What do you think?
Rate this book
Sink
Sink: Old Man's Tale
A sinkhole is a natural phenomenon. It can happen anywhere, anytime. It drinks lakes dry, consumes jungles, and even demolishes entire mountains. You may have seen one in your street. But these things aren’t lost. They’ve simply been moved. Things are forgotten on the surface all the time. Beneath the crust, they’re always remembered.
It’s just another day for unscrupulous developer Graham Turner when he breaks into an old man’s home to steal his property deeds. But when he’s sucked through a sinkhole into a forgotten world deep beneath the earth’s surface, Graham and the old man must rely on each other if they are to survive and escape this dangerous new world and return to the surface.
SINK. A forgotten world. A lost world. But not for long.
It’s just another day for unscrupulous developer Graham Turner when he breaks into an old man’s home to steal his property deeds. But when he’s sucked through a sinkhole into a forgotten world deep beneath the earth’s surface, Graham and the old man must rely on each other if they are to survive and escape this dangerous new world and return to the surface.
SINK. A forgotten world. A lost world. But not for long.
125 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2016
357 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Perrin Briar
118 books109 followersPerrin Briar is an English author best-known for his Blood Memory series, black comedy Keeping Mum, and revenge tale Square. He was born in Huntingdon, grew up in Norfolk, graduated from Bournemouth, worked in London, and then chucked it all in to live in South Korea.
He has written for BBC radio, and worked in the production and development departments of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
** Sign up to Perrin's newsletter at www.perrinbriar.com/mailing-list/ and get four free stories, news of forthcoming new novels, competitions, special prices, advanced novel previews and exclusive email-only serial story Skip! **
He has written for BBC radio, and worked in the production and development departments of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
** Sign up to Perrin's newsletter at www.perrinbriar.com/mailing-list/ and get four free stories, news of forthcoming new novels, competitions, special prices, advanced novel previews and exclusive email-only serial story Skip! **
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
February 6, 2016
** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
After reading the first book, 'Sink: The Lost World', I knew I wanted to read more. 'Sink: Old Man's Tale' was full of adventure. The premise was pretty creative and I can't imagine being thrown into this scenario. The way the story unfolded was intriguing and it held quite a bit of set-backs for the main characters. Graham was a butthead in the beginning, but turned out pretty cool. Jeremiah was quite the strong opinionated loner that was also a profanity expert. Between Graham and Jeremiah's adventure, so to speak, they both had a look back at their lives and realized they weren't really living. I totally enjoyed their banter and sarcasm. The characters were a great cast of personalities. This whole series is a great read and a must add to your tbr list.
Great quotes:
“But where are we?”
“In the asshole of nowhere’s my bet,” Jeremiah said.
“You know, you swear a lot for an old guy,” Graham said.
“For an old guy I’ve got a lot to swear about,” Jeremiah said.”
Excerpt From: Briar, Perrin. “Sink: Old Man's Tale.”
After reading the first book, 'Sink: The Lost World', I knew I wanted to read more. 'Sink: Old Man's Tale' was full of adventure. The premise was pretty creative and I can't imagine being thrown into this scenario. The way the story unfolded was intriguing and it held quite a bit of set-backs for the main characters. Graham was a butthead in the beginning, but turned out pretty cool. Jeremiah was quite the strong opinionated loner that was also a profanity expert. Between Graham and Jeremiah's adventure, so to speak, they both had a look back at their lives and realized they weren't really living. I totally enjoyed their banter and sarcasm. The characters were a great cast of personalities. This whole series is a great read and a must add to your tbr list.
Great quotes:
“But where are we?”
“In the asshole of nowhere’s my bet,” Jeremiah said.
“You know, you swear a lot for an old guy,” Graham said.
“For an old guy I’ve got a lot to swear about,” Jeremiah said.”
Excerpt From: Briar, Perrin. “Sink: Old Man's Tale.”
June 11, 2016
Sink
Part Gulliver's Travels, with a screeching left turn in the direction of the center of the earth. Enjoy a light hearted journey to the land of chest high people.
Part Gulliver's Travels, with a screeching left turn in the direction of the center of the earth. Enjoy a light hearted journey to the land of chest high people.
November 3, 2017
This book, listed as science fiction/fantasy, is an odd mix of parable, analogy, political comment and adventure. The style of writing falls mostly under the ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’ label, which makes for a strangely disconnected read for much of the time.
There’s a transition from the beginning, set on terra ferma in Australia, and the sudden descent into an underground fantasy world, that I found a little jarring. In fact, at this point I almost gave up reading.
In spite of gaping holes in the logic of the underground world (no clues as to how the large population is fed, disposes of waste, lives in a world devoid of natural light, processes crude oil into a usable fuel etc.), I was intrigued about where the story would lead me.
The characters do lend some engagement to a narrative I found at times irritating and a little juvenile. There’s a message here that the author is desperate to relate: it’s a strong statement about power and its tendency to corrupt; a theme I strongly empathise with. It was this theme that dragged me to the end of the story.
Ultimately, this is a book that would benefit from some good editing and a significant rewrite. Nevertheless, it managed to keep my attention, in spite of many irritations, to the end. An ending saved in no small way by the humour applied.
I wish I could say I really liked this book. As it is, I felt a strange compulsion to get to the end; more a challenge set and fulfilled than an enjoyable read. Certainly one of the oddest books I’ve read.
There’s a transition from the beginning, set on terra ferma in Australia, and the sudden descent into an underground fantasy world, that I found a little jarring. In fact, at this point I almost gave up reading.
In spite of gaping holes in the logic of the underground world (no clues as to how the large population is fed, disposes of waste, lives in a world devoid of natural light, processes crude oil into a usable fuel etc.), I was intrigued about where the story would lead me.
The characters do lend some engagement to a narrative I found at times irritating and a little juvenile. There’s a message here that the author is desperate to relate: it’s a strong statement about power and its tendency to corrupt; a theme I strongly empathise with. It was this theme that dragged me to the end of the story.
Ultimately, this is a book that would benefit from some good editing and a significant rewrite. Nevertheless, it managed to keep my attention, in spite of many irritations, to the end. An ending saved in no small way by the humour applied.
I wish I could say I really liked this book. As it is, I felt a strange compulsion to get to the end; more a challenge set and fulfilled than an enjoyable read. Certainly one of the oddest books I’ve read.
December 30, 2017
On the surface, Sink is a story about sinkholes in the Outback of Australia but it also looks at cynical exploitation by business and social authorities who think undermining people’s lives and values is pragmatic and justifiable business practice. Rolling humanity over when it is in the way doesn’t feel like justice, but it happens from compulsory purchase and eviction at the peaceful end of the scale to East Timor at the other.
In contrast to my usual personality, I don’t have a great deal to say about this but it will most likely capture other people’s imagination more than it has removed the floor, tugged the rug and swallowed me.
[Spoiler alert]:
The idea of incorporating an isolated race of little people has been used a lot before. The classics in this style are Gulliver’s Travels (Lilliputians), Miss Masham’s Repose, by T.H. White, in which a little girl discovers the Lilliputians are still going in her garden, then The Carpet People and Diggers, by Terry Pratchett, both of which were acknowledged by that author to have been inspired by Miss Masham’s Repose.
In this book, the little people did not start out as a separate species (or as a metaphor, in the case of Swift), but were a genuine human tribe swallowed by the ground who naturally selected in favour of ever smaller stature to work their subterranean tunnels. Surely they’d die without vitamin D from sunlight though?
There are two kinds of sinkhole. The first is natural, e.g. acid rain liquidising limestone until cavities appear. The second is human engineered, when sappers for example deliberately undermine a castle such as Harfleur in Henry V. In Karel Capek's War With the Newts, it is the race of newts who undermine human structures. This has aspects of both processes, but the fright factor is missing as still there’s an air of the dolls’ house around it.
There was one unexpected Shakespearean element to this, when two third-tier character watchmen converse in an aside about how the style in which they wee. This follows the tradition of Dogberry and the constables in Much Ado About Nothing, a worthy elevation of the apparently superflous.
I like the amulet. No, I REALLY like the amulet. Such a strong idea and, for me, the golden highlight of the book. If I had the money, I’d start giving them out.
In contrast to my usual personality, I don’t have a great deal to say about this but it will most likely capture other people’s imagination more than it has removed the floor, tugged the rug and swallowed me.
[Spoiler alert]:
The idea of incorporating an isolated race of little people has been used a lot before. The classics in this style are Gulliver’s Travels (Lilliputians), Miss Masham’s Repose, by T.H. White, in which a little girl discovers the Lilliputians are still going in her garden, then The Carpet People and Diggers, by Terry Pratchett, both of which were acknowledged by that author to have been inspired by Miss Masham’s Repose.
In this book, the little people did not start out as a separate species (or as a metaphor, in the case of Swift), but were a genuine human tribe swallowed by the ground who naturally selected in favour of ever smaller stature to work their subterranean tunnels. Surely they’d die without vitamin D from sunlight though?
There are two kinds of sinkhole. The first is natural, e.g. acid rain liquidising limestone until cavities appear. The second is human engineered, when sappers for example deliberately undermine a castle such as Harfleur in Henry V. In Karel Capek's War With the Newts, it is the race of newts who undermine human structures. This has aspects of both processes, but the fright factor is missing as still there’s an air of the dolls’ house around it.
There was one unexpected Shakespearean element to this, when two third-tier character watchmen converse in an aside about how the style in which they wee. This follows the tradition of Dogberry and the constables in Much Ado About Nothing, a worthy elevation of the apparently superflous.
I like the amulet. No, I REALLY like the amulet. Such a strong idea and, for me, the golden highlight of the book. If I had the money, I’d start giving them out.
April 11, 2016
Perrin Briar is a busy man with all the series he seems to be putting out. I don't really care for series, but this looked like a reasonably interesting diversion of a quick read and so it was. It certainly provides an entertaining and original explanation to the crazy anomalies that seem to be popping up in the news recently. I've read the author before, so I sort of knew what to expect, the kind of brisk, amusing action and dialogue driven story. And so it was. Apparently there is also a proper length novel to go with it, mainly because the author doesn't seem to favor standalones as a format, but it's a concept that might provide more material if done right. Fun way to spend a couple hours. In a word...cute, actually a cute story.
January 16, 2017
Meh. This book did not thrill me. I love the idea of the story. Throughout the book I found myself getting a little bored. At times I feel like I was just skimming through the book and not getting into the book like I hoped I would. The main characters were enjoyable. However, the "little people" as They call them did not appeal to me as much. They were fun characters but the book as a whole, just fell a little short for me (no pun intended). Not a horrible read, but not one of my favorites either.
January 30, 2016
Different
I guess you would call this tale a "fantasy" tale. I can't think of any other way to describe it. It was interesting enough that I did stay to finish it because I was curious to find out what happened to the two men swallowed up in the sink-hole. It was OK, but not compelling. Something of a morality tale more than anything else.
I guess you would call this tale a "fantasy" tale. I can't think of any other way to describe it. It was interesting enough that I did stay to finish it because I was curious to find out what happened to the two men swallowed up in the sink-hole. It was OK, but not compelling. Something of a morality tale more than anything else.
January 28, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! The story was engaging, and hooked me right from the start. It was very well written, an easy read. I can't wait to read more!
I really enjoyed this book! The story was engaging, and hooked me right from the start. It was very well written, an easy read. I can't wait to read more!
October 5, 2017
Sink (The Old Man's Tale) - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Our hero, Graham Turner, works reluctantly at an Outback property developer's, when the boss, the obnoxious Mr Pearson, insists Graham take him to work on an old childhood friend Jeremiah (the eponymous old man), who's fallen on very hard times and stands in the way of Pearson's latest scheme to develop the area, by fair means or foul.
When Pearson's first attempt to bully Jeremiah into selling up fails, he literally throws Graham out of the car and tells him not to come back without Jeremiah's house deeds.
Graham's timid attempts are also about to fail and he's just about to have one last try when Jeremiah wakes from his doze ill-tempered and pushes Graham over into a pile of his hoarded newspapers - with disastrous results!
What happens at the bottom of the Sink(hole)?...it's definitely not Wonderland down there!
Can they escape from the subterranean world where they are like Gulliver in Lilliput compared to the inhabitants - who also want to escape?
What is the diabolical scheme of the mysterious Leader - and how will they avoid being overcome by his evil ambitions?
You won't rest easy until you get to the end for the answers - so go for it!
This book's two unlikely heroes, Graham and Jeremiah, are like a heady mix of the younger Indiana Jones and his father, Henry, set against a backdrop composed of the Munchkins meet the Hobbit.
Occasionally you'll smile wryly at Graham's naivety, or Jeremiah's stubbornness, but ultimately this is a very cleverly-crafted modern morality tale of 'fair play' and comradeship, by the talented Perrin Briar, showing right overcoming greed, selfishness and naked ambition no matter what the cost.
I would definitely recommend it to all fans of The Hobbit, Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland and age-old good vs evil tales - with a twist!
This Series will only get better and better...I love it!
Our hero, Graham Turner, works reluctantly at an Outback property developer's, when the boss, the obnoxious Mr Pearson, insists Graham take him to work on an old childhood friend Jeremiah (the eponymous old man), who's fallen on very hard times and stands in the way of Pearson's latest scheme to develop the area, by fair means or foul.
When Pearson's first attempt to bully Jeremiah into selling up fails, he literally throws Graham out of the car and tells him not to come back without Jeremiah's house deeds.
Graham's timid attempts are also about to fail and he's just about to have one last try when Jeremiah wakes from his doze ill-tempered and pushes Graham over into a pile of his hoarded newspapers - with disastrous results!
What happens at the bottom of the Sink(hole)?...it's definitely not Wonderland down there!
Can they escape from the subterranean world where they are like Gulliver in Lilliput compared to the inhabitants - who also want to escape?
What is the diabolical scheme of the mysterious Leader - and how will they avoid being overcome by his evil ambitions?
You won't rest easy until you get to the end for the answers - so go for it!
This book's two unlikely heroes, Graham and Jeremiah, are like a heady mix of the younger Indiana Jones and his father, Henry, set against a backdrop composed of the Munchkins meet the Hobbit.
Occasionally you'll smile wryly at Graham's naivety, or Jeremiah's stubbornness, but ultimately this is a very cleverly-crafted modern morality tale of 'fair play' and comradeship, by the talented Perrin Briar, showing right overcoming greed, selfishness and naked ambition no matter what the cost.
I would definitely recommend it to all fans of The Hobbit, Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland and age-old good vs evil tales - with a twist!
This Series will only get better and better...I love it!
March 14, 2018
Center of the earth Hobbits with evil leader
This book felt like a mashup of Gulliver’s Travels, various works by Jules Verne, with some corporate mob characters thrown in. Some of the vivid detail was enjoyable but most of the time it felt like the author was sitting with a thesaurus glued to his hand for references which also translated as trying too hard to be original or pithy.
Basically this book is about an old man an a thug hired by a corporation to do whatever necessary to obtain the property deed to the old man’s house so they can develop the surrounding properties. They become taken from the earth’s surface by means of a sink hole where they discover Lilliputian like people who were actually an ancient tribe of peoples that experienced the same fate many hundred of years ago. Manipulation ensues when the tribe leader convinces the men to help them return to the surface: SPOILER ALERT: *gasp* he’s really an evil guy with a plan for revenge and reparations.
Based on this book and the excerpt for his other novel I wouldn’t try it or suggest this one.
This book felt like a mashup of Gulliver’s Travels, various works by Jules Verne, with some corporate mob characters thrown in. Some of the vivid detail was enjoyable but most of the time it felt like the author was sitting with a thesaurus glued to his hand for references which also translated as trying too hard to be original or pithy.
Basically this book is about an old man an a thug hired by a corporation to do whatever necessary to obtain the property deed to the old man’s house so they can develop the surrounding properties. They become taken from the earth’s surface by means of a sink hole where they discover Lilliputian like people who were actually an ancient tribe of peoples that experienced the same fate many hundred of years ago. Manipulation ensues when the tribe leader convinces the men to help them return to the surface: SPOILER ALERT: *gasp* he’s really an evil guy with a plan for revenge and reparations.
Based on this book and the excerpt for his other novel I wouldn’t try it or suggest this one.
August 14, 2019
Morality tale meets fantasy
Sink: Old Man's Tale begins in our world, but quickly descends into another, just below our feet. Graham works for a property developer, who predictably is out to get land for a steal. The last hold out is Jeremiah. Coincidence dictates that they know one another, Jeremiah is the father of one of Graham's friends. When Graham breaks in to rid Jeremiah of his property deeds, the men find themselves sucked underground by a massive sinkhole. But rather than perishing the men find a colony of little people underground. Seeking to escape they are instead drafted into the leader's service. Now they must find their way out and stop a flurry of sinkholes from destroying the surface.
It's a good plot, if a bit terrifying to imagine a whole other world of people underneath our own. The weak link is the dialog, I think the action and descriptions are well written but the character interaction is stilted. Overall I enjoyed the story.
Sink: Old Man's Tale begins in our world, but quickly descends into another, just below our feet. Graham works for a property developer, who predictably is out to get land for a steal. The last hold out is Jeremiah. Coincidence dictates that they know one another, Jeremiah is the father of one of Graham's friends. When Graham breaks in to rid Jeremiah of his property deeds, the men find themselves sucked underground by a massive sinkhole. But rather than perishing the men find a colony of little people underground. Seeking to escape they are instead drafted into the leader's service. Now they must find their way out and stop a flurry of sinkholes from destroying the surface.
It's a good plot, if a bit terrifying to imagine a whole other world of people underneath our own. The weak link is the dialog, I think the action and descriptions are well written but the character interaction is stilted. Overall I enjoyed the story.
January 7, 2018
3,5
If you like Jules Verne than this is a story you should try. I, myself, miss a little bit the scientific logic behind it (e.g. surviving without sunlight, forging metal, creating uniforms).
But the characters are well done and I enjoyed their development and the underlaying political and social views of the story.
If you like Jules Verne than this is a story you should try. I, myself, miss a little bit the scientific logic behind it (e.g. surviving without sunlight, forging metal, creating uniforms).
But the characters are well done and I enjoyed their development and the underlaying political and social views of the story.
November 24, 2018
Sufficiently interesting story idea, but something feels amiss. There should be more character development to make their dialogues less annoying (especially Graham's). The ending also seems oversimplified compared to the onset. This book resembles what we'd call an "elephant head, rat tail" in Vietnamese proverbs.
February 1, 2019
Good read
Wasn't what I expected but definitely a fun read. I was taken on a journey underground and met some wonderful characters and some not so nice characters. This was a fun read and I thank you for such a journey on the edge. Will be looking for another book from this author to read.
Wasn't what I expected but definitely a fun read. I was taken on a journey underground and met some wonderful characters and some not so nice characters. This was a fun read and I thank you for such a journey on the edge. Will be looking for another book from this author to read.
April 16, 2021
Fun YA Novel
Briar is an excellent wordsmith able to create fascinating characters and put them into well developed plots. I could not find one typo or grammatical error.
I came to the conclusion that Sink is best understood as a well written YA novel and perfect for that audience.
Briar is an excellent wordsmith able to create fascinating characters and put them into well developed plots. I could not find one typo or grammatical error.
I came to the conclusion that Sink is best understood as a well written YA novel and perfect for that audience.
June 3, 2017
I like to have some easy, no-brain-wrecking stories once in a while. This one about sinkholes made me curious after reading the description. I hoped for some more action or mystery in the book but it was still acceptable and enjoyable.
February 26, 2018
An Unusual Tale
A grumpy old man and a land developer of questionable ethics fall into the hands of a leader who has a diabolical plan. This all takes place in an underground city where the leader has an oppressive hold over his people.
A grumpy old man and a land developer of questionable ethics fall into the hands of a leader who has a diabolical plan. This all takes place in an underground city where the leader has an oppressive hold over his people.
August 4, 2022
So novel
The concept of this story was so different that I was surprised. At first I didn't know where it was going. But once it got going, it was new and different. Need to get the next book soon
The concept of this story was so different that I was surprised. At first I didn't know where it was going. But once it got going, it was new and different. Need to get the next book soon
February 14, 2017
It's a modern fairy tale
The sort of good, the grouchy and the truly strange come to call in this quirky tale. Three stars awarded.
The sort of good, the grouchy and the truly strange come to call in this quirky tale. Three stars awarded.
June 8, 2017
Free download from Amazon, original and nice to read.
June 12, 2017
nice book to read..very interesting read
July 30, 2017
Excellent
January 8, 2018
What DOES cause sink holes anyway?
A near slice of life with believable characters. I read an ARC and this voluntary review is my own opinion.
A near slice of life with believable characters. I read an ARC and this voluntary review is my own opinion.
January 19, 2018
This book is just too stupid to read. It started well enough and there is nothing wrong with the writing but the content is not for me. I managed 70 pages from the possible 200 but enough is enough.
January 20, 2018
A short interesting tale that involves some different twists and turns.
April 19, 2018
I really liked this quick read . Was full of action and well developed characters. Great job i cant wait to read the next one
October 20, 2018
Great book! Love this author's work!
July 27, 2023
Part fantasy, part adventure. An enjoyable read with interesting characters.
January 27, 2017
A little hard to believe, but entertaining. Large or small, there is good and bad in all of us.
February 21, 2017
I loved this book, Mr Briar's writing is spectacular, the humor and characters are so believable, and unforgettable. This will be another good series by Perrin
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews