After heavy storms in a quiet part of Devon, a paraglider notices a fissure in the cliffs leading to a cave with signs of habitation, human and otherwise, going back millennia. Scientists begin excavating as the media and public become enthralled. The story unfolds around timeless savage forces within the natural and supernatural worlds, exploring the potential barbarity beneath humanity’s surface, set against the backdrop of the oceans of southern England. The narrative delves into the lives of Kat, Steve, and Helene, intertwined by their encounters with ancient caves and forgotten Gods, leading to revelations that change their lives forever.
Adam Nevill's "The Reddening" paints a vivid and descriptive portrait of the South Devon coastline, creating a realistic and immersive setting where the horrors of the book come to life. The author's writing style is highly descriptive, evoking raw and wild beauty alongside scenes of visceral violence, ultimately crafting a plot that is carefully composed and artfully executed, leading readers through a journey of fear, isolation, and shared ancestral horror.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include violence, death, cannibalism, mental health issues, and references to suicide.
From The Publisher:
Winner of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel 2020.
A Gripping Folk Horror Thriller from the Author of The Ritual .
One million years of evolution didn't change our nature. Nor did it bury the horrors predating civilisation.
Ancient rites, old deities and savage ways can reappear in the places you least expect.
Lifestyle journalist Katrine escaped past traumas by moving to a coast renowned for seaside holidays and natural beauty. But when a vast hoard of human remains and prehistoric artefacts is discovered in nearby Brickburgh, a hideous shadow engulfs her life.
Helene, a disillusioned lone parent, lost her brother, Lincoln, six years ago. Disturbing subterranean noises he recorded prior to vanishing, draw her to Brickburgh's caves. A site where early humans butchered each other across sixty thousand years. Upon the walls, images of their nameless gods remain.
Amidst rumours of drug plantations and new sightings of the mythical red folk, it also appears that the inquisitive have been disappearing from this remote part of the world for years. A rural idyll where outsiders are unwelcome and where an infernal power is believed to linger beneath the earth. A timeless supernormal influence that only the desperate would dream of confronting. But to save themselves and those they love, and to thwart a crimson tide of pitiless barbarity, Kat and Helene are given no choice. They were involved and condemned before they knew it.
The Reddening is an epic story of folk and prehistoric horrors written by Adam Nevill, the author of The Ritual , No One Gets Out Alive and the four times winner of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel.
Praise for The Reddening :
Supernatural horror does not get much better than The Reddening. If you're a fan of slow build-ups, heavy atmosphere, superb and intricate plotting, bloodletting and a novel which has a unique sense of time and place then you are going to love this quality story. 5/5." Gingernuts of Horror.
"'The Reddening' is an intense, chokehold of a novel. It grips from the start and holds you down as it makes you consume the horrors within." This is Horror.
"Pick this one up for the gore, high tension, and superb writing. 5 Stars." Nightworms.
"All the stars. This book, THE REDDENING by Adam Nevill gets all the stars from me because this is the kind of horror I want to read all of my days. This will definitely make my Best Books of 2019 list." Mother Horror.
"A book that is powerfully visceral in all senses of the word, but it's also fiercely intelligent - this is powerful, razor-sharp writing." Hypnogoria.
"Nevill's ability to set a mood and maintain that mood throughout a novel is what sets him apart from many of his contemporaries. It doesn't take long to figure out you're reading a Nevill book based solely on the descriptions of the setting and characters . . . Easily a strong 5/5 on this one." Horror Bound.
"Nevill does an immaculate job of describing the environments within these pages. It was easy for me to close my eyes and envision the cliffs, the paths, the caves of a country that I've never been to." Steel Rain Reviews.
"It's the paciest book Adam has written, hurtling along, drawing the reader towards its horrifying climax. The writing throughout is of the highest quality, nothing is sacrificed to the momentum of the plot and the characters populating the story are perfectly drawn; real people facing an unreal situation. The use of location is particularly effective here, the eerie landscape of South Devon a character in itself." Anthony Watson.
"'The Reddening' is Nevill's Devon 'Wickerman', and under his spell you might well, like me, shrivel into Edward Woodward hollering a heartfelt, yet impotent "Jesus. Jesus Christ!"" Patti's Blogspot.
Ratings (12)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (5) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (2) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (36):
Read It (12) | |
Want To Read (21) | |
Not Interested (3) |
1 comment(s)
Really good, horrifying book. It doesn't take long to feel extremely uneasy and then outright terrified when reading this book.
What can you read after
The Reddening?
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