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The Herbert West Series #1
The Friendship of Mortals
Arkham, Massachusetts, 1910. Librarian Charles Milburn takes up a position as cataloguer in the Library of Miskatonic University. He becomes the keeper of the Necronomicon, an ancient book of secret lore kept in the Library’s vault.
Herbert West, a medical student with a dubious reputation, requests access to the fabled book, and Charles grants it despite his misgivings. So begins a friendship that takes Charles far from the rules of cataloguing and the conventions familiar to an honest young man from a good Boston family.
Herbert West can restore the dead to life, he says, and he persuades Charles to be his assistant. Their experiments, carried out in secret by night, in improvised laboratories and by stealth in the hospital attached to the university, achieve success – of a sort. Charles finds himself caught between the demands of his fascinating friend and his growing attraction to Alma Halsey, daughter of the Dean of Medicine.
In 1914, as war begins in Europe, Charles is both relieved and distressed to say goodbye to West as he sails away to France to serve as a medical officer. Over the next four years, West’s letters reveal a mixture of cynicism and black humour that hint at – what? Charles doesn’t know and would rather not guess. Engrossed in cataloguing the books of an eccentric professor, he develops an interest in alchemy as a way to transform the base into the excellent.
West returns from the War to a career as a surgeon utilizing techniques perfected on the maimed, dying …and dead? Lonely and self-doubting despite his professional success, Charles can’t bring himself to abandon West as his reputation grows and darkens. Rumours of illicit experiments overshadow West’s spectacular public successes, and he begins to crack under attacks from colleagues and threats from his gangster brothers. Beleaguered on all sides and under threat of investigation, West appeals to Charles for help. Charles is sympathetic until West reveals the perilous nature of his plan.
Vacillating between horror and hope and haunted by West’s misdeeds, Charles must draw on his knowledge of alchemy and his tottering faith in powers beyond himself if he is to save his friend’s life. Only his conscience stands in the way.
Herbert West, a medical student with a dubious reputation, requests access to the fabled book, and Charles grants it despite his misgivings. So begins a friendship that takes Charles far from the rules of cataloguing and the conventions familiar to an honest young man from a good Boston family.
Herbert West can restore the dead to life, he says, and he persuades Charles to be his assistant. Their experiments, carried out in secret by night, in improvised laboratories and by stealth in the hospital attached to the university, achieve success – of a sort. Charles finds himself caught between the demands of his fascinating friend and his growing attraction to Alma Halsey, daughter of the Dean of Medicine.
In 1914, as war begins in Europe, Charles is both relieved and distressed to say goodbye to West as he sails away to France to serve as a medical officer. Over the next four years, West’s letters reveal a mixture of cynicism and black humour that hint at – what? Charles doesn’t know and would rather not guess. Engrossed in cataloguing the books of an eccentric professor, he develops an interest in alchemy as a way to transform the base into the excellent.
West returns from the War to a career as a surgeon utilizing techniques perfected on the maimed, dying …and dead? Lonely and self-doubting despite his professional success, Charles can’t bring himself to abandon West as his reputation grows and darkens. Rumours of illicit experiments overshadow West’s spectacular public successes, and he begins to crack under attacks from colleagues and threats from his gangster brothers. Beleaguered on all sides and under threat of investigation, West appeals to Charles for help. Charles is sympathetic until West reveals the perilous nature of his plan.
Vacillating between horror and hope and haunted by West’s misdeeds, Charles must draw on his knowledge of alchemy and his tottering faith in powers beyond himself if he is to save his friend’s life. Only his conscience stands in the way.
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First published May 22, 2010
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About the author
Audrey Driscoll
17 books41 followersI began writing fiction in 2000 when I decided that H.P. Lovecraft's character Herbert West needed a life story. The result was a series of four books, all available as ebooks and in print.
She Who Comes Forth is a sequel to the series. Tales from the Annexe is a collection of short stories. Both books are available in both print and ebook form. Four of the stories in the collection were originally published as separate ebooks, which are no longer available.
When I'm not writing, I am wrestling with plants on a 50 x 120 foot patch of ground in Victoria, British Columbia.
She Who Comes Forth is a sequel to the series. Tales from the Annexe is a collection of short stories. Both books are available in both print and ebook form. Four of the stories in the collection were originally published as separate ebooks, which are no longer available.
When I'm not writing, I am wrestling with plants on a 50 x 120 foot patch of ground in Victoria, British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 3, 2020
To preface: 2 stars does not mean this is a bad book, it was simply not for me though others may and indeed already have enjoyed it far more than I did.
The book was intriguing to start, and the characters were magnetic. The mysterious Herbert West was especially well done, I thought, and was my favorite character. I notice some reviewers have found it absurd that Charles is readily bent to West’s will, covering for him and engaging in illegal practices on his behalf. I on the contrary loved this. West is clearly that rare kind of cult-of-personality, a brilliant sociopath who somehow can get people to do what he wants, and it was deliciously wicked I thought.
On the other hand, Alma was a disappointment. It made no sense to me that she’d continue any kind of relationship with Charles when he flat out refuses to distance himself from West. She never likes West, and then West humiliated her father and her family, and naturally she asks Charles to stop hanging around him. But when he refuses to do so, she just kinda accepts it and that never sat well with me.
So the characters were interesting, and the plot sucked me in. Where did the problems arise? Frankly about halfway through the book. While at first West’s experiments were exciting to read, they quickly became bland. And as it became easier and easier for the characters to carry out their unethical experiments, it became less and less interesting for the reader. The stakes plummeted, as did the tension. I found myself reading it as a nonfiction or a biography, not a fiction.
If the book had ended just after the climactic experiment with (I think this was his name) Robert Leaven, it would have been an excellent read. That part of the book felt like the climax, and that’s how my brain treated it. And so everything after that kinda felt like falling action, and there was still half the book to read.
I did like how the author spent a portion of the book written as exchanged letters, as West and Alma were in Europe during the Great War. That was interesting and I liked how that was structured. But for the rest of the story, I simply couldn’t get re-invested in the characters and their story no matter how much I tried. I did not hate the ending, nor did I find it outlandishly out of character for the story (I felt like it clicked with the overall tone/mood), but I do find myself somewhat agreeing with some of the critiques I’m seeing in other reviews about the abruptness.
Overall the writing is excellent, the characters and premise incredibly interesting, and of course I love when stories utilize the Necrinomicon, no matter how briefly. It was just too long, and the tension dropped far too early for me. So as I said in the beginning, though I did not really enjoy this one, it’s got a great hook early on and you may find far more enjoyment than I did.
The book was intriguing to start, and the characters were magnetic. The mysterious Herbert West was especially well done, I thought, and was my favorite character. I notice some reviewers have found it absurd that Charles is readily bent to West’s will, covering for him and engaging in illegal practices on his behalf. I on the contrary loved this. West is clearly that rare kind of cult-of-personality, a brilliant sociopath who somehow can get people to do what he wants, and it was deliciously wicked I thought.
On the other hand, Alma was a disappointment. It made no sense to me that she’d continue any kind of relationship with Charles when he flat out refuses to distance himself from West. She never likes West, and then West humiliated her father and her family, and naturally she asks Charles to stop hanging around him. But when he refuses to do so, she just kinda accepts it and that never sat well with me.
So the characters were interesting, and the plot sucked me in. Where did the problems arise? Frankly about halfway through the book. While at first West’s experiments were exciting to read, they quickly became bland. And as it became easier and easier for the characters to carry out their unethical experiments, it became less and less interesting for the reader. The stakes plummeted, as did the tension. I found myself reading it as a nonfiction or a biography, not a fiction.
If the book had ended just after the climactic experiment with (I think this was his name) Robert Leaven, it would have been an excellent read. That part of the book felt like the climax, and that’s how my brain treated it. And so everything after that kinda felt like falling action, and there was still half the book to read.
I did like how the author spent a portion of the book written as exchanged letters, as West and Alma were in Europe during the Great War. That was interesting and I liked how that was structured. But for the rest of the story, I simply couldn’t get re-invested in the characters and their story no matter how much I tried. I did not hate the ending, nor did I find it outlandishly out of character for the story (I felt like it clicked with the overall tone/mood), but I do find myself somewhat agreeing with some of the critiques I’m seeing in other reviews about the abruptness.
Overall the writing is excellent, the characters and premise incredibly interesting, and of course I love when stories utilize the Necrinomicon, no matter how briefly. It was just too long, and the tension dropped far too early for me. So as I said in the beginning, though I did not really enjoy this one, it’s got a great hook early on and you may find far more enjoyment than I did.
May 7, 2020
Let me begin by saying that I am not at all a fan of authors taking already published characters and “reimagining” them. This is NOT what this book does, although it is based entirely around a H.P. Lovecraft story.
However, the author has taken the character of Herbert West and made him so much more than that short story. Lovecraft focused on the horror of what West was doing, while Driscoll focuses on making him human. And she showed true inspiration in deciding to tell this tale through the eyes of Charles Milburn, rather than through West himself.
The book is beautifully written, and although it’s not full of action scenes, it keeps the pages turning.
If you’re a fan of Lovecraft, or if you just like a fascinating, incredibly well-written story, then pick this one up. You’ll be glad you did.
However, the author has taken the character of Herbert West and made him so much more than that short story. Lovecraft focused on the horror of what West was doing, while Driscoll focuses on making him human. And she showed true inspiration in deciding to tell this tale through the eyes of Charles Milburn, rather than through West himself.
The book is beautifully written, and although it’s not full of action scenes, it keeps the pages turning.
If you’re a fan of Lovecraft, or if you just like a fascinating, incredibly well-written story, then pick this one up. You’ll be glad you did.
September 15, 2018
I’m familiar with Lovecraft only by reputation, since I’m generally not into horror. And after looking at some of the other reviews, I think that’s an asset when you read The Friendship of Mortals. If you come with no preconceptions, you won’t be disappointed that the author has not written an imitation of Lovecraft. Instead, she’s extracted some concepts and made a whole new tale.
The book has a lot of things I like – libraries, universities, mysterious characters, Gothic atmosphere that is both seamy and elegant, plenty of dialogue (dialogue is how people communicate, after all), and outstanding descriptions. It’s a long book, but that’s not a problem for me. I had no trouble with the flow of the plot. It kept me riveted.
You can’t really like Herbert West, but you can be fascinated by him, even as the narrator, Charles Milburn, is. In fact, I found Milburn to be more interesting than West, because we can watch his complexity developing, even as West remains a mystery. There is always a paranormal element in the book, but this increases toward the end, as Milburn becomes more familiar with ancient alchemical writings. He begins to see ghosts and is visited by the apparition of John Hocks become a demon (the existence of Hocks haunts the entire book). And then of course there is what happens to the Necromancer’s blood ... And the unexplained mystery of the emerald ring ...
The early 20th-century period in which the book is laid is perfect for this tale of pseudoscience. Medical knowledge was advancing rapidly, but it hadn’t reached the stage of forensic DNA testing – still primitive enough that experiments such as West’s might be plausible.
Some fine descriptions gem the book, just enough of them to enhance the atmosphere. Here is an example from the very first page:
“I will admit that certain of my memories are too heavy to carry around with me. I have entrusted them to a mental root cellar – dark, cold and difficult of access. The key to this place, unlike most keys, permits itself to be found only on nights such as this, when I have drunk deeply enough to set aside daytime scruples.”
One might say that the idea of cellars and darkness dominates the book, in contrast with certain passages of beauty and light, such as these:
“Her home resembled a ship’s cabin, afloat on a sea of leaves visible through the window.”
“The wind blew over the cliff top, stirring the grass tussocks that clung to the thin soil on the rock. On the far horizon was a bank of high-piled cumulus clouds, their battlements and crenellations like the gate of heaven.”
Great stuff!
This book is only the first of four parts, which I plan to read before too much time passes. How can you not want to learn what happens next to Herbert West and his steadfast friend, Charles Milburn?
The book has a lot of things I like – libraries, universities, mysterious characters, Gothic atmosphere that is both seamy and elegant, plenty of dialogue (dialogue is how people communicate, after all), and outstanding descriptions. It’s a long book, but that’s not a problem for me. I had no trouble with the flow of the plot. It kept me riveted.
You can’t really like Herbert West, but you can be fascinated by him, even as the narrator, Charles Milburn, is. In fact, I found Milburn to be more interesting than West, because we can watch his complexity developing, even as West remains a mystery. There is always a paranormal element in the book, but this increases toward the end, as Milburn becomes more familiar with ancient alchemical writings. He begins to see ghosts and is visited by the apparition of John Hocks become a demon (the existence of Hocks haunts the entire book). And then of course there is what happens to the Necromancer’s blood ... And the unexplained mystery of the emerald ring ...
The early 20th-century period in which the book is laid is perfect for this tale of pseudoscience. Medical knowledge was advancing rapidly, but it hadn’t reached the stage of forensic DNA testing – still primitive enough that experiments such as West’s might be plausible.
Some fine descriptions gem the book, just enough of them to enhance the atmosphere. Here is an example from the very first page:
“I will admit that certain of my memories are too heavy to carry around with me. I have entrusted them to a mental root cellar – dark, cold and difficult of access. The key to this place, unlike most keys, permits itself to be found only on nights such as this, when I have drunk deeply enough to set aside daytime scruples.”
One might say that the idea of cellars and darkness dominates the book, in contrast with certain passages of beauty and light, such as these:
“Her home resembled a ship’s cabin, afloat on a sea of leaves visible through the window.”
“The wind blew over the cliff top, stirring the grass tussocks that clung to the thin soil on the rock. On the far horizon was a bank of high-piled cumulus clouds, their battlements and crenellations like the gate of heaven.”
Great stuff!
This book is only the first of four parts, which I plan to read before too much time passes. How can you not want to learn what happens next to Herbert West and his steadfast friend, Charles Milburn?
March 7, 2018
i know nothing of Lovecraft and thankfully it wasn't necessary to have any knowledge of his work to enjoy this. to be quite honest, i essentially stumbled into this book at 1am while waiting for my sleep meds to kick in and knew only that there was at least one queer character, which was enough for me to decide to download the book and begin reading. i found this book to be a genuinely thoughtful character study (and every character really was so human) and contemplation on love, morality, and transformation (just to name a couple of themes) -- which, seeing i didn't know what to expect from this when i started reading it, was a nice surprise. (i also thought her note at the end justifying her decision to make Charles a librarian instead of a medical professional to be really cute, and i'm glad she decided this; i actually found all the discussion of library work and cataloging to be very interesting!!)
May 7, 2020
Inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, this is an extrapolation on the writer’s "Herbert West" stories. As the author notes, those stories were a rarity for Lovecraft, as it involved a protagonist who existed to do more than merely react to horrific sights. The author’s chosen to flesh out the unnamed narrator of the "Herbert West" stories, reimagining him as Miskatonic University Librarian Charles Milburn. The novel is lengthy, detailing the evolution of Milburn’s relationship with West, and the moral quandary the respectable Milburn finds himself facing. The characters feel accurate for their time period, and the author’s affection for the era and Lovecraft’s work is evident. Recommended for fans of Lovecraft, or anyone curious about life in the early 1900s.
May 7, 2020
This book is really about the friendship between two men, Charles Milburn, a senior clerk at the local university, and Dr. Herbert West, a brilliant surgeon, set in the 1910's.
This book reminded me of the Sherlock Holmes series with the use of the questioning servant narrator who helps carry out the practice of the brilliant logician while bringing out the mention of unconventional and interesting tasks by posing the right questions. Also the time periods were not that dissimilar.
However the practices carried out by Dr. West were highly unethical and involved much tampering with corpses so in contrast to Sherlock Holmes, the esteemed assistant is found questioning his master's motives, ready to spurn him at various times. This allows for more conflict.
I did enjoy the expository heavy prose as a nice change (reversion to tradition?) from all the recently written breezy, first-person only narrative books that are standard today but curtail any background information. However, what kept me from enjoying this book is the lack of logic in the essential framework. Why is Dr. West so keen on reviving recent corpses? It sounded like very few experiments succeeded, and for those few that both succeeded and left the patient fully in control of his mind and soul, there was no reputation nor financial incentives for Dr. West.
I was kind of surprised that an opportunity for Dr. West to exploit the greed of warmongering nations (such as the Allies) passed without the essential recognition that just-killed soldiers could be resurrected as fighting zombies, back into war--the soldiers that could not die. Given the historical context and the pressing need to win the war, I scratched my head why Dr. West's discovery would not be leveraged to employ upon millions of casualties in the war for the Allies, for whom he worked.
That said, the book was very uneven and directionless. The first one-quarter was quite fast-paced an exciting as the two future friends get to know each other and Charles discovers the questionable surgical practices. After that, although that part alone is not a very long book, there wasn't much to go on. The war part was interesting but more like an alternate history read. Then comes many more crimes by Dr. West which largely go unpunished and even some side stories like Dr. West's hidden family secrets and the long-buried romance between Charles and a fellow librarian Alma go keeps popping up throughout the entire book although there was nothing for her to contribute.
And how did Dr. West's first victim take so long to torment his supposed saviour? Ten years had passed or so and this zombie-like fellow didn't really do anything but bide his time yet still is driven by his anguish.
In short, I find this book somewhat a mess. Bits and pieces of it were very intriguing, but there wasn't a coherent story. Even the bedrock of the book, the friendship between two men, seemed illogical. It makes me feel sorry for Charles because he must be so lonely and stuck at the only marketable job he could procure at the high salary he commanded at the time, so he wasn't able to move on in life or change towns. I say this because Dr. West was away for about four years in World War I, yet they resume their friendship for many more years, and these two men do endure many long estranged periods where they rarely spoke to each other. If cataloguing was the only highly paid job Charles could do, why didn't he move to a bigger city where there are many universities (the possibilities are there -- New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, etc etc). Even Alma was gone, even longer than Dr. West.
Maybe it's just a consequence of a bygone era where people stuck to their familiar lives instead of exploring around.
Thanks for the read, it was quite interesting in parts. Just had me scratching my head at times.
This book reminded me of the Sherlock Holmes series with the use of the questioning servant narrator who helps carry out the practice of the brilliant logician while bringing out the mention of unconventional and interesting tasks by posing the right questions. Also the time periods were not that dissimilar.
However the practices carried out by Dr. West were highly unethical and involved much tampering with corpses so in contrast to Sherlock Holmes, the esteemed assistant is found questioning his master's motives, ready to spurn him at various times. This allows for more conflict.
I did enjoy the expository heavy prose as a nice change (reversion to tradition?) from all the recently written breezy, first-person only narrative books that are standard today but curtail any background information. However, what kept me from enjoying this book is the lack of logic in the essential framework. Why is Dr. West so keen on reviving recent corpses? It sounded like very few experiments succeeded, and for those few that both succeeded and left the patient fully in control of his mind and soul, there was no reputation nor financial incentives for Dr. West.
I was kind of surprised that an opportunity for Dr. West to exploit the greed of warmongering nations (such as the Allies) passed without the essential recognition that just-killed soldiers could be resurrected as fighting zombies, back into war--the soldiers that could not die. Given the historical context and the pressing need to win the war, I scratched my head why Dr. West's discovery would not be leveraged to employ upon millions of casualties in the war for the Allies, for whom he worked.
That said, the book was very uneven and directionless. The first one-quarter was quite fast-paced an exciting as the two future friends get to know each other and Charles discovers the questionable surgical practices. After that, although that part alone is not a very long book, there wasn't much to go on. The war part was interesting but more like an alternate history read. Then comes many more crimes by Dr. West which largely go unpunished and even some side stories like Dr. West's hidden family secrets and the long-buried romance between Charles and a fellow librarian Alma go keeps popping up throughout the entire book although there was nothing for her to contribute.
And how did Dr. West's first victim take so long to torment his supposed saviour? Ten years had passed or so and this zombie-like fellow didn't really do anything but bide his time yet still is driven by his anguish.
In short, I find this book somewhat a mess. Bits and pieces of it were very intriguing, but there wasn't a coherent story. Even the bedrock of the book, the friendship between two men, seemed illogical. It makes me feel sorry for Charles because he must be so lonely and stuck at the only marketable job he could procure at the high salary he commanded at the time, so he wasn't able to move on in life or change towns. I say this because Dr. West was away for about four years in World War I, yet they resume their friendship for many more years, and these two men do endure many long estranged periods where they rarely spoke to each other. If cataloguing was the only highly paid job Charles could do, why didn't he move to a bigger city where there are many universities (the possibilities are there -- New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, etc etc). Even Alma was gone, even longer than Dr. West.
Maybe it's just a consequence of a bygone era where people stuck to their familiar lives instead of exploring around.
Thanks for the read, it was quite interesting in parts. Just had me scratching my head at times.
June 18, 2023
Lovecraftian retellings are not usually the kind of books I’d reach for, but I was intrigued by the premise of this and interested to see what Driscoll had made of source material (whether it would be more readable for me, who really struggles with Lovecraft’s writing style). The result of this experiment, however? Well, I enjoyed a book, but also confirmed that I’m very happy to not read anything further from this particular author.
If you know Lovecraft, The Friendship of Mortals is a retelling of Lovecraft’s Herbert West – Reanimator. It focuses on creating a back story for West and his narrator, diving more deeply into their relationship and the beginnings of West’s “revivification” experiments.
If you don't know Lovecraft at all:
Charles Milburn is an quiet, dependable card-cataloguer for the classics section at the Miskatonic University Library. His greatest joy is spinning together the ever-growing web of information, helping his colleagues to find the precise reference they might need for their research. He’s a man who curates history, never adding to it or taking part in it. That is until he’s tasked with looking after the infamous Necronomicon, vetting its visitors and making sure it’s kept safely under lock and key. When the charismatic Herbert West, then a first-year med student, applies to see the text, Milburn senses that the man has less than pure motives. But the cogs in the universe’s great machine are already turning, and what starts as a poor professional choice, will send Milburn spiralling down into the gloomy depths of West’s inner world.
Right, now we’re all on the same page, and know roughly what this book is about, let’s talk about why I enjoyed it. Primarily, most of what I liked about this book is connected to the characterisation of Herbert West himself. I am, unfortunately, a bit of a sucker for a charismatic megalomaniac, and that is basically the West that Driscoll presents us with here. I loved getting to peek at the logic driving him forward: the unflinching belief that his methods were beyond reproach, that his aims were both achievable and necessary to the betterment of humankind, and his immense sense of self were all fascinating to me. And quite often delivered with a dash of the darkest sense of humour. West regularly had me chuckling, both with him and at the irony of his words.
I would also say that Driscoll is pretty dam good at creating tension, with the revivification scenes setting me on edge, every time. As a person who’s easily triggered by gore, I thought I’d reach a point where I would have to start skipping over the discussions of the procedures and all the ins and outs of what went where, but Driscoll kept my brain engaged enough by whatever else was going on (possible murders, personal discoveries, etc.) that I barely paused on the corpsiness of it all.
All that said and done, however, there were a few issues that I just can’t put to one side with this one, the tamest being the pacing. As with a lot of Lovecraftian style fiction, there were large sections which droned on about landscaping, or the ins and outs of university life, that seemed to bear no real relevance to the actual story (other than potentially giving the reader a breath before the next bit of gore). Because I’ve found this quite common in this genre, I was, to a certain degree, willing to forgive this, until it came to the end of the novel.
There was a great deal of effort and not-so-subtle foreshadowing that lead up to the climax of The Friendship of Mortals, so I was really quite looking forward to seeing how it played out. I cannot tell you how disappointing it was to realise that the pay off from the whole plotline of this book appears to have been rudely shunted into the second novel in the series, which leaves The Friendship of Mortals to meander to a slow flop that hazes over about twenty years of Milburn’s life. It somehow managed to hit that most bitter sweet spot of feeling like a complete story and being somewhat “meh” at the same time, leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
And this bad taste only got worse when I was made aware that the bigoted moments in this book, which I had previously assumed were poorly chosen details from Lovecraft’s well-known brand of grossness, were in fact additions made by the author to flesh out the characters. Things from here might get a little spoilery, so feel free to skip the next paragraph if you don’t want anything given away.
So yes, this book has me conflicted. I enjoyed the reading experience up until the anti-climax, but I don’t know that I would have felt the same had I known how many of the questionable bits of representation were things the author had dreamt up herself.
If you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror, I’ll honestly have to leave it to you to decide whether you fancy dipping your toe into this series. It’s worth noting that there is some vaguely queer representation in this version, but I can’t say it paid off particularly well in this book (it may perhaps get better later in the series, or may turn into “demonising your gays”, who knows). And if you’re interested in trying something Lovecraftian for the first time? … I guess this is at least a somewhat readable version of a Lovecraftian tale? But read critically, ffrinds.
If you know Lovecraft, The Friendship of Mortals is a retelling of Lovecraft’s Herbert West – Reanimator. It focuses on creating a back story for West and his narrator, diving more deeply into their relationship and the beginnings of West’s “revivification” experiments.
If you don't know Lovecraft at all:
Charles Milburn is an quiet, dependable card-cataloguer for the classics section at the Miskatonic University Library. His greatest joy is spinning together the ever-growing web of information, helping his colleagues to find the precise reference they might need for their research. He’s a man who curates history, never adding to it or taking part in it. That is until he’s tasked with looking after the infamous Necronomicon, vetting its visitors and making sure it’s kept safely under lock and key. When the charismatic Herbert West, then a first-year med student, applies to see the text, Milburn senses that the man has less than pure motives. But the cogs in the universe’s great machine are already turning, and what starts as a poor professional choice, will send Milburn spiralling down into the gloomy depths of West’s inner world.
Right, now we’re all on the same page, and know roughly what this book is about, let’s talk about why I enjoyed it. Primarily, most of what I liked about this book is connected to the characterisation of Herbert West himself. I am, unfortunately, a bit of a sucker for a charismatic megalomaniac, and that is basically the West that Driscoll presents us with here. I loved getting to peek at the logic driving him forward: the unflinching belief that his methods were beyond reproach, that his aims were both achievable and necessary to the betterment of humankind, and his immense sense of self were all fascinating to me. And quite often delivered with a dash of the darkest sense of humour. West regularly had me chuckling, both with him and at the irony of his words.
I would also say that Driscoll is pretty dam good at creating tension, with the revivification scenes setting me on edge, every time. As a person who’s easily triggered by gore, I thought I’d reach a point where I would have to start skipping over the discussions of the procedures and all the ins and outs of what went where, but Driscoll kept my brain engaged enough by whatever else was going on (possible murders, personal discoveries, etc.) that I barely paused on the corpsiness of it all.
All that said and done, however, there were a few issues that I just can’t put to one side with this one, the tamest being the pacing. As with a lot of Lovecraftian style fiction, there were large sections which droned on about landscaping, or the ins and outs of university life, that seemed to bear no real relevance to the actual story (other than potentially giving the reader a breath before the next bit of gore). Because I’ve found this quite common in this genre, I was, to a certain degree, willing to forgive this, until it came to the end of the novel.
There was a great deal of effort and not-so-subtle foreshadowing that lead up to the climax of The Friendship of Mortals, so I was really quite looking forward to seeing how it played out. I cannot tell you how disappointing it was to realise that the pay off from the whole plotline of this book appears to have been rudely shunted into the second novel in the series, which leaves The Friendship of Mortals to meander to a slow flop that hazes over about twenty years of Milburn’s life. It somehow managed to hit that most bitter sweet spot of feeling like a complete story and being somewhat “meh” at the same time, leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
And this bad taste only got worse when I was made aware that the bigoted moments in this book, which I had previously assumed were poorly chosen details from Lovecraft’s well-known brand of grossness, were in fact additions made by the author to flesh out the characters. Things from here might get a little spoilery, so feel free to skip the next paragraph if you don’t want anything given away.
So yes, this book has me conflicted. I enjoyed the reading experience up until the anti-climax, but I don’t know that I would have felt the same had I known how many of the questionable bits of representation were things the author had dreamt up herself.
If you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror, I’ll honestly have to leave it to you to decide whether you fancy dipping your toe into this series. It’s worth noting that there is some vaguely queer representation in this version, but I can’t say it paid off particularly well in this book (it may perhaps get better later in the series, or may turn into “demonising your gays”, who knows). And if you’re interested in trying something Lovecraftian for the first time? … I guess this is at least a somewhat readable version of a Lovecraftian tale? But read critically, ffrinds.
July 20, 2024
A chance meeting between a medical student and a librarian starts a chain of events in motion that neither would be able to stop even if they wanted to. Young Hebert West is a reimagined (recrafted?) HP Lovecraft character, the Necromancer. Charles Millburn is the young librarian tasked with authorizing who is given privileges to read and peruse the rare book collection, namely the Necronomicon, a 17th century Latin translation of the original 7th century Arabic text about death and mysticism. They look over the text together as Charles can read Latin and a collaboration is forged. The beautiful and charming Hebert West convinces Charles to be his assistant in breathing the life force back into the dead. I really enjoyed this book and the author's writing style. Both intrigued me and reminded me of one of my favorite stories, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Set in 1910, Arkham Mass., West's scientific idea's are ahead of their time but it was interesting to read about the medical, feminism, homosexuality and librarianship ideas of the day. Highly recommended for fans of gothic horror.
April 29, 2023
I think this is a book that could be enjoyed by the right person, I was just not the right person.
The big issue for me is that I did not care about West all that much. Or Charles, for that matter. With little connection to the main characters, this book felt much longer than it was and I must confess I skim-read the second half. This was a book where I was just invested enough to want to see were it went/ how it ended, but was mostly just relieved when it ended.
Perhaps the fact that I am not a Lovecraft reader also played a part. I know little about him or his work except some of the more controversial aspects. (I read this as part of a group read and probably wouldn't have picked it out for myself.) Without having read the original I can't speak to how it compares, but there were a few scenes that made me think this re-telling would perhaps have benefitted from straying further from its original creator.
All in all, just not for me, unfortunately.
The big issue for me is that I did not care about West all that much. Or Charles, for that matter. With little connection to the main characters, this book felt much longer than it was and I must confess I skim-read the second half. This was a book where I was just invested enough to want to see were it went/ how it ended, but was mostly just relieved when it ended.
Perhaps the fact that I am not a Lovecraft reader also played a part. I know little about him or his work except some of the more controversial aspects. (I read this as part of a group read and probably wouldn't have picked it out for myself.) Without having read the original I can't speak to how it compares, but there were a few scenes that made me think this re-telling would perhaps have benefitted from straying further from its original creator.
All in all, just not for me, unfortunately.
December 11, 2022
When I first read a sample from this book on a hot summer day, the writing style reminded me somewhat of Edgar Allen Poe. I was in the middle of several other books, so I added it to my reading queue with a mental note to save it for the fall. I’m sure I read descriptions and reviews of it when I first came across it, but when I picked it up months later, I’d pretty much forgotten everything about it.
I slid easily into the story, adapting myself to the pacing and conversation style of the 1910s. It still reminded me a little of Poe’s writing, so I was prepared for some literary despair and dread, beautifully phrased. The Friendship of Mortals supplied this, along with an interesting glimpse into the world of university library staff and the struggle of young professional women of that era for autonomy and suffrage. I loved learning about library cataloguers and wondered whether the demand for them has increased or diminished these days.
As I read further, still very engrossed, I felt that there was something about this book that I should keep in mind, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. It added to the increasing dread as I began to suspect what one main character was up to and if the other could stop him from going too far. It was only when I was describing it over lunch one day that things became clear. I was asked by a surprised family member, “Are you reading Lovecraft? You have to be if it’s set in in Arkham. Arkham and Miskatonic University are in Lovecraft Country.”
I wasn’t reading H.P. Lovecraft and the closest I’ve ever gotten to his country was Matt Ruff’s book of that title and the series based upon it. But that reminded me of what I’d forgotten from the reviews I’d read months before: it's a retelling of Lovecraft's Herbert West—Reanimator. I realized that the lives of the library staff and university faculty were about to get freaky. But it was Halloween season so I simply warned the characters and kept reading.
I have to caution those who are looking for shocking amounts of blood and gore to go elsewhere for them. What horror there is in this retelling of the Herbert West series has humans at the source of it. I understand (through the magic of Wikipedia) that Lovecraft wrote the original as a parody of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein and that it was not considered one of his better works (even by him). But my Lovecraft ignorance aside, I thought author Audrey Driscoll's exploration of it was very good. It managed to stay fairly faithful to the original plot line (as far as I can tell, again from Wikipedia) and manages to do so while adding depth, context, and development of characters like the narrator, who Lovecraft never names or provides much understanding for. Driscoll respectfully lets him introduce himself as Charles Milburn, and makes him a conflicted, relatable person and not a narrative device or sycophant for Herbert West. (I did want to shake him a few times, but understood that there were plot points that had to be followed.)
Driscoll also does an excellent job in developing Herbert West into a complex person and showing various perspectives for his actions. He is still single-minded, narcissistic, and duplicitous in her telling of the story, but he is also thoughtful to his housekeeper and takes good care of his (non-dying) patients. You certainly wouldn’t want to have a near death experience around him or let him anywhere close to the body of a deceased loved one. (And anyone who’s read anything about the history of the medical profession through the 18th – 20th centuries might have the same unease about what others have done to advance knowledge or develop techniques for what they perceived was the ultimate good.) I could never completely trust or hate West, and often did both in the space of a few sentences.
I particularly appreciated the character of Alma Halsey and sincerely hope that she has a bigger role in subsequent books in the series.
All in all, it was a good read for me. I understand that some reviewers found it long or slow in some places, but I thought the pacing neatly matched the spirit of the time setting. While this could still be considered a zombie story since it technically has a few in it, it’s more along the lines of The Monkey's Paw. Like the latter, it’s ultimately about the dread of death, and the sometimes unexpected consequences of trying to control fate to undo the pain of loss.
I slid easily into the story, adapting myself to the pacing and conversation style of the 1910s. It still reminded me a little of Poe’s writing, so I was prepared for some literary despair and dread, beautifully phrased. The Friendship of Mortals supplied this, along with an interesting glimpse into the world of university library staff and the struggle of young professional women of that era for autonomy and suffrage. I loved learning about library cataloguers and wondered whether the demand for them has increased or diminished these days.
As I read further, still very engrossed, I felt that there was something about this book that I should keep in mind, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. It added to the increasing dread as I began to suspect what one main character was up to and if the other could stop him from going too far. It was only when I was describing it over lunch one day that things became clear. I was asked by a surprised family member, “Are you reading Lovecraft? You have to be if it’s set in in Arkham. Arkham and Miskatonic University are in Lovecraft Country.”
I wasn’t reading H.P. Lovecraft and the closest I’ve ever gotten to his country was Matt Ruff’s book of that title and the series based upon it. But that reminded me of what I’d forgotten from the reviews I’d read months before: it's a retelling of Lovecraft's Herbert West—Reanimator. I realized that the lives of the library staff and university faculty were about to get freaky. But it was Halloween season so I simply warned the characters and kept reading.
I have to caution those who are looking for shocking amounts of blood and gore to go elsewhere for them. What horror there is in this retelling of the Herbert West series has humans at the source of it. I understand (through the magic of Wikipedia) that Lovecraft wrote the original as a parody of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein and that it was not considered one of his better works (even by him). But my Lovecraft ignorance aside, I thought author Audrey Driscoll's exploration of it was very good. It managed to stay fairly faithful to the original plot line (as far as I can tell, again from Wikipedia) and manages to do so while adding depth, context, and development of characters like the narrator, who Lovecraft never names or provides much understanding for. Driscoll respectfully lets him introduce himself as Charles Milburn, and makes him a conflicted, relatable person and not a narrative device or sycophant for Herbert West. (I did want to shake him a few times, but understood that there were plot points that had to be followed.)
Driscoll also does an excellent job in developing Herbert West into a complex person and showing various perspectives for his actions. He is still single-minded, narcissistic, and duplicitous in her telling of the story, but he is also thoughtful to his housekeeper and takes good care of his (non-dying) patients. You certainly wouldn’t want to have a near death experience around him or let him anywhere close to the body of a deceased loved one. (And anyone who’s read anything about the history of the medical profession through the 18th – 20th centuries might have the same unease about what others have done to advance knowledge or develop techniques for what they perceived was the ultimate good.) I could never completely trust or hate West, and often did both in the space of a few sentences.
I particularly appreciated the character of Alma Halsey and sincerely hope that she has a bigger role in subsequent books in the series.
All in all, it was a good read for me. I understand that some reviewers found it long or slow in some places, but I thought the pacing neatly matched the spirit of the time setting. While this could still be considered a zombie story since it technically has a few in it, it’s more along the lines of The Monkey's Paw. Like the latter, it’s ultimately about the dread of death, and the sometimes unexpected consequences of trying to control fate to undo the pain of loss.
September 11, 2015
Counterbalancing the hidden experiments and disdain for inconvenient laws of the mad scientist with a sympathetic search for solutions to human misery, Driscoll forces the reader to face the reasons for their horror: is visceral attachment to the flesh of the dead truly more important than improving lives? If there isn’t an afterlife, is resurrection ever too expensive?
This novel is the first in a series reimagining HP Lovecraft’s Herbert West — Reanimator, so – while every attempt is made to avoid spoilers – some comparisons might reveal or reduce surprises.
A temporary appointment as custodian of the Necronomicon brings Charles Milburn, a cataloguer at Miskatonic University, into contact with Herbert West, a medical student with progressive ideas about both the medical benefits of human dissection, and death itself. A brief association that grows into collaboration as West’s dark charisma draws Milburn deeper into the boundary between chemistry and mysticism.
While the story starts with the same premise, a naïve young man becoming assistant to a medical student bent on raising the dead using science, this is very clearly a revision rather than a retelling. Many of the same characters appear, but their fate is not always the same as the original; and as the book progresses West’s failures and successes, and their consequences, diverge more strongly from Lovecraft’s text.
Despite producing perhaps the most famous film adaption of Lovecraft, many mythos aficionados (and indeed Lovecraft himself) regard Herbert West — Reanimator as one of his least works. It is therefore easy to imagine Lovecraft approving of this reinvention, replacing as it does the pulp shocks of the original with a more psychological narrative filled with the sense of brooding otherness that he sought in his best works. So, as an improvement on the original, this novel is a clear success.
Whether it is an unmitigated success absent the comparison is a more complex question (Having read the original several times, I can make no claim to approach this book as a clean slate). In addition to her avowed aim of giving the characters of Herbert West — Reanimator depth of character and a proper back story, Driscoll has adopted the spirit of Lovecraft’s universe: a slow trickle of evidence that something might be wrong, provided to a narrator the reader knows isn’t reliable. This choice to avoid the objective answer could either resonate with readers who love the trope of one man glimpsing part of the truth, or drag on readers who prefer a narrative that moves towards a clearer picture of the truth.
As with many authors adding to the Mythos, Driscoll includes references to other stories. However, these are occasional and none rely on knowledge of the other story to gain their sense, so are more likely to give a brief frisson of recognition to Lovecraft aficionados than suggest an author displaying their own cleverness.
Milburn is a stronger character than Lovecraft’s unnamed narrator. Now a librarian with a background in the classics rather than a medical student, he possesses a solid background to both inform and contrast his actions. The constant presence of the happy normal life he could live by leaving West alone gives his choice to help real meaning.
Driscoll’s West is similarly stronger. Set within a real world with real problems, his tedious, almost one-dimensional, focus on reanimation becomes an extreme – yet in some way, understandable – desire to push back the boundaries of medicine. In addition to this more sympathetic portrayal of his studies, West both uses his knowledge to provide real benefits to the living and gives assistance freely to those who cannot afford it. In the place of the gurning madman of the original, Driscoll has created a character who wants to do good but is at odds with his society.
As fits her aim, the supporting cast are also rounded, complex individuals. Freed from the tight focus of the original, they are free to live lives beyond West. This freedom creates a set of intersecting groups, some with an opinion on both Milburn and West and some barely recognising one exists.
Overall, I loved this novel; it captures my favourite themes and ideas from the original while adding the depth the original lacked. I recommend it to both fans of the Mythos and those seeking a more cerebral horror.
This novel is the first in a series reimagining HP Lovecraft’s Herbert West — Reanimator, so – while every attempt is made to avoid spoilers – some comparisons might reveal or reduce surprises.
A temporary appointment as custodian of the Necronomicon brings Charles Milburn, a cataloguer at Miskatonic University, into contact with Herbert West, a medical student with progressive ideas about both the medical benefits of human dissection, and death itself. A brief association that grows into collaboration as West’s dark charisma draws Milburn deeper into the boundary between chemistry and mysticism.
While the story starts with the same premise, a naïve young man becoming assistant to a medical student bent on raising the dead using science, this is very clearly a revision rather than a retelling. Many of the same characters appear, but their fate is not always the same as the original; and as the book progresses West’s failures and successes, and their consequences, diverge more strongly from Lovecraft’s text.
Despite producing perhaps the most famous film adaption of Lovecraft, many mythos aficionados (and indeed Lovecraft himself) regard Herbert West — Reanimator as one of his least works. It is therefore easy to imagine Lovecraft approving of this reinvention, replacing as it does the pulp shocks of the original with a more psychological narrative filled with the sense of brooding otherness that he sought in his best works. So, as an improvement on the original, this novel is a clear success.
Whether it is an unmitigated success absent the comparison is a more complex question (Having read the original several times, I can make no claim to approach this book as a clean slate). In addition to her avowed aim of giving the characters of Herbert West — Reanimator depth of character and a proper back story, Driscoll has adopted the spirit of Lovecraft’s universe: a slow trickle of evidence that something might be wrong, provided to a narrator the reader knows isn’t reliable. This choice to avoid the objective answer could either resonate with readers who love the trope of one man glimpsing part of the truth, or drag on readers who prefer a narrative that moves towards a clearer picture of the truth.
As with many authors adding to the Mythos, Driscoll includes references to other stories. However, these are occasional and none rely on knowledge of the other story to gain their sense, so are more likely to give a brief frisson of recognition to Lovecraft aficionados than suggest an author displaying their own cleverness.
Milburn is a stronger character than Lovecraft’s unnamed narrator. Now a librarian with a background in the classics rather than a medical student, he possesses a solid background to both inform and contrast his actions. The constant presence of the happy normal life he could live by leaving West alone gives his choice to help real meaning.
Driscoll’s West is similarly stronger. Set within a real world with real problems, his tedious, almost one-dimensional, focus on reanimation becomes an extreme – yet in some way, understandable – desire to push back the boundaries of medicine. In addition to this more sympathetic portrayal of his studies, West both uses his knowledge to provide real benefits to the living and gives assistance freely to those who cannot afford it. In the place of the gurning madman of the original, Driscoll has created a character who wants to do good but is at odds with his society.
As fits her aim, the supporting cast are also rounded, complex individuals. Freed from the tight focus of the original, they are free to live lives beyond West. This freedom creates a set of intersecting groups, some with an opinion on both Milburn and West and some barely recognising one exists.
Overall, I loved this novel; it captures my favourite themes and ideas from the original while adding the depth the original lacked. I recommend it to both fans of the Mythos and those seeking a more cerebral horror.
March 22, 2020
I'm constantly looking for good indie books. Depressingly, I have found very few. But, this is one of them! This novel takes place in the early 1900's and the writing style very much reflects the era. The pace is calm and, for some, might seem plodding, but the characters are very well drawn, the ideas intriguing and the descriptions vivid. If you like the setting and the storyline, you should love this book. (Also, I thought, it was an extremely good value for the price.)
July 19, 2018
I've never read Lovecraft's work so this was all new to me. The concept of bringing people back from the dead is certainly an intriguing one. Lots of thought-provoking ideas in the novel. Though the pace was sometimes languid and the exposition lengthy, the clever storytelling and strong prose made for an enjoyable read.
October 4, 2016
Audrey Driscoll’s skillful and interesting writing in her novel The Friendship of Mortals quickly drew me in and kept me turning the pages.
A brilliant and charismatic doctor and his devoted assistant, and an ancient formula that can restore life to the dead, strikes a chord reminiscent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but Driscoll injects a unique and fresh take on this age-old fascination.
The year is 1910, and Charles Milburn, a mild-mannered librarian/cataloguer takes a job at Miskatonic University, a school with a jaded reputation, near Arkham, an ancient backwater town with a foreboding mystique. His family reputation tarnished by his father’s suicide, Milburn is seeking escape and purpose.
Herbert West is a brilliant but unconventional medical student constantly conflicting with the Miskatonic medical establishment. West’s charisma and charm have Milburn under his spell from their first meeting. An ancient alchemy text called the Necronomicon reveals the secret of revivification – bringing the dead back to life, and West loses no time commencing experiments.
Alma Halsey is a librarian at Miskatonic and the daughter of the dean of medicine. She’s a strong willed woman, determined to break out of the traditional role of women in the 1900’s. She and Milburn become friends and then lovers, but Alma’s strong dislike of West becomes a sore point.
With Milburn’s help, West ‘revivifies’ a series of corpses. Some live for only a short time, others survive without most of their faculties intact. West is strictly scientific, viewing his work in a detached, mechanical way. His only show of empathy comes at his estranged mother’s death – and attempted revivification.
Milburn repulsed and tormented by the outcomes of West’s experiments and his own role in them. Milburn ponders the spiritual dimension, questioning the propriety of interrupting the death process and whatever may lie beyond. Does West’s brilliance as a doctor give him licence to circumvent the usual bounds of morality? These issues dog Milburn, but he continues to help West.
West returns from the war and establishes his medical practice in Arkham. Having significantly advanced his surgical skills during the war, he is highly successful. West’s clinic includes a secret laboratory in the basement. He informs Milburn that his revivification experiments are complete – but he’s working on something that he won’t reveal.
West eventually conflicts with his medical colleagues in Arkham and is on the verge of ruin. He decides to stage his own death – He develops an elaborate plan, using his twin brother’s corpse to stand-in for his own, and convinces Milburn to revivify him after he’s been declared dead. Milburn tearfully watches West take his own life, and contemplates taking his own, but his devotion to West wins out. As West slowly revivifies from death, Milburn is distracted and leaves him. When he returns, West has disappeared.
Fifteen years pass. Milburn is still at Miskatonic. Alma, now a successful writer who never married, returns to Arkham and meets up with Milburn. The two reminisce about their relationship and what might have been. Near the end of their conversation, Alma hands Milburn a letter that she’s been asked to deliver. It’s a letter from West, living under a pseudonym. He asks for Milburn’s help once again.
The book ends, leaving the reader uncertain as to what Milburn will do about West. He has resolved to leave Arkham and the strange hold that place has on him. In addition, he resolves to finally tell Alma all of the truth about his involvement with West, but will he be drawn in again, or will he finally become his own man and break free? These and other unanswered questions are the subjects of ‘supplementals’ that Driscoll plans to release soon.
I highly recommend The Friendship of Mortals.
A brilliant and charismatic doctor and his devoted assistant, and an ancient formula that can restore life to the dead, strikes a chord reminiscent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but Driscoll injects a unique and fresh take on this age-old fascination.
The year is 1910, and Charles Milburn, a mild-mannered librarian/cataloguer takes a job at Miskatonic University, a school with a jaded reputation, near Arkham, an ancient backwater town with a foreboding mystique. His family reputation tarnished by his father’s suicide, Milburn is seeking escape and purpose.
Herbert West is a brilliant but unconventional medical student constantly conflicting with the Miskatonic medical establishment. West’s charisma and charm have Milburn under his spell from their first meeting. An ancient alchemy text called the Necronomicon reveals the secret of revivification – bringing the dead back to life, and West loses no time commencing experiments.
Alma Halsey is a librarian at Miskatonic and the daughter of the dean of medicine. She’s a strong willed woman, determined to break out of the traditional role of women in the 1900’s. She and Milburn become friends and then lovers, but Alma’s strong dislike of West becomes a sore point.
With Milburn’s help, West ‘revivifies’ a series of corpses. Some live for only a short time, others survive without most of their faculties intact. West is strictly scientific, viewing his work in a detached, mechanical way. His only show of empathy comes at his estranged mother’s death – and attempted revivification.
Milburn repulsed and tormented by the outcomes of West’s experiments and his own role in them. Milburn ponders the spiritual dimension, questioning the propriety of interrupting the death process and whatever may lie beyond. Does West’s brilliance as a doctor give him licence to circumvent the usual bounds of morality? These issues dog Milburn, but he continues to help West.
West returns from the war and establishes his medical practice in Arkham. Having significantly advanced his surgical skills during the war, he is highly successful. West’s clinic includes a secret laboratory in the basement. He informs Milburn that his revivification experiments are complete – but he’s working on something that he won’t reveal.
West eventually conflicts with his medical colleagues in Arkham and is on the verge of ruin. He decides to stage his own death – He develops an elaborate plan, using his twin brother’s corpse to stand-in for his own, and convinces Milburn to revivify him after he’s been declared dead. Milburn tearfully watches West take his own life, and contemplates taking his own, but his devotion to West wins out. As West slowly revivifies from death, Milburn is distracted and leaves him. When he returns, West has disappeared.
Fifteen years pass. Milburn is still at Miskatonic. Alma, now a successful writer who never married, returns to Arkham and meets up with Milburn. The two reminisce about their relationship and what might have been. Near the end of their conversation, Alma hands Milburn a letter that she’s been asked to deliver. It’s a letter from West, living under a pseudonym. He asks for Milburn’s help once again.
The book ends, leaving the reader uncertain as to what Milburn will do about West. He has resolved to leave Arkham and the strange hold that place has on him. In addition, he resolves to finally tell Alma all of the truth about his involvement with West, but will he be drawn in again, or will he finally become his own man and break free? These and other unanswered questions are the subjects of ‘supplementals’ that Driscoll plans to release soon.
I highly recommend The Friendship of Mortals.
June 2, 2019
It took a while to get into this book as I found the first half a bit slow, however the second half really drew me in and in the end I found it both enjoyable and fascinating in a slightly morbid way. Well portrayed complex characters and their struggles with their lives and society in a long gone era were a plus.
June 23, 2024
Charles Milburn leads an uneventful life as a librarian at Miskatonic University in Arkham. When a colleague goes on holiday, Charles is asked to temporarily control access to the Necronomicon, a mysterious book held in a locked vault. This task leads him to an encounter with Herbert West, a medical student with a dubious reputation. A magnetic energy forms between them—it’s uncertain whether it’s from reading the Necronomicon together or from Herbert’s electric personality. The two men form a friendship, with Charles becoming Herbert’s assistant in some ghoulish experiments.
The first part of the book primarily focuses on their experiments. While engaging, the gruesome and gory nature of their work is stomach-churning, while the ethical side made for an uncomfortable read. In the second part of the book, Herbert, and Alma, Charles’ girlfriend, are in Europe during WWI. This section is more comfortable to read, and the letters Charles receives are particularly entertaining. In the third part, Herbert returns, and we learn more about his past and future before the book’s exciting conclusion. Although the supernatural elements at the end felt a little misplaced, I thought the conclusion was clever.
The story is well-written and engaging, with well-drawn characters. However, I didn't particularly like them —Herbert for obvious reasons, and Charles for standing by him. Alma was the most likable character, but she wasn’t featured very much. Despite this, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to them, and the relationships between them were fascinating. There is one instance of extremely offensive language which I thought was unnecessary to the plot; it was jarring and unpleasant to read. There are also many mature themes as well as upsetting scenes.
This book is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, and while I haven’t read his works, I’m sure fans of his will enjoy this read, as well as fans of historical fiction and suspense. It’s a substantial book that I definitely recommend to the right audience.
The first part of the book primarily focuses on their experiments. While engaging, the gruesome and gory nature of their work is stomach-churning, while the ethical side made for an uncomfortable read. In the second part of the book, Herbert, and Alma, Charles’ girlfriend, are in Europe during WWI. This section is more comfortable to read, and the letters Charles receives are particularly entertaining. In the third part, Herbert returns, and we learn more about his past and future before the book’s exciting conclusion. Although the supernatural elements at the end felt a little misplaced, I thought the conclusion was clever.
The story is well-written and engaging, with well-drawn characters. However, I didn't particularly like them —Herbert for obvious reasons, and Charles for standing by him. Alma was the most likable character, but she wasn’t featured very much. Despite this, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to them, and the relationships between them were fascinating. There is one instance of extremely offensive language which I thought was unnecessary to the plot; it was jarring and unpleasant to read. There are also many mature themes as well as upsetting scenes.
This book is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, and while I haven’t read his works, I’m sure fans of his will enjoy this read, as well as fans of historical fiction and suspense. It’s a substantial book that I definitely recommend to the right audience.
September 25, 2018
H.P. Lovecraft-esque
Wordy but good. I thought I'd never get through it, but it was worth it...even though it sets you up with a cliffhanger at the end!
Wordy but good. I thought I'd never get through it, but it was worth it...even though it sets you up with a cliffhanger at the end!
March 30, 2014
The main character, Charlie, tells the story first person past tense. After getting a job as a library cataloger in 1910, he meets Herbert West, a young medical student who has great dreams of scientific discovery. His main interest is to develop a method of bringing the dead back to life – revivification. He elicits Charlie’s help in supplying bodies for his experiments. They begin with grave robbing then morgue robbing. Charlie also has reason to believe that Herbert is not above murder to get the needed experimental subjects. They have many failures, but there are also successful revivifications, which are only marginal – creating seriously mentally, flawed and/or very short lived subjects.
Meanwhile, Charlie develops a relationship with the free-thinking Alma, who is the daughter of the dean of the medical school Herbert is attending. Alma’s father doesn’t like Herbert, and therefore Alma doesn’t like him either. The cloud of Charlie’s commitment to Herbert casts a shadow over their relationship.
The story moves very slowly. It certainly wouldn’t work for a mystery/thriller, but works very well for this book. It is similar to the "Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. In the book, the reader sees Herbert gradually exposing the depth of his depraved commitment to his science through Charlie’s eyes. At the same time, Charlie, himself follows Herbert, if not by his actions, by his acceptance of the things Herbert does.
Ultimately, Charlie has to revivify Herbert. This is not a spoiler, as Driscoll reveals early in the story that this will happen. The reader does have to read to find the how, the why, and the result. It is an excellent book; I will probably read the sequels when I am ready to get that invested in a book again.
Meanwhile, Charlie develops a relationship with the free-thinking Alma, who is the daughter of the dean of the medical school Herbert is attending. Alma’s father doesn’t like Herbert, and therefore Alma doesn’t like him either. The cloud of Charlie’s commitment to Herbert casts a shadow over their relationship.
The story moves very slowly. It certainly wouldn’t work for a mystery/thriller, but works very well for this book. It is similar to the "Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. In the book, the reader sees Herbert gradually exposing the depth of his depraved commitment to his science through Charlie’s eyes. At the same time, Charlie, himself follows Herbert, if not by his actions, by his acceptance of the things Herbert does.
Ultimately, Charlie has to revivify Herbert. This is not a spoiler, as Driscoll reveals early in the story that this will happen. The reader does have to read to find the how, the why, and the result. It is an excellent book; I will probably read the sequels when I am ready to get that invested in a book again.
January 17, 2015
This was one of the most fascinating and thought-provoking stories I have ever read. It’s told from the perspective of mild-mannered archivist Charles Millburn, but the real story revolves around the incredibly fascinating, mysterious Herbert West and his necromantic attempts. I absolutely loved this setup – Herbert West’s story became so much more intriguing when viewed through the eyes of another. This is definitely what the author intended when she wrote this gorgeous piece of literature, and I feel she pulled it off beautifully.
Herbert West alarmed, enchanted, and terrified me all at once. He is ruthless in his ambitions, confident that he will not be discovered, and willing to do whatever it takes to get his way. He should have been the villain of the piece but, perhaps because the story is told through his loyal follower Charles Millburn, I was instead sympathetic for him, and wanted him to succeed despite the fact that what he was doing was morally questionable at best.
The only complaint I can really make is that I felt the story dragged in places. The first half of the story was absolutely gripping, but once the characters separate and go their own ways for a bit, I wasn’t quite as enthralled – although once they get back together, the story picks up pace again.
Overall, a gripping and fascinating insight into a brilliant and disturbed mind (Herbert West, not the author!). I would definitely recommend this to any fan of H.P. Lovecraft, fans of sci-fi/fantasy, and anyone who just enjoys excellently written literature.
Herbert West alarmed, enchanted, and terrified me all at once. He is ruthless in his ambitions, confident that he will not be discovered, and willing to do whatever it takes to get his way. He should have been the villain of the piece but, perhaps because the story is told through his loyal follower Charles Millburn, I was instead sympathetic for him, and wanted him to succeed despite the fact that what he was doing was morally questionable at best.
The only complaint I can really make is that I felt the story dragged in places. The first half of the story was absolutely gripping, but once the characters separate and go their own ways for a bit, I wasn’t quite as enthralled – although once they get back together, the story picks up pace again.
Overall, a gripping and fascinating insight into a brilliant and disturbed mind (Herbert West, not the author!). I would definitely recommend this to any fan of H.P. Lovecraft, fans of sci-fi/fantasy, and anyone who just enjoys excellently written literature.
April 19, 2023
Hey, My Little Pony was right: friendship is magic!
Unfortunately, in this case, that magic is necromancy.
The Friendship of Mortals is, I think, an expanded retelling of H.P. Lovecraft's Herbert West: Re-Animator, which I've not read. I looked it up to find out a little bit about it, and I certainly recognise a lot of it here, but this is certainly an attempt to bring a lot more depth to West, Milburn (the unnamed narrator, as H.P.L. had him), and everything else. The Herbert West story isn't part of Lovecraft's best-known work, the Cthulhu Mythos, so don't expect cosmic horror and unknowable galactic entities or anything; nope, this is a more mundane tale (comparatively speaking; it's still pretty weird).
Without having read the original, it's hard to know how much reimagining has gone into this, but I don't know that that's strictly relevant to the reading experience. We've got to judge this book on what it is in itself; for some people, the context of the tale from which it was born might affect or augment their reading, but the thing has to stand alone. And it does - at no point did I feel that I couldn't understand FoM because of a lack of familiarity with its inspiration. (I did, however, clock a few sly references to other Lovecraft texts in character names and so on - there's even a Phillip Howard, an obvious nod to H.P. himself.)
I thought the relationship between the central characters was largely well done; Milburn is almost preternaturally affected by West in ways he can't fully explain, and I'm kind of into that. I don't think it's a weakness of the story that Milburn often ends up doing things for West that he knows he would probably be better off not doing; it's an integral part of who they are, and I think it works. Milburn's relationship with Alma, though less of a muchness, makes for a useful contrast: it shows us what he could have, the normal, happy life with the really rather wonderful woman, if not for West's influence.
Those familiar with H.P.L.'s distinctive style may be relieved to hear that while FoM does adopt a fairly stylised voice for its prose, there's not a Cyclopean monolith in sight. It's appropriately capital-G Gothic and capital-W Weird, and generally feels reflective of the time period. Driscoll can construct an effective but elegant sentence.
That said, there are a few points on which FoM falls down a bit for me. It may not for you, of course!
Perhaps the biggest one is my very simple emotional reaction to most of it, which was something along the lines of 'I want this book to be over more quickly, please'. I found it engaging enough at first, and continued to find moments of interest as it progressed, but it felt like a much longer book than it actually is. In the scheme of things it's of sort of middling length, really, but from around 40% onwards my main thought was that I was pretty much just trying to get through it so it would be done. I think that's probably indicative of the pacing not really working for me; it comes in three or four time-bound episodes, and I almost wonder whether this first book of the series ought to have ended after the first of its periods. Things are quite slow for quite a lot of the book's length, and I think I'm a less patient reader than I used to be!
There's also - and this is where it really does get pretty subjective, even borderline unfair, to be honest - the matter of Lovecraft's unfortunate bigoted views. I enjoy a lot of works inspired by Lovecraft's work, or even explicitly set within his universe, and what I really love about a good Lovecraft reimagining is that it has the opportunity to stick a giant middle finger up to the man himself. A lot of modern Lovecraftian works do this to great effect, openly and merrily condemning racist views or flaunting a diverse cast. I said before that you have to judge a book for what it is, not what it isn't, and I still think that's true, but I would have loved FoM to take more of a stance against bigotry. I almost wondered, even, whether it had implicitly inherited some of Lovecraft's views; there's an infamous scene in the original Herbert West: Re-Animator featuring the most racist description you can possibly imagine of a Black man. FoM keeps the scene; it doesn't repeat the explicit racism (well, I'm pretty sure a character uses the N-word - I'll let you make your own conclusions about whether that's acceptable at all - but let's say that while a character is explicitly racist, the narration isn't), but neither does it alter the function or role of the Black character. Plus there's a thread of unsavouriness, to my eye at least, surrounding a theme of inherited traits; West and Charles both worry about inheriting their parents' mental illness, and I don't think this idea is given enough consideration to be a sensitive portrayal.
Of course, to that entire last paragraph, there's the argument that views a modern reader might find unsavoury would be true to the characters of the time. To that I say: well, sure, but that doesn't mean a story has to include them. That's still a choice.
FoM does introduce a queer element, although I'm not actually sure it works particularly well here. To me, Milburn and West's relationship works better as the one-sided obsession, almost reverence, that's presented for most of the story than as a love story. I mean, it's not really a love story anyway - at best, it's a tragic infatuation, and that does at least work better than if the story changed tack and started angling for a happily-ever-after.
All that said, I did finish Friendship of Mortals, and I think it concluded reasonably strongly. I think it covered so much time that I can't help but be impressed that there's still enough story left for there to be multiple additional books in the series. Unfortunately, I don't feel any desire to read them; I didn't hate the experience of reading this book, but I didn't enjoy it enough to want more of it. If you're a fan of slower pacing, occult horror, and creepy but understated prose, you may well enjoy The Friendship of Mortals.
Unfortunately, in this case, that magic is necromancy.
The Friendship of Mortals is, I think, an expanded retelling of H.P. Lovecraft's Herbert West: Re-Animator, which I've not read. I looked it up to find out a little bit about it, and I certainly recognise a lot of it here, but this is certainly an attempt to bring a lot more depth to West, Milburn (the unnamed narrator, as H.P.L. had him), and everything else. The Herbert West story isn't part of Lovecraft's best-known work, the Cthulhu Mythos, so don't expect cosmic horror and unknowable galactic entities or anything; nope, this is a more mundane tale (comparatively speaking; it's still pretty weird).
Without having read the original, it's hard to know how much reimagining has gone into this, but I don't know that that's strictly relevant to the reading experience. We've got to judge this book on what it is in itself; for some people, the context of the tale from which it was born might affect or augment their reading, but the thing has to stand alone. And it does - at no point did I feel that I couldn't understand FoM because of a lack of familiarity with its inspiration. (I did, however, clock a few sly references to other Lovecraft texts in character names and so on - there's even a Phillip Howard, an obvious nod to H.P. himself.)
I thought the relationship between the central characters was largely well done; Milburn is almost preternaturally affected by West in ways he can't fully explain, and I'm kind of into that. I don't think it's a weakness of the story that Milburn often ends up doing things for West that he knows he would probably be better off not doing; it's an integral part of who they are, and I think it works. Milburn's relationship with Alma, though less of a muchness, makes for a useful contrast: it shows us what he could have, the normal, happy life with the really rather wonderful woman, if not for West's influence.
Those familiar with H.P.L.'s distinctive style may be relieved to hear that while FoM does adopt a fairly stylised voice for its prose, there's not a Cyclopean monolith in sight. It's appropriately capital-G Gothic and capital-W Weird, and generally feels reflective of the time period. Driscoll can construct an effective but elegant sentence.
That said, there are a few points on which FoM falls down a bit for me. It may not for you, of course!
Perhaps the biggest one is my very simple emotional reaction to most of it, which was something along the lines of 'I want this book to be over more quickly, please'. I found it engaging enough at first, and continued to find moments of interest as it progressed, but it felt like a much longer book than it actually is. In the scheme of things it's of sort of middling length, really, but from around 40% onwards my main thought was that I was pretty much just trying to get through it so it would be done. I think that's probably indicative of the pacing not really working for me; it comes in three or four time-bound episodes, and I almost wonder whether this first book of the series ought to have ended after the first of its periods. Things are quite slow for quite a lot of the book's length, and I think I'm a less patient reader than I used to be!
There's also - and this is where it really does get pretty subjective, even borderline unfair, to be honest - the matter of Lovecraft's unfortunate bigoted views. I enjoy a lot of works inspired by Lovecraft's work, or even explicitly set within his universe, and what I really love about a good Lovecraft reimagining is that it has the opportunity to stick a giant middle finger up to the man himself. A lot of modern Lovecraftian works do this to great effect, openly and merrily condemning racist views or flaunting a diverse cast. I said before that you have to judge a book for what it is, not what it isn't, and I still think that's true, but I would have loved FoM to take more of a stance against bigotry. I almost wondered, even, whether it had implicitly inherited some of Lovecraft's views; there's an infamous scene in the original Herbert West: Re-Animator featuring the most racist description you can possibly imagine of a Black man. FoM keeps the scene; it doesn't repeat the explicit racism (well, I'm pretty sure a character uses the N-word - I'll let you make your own conclusions about whether that's acceptable at all - but let's say that while a character is explicitly racist, the narration isn't), but neither does it alter the function or role of the Black character. Plus there's a thread of unsavouriness, to my eye at least, surrounding a theme of inherited traits; West and Charles both worry about inheriting their parents' mental illness, and I don't think this idea is given enough consideration to be a sensitive portrayal.
Of course, to that entire last paragraph, there's the argument that views a modern reader might find unsavoury would be true to the characters of the time. To that I say: well, sure, but that doesn't mean a story has to include them. That's still a choice.
FoM does introduce a queer element, although I'm not actually sure it works particularly well here. To me, Milburn and West's relationship works better as the one-sided obsession, almost reverence, that's presented for most of the story than as a love story. I mean, it's not really a love story anyway - at best, it's a tragic infatuation, and that does at least work better than if the story changed tack and started angling for a happily-ever-after.
All that said, I did finish Friendship of Mortals, and I think it concluded reasonably strongly. I think it covered so much time that I can't help but be impressed that there's still enough story left for there to be multiple additional books in the series. Unfortunately, I don't feel any desire to read them; I didn't hate the experience of reading this book, but I didn't enjoy it enough to want more of it. If you're a fan of slower pacing, occult horror, and creepy but understated prose, you may well enjoy The Friendship of Mortals.
November 4, 2017
This is an interesting and well written book. It is long, but did keep my interest throughout.
June 21, 2018
Excellent book.
Great characters. Wonderful storyline. Description of events, era and people keep the reader engaged to the end. Would highly recommend this book to my friends.
Great characters. Wonderful storyline. Description of events, era and people keep the reader engaged to the end. Would highly recommend this book to my friends.
August 30, 2018
With apologies to fans of this story, I just cannot force myself to continue any longer. As much as I LOVE Lovecraft's work, and understanding that this book is the story of Herbert West, Reanimator, I thought I would have been salivating for the entire read.
Instead, I have found myself bored to tears for three nights. Literally. I'm yawning and tearing up at the same time.
Why? I ask myself? The book itself is written quite well, and author Driscoll knows her stuff. But there's something quite fundamental missing for me. At 22% into the book, I'm still looking for that certain tension that comes with reading a Lovecraftian tale. I can't seem to find it here. Maybe it's because the story is told from the first person perspective of Miskatonic University librarian Charles Milburn - as dry as his personality is, so is the writing. I've been unable to connect to any of the characters, and I cannot for the life of me fathom why Charles would pony up with Herbert West so quickly, and risk his entire career. I don't understand the reasoning at all. The characters seem flat to me, the story driven by endless dialogue. As much as I would love to continue this book, I just cannot do so any longer. DNF at 22%.
Instead, I have found myself bored to tears for three nights. Literally. I'm yawning and tearing up at the same time.
Why? I ask myself? The book itself is written quite well, and author Driscoll knows her stuff. But there's something quite fundamental missing for me. At 22% into the book, I'm still looking for that certain tension that comes with reading a Lovecraftian tale. I can't seem to find it here. Maybe it's because the story is told from the first person perspective of Miskatonic University librarian Charles Milburn - as dry as his personality is, so is the writing. I've been unable to connect to any of the characters, and I cannot for the life of me fathom why Charles would pony up with Herbert West so quickly, and risk his entire career. I don't understand the reasoning at all. The characters seem flat to me, the story driven by endless dialogue. As much as I would love to continue this book, I just cannot do so any longer. DNF at 22%.
July 9, 2024
I usually read a book in a day, sometimes a few if I'm busy. This book took me weeks, and not just because of its length. It's dense, very, very dense.
Aside from that, I have mixed feelings about the book. On the one hand, the author has done an incredible amount of work to craft a novel that reflects the work and author that is the inspiration for this book.
On the other hand, it reflects the novels written by privileged white men of the past that dominated the reading list of my English degree. Not just the , but the dense prose full of unnecessary detail, macabre subject matter and the general lack of likeability of any of the characters.
As homage to the authors of old, it works well. But I don't think authors of today should present such views uncritically.
For example:
Aside from that, I have mixed feelings about the book. On the one hand, the author has done an incredible amount of work to craft a novel that reflects the work and author that is the inspiration for this book.
On the other hand, it reflects the novels written by privileged white men of the past that dominated the reading list of my English degree. Not just the , but the dense prose full of unnecessary detail, macabre subject matter and the general lack of likeability of any of the characters.
As homage to the authors of old, it works well. But I don't think authors of today should present such views uncritically.
For example:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2020
If this was 1920, this story might fit. It's not 1920, and it doesn't fit. Writing for people who lived then makes this story a plod, hard to read, hard to understand, hard to finish.
Good writing doesn't make for good storytelling - where is the tension, the fear, the conflict?
And there needs to be an ending, even if (assuming a reader will go on to book 2) it gets turned on its head in the next book.
To do justice to this story, it needs to be properly structured, edited to remove all those pesky words (later, before, while, etc.) that stop the reading.
Set up the continuity so those words aren't necessary.
Have things actually happen. It needs to be experienced, not told.
Ensure characters have motivation.
Good writing doesn't make for good storytelling - where is the tension, the fear, the conflict?
And there needs to be an ending, even if (assuming a reader will go on to book 2) it gets turned on its head in the next book.
To do justice to this story, it needs to be properly structured, edited to remove all those pesky words (later, before, while, etc.) that stop the reading.
Set up the continuity so those words aren't necessary.
Have things actually happen. It needs to be experienced, not told.
Ensure characters have motivation.
July 15, 2023
It took me quite a while to get engaged with this but it ultimately held my interest. It's not one of my usual genres and hasn't made a convert of me.
May 13, 2023
Hard-stop at the 'N' word. Right into the DNF pile. No, I don't care about "historical accuracy." This is fiction. It's all made up. Literally the author could have made any other choice. Using racist language, especially something like this, is a choice that indicates lack of creativity (i.e. inability to depict racism without using slurs) and a want to use derogatory language. Yes, it was written and published a while ago, but it wasn't all right then, either.
December 15, 2023
This book offers a captivating blend of elements that held my attention: enigmatic characters and an exquisite balance between the seamy and elegant Gothic atmosphere. The exceptional descriptions add depth to the narrative. Despite its length, the plot flows seamlessly.
Based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, a prominent American horror fiction author of the early 20th century, the plot revolves around Herbert West, a cunning and enigmatic medical student and physician. West's concoction and method of reanimating the dead become the focal point, with university librarian Charles Milburn serving as the narrator, gradually succumbing to West's mysterious allure. Despite ethical concerns, Milburn becomes West's assistant in macabre grave-robbing and laboratory experiments.
While I couldn't bring myself to like Herbert West, the fascination he exudes, shared by the narrator Charles Milburn, is undeniable. As the story progresses, the paranormal aspect intensifies. The Necromancer's blood and the enigmatic emerald ring contribute to the mysterious allure of the narrative.
Set in the early 20th century, the story is skillfully situated in a period conducive to its exploration of pseudoscience. The backdrop of advancing medical knowledge, yet lacking forensic DNA testing, lends plausibility to West's daring experiments. Amidst the engrossing tale, the author's fine descriptions enhance the atmospheric ambiance, adding just the right touch to captivate the reader.
Driscoll masterfully depicts the complex dynamic between West and Milburn, with the latter grappling with his friendship with a murderer. The suspense heightens as the reanimated corpses come to life, raising questions about their behavior, longevity, and the ultimate outcome of West's audacious experiments. The uncertainty surrounding the results adds an extra layer of anticipation to the narrative.
Highly recommend.
Based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, a prominent American horror fiction author of the early 20th century, the plot revolves around Herbert West, a cunning and enigmatic medical student and physician. West's concoction and method of reanimating the dead become the focal point, with university librarian Charles Milburn serving as the narrator, gradually succumbing to West's mysterious allure. Despite ethical concerns, Milburn becomes West's assistant in macabre grave-robbing and laboratory experiments.
While I couldn't bring myself to like Herbert West, the fascination he exudes, shared by the narrator Charles Milburn, is undeniable. As the story progresses, the paranormal aspect intensifies. The Necromancer's blood and the enigmatic emerald ring contribute to the mysterious allure of the narrative.
Set in the early 20th century, the story is skillfully situated in a period conducive to its exploration of pseudoscience. The backdrop of advancing medical knowledge, yet lacking forensic DNA testing, lends plausibility to West's daring experiments. Amidst the engrossing tale, the author's fine descriptions enhance the atmospheric ambiance, adding just the right touch to captivate the reader.
Driscoll masterfully depicts the complex dynamic between West and Milburn, with the latter grappling with his friendship with a murderer. The suspense heightens as the reanimated corpses come to life, raising questions about their behavior, longevity, and the ultimate outcome of West's audacious experiments. The uncertainty surrounding the results adds an extra layer of anticipation to the narrative.
Highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2013
This was one of the oddest stories I've ever read. Disliked the ending. I feel like the author got to a certain point in the story, went to sleep, forgot to finish it and sent it off to be published. Maybe there's going to be a sequel that will finish the story but I don't think I'd read it.
January 4, 2014
Interesting read. But I am not sure I could tell you what it is about. Immortality maybe?
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