Written by Paul Finch. Published by Abaddon
NASTIEST ZOMBIES EVER. They are scary to start with, and Paul has great fun detailing how gruesome these critters really are. However, later in the book (spoiler!) they become more intelligent, enough to be sadistic. Then they move from scary to just plain nasty.
They don't just want to eat your brains. They might take you eye's. They might just eat you slowly or bash you head open (for the confused, follow the link at the bottom of the page).
Stronghold is a siege with a difference. Sieges are always nasty, bloody affairs, particularly for the attacker. However, what happens when the attackers are already dead and won’t be stopped? You can destroy the heart. You can destroy the brains. They will keep coming. Short of cutting everything off, they will keep coming. That’s the premise for Stronghold. The defenders are practically doomed. It’s the how and why that makes the book interesting.
The book is set in the fictional Grogen Castle, on par with Conway (go visit sometime, it’s fascinating!) in the Welsh Borders during 1295AD. This was the height of the reign of Edward Longshanks, who had been trying to dominate North Wales since 1282. The story begins with the crushing of a fictional Welsh rebellion by the English marcher baron Earl Corotocus. Rather then accepting the Welsh surrender, he waits until they lay down arms before massacaring all of the soldiers and letting his soldiers do as they please with anyone else they find. Raped and abandoned, with her daughter held hostage by Corotocus, the Welsh Countess Madalyn turns to the druids. To aid in her revenge against the English now holding the castle they use a device of Arthurian legend to raise a hoard of the undead against the English.
The English themselves aren’t entirely happy with Corotocus’s methods, particularly a debtor knight by the name of Ranulf Fitz’Osbourne. The scene is thus set for an epic clash as the dead storm the walls and the living have their understanding of the world turned on its head, leading to insanity and infighting amongst the superstitious soldiers as the situation gets worse and worse for the defenders.
I enjoyed the book. It’s got a lot of action in it around a plot which creates a feeling of unstoppable horror and doom. There are also some interesting pauses for reflection on what is evil, what is necessary and whether the ends truly justify the means. The characters on both sides are also interesting, each with their own viewpoints and reactions to firstly the Earl’s harsh crackdown on the local people, then to the hordes of the dead being sent to kill them. They are also very human. There aren’t any of your knights in shining armour here, whose heroic actions will save the day. These knights are bloody, exhausted and fighting for their lives.The detail in the book brings the dark and gritty life (and death) of a siege defender home.
For a book where it’s hard to decide if there are “good guys” and if so, who they are, Tomes of the Dead: Stronghold is some good old zombie smushin’ read, with some of the most interesting ideas for use for the brainless dead I’ve seen in a while combined with some interesting little historical details that have obviously been well researched before publishing. I’ll have to look up the rest of the series when I get a chance, as well as some of Mr Finch’s other books.
All the best for now.
Regards, Kerl
Additional: Listening to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6vnM9I7HIo&feature=related Ok, it’s a bit modern for the book, but its zombies! And funny!
ALL WE WANT TO DO IS EAT YOUR BRAINS! We’re not unreasonable, I mean no-ones going to eat your eyes!
NASTIEST ZOMBIES EVER. They are scary to start with, and Paul has great fun detailing how gruesome these critters really are. However, later in the book (spoiler!) they become more intelligent, enough to be sadistic. Then they move from scary to just plain nasty.
They don't just want to eat your brains. They might take you eye's. They might just eat you slowly or bash you head open (for the confused, follow the link at the bottom of the page).
Stronghold is a siege with a difference. Sieges are always nasty, bloody affairs, particularly for the attacker. However, what happens when the attackers are already dead and won’t be stopped? You can destroy the heart. You can destroy the brains. They will keep coming. Short of cutting everything off, they will keep coming. That’s the premise for Stronghold. The defenders are practically doomed. It’s the how and why that makes the book interesting.
The book is set in the fictional Grogen Castle, on par with Conway (go visit sometime, it’s fascinating!) in the Welsh Borders during 1295AD. This was the height of the reign of Edward Longshanks, who had been trying to dominate North Wales since 1282. The story begins with the crushing of a fictional Welsh rebellion by the English marcher baron Earl Corotocus. Rather then accepting the Welsh surrender, he waits until they lay down arms before massacaring all of the soldiers and letting his soldiers do as they please with anyone else they find. Raped and abandoned, with her daughter held hostage by Corotocus, the Welsh Countess Madalyn turns to the druids. To aid in her revenge against the English now holding the castle they use a device of Arthurian legend to raise a hoard of the undead against the English.
The English themselves aren’t entirely happy with Corotocus’s methods, particularly a debtor knight by the name of Ranulf Fitz’Osbourne. The scene is thus set for an epic clash as the dead storm the walls and the living have their understanding of the world turned on its head, leading to insanity and infighting amongst the superstitious soldiers as the situation gets worse and worse for the defenders.
I enjoyed the book. It’s got a lot of action in it around a plot which creates a feeling of unstoppable horror and doom. There are also some interesting pauses for reflection on what is evil, what is necessary and whether the ends truly justify the means. The characters on both sides are also interesting, each with their own viewpoints and reactions to firstly the Earl’s harsh crackdown on the local people, then to the hordes of the dead being sent to kill them. They are also very human. There aren’t any of your knights in shining armour here, whose heroic actions will save the day. These knights are bloody, exhausted and fighting for their lives.The detail in the book brings the dark and gritty life (and death) of a siege defender home.
For a book where it’s hard to decide if there are “good guys” and if so, who they are, Tomes of the Dead: Stronghold is some good old zombie smushin’ read, with some of the most interesting ideas for use for the brainless dead I’ve seen in a while combined with some interesting little historical details that have obviously been well researched before publishing. I’ll have to look up the rest of the series when I get a chance, as well as some of Mr Finch’s other books.
All the best for now.
Regards, Kerl
Additional: Listening to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6vnM9I7HIo&feature=related Ok, it’s a bit modern for the book, but its zombies! And funny!
ALL WE WANT TO DO IS EAT YOUR BRAINS! We’re not unreasonable, I mean no-ones going to eat your eyes!
0 comments:
Post a Comment