Delta Green: Through a Glass, Darkly

Delta Green Fiction

by Dennis Detwiller

"Born of the U.S. government's 1928 raid on the degenerate coastal town of Innsmouth, Massachusetts, the covert agency known as Delta Green spent four decades opposing the forces of darkness with honor, but without glory. Stripped of sanction after a disastrous 1969 operation in Cambodia, Delta Green's leaders made a secret to continue their work without authority, without support, and without fear. Delta Green agents slip through the system, manipulating the federal bureaucracy while pushing the darkness back for another day—but often at a shattering personal cost."Ten years ago, everything changed. It's time you found out how.It's January 2001. The Delta Green agents code-named Cyrus and Charlie get the A young boy dead and buried for years has reappeared, healthy and happy, as if no time at all had passed and the disease that killed him had never been. The family thinks it's a miracle, but Delta Green has seen too many miracles turn to madness. Cyrus and Charlie must discover what horrors lurk behind this one. The mission brings them to the brink of apocalypse -- to the edge of the revelation and destruction of Delta Green -- to secrets and terrors at the heart of reality itself.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Role Playing Games, Science Fiction, Lovecraftian, Urban Fantasy, Weird Fiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2011

Reviews

[Zachary Jacobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what I was looking for in a Delta Green book. The others played up the cosmic horror angle ("Oh woe is me, the world is so barren and cares nought for us mortals; or worse. Simple disregard would be so much better than the hatred which beings from beyond the deep feel for us. We are mere insignificant motes to them..." and etc. for four more paragraphs) past the point where it was at all interesting.

This book didn't do that. It managed to keep a lid on the laments about humanity's place in the cosmos and instead focus on the people who (against all odds) were trying to keep humanity safe. There was more tradecraft, more scheming, and the book really benefitted from being anchored to a story on the human scale. The brushes with something greater heightened the tension among the humans, instead of obliterating it.

The book also benefitted from a more tightly focused plot. Set over a week instead of years and decades, I got a chance to actually orient myself and figure out what was going on, instead of being left constantly confused.

If you only read one Delta Green book, make it this one. It also ties in well with the other ones I've read, so if you've read other DG books, I recommend this one even more.

[Ramón Nogueras Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un increíble cierre a una etapa entera de la conspiración conocida como Delta Green, y su paso a dos formas distintas de ser. Una mezcla impecable de horror, ciencia ficción y espionaje al estilo Bourne, que no he podido soltar. La última noche en la Ópera.

[Karolis Ščepanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that understands what Delta Green is in every way. It's horrific, humorous, human and finely crafted in every way.

[Blaze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun if you already know the major players involved. If I had not known who Joe Camp or Adolph Lepus were, I would have been playing catch-up the whole book. Still, I love this setting and would love to see more, more, more of it!

[Carlos Joaquín · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Born of the U.S. government's 1928 raid on the degenerate coastal town of Innsmouth, Massachusetts, the covert agency known as Delta Green spent four decades opposing the forces of darkness with honor, but without glory. Stripped of sanction after a disastrous 1969 operation in Cambodia, Delta Green's leaders made a secret to continue their work without authority, without support, and without fear. Delta Green agents slip through the system, manipulating the federal bureaucracy while pushing the darkness back for another day—but often at a shattering personal cost."Ten years ago, everything changed. It's time you found out how.It's January 2001. The Delta Green agents code-named Cyrus and Charlie get the A young boy dead and buried for years has reappeared, healthy and happy, as if no time at all had passed and the disease that killed him had never been. The family thinks it's a miracle, but Delta Green has seen too many miracles turn to madness. Cyrus and Charlie must discover what horrors lurk behind this one. The mission brings them to the brink of apocalypse -- to the edge of the revelation and destruction of Delta Green -- to secrets and terrors at the heart of reality itself.

