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Night Train
From Emmy-award winning author David Quantick, Night Train is a science-fiction horror story like no other.
A woman wakes up, frightened and alone - with no idea where she is. She's in a room but it's shaking and jumping like it's alive. Stumbling through a door, she realizes she is in a train carriage. A carriage full of the dead.
This is the Night Train. A bizarre ride on a terrifying locomotive, heading somewhere into the endless night. How did the woman get here? Who is she? And who are the dead? As she struggles to reach the front of the train, through strange and horrifying creatures with stranger stories, each step takes her closer to finding out the train's hideous secret. Next stop: unknown.
A woman wakes up, frightened and alone - with no idea where she is. She's in a room but it's shaking and jumping like it's alive. Stumbling through a door, she realizes she is in a train carriage. A carriage full of the dead.
This is the Night Train. A bizarre ride on a terrifying locomotive, heading somewhere into the endless night. How did the woman get here? Who is she? And who are the dead? As she struggles to reach the front of the train, through strange and horrifying creatures with stranger stories, each step takes her closer to finding out the train's hideous secret. Next stop: unknown.
315 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2020
103 people are currently reading
1222 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
February 14, 2021
My wonderful friend Kasia sent me the paperback so I’m doing a buddy read with her and some other peeps are joining us at Horror Aficionados
Thank you, doll 😘
I’m at a stalemate still I’m leaving it at 3 Stars. I liked the characters and there were some bizarre and interesting things but.... I don’t know 🤔. And only a couple of horror type stuff, reads more like a sci-fi / mystery 🤔
Anyhoo, there you go damn it 🤣😂
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Thank you, doll 😘
I’m at a stalemate still I’m leaving it at 3 Stars. I liked the characters and there were some bizarre and interesting things but.... I don’t know 🤔. And only a couple of horror type stuff, reads more like a sci-fi / mystery 🤔
Anyhoo, there you go damn it 🤣😂
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
September 29, 2020
**AVAILABLE NOW**
So, uh...
Hmmm...
Well then...
Yea...
I think Night Train was supposed to be a horror novel, but it definitely was not. I'd say it falls more into the science fiction/mystery realm. But no matter the genre, this wasn't a great story.
The synopsis sounded so intriguing, although I admittedly didn't find the book cover particularly enthralling. Unfortunately, the story was choppy, the plot holes were numerous, the characters were not remotely believable, and the dialogue...oh, that dialogue...it was dreadful. When you're facing death, there is usually tension and suspense...not corny jokes and goofy asides.
I think that was my biggest gripe...as the characters explored this mysterious train, there was zero tension. They'd face a bizarre creature, then immediately go right to sleep. Shouldn't at least one of them stay awake as a lookout? There was also a weird fascination with food...they were constantly eating. And let's be real here...how long does it take to walk through train cars? These folks would walk through two, then need a nap and more food.
So much about this story simply didn't make sense. I had to force myself to keep reading, which means I absolutely am not recommending this one.
1.5 stars
Available September 29, 2020.
**Despite my negative review, I'd like to offer my sincere thanks to Edelweiss and Titan Books for my review copy.
So, uh...
Hmmm...
Well then...
Yea...
I think Night Train was supposed to be a horror novel, but it definitely was not. I'd say it falls more into the science fiction/mystery realm. But no matter the genre, this wasn't a great story.
The synopsis sounded so intriguing, although I admittedly didn't find the book cover particularly enthralling. Unfortunately, the story was choppy, the plot holes were numerous, the characters were not remotely believable, and the dialogue...oh, that dialogue...it was dreadful. When you're facing death, there is usually tension and suspense...not corny jokes and goofy asides.
I think that was my biggest gripe...as the characters explored this mysterious train, there was zero tension. They'd face a bizarre creature, then immediately go right to sleep. Shouldn't at least one of them stay awake as a lookout? There was also a weird fascination with food...they were constantly eating. And let's be real here...how long does it take to walk through train cars? These folks would walk through two, then need a nap and more food.
So much about this story simply didn't make sense. I had to force myself to keep reading, which means I absolutely am not recommending this one.
1.5 stars
Available September 29, 2020.
**Despite my negative review, I'd like to offer my sincere thanks to Edelweiss and Titan Books for my review copy.
January 26, 2022
Three strangers with no memory wake up on a train. Not your usual train, but a strange one filled with horrors and wonder. Every train car is different. If you live or die is based off your wits or maybe your new friend's abilities. Meanwhile, the landscape remains dark, ash is falling, and there is something huge on top of the train hunting them. I really enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing all the way to the end. Catch the Night Train if are looking for a solid, horror story.
January 29, 2021
My tastes have always leaned drastically toward the weird, so perhaps that's why I enjoyed Night Train so much. The writing, the characters, their speech patterns, the entire plot was all very odd.
I understand why others didn't enjoy it as much. It's certainly not the type of book for everyone. After the first 30 pages I thought...nope, won't finish this. But the longer I read the more I liked it.
I do believe its fatal flaw is that it's categorized incorrectly.
Night Train in my opinion is not horror, it's sci-fi. It may contain a few horror elements but even those are sci-fi in nature. I think it is definitely being directed to the wrong audience.
I understand why others didn't enjoy it as much. It's certainly not the type of book for everyone. After the first 30 pages I thought...nope, won't finish this. But the longer I read the more I liked it.
I do believe its fatal flaw is that it's categorized incorrectly.
Night Train in my opinion is not horror, it's sci-fi. It may contain a few horror elements but even those are sci-fi in nature. I think it is definitely being directed to the wrong audience.
July 23, 2024
A trippy journey with a bunch of unhinged characters and the token unreliable narrator through a hellish landscape on a train full of nightmares made flesh. Enjoyable but still meh... intriguing enough to keep the reader flipping the pages though.
July 28, 2020
2 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/07/19/...
It’s interesting that on the cover of this one there is a blurb from Neil Gaiman, because Night Train actually feels like a story Gaiman could have written and that his fans would like. And I definitely mean that as a compliment.
However, despite the wildly imaginative concepts in this darkly eccentric horror, the style was simply not for me. To put it plainly, this book was just straight-up weird. So weird, I wouldn’t even know how I would go about summarizing the story, but here goes nothing. As the novel opens, a young woman wakes up on a train surrounded by corpses. She can’t remember who she is or how she got there, but decides to adopt the name Garland based on the name patch stitched to the uniform-like clothing she finds herself wearing.
As the train continues to hurtle through a nightmarish alien landscape, Garland soon discovers the presence of other passengers, who are just as frightened and confused as she is. As a group, they all decide to work together to make sense of their situation, beginning their exploration of the train by going from car to car. But instead of answers, they only find more strangeness, like bizarre creatures and pocket worlds of surreal and impossible environments. There is no rhyme or reason to the things they experience, as everything on their mysterious train seems to defy the laws of the real world.
I think I realized fairly early on that Night Train wasn’t for me, but I persisted anyway, hoping the story would start making sense. And in a very surface-level way, a rough framework of a plot did begin emerging after a certain point, but unfortunately, the disjointed and abstract structure of the book didn’t change one bit. Needless to say, I felt untethered and lost amidst all this ambiguity, and I struggled as a result.
That said, I will give this book some major points for humor, which was an element I did not expect in this strange dark tale. Clearly, the author used the laughs to emphasize the surrealism of it all, and I have to say he did with great effect. We mostly have the characters to thank for this, as well as the crackling dynamics that resulted from throwing together a group of confused strangers on a train from hell. The characters themselves were well-written, even the couple of those with personalities that were deliberately exaggerated or over-the-top. It made for some hilarious dialogue and lighter moments that left me howling.
But while the humor might have alleviated some of the frustration I felt from the confusing storyline, I couldn’t say I really enjoyed the book overall. In addition to the muddled plot, the overall mystery also dragged somewhat, ironically because the author kept ramping up the chaos by dropping our characters into increasingly crazy and nonsensical situations without giving up any solid answers. Bottom line, I can only put up with being left in the dark and going in circles for so long until I begin to lose my shit.
Ultimately, Night Train was not the book I expected, though I’m glad I plowed on if nothing else to experience the humor. But as a story, it simply felt too fragmented and confusing, leaving me lost for most of the time. That being said, I’m sure the book will find an audience. If you’re a fan of postmodern dark horror with a good dose of the weird and surreal, you may enjoy this.
Audiobook Comments: The narrator has a rather strong accent, one which made me listen the audio of Night Train on a slower speed setting than normal, at least until I could get used to her voice and pronunciations. But other than that, I found no issues with narration or production, had a good listen.
It’s interesting that on the cover of this one there is a blurb from Neil Gaiman, because Night Train actually feels like a story Gaiman could have written and that his fans would like. And I definitely mean that as a compliment.
However, despite the wildly imaginative concepts in this darkly eccentric horror, the style was simply not for me. To put it plainly, this book was just straight-up weird. So weird, I wouldn’t even know how I would go about summarizing the story, but here goes nothing. As the novel opens, a young woman wakes up on a train surrounded by corpses. She can’t remember who she is or how she got there, but decides to adopt the name Garland based on the name patch stitched to the uniform-like clothing she finds herself wearing.
As the train continues to hurtle through a nightmarish alien landscape, Garland soon discovers the presence of other passengers, who are just as frightened and confused as she is. As a group, they all decide to work together to make sense of their situation, beginning their exploration of the train by going from car to car. But instead of answers, they only find more strangeness, like bizarre creatures and pocket worlds of surreal and impossible environments. There is no rhyme or reason to the things they experience, as everything on their mysterious train seems to defy the laws of the real world.
I think I realized fairly early on that Night Train wasn’t for me, but I persisted anyway, hoping the story would start making sense. And in a very surface-level way, a rough framework of a plot did begin emerging after a certain point, but unfortunately, the disjointed and abstract structure of the book didn’t change one bit. Needless to say, I felt untethered and lost amidst all this ambiguity, and I struggled as a result.
That said, I will give this book some major points for humor, which was an element I did not expect in this strange dark tale. Clearly, the author used the laughs to emphasize the surrealism of it all, and I have to say he did with great effect. We mostly have the characters to thank for this, as well as the crackling dynamics that resulted from throwing together a group of confused strangers on a train from hell. The characters themselves were well-written, even the couple of those with personalities that were deliberately exaggerated or over-the-top. It made for some hilarious dialogue and lighter moments that left me howling.
But while the humor might have alleviated some of the frustration I felt from the confusing storyline, I couldn’t say I really enjoyed the book overall. In addition to the muddled plot, the overall mystery also dragged somewhat, ironically because the author kept ramping up the chaos by dropping our characters into increasingly crazy and nonsensical situations without giving up any solid answers. Bottom line, I can only put up with being left in the dark and going in circles for so long until I begin to lose my shit.
Ultimately, Night Train was not the book I expected, though I’m glad I plowed on if nothing else to experience the humor. But as a story, it simply felt too fragmented and confusing, leaving me lost for most of the time. That being said, I’m sure the book will find an audience. If you’re a fan of postmodern dark horror with a good dose of the weird and surreal, you may enjoy this.
Audiobook Comments: The narrator has a rather strong accent, one which made me listen the audio of Night Train on a slower speed setting than normal, at least until I could get used to her voice and pronunciations. But other than that, I found no issues with narration or production, had a good listen.
September 30, 2020
I really like David Quantick, as a comedian, as a critic.. as a horror author? Not so much.
My problem with Night Train is that it never becomes real enough - the outside world is just darkness with some colourful explosions in it, it feels empty. All of the book reads like you're in a dream, which isn't bad in itself, but the lack of reality makes the horrific parts of the book not come across. The horror does not connect. All of it feels like a parable, which doesn't really work.
It also doesn't help that the book's set up instantly makes me think of Snowpiercer, and not unfairly. Characters are shallow and simple (back to the parable, again). All in all it reads a bit like a bad episode of (new) Doctor Who.
(Kindly received an ARC from Titan Books through NetGalley)
My problem with Night Train is that it never becomes real enough - the outside world is just darkness with some colourful explosions in it, it feels empty. All of the book reads like you're in a dream, which isn't bad in itself, but the lack of reality makes the horrific parts of the book not come across. The horror does not connect. All of it feels like a parable, which doesn't really work.
It also doesn't help that the book's set up instantly makes me think of Snowpiercer, and not unfairly. Characters are shallow and simple (back to the parable, again). All in all it reads a bit like a bad episode of (new) Doctor Who.
(Kindly received an ARC from Titan Books through NetGalley)
July 5, 2020
Night Train was very disappointing.
I love books where the plot features very few characters in a setting of constant danger and ambiguity. But, this didn't hold up. I was very close to DNFing this the first 25%, but I told myself that the train events were going to get increasingly crazier and crazier, so for then I was along for the ride.
But there was one massive issue I had with Night Train, which was the dialogue. In the horror category especially I should feel fear and empathy for the characters, but it completely lacked that. Of course, I didn't want a stone-cold book of survival, but when the three are confronting a monster I'd expect a little bit more of a reaction instead of just telling jokes and acting like this is all of what they've seen before. It drained all feelings I had for them and this book by the lack of fear or anything I was feeling.
I also did find the plot almost too simple. Yes, trains with a new mystery inside every carriage are supposed to be crazy, but I couldn't help feeling that I was a little letdown. It was the same old monsters and everything strange that you WOULD expect. Everything was predictable in an unpredictable way if that makes sense.
How I differentiate ratings between one star and two stars isn't necessarily how I felt about them, because they usually both make me feel the same way. But what makes this a one star is that I can't think of friends who are lovers of the horror genre whom I could recommend this to.
I love books where the plot features very few characters in a setting of constant danger and ambiguity. But, this didn't hold up. I was very close to DNFing this the first 25%, but I told myself that the train events were going to get increasingly crazier and crazier, so for then I was along for the ride.
But there was one massive issue I had with Night Train, which was the dialogue. In the horror category especially I should feel fear and empathy for the characters, but it completely lacked that. Of course, I didn't want a stone-cold book of survival, but when the three are confronting a monster I'd expect a little bit more of a reaction instead of just telling jokes and acting like this is all of what they've seen before. It drained all feelings I had for them and this book by the lack of fear or anything I was feeling.
I also did find the plot almost too simple. Yes, trains with a new mystery inside every carriage are supposed to be crazy, but I couldn't help feeling that I was a little letdown. It was the same old monsters and everything strange that you WOULD expect. Everything was predictable in an unpredictable way if that makes sense.
How I differentiate ratings between one star and two stars isn't necessarily how I felt about them, because they usually both make me feel the same way. But what makes this a one star is that I can't think of friends who are lovers of the horror genre whom I could recommend this to.
August 27, 2020
Not sure about this one, very original story in some ways but overall a bit disappointing especially as I had been looking forward to this story for sometime.
April 23, 2020
Absolutely brilliant.
Read in one sitting this is an amazingly crazy yet extremely clever read, surreal and wonderfully descriptive with an imaginative premise and a very visual feel to the prose.
Full review for publication but definitely highly recommend.
Read in one sitting this is an amazingly crazy yet extremely clever read, surreal and wonderfully descriptive with an imaginative premise and a very visual feel to the prose.
Full review for publication but definitely highly recommend.
January 19, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
So, I don't think I gave this book as much love as I should have. The reviews for this are so skewed that I figured I better at least write something about why I liked it.
I picked this up on a whim because Neil Gaiman blurbed this and thus I was immediately intrigued. Then I saw a blurb describing it as Snowpiercer on LSD, and after reading it I can say that's not too far off the mark.
It's a weird book, one that is bound to be polarizing. It's slow going, yet I was never bored. It's such a strange world and the characters are so hilarious that I couldn't help but keep turning the page. Also, let it be said this is the first full length novel I finished with my eyeballs in almost a year. I am a die hard audiobook listener and find reading with my eyes tiresome, but I devoured this book in a matter of days. That's a huge personal feat, that I feel really says something about this book.
The writing was super easy to get into, the dialogue between the characters was so funny and was a great contrast to the bizarre and sometimes terrifying backdrop. Quantick keeps you engaged and wondering what the hell is going on. The only reason this isn't a perfect five stars is because things wrapped up a little too quickly at the end and that felt a bit cheap. But, the journey is what really made this book a delight for me.
Granted usually the reverse is true and the ending makes or break a book for me, but this book was just something special to me. It compelled me and I came to really love this quirky cast of characters.
So, I don't think I gave this book as much love as I should have. The reviews for this are so skewed that I figured I better at least write something about why I liked it.
I picked this up on a whim because Neil Gaiman blurbed this and thus I was immediately intrigued. Then I saw a blurb describing it as Snowpiercer on LSD, and after reading it I can say that's not too far off the mark.
It's a weird book, one that is bound to be polarizing. It's slow going, yet I was never bored. It's such a strange world and the characters are so hilarious that I couldn't help but keep turning the page. Also, let it be said this is the first full length novel I finished with my eyeballs in almost a year. I am a die hard audiobook listener and find reading with my eyes tiresome, but I devoured this book in a matter of days. That's a huge personal feat, that I feel really says something about this book.
The writing was super easy to get into, the dialogue between the characters was so funny and was a great contrast to the bizarre and sometimes terrifying backdrop. Quantick keeps you engaged and wondering what the hell is going on. The only reason this isn't a perfect five stars is because things wrapped up a little too quickly at the end and that felt a bit cheap. But, the journey is what really made this book a delight for me.
Granted usually the reverse is true and the ending makes or break a book for me, but this book was just something special to me. It compelled me and I came to really love this quirky cast of characters.
August 1, 2024
I would okay with the odd plotline and not quite understanding what's going on, why or how until the end, if the ending had worked for me. Unfortunately the book didn't work out for me but interesting premise and I liked the first part of them waking up on the train and finding each other.
August 4, 2021
Night Train by David Quantick was 1984 meets Snowpiercer that fell unfortunately short for me. This book probably should not have been marketed as a horror book as it is more skin to a dystopian sci-fi and this misnomer of genre might be off putting to some.
While there is a lot of action in the book, not a lot actually happens. The novel itself becomes unbearably repetitive within the first few chapter. Characters walk into a train compartment. Characters sleep. Characters eat. Characters are attacked by a nemesis that is promptly defeated by the same character every time. And this formula continues uninterrupted throughout the novel.
There is never really any palpable danger. If the characters were to find themselves unable to escape off the train, suddenly in the next chapter the door leading outside magically opens. If the characters are confronted by a common enemy from the past, he conveniently dies on the next page. If they face a monster, it is defeated without any lasting repercussions for the characters themselves. No lasting wounds. No near death experiences. No conflict.
I was hoping for more suspense in regards to the characters backgrounds, but a lot of the mystery and secrets were resolved relatively early on in the book leaving me more confused than curious. My biggest critique is simply that there was a lot of potential going into this book, but very little payoff. Everything was resolved too quickly or too perfectly, and the ending was more of the same for me.
While there is a lot of action in the book, not a lot actually happens. The novel itself becomes unbearably repetitive within the first few chapter. Characters walk into a train compartment. Characters sleep. Characters eat. Characters are attacked by a nemesis that is promptly defeated by the same character every time. And this formula continues uninterrupted throughout the novel.
There is never really any palpable danger. If the characters were to find themselves unable to escape off the train, suddenly in the next chapter the door leading outside magically opens. If the characters are confronted by a common enemy from the past, he conveniently dies on the next page. If they face a monster, it is defeated without any lasting repercussions for the characters themselves. No lasting wounds. No near death experiences. No conflict.
I was hoping for more suspense in regards to the characters backgrounds, but a lot of the mystery and secrets were resolved relatively early on in the book leaving me more confused than curious. My biggest critique is simply that there was a lot of potential going into this book, but very little payoff. Everything was resolved too quickly or too perfectly, and the ending was more of the same for me.
October 14, 2020
This book wasn't what i was expecting. It kind of felt like picking up a random book and starting to read it somewhere in the middle shortly after ingesting a small amount of acid. This is what it would have been like if Alice or Dorothy had awoken in Wonderland or Oz with no memory of how they got there or who they are. That sounds like a interesting premise, but only because we are already familiar with those two fantasy worlds. I really felt that this book needed a lot more context to be enjoyable. We find out very little about this world and most of that comes at the end, too late to be of any use. I felt lost most of the way thru the book and stopped a couple times just to make sure I didn't accidentally skip a chapter or two.
September 16, 2021
I can see why people might not like this book. But I literally couldn't put it down and finished it in 24 hours. I enjoyed the writing so much and it let my imagination just absolutely wreck itself.
May 5, 2021
You know how Veep is crazy funny and might be the best modern political satire, while Avenue 5 was an exercise in jokes landing flatly with alarming consistency despite or because of the artificial gravity? Well, probably much in the same way, this novel from the writer of both of those shows, among other things, will work differently for different readers. Despite the hugely positive acclaim from very respectable sources.
For me, it worked pretty well. Been waiting to read it, the combination of science fiction and literary thrills and scares just too irresistible. So much so I’ve not actually read the proper description and I’m kind of glad I didn’t, this was a fun book to go into knowing nothing. Because that’s how the characters on the eponymous night train awaken into their new bizarre reality…clueless. Like Saw, but then again not really. Also, reminded me of The Cube, but ok, that’s enough movie references. Night Train is very much an original creation, a locomotive nightmare of seemingly endless proportions and seemingly inexplicable purposes.
Those who find themselves aboard will have to be brave, resilient and tough to solve the mystery of their situation. And in the end, this solution will boggle their minds and quite possibly, dear readers, also yours.
Unlike the actual train, claustrophobic, terrifying and featuring nowhere near enough canned food variety…Night Train the book has a lot to offer, it’s dark, frightening, exciting, thrilling, loaded with suspense and various creep factors. It’s also just as fast paced, action and dialogue driven and quirkily funny as you might expect from a comedy writer.
It’s definitely something of an oddball of a story, it flirts with many genres without settling on any and because of its tv comedy timing might seem insubstantial, but for me it proved to be sufficiently original and entertaining to merit the time. And the ending/grand reveal of this very dark version of a yellow brick road to Oz was pretty grand indeed. So yeah, a fun read, good worldbu…I mean trainbuilding. Overall a pretty wild ride. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
For me, it worked pretty well. Been waiting to read it, the combination of science fiction and literary thrills and scares just too irresistible. So much so I’ve not actually read the proper description and I’m kind of glad I didn’t, this was a fun book to go into knowing nothing. Because that’s how the characters on the eponymous night train awaken into their new bizarre reality…clueless. Like Saw, but then again not really. Also, reminded me of The Cube, but ok, that’s enough movie references. Night Train is very much an original creation, a locomotive nightmare of seemingly endless proportions and seemingly inexplicable purposes.
Those who find themselves aboard will have to be brave, resilient and tough to solve the mystery of their situation. And in the end, this solution will boggle their minds and quite possibly, dear readers, also yours.
Unlike the actual train, claustrophobic, terrifying and featuring nowhere near enough canned food variety…Night Train the book has a lot to offer, it’s dark, frightening, exciting, thrilling, loaded with suspense and various creep factors. It’s also just as fast paced, action and dialogue driven and quirkily funny as you might expect from a comedy writer.
It’s definitely something of an oddball of a story, it flirts with many genres without settling on any and because of its tv comedy timing might seem insubstantial, but for me it proved to be sufficiently original and entertaining to merit the time. And the ending/grand reveal of this very dark version of a yellow brick road to Oz was pretty grand indeed. So yeah, a fun read, good worldbu…I mean trainbuilding. Overall a pretty wild ride. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
March 10, 2020
All of My Colors was one of my top books of 2019 so I was excited for this one. A plot that reminded me of Snowpiercer it involves people trying to find a way off of a mysterious train. At just under 300 pages a lot of time is spent discussing various train car layouts. By the time you get to the end the master plot is laid out in Bond villian style. The conclusion wasn't very satisfying and the world was confusing. With a more sci-fi plot there wasn't enough meat on the bones with this one.
November 23, 2020
A rather disappointing read. I liked the premise: on a train hurtling through the endless night, a woman wakes up without any memory of who, or where, she is. As she starts exploring, she finds that the next carriage is full of dead people, and the things get weirder as she continues moving forward.
Even though I somewhat enjoyed the weirdness of it, I didn’t like the ending and the big mystery behind it all. The whole thing’s a bit silly, to quote great John Cleese.
No matter how weird or dangerous the situation they find themselves in, the characters always seemed so calm. There was never any sense that they were in any real danger, despite all the crazy things happening.
At least it was a fast read.
Even though I somewhat enjoyed the weirdness of it, I didn’t like the ending and the big mystery behind it all. The whole thing’s a bit silly, to quote great John Cleese.
No matter how weird or dangerous the situation they find themselves in, the characters always seemed so calm. There was never any sense that they were in any real danger, despite all the crazy things happening.
At least it was a fast read.
July 11, 2021
3.5 stars - this is an impossible book to talk about without bringing in spoilers. It is definitely not a horror story, although there are a few horror elements. It is more of a mystery, a “what is going on” story. The three main characters are interesting, but not empathetic. It is easy to read. I know why my wife brought it for me - it has a Neil Gaiman recommendation on the cover (but not one directly aimed at this book. I am not recommending it and not not recommending it. Take your choice.
January 24, 2022
This was on odd duck. It kept me intrigued but also had me anxious to hurry up and find out WTF was going on. This was some really "out there" horror/weird fiction, like Jeff VanderMeer, only written so the read can actually follow it. Also had more and more Snowpiercer vibes the longer it went on. In the end it did give us a taste for what led to the train being what it was, but I still would have liked to have known more details.
August 26, 2024
Fun and pacey at the beginning, but then it just keep going on much the same track throughout (pun very much intended).
Not sure if the revelation were supposed to be surprising or noteworthy, but I think the second half of the novel need another draft or two to really weave the ideas through.
I still enjoyed it, but it was a letdown.
Not sure if the revelation were supposed to be surprising or noteworthy, but I think the second half of the novel need another draft or two to really weave the ideas through.
I still enjoyed it, but it was a letdown.
August 30, 2025
Plot was not what I expected based on the synopsis, which was disappointing as this was a terrible story. The dialogue was probably the worst thing. Too many page breaks, too many awful poorly written attempts humour, nothing of substance ever gets said, just flat out pointless. Just a bad story, save your time. It gets 2 stars because at least it was easy to get through.
September 2, 2024
DNF
I just couldn't see this going and was bored silly
I just couldn't see this going and was bored silly
August 24, 2020
This week’s read, Night Train by David Quantick, is a sci-fi thriller with just a dash of horror sprinkled in for good measure. Set on a mysterious train travelling through the dark night, full of danger and the unknown; adventure abounds. Sounds like a winner to me. All aboard, this review is now leaving the station. Please ensure you have your tickets ready for inspection.
Garland is an enigma even to herself. She wakes up alone with no memory of who she is and how she came to be where she is. A name badge on her clothing is the only clue, but is that a red herring? As a central character she works well, her drive to find answers keeps things moving forward. For Garland, accepting the status quo is not an option. The fact she swears constantly when annoyed, she is annoyed a lot, was an added bonus.
The first person Garland meets is a strange man who goes by the name of Banks. He has been on his own for quite some time, having set up a home in a buffet car. Banks isn’t suffering from amnesia, he knows who he is, but can’t understand why he has woken up with someone else’s face. His backstory does a great job of fleshing out the wider world that the Night Train inhabits. It felt to me like Banks acts as the conscience that Garland is missing. Garland is often very single-minded and it is only Banks that makes her stop and think. They complement one another well.
The standout character for me though, is Poppy; she’s the wildcard. Confident to the point of smugness, she has all the best lines, has the snarkiest attitude and does whatever she wants whenever she wants. I love her mildly unhinged approach to everything. Poppy always has a plan of action, and it usually involves the most direct route to any given goal. When it comes to dealing with any obstacle, most people would consider how best to get over, under or around. Poppy tends to go with a default of through, whether there is an easier option or not. She has a gleeful no-nonsense expediency which leads to some of the novel’s best moments. I could quite happily read an entire novel of Poppy just getting things done in her own inimitable style.
The search for answers is always a good motivational tool when it comes to a hero’s journey, and on the Night Train there are more than enough questions to go around. As this dysfunctional little family move through each new carriage of the train, more secrets are unearthed. What unseen power is behind their incarceration? Why is it always night? Quantick drip feeds the reader little hints, scattering the plot with the odd flashback here and there to build up a sense of tension.
There some nice moments of dark humour here and there. Garland’s annoyance, Poppy’s snark and Bank’s prissy response when anyone drops an f-bomb are amusing. The constant bickering back and forth amongst the trio is fun.
The narrative is also punctuated by some moments of suitably visceral horror that were so unexpected they caught me entirely off guard. I’m sure this was a very deliberate choice on the author’s part. A word of advice, don’t snack while reading this novel. I can tell you this much, I won’t be eating soup again any time soon.
There is a cinematic sensibility to proceedings. Not as you might expect, a big screen summer blockbuster though, but something far more intense and personal. Night Train is the book equivalent of a claustrophobic little indie film where all the characters keep giving one another the side eye. Trust is in short shrift as the plot builds to the final reveal. We find ourselves continually asking the question – Who is good and who is bad? I loved it, I’m a sucker for a good plot twist or two.
Night Train is a delightfully dark experience. After much pondering, the closest I can come to describing it is the literary love child of Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer and the science fiction classic, Cube. My advice is sit down, relax, enjoy the journey and let the train take the strain.
Garland is an enigma even to herself. She wakes up alone with no memory of who she is and how she came to be where she is. A name badge on her clothing is the only clue, but is that a red herring? As a central character she works well, her drive to find answers keeps things moving forward. For Garland, accepting the status quo is not an option. The fact she swears constantly when annoyed, she is annoyed a lot, was an added bonus.
The first person Garland meets is a strange man who goes by the name of Banks. He has been on his own for quite some time, having set up a home in a buffet car. Banks isn’t suffering from amnesia, he knows who he is, but can’t understand why he has woken up with someone else’s face. His backstory does a great job of fleshing out the wider world that the Night Train inhabits. It felt to me like Banks acts as the conscience that Garland is missing. Garland is often very single-minded and it is only Banks that makes her stop and think. They complement one another well.
The standout character for me though, is Poppy; she’s the wildcard. Confident to the point of smugness, she has all the best lines, has the snarkiest attitude and does whatever she wants whenever she wants. I love her mildly unhinged approach to everything. Poppy always has a plan of action, and it usually involves the most direct route to any given goal. When it comes to dealing with any obstacle, most people would consider how best to get over, under or around. Poppy tends to go with a default of through, whether there is an easier option or not. She has a gleeful no-nonsense expediency which leads to some of the novel’s best moments. I could quite happily read an entire novel of Poppy just getting things done in her own inimitable style.
The search for answers is always a good motivational tool when it comes to a hero’s journey, and on the Night Train there are more than enough questions to go around. As this dysfunctional little family move through each new carriage of the train, more secrets are unearthed. What unseen power is behind their incarceration? Why is it always night? Quantick drip feeds the reader little hints, scattering the plot with the odd flashback here and there to build up a sense of tension.
There some nice moments of dark humour here and there. Garland’s annoyance, Poppy’s snark and Bank’s prissy response when anyone drops an f-bomb are amusing. The constant bickering back and forth amongst the trio is fun.
The narrative is also punctuated by some moments of suitably visceral horror that were so unexpected they caught me entirely off guard. I’m sure this was a very deliberate choice on the author’s part. A word of advice, don’t snack while reading this novel. I can tell you this much, I won’t be eating soup again any time soon.
There is a cinematic sensibility to proceedings. Not as you might expect, a big screen summer blockbuster though, but something far more intense and personal. Night Train is the book equivalent of a claustrophobic little indie film where all the characters keep giving one another the side eye. Trust is in short shrift as the plot builds to the final reveal. We find ourselves continually asking the question – Who is good and who is bad? I loved it, I’m a sucker for a good plot twist or two.
Night Train is a delightfully dark experience. After much pondering, the closest I can come to describing it is the literary love child of Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer and the science fiction classic, Cube. My advice is sit down, relax, enjoy the journey and let the train take the strain.
June 15, 2020
I like David Quantick as a music writer, and have seen his dry and very fast wit well represented in his TV comedy writing work (I know he did a lot of the heavy lifting of TV Burp which is not an easy gig). So I was interested in this dystopian sci-fi novel from him, which I assumed would be a blackly comic romp. Well its a romp, and there are gags in it (kudos for the Stations Of The Cross becoming the Stations Of The Very Angry), but this did not really work for me. Whilst its got gonzo ideas to spare, and starts with a solid bang* the plot and setting makes little sense, even when the god character turns up and explains everything. Its episodic, visual and reminded me of nothing more than the outline for a 90's 2000AD script where satire battles with the need for a cliffhanger every five pages.
The Night Train is a train which our heroine Garland wakes up on. Its empty, except a carriage full of dead people. It doesn't stop, but outside is some sort of hellish landscape. She soon comes across Banks in a buffet car (Quantick puts a lot of buffet cars in his train to allow for exploration), a gruff man who remembers his past well enough but not the past well enough to recognise that the two of them are named after SF authors (initially I though Garland was Judy, considering mysterious waking up is very Dorothy). After a few monsters on the train they come across Poppy a superpowered cyborg teen skier (cue flashbacks), and nothing really makes any sense after this. I understand that the train is a metaphor - I've seen Snowpiercer - but it is also a train. So carriages with bizarre monsters in, traps, clones, more buffet cars all sort of mean something. But it is mainly for stuff to happen before we get to the revelation which tries to sell the line that in an endless war the safest place to be is on a constantly moving train. If I learnt anything from watching Lost is that the longer you set up a meaningful mystery the more the revelation has to make sense. In this one it is unclear the timeline of events, how many people are left in the world, the level of technology (we have cyborg skier but train...?) It feels cobbled together from lots of other dystopias without too much naturalisation - I do not need everything to be explained but when you add a character in to explain it well he has to convince. Best read as for the moments of light wit, and if you like sweary gorey carnage - but even then I would probably direct you to better 2000AD strips.
*Its not his fault that its the second book I have read in a fortnight where a female protagonist wakes up with no memory. But it does now feel a bit of a hackneyed way of letting me know the protagonist was a baddie in the past and I want you to have some sympathy before you discover who they are.
[NetGalley ARC]
The Night Train is a train which our heroine Garland wakes up on. Its empty, except a carriage full of dead people. It doesn't stop, but outside is some sort of hellish landscape. She soon comes across Banks in a buffet car (Quantick puts a lot of buffet cars in his train to allow for exploration), a gruff man who remembers his past well enough but not the past well enough to recognise that the two of them are named after SF authors (initially I though Garland was Judy, considering mysterious waking up is very Dorothy). After a few monsters on the train they come across Poppy a superpowered cyborg teen skier (cue flashbacks), and nothing really makes any sense after this. I understand that the train is a metaphor - I've seen Snowpiercer - but it is also a train. So carriages with bizarre monsters in, traps, clones, more buffet cars all sort of mean something. But it is mainly for stuff to happen before we get to the revelation which tries to sell the line that in an endless war the safest place to be is on a constantly moving train. If I learnt anything from watching Lost is that the longer you set up a meaningful mystery the more the revelation has to make sense. In this one it is unclear the timeline of events, how many people are left in the world, the level of technology (we have cyborg skier but train...?) It feels cobbled together from lots of other dystopias without too much naturalisation - I do not need everything to be explained but when you add a character in to explain it well he has to convince. Best read as for the moments of light wit, and if you like sweary gorey carnage - but even then I would probably direct you to better 2000AD strips.
*Its not his fault that its the second book I have read in a fortnight where a female protagonist wakes up with no memory. But it does now feel a bit of a hackneyed way of letting me know the protagonist was a baddie in the past and I want you to have some sympathy before you discover who they are.
[NetGalley ARC]
June 15, 2020
‘Night Train’ by David Quantick was not on my radar at all, until I saw Tony Jones comment on a Twitter thread or Facebook post that he was reading it and was really enjoying it.
I jumped onto Netgalley to take a look and was intrigued by the cover, the synopsis but also the endorsement by Neil Gaiman. I was a bit worried about requesting it through Netgalley, as I’d been turned down more times than approved, so I kept my hopes low. When I got the notification that I had been approved, I was so excited! I dove into this one right away.
What I liked: ‘Night Train’ is just that – a locomotive out of control, barrelling down the tracks. This book was equal parts ‘Snowpiercer’ and ‘1984.’ We are introduced to a woman, who awakens on a train. She has no idea how or why she is there and is even unsure of who she is. From there Quantick creates a truly engrossing and engaging claustrophobic story. I couldn’t stop reading this one. Usually I have five or six books on the go, but once I started this one, I had to read it before anything else. I wanted to know just what the heck was going on, who these characters were and as we begin to learn more and more about the back story, the world outside of the train and speed towards the finale, I was pulled in harder and harder.
Quantick has an Emmy win for his work on ‘Veep’ which means a lot of this is dialogue driven, which worked really well. The banter between the three characters that are ultimately introduced was fantastic and made them that much more relatable, especially as their individual back stories are shared.
The train itself, while not fully a character as the setting, also brings an added element. Truthfully, I sometimes get turned off by stories purely centered on action on trains, simply because that’s it, there is nowhere else to go, but Quantick quickly dispelled any reservations I had.
Lastly, the things that are encountered on the various train cars are fantastic and with the way this book ended, I sure hope we get a follow up.
What I didn’t like: One thing this book is lacking is ‘definitive answers.’ Ultimately, I think this will be the thing that will sway a reader whether they loved this book or it wasn’t for them. I ate it up, but that was the biggest thing I kept repeating to myself – I wanted just a bit more information, a bit more definition or details.
Why you should buy this: Titan Books continue to put out some truly stunning works and ‘Night Train’ is another fantastic addition. This book was thoroughly engrossing and as mentioned before, I simply couldn’t put it down. The characters were great and the dystopian/apocalyptic world outside of the train was mesmerizing. This was a winner from page one all the way until the end.
I jumped onto Netgalley to take a look and was intrigued by the cover, the synopsis but also the endorsement by Neil Gaiman. I was a bit worried about requesting it through Netgalley, as I’d been turned down more times than approved, so I kept my hopes low. When I got the notification that I had been approved, I was so excited! I dove into this one right away.
What I liked: ‘Night Train’ is just that – a locomotive out of control, barrelling down the tracks. This book was equal parts ‘Snowpiercer’ and ‘1984.’ We are introduced to a woman, who awakens on a train. She has no idea how or why she is there and is even unsure of who she is. From there Quantick creates a truly engrossing and engaging claustrophobic story. I couldn’t stop reading this one. Usually I have five or six books on the go, but once I started this one, I had to read it before anything else. I wanted to know just what the heck was going on, who these characters were and as we begin to learn more and more about the back story, the world outside of the train and speed towards the finale, I was pulled in harder and harder.
Quantick has an Emmy win for his work on ‘Veep’ which means a lot of this is dialogue driven, which worked really well. The banter between the three characters that are ultimately introduced was fantastic and made them that much more relatable, especially as their individual back stories are shared.
The train itself, while not fully a character as the setting, also brings an added element. Truthfully, I sometimes get turned off by stories purely centered on action on trains, simply because that’s it, there is nowhere else to go, but Quantick quickly dispelled any reservations I had.
Lastly, the things that are encountered on the various train cars are fantastic and with the way this book ended, I sure hope we get a follow up.
What I didn’t like: One thing this book is lacking is ‘definitive answers.’ Ultimately, I think this will be the thing that will sway a reader whether they loved this book or it wasn’t for them. I ate it up, but that was the biggest thing I kept repeating to myself – I wanted just a bit more information, a bit more definition or details.
Why you should buy this: Titan Books continue to put out some truly stunning works and ‘Night Train’ is another fantastic addition. This book was thoroughly engrossing and as mentioned before, I simply couldn’t put it down. The characters were great and the dystopian/apocalyptic world outside of the train was mesmerizing. This was a winner from page one all the way until the end.
September 14, 2021
The back-cover blurbs prompted me to pick this up. I was looking for an author with a Q in the name to help me complete a challenge with the Horror Afficionados. While there are horrific elements here, it's a bit of stretch to categorize this as a horror novel.
Science-fiction and/or dark fantasy seem more appropriate. The mystery is not of the traditional type. Readers only know as much as the main characters when the book opens, and that doesn't amount to much: we're on a weird mystery train with odd carriages, we don't know why, we don't know who we are or how we got here. That kept me going and turning pages as main character Garland meets her other two companions and they explore the train together, working their way towards where they believe the main cabin is while trying to survive several dangerous situations.
The interludes that provide some backstory for Garland, Banks and Poppy create more curiosity.
That kept me going through the half way mark, when I began to tire of the continuing exploration and new mysteries. I was reminded of the LOST television series that just kept adding new elements and mysteries without providing any resolution. Like the ending of LOST, NIGHT TRAIN provides some explanation but leaves a lot unanswered. It was a bit ant-climatic for me. And the symbolism/metaphors became a mite heavy-handed.
I don't regret reading this. I just liked the first part of the novel so much more than the rest. A noble experiment. If the book description appeals to you, give it a chance to win you over.
Science-fiction and/or dark fantasy seem more appropriate. The mystery is not of the traditional type. Readers only know as much as the main characters when the book opens, and that doesn't amount to much: we're on a weird mystery train with odd carriages, we don't know why, we don't know who we are or how we got here. That kept me going and turning pages as main character Garland meets her other two companions and they explore the train together, working their way towards where they believe the main cabin is while trying to survive several dangerous situations.
The interludes that provide some backstory for Garland, Banks and Poppy create more curiosity.
That kept me going through the half way mark, when I began to tire of the continuing exploration and new mysteries. I was reminded of the LOST television series that just kept adding new elements and mysteries without providing any resolution. Like the ending of LOST, NIGHT TRAIN provides some explanation but leaves a lot unanswered. It was a bit ant-climatic for me. And the symbolism/metaphors became a mite heavy-handed.
I don't regret reading this. I just liked the first part of the novel so much more than the rest. A noble experiment. If the book description appeals to you, give it a chance to win you over.
December 20, 2020
I loved this so much. Wizard of Oz meets The Good Place meets Snowpiercer? It was just so weird and fascinating and FUN. Like walking through a museum of weird shit with weird people. One of my favorites of the year.
January 2, 2022
This was a book that absolutely ran with its interesting premise. A good story with tension and humour and great characters. Not entirely sure the ending worked fully as it felt a bit anticlimactic but still found it satisfying.
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