I don’t know, I just wish Brian Keene could write a book that I can give a bad review too, or at least something less than a four star review. But for some reason I’ll doubt that will ever happen. When I first reviewed “The Rising”, which was the first book of Brian’s that I ever reviewed, I said he would be the next Stephen King, well my friend I’m going out on a major limb horror wise by saying this, but in my mind with each book I read of yours I think your better than Stephen King. I am, by nature a very slow reader, which is the reason for my lack of weekly book reviews. it typically takes me a good two-three weeks to get though a normal three hundred and fifty page book. It took me less than four days to finish “The Conqueror Worms”.
The title may make you thin; well what the hell is this book about, “Giant Worms”? Well the answer is yes and no. There are giant worms in the book, but there are also other mythical creatures as well, and when I say mythical creatures I’m talking mermaids, Leviathan and even worms that can take over a human body. I know, I know, it sound weird, but trust me what Keene does with these sometimes boring mystical creature puts a whole new spin on the word scary. Pretty much in a nutshell the book is about a single day when it started to rain all over the world and as the days went by the world started to flood, costal cities start to disappear under water, some are wiped out by giant waves, and as the days go by more and more people die and more and more land starts to disappear. Yeah so it’s Brian Keene’s “Waterworld” and if Kevin Costner got his hand on this book before he made the film, maybe it wouldn’t of bombed. But that’s history and I’m sure if “Conqueror Worms” made into a film, which I’m sure it will someday, (Sorry Sci-fi Channel) it will be a bigger hit than Costner’s film. Anyway the book, just like any good book or mive begins with the end and a old man named Teddy Garnett whom tells us the story of what’s happening to the earth, and what he’s experiencing.
“The Conqueror Worms” is without a doubt my favorite Keene book to date, and what it all came down to for me to think this way was the characters. I am a character freak when it comes to reviewing films and books, If I can’t relate to the characters then I’ll most likely write a bad review. What really did it for me was the characters of the two old men in the book Teddy and Carl. Teddy reminded me of my grandfather with all his great stories he had and the one he was telling in the book. My grandfather died back in 2004, I had the great opportunity of my grandfather living at my house the last six months before he passed on, and I heard all the stories of World War II, and the crazy times he had when he was young. What Brian did for me with the character of Teddy was he bought my grandfather back to life for me while I was reading the book, Although the book is dark and full of horrors beyond anyone’s imagination, the great old man that Teddy is in this book reminded me of my grandfather and the hero he was to someone like myself. For that I thank Brian for writing such a great character. One that I can relate too.
However besides Teddy Garnett, there are so many other great characters in this book, Kevin whom is the pretty much the second main character of the second story that intertwines to make the book what it is, is your typical guy who’s just trying to survive the flood, He is the everyday guy like most of us. Carl is this cool old man who is loyal to his best friend Teddy and will stand by his side no matter what. Keene also adds many other characters that many of us can relate too. Salty an old seamen who’s the fisherman of the book, and always has the smarts to get himself out of crazy situations. Sarah is the tough Lesbian who can kick any man’s ass. And Old Earl Harper, he’s like that crazy redneck who thinks everyone is out to get him, He kind of reminded me of this homeless guy that used to hang out at 7-11 when I was in High School and talk about how the government was after him. All the characters in this book are written with such fine details that it makes the book very hard to put down. You are so wrapped up in their lives and what their experiencing in the book, that you almost feel as if you are the characters.
One thing I’ve been noticing lately with the theme of every Brian Keene book is how it relates to religion, god, or apocalyptic themes. I see in the writings that as a writer Keene struggles with his own beliefs in finding god or religion. The whole what is right and what is wrong theme that plagues all of us everyday. Why would God do this or do that, and all the unknown answers of the universe that we as humans struggle with everyday of our lives. I look at Brain Keene as not only a horror writer, but a writer who tries to find meaning to all of his stories and answers though his writings. I may be jumping the gun by writing such a thing, and Brian you know you can drop me an e-mail and correct me if I’m wrong, but as a reader, this is something that I picked up on. By no means is it a bad thing! If anything I think it’s a way of helping people help themselves.
Overall Keene has done it again for me, but this time with his writing not only was I entertained and scared by the horror that this book contained, but his characters hit me in the heart. So far and I said this a million times before, This is my favorite Keene book. Forget Baker, Forget King, It’s Keene turn to rise to the top of the horror fiction world.
Note: If you’ve read “The Rising” and “City of the Dead” you might notice that there are some mentions of some of the things that relate to both of the books. Ob makes an appearance by name.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