[Jason Bonton · Rating 5 out of 5]

While only knowing of the series a little bit, that being that Delta Green is a covert group that heads off the supernatural, or read any of the other books or role-playing supplements, this book moves at a break neck pace from start to finish. Thankfully the reader doesn't need to know or have read the other stories to to enjoy this one. The back stories of the characters and the history between all of them is explained or you pick up quickly as the story moves forward to a very unexpected finale.

While light on the supernatural aspects, which is the only real slight mark against the book, the story itself is what draws a reader in as the fight between the few Delta Green operatives left and the ever expanding MAJESTIC-12 cabal that was born from the original Delta Green group and their gearing up of possibly the final confrontation between them.

[Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this is DELTA GREEN at its cosmic horror peak. I feel like as a stand alone this wouldnt have been such a strong entry but having just finished Rules Of Engagement by Scott Tynes this was a great follow up going from a more grounded conspiracy story to full blown cosmicism. I think the way that the impossible, outside of our reality, sections of the story were written well and were very provocative without feeling too out there.The way that the characters' stories are interweived was well done and the scifi aspects of the tech that both DG and MAGESTIC both use is infinitely entertaining. Such fun scifi, cthulhu espionage pulpy horror fun. loved it will be reading more from both Detwiller and Tynes in the future and CANT WAIT TO ONE DAY RUN A DG TTRPG it looks so much fun. Very good highly recomend.

[Gerard Van Der Waal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this the least enjoyable Delta Green novel of them all, although I understand it is the crucial piece of the puzzle I was missing to understand how Delta Green went from a rogue faction to a sanctioned one in modern times. (The Delta Green novel series is one of those cases where it really helps to read the books in order). It was just as bleak and horrible as I had come to expect from Delta Green. I'll be reading something cozy next, to compensate for the existential dread...

Could have used a little more editorial attention, but overall a well written and entertaining novel if you are into government conspiracies, aliens, the supernatural and cosmic horror.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

An obtuse book for people who are new to the conspiracy but for long time Delta Green readers, this novel clears the decks and updates the scenarios for the 21st-Century. Dennis Detwiller writes a hell of an occult-espionage thriller.

[Blaise Carland · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good! I love the lore of Delta Green via it’s fiction and sourcebooks but I am not blind to the fact that sometimes the ideas are better than the writing of said ideas.

Still, this was pretty darn good and the writing held up.

Highly recommend.

[Mike Nusbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable Delta Green novel. The story follows a handful of Delta Green veterans as they investigate a child who has seemingly returned from the dead after 10 years. From that starting point the investigation expands with world shattering implications.

[Pablo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thrilling read if you're already familiar with the Delta Green mythos, but rather inaccessible otherwise. Which feels like a pity to me given how good Detwiller's writing is.

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Delta Green novel and I throughly enjoyed it.

It helped to have some background on Majestic-12, Delta Green and some of the characters, as this made the story make a bit more sense. But it is probably still enjoyable if you come in fresh (and will probably get you hooked on the Delta Green world!).

[Shane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wanted to like it more, but just didn’t find it engaging. Felt like it needed a few more rewrites to get it right. Started it 2 or 3 times before I finally made it through.

(I’ll also admit that Dennis’ hostility to anyone who disagrees with him the slightest amount on Twitter has soured me a bit on his output.)

[Rickey Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delta Green: Through A Glass Darkly is a blend between science fiction and classic horror story telling. The novel written by Dennis Ditwiller in just one in a series of Delta Green novels that play upon the twisted world created by Lovecraft and reigned by Cthulhu. Through A Glass Darkly starts off with a story already begun. Much in the way classic crime novels or Grisham novels weave tales of black ops and underground organizations hiding in the shadows of society and cleaning the streets of sinister and disaster laden plots by seedy characters or nefarious villains, so does the book too begin. In this realm of conspiracy there are many forces at work. There is an organization known as Delta Green who clean up the mess and stop the madness that befalls an unsuspecting populous. Then there is Majestic, a powerful but corrupt secret agency that wants all the power and knowledge that humanity can uncover whether from mad scientists, alien races, or dark forces from another dimension.

read full review here! http://asouthernlifeinscandaloustimes...

[Max Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

You probably won't like it, if you don't have a good knowledge of Delta Green mythos (too many characters and names with little explanation) but if you do, the book is like a rainbow of setting references. I was expecting a story with low stakes at start but weirdly enough, they've decided to completely rewrite the canon set in the RPG supplements, both the DG and MJ12 state of affairs. This had me baffled until I've googled this bit from the official DG FAQ:

Are the novels and fiction anthologies official or “canon”? What about the website? Do I have to incorporate them into my games?

In Delta Green, nothing is canon. Consider the novels, short stories, and online articles the way you would consider logs or journals of other players’ games, as examples of stories or games which other players have experienced. All players are encouraged to use what materials are appropriate and most effective for their games, whatever the source. Use what works; do what you will with the rest.

So there you go, guys, everything is fine, MJ12 is fine, DG is fine, Lepus and Kroft are fine.

[Gar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was better than the Delta Green book I read right before it, primarily because the characters in general had a bit more agency and actually did stuff. It retained the same general flaws as "Denied to the Enemy" as quite a few of the scenes didn't really flow together. Characters changed and grew, but all too frequently off-stage, just coming back later different. An early plot hook mostly fizzled out and was resolved more between the lines then with the attention the situation deserved. That kind of thing.

[Kevin Trainor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a big improvement over Denied To The Enemy, Detwiller's first Delta Green novel. Set in the near future, when Delta Green has officially been disbanded (and unofficially continues its work as a collection of rogue cells consisting of Federal agents), this novel mainly covers the climactic struggle between Delta Green and the MAJESTIC-12 committee, which has sold the US and its citizens to the aliens in return for snippets of their technology. Has what may qualify as a happy ending in the Delta Green universe. :)

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first Delta Green book that I've not particularly liked.

The problem is it starts out telling one story, and then diverges off to tell another story about characters who haven't been properly introduced, that require you to have read all of the other DG green books to have any idea what is going on and why. And I must have missed one, because I was completely lost about who half the people were.

And given it's about complex government conspiracies...

So yeah. I think this one needed a lot more editing.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some nice action-adventure in this book and some nice weirdness. Unfortunately, I found the rest difficult to follow with a too-large cast of characters getting too little attention and various agencies interacting with each other. I found it particularly difficult that we had a nice weird Mythos plot at the beginning of the book, and then it all became those agencies fighting each other toward the end.

[Andre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written look into the world of Delta Green. A fast moving story with a nice look at how the Lovecraftian Mythos might conflict and interact in the modern world. A good read for any Delta Green role-players and anyone the is a fan of cosmic horror and secret operations battling for the fate of humanity.

[Pat Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Delta Green series

I'm a newbie to this series and was a bit confused as to the origins. The writer assumes every reader will be pulled into the DG world on first read. I may have to read another book to get a feel for the series. Action is good but the confusing story line holds this one back.

[Michael Bourgon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic Conspiracy/Thriller/Cthulhu book, it does a great job both telling a story, and informing how Delta Green has changed in the past decade. It's only fault is that it's hardly a standalone novel - you have to know who Joe Camp is, why Alfonse is named that, what Delta Green even _is_.

[Á · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! An intense novel of the Delta Green conspiracy that manages to entertain, and pave the way for the update with the game. For fans of DG, I really recommend it. For people that have no clue what I'm talking about, nothing to see here.

[John R. Dailey Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A HELL OF A DARK TALE IT IS...

Hello, this story was just plain great. If you're in to this kind of Lovecraftian wonderfulness, then these are your kind of stories. Damn fine stuff. Thanks.

[Robdguk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big delta green rpg fan and found this a good read adding to the rpg, just as much as being a good novel

[Rob Ross]

Great continuation of the H. P. mythos. Going to pick up the next book soon.