Mall Time

by Chaz Brenchley

BRO-DART COVER. FIRST BRITISH EDITION. 1991 Hodder Stoughton hardcover, Chaz Brenchley (Dead of Light). The author plots 24 hours in the lives of a group of disparate characters drawn together in a few hours of terrifying carnage.

Genres: Horror

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1992

About the author

Chaz Brenchley has been making a living as a writer since he was eighteen. He is the author of nine thrillers, most recently Shelter, and two major fantasy series: The Books of Outremer, based on the world of the Crusades, and Selling Water by the River, set in an alternate Ottoman Istanbul. A winner of the British Fantasy Award, he has also published three books for children and more than 500 short stories in various genres. His time as Crimewriter-in-Residence at the St Peter's Riverside Sculpture Project in Sunderland resulted in the collection Blood Waters. He is a prizewinning ex-poet, and has been writer in residence at the University of Northumbria, as well as tutoring their MA in Creative Writing. His novel Dead of Light is currently in development with an independent film company; Shelter has been optioned by Granada TV. He was Northern Writer of the Year 2000, and lives in Newcastle upon Tyne with a quantum cat and a famous teddy bear.

Also known as author Daniel Fox.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done story with excellent audio narration.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get the concept and it's a good idea for a novel... this was just unbelievably BORING.

[Kiwigirlreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot Overview:

The story follows the lives of many different characters over the course of a day - as the story moves towards its main premise, all of the separate characters come together at the opening of a new mall. Some work there, some have loved ones who work there and some are just customers joining in the celebration of opening day.

There is also another character that is going to the mall that day - however he has much more sinister intentions than that of celebration.

What I thought:

I loved this book; it's another great example why Chaz Brenchley is such a master storyteller.

He writes such great characters; we really get to know them all in the short time that serves as the introduction. We feel for them and it makes the story all the more compelling as they face an unimaginable danger. Each of them will be tested and will find out who they really are as they struggle to stay alive.

Final Comments:

Mall Time is one book that has stayed with me long after I finished it, I still think about it now which is why I’m writing this review. I found it shocking, thought provoking and an all round great read. It’s not for the faint of heart as it has some pretty violent themes but I think that anyone who enjoys a good thriller and is looking for something different will enjoy this book.

[Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually got this book at a library sale having never read the author before. I found it to be something I could not put down. It had great depth, and even though it is about something rather unpleasant I found myself being very involved in the story. Something I find with all his books - as an author he manages to grab you and pull you in to his tales and he is a great character writer - something I love