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Broken Escalator
On October 5th of last year, the escalators at West Edmonton Mall shut down simultaneously due to what was believed to be a series of mechanical failures, stranding thousands on the second floor. By the time a rescue operation could be organized and mounted, nearly everyone on the mall’s upper level had been killed, and to this day few people, if any, understand what really happened during the period when that area of the mall was cut off from the rest of the world.
My name is Christopher Munroe, and this is the story of what happened to me. This isn't the whole story of what happened at West Edmonton Mall that horrible day, but it is my story. This is the story of the people I met, the things I had to endure, and the lengths I went to, to survive... a broken escalator.
Broken Escalator is a surrealist horror novel by Christopher Munroe, where mechanical failure spirals quickly out of control and human nature is discovered to be by turns nobler and more brutal than anyone could imagine. Or at least, than anyone would like to admit…
My name is Christopher Munroe, and this is the story of what happened to me. This isn't the whole story of what happened at West Edmonton Mall that horrible day, but it is my story. This is the story of the people I met, the things I had to endure, and the lengths I went to, to survive... a broken escalator.
Broken Escalator is a surrealist horror novel by Christopher Munroe, where mechanical failure spirals quickly out of control and human nature is discovered to be by turns nobler and more brutal than anyone could imagine. Or at least, than anyone would like to admit…
ebook
First published September 27, 2012
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117 people want to read
About the author
Munsi Parker-Munroe
1 book20 followersMunsi Parker-Munroe is an actor/author/comedian from Calgary, Canada, where he lives, works, writes and spends too much time on Twitter. While he’s a prolific and occasionally podcasted author of short and flash fiction, Broken Escalator is his first full-length novel and, having spent months of his life working on it, he now finds himself mildly nervous every time he’s inside a mall…
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 4, 2013
Broken escalator is an eerie crossing of an otherworldly fantasy, like the Wizard of Oz, with the Lord of the Flies. This book can't be shelved anywhere but horror, and please put it with the most psychologically twisted in the category, thank you. The only reason I don't give this book five stars is that it has scarred me to landmark I must visit every week. That and the small hand-holding I needed to make it to chapter three. It was hard to swallow that first moment when people look at the broken escalator and don't just walk down as happens every other time the darn things stop working. I had faith, recognized the signs that something 'odd' was at work, and plowed on. I'm very glad I did.
For his first full-length novel, Christopher has provided a wonderful offering, one that should not be sacrificed with a ceremonial dagger on the Chapters counter, but shared in a less destructive way. I'm not a horror reader by nature, but I enjoyed the chilling scenes, the psychotic characters, and the pure evil that existed in this book. Rarely do authors get so clear a mission as to have good triumph over evil, but here it is!
For his first full-length novel, Christopher has provided a wonderful offering, one that should not be sacrificed with a ceremonial dagger on the Chapters counter, but shared in a less destructive way. I'm not a horror reader by nature, but I enjoyed the chilling scenes, the psychotic characters, and the pure evil that existed in this book. Rarely do authors get so clear a mission as to have good triumph over evil, but here it is!
April 5, 2014
Not what it appears to be at all, but in a really good way.
I was hesitant to check this one out simply because of the obvious part of the story about a broken escalator. I did some research into it and was confused as to why someone would use something so incredibly simple as a major part of the plot.
I trusted my gut and went with it anyway. I was very glad I did. I have to admit it really made me chuckle plenty of times. I am not going to give out any spoilers here, but there is a legitimate reason why the escalators were broken in the first place. There is also a reason why they didn't simply just walk down to the first floor. ;)
I have recommend this book to many of my friends, and I am extending that recommendation to you future reader. I also suggest his podiobook version as well. It is well done and worth every second of your time.
I wanted to give it a five star but very few stories are worthy of a five in my mind. Let that not take away from what the author has done here. Just a personal thing with me. A five star to me is reserved for classics that will be spoken of for generations. The author isn't quite in the company of the elite just yet, but if his writing style is any indication of future projects it isn't too far of a stretch to think it might happen someday.
Personal note to Author should you read this.
I enjoyed your work immensely. Thank you for making my day a little brighter, and please keep up the good work.
I was hesitant to check this one out simply because of the obvious part of the story about a broken escalator. I did some research into it and was confused as to why someone would use something so incredibly simple as a major part of the plot.
I trusted my gut and went with it anyway. I was very glad I did. I have to admit it really made me chuckle plenty of times. I am not going to give out any spoilers here, but there is a legitimate reason why the escalators were broken in the first place. There is also a reason why they didn't simply just walk down to the first floor. ;)
I have recommend this book to many of my friends, and I am extending that recommendation to you future reader. I also suggest his podiobook version as well. It is well done and worth every second of your time.
I wanted to give it a five star but very few stories are worthy of a five in my mind. Let that not take away from what the author has done here. Just a personal thing with me. A five star to me is reserved for classics that will be spoken of for generations. The author isn't quite in the company of the elite just yet, but if his writing style is any indication of future projects it isn't too far of a stretch to think it might happen someday.
Personal note to Author should you read this.
I enjoyed your work immensely. Thank you for making my day a little brighter, and please keep up the good work.
November 11, 2015
Initially, I was thinking this sounds like the joke about the blond that got stuck on the escalator when it broke down, but decided to give it a listen anyway (audiobook version). And I'm glad I did - really brilliantly thought-out story, that kept me listening until the very end, even though I agreed with the one character, Andrew, that the main character was a bit of a douch by not seeming all that bothered learning anyone's names, except for Linda.
October 5, 2013
THE SHORT EXPLANATION
The entire world is represented in the microcosm of a mall. Fear, compassion, anger, belief, doubt all coexist in a work which reminds me of the best of Samuel Beckett’s work without all the artsy flourishes and unintelligible characters.
LONG EXPLANATION
The action of this story takes place completely on the second floor of a mall. The concept sounds insane. Why don’t they just go downstairs, you know, to the first floor? The escalators are broken. All of them? All of them!
Then take the stairs, elevators, walk down the broken escalators. One character even points out that a broken escalator is simply stairs, and yet it doesn’t happen. The characters are trapped on the second story, the food court is on the first floor, and no one is coming to save them.
What starts out as a ludicrous premise — even in anti-regulation America the libertarians would scream bloody murder if there weren't at least a dozen ways out of every public space in the land — becomes seductively plausible. The reader is drawn into the confusion of the characters and their inability to escape from the most banal of spaces the western world has ever devised.
There is a mystery about the mall. There is a feeling something is off, and that something is truly wrong with the space of the novel. Wrongness develops until even the act of walking down a broken escalator—otherwise known as stairs—becomes as stomach wrenching as a car crash.
I laughed, I cringed, and I questioned the very nature of reality as the protagonists fought to survive the horror of the West Edmonton Mall’s second level.
Truly, this work reminded me very much of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. In Waiting for Godot, two gentlemen undergo a series of psychological tortures and tests as they wait for the titular character that never arrives. While we never know anything about Godot, we do know that everything will be better when Godot arrives.
That was the feeling I felt as I listened to Broken Escalator. While the idea that the world could fail because of something as inherently lazy as an escalator is insane. The way the characters of this work continue to dwell on the belief that everything will be better if only the escalators worked, is the same desperation those strange men on the side of the road felt toward Godot. If only the world were different, everything would be fine.
Where this work deviates from Beckett, is that whereas Beckett is quite happy leaving the audience confused about what is happening, to the point that no two individuals can quite put their finger on what exactly Beckett is attempting to say — I think some people call that art — Christopher Munroe does just the opposite.
Just as there is a failure of the world based upon a failure of escalators, there is a solution, an ending, a wonderful tying up of events in such a way that the audience can feel glad they made it all the way to the end.
While this work is roughly sixty-seven thousand words long, ten thousand words shorter than Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone or about the same as the original Star Wars novelization, the author shows that small can be beautiful. Not a word is wasted, not a scene is extraneous, everything is used—Chekhov’s guns lie all about the place.
It is a bonsai tree of a book, a forest in miniature that makes you forget you’d need anything more. Well done Christopher, well done.
The entire world is represented in the microcosm of a mall. Fear, compassion, anger, belief, doubt all coexist in a work which reminds me of the best of Samuel Beckett’s work without all the artsy flourishes and unintelligible characters.
LONG EXPLANATION
The action of this story takes place completely on the second floor of a mall. The concept sounds insane. Why don’t they just go downstairs, you know, to the first floor? The escalators are broken. All of them? All of them!
Then take the stairs, elevators, walk down the broken escalators. One character even points out that a broken escalator is simply stairs, and yet it doesn’t happen. The characters are trapped on the second story, the food court is on the first floor, and no one is coming to save them.
What starts out as a ludicrous premise — even in anti-regulation America the libertarians would scream bloody murder if there weren't at least a dozen ways out of every public space in the land — becomes seductively plausible. The reader is drawn into the confusion of the characters and their inability to escape from the most banal of spaces the western world has ever devised.
There is a mystery about the mall. There is a feeling something is off, and that something is truly wrong with the space of the novel. Wrongness develops until even the act of walking down a broken escalator—otherwise known as stairs—becomes as stomach wrenching as a car crash.
I laughed, I cringed, and I questioned the very nature of reality as the protagonists fought to survive the horror of the West Edmonton Mall’s second level.
Truly, this work reminded me very much of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. In Waiting for Godot, two gentlemen undergo a series of psychological tortures and tests as they wait for the titular character that never arrives. While we never know anything about Godot, we do know that everything will be better when Godot arrives.
That was the feeling I felt as I listened to Broken Escalator. While the idea that the world could fail because of something as inherently lazy as an escalator is insane. The way the characters of this work continue to dwell on the belief that everything will be better if only the escalators worked, is the same desperation those strange men on the side of the road felt toward Godot. If only the world were different, everything would be fine.
Where this work deviates from Beckett, is that whereas Beckett is quite happy leaving the audience confused about what is happening, to the point that no two individuals can quite put their finger on what exactly Beckett is attempting to say — I think some people call that art — Christopher Munroe does just the opposite.
Just as there is a failure of the world based upon a failure of escalators, there is a solution, an ending, a wonderful tying up of events in such a way that the audience can feel glad they made it all the way to the end.
While this work is roughly sixty-seven thousand words long, ten thousand words shorter than Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone or about the same as the original Star Wars novelization, the author shows that small can be beautiful. Not a word is wasted, not a scene is extraneous, everything is used—Chekhov’s guns lie all about the place.
It is a bonsai tree of a book, a forest in miniature that makes you forget you’d need anything more. Well done Christopher, well done.
February 28, 2013
I received a copy of “Broken Escalator” at no cost in exchange for an honest review. The synopsis gives us a popular shopping mall filled with people on two floors. When the escalators stop running, thousands on the second floor find themselves trapped with no means of escape. Then the negative aspects of the human element kicks in and things go bad.
The author calls it a “surrealist horror novel” and the premise alone is what made me immediately jump at the chance to be a reader. I finished it just before 3:00 am this morning (had to know the ending) and am both glad to have had a chance to read it and happy to provide my thoughts.
What I l enjoyed about the book:
I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books from the author. I like his ease of writing style and the creativity of plotting.
As the story unfolded, it was evenly paced and I didn’t feel like I was being set up for a false turn or force fed emotion. The book isn’t scary like jump in your seat from surprise. It is a psychological dread that creeps up on you and keeps you moving forward through the pages. There is a bit of The X Files “trust no one” vibe that starts to set in as nothing is as it seems.
I like the sly focus on consumerism as an underlying piece of the book. Product mentions, what people are shopping for, etc. Also, the protagonist’s play-by-play first person account is very stream of consciousness, which works quite effectively for us in getting into his head, how he thinks and why he acts (or doesn’t act) as the story continues.
The characters are realistic in their actions and reactions to each other and each new stressor. The psychological aspect of human behavior fascinates me and this story goes down that avenue.
I am not a big shopper and hit malls only a few times a year to catch off season sales. I must admit that the next time I’m up on a second or third floor, I might think a little about what is going on behind the walls and side eye a few of my fellow shoppers.
What threw me a little:
Like other reviewers have mentioned, until chapter four, I kept wondering why someone in the second floor group didn’t have the immediate thought of walking down the escalator, looking for stairs or an elevator. The reasons for the seemingly lack of common sense come forward later in the story, but it was a point that kept pulling at me. I read this on my Kindle and started typing note quips on how the lack of thought about emergency exits didn’t make sense. I just counted and see I have six notes. As it became obvious that there were strange forces and stuff “off” going on about the situation, I finally accepted none of them considered it and kept reading. However, being that pulled out of the story makes me rank the book at three stars versus four.
The story becomes a little “telling” for a few pages towards the end as some mysteries are cleared up. The struggle that leads us to the end also hit me as a little too perfect.
The author calls it a “surrealist horror novel” and the premise alone is what made me immediately jump at the chance to be a reader. I finished it just before 3:00 am this morning (had to know the ending) and am both glad to have had a chance to read it and happy to provide my thoughts.
What I l enjoyed about the book:
I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books from the author. I like his ease of writing style and the creativity of plotting.
As the story unfolded, it was evenly paced and I didn’t feel like I was being set up for a false turn or force fed emotion. The book isn’t scary like jump in your seat from surprise. It is a psychological dread that creeps up on you and keeps you moving forward through the pages. There is a bit of The X Files “trust no one” vibe that starts to set in as nothing is as it seems.
I like the sly focus on consumerism as an underlying piece of the book. Product mentions, what people are shopping for, etc. Also, the protagonist’s play-by-play first person account is very stream of consciousness, which works quite effectively for us in getting into his head, how he thinks and why he acts (or doesn’t act) as the story continues.
The characters are realistic in their actions and reactions to each other and each new stressor. The psychological aspect of human behavior fascinates me and this story goes down that avenue.
I am not a big shopper and hit malls only a few times a year to catch off season sales. I must admit that the next time I’m up on a second or third floor, I might think a little about what is going on behind the walls and side eye a few of my fellow shoppers.
What threw me a little:
Like other reviewers have mentioned, until chapter four, I kept wondering why someone in the second floor group didn’t have the immediate thought of walking down the escalator, looking for stairs or an elevator. The reasons for the seemingly lack of common sense come forward later in the story, but it was a point that kept pulling at me. I read this on my Kindle and started typing note quips on how the lack of thought about emergency exits didn’t make sense. I just counted and see I have six notes. As it became obvious that there were strange forces and stuff “off” going on about the situation, I finally accepted none of them considered it and kept reading. However, being that pulled out of the story makes me rank the book at three stars versus four.
The story becomes a little “telling” for a few pages towards the end as some mysteries are cleared up. The struggle that leads us to the end also hit me as a little too perfect.
May 1, 2019
I listened to this as a podiobook when I worked in a warehouse. I got my boyfriend at the time to listen to it too, and it was so hilariously awful that I had to RUN to my locker at break to text with him about the things we had both just heard. I laughed out loud countless times. I could barely stomach the terrible writing, but it was definitely squarely in the good-bad category of terrible writing. I’d recommend giving it a listen in podiobook form! I think that enhanced my experience by a lot; rope in a friend and make it an event.
November 5, 2012
At first, all I could think was why don't they just walk down? But it was all answered in time. I liked how Andrew's chapters really filled out the characterisations, even that of Chris. I also find it interesting that the author would chose to cast himself as the MC in a gory story like this :)
Final note: This is an author read podcast. The reading was good, though the sound went up and down at times.
Final note: This is an author read podcast. The reading was good, though the sound went up and down at times.
May 15, 2016
If you take the whole thing as a satire, it's pretty entertaining. But don't plan to get attached to any of the characters.... they're all kind of stupid. Not an ounce of common sense among all of them. Even as a satire though, it's just okay. Not bad, not good. Meh.
November 25, 2012
The story was very beautifully written and imagined, but I must admit, that what I loved the most and what really got my attention was how smart the author is, I love an author who goes deep and makes you think.
The beginning paragraphs are true hooks.
Good luck and wish you the best.
The beginning paragraphs are true hooks.
Good luck and wish you the best.
December 14, 2012
This is a terrifying and humorous tale about just how dependent humans are upon all our modern compliances with a dark, supernatural twist.
May 2, 2013
Fight through the first feelings of weirdness and you'll enjoy a good read.
October 12, 2017
I have seen negative comments on this book on other sites by people who have not read it and yes the idea behind the book is stupid on the face of it. But this IS a horror book so there are going to be twists and reasons for a silly idea like being trapped on the second floor. Give the author a break and read the book first. I don't want to spoil it, but the fact is people cannot "see" any other way of getting downstairs but a WORKING escalator, they are being manipulated as you would quickly realize if you really read it!
Fact is, it was a surprisingly good book based on a really silly idea, and it works.
Fact is, it was a surprisingly good book based on a really silly idea, and it works.
October 4, 2017
Enjoyable light horror read with a good plot twist
May 26, 2018
Why couldn’t they just walk down the bloody escalator, you can still get down them when they’re not moving..
July 4, 2019
Ridiculous
August 22, 2019
This was a surprisingly good story. I listened to the podiobook, and I highly recommend it. The way the tense moments mix with the music are really worth the time. It also helped that I was looking for something to listen to, as I've had issues recently getting in the mood to sit and actually read.
ANYWAY, I want to tell someone who is interested in reading this book that yes, the premise seems a little silly. BUT, you will not be disappointed if you give it some time. I was very quickly wrapped up in the story, wanting to understand more, wanting to know what was going on. I recommend this book and I'm considering getting it as a gift for one of friends.
ANYWAY, I want to tell someone who is interested in reading this book that yes, the premise seems a little silly. BUT, you will not be disappointed if you give it some time. I was very quickly wrapped up in the story, wanting to understand more, wanting to know what was going on. I recommend this book and I'm considering getting it as a gift for one of friends.
January 21, 2013
To be fair, I never actually finished the book. As a fellow word-based artist (stand-up comedian, in my case) one of the first lessons I was taught by a seasoned pro was "never feign ignorance, it insults the intelligence of your audience." This is where I felt this book lost me.
As far as I can tell the author is attempting to make a statement about our reliance on technology by supposing that, given unmoving escalators, people would be completely paralyzed and under the impression that they have no way downstairs. It's a cute concept, and might be kind of funny in a joke or couple minute long comedy sketch... but it's completely rediculous when treated this seriously, let alone as a premise for what's sold as a horror story. How scared can one really be when the answer is simply "walk down the stairs"?
I had high hopes, but come on... if not one character in the entire book has even a hint of common sense, where's the relatability? It hurts me to give this one star review to a fellow Calgarian with an original idea... but there needs to be some logic in the mix as well.
As far as I can tell the author is attempting to make a statement about our reliance on technology by supposing that, given unmoving escalators, people would be completely paralyzed and under the impression that they have no way downstairs. It's a cute concept, and might be kind of funny in a joke or couple minute long comedy sketch... but it's completely rediculous when treated this seriously, let alone as a premise for what's sold as a horror story. How scared can one really be when the answer is simply "walk down the stairs"?
I had high hopes, but come on... if not one character in the entire book has even a hint of common sense, where's the relatability? It hurts me to give this one star review to a fellow Calgarian with an original idea... but there needs to be some logic in the mix as well.
February 26, 2013
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up being disappointed. Shortly after this novel begins, the mall escalator stops working, stranding the protagonist and other shoppers on the 2nd floor. I had a hard time with this, as surely they could just walk down - or look for the stairs and elevators. It took a long time for the question to why they did not to be answered, and I was having difficulty suspending my disbelief. I will admit that I would not have pushed myself to finish this book if I had not agreed to review it.
Definitely a unique approach, and I did enjoy some of the social commentary...but I would not read again. Did not scare me much.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up being disappointed. Shortly after this novel begins, the mall escalator stops working, stranding the protagonist and other shoppers on the 2nd floor. I had a hard time with this, as surely they could just walk down - or look for the stairs and elevators. It took a long time for the question to why they did not to be answered, and I was having difficulty suspending my disbelief. I will admit that I would not have pushed myself to finish this book if I had not agreed to review it.
Definitely a unique approach, and I did enjoy some of the social commentary...but I would not read again. Did not scare me much.
March 18, 2018
Interesting unique take on the disaster genre. Why not make a total parody out of it. Love how quickly mankind collapses.
July 13, 2015
I am impressed. I would like to read more by this author
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews