When investigative reporter Peter Webber discovers the remains of a young woman in the old Eastown Theatre, he finds himself pitted against a serial killer who uses the bodies of his victims to recreate medieval visions of hell inside Detroit’s landmark ruins. As the body count continues to rise, he and Detective Aundray Rogers must embark upon their own descent into the underworld, one that mirrors the decline of the Motor City, if they’re to have any chance of stopping the murderer before it’s too late.
With the city deteriorating around them, they learn that the abandoned buildings aren’t the only things that have been condemned.
Michael McBride was born in Colorado and still resides in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. He hates the snow, but loves the Avalanche. He works with medical radiation, yet somehow managed to produce five children, none of whom, miraculously, have tails, third eyes, or other random mutations. He writes fiction that runs the gamut from thriller to horror to science fiction...and loves every minute of it.
This novel certainly stands out from McBride's "usual" sort of story lines. As always, his research and attention to even the most minute of details is evident in this exceptional work. I would say that I, personally, feel that this is quite possibly McBrides's most "emotionally" riveting book to date!
First person narrative (although usually not my favorite) was absolutely essential in this story. The sense of "loss" that permeates this book from start to finish, for all things in the past, would simply not have come off as poignantly with any other method.
When our main character, reporter Peter Webber, finds the body of a woman in an old Detroit landmark, it's only the beginning. For what he's really uncovered is a serial killer who uses his victims' remains to imitate visions of hell rivaling Dante's images. Peter ends up working with his longtime friend, Dray (now Detective Rogers), to try and solve the reason behind these stagings before more murders are committed.
As I stated above, the prevalent sense of "loss" is what really drives this story, and makes it so personal to the readers. From the depressing changes that have overcome the city of Detroit, to the destruction of hopes and dreams in each of the characters' personal lives, the entire novel is filled with despair and an underlying sense of hopelessness.
This was an all-consuming novel that you won't want to put down once you've started it. McBride has come out with some incredibly strong novels and novellas in the past few years, but this one just pushes its way up tot the top in terms of its character-driven and atmospheric tension.
Condemned is a gripping first person POV thriller from Michael McBride, I do like this type of narration and it’s done very well here.
Peter Webber owns an online investigative news site called Wake the Puck Up, Hockeytown! Whose primary area of reporting is the continued vandalism and deterioration of the Motor City, Detroit. Scrappers were a plague upon the city, scavenging the structural elements and liquidating it for a fraction of the money spent on it in the first place. Webber photographed the destruction and passed the details onto the police after reporting on it.
He's about to be thrust unwittingly into an entirely new area of focus via a social media tip in the Murder Capital of the United States. The tip leads him to the abandoned Eastown Theatre and a young woman's body suspended from the rafters, still dripping blood. The killer must have been there, still watching as the drops of blood splashed at his feet and the journalist realises this is only the start. One more catastrophe for a dying city.
Webber starts to investigate and soon enough another tip leads to more of the same, a body he was now convinced had been exsanguinated (my new favourite word). A very definitive victim type, pointing to racial motivations with references to John Milton's Paradise Lost, Dante's Inferno, The Divine Comedy and the sculpture, The Gates of Hell. This killer is seriously crazed with a devilish literary knowledge and things can only get worse from here on out.
The Police angle comes from childhood friend Dray and his partner Aragon, both detectives and character wise that's pretty much it. The first person narrative is done very well, the detail puts you in the story and the pace is like lightening. There's tension in abundance but with such a small character base it leaves a degree of predictability. The killer is either someone we know or a player who doesn't feature at all. And that's it.
This is another tough book to both rate and place into a genre. For the latter, I would call it a dark crime thriller, with emphasis on the dark and dreary.
But the novel has depth (or I'm reading a lot into it). It's about the fall of man, the fall of the everyman, and the fall of every man. It's about the sea of time, and how it flows over everything, corrupts it, eventually kills it. It's about death and life and living in death's shadow.
It's about reality and all the sinister severity that comes with that word.
More concretely, it's about a string of murders in Detroit, crime scenes done up to resemble depictions of hell in famous works of literature. A "blogger" (or legitimate news outlet, depending who you ask) is drawn to each scene by the killer, some hidden connection between them.
Given few options, it becomes fairly evident quickly who done it. But the motive and the outcome remain a mystery right to the end. A powerful story, well paced and well written, though a little slow in the beginning and a little heavy handed at the end. I thought Chapter 33 was absolutely amazing, ended quite poignantly and would have made a great ending to the novel.
Condemned was a solid novel and recommended for those who like their fiction darker than the deepest pits in hell.
A pretty good thriller, but unfortunately nothing too spectacular or surprising here. I am a huge Michael McBride fan too, so I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t a bit disappointed in this one. Not that it was bad, because it wasn’t. Not because it wasn’t written well, because it was. It just seemed formulaic and very “thrillery”. No worries, though, Michael McBride is still one of my favorites and I will read anything he puts out there.
“The Condemned” by Michael McBride takes you on one hell of a ride.
The book takes place in Detroit Michigan, and as the title suggests a good portion of the city is condemned, and most of the characters are on a downward spiral. And as the gateway to hell states, “Abandon all hope yea how enter here” – Dante Alighieri wrote this allegorical epic poem between 1306 and 1321. Virgil is the guide who takes the reader through the author's examination of the afterlife, which travels through the Inferno (Hell), the Purgatorio (Purgatory). And we take that trip here. What a powerful book Mr. Mcbride has given us, and the pace does not relent.
Through me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain: Through me among the people lost for aye.
Justice the founder of my fabric mov'd: To rear me was the task of power divine, Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.
Before me things create were none, save things Eternal, and eternal I endure. All hope abandon ye who enter here.
Such characters in colour dim I mark'd Over a portal's lofty arch inscrib'd: Whereat I thus: Master, these words import.
The Thunderstorm Limited Edition also contains the story “Firebug” published by Mcbride in 2014 and origionally appeared in the book “Mia Moja” . Firebug as we learn in the story is another word for Firefly - those cute little bugs that sometimes light up at night.
In the story we follow a female FBI agent as she tries to discover a serial arsonist who travels the western United States killing his victims and then incinerating the environment.
Review of Condemned by Michael McBride Condemned is officially my new favorite novel. Michael McBride has outdone himself once again. Just when I thought that it didn’t get any better than F9 or Sunblind-- he gives us CONDEMNED.
Peter Webber is a news media reporter (blogger) who focuses most of his attention on the deterioration of downtown Detroit. Dray Rogers, Peter’s best friend from childhood, is a detective for the Detroit Police Department who has made it his life’s goal to clean up the city he grew up in. After Peter stumbles upon the dead body of a young woman, while following up on a vandalism tip, the two of them end up in the middle of what will be one of the city’s most brutal serial killings.
The amount of research and detail that went into this book is amazing. It is one of the few books that I have read where I felt like I could picture exactly what every building looked like in my head, every brick -- as if I were actually there. There was also no lack of attachment to the characters on my part. McBride is also one of the few authors I have read who can make a character feel real. Peter Webber feels like a real person and I haven't been able to get him out of my head. CONDEMNED is outside of McBride’s usual genre, but is one that he has wholeheartedly and brilliantly pulled off.
When I receive my signed limited edition hardcover in the mail, THIS is the book that you will have to pry out of my cold dead hands. I kid you not; it's that good. :)
Second time reading McBride, which leads to the inevitable conclusion that this guy can write and pretty well at that. And just to clarify, I am referring to the actual ability to throw together words into a coherent cohesive cogent narrative that keeps the pages turning. He does great things with imagery and mood as well, creating a terrifyingly vivid picture of a city as a desperate and dangerous remnant of a once glorious past. Plot wise, the three Cs are not as apparent, not crazy about the sociopolitical/socioeconomic commentary's execution, not crazy about the ease of figuring out the killer's identity. Then again this is a lean mean sort of thriller, not enough volume to genuinely puzzle or throw twists and doesn't seem like it was the intent. There are heavy dramatic elements here, even something of a love/betrayal story, between friends, between a man and his hometown, the latter not so much unrequited as it is definitely impossible. Nicely crafted thriller, genuinely thrilling, very dark (no pun intended despite the heavy racial undertones), very disturbing, perfectly titled and thought provoking. Entertaining too despite the occasional frustration. Recommended.
Peter Webber is a blog reporter for a site called Wake the Puck Up, Hockey Town. The story takes place in Detroit, Michigan and suggests that the city is deteriorating quickly. Webber stumbles upon the body of a woman in a rundown theater on a tip from someone unknown. Dray Rogers and Peter have been best friends since childhood. Dray is also a detective on the Detroit Police Department. There are more bodies to be found and the serial killer wants Peter to find them first. Soon Dray suspect that Peter might be the killer. There are some twist and turns in this book that I did not see coming. The research that McBride put into this book was amazing. This book is about real life horror that happens every day. This book is very dark for McBride. McBride develops the characters so well, that they appear to be almost true to life. McBride is a good writer and an excellent storyteller.
Condemned is officially my new favorite novel. Michael McBride has outdone himself once again. Just when I thought that it didn’t get any better than F9 or Sunblind-- he gives us CONDEMNED.
Peter Webber is a news media reporter (blogger) who focuses most of his attention on the deterioration of downtown Detroit. Dray Rogers, Peter’s best friend from childhood, is a detective for the Detroit Police Department who has made it his life’s goal to clean up the city he grew up in. After Peter stumbles upon the dead body of a young woman, while following up on a vandalism tip, the two of them end up in the middle of what will be one of the city’s most brutal serial killings.
The amount of research and detail that went into this book is amazing. It is one of the few books that I have read where I felt like I could picture exactly what every building looked like in my head, every brick -- as if I were actually there. There was also no lack of attachment to the characters on my part. McBride is also one of the few authors I have read who can make a character feel real. Peter Webber feels like a real person and I haven't been able to get him out of my head. CONDEMNED is outside of McBride’s usual genre, but is one that he has wholeheartedly and brilliantly pulled off.
When I receive my signed limited edition hardcover in the mail, THIS is the book that you will have to pry out of my cold dead hands. I kid you not; it's that good. :)
This is the first time I've ever really been kind of conflicted about a book - usually I either like it, or I don't or I just feel kind of "meh" about it. But this was an interesting read in more ways than one. On the negative side, there were more than a few typos, which is a bit of a pet peeve because it tends to take me right out of the story world. Not as many as some ebooks but more than just a couple. Secondly, I know a suspension of belief is pretty much a given when reading a lot of fiction but I found the way the lead character figured things out (I'm trying to stay spoiler-free) as the book went along to be a bit unbelievable and a matter of convenience rather than something that happened naturally. I also find it hard to believe a civilian would be given such free rein of crime scenes. But. This dude can write a story. I loved the descriptions of Detroit and it's decline, I really had a sense of where the story was taking place. I liked the characters, and even while I was mentally shaking my head over some of the things I didn't care for I found myself reading just one more chapter, then another, then another because I needed to know what happened next. So like I said, it's complicated. I don't know that I would whole-heartedly recommend this particular book, but I am definitely going to be reading more by this author.
I'M A MICHAEL MCBRIDE SUPER FAN. I NEVER HAVE TO WONDER IF I'M GOING TO "GET IT" WITH ANYTHING HE WRITES. HE'S WELL RESEARCHED, TO THE POINT, DOESN'T MINCE WORDS AND PUTS ANY STORY TOGETHER WITH INTENSITY FROM START TO FINISH. THIS ONE WILL START OFF WITH A BANG AND A KNOT IN YOUR STOMACH. THIS SHOULD BE MADE INTO A MOVIE AND PUTS JASON BOURNE TO SHAME. THE DETAILED GORE OF THE MURDER SCENES WILL HAVE YOU AVOIDING ANY "MIDNIGHT SNACKS" AND INSTEAD YOU WILL BE REACHING FOR THE AMONIA BOTTLE AND SOME COTTON BALLS TO WARD OFF THE STENCH OF DEATH. YOU WILL SMELL IT IN THE AIR. ASIDE FROM THE GUTS AND GORE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SEEK IN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING OF THE HORROR GENRE. THE TRUE MYSTERY OF THE PERP WILL TAKE ITS TWIST SOMEWHERE AFTER MIDWAY.. SO... IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A HANDLE ON IT.. YOU WON'T. IF YOU LIKED "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" OR IF YOU READ AND LIKED GREG GIFUNE'S "CHILDREN OF CHAOS." THIS SHOULD BE DOWN YOUR ALLEY. WHILE SOME "AUTHORS" DEGRADE" WRITINGS OTHER THAN THEIR OWN..I FOUND THIS TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL, OVER- THE -TOP "DARE YOU TO READ IT" NOVEL. IF YOU CAN FIND IT. ONCE YOU READ IT.. IT WILL STAY WITH YOU AWHILE.
Excellent horror/crime novel involving two best friends, one a police officer, the other a blogger and both on the trail of a serial killer in the abandoned midsection of Detroit. This book also includes a bonus short story, Firebug, which entertains a whole new and creepy meaning to the term. Highly recommended!
Michael McBride's books are always some of the best thrillers to read. This particular book is different from some of the ones that he has written in the past. This is more of a whodunit then what did it.
A marvelous yet malevolent vision of hell that exists in ourselves
Mc Bride has yet again taken us on a horrific roller coaster ride of damnation...of brutal imagery and a cognitive inferno...great job...got my ticket for the next ride in Hell's Park!!
This book is not for the faint of hearth and starts with several murders which the victims are staged from poems and books about entering hell, it has twist and turns and you might be surpriced by the way it turns out, the theme is very dark and about a city and a soceity crumbling and how a killer is born in the middle of it. I was not sure what rate to give this book as it is well written but also not my usuall cup of tea, it is kind of depressing and a heavy read but i give it a weak 4 star as it surpriced me
After being sent a tip, investigative reporter Peter Webber, does not expect to find a body, but soon finds himself an unwilling pawn in a serial killers plan. Good book, that builds the tension at each murder scene, until the identity of the killer is revealed and the final confrontation.
I thought this was much better than his previous book - Burial Ground - which I read a few months ago. I still think he overdoes it on the description a bit, but this book had a much better balance in my opinion. I heard the audio book and I think the narrator did an amazing job of capturing the emotions of the characters. Overall, I thought it was an excellent murder mystery, but done so in a style not typical of must 'who done it' authors.
Be warned, this book is dark. At times it's even a bit scary. Felt almost like Silence of the Lambs in the sense of how suspenseful it got. Overall, definitely worth your time if you like the genre.