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The Harrison Peel Files #1
The Impossible Object
In a blend of cosmic horror with weird science fiction and action spy adventure, The Impossible Object recounts the adventures of Army Intelligence Officer, Major Harrison Peel, who travels the globe fighting the good fight against alien monsters wherever they appear threatening to destroy humanity.
Harrison Peel’s first adventures are collected in four novellas:
“Made of Meat” — Terrorists hiding out amongst the hill tribes of Cambodia have accurate intelligence on Western covert operations, and Peel works to break the network before more agents are killed in the line of duty.
“Driven Underground” — An ancient alien city is unearthed in the deserts of Outback Australia, and Peel leads a team of soldiers into its catacombs where no living thing has existed for millions of years, or so they believe.
“Impossible Object” — Peel is assigned to a top secret facility studying an alien artifact, an object that cannot be measured or recorded by any means, that promises to offer up the secrets of the universe, or destroy it.
“False Containment” — After witnessing a mass grave of fused human bones, Peel travels to California to investigate a zero waste technology program using wormholes to dispose of rubbish in alien dimensions.
Harrison Peel’s first adventures are collected in four novellas:
“Made of Meat” — Terrorists hiding out amongst the hill tribes of Cambodia have accurate intelligence on Western covert operations, and Peel works to break the network before more agents are killed in the line of duty.
“Driven Underground” — An ancient alien city is unearthed in the deserts of Outback Australia, and Peel leads a team of soldiers into its catacombs where no living thing has existed for millions of years, or so they believe.
“Impossible Object” — Peel is assigned to a top secret facility studying an alien artifact, an object that cannot be measured or recorded by any means, that promises to offer up the secrets of the universe, or destroy it.
“False Containment” — After witnessing a mass grave of fused human bones, Peel travels to California to investigate a zero waste technology program using wormholes to dispose of rubbish in alien dimensions.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2013
8 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
David Conyers
81 books59 followersDavid Conyers is science fiction author and editor from Adelaide, South Australia. He has a degree in engineering from the University of Melbourne, and today works in marketing communications. David’s fiction has appeared in magazines such as Albedo One, Ticon4, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, Book of Dark Wisdom, Lovecraft eZine and Jupiter, as well as more than twenty anthologies. His previous books include the science fiction Cthulhu Mythos blended thriller, The Eye of Infinity published by Perilous Press and the prequel The Spiraling Worm co-authored with John Sunseri. Previous anthologies he has edited include Extreme Planets, Cthulhu Unbound 3, Cthulhu’s Dark Cults and Undead & Unbound. His e-books include The Uncertainty Bridge and The Impossible Object.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 19, 2014
I was directed to this piece by the Conyers after giving a favorable review of a piece he co-worked on in Cthulhu Unbound 3. Since he was friendly and approachable, I decided to give his other works a look and ended up getting both this piece as well as the sequel.
Conyers has done a wonderful job combining an action oriented spy piece with Lovecraft's Mythos. The added fact that the main character is Australian and works for the Australian government is an added bonus as I find the American spy stories to be over the top and full of more chest thumping than any actual substance. Conyers handles a number of themes really well within this collection of stories, merging difficult subjects like time travel into his work and making it look easy.
Much like the ending for his co-written story in Cthulhu Unbound 3, the climactic battle at the end felt a little too easy, though I have to admit it worked beautifully within the short story without becoming a deus ex machina kind of thing. Still, the ending worked within the context of the story, wrapped things up, and also lead to a very interesting thread within the next story in the book.
Conyers' characters are also enjoyable, though Peel is easily the one that shines among the others and the level of detail given to him is heads and tails above the others. The other characters however could have used a bit more fleshing out in my opinion. I think it would create a more engaging story and give the reader something they could invest a bit more into rather than Peel himself and his love interest. For example, though the American agent in the final story becomes a pov character, you really don't learn a lot about him as the story progresses. This sadly reduced the impact of the ending which you will have to find out yourself by reading the book.
Do I recommend this book?
Very much so. To the point where I actually wished Conyers increased the price a bit. Considering the number of terrible story collections out there at a higher price, seeing a work that was enjoyable and well worked on like this sell for less made me feel as if I had somehow ripped him off. If you enjoy Lovecraftian works, this is for you. It has the right mix of action and mythos without falling into a number of the pitfalls writers tend to step into. A must for any library and I will be reading this again in the future.
Conyers has done a wonderful job combining an action oriented spy piece with Lovecraft's Mythos. The added fact that the main character is Australian and works for the Australian government is an added bonus as I find the American spy stories to be over the top and full of more chest thumping than any actual substance. Conyers handles a number of themes really well within this collection of stories, merging difficult subjects like time travel into his work and making it look easy.
Much like the ending for his co-written story in Cthulhu Unbound 3, the climactic battle at the end felt a little too easy, though I have to admit it worked beautifully within the short story without becoming a deus ex machina kind of thing. Still, the ending worked within the context of the story, wrapped things up, and also lead to a very interesting thread within the next story in the book.
Conyers' characters are also enjoyable, though Peel is easily the one that shines among the others and the level of detail given to him is heads and tails above the others. The other characters however could have used a bit more fleshing out in my opinion. I think it would create a more engaging story and give the reader something they could invest a bit more into rather than Peel himself and his love interest. For example, though the American agent in the final story becomes a pov character, you really don't learn a lot about him as the story progresses. This sadly reduced the impact of the ending which you will have to find out yourself by reading the book.
Do I recommend this book?
Very much so. To the point where I actually wished Conyers increased the price a bit. Considering the number of terrible story collections out there at a higher price, seeing a work that was enjoyable and well worked on like this sell for less made me feel as if I had somehow ripped him off. If you enjoy Lovecraftian works, this is for you. It has the right mix of action and mythos without falling into a number of the pitfalls writers tend to step into. A must for any library and I will be reading this again in the future.
July 13, 2013
David Conyers proves once again that he is becoming quite adept as a writer of techno-thrillers with a Lovecraftian flavour.
Although I previously read a couple of the stories in The Spiraling Worm, published by Chaosium and co-written with John Sunsori, the other stories in The Impossible Object were very well written tales, with interesting characters and fast paced action.
I look forward to the next release in the Harrison Peel series and heartily recommend this book to anybody who like adventure tales or are interested in Cthulhu mythos stories in a modern setting.
David has proven himself to be adept as a writer, editor, map maker and illustrator. He is a bit of a Renaissance man in the role playing game world of Chaosiums Call of Cthulhu, and has earned the admiration and respect of the gamers and fellow writers in that particular genre. I certainly look forward to seeing his future projects!
Although I previously read a couple of the stories in The Spiraling Worm, published by Chaosium and co-written with John Sunsori, the other stories in The Impossible Object were very well written tales, with interesting characters and fast paced action.
I look forward to the next release in the Harrison Peel series and heartily recommend this book to anybody who like adventure tales or are interested in Cthulhu mythos stories in a modern setting.
David has proven himself to be adept as a writer, editor, map maker and illustrator. He is a bit of a Renaissance man in the role playing game world of Chaosiums Call of Cthulhu, and has earned the admiration and respect of the gamers and fellow writers in that particular genre. I certainly look forward to seeing his future projects!
September 25, 2020
David Conyers calls this a reboot since he updated the stories from previous editions. The changes and the new story are well worth it, even if you have read them before
January 2, 2016
I've always loved military horror right from the day I saw Aliens as a young kid in the 1980's. While its been well-represented in certain areas (alien invasions, especially), but up until now Cthulhu has been underrepresented beyond Delta Green.
I first was introduced to Harrison Peel - an Australian Army officer who happens onto the mythos whilst on an assignment - in Cthulhu Unbound 3 (a great book in its own right). The book is four fun stories (each distinct, though with an overall plot arc connecting them) involving the discovery of an ancient eldritch city and some of the technology ensconced there which is put to use without a full understanding of the implications. As the story progresses, there is a evil corporate aspect that keeps things interesting and shows a lot of potential for the future.
The writing here is great - taut, creepy, and engaging - and as I said, each story is a digestible length, easily finished in a half hour or so. Each tale keeps you wanting to know what is coming next and wanting to read the next story, which is what any author wants. There is a palpable sense of dread that is almost a necessity for Cthulhu stories, but the excitement of a technothriller shines through as well. The dialogue is spare, particularly when Peel is involved (he reminds me a bit of the titular character from the Gravel comic books in that way). Furthermore, there are none of the flowery, grandiose confrontations between the hero and some dastardly villain that you often see in a book like this. Instead the enemy is more creeping and pervasive - a Subtle Invasion (another great story by Mr. Conyers) - that brings out all the hallmarks of madness and insanity that are imprinted in Lovecraftian works.
My only complaint is that the tech aspects are a bit weak at times (a Nigerian merc in the first story has access to an AH-64 Apache, etc.) and the I wish the stories were twice as long. Luckily, there are three more volumes (at least) for me to read. If you're looking for a great series in the vein of Delta Green, check this one out.
I first was introduced to Harrison Peel - an Australian Army officer who happens onto the mythos whilst on an assignment - in Cthulhu Unbound 3 (a great book in its own right). The book is four fun stories (each distinct, though with an overall plot arc connecting them) involving the discovery of an ancient eldritch city and some of the technology ensconced there which is put to use without a full understanding of the implications. As the story progresses, there is a evil corporate aspect that keeps things interesting and shows a lot of potential for the future.
The writing here is great - taut, creepy, and engaging - and as I said, each story is a digestible length, easily finished in a half hour or so. Each tale keeps you wanting to know what is coming next and wanting to read the next story, which is what any author wants. There is a palpable sense of dread that is almost a necessity for Cthulhu stories, but the excitement of a technothriller shines through as well. The dialogue is spare, particularly when Peel is involved (he reminds me a bit of the titular character from the Gravel comic books in that way). Furthermore, there are none of the flowery, grandiose confrontations between the hero and some dastardly villain that you often see in a book like this. Instead the enemy is more creeping and pervasive - a Subtle Invasion (another great story by Mr. Conyers) - that brings out all the hallmarks of madness and insanity that are imprinted in Lovecraftian works.
My only complaint is that the tech aspects are a bit weak at times (a Nigerian merc in the first story has access to an AH-64 Apache, etc.) and the I wish the stories were twice as long. Luckily, there are three more volumes (at least) for me to read. If you're looking for a great series in the vein of Delta Green, check this one out.
January 23, 2014
This book is gripping enough that, after writing this, I'll probably go buy the sequel. But it had its flaws. Does nobody understand the purpose of a living, breathing proofreader anymore? People, seriously: SPELLCHECK IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!
This guy had homonym issues in his text. The obvious ones, like "Too" and "to," "It's" and "its," plus less ubiquitous homophones. He made weird word errors, like saying "enthusiastically" when he meant "exclusively." If it had happened once or twice, I would have written it off to a slipsies. But it happened every five or so pages. At one point, he called an object a "Einstein-Rosen Bridge wormhole." An Einstein-Rosen Bridge IS a wormhole; you didn't need to say both.
It seems like quibbling, and maybe it is. But those little things add up, especially for the quick reader like me. It looks unprofessional, and more importantly, every time it happened, it dumped me out of the story, as I had to go back and re-read and figure out what was actually meant. I guess I should have expected this; it's an indie publication. I'm all in favor of the independent movement in publishing, but this is one of the flaws in that world that needs to be addressed ASAP.
But for all my whinging, the stories were good (it was a series of connected shorts, rather than a linear novel). The lead is not a particularly likable character, but he was compelling, and I am interested to know more about him, and read more of his exploits. I'm a pushover for anything Lovecraftian, so he had me from the jump on that score, and he had some truly delicious creep-outs and images that will grab you by the throat and not let go (especially if you're a little nervous about going into the woods; that first short is gonna give me nightmares).
All in all, I do recommend the book. It's good scary fun, if you can look past the technical flaws.
This guy had homonym issues in his text. The obvious ones, like "Too" and "to," "It's" and "its," plus less ubiquitous homophones. He made weird word errors, like saying "enthusiastically" when he meant "exclusively." If it had happened once or twice, I would have written it off to a slipsies. But it happened every five or so pages. At one point, he called an object a "Einstein-Rosen Bridge wormhole." An Einstein-Rosen Bridge IS a wormhole; you didn't need to say both.
It seems like quibbling, and maybe it is. But those little things add up, especially for the quick reader like me. It looks unprofessional, and more importantly, every time it happened, it dumped me out of the story, as I had to go back and re-read and figure out what was actually meant. I guess I should have expected this; it's an indie publication. I'm all in favor of the independent movement in publishing, but this is one of the flaws in that world that needs to be addressed ASAP.
But for all my whinging, the stories were good (it was a series of connected shorts, rather than a linear novel). The lead is not a particularly likable character, but he was compelling, and I am interested to know more about him, and read more of his exploits. I'm a pushover for anything Lovecraftian, so he had me from the jump on that score, and he had some truly delicious creep-outs and images that will grab you by the throat and not let go (especially if you're a little nervous about going into the woods; that first short is gonna give me nightmares).
All in all, I do recommend the book. It's good scary fun, if you can look past the technical flaws.
September 22, 2015
I stumbled upon this book and read the sample. It was good enough that I bought it, and I'm glad I did. I love the mix of mythos/spy. At the end of the ebook, there is a synopsis of the first story in the next book; after a page of that, I just went ahead and bought The Shoggoth Conspiracy Omnibus. I'm enjoying that so much that I also bought The Faceless Watchers, a collection of his early Mythos Tales. This isn't actually a very good review of the book, but I just want to put my 2 cents in and recommend Mr Conyers books. His plots are great and a lot of fun to read. He is now among my favorite authors.
September 2, 2014
I have thoroughly enjoyed Charles Stross's 'Laundry Files' stories about an intelligence agent looking into the Lovercraftian paranormal, and I hoped for a similar experience from Mr. Conyers' books. "The Impossible Object" is what one might call a good college try. It is also disappointing. The stories themselves have interesting premises, but the characters are one dimensional. The quality of the writing is pretty low. Misspellings and mistaken usage are common. The editing, if there was any, is very poor. I would not recommend these short stories, which is too bad.
October 28, 2014
I like this so far, having finished the 1st story and started the 2nd one. I like it when an author finds a different way to approach the Mythos.
I read this author's Mythos novel "The Spiraling Worm" and enjoyed that also.
I would like to read the other books in his Harrison Peel series, but even as ebooks, they are too costly for me. :(
I read this author's Mythos novel "The Spiraling Worm" and enjoyed that also.
I would like to read the other books in his Harrison Peel series, but even as ebooks, they are too costly for me. :(
April 1, 2014
a very enjoyable read, which was well written.
The storyline, don't worry- no spoilers, is cohesive and intelligent. Definitely more delta green than classic Lovecraft, and personally, that's a positive.
can't wait to start the weaponised puzzle, as I'd expect the characters to build in depth.
The storyline, don't worry- no spoilers, is cohesive and intelligent. Definitely more delta green than classic Lovecraft, and personally, that's a positive.
can't wait to start the weaponised puzzle, as I'd expect the characters to build in depth.
May 9, 2014
I enjoyed this book. However, I must say that Mr. Conyers is way too good a storyteller to be doing without an editor. So many errors of style and usage, and even of punctuation, distract me from the pleasure of hearing a good yarn.
August 26, 2016
Major Harrison Peel of Australian Military Intelligence deals with Lovecraftian cosmic horrors in the first of a series of short books. Suitably creepy, mind bending and very fast paced.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews