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Among the Living
From the New York Times bestseller and author of Netflix’s The Silence comes a terrifying horror novel set in a melting Arctic landscape. Something deadly has lain dormant for thousands of years, but now the permafrost is giving up its secrets…
Estranged friends Dean and Bethan meet after five years apart when they are drawn to a network of caves on a remote Arctic island. Bethan and her friends are environmental activists, determined to protect the land. But Dean’s group's exploitation of rare earth minerals deep in the caves unleashes an horrific contagion that has rested frozen and undisturbed for many millennia. Fleeing the terrors emerging from the caves, Dean and Bethan and their rival teams undertake a perilous journey on foot across an unpredictable and volatile landscape. The ex-friends must learn to work together again if they’re to survive... and more importantly, stop the horror from spreading to the wider world.
A propulsive horror thriller––fast-moving, frightening, and shockingly relevant—this adventure will grip you until the final terrifying page.
Estranged friends Dean and Bethan meet after five years apart when they are drawn to a network of caves on a remote Arctic island. Bethan and her friends are environmental activists, determined to protect the land. But Dean’s group's exploitation of rare earth minerals deep in the caves unleashes an horrific contagion that has rested frozen and undisturbed for many millennia. Fleeing the terrors emerging from the caves, Dean and Bethan and their rival teams undertake a perilous journey on foot across an unpredictable and volatile landscape. The ex-friends must learn to work together again if they’re to survive... and more importantly, stop the horror from spreading to the wider world.
A propulsive horror thriller––fast-moving, frightening, and shockingly relevant—this adventure will grip you until the final terrifying page.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2024
125 people are currently reading
2404 people want to read
About the author
Tim Lebbon
294 books1,535 followersI love writing, reading, triathlon, real ale, chocolate, good movies, occasional bad movies, and cake.
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
December 13, 2023
Despite the seasons, the melting Arctic landscape was changing - sinkholes opening up, geysers appearing, the permafrost melt accelerating, methane building up, and the changes were frightening. But what was about to take place was absolutely terrifying!
A group of profiteers led by Dean are illegally prospecting for rare earth minerals in a network of caves on an island in the Arctic, whilst at the same time a group of environmentalists led by Bethan are on their trail in an attempt to stop them. But something terrifying is afoot, something that Dean and his team discovered in the caves - a deadly contagion now unleashed when the permafrost started thawing due to the effects of global warming.
Dean and Bethan are former friends but haven’t spoken for 5 years, however, they have to join forces to in order to survive, fleeing across a volatile landscape, with Dean and his team traumatised by strange events they saw in the caves!
This was a scary, but not improbable scenario. After the pandemic that the whole world has recently experienced, it does make one wonder what horrors lie dormant beneath the permafrost, just waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
A group of profiteers led by Dean are illegally prospecting for rare earth minerals in a network of caves on an island in the Arctic, whilst at the same time a group of environmentalists led by Bethan are on their trail in an attempt to stop them. But something terrifying is afoot, something that Dean and his team discovered in the caves - a deadly contagion now unleashed when the permafrost started thawing due to the effects of global warming.
Dean and Bethan are former friends but haven’t spoken for 5 years, however, they have to join forces to in order to survive, fleeing across a volatile landscape, with Dean and his team traumatised by strange events they saw in the caves!
This was a scary, but not improbable scenario. After the pandemic that the whole world has recently experienced, it does make one wonder what horrors lie dormant beneath the permafrost, just waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
January 17, 2024
My thanks to Titan book's, Tim Lebbon and Netgalley.
I first discovered Tim when I came across a novella of his named "White." That short story was the start of my love affair with Mr. Lebbons stories. I've read White 3 times, and every other year I still feel the need to read it again.
Among the Living is not a book that I'll be looking forward to reading again.
Don't get me wrong, because it's a fine story. It does not however have the feels that scream to me "read me again!"
Lebbon has always been fantastic when it comes to building characters. This was woefully inadequate in this story.
There are some legitimate scares here. A few times I actually gasped! Yes, a true gasp! Whodathunkit?
Through 20-25 years of reading Mr. Lebbon this is the one and only book of his that I'm not happy about. Pretty damned good odds! So what? One book. Not even close to his best, but I always recommend Lebbon. He's surely one of the most underrated author's around.
Oh, hey! Maybe his publishers should push his books in a more effective manner.
I first discovered Tim when I came across a novella of his named "White." That short story was the start of my love affair with Mr. Lebbons stories. I've read White 3 times, and every other year I still feel the need to read it again.
Among the Living is not a book that I'll be looking forward to reading again.
Don't get me wrong, because it's a fine story. It does not however have the feels that scream to me "read me again!"
Lebbon has always been fantastic when it comes to building characters. This was woefully inadequate in this story.
There are some legitimate scares here. A few times I actually gasped! Yes, a true gasp! Whodathunkit?
Through 20-25 years of reading Mr. Lebbon this is the one and only book of his that I'm not happy about. Pretty damned good odds! So what? One book. Not even close to his best, but I always recommend Lebbon. He's surely one of the most underrated author's around.
Oh, hey! Maybe his publishers should push his books in a more effective manner.
November 30, 2023
Chilling, atmospheric and terrifying, Among the Living, was a fast well written read that would make a great movie! Full of vivid descriptions, creepy and dangerous moments.
I love books set in cold unforgiving settings and this book fits the bill! A group of miners who illegally mine rare minerals have bitten off more than they can chew on an island in the Arctic. Led by Dean, they venture into a cave and make a shocking discovery that has remained hidden and frozen for thousands of years.
Bethan is part of a group of environmentalists who arrived at the remote island in the Arctic after Dean contacted Bethan. They once worked together but their friendship ended after a tragedy. Bethan and her group arrive as Dean and most of his crew have run out of the cave in terror. Once both groups are on the same page that a dangerous contagion has been awakened, they work together, against the odds, to survive and to stop the contagion from spreading.
WOWZA! This proved to be a fast and gripping read. I loved the atmosphere and the sense of danger that was seeping from the pages. Whew! I enjoyed how Lebbon took his characters from being rivals to being united in their fight to survive. I loved how the characters went through several emotions ranging from awe to disbelief, before settling into terror and determination. Not only do they have to survive the cold and the harsh terrain, but they are also up against something that is the stuff of nightmares.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book. Upon finishing, I found myself thinking about the plot. The real horror in this book is the thought of a contagion getting loose and affecting the world. After the pandemic, this book is very relevant. It is also unsettling, gripping, and hard to put down!
I enjoyed the characters. Some are extremely brave, some are stubborn, some have some dense moments (Dean, I'm talking about you), and some have some moments of glory. Overall, a very enjoyable yet terrifying book. This was my first book by Tim Lebbon and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.
Gripping, chilling, atmospheric and well written!
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
I love books set in cold unforgiving settings and this book fits the bill! A group of miners who illegally mine rare minerals have bitten off more than they can chew on an island in the Arctic. Led by Dean, they venture into a cave and make a shocking discovery that has remained hidden and frozen for thousands of years.
Bethan is part of a group of environmentalists who arrived at the remote island in the Arctic after Dean contacted Bethan. They once worked together but their friendship ended after a tragedy. Bethan and her group arrive as Dean and most of his crew have run out of the cave in terror. Once both groups are on the same page that a dangerous contagion has been awakened, they work together, against the odds, to survive and to stop the contagion from spreading.
WOWZA! This proved to be a fast and gripping read. I loved the atmosphere and the sense of danger that was seeping from the pages. Whew! I enjoyed how Lebbon took his characters from being rivals to being united in their fight to survive. I loved how the characters went through several emotions ranging from awe to disbelief, before settling into terror and determination. Not only do they have to survive the cold and the harsh terrain, but they are also up against something that is the stuff of nightmares.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book. Upon finishing, I found myself thinking about the plot. The real horror in this book is the thought of a contagion getting loose and affecting the world. After the pandemic, this book is very relevant. It is also unsettling, gripping, and hard to put down!
I enjoyed the characters. Some are extremely brave, some are stubborn, some have some dense moments (Dean, I'm talking about you), and some have some moments of glory. Overall, a very enjoyable yet terrifying book. This was my first book by Tim Lebbon and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.
Gripping, chilling, atmospheric and well written!
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
February 15, 2024
O.M.G. that ending!
One of my favorite limited TV series is "Fortitude". I love that it's set in a small town in the Arctic Circle, a safe and quiet town until something was discovered. So when I read the synopsis of Among the Living, the plot reminded me of that tv show and I couldn't wait to read it!
Old friends meet again on thawing Hawkshead Island. Dean is with his team of rare mineral hunters, selling the location to the highest bidder. Bethan and her associates are environmental activists trying to stop them from exploring the island's cave system.
Too late. A member of Dean's team is "lost" in the cave or aren't they?
Among the Living is INTENSE! I love this type of sci-fi horror like Contagion meets Fortitude meets The Terror. This is my first novel by Tim Lebbon and I'll sure check out more of his works. Recommend you check it out if this genre interests you! 9/10 ~ 4.5⭐
Thank you Titan Books and Netgalley for the DRC.
Available February 13, 2024
One of my favorite limited TV series is "Fortitude". I love that it's set in a small town in the Arctic Circle, a safe and quiet town until something was discovered. So when I read the synopsis of Among the Living, the plot reminded me of that tv show and I couldn't wait to read it!
Old friends meet again on thawing Hawkshead Island. Dean is with his team of rare mineral hunters, selling the location to the highest bidder. Bethan and her associates are environmental activists trying to stop them from exploring the island's cave system.
Too late. A member of Dean's team is "lost" in the cave or aren't they?
Among the Living is INTENSE! I love this type of sci-fi horror like Contagion meets Fortitude meets The Terror. This is my first novel by Tim Lebbon and I'll sure check out more of his works. Recommend you check it out if this genre interests you! 9/10 ~ 4.5⭐
Thank you Titan Books and Netgalley for the DRC.
Available February 13, 2024
September 27, 2024
Plants rule the world, most people don’t realise that. They keep us and sustain us, feed us and give us the air we breathe. They’re the foundation we build everything on.
Preamble: Tim Lebbon's Among the Living certainly counts among the more claustrophobic and atmospheric thrill rides I've read to date so I guess the title is on point. I mean that in the sense of the presence I felt while I was reading this slim book, and at the same time, he cleverly manages to insert some not so subtle heartbreakingly prescient climate warnings bringing to life a harsh and unforgivable terrain that nevertheless evokes nature's beauty within it.
Thoughts: The prose is tense and livid, and on the one hand, the characters seem like mere silhouettes animating the drama within the scenes that unfold, and on another, all to real and three dimensional, slowly setting up a real creepy and scary tale giving me what "Dead Silence" by S.A. Barnes failed to, I suppose.
Conclusion: The atmosphere within is chills and bad omens; harsh and beautiful landscapes; claustrophobic and terrifying caves, while the characters are shadowy and the plot is tense, slowly increasing the levels of horrific mystery directly from the onset throughout. A really good work of climate thriller with elements of horror and I'll highly recommend this to fans of thrillers and horror alike. I'm going to be really excited in trying his other books.
2024 Read
Preamble: Tim Lebbon's Among the Living certainly counts among the more claustrophobic and atmospheric thrill rides I've read to date so I guess the title is on point. I mean that in the sense of the presence I felt while I was reading this slim book, and at the same time, he cleverly manages to insert some not so subtle heartbreakingly prescient climate warnings bringing to life a harsh and unforgivable terrain that nevertheless evokes nature's beauty within it.
They passed a low, marshy plain pocked with sinkholes and witnessed one open up less than a mile from them, the venting gases catching the dawn sun in a chaos of shattered rainbows. They navigated through a low range of hills where landslides had scarred the previously smooth landscape with sharp new ridgelines, crevasses and rugged tears in the ground. Skirting far around a boiling lake spitting steam to the sky, the dazzling phosphorescent waters were beautiful and daunting. In places the vegetation was almost defiantly lush, spilling across the ground like a slow-motion flood, smothering the landscape with joyous abandon as if released from some sort of incarceration. A variety of grasses, shrubs and trees seeded themselves anywhere there was soil.Synopsis: The plot's set in the near future where climate change has made available a series of cave systems previously buried under tons of ice for millennia, and a team of 'coordinate prospectors?' venture out to explore expecting riches and rare earth elements ready for mining... instead, they come face to face with the horrors and beauty that father time and mother earth inevitably yields, captures and freezes; releasing these horrors upon humanity in measured doses it seems, both in fiction and in reality.
Thoughts: The prose is tense and livid, and on the one hand, the characters seem like mere silhouettes animating the drama within the scenes that unfold, and on another, all to real and three dimensional, slowly setting up a real creepy and scary tale giving me what "Dead Silence" by S.A. Barnes failed to, I suppose.
You telling me you know what that was? Dean asked. “What happened down there?”The writing stays lean, fast-paced and top notch, not bothering to waste precious time on painting characters but rather, creating immersive scenes that makes you feel like a present and solid witness. He handles perspective switching from his characters like a true master, seamlessly interwoven and intertwined...excellent.
“It was nothing,” she said again. “Stupid panic, and we’ll bring Lanna out, but we’ve got to do it sensibly, safely. It was nothing. Got it?”
Nothing doesn’t smell or sound like that. Dean’s mind flashed back to the deep cavern with the grotesque tableau of ancient bodies. That crouched figure, that corpse, shifting and twisting and expanding. Wren shouting at them to keep their lights still because the writhing shadows were freaking him the fuck out. Lanna stepping closer, hers the only light beam that remained focused, trained on what was happening at the centre of that cave. The deformed head tilting to one side as if it was too heavy, and then lifting on a neck that sounded like it was full of broken glass.
Running, tripping, falling, shouting. And then the scream.
Conclusion: The atmosphere within is chills and bad omens; harsh and beautiful landscapes; claustrophobic and terrifying caves, while the characters are shadowy and the plot is tense, slowly increasing the levels of horrific mystery directly from the onset throughout. A really good work of climate thriller with elements of horror and I'll highly recommend this to fans of thrillers and horror alike. I'm going to be really excited in trying his other books.
2024 Read
December 29, 2024
Among the Living is an Eco-Horror novel from Tim Lebbon.
I was so excited when I read the synopsis for this one, as we all know, there's nothing better than reading Arctic Horror in the Winter. I was super stoked to get into it.
This story is set in a very remote area of the Arctic Circle, specifically, on Hawkshead Island. We follow two groups of individuals. The first, a team of illegal miners who essentially exploit natural resources, is led by Dean.
The second, a group of climate activists, who try to stop illegal activities such as those Dean and his team engage in. The activists are led by Bethan, an old friend of Dean's.
Dean and his team go to the island to explore a vast cave system. Their exploits lead to a horrific contagion being unleashed. This contagion has laid dormant for many millennia, but now that it's free, it's ready to wreck havoc.
Bethan and her team, wanting to stop Dean and his associates from exploiting this rare and special environment, rush there to try to stop them. Spoiler alert: they're too late.
Dean, Bethan and their rivals teams are now on a survival mission from hell. They can't let this contagion escape the island. If they do, it could mean an end to life as we know it.
But, hey, no pressure...
The concept of Among the Living is great. I love the idea of exploring what could happen if some sort of ancient contagion, or virus, is unleashed, either due to ice melt, or humans uncovering it from underground.
I think it's such a horrifying idea. I actually think about it quite a bit. I was really excited to see Lebbon tackle that potentially species-destroying topic here.
Sadly, the execution left me feeling majorly underwhelmed.
This is a good book. I know many Readers will enjoy it. For me though, I just couldn't care less about the characters, or their interpersonal issues. I was bored by them.
There were some extremely vivid horror scenes, where I feel like the horror imagery was very well presented. Those were the parts I enjoyed the most. They were a little few and far between for my tastes though.
IMO, the beginning of this was the most exciting part, even though in terms of action, that definitely gets more amped up towards the end. It gets crazy!
What I enjoyed about the beginning though, and found most exciting, was the unknown. The anticipation of entering the cave, of what they found there and what it meant. Those aspects were so well done. I wish it could have carried that hauntingly-ominous tone throughout.
Once Bethan and her crew came on the scene, however, it just felt that the interpersonal issues started to outshine the suspense and the horror.
Because of my fluctuations in interest, this book, coming in at just over 300-pages, took me almost 20-days to read. It just went so incredibly slow for me.
With this being said, I understand this is 100% personal taste. It's nothing the author did wrong, it just wasn't a good fit for my tastes. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the creativity and the concept itself is absolutely terrifying.
I would recommend this for Readers who enjoy more Literary Horror, but also aren't afraid of a blood and gore.
It is thought-provoking and could also work very well for Book Clubs, Group Reads, or Buddy Reads.
Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am definitely interesting in reading more of this author's work.
I was so excited when I read the synopsis for this one, as we all know, there's nothing better than reading Arctic Horror in the Winter. I was super stoked to get into it.
This story is set in a very remote area of the Arctic Circle, specifically, on Hawkshead Island. We follow two groups of individuals. The first, a team of illegal miners who essentially exploit natural resources, is led by Dean.
The second, a group of climate activists, who try to stop illegal activities such as those Dean and his team engage in. The activists are led by Bethan, an old friend of Dean's.
Dean and his team go to the island to explore a vast cave system. Their exploits lead to a horrific contagion being unleashed. This contagion has laid dormant for many millennia, but now that it's free, it's ready to wreck havoc.
Bethan and her team, wanting to stop Dean and his associates from exploiting this rare and special environment, rush there to try to stop them. Spoiler alert: they're too late.
Dean, Bethan and their rivals teams are now on a survival mission from hell. They can't let this contagion escape the island. If they do, it could mean an end to life as we know it.
But, hey, no pressure...
The concept of Among the Living is great. I love the idea of exploring what could happen if some sort of ancient contagion, or virus, is unleashed, either due to ice melt, or humans uncovering it from underground.
I think it's such a horrifying idea. I actually think about it quite a bit. I was really excited to see Lebbon tackle that potentially species-destroying topic here.
Sadly, the execution left me feeling majorly underwhelmed.
This is a good book. I know many Readers will enjoy it. For me though, I just couldn't care less about the characters, or their interpersonal issues. I was bored by them.
There were some extremely vivid horror scenes, where I feel like the horror imagery was very well presented. Those were the parts I enjoyed the most. They were a little few and far between for my tastes though.
IMO, the beginning of this was the most exciting part, even though in terms of action, that definitely gets more amped up towards the end. It gets crazy!
What I enjoyed about the beginning though, and found most exciting, was the unknown. The anticipation of entering the cave, of what they found there and what it meant. Those aspects were so well done. I wish it could have carried that hauntingly-ominous tone throughout.
Once Bethan and her crew came on the scene, however, it just felt that the interpersonal issues started to outshine the suspense and the horror.
Because of my fluctuations in interest, this book, coming in at just over 300-pages, took me almost 20-days to read. It just went so incredibly slow for me.
With this being said, I understand this is 100% personal taste. It's nothing the author did wrong, it just wasn't a good fit for my tastes. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the creativity and the concept itself is absolutely terrifying.
I would recommend this for Readers who enjoy more Literary Horror, but also aren't afraid of a blood and gore.
It is thought-provoking and could also work very well for Book Clubs, Group Reads, or Buddy Reads.
Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am definitely interesting in reading more of this author's work.
October 1, 2024
If you want a read with gore this will satisfy your craving. It is not the goriest book I have ever read but it does have its moments.
As I read this book I found myself again asking, “What if?”. Any book that allows me to feel this way has my undivided attention by the first chapter.
Here are two groups of people in country that is defrosting. One group seeks monetary gain. The other is trying to preserve the environment. There is a common denominator between the two groups. The next level on Hell is released by the first group and the rollercoaster of action begins.
The characters are strong, the action plentiful, the suspense ever present, no dry spells and the ending was incredible. I have given it five stars for I really feel my fellow GR readers are in for a great ride.
April 22, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC
This story takes place on Hawkshead, an Island in the Arctic Ocean whose landscape is rapidly changing because of global warming. Dean and his team are there to illegally collect rare earth mineral samples from a cave system that was once covered in ice, but they end up finding more than they set out looking for. Ancient drawings, mummified bodies, and a long dormant contagion that has a mind of its own. Bethan and her team are there to stop Deans team from mining the ancient cave systems, but they quickly realize they have wandered into something that none of them are equipped to handle, regardless they have to make sure the contagion doesn’t make it off the island, because if they don’t it’ll be the end of humanity as they know it. Intense and atmospheric this cautionary tale makes you think really hard about what really is being unearthed by our ever changing planet.
Highly recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this book for a review.
This story takes place on Hawkshead, an Island in the Arctic Ocean whose landscape is rapidly changing because of global warming. Dean and his team are there to illegally collect rare earth mineral samples from a cave system that was once covered in ice, but they end up finding more than they set out looking for. Ancient drawings, mummified bodies, and a long dormant contagion that has a mind of its own. Bethan and her team are there to stop Deans team from mining the ancient cave systems, but they quickly realize they have wandered into something that none of them are equipped to handle, regardless they have to make sure the contagion doesn’t make it off the island, because if they don’t it’ll be the end of humanity as they know it. Intense and atmospheric this cautionary tale makes you think really hard about what really is being unearthed by our ever changing planet.
Highly recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this book for a review.
March 17, 2024
2.5 stars
Tim Lebbon’s books always sound like they will be amazing, but I’m learning that they don’t really live up to the expectations I have going in. I liked The Silence and Eden well enough. They were engaging if unsurprising. The Last Storm sounded awesome, but I quickly got bored and set it aside, not even marking it in Goodreads.
Among the Living sounded interesting enough that I actually put it on my to read list for March so I could read it soon after it came out. It started out well, but very quickly became repetitive and then downright boring. The characters lacked dimension, there was no narrative tension, and the ending was stolidly predictable. It lacked every element one looks for in a horror story. I did finish it, but barely.
It pains me to say this, but in cases like this when I read the blurbs I have to wonder if they even read the same book that I did. Lebbon is an experienced writer who clearly has the capability of delivering a good story, but unfortunately this one was a miss.
Tim Lebbon’s books always sound like they will be amazing, but I’m learning that they don’t really live up to the expectations I have going in. I liked The Silence and Eden well enough. They were engaging if unsurprising. The Last Storm sounded awesome, but I quickly got bored and set it aside, not even marking it in Goodreads.
Among the Living sounded interesting enough that I actually put it on my to read list for March so I could read it soon after it came out. It started out well, but very quickly became repetitive and then downright boring. The characters lacked dimension, there was no narrative tension, and the ending was stolidly predictable. It lacked every element one looks for in a horror story. I did finish it, but barely.
It pains me to say this, but in cases like this when I read the blurbs I have to wonder if they even read the same book that I did. Lebbon is an experienced writer who clearly has the capability of delivering a good story, but unfortunately this one was a miss.
January 15, 2024
Slightly outside of my comfort zone, though reminiscent of some tv shows (1 popular one in particular that may be encroaching into spoiler territory as to the nature of this story) I've really enjoyed in the past. Plus, I'm a sucker for a survival story.
You follow two opposing groups containing estranged friends, one group exploiting the earth and the other a group of environmental activists trying to stop them, who have to work together after a cave-exploration goes wrong and unleashes a huge threat.
The stakes were high, but I didn't feel as into the story as I wanted to be. I thought the story had good bones, but I would've loved a little more character development to get me more invested. Overall a good read, though.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You follow two opposing groups containing estranged friends, one group exploiting the earth and the other a group of environmental activists trying to stop them, who have to work together after a cave-exploration goes wrong and unleashes a huge threat.
The stakes were high, but I didn't feel as into the story as I wanted to be. I thought the story had good bones, but I would've loved a little more character development to get me more invested. Overall a good read, though.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2023
I read Tim Lebbon's post-apocalyptic book "The Last Storm" and loved it. It had a fascinating storyline that could convincingly be true--the same can be said of this book. It's another futuristic peek into what could happen to the world due to global warming.
Global warming has thawed the permafrost on a remote Arctic island, and a group of profiteers, illegally prospecting for rare earth metals, discover frightening drawings on a cave wall that appear to be a warning that is thousands of years old. Venturing further into the cave system, the group encounters an ancient creature and unwittingly unleashes an intelligent contagion that could wreak havoc if it isn't contained.
Alerted to the profiteer's intentions, three activists pursue the group to the island, intent on stopping them. Unfortunately, they arrived too late, and now the two different-minded groups must combine their efforts to stop the contagion.
This fast-paced horror thriller explores moral and climate crisis issues with excellently drawn characters and a scenario that isn't beyond belief. Who knows what a warming earth holds in store for us? This is an imaginative future I hope we can prevent.
For more reviews, please see my blog.
https://montanamusings8.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Titan Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 6, 2024.
Global warming has thawed the permafrost on a remote Arctic island, and a group of profiteers, illegally prospecting for rare earth metals, discover frightening drawings on a cave wall that appear to be a warning that is thousands of years old. Venturing further into the cave system, the group encounters an ancient creature and unwittingly unleashes an intelligent contagion that could wreak havoc if it isn't contained.
Alerted to the profiteer's intentions, three activists pursue the group to the island, intent on stopping them. Unfortunately, they arrived too late, and now the two different-minded groups must combine their efforts to stop the contagion.
This fast-paced horror thriller explores moral and climate crisis issues with excellently drawn characters and a scenario that isn't beyond belief. Who knows what a warming earth holds in store for us? This is an imaginative future I hope we can prevent.
For more reviews, please see my blog.
https://montanamusings8.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Titan Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 6, 2024.
November 14, 2024
I have known of Tim Lebbon from his leisure horror paperbacks released in the 90s, and when I heard this was being released, I knew I wanted to get to it.
Set it the desolate and remote Artic a group unleash an ancient and intelligence virus that attaches itself to human or animal hosts. Its sole purpose it make it to the mainland to infect. This is atmospheric in its isolation away from all help, and the descriptions of the infections and lore of how it came to be are amazing. As friends turn on each other and try to figure out how to stop the spread or who is infected or not, it brings about it a lot of tension.
It all comes to a pretty effective conclusion as well, which I really enjoyed. It leaves it open to maybe a possible sequel? It's definitely a stand-alone, but I, for one, would love to see more. More horror than sci-fi, but fans of both genres will enjoy it.
Set it the desolate and remote Artic a group unleash an ancient and intelligence virus that attaches itself to human or animal hosts. Its sole purpose it make it to the mainland to infect. This is atmospheric in its isolation away from all help, and the descriptions of the infections and lore of how it came to be are amazing. As friends turn on each other and try to figure out how to stop the spread or who is infected or not, it brings about it a lot of tension.
It all comes to a pretty effective conclusion as well, which I really enjoyed. It leaves it open to maybe a possible sequel? It's definitely a stand-alone, but I, for one, would love to see more. More horror than sci-fi, but fans of both genres will enjoy it.
October 15, 2024
It ended and I was left feeling like I ordered mac and cheese and they added bacon. I don't eat meat. 😢
December 4, 2023
"Among the Living" daring leap into the realm of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, attempting to breathe new life into a familiar virus. While the premise is intriguing and bears echoes of "The Last of Us," this novel falls short of its potential. The narrative struggles to find its footing, hindered by a sluggish pace that leaves me yearning for momentum. The characters, unfortunately, fail to strike a chord of relatability, and their interactions feel disjointed, lacking the cohesion needed to weave a compelling tale.
The backstories of protagonists Dean and Bethan, while potentially promising, ultimately serve as distractions rather than enhancements to the plot. These narrative detours disrupt the flow and leave readers questioning their relevance. In essence, the story feels like a collection of loosely connected threads rather than a tightly woven tapestry.
The book's summary, perhaps unintentionally, sets expectations higher than the narrative can deliver. The reality falls short; I was hoping for a more engaging experience. The execution of the storyline, coupled with the underdeveloped characters and misplaced backstories, leaves a void that the initial promise of the book fails to fill. Regrettably, the book fails to live up to its own hype, and I cannot recommend it to readers seeking a truly immersive experience in the post-apocalyptic genre.
I would like to express my gratitude to Titan Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The backstories of protagonists Dean and Bethan, while potentially promising, ultimately serve as distractions rather than enhancements to the plot. These narrative detours disrupt the flow and leave readers questioning their relevance. In essence, the story feels like a collection of loosely connected threads rather than a tightly woven tapestry.
The book's summary, perhaps unintentionally, sets expectations higher than the narrative can deliver. The reality falls short; I was hoping for a more engaging experience. The execution of the storyline, coupled with the underdeveloped characters and misplaced backstories, leaves a void that the initial promise of the book fails to fill. Regrettably, the book fails to live up to its own hype, and I cannot recommend it to readers seeking a truly immersive experience in the post-apocalyptic genre.
I would like to express my gratitude to Titan Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 11, 2024
Ah, more reasons to fear climate change, for who knows what the frozen depths will unthaw for us. Nothing good, if you ask Mr. Lebbon. The premise is fairly straightforward: two groups of folks end up unearthing some messy stuff in the Arctic. The ramifications will not be good. This is why greed is no bueno. Ditto climate change.
Dean and his group are trying to find some kind of... idk, let's say Expensive Earth Junk™ for lack of a better term. Who cares, doesn't matter. Bethann and her group are trying to stop people like Dean's group from ruining all the things. This is how they find themselves together in this less-than-optimal situation. And, of course, Bethann and Dean have some Backstory, so you know that will be a thing.
This story is incredibly atmospheric, and I kept thinking what an amazing show or movie it would make. There is a lot of action, and very cool imagery that would be so fun to see on screen! Obviously, the stakes are high too- imagine the implications if some sort of millenia-old junk escaped, right? So that obviously kept me turning the pages! My only minor qualm is that I never felt that connected to Bethann or Dean? Like- we did get to know a decent amount about them, which was great! I just didn't get a huge feel for who they were deep down. But alas, that is often par for the course when people are trying to survive and save everyone!
Bottom Line: A very intense and atmospheric cautionary tale about what could be lurking under the ice!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Dean and his group are trying to find some kind of... idk, let's say Expensive Earth Junk™ for lack of a better term. Who cares, doesn't matter. Bethann and her group are trying to stop people like Dean's group from ruining all the things. This is how they find themselves together in this less-than-optimal situation. And, of course, Bethann and Dean have some Backstory, so you know that will be a thing.
This story is incredibly atmospheric, and I kept thinking what an amazing show or movie it would make. There is a lot of action, and very cool imagery that would be so fun to see on screen! Obviously, the stakes are high too- imagine the implications if some sort of millenia-old junk escaped, right? So that obviously kept me turning the pages! My only minor qualm is that I never felt that connected to Bethann or Dean? Like- we did get to know a decent amount about them, which was great! I just didn't get a huge feel for who they were deep down. But alas, that is often par for the course when people are trying to survive and save everyone!
Bottom Line: A very intense and atmospheric cautionary tale about what could be lurking under the ice!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
March 5, 2024
A team of illegal prospectors scouting for rare earth minerals in the melting permafrost up North discovered a cave with strange wall paintings and… no, that would be telling… anyway, something is thawing and it‘s not something nice. Caves, ice, barren landscapes with geysers, methane explosions and polar bears, interpersonal drama, guns and tension, the end of the world looming and something out to get you. Creepy, yucky, fast, entertaining. Sporror! With some commentary on climate change.
The mysterious island is somewhere near Baffin Island.
The plot was pretty predictable, all the way to the eye-rolling ending. Good fun though. I could have done without the „Long-Gone“ though, they were a bit far out there and not necessary to carry the plot. Anyway, for what it was, it delivered.
This could be a fun movie. 🦠🦠🦠🦠
The mysterious island is somewhere near Baffin Island.
The plot was pretty predictable, all the way to the eye-rolling ending. Good fun though. I could have done without the „Long-Gone“ though, they were a bit far out there and not necessary to carry the plot. Anyway, for what it was, it delivered.
This could be a fun movie. 🦠🦠🦠🦠
March 14, 2024
When two groups encounter one another on Hawkshead Island: one group intent upon obtaining rare minerals for financial gain and the other composed of environmental activists seeking to protect the land from exploitation, neither party expects that their lives and the lives of everyone around them will be placed in jeopardy.
Among The Living is a fast-paced ecological horror novel that presents the horrifying ramifications of global warming in the form of an ancient contagion that is unintentionally released into the outside world.
The atmosphere of Among The Living is unsettling, not because of the disturbing body horror that comes from infection, but also due to the bleak and isolated setting of an island in the Artic. From sulphuric geysers that erupt without warning, to hungry polar bears and eventually monstrous creatures roaming about, the potential for danger is always present.
Although I do wish there was slightly more of the survival aspect portrayed, as it added more tension to the already precarious situation of whether the characters would even survive the elements long enough to attempt to stop further infection.
In terms of the characters, the minor characters did not have a large amount of depth and seemed to be more for fodder. I did find Goyo’s background to be interesting and wanted to read more about his efforts and his experiences with Bethan and fellow activist Alile.
The relationship between Dean and Bethan was an attempt at a unique portrayal of a platonic friendship gone awry, however it doesn’t come across as fully organic.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy Among The Living and was particularly fond of the ending. There is no easy way to defeat an insidious infection, though Bethan and Dean certainly try their best.
Among The Living is a fast-paced ecological horror novel that presents the horrifying ramifications of global warming in the form of an ancient contagion that is unintentionally released into the outside world.
The atmosphere of Among The Living is unsettling, not because of the disturbing body horror that comes from infection, but also due to the bleak and isolated setting of an island in the Artic. From sulphuric geysers that erupt without warning, to hungry polar bears and eventually monstrous creatures roaming about, the potential for danger is always present.
Although I do wish there was slightly more of the survival aspect portrayed, as it added more tension to the already precarious situation of whether the characters would even survive the elements long enough to attempt to stop further infection.
In terms of the characters, the minor characters did not have a large amount of depth and seemed to be more for fodder. I did find Goyo’s background to be interesting and wanted to read more about his efforts and his experiences with Bethan and fellow activist Alile.
The relationship between Dean and Bethan was an attempt at a unique portrayal of a platonic friendship gone awry, however it doesn’t come across as fully organic.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy Among The Living and was particularly fond of the ending. There is no easy way to defeat an insidious infection, though Bethan and Dean certainly try their best.
December 8, 2024
I feel like I've read this book at least 10 times before.
November 20, 2024
This author is primarily known for their movie tie-ins. Makes sense because movie tie-ins have horrible prose. There's a small group of horror guys who do all the media tie-ins (Mayberry, Waggoner, Golden, etc) and I always marvel at the fact they're still employed.
May 12, 2024
Famously Richard Matheson was watching Dracula and had the thought if one of these vampires is scary what if it was reversed? Thus, one of the greatest horror novels of all time was born. I Am Legend is not alone; many great works of fiction come from watching/reading something and thinking I have an idea to make this better. Or I would love to make something similar. I have a suspicion that Lebbon created Among The Living while thinking about what he would do with a sequel to Carpenter’s The Thing. Something he threw out into during the panel episode of my 1930 SF series with Brian Keene and Mary Sangiovani covering John W. Cambell’s Who Goes There.
While Peter Watts and Sam J. Miller got away with short stories that played with being sequels to The Thing. It is a whole different beast writing and marketing a novel. This novel is very much an example of a novel that can be sold to fans of the Carpenter classic looking for something similar. Vibe and tone of a paranoid SF thriller with an additional action component. Most compelling to me is the not-so-subtle ecological messaging that has been the hallmark of Lebbon’s last few novels.
I have made plenty of jokes about the title being the same as an Anthrax album, Lebbon also has a collection that shares All Nightmare Long with Tallica. The Thrax song of course was inspired by The Stephen King classic but we are going deeper than titles here. Just some trivia for those paying attention to such things.
ATL also reminds me in a great way of Lebbon’s writing partner Christopher Golden’s recent horror epic Road of Bones and the two books make a great double feature. They would be great books to take on a trip together. Both novels have far-north settings, crazy twists, an action-forward plot, and a sense of desperation that drips off the books.
Lebbon has been on a streak of Cli-fi novels although it is a long-standing issue of environmentalism going back to his earliest paperbacks. As a paperback original I want to put this out there this should be a contender for the PKD award.
Much like Lebbon’s favorite movie ALIENS, this novel is built on a foundation of a large cast of characters. The likability of these characters is all over the place, but they are all interesting. Lebbon throws us into the setting quickly and into the action, so some of the backstory comes in careful flashbacks. It is all done with a subtle touch that deepens without slowing the action. One of the magic tricks that Lebbon pulls off is making a propulsive adventure book set in nature at times feel claustrophobic. If you dare to put yourself into the character's shoes even out on this remote island you’ll feel walls closing in.
The novel balances the characters with such ease that I don’t feel that it has a main character or singular point of view. This is important because the push and pull between the different characters in this extreme situation is what builds the tension. It is the most THING about it. The paranoid reaction to who is infected, and who is not. Can we trust anyone? Why ? I will come back to that.
A team of environmental researchers are looking for evidence of the effects of climate change. Their research brings them to Hawkshead, an arctic island that is in a thaw thanks to global climate change. They go into a cave open for the first time in thousands of years. Inside they find cave paintings, and defrosting diseased bodies from long ago. Tempering the amazing discovery is the fear of ancient diseases. The vibe Lebbon builds is top-notch.
“When he reached the first chamber he let go of the rope and turned to look around. His head torch forced back the darkness, shadows hunkering down in cracks and corners. He stuck out his tongue, sniffed the air. He tasted damp and smelled age. He heard trickling of water nearby and echoing from further away. He’d been in places like this many times before but something was different about this cave, something off.”
Weirdness turns to creep factor when one of the team insists that one of the bodies moved. Trick of the eye or something else.
Adding to the character dynamic and the tension are the corporate explorers on this remote arctic island looking for mining potential. The different agendas have made the two teams rivals. This adds to the drama when the disease goes rampant. Dean and Bethan, now on revival teams, used to work together and she sees Dean as a corporate sell-out. I could see how some readers might now feel that the characters are given development, but I loved how this was done. Lebbon wasted no time, the flashbacks were kept to a minimum and they were all important to the story. Twenty-five years ago when it was believed that readers wanted longer epic novels a hundred pages would have been wasted on back story and bogged down the terror elements. The pace was great with just the perfect amount of humanity to make me care.
One of the most impressive scenes of writing is when Lebbon cuts many narrative carrots with one knife. Almost a hundred pages in Bethan remembers a conversation they all had about the things they most feared. This chapter provides depth for the characters while also providing world-building. Goyo one of the tough guys working for the mining operation won’t accept boring answers about deepest fears and brings up disease.
“What scares me most is the idea of a disease emerging from the deep past and coming to kill us all.” He goes on to tell the story of a disease on another island that seemed alive and seemed to want to spread.
The disease that the team named Deadeye almost feels born from Goyo’s fears. However, anything anyone in the novel thinks about is just theory. Smartly Lebbon doesn't put a misplaced expert on the team. The disease is a mystery and remains so. As a reader, I believed it was alien in origin, but to the team all they know is the thing seems intelligent and wants to spread. As we learn more about Wren when he is infected it controls you wanting to spread. Several chapters follow the tough guy character Wren as the infection takes over.
It is a new spin on Climate change, and another horror to be mined. Part of me feels I have already told you too much, but I also feel this novel is hard to spoil. The execution, and how tightly wound up the novel is makes for a simple but very effective work of Science Fiction horror.
As accomplished as Tim Lebbon is this book doesn’t have anything award bait about it. It might not make a Hugo or a Stoker ballot. I think it is as high quality as those works It should be considered for a Splatterpunk award. This will be in my top reads of the year, but it is such a book novel for me I wonder if others will be as jazzed as I am. I mean if you trust my opinions then read it.
While Peter Watts and Sam J. Miller got away with short stories that played with being sequels to The Thing. It is a whole different beast writing and marketing a novel. This novel is very much an example of a novel that can be sold to fans of the Carpenter classic looking for something similar. Vibe and tone of a paranoid SF thriller with an additional action component. Most compelling to me is the not-so-subtle ecological messaging that has been the hallmark of Lebbon’s last few novels.
I have made plenty of jokes about the title being the same as an Anthrax album, Lebbon also has a collection that shares All Nightmare Long with Tallica. The Thrax song of course was inspired by The Stephen King classic but we are going deeper than titles here. Just some trivia for those paying attention to such things.
ATL also reminds me in a great way of Lebbon’s writing partner Christopher Golden’s recent horror epic Road of Bones and the two books make a great double feature. They would be great books to take on a trip together. Both novels have far-north settings, crazy twists, an action-forward plot, and a sense of desperation that drips off the books.
Lebbon has been on a streak of Cli-fi novels although it is a long-standing issue of environmentalism going back to his earliest paperbacks. As a paperback original I want to put this out there this should be a contender for the PKD award.
Much like Lebbon’s favorite movie ALIENS, this novel is built on a foundation of a large cast of characters. The likability of these characters is all over the place, but they are all interesting. Lebbon throws us into the setting quickly and into the action, so some of the backstory comes in careful flashbacks. It is all done with a subtle touch that deepens without slowing the action. One of the magic tricks that Lebbon pulls off is making a propulsive adventure book set in nature at times feel claustrophobic. If you dare to put yourself into the character's shoes even out on this remote island you’ll feel walls closing in.
The novel balances the characters with such ease that I don’t feel that it has a main character or singular point of view. This is important because the push and pull between the different characters in this extreme situation is what builds the tension. It is the most THING about it. The paranoid reaction to who is infected, and who is not. Can we trust anyone? Why ? I will come back to that.
A team of environmental researchers are looking for evidence of the effects of climate change. Their research brings them to Hawkshead, an arctic island that is in a thaw thanks to global climate change. They go into a cave open for the first time in thousands of years. Inside they find cave paintings, and defrosting diseased bodies from long ago. Tempering the amazing discovery is the fear of ancient diseases. The vibe Lebbon builds is top-notch.
“When he reached the first chamber he let go of the rope and turned to look around. His head torch forced back the darkness, shadows hunkering down in cracks and corners. He stuck out his tongue, sniffed the air. He tasted damp and smelled age. He heard trickling of water nearby and echoing from further away. He’d been in places like this many times before but something was different about this cave, something off.”
Weirdness turns to creep factor when one of the team insists that one of the bodies moved. Trick of the eye or something else.
Adding to the character dynamic and the tension are the corporate explorers on this remote arctic island looking for mining potential. The different agendas have made the two teams rivals. This adds to the drama when the disease goes rampant. Dean and Bethan, now on revival teams, used to work together and she sees Dean as a corporate sell-out. I could see how some readers might now feel that the characters are given development, but I loved how this was done. Lebbon wasted no time, the flashbacks were kept to a minimum and they were all important to the story. Twenty-five years ago when it was believed that readers wanted longer epic novels a hundred pages would have been wasted on back story and bogged down the terror elements. The pace was great with just the perfect amount of humanity to make me care.
One of the most impressive scenes of writing is when Lebbon cuts many narrative carrots with one knife. Almost a hundred pages in Bethan remembers a conversation they all had about the things they most feared. This chapter provides depth for the characters while also providing world-building. Goyo one of the tough guys working for the mining operation won’t accept boring answers about deepest fears and brings up disease.
“What scares me most is the idea of a disease emerging from the deep past and coming to kill us all.” He goes on to tell the story of a disease on another island that seemed alive and seemed to want to spread.
The disease that the team named Deadeye almost feels born from Goyo’s fears. However, anything anyone in the novel thinks about is just theory. Smartly Lebbon doesn't put a misplaced expert on the team. The disease is a mystery and remains so. As a reader, I believed it was alien in origin, but to the team all they know is the thing seems intelligent and wants to spread. As we learn more about Wren when he is infected it controls you wanting to spread. Several chapters follow the tough guy character Wren as the infection takes over.
It is a new spin on Climate change, and another horror to be mined. Part of me feels I have already told you too much, but I also feel this novel is hard to spoil. The execution, and how tightly wound up the novel is makes for a simple but very effective work of Science Fiction horror.
As accomplished as Tim Lebbon is this book doesn’t have anything award bait about it. It might not make a Hugo or a Stoker ballot. I think it is as high quality as those works It should be considered for a Splatterpunk award. This will be in my top reads of the year, but it is such a book novel for me I wonder if others will be as jazzed as I am. I mean if you trust my opinions then read it.
January 23, 2024
Huge thanks to Tim, Titan Books, Netgalley and Edelweiss for the advance copy of this one. I’d requested this on Edelweiss as soon as it was on there. A month later, it popped up on Netgalley, so I requested it and was approved the same day. Then two days later – approved on Edelweiss haha! So, there we go!
It’s occurred to me that I’ve pretty much only read Tim’s ‘eco-horror’ releases while reading this one. Novels such as ‘The Last Storm,’ ‘Coldbrook,’ ‘The Silence,’ and the phenomenal ‘Eden,’ have all been set in worlds where the characters are predominantly outside fighting to survive. ‘Coldbrook’ might be the outlier there, as it’s not so much an ‘eco-horror’ like the others, but even then, it involves surviving and the great outdoors. Throw in his humourous ‘Run, Walk, Crawl,’ non-fiction release and it’s safe to say writing about the outdoors is Tim’s bread and butter. Everything seems to be more vibrant and the emotions raised that much more. Hell, even throw in his recent novella, ‘The Last Day and the First,’ and it all comes to show you, Tim is a writer who thrives when everything is outside.
Now, I prefaced this by saying I’ve read mainly his ‘eco-horror,’ which means I’ve not read really any of his sci-fi works nor any of his IP works such as his Aliens stuff or his novelizations such as Kong: Skull Island (which is essentially an ‘eco-horror’ novelization!), so others may feel the opposite where they prefer his sci-fi stuff, but for this reader, his wilderness work is pristine.
Which leads us to ‘Among the Living’ his newest novel, launching sky high from the mighty Titan Books. Everything about this one had me excited and when Tim posted a few times that this one might be one of his most straight-ahead horror novels, I knew we were in for a treat.
What I liked: The novel is set in the near-future and focuses on a subject that honestly and truly petrifies the shit out of me. The world has warmed and the permafrost is melting. Which means things that are hundreds of thousands of years old are unthawing and making their way back into the real world.
A side piece here from me. Everything about that little paragraph I’ve written is terrifying and is something that freaks me out. Much like the movie ‘Outbreak’ scared the hell out of me when it was released, the reality that this is actually happening currently is enough to keep me awake at night. Another concerning thing, for me at least, is the turning-of-the-cheek to science and vaccines and vaccination education. Working in a healthcare adjacent position, we see – daily – what the results of being vaccinated and unvaccinated are and with the world’s collective increase in turning their backs on these things, I stress over what will happen when one of these dormant diseases unthaws and spores into the air.
Anyways, I’ll get off my soapbox and get back to the meat and potatoes of this novel. Safe to say, I was scared to my core from page one. The story follows Bethan, Alile and Goyo, who travel far north after being tipped off that a group is illegally searching for rare minerals. The trio do their best to prevent climate destruction. The person who tipped off Bethan is her former best friend, Dean. He is one of the folks mining for these rare materials. While Dean and his group are deep in an unexplored cave complex, they discover old cave paintings and seemingly mummified bodies, dead for centuries. That is, until one of them moves.
It’s from here that Lebbon has created a white-knuckle thrill ride where Dean and Bethan try to overcome their differences – from an event in their past – and work together to prevent the spread of what has waken.
Each and every chapter after is a cinematic masterpiece. Tim does such a job of painting the picture of what this near-future landscape looks like, with polar bears having returned from near extinction and now rampaging across their territory, to the ever-present threat of sink holes and methane geysers erupting at a moments notice.
The Goyo character is phenomenal and becomes an almost supernatural entity within, leading Bethan and Dean across the terrain as they race to prevent the downfall of all mankind.
I loved the folklore element that Tim infuses in here and I’ll need to search out and see if the Long-Gone story shared within was based on a real story or purely from his imagination, but either way, it worked so well to share the ‘why’ of those below and leads us to the violent, chaotic ending.
The ending – for me at least – worked amazingly to cap everything off and when we look at the totality of the ‘why’ and what they are trying to prevent, made total sense. Saying that, it can also be looked at as partially open-ended and who knows, we may see more of this world in the future.
What I didn’t like: This is 100% me nitpicking here, but I had hoped much, much more of this novel was going to be happening in a subterranean setting. Only the first few chapters has anything to do with the cave discovery, so I was a bit bummed when that became obvious, but for me at least, it didn’t dampen the story in the least. I just like cave horror!
Why you should buy this: Tim writes his novels with the ever growing dread that an A-bomb is about to go off. Much like many of the high-fantasy writers (Martin etc) no character in Tim’s novels are ever safe and that makes for an edgy, uncertain read, which I’m all for.
‘Among the Living’ is cold-weather, frozen-tundra horror done so very well. Another example of why Tim’s best work is when he’s writing in the ‘eco-horror’ world and honestly, I don’t think there’s another author out there who has released books at this level, to this degree, focusing so much on the ever-growing crisis of climate change and the terror that these changes can bring.
Outstanding work.
It’s occurred to me that I’ve pretty much only read Tim’s ‘eco-horror’ releases while reading this one. Novels such as ‘The Last Storm,’ ‘Coldbrook,’ ‘The Silence,’ and the phenomenal ‘Eden,’ have all been set in worlds where the characters are predominantly outside fighting to survive. ‘Coldbrook’ might be the outlier there, as it’s not so much an ‘eco-horror’ like the others, but even then, it involves surviving and the great outdoors. Throw in his humourous ‘Run, Walk, Crawl,’ non-fiction release and it’s safe to say writing about the outdoors is Tim’s bread and butter. Everything seems to be more vibrant and the emotions raised that much more. Hell, even throw in his recent novella, ‘The Last Day and the First,’ and it all comes to show you, Tim is a writer who thrives when everything is outside.
Now, I prefaced this by saying I’ve read mainly his ‘eco-horror,’ which means I’ve not read really any of his sci-fi works nor any of his IP works such as his Aliens stuff or his novelizations such as Kong: Skull Island (which is essentially an ‘eco-horror’ novelization!), so others may feel the opposite where they prefer his sci-fi stuff, but for this reader, his wilderness work is pristine.
Which leads us to ‘Among the Living’ his newest novel, launching sky high from the mighty Titan Books. Everything about this one had me excited and when Tim posted a few times that this one might be one of his most straight-ahead horror novels, I knew we were in for a treat.
What I liked: The novel is set in the near-future and focuses on a subject that honestly and truly petrifies the shit out of me. The world has warmed and the permafrost is melting. Which means things that are hundreds of thousands of years old are unthawing and making their way back into the real world.
A side piece here from me. Everything about that little paragraph I’ve written is terrifying and is something that freaks me out. Much like the movie ‘Outbreak’ scared the hell out of me when it was released, the reality that this is actually happening currently is enough to keep me awake at night. Another concerning thing, for me at least, is the turning-of-the-cheek to science and vaccines and vaccination education. Working in a healthcare adjacent position, we see – daily – what the results of being vaccinated and unvaccinated are and with the world’s collective increase in turning their backs on these things, I stress over what will happen when one of these dormant diseases unthaws and spores into the air.
Anyways, I’ll get off my soapbox and get back to the meat and potatoes of this novel. Safe to say, I was scared to my core from page one. The story follows Bethan, Alile and Goyo, who travel far north after being tipped off that a group is illegally searching for rare minerals. The trio do their best to prevent climate destruction. The person who tipped off Bethan is her former best friend, Dean. He is one of the folks mining for these rare materials. While Dean and his group are deep in an unexplored cave complex, they discover old cave paintings and seemingly mummified bodies, dead for centuries. That is, until one of them moves.
It’s from here that Lebbon has created a white-knuckle thrill ride where Dean and Bethan try to overcome their differences – from an event in their past – and work together to prevent the spread of what has waken.
Each and every chapter after is a cinematic masterpiece. Tim does such a job of painting the picture of what this near-future landscape looks like, with polar bears having returned from near extinction and now rampaging across their territory, to the ever-present threat of sink holes and methane geysers erupting at a moments notice.
The Goyo character is phenomenal and becomes an almost supernatural entity within, leading Bethan and Dean across the terrain as they race to prevent the downfall of all mankind.
I loved the folklore element that Tim infuses in here and I’ll need to search out and see if the Long-Gone story shared within was based on a real story or purely from his imagination, but either way, it worked so well to share the ‘why’ of those below and leads us to the violent, chaotic ending.
The ending – for me at least – worked amazingly to cap everything off and when we look at the totality of the ‘why’ and what they are trying to prevent, made total sense. Saying that, it can also be looked at as partially open-ended and who knows, we may see more of this world in the future.
What I didn’t like: This is 100% me nitpicking here, but I had hoped much, much more of this novel was going to be happening in a subterranean setting. Only the first few chapters has anything to do with the cave discovery, so I was a bit bummed when that became obvious, but for me at least, it didn’t dampen the story in the least. I just like cave horror!
Why you should buy this: Tim writes his novels with the ever growing dread that an A-bomb is about to go off. Much like many of the high-fantasy writers (Martin etc) no character in Tim’s novels are ever safe and that makes for an edgy, uncertain read, which I’m all for.
‘Among the Living’ is cold-weather, frozen-tundra horror done so very well. Another example of why Tim’s best work is when he’s writing in the ‘eco-horror’ world and honestly, I don’t think there’s another author out there who has released books at this level, to this degree, focusing so much on the ever-growing crisis of climate change and the terror that these changes can bring.
Outstanding work.
January 3, 2024
Back when I read Tim Lebbon's EDEN, I remember thinking how brilliantly executed the horror scenes were and wishing there were more of them.
I can tell you now that AMONGST THE LIVING fulfills that wish and adds a hell of a lot more to boot. It encapsulates so many elements.
It's a Tim Lebbon novel, so, if you're aware of his work, you already know you're in for pretty much a cinematic experience. However, this time, what really stood out for me was how well the backstory was woven in without losing any of the pacing. I appreciated that a lot. The backstory, in both character and setting, felt just right.
I was hooked from the creepy, unsettling start all the way to the panic-driven finale.
Old and new horror fans rejoice. You're in for quite the treat.
This one might even bring Tim a legion of new fans.
I'd love to see that happen.
Superb work.
I can tell you now that AMONGST THE LIVING fulfills that wish and adds a hell of a lot more to boot. It encapsulates so many elements.
It's a Tim Lebbon novel, so, if you're aware of his work, you already know you're in for pretty much a cinematic experience. However, this time, what really stood out for me was how well the backstory was woven in without losing any of the pacing. I appreciated that a lot. The backstory, in both character and setting, felt just right.
I was hooked from the creepy, unsettling start all the way to the panic-driven finale.
Old and new horror fans rejoice. You're in for quite the treat.
This one might even bring Tim a legion of new fans.
I'd love to see that happen.
Superb work.
May 12, 2024
Taking elements from the here and now; global warming, over crowding, our impact on the world around us and nature - Lebbon mines these concepts and unearths terrors that will leave you cold. The isolation and contagion aspect of the book works to its credit, giving it a Thing vibe - but believe me it’s very much its own thing… ecological horror might be a category I’d put this in, and it’s sits near the very top of that trope, along with another Lebbon book Eden (if you’ve not read it you need to).
A thrill ride from start to finish, enjoyable characters, believable plot, and deep down in the permafrost - a warning, or has that warning come too late!
Bloody brilliant!
A thrill ride from start to finish, enjoyable characters, believable plot, and deep down in the permafrost - a warning, or has that warning come too late!
Bloody brilliant!
January 6, 2024
Leave me by the fire to thaw because this book gave me all the chills, in this environmental horror Tim expertly delivers a terrifying glimpse into the not too distant future (maybe?) Climate crisis is the driving force behind this bloody fast paced horror that had me on edge from the start, this was full of tension and the descriptions of the harsh terrain were vivid and terrifying!
January 20, 2024
In the Arctic's Hawkshead Island, a group of illegal miners discover an ancient cavern hidden beneath the now-receding ice and a deadly horror that has been lying in wait. Inside are a group of bodies, one of which has been deformed by a disease that has reawakened in the presence of these miners and has but one singular goal -- to spread. All that may be able to contain this hideous infection is a small band of eco-warriors intent on halting these rogue miners, but they may already be too late.
Given the recent surge in COVID-19 infections and other assorted headlines, it feels utterly impossible to separate Among the Living from the current social and political issues of our times, but such is the nature of art, which is inherently political and borne out of contemporaneous issues. Tim Lebbon's latest feels strikingly familiar, not only because we've been facing similar concerns these last four years, but is also a bellwether of what may potentially come given societal trends toward apathy.
Like his last few novels, Among the Living is intensely ecologically minded, with the plot and the terrors that are unleashed fueled by the horrors of climate change. Set only a few decades ahead of us (one character reminisces about seeing Metallica on tour for James Hetfield's 70th birthday back when she was in high school), the frozen wastelands of the Arctic have further receded and temperatures have risen. Earth's ancient history is slowly thawing and being revealed, as are the threats that have lurked dormant in the ice. It's a land ripe for exploitation by capitalistic concerns, like rogue miners looking to get rich quick off rare earth mineral deposits, that will only cause the land and those that inhabit it further harm. Timely, given recent news about billionaires exploiting the shrinking ice in Greenland in a mining rush and, no joke, shipping glacier ice to the desert for their cocktails.
Lebbon's latest also reminds one of the rampant wave of denialism that fueled so much of the COVID-19 pandemic, fractioning those who attempted to halt the spread against those who sought to ratchet up infection rates through ignorance and/or sheer stupidity, as well as the belief that infecting others rather than taking precautions against it was their god given right and that taking preventative measures was an infringement against their civil liberties. Like any other disease, the horrifying contagion at the heart of Among the Living wants to spread, has a biological -- and perhaps even intellectual -- imperative to spread, and once infected its human hosts become little more than quislings intent on helping the disease reach further. Kind of like COVID-19 deniers.
Among the Living grabbed my attention right from the outset. Lebbon wastes no time getting down to brass tacks with the illegal miners discovery of ancient subterranean horrors and ratcheting up the suspense and scares in the pages that follow. And while the disease in question bears some similarities to the now over-used fungal threat of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the zombie fungus that has become the go-to favorite of tired horror writers the world over, Lebbon smartly gives us something older, wiser, and far scarier and more threatening. On the character front, I greatly appreciated the strained relationship between our just-reunited protagonists of Bethan and Dean, which eschews the romantic in favor of the platonic. Lesser works would have left us wondering how long until they jump into bed with one another, but Lebbon tackles the more interesting route of a headstrong friendship broken by the consequence of action and lapsed time, and whether or not it can be reforged at the end of the world.
Given the recent surge in COVID-19 infections and other assorted headlines, it feels utterly impossible to separate Among the Living from the current social and political issues of our times, but such is the nature of art, which is inherently political and borne out of contemporaneous issues. Tim Lebbon's latest feels strikingly familiar, not only because we've been facing similar concerns these last four years, but is also a bellwether of what may potentially come given societal trends toward apathy.
Like his last few novels, Among the Living is intensely ecologically minded, with the plot and the terrors that are unleashed fueled by the horrors of climate change. Set only a few decades ahead of us (one character reminisces about seeing Metallica on tour for James Hetfield's 70th birthday back when she was in high school), the frozen wastelands of the Arctic have further receded and temperatures have risen. Earth's ancient history is slowly thawing and being revealed, as are the threats that have lurked dormant in the ice. It's a land ripe for exploitation by capitalistic concerns, like rogue miners looking to get rich quick off rare earth mineral deposits, that will only cause the land and those that inhabit it further harm. Timely, given recent news about billionaires exploiting the shrinking ice in Greenland in a mining rush and, no joke, shipping glacier ice to the desert for their cocktails.
Lebbon's latest also reminds one of the rampant wave of denialism that fueled so much of the COVID-19 pandemic, fractioning those who attempted to halt the spread against those who sought to ratchet up infection rates through ignorance and/or sheer stupidity, as well as the belief that infecting others rather than taking precautions against it was their god given right and that taking preventative measures was an infringement against their civil liberties. Like any other disease, the horrifying contagion at the heart of Among the Living wants to spread, has a biological -- and perhaps even intellectual -- imperative to spread, and once infected its human hosts become little more than quislings intent on helping the disease reach further. Kind of like COVID-19 deniers.
Among the Living grabbed my attention right from the outset. Lebbon wastes no time getting down to brass tacks with the illegal miners discovery of ancient subterranean horrors and ratcheting up the suspense and scares in the pages that follow. And while the disease in question bears some similarities to the now over-used fungal threat of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the zombie fungus that has become the go-to favorite of tired horror writers the world over, Lebbon smartly gives us something older, wiser, and far scarier and more threatening. On the character front, I greatly appreciated the strained relationship between our just-reunited protagonists of Bethan and Dean, which eschews the romantic in favor of the platonic. Lesser works would have left us wondering how long until they jump into bed with one another, but Lebbon tackles the more interesting route of a headstrong friendship broken by the consequence of action and lapsed time, and whether or not it can be reforged at the end of the world.
April 20, 2024
It was fine. I was really, really into it in the beginning, when I thought that this would be some kind of , but lost almost all interest once I realized this was an and more. It's trendy nowadays for some reason, but I've never enjoyed it (why yes, I AM a special snowflake)
Though, in the book's defense,
But the bottom line is that Not to mention how sometimes I didn't really understand where we were and what we were doing, sometimes the writing got weirdly convoluted and messy.
The positives: the characters were interesting and nicely written (nothing revolutionary, but still did the job), the suspense was suspensing, and
It was a solid book to pass a few hours with, but definitely not a new favourite for me.
Though, in the book's defense,
But the bottom line is that Not to mention how sometimes I didn't really understand where we were and what we were doing, sometimes the writing got weirdly convoluted and messy.
The positives: the characters were interesting and nicely written (nothing revolutionary, but still did the job), the suspense was suspensing, and
It was a solid book to pass a few hours with, but definitely not a new favourite for me.
January 29, 2024
Both
The Last Storm
and
Eden
feature the theme of climate change, and this continues in Among the Living. However, in this latest work by Tim Lebbon, the dust bowls and protected rainforests are abandoned in favour of a very-near future and unforgiving Arctic landscape, set on a remote island deep in the Arctic circle, where if a polar bear doesn’t finish you off, the weather most certainly will. The story is populated by the types of characters which would not be out of place in those other two most recent works. Stylistically, Among the Living follows the same type of horror, blended with science fiction and action, a blueprint which has contributed to Lebbon’s recent output being very solid and reliable page-turners.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
November 26, 2023
Absolutely terrifying! Dean is part of a group that mines illegally for rare minerals used in popular goods such as cell phones. He and his team is kitted out in the best money can buy and they drop in, find the minerals and sell the coordinated. When Dean's team unearths a truly life-threatening danger in the Artic he is luckily found by his ex-friend Bethan and her team of do-gooders. The groups are quick to fight but there is no denying that something that threatens all of man kind is lose and only they can stop it.
Completely credible and absolutely haunting, I hope this becomes a movie! My only complaint is I would have liked a bit more drama in the journey and even more about the characters. This could have easily been a longer book and better for it. All and all though - absolutely perfect for something to keep you up all night and nights after as you worry about the very real possibilities. I am off to read some more Tim Lebbon!
Grab this book, you won't be sorry! #amongtheliving #timlebbon
#Titanbooks
Completely credible and absolutely haunting, I hope this becomes a movie! My only complaint is I would have liked a bit more drama in the journey and even more about the characters. This could have easily been a longer book and better for it. All and all though - absolutely perfect for something to keep you up all night and nights after as you worry about the very real possibilities. I am off to read some more Tim Lebbon!
Grab this book, you won't be sorry! #amongtheliving #timlebbon
#Titanbooks
September 12, 2025
Wow this sucked. it started off with such a bang too, I was so hooked!! it was essentially the starting scenes of Alien, where a team of illegal miners enter some weird caves and disturb dead bodies that turn out actually aren't so dead. such a good start!!!
then the book just followed the plot of The Thing, but if the main characters refused to kill anyone who was infected because "they're still humans!!!" even while the weird infected guys were actively trying to kill them. the main characters here had the survival instincts of a wet fart, and that really ruined it for me. peace and love Dean but fucking shoot the monster, shes clearly not your friend anymore her skull is splitting open!!!
all this was broken up by a weird interlude of interpersonal drama between the climate activist group and the illegal miners group, which killed the vibes. we went from spooky horror The Thing to now we're talking about the morality of accidental deaths. it did connect, since the main tension stems from one of our MCs destroying machines that led to people dying, but it was tied in by the other MC not wanting to shoot anyone, infected or not. for example, one guy shot one of the infected, and everyone was mad at him for "killing" her??? it's like if in the walking dead people were pissed at you for killing a zombie that was about to bite you. I understand for a little being shocked, but everyone held onto that grudge EVEN AFTER they had seen more infected and knew she had turned. called him a crazy murdered for literally saving their lives. clearly I'm still pissed about it lol.
the ending wasn't bad, and all of the action/horror scenes were so well written that I was compelled to finish them book, but the characters just bothered me so much and their actions felt so unrealistic. no one acted how they should in a life or death situation!! other forms of media have done this exact same plot (The Thing, Alien, The Last of Us) but so much better, and I wish I spent my time re-watching those instead.
then the book just followed the plot of The Thing, but if the main characters refused to kill anyone who was infected because "they're still humans!!!" even while the weird infected guys were actively trying to kill them. the main characters here had the survival instincts of a wet fart, and that really ruined it for me. peace and love Dean but fucking shoot the monster, shes clearly not your friend anymore her skull is splitting open!!!
all this was broken up by a weird interlude of interpersonal drama between the climate activist group and the illegal miners group, which killed the vibes. we went from spooky horror The Thing to now we're talking about the morality of accidental deaths. it did connect, since the main tension stems from one of our MCs destroying machines that led to people dying, but it was tied in by the other MC not wanting to shoot anyone, infected or not. for example, one guy shot one of the infected, and everyone was mad at him for "killing" her??? it's like if in the walking dead people were pissed at you for killing a zombie that was about to bite you. I understand for a little being shocked, but everyone held onto that grudge EVEN AFTER they had seen more infected and knew she had turned. called him a crazy murdered for literally saving their lives. clearly I'm still pissed about it lol.
the ending wasn't bad, and all of the action/horror scenes were so well written that I was compelled to finish them book, but the characters just bothered me so much and their actions felt so unrealistic. no one acted how they should in a life or death situation!! other forms of media have done this exact same plot (The Thing, Alien, The Last of Us) but so much better, and I wish I spent my time re-watching those instead.
February 18, 2024
Billed as The Thing meets The Last of Us, Among The Living is a monster story for the climate change generation.
Similar to the monster movies of the nineteen fifties which tapped into concerns of the nuclear age, Among the Living taps into the current fears around climate change and the effects that it can have.
Stepping into similar territory as The Last Storm, Among the Living is set in the near future, and can really be seen as a companion piece to that story, except that the dangers don’t revolve around wildfires and drought, but deals with the idea that global warming can set loose a prehistoric microorganism that can devastate humanity.
Like any good horror, Tim Lebbon taps into latent fears and exploits with chilling effect.
In Among The Living, Lebbon writes a Crichtonesque adventure story, mixed with a believable catastrophe. I mean, we know that 48.500 year old zombie viruses have been revitalised by Russian scientists, although the Pandovirus only affects amoebas, Lebbon opens and uses this pandora’s box to write a fast paced story that will have you gripped.
As usual, Lebbon has family at the heart of the story, and whilst this time it is not biological siblings, it is the relationship between Dean & Bethan at the heart of the story with the book examining the reason for their estrangement.
Added to this, Lebbon throws in a good dose of body horror. There are heads spitting open and pustules bursting galore. The book is populated with a plethora of monsters to get you squirming.
Among the Living is a nail biting race against time story that will have you on the edge of your seat right to the very end.
Similar to the monster movies of the nineteen fifties which tapped into concerns of the nuclear age, Among the Living taps into the current fears around climate change and the effects that it can have.
Stepping into similar territory as The Last Storm, Among the Living is set in the near future, and can really be seen as a companion piece to that story, except that the dangers don’t revolve around wildfires and drought, but deals with the idea that global warming can set loose a prehistoric microorganism that can devastate humanity.
Like any good horror, Tim Lebbon taps into latent fears and exploits with chilling effect.
In Among The Living, Lebbon writes a Crichtonesque adventure story, mixed with a believable catastrophe. I mean, we know that 48.500 year old zombie viruses have been revitalised by Russian scientists, although the Pandovirus only affects amoebas, Lebbon opens and uses this pandora’s box to write a fast paced story that will have you gripped.
As usual, Lebbon has family at the heart of the story, and whilst this time it is not biological siblings, it is the relationship between Dean & Bethan at the heart of the story with the book examining the reason for their estrangement.
Added to this, Lebbon throws in a good dose of body horror. There are heads spitting open and pustules bursting galore. The book is populated with a plethora of monsters to get you squirming.
Among the Living is a nail biting race against time story that will have you on the edge of your seat right to the very end.
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