Dweller in the Deep

Dark Waters #3

by Graham McNeill

Having learned the shocking truth behind a plot to cast the world into unimaginable darkness, Miskatonic University professor Oliver Grayson and his team of unlikely allies must arm themselves with deadly weapons, powerful eldritch artifacts, and the most potent tool an investigator can wield: knowledge. The stage is set for one ultimate, heart-stopping race to save mankind!

Dweller in the Deep is the final installment of The Dark Waters Trilogy by award-winning author Graham McNeill, and it concludes the harrowing story begun in Ghouls of the Miskatonic and continued in Bones of the Yopasi.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Lovecraftian, Cthulhu Mythos, Fiction

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 22, 2013

About the author

Hailing from Scotland, Graham McNeill narrowly escaped a career in surveying to work for Games Workshop as a games designer. He has a strong following with his novels Nightbringer, Warriors of Ultramar, Dead Sky, Black Sun and Storm of Iron.

Reviews

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And yourself. Do you call Providence home?"
The young man smiled. "Indeed I do, but I intend to take a taxi to my destination. I find I have not the constitution for strenuous exercise. Childhood illness, you understand."
George nodded and put out a hand and said, "A pleasure to meet you..."
"Howard," replied the young man, shaking the proffered hand.
"George Gammell Angell,' replied George.



A more than good final volume to Graham McNeill's Dark Waters trilogy in my opinion.
H.P. Lovecraft popping up in first chapter was a nice cameo hooking me for good, and I enjoyed a lot Miskatonic University professor Oliver Grayson and his team of unlikely allies traveling across the world, space and other dimensions, to arm themselves with deadly weapons, powerful eldritch artifacts and  forbidden knowledge, while battling every sort of creature from the Cthulhu Mythos in a non-stop action-packed rollercoaster of a book.



Henry and Rex lit fresh cigarettes as they fnished the last of their coffee and Oliver flicked through the pages of the paper. It was two days old, but much of the information it contained was still news
to Oliver: an uprising in West Java, the beginnings of a restoration project in Williamsburg, and the disappearance of a Bostonian artist named Pickman.



Essentially something like The Call of Cthulhu meets Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and The Mummy (1999),  all wrapped inside that well known feeling of impending doom trademark of the Arkham Horror board game inspiring and naming this trilogy.



"You read it?" asked Morley, turning to Oliver.
"I did, though Armitage forbade me to take any notes."
"Wise of him," said Morley, pacing back and forth between the window and the cloth-covered books. "Always did have a sound head on his shoulders, that one. Should stand him in good stead when that Whateley fellow finally goes too far."



Sadly Amanda and Rita, two of favourite characters of mine in Ghouls of the Miskatonic, joined the party late, but it was great see the band gathered again in the end.



Pete helped Finn down, and the cold clawed up into his bones through the threadbare soles of his boots. Snow was falling in earnest now, and an evil wind found every tear in his coat and every exposed slice of skin. He was instantly shivering.
"Christ," he swore. "Now how we going to get to Arkham?"
"The road provides," said Pete with cryptic hobo wisdom. "The road will provide.



Some major deaths were expected, the one in first pages is not a surprise at all if you know H.P. Lovecraft's  The Call of Cthulhu or some of its endless movie/comic-book/manga adaptions, but reading the chapter about the investigators you learned to love after more than a thousand of pages (but they could have been 2 thousands or six books because of the extra small font size...), to say not about lots of time I've spent playing Arkham Horror, Elder Sign and other FFG games, preparing themselves before the epic ending, and expecting more than one is going to lose his/her life (or spending it inside Arkham Asylum or another sanitarium...) was nearly heartbreaking for me.



Kate gagged as Charles leaned toward her, and she felt his desperate hunger for the warmth of her flesh.
"Of course I expect you to do this work," said Alexander.
"And if I say no?"
"Then I'll give you to Charles," said Alexander, and Kate flinched at the vehemence in his tone. "His lusts and appetites were obscene in
life and I do not believe death has improved them. And trust me, Kate, you're just his type..."



Do not expect a masterpiece, this trilogy is just a well made pulp and weird fictional adaption from a table-top game based on a RPG who in turn is based on H. P. Lovecraft's tales and other authors' Cthulhu Mythos writings, but if you ever played Arkham Horror and/or The Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game this is a real must-read.



Amanda and Rita were straightening their dresses and fixing their hair. Amanda tapped her feet and Rita was already shaking her shoulders in time to the beat.
"Ladies, do you need a cab called?" he asked.
Rita laughed and said, "Nope, we're gonna stay here."
"You're staying?"
"Yes," said Amanda. "If the world's ending tomorrow, what else are we going to do but dance?"

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good ending to a pretty good series. All the familiar characters from the first book were brought into the fray and I'm pretty sure they covered basically everything. Their was an ultimate epic battle at the end with deaths and victories and the ending, in and of itself, though sad, was fitting. Perhaps someday I'll read all three books in a row so there aren't gaps in my memory as to what happened to whom and how this person is involved in that etc but for the most part, I really enjoyed the series. The character of Oliver Grayson is a quiet, academic man thrust into a situation where the horrifying and macabre actually exist and he has to do all he can to keep it at bay. With the help of determination, intelligence and friends, they do end up saving the world and of course, the small town of Arkham Massachusetts, in fact, the whole world, is none the wiser to the peril it was in. I did like all the nods to Lovecraft's Mythos and this triology has inspired me to actually read more of Lovecraft and appreciate his formation of so many horror writers of today. All in all, a fun, exciting read, a bit contrived but hey, I read for pleasure and this series gave that in spades.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're going to read any of the Arkham Horror books, THIS trilogy is the one you need to read. None of the other books come close to being this good. While the third and final book of "The Dark Waters" trilogy--Dweller in the Deep by Graham McNeill--is not perfect (yet it's pretty darn good), it's the best effort from the FFG publishing house thus far.

I nearly gave this book five stars. I may still go back and change my rating. After reading the last two Arkham Horror novels, the disappointing finish to the Lord of Nightmares trilogy and the uneven "Sign of Glaaki" book, starting "Dweller in the Deep" reminded me immediately why I enjoy this kind of Lovecraftian Mythos genre fiction.

If you haven't read the first two books in this series--Ghouls of the Miskatonic and Bones of the Yopasi--you should definitely so do before starting Dweller in the Deep.

This third book leads to the final confrontation between professor Oliver Grayson and his loyal companions--many of whom are characters from the Arkham Horror board game--and the evil forces of Alexander Templeton, who has allied himself with the Mi-Go and created a new crop of ghouls to help him raise R'lyeh and unleash Cthulhu upon the world.

The adventures of Oliver Grayson and his companions makes for a lot of great storytelling. They cross the United States and even go on an astral journey--to the Great Hall of Celeano--to fortify themselves for the final battle.

But if you've read my other reviews, you know I can always find a few problems with just about any novel. And there are a couple of them here.

This first one may be my fault, but when I first read about how Templeton and the Mi-Go had captured Kate Winthrop (to use her flux stabilizer), I thought they had taken her to Yuggoth to work on their machine. The fact that the machine was just north of Arkham the whole time was a bit jarring to find out when it was finally revealed--on page 284-286. Even if the site was protected by ghouls and Mi-Go, it seems a bit odd that no one noticed. And the whole scene there (reported in retrospect) between Kate and Templeton struck me as a bit odd.

I don't often lament the facts that the books I read aren't longer. But with all the adventure and interesting build-up in the first two acts of this novel, I found the third act to be a bit rushed and compressed. Perhaps it was due to deadlines or an overzealous editor. Nonetheless, the pacing of the third part--named "Inundation"--of the novel was far different than that of the first two parts.

For example, when two of the characters from the first book show up again to join in the final battle, their return isn't handled with much fanfare and we're just supposed to accept that it's fate. I was somewhat okay with that, but I wouldn't have minded a bit more lead-in.

Anyway, I would have liked another 50 pages of this story, especially considering all that happens during the final battle that we don't find out about until later on.

As a reader, I did appreciate the historical digressions about the era and the places and people of interest (seems a Cthonian worm caused the 1906 San Francisco earthquake) as they relate to the story and the Mythos in general. I didn't expect Ernest Hemingway to pop up. That was cool.

And, yes, if you're at all curious, Cthulhu does show up at the end.

So...as usual...if you're a fan of H.P. Lovecraft's works...or of the Arkham Horror board game...and especially if you've read the first two books in The Dark Waters trilogy...you will very likely enjoy "Dweller in the Deep."

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice wrap-up to the end of McNeill's trilogy. Brought back most of the characters from the previous two books and gave them interesting things to do, with a big epic confrontation climax at the end that... in Lovecraftian tradition, didn't go so well for all of our heroes. I think my only real two complaints in this book, was doubling down on the "magic negro" trope toward the end. I thought the blind speak-easy owner was an interesting character, but he was just a little too much the "all knowing wizard who provides the perfect bit of advice at just the right time" for me to take seriously, even in a light fluff read. I feel that more could have been done with that character without being such a fictional stereotype. The other was the under-utilization of Kate Winthrop, the scientist from Miskatonic U. who gets captured, tortured, and basically also becomes a "damsel in distress" trope. I would have loved... LOVED to see her somehow manage to save herself, instead of needing a last minute rescue by one of the manliest of manly white knight men in the book. ah well. I don't want to come across like i'm giving the book too much gruff, it was still a good book, just... you know... both points have been done so often they've become standard and overused cliches.

I think i enjoyed the 2nd book in this series more, but this was still a fun read. Stands higher in my estimation than the first book, which, i still can't decide if it was actually a little rough around the edges, or if i just wasn't into the "groove" for the writing style and setting yet. Maybe it was just a case of exposition-blues. Sometimes it's rough to get through the set up, so you are invested enough in the characters to care about what happens to them.

Either way, i started these books as a bit of fun gamer fiction fluff, and was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed them. And FFG definitely deserves a "mission accomplished" note, since i've recently been scouring the interwebs to try and pick up expansions to the Arkham series of games i haven't played in forever.

I'm really looking forward to the Alan Bligh/John French series now that i have a feel for what these books are like. Should be fun.

[Christian Petrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening Rant:
I never give up on a book, yet. This was pushed me to giving it up. If you look at how long it took me to read, that is unusual. The reason is not due to the plot or writing. The font is what almost killed me. One of the smallest fonts in a printed book, since on of the other Fantasy Flight Games. I had to read this in good light in order to get through it. Before you read this I recommend an e-book version, or be prepared for small writing. Okay this rant has no bearing on the story, as it is publisher's issue, not the writer's.

Actual Review:
It has been a while since I read the second book in series. Since then I remember some of the things that happened. This story picks up right after the ending of the Bones of the Yopasi.

Even though it had been a while, Graham McNeill writes in a manner where he helps you remember what happened, without overdoing. The writing is crisp and moves pretty well. Though a down side to the plot is that feels it covers too much ground in the travels of the heroes.

However, in between the main story, there are some smaller sub-plots that work make you wonder how they will tie back into the main story. Again, these seem to be distant from the main story. In the end everything is tied back together.

His description of the action and locations is decently done. I was able to pull an image in my head of what was going on. This is important due to nature of a Cthulhu story. Additionally, they are some minor characters that pop up from the game as well.

One downside to his writing is the time period. I have commented on this before, I believe in the first book. It is suppose to be in the 1926, yet there are some things that he goes over, that make me think he got the time period mixed up.

If you decide to read this book, I recommend reading the first two. They all do fit together and this brings a closure to a longer story. My rating is actual 3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4.

[Sylri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action-packed conclusion to the Dark Waters trilogy, the first trilogy in Arkham Horror’s tie-in book line.
And when I say action-packed, this book really is one action scene followed by another with some welcome breathers in between. It could be because I’ve watched it really recently, but it reminded me a bit of the awesome fast pace of the movie The Mummy (one of my faves btw).

It’s made me realize it’s been a long time since I’ve actually finished a series, since having that feeling of closure after an epic adventure hit me in the gut.

Oh, also more Trail of Cthulhu references for the win. :D And a meeting with a certain famous author. A couple actually now that I think about it, as well as one or two historical figures.

Our characters have sacrificed much, meet and fight some dangerous monsters and people, and all of them come together to do what has to be done to save the world.

What’s not to like?

[Kristýna Obrdlíková · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oponentem není nikdo menší než Great Cthulhu. A to, jak se děj blíží k nemožnému - odolávání Prastarému - se mi líbilo. Obyčejní lidé bez kdovíjakých schopností se vyrovnávají s něčím, co nemá obdoby. Pravda, občas má člověk trochu pocit zásahu shůry, ale jinak by to nejspíš neskončilo moc dobře. Rozuzlení osobních linií bylo... odpovídající. Lidské. Nic extra výjimečného, ale chuť nezkazí.

[M.R. Claxton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easily the weakest entry of the trilogy. Whereas, sure, "Ghouls of the Miskatonic" was fresh and introduced the reader to the Lovecraftian setting of Arkham with all of its characters, deliciously portrayed through the sepia lens of the '20s, it succeeded in hitting all the 'Tales of Cthulhu' markers in terms of tension, suspense, and horror. The sequel "Bones of the Yopasi", albeit at times lagging and disjointed in narrative rhythm, still managed to present its story beats at a satisfying pace. The characters introduced were interesting, the plotline engaging and it built nicely on what went before. But regretfully the final installment, "Dweller in the Deep" just squandered all that built-up capital to deliver a very dry and drawn-out resolution, with only the final twenty pages being exciting and a masterful return-on-investment. Sadly, it is too little, too late as most of my interest had dried up under the endless exposition of (the four male) characters who felt like the same person, trips to places that simply failed to resonate and an absence of formerly established (and far more interesting female characters) until the very end. Whether Mr. McNeill's editor did the typical thing when success strikes and backed away from trimming the fat or there simply was not enough material for Graham himself to work with, I don't know. I just know that wandering around in the world of Arkham never felt so forgettable.

[Robert Bridgewater · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give it more a 3.5, but I didn't enjoy this one as much. The main reason was the awkward interactions at times between characters, which were in the first two. But way over done in this one for me. Next was the repetition of "being on the brink of insanity, but always pulling through" somehow, which just got tired. One could argue since this is based off the board game and you can replenish your sanity in it, that this is seen as the same thing, it just wasn't for me.

The conclusion and action overall were fun and I felt written well. I was also pleased with the end of the book. I enjoyed this series, even if I didn't rate this book as high as the first 2. It was fun still.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book series is just fantastic. I loved it. If you're an Arkham Horror fan, READ THIS. The whole series. It's a love letter to the AK investigators we all know.

I only wish I cared at all about Warhammer 40k because I think that's the only other stuff this author has ever written about. I bet it's all great! I'm just not into that game.

I hope he writes more Arkham Horror stuff for Fantasy Flight someday!

[Anthony Mattarelliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a novel based off of a TTRPG, Graham MCNeill knows how to write characters, get the 1920's cosmic horror going, and his dialogue and musings are, dare I say, poetic? Honestly, a great series all around.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't muster much enthusiasm for this third volume of the trilogy. I typically enjoy McNeill's writing, but I found myself weary with the cardboard characters.

[Gustavo Berman · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was sooooo boring. I didn't finished it. But I really tried, made it to chapter 13, half the book. Had to send it to /dev/null

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about what I expected it would be, based on the previous two books in the trilogy -- an entertaining yarn with a rather dry style, marred by a few editorial errors ("vocal chords" and a few misplaced modifiers). McNeill captures the whole "cosmic horror" that's part and parcel of Lovecraftian fiction, and he ends the series on an appropriate note. He also has a couple of scenes that are genuinely squicky, though not for being graphic. That, to me, is the real success of a horror novel.

One thing I forgot to mention in the previous books is the Lovecraft Easter eggs McNeill populates in his books. I'm not well versed in Lovecraft's mythos to recognize all of them, but whenever McNeill references a person specifically in an aside, I Googled the name, and sure enough, it was a character from Lovecraft's stories. Those who know the mythos well will probably recognize them all, but I only recognized someone named West. Still, it's a cool addition, even if it's strictly fan service.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final chapter in the battle against an ancient, implacable foe. This volume is a bit less impressive than the others, this time we have a narrow escape after a narrow escape, but we also have so many brushes with fate. Meetings with historically notable men and women litter this book. It seems this book is filled with these incidental meetings in order to fill it up a bit.

It's a good ending to the series, but the gooey center of this particular volume is a bit like those you find in the chocolate boxes a week after the holidays are over. It's sweet and tastes vaguely like candy, but you're just not sure it was. Maybe some weird flavor like loganberry.

In the end this was just chocolatey enough. It didn't hold up to the earlier books in the series until just at the end. But it's a final chapter and a fitting cap to a series of adventures with a suitably Lovecraftian ending.

[R.K. King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed the second book of this trilogy less, I was still intrigued enough to continue to the final installment. I'm glad I did because this book was an upswing back to what I enjoyed in the first book.
Dweller In The Deep rounds out this trilogy in a solid way. The action scenes are tense, the stakes are high, and the appearances of certain Lovecraftian beasties work very well. Again, with this entire story revolving around characters created for the Arkham Horror board games, I'm not sure what the difference would be for a reader not versed in said games. I am, and a lot of the characters are ones I give two hoots about so it worked. Overall I recommend this trilogy, but even more so for people who know the board games.
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[Dale Mccoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book had me cringing in a few places because of the descriptions. the previous two books were no where near that graphic. and I almost stopped reading because of what happened to Amanda Sharpe. but the ending was really solid and a worthy finale to the trilogy.

[Brian Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great conclusion to the trilogy. Loved the way that Graham McNeill worked characters from the original Lovecraft in, without changing the characters or storylines.