There was a single volume (combined with the main Carrion Comfort work), a two volume set and a four volume set. The strands of a web of conspiracy are tight. Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2020. ‘Carrion Comfort’ was published in 1989 and includes terms for African-Americans that were acceptable back then but not today as well as a … Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. This frightening thorned character from Simmons’ four Hyperion/Endymion novels still stands guard. Most of my favorite locations in Scotland are remote, so having a series like this created by one of my favorite writers makes my heart sing. Books are meant to be longer, more in-depth experiences. But the player in the whole deadly game that Strang most wants to interview is her father, Patrick Curran. The overall concept is good, the execution is poor. When DCI Kelso Strang arrives to investigate, he finds the village of Forsich still in the grip of a hatred going back years that seems to infect the families most closely linked to the victim. He can't, though, because Curran is dead - dead, but casting a long, long shadow. Dan Simmons excels in gripping action sequences and this book was no exception. Not, I'll not, carrion comfort, Despair, not feast on thee; Not untwist — slack they may be — these last strands of man . He's not convincing with the black gang members. In me ór, most weary, cry I can no more. Templeton was a bench Justice of the Peace for ten years and is a former Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland, now living in Edinburgh. The large paperback copy I own is 767-pages long and printed in an itty-bitty typeface. Plot a little contrived. The strands of a web of conspiracy are tightening round Gabrielle Ross who, whether saint or sinner, is poised on the edge of madness or self-destruction. When Aline Templeton began her Kelso Strang police procedural series with Human Face, I thought the concept was brilliant. But why was his body left in a ruined croft house as carrion for the merciless ravens? To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Very nicely plotted with a twist at the end that I certainly didn't see coming! Review: Imagine a world in which your mind is but a toy — one to be played with at a User's whim. Excellent! I got most of the cultural references. Please try again. Dan Simmons’ Published Works In 1982, Simmons published a short story entitled The River Styx Runs Upstream and his first novel Song of Kali was published in 1985. She is married with a grown up family. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2018. Killing from a distance, and by darkly manipulative proxy, they are people with the psychic ability to "use" humans: read their minds, subjugate them to their wills, experience through their senses, feed off their emotions, force them to acts of unspeakable aggression. Carrion Comfort was published in France as L'Échiquier du mal in multiple editions. References to this work on external resources. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 19, 2014. Simple as that." Refresh and try again. (Guillermo del Toro), "Carrion Comfort is one of the scariest books ever written. You will get an email reminder before your trial ends. There are some interesting aspects; the historical events, psychology of violence and the use of chess both literally and metaphorically. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2012. $14.95 a month after 30 days. But this was an early work. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Unable to add item to List. They're not brave, they're just stupid, and when they die it's a little hard to have sympathy for them. A nightmarish chronicle of predator and prey that will shatter your world view forever. Carrion Comfort summary. I have missed DI Fleming, so I'm very happy to meet Templeton's new sleuth and his impulsive apprentice. Carrion Comfort is the only published piece I’ve done based on a dream image. I think or hope you have evolved in that regard. The main characters of this horror, fiction story are Melanie Fuller, Nina Drayton. So I'm changing my final score on this novel from a solid 3 to a generous 4 stars, because the book was JUST THAT UNPREDICTABLE. A reminder that I am a huge fan otherwise if this seems overly harsh. Their game is to use humans to kill other humans. Strang is the head of the Serious Rural Crimes Squad, which means this series will take readers into small towns and villages all over Scotland. I’ve been reading her books for many years. Start by marking “Carrion Comfort” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2017. December 13th 2018 So slow and overlong. This formula is common in the Alistair MacLean and Stephen King novels. I don't think characters are Dan Simmons strong point. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. Read the introduction to this edition to find out why; it makes a good story on its own, except for the really abrupt ending. Love the growing professional relations. Top stuff! Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2018, Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2018. However, Simmons is simply too verbose and the story is filled with too many forgettable characters for it all to work. The four-page Holocaust prologue was so descriptive and unsettling that I wasn’t sure if I could stomach reading the author’s large book if the rest of the story was so disturbing. Wanted to give this 4 stars as I really like the series, set in the remoter parts of Scotland which I visited last summer. The second of Aline Templeton's Kelso Strang novels. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2018. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Switch between reading the Kindle book & listening to the Audible narration with, Get the Audible audiobook for the reduced price of $7.49 after you. Some of the human i.e. Always violence. Unlimited listening on select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts. Still, the plot picked up towards the end and certainly worth the effort involved. Sorry Dan. S. Aline Templeton grew up in the East Neuk of Fife and was educated at St Leonards School, St Andrews and Cambridge University. But ah, but O thou terrible, why wouldst thou rude on me . Now this new one is just as satisfying. Please try again. Please try again. Caught behind the lines of Hitler's Final Solution, Saul Laski is one of the multitudes destined to die in the notorious Chelmno extermination camp. In far northern Caithness a man has been drowned. Each year, three of the most powerful of this hidden order meet to discuss their ongoing campaign of induced bloodshed and deliberate destruction. As great as anything written by Stephen King, Robert McCammon and leagues better than Koontz, this is grand entertainment. Cancel online anytime. In far northern Caithness a man has been drowned. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our. In far northern Caithness a man has been drowned. The book opens with three strange elderly beings–two females, one male–meeting in a house to discuss a game they have been playing for decades. The boxed sets are combined into the main Carrion Comfort work, but the individual volumes should not be combined together. Also, a nice surprise on the last page of the book which may bode well for Templeton's next book in this series, which I will be looking for. One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection to keep (you’ll use your first credit now). The violence of their will over yours. But this reunion, something will go terribly wrong. Read 9 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. 3.5 stars. Saul's quest is about to reach its elusive object, drawing hunter and hunted alike into a struggle that will plumb the depths of mankind's attraction to violence, and determine the future of the world itself... By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions of Use. I didn’t have any feelings for any of the characters. I read because I like knowing the deepest thoughts and motivations of the characters who populate my fiction. I love the Marjory Flemimg series. by Allison & Busby. No current Talk conversations about this book. A comfort character is when a character, which can be from a TV show, game, book etc makes you feel safe and happy when upset, sad, down etc. Although it takes awhile to get going, once it does, this is a runaway freight train of action and suspense that contains one of the best ending I've ever read with multiple plot threads smashing together for its final 100 pages. Wanted to give this 4 stars as I really like the series, set in the remoter parts of Scotland which I visited last summer. Really good book kept you guessing till the end. A very compelling read. It was not his second published novel, however. When DCI Kelso Strang arrives to investigate, he finds the village of Forsich still in the grip of a hatred going back years that seems to infect the families most closely linked to the victim. One of the best psychologically and physically scary novels I've ever read. My highest recommendations! Quite a unique take on the vampire premise, which focuses on mind control rather than bloodsucking. “CARRION COMFORT is one of the three greatest horror novels of the 20th century. Until he rises to meet his fate and finds himself face to face with an evil far older, and far greater, than the Nazi’s themselves…. This one is hell creepy, such a sense of Deja Vu? Warning: May contain spoilers. Interesting police characters, fantastic location. This is one of those books that stays with you long after reading because it is graphic, entertaining as hell, and so richly populated that you can't help revisiting the world of this story in your mind. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 884 pages and is available in Mass Market Paperback format. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The articles in this category may contain spoilers, proceed with caution. (James Rollins), "One of the few major reinventions of the vampire concept, on a par with Jack Finney's Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, and Stephen King's Salem's Lot. Dan Simmons is an award winning writer of sf and horror. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. We’d love your help. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. The evil preacher, the evil Hollywood producer, the evil Nazi, even the Southern sheriff is just the stereotypical fat guy with a little more education. non-horror characters were a bit cliched but there was a good variety. ©2009 Dan Simmons (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published The page amount mentioned does not include the author’s twenty-plus page introduction to the twenty-year anniversary edition. It's also one of those novels where the heroes get beaten to an inch of their life, and then get up and do it over and over. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, Espionage Thrillers (Audible Books & Originals), Supernatural Thrillers (Audible Books & Originals), © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.