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The Man Who Built the World
Matthew Cassidy is a man on the verge of self-destruction. His career is in tatters and his marriage is hanging by a thread under the threat of a latent violence he is struggling to control. His wife Rachel is on the verge of leaving him even before a phone call from his estranged father pulls him back into a world of violence and mystery that he left behind on a bloody winter's night sixteen years before.
Matt must return to the quiet little country town of Tamerton, where he grew up in a world of questions but few answers. The town has changed but the mysteries remain, and Matt must question everything he thought he knew about his past. Why was his little sister mute? What really happened to his mother? And who are the two beautiful, ageless sisters who live in an isolated cottage out on the moor?
The Man Who Built the World is a tour de force supernatural thriller where the answers are never quite what they seem . . .
Excerpt from The Man Who Built the World :
You can't just leave like that, you know you can't.
The thought hit him like a hard slap across the face, and for a moment he stumbled, catching his footing just in time to avoid tumbling towards the puddles hidden in the dark at his feet. Just a thought, just a stupid, irrational thought, but it had snagged him like the barb of a fisherman's hook. His very presence back in Tamerton had opened up a can of long forgotten emotions that would take time to sort, time he didn't have. Time he didn't want to give. His sister wouldn't know he had come; she was dead, after all. And what sort of reception could expect from his father? Ian Cassidy had made the call to him - only Heaven knew how he had found Matt's number - but how much of that had been as a duty? How much did he really want to see his son?
Welcome home, son. Welcome home, little me.
The Man Who Built the World is a paranormal/fantasy/horror novel of 230 pages.
Chris Ward is the author of the science fiction epic The Tube Riders, as well as dozens of published short stories, the best of which can be found on Amazon as part of the collection Ms Ito's Bird & Other Stories.
Matt must return to the quiet little country town of Tamerton, where he grew up in a world of questions but few answers. The town has changed but the mysteries remain, and Matt must question everything he thought he knew about his past. Why was his little sister mute? What really happened to his mother? And who are the two beautiful, ageless sisters who live in an isolated cottage out on the moor?
The Man Who Built the World is a tour de force supernatural thriller where the answers are never quite what they seem . . .
Excerpt from The Man Who Built the World :
You can't just leave like that, you know you can't.
The thought hit him like a hard slap across the face, and for a moment he stumbled, catching his footing just in time to avoid tumbling towards the puddles hidden in the dark at his feet. Just a thought, just a stupid, irrational thought, but it had snagged him like the barb of a fisherman's hook. His very presence back in Tamerton had opened up a can of long forgotten emotions that would take time to sort, time he didn't have. Time he didn't want to give. His sister wouldn't know he had come; she was dead, after all. And what sort of reception could expect from his father? Ian Cassidy had made the call to him - only Heaven knew how he had found Matt's number - but how much of that had been as a duty? How much did he really want to see his son?
Welcome home, son. Welcome home, little me.
The Man Who Built the World is a paranormal/fantasy/horror novel of 230 pages.
Chris Ward is the author of the science fiction epic The Tube Riders, as well as dozens of published short stories, the best of which can be found on Amazon as part of the collection Ms Ito's Bird & Other Stories.
306 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2012
8 people are currently reading
1050 people want to read
About the author
Chris Ward
58 books140 followersChris Ward is the author of The Tube Riders series, the Tales of Crow series, and the forthcoming Endinfinium YA fantasy series.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 9, 2012
Thrilling and Surreal
Michael Cassidy is a haunted man – haunted by a past so dreadful that he has never told anyone about it. His relationships are being destroyed by his latent violence, his career is in chaos and spiralling out of control, his wife is on the verge of leaving him …..
And then he gets the phone call. His sister has died and he must return to his childhood home and confront whatever awaits him there.
This is a gripping story. The plot is convoluted and so surreal that it is not easy to tell how much is happening in real life and how much in the tortured mind of Michael Cassidy. Certainly some of the people of Tamerton are not what they appear to be. There is a feeling of undefined menace throughout which keeps the reader in thrall.
Mr Ward is a superb writer, his novels are well-structured, with well-developed (if not always likeable) characters and excellent pacing. This novel is no exception. I was never sure I properly understood what was going on but this ambiguity kept the tension high and I became more and more eager to find out what had really happened in Tamerton all those years ago.
Do we find out? I’m not telling you. You don’t want to know. Believe me.
