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Omnibus: Captives / Breeding Ground
Detective Inspector Frank Gregson must investigate a series of savage and apparently motiveless murders. Moreover, they are carbon copies of killings committed years earlier - committed by men currently incarcerated in one of Britain's maximum security prisons. How could this be?
- GenresHorror
656 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
2 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Hutson
117 books539 followersBritish horror novelist, including horror and urban thriller novels.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 27, 2020
I realise some people will love this but I have rated it lower because I'm just not a fan of the graphic violence & language.
May 20, 2024
Some of the Shaun Hutson Omnibus editions I’ve read made very little sense, as they don’t seem to have been put together with any attempt at consistency in either genre, novel length or quality. That has never been more apparent than in the 2003 Omnibus that combined the 1991 crime thriller “Captives” and the 1985 horror novel “Breeding Ground”, which was a sequel, but not to the other novel here.
“Captives” is the story of several murders, which result in the escape, but fiery suicide of the perpetrator. Eventually, the Police piece together sufficient evidence to suggest that the murders who not only committed using the methods of other murderers, but were actually committed by the men themselves, despite them having been incarcerated and supposedly dying in prison, but they have actually been experimented upon in an unsuccessful attempt to reduce the crime rate.
“Captives” has a very strong central idea, but often loses sight of it in the morass that is the sub-plots of James Scott and the sex club he is a manager of and the battles of his boss to retain prominence in the Soho underworld. There are also the attempts of the prison Governor to make out that his prison is the best place for criminals because they have dropped the love part of tough love and he intends that criminals will be in no doubt that they are being punished in his prison.
This is not uncommon in Hutson’s writing that he doesn’t have the follow through for a single plot in most of his novels and so he throws several related plots at it. Sometimes he remembers to bring them all together, but not always in a way that is explicable or sufficiently detailed to make sense. This does allow room for some unexpected changes of direction in the later stages of the novel, but more often than not, as here, they take the edge off the story by being nothing more than deus ex machina and not down to intricate plotting that skilfully hid the answers.
“Breeding Ground”, by comparison is far simpler, as it greets the return of the killer slugs from “Slugs”, as they again go on a rampage throughout London. They do not discriminate and regardless of whether they have gone above ground hunting for victims or they are feasting on workers who have climbed into the sewers, you can be certain that the slugs will eat their victims with very little remaining to identify them from.
In complete contrast, “Breeding Ground” is a very short novel, which carries a relentless pace throughout and moves swiftly from killing to killing, leaving a trail of blood and gore wherever it goes. It’s distasteful and anyone who doesn’t enjoy the gorefest style of writing will probably hate every minute of it. It is a very focussed novel that stays attached to the central idea throughout and doesn’t try to hide
The two novels do have a couple of things in common, in that they are written in relatively simple language, which does help keep the pages turning and the first novel needed this much more than the second, as the story moved much slower and not always in a linear direction. But whilst Hutson’s language use is simple, his vocabulary is very limited, which meant that virtually everything smells “fetid” and the slugs and the murders followed very similar paths every single time.
Half of this Omnibus was some of the best writing I’ve found from Hutson so far in reading through a fair amount of his work. The other half showcased some of his wort failings as a writer, storyteller and plotter, to the extent that it felt that this Omnibus was set up such that “Breeding Ground” was a reward for the slog through “Captives”, or maybe even an apology. For the price I paid to get both novels, I wish I had happened across just the latter, as “Captives” wasn’t even worth getting for free.
“Captives” is the story of several murders, which result in the escape, but fiery suicide of the perpetrator. Eventually, the Police piece together sufficient evidence to suggest that the murders who not only committed using the methods of other murderers, but were actually committed by the men themselves, despite them having been incarcerated and supposedly dying in prison, but they have actually been experimented upon in an unsuccessful attempt to reduce the crime rate.
“Captives” has a very strong central idea, but often loses sight of it in the morass that is the sub-plots of James Scott and the sex club he is a manager of and the battles of his boss to retain prominence in the Soho underworld. There are also the attempts of the prison Governor to make out that his prison is the best place for criminals because they have dropped the love part of tough love and he intends that criminals will be in no doubt that they are being punished in his prison.
This is not uncommon in Hutson’s writing that he doesn’t have the follow through for a single plot in most of his novels and so he throws several related plots at it. Sometimes he remembers to bring them all together, but not always in a way that is explicable or sufficiently detailed to make sense. This does allow room for some unexpected changes of direction in the later stages of the novel, but more often than not, as here, they take the edge off the story by being nothing more than deus ex machina and not down to intricate plotting that skilfully hid the answers.
“Breeding Ground”, by comparison is far simpler, as it greets the return of the killer slugs from “Slugs”, as they again go on a rampage throughout London. They do not discriminate and regardless of whether they have gone above ground hunting for victims or they are feasting on workers who have climbed into the sewers, you can be certain that the slugs will eat their victims with very little remaining to identify them from.
In complete contrast, “Breeding Ground” is a very short novel, which carries a relentless pace throughout and moves swiftly from killing to killing, leaving a trail of blood and gore wherever it goes. It’s distasteful and anyone who doesn’t enjoy the gorefest style of writing will probably hate every minute of it. It is a very focussed novel that stays attached to the central idea throughout and doesn’t try to hide
The two novels do have a couple of things in common, in that they are written in relatively simple language, which does help keep the pages turning and the first novel needed this much more than the second, as the story moved much slower and not always in a linear direction. But whilst Hutson’s language use is simple, his vocabulary is very limited, which meant that virtually everything smells “fetid” and the slugs and the murders followed very similar paths every single time.
Half of this Omnibus was some of the best writing I’ve found from Hutson so far in reading through a fair amount of his work. The other half showcased some of his wort failings as a writer, storyteller and plotter, to the extent that it felt that this Omnibus was set up such that “Breeding Ground” was a reward for the slog through “Captives”, or maybe even an apology. For the price I paid to get both novels, I wish I had happened across just the latter, as “Captives” wasn’t even worth getting for free.
June 2, 2025
Started and finished date - 30.05.25 to 02.06.25.
My rating - Three Stars.
I like is book but I didn't love it and I think people who like the silence of the lambs by Thomas Harris may like is book. The cover of book was okay. The writing was it was hard to follow and it took some time to get used too also the ending of book was okay. The atmosphere was fine but bit bland. The paced of plot was well structured and steady paced. The characters was okay and they need flash out bit more.
My rating - Three Stars.
I like is book but I didn't love it and I think people who like the silence of the lambs by Thomas Harris may like is book. The cover of book was okay. The writing was it was hard to follow and it took some time to get used too also the ending of book was okay. The atmosphere was fine but bit bland. The paced of plot was well structured and steady paced. The characters was okay and they need flash out bit more.
February 7, 2020
Ggorey from start to finish what you come to expect from hutson great read
April 11, 2013
The first I've read from this author, rather OTT with the descriptions in scenes where blood and/or sex are involved. Oddly, comments made when driving is concerned suggest that the author is not a driver himself!, nevertheless, an enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews