What do you think?
Rate this book
Timmy Quinn #5
Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn
"We no longer need the sun to cast our shadows, for we have become them."
For over twenty years Tim Quinn has lived in the shadow of death. Now, the Curtain has come down and the dead no longer need him to facilitate their vengeance. As the air turns amber, the shadows deepen, and murderous revenants begin to stalk the streets, Tim and the woman he loves must race to find Peregrine, the man they believe responsible for the sundering of the veil between the living and the dead.
While the sins of the past intertwine with the present and vicious entities old and new arise to claim dominion, Tim must learn the secrets of The Stage and uncover the genesis of those who created it before The Stage becomes all there is.
But just as there are enemies in Tim's dark new world, so too are there allies: The Conduits, people possessed of similar gifts who share a common goal: to find and destroy Peregrine before Peregrine destroys them all.
In the final battle, Tim will fight not only for the woman he loves and the life she carries within her, but for the very fate of mankind. It is a battle that will transcend realms, cost lives, and at last bring Tim Quinn face to face with his nemesis.
NEMESIS is the epic novel-length conclusion of the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series, which began in 2004 with the Bram Stoker Award-winning novella THE TURTLE BOY.
For over twenty years Tim Quinn has lived in the shadow of death. Now, the Curtain has come down and the dead no longer need him to facilitate their vengeance. As the air turns amber, the shadows deepen, and murderous revenants begin to stalk the streets, Tim and the woman he loves must race to find Peregrine, the man they believe responsible for the sundering of the veil between the living and the dead.
While the sins of the past intertwine with the present and vicious entities old and new arise to claim dominion, Tim must learn the secrets of The Stage and uncover the genesis of those who created it before The Stage becomes all there is.
But just as there are enemies in Tim's dark new world, so too are there allies: The Conduits, people possessed of similar gifts who share a common goal: to find and destroy Peregrine before Peregrine destroys them all.
In the final battle, Tim will fight not only for the woman he loves and the life she carries within her, but for the very fate of mankind. It is a battle that will transcend realms, cost lives, and at last bring Tim Quinn face to face with his nemesis.
NEMESIS is the epic novel-length conclusion of the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series, which began in 2004 with the Bram Stoker Award-winning novella THE TURTLE BOY.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2012
29 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Kealan Patrick Burke
194 books2,328 followersHailed by Booklist as “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror,” Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Ireland and emigrated to the United States a few weeks before 9/11.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 12, 2012
A fantastic and fitting conclusion to the Timmy Quinn series. Fans of the series will not be disappointed as Burke provides satisfying answers to many of the questions that have been raised in previous books. The writing is, as always, fluid and the characters are full of backstory, motive and lots of emotional baggage. It seems as if Burke intends the story to continue in some other fashion as the ending opens up possibilities to explore new branches of the same tree. If you have not read this series yet, you need to start from the beginning. Now. Highly recommended.
July 30, 2018
Wow! A perfect ending to a beautifully written series. The emotions ran high in this final installment. Horrific, and oh so sad. Horror only works for me if I’m emotionally engaged with the characters, or in this case, victims, and that was certainly the case here. 😢
December 19, 2016
Well, you can tell what time of year it is because I'm super behind on keeping up with my reviews.
When I first picked up The Turtle Boy I had no idea of the journey I was about to take! While starting out as a short and terrifying stand alone novella, The Timmy Quinn series become one epic story. Nemesis, the final book in the series is the perfect ending to Timmy's tale, but it also leaves things sort of open ended, and sets up other characters for new stories.
I'm so thrilled to have discovered Kealan Patrick Burke this year! His books have sincerely helped me get through this dumpster fire of a year. I'm really looking forward to 2017 and reading more from Burke.
When I first picked up The Turtle Boy I had no idea of the journey I was about to take! While starting out as a short and terrifying stand alone novella, The Timmy Quinn series become one epic story. Nemesis, the final book in the series is the perfect ending to Timmy's tale, but it also leaves things sort of open ended, and sets up other characters for new stories.
I'm so thrilled to have discovered Kealan Patrick Burke this year! His books have sincerely helped me get through this dumpster fire of a year. I'm really looking forward to 2017 and reading more from Burke.
January 8, 2018
Man, what a ride this series has been. Like the novellas that precede it, this final chapter is excellent. Chocked full of imagination, scares, and a story that truly comes full circle by the end, Kealans final Timmy Quinn novel absolutely delivers.
Bigger in scope and execution, Kealan answers all the questions that have been asked so far and delivers a novel full of twists and turns that you wont want to stop reading. As usual the scares come thick and fast and the grisly descriptions of the numerous ghosts are just as imaginative as ever. The scene that takes place on the stage behind the curtain is seriously one of the best i've read in fiction and was an absolute blast to read! The story itself, whilst admittedly a little complicated at times, all makes sense by the end, and leaves you wanting more which thankfully is hinted at in the epilogue.
Also i appreciate how meta the final page is. I had such a grin on my face whilst reading it.
Bravo, Kealan. Bravo.
Bigger in scope and execution, Kealan answers all the questions that have been asked so far and delivers a novel full of twists and turns that you wont want to stop reading. As usual the scares come thick and fast and the grisly descriptions of the numerous ghosts are just as imaginative as ever. The scene that takes place on the stage behind the curtain is seriously one of the best i've read in fiction and was an absolute blast to read! The story itself, whilst admittedly a little complicated at times, all makes sense by the end, and leaves you wanting more which thankfully is hinted at in the epilogue.
Also i appreciate how meta the final page is. I had such a grin on my face whilst reading it.
Bravo, Kealan. Bravo.
March 21, 2018
Nemesis was the most fitting conclusion I could of wished for. I have adored the Timmy Quinn saga and hope the books continue as the ending indicates too.
The story absolutely flowed beautifully although complicated at times but all came together at the end. It answered all the questions I had asked throughout the series and I hope we continue to read about Kim and the baby.
Thank you Mr. Burke.
The story absolutely flowed beautifully although complicated at times but all came together at the end. It answered all the questions I had asked throughout the series and I hope we continue to read about Kim and the baby.
Thank you Mr. Burke.
December 15, 2012
This is it, the final curtain (if you’ll pardon the obvious pun), the end of the line for Timmy Quinn and his horrific journey. It’s the moment for him to meet his nemesis and to do all he can to protect the woman he loves, the life growing inside her, and the world as a whole. It is also the moment for him to die.
Yes, that’s right, Timmy Quinn dies in this book, but the clue is in the title. Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn, is the concluding book in the famed series of stories about the guy who can see dead people, written by Bram Stoker Award winning author Kealan Patrick Burke. All those other tales by Burke containing Quinn—starting with the one that won him his Stoker, The Turtle Boy, through to The Hides and Vessels—is the build-up to this novel, when The Curtain falls and the dead return to claim their revenge.
Nemesis starts where Vessels left off, so it’s a good idea to have read that book just to have a full grasp of what happens in the opening pages of this novel. Of course, it’s not necessary, but it will help. Nemesis opens with a gripping Prologue before toning itself down into a section called ‘The Players’, where characters vital to the plot are introduced and a heavy dose of back-story is laid out. This section contains the only real gripe I had with this novel, not in the telling of back-story (which is quite vital really, to understand the plot), but only the fact that some of it didn’t quite flow as well as the rest of the novel. But that’s probably just me, and I’ll possibly be in the minority with that thought.
The story truly kicks off with the murder at Myers Pond (the setting for the novella The Turtle Boy), but it’s not the murder itself that raises this novel to great heights but the scene afterward as the murdered child takes his place in the seats behind The Curtain where he witnesses The Stage for the first time. Some seriously good writing can be found here.
What starts then is a race against time for Tim Quinn to not only stay one step ahead of the dead, but to find out the secret of The Stage, to confront his nemesis, and to repair the rips in The Curtain that are allowing the dead to come back. Filled with some graphic scenes of violence, some desperate moments of struggle and loss, and a few delightful twists that will leave you guessing until the last possible moment, Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn is a no-bullshit, thrill-ride of a novel.
And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out and the novel is edging itself to its satisfying conclusion, you’ll find out you thought wrong.
Farewell Timmy Quinn. Thanks for the memories of nightmares and destruction. Enjoy your death.
Yes, that’s right, Timmy Quinn dies in this book, but the clue is in the title. Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn, is the concluding book in the famed series of stories about the guy who can see dead people, written by Bram Stoker Award winning author Kealan Patrick Burke. All those other tales by Burke containing Quinn—starting with the one that won him his Stoker, The Turtle Boy, through to The Hides and Vessels—is the build-up to this novel, when The Curtain falls and the dead return to claim their revenge.
Nemesis starts where Vessels left off, so it’s a good idea to have read that book just to have a full grasp of what happens in the opening pages of this novel. Of course, it’s not necessary, but it will help. Nemesis opens with a gripping Prologue before toning itself down into a section called ‘The Players’, where characters vital to the plot are introduced and a heavy dose of back-story is laid out. This section contains the only real gripe I had with this novel, not in the telling of back-story (which is quite vital really, to understand the plot), but only the fact that some of it didn’t quite flow as well as the rest of the novel. But that’s probably just me, and I’ll possibly be in the minority with that thought.
The story truly kicks off with the murder at Myers Pond (the setting for the novella The Turtle Boy), but it’s not the murder itself that raises this novel to great heights but the scene afterward as the murdered child takes his place in the seats behind The Curtain where he witnesses The Stage for the first time. Some seriously good writing can be found here.
What starts then is a race against time for Tim Quinn to not only stay one step ahead of the dead, but to find out the secret of The Stage, to confront his nemesis, and to repair the rips in The Curtain that are allowing the dead to come back. Filled with some graphic scenes of violence, some desperate moments of struggle and loss, and a few delightful twists that will leave you guessing until the last possible moment, Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn is a no-bullshit, thrill-ride of a novel.
And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out and the novel is edging itself to its satisfying conclusion, you’ll find out you thought wrong.
Farewell Timmy Quinn. Thanks for the memories of nightmares and destruction. Enjoy your death.
September 26, 2013
Kealan Patrick Burke finishes his Timmy Quinn series on the edge of a cliff. Now that Timmy is dead (no spoiler there since it's in the title) we wonder what will happen with Kim and their daughter. Watch out because that's where he sets the hook for his next series of stories.
This series didn't end like I had hoped it would. I know the title lets me know what is probably going to happen but I kept reading hoping that it would all work out. Now let me say that there are those books that do not end like you wanted them to and you get upset about it and refuse to read that author's work again. This book didn't end like I wanted it and I'm all right with that because it ended so well, and I want to read more of Burke. If you ever get to see a picture of Burke you will notice he has these haunted eyes that makes you think he has seen the things he writes about.
Also, there are those books that you know how they will end but you keep reading because the story has taken over your mind and that is all you can think of. This series will consume you. If his other work is like this, then why haven't we heard more about Burke? I am so glad I stumbled across this guy. I hope the library will get some of his stuff in because I want more Burke.
This series didn't end like I had hoped it would. I know the title lets me know what is probably going to happen but I kept reading hoping that it would all work out. Now let me say that there are those books that do not end like you wanted them to and you get upset about it and refuse to read that author's work again. This book didn't end like I wanted it and I'm all right with that because it ended so well, and I want to read more of Burke. If you ever get to see a picture of Burke you will notice he has these haunted eyes that makes you think he has seen the things he writes about.
Also, there are those books that you know how they will end but you keep reading because the story has taken over your mind and that is all you can think of. This series will consume you. If his other work is like this, then why haven't we heard more about Burke? I am so glad I stumbled across this guy. I hope the library will get some of his stuff in because I want more Burke.
November 29, 2012
Review of Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn
5 stars
Well, here we are, finally (whether we wish it or not) at the conclusion of the Timmy Quinn saga. How do we know it’s over? The subtitle indicates this is it, the end, conclusion, finis for Timmy. And so it is. I confess to always being dismayed when a favourite character “bites the dust,” as the old Queen song would have it.
But nothing lasts forever, and I guess it must be time for Timmy to see The Stage from the other side.
Beware: you may find yourself crying through this one. It’s very graphic, very gory, very violent (you’ll find yourself turning your head a few times) and of course, very sad (but I still say “Vessels” is sadder). My recommendation is to read all these in quick succession, as I did. I think that reveals more of the character to the reader, and the previous stories stick in the mind while you’re reading the new entry.
Guess there won’t be another new entry now; unless Timmy decides to play the role some of the dead have played throughout the saga, and come back around; but then, who would there be around to see him?
5 stars
Well, here we are, finally (whether we wish it or not) at the conclusion of the Timmy Quinn saga. How do we know it’s over? The subtitle indicates this is it, the end, conclusion, finis for Timmy. And so it is. I confess to always being dismayed when a favourite character “bites the dust,” as the old Queen song would have it.
But nothing lasts forever, and I guess it must be time for Timmy to see The Stage from the other side.
Beware: you may find yourself crying through this one. It’s very graphic, very gory, very violent (you’ll find yourself turning your head a few times) and of course, very sad (but I still say “Vessels” is sadder). My recommendation is to read all these in quick succession, as I did. I think that reveals more of the character to the reader, and the previous stories stick in the mind while you’re reading the new entry.
Guess there won’t be another new entry now; unless Timmy decides to play the role some of the dead have played throughout the saga, and come back around; but then, who would there be around to see him?
December 20, 2020
What started as a subtle, intimate ghost story in the Turtle Boy has evolved (in an impressively organic way) into an all-out epic with enormous stakes throughout the course of this series. Timmy Quinn’s journey culminates in Nemesis, an extremely ambitious, hyper-imaginative and super disturbing horror novel that pulls no punches. What a crazy ass book! I loved it, even if there were a lot of concepts here that were hard to wrap my brain around. Seriously. The final third felt like it was co-written by Christopher Nolan and Clive Barker. It’s a book that would be impossible for me to describe to someone else without confusing the living hell out of the person, but it was still SO awesome in spite of that. To be fair, though, since it does get a bit too complex for its own good at times, I have to dock it half a star. But I admire the hell out of the ambition and creativity here. A solid conclusion to a vey interesting series.
4.5/5
4.5/5
November 3, 2012
The perfect capstone to the series as we say goodbye to Timmy Quinn and look forward to what comes next.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
May 3, 2021
Made it through most of this but it just could not hold my interest.
December 31, 2023
Finished the series! This was a harder book to get thru but I did it! A little confusing!
January 26, 2019
A perfect conclusion to the Timmy Quinn series, I loved every heart-breaking moment! I won’t say anything about the story only that it was skilfully written and brought all the story threads from the previous books together to form a satisfying ending.
I literally don’t have a single negative thing to say about this book, it was utterly fantastic and I’ll be telling anyone who’ll listen to read this series.
I literally don’t have a single negative thing to say about this book, it was utterly fantastic and I’ll be telling anyone who’ll listen to read this series.
January 1, 2024
I absolutely loved this conclusion to this series. Trippy, odd and violent, it reads as if Stephen King’s “The Stand” had a literary baby with Clive Barker’s “The Hellbound Heart”. Even though Burke name drops Bradbury, the imagery is much less focused on setting and character in comparison to the novellas, but the violence is amped up fairly drastically. I enjoyed how this tied many of the dangling plot threads from the novellas together - if anything, I just wish that this novel had been longer - I missed the sense of nostalgia that was created in the novellas, but I also understand why Burke would want to make this final book into a bit more of a rollercoaster ride, allowing action to overtake descriptive prose.
January 9, 2023
4.5/5
Alright. Here we are. The big kablooey. The whole she-bang. THE END. As a reader and a writer, this is the part of the series that can hit a home run or stumble and reduce the journey to a frustrating ending. It’s very similar in nature to a sequel.
Now, leading up to this, a lot of puzzle pieces have been thrown down for us to put together. Over the course of four novellas, Kealan has laid out a sprawling narrative involving a trio of key players as well as the ‘here’ and behind the curtain, on The Stage. It makes for the possibility for a stunning and cinematic conclusion, and let me tell you – that’s just what we get.
What I liked: Following the events of the previous four novellas, we arrive with Timmy and Peregrine destined to meet, destined to learn the truth about each other and Kealan wastes no time re-affirming that this series is an epic battle of good versus evil. To do so, he needed to go to the novel length and that’s just what he did.
I will say, right away – he tells us exactly what to expect. The novel is called Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn and the tag line is ‘The Epic Conclusion of the Acclaimed Series.’ This is 100% a finale, something that leaves a horrendous body count of those who’ve sinned and murdered in its wake and ultimately leads us up to a double climax – we get Timmy and Peregrine and we get the conclusion of Kim’s story and how things affect her and what her life becomes.
This – as most additional parts in series’ are – is really tough to go into any detail about things without spoiling the previous entries, but I will say, it shows the curse for what it is. It shows us how strong of a character Timmy is. We know what’s going to happen to him and even when it does it’s gut wrenching and tear jerking. Kealan seemed to channel some otherworldly cinematic muse for many of these scenes. It felt like reading four or five marathon conclusions in a row which made the epilogue that much more powerful.
What I didn’t like: Honestly, I loved the novella format leading into this, so I found the novel switch to be a bit jarring in that there is just SO MUCH going on. It had to happen that way and there are four or five secondary characters added into the mix for a variety of reasons, but at times it becomes a lot to take in, when all you want is to see what happens.
Why you should buy this: So, as I’ve said before, if you’re looking for a series that’s been concluded – this is a phenomenal one to dive into. If you’ve read any of the first parts, you need to finish it to see what happens. And, if you’ve not read Kealan, but are looking for a place to begin, this would be a wonderful series to dive into and discover Timmy.
Alright. Here we are. The big kablooey. The whole she-bang. THE END. As a reader and a writer, this is the part of the series that can hit a home run or stumble and reduce the journey to a frustrating ending. It’s very similar in nature to a sequel.
Now, leading up to this, a lot of puzzle pieces have been thrown down for us to put together. Over the course of four novellas, Kealan has laid out a sprawling narrative involving a trio of key players as well as the ‘here’ and behind the curtain, on The Stage. It makes for the possibility for a stunning and cinematic conclusion, and let me tell you – that’s just what we get.
What I liked: Following the events of the previous four novellas, we arrive with Timmy and Peregrine destined to meet, destined to learn the truth about each other and Kealan wastes no time re-affirming that this series is an epic battle of good versus evil. To do so, he needed to go to the novel length and that’s just what he did.
I will say, right away – he tells us exactly what to expect. The novel is called Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn and the tag line is ‘The Epic Conclusion of the Acclaimed Series.’ This is 100% a finale, something that leaves a horrendous body count of those who’ve sinned and murdered in its wake and ultimately leads us up to a double climax – we get Timmy and Peregrine and we get the conclusion of Kim’s story and how things affect her and what her life becomes.
This – as most additional parts in series’ are – is really tough to go into any detail about things without spoiling the previous entries, but I will say, it shows the curse for what it is. It shows us how strong of a character Timmy is. We know what’s going to happen to him and even when it does it’s gut wrenching and tear jerking. Kealan seemed to channel some otherworldly cinematic muse for many of these scenes. It felt like reading four or five marathon conclusions in a row which made the epilogue that much more powerful.
What I didn’t like: Honestly, I loved the novella format leading into this, so I found the novel switch to be a bit jarring in that there is just SO MUCH going on. It had to happen that way and there are four or five secondary characters added into the mix for a variety of reasons, but at times it becomes a lot to take in, when all you want is to see what happens.
Why you should buy this: So, as I’ve said before, if you’re looking for a series that’s been concluded – this is a phenomenal one to dive into. If you’ve read any of the first parts, you need to finish it to see what happens. And, if you’ve not read Kealan, but are looking for a place to begin, this would be a wonderful series to dive into and discover Timmy.
February 17, 2015
This instalment didn't read like any of the others in the series. Those were fairly simple ghost stories where the dead were coming back to take revenge on their murders. Things went a bit wild in this final instalment. All rules seemed to have been broken with the dead coming to our world and the living going to theirs.
The ending was perfectly set up to begin a new series. Timmy won't be in this one as he was killed off in Nemesis (says so right in the title).
The ending was perfectly set up to begin a new series. Timmy won't be in this one as he was killed off in Nemesis (says so right in the title).
June 23, 2015
Finished Stage Whispers: The Collected Timmy Quinn Stories and had to go to Amazon right away, that very second, to get this. Then, I put off reading it for no good reason I can think of. Anyway, reading it now!
December 17, 2012
I will review all 5 Timmy Quinn books together, shortly. Loved this series!
March 2, 2014
A fitting end to the Timmy Quinn series. Answers to several questions about previous events and an ending that is not final.
March 27, 2020
Wow! What a way to end the Timmy Quinn Series. In a way I am totally shocked and speechless...
So the final book of Timmy Quinn named as Nemesis!...
Couldn't believe knowing the fate of Timmy. Man I swear that I really didn't know the ending would be like nothing but this. I wonder how on earth this could be happening. But it happened as a matter of fact...
"For over twenty years Tim Quinn has lived in the shadow of death. Now, the Curtain has come down and the dead no longer need him to facilitate their vengeance. As the air turns amber, the shadows deepen, and murderous revenants begin to stalk the streets, Tim and the woman he loves must race to find Peregrine, the man they believe responsible for the sundering of the veil between the living and the dead."
So yeah the dead doesn't need him anymore but he had to fight for his life and for his loved one. There's plenty more events occurred in this final story. There's these horrible, terrible and frightful incidents that will blow your mind. I felt deep sadness for Tim that he has to dead in this final book. But there's other side of the tale as Kim came in the prime light spot in here. The journey that Kim and Tim together ran really what's the word fascinating but yet heartbreaking at the same time. I just couldn't say more about how much I regret the death of Timmy Quinn. I wish KPB reconsider it while he was writing this book. But as always it's only the author's choice to how the story will flow and write. In this book Timmy went through a lot and he met his dead father and with dead brother too but the main twist yet to come as you go deeply in the story. There's something dark again lurking in there for power or beyond this and only Timmy Quinn can destroy it completely. Kim on the other hand did regret the death of his dear lover and she had to live the rest of her life knowing Tim was gone but a part of him that grown inside her of course will be with her always as she will continue live her life. So touchy and emotional to read for ending part have to admit and of course that's one of the main fact which make this final more dramatic and valuable for reading...
Many many thanks from the core of my heart to my favourite author -
Kealan Patrick Burke...
So the final book of Timmy Quinn named as Nemesis!...
Couldn't believe knowing the fate of Timmy. Man I swear that I really didn't know the ending would be like nothing but this. I wonder how on earth this could be happening. But it happened as a matter of fact...
"For over twenty years Tim Quinn has lived in the shadow of death. Now, the Curtain has come down and the dead no longer need him to facilitate their vengeance. As the air turns amber, the shadows deepen, and murderous revenants begin to stalk the streets, Tim and the woman he loves must race to find Peregrine, the man they believe responsible for the sundering of the veil between the living and the dead."
So yeah the dead doesn't need him anymore but he had to fight for his life and for his loved one. There's plenty more events occurred in this final story. There's these horrible, terrible and frightful incidents that will blow your mind. I felt deep sadness for Tim that he has to dead in this final book. But there's other side of the tale as Kim came in the prime light spot in here. The journey that Kim and Tim together ran really what's the word fascinating but yet heartbreaking at the same time. I just couldn't say more about how much I regret the death of Timmy Quinn. I wish KPB reconsider it while he was writing this book. But as always it's only the author's choice to how the story will flow and write. In this book Timmy went through a lot and he met his dead father and with dead brother too but the main twist yet to come as you go deeply in the story. There's something dark again lurking in there for power or beyond this and only Timmy Quinn can destroy it completely. Kim on the other hand did regret the death of his dear lover and she had to live the rest of her life knowing Tim was gone but a part of him that grown inside her of course will be with her always as she will continue live her life. So touchy and emotional to read for ending part have to admit and of course that's one of the main fact which make this final more dramatic and valuable for reading...
Many many thanks from the core of my heart to my favourite author -
Kealan Patrick Burke...
December 2, 2020
Have you ever got so grossed out by the gruesome details in a book that you have a scrunched up face? Well, apparently I was doing that while reading this book. And to be honest, I can’t even think of what part it would be because there were quite a few areas where this could apply.
My very first Kealan Patrick Burke experience was The Turtle Boy. I’m feeling kind of bittersweet because that series has come full circle for me. I took my time reading Nemesis because I didn’t want to rush the ending. Timmy Quinn is one of my favourite literary characters. No matter how hard his life was, he still tried to do the right thing to the very end. And HOW DARE YOU do that at the end! Do you even know what a happy ending is? I kid, but still.
This book is disgusting, and I love it. The writing was well done, as always. The story sunk its claws into me and still refuses to let go after finishing it. It’s a well spun web.
My very first Kealan Patrick Burke experience was The Turtle Boy. I’m feeling kind of bittersweet because that series has come full circle for me. I took my time reading Nemesis because I didn’t want to rush the ending. Timmy Quinn is one of my favourite literary characters. No matter how hard his life was, he still tried to do the right thing to the very end. And HOW DARE YOU do that at the end! Do you even know what a happy ending is? I kid, but still.
This book is disgusting, and I love it. The writing was well done, as always. The story sunk its claws into me and still refuses to let go after finishing it. It’s a well spun web.
March 29, 2019
Kealan Patrick Burke had proven time and again that he doesn't need a lot of pages to scare the crap out of you. With novellas like Tent and Blanky, the terror and tension are on full display and finished in under 80 pages. Nemesis, on the other hand, is the longest book by Burke that I have ever read, and that sense of unease is as prevalent as in any of his shorter works.
.
After the first four parts of the Timmy Quinn saga, all short novellas, Burke finally finished Tim's story, as well as his life, with Nemesis. I thought this book would be a bit verbose, due to Burke's skill at driving the story full-tilt with few words, but this novel showed the same pace as his shorter tales. With the backstories of the characters involved in The Stage, KPB did a wonderful job bringing his Timmy Quinn saga to a satisfying conclusion.
.
After the first four parts of the Timmy Quinn saga, all short novellas, Burke finally finished Tim's story, as well as his life, with Nemesis. I thought this book would be a bit verbose, due to Burke's skill at driving the story full-tilt with few words, but this novel showed the same pace as his shorter tales. With the backstories of the characters involved in The Stage, KPB did a wonderful job bringing his Timmy Quinn saga to a satisfying conclusion.
February 24, 2024
Timmy finally comes to face to face with his assumed nemesis Peregrine, but not before meeting a plethora of new unpredictable characters.
Timmy and Kim have new environments, real and supernatural to contend with.
A brilliant story all together with the four previous entries. I felt this final entry was a little too long and KPB thrives on shorter stories.
The multiple layers to the story were sometimes difficult to keep up with.
An great series though and this complex finale was very good.
The midwives were terrifying and a brilliant edition to the story!!!!
Timmy and Kim have new environments, real and supernatural to contend with.
A brilliant story all together with the four previous entries. I felt this final entry was a little too long and KPB thrives on shorter stories.
The multiple layers to the story were sometimes difficult to keep up with.
An great series though and this complex finale was very good.
The midwives were terrifying and a brilliant edition to the story!!!!
June 8, 2021
"Boy who sees dead people" is a pretty old trope, and while the first few titles in this series managed something interesting with imagery and themes of accountability, it became rote 2 books in. The last couple of titles just seemed like disorganised, late attempts to shove the whole thing into something with larger world building and an overarching Big Bad, but without any of the ground work for those things being laid in the previous books, there was pretty much 0 impact. Messy.
December 17, 2021
Manchmal sollte man aufhören..... der erste Band Top, der zweite Band Teil 1 sehr gut, Teil 2 von Band zwei schlecht und nun der Abschluss Roman der 130 Seiten Vorgeschichte erzählt bevor die Haupthandlung anfängt. Schade eigentlich
November 20, 2018
(REVIEW COMING)
February 8, 2013
I finished the novel a few weeks ago now, I still don't know how I'm going to review it.
I don't know why, but I have that image of a dot to dot drawing when I think of the first four books in the Timmy Quinn series. But the dots are so far apart you don't really know what the final picture is going to be like. And then Nemesis comes along, and connects everything. And you're like in awe because you have a masterpiece in front of you.
Nemesis answers all the questions. The whats, the whys, the whens, while injecting a whole new "story" in the bunch. A story which has nothing to do yet everything to do with Timmy. And it's tied in so well with the whole Timmy plot, that it makes the reader wonder if Mr Burke had this planned right from the start, or if it came along afterwards but the author very skillfully put the pieces together. It's the perfect ending to the series. Bit sad now !
Reader, prepare yourself. It's quite a ride !
I don't know why, but I have that image of a dot to dot drawing when I think of the first four books in the Timmy Quinn series. But the dots are so far apart you don't really know what the final picture is going to be like. And then Nemesis comes along, and connects everything. And you're like in awe because you have a masterpiece in front of you.
Nemesis answers all the questions. The whats, the whys, the whens, while injecting a whole new "story" in the bunch. A story which has nothing to do yet everything to do with Timmy. And it's tied in so well with the whole Timmy plot, that it makes the reader wonder if Mr Burke had this planned right from the start, or if it came along afterwards but the author very skillfully put the pieces together. It's the perfect ending to the series. Bit sad now !
Reader, prepare yourself. It's quite a ride !
April 15, 2013
And so it comes to pass, the journey of darkness begetting darkness and even the hero's light being shaded by vengeance in the end.
The journey through Stage Whispers culminating in Nemesis was extraordinary. I found myself caught up in weeping as much for the thugs as the victims. The criminals acts begging what had gone so wrong in their lives to create such damage. The victims, I chastised, when they chose vengeance, because it made them no better than those they sought to retaliate against (yet would we not all choose vengeance if the right act was committed against us). The confusion of it all when not even a good deed (depending on who it was interpreted by) went unpunished, did you see that one coming?
I ached for Timmy and Kim for the life they would not be able to share and cried for the daughter who would not know her father (on this side of the curtain).
I enjoyed this read and will most certainly be reading more by this author.
The journey through Stage Whispers culminating in Nemesis was extraordinary. I found myself caught up in weeping as much for the thugs as the victims. The criminals acts begging what had gone so wrong in their lives to create such damage. The victims, I chastised, when they chose vengeance, because it made them no better than those they sought to retaliate against (yet would we not all choose vengeance if the right act was committed against us). The confusion of it all when not even a good deed (depending on who it was interpreted by) went unpunished, did you see that one coming?
I ached for Timmy and Kim for the life they would not be able to share and cried for the daughter who would not know her father (on this side of the curtain).
I enjoyed this read and will most certainly be reading more by this author.
March 25, 2013
The final chapter in the dark saga of Timothy Quinn begins where Vessels left off. The Curtain has fallen; Quinn and his paramour return from Blackrock Island as the world of the dead and the living are preparing for war. What his(and his child's) role is to be in the coming conflict is yet to be revealed...
All of the seemingly disparate elements of the Quinn serial come together in this atmospheric, grotesque, gory, and incredibly dark, yet ultimitaely uplifting novel. Author Kealan Patrick Burke has fashioned out of Quinn not only an anti-hero of epic proportions, but a thesis on the nature of the artist and the lengths he will go for his art. It's an ending and new beginning that will not disappoint fans of the series.
I can't recommend this novel highly enough, but you should read the first four novellas (The Turtle Boy, The Hides, Vessels, Peregrine's Tale)first. They are collected in Stage Whispers that is out in paperback and ebook.
All of the seemingly disparate elements of the Quinn serial come together in this atmospheric, grotesque, gory, and incredibly dark, yet ultimitaely uplifting novel. Author Kealan Patrick Burke has fashioned out of Quinn not only an anti-hero of epic proportions, but a thesis on the nature of the artist and the lengths he will go for his art. It's an ending and new beginning that will not disappoint fans of the series.
I can't recommend this novel highly enough, but you should read the first four novellas (The Turtle Boy, The Hides, Vessels, Peregrine's Tale)first. They are collected in Stage Whispers that is out in paperback and ebook.
June 10, 2013
So after 20 years away from the horror genre, I started reading it again.
I hoped to find some fresh new ideas and voices in the genre, and I was not disappointed.
I picked up book one in the series (Turtle Boy) for free on my Kindle, and I was hooked.
Burke has a deft mastery of the art that elevates the prose and easily transports you in to Timmy's world.
I quickly bought the rest of the series and was delighted that they lived up to the standard set by the first book.
Nemesis was a fitting conclusion to series with some nice tense moments and plenty of "where is he going to go with this?" moments.
My only complaint is that we didn't get to learn more about the other characters who shared Timmy's Curse.
One of Burke's strengths (in my opinion) is his ability to create nice exposition moments that don't disrupt the flow of the book, and
I would have loved some flashback chapters on each of them and how they ended up meeting.
I hoped to find some fresh new ideas and voices in the genre, and I was not disappointed.
I picked up book one in the series (Turtle Boy) for free on my Kindle, and I was hooked.
Burke has a deft mastery of the art that elevates the prose and easily transports you in to Timmy's world.
I quickly bought the rest of the series and was delighted that they lived up to the standard set by the first book.
Nemesis was a fitting conclusion to series with some nice tense moments and plenty of "where is he going to go with this?" moments.
My only complaint is that we didn't get to learn more about the other characters who shared Timmy's Curse.
One of Burke's strengths (in my opinion) is his ability to create nice exposition moments that don't disrupt the flow of the book, and
I would have loved some flashback chapters on each of them and how they ended up meeting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews