Morgan Brewster knows things. Things about the sinkhole outside his house which is growing bigger by the day. Only he knows why it is there and what lives within its black depths. Embry is a man ravaged by cancer. Frustrated by life, he is defiant in his determination to goad the disease into ending his torment and allowing him to die. As the sinkhole continues to grow and the residents of Maple Street begin to understand they are in grave danger, an unlikely bond is formed between Brewster and Embry against the danger which only they can stop. As the sinkhole continues to grow, the pair are dragged into a horrific battle against otherworldly creatures as they race against time to find a way to close the sinkhole and keep whatever resides inside from climbing out into the world...
Michael Bray is a bestselling author/screenwriter of more than twelve novels and numerous short stories. Influenced from an early age by the suspense horror of authors such as Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Shaun Hutson, James Herbert & Brian Lumley, along with TV shows like Tales from the Crypt & The Twilight Zone, his work touches on the psychological side of horror, teasing the reader’s nerves and willing them to keep turning the pages. Several of his titles have been translated into multiple languages including a major bookstore distribution deal in Japan and his biggest selling title, Whisper, has, on numerous occasions topped the overall horror charts for Amazon titles in both the UK and US with thousands of copies sold.
His work has been featured in anthologies alongside such horror greats as Clive Barker, Adam Nevill, Shaun Hutson, Brian Lumley, Paul Tremblay, Ramsay Campbell, Ray Bradbury and many others and he continues to be an active and popular member of the horror/suspense genre.
A feature film written by Bray based on his co-written novel MONSTER starring Tracy Shaw (Coronation Street), Daniele Harold (East Enders) & Rod Glenn (American Assassin / World War Z) was shot in January 2018 whilst another of his titles, MEAT is currently with a leading Los Angeles based production company with a view to production in 2019.
So, I was given this copy of The Void for an honest review. Honestly I was/am blown away! I hope these two authors will collaborate again someday! I definitely don’t want to give anything away so let me just say: sinkholes, horror, spiders, terrible politics, murder/humans at their worst, cancer, and of course, insatiable curiosity that leads to trouble… Will Embry and Morgan be able to prevent an apocalypse or even help the world? You have to read this to find the answers, and trust me, the journey along the way is beyond worth reaching the end…or is it the end?! Horrific, terrifying, disgusting and highly addictive and entertaining! Most definitely recommend to all fans of modern horror.
A beautiful idea not so beautifully executed, The Void dives into the things many people fear and the subjects dealt with in the book are enough to give many people nightmares. I felt the writing was a little clunky in places and there were a few mistakes throughout the book. At times, I felt the writers' hearts weren't really in the writing.
The Void isn't a bad book, it's just not as great as it could have been.
Although the book has serious problems of pacing (uneven), execution (messy), and characterization (wooden), it's one of those stories which are so good, you can't help giving it a 5-star review. The premise is attractive and original: a sinkhole opens in an American neighborhood, and the common fears of typical adult Americans get out and everything goes to hell. Expect bugs, terrorism, adultery, loss of home, sexual abuse, child deaths, pet deaths, and, of course, nuclear bombing. There are many familiar horror tropes employed in intriguing and disturbing ways: the creepy child, bug infestation, doppelgangers, and so on. There also several scenes of huge carnage. Overall, this is an enjoyable horror story with a beautiful, though a bit rushed and indecisive, ending.
The Void was such a surprise. I've rarely read a horror novel with so many striking images. It’s like the authors, Bray and Kivak, plumbed the depths of the human psyche and came up with things everyone fears. And I don’t mean images soaked in gore or body parts flying everywhere (thought there is a bit of that), I mean images as simple as spiders falling from the sky or a child smiling when telling someone to kill another child. Images like that stick with you long after you put down the book.
The fast-paced and complex plot reminded me of found-footage movies. There are no heroes here; everyone is flawed and bitterly realistic. They struggle against something with no explanation, and no matter what they try, things only get worse—chaos rules.
If you enjoy fast-paced stories with scenes that are the stuff of nightmares, and you don’t mind plots that are a little “out there,” then The Void is for you. Highly recommended!
I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the authors for allowing me the chance to read their work.
The Void centers on an ever growing sinkhole in the middle of a suburban street. Its origins are unknown, but the residents of the street begin acting strangely, and only one peculiar little boy seems to have any idea of what sinister powers are at play.
I don't read very much horror, but I could never get into this novel. The characters are not very well developed and many details are skipped over when describing scenes. It made it very hard to picture the events taking place.
I really enjoyed this, it had some great set pieces and visual imagery. Relatively short, but a great read all the same. Will be checking out more of Bray's work! :)