What do you think?
Rate this book
Fungoid
When the end came, it wasn’t zombies, asteroids, global warming or nuclear winter. It was something that escaped from a lab. Something small, and very hungry. It starts with deadly rain that delivers death where it falls, but soon the whole planet is under threat as the infection spreads, consuming everything before it. A band of survivors on the Eastern coast of Canada watch as their world falls and crumbles to ruin. The infection seems relentless. More than that, it seems to be learning, adapting and evolving faster than they can fight it. Worse still—it is infecting not just their bodies, but is creeping into their minds, dancing in their dreams. Can they stop it before it takes them? Or must they all join in the final dance of death?
181 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2016
6 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
William Meikle
408 books1,849 followersI'm a Scottish writer, now living in Canada, with more than thirty novels published in the genre press and over 300 short story credits in thirteen countries.
My work has appeared in a number of professional anthologies and I have recent short story sales to NATURE Futures and Galaxy's Edge. When I'm not writing I play guitar, drink beer and dream of fortune and glory.
For an intro to me, my writing and my accent see my Youtube channel
My work has appeared in a number of professional anthologies and I have recent short story sales to NATURE Futures and Galaxy's Edge. When I'm not writing I play guitar, drink beer and dream of fortune and glory.
For an intro to me, my writing and my accent see my Youtube channel
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 16, 2017
When a horrible rain falls, ravenous fungus infects anyone it touches. Can Shaun make his way across Canada to reunite with his family before the fungus consumes the world?
Fungus and its life cycle have held a fascination for me since my first morel hunt and fungal fiction like City of Saints and Madmen holds a place in my heart. Fungoid now joins them in my chest cavity.
It started simply enough with rain, rain that burned and unleashed some kind of super fungus that consumed everything organic. The end of the world has arrived and it is by fungus. Imagine not being able to let a drop of rainwater touch you or you'll die horribly. That's the gist of things, at first, anyway.
Meikle uses several viewpoint characters to show how the fungoid chaos has spread across Canada. There are a couple hazmat guys, a mycologist, a woman taking care of her sons and the man on his way home to them. Some characters live and some die.
It's not until the fungus starts fruiting that the crazy shit really starts, when the fungus starts using its adaptations to kill even more people. I'll keep things vague but things went from bad to worse very quickly.
Fungoid is a survival horror tale somewhat reminiscent of John Wyndham's "cozy catastrophres," although there's nothing cozy about it. It's Fungin' great! Four out of five stars.
Fungus and its life cycle have held a fascination for me since my first morel hunt and fungal fiction like City of Saints and Madmen holds a place in my heart. Fungoid now joins them in my chest cavity.
It started simply enough with rain, rain that burned and unleashed some kind of super fungus that consumed everything organic. The end of the world has arrived and it is by fungus. Imagine not being able to let a drop of rainwater touch you or you'll die horribly. That's the gist of things, at first, anyway.
Meikle uses several viewpoint characters to show how the fungoid chaos has spread across Canada. There are a couple hazmat guys, a mycologist, a woman taking care of her sons and the man on his way home to them. Some characters live and some die.
It's not until the fungus starts fruiting that the crazy shit really starts, when the fungus starts using its adaptations to kill even more people. I'll keep things vague but things went from bad to worse very quickly.
Fungoid is a survival horror tale somewhat reminiscent of John Wyndham's "cozy catastrophres," although there's nothing cozy about it. It's Fungin' great! Four out of five stars.
March 3, 2017
The world is threatened by extinction in William Meikle's book titled "Fungoid". The story begins with the fall of an oily kind of rainfall that kills most all lifeforms, from plants, animals and especially humans. As it turns out rain is the delivery system for a fungus of unknown origins.
The primary point of view characters consist of a science nerd who's speciality is fungal reasearch and his new found love, the cafeteria lunch lady. A husband separated from his wife who is on the other side of the Canadian continent and their children and who must desperately find a way to reunite with his family.
High drama ensues and by page 100 Mr. Meikle has killed off forty percent of the world. Some of the carnage is playfully and viscerally described.
The book reads like a plot from a weekly Sci-Fi channel movie utilizing the partial plot from the John Wyndham book "Day of the Triffids" woven into an end of the world scenario.
One of the highlights tucked away in the plot is the uncanny appearance of one of Mr. Meikle's ongoing characters Carnacki the Ghost Finder (created by William Hope Hodgson).
The plot is fast moving full of excitement, danger and death, altogether a fun if inconsequential read.
This hardcover is copy 38 of 52 copies printed and is signed and numbered by William Meikle.
This book is number 4 in the DarkFuse Signature series.
The primary point of view characters consist of a science nerd who's speciality is fungal reasearch and his new found love, the cafeteria lunch lady. A husband separated from his wife who is on the other side of the Canadian continent and their children and who must desperately find a way to reunite with his family.
High drama ensues and by page 100 Mr. Meikle has killed off forty percent of the world. Some of the carnage is playfully and viscerally described.
The book reads like a plot from a weekly Sci-Fi channel movie utilizing the partial plot from the John Wyndham book "Day of the Triffids" woven into an end of the world scenario.
One of the highlights tucked away in the plot is the uncanny appearance of one of Mr. Meikle's ongoing characters Carnacki the Ghost Finder (created by William Hope Hodgson).
The plot is fast moving full of excitement, danger and death, altogether a fun if inconsequential read.
This hardcover is copy 38 of 52 copies printed and is signed and numbered by William Meikle.
This book is number 4 in the DarkFuse Signature series.
December 16, 2023
Fantastic Horror-Thriller!
A voracious fungi takes over the world!
Our hero, a college professor with experience in biological fungus, searches for a weapon to destroy the murderous fungi and develop a way to help the infected.
With the infection being contagious, all who comes into contact with it will become infected, too.
Will the courageous professor succeed in saving the world?
Read this fantastic thriller and find out.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
A voracious fungi takes over the world!
Our hero, a college professor with experience in biological fungus, searches for a weapon to destroy the murderous fungi and develop a way to help the infected.
With the infection being contagious, all who comes into contact with it will become infected, too.
Will the courageous professor succeed in saving the world?
Read this fantastic thriller and find out.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
December 26, 2016
With a pace so rapid it's hard to catch your breath, William Meikle's Fungoid destroys society.
Starting with an oily rain and ending with spore-releasing creatures it's hard to describe, mankind is suddenly struggling to survive. Even though that sounds far-fetched here in my review, in this book it is all too real. That could partly be due to Meikle's history as a biologist. I'm not sure where to attribute the credit, but I can verify the science-y bits in Fungoid sounded plausible to me and they didn't bog down the pace with a bunch of big scientific words.
There were a lot of characters here for such a short novel, but I found myself invested in them and had no trouble following each one to their destiny. I think the changing points of view were a great way to show all the different aspects of the fungi as well as the experiences of different citizens across the country.
Fungoid was a lot of fun and had the fastest pace of anything I've read this year. It moved along and carried this reader right along with it. I may as well have been a spore released from a big fuzzball and blown into the wind for all the control I had putting this book down. Christmas? Who cares? The spores are spreading!
Recommended for fans of fast paced, plague spreading, biological menaces!
You can get your copy here:Fungoid
*Thanks to NetGalley and to Darkfuse for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
Starting with an oily rain and ending with spore-releasing creatures it's hard to describe, mankind is suddenly struggling to survive. Even though that sounds far-fetched here in my review, in this book it is all too real. That could partly be due to Meikle's history as a biologist. I'm not sure where to attribute the credit, but I can verify the science-y bits in Fungoid sounded plausible to me and they didn't bog down the pace with a bunch of big scientific words.
There were a lot of characters here for such a short novel, but I found myself invested in them and had no trouble following each one to their destiny. I think the changing points of view were a great way to show all the different aspects of the fungi as well as the experiences of different citizens across the country.
Fungoid was a lot of fun and had the fastest pace of anything I've read this year. It moved along and carried this reader right along with it. I may as well have been a spore released from a big fuzzball and blown into the wind for all the control I had putting this book down. Christmas? Who cares? The spores are spreading!
Recommended for fans of fast paced, plague spreading, biological menaces!
You can get your copy here:Fungoid
*Thanks to NetGalley and to Darkfuse for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
October 29, 2016
4.5 stars.
FUNGOID, by William Meikle is an apocalyptic novel stemming from a new, unexpected threat--the type that Meikle's imagination excels at creating. As I've come to expect from this versatile writer, the reader is immediately thrust into the midst of a chaotic situation, and continues on with breathtaking speed. In this case, everything is normal the day before, and then the entire planet is in trouble.
What begins as an almost "acidic rain", is soon identified as the start of a much larger threat:
"It's definitely fungal. And it's voracious."
One scientist, Rohit, begins to study the nature of this new predatory killer. However, everything he learns makes the situation look even more bleak than before.
". . . It's infectious--and it spreads fast."
There were several key characters in here that Meikle fleshes out decently, but the only one I truly felt mattered was Rohit. However, in this particular novel, the characters were secondary to me in terms of importance. What truly impressed me was the author's ability to keep up the breakneck pace, while revealing new horrific scenes and changes in terms of the devastation wrought by this new form of fungus.
. . . the fungal fibers filling her throat and nostrils . . . through her eyeballs . . ."
The atmosphere begins "dark" and just gets continuously worse as time elapses. The descriptions were vivd enough to paint the perfect picture of the dismal landscape overwhelming everything around it: ". . . they are voracious in their appetite, and devious in their methods . . . "
FUNGOID is a desolate tale that sends you on a speeding journey through a world besieged by a relentless new threat, that has no limitations.
"If it's organic, it's dinner."
Another fantastic read from William Meikle.
Highly recommended!
*I chose to read an ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.*
FUNGOID, by William Meikle is an apocalyptic novel stemming from a new, unexpected threat--the type that Meikle's imagination excels at creating. As I've come to expect from this versatile writer, the reader is immediately thrust into the midst of a chaotic situation, and continues on with breathtaking speed. In this case, everything is normal the day before, and then the entire planet is in trouble.
What begins as an almost "acidic rain", is soon identified as the start of a much larger threat:
"It's definitely fungal. And it's voracious."
One scientist, Rohit, begins to study the nature of this new predatory killer. However, everything he learns makes the situation look even more bleak than before.
". . . It's infectious--and it spreads fast."
There were several key characters in here that Meikle fleshes out decently, but the only one I truly felt mattered was Rohit. However, in this particular novel, the characters were secondary to me in terms of importance. What truly impressed me was the author's ability to keep up the breakneck pace, while revealing new horrific scenes and changes in terms of the devastation wrought by this new form of fungus.
. . . the fungal fibers filling her throat and nostrils . . . through her eyeballs . . ."
The atmosphere begins "dark" and just gets continuously worse as time elapses. The descriptions were vivd enough to paint the perfect picture of the dismal landscape overwhelming everything around it: ". . . they are voracious in their appetite, and devious in their methods . . . "
FUNGOID is a desolate tale that sends you on a speeding journey through a world besieged by a relentless new threat, that has no limitations.
"If it's organic, it's dinner."
Another fantastic read from William Meikle.
Highly recommended!
*I chose to read an ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.*
May 26, 2017
There's something in the rain....something invasive, voracious and so very deadly.
Mankind has tampered with the lowest of lifeforms, and unleashed something that is going to evolve itself to the top of the food chain.
With a blistering pace and his patented flair for the purely pulptastic, William Meikle spins a tale that puts fear (and, let's be honest, the fun) into fungus!
Mankind has tampered with the lowest of lifeforms, and unleashed something that is going to evolve itself to the top of the food chain.
With a blistering pace and his patented flair for the purely pulptastic, William Meikle spins a tale that puts fear (and, let's be honest, the fun) into fungus!
October 21, 2016
William Meikle wastes no time dooming the world with a fungal apocalypse in his latest DarkFuse title. Fungoid is basically a non-stop adventure read, with a nice little dose of science tossed into the mix to help balance the action and occasional moments of horror.
The story itself shifts across a handful of characters. There's the university research scientist, Rohit, and emergency worker, Jim Noble, who give us equally interesting, and compellingly different, perspectives on the mushroom menace. Shaun is stuck away from his family and when things begin heading south treks out across Canada to reach the Atlantic shores and reunite with his wife and children.
Fungoid is a quick, breezy, expertly paced, and well-crafted story. Couple this with an intriguing doomsday premise and you've got yourself a brisk read. Although it has some shades of familiarity with Joe Hill's The Fireman or the PlayStation video game, The Last of Us, it still stands on its own and is a welcome interpretation on this particular apocalyptic theme. But with this infusion of fungal ends, I can't help but think there must be some kind of spore in the air...
This is a super-fun End of the World romp, but be sure to give yourself some room to breathe and get up to move around a bit in between chapters so you don't start growing moldy.
[As a member of the DarkFuse Book Group, I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]
The story itself shifts across a handful of characters. There's the university research scientist, Rohit, and emergency worker, Jim Noble, who give us equally interesting, and compellingly different, perspectives on the mushroom menace. Shaun is stuck away from his family and when things begin heading south treks out across Canada to reach the Atlantic shores and reunite with his wife and children.
Fungoid is a quick, breezy, expertly paced, and well-crafted story. Couple this with an intriguing doomsday premise and you've got yourself a brisk read. Although it has some shades of familiarity with Joe Hill's The Fireman or the PlayStation video game, The Last of Us, it still stands on its own and is a welcome interpretation on this particular apocalyptic theme. But with this infusion of fungal ends, I can't help but think there must be some kind of spore in the air...
This is a super-fun End of the World romp, but be sure to give yourself some room to breathe and get up to move around a bit in between chapters so you don't start growing moldy.
[As a member of the DarkFuse Book Group, I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]
November 14, 2016
I think this was the sixteenth book by William I have read. I've been a big fan of Williams work since I read Clockwork Dolls and Broken Sigil to name a few of my favorites. Fungoid starts out with a body being found at a accident, his chest crushed by the steering wheel. But find little blood that looked almost brown. They find at the back of the left hand and forearm tiny red sores that look like they been scratched till they bled. They secure the area and the Doc looks at the body. Says this is the fourth case like this they have seen this morning. Then we find out about this acid type rain that is falling. This is when everything starts changing, people, plant life ...... I will stop here don't want to say too much. I have to say I enjoy the way William writes. He always keeps you entertained with his books. Everything is well written, has a good flow and isn't the same type (style) of book written over and over again like some writers do. If you haven't read any of Williams books, Darkfuse has plenty of his to choose from. I gave Fungoid 4 stars.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2017
Review copy
Fungoid is a terrific little "What if?" story sprinkled with enough factoids to up the believability factor.
Things escalated quickly for the rapid response team in the port of St. John's. "It's already all over town—and we have no idea what it is or how to stop it."
The story unfolds at a blistering pace as Meikle continues to raise the stakes in his latest terror-filled read.
As fantastical as the subject matter was , the characters each played to their individual strengths and were completely believable in their actions.
The situation is dire and the prospects for mankind's survivals are bleak. "The question has to be asked—and might be answered here, right in front of our eyes, 'Is this the way the world ends?'"
I've yet to read a Willie Meikle story I didn't enjoy. Recommended.
Fungoid is available in both paperback and e-book formats from Darkfuse publishing.
From the author's bio - I am a Scottish writer, now living in Canada, with twenty novels published in the genre press and over 300 short story credits in thirteen countries. I live in Newfoundland with whales, bald eagles and icebergs for company and when I'm not writing I drink beer, play guitar and dream of fortune and glory.
Fungoid is a terrific little "What if?" story sprinkled with enough factoids to up the believability factor.
Things escalated quickly for the rapid response team in the port of St. John's. "It's already all over town—and we have no idea what it is or how to stop it."
The story unfolds at a blistering pace as Meikle continues to raise the stakes in his latest terror-filled read.
As fantastical as the subject matter was , the characters each played to their individual strengths and were completely believable in their actions.
The situation is dire and the prospects for mankind's survivals are bleak. "The question has to be asked—and might be answered here, right in front of our eyes, 'Is this the way the world ends?'"
I've yet to read a Willie Meikle story I didn't enjoy. Recommended.
Fungoid is available in both paperback and e-book formats from Darkfuse publishing.
From the author's bio - I am a Scottish writer, now living in Canada, with twenty novels published in the genre press and over 300 short story credits in thirteen countries. I live in Newfoundland with whales, bald eagles and icebergs for company and when I'm not writing I drink beer, play guitar and dream of fortune and glory.
August 11, 2017
There's a fungus among us. When the oily rain starts pouring down, what follow brings mankind to it's knees. A fast growing fungus starts spreading and wiping out the vast majority of the population. Is it from outer space? Was it an experiment gone wrong? Does it really matter? The speed at which these deadly spores wreak havoc on the world is astonishing and it's decimating everything in it's path. We're left with only a few characters that have hung onto life by the skin of their teeth. One is a scientist that specializes in fungus and stumbles onto a possible solution. Will it work and, if it does, will it work in time or is this Mother Nature's answer to it's human problem?
Meikle's Fungoid is a fast-paced read that will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next and how will our heroes get out of this predicament. The characters are realistic. The situation is plausible. The suspense can be cut with a knife. I really don't have much for criticism for this one. Meikle was a scientist in a previous life and you can tell he knows his way around the fungus. What's amazing to me is that he makes it interesting. Funguses aren't that exciting to the vast majority of the population and I'll be damned if he doesn't make me eat my words. Good show, Willie!
4 1/2 Blue Hills out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
Meikle's Fungoid is a fast-paced read that will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next and how will our heroes get out of this predicament. The characters are realistic. The situation is plausible. The suspense can be cut with a knife. I really don't have much for criticism for this one. Meikle was a scientist in a previous life and you can tell he knows his way around the fungus. What's amazing to me is that he makes it interesting. Funguses aren't that exciting to the vast majority of the population and I'll be damned if he doesn't make me eat my words. Good show, Willie!
4 1/2 Blue Hills out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
May 12, 2017
3.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this new take on an apocalyptic scenario and would’ve happily read a longer version of this story over just a novella. In fact, I think it would’ve worked better that way. The characters were well developed, the fungoid sickness was super interesting and something new that I haven’t read before in other apocalyptic books. I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of an ending, or possibly a prologue, just to show what happened after the scientist’s discovery, but at the same time I liked the dramatic and emotional ending. Well done, I would happily read more from this author.
Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this new take on an apocalyptic scenario and would’ve happily read a longer version of this story over just a novella. In fact, I think it would’ve worked better that way. The characters were well developed, the fungoid sickness was super interesting and something new that I haven’t read before in other apocalyptic books. I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of an ending, or possibly a prologue, just to show what happened after the scientist’s discovery, but at the same time I liked the dramatic and emotional ending. Well done, I would happily read more from this author.
Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2016
Review: FUNGOID by William Meikle
Above all else in my love of the horror genre, I cherish implacability. [True in the mystery genre as well!] Prolific and accomplished author William Meikle masterfully delivers this element; in fact, I consider it one of his trademarks. In FUNGOID, a story determined to keep you wide-eyed awake, he brings together a seemingly natural process, adds the suspicion of human meddling, and a frisson of supernaturalism. Together, I raced through the pages as fast as my Kindle could handle.
Who can stop the rain? Who can escape airborne, determined, danger? None: not humanity, not wildlife, not the plant kingdom. Friends, the real Apex Predator is here!
Above all else in my love of the horror genre, I cherish implacability. [True in the mystery genre as well!] Prolific and accomplished author William Meikle masterfully delivers this element; in fact, I consider it one of his trademarks. In FUNGOID, a story determined to keep you wide-eyed awake, he brings together a seemingly natural process, adds the suspicion of human meddling, and a frisson of supernaturalism. Together, I raced through the pages as fast as my Kindle could handle.
Who can stop the rain? Who can escape airborne, determined, danger? None: not humanity, not wildlife, not the plant kingdom. Friends, the real Apex Predator is here!
November 8, 2016
There's something in the rain. Something toxic. Something deadly. It’s cunning and voracious. And it’s spreading at an alarming rate, consuming everything in its path.
William Meikle sure knows how to write a fast and entertaining tale. His characterizations are sharp and the action moves this one along at a breakneck pace. Very well done as usual from Mr. Meikle.
William Meikle sure knows how to write a fast and entertaining tale. His characterizations are sharp and the action moves this one along at a breakneck pace. Very well done as usual from Mr. Meikle.
August 14, 2017
This was a fun, fast-paced horror ride, with lots of action and a dark, menacing premise. Recommended for lovers of science and apocalyptic fiction.
August 13, 2017
Pacing can make or break any book. This book starts with a bullet and does not really slow down. The reader is introduced to each character moments before they are thrust into crisis, but it is done in a very organic way.
The characters have a very 1950's classic memes feel, but they aren't stale or predictable.
- Shaun Lovatt is "The Body." He is the hero who is physically fighting throughout the entire book.
- His wife Rebecca is "The Heart". She is the Mama Bear who is fighting to keep her family alive and together.
- Rohit Patel is "The Brain". He is the scientist who is uncomfortable around other humans, but is thrust into the role of leader
- Jim Noble. He is the reason the characters do not fit the classic meme. Because the antagonist of the book is nature and not an alien or an evil scientist, Jim Noble takes on the characteristics of walking embodiment of the evil our other characters must fight.
The entire novel had a 1950's feel, not in a dated way, but in the best of ways. I was reminded of The Death of Grass by John Christopher. There was a scene in the beginning of the that book where the main characters are burning out circles of diseased grass in their yard. I was strongly reminded of that scene when the circles of fungus started showing up in Mr. Meikle's book.
This book was just a good old fashioned romp. Probably more sci-fi than horror, but I still enjoyed it enough to go out and purchase a couple more of Mr. Meikle's books, and that probably say how much I enjoyed this book better than anything else I can say.
The characters have a very 1950's classic memes feel, but they aren't stale or predictable.
- Shaun Lovatt is "The Body." He is the hero who is physically fighting throughout the entire book.
- His wife Rebecca is "The Heart". She is the Mama Bear who is fighting to keep her family alive and together.
- Rohit Patel is "The Brain". He is the scientist who is uncomfortable around other humans, but is thrust into the role of leader
- Jim Noble. He is the reason the characters do not fit the classic meme. Because the antagonist of the book is nature and not an alien or an evil scientist, Jim Noble takes on the characteristics of walking embodiment of the evil our other characters must fight.
The entire novel had a 1950's feel, not in a dated way, but in the best of ways. I was reminded of The Death of Grass by John Christopher. There was a scene in the beginning of the that book where the main characters are burning out circles of diseased grass in their yard. I was strongly reminded of that scene when the circles of fungus started showing up in Mr. Meikle's book.
This book was just a good old fashioned romp. Probably more sci-fi than horror, but I still enjoyed it enough to go out and purchase a couple more of Mr. Meikle's books, and that probably say how much I enjoyed this book better than anything else I can say.
November 15, 2016
Horror and science fiction writers love to mess up our world. Whether it is a plague, an invasion, or some evil scientific experiment gone wrong, the weirder and more gruesome it is, the better. In Fungoid, the threat slated to destroy Earth as we know it is a little of all three. It seems to come down in the rain, then becomes a fungus that eat and invade any organism it can find. The idea of an invading organism coming down in raindrops gave me a few giggles as I thought of "Chubby Rain" in the movie Bowfinger. But once I removed that thought from my mind I was ready for the well written and seriously tense horror to be found in Fungoid. William Meikle outdoes himself in the world destroying plague department. Is the world eventually destroyed or do the humans manage to stumble through to a last minute save so they can live to fight another day. That is the dilemma in this non-stop action thriller that is part science fiction and part horror extravaganza. In novels like this, survival is never a given.
This is indeed action packed but the author does write some very good protagonists into the mix. There are four narrations going on that come together at the end. The most involving is the struggle of Dr. Rohit Patel as he attempts to find out what the fungus is and how to stop its dangerous spread. Meikle places little tidbits on fungus and plants through the book that add to our knowledge while we tense up for the battle between man and fungoid. There is also the two separate accounts of Shaun Lovatt who is trying to get back to his family, and his wife and children who are just trying to stay alive. Then there is Jim Noble, a member of a rapid response team who becomes part of the problem, All four stories fit together seamlessly. it's a graduate lesson on how to use multiple narratives to tell a larger story.
What the fungus is and how it gets here is part of the fun. The plot reminds me of a number of known science fiction disaster and invasion tales, Night of the Triffids, No Blade of Grass, and A Matter for Men being a few. Yet Fungoid is like none of them. Meikle's invading organism is both familiar and alien is its form and intention. These types of plague/invasion novels are usually fun but Meikle has made his story an especially neat treat of science fiction suspense and horror. I smell a movie in the future. Who knows? it would make a good one!
This is indeed action packed but the author does write some very good protagonists into the mix. There are four narrations going on that come together at the end. The most involving is the struggle of Dr. Rohit Patel as he attempts to find out what the fungus is and how to stop its dangerous spread. Meikle places little tidbits on fungus and plants through the book that add to our knowledge while we tense up for the battle between man and fungoid. There is also the two separate accounts of Shaun Lovatt who is trying to get back to his family, and his wife and children who are just trying to stay alive. Then there is Jim Noble, a member of a rapid response team who becomes part of the problem, All four stories fit together seamlessly. it's a graduate lesson on how to use multiple narratives to tell a larger story.
What the fungus is and how it gets here is part of the fun. The plot reminds me of a number of known science fiction disaster and invasion tales, Night of the Triffids, No Blade of Grass, and A Matter for Men being a few. Yet Fungoid is like none of them. Meikle's invading organism is both familiar and alien is its form and intention. These types of plague/invasion novels are usually fun but Meikle has made his story an especially neat treat of science fiction suspense and horror. I smell a movie in the future. Who knows? it would make a good one!
February 6, 2017
Thrilling, fascinating, and totally addictive. Fungoid is the epitome of a wonderful and weird apocalypse novel.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
December 5, 2016
The Blue Hills Are Calling...
4.75 out of 5 stars
This was definitely an interesting book. I know very little about fungus and any kind of mushroom, so when it got into the nitty gritty about the science behind some of this I was totally lost. But, then again, that's how we learn as humans. So, I find myself loving a book that can take a premise that I've read 20 different things about and do it in a new and intriguing way.
Fungoid was definitely an interesting book. It flips back and forth between a few different main characters. Most of whom are trying to stay safe in this new and dangerous world. One of them is attempting to figure out exactly what is happening. All of these characters were incredibly well written and made this book a breeze to finish.
This was my first novel by William Miekle, and I found myself enjoying the way the book was written -- even if there were a few parts that were obviously Canadian. Being close to Canada, I knew mostly what he was talking about, but there were still a few words that I had to look up (thank you built in dictionary on the Kindle).
Overall, Fungoid was an excellent read. I classified this as a bio-thriller because that's where it gets it's roots. (Once you read the book too, that's a fun double use of roots). There were some thoughts as to where they thought this had come from (I won't spoil any of them), but all of that just screams bio-thriller to me. This could definitely be classified as horror or apocalyptic, both of these genres fit with the way this book was written.
4.75 out of 5 stars
This was definitely an interesting book. I know very little about fungus and any kind of mushroom, so when it got into the nitty gritty about the science behind some of this I was totally lost. But, then again, that's how we learn as humans. So, I find myself loving a book that can take a premise that I've read 20 different things about and do it in a new and intriguing way.
Fungoid was definitely an interesting book. It flips back and forth between a few different main characters. Most of whom are trying to stay safe in this new and dangerous world. One of them is attempting to figure out exactly what is happening. All of these characters were incredibly well written and made this book a breeze to finish.
This was my first novel by William Miekle, and I found myself enjoying the way the book was written -- even if there were a few parts that were obviously Canadian. Being close to Canada, I knew mostly what he was talking about, but there were still a few words that I had to look up (thank you built in dictionary on the Kindle).
Overall, Fungoid was an excellent read. I classified this as a bio-thriller because that's where it gets it's roots. (Once you read the book too, that's a fun double use of roots). There were some thoughts as to where they thought this had come from (I won't spoil any of them), but all of that just screams bio-thriller to me. This could definitely be classified as horror or apocalyptic, both of these genres fit with the way this book was written.
November 1, 2016
Chalk up another X in the win column for Willie Meikle, on his latest dash through the apocalyptic rain in FUNGOID. This is the first novella in DarkFuse's 2017 lineup. There's a reason Shane Staley chose to lead off with Willie...you just can't go wrong buying or reading one of his books.
With plenty of characters to follow and root for my one complaint was that the book wasn't a full blown novel so that he could expand and describe all the people and go into all of the ideas he came up with.
While he describes the end of the world, the action takes place in his homeland of Canada. I found that to be a refreshing change of pace. And as science fiction goes, it felt like the classic sf that I grew up reading that was written from the 40's-60's or so.
I received my copy of FUNGOID from the publisher. I highly recommend you pick up a copy as well.
With plenty of characters to follow and root for my one complaint was that the book wasn't a full blown novel so that he could expand and describe all the people and go into all of the ideas he came up with.
While he describes the end of the world, the action takes place in his homeland of Canada. I found that to be a refreshing change of pace. And as science fiction goes, it felt like the classic sf that I grew up reading that was written from the 40's-60's or so.
I received my copy of FUNGOID from the publisher. I highly recommend you pick up a copy as well.
December 4, 2016
William Meikle's short novel "Fungoid" starts with a global catastrophe. Somewhere in the world, China maybe, an experiement has gone wrong and now an "acidic" rain is falling all over the world, dropping spores that kill anyone whom comes into contact with it. For some reason when I first started reading this novel, I was thinking of the original "Creepshow" movie from 1982, where a farmer, played by Stephen King, comes into contact with a meteor and a mossy fungus grows all over him and his farm. This event in "Creepshow" is much more playful and silly than "Fungoid", maybe because it is not an isolated phenomenon but a global event, one which threatens the existence of man.
The first half of "Fungoid" feels a little bit too big. Meikle presents a global crisis in few words. By mentioning major cities overran by this rain and fungus, it feels like he is setting up a much larger plot than what he eventually delivers. When he narrows it down the survival of less than a dozen characters, a family trying to get back together, a scientist that is trying to figure out a way to save the people trapped in the building with him, and the Disease Control workers trying to get to head of the crisis, the story really gels and moves along at a rapid pace. In the end, I really liked the way the the storytelling was handled, as if Meikle recognized that the plot was getting too large to control and decided to reel it. When this happens, "Fungoid" becomes a great, tense adventure.
In the end, this story really grows on you, and William Meikle puts the "fun" in "fungoid". (I tried, but I couldn't stop myself.)
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Darkfuse in exchange for an honest review.
The first half of "Fungoid" feels a little bit too big. Meikle presents a global crisis in few words. By mentioning major cities overran by this rain and fungus, it feels like he is setting up a much larger plot than what he eventually delivers. When he narrows it down the survival of less than a dozen characters, a family trying to get back together, a scientist that is trying to figure out a way to save the people trapped in the building with him, and the Disease Control workers trying to get to head of the crisis, the story really gels and moves along at a rapid pace. In the end, I really liked the way the the storytelling was handled, as if Meikle recognized that the plot was getting too large to control and decided to reel it. When this happens, "Fungoid" becomes a great, tense adventure.
In the end, this story really grows on you, and William Meikle puts the "fun" in "fungoid". (I tried, but I couldn't stop myself.)
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Darkfuse in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
https://anaslair.wordpress.com/2017/0...
Wow, what a ride! Fungoid was a really pleasant surprise. I didn't know William Meikle and I am so happy to have discovered him. It is amazing what the author was able to do with such few pages. And just when you think you have read every possible scenario of the Apocalypse, this sure takes a new enough spin on things.
I absolutely loved the prose. It was simple, straight to the point and incredibly eerie:
(...) they were met with deathly silence punctuated only by the sound of moisture dripping from the dead brown branches of the trees.
The tension was palpable and as the narrative evolved, the impending sense of doom was keen on crushing all hope of beating this horrible thing. The evolution of this menace, what it does to the world around the characters and how they react is so well achieved. Just when you think it cannot get worse... It does. Absolutely dismal. You just don't know if anyone is going to make it.
At first I thought there were too many characters but as the story moved on the main ones came together and the way it was done was really cool. The main strength of the narrative is not exactly the characters so I was happy to find that what I read of them satisfied me, and their development was quite realistic.
There were only a couple of things that bothered me here and there, things that I either wished had been better explained or just felt cheesy/too easy, but overall this was a really fast, creepy read and I will be dreaming of spores for sure.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Wow, what a ride! Fungoid was a really pleasant surprise. I didn't know William Meikle and I am so happy to have discovered him. It is amazing what the author was able to do with such few pages. And just when you think you have read every possible scenario of the Apocalypse, this sure takes a new enough spin on things.
I absolutely loved the prose. It was simple, straight to the point and incredibly eerie:
(...) they were met with deathly silence punctuated only by the sound of moisture dripping from the dead brown branches of the trees.
The tension was palpable and as the narrative evolved, the impending sense of doom was keen on crushing all hope of beating this horrible thing. The evolution of this menace, what it does to the world around the characters and how they react is so well achieved. Just when you think it cannot get worse... It does. Absolutely dismal. You just don't know if anyone is going to make it.
At first I thought there were too many characters but as the story moved on the main ones came together and the way it was done was really cool. The main strength of the narrative is not exactly the characters so I was happy to find that what I read of them satisfied me, and their development was quite realistic.
There were only a couple of things that bothered me here and there, things that I either wished had been better explained or just felt cheesy/too easy, but overall this was a really fast, creepy read and I will be dreaming of spores for sure.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 16, 2016
I received an advance review copy of this from the publisher Darkfuse in exchange for an impartial review.
I have read quite a few works by William Meikle and I anticipated wrongly on this one. He is a very versatile writer and ranges from serious and thoughtful noir and sci-fi to intentionally campy and fun B-Movie style monster romps, with some really well done homage pieces thrown in for good measure. With the title Fungoid I was expecting something like Quattermass crossed with Nature Gone Wild 60’s or 70’s Sci-Fi Horror.
Well I was partially correct. Fungoid is certainly scary Sci-Fi Horror but it is hardly a romp. Dead serious. Quite scary. I found myself believing the story could happen and I will remember those sinister spore spitting flowers for a long time. Reading it I felt like I did with Shute’s “On The Beach”—namely, that I like these people and they are clearly doomed. Much more about the people than the monsters or even the end of the world,—and this clearly is an apocalyse, this is about what we are willing to do to be with the people that we care about when the world is falling apart even if only for a few minutes.
I found this dark story to be moving and compelling and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys well written sci-fi.
5 stars.
I have read quite a few works by William Meikle and I anticipated wrongly on this one. He is a very versatile writer and ranges from serious and thoughtful noir and sci-fi to intentionally campy and fun B-Movie style monster romps, with some really well done homage pieces thrown in for good measure. With the title Fungoid I was expecting something like Quattermass crossed with Nature Gone Wild 60’s or 70’s Sci-Fi Horror.
Well I was partially correct. Fungoid is certainly scary Sci-Fi Horror but it is hardly a romp. Dead serious. Quite scary. I found myself believing the story could happen and I will remember those sinister spore spitting flowers for a long time. Reading it I felt like I did with Shute’s “On The Beach”—namely, that I like these people and they are clearly doomed. Much more about the people than the monsters or even the end of the world,—and this clearly is an apocalyse, this is about what we are willing to do to be with the people that we care about when the world is falling apart even if only for a few minutes.
I found this dark story to be moving and compelling and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys well written sci-fi.
5 stars.
February 10, 2018
Of all the things I have given you , I am glad I didn't give you this .
November 14, 2016
William Meikle's latest is his take on an apocalyptic tale. As expected, his angle on a well-worn genre is original and masterfully done. Fungoid follows various characters across Canada as a fungal infection quickly begins to take over the world. The faceless nature of the threat makes it even more alien and terrifying.
What I am most impressed with is the depth of Fungoid based on its length. This is a short novel, but it never feels that way. There is an impressive cast of characters, all of which the reader gets to know, and while the plot is fast paced it doesn't ever feel rushed. This is the kind of story that in the old days would be blown up in to a doorstop; Mr. Meikle keeps it lean and the book benefits from his restraint.
Finally, while mowing my lawn the other day I ran over a puffball. As the black powder inside rose in to the air, I had a moment of panic. How often can you say that a horror novel has affected you in real life? I would recommend this novel for fans of apocalyptic fiction or weird fiction. 5 stars!
What I am most impressed with is the depth of Fungoid based on its length. This is a short novel, but it never feels that way. There is an impressive cast of characters, all of which the reader gets to know, and while the plot is fast paced it doesn't ever feel rushed. This is the kind of story that in the old days would be blown up in to a doorstop; Mr. Meikle keeps it lean and the book benefits from his restraint.
Finally, while mowing my lawn the other day I ran over a puffball. As the black powder inside rose in to the air, I had a moment of panic. How often can you say that a horror novel has affected you in real life? I would recommend this novel for fans of apocalyptic fiction or weird fiction. 5 stars!
March 24, 2017
I knew when I first saw the cover release for Fungoid that I wanted to read it. The cover and the author did not disappoint. Dystopian/apocalyptic/pandemic stories are a personal favorite of mine; I can't get enough of them. I'm sure that says nothing about my disdain for humanity that I love reading about them getting wiped out.
William Meikle does an excellent job giving us a contagion that not only falls from the sky but that creeps into your soul. When something that we made in a lab is far more dangerous than anything mother nature could throw at us, living may actually be far more terrifying than dying. When it calls for you, will you answer?
Although Tormented is still my all time favorite book by William Meikle, Fungoid came in a pretty close second. Meikle is still one of my favorite DarkFuse authors and always a solid read.
I received this book from NetGalley and DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.
William Meikle does an excellent job giving us a contagion that not only falls from the sky but that creeps into your soul. When something that we made in a lab is far more dangerous than anything mother nature could throw at us, living may actually be far more terrifying than dying. When it calls for you, will you answer?
Although Tormented is still my all time favorite book by William Meikle, Fungoid came in a pretty close second. Meikle is still one of my favorite DarkFuse authors and always a solid read.
I received this book from NetGalley and DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2017
This was a really fun read. It's quick paced, and while it does have sciency bits, real or otherwise, it's never bogged down by too much exposition.
Also it's pretty awesome to see your hometown taken out by mushrooms.
Also it's pretty awesome to see your hometown taken out by mushrooms.
October 13, 2018
Great B Movie Inspired Story
This book felt a lot like Day of the Triffids (the movie.). William Meikle's writing reminds me a lot of James Herbert. And that's a good thing. If you like JH's work you'll enjoy Fungoid.
This book felt a lot like Day of the Triffids (the movie.). William Meikle's writing reminds me a lot of James Herbert. And that's a good thing. If you like JH's work you'll enjoy Fungoid.
April 23, 2020
A Fantastic Thriller!
A voracious fungi takes over the world! Our hero, a college professor with experience in biological fungus, searches for a weapon to destroy the murderous fungi and develop a way to help the infected. With the infection being contagious, all who comes in contact with it will become infected too. Will the courageous professor succeed in saving the world? Read this fantastic thriller and find out!
A voracious fungi takes over the world! Our hero, a college professor with experience in biological fungus, searches for a weapon to destroy the murderous fungi and develop a way to help the infected. With the infection being contagious, all who comes in contact with it will become infected too. Will the courageous professor succeed in saving the world? Read this fantastic thriller and find out!
October 19, 2016
I love a great apocalypse story, especially if it's creepy and biological in nature. And fungi that take over peoples' minds and eat them from within are absolutely creepy. There's a pervasive feeling of despair woven throughout this book, and you really do not expect anything less than total annihilation in the end.
Pros: Imaginative, creepy, marvelously descriptive.
Cons: The singing mushrooms reminded me a bit too much of the ones from 'The 10th Kingdom.'
Pros: Imaginative, creepy, marvelously descriptive.
Cons: The singing mushrooms reminded me a bit too much of the ones from 'The 10th Kingdom.'
January 2, 2017
A great apocalyptic novel
For a full review, please go to http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/ and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/ and follow me on Twitter @josenher
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews