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Ben Walker #3
Red Hands
In bestselling author Christopher Golden's supernatural thriller Red Hands , sometimes a story is a warning. Sometimes the warning comes too late
When a mysterious and devastating bioweapon causes its victims to develop Red Hands, the touch of death, weird science expert Ben Walker is called to investigate.
A car plows through the crowd at a July 4th parade. The driver climbs out, sick and stumbling, reaching out…and everyone he touches drops dead within seconds. Maeve Sinclair watches in horror as people she loves begin to die and she knows she must take action. But in the aftermath of this terror, it’s Maeve who possesses that killing touch. Fleeing into the mountains, struggling with her own grief and confusion, Maeve faces the dawning realization that she will never be able to touch another human being again.
"Weird s**t expert” Ben Walker is surprised to get a call from Alena Boudreau, director of the newly restructured Global Science Research Coalition. There’s an upheaval in the organization and she needs to send someone she can trust to Jericho Falls. Whoever finds Maeve Sinclair first will unravel the mystery of her death touch, and many are willing to kill her for that secret.
Walker’s assignment is to get her off the mountain alive. But as Maeve searches for a hiding place, hunted and growing sicker by the moment, she begins to hear an insidious voice in her head, and the yearning, the need… the hunger to touch another human being continues to grow. When Walker and Maeve meet at last, they will unravel a stunning legacy of death and betrayal, and a malignant secret as old as history.
When a mysterious and devastating bioweapon causes its victims to develop Red Hands, the touch of death, weird science expert Ben Walker is called to investigate.
A car plows through the crowd at a July 4th parade. The driver climbs out, sick and stumbling, reaching out…and everyone he touches drops dead within seconds. Maeve Sinclair watches in horror as people she loves begin to die and she knows she must take action. But in the aftermath of this terror, it’s Maeve who possesses that killing touch. Fleeing into the mountains, struggling with her own grief and confusion, Maeve faces the dawning realization that she will never be able to touch another human being again.
"Weird s**t expert” Ben Walker is surprised to get a call from Alena Boudreau, director of the newly restructured Global Science Research Coalition. There’s an upheaval in the organization and she needs to send someone she can trust to Jericho Falls. Whoever finds Maeve Sinclair first will unravel the mystery of her death touch, and many are willing to kill her for that secret.
Walker’s assignment is to get her off the mountain alive. But as Maeve searches for a hiding place, hunted and growing sicker by the moment, she begins to hear an insidious voice in her head, and the yearning, the need… the hunger to touch another human being continues to grow. When Walker and Maeve meet at last, they will unravel a stunning legacy of death and betrayal, and a malignant secret as old as history.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 8, 2020
149 people are currently reading
2140 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
798 books2,959 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
September 28, 2020
"Most people seemed to think beautiful little hamlets like Jericho Falls were too remote, too idyllic, for an epidemic to take root". The residents of Jericho Falls, New Hampshire gathered for their yearly Fourth of July Parade replete with floats traveling down Main Street. A roaring engine...screams of panic...a BMW careens into the crowd. The driver of the car emerges, is shot multiple times but moves through the crowd touching all those in his path. It's a "death touch", bodies seize, cough and gasp, dying in seconds. Twenty nine year old Maeve Sinclair, swinging an aluminum softball bat, makes contact with the driver then grabs and twists his wrist. He finally convulses and dies. "Was there a look of relief- a look of gratitude in his eyes?" Amid the chaos, cell phones are recording the carnage. Blackcoats arrive. Helicopters fly overhead. Hazmat teams are present. The town is quarantined. Fear of contamination...contagion.
Maeve stares at her hands. "A terrible knowledge stabs at her-she can never touch anyone again. Not ever." She runs from Main Street, past the river and into the woods. Maeve's escape turns from a run to a climb, up the "steep incline and inhospitable terrain...". "It felt as if there were two voices in her head, deeply at odds...Her hands itched with heat, fingers clenching with a need she refused to understand".
The BMW driver was an employee at Garland Mountain Labs. He was infected by something passed by skin contact. Death was imminent. Maeve Sinclair was now a carrier of this infection and must be found. Different factions comb the mountainous terrain in search for her. Dr. Ben Walker, a self described "weird shit expert" is summoned. Walker is "curious and buzzing with anticipation". Besides Walker, a security team of Blackcoats, foreign operatives and police hunt for Maeve. Walker wants to save her, others are weaponized and have a different agenda.
"Red Hands" by Christopher Golden is a top notch thriller. The implications of contamination and spread of this bacterial infection are "edge of the seat" horrifying, the writing compelling and the tome unputdownable! The characters both principal and secondary are well developed. Some were admirable, loving and caring, while others were despicable. The ending of the tome was unexpected, jaw dropping. Christopher Golden's novel could be an awesome cinematic adventure. I would certainly welcome it! Highly recommended!
I received a free ARC of "Red Hands" by Christopher Golden from Macmillan in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you Net Galley.
Maeve stares at her hands. "A terrible knowledge stabs at her-she can never touch anyone again. Not ever." She runs from Main Street, past the river and into the woods. Maeve's escape turns from a run to a climb, up the "steep incline and inhospitable terrain...". "It felt as if there were two voices in her head, deeply at odds...Her hands itched with heat, fingers clenching with a need she refused to understand".
The BMW driver was an employee at Garland Mountain Labs. He was infected by something passed by skin contact. Death was imminent. Maeve Sinclair was now a carrier of this infection and must be found. Different factions comb the mountainous terrain in search for her. Dr. Ben Walker, a self described "weird shit expert" is summoned. Walker is "curious and buzzing with anticipation". Besides Walker, a security team of Blackcoats, foreign operatives and police hunt for Maeve. Walker wants to save her, others are weaponized and have a different agenda.
"Red Hands" by Christopher Golden is a top notch thriller. The implications of contamination and spread of this bacterial infection are "edge of the seat" horrifying, the writing compelling and the tome unputdownable! The characters both principal and secondary are well developed. Some were admirable, loving and caring, while others were despicable. The ending of the tome was unexpected, jaw dropping. Christopher Golden's novel could be an awesome cinematic adventure. I would certainly welcome it! Highly recommended!
I received a free ARC of "Red Hands" by Christopher Golden from Macmillan in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you Net Galley.
March 26, 2021
A lovely little family is enjoying the local Fourth of July Parade when the unthinkable happens.
A crazed man goes on a murder spree and what's even crazier is that everyone he touches - dies. Like literally drops to the ground and dies.
Maeve watches her father get run down by the crazed man's car and when he doesn't stop, she takes a metal bat and takes him out.
Only, in that brief moment he hovered between life and death, she quickly becomes infected with whatever he had.
The bioweapon known as the "Red Hands" has escaped the laboratory and is currently attached to Maeve.
At first she's horrified by accidently causing death...but now she craves it.
This was an interesting take on the "zombie" apocalypse.
I really enjoyed getting Maeve's perspective for this one. The slow descent, the gentle rationings and the ultimate betrayal made it a compelling read.
I was a bit annoyed that no one seemed to get the importance of basic biosafety protocols but I am a bit biased (I work in a lab...so these things are second nature to me).
The plot itself felt a bit meandering but came together quite well in the end.
With thanks to Christopher Golden, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
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October 3, 2023
**3.5-stars rounded up**
In Jericho Falls, New Hampshire, Maeve Sinclair is soaking up the warm atmosphere of the local 4th of July parade, when the unthinkable happens.
A rogue car plows into the crowd, hitting several people, her father included. As if that wasn't bad enough, when the car finally stops and the driver stumbles out, he continues killing people with his hands!
Not by strangling, or stabbing, he simply touches them and they fall dead.
Maeve has to do something, she attacks the man, but unfortunately through some form of contact with him, she gets what he has: Red Hands, the touch of death.
Maeve can immediately tell something is wrong. She can feel it. She has been contaminated.
Before she can come into contact with anyone, and potentially harm them, Maeve flees into the mountains bordering town. Confused and desperate, she tries to figure out what to do next.
Hundreds of miles away, Ben Walker, weird science expert, is preparing to enjoy the 4th of July holiday with his son.
Unfortunately, before they can set off on their camping trip, Ben receives a call for help from Alena Boudreau, head of the Global Science Research Coalition.
She tells him that a devastating bio-weapon has just been released from a New Hampshire Laboratory, killing patient zero, and leaving one infected woman on the loose.
Ben's assignment is to go to New Hampshire and get Maeve Sinclair off the mountain and into custody before anyone else does.
Meanwhile, Maeve's family is anxious to get her back home. They don't understand completely what has happened to her, but as witnesses to the parade massacre, they know that she's in trouble.
Ted, Maeve's father, injured and struggling with his addiction, is having a hard time coping with all that has happened. In spite of this, he does assist local authorities in their hunt for Maeve.
Maeve's sister, Rose, along with her girlfriend, Priya, also head out to search the mountain. Rose feels she knows her sister well enough to guess where she would go to hide.
Ted's best friend, Rue, a biologist, also gets involved, by heading to the Laboratory to find some answers.
Once Ben Walker hits town, he joins up with the family and the hunt begins in earnest.
I had a lot of fun reading this book, but it is not the type of book that I would generally pick up. However, with this being said, I'm really glad that I did.
This action-packed novel grabbed me right from the very start. It is interesting as heck.
The entire idea behind it had me enthralled. I enjoyed all of the characters and although it started to go a little off the rails towards the end, it was no less compelling.
With shadow organizations, corrupt corporations and questionable government officials, this story certainly had a lot of baddies. All out to get our intrepid hero, Ben Walker, as he struggles to save the little guy.
Along the way, the mystery of the death touch begins to reveal itself. It was hella strange, but I was into it, nonetheless.
I really liked this. I am thinking about picking up the other two earlier books in this series.
The cases Ben worked on in those books were alluded to here, not in a spoilery way, but definitely in a way that made me want to go back and check them out.
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I certainly appreciate it!
In Jericho Falls, New Hampshire, Maeve Sinclair is soaking up the warm atmosphere of the local 4th of July parade, when the unthinkable happens.
A rogue car plows into the crowd, hitting several people, her father included. As if that wasn't bad enough, when the car finally stops and the driver stumbles out, he continues killing people with his hands!
Not by strangling, or stabbing, he simply touches them and they fall dead.
Maeve has to do something, she attacks the man, but unfortunately through some form of contact with him, she gets what he has: Red Hands, the touch of death.
Maeve can immediately tell something is wrong. She can feel it. She has been contaminated.
Before she can come into contact with anyone, and potentially harm them, Maeve flees into the mountains bordering town. Confused and desperate, she tries to figure out what to do next.
Hundreds of miles away, Ben Walker, weird science expert, is preparing to enjoy the 4th of July holiday with his son.
Unfortunately, before they can set off on their camping trip, Ben receives a call for help from Alena Boudreau, head of the Global Science Research Coalition.
She tells him that a devastating bio-weapon has just been released from a New Hampshire Laboratory, killing patient zero, and leaving one infected woman on the loose.
Ben's assignment is to go to New Hampshire and get Maeve Sinclair off the mountain and into custody before anyone else does.
Meanwhile, Maeve's family is anxious to get her back home. They don't understand completely what has happened to her, but as witnesses to the parade massacre, they know that she's in trouble.
Ted, Maeve's father, injured and struggling with his addiction, is having a hard time coping with all that has happened. In spite of this, he does assist local authorities in their hunt for Maeve.
Maeve's sister, Rose, along with her girlfriend, Priya, also head out to search the mountain. Rose feels she knows her sister well enough to guess where she would go to hide.
Ted's best friend, Rue, a biologist, also gets involved, by heading to the Laboratory to find some answers.
Once Ben Walker hits town, he joins up with the family and the hunt begins in earnest.
I had a lot of fun reading this book, but it is not the type of book that I would generally pick up. However, with this being said, I'm really glad that I did.
This action-packed novel grabbed me right from the very start. It is interesting as heck.
The entire idea behind it had me enthralled. I enjoyed all of the characters and although it started to go a little off the rails towards the end, it was no less compelling.
With shadow organizations, corrupt corporations and questionable government officials, this story certainly had a lot of baddies. All out to get our intrepid hero, Ben Walker, as he struggles to save the little guy.
Along the way, the mystery of the death touch begins to reveal itself. It was hella strange, but I was into it, nonetheless.
I really liked this. I am thinking about picking up the other two earlier books in this series.
The cases Ben worked on in those books were alluded to here, not in a spoilery way, but definitely in a way that made me want to go back and check them out.
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I certainly appreciate it!
November 23, 2020
Right out of the gate, RED HANDS rockets and careens all over the place, until BAM! It's all over before you even know what hit you!
It's July 4th and in a small New Hampshire town, people are celebrating by putting on a parade. Everything's hunky dory, until a car drives right into the crowd and takes out several people. During the ensuing panic, many witness the car's driver getting out of the vehicle and start touching people. Unfortunately, he appears to have some kind of sickness, because everyone he touches drops dead. One parade attendee, Maeve, takes a baseball bat to the guy and takes him out, but not before he touches her. She seems to be fine and immediately goes to check on her family, but when she touches them, they die too. Will Maeve survive this contagion? What IS the contagion? What the heck is going on? You'll have to read this to find out!
RED HANDS is the third book in a series that started with ARARAT. Ben Walker is the connecting thread between all three books, but each book does stand alone, so one could read this and not be lost. Ben Walker is a likable man; he's brave, he's smart, he's adventurous. As a character, he's really unforgettable. He's not perfect, but even his flaws, (and the fact that he recognizes his flaws), make him someone the reader can really root for.
Golden writes strong women. Some are powerful, wise and evil, others are spunky, wholesome and brave. Some are heterosexual, some are not...either way, women are represented in clear and realistic ways; I admire that and enjoy it in my fiction. (We don't usually see women in his books head down to the basement in their nightgowns, investigating noises, you know what I'm saying?)
I don't want to spoil anything by getting into the plot but I can say this was a tension-filled story, that turned my weekend reading plans into....well, just this book. I rarely say this, but RED HANDS was un-put-downable!
Highly recommended!
Available on December 8th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/3pQXTzT
*Thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!
It's July 4th and in a small New Hampshire town, people are celebrating by putting on a parade. Everything's hunky dory, until a car drives right into the crowd and takes out several people. During the ensuing panic, many witness the car's driver getting out of the vehicle and start touching people. Unfortunately, he appears to have some kind of sickness, because everyone he touches drops dead. One parade attendee, Maeve, takes a baseball bat to the guy and takes him out, but not before he touches her. She seems to be fine and immediately goes to check on her family, but when she touches them, they die too. Will Maeve survive this contagion? What IS the contagion? What the heck is going on? You'll have to read this to find out!
RED HANDS is the third book in a series that started with ARARAT. Ben Walker is the connecting thread between all three books, but each book does stand alone, so one could read this and not be lost. Ben Walker is a likable man; he's brave, he's smart, he's adventurous. As a character, he's really unforgettable. He's not perfect, but even his flaws, (and the fact that he recognizes his flaws), make him someone the reader can really root for.
Golden writes strong women. Some are powerful, wise and evil, others are spunky, wholesome and brave. Some are heterosexual, some are not...either way, women are represented in clear and realistic ways; I admire that and enjoy it in my fiction. (We don't usually see women in his books head down to the basement in their nightgowns, investigating noises, you know what I'm saying?)
I don't want to spoil anything by getting into the plot but I can say this was a tension-filled story, that turned my weekend reading plans into....well, just this book. I rarely say this, but RED HANDS was un-put-downable!
Highly recommended!
Available on December 8th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/3pQXTzT
*Thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!
November 10, 2021
My thanks to St Martin's Press, Christopher Golden and Netgalley. I loved this story! I loved the first Ben Walker book. Not a huge fan of the second, but this? This story was nearly as good as the first! Nobody can ever beat the first of a truly awesome series! But, the author can come close! This is just one of those books that I dreamed about! Fall asleep 😴😴dream! For 2 night's. I'm not lying when I say that Golden is very good at what he does! He almost always gets high marks from me. What I like most about this series is that Walker is a good man who has his priorities bassackward! He could be a Joe Ledger, except his DARPA are scrooges! Yeah, I love Golden and Walker!
November 20, 2020
Red Hands, an action thriller book, was a solid 4 stars.
Ben Walker is back on the job after a 4th of July parade ends up in disaster- a worker from the Garland Mountain Labs not only plows through the crowd at the parade but ends up killing people by his touch alone. Local woman Maeve stops the killings but by coming into contact with this man (and survives), she fears the repercussions and flees. Ben Walker has his work cut out for him-he must not only find Maeve (as others are searching for her also) but find out exactly what the Garland Mountain Labs has unleashed.
Red Hands was an entertaining and fast-paced book. Well developed characters and a entertaining plot makes it a must read. This is the third book in the series and I’ve honestly enjoyed all of them. Highly recommend to fans of fiction, action and thriller books. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ben Walker is back on the job after a 4th of July parade ends up in disaster- a worker from the Garland Mountain Labs not only plows through the crowd at the parade but ends up killing people by his touch alone. Local woman Maeve stops the killings but by coming into contact with this man (and survives), she fears the repercussions and flees. Ben Walker has his work cut out for him-he must not only find Maeve (as others are searching for her also) but find out exactly what the Garland Mountain Labs has unleashed.
Red Hands was an entertaining and fast-paced book. Well developed characters and a entertaining plot makes it a must read. This is the third book in the series and I’ve honestly enjoyed all of them. Highly recommend to fans of fiction, action and thriller books. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2023
Absolutely amazing. Just, wow. Review coming.
November 8, 2020
Red Hands by Christopher Golden is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. This book grabs you up in the first couple of pages and continues to hold you suspended until the last page! It's part supernatural, part science fiction, and all thrills and suspense! Unpredictable and creepy! It starts with a 4th of July parade but the author gives you the sense of foreboding. Then, IT happens! A stranger that can kill with a touch! That is only the start! Action packed and ready to rumble! Very intriguing and exciting book!
September 3, 2020
RED HANDS is book 3 in a series of books featuring "weird science expert" Ben Walker. The first book is titled ARARAT and the second book is THE PANDORA ROOM.
The good thing is: These are standalone novels. I didn't feel like I was missing out on too much by jumping into book 3 other than just that built-in love for re-occurring characters.
Golden wastes zero time building up to the action as chapter one explodes with chaos. I was reminded of the first chapter of CELL by Stephen King where the reader is an observer to a series of catastrophic events and tragedy right on page one. We meet Maeve Sinclair who is enjoying a small town 4th of July parade with her family when suddenly, a car comes out of nowhere and drives into the crowd at random. As she watches friends and family suffer under the wheels of a homicidal maniac, a fire burns within her and she risks everything to confront the driver as he emerges from his car. Everyone this man touches dies.
Maeve hits the murderer with a baseball bat and when he dies, something happens to Maeve. In an unexpected turn of events, she flees the scene to hide out in the nearby woods. All of this compelling and shocking action happens in the first scene!
"Weird shit" expert Ben Walker is called in to investigate a strange phenomenon known as the "Death Touch". He works for an organization that pursues scientific abnormalities and occurrences before the "wrong people" catch wind of them in order to militarize or weaponize them.
Walker is tasked with locating Maeve before the voices in her head provoke her to touch another human being.
I cannot stress to readers enough how utterly compulsive this book feels while you're reading it. The energy is masterfully held in tension throughout the entire development of the story. Golden never relaxes that sense of urgency he manufactures right in the beginning. It might sound contradictory, but I'm actually thankful that book 3 served as my introduction to Ben Walker because it is abundantly clear right away, Golden has developed this character thoroughly over the span of the previous two books. Walker literally comes alive on the page as a fully fleshed out human being that I immediately fell in love with. He's whip-crack smart, both intellectually and in wit/sarcasm. I also fell in love with Maeve and felt genuine concern and heartache for her safety. Of course, balancing out these two likable characters are the people hunting Maeve to exploit her and her new ability--making this one of the best supernatural thrillers I've had the pleasure of reading in a long, long time.
I hope Golden is successful in adapting this for film or television. This was a very cinematic reading experience for me. I will definitely go back and get the first two books in this series with all the hope and anticipation for more. All the praise and stars for RED HANDS.
RED HANDS (Ben Walker #3) is available from St. Martin's Press in December 2020
The good thing is: These are standalone novels. I didn't feel like I was missing out on too much by jumping into book 3 other than just that built-in love for re-occurring characters.
Golden wastes zero time building up to the action as chapter one explodes with chaos. I was reminded of the first chapter of CELL by Stephen King where the reader is an observer to a series of catastrophic events and tragedy right on page one. We meet Maeve Sinclair who is enjoying a small town 4th of July parade with her family when suddenly, a car comes out of nowhere and drives into the crowd at random. As she watches friends and family suffer under the wheels of a homicidal maniac, a fire burns within her and she risks everything to confront the driver as he emerges from his car. Everyone this man touches dies.
Maeve hits the murderer with a baseball bat and when he dies, something happens to Maeve. In an unexpected turn of events, she flees the scene to hide out in the nearby woods. All of this compelling and shocking action happens in the first scene!
"Weird shit" expert Ben Walker is called in to investigate a strange phenomenon known as the "Death Touch". He works for an organization that pursues scientific abnormalities and occurrences before the "wrong people" catch wind of them in order to militarize or weaponize them.
Walker is tasked with locating Maeve before the voices in her head provoke her to touch another human being.
I cannot stress to readers enough how utterly compulsive this book feels while you're reading it. The energy is masterfully held in tension throughout the entire development of the story. Golden never relaxes that sense of urgency he manufactures right in the beginning. It might sound contradictory, but I'm actually thankful that book 3 served as my introduction to Ben Walker because it is abundantly clear right away, Golden has developed this character thoroughly over the span of the previous two books. Walker literally comes alive on the page as a fully fleshed out human being that I immediately fell in love with. He's whip-crack smart, both intellectually and in wit/sarcasm. I also fell in love with Maeve and felt genuine concern and heartache for her safety. Of course, balancing out these two likable characters are the people hunting Maeve to exploit her and her new ability--making this one of the best supernatural thrillers I've had the pleasure of reading in a long, long time.
I hope Golden is successful in adapting this for film or television. This was a very cinematic reading experience for me. I will definitely go back and get the first two books in this series with all the hope and anticipation for more. All the praise and stars for RED HANDS.
RED HANDS (Ben Walker #3) is available from St. Martin's Press in December 2020
December 22, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via netgalley!
This books keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! The author has a way with words...descriptions feel so real you think you are smack in the middle of it running along with Maeve as she manoeuvres Her next moves following a horrific event. She keeps questioning and battling her human nature versus her red hands nature. A battle of evil versus nice internally. What would you do if your touch killed others?
This books keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! The author has a way with words...descriptions feel so real you think you are smack in the middle of it running along with Maeve as she manoeuvres Her next moves following a horrific event. She keeps questioning and battling her human nature versus her red hands nature. A battle of evil versus nice internally. What would you do if your touch killed others?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2020
Holy Crap, this is intense.
Red Hands doesn’t hesitate before throwing you into a read that manages to be action-packed, terrifying and heartbreaking! I loved every page of this.
I made the mistake of starting this before bed and ended up sleeping way too late – I had to get up for work the next morning. But hey, no worries, right? Except that the book was still on my mind and I ended up reading and was LATE to work. But see…I didn’t care. I had to read this one. It was that good.
And I simply loved the reason behind everything. No spoilers here. I’ll just say that the author gave a wonderful little gift to horror readers with exactly what was happening here.
This is simply a fantastic read. And I’m hanging onto it because I’m going to want to read it again!
Five very well deserved stars!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
Red Hands doesn’t hesitate before throwing you into a read that manages to be action-packed, terrifying and heartbreaking! I loved every page of this.
I made the mistake of starting this before bed and ended up sleeping way too late – I had to get up for work the next morning. But hey, no worries, right? Except that the book was still on my mind and I ended up reading and was LATE to work. But see…I didn’t care. I had to read this one. It was that good.
And I simply loved the reason behind everything. No spoilers here. I’ll just say that the author gave a wonderful little gift to horror readers with exactly what was happening here.
This is simply a fantastic read. And I’m hanging onto it because I’m going to want to read it again!
Five very well deserved stars!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
December 22, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via netgalley!
This books keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! The author has a way with words...descriptions feel so real you think you are smack in the middle of it running along with Maeve as she manoeuvres Her next moves following a horrific event. She keeps questioning and battling her human nature versus her red hands nature. A battle of evil versus nice internally. What would you do if your touch killed others?
This books keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! The author has a way with words...descriptions feel so real you think you are smack in the middle of it running along with Maeve as she manoeuvres Her next moves following a horrific event. She keeps questioning and battling her human nature versus her red hands nature. A battle of evil versus nice internally. What would you do if your touch killed others?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2022
Der neue (Horror-)Thriller vom Autor Christopher Golden wurde in der amerikanischen Presse sehr gelobt. Aus diesem Grund waren die Vorabstimmen so überzeugend, dass ich mich dazu entschlossen habe, dieses Buch zu lesen.
Inhaltlich begibt man sich als Leser nach Amerika. Genauer gesagt in ein kleines Städtchen am 4. Juli zu einer großen Parade. Wie aus dem Nichts rast ein Auto in die Menschenmengen. Der Fahrer klettert aus dem Auto, streckt die Hände aus und fasst diverse Menschen an. Diese Menschen kollabieren und sterben. Mitten im Geschehen befindet sich Maeve, die dabei zu schauen muss, wie ihre Liebsten umkommen. Kurz darauf entwickelt Maeve selbst die Fähigkeit mit einer Berührung Menschen zu töten. Sie flieht und merkt, dass eine Stimme in ihrem Kopf zu ihr spricht. Diese drängt sie einen anderen Menschen zu berühren. Parallel dazu wird ein Wissenschaftler beauftragt, der Sache auf den Grund zu gehen. Die Jagd nach Maeve beginnt!
Bei diesem Buch fand ich grandios, dass man direkt zu Beginn mitten im Geschehen ist. Aus diesem Grund legt der Autor schon von Anfang an ein hohes Tempo vor, welches sich auch größtenteils zum Ende hin vorfinden lässt. Somit kam ich sehr gut in das Buch rein und hatte genügend Zeit sich mit den einzelnen Figuren auseinanderzusetzen. Dabei wird die Geschichte aus Maeves Perspektive geschildert, sodass man all ihre Gefühle teilweise am eigenen Leib beim Leseprozess verspüren kann. Jedoch erhält man auch Einsichten in die Perspektive des Wissenschaftlers sowie weiteren Figuren. Dies fand ich gut entworfen, da man somit abseits von Maeve auch erfahren hat, was in der Rahmenhandlung passiert.
Spannung ist meiner Meinung nach reichlich vorhanden. Besonders die erste Hälfte des Buches konnte mich sehr gut fesseln, da man als Leser herausfinden möchte, was es mit dieser tödlichen Fähigkeit auf sich hat. Zudem ist die Jagd auf Maeve sehr actionreich gestaltet worden und es tauchen unterschwellig einzelne Gruselelemente auf. Auch wenn die zweite Hälfte spannungstechnisch schwächer war und das Ende meiner Meinung nach ausbaufähig wäre, fand ich die zweite Hälfte des Buches dennoch unterhaltsam. Schreibstiltechnisch habe ich nichts auszusetzen, da das Buch sich sehr gut gelesen hat.
Fazit: Dies war mein erstes Buch von Christopher Golden und auf jeden Fall nicht mein letztes. Ich wurde durch einen spannenden Plot gut unterhalten und fand die nacheinander langsam auftauchenden Gruselmomente hervorragend in das Buch integriert. Auch wenn die zweite Hälfte des Buches in meinen Augen schwächer war, ist das Buch dennoch unterhaltsam. Ich bewerte es mit 4 Sternen.
Inhaltlich begibt man sich als Leser nach Amerika. Genauer gesagt in ein kleines Städtchen am 4. Juli zu einer großen Parade. Wie aus dem Nichts rast ein Auto in die Menschenmengen. Der Fahrer klettert aus dem Auto, streckt die Hände aus und fasst diverse Menschen an. Diese Menschen kollabieren und sterben. Mitten im Geschehen befindet sich Maeve, die dabei zu schauen muss, wie ihre Liebsten umkommen. Kurz darauf entwickelt Maeve selbst die Fähigkeit mit einer Berührung Menschen zu töten. Sie flieht und merkt, dass eine Stimme in ihrem Kopf zu ihr spricht. Diese drängt sie einen anderen Menschen zu berühren. Parallel dazu wird ein Wissenschaftler beauftragt, der Sache auf den Grund zu gehen. Die Jagd nach Maeve beginnt!
Bei diesem Buch fand ich grandios, dass man direkt zu Beginn mitten im Geschehen ist. Aus diesem Grund legt der Autor schon von Anfang an ein hohes Tempo vor, welches sich auch größtenteils zum Ende hin vorfinden lässt. Somit kam ich sehr gut in das Buch rein und hatte genügend Zeit sich mit den einzelnen Figuren auseinanderzusetzen. Dabei wird die Geschichte aus Maeves Perspektive geschildert, sodass man all ihre Gefühle teilweise am eigenen Leib beim Leseprozess verspüren kann. Jedoch erhält man auch Einsichten in die Perspektive des Wissenschaftlers sowie weiteren Figuren. Dies fand ich gut entworfen, da man somit abseits von Maeve auch erfahren hat, was in der Rahmenhandlung passiert.
Spannung ist meiner Meinung nach reichlich vorhanden. Besonders die erste Hälfte des Buches konnte mich sehr gut fesseln, da man als Leser herausfinden möchte, was es mit dieser tödlichen Fähigkeit auf sich hat. Zudem ist die Jagd auf Maeve sehr actionreich gestaltet worden und es tauchen unterschwellig einzelne Gruselelemente auf. Auch wenn die zweite Hälfte spannungstechnisch schwächer war und das Ende meiner Meinung nach ausbaufähig wäre, fand ich die zweite Hälfte des Buches dennoch unterhaltsam. Schreibstiltechnisch habe ich nichts auszusetzen, da das Buch sich sehr gut gelesen hat.
Fazit: Dies war mein erstes Buch von Christopher Golden und auf jeden Fall nicht mein letztes. Ich wurde durch einen spannenden Plot gut unterhalten und fand die nacheinander langsam auftauchenden Gruselmomente hervorragend in das Buch integriert. Auch wenn die zweite Hälfte des Buches in meinen Augen schwächer war, ist das Buch dennoch unterhaltsam. Ich bewerte es mit 4 Sternen.
November 28, 2020
4.5
Book source ~ NetGalley
A Fourth of July parade in Jericho Falls is interrupted by something horrifying and the Sinclair family is in the middle of it. People are dying and weird shit expert Ben Walker is called in to contain the situation. But this…thing is already out of hand and it’s only going to get worse. Ben really has his work cut out for him this time.
This story starts out with a bang and doesn’t let up until the end. It’s the stuff of nightmares with horror, science, bioterrorism, suspense and thriller all rolled up into an awful scenario. After the Pandora incident in the last book, Ben has been sidelined by his higher ups and he’s been left out of all things DARPA for nine months. But then as he’s going camping with his son he gets a call, but not from his old boss. From his new one. Or is she? Ben’s not sure, but there’s shit happening in the US and he needs to get there and get it under control. He needs to intercept Maeve Sinclair before anyone else does and bring her in where they can contain her before anyone else dies. Quite a tall order even for Ben, but he tackles it as best he can. When he runs into Maeve he feels like he may already be too late to save her. However, there is more than a biochemical reaction going on with her. Something else is there, inside her, and it’s getting stronger. What. The. Hell?!
Having read Ararat and The Pandora Room, I had an inkling of what Ben would be up against - weird shit that is extremely dangerous. The story is super-fast paced and the characters are well-fleshed out. The tension is palpable, the suspense is the edge-of-your-seat, fingernail-biting kind, and the horror, well, it’s nightmare inducing. Eeeeeee! Seriously, this story is all kinds of fucked up. I highly recommend it!
Book source ~ NetGalley
A Fourth of July parade in Jericho Falls is interrupted by something horrifying and the Sinclair family is in the middle of it. People are dying and weird shit expert Ben Walker is called in to contain the situation. But this…thing is already out of hand and it’s only going to get worse. Ben really has his work cut out for him this time.
This story starts out with a bang and doesn’t let up until the end. It’s the stuff of nightmares with horror, science, bioterrorism, suspense and thriller all rolled up into an awful scenario. After the Pandora incident in the last book, Ben has been sidelined by his higher ups and he’s been left out of all things DARPA for nine months. But then as he’s going camping with his son he gets a call, but not from his old boss. From his new one. Or is she? Ben’s not sure, but there’s shit happening in the US and he needs to get there and get it under control. He needs to intercept Maeve Sinclair before anyone else does and bring her in where they can contain her before anyone else dies. Quite a tall order even for Ben, but he tackles it as best he can. When he runs into Maeve he feels like he may already be too late to save her. However, there is more than a biochemical reaction going on with her. Something else is there, inside her, and it’s getting stronger. What. The. Hell?!
Having read Ararat and The Pandora Room, I had an inkling of what Ben would be up against - weird shit that is extremely dangerous. The story is super-fast paced and the characters are well-fleshed out. The tension is palpable, the suspense is the edge-of-your-seat, fingernail-biting kind, and the horror, well, it’s nightmare inducing. Eeeeeee! Seriously, this story is all kinds of fucked up. I highly recommend it!
November 1, 2020
RED HANDS is the 3rd book in the loose trilogy of Ben Walker novels, the previous being ARARAT and THE PANDORA ROOM.
All of these novels are a blast to read. Full-throated adventure with a hero that deftly combines old-school Indiana Jones machismo and modern-day sensibilities. He's deadly, but he also cares. Sometimes.
RED HANDS, like all the Walker books, is chock-full of horror and thrills and violence, supernatural and otherwise, but Golden does a wonderful job of establishing all the characters in these books with humanity, so as a reader you empathize with them and feel their pain when things--as they're wont to do--go poorly.
I highly recommend all three books if you're a fan of horror-infused thrillers, but don't feel like you need to read them in order. Each story stands on its own.
Note: I received RED HANDS from the publisher as part of a review and upcoming interview with the author, which will go live on Dec 8 at Book and Film Globe (http://www.bookandfilmglobe.com).
All of these novels are a blast to read. Full-throated adventure with a hero that deftly combines old-school Indiana Jones machismo and modern-day sensibilities. He's deadly, but he also cares. Sometimes.
RED HANDS, like all the Walker books, is chock-full of horror and thrills and violence, supernatural and otherwise, but Golden does a wonderful job of establishing all the characters in these books with humanity, so as a reader you empathize with them and feel their pain when things--as they're wont to do--go poorly.
I highly recommend all three books if you're a fan of horror-infused thrillers, but don't feel like you need to read them in order. Each story stands on its own.
Note: I received RED HANDS from the publisher as part of a review and upcoming interview with the author, which will go live on Dec 8 at Book and Film Globe (http://www.bookandfilmglobe.com).
July 23, 2024
I missed my friend Ben and his impulsive nature. This was a thrilling, heart wrenching story about another contagion created by the government to aid in chemical warfare. What’s released is one of the most viral pathogens known to humankind that can be transferred solely via skin to skin contact.
Loved how Poe was brought into it. Gave a bit of Mr. Mercedes vibes in the beginning too which I loved. Queer side story 💞
5⭐️
Loved how Poe was brought into it. Gave a bit of Mr. Mercedes vibes in the beginning too which I loved. Queer side story 💞
5⭐️
October 9, 2021
RTC !!
August 27, 2020
Scientist and DARPA adventurer Dr. Ben Walker returns for his third go-round in Red Hands, a tightly wound horror thriller that just might be my favorite of this series so far.
A car, driven by a man carrying a supremely lethal infection, plows into a July 4th parade before the insane driver starts attacking those at the festivities by hand. His touch is instantly lethal, save for one, a young woman named Maeve, who he infects in his final moments. Panicked, and afraid of coming into contact with anyone else after all that she has just witnessed, Maeve flees for the isolating safety of the woods. After cell phone videos of the attack goes viral, Walker is tasked with recovering Maeve and keeping her safe, with the caveat, of course, that he won’t be the only one looking for her.
Christopher Golden has crafted a timely and supremely compelling read with Red Hands! Reading this in the midst of a pandemic helps, perhaps, if only to remind one that while COVID-19 is, of course, bad, it could also be a hell of a lot worse. The contagion at the heart of this book is absolutely vicious, and Golden describes its fast-acting effects in nicely gory detail as the infected are gruesomely killed off in only a matter of minutes. Being touched by a carrier of the Red Hands virus is a guaranteed death sentence, a conceit that keeps the tension high even as the story builds up a bullet train’s momentum.
While the killer virus angle is well handled, Golden doesn’t rest on his laurels, story-wise. As dangerous as it is, the Red Hands virus would make one hell of a bio-weapon, which means Walker has his work cut out for him in the race to find Maeve. There’s a bevy of Blackcoat operators and foreign intelligence agents gunning for her, and by extension Walker, too, making our central series protagonist a man against the world, almost literally.
And, hey, speaking of the world — our past two encounters have seen Walker off in some far-flung locales, like Turkey and the Iraqi desert, so it’s a welcome change of pace to see him operating on home turf. The forests and mountains of New Hampshire present a vibrant terrain, one that’s dissimilar enough to draw comparisons to the previous two books, but given all the action happening in those woods one best not get too comfortable with that home team advantage.
Red Hands excels as a bio-terror thriller, but it’s most definitely a horror novel through and through. Beyond the extreme lethality of this unusual bug, Golden injects plenty of additional weirdness to the proceedings, along with a few very welcome “HOLY SHIT!” moments, some that welcomingly recall his comic book pedigree, but which also remind you of just how well-earned that Bram Stoker Award win was for Ararat. The climax is an outstanding, high-octane action romp that also puts the emotional and physical horrors of it all front and center, along with some terrifically gooey, pulpy grossness that kept me glued to my Kindle.
Golden injects enough freshness into this third outing, along with expected chills and thrills, to prove there’s still plenty of life left in this series. It feels like a safe bet to say we haven’t seen the last of Ben Walker, but unless Book 4 comes out tomorrow I don’t think his next adventure can come fast enough.
A car, driven by a man carrying a supremely lethal infection, plows into a July 4th parade before the insane driver starts attacking those at the festivities by hand. His touch is instantly lethal, save for one, a young woman named Maeve, who he infects in his final moments. Panicked, and afraid of coming into contact with anyone else after all that she has just witnessed, Maeve flees for the isolating safety of the woods. After cell phone videos of the attack goes viral, Walker is tasked with recovering Maeve and keeping her safe, with the caveat, of course, that he won’t be the only one looking for her.
Christopher Golden has crafted a timely and supremely compelling read with Red Hands! Reading this in the midst of a pandemic helps, perhaps, if only to remind one that while COVID-19 is, of course, bad, it could also be a hell of a lot worse. The contagion at the heart of this book is absolutely vicious, and Golden describes its fast-acting effects in nicely gory detail as the infected are gruesomely killed off in only a matter of minutes. Being touched by a carrier of the Red Hands virus is a guaranteed death sentence, a conceit that keeps the tension high even as the story builds up a bullet train’s momentum.
While the killer virus angle is well handled, Golden doesn’t rest on his laurels, story-wise. As dangerous as it is, the Red Hands virus would make one hell of a bio-weapon, which means Walker has his work cut out for him in the race to find Maeve. There’s a bevy of Blackcoat operators and foreign intelligence agents gunning for her, and by extension Walker, too, making our central series protagonist a man against the world, almost literally.
And, hey, speaking of the world — our past two encounters have seen Walker off in some far-flung locales, like Turkey and the Iraqi desert, so it’s a welcome change of pace to see him operating on home turf. The forests and mountains of New Hampshire present a vibrant terrain, one that’s dissimilar enough to draw comparisons to the previous two books, but given all the action happening in those woods one best not get too comfortable with that home team advantage.
Red Hands excels as a bio-terror thriller, but it’s most definitely a horror novel through and through. Beyond the extreme lethality of this unusual bug, Golden injects plenty of additional weirdness to the proceedings, along with a few very welcome “HOLY SHIT!” moments, some that welcomingly recall his comic book pedigree, but which also remind you of just how well-earned that Bram Stoker Award win was for Ararat. The climax is an outstanding, high-octane action romp that also puts the emotional and physical horrors of it all front and center, along with some terrifically gooey, pulpy grossness that kept me glued to my Kindle.
Golden injects enough freshness into this third outing, along with expected chills and thrills, to prove there’s still plenty of life left in this series. It feels like a safe bet to say we haven’t seen the last of Ben Walker, but unless Book 4 comes out tomorrow I don’t think his next adventure can come fast enough.
September 29, 2020
STAR review in October 1, 2020 issue of Booklist Magazine and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2020/09... [link live 9/30 at 7am]
Three Words That Describe This Book: fast paced, terrifyingly realistic, intriguing frame
Series pivot, but not so much that it is not true to what came before. Will make fans happy and attract new ones. One of the best examples I can remember from this horror-thriller subgenre.
Three Words That Describe This Book: fast paced, terrifyingly realistic, intriguing frame
Series pivot, but not so much that it is not true to what came before. Will make fans happy and attract new ones. One of the best examples I can remember from this horror-thriller subgenre.
July 17, 2022
As much as I love Christopher Golden’s books, this one just didn’t quite do it for me like they usually do. And I’m not exactly sure why. Things I normally love about Golden’s books is: the realistic and unapologetic language his characters use, the final conflict doesn’t build for 300 pages just to be concluded in one or two pages, and no one, not even the main characters, are safe from gruesome deaths.
Red Hands starts out immediately with a car driven directly into a parade, killing and injuring many. But the carnage isn’t finish there, as the driver steps from the car, anyone he touches is dead within seconds. And soon, Maeve Sinclair finds herself inflicted with the same, horrific ability. She flees into the forest, only to be pursued by many individuals set on using her ability as a form of warfare.
I liked the storyline, though it seemed to meander at certain points. And some of it felt rather redundant. Not really in words but the concept of what was happening just seemed to repeat. The action lasted quite a while (one of Golden’s strong suits, in my opinion) but I don’t feel like the ending does much in way of a conclusion. Which is most likely alluding to a Ben Walker #4 book in the future.
I can’t point out that many things that I specifically didn’t like. Maybe it was that the characters didn’t do much for me and I didn’t feel like I connected to the story because of it. The book was entertaining, but I wouldn’t say it’s that memorable, despite the opening chapter’s intensity.
3 stars.
Red Hands starts out immediately with a car driven directly into a parade, killing and injuring many. But the carnage isn’t finish there, as the driver steps from the car, anyone he touches is dead within seconds. And soon, Maeve Sinclair finds herself inflicted with the same, horrific ability. She flees into the forest, only to be pursued by many individuals set on using her ability as a form of warfare.
I liked the storyline, though it seemed to meander at certain points. And some of it felt rather redundant. Not really in words but the concept of what was happening just seemed to repeat. The action lasted quite a while (one of Golden’s strong suits, in my opinion) but I don’t feel like the ending does much in way of a conclusion. Which is most likely alluding to a Ben Walker #4 book in the future.
I can’t point out that many things that I specifically didn’t like. Maybe it was that the characters didn’t do much for me and I didn’t feel like I connected to the story because of it. The book was entertaining, but I wouldn’t say it’s that memorable, despite the opening chapter’s intensity.
3 stars.
June 10, 2023
Liked the first Ben Walker book, not thrilled with the second one, but third times the charm!
January 5, 2021
*3.5 Stars
I find myself in a bit of a catch 22 with this book. This is book three in the Ben Walker series. If you don’t know Ben Walker, he is a government agent / scientist / special forces type. The adventures I’ve shared with him include unearthing Noah’s Ark on the side of Mount Ararat in Turkey and opening Pandora’s Box in a buried city in Iraq.
I think that it is important for an author to keep a series fresh so that the new adventure doesn’t feel like the last. Christopher Golden certainly accomplished this with Red Hands. But I found Red Hands lacking, it was missing that myth or archaeological overtone that was so predominant with the first two books in the series; it felt like Walker’s expertise was not used to its fullest potential. I guess you have to be careful what you wish for.
Red Hands was an advancement of the Ben Walker series. I can’t really say that I learned anything new about Walker; will he or won’t he make any changes with his relationship with his son? Who knows.
I would have to say that Red Hands stepped outside the rest of the series or what I would have expected for the character. It was kind of like if James Bond had gone after some drug cartel instead of saving the world from a mastermind criminal or protecting state secrets. It was good, just not what I expected.
Personally, I think that there are plenty of great myths and legends out there that could use Walker’s expertise and I would love to see the series get back to that.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
I find myself in a bit of a catch 22 with this book. This is book three in the Ben Walker series. If you don’t know Ben Walker, he is a government agent / scientist / special forces type. The adventures I’ve shared with him include unearthing Noah’s Ark on the side of Mount Ararat in Turkey and opening Pandora’s Box in a buried city in Iraq.
I think that it is important for an author to keep a series fresh so that the new adventure doesn’t feel like the last. Christopher Golden certainly accomplished this with Red Hands. But I found Red Hands lacking, it was missing that myth or archaeological overtone that was so predominant with the first two books in the series; it felt like Walker’s expertise was not used to its fullest potential. I guess you have to be careful what you wish for.
Red Hands was an advancement of the Ben Walker series. I can’t really say that I learned anything new about Walker; will he or won’t he make any changes with his relationship with his son? Who knows.
I would have to say that Red Hands stepped outside the rest of the series or what I would have expected for the character. It was kind of like if James Bond had gone after some drug cartel instead of saving the world from a mastermind criminal or protecting state secrets. It was good, just not what I expected.
Personally, I think that there are plenty of great myths and legends out there that could use Walker’s expertise and I would love to see the series get back to that.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
June 21, 2021
RED HANDS was an absolute blast from page one and didn't let up for a second. Man, I had a fantastic time with this.
If you're looking for something similar to Stephen King's Firestarter with the breakneck speed of Rio Youers' Lola on Fire then this will be right up your street.
Highly recommended.
Five stars.
I should add that there isn't fire starting in it. It's just on similar kind of vibe.
Don't want to send you down the wrong track here.
If you're looking for something similar to Stephen King's Firestarter with the breakneck speed of Rio Youers' Lola on Fire then this will be right up your street.
Highly recommended.
Five stars.
I should add that there isn't fire starting in it. It's just on similar kind of vibe.
Don't want to send you down the wrong track here.
February 15, 2021
The Sinclair family is enjoying the 4th of July parade when tragedy strikes. A car plows through the crowd killing several and wounding more. When the driver finally emerges from the vehicle, it is clear that he is ill. But, worse, he begins to touch people who immediately die horribly. Maeve Sinclair tries to stop him but, when she does, instead of killing her, somehow the illness is transferred to her. Ben Walker is called in to deal with the situation before it all completely hits the fan but he is too late and things just keep going from horrendous to downright nightmarish.
Red Hands by Christopher Golden is the third book with protagonist Ben Walker but the first I've read and I've got to say it's a real page-turner. It starts out with a bang and rarely lets up until the end. It's fast-paced with characters you can easily sympathize with. I would recommend not reading it at night, though, if you are trying to get some sleep because if this book doesn't keep you awake, nothing will!
Thanks to Netgalley & St Martin's press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Red Hands by Christopher Golden is the third book with protagonist Ben Walker but the first I've read and I've got to say it's a real page-turner. It starts out with a bang and rarely lets up until the end. It's fast-paced with characters you can easily sympathize with. I would recommend not reading it at night, though, if you are trying to get some sleep because if this book doesn't keep you awake, nothing will!
Thanks to Netgalley & St Martin's press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
March 21, 2022
"Ein Auto mäht sich bei der Parade zum 4. Juli durch die Menge. Der Fahrer klettert stolpernd aus dem Auto, streckt die Hände aus … und jeder, den er anfasst, fällt innerhalb von Sekunden tot um. Maeve Sinclair schaut entsetzt zu, wie von ihr geliebte Personen sterben, aber sie will helfen. Doch eine Folge der schrecklichen Vorkommnisse ist, dass Maeve Sinclair nun selbst die Berührung des Todes entwickelt. Sie flieht und erkennt allmählich, dass sie nie wieder einen anderen Menschen berühren können wird. Wer auch immer der Erste ist, der Maeve Sinclair findet, wird das Geheimnis um ihre tödliche Berührung lüften, und es gibt viele, die für dieses Geheimnis über Leichen gehen würden. Ben Walker, Experte für übernatürliche Wissenschaft, wird damit beauftragt, der Sache auf den Grund zu gehen. Doch Maeve fängt an, eine teuflische Stimme in ihrem Kopf zu hören, und der Drang, das Verlangen … der Hunger danach, einen anderen Menschen zu berühren, wird immer stärker."
Tja der Klappentext hat sich für mich sehr vielversprechend angehört und eigentlich erzählt dieser auch alles was man wissen müsste.
Die Geschichte ist wirklich in 1-3 Sätzen zusammengefasst.
Der Anfang war noch ganz in Ordnung, aber der Rest war sehr ermüdend, langweilig und zwei Drittel ging es nur um die Jagd von Maeve und um ihren Vater der ein Drogen/Alkoholproblem hat.
Jaaaaa wir haben es alle verstanden. Das Ende....was soll ich sagen... Einfach nur schrecklich und unglaubwürdig. Was soll das bitte sein? Ich bin richtig enttäuscht, denn die Idee der Geschichte hätte Potenzial gehabt. Vielleicht hatte ich auch eine Vorstellung von diesem Buch.
Insgesamt kann ich nur sagen: Kauft das Buch nicht.
1,5 von 5 Ottis
Tja der Klappentext hat sich für mich sehr vielversprechend angehört und eigentlich erzählt dieser auch alles was man wissen müsste.
Die Geschichte ist wirklich in 1-3 Sätzen zusammengefasst.
Der Anfang war noch ganz in Ordnung, aber der Rest war sehr ermüdend, langweilig und zwei Drittel ging es nur um die Jagd von Maeve und um ihren Vater der ein Drogen/Alkoholproblem hat.
Jaaaaa wir haben es alle verstanden. Das Ende....was soll ich sagen... Einfach nur schrecklich und unglaubwürdig. Was soll das bitte sein? Ich bin richtig enttäuscht, denn die Idee der Geschichte hätte Potenzial gehabt. Vielleicht hatte ich auch eine Vorstellung von diesem Buch.
Insgesamt kann ich nur sagen: Kauft das Buch nicht.
1,5 von 5 Ottis
December 26, 2020
Apocalyptic science fiction horror that doesn't seem to know where it wants its plot to go. It has its moments: a gripping beginning, eventual hints of ancient horror, some excitingly gruesome moments in the last act.
But unfortunately the hints aren't elaborated on, and the reader hoping for an explanation of it all is left disappointed. It seems to want to be a "Hot Zone" for 2020-era fears, but what could have been an opportunity for a Crichton-esque hard science thriller gave way instead to . Until then way too much time was spent in the middle three-fifths of the book on a unimaginative fugitive chase through the woods, including spycraft that felt out of place with Bond villain types and plenty of repetitive casual violence. And so much profanity that, as is usually the case, serves as substitution for decent dialogue. Characters, including the "hero", were not well conceived and I had trouble keeping them distinct in my head through to the end.
Maybe it would have made more sense to be read as part of the overall Ben Walker series. I didn't know about the series until after I started this book, which I came to after seeing a mention in the Washington Post (perhaps that should have been my warning). But as a stand-alone story too many elements from other genres are unsuccessfully shoehorned in that shouldn't be here.
But unfortunately the hints aren't elaborated on, and the reader hoping for an explanation of it all is left disappointed. It seems to want to be a "Hot Zone" for 2020-era fears, but what could have been an opportunity for a Crichton-esque hard science thriller gave way instead to . Until then way too much time was spent in the middle three-fifths of the book on a unimaginative fugitive chase through the woods, including spycraft that felt out of place with Bond villain types and plenty of repetitive casual violence. And so much profanity that, as is usually the case, serves as substitution for decent dialogue. Characters, including the "hero", were not well conceived and I had trouble keeping them distinct in my head through to the end.
Maybe it would have made more sense to be read as part of the overall Ben Walker series. I didn't know about the series until after I started this book, which I came to after seeing a mention in the Washington Post (perhaps that should have been my warning). But as a stand-alone story too many elements from other genres are unsuccessfully shoehorned in that shouldn't be here.
December 10, 2020
Christopher Golden sure knows how to grab a reader and pull them through an anxiety-laden, must-know-what-happens-next journey. Whew! There is something to be said for a book that can make me forget about the world, play a movie in my head while I read, and simply tell a darn good story.
Golden has a knack for storytelling. His character development, clean prose, and a great sense of pacing makes RED HANDS an enjoyable read. There are hints that this book connects to two previous novels with his character Walker, but readers will have no trouble reading this as a standalone; that was the case with me as well.
It's clear that Golden has spent time on research. There wasn't anything that pulled me out of the story or caused me to be unable to suspend disbelief. As someone who really enjoys horror, I think other readers of the macabre will appreciate the darkness in this book. There are some truly anxiety-riddled and gory scenes; by the last 1/4 of the book I was simultaneously revulsed and having a blast.
I think a good variety of readers will enjoy this fun read. I recommend it for fans of suspense, horror, thrillers, and quick/engaging books.
Golden has a knack for storytelling. His character development, clean prose, and a great sense of pacing makes RED HANDS an enjoyable read. There are hints that this book connects to two previous novels with his character Walker, but readers will have no trouble reading this as a standalone; that was the case with me as well.
It's clear that Golden has spent time on research. There wasn't anything that pulled me out of the story or caused me to be unable to suspend disbelief. As someone who really enjoys horror, I think other readers of the macabre will appreciate the darkness in this book. There are some truly anxiety-riddled and gory scenes; by the last 1/4 of the book I was simultaneously revulsed and having a blast.
I think a good variety of readers will enjoy this fun read. I recommend it for fans of suspense, horror, thrillers, and quick/engaging books.
September 22, 2020
Review Copy *4.5 stars*
RED HANDS book 3 of the Ben Walker saga which began with ARARAT, followed by PANDORA ROOM. As much as I loved the first two books RED HANDS didn't strike me quite the same way as the first two. Don't get me wrong - Golden's words fl0wed like water, just like always; no problem there! I think what bothered me was reading a 'bioweapon thriller horror story' during a pandemic. I can count the number of times I've left my house since January 2020 on one hand. Reading about a bioweapon, for me, is for when times are great.
RED HANDS is a stand alone novel that will interfere with any other books you planned to read or tv you planned to watch whether you like it or not. As much as it bothered me to read, I found myself compulsively reading it until finally, finally I reached the last page. Now I can move on to some light serial killer reading or somesuch.
From St. Martins Press. Check it.
RED HANDS book 3 of the Ben Walker saga which began with ARARAT, followed by PANDORA ROOM. As much as I loved the first two books RED HANDS didn't strike me quite the same way as the first two. Don't get me wrong - Golden's words fl0wed like water, just like always; no problem there! I think what bothered me was reading a 'bioweapon thriller horror story' during a pandemic. I can count the number of times I've left my house since January 2020 on one hand. Reading about a bioweapon, for me, is for when times are great.
RED HANDS is a stand alone novel that will interfere with any other books you planned to read or tv you planned to watch whether you like it or not. As much as it bothered me to read, I found myself compulsively reading it until finally, finally I reached the last page. Now I can move on to some light serial killer reading or somesuch.
From St. Martins Press. Check it.
November 14, 2021
3.5 🌟, 🙂😃😃.😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2020
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
When a contamination descends on the community of Jericho Falls, an infiltration of mysterious coalitions appear not only to quarantine the town but to capture the cause of a potential epidemic. Maive Sinclair finds herself and her family the center of an investigation of unusual proportions known as Project: Red Hands.
Christopher Golden focuses his creative intellect towards a living infection that drives the mind to madness, instills a merciless desire within and refuses to accept consequences to horrifying actions. The novels fine line whereby reality and fiction straddle is only a filtration mask and a hazmat suite away from the real world. For these reasons Red Hands adorns an all too familiar global face of bio-engineered bacteria, leaving the population and its victims desperate for answers and explanations. Having the backdrop to the story take place on a scenic mountainside terrain truly brings forth the savagery of escape and survival for the consumed and infected. With the race to obtain “the claim” and unlock ancient mysteries, Christopher Golden creates a haunting hunting ground where voices can be heard yearning for life, and lusting for death.
The structure of cliffhanger chapters, subtle momentum of storyline development and relentless unguarded suspenseful shocks make this book a five star home run that you won’t be able to put down. The underlying messages significantly correlating to the mortality of love, comfort and simple joys is an enjoyable theme and life lesson. Red Hands is published by St. Martin’s Press and is available in all formats.
When a contamination descends on the community of Jericho Falls, an infiltration of mysterious coalitions appear not only to quarantine the town but to capture the cause of a potential epidemic. Maive Sinclair finds herself and her family the center of an investigation of unusual proportions known as Project: Red Hands.
Christopher Golden focuses his creative intellect towards a living infection that drives the mind to madness, instills a merciless desire within and refuses to accept consequences to horrifying actions. The novels fine line whereby reality and fiction straddle is only a filtration mask and a hazmat suite away from the real world. For these reasons Red Hands adorns an all too familiar global face of bio-engineered bacteria, leaving the population and its victims desperate for answers and explanations. Having the backdrop to the story take place on a scenic mountainside terrain truly brings forth the savagery of escape and survival for the consumed and infected. With the race to obtain “the claim” and unlock ancient mysteries, Christopher Golden creates a haunting hunting ground where voices can be heard yearning for life, and lusting for death.
The structure of cliffhanger chapters, subtle momentum of storyline development and relentless unguarded suspenseful shocks make this book a five star home run that you won’t be able to put down. The underlying messages significantly correlating to the mortality of love, comfort and simple joys is an enjoyable theme and life lesson. Red Hands is published by St. Martin’s Press and is available in all formats.
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