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Foundations
Stephen Norris is a young man in a new job with an almost-famous architect at the turn of the 1970s. Quickly immersed in the murky world of town planning, he finds the transition from drawings and blueprints to brick and mortar is night and day.
A discovery of ruins on the site of a state-of-the-art new tower block brings him into conflict with the construction workers, in particular the foreman, Peterson. Lurking inside the ruins is an ancient power are lost spirits. They channel through Norris, imbuing him with power to do the right thing and save their legacy. Within the modern world of the 1970s, complexities of life cloud Norris’ judgment. Those closest to him – friends, family, even the girl he loves – are dragged with him into a whirlpool of mistrust, deceit, danger and lies.
All seems lost when the forces of darkness – money and progress – appear to triumph and obliterate the past. Instead, the darkness unleashes the lost spirits who turn vengeful at this defilement of their mortal remains. Norris must battle these forces and save the woman he loves from being a prisoner of Chivron Tower’s new nightmare tenant…
Foundations is the precursor to the novella Nightmare Tenant by Richard Holliday. (20,000 words)
A discovery of ruins on the site of a state-of-the-art new tower block brings him into conflict with the construction workers, in particular the foreman, Peterson. Lurking inside the ruins is an ancient power are lost spirits. They channel through Norris, imbuing him with power to do the right thing and save their legacy. Within the modern world of the 1970s, complexities of life cloud Norris’ judgment. Those closest to him – friends, family, even the girl he loves – are dragged with him into a whirlpool of mistrust, deceit, danger and lies.
All seems lost when the forces of darkness – money and progress – appear to triumph and obliterate the past. Instead, the darkness unleashes the lost spirits who turn vengeful at this defilement of their mortal remains. Norris must battle these forces and save the woman he loves from being a prisoner of Chivron Tower’s new nightmare tenant…
Foundations is the precursor to the novella Nightmare Tenant by Richard Holliday. (20,000 words)
70 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 21, 2021
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 4, 2023
This is a prequel novella to Nightmare Tenant, and although you could totally read it separately, I believe it’s best enjoyed together. Also, you can support and read for free by signing up for the author’s newsletter (which is how I got it)!
I originally read Nightmare Tenant (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) last November. The story was enticing and exciting, so when I saw that there was a prequel novella, I was immediately interested. As this one of course takes place some years earlier, we get a group of new characters (someone familiar too). And with new characters we receive new personalities, quirks, and behaviors. The author does a good job of making the people feel real and grounded in such a short story.
In Nightmare Tenant, the story follows the supernatural events in Chivron Tower. In this prequel, we get to see some of the supernatural things surrounding the tower and how it originally came to be. I think the author picks an interesting enough plot to keep readers engaged and satisfied on this 70 page journey. It’s written well, and the backstory to the novel is great!
If I had to give a small gripe, I would say that although it’s only 70 pages long, it does have a lot of breaks. Personally, as the reader, I think this would have been best served if there were still chapters to separate it/events. That would have felt more like a fully fledged novella to me, as this is not just a short story.
I originally read Nightmare Tenant (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) last November. The story was enticing and exciting, so when I saw that there was a prequel novella, I was immediately interested. As this one of course takes place some years earlier, we get a group of new characters (someone familiar too). And with new characters we receive new personalities, quirks, and behaviors. The author does a good job of making the people feel real and grounded in such a short story.
In Nightmare Tenant, the story follows the supernatural events in Chivron Tower. In this prequel, we get to see some of the supernatural things surrounding the tower and how it originally came to be. I think the author picks an interesting enough plot to keep readers engaged and satisfied on this 70 page journey. It’s written well, and the backstory to the novel is great!
If I had to give a small gripe, I would say that although it’s only 70 pages long, it does have a lot of breaks. Personally, as the reader, I think this would have been best served if there were still chapters to separate it/events. That would have felt more like a fully fledged novella to me, as this is not just a short story.
August 30, 2021
Returning to the universe of Nightmare Tenant, Foundations takes us back to where it all began.
This prequel serves as a wonderful platform to launch us into the harrowing tale that is Nightmare Tenant. The author weaves another fantastic tale that I blasted through in one sitting. His writing is crisp, the story compelling, and the characters fully rounded. All set against an intriguing backdrop that is filled with surprises, a must read!
This prequel serves as a wonderful platform to launch us into the harrowing tale that is Nightmare Tenant. The author weaves another fantastic tale that I blasted through in one sitting. His writing is crisp, the story compelling, and the characters fully rounded. All set against an intriguing backdrop that is filled with surprises, a must read!
November 30, 2021
I'd already read the sequel, Nightmare Tenant so I knew what to expect of the building :)
Foundations is however, different, it's more spiritual. More elements to draw you in with its strong sense of the past and its importance and control of the future. I enjoyed the characters; ordinary people sucked in to the anything but ordinary.
It's not my usual reading material, but I can understand why the genre has such ardent fans. Including the author!
Foundations is however, different, it's more spiritual. More elements to draw you in with its strong sense of the past and its importance and control of the future. I enjoyed the characters; ordinary people sucked in to the anything but ordinary.
It's not my usual reading material, but I can understand why the genre has such ardent fans. Including the author!
November 29, 2021
I really liked this, it was a quick read and I felt fully immersed once again in the author's dark and gritty world and the forboding Chivron Tower. I love prequels and this was great, it fully fleshed out the world and follows the character Norris, who we remember from the original novel Nightmare Tennant. This was a perfect reader magnet to accompany the original novel and I would highly recommend picking up Nightmare Tennant after this!
March 17, 2022
This well-written horror story about a council tower in Britain can be read in about three hours but I really didn't like it. I dislike horror in general. I had an ARC via StoryOrigin and this voluntary review is my own opinion.
March 9, 2022
Foundations is an excellent prequel that buries you in suspense and horror, immersing you in the world that surrounds Nightmare Tenant. This quick read grows your appetite for more.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews