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Before You Wake: Three Horrors
A trilogy of horror tales selected from the award-winning writer's second full collection – HASTY FOR THE DARK – featuring more of the nightmarish visions and ghastly creatures that have been disturbing readers for years. In this book you'll find three stories of occult and demoniac horror.
No blackmail is as ghastly as extortion from angels.
A swift reckoning often travels in handheld luggage.
No sign of life aboard an abandoned freighter, but what is left below deck tells a strange story.
Praise for Adam Nevill's debut collection, Some Will Not Selected
"Nothing is sacred, nothing is safe, and goodness me, if you like horror fiction you’re going to absolutely love every damn minute." Pop Mythology
“Beautifully crafted, original and complete works.” This is Horror
"An outstanding anthology of career spanning short stories.” Gingernuts of Horror
Praise for Adam Nevill's horror
"Adam Nevill is a spine-chiller in the classic tradition, a writer who draws you in from the world of the familiar, eases you into the world of terror, and then locks the door behind you." Michael Koryta, NYT Bestselling author
"He has the rare ability to craft a nebulous atmosphere of terror, as well as to capture cinematic slasherpunk in the written word. Both are incredibly rare talents." Pornokitsch
"The sense of dread is immediate, with the reader’s sense of foreboding increasing with every new page." Irish Examiner
"Readers will lose all hope of peaceful, undisturbed sleep. Highly recommended.” Library Journal - Starred Review
"Nevill's talent for horror resonates ominously in every scene, almost as if the theme from Jaws echoes when a page is turned." Kirkus
No blackmail is as ghastly as extortion from angels.
A swift reckoning often travels in handheld luggage.
No sign of life aboard an abandoned freighter, but what is left below deck tells a strange story.
Praise for Adam Nevill's debut collection, Some Will Not Selected
"Nothing is sacred, nothing is safe, and goodness me, if you like horror fiction you’re going to absolutely love every damn minute." Pop Mythology
“Beautifully crafted, original and complete works.” This is Horror
"An outstanding anthology of career spanning short stories.” Gingernuts of Horror
Praise for Adam Nevill's horror
"Adam Nevill is a spine-chiller in the classic tradition, a writer who draws you in from the world of the familiar, eases you into the world of terror, and then locks the door behind you." Michael Koryta, NYT Bestselling author
"He has the rare ability to craft a nebulous atmosphere of terror, as well as to capture cinematic slasherpunk in the written word. Both are incredibly rare talents." Pornokitsch
"The sense of dread is immediate, with the reader’s sense of foreboding increasing with every new page." Irish Examiner
"Readers will lose all hope of peaceful, undisturbed sleep. Highly recommended.” Library Journal - Starred Review
"Nevill's talent for horror resonates ominously in every scene, almost as if the theme from Jaws echoes when a page is turned." Kirkus
66 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2017
About the author
Adam Nevill
78 books6,206 followersADAM L. G. NEVILL was born in Birmingham, England, in 1969 and grew up in England and New Zealand. He is an author of horror fiction. Of his novels, The Ritual, Last Days, No One Gets Out Alive and The Reddening were all winners of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel. He has also published three collections of short stories, with Some Will Not Sleep winning the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection, 2017.
Imaginarium adapted The Ritual and No One Gets Out Alive into feature films and more of his work is currently in development for the screen.
The author lives in Devon, England.
Imaginarium adapted The Ritual and No One Gets Out Alive into feature films and more of his work is currently in development for the screen.
The author lives in Devon, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
July 26, 2023
“𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.”
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛
Before You Wake is a trilogy of horror stories, involving ghastly creatures and nightmarish visions. Starting with blackmail from angels to a judgment that travels in a handbag to an eerie ship with no sign of life, this book is a collection of disturbing and demonic horrors.
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
This is a collection of three stories that serve as an insight into the author’s full collection of horror stories. It acts as the deciding book for the readers whether to proceed further or not.
Personally, this was a disappointment because (a) the cover was inviting and (b) demonic-cultish horror sounded super exciting..
It was a quick read with a simple and interesting writing style. With creepy and mysterious, and unsettling vibes, there was nothing scary about any of the stories.
Story #1: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It had such a great premise. The creepy surroundings, the suspense build-up and the horror hiding behind keep you hooked to know more. But, that ending was very dull and underwhelming! So much build-up but no closure was annoying.
Story #2: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was awesome! The atmosphere was very intense, dangerously mysterious… With many unsettling elements, things going round and round, it gave such uneasy vibes.. with old people being so creepy. Plus, that ending was very satisfactory as it gave closure to the story.
Story #3: ⭐️
From the get-go, it was very bizarre but that’s it.. such a boring story with nothing substantial happening. There were strange descriptions of the scenarios on the ship but nothing else..
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
Overall, it was an average read with the potential to be better. The first two stories were good, the second being the best, but they were not that exciting to be recommended to others (except, maybe the second one👀).
Follow For More: Blog • Bookstagram • Goodreads
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛
Before You Wake is a trilogy of horror stories, involving ghastly creatures and nightmarish visions. Starting with blackmail from angels to a judgment that travels in a handbag to an eerie ship with no sign of life, this book is a collection of disturbing and demonic horrors.
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
This is a collection of three stories that serve as an insight into the author’s full collection of horror stories. It acts as the deciding book for the readers whether to proceed further or not.
Personally, this was a disappointment because (a) the cover was inviting and (b) demonic-cultish horror sounded super exciting..
It was a quick read with a simple and interesting writing style. With creepy and mysterious, and unsettling vibes, there was nothing scary about any of the stories.
Story #1: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It had such a great premise. The creepy surroundings, the suspense build-up and the horror hiding behind keep you hooked to know more. But, that ending was very dull and underwhelming! So much build-up but no closure was annoying.
Story #2: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was awesome! The atmosphere was very intense, dangerously mysterious… With many unsettling elements, things going round and round, it gave such uneasy vibes.. with old people being so creepy. Plus, that ending was very satisfactory as it gave closure to the story.
Story #3: ⭐️
From the get-go, it was very bizarre but that’s it.. such a boring story with nothing substantial happening. There were strange descriptions of the scenarios on the ship but nothing else..
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
Overall, it was an average read with the potential to be better. The first two stories were good, the second being the best, but they were not that exciting to be recommended to others (except, maybe the second one👀).
Follow For More: Blog • Bookstagram • Goodreads
October 4, 2023
Upon seeing that I was frustrated with the last two horror books I read, my wife suggested I read Adam Neville.
"Why?" I asked. "Is it scary?"
"Yep," she said, nodding emphatically. In fact, she claimed, this was one of the only writers that truly scared her.
Now that's quite a claim, but it's not the first time I've heard this. BookTube is swimming with such praise for Neville, particularly for his folk horror novels "The Ritual" and "The Reddening." Considering that I've read nothing from this author, I decided to start with this slim collection of short stories as a sampler, because this was the book that first introduced my wife to the British Monarch of Horror.
It consists of three stories first published in different anthologies in 2013. Because of the nature of these tales, to talk about them in any detail would be to spoil them. Let's just say that I found them all incredibly effective.
I can't say that they actually scared me very much, however. My wife says I'm too hardened by years of horror, whether it be first-hand or vicariously. But all of them got under my skin in a very significant way.
My favorite was "Hippocampus," which is barely a story at all. Neville simply sets the scene of a horrible nightmare at sea with very strong H.P. Lovecraft vibes, which could easily be the prologue of a larger novel. What I liked most about it was that it felt the most like a dream, showing you the aftermath of some terrible atrocity, leaving your mind to fill in the blanks. Like the shower scene in Hitchcock's "Psycho," what is implied is more awesome than what is actually depicted.
"Angels of London" starts off the set with a very dingy urban horror in the vain of Clive Barker. It appears to also be the basis of a similar expanded story for his novel "No One Gets Out Alive." Finally, "Always in Our Hearts" is an extremely creepy piece of weird fiction that constantly keeps you guessing.
I can definitely see how Adam Neville's style has been giving readers the creeps, and what's great about it is that his voice is one of the most mature and unique of modern horror writers. His writing is a perfect blend of accessible journeyman prose and beautifully rythymic high literature that tickles the fear center of your brain like a strange scratching sound coming from the foot of your bed. He evokes goosebumps with minimal gore and violence, with the exception of "Hippocampus," but even that story, as I said, is mostly implication of violence rather than violence itself.
So my wife was right once again. This is how to write contemporary horror! While we are currently inundated with pale Shirley Jackson imitators, teenage horror film fan service, and "extreme" gross-outs, I believe Adam Neville is one of the few current genre specialists who will go on to be remembered as a master of horror. I can't wait to try his other work.
SCORE: 4/5
"Why?" I asked. "Is it scary?"
"Yep," she said, nodding emphatically. In fact, she claimed, this was one of the only writers that truly scared her.
Now that's quite a claim, but it's not the first time I've heard this. BookTube is swimming with such praise for Neville, particularly for his folk horror novels "The Ritual" and "The Reddening." Considering that I've read nothing from this author, I decided to start with this slim collection of short stories as a sampler, because this was the book that first introduced my wife to the British Monarch of Horror.
It consists of three stories first published in different anthologies in 2013. Because of the nature of these tales, to talk about them in any detail would be to spoil them. Let's just say that I found them all incredibly effective.
I can't say that they actually scared me very much, however. My wife says I'm too hardened by years of horror, whether it be first-hand or vicariously. But all of them got under my skin in a very significant way.
My favorite was "Hippocampus," which is barely a story at all. Neville simply sets the scene of a horrible nightmare at sea with very strong H.P. Lovecraft vibes, which could easily be the prologue of a larger novel. What I liked most about it was that it felt the most like a dream, showing you the aftermath of some terrible atrocity, leaving your mind to fill in the blanks. Like the shower scene in Hitchcock's "Psycho," what is implied is more awesome than what is actually depicted.
"Angels of London" starts off the set with a very dingy urban horror in the vain of Clive Barker. It appears to also be the basis of a similar expanded story for his novel "No One Gets Out Alive." Finally, "Always in Our Hearts" is an extremely creepy piece of weird fiction that constantly keeps you guessing.
I can definitely see how Adam Neville's style has been giving readers the creeps, and what's great about it is that his voice is one of the most mature and unique of modern horror writers. His writing is a perfect blend of accessible journeyman prose and beautifully rythymic high literature that tickles the fear center of your brain like a strange scratching sound coming from the foot of your bed. He evokes goosebumps with minimal gore and violence, with the exception of "Hippocampus," but even that story, as I said, is mostly implication of violence rather than violence itself.
So my wife was right once again. This is how to write contemporary horror! While we are currently inundated with pale Shirley Jackson imitators, teenage horror film fan service, and "extreme" gross-outs, I believe Adam Neville is one of the few current genre specialists who will go on to be remembered as a master of horror. I can't wait to try his other work.
SCORE: 4/5
September 28, 2023
A Rearing Good Time.
This collection contains three short stories from Adam Nevill. Nevill is known for his famous works, The Ritual and The Reddening.
He writes short stories, too. All of his books are horrific and all of them are ready to blow you away.
The story, Hippocampus, has no dialogue and I’m a lover of dialogue, so I had to take a point away.
But, still, it gets four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This collection contains three short stories from Adam Nevill. Nevill is known for his famous works, The Ritual and The Reddening.
He writes short stories, too. All of his books are horrific and all of them are ready to blow you away.
The story, Hippocampus, has no dialogue and I’m a lover of dialogue, so I had to take a point away.
But, still, it gets four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 8, 2017
Adam never fails to deliver unnerving horror that is masterfully written, and this trio of stories has just made me even more impatient for his next collection of stories ‘Hasty for the Dark’!
June 30, 2023
A great short horror anthology. Very interesting and creepy.
September 18, 2023
3.75 out of 5 stars
The Angels of London - ★★★✯ 3.5
Always in Our Hearts - ★★★✭ 3.75
Hippocampus - ★★★★ 4
I'm starting to be a fan of Adam Nevill.
The Angels of London - ★★★✯ 3.5
Always in Our Hearts - ★★★✭ 3.75
Hippocampus - ★★★★ 4
I'm starting to be a fan of Adam Nevill.
October 15, 2023
Entertaining horror listening 🎶🔰
This was a free novella e-book from Amazon.
Three will written fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror ghost 👻 adventure thriller short stories. Each story is different with interesting well developed characters lots of action, misdirection, and violence leading to each conclusion.
I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of fantasy horror novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀👒😡😮
This was a free novella e-book from Amazon.
Three will written fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror ghost 👻 adventure thriller short stories. Each story is different with interesting well developed characters lots of action, misdirection, and violence leading to each conclusion.
I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of fantasy horror novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀👒😡😮
August 7, 2017
Before You Wake is three tales being offered for free in ebook form through Nevill's official website in anticipation of the release of Hasty for the Dark: Selected Horrors in October.
The first story is The Angels of London is a story of a man down on his luck in London living in a horrible apartment building with an even worse landlord. It reminded me of a male counterpart to No One Gets Out Alive, but more satisfying. I also couldn't help thinking of this:
The second story, Always in Our Hearts has a driver (chauffeur? taxi? Uber?) who fondly thinks of accidents, road rage, and taking advantage of his customers and finds a fare who was a victim of a hit-and-run.
Hippocampus is an eerie sea-tale of a ghost ship where the crew was attacked by some creature.
A short teaser of stories and great for those looking forward to the new book.
The first story is The Angels of London is a story of a man down on his luck in London living in a horrible apartment building with an even worse landlord. It reminded me of a male counterpart to No One Gets Out Alive, but more satisfying. I also couldn't help thinking of this:
The second story, Always in Our Hearts has a driver (chauffeur? taxi? Uber?) who fondly thinks of accidents, road rage, and taking advantage of his customers and finds a fare who was a victim of a hit-and-run.
Hippocampus is an eerie sea-tale of a ghost ship where the crew was attacked by some creature.
A short teaser of stories and great for those looking forward to the new book.
September 10, 2017
Three very different, great short stories from the pen of one of modern horror's greats. The Angels of London is probably my favourite (althóugh I enjoyed them all). Set in a seedy lodging house with a landlord that makes Rigsby (remember 70s TV series Rising Damp?) look like a saint, this is the story of Frank and his descent into a personal hell as he discovers there is far more to his bedsit than mould, extortionate rent and strange house mates. The story unfolds and tension mounts until the final twist at the end. The next story, Always In Our Hearts, is a brilliantly mysterious tale of a cab driver who gets a seemingly lucrative fare, collecting and delivering a string of somewhat odd people and their even odder baggage. This one has a wonderfully twisted ending. Finally, the most unusual of the trilogy -- Hippocampus with its wonderfully descriptive and evocative prose.
All in all, a great collection from an author who keeps on excelling at his craft.
All in all, a great collection from an author who keeps on excelling at his craft.
March 24, 2025
I'm gonna review this book as a whole and not each story individually because I can't be arsed to do the latter.
This was... a decent read. It wasn't what I expected. I liked the second story, the first story was very underwhelming and left me more confused when I finished it than when I started... There's a lot to unpack in the third story. The book had some very good tension buildups and is effective at defying the reader's expectations, or at least, mine. I think there are some very good concepts in this novel that can be used in better ways than the ones they were used in, but overall, a pretty good anthology by a man who I had not heard of until I read these stories.
This was... a decent read. It wasn't what I expected. I liked the second story, the first story was very underwhelming and left me more confused when I finished it than when I started... There's a lot to unpack in the third story. The book had some very good tension buildups and is effective at defying the reader's expectations, or at least, mine. I think there are some very good concepts in this novel that can be used in better ways than the ones they were used in, but overall, a pretty good anthology by a man who I had not heard of until I read these stories.
June 11, 2022
I picked this up on a whim for free because I do love a short story compilation sometimes. If there’s anything to say about this, it’s definitely a fast and easy read. This is a series of 3 short stories. I do like short stories, but since it’ll probably be a mixed bag for me, I’ll have a breakdown about how I felt about them rather than just trying to talk about the book as a whole.
The angels of London-
this story is about a guy who lives above a shut down bar. The place is run down. He suspects the angry and sketchy landlord shouldn’t even be charging rent, let alone upping it. But when it becomes clear the landlord is really just a middle man for someone( or something) else, things take a turn as our MC finds out who the real landlords of the angel are.
This story was fine and I was into it. But the ending was not good at all. Short is not always sweet. This could have had more pages and still been a short story. Only… a more detailed and enjoyable one. Amazing concept though. Just disappointed because the glimpse you get of the “true” landlords of the angel, is not satisfying at all. It’s like being promised the best cake in the world, getting to look at it, maybe even smell it… and then just like that you’re told you can’t eat it and then it’s gone.
Always in our hearts-
This was about a shady cab driver, who is tasked with fulfilling an equally shady series of riders who each have something sinister in their carry on, that very well just may be alive, and very well may have a purpose for this specific driver.
This one was a little better than the last. Still not great. Still too short. It again leaves much to be desired because of lack of detail that we could have had. This one has promise to tug on your heart strings even, but didn’t because of how abrupt it is. It doesn’t convey the emotions that it should have.
Hippocampus-
This story has no characters. It’s just an atmospheric, and suuuper (story is less than 10 pages I’m pretty sure) short description of a freight vessel just floating along the ocean. While something grisly and ominous has apparently happened below deck. This describes the aftermath.
Honestly the atmosphere was there and was decent. But again, too short. Felt like it would be a good prologue to a horror novel though.
Conclusion: I’ll still read this author as he has a lot of books I’m interested in. This was a really easy read and his writing style I actually really love. His concepts and skills are both wonderful. I think he’s just not a short story writer and that’s okay. These weren’t terrible and I liked the atmosphere. But they weren’t really that enjoyable either. Just easy, and almost mindless reads if you want something quick and light.
Hopefully I like his novels more!
The angels of London-
this story is about a guy who lives above a shut down bar. The place is run down. He suspects the angry and sketchy landlord shouldn’t even be charging rent, let alone upping it. But when it becomes clear the landlord is really just a middle man for someone( or something) else, things take a turn as our MC finds out who the real landlords of the angel are.
This story was fine and I was into it. But the ending was not good at all. Short is not always sweet. This could have had more pages and still been a short story. Only… a more detailed and enjoyable one. Amazing concept though. Just disappointed because the glimpse you get of the “true” landlords of the angel, is not satisfying at all. It’s like being promised the best cake in the world, getting to look at it, maybe even smell it… and then just like that you’re told you can’t eat it and then it’s gone.
Always in our hearts-
This was about a shady cab driver, who is tasked with fulfilling an equally shady series of riders who each have something sinister in their carry on, that very well just may be alive, and very well may have a purpose for this specific driver.
This one was a little better than the last. Still not great. Still too short. It again leaves much to be desired because of lack of detail that we could have had. This one has promise to tug on your heart strings even, but didn’t because of how abrupt it is. It doesn’t convey the emotions that it should have.
Hippocampus-
This story has no characters. It’s just an atmospheric, and suuuper (story is less than 10 pages I’m pretty sure) short description of a freight vessel just floating along the ocean. While something grisly and ominous has apparently happened below deck. This describes the aftermath.
Honestly the atmosphere was there and was decent. But again, too short. Felt like it would be a good prologue to a horror novel though.
Conclusion: I’ll still read this author as he has a lot of books I’m interested in. This was a really easy read and his writing style I actually really love. His concepts and skills are both wonderful. I think he’s just not a short story writer and that’s okay. These weren’t terrible and I liked the atmosphere. But they weren’t really that enjoyable either. Just easy, and almost mindless reads if you want something quick and light.
Hopefully I like his novels more!
September 25, 2023
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan and have read everything Adam has ever written. I’ve also watched both movies based on two of his books and expect to see more. In my opinion he is THE horror writer of choice. I really hope horror fans can discover his work.
It’s rare for me to genuinely feel chills or be disturbed by horror. I’ve read a lot since discovering James Herbert and Stephen King at 13. Borrowed from my Dads book collection. I’d then devour horror in the school library. Adams writing is creepy, damn clever and very unique. If you’ve never read a novel by him then any of his short story collections are a great starting point.
I loved all three of these, in true to form brilliance Adams imagination is incredible. I mean these are different and the way he weaves words to create imagery and atmosphere is special. I always feel like I can almost taste, smell and sense everything. I actually rate him higher than Stephen King. Yep. Truly.
I loved these, escaped into dark places and read them all at once. I won’t explain plots or characters as I think you’ve got to plunge in with no expectations. I also see too many book reviews that basically just tell you the blurb and reveal everything. Lots of eerie atmosphere here to soak up.
I highly recommend this and all of his other work. I proudly have all his autographed books on their own shelf. So I am a big fan. Five stars yet again for this trio of horror stories. Do discover Adam. If you like horror you’ll have a blast.
Thanks so much for reading my review of this book. Join me as a friend or follower and feel free to browse my shelves for your next great book! I love to connect with other readers.
It’s rare for me to genuinely feel chills or be disturbed by horror. I’ve read a lot since discovering James Herbert and Stephen King at 13. Borrowed from my Dads book collection. I’d then devour horror in the school library. Adams writing is creepy, damn clever and very unique. If you’ve never read a novel by him then any of his short story collections are a great starting point.
I loved all three of these, in true to form brilliance Adams imagination is incredible. I mean these are different and the way he weaves words to create imagery and atmosphere is special. I always feel like I can almost taste, smell and sense everything. I actually rate him higher than Stephen King. Yep. Truly.
I loved these, escaped into dark places and read them all at once. I won’t explain plots or characters as I think you’ve got to plunge in with no expectations. I also see too many book reviews that basically just tell you the blurb and reveal everything. Lots of eerie atmosphere here to soak up.
I highly recommend this and all of his other work. I proudly have all his autographed books on their own shelf. So I am a big fan. Five stars yet again for this trio of horror stories. Do discover Adam. If you like horror you’ll have a blast.
Thanks so much for reading my review of this book. Join me as a friend or follower and feel free to browse my shelves for your next great book! I love to connect with other readers.
December 13, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
I recently devoured Nevill’s other three-story collection, ‘Before You Sleep,’ and dived into this after finishing that one.
I loved the three stories that were featured in ‘Before You Sleep,’ which made me excited for this mini-collection.
We open with ‘The Angels of London.’ Easily my favourite story of the three. We follow Frank, a man trying his best to turn his life around, now living in a run-down apartment complex. The place is overseen by the elusive Granby. Granby collects the weekly rent but doesn’t seem to do much else –no maintenance, no improvements. Instead, each week, he demands more money.
Frank finally has enough and confronts him, which opens up a whole other level to this story. While at first, it had some tension, after a dire warning, things escalate and the ending is phenomenal.
The second story was ‘Always in Our Hearts.’ I personally didn’t really enjoy this one. We follow a hired driver who heads to a location to pick up his next ride. On the surface it had some potential, but I just didn’t connect.
The last story, ‘Hippocampus,’ was a return to form and I really enjoyed it. We arrive at a seemingly abandoned freight liner. Nevill gives us a POV tour through the ship. This made me feel like I was playing a video game where you are searching for someone or something, walking through each room and finding more and more carnage. Really had a lot of fun with this one.
‘Before You Wake’ was another fun outing from Nevill. I’ve now read the two free ebooks and know I need to take the deep dive next into a novel. I currently have three; Last Days, The Ritual and The Reddening. So I’ve decided to tackle Last Days and will be starting that tonight. I’m really excited to dive in and will keep you all posted about how that goes.
Definitely check this quick collection out and for those who haven’t read Nevill yet – get on it!
I recently devoured Nevill’s other three-story collection, ‘Before You Sleep,’ and dived into this after finishing that one.
I loved the three stories that were featured in ‘Before You Sleep,’ which made me excited for this mini-collection.
We open with ‘The Angels of London.’ Easily my favourite story of the three. We follow Frank, a man trying his best to turn his life around, now living in a run-down apartment complex. The place is overseen by the elusive Granby. Granby collects the weekly rent but doesn’t seem to do much else –no maintenance, no improvements. Instead, each week, he demands more money.
Frank finally has enough and confronts him, which opens up a whole other level to this story. While at first, it had some tension, after a dire warning, things escalate and the ending is phenomenal.
The second story was ‘Always in Our Hearts.’ I personally didn’t really enjoy this one. We follow a hired driver who heads to a location to pick up his next ride. On the surface it had some potential, but I just didn’t connect.
The last story, ‘Hippocampus,’ was a return to form and I really enjoyed it. We arrive at a seemingly abandoned freight liner. Nevill gives us a POV tour through the ship. This made me feel like I was playing a video game where you are searching for someone or something, walking through each room and finding more and more carnage. Really had a lot of fun with this one.
‘Before You Wake’ was another fun outing from Nevill. I’ve now read the two free ebooks and know I need to take the deep dive next into a novel. I currently have three; Last Days, The Ritual and The Reddening. So I’ve decided to tackle Last Days and will be starting that tonight. I’m really excited to dive in and will keep you all posted about how that goes.
Definitely check this quick collection out and for those who haven’t read Nevill yet – get on it!
February 28, 2019
Full review yet to come.
October 2, 2017
4.5 stars
This slim but effective trio of stories is a preview for Adam Nevill's next collection, and what a delicious appetizer it is. I found his first collection a bit hit-or-miss for me, but all 3 of these were absolutely fantastic (though very different stylistically).
"The Angels of London." Dickens meets modern horror. This is the story of a man who moves into an apartment above a bar, and his landlord is... shall we say, a bit unusual. People who move into The Angel don't move out, and there's something menacing in the attic. There is also a rather exceptional amount of poverty in The Angel, creating a deep sense of gloom independent of the actual horror of the tale. A strong start, though my least-favorite of the three. 4 stars
"Always in our Hearts" A cabdriver gets a very strange request that leads him down a dark path. This is an unusual one, because in the beginning you think something incredibly disturbing is happening (like, "please Nevill don't be going down this path" disturbing), but the story veers off into an unexpected and incredibly satisfying direction. 4.5 stars
"Hippocampus" By far the strangest of the three. This is about a boat floating empty in the middle of the ocean. We get narration of the aftermath of something, and it's essentially just a description of what the boat looks like now. Our unnamed narrator walks us through the corridors and rooms of the boat, with the content getting stranger and darker as the story goes on. It's a bizarre little story but I LOVED it. So odd and creepy and atmospheric. I'd love to have an expanded version of this, but at the same time the short & sweet, mysterious nature is what makes it so good. 5 stars
This slim but effective trio of stories is a preview for Adam Nevill's next collection, and what a delicious appetizer it is. I found his first collection a bit hit-or-miss for me, but all 3 of these were absolutely fantastic (though very different stylistically).
"The Angels of London." Dickens meets modern horror. This is the story of a man who moves into an apartment above a bar, and his landlord is... shall we say, a bit unusual. People who move into The Angel don't move out, and there's something menacing in the attic. There is also a rather exceptional amount of poverty in The Angel, creating a deep sense of gloom independent of the actual horror of the tale. A strong start, though my least-favorite of the three. 4 stars
"Always in our Hearts" A cabdriver gets a very strange request that leads him down a dark path. This is an unusual one, because in the beginning you think something incredibly disturbing is happening (like, "please Nevill don't be going down this path" disturbing), but the story veers off into an unexpected and incredibly satisfying direction. 4.5 stars
"Hippocampus" By far the strangest of the three. This is about a boat floating empty in the middle of the ocean. We get narration of the aftermath of something, and it's essentially just a description of what the boat looks like now. Our unnamed narrator walks us through the corridors and rooms of the boat, with the content getting stranger and darker as the story goes on. It's a bizarre little story but I LOVED it. So odd and creepy and atmospheric. I'd love to have an expanded version of this, but at the same time the short & sweet, mysterious nature is what makes it so good. 5 stars
September 8, 2017
My first foray into the dark, foreboding world of Adam Nevill was an appetizing one. His detailed writing and capacity to build atmosphere were both immediately apparent, and in the case of the first two stories, I became enthralled as to how each was going to play out. Both were satisfying in their own way and represented an author on top of his game, combining supernatural creatures and events with protagonists who were both very flawed and (in some ways) all too real.
Unfortunately, the third tale did almost nothing for me. An exercise in style over substance, it was a major let down when compared to what came before it.
Still, there was more than enough here for me to be looking forward to reading some of Nevill's older works, and sometime soon seeing the first feature film adaptation of The Ritual.
3 Accidents You Shouldn't Drive Away From for Before You Wake: Three Horrors.
Unfortunately, the third tale did almost nothing for me. An exercise in style over substance, it was a major let down when compared to what came before it.
Still, there was more than enough here for me to be looking forward to reading some of Nevill's older works, and sometime soon seeing the first feature film adaptation of The Ritual.
3 Accidents You Shouldn't Drive Away From for Before You Wake: Three Horrors.
October 26, 2022
More quality work from Adam Nevill. The first of the three stories was my favorite and I had already listened to the third in on a different collection of stories.
Still, not bad for a free download.
Still, not bad for a free download.
October 9, 2019
This was my first time reading Nevill, his name having been memorized due to the success of The Ritual (which is still on my TBR list). After reading these three shorts, it's safe to say I like his style and want to read more of his horror. Though the third story didn't do anything for me, I really enjoyed the first two (especially the one that opens this small collection). The gothic vibes on that story were wonderful, and I loved the premise of the second one. I have another two collections of his on my phone, and I will be starting them soon I'm sure.
May 8, 2024
This short story sampler consists of three stories from the collection Hasty for the Dark by Adam Nevill. The sampler is available as a free ebook.
The Angels of London (4/5)
A man down on his luck has to deal with a creepy landlord of the seedy lodging house he’s staying at. Atmospheric with some really eerie moments.
Always in Our Hearts (5/5)
A shady taxi driver takes a series of unusual fares around town. What an ending.
Hippocampus (2/5)
A description of the aftermath of a violent event on a ship at sea. More of a sketch than a story.
I really enjoyed the first two stories. They were set up well, had interesting characters, and had endings that delivered. After reading this sampler and his other one I’ve become a fan of this author.
The Angels of London (4/5)
A man down on his luck has to deal with a creepy landlord of the seedy lodging house he’s staying at. Atmospheric with some really eerie moments.
Always in Our Hearts (5/5)
A shady taxi driver takes a series of unusual fares around town. What an ending.
Hippocampus (2/5)
A description of the aftermath of a violent event on a ship at sea. More of a sketch than a story.
I really enjoyed the first two stories. They were set up well, had interesting characters, and had endings that delivered. After reading this sampler and his other one I’ve become a fan of this author.
October 31, 2020
Amazing
Adam Neville has a way of getting under your skin, the descriptions and the atmosphere that he creates are beautifully done. I can’t get enough of his work. I devour everything fervently and I can’t wait to share these stories with other horror fiction fans. In this collection the one that got to me the most was Hippocampus, from the very first sentence you just get this feeling that somethings not right, and as you continue reading the dread grows, brilliantly reaching into your subconscious and gripping your imagination. He paints imagery so vividly, it’s as if I’m watching it unfold before me.
Adam Neville has a way of getting under your skin, the descriptions and the atmosphere that he creates are beautifully done. I can’t get enough of his work. I devour everything fervently and I can’t wait to share these stories with other horror fiction fans. In this collection the one that got to me the most was Hippocampus, from the very first sentence you just get this feeling that somethings not right, and as you continue reading the dread grows, brilliantly reaching into your subconscious and gripping your imagination. He paints imagery so vividly, it’s as if I’m watching it unfold before me.
October 15, 2022
First off I do not really consider this to be horror the stories are dark but do not reach the level to be called true horror, at least in my opinion. I need a lot more to bring out a visceral reaction that is horror. These were not scary to me though they were thought-provoking at least. The average rating on the stories works out to 2.7 stars. My highest rating was 4 stars for "The Angels of London" and the lowest was 1 star for "Hippocampus".
This is a trilogy of horror stories that range from the occult to the demoniac.
1. No blackmail is as ghastly as extortion from angels.
2. A swift reckoning of ten travels in handheld luggage.
3. No sign of life aboard an abandoned freighter, but what is left below deck tells a strange story.
(1) Frank moves into a rented room in London. He pays his rent but the next thing he knows it starts to increase on a regular basis. He is informed that he will not be allowed to leave and that he will pay or there will be consequences.
(2) This was a tale that was kind of roundabout in getting to the point. A driver picks up a fare and delivers them to their location only to be asked to wait for another and on and on until he finally comes to the end of his elderly fare. What waits for him at the end is important.
(3) No people, no dialogue, just a story being told. Not much to say about this.
I liked and disliked this almost equally. There was no real horror, maybe some menace and paranoia with a touch of ambivalence. I got through it but it should have been a quick read it was kind of painful for me so when I got bored I stopped and did something else until I felt like going back.
The writing is fine and I have seen movies written by this author which I liked so it is just something about these stories.
This is a trilogy of horror stories that range from the occult to the demoniac.
1. No blackmail is as ghastly as extortion from angels.
2. A swift reckoning of ten travels in handheld luggage.
3. No sign of life aboard an abandoned freighter, but what is left below deck tells a strange story.
(1) Frank moves into a rented room in London. He pays his rent but the next thing he knows it starts to increase on a regular basis. He is informed that he will not be allowed to leave and that he will pay or there will be consequences.
(2) This was a tale that was kind of roundabout in getting to the point. A driver picks up a fare and delivers them to their location only to be asked to wait for another and on and on until he finally comes to the end of his elderly fare. What waits for him at the end is important.
(3) No people, no dialogue, just a story being told. Not much to say about this.
I liked and disliked this almost equally. There was no real horror, maybe some menace and paranoia with a touch of ambivalence. I got through it but it should have been a quick read it was kind of painful for me so when I got bored I stopped and did something else until I felt like going back.
The writing is fine and I have seen movies written by this author which I liked so it is just something about these stories.
December 20, 2017
I think Adam Nevill is a prolific writer.
This one was good not great
Three short horror stories out of which I really liked the second one the most.
The other two were good enough.
I am looking forward to read more of his books as I loved his novel the Ritual.
This one was good not great
Three short horror stories out of which I really liked the second one the most.
The other two were good enough.
I am looking forward to read more of his books as I loved his novel the Ritual.
Read
April 29, 2024χρόνος ανάγνωσης κριτικής: 43 δευτερόλεπτα
Ο Νέβιλ πάντα θα γράψει κάτι που θα μου αρέσει. Και πάντα ό,τι γράψει θα μου προσφέρει αυτό το αίσθημα απόγνωσης, απελπισίας και φόβου που δύσκολα μου προσφέρουν άλλοι συγγραφείς τρόμου, ακόμα και ο Βασιλιάς.
Τον Νέβιλ τον ανακάλυψα πριν 10 χρόνια τουλάχιστον όταν αναζητούσα ένα τρομακτικό βιβλίο να διαβάσω και έπεσα πάνω στο Apartment 16.
Φυσικά από τότε διάβασα ακόμη πιο τρομακτικά του βιβλία.
Το συγκεκριμένο το πήρα δωρεάν σε ηλεκτρονική μορφή και περιέχει 3 από τις 9 ιστορίες της συλλογής διηγημάτων τρόμου Hasty for the Dark.
Η πρώτη ξεκινά με ρεαλισμό και καταλήγει να σε τυλίγει σε μια ατμόσφαιρα ζοφερή και ασφυχτική με αυτά που περιγράφει.
Η δεύτερη το ίδιο, ο ρεαλισμός σταματά περίπου στη μέση και αρχίζεις να νιώθεις άβολα για αυτό που πρόκειται να έρθει.
Η τρίτη μου θύμισε τα πρώτα λεπτά του Alien όπου η κάμερα με πανοραμικά πλάνα σε ξεναγεί σε ένα άδειο από ζωή διαστημόπλοιο.
Εδώ όμως το μακελειό έχει ήδη γίνει και με κάθε πλάνο, χωρίς ίχνος ζωής, συλλέγεις στοιχεία για να μάθεις τελικά τι στο κακό έγινε.
Κλασικός Νέβιλ με άλλα λόγια που σε κάνει να θες να συνεχίσεις το ταξίδι στην τρομακτική του φαντασία.
Ο Νέβιλ πάντα θα γράψει κάτι που θα μου αρέσει. Και πάντα ό,τι γράψει θα μου προσφέρει αυτό το αίσθημα απόγνωσης, απελπισίας και φόβου που δύσκολα μου προσφέρουν άλλοι συγγραφείς τρόμου, ακόμα και ο Βασιλιάς.
Τον Νέβιλ τον ανακάλυψα πριν 10 χρόνια τουλάχιστον όταν αναζητούσα ένα τρομακτικό βιβλίο να διαβάσω και έπεσα πάνω στο Apartment 16.
Φυσικά από τότε διάβασα ακόμη πιο τρομακτικά του βιβλία.
Το συγκεκριμένο το πήρα δωρεάν σε ηλεκτρονική μορφή και περιέχει 3 από τις 9 ιστορίες της συλλογής διηγημάτων τρόμου Hasty for the Dark.
Η πρώτη ξεκινά με ρεαλισμό και καταλήγει να σε τυλίγει σε μια ατμόσφαιρα ζοφερή και ασφυχτική με αυτά που περιγράφει.
Η δεύτερη το ίδιο, ο ρεαλισμός σταματά περίπου στη μέση και αρχίζεις να νιώθεις άβολα για αυτό που πρόκειται να έρθει.
Η τρίτη μου θύμισε τα πρώτα λεπτά του Alien όπου η κάμερα με πανοραμικά πλάνα σε ξεναγεί σε ένα άδειο από ζωή διαστημόπλοιο.
Εδώ όμως το μακελειό έχει ήδη γίνει και με κάθε πλάνο, χωρίς ίχνος ζωής, συλλέγεις στοιχεία για να μάθεις τελικά τι στο κακό έγινε.
Κλασικός Νέβιλ με άλλα λόγια που σε κάνει να θες να συνεχίσεις το ταξίδι στην τρομακτική του φαντασία.
October 9, 2023
After having loved Before You Sleep, another collection of 3 horror stories by Adam Nevill, I jumped right into
Before You Wake,
the next collection of 3 horrors.
Right away, I can see that between the first collection and this one, Nevill's writing style has become more sophisticated. Lots of yummy descriptions (if you can call horror stories yummy), however a little bit of something was lost in this one. Although in the end, I liked the first two stories, the tension I felt in Before You Sleep was just not present, and I didn't like the last story altogether.
Overall not a bad read to spend an afternoon with, but for a way more fun time, I recommend Before You Sleep much more.
Right away, I can see that between the first collection and this one, Nevill's writing style has become more sophisticated. Lots of yummy descriptions (if you can call horror stories yummy), however a little bit of something was lost in this one. Although in the end, I liked the first two stories, the tension I felt in Before You Sleep was just not present, and I didn't like the last story altogether.
Overall not a bad read to spend an afternoon with, but for a way more fun time, I recommend Before You Sleep much more.
April 22, 2018
Had a blast reading this sampler of Hasty for the Dark! Creepy, cleverly crafted trio of tales with startling, unique imagery. Atmospheric and richly written, especially that. I loved how tactile the stories were. Really looking forward to dive into the full collection.
May 7, 2024
Wow! Will definitely be reading more by this author. This was only a sampler, but the first two stories are excellent. The third one reads like the opening sequence of a film script.
August 18, 2017
A trio of terrible things that will follow you down unlit corridors.
As a connoisseur of horror, I am delighted by these three chilling morsels. Whets the appetite for a main course, and luckily there is plenty more on the menu to choose from with Adam's other books. Highly recommended reading, especially at night, when the dark ones wait for you to put the book down and turn out the light!
As a connoisseur of horror, I am delighted by these three chilling morsels. Whets the appetite for a main course, and luckily there is plenty more on the menu to choose from with Adam's other books. Highly recommended reading, especially at night, when the dark ones wait for you to put the book down and turn out the light!
August 8, 2017
If there's one thing I can count on in today's horror fiction, it's that Adam Nevill knows how to make me feel extremely uncomfortable within just a few eloquently formulated - beautifully so - sentences.
I won't give away too much - I myself prefer to dive into short fiction head first and blindly. The first tale reminds of 'No One Gets Out Alive', as a fellow reviewer remarked - a basis, perhaps -, but is still anything but predictable. While 'Angels' sticks as a feeling of deep unease, the final tale, 'Hippocampus', will leave you with images as foreboding as they are gory.
All this bodes very well for the second story collection arriving in October - my only regret being that I now will have three stories less to experience afresh.
I won't give away too much - I myself prefer to dive into short fiction head first and blindly. The first tale reminds of 'No One Gets Out Alive', as a fellow reviewer remarked - a basis, perhaps -, but is still anything but predictable. While 'Angels' sticks as a feeling of deep unease, the final tale, 'Hippocampus', will leave you with images as foreboding as they are gory.
All this bodes very well for the second story collection arriving in October - my only regret being that I now will have three stories less to experience afresh.
July 17, 2022
3.75 stars for the entire collection.
This collection is composed of three short stories for the reader to dip their toes into Adam Nevill's work. I have enjoyed Nevill before, but was in the mood for some quicker short stories that would actually be spooky and these definitely were. Nevill excels in creep factor where many authors lack in today's horror genre.
"The Angels of London"- 3.5 stars This is a fascinating story about a man who lives in a cheap place with a landlord who is making outrageous demands and something terrifying has ultimate control over the landlord in collecting their rent. This felt like a copy and paste male centered version of No One Gets Out Alive (but not as well done or as spooky). Also the main character was incredibly transphobic to one of the tenants and while this is important in showing and maintaining the validation of the ending, it was disgusting to read.
"Always in Our Hearts"-4 starsThis was probably my favorite in the collection because we follow a driver who has committed the worst crime possible you can as a driver and his on his weirdest job yet. The story is weird and goes in these weird circles and eventually comes back around to tying the story together with a big twist and reveal. I liked it, but I wanted it to be longer. I felt more needed to be explained about the whys and hows of this villainous scheme or cult or worship group or religion; I still have no clue what IT exactly is.
"Hippocampus"-4 stars For a short story that is only 6 pages, my jaw was on the floor quite often. How shockingly creepy and if you like boats or water horror, then here you go, my friend.
A solid collection overall. It's also free on Amazon and 67 pages total for three stories, so it's definitely worth the time.
April 29, 2021
This was very good! It reminded me of Roald Dahl’s adult short stories, like “The Land Lady.” These are well-written stories and I am definitely intrigued and interested in reading more from this author. I enjoyed his rich vocabulary, and I was inspired to highlight several words just because there were so many really neat ones...like “vulpine.” Great word, right? I will probably try his book “The Reddening” soon!
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