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Book Review: Panacea by F. Paul Wilson

Panacea by F. Paul Wilson

Tor Books, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-0765385161

Availability: Hardcover, Kindle edition

 

What would the world do with a panacea, a drug which cured every illness, no matter how severe? Would it bring peace and prosperity to all, or send humanity into chaos and war? Could the drug cure the painful longing readers have felt since F. Paul Wilson wrapped up his final Repairman Jack tale? Withdrawal has been painful for the countless fans of the Repairman Jack series, but, as the first book in a new series, Panacea might hook them all over again, enticing them with wonder, awe, and, yes, annoyance that another year or so might have to pass before the next installment materializes.

 

Medical examiner Laura Fanning lives an ordinary life. Then she receives a subject who is physically perfect, except for the odd tattoo on his back; a numeral connecting him to an ancient, secret order. When another body with the mysterious tattoo crosses her table, her sense of reality is shaken. Then billionaire Clayton Stahlman enlists Laura to find an elixir that will cure his cancer.  However, she is not alone on this quest. Stahlman’s bodyguard, Rick Hayden, is assigned to travel with her to the rainforest to procure the panacea. He claims to have once been an ex-SEAL, but Laura discovers there is much more to the man beyond what he reveals. While they seek this elusive treasure, Nelson Fife, a CIA agent and member of the enigmatic order, tracks them, determined to prevent their discovery of the life-giving substance.

 

Fanning is one of the most intriguing female characters Wilson has created, and the mysterious characters, particularly Hayden and Fife, keep the pages As one expects in Wilson’s work, the story twists and turns without an inch of wasted space. Dialogue is crisp and natural and the action scenes are absolutely gripping.

 

Of course, it wouldn’t be an F. Paul Wilson novel without something extra brewing beneath the surface; his story is never just a story. Readers are encouraged to think beyond the obvious and ponder the philosophical implications of what is going on between the lines. What is the connection to the ancient Adversary Cycle? This reviewer will never tell. Highly recommended

Reviewed by David Simms


Posted on July 16, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: The Fireman by Joe Hill

The Fireman by Joe Hill

William Morrow, 2016

ISBN-10: 0062200631; ISBN-13: 978-0062200631

Availability: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle edition

 

Joe Hill may be Stephen King’s son, but he has staked out his own claim on horror fiction as quite the forbidding beast. His published work, such as his story in 20th Century Ghosts (William Morrow, 2008), the retro-feel Heart Shaped Box (2009) the quirky Horns (2011), and masterful N0S4A2 (2013), has become more and more outstanding. His newest, The Fireman, has been touted as Hill’s masterpiece, and I agree.

 

The plot of The Fireman begins when a new, incurable, virus called Dragonscale breaks out. Dragonscale is beautiful in its black and gold-speckled bruised hues, and the effects of the disease are instantaneous for many victims; once infected, people catch fire. Some suffer just a little puff of smoke on the arms, legs, or chest; others combust and light up like napalm.

 

When nurse Grayson Harper sees a man catch fire outside her school, she decides to volunteer at the local hospital to help victims of Dragonscale. One day, a strange man in fire gear demands help for a child in his arms. This is the titular character, who forsakes his own well-being to help others. Grayson sees him again when she learns she is pregnant, and infected. The fireman helps her escape her abusive husband and leads her to a “camp” where other infected victims learn to live with the disease. Most of the plot revolves around the wild array of characters at camp, including a cult-like group, and we soon learn there are no true villains in this story: just misguided humans.

 

The Fireman is surprising and brilliant, and at over 700 pages, it would serve as a great summer read. Joe Hill is an incredible storyteller; the reader feels as though they are sitting at a bar or campfire listening to a master spin a yarn. The writing is smooth, and the story will stay with the reader long after the covers are closed. I won’t be surprised if it garners a Stoker. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by David Simms

 

Posted on July 6, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: The Dark at the End of the Tunnel by Taylor Grant

The Dark at the End of the Tunnel by Taylor Grant

Crystal Lake Publishing, 2015

ISBN: 9780994679338

Available: Kindle ebook, trade paperback

I enjoy a good novel, but sometimes a solid collection of short stories is just as good, if not better. The Darkness at the End of the Tunnel by Taylor Grant contains ten short stories, each with unique storytelling elements.

There are a number of standout stories. “The Vood” is about a creature who hides and devours from the shadows. Grady lost his mother to this creature, and he has feared it since childhood. Growing up with it has caused problems for him, but a lifetime of preventing it from devouring him hasn’t protected Grady from himself. “Show and Tell” is the story of a sixth grader who is called into the guidance councilor’s office after his teacher finds disturbing artwork in his desk. The tale he tells of the pictures is equally disturbing…and deadly. In “Whispers in the Trees, Screams in the Dark,” Blake resents his father and his new wife moving them to a new city, where he has a hard time making new friends. He meets two boys who want to show him something remarkable in the woods; a woman with beauty surpassing that of anyone they have seen. But her beauty comes at a price. In “The Intruders”, Mason makes a discovery during his research for his true crime book after speaking with several serial killers. All of them have one thing in common: they hear voices. Now Mason can hear them, too. The last story in the collection, “The Dark at the End of the Tunnel,” concerns a man coming out of a decade in stasis to discover he has no memories. As they gradually come back, he’s haunted by disturbing hallucinations. Desperate for answers, he reaches out to his broker, Mr. Wheeler, and his doctor, Dr. Smythe.

Grant is a screenwriter and filmmaker, but Dark at the End of the Tunnel is his first short story collections, and it is fantastic. The characters are memorable, the gore is fantastic, and Grant’s storytelling skills are polished. There are certainly stories that have their share of monsters, but it’s the stories that make you take a look at the darker side of humanity that make it truly worth it to pick up this book. You won’t be disappointed. Highly recommended

Contains: body horror, gore, sexuality

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on June 25, 2016 by , Reply
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