The Complex

by Brian Keene

THE 6TH THREE-BOOK SET IN THIS EXCITING SERIES FROM THUNDERSTORM BOOKS.

Meet the residents of the Pine Village Apartment Complex. A young trans woman looking for acceptance. A suicidal middle-aged horror writer. A single mother worried about her child. A Vietnam veteran who feels the world has forgotten him. A pair of hunted would-be criminals. An elderly widow who lives for her cats. Two newlyweds just starting their lives together. And the serial killer known as The Exit.

Until tonight, they were strangers -- to each other, and to themselves. Now, as their world teeters on the brink of an apocalypse and a murderous horde descends upon the neighborhood, they will have to reveal and embrace their true selves if they hope to escape...THE COMPLEX.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Splatterpunk, Adult, Audiobook, Queer, Horror Thriller

238 pages, Hardcover

First published December 10, 2015

About the author

BRIAN KEENE writes novels, comic books, short fiction, and occasional journalism for money. He is the author of over forty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, The Rising, is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, Hellboy, Masters of the Universe, and Superman.

Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.

Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.

Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.

The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Tracy P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guess there really is a first time for everything. As if it is possible, author Brian Keene actually managed to up the ante when he decided to make the Zombie Horde (I kid you not) stark naked from start to finish. This new level of transparency (pun intended =) took the plot to levels previously unimagined.

Quite simply, The Complex is a must listen and/or read. My enthusiastic double thumbs up for this fast-paced gripping standalone.

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's confession time. Even though I gushed like hell over Brian Keene when I met him last year at the Merrimack Valley Halloween Bookfest, I now have to admit that I haven't read any of his books. (Don't get me wrong, I've bought a ton of them, I just haven't read them yet.) I know, I know, it's unforgivable for a horror fan such as myself. Now I can say that I've at least read one, and it was a blast!

With no explanation given, (or needed, in my opinion), this book starts off with a bang. A young lady, her son and her friend, are just moving into The Complex, when a fat, naked man runs up and...well, you'll have to read it for yourself. There is no time wasted getting right into the meat of the story, so to speak.

I loved how the characters were introduced-via their apartment numbers. I thought it was quite clever, and it gave me a chance to picture each one and to get a feel for each of their personalities. After, and really, even during that section, hold the fuck on, because the action gets going with a bang and continues non-stop throughout the rest of the novel. The chapters are short and the pacing is hectic, so this is a quick read.

With no explanation given as to the cause of the problem here, there is no time wasted on anything but the action and the story. And believe me when I say that the aforementioned action is brutally violent, gory and FUN. Keene fans will most likely recognize a few of these characters, as the author explains in the afterword that many of them have appeared in his previous works. I was most fascinated by "The Exit", so I will definitely seek out those works that feature this ultra-crazy guy.

Overall, this book was a fast, fun and brutal novel. If you're looking for a rip-roaring ride of a horror read, this is the book for you. Highly recommended for fans of action-based, violent horror!

*I received a free e-copy of this book from Deadite Press, via my friend Chris, (thanks Chris!), in exchange for an honest review. This is it!*

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start off by mentioning that I haven't read nearly as much by Brian Keene as I now wish I had! THE COMPLEX starts with the action immediately! We are introduced to the characters initially by their apartment numbers, and given a brief summary of their "life story". I loved the way Keene utilized this tactic--giving us a dose of characterization in between bouts of "senseless" (at least to the readers) bloodthirsty gore.

As the story moves on, the characterization of each continues to build--and even change, as the survivors have no choice but to adapt if they want to survive the unconfined carnage around them. What begins with an obese, naked man (given the moniker "Tick-Toc" as he tips his head back and forth like a pendulum), raising his hatchet on an innocent family moving into the apartment complex, is only the start of the unexpected carnage to follow. While no explanation is really given as to the cause of this outbreak, that didn't bother me at all. I felt this FAST, action-gorefest was more about the characters, themselves, and how they reacted and got to know each other during their fight for survival. Keene hit on a reality in this well constructed tale--how well does anyone really know their neighbors??

My only slight complaint is that the ending was predictable, in my opinion; however, due to the unconventional "plot" of the novel, this really didn't impact things as much as it might have in another, lesser author's hands. There is one character known as "The Exit" that features into several of Keene's short stories, and I certainly intend to look those up!

What I felt this story comes back to is a quote from one of the main characters: "See us for who we really are. . . ."

Recommended!

[LTJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Complex” by Brian Keene is one of the most action-packed horror books I’ve ever read. I’ve been reading Keene for years now, and this is one of the many reasons why he’s one of my all-time favorite horror authors, because this book is a powerhouse of a read.

Before I dive into my review, I found several trigger warnings while reading. They are…

- Suicide
- Death of a dog
- Cancer
- Drinking and driving
- Rape
- Drugs
- Violence against kids
- Violence against pets
- Dead animals
- Transphobia

If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Moving along, I love how Keene mentioned the music he listened to while writing this book. As a fellow metalhead, it made my metal heart happy to see so many bands mentioned, especially one of my all-time favorites, Black Sabbath.

Speaking of which, I’m throwing on “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” as I write this review. My goodness, the intro to “The Complex” was incredible. Keene did a phenomenal job of setting the stage for all the madness that was to come. I was unsure of what was happening until the horror hit right from the start, and it was one hell of a rollercoaster ride.

Reading this book felt like watching a movie unfold, with its dynamic characters, individual storylines, and how every action mattered. I was immediately invested in every character that was introduced. They were memorable with each one standing out for who they are, what they believed in, and how they would survive the horrors around them.

This is one of those kinds of books that is a genuine page-turner. I was excited to see how everything would unfold and try to make sense of the chaos that was going on. There are numerous intricate layers of storytelling here, from the choices characters had to make to the overwhelming amounts of horror.

Speaking of the horror, the sheer levels of gore, bloodshed, and violence all made my horror heart happy. I made many weird faces while reading, as it was all top-notch. Some kill scenes were so brutal, I read them twice because they were that vicious, especially when it came to the bloody race at the end.

Don’t worry. I would never spoil anything for my fellow horror readers, but the ending was perfect. It will shock many, but it just ended in a way that I didn’t see coming, and left me with one of the best reading experiences of the year. I regret not reading this book sooner, as it has been available for a long time now.

I give “The Complex” by Brian Keene a 5/5 for being an adrenaline-fueled action horror book that will blow your mind. It’s a little over 200 pages long and will leave a lasting impression on you when you're done. The characters, events, bloodshed, horror, and several creepy moments were riveting, and I’ll remember this book for years to come.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars
Let it be known: Not once does Brian Keene pump the breaks in this one. THE COMPLEX is pedal to the metal style horror, starting on page one and ending with adrenaline still coursing through your veins.
I'm often in awe of how Keene manages to develop such memorable characters amidst all the frenetic scenes of graphic violence. But he does! And it's amazing. Full review to come.

[Kaisersoze · Rating 5 out of 5]

He doesn't know it, but Brian Keene and I go way back.

I was killing time in a city book store (you remember those, right?) looking without purpose for something to read. I was due to meet a friend from interstate at a nearby bar but he'd texted late that he was going to be late. So whilst aimlessly browsing I stumbled across Keene's The Rising and The Conqueror Worms and opted to give them both a shot. I ambled up to the local pub, opened The Conqueror Worms, and with a pint beside me was somewhat annoyed when said friend showed up 40 minutes later. Not because he was that late, but because he was interrupting my reading ...

The rest, as they say, is history.

I've read pretty much everything mainstream of Keene's. There are small print, limited release bits and pieces I've missed, but my Keene collection is by far the largest in a sizeable collection of books. His shelf has pride of place among my collected horror novels. And yet, despite being such a fan, I've called him out when I think what he's written has been just okay (The Lost Level), exceedingly disappointing (King of The Bastards) or flat out terrible (The Damned Highway) - most of which have been his more recent releases.

So I hope people can accept that this review is not a fanboy gushing unwarranted praise. But rather a relieved fan saying: rejoice for the Keene of old is back!

The Complex is startlingly simple. A group of tenants in a low cost living complex are besieged by a a large group of insane naked people brandishing weapons, intent on tearing them to pieces. The devil, however, is in the details. Keene begins the short novel by introducing his characters one by one according to their apartment number. There is a newly married couple, a depressed horror novelist, a retired Vietnam vet, an elderly woman with spunk, a newly moved in mother and son, a woman who recently underwent a sex change, two stoners who have stolen something they shouldn't have, and The Exit.

The Exit is a recurring character in Keene's well-established mythos, and for the first time, he is detailed beyond the broad-strokes of being a serial killer who sacrifices people to keep things from crossing over into our world, intent on all of human kind's destruction. To have him suddenly be set upon rather than being the person doing the set upon-ing is a fantastic treat for fans of Keene's mythos. He grows as the novel progresses, almost becoming likeable along the way.

But as good as The Exit is, it's Keene's other minor characters who steal the show. Mrs Carlucci is fantastic as an against type old woman who is just as prepared to get her hands dirty as the next person; while Steph is memorable for more than just being a trans-gendered individual who is handled without judgment. Then there is Sam - who Keene makes no effort to disguise as being a very close approximation of himself - and the arc he goes through, which would have been clichéd, if not for ... Well, that would be spoiling.

Then there are the other treats for fans of King's mythology. Vince Napoli, Tony Genova and Whitey are all name checked. Hannibal the cat from his short story, Halves, reappears and even gets a chapter from his perspective.

Another excellent element of The Complex is Keene does not give into the temptation to neatly explain everything. It might have been nice to have an idea of why naked people were killing everyone else; to wonder which of The Thirteen might have been responsible for the blood-soaked chaos. But the characters in this book have no clue, and as such, Keene offers no answer. They are just set upon and must find a way to survive. It's that simple. And awesome.

I have to nitpick to find things that weren't quite up to the standard of the rest of the book. Like the sudden intrusion of two new characters toward the end of proceedings - Bryan and Mike, who are clearly author Bryan Smith and regular Keene collaborator and film-maker, Mike Lombardo - being jarring and not strictly necessary. Likewise, I imagine a good number of people will have an issue with how The Complex ends. However, as I said previously, this is a return to form for Keene and with that return comes a certain type of ending he is somewhat infamous for ... Personally, I thought it fitting, and I enjoyed mulling it over for a day or two before writing this review, wondering what might have occurred immediately after his final sentence ends.

Regardless, The Complex is an excellent and gore-drenched horror novel that should be picked up by anyone who enjoys such things. It's the best thing he has written in years and, hopefully, is just a sign of things to come as he looks to wind-up his elaborate mythology with a number of books over the next few years.

4.5 Head-Bopping Naked Psychopaths for The Complex.

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pine Village Apartment Complex is under siege by crazed, naked people. They have come for blood, guts, and clothes. Eleven strangers are thrown together in an epic battle of survival. Will they learn to trust each other to fight for their lives.

I didn't connect with the characters. I was firmly team naked people. The plot has been done over and over again. We need some new zombies or crazed, naked people.

😺😺😺

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keene isn’t messing around with this one. It starts off like a bat out of hell and is a nonstop orgy of viscera and violence. I think I may have lived in this complex during one of my 7 years at junior college. Minus, the naked homicidal crazies, obviously, but the neighbors seem strangely familiar. Maybe that’s just the Yukon Jack and mushrooms messing with my mind. It’s hard to say exactly, those 7 years were pretty much a blur. College…good times. (That’s right, JC is college…kind of.)

Anyhoo, I really enjoyed this one from Mr. Keene. The dude tells a good tale and The Complex is definitely better than just a good tale. It is exactly what it should be. While the cast of characters was largely what you would expect, there were a few pleasant surprises, such as Tick Tock, Stephanie and The Exit. In the author notes, Keene mentions several short stories and a novel that The Exit are in so, I will be looking those up for sure.

There better be a sequel to this bad boy, Keene, or you will have some serious splainin to do. Hello Kitty man boobs with the mad clock rhythm better be there too. Just saying.

[Danger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gory, fun ride.

A group of disparate residents of an apartment complex deal with interpersonal and group dynamics, attempting to see past their petty differences, to survive in a world suddenly gone mad. And I do mean mad. Most of the town has stripped off their clothing and are now running around killing whoever they see by whatever means they can. Is there a reason for this sudden attack? And, more importantly, does it matter?

This is book that, while clearly reveling in extreme violence, uses the horrors as a tool to delve into character study. As such, there's a bit more going on under the surface than the joy of just watching brains and viscera splatter against the proverbial walls. But, as a master of horror like Keene knows, it's important to not get TOO bogged down in the "message" so the book leaves plenty of room for gory thrills and shocking turns.

It's a fairly quick read and a good time if you've got an iron stomach.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Brian Keene is not exactly a household name, then he is at the very least quite well known within the horror community. Admittedly, I’ve not read many of his works (an error I hope to, as Keene would put it, “unfuck immediately”), but I consider myself a fan by way of his podcast, The Horror Show with Brian Keene, and social media presence. I respect and value him as an author, even if reader-me is still playing catch up. Frankly, the only prior works of his that I read were The Rising (which, frankly, I wasn’t completely crazy about) and his short story “The Last Supper” from the Seize the Night vampire anthology (which I absolutely was crazy for). While The Rising was his first book and didn’t quite do it for me, I saw immediately a huge growth in talent that the intervening years brought to bear in “The Last Supper.”

The Complex, then, is only the second book of Keene’s that I’ve read. Since starting it Sunday night and over the course of the last four days, I’ve bought a handful more of Keene’s other titles and hit him up on Twitter to find out where I can score more stories about The Exit (and if you come across this review, Brian, thank you again. I’ve secured the appropriate anthologies and then some!), a recurring character I’m discovering only now thanks to this book. So, does that answer the question on whether or not I liked this book?

Written with a tight, cinematic pacing, Keene introduces us to his characters – a handful of apartment dwellers – through various POV chapters, wasting no time getting right into the action and dumping us into a full-bore violent romper-room of chaos and bloodshed by the end of chapter two. Things go awry just as new tenants Terri, and her son, Caleb, are moving in and confronted by a pack of naked crazies bearing an assortment of weapons, and soon enough the entirety of Pine Village Apartment’s is under siege.

From there, it’s action, action, action. The violence is quick and no-nonsense, and Keene writes the various scenarios very well, in quick and dirty fashion, careful not to overly prolong any given sequence while keeping things punchy.

Right from the outset, I could tell this would be a book I’d appreciate as Keene name-dropped a few of my favorite writers, like Chuck Wendig and Kelly Sue DeConnick, and colored the cast and settings with personal touches that I recalled Keene talking about on his podcast. I always like these little bits of personal experiences and flashes of an author’s life bleeding onto the page (something that’s never really avoidable, mind you, but recognizing these instances from Keene’s discussions gave me a smile and a little bit of a welcome ‘oh, hey! I remember that!’ feeling).

Bottom line – this book is fun. Damn fun. I liked it a lot, from it’s wonderfully diverse cast right down to the obese and nasty Tick Tock man, and an ending that (fondly, actually) echoed The Rising in some ways. It also compelled me to buy more of Keene’s work, and that, perhaps more than anything, is the best mark of quality I can think of.

[Karl]

This is copy 51 of 260 signed and numbered copies of Maelstrom Volume6 Book 1.

[Hunter Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much insane fun. A mix of Assault on Precinct 13, Dawn of the Dead and The Crazies. Full throttle horror that will leave your head spinning.

[Philip Fracassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE COMPLEX is a lot of fun and a wonderful, toxic, terrifying adventure with plenty of twists and surprises to keep readers engaged and guessing.

The characters are interesting and well-developed, which is good because when many of them die horribly at the hands of naked psychotic killers, my feeling is the author wants you to care - and you do!

I have not read a lot of Brian Keene's work and am not *really* a zombie / graphic horror guy, but I do like a good yarn and some ultra-violence now and then to keep things interesting, and THE COMPLEX really delivers.

If you're a fan of the heavy-hitters of mainstream horror fiction, THE COMPLEX is a must-have.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of another edition. :)

[Grant Wamack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing piece of extreme horror from a master in the genre. A bunch of naked crazies descend on an apartment complex, and neighbors are forced to work together and get to know one another to survive. Keene really shines in the emotional department, crafting a diverse range of characters who feel real. Plus, this is a page-turner that's hard to put down. Highly entertaining and highly recommended.

[Gatorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Brian Keene but this one, while enjoyable, was, for the most part, strangely uninvolving. The story of a group of apartment complex neighbors under attack from a horde of naked, weapon-wielding crazies never fully grabbed me, although there are suspenseful parts here and there. There's loads of violence and gore and it's never boring, but the violence often felt forced and contrived, like Keene wasn't sure how to advance the story without it. It wasn't until the last third of the story that I actually started to care at all whether the neighbors lived or died. The ending...not sure how I feel about it. Makes me wonder if there is a sequel coming down the road. Otherwise, it creates a glaring internal logical inconsistency with the motivation of one of the neighbors. Not a bad book but not my favorite Keene, either.

[David Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four-and-a-half stars.
Confessional: I have spent much time listening to Brian Keene on his excellent The Horror Show podcast, but I haven't actually read all that much of his work. That needs to change!
The Complex is a grabbed by-the-balls, slapped-in-the-face-with-a-torn-off-arm roller-coaster ride of gore, violence and frenzied desperation.

Welcome to The Pine Village Apartment Complex, it's a bit of a shit-pit but plenty of good folk call it 'home.'
We're introduced to various residents via their apartment numbers, and offered swift but fulfilling glimpses into each character's backstory. While this is happening we are hearing occasional bumps, bangs and screams which alert us to the fact that all is not well in the surrounding areas.
Outside in the car park, a single mother, her young son, and a male friend unload their possessions from the back of a rental truck. They see a grossly over-sized man ambling toward them. He is naked. His head Tick-Tocks side to side as he walks, and flesh ripples on his bare frame.
Violence is about to descend on the residents of Pine Village, and different character types are forced to work together as they attempt to avoid hordes of naked berserkers!

If you're looking for slow build literary horror, then this ain't the kiddy for you. But if you want a superbly written dose of frenetic mayhem that'll make you keep reading, and have you willing these various individuals to survive, then this is good stuff!
I've docked half a point because the ending was entirely predictable regardless of how you choose to interpret it, but overall this was a fun read. In the afterword Brian mentions that the character called The Exit has appeared in a number of his other works, I'll be searching these out, as he was a fascinating individual.

[Jon Recluse · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to pedal to the metal, no brakes, balls to the wall survivalist horror, Brian Keene is the master of disaster.
Now, I'm not a big fan of survivalist horror, or splatterpunk in general, as I tend to stick to the "quiet" side of the genre, but I know who Me. Keene is and when my book buddy Chris K. offered me an eARC of The Complex in exchange for an honest review, I figured it was time to give Brian a try.
Unholy Hell, but the man can write!
The action takes off without warning, and reason goes out the window, as the residents of an apartment complex find themselves under siege by hordes of naked, rabid lunatics, and doesn't stop until you hit the back cover wreathed in the smoke of smouldering pages. While this tale may appear to tread familiar ground for fans of survival horror, Keene raises the bar with intelligent plotting, realistic characters, a fine grasp of the community dynamic that exists in society these days, the realization that the worst incidents of random violence have no rational explanations, and two of the most interesting individuals I've come across in a while......the serial killer/vigilante of the supernatural known as "The Exit" and the man mountain of berserk blubber referred to as "Tick Tock". I plan to read more about the former.....and hope to learn more about the latter. This guy makes Chaingang of Rex Miller's classic SLOB look normal.

I must admit, despite the distance that exists between my reading tastes and Mr. Keene's preferred sub-genre, I need to read more of his work. It's that damn good.

Highly recommended.

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3 stars
Genre Horror

Brian Keene is an excellent horror novelist. I’ve read a few of his books (some I loved some I hated) and this one falls in the middle of the two. Now, this review will be a little different as I don’t have a whole lot to say about the book, but I did want to jot down a few things that crossed my mind when I was reading and how I felt when I finished.

𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
The Complex reads as a zombie novel/apocalypse story as there are hordes of naked people who have gone crazy and are killing people. However, we don’t actually KNOW what is wrong with these people, only that they are ravenous and intent on inflicting as much damage to humankind as possible (in the goriest ways).

The book isn’t totally unique, but Keene easily ramps up the adrenaline in his readers as the book is action packed from start to finish- there is not end to the madness!

I liked the book. However, the ending was awful, and I needed more answers.

Horror fans who like all the gore (think splatterpunk) should enjoy this one.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗡'𝗧 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
There is no conclusion to the story. It seems to end up the climax and I was left wanting so much more.

We are never told what is wrong with these murderous psychopaths. Was the authors intent just to make us readers squeamish? Or are we led to make our own assumptions? I wanted to know WHY seemingly normal people turned into psychopaths and why some others didn’t.

𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗...

I enjoyed Brian’s writing and the story as a whole, but I wished it were “finished”. I understand this is how he intended to write it, but I need a conclusion to my stories not a cliffhanger in a standalone novel.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐

[Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian Keene has returned to what he does best; flooding the reader with gore and violence while forcing them to actually care about the poor souls whose lives is being confronted with the worst possible odds for survival. Keene has a penance for inventing creative ways to really fuck up the world. It goes to his overall "Labryrinth Mythology", a device that leads to infinite ways Keene can continue to destroy Earth and pretty much everything else. It is not really clear if The Complex is part of this ongoing theme but I would lay odds on it. We never find out the reason for the primary threat to the characters in The Complex. The imminent danger is an invasion of very live but naked and homicidal humans who destroy anything in their path. You could call it one of those "not a zombie" zombie tales. But this differs from many of Keene's violence apocalyptic invasion tales in that the entire story is centered around one single apartment complex, only stretching the focus when the remaining inhabitants venture an escape. While we never know the cause, we also never find out if it is universal like so many of the author's other horror tales.

What this arguably minor construct does is that it focuses us on the tenants of the be-seized Pine Center Apartment Complex. The building is basically lower to lower-middle class with people who are either struggling or gave up struggling. Despite their close quarters, few people know the others tenants well. The protagonists include a reclusive cat lady, a war veteran,a tran-sexual, a couple gangster wanna-bees and a suicidal writer among others. From the first chapter, the action is non-stop. We are introduced to the characters by their apartment locations. As the tenants come together, we discover that not only are they fighting the onslaught of killers but also the preconceptions of their neighbors who they barely know.

But first and foremost, The Complex is a straight-out horror novel with non-stop action. It can be read that way and be thoroughly satisfying. However, it is the skill of the writer that one can read between the line and see the social underpinnings. Either way, The Complex is geared to be one of the most exciting novels of the year.

[Craig DiLouie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian Keene’s COMPLEX is thrilling survival horror. While it’s short on answers, it’s a lot of fun, a nice pulpy escape.

The novel follows a series of people living in a low-end apartment complex, including a mom and her son newly arrived to the complex, two potheads hiding out after a score, a writer at the end of his career and rope, a transsexual, a tough old lady, a Vietnam vet, and others. The wide cast find themselves in the midst of a bizarre apocalypse, as naked people flood the complex bent on sadism, torture, and slaughter of anything living. Thrown together by circumstance, these people must fight to survive the night.

The madmen are great, tribal and deranged and utterly homicidal, like something from the brutal worlds of CROSSED or GHOSTS OF MARS. Led by a large brute they nickname Tick Tock, they scour the complex and the town, searching for the living while our heroes suffer, struggle, fight, and sometimes die, delivering plenty of action. As for our heroes, they’re likeable, tough, and resourceful, though their best is no match for the invading horde.

Some might take exception to a lack of answers by the end, but overall, I thought it was a lot of fun, which I’d guess was Keene’s sole intent.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun, bloody and fast paced book that draws together a disparate cast of residents, trapping them within the building where each has an apartment, while outside the world goes mad.

People start removing their clothing, turning into raging lunatics and attacking any 'normals' they come across. The residents of the housing complex are a mismatch of characters, including a serial killer, a trans-woman, and a fiery old lady who is as tough as nails. These people, along with several other interesting residents, must band together in their battle to escape the rampaging horde.

As the group attempt to flee not just the complex, but to travel beyond the borders of their insane town, they come to realize the size of the task before them. Virtually everyone around them seems to want them dead, and in a world gone bonkers not all residents of The Complex are likely to make it through the night.
For anyone who enjoys fast paced tension and frights, this is a great story!

[Michelle {Book Hangovers} · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!!
Not gonna lie… it made me shed some tears!
Right at the start I was assaulted by an action packed and gruesome punch to the face. It didn’t stop there… the rest of the story continue with an upper-cut to the gut. Just when I thought “okay, maybe I can make a come back” Brian Keene said “FINISH HER” and that was it…. He finished me with a TKO conclusion.
I’m left here, battered, bruised and broken hearted. I’m not sure how long my recovery process will take…. But, it’ll be a while until I can mend myself together again.
Thank You Brian Keene. May I have another?

PS. I’d like to thank Crossroads Press for providing me with the audiobook. It was KILLER!!

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to be a huge fan of Brian Keene. The guy is far from a literary genius but damn, his books were fun and always kept me entertained. The Rising made me fall in love with zombies, The Conquerer Worms was awesomely original and made me hate worms even more than I already do, and Kill Whitey is still one of the best crime thrillers out there today. Hell, even his labyrinth mythos was interesting and the way he continued to weave the story in-between each novel, and bring characters back was clever and done well.

And then things began to fall apart. In some respects, I don't blame the guy one bit. A lot of personal set backs all seemed to happen at once; There was the huge fight over author rights with bankrupt Leisure Books, and then there was the heart attack Keene suffered. There was constant piracy of digital media and a lengthy divorce and the destruction of his rural home. In all honesty, I'm actually surprised he managed to pull through with any of that and continue writing. But it was obvious everything had taken its toll and the writing and subject matter of each new book began to suffer. Of course not all of that is Keene's fault, but the creativity was gone, the passion for the art of writing seemed to be lacking.

I thought things were back to a semi-normal Keene style with The Lost Level and had a slightly higher than average hope that The Complex would continue in those footsteps.

Simply put: it didn't. I'm not saying that The Complex is a bad book, or a horribly written one at that. What I am saying, though, is that it falls back into the same uncreative, uninteresting slide that Keene has been in.

Oh, it has its merits, don't get me wrong. There's a few things to keep it from hitting my "duds" list, even with 2 stars. It has hints of oldschool Keene peppered throughout its length. Like all of Keene's bibliography, it's quick, fast paced and easy to get sucked into. The story starts with a bang and never truly slows down. Plus, there's a multitude of easter eggs that long time fans will recognize and appreciate.

Really though, my problem with this book is that when you get to the meat of the thing, it's not a very exciting or pulse pounding read. Like I said, it's fast and it's written in such a way that the chapters fly by, but what it all boils down to is the fact that The Complex is simply a boring book. Once you cut out all the gratuitous violence (which I'll touch on in a second), and take out some of the recurring players, there's nothing new or original here. It's just a run of the mill hack and slash, splatter punk, horror novel that's been done in various forms throughout the past decade or so. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, Tim Curran wrote almost the exact same plot in The Devil Next Door, a book, which come to think of it, I didn't much care for either.

My other issue came at the over-the-top gore and slaughter. While I'm not averse to this stuff (hell, I devoured everything I could get my hands on in this genre a couple of years back), it's just that now that I'm nearly 28 and have opened my mind to new literary forms and genres, this style has gotten old and juvenile. Add all the violence and bloodshed you want, but do it in a more refined and restrained way. Plus, if there's gonna be countless descriptions of torn open bodies, steaming entrails and missing limbs, at least make it have a purpose, because, as it is displayed here in The Complex when you throw all of that into a book with very little discernible direction, it seems senseless and uncalled for.

[William M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keene certainly knows how to entertain, and, with The Complex, he has re-ignited his horror flame. This enjoyable story is fast-paced and moves from one character to another around an apartment complex being attacked by naked savages for no apparent reason. Keeping both the characters and reader in the dark about the origin of what turned the hundreds of normal people into killing machines was a great way to ratchet up the suspense and uncomfortable atmosphere. The point of view of the cats was a unique and cool idea that Keene pulled off with great skill. Interesting characters, spontaneously brutal violence, and just the right amount of humor, tension, and surprises makes this one of Keene's better novels in recent years. While I may have predicted the ending and how it would unfold, I still recommend it, especially for fans of zombie fiction, as the savages in this book should satisfy their bloodthirsty craving.

[Alondra Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Well, that was gory... and I like that.

B-movie, slasher movie is what this book is. One bad decision after another, that culminates into a B-movie ending. It was a fun ride though.

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now THAT was fun, action-packed horror with great characters to read. Full review to come!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Deadite who provided me with an advance copy of this new offering from Brian Keene in return for an honest review.

This is the Brian Keene I have been waiting for.

Like another reviewer touched upon, this is writing reminiscent of the days of Urban Gothic and Castaway. Good fun, old fashioned horror; the way it should be done.

As in The Rising series, Keene takes a group of normal individuals and places them in a horrific situation. This book doesn't revolve around the grisly actions of the naked lunatics; like so many so-called extreme horror books, we are not subjected to a catalogue of gruesome ways the human body can be tortured. With his down-to-earth narrative, Brian Keene introduces us to his characters and forces us to feel something for them, whether we like them or not. We then explore the dynamics of this group and watch how they react to the harrowing events occurring around them, as they make their way to what they hope will be sanctuary.

I won't say too much about the ending but, in a nutshell, if you're familiar with Brian Keene you won't be too surprised.

I couldn't put this book down and I was transported back to my first encounter with Keene's work. I certainly hope there is more to come.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of residents find themselves trapped inside their apartment complex when people on the outside begin acting like raging maniacs, intent on hunting down and destroying any 'normals.' The disparate group have to work together, and hopefully find a way past the marauding mobs.
This was a crazy, bloody and violent tale. But it moves along at a cracking pace, and the writing succeeded in ramping up the tension, while also making me care about the various members of the group.
A good book.

[Ghoul Von Horror · Rating 1 out of 5]

TW: Language, drinking, death of dog, suicide, fat shaming, bullying, blood, violence, gun violence, drugs, divorce, death of spouse, depression, derogatory use of transgender word, ptsd, rape(mention), cancer, Alzheimer's, animal murder, gory scenes


*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Meet the residents of the Pine Village Apartment Complex. A young trans woman looking for acceptance. A suicidal middle-aged horror writer. A single mother worried about her child. A Vietnam veteran who feels the world has forgotten him. A pair of hunted would-be criminals. An elderly widow who lives for her cats. Two newlyweds just starting their lives together. And the serial killer known as The Exit.
Release Date: December 10th, 2015
Genre: Horror
Pages: 238
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Enjoyed the writing
2. Appreciated all the different pov's [trans, Black, single mom, gay, and older people]

What I Didn't Like:
1. Unlikeable characters
2. Too many plot holes
3. Author forgets about the things he wrote about
4. Repetitive

Overall Thoughts:
Meet the neighbors:

Sam (1-D)
A "failed" writer who is depressed. He is in debt, divorced twice, put his dog down, and no family that he is close to. He is on the edge of death by suicide.

Terri and Caleb (2-D)
Mother and son. Caleb is 6 years old with an overactive imagination. They are moving into their new apartment. A naked heavy set man is walking up to them with a machete in his hand.

Stephanie [Stephen] [Rose] (3-D)
Stephanie is transitioning from Stephan with the hopes of becoming Rose. She hears screaming and calls 911 only to be disconnected after the operator is being attacked.

Mrs. Carlucci (4-D)
A widower who lives with 4 cats. She owns a gun and decides that she is going to go protect Stephanie.

Shaggy and Turo (5-D)
Stoners that stole drug money. They've been hiding in their apartment waiting until they can get to their money they stole.

Grady Hicks (6-D)
A Black war Vietnam vet that suffers from ptsd. He lives in pain and has a daughter. He is 70.

The Exit (7-D)
Serial killer that has murdered 137 people in the name. He believes he is closing doorways that supernatural beings use.

Phil and Beth (8 -D)
A newly married couple who live in the apartment who want to hide out instead of facing what's going on outside.

Why in the world would you ever approach a naked man who is coming straight at you with a machete and think you should talk to him? Randy is so dumb.

I'm not sure why Mrs. Carlucci is even going to help Stephanie since she talks about keeping to yourself but yet saying hi. Honestly I'm confused by her actions.

Weird I didn't know that you could get pulled over for no insurance. It's a secondary offense in Pennsylvania so legally they aren't allowed to pull you over for that. Plus I think it's rare that insurance companies report that someone doesn't have insurance to the Dmv. I've never heard of it happening.

Who is Adam and where did he come from? Randomly introduced to him in a chapter only for him to die a page into the chapter. Why even name this character?

Confused why Beth and Phil left their apartment when no one knew they were in there and they agreed to hunker down and ignore what happened outside. Why would they risk it? Never explained why they went outside. One minute they are in the apartment agreeing to stay put and next they are outside.

Wtf a pov from the cats...

Let me get this straight; the zombie people hate and are scared of the fire but they were walking around trying to light the building on fire??

I was annoyed that they were so easily able to get a hole in a wall faster than it took a room full of people could get through bookshelves and boxes after them. One dude even had a chainsaw.

Exit who doesn't have a care in the world for people decides to hole up in the apartment instead of taking off to save himself.

Final Thoughts:
I thought the way that this book was interesting. Learning about each apartment and the person in it told the story of what was happening in the events of the day. That was clever.

Unfortunately by the time you get to them breaking through the 3rd wall it all feels like we've already done this before. Nothing feels fresh or interesting anymore.

The ending felt too much like Night of the Living Dead where the police shoot Ben (yes I spoiled it - the movie is 55 years old.) because they think he is a zombie.

For me it was difficult to really care about these people. You don't learn much about them just pretty basic stuff. I didn't care that they died. I didn't care about them at all.

The biggest hurdle for me in this book was not that naked people were trying to murder people but that a man who had arthritis so bad he couldn't even use a phone, had to use a rotary phone was able to fire a gun and run. Not only that but Mrs. Carlucci is so old that she is hoping for death but she's able to crawl across the floor, throw bombs, and attack these people. I am aware that adrenaline can make a person do things they never normally could do but I just don't buy it that so many people could push their human limits to do things.

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