Michael Cassidy is a haunted man – haunted by a past so dreadful that he has never told anyone about it. His relationships are being destroyed by his latent violence, his career is in chaos and spiralling out of control, his wife is on the verge of leaving him …..
And then he gets the phone call. His sister has died and he must return to his childhood home and confront whatever awaits him there.
This is a gripping story. The plot is convoluted and so surreal that it is not easy to tell how much is happening in real life and how much in the tortured mind of Michael Cassidy. Certainly some of the people of Tamerton are not what they appear to be. There is a feeling of undefined menace throughout which keeps the reader in thrall.
Mr Ward is a superb writer, his novels are well-structured, with well-developed (if not always likeable) characters and excellent pacing. This novel is no exception. I was never sure I properly understood what was going on but this ambiguity kept the tension high and I became more and more eager to find out what had really happened in Tamerton all those years ago.
Do we find out? I’m not telling you. You don’t want to know. Believe me.
January 1, 2013
The Author of this book offered it to me to read and it allowed me to form an opinion of his work, since this was the first time I have read his stuff. I decided that I would love to read it and would give him an honest review. When the book arrived, I placed it on my book shelf to get to as soon as I could. When I was finally able to read the book I found that the 2 lines on the cover, ‘In the darkness of his past, he will search for answers’ were intriguing to me in a way that kind of drew me into the story before I even started. Once I began to read the book I discovered that it was indeed very intriguing. I also discovered that this book, in a way is a classic example of Good vs. Evil.
I was not entirely sure of what to think of Matt, the main character of the story. At first I thought he was just a rude, bitter, and evil tempered alcoholic, but the further I read into the story the more I found myself changing those thoughts about Matt. I began to sort of form a bond with him, but did not want to get in too deep because the Author has a way of misleading his readers into thinking one thing and then something totally bizarre happens to change your thoughts yet again. I was on my toes I think from beginning to end; from heart pounding moments to bittersweet endings.
The characters were very well developed. And the storyline so vivid and surreal, it made you feel as though you were there. I especially loved how the story unfolded gradually, making me want to guess what would happen next but rarely getting it right. It made me want to read more as I turned each page. There was absolutely nothing predictable about this story. That is what I loved the most about this book. I think I literally gasped several times while reading.
I am so glad that I decided to read the book. And if you want to experience a very different type of book and you want every element of every genre, then this book is definitely one for you to read. You won’t be sorry. I look forward to reading more Chris Ward and I have to thank him for introducing me to his work.
I was not entirely sure of what to think of Matt, the main character of the story. At first I thought he was just a rude, bitter, and evil tempered alcoholic, but the further I read into the story the more I found myself changing those thoughts about Matt. I began to sort of form a bond with him, but did not want to get in too deep because the Author has a way of misleading his readers into thinking one thing and then something totally bizarre happens to change your thoughts yet again. I was on my toes I think from beginning to end; from heart pounding moments to bittersweet endings.
The characters were very well developed. And the storyline so vivid and surreal, it made you feel as though you were there. I especially loved how the story unfolded gradually, making me want to guess what would happen next but rarely getting it right. It made me want to read more as I turned each page. There was absolutely nothing predictable about this story. That is what I loved the most about this book. I think I literally gasped several times while reading.
I am so glad that I decided to read the book. And if you want to experience a very different type of book and you want every element of every genre, then this book is definitely one for you to read. You won’t be sorry. I look forward to reading more Chris Ward and I have to thank him for introducing me to his work.
October 6, 2013
I picked up this book as a Kindle Freebie quite a while ago because the synopsis sounded a lot like one of Dean Koontz' early works. Having set the bar this high in my mind, I procrastinated on reading it because surely I would have to be disappointed. I am happy to report that this book met and surpassed all of my expectations. This is how horror is done- no gore, no chainsaws, no vampires- just slow, painstaking buildup of dread and foreboding, as each revelation leads to the conclusion that is both surprising and inevitable. I don't care much for horror because, with some notable exceptions, the genre is by definition nihilistic, feeding off our fears and insecurities and leaving us usually even more unsettled at the end. This book takes a different path. It starts at a dark place, with our nominal protagonist, as unlikable as they come, drowning his life in whiskey and destroying his marriage. Then it gets darker; and darker still, as more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. But then, something miraculous happens- everything clicks together and becomes a thing of beauty- tragic, messy, but beauty nevertheless. It has been quite a while, in fact, since I came across such a perfect ending. If this were a movie, I would recommend seeing it on opening day so as not to have the plot twists given out to you by overly eager reviewers. Since this is a book, you can enjoy it any time, but I would not recommend delaying it much longer- this one is something special.
January 27, 2013
The Man Who Built the World was a riveting read and very compelling. I liked the style, which built suspense with clues and flashbacks rather than spelling everything out in linear fashion. The premise was interesting although the true nature of the "other worldly" characters wasn't quite as fully developed as it could have been and the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is because the situation with the baby was a bit of a let down at the end. It just kinda fizzled out, after being set up as the key to resolution of the story, the most important thing. I don't want to say too much and give away the ending but it could have been better after such an excellent build up. Overall though, it was a good book.
August 10, 2021
Imaginative, eerie, paranormal.
I found this novel to be more paranormal than horror - and although the main character was somewhat unlikeable, the author managed to get me, as a reader, to care enough about him to read on and wish him to survive. This is quite a feat, as the very rare time that I give up reading a book is usually because I don’t care about what happens to the protagonists. So I can only put down my continued reading to rather clever writing!
I did find the story to be rather compelling, and the book, or kindle, hard to put down. I found the sense of place to be rather well written, the spooky moorland was particularly eerie. Most of the characters were unlikeable - it wasn’t just the main one - but that gave a rather realistic feel to the book, I felt. Certainly one I won’t forget for a while - this author’s imagination has been as active as usual!
I found this novel to be more paranormal than horror - and although the main character was somewhat unlikeable, the author managed to get me, as a reader, to care enough about him to read on and wish him to survive. This is quite a feat, as the very rare time that I give up reading a book is usually because I don’t care about what happens to the protagonists. So I can only put down my continued reading to rather clever writing!
I did find the story to be rather compelling, and the book, or kindle, hard to put down. I found the sense of place to be rather well written, the spooky moorland was particularly eerie. Most of the characters were unlikeable - it wasn’t just the main one - but that gave a rather realistic feel to the book, I felt. Certainly one I won’t forget for a while - this author’s imagination has been as active as usual!
March 14, 2018
Ending too far fetched
The story brings you into the mysterious family and their struggles with their past, but you never quite get to know the hows and whys, even by the end. You are left trying to piece together the story, at least I was.
The story brings you into the mysterious family and their struggles with their past, but you never quite get to know the hows and whys, even by the end. You are left trying to piece together the story, at least I was.
July 28, 2022
Confusing
I really liked the book but did not understand at all what was going on. It needs some explaining to understand
I really liked the book but did not understand at all what was going on. It needs some explaining to understand
January 7, 2013
Matthew (Matt) Cassidy is a writer with successful book sales but he's having serious writer's block. Matt has fallen into drinking more and more everyday much to the dismay of his wife Rachel. Matt wouldn't normally hit his wife yet cannot believe he's done just that only recently. Rachel is unsure of what to do about the situation. She tries reaching out to Matt but he's pushing her and the chlldren away from him. When Matt receives an unexpected phone call from his father Ian, Matt's whole world takes on a drastic shift that he may not recover from. Matt returns home to Tamerton to pay his respects to his sister Bethany. Coming home again after being gone 14 years is harder than Matt thought it would be. There is strange turn of events that lead Matt to the Meredith Sisters. No one really knows anything about Meredith Sisters because no one ever really sees them. Ian's best friend Red is hiding something that could change alot of lives. What is Matt afraid of? Can Rachel get past the pain? What kind of family reunion awaits Matt? What is Red's secret? Where do the Meredith Sisters fit in?
I enjoyed reading this book. The title of the book tells you alot about the book even before opening it to the first page. The title also shows you what to expect from the book as well. By that I mean this:Everything you think you by reading this book will not prepare you for how it ends. This book will rock you to the core with stunning revelations about several characters. This quote best suits the book completely:‘I feel like the man who built the world and then, in a moment of madness, tore it all apart again.’ I think this quote sums up the whole book nicely. I will continue reading books by this author in the future.
I enjoyed reading this book. The title of the book tells you alot about the book even before opening it to the first page. The title also shows you what to expect from the book as well. By that I mean this:Everything you think you by reading this book will not prepare you for how it ends. This book will rock you to the core with stunning revelations about several characters. This quote best suits the book completely:‘I feel like the man who built the world and then, in a moment of madness, tore it all apart again.’ I think this quote sums up the whole book nicely. I will continue reading books by this author in the future.
February 28, 2013
Chris Ward had done it again, this time with "The Man Who Built the World." Matthew Cassidy has a drinking problem, and with it has come a change in his personality, one that makes him a stranger to his wife, Rachel, and their two children. Matthew has even hit Rachel, a trait completely opposite of the loving, affectionate husband he's normally known to be. The darkness that shadows him has to with his past and his family.
Then, out of nowhere, word comes from his long-estranged father that Matthew's younger sister,Betheny, has died. Matthew makes the torturous decision to return home for her funeral. That's when the tension of family friction and deep dark secrets fill the pages and keep the reader turning them, one after another.
The array of characters, especially, Betheny, Matthew's father Ian, and surrogate Uncle, Red, are genuine, tragedy filled characters that cause the reader to feel for them, as well as scorn them simultaneously.
The family mystery envelopes around these three characters, who bring to light the strange story of what happened to Matthew's mother. What was she? How did she die?
The tale of Matthew's mother, as well as the equally enigmatic Meredith sisters, lend a gothic touch to this dramatic dark tale that focuses ultimately on life, death, and pain, and the light that is eventually seen through the darkness.
Fans of Chris Ward will not want to miss this one. It's a must for those who love the gothic, the mysterious, and the unknown.
Then, out of nowhere, word comes from his long-estranged father that Matthew's younger sister,Betheny, has died. Matthew makes the torturous decision to return home for her funeral. That's when the tension of family friction and deep dark secrets fill the pages and keep the reader turning them, one after another.
The array of characters, especially, Betheny, Matthew's father Ian, and surrogate Uncle, Red, are genuine, tragedy filled characters that cause the reader to feel for them, as well as scorn them simultaneously.
The family mystery envelopes around these three characters, who bring to light the strange story of what happened to Matthew's mother. What was she? How did she die?
The tale of Matthew's mother, as well as the equally enigmatic Meredith sisters, lend a gothic touch to this dramatic dark tale that focuses ultimately on life, death, and pain, and the light that is eventually seen through the darkness.
Fans of Chris Ward will not want to miss this one. It's a must for those who love the gothic, the mysterious, and the unknown.
March 9, 2013
Matthew Cassidy is a down on his luck writer, son, husband, father, and some sort of a brother. And then he gets the phone call that signaled the end.
We are introduced to the complexity of his life through entries in a diary, present interactions, and recalled encounters. The Cassidy family seems, at first glance, to have been under a curse that ruined the lives of its members. Characters behaved according to his or her predestined nature, even if that nature was of a paranormal variety.
The Man Who Built the World is dark, gritty, and can get right under your skin, the way good dark fiction should. When I wasn't reading it, I was wondering what new twist I'll discover when I go back to it because they will definitely change my perception, again. Some parts of it were starkly realistic, the one that stayed with me was Matthew's relationship with his wife, Rachel. Theirs was an abusive relationship, yet he wasn't a wife beater as she herself confesses. Yet she remained with him, listing all kinds of excuses. You might scoff at her reaction, but there are women who react the same way everyday around the world. They have hope that their partner will change back, that it was a misunderstanding, that maybe they're making a big deal out of nothing.
Now, that's real! And if you wish to read more of that reality in a fictional (and paranormal) work, go for The Man Who Built the World.
We are introduced to the complexity of his life through entries in a diary, present interactions, and recalled encounters. The Cassidy family seems, at first glance, to have been under a curse that ruined the lives of its members. Characters behaved according to his or her predestined nature, even if that nature was of a paranormal variety.
The Man Who Built the World is dark, gritty, and can get right under your skin, the way good dark fiction should. When I wasn't reading it, I was wondering what new twist I'll discover when I go back to it because they will definitely change my perception, again. Some parts of it were starkly realistic, the one that stayed with me was Matthew's relationship with his wife, Rachel. Theirs was an abusive relationship, yet he wasn't a wife beater as she herself confesses. Yet she remained with him, listing all kinds of excuses. You might scoff at her reaction, but there are women who react the same way everyday around the world. They have hope that their partner will change back, that it was a misunderstanding, that maybe they're making a big deal out of nothing.
Now, that's real! And if you wish to read more of that reality in a fictional (and paranormal) work, go for The Man Who Built the World.
October 15, 2012
I've read a few of Chris Ward's short stories and I follow his blog, so I was keen to read one of his novels.
I expected deeply-flawed and intriguing characters, a strong plot, and a killer finale, which I got - along with a surprising empathy towards some of the darker characters when I closed the book. Chris is very good at layering characters' emotions, and each character's voice speaks clearly and consistently throughout the story.
My only real criticism is actually about the blurb: it doesn't introduce other important characters in the book, or describe the paranormal elements to the (potential) reader.
This book will surprise you, not many indie authors can structure a multiple POV story with alternating time periods this well. The author's experience certainly shines through.
I expected deeply-flawed and intriguing characters, a strong plot, and a killer finale, which I got - along with a surprising empathy towards some of the darker characters when I closed the book. Chris is very good at layering characters' emotions, and each character's voice speaks clearly and consistently throughout the story.
My only real criticism is actually about the blurb: it doesn't introduce other important characters in the book, or describe the paranormal elements to the (potential) reader.
This book will surprise you, not many indie authors can structure a multiple POV story with alternating time periods this well. The author's experience certainly shines through.
April 2, 2013
I found the majority of the characters especially Matt completely unlikable. Drunk men who hit their wives don't make good main characters for me. Your mileage may vary. Perhaps if he had come to see the error of his ways and made some attempts at redemption, there might have been something redeeming about him. But instead of him having to work for a solution to his issues he was given a pass by having this mysterious angel/demon spirit as a parent.
I love paranormal books and read a ton of urban fantasy, but this didn't work in that slot for me. Nor was horror in my opinion. the supernatural element was seemed to be an afterthought to excuse peoples' bad behavior.
The ending was way too convenient.
I love paranormal books and read a ton of urban fantasy, but this didn't work in that slot for me. Nor was horror in my opinion. the supernatural element was seemed to be an afterthought to excuse peoples' bad behavior.
The ending was way too convenient.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2013
The principal character is thoroughly unpleasant which I don't mind at all. It leads you in. There are plenty of plot twists and turns and the ending is not at all cut and dried which is fine. I find a lot of books quite predictable, even when they're not supposed to be and this one wasn't.
I do have a few criticisms. This is, I suspect, an early book and, in places only, the over-writing made me wince. There narrative verges on the melodramatic in places when I don't think that's the plan and I found some of the Americanism used in what's supposed to be an English village did grate more than a little.
In general, though, perfectly creditable and would be much better if thoroughly revised.
I do have a few criticisms. This is, I suspect, an early book and, in places only, the over-writing made me wince. There narrative verges on the melodramatic in places when I don't think that's the plan and I found some of the Americanism used in what's supposed to be an English village did grate more than a little.
In general, though, perfectly creditable and would be much better if thoroughly revised.
January 28, 2013
I usually don't read this kind of fiction, but after reading The Tube Riders by the same author, I thought I'd give it a try. I was very pleasantly surprised! It kept me wanting to keep reading to see what happened next and I did have a few nights of short sleep before the alarm went on to wake me up for work. The environments were so well defined, I could imagine myself there actually watching the events unfold.
June 23, 2013
Matthew is self destructing. He is drinking to escape his past. This book is his journey to discover what really happened and be able to move on. I found myself unable to stop reading, although I often like Matt couldn't tell if he was halucenating. I received a copy through Goodreads First Reads.
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October 27, 2012I didn't finish this book because it just wasn't my cup of tea. There wasn't anything wrong with the writing or the plot. I just couldn't connect with the main character. The genre and I just didn't get along.
April 24, 2013
The Man Who Built the World.
I really enjoyed this book. The atmosphere was subtlety created, the characters are diverse and nicely flawed, and the plot was unpredictable. I couldn't have asked for more.
An excellent read.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
I really enjoyed this book. The atmosphere was subtlety created, the characters are diverse and nicely flawed, and the plot was unpredictable. I couldn't have asked for more.
An excellent read.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
March 12, 2013
You never knew what was happening. Always a surpise somewhere that was delightful. Great story, though sometimes a little hard to follow.
May 2, 2013
Hands down one of the best novels I have read in a long time.
December 8, 2015
Different
Was really enjoying this book when about 2/3 into the book, it seemed like someone different took over the writing. Turned into a disappointment.
Was really enjoying this book when about 2/3 into the book, it seemed like someone different took over the writing. Turned into a disappointment.
February 25, 2016
Very good - spooky but grounded!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews