What do you think?
Rate this book
The Going and the Rise
This is the tale of a deadly conspiracy, an all-consuming obsession, and an unlikely heroine.
Michael Aldridge, talented architect and devoted family man, has built his dream home on the Isle of Wight, but when strange coincidences take a sinister turn, he must uncover a long-forgotten secret before it’s too late.
A wonderfully sinister new novella from the master of the chilling ghost story, The Going and The Rise questions how far you would go to realise your dream… and what you would risk to protect the one you love.
Michael Aldridge, talented architect and devoted family man, has built his dream home on the Isle of Wight, but when strange coincidences take a sinister turn, he must uncover a long-forgotten secret before it’s too late.
A wonderfully sinister new novella from the master of the chilling ghost story, The Going and The Rise questions how far you would go to realise your dream… and what you would risk to protect the one you love.
74 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
F.G. Cottam
19 books479 followersReading is a cheap and totally effective way of being transported to another world. The same is true of writing. Mundane concerns only afflict your characters if you decide you want them to.
University was where I first thought seriously about fiction; hearing about Hemingway's iceberg theory and Eliot's objective correlative and having the luxury of time to ponder on the mechanics of the novel.
My first writing was journalism and pieces for I-D, Arena and The Face brought me to the attention of mainstream magazine publishers. In the '90's I edited FHM when it still majored on sport and fashion rather than Hollyoaks starlets and weather girls. Then I launch-edited the UK edition of Men's Health magazine and then came to the conclusion that if I didn't try to write some fiction it was never going to happen.
I read all kinds of fiction, but write stories with a paranormal element I think really because history fascinates me and ghosts allow the past to resonate shockingly, scarily and I hope convincingly, into the present.
I got off to an encouraging start but have suffered a few disappointments since then. I wouldn't in honesty want to do anything else, though. If I write a terrible novel it's my fault entirely. If I write a good novel, it's entirely my achievement.
University was where I first thought seriously about fiction; hearing about Hemingway's iceberg theory and Eliot's objective correlative and having the luxury of time to ponder on the mechanics of the novel.
My first writing was journalism and pieces for I-D, Arena and The Face brought me to the attention of mainstream magazine publishers. In the '90's I edited FHM when it still majored on sport and fashion rather than Hollyoaks starlets and weather girls. Then I launch-edited the UK edition of Men's Health magazine and then came to the conclusion that if I didn't try to write some fiction it was never going to happen.
I read all kinds of fiction, but write stories with a paranormal element I think really because history fascinates me and ghosts allow the past to resonate shockingly, scarily and I hope convincingly, into the present.
I got off to an encouraging start but have suffered a few disappointments since then. I wouldn't in honesty want to do anything else, though. If I write a terrible novel it's my fault entirely. If I write a good novel, it's entirely my achievement.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 23, 2017
I received this novella free through the author's website. I've read many of his books in the past and enjoyed them all as I am a fan of supernatural/horror books that place their emphasis more on the story telling and building suspense than on the level of gore attained. I've always found that Cottam excels in that department. This novella achieves some of the same results but the format does not allow for the same degree of background-building as do his novels, which I prefer. But it is a good introduction to many of his themes: a happy family of successful parents and child; a beautiful piece of land with an unknown past; a restoration project of an old estate with links to a British Nazi sympathizer; hints of a past cult presence; mysterious changes with no concrete cause; an aura of "wrong-ness".
I enjoyed reading this short piece and it has served to whet my appetite for a return to those books on Cottam's list I have yet to read.
3.5 rounded to 4
I enjoyed reading this short piece and it has served to whet my appetite for a return to those books on Cottam's list I have yet to read.
3.5 rounded to 4
May 13, 2018
I recently started, “The Lucifer Chord,” and, feeling that the two characters introduced at the beginning – Ruthie Gillespie and Michael Aldridge – had a history, I went straight to the author to ask him about this. F.G. Cottam kindly replied to my question, saying that “The Lucifer Chord,” is a stand-alone novel, but that the two characters had met originally in, “The Going and the Rise,” a novella, which he suggested I read first (Ruthie Gillespie also appears in two of the author’s ‘Colony,’ novels, which I downloaded on Audible, after enjoying this short audio-book.
Michael Aldridge is an architect, who lives with his wife and young daughter, Molly. His life is pretty much perfect, although Molly has juvenile arthritis and he doesn’t always get to spend as much time as he would like with her, as his work sometimes takes him away from home. He is working on the Isle of Wight when we first meet him, involved with the restoration of a mansion, Ashdown Hall, which once belonged to an artist.
While there, Michael comes across a location which he feels would be perfect for a holiday home. Something draws him to the place and he decides to go ahead and buy the land. Soon after doing so, he comes into a sudden windfall, which helps him overcome his slight feeling of concerns about the place. He asks local historian, and author, Ruthie Gillespie, to look into the history of the site and discover why the building, previously standing there, disappeared without leaving even a stone in place.
Still, at first, things go well – Molly responds well to the move and she seems healthier. It is almost like the miracle that her parents have wished for. Even so, Michael feels unsettled by the changes in his daughter and is intrigued when Ruthie tells him she has made a discovery about the notorious Jericho Society, who previously owned the land. What she discovers will lead him to question his decision in building the house and test him to the limit as he has to protect his family, no matter the cost. This is a creepy and well told story and I now look forward to reading, “The Lucifer Chord,” and learning more about Ruthie.
Michael Aldridge is an architect, who lives with his wife and young daughter, Molly. His life is pretty much perfect, although Molly has juvenile arthritis and he doesn’t always get to spend as much time as he would like with her, as his work sometimes takes him away from home. He is working on the Isle of Wight when we first meet him, involved with the restoration of a mansion, Ashdown Hall, which once belonged to an artist.
While there, Michael comes across a location which he feels would be perfect for a holiday home. Something draws him to the place and he decides to go ahead and buy the land. Soon after doing so, he comes into a sudden windfall, which helps him overcome his slight feeling of concerns about the place. He asks local historian, and author, Ruthie Gillespie, to look into the history of the site and discover why the building, previously standing there, disappeared without leaving even a stone in place.
Still, at first, things go well – Molly responds well to the move and she seems healthier. It is almost like the miracle that her parents have wished for. Even so, Michael feels unsettled by the changes in his daughter and is intrigued when Ruthie tells him she has made a discovery about the notorious Jericho Society, who previously owned the land. What she discovers will lead him to question his decision in building the house and test him to the limit as he has to protect his family, no matter the cost. This is a creepy and well told story and I now look forward to reading, “The Lucifer Chord,” and learning more about Ruthie.
January 14, 2016
First of all, thank you to F.G. Cottam for giving me this book to read free of charge!
I am a great fan of F.G.'s books and this is another great read, I never want them to come to an end which is a good sign. With some authors that I have really liked in the past I have found that I loved the first couple of books and then for some reason they would change the style of their writing or simply seem to lose their sparkle and I was disappointed with one of their books. With F.G. I have read quite a few of his books and I never feel let down, I expect a good ghostly book and I get exactly that.
In this latest story set on the Isle of Wight, Michael Aldridge, architect and father of a little girl who suffers from a bone disease, is working on the Isle of Wight, he sees the perfect plot of land that he immediately visualises as the perfect place to build a dream home for his family. As well as the natural beauty of the view from the site there is the fact that the climate on the island would be of great benefit to his daughter's health. The purchase of the land and permission to build go forward easily and Michael sets about designing his dream home. His wife falls in love with the spot and his daughter thrives during the holiday that they spend there, so the build goes ahead and the house is finished. During the summer whilst the house is being built Michael meets a man in the local pub, he is a taciturn 'old salt' type and he makes several comments that make Michael start to wonder about the past use of the land that he has bought, was it previously built upon, what was the Jericho Society? When he tries to find the man again he can't find him? He turns to local girl Ruthie, an intelligent young woman, a Goth, an expert in local history. I loved Ruthie, she is forthright and does not hesitate to say what she is thinking. Ruthie helps Michael to uncover the truth about the site of his dream home and the dangers it may hold, the story builds in an exciting crescendo of mystery and fear. What must Michael do to protect his family, maybe make a truly huge sacrifice, one that only a loving father would be willing to make.
I think the characters of Michael and Ruthie are destined to be reunited, it would be a great partnership and I could see them working together maybe in several stories (please F.G.). Anyone who loves to feel a shiver down their spine but also a great variety of settings and totally disparate characters will become addicted to F.G. Cottam's wonderful style of storytelling, it is like sitting round the fire telling ghost stories as children and then being afraid of going to bed!
I am a great fan of F.G.'s books and this is another great read, I never want them to come to an end which is a good sign. With some authors that I have really liked in the past I have found that I loved the first couple of books and then for some reason they would change the style of their writing or simply seem to lose their sparkle and I was disappointed with one of their books. With F.G. I have read quite a few of his books and I never feel let down, I expect a good ghostly book and I get exactly that.
In this latest story set on the Isle of Wight, Michael Aldridge, architect and father of a little girl who suffers from a bone disease, is working on the Isle of Wight, he sees the perfect plot of land that he immediately visualises as the perfect place to build a dream home for his family. As well as the natural beauty of the view from the site there is the fact that the climate on the island would be of great benefit to his daughter's health. The purchase of the land and permission to build go forward easily and Michael sets about designing his dream home. His wife falls in love with the spot and his daughter thrives during the holiday that they spend there, so the build goes ahead and the house is finished. During the summer whilst the house is being built Michael meets a man in the local pub, he is a taciturn 'old salt' type and he makes several comments that make Michael start to wonder about the past use of the land that he has bought, was it previously built upon, what was the Jericho Society? When he tries to find the man again he can't find him? He turns to local girl Ruthie, an intelligent young woman, a Goth, an expert in local history. I loved Ruthie, she is forthright and does not hesitate to say what she is thinking. Ruthie helps Michael to uncover the truth about the site of his dream home and the dangers it may hold, the story builds in an exciting crescendo of mystery and fear. What must Michael do to protect his family, maybe make a truly huge sacrifice, one that only a loving father would be willing to make.
I think the characters of Michael and Ruthie are destined to be reunited, it would be a great partnership and I could see them working together maybe in several stories (please F.G.). Anyone who loves to feel a shiver down their spine but also a great variety of settings and totally disparate characters will become addicted to F.G. Cottam's wonderful style of storytelling, it is like sitting round the fire telling ghost stories as children and then being afraid of going to bed!
July 5, 2022
Fun short story by a favorite author
June 5, 2018
I was very fortunate to receive a copy of this novella. F. G. Cottam is one of my all time favs, no doubt about it! So many horror writers use the in your face blood and gore and monsters. Whereas, Cottam is very subtle. He creates an atmosphere of fear that chills you to the bone. His stories are the kind that stay with you....even in your dreams. This book did not disappoint! Keep 'em coming, Francis! (I do have your new one on order)
December 17, 2015
Another wonderful story from the ever-creative F. G. Cottam, chilling and suspense-filled! In this tale an architect makes strange discoveries on the Isle of Wight which may endanger his family and his ideas about reality. He crosses supernatural borders, having been perhaps beckoned by forces beyond his ken. The story hearkens back to other novels by this fine author and has in the background the nefarious Jericho Society. For those new to Cottam, you are in for a treat! For those of us familiar with his tales, reminders of scary reads of old return to add a frisson of anticipation here. There are ghosts, satanists, as well as architecture and love of family above all. There are unanticipated twists. There is evil: will good win out? Read it and see! An excellent tale for a cold winter's day.
January 31, 2016
The Going and the Rise is mysterious, emotional and suspenseful. It's got a tight plot and a protagonist who i could relate to and emphatise with. In one of my earlier reviews i had written how similar fg cottam's plots are. I totally take it back. The way this one ends completely took me by surprise. I enjoyed the references to characters from earlier books. Cottam is building an universe of characters, secret societies, occultists...i enjoy the way most of his plots revolve round the same entities. Once you have read a few of his books you become aware of them and can clearly see the danger the unsuspecting protagonist is in. I enjoyed this book thoroughly ...my only regret, it ended too soon. Wish it was a full fledged novel. (less)
February 2, 2016
Neatly written ghost story set in and around Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Fairly predictable plot developments and carefully sidesteps the final confrontation.
A quick read but a pretty good one. Not great but diverting enough.
A quick read but a pretty good one. Not great but diverting enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2019
I had read The House of Lost Souls by Cottam and thought it was good but not great. But it wasn't enough to put me off of him forever. I found The Going and the Rise on Audible and decided to give it a go. In length it's more of a novella. It could be expanded to a fuller length book but it sounds like it's a short story featuring one of the characters from Cottam's Colony series.
The narrator is perfect for the book and is an excellent reader. I would definitely listen to him again if he narrates other horror novels. His voice fit the story perfectly.
I liked the book, overall. It's hard to say too much about the plot without giving a lot of it away given its brevity but I'll try. It's a very good supernatural mystery. The first couple of hours or so is more of a mystery with light supernatural touches. Then it plunges fully into the supernatural in the last hour or so.
I like Michael as a character. He's interesting and fully rounded. His wife and daughter are equally fleshed out. The illness with his daughter felt very real, not just a prop for the story to start with. It also isn't dropped or trotted out for cheap sentimentality. It plays a major role in the plot. I can also understand the wife's actions as well. I can see why she would want to turn a blind eye to what is happening with their daughter. I can't say I really liked the character of Ruthie who, I'm guessing, is the character from the Colony series. So her presence doesn't make me want to rush out and get the rest. I am interested in it but for other reasons. I'm guessing that she's supposed to be the "unlikely heroine" but she's a very minor character and the description seems shoved in to match a keyword search for "heroines" or "unlikely heroines". But that could just be me being cynical.
There is a sharp turn near the end that I didn't quite believe but it was set up well. It was surprising but I can see why he did it. It seems like it would backfire if she was that determined to stay at the house. The ending was good and fit the rest of the story.
All in all it's good supernatural mystery and well worth the three hours.
The narrator is perfect for the book and is an excellent reader. I would definitely listen to him again if he narrates other horror novels. His voice fit the story perfectly.
I liked the book, overall. It's hard to say too much about the plot without giving a lot of it away given its brevity but I'll try. It's a very good supernatural mystery. The first couple of hours or so is more of a mystery with light supernatural touches. Then it plunges fully into the supernatural in the last hour or so.
I like Michael as a character. He's interesting and fully rounded. His wife and daughter are equally fleshed out. The illness with his daughter felt very real, not just a prop for the story to start with. It also isn't dropped or trotted out for cheap sentimentality. It plays a major role in the plot. I can also understand the wife's actions as well. I can see why she would want to turn a blind eye to what is happening with their daughter. I can't say I really liked the character of Ruthie who, I'm guessing, is the character from the Colony series. So her presence doesn't make me want to rush out and get the rest. I am interested in it but for other reasons. I'm guessing that she's supposed to be the "unlikely heroine" but she's a very minor character and the description seems shoved in to match a keyword search for "heroines" or "unlikely heroines". But that could just be me being cynical.
There is a sharp turn near the end that I didn't quite believe but it was set up well. It was surprising but I can see why he did it. It seems like it would backfire if she was that determined to stay at the house. The ending was good and fit the rest of the story.
All in all it's good supernatural mystery and well worth the three hours.
June 14, 2017
A free novella acquired via fgcottom.com - no reason for you to not go & get yours. Only requires an email address & you can unsubscribe from the Cottom newsletters after you've the book if you want. I don't want to miss upcoming releases so I haven't.
Read within a couple of hours & worth the time. I like that the supernatural is just a matter of course for the narrator & Ruthie. Resistance to an obviously inexplicable situation pisses me off- it's always a better story when the characters just go with it... not unlike improv.
Including the Still's Disease was a good way to up the stakes for the narrator & his wife. It made his stubbornness in the face of misgivings seem completely believable.
The author mentions writing about Ruthie again & I hope he does - I like her spunk. I don't like her propositioning of married men but that's just me. Given that she's a historian, I would assume her future stories will feature supernaturalness mixed with sins of the past, which I would love.
It was a good ghost/satanists story. My only bugaboo is that it was too short. It would've been good to hear more about fascist bombshell Blanche and details of the triptych. Still a reliably creepy read.
Read within a couple of hours & worth the time. I like that the supernatural is just a matter of course for the narrator & Ruthie. Resistance to an obviously inexplicable situation pisses me off- it's always a better story when the characters just go with it... not unlike improv.
Including the Still's Disease was a good way to up the stakes for the narrator & his wife. It made his stubbornness in the face of misgivings seem completely believable.
The author mentions writing about Ruthie again & I hope he does - I like her spunk. I don't like her propositioning of married men but that's just me. Given that she's a historian, I would assume her future stories will feature supernaturalness mixed with sins of the past, which I would love.
It was a good ghost/satanists story. My only bugaboo is that it was too short. It would've been good to hear more about fascist bombshell Blanche and details of the triptych. Still a reliably creepy read.
November 12, 2017
I enjoyed this novella which is available to download free from the author’s website.
John Wiltshire had given glowing reviews of his books, so it was a perfect opportunity to try a genre I rarely read. More creepy/supernatural than horror, if you are not a fan of the latter.
I am too much of a practical realist to take that aspect seriously, but what that element provides is a threat and challenge that can disrupt protagonists everyday lives. The interest for me lies in how they react to and deal with this threat.
Will they remain oblivious to all the stereotypical clues that this genre delights in, or will they take them seriously? How will they deal with it or won’t they? Horror for me is when the otherworldly wins. Perhaps that’s why I don’t enjoy those books.
So, if our heroes are to prevail, the enjoyment and satisfaction lies in their method.
I liked the result here. Not a HEA, but satisfyingly in the circumstances.
The writing is solid. Characetrisations strong and atmosphere building suited to the plot.
I will definitely buy one of his books!
John Wiltshire had given glowing reviews of his books, so it was a perfect opportunity to try a genre I rarely read. More creepy/supernatural than horror, if you are not a fan of the latter.
I am too much of a practical realist to take that aspect seriously, but what that element provides is a threat and challenge that can disrupt protagonists everyday lives. The interest for me lies in how they react to and deal with this threat.
Will they remain oblivious to all the stereotypical clues that this genre delights in, or will they take them seriously? How will they deal with it or won’t they? Horror for me is when the otherworldly wins. Perhaps that’s why I don’t enjoy those books.
So, if our heroes are to prevail, the enjoyment and satisfaction lies in their method.
I liked the result here. Not a HEA, but satisfyingly in the circumstances.
The writing is solid. Characetrisations strong and atmosphere building suited to the plot.
I will definitely buy one of his books!
June 20, 2017
An entertaining horror novella - not too scary, but with a beautiful but evil (and doomed) woman, a mysterious building erased from the landscape, ghosts, satanism and possession thrown in. What's not to love? I only had one relatively minor beef -
December 28, 2020
It’s not set at Christmas but this short tale has something of the festive ghost story about it. A metropolitan architect experiences the uncanny while closeted on the Isle of Wight- lovely hints of Christie’s Endless Night and Dickens’ Signal Man with a dash of Hammer.
Lot of story for its length plus brilliant narration.
Lot of story for its length plus brilliant narration.
June 11, 2018
As per usual, another great read from Mr. Cottam. He continues to create content that entices and chills the blood.
A great novella to start with if you haven't experienced his work before.
A great novella to start with if you haven't experienced his work before.
deals
March 4, 20204 March 2020: $1.99 on Kindle
January 13, 2021
I found it slightly less threatening than other of his books. Not a critique as I stopped reading Dark Resurrection at night due to the troubled sleep.
February 24, 2021
Great characters and setting. Creepy and very atmospheric.
October 12, 2021
Great short story as a bridge between The Colony series and the Lucifer Chord. Just love this guys stuff and as i audible them - David Rintoul's narration :)
March 9, 2024
There are only stars in an F.G.Cottam night sky
April 4, 2016
A good read involving a welcome return by the Jericho Society.
In some ways, this novella (70 pages or so) worked better than some of Mr Cottam's novels (all of which I've enjoyed). The tension was drawn out just long enough - any longer and things might have sagged. Some ends were left deliciously loose. A sequel?
The protagonist is well-drawn and, unusually for a horror, believable. What struck me is that it was obvious the protagonist wasn't a dumb-bunny horror innocent. He wasn't working in a vacuum and he knew the obvious horror tropes - he wouldn't have suggested going into the cellar, for example. I wouldn't mind spending some more time in his company. I'd also like to get to know Ruthie a LOT better - she's exciting.
I'm off to buy another Jericho novella - Mr Cottam may have a hot series on his hands.
In some ways, this novella (70 pages or so) worked better than some of Mr Cottam's novels (all of which I've enjoyed). The tension was drawn out just long enough - any longer and things might have sagged. Some ends were left deliciously loose. A sequel?
The protagonist is well-drawn and, unusually for a horror, believable. What struck me is that it was obvious the protagonist wasn't a dumb-bunny horror innocent. He wasn't working in a vacuum and he knew the obvious horror tropes - he wouldn't have suggested going into the cellar, for example. I wouldn't mind spending some more time in his company. I'd also like to get to know Ruthie a LOT better - she's exciting.
I'm off to buy another Jericho novella - Mr Cottam may have a hot series on his hands.
December 21, 2016
Searching for the opportunity to give his family, especially his daughter a new lease on life, an architect moves his family to the Isle of Wight. His love for his family is truly tested when he finds his daughter is meant to be the fulfillment of a bargain struck between another and that mysterious Jericho Society. The question soon becomes how much does he love his wife and daughter and what sacrifices he is willing to make in order to save them.
July 16, 2016
Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews