dentro e, per quanto potessi provarci, era difficile capirlo. Ma c’era. Nelle tue viscere e nella tua testa, strisciando lungo la spina dorsale. Forse Hyder aveva ragione: magari era l’aria. Forse c’era qualcosa di negativo, per quanto poco scientifico potesse essere.
I personaggi e il lettore stesso avvertono questa presenza malvagia al limitare dei propri pensieri ma senza riuscire a individuarla, senza capire che cosa – o chi – popola la notte.
“Nightcrawerls” è un horror acutamente costruito, un romanzo che tiene alta la tensione senza porvi mai fine.
Questo è l’incubo di Clavitt Fields e potrebbe diventare anche il vostro.
Era come se la pelle dell’universo conosciuto fosse stata lacerata e lui stesse osservando la lesione, pur sapendo che c’era qualcosa là fuori, in quell’oscurità senza fondo, che lo avrebbe fatto impazzire se lo avesse visto.
Pensò che, se fosse stato da solo, probabilmente sarebbe scappato urlando nella notte.
July 25, 2014
I was saving all my Curran reads for some unknown day in the future when I was snowed in and unable to leave the house.
However, a friend recommended I read it pronto.
I did and found it lacking.
The characters were ineffectual when it came down to me, the reader, caring about their outcomes. Where were Tim's normally hated/loved characters you wished would die/live?
That alone pulled this read down for me. It was also lacking in the atmospheric department that I normally brag about. Don't get me wrong, there were moments where I could imagine the darkness, the water surrounded me and creeping up my pant-legs. The noises and feelings of being watched. I just felt like there wasn't enough to make me love it.
The ending was not my favorite. Very dismal for my tastes.
The idea was a good one, the implementation of said idea could have been better.
However, a friend recommended I read it pronto.
I did and found it lacking.
The characters were ineffectual when it came down to me, the reader, caring about their outcomes. Where were Tim's normally hated/loved characters you wished would die/live?
That alone pulled this read down for me. It was also lacking in the atmospheric department that I normally brag about. Don't get me wrong, there were moments where I could imagine the darkness, the water surrounded me and creeping up my pant-legs. The noises and feelings of being watched. I just felt like there wasn't enough to make me love it.
The ending was not my favorite. Very dismal for my tastes.
The idea was a good one, the implementation of said idea could have been better.
July 4, 2015
Wow....Just Wow.
I feel like i've had my head completely blown off. That Buzz you get after you've read a horror story so good! That i know EVERY true horror Book fan feel's When they find an author that just hit's that spot! Tim Curran Is that Author. I just clocked i've read Doll Face and to be honest i Didn't take a feel to that, But Nightcrawlers I did. Let me introduce you to this book a bit.
There's no need for char development's Because the plot is so full on. from page go it's on... Tim pull's you in. Tim Curran is a Mastermind when it comes to creating horrific images of creatures you've never imagined before! Think almost modern day Lovecraft cosmic Horror and you've got my drift..
All in all i absolutely loved this and Mr Curran you have a new fan! thankyou for writeing such a fantastic tale one i will remember for a while.
I feel like i've had my head completely blown off. That Buzz you get after you've read a horror story so good! That i know EVERY true horror Book fan feel's When they find an author that just hit's that spot! Tim Curran Is that Author. I just clocked i've read Doll Face and to be honest i Didn't take a feel to that, But Nightcrawlers I did. Let me introduce you to this book a bit.
There's no need for char development's Because the plot is so full on. from page go it's on... Tim pull's you in. Tim Curran is a Mastermind when it comes to creating horrific images of creatures you've never imagined before! Think almost modern day Lovecraft cosmic Horror and you've got my drift..
All in all i absolutely loved this and Mr Curran you have a new fan! thankyou for writeing such a fantastic tale one i will remember for a while.
August 22, 2014
The rural town of Haymarket, Wisconsin, holds a very dark secret that spans generations, and the locals and old timers know the gruesome history that surrounds Clavitt Fields...but the town ignored it. When bones of corpses, some dead long long ago, the state police begin an investigation. Then a police officer disappears while out on patrol in the area, his partner claims he glimpsed pale disturbing forms flitting in the mist. State Investigator Kenney decides to probe further, about those stories, and he's wholly unprepared for the mindbending, soul-shredding horror that awaits below Clavitt Fields.
In this gripping novel of cosmic horror, Curran once again displays his masterful knack for layering in dread and terror in the necessary amounts as the plot unfolds, to its stunning climax.
In this gripping novel of cosmic horror, Curran once again displays his masterful knack for layering in dread and terror in the necessary amounts as the plot unfolds, to its stunning climax.
July 12, 2016
read a few things from Tim Curran now, and while all different they have all been excellent. Nightcrawlers is my favorite so far.
Nightcrawlers could be classified as a creature feature or Lovecraftian/cosmic horror, and while neither of these is wrong I feel like it ghettoizes a novel that deserves to be read on its own merits. I especially enjoyed the creepiness and sense of dread in the opening 25% of the book. The reader knows that something horrible is coming, but Mr. Curran makes us wait for it, dragging out the suspense the perfect amount before letting us have it. And boy, does he let us have it!
Horror fans of any subgenre should love this slab of literary terror. Highest recommendation!
Nightcrawlers could be classified as a creature feature or Lovecraftian/cosmic horror, and while neither of these is wrong I feel like it ghettoizes a novel that deserves to be read on its own merits. I especially enjoyed the creepiness and sense of dread in the opening 25% of the book. The reader knows that something horrible is coming, but Mr. Curran makes us wait for it, dragging out the suspense the perfect amount before letting us have it. And boy, does he let us have it!
Horror fans of any subgenre should love this slab of literary terror. Highest recommendation!
December 12, 2018
Jesus.
This was amazing. I read it in one day. I don't know if I can describe what I just read. The last third of the book was amazing. Reminds me of the last time I indulged in some fungi, years ago...
This was amazing. I read it in one day. I don't know if I can describe what I just read. The last third of the book was amazing. Reminds me of the last time I indulged in some fungi, years ago...
September 19, 2014
While I was reading Nightcrawlers by Tim Curran, I couldn’t help wondering about the cleanliness of his house. I have read a number of his works, and many involve slimy, putrid, gross, yucky…things. This one involves vaguely shaped humans living underground who were more mushroomy-fungi in consistency than flesh and bones. Oh, and these things have a knack for capturing people and dragging them deep underground in their mucous like tunnels. You get the idea. I figure this guy is either capable of wallowing in filth well beyond the capacity of the average American or he suffers from extreme contamination-themed OCD.
My overall reaction to this Curran effort is mixed. I am a fan of other books of his, especially Leviathan and Sow. But these latter pieces were novellas and Mr. Curran maintained tight control over his plot. The gruesome narratives never became so extreme as to derail the storyline. Not so with Nightcrawlers, which was punctuated with repetitive and redundant presentations of gross-out passages. The result was mind-numbing, and I became bored at times. In addition, characters are introduced who really do not propel the story. There is one elderly woman who must take up a quarter of the book, but her character seems like an afterthought. Ironically, I think she was the most interesting character in the book (and one passage involving her towards the end is quite tender). The other characters are disappointingly one dimensional. In fact, I couldn’t differentiate the male law-enforcement characters as they all tended to blend together. In the final analysis, this really didn’t matter because they were all interchangeable.
While my comments suggest that I was disappointed with Nightcrawlers, there were some fabulous sections to the book. And these sections prompted me to give it a 3 star rating instead of a lower one. Nobody does claustrophobia like Tim Curran. There are times when the characters are crawling through these underground (and, of course, slimy) tunnels that had me squirming – and wanting to take a shower. The actual plot and the final revelation of what is going on were quite impressive. There was also one particular back-story/historical account at the climax which was rather gripping – and had me wishing that Mr. Curran had written that story instead. Alas, maybe it will appear in a future work.
So, overall, a rather flawed piece, not one of Tim Curran’s best. However, he kept me engaged and the payoff elevated the novel to a pretty decent read.
My overall reaction to this Curran effort is mixed. I am a fan of other books of his, especially Leviathan and Sow. But these latter pieces were novellas and Mr. Curran maintained tight control over his plot. The gruesome narratives never became so extreme as to derail the storyline. Not so with Nightcrawlers, which was punctuated with repetitive and redundant presentations of gross-out passages. The result was mind-numbing, and I became bored at times. In addition, characters are introduced who really do not propel the story. There is one elderly woman who must take up a quarter of the book, but her character seems like an afterthought. Ironically, I think she was the most interesting character in the book (and one passage involving her towards the end is quite tender). The other characters are disappointingly one dimensional. In fact, I couldn’t differentiate the male law-enforcement characters as they all tended to blend together. In the final analysis, this really didn’t matter because they were all interchangeable.
While my comments suggest that I was disappointed with Nightcrawlers, there were some fabulous sections to the book. And these sections prompted me to give it a 3 star rating instead of a lower one. Nobody does claustrophobia like Tim Curran. There are times when the characters are crawling through these underground (and, of course, slimy) tunnels that had me squirming – and wanting to take a shower. The actual plot and the final revelation of what is going on were quite impressive. There was also one particular back-story/historical account at the climax which was rather gripping – and had me wishing that Mr. Curran had written that story instead. Alas, maybe it will appear in a future work.
So, overall, a rather flawed piece, not one of Tim Curran’s best. However, he kept me engaged and the payoff elevated the novel to a pretty decent read.
April 6, 2014
I should have read some reviews before i dug into this one. I love Curran, but not so fond of Lovecraft. Sorry...this story just didn't do it for me. The beginning was great and promising. I loved the horrific descriptions of the nightcrawlers, but when it drifted off into something bizarre and psychedelic, I lost interest. The ending was not satisfying. I felt like i was coming off of a high-er feeling that left me depressed. However, if you like cosmic horror, you will love this.
January 28, 2014
If you seek pure horror, here it is. "NIGHTCRAWLERS" will stand your hair on end, curl your toes, and make you leave the lights on all night. This is nonstop horror at its apex.
October 31, 2024
Una trama che intriga, ricorda molto lo stile di King, riesce a creare un'atmosfera di attesa inquietante poi a metà libro si perde in pagine e pagine di descrizioni, spesso ripetitive e non si riesce più a seguire, mon vedi l ora di finirlo
September 20, 2023
I can't really think of a single thing that was original about this novel. But it was awesome!
It's been a while since a horror novel really engaged me to the point where I stayed up late reading. The older I get, the more I wake up the next morning with a book spread-eagle over my face and wondering what the hell happened. Not so with Tim Curran's "Nightcrawlers."
While I imagine most readers can list vampires, werewolves, or zombies as their favorite supernatural critters, my own personal preference is one you don't see written about very often, but here I got what I wanted, only with Curran's own little twist to the traditional lore from an old familiar friend in the horror industry. I can't tell you more, since part of the fun of the book is figuring out what the villains are supposed to be, though classic horror fans will likely guess within the first 20 pages.
Let's just say that the threat here is extremely well realized, expertly crafted, and a fitting homage to earlier legends and literature. The author has an amazing skill at painting horrific scenes in your mind's eye that feel very real, grounded, and palpable, despite the outrageous subject matter. He builds up tension slowly--quiet misty woods, then the rustle of leaves or the crack of a splash in the mud, then whispering that you can hear echoing through the trees, perhaps the hint of a pale eye staring at you through the bracken. Just when you feel you can't take the suspense any longer, all hell breaks loose. There are no moments when the author lets you down with a sudden cut to another scene, or a fake literary jump scare. When he promises you something is coming, it does.
The choice of setting is also perfectly chosen, the backwoods of Wisconsin. My career has taken me from my comfy hometown of New Orleans to all corners of the American Midwest, and I can tell you that there are indeed still places almost forgotten to time where magic and the supernatural are very real. I don't mean Roswell or Sleepy Hollow or some such pilgrimage spot for the paranormal tourist. I mean places you only hear about whispered among the locals. I've found a few of them, in locations where GPS fails, lonely spots that are strangely sweet despite the decay, like an Indiana persimmon.
That is the kind of place he writes about in "Nightcrawlers." Which then brings up a very topical cultural theme of the novel, which is weaved organically into the plot without feeling preachy. Almost everywhere you look in America, fertile farmlands to deserts to thick forests to open prairies are sprouting new highways with cheap houses stamped from a cookie cutter. I bought my own home just four years ago, and it was in the woods. Now I am surrounded by new subdivisions.
It seems there is no place off-limits to humans, even the national parks. But it is these primordial places that somehow have rejected humans all these many years where the magic happens. It is in small hamlets and villages where people still respect the clicking teeth out there in the dark. What happens when we invade these remaining spaces? How sustainable is our current sprawl? Tim Curran's monsters have been stirred up by bulldozers heralding modern progress, and are an allegory for unforeseen consequences of our own incessant invasion of nature. We can't continue to flatten sand dunes and build waterfront properties on the gulf and expect not to be wiped out by a hurricane. We can't continue to build cities in a desert and expect to always have water. Our blind advance will be brutally halted by forces even more blind than we.
And if all of this sounds familiar, it is because, as I said, these are not original ideas. In fact, most of this book is derivative of other things. Even the descriptions of the monsters will remind you of movies you've seen and other books you've read. But it is the execution here that works so well.
Tim Curran is incredibly descriptive in his prose without being long-winded. He is almost a Symbolist in his style. Not a word is wasted to express vivid images, actions, and themes. The pacing is also just as economical. The action gets going almost immediately, to the point where I thought I was just reading a prologue that would soon end. But no, once the ant nest has been disturbed at the very beginning, the beasties come pouring out relentlessly. Halfway through, there is some quite extensive exposition that may drag out a bit much, but it adds to the creepy factor of the story which is otherwise an uninterrupted wild ride.
If you are a fan of both vintage horror and new, I think you'll really enjoy "Nightcrawlers." Give it a try for your Spooktober reading marathon.
SCORE: 4 muddy claws out of 5
WORD OF THE DAY: Abiotrophic
It's been a while since a horror novel really engaged me to the point where I stayed up late reading. The older I get, the more I wake up the next morning with a book spread-eagle over my face and wondering what the hell happened. Not so with Tim Curran's "Nightcrawlers."
While I imagine most readers can list vampires, werewolves, or zombies as their favorite supernatural critters, my own personal preference is one you don't see written about very often, but here I got what I wanted, only with Curran's own little twist to the traditional lore from an old familiar friend in the horror industry. I can't tell you more, since part of the fun of the book is figuring out what the villains are supposed to be, though classic horror fans will likely guess within the first 20 pages.
Let's just say that the threat here is extremely well realized, expertly crafted, and a fitting homage to earlier legends and literature. The author has an amazing skill at painting horrific scenes in your mind's eye that feel very real, grounded, and palpable, despite the outrageous subject matter. He builds up tension slowly--quiet misty woods, then the rustle of leaves or the crack of a splash in the mud, then whispering that you can hear echoing through the trees, perhaps the hint of a pale eye staring at you through the bracken. Just when you feel you can't take the suspense any longer, all hell breaks loose. There are no moments when the author lets you down with a sudden cut to another scene, or a fake literary jump scare. When he promises you something is coming, it does.
The choice of setting is also perfectly chosen, the backwoods of Wisconsin. My career has taken me from my comfy hometown of New Orleans to all corners of the American Midwest, and I can tell you that there are indeed still places almost forgotten to time where magic and the supernatural are very real. I don't mean Roswell or Sleepy Hollow or some such pilgrimage spot for the paranormal tourist. I mean places you only hear about whispered among the locals. I've found a few of them, in locations where GPS fails, lonely spots that are strangely sweet despite the decay, like an Indiana persimmon.
That is the kind of place he writes about in "Nightcrawlers." Which then brings up a very topical cultural theme of the novel, which is weaved organically into the plot without feeling preachy. Almost everywhere you look in America, fertile farmlands to deserts to thick forests to open prairies are sprouting new highways with cheap houses stamped from a cookie cutter. I bought my own home just four years ago, and it was in the woods. Now I am surrounded by new subdivisions.
It seems there is no place off-limits to humans, even the national parks. But it is these primordial places that somehow have rejected humans all these many years where the magic happens. It is in small hamlets and villages where people still respect the clicking teeth out there in the dark. What happens when we invade these remaining spaces? How sustainable is our current sprawl? Tim Curran's monsters have been stirred up by bulldozers heralding modern progress, and are an allegory for unforeseen consequences of our own incessant invasion of nature. We can't continue to flatten sand dunes and build waterfront properties on the gulf and expect not to be wiped out by a hurricane. We can't continue to build cities in a desert and expect to always have water. Our blind advance will be brutally halted by forces even more blind than we.
And if all of this sounds familiar, it is because, as I said, these are not original ideas. In fact, most of this book is derivative of other things. Even the descriptions of the monsters will remind you of movies you've seen and other books you've read. But it is the execution here that works so well.
Tim Curran is incredibly descriptive in his prose without being long-winded. He is almost a Symbolist in his style. Not a word is wasted to express vivid images, actions, and themes. The pacing is also just as economical. The action gets going almost immediately, to the point where I thought I was just reading a prologue that would soon end. But no, once the ant nest has been disturbed at the very beginning, the beasties come pouring out relentlessly. Halfway through, there is some quite extensive exposition that may drag out a bit much, but it adds to the creepy factor of the story which is otherwise an uninterrupted wild ride.
If you are a fan of both vintage horror and new, I think you'll really enjoy "Nightcrawlers." Give it a try for your Spooktober reading marathon.
SCORE: 4 muddy claws out of 5
WORD OF THE DAY: Abiotrophic
October 27, 2018
This wasn't my favourite Tim Curran novel, that honour still goes to the unforgettable Dead Sea, followed by the so fun Blackout.
But it was pretty good.
There are few writers who can describe atmosphere like this guy. His descriptions underground are sure to incite claustrophobia for most of us, I think.
And again, I think I say this for every novel of his I've read, although I may be predisposed to this mindset ever since visiting his website and discovering his love of horror comics growing up (also my addiction as a kid), I can totally picture his stories happening in comic book panels.
I mention this in the most positive way possible.
The one knock I had about this one is that I felt things dragged on a little too long underground, so I'm hedging on a 3 to 3.5 star rating.
But I'm bumping it to 4 because of the whole grand idea, and also because this guy is severely under-appreciated. As a horror writer he can give the most jaded reader the creeps.
A fun Halloween season read.
But it was pretty good.
There are few writers who can describe atmosphere like this guy. His descriptions underground are sure to incite claustrophobia for most of us, I think.
And again, I think I say this for every novel of his I've read, although I may be predisposed to this mindset ever since visiting his website and discovering his love of horror comics growing up (also my addiction as a kid), I can totally picture his stories happening in comic book panels.
I mention this in the most positive way possible.
The one knock I had about this one is that I felt things dragged on a little too long underground, so I'm hedging on a 3 to 3.5 star rating.
But I'm bumping it to 4 because of the whole grand idea, and also because this guy is severely under-appreciated. As a horror writer he can give the most jaded reader the creeps.
A fun Halloween season read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews