Drought

by Graham Masterton

What would happen if the water ran out?
Ex-Marine Martin Makepeace only learned the truth of the maxim that you don’t know what you have until you lose it, the day his wife walked out on him with their two kids. Now, the social worker does his best to take care of those who need it most.

But good deeds mean nothing when the water just . . . disappears. It hasn’t rained for months, and now, in the height of summer, the taps run dry. And not, as they first suspect, because of a burst water main. In the deprived areas where Martin works, the water’s been intentionally cut off. And it’s his job, he discovers, to tell the families he cares for not to panic.

Martin soon has more problems than lack of water. His daughter is sick with fever. And as riots over bottled water start, Martin’s teenage son is framed, and arrested, for a terrible crime. Soon Martin is left with no choice but to take drastic action to save his family, while corrupt politicians try and use the situation to their advantage, with calamitous results . . .

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Horror, Novels, Science Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 2014

About the author

Graham Masterton was born in Edinburgh in 1946. His grandfather was Thomas Thorne Baker, the eminent scientist who invented DayGlo and was the first man to transmit news photographs by wireless. After training as a newspaper reporter, Graham went on to edit the new British men's magazine Mayfair, where he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of scientific and philosophical articles which eventually became Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys.

At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.

Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.

Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.

He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.

Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.

He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Masterton's books are kind of a must read selection. However, I really should have checked the summary first. While his horror is absolutely consistently awesome, this one was a thriller and pretty far from awesome. To be exact, this was an environmental thriller with some underlying political messages one can take or leave. Basically the story is about a relatively small California town handling or really mishandling a country wide drought situation, turning it into something of a class warfare. Problem with thrillers is that they often tend to showcase a certain kind of flatness. The characters are cardboardy, the action is too unbelievable, the heroes are too indestructibly heroic, the sex scenes are off (in this case the beginning of the book was disturbingly rape happy and then there was an absolutely credulity stretching scene in terms of what a protagonist would do),the women are either too insignificant or too wicked. And this book is no exception, although Masterton's been at the writing game long enough to elevate it somewhat. He entertains and keeps the pages turning, but this was so lamentably very far from his best work. Again, there are some nods to the Native American lore that seems to be distinct author's thing. Pacing moved along nicely, the book lasted almost three and a half hours. Thriller fans in a mood for fairly mindless fair with a resounding environmental and sociopolitical message might enjoy this. Fans of the author's other work would probably be as disappointed as I was. The book is perfectly readable, but Masterton possesses imagination and talent that far exceed this weakling. This was probably just a one off.

[Frank Errington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy

Over the past three years the lack of any significant rainfall has brought large portions of the US to a crisis point. One of the worst hit areas is San Bernardino, California.

What would happen if the temperature was hitting 120 everyday and the Governor instituted "Rotational hiatuses" for water service. Suddenly there is no water at all for the city's poorest neighborhoods. The announced "plan" is 48 hours off in one area and then to restore water there and turn it off in other areas, but 48 hours becomes 60 and there's still no water. The result is rioting, looting. People are dying.

Meanwhile, in the city's more affluent neighborhood, the greens at the Country Club continue to be watered.

Martin Makepeace works for the San Bernardino County Children & Family Services. Ex-Marine with an ex-wife and two children. Martin is a bit unconventional as a social worker. Very protective of his charges and he takes no crap from those who would do them harm. Martin is called into his boss's office where he meets Saskia Vane from the the Governor's special task force set up to deal with the drought emergency. They need Martin's assistance to help reassure his clients that the water restrictions are only temporary. If only that was true.

Graham Masterton's Drought is filled with characters pushed to the breaking point. Even Martin Makepeace, the undeniable hero of the story is forced to take what would be considered despicable actions under normal circumstances.

A devastating drought, a corrupt government, a private security force run by a madman, rioters, looters, and then there is Santos, a Native American, who knows the location of Lost Girl Lake, and attempts to lead Martin and a group of family and friends to it's hidden location.

Drought gets off to a fast start and doesn't let up until the last page. The horror in Drought is the potential reality of the situation. Many of the conditions that make this story work exist today in the real world. Drought is a well-told tale of survival against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Please be advised, there is a good bit of graphic sex and violence in this book.

Drought is currently available as a hard -cover from Severn House Publishers through Amazon.com.

Recommended.

[Alexander Draganov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drought (“Суша”) е катастрофичен екшън роман от майстора на ужасите Греъм Мастертън. Издаден преди няколко години, той звучи все по-актуално в контекста на проблемите с безводието в щата Калифорния и ефектът, който би могло да има то върху обществото. Всичко това е пречупено през бърз, задъхан сюжет, изпъстрен със смазващи сцени на насилие, характерни за творчеството на автора, изгрял през 70-те с класиката си “Маниту – Кошмар в Манхатън”.

Цялото ревю - на линка:
https://citadelata.com/drought/

[Plum-crazy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In this life, you get what you pay for, and if you can't afford it, you can't have it"

As a huge Masterton fan I was in little doubt that this would be a five starrer for me. I do prefer his out-right horror rather than this chiller-thriller style but I was hooked from the off & it's taken me less than twenty four hours to read it. In short...

When lack of rain causes a truly severe drought, water has to be rationed. Governor Smiley advocates "rotational hiatuses" - neighbourhoods will have their water cut off for 48 hours at a time. If each neighbourhood takes it's turn all is fair, right? Well, to paraphrase a famous quote, it would seem "All neighbourhoods are equal, but some neighbourhoods are more equal than others". How do you justify keeping people without water for 48 hours+ but allow a golf club to water it's greens? Well which neighbourhoods have the money? Smiley seems to see the drought as a chance to in effect "cull" the sick & poor, those that he feels drain economy rather than contributing to it.

It's a story that's made me think, after all with all the climate change we are seeing, a severe drought isn't out of the question. I found the wave of chaos, rioting & general lawlessness worryingly convincing & can imagine this actually happening. All I can do is pray that, if it ever does, those in a position of power, unlike the fictional Governor Smiley have a conscious & moral compass to guide them.

NB:
A word of warning...all Masterton's book feature at least one fairly explicit sex scene (with, so I've noticed, more & more vicious rape scenes occurring in recent years. What gives Graham?) This is no exception with a particularly brutal rape scene which cannot fail to make one shudder in horror & is indeed hard to read. You have been warned...

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW and TW for rape

it was an okay book, but the rape..put me off. alot.

[Y-alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

As for me, you can always rely on Graham Masterton and his creative powers. And so, in this book we have - very strong, tight, suspense-filled and terrifying plot; interesting full-blood characters; ‘adrenalin-rush’ action scenes; slick dialogue; tight and quick narrative etc… Everything is very good in this novel.

Moreover this is the very rare case when the novel is the mixture of several different genres – you can find here elements of SF (classic British disaster novels, as J. G. Ballard), of action thriller with chases and fights, of suspense novel with dark atmosphere and doom, of ecological thriller, of horror thriller novel.

As always with Masterton’s disaster novels (for example Famine and Plague) in this book he explores human behaviour at it's worst when disaster strikes, and Masterton pulls no punches. The lack of water is very terrifying perspective and, unfortunately, can be too real. And these problems (human behaviour and lack of water) fills the book with the real dread. And I think that after finishing this book you’ll be more careful with water – maybe even treat it with respect.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am so beyond disappointed in this book, I have been struggling since chapter 2 and praying that Graham would pump out an amazing horror book, but this was anything from his usual books, I would give it no stars if i could. This book just lacked an interesting plot, interesting characters, everything was boring, I couldn't even bring myself to finish this book.

[Mark Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so terrifying. I don't get scared by books easily. What made it so terrifying? It is so believable. Ass I looked up in the sky when I finished it, I thanked everything that is Holy that those clouds contained rain.

[Daniel DeLappe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book and if you think about what goes on with the police abuses in society possibly prophetic. As always loved the writing. I have been reading this Author for years. Never disappointed.

[Wystukanerecenzje · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Susza" u mnie dzisiaj gości przedpremierowo, choć to nie jest jej pierwsza premiera. To kolejne wydanie tego tytułu w Polsce, ale myślę, że wiele osób, tak jak ja, niekoniecznie sięgnęła już po każdą powieść Mastertona i być może to właśnie idealny moment? Drugą opcją, jeśli macie stare wydanie na swoich półkach jest oddanie ich do biblioteki i zakupienie sobie nowego. No sami powiedzcie, czy ta okładka nie jest świetna? Osobiście mam nadzieję, że Wydawnictwo Rebis zdecyduje się na wydanie wszystkich książek tego autora właśnie w jednolitej stylistyce. Będą stały w mojej biblioteczce na miejscu honorowym, tuż obok serii z Katie Maguire.

To co, przejdźmy do tego o czym "Susza" jest. W porównaniu do innych książek spod pióra Mastertona jest to thriller katastroficzny. Jeśli znacie autora, a przypuszczam, że przynajmniej ze słyszenia tak jest, to spodziewacie się pewnie po nim horroru lub ewentualnie kryminału z wątkami paranormalnymi. Ta jednak jest nieco inna i prezentuje świat, jaki moglibyśmy zastać a każdej chwili u nas. Co to znaczy? Już sam tytuł sugeruje co jest w środku, czyli świat, w którym zabrakło wody.

Upał, dosłownie ukrop i ani kropli deszczu. Zaczyna brakować wody, mimo że władze wmawiają ludziom, że póki co będą tylko na zmianę odcinać poszczególne dzielnice na czterdzieści osiem godzin od wody, to okazuje się, że kłamią i próbują sytuację wykorzystać do własnych celów. Jakie to typowe, prawda?

W całej tej opowieści jako głównego bohatera autor przedstawia czytelnikom żołnierza. Był w Afganistanie i te straszne wydarzenia często do niego wracają, ale mimo to jest dobrym człowiekiem ojcem dwójki dzieci. Niestety, przez sytuację w kraju jest zmuszony do poczynienia drastycznych kroków, bo jego syn zostaje aresztowany.

Cała historia opowiedziana jest tak, że dreszcze przebiegają po plecach. Nie możemy założyć, że kiedyś nas coś takiego nie spotka. Pomijając fakt, że może zabraknąć wody, ludzie zaczną umierać, chorować, to jeszcze mogą pojawić się zamieszki na ulicach, ludzie mogą się nawzajem zabijać, robić sobie krzywdę również dla przyjemności, a nie by przetrwać. W końcu jesteśmy jedynym gatunkiem, który lubi się znęcać nad innymi bez powodu, prawda? Dla satysfakcji, dla zastraszenia, dla przyjemności. Okropne, ale prawdziwe.

W tej książce znajdziecie opowieść nie tylko o próbie przetrwania, ale także o chorobie, miłości, o walce ze stresem pourazowym, o przyjaźni. Z jednej strony thriller, ale z drugiej przyjdzie się Wam przy niej nie raz wzruszyć.

Czy polecam? Tak, choć wiem, że znajdą się osoby, które stwierdzą, że nie chcą czegoś takiego czytać. Czyżby ze strachu? Wizja okropna, przerażająca, ale również prawdopodobna, a co za tym idzie, zmuszająca do zatrzymania się i zastanowienia nad wieloma elementami naszego życia.

Recenzja powstała we współpracy z Wydawnictwem Rebis, któremu serdecznie dziękuję za egzemplarz!

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

He looked up at the sky and it was cloudless. It hadn’t rained since November twelfth, now it was Summer and the Californian heat was unbearable. Martin Makepeace and his fellow Americans were experiencing the worst nationwide drought since records began.
Martin flicked his Semper Fi Zippo, in case we hadn’t realized Martin had been in the US Marines in Afghanistan, a fact told to us repeatedly.
The governor, Halford Smiley, faced with water shortages decided to cut off the poor areas of San Bernadino first. He put it across politically as ‘we’re faced with having to consider rotational hiatuses in service.’ He had no intention of rotating the water cuts. While the poor had their water cut off, the golf courses still had the water sprinklers working. “In this life, you get what you pay for, and if you can’t afford to pay for it, you can’t have it.”
Riots ensue and Martin’s son gets caught up in an armed robbery gone wrong and is arrested. Going full Rambo, Martin decides to break his son free of custody and then heads to the mountains and a legendary cave lake that his Native American neighbor, Santos had told him about.
Graham Masterton has written many books but is best known for his horror fiction, this is an eco-disaster thriller, which is fast paced but rather rapey and the characters lack depth.

[Luigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a book a enjoyed quite a lot. I haven't read a lot of Graham Masterton, and the other book of his that I read recently was boring. I will try a few more on the basis of Drought though.

Climate change is no longer science fiction, it is what we experience every day. I now have a collection of sandbags at home permanently. Something I have never done in my life before. We have already had 2 one-in-a-hundred-year weather events in New Zealand this year and are expecting more.

Drought is equally possible, not much risk where I live, but I recall not that long ago reading about changes to some of the large US rivers, both flood, and when they get so low that some of the larger ships risk running aground.

Take a drought, throw in some crooked politicians, with self-serving policies and you have a great recipe for disaster. The characterization was believable and I was disappointed when the story was over, while glad that it had not been made into a series, given a lot of writers are doing that as much for the sake of easy money (maybe an unfair generalization) as a wish to tell stories.

Anyway, this one goes down as a goodread for me.

[Andrakuf · Rating 4 out of 5]

To jest książka, która jest idealna na urlop, wakacje, wyjazd. Prosta historia, opierająca się na wielokrotnie powielanych schematach, ale takich które działają zawsze i bez pudła. Opowieść która zawiera się w kilku dniach, jak niegdyś najlepsze książki Michaela Crichtona, przez co akcja wartka, szybka, czyta się świetnie nie mogąc się doczekać co wydarzy się dalej, ale jednocześnie masz świadomość, że to musi się dobrze skończyć, będzie happy end, bo w końcu dobro zawsze wygrywa a zło musi przegrać. Dodatkowe plusy za utrzymanie tej atmosfery do samiutkiego końca, w zasadzie do ostatniego zdania.
Jak będę chciał sięgać po jakąś lekką powieść, która pozwoli spędzić miłe i ekscytujące jednocześnie chwile, to Graham Masterton będzie zdecydowanie jednym z pierwszych wyborów.

[Justine Bell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of the 24 Masterton novels I have had the pleasure of reading, this is by far, the worst one.
I was expecting some supernatural/horror elements and was sorely disappointed. What I did get was the main character telling everyone he met that he fought the Taliban (I gave up keeping score after 20 times - rinse. repeat)
It was not a joy to read. I don't like having DNF on my list, and this very nearly made it, but I persevered and slogged my way in an uphill battle to the finish line.
Sorry Mr Masterton, 2 stars for me.

[Kasia (Kącik z książką) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Książkę czyta się błyskawicznie. Nie jest to ambitna lektura, ale też nie udaje takiej. To powieść czysto rozrywkowa, pozwalająca oderwać myśli od bieżących spraw. Jako wakacyjna lektura sprawdza się bardzo dobrze.

Cała opinia:
http://www.kacikzksiazka.pl/2021/08/s...

[Johnny morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read!!

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

To jest porządną książka na jeden wieczór. Bardzo trafiła w moje gusta. Za jakiś czas przeczytam jeszcze raz. Super

[Radosław · Rating 5 out of 5]

To jest świetne postapo. Przeczytałem 300 stron w dwa dni 🙂

[Neil & Elaine Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult to stop reading!

The characterisation is wonderful and the plot is engaging. A very talented writer! One of my favourites and this novel is one of his best.

[Ewelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 nawet

[Dominika Legawiec · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[J.S. Nelson]

DNF

[L.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oczywiście napaliłem się na tą książkę jak szczerbaty na suchary :P No bo taki opis, moje klimaty... A jednak nie, po prostu nie - dlaczego, och dlaczego Masterton idzie w tych książkach w politykę? :( Tak było w "Głodzie" ale w "Suszy" to już praktycznie tylko o politykę chodzi... Dlaczego nie może iść w horror? Opisać jak ludzie naprawdę męczą się z suszą próbując wydobyć wodę skądkolwiek - raczej tak bym to widział... Może powinien sobie przypomnieć jak to było w "Zarazie" :P (a może ja powinienem? muszę ją znów przeczytać, bo pierwszy raz czytałem pół życia temu, może to ja źle pamiętam ;) ).
Ponieważ książka jest polityczna, mogę dać tylko 3 gwiazdki... Co nie zmienia faktu, że przeczytałem ją w jakieś dwa dni, a miała mi starczyć na co najmniej 4 :P

Na koniec mam jak zwykle cytaty, kompletnie nie związane jakoś z wątkiem przewodnim książki ale takie trzy bardzo życiowe ogólnie teksty znalazłem, no i chciałbym tu sobie zanotować:

"Nie spodziewaj się najgorszego, co możesz sobie wyobrazić, bo stanie się to, i to o wiele szybciej, niż myślisz."
(s.135)

"Nie można przejść przez życie, bojąc się śmierci. (...) Jeżeli całe życie będziesz bać się śmierci, to nie będziesz żyć nigdy. Nie naprawdę... nie tak, jak Bóg chciał, abyś żył. A smutne w tym jest to, że i tak się umrze, prędzej czy później."
(s.180-181)

"Możesz uciec przed światem, jak daleko tylko chcesz, ale nigdy nie uciekniesz przed sobą. Gdziekolwiek pójdziesz, tam, kurwa, jesteś."
(s.311)

[Mim-Is-Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Water isn’t a privilege, Saskia. Water is necessary for human beings to stay alive.”

Living in a country where water rationing is just another thing, I really could understand the problems that the community in Drought were facing. Difference is that people here are desensitized to water rationing, and there is a schedule for water provision.
Whenever new apartment buildings are coming up, boreholes are a must. No one wants to live in a swanky building that has water problems! Even home owners have boreholes, and people renting in older locations are the ones with grave water problems.
Anyway, this review is not about water problems here. Throughout reading this book, I could empathize with the people of San Bernardino. They had no warning that water would be cut off, so they had no storage as backup like we do.
I can’t say that I have experienced the excess of lack of water that they did, but picking out some of the things they were going through that we have gone through made me enjoy – for lack of a better word – this book.

[Adam Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is why I sometimes comment months after completing a novel. I honestly don't remember much of this one but I do remember having fun with it. Despite the less than steller ratings and reviews, I would recommend this one to fans of thrillers. Don't expect it to do anything too amazing but Masterton can always be relied upon for entertainment at the least. It does kind of fail to grasp the ramifications of its plot and doesn't capitalize on many potential developments that could have made the book much more unique but it is still fun. Preachy at times but it doesn't do that too much and in this age of people despising the American government, well more than usual, it will please many folks.

[Horia Ursu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some over the top moments in this environmental quasi-apocalyptic thriller, and a rather rushed ending after what seemed like a neverending build-up. The bad guys are really bad, and despite his flaws, the main character is a bit over-competent at some moments and totally clueless in other situations; for my taste, anyway. But there's a great sex scene, which is a plus :)

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read (had to change the verbiage several times, due to the content. You sort of guessed what might happen otherwise it would have got a four-star rating. Well written, good characters.. the main ingredients for an adventure story.

[Josef Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good horror novel by Masterton

For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/drough... and follow me on Twitter @josenher

[Sheri Silverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

couldn't put it down

Riveting page turner, well named---an environmental disaster thriller. I read it in a day because I couldn't put it down. This would make a great movie.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable.