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The Cold
It was an English summers day like any other until the snow began to fall and kept falling. Within hours, the entire country was buried beneath a freezing white blanket. And hidden within the blizzard conditions things began to move and kill and feast.
Seth is one of the few passengers to survive the train crash. Now he and his fellow survivors face a new world of snow, ice and freezing fog, where they will be hunted like prey in the ruins of Great Britain.
They must run.
They must hide.
They must survive THE COLD.
Seth is one of the few passengers to survive the train crash. Now he and his fellow survivors face a new world of snow, ice and freezing fog, where they will be hunted like prey in the ruins of Great Britain.
They must run.
They must hide.
They must survive THE COLD.
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2019
221 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 22, 2020
4.5 Stars!
"REPENT!
THE END IS
EXTREMELY
FUCKING
NIGH!"
28 DAYS LATER
My thanks to my buddy Ash for recommending this one to me - I don't know if I would have read it otherwise.
This story starts out almost like THE MIST, where there is this strange weather phenomena where it is snowing in the summer. And yes, there are all kinds of creepy, scary monsters. Some are like giant insects or animals, while others are beyond description. They could be anything. And there could be any number of unknown monsters waiting for just the right time to attack. Who knows, there might even be some politicians, criminal defense lawyers or reality television 'stars' in there!
The horror!!
Anyway, this story then quickly transitions toward something like WAR OF THE WORLDS, where everybody is just running for their lives, trying to survive.
And, while someone might be trying to see the glass as half full, and happily whistling "IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT", they should be careful of those who are having a very bad fucking day...
This is a dystopian monster horror story and, while heavy, short enough to enjoy fully.
The only criticism I have is that this story could only end one way, really, so there was not the big surprise at the end.
Well worth the read!
"REPENT!
THE END IS
EXTREMELY
FUCKING
NIGH!"
28 DAYS LATER
My thanks to my buddy Ash for recommending this one to me - I don't know if I would have read it otherwise.
This story starts out almost like THE MIST, where there is this strange weather phenomena where it is snowing in the summer. And yes, there are all kinds of creepy, scary monsters. Some are like giant insects or animals, while others are beyond description. They could be anything. And there could be any number of unknown monsters waiting for just the right time to attack. Who knows, there might even be some politicians, criminal defense lawyers or reality television 'stars' in there!
The horror!!
Anyway, this story then quickly transitions toward something like WAR OF THE WORLDS, where everybody is just running for their lives, trying to survive.
And, while someone might be trying to see the glass as half full, and happily whistling "IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT", they should be careful of those who are having a very bad fucking day...
This is a dystopian monster horror story and, while heavy, short enough to enjoy fully.
The only criticism I have is that this story could only end one way, really, so there was not the big surprise at the end.
Well worth the read!
August 25, 2021
Seth Murphy is a twenty-five years old guy coming back home by train after a disappointing job interview.
“I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I saw the snow outside the windows. People were talking about the snow. Then, I’m not sure what happened. I can’t remember.” But the memory was there. The image flooded his system with adrenaline and anxiety. He just couldn’t bring himself to tell them about the thing he’d glimpsed in the snowstorm, moments before the train crashed.
It's a typical English summer day when suddenly it starts snowing and, within hours, the entire country is buried beneath a freezing white blanket.
Miles crouched next to where the blood trail ended. He reached out to touch it, but thought better of it at the last moment. He stood and moved away. The three men looked at each other, then again at the blood, before retreating from the edge of the platform. Seth thought again of the terrible thing he’d seen before the train crash, and bit down on his tongue to keep silent.
Seth is one of the fourteen passengers to survive after the train crashed because of the snowstorm, but after awakening he remembers having seen something else...
The shapes of buildings began to coalesce from the white fog and soon the group had made it through the car park and out into the street. When Seth looked over his shoulder, the train station had already faded into the falling snow. It was all he could do not to let out a pained whimper at being out in the open, vulnerable to creatures with sharp teeth and deep hunger.
Then, hidden within the blizzard and the mist, abominable things begin to rise, kill, and feast.
“They don’t belong to this world,” Weir said, looking around with his rifle half-raised. “You reckon they’re aliens?” Andy blinked flecks of snow from his eyes. “They are demons,” Ruby said, wiping her face. Weir shrugged. “They came with the snow. And this is no ordinary snowfall, not in summer.” Seth glanced at the sky. “Summer is dead and gone.” “Do you think the snow will ever stop?” Andy asked. No one answered.
Now Seth and his fellow survivors face a new nightmarish world of snow, ice and freezing fog, where they will be hunted like prey in the ruins of Great Britain.
They walked on. Weir led them to the hospital, which was abandoned except for a few shambling maniacs, driven mad by the terror of the last few days. Weir threatened them with his rifle to keep them away, and they retreated into darkened rooms, all gleaming eyes and cries of distress. A little later, when they ambushed the group with knives and bloodied hammers, Weir was forced to shoot them."
Rich Hawkins' The Cold was on my radar since I've seen that amazing cover popping up months ago in my Goodreads newsfeed, and in a few other social-media posts too, but I was afraid from synopsis it being just a bad copy of Stephen King's The Mist so I was hesitant on making this purchase.
“Christ,” said Seth, wiping his mouth. He noticed Ruby turn away to hide her face. Delia gazed down at her grandson with a trembling smile. “Christ is gone, I think.” The baby boy slept, blissfully oblivious to the world that wanted to consume him
I finally gave in, purchased it for my kindle, and comments from a couple of nice reader fellows of mine, thank you Lisa and Chris for recommending it, made this book rise on the top of my endless to-read list.
Ruby stood near him, her eyes wide. “It’s beautiful and terrible.” Before the flying thing vanished deeper into the low clouds, a squirming form was glimpsed struggling in its hanging claws. It looked a lot like a person. Ruby looked at Seth then turned away. They were all prey now. Animals to be hunted.
This story was a compelling read, with Seth and is quickly diminishing band of survivors looking for food and shelter in what is left of England, with desperation and hopelessness growing at every step, and ravenous monsters hunting them.
An elderly woman died later that day. Her weak heart had failed. She’d gone peacefully, without anyone noticing at first. She was left at the roadside under a hasty covering of snow Quinn and Mack shovelled over her. No one knew her name.
Something like an action-packed gore-drenched version of Cormac McCarthy's The Road meets Stephen King's The Mist, John Carpenter's The Thing, George Romero's Day of the Dead and H. P. Lovecraft, with the apocalyptic scenario nearly turning out at last into a “That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die.” when the God of Wasteland makes its appearance at last...
“The more people we find,” said Quinn, “the more we save from the cold.” He lowered his voice. “I’ll try my hardest to get everyone to the army base, but we’ll lose more people before we arrive. I’ve accepted that. Casualties are inevitable.” The pit of Seth’s stomach dipped. He prayed that if he were to die out there in the cold, it’d be a quick, and without too much pain.
And the ending was a deliciously dark one, not the bleakest I was expecting for, but still solid and depressing.
Much depressing.
Seth wondered what they had seen since the snow began to fall. They were fighting a war with no chance of winning. It was all about hiding and surviving, now.
Somebody could be left disappointed about the lacking of an explanation of what caused the apocalypse, but It was fair for me to just look at how Seth and the others reacted to it.
Seth had seen it in his dreams during his last night at the bunker. He remembered them now. His insides crumpled. His hands shook. He felt the urge to run away, out into the wastes beyond Moresby, and let the snow bury him.
I would have just liked a far longer pages count to add more flesh on characters, before it was ripped off their bones in every bloody way the author imagined.
Besides that, this was an excellent and brutal cold hell of a dark quick read for me.
Apocalyptic cosmic horror at its best.
August 28, 2021
One of the darkest and most depressing end of days books I came across for a very long time. It started with a train ride interrupted by endless snow and attacks of indescribable monsters (reference to Lovecraft). What are those entities and where did they come from? Is there a chance for survivors? What about the massive God-creature? The language was good, the scenes well described but what I didn't like what that endless depiction how hopeless men are in their fight against the monsters. This message became a bit tedious over the pages, especially since those creatures could be killed with weapons... Recommended when you're not in a dark mood. The cover is excellent and lured me in.
August 16, 2019
This novella was a short but definitely successful read. We follow Seth, who is taking a simple train ride that's disrupted by the end of the world - in snow and monsters and blood.
The horror was certainly horrific - things really do get brutally gory at times - and the feeling of isolation and despair was well done, layering through everything without weighting the story down into a slog. I could have done with a little more exploration of the characters, as even those few we spent the most time with were just names and genders by the end, but it is a novella, and it wasn't a huge loss.
A good short read.
The horror was certainly horrific - things really do get brutally gory at times - and the feeling of isolation and despair was well done, layering through everything without weighting the story down into a slog. I could have done with a little more exploration of the characters, as even those few we spent the most time with were just names and genders by the end, but it is a novella, and it wasn't a huge loss.
A good short read.
July 30, 2019
Hawkins knows how to write dark and depressing, that is for sure. This was another solid outing from him that's chock full of spookiness and monsters and other forms of cold weather badness. No reinvention of the wheel here but a very entertaining story of a slowly dwindling group of people being taken out by all forms of nastiness while moving from one place to the next. Once again the author excels at instilling a feeling of hopelessness and the fear that would come from the breakdown of societal norms and some of the mutations and monsters were imaginative AF and straight up scary. Good book and my only gripe would be more attention to the coldness of things, yeah it snowed and people had to trudge through it and shit but it seemed like not enough was written about how COLD it actually was, it is the title of the book and all. Oh well, good fun nonetheless.
August 12, 2019
"It shouldn't be snowing. It's summer. This shouldn't be happening."
Seth Murphy heads home after a disappointing job interview to find himself among 14 survivors of a train crash caused by a freak snowstorm....or was it something else? He thought he saw something..........
THE COLD not only tells bits of Seth's personal story, but one of survivor's guilt in the midst of constant frigid, blizzard-like conditions with a whole nightmarish smorgasbord of giant bloodthirsty monsters that turn Great Britain into one hell of a nasty gore-filled wasteland.
Can anyone save the world?
My first Rich Hawkins read pulled me right in and is a great value at .99 cents.
October 27, 2019
Fucking hell, this is the first horror novel I've read in a long time that genuinely scared the shit out of me. While, as other reviewers have mentioned, it does bear a lot of similarities to Stephen King's 'The Mist' and other "monsters in the fog" stories, it's far more epic and merciless. Would love to see this made into a film.
August 7, 2020
You know how they say that you can't judge a book by its cover? Well "The Cold" has a GREAT cover. Which just shows how true the saying is.
I felt like I was stuck in one of those shoot 'em up games where I can never level up because I can't see that anything is actually happening except a whole bunch of things trying to kill me.
The fault is probably with me but it's not one I can fix. I just didn't get this book.
It reminded me of one of those huge canvasses you see in the Tate where the whole thing is painted densely in red oils. I look at it and go, "It's red. Why?" Better educated souls look at it and go, "It's red and it's art, great Art."
"The Cold" is a canvas painted with blood, more blood and even more blood.
True, there is a lot of white snow to make it easier to see and there are a lot of crushed skulls, decapitations, dismemberments and disembowelments to add variety but I still felt I was wading through blood.
So it's either art or it's a lot of blood. All I saw was blood.
The plot follows a very ordinary twenty-something Englishman (the only odd thing about him is his name - Seth Murphy - not typical for someone born and raised in rural Somerset) on a hellish journey. Seth is on a train in the middle of summer, on his way home from an unsuccessful job interview, when H P Lovecraft-style monsters fall out of the sky, bringing with them the onset of an Ice Age.
The monsters are everywhere and kill everyone.
Seth knows this because he's survived having his train peeled open while in motion and is now trekking home through the snow, surrounded by damage and death and big monsters keep turning up and trying to eat him and the people he's travelling with.
Mostly by luck and the actions of others, Seth manages to journey on without getting killed. Almost everyone around him, especially those who carry weapons and try to organise a rescue, ends up being ripped apart. Seth is so scared he can't think or sleep or do anything other than react and try to survive.
Even by the end of the book, I knew very little about Seth or the people he's travelling with. They're all in shock. If they do talk, it's about how big monsters keep trying to kill them and how this can't be happening but it is.
It's very realistic.
It's not very interesting.
When I was about sixty per cent through the book and Seth has survived yet another attack that left most of his companions in pieces, Seth's one remaining companion, a strong-willed man who is handy with a weapon says:
“So, that’s it, isn’t it?” said Mack. “The end of it all.”
Seth stared off into the white fog beyond them, a part of him hoping that some immense terror would emerge to finally claim them, release them from this state of Purgatory
I shared Seth's reaction. I just wanted it to end too. It didn't. It went on until a whole lot more people were killed by increasingly horrifying creatures.
The prose style is clear and confident. It keeps captures the real horror and shock of extreme violence, unremitting threat, total helplessness and survivor guilt perfectly.
The point of the story seemed to be that, if big monsters dropped out of another dimension, caught us all by surprise, destroyed the weather, were very hard to kill and ate everyone they met, we'd lose and that any ordinary person caught up in the conflict will die or be traumatised or be traumatised and then die.
That's not really a surprise.
So what was the point of this story?
Well, why are some big canvases painted only in red?
No, I don't know the answer to that either.
I do know that, despite the well-described gore, the regular violence, the huge body-count and the wide variety of deeply repulsive monsters eating mankind, I got bored by this book.
I had no reason to care about Seth. Seth had no reason to care about himself.
Perhaps that makes this book art but it's not my kind of art.
December 22, 2019
Now this is how you write a monster novel.
November 17, 2019
THE COLD is one truly terrifying horror/science fiction novel. It's been done before: Apocalyptic Snowfall, Torrential Rain, Mist and Fog obscuring visibility; then the Monsters emerge. But I believe this may be the most finely-tuned version I've read.
I have to call "Lovecraftian" as the "monsters" seemingly incur from an alternate dimension, destroying the world. As one secondary character riffs, "It was something different. A god, you might say. An eater of souls and flesh."
I have to call "Lovecraftian" as the "monsters" seemingly incur from an alternate dimension, destroying the world. As one secondary character riffs, "It was something different. A god, you might say. An eater of souls and flesh."
September 25, 2020
Rich Hawkins and I connected some time ago, either on Twitter or Facebook, and we’ve bantered back and forth for some time. His books frequently get recommended to me from fellow horror lovers and I have his release ‘King Carrion’ still to read.
But ‘The Cold’ has been the one that has intrigued me the most. Two big reasons really. The first is the premise/setting. You know I love my snow based horror. Add in tentacled monsters and I’ve sold. I mean look at that cover. The second reason is Adrian Shotbolt aka The GrimReader telling me how much he knew I’d love it. Adrian is one of the readers/reviewers I respect the most and when he says I’ll love a book, I can’t wait. I have a second recommendation from him I’m about to start and I’m very excited.
What I liked: ‘The Cold’ kicks off moments after a train crash/derailment where Seth and a few others managed to survive. The reason for the train crash, at first, is believed to be the massive blizzard that has arrived in the middle of summer. As Seth tries to figure out just what happened, a memory of what he saw just before the crash comes back – a massive beast from the sky.
From here ‘The Cold’ is 100% an emotionally driven survival story. A few of the people from the train crash begin to search for shelter and other people while things arrive to rip them limb from limb. Hawkins creates a chaotic story, but I loved the depth we get to each character. Little details come about that fill in who the person was and when the inevitable carnage ensues, you’ll feel sorrow that another character has left for good.
It was BP Gregory on Facebook who commented on my post saying I was reading this, that “this is one of those stories where I really enjoy the moment I go from ‘hell yeah I’d totally survive this’ to ‘oooh boy I really really wouldn’t.’ (Saying that, I would survive. For a bit. I like the cold. It’s the running. I’m not built to run!)
That statement is bang on true. Between the apparently never ending onslaught of membranous creatures, to the non-stop deluge of snow, to the realization that life will never be the same, Hawkins has crafted an absolutely despondent story filled with glimpses of hope that get snatched away in the blink of an eye.
What I didn’t like: If you haven’t figured it out yet I loved this story. Saying that, there was one thing I noticed that kind of made me shake my head, but then just let the story go and not look to deep into it. Suspension of belief let’s call it.
It’s summer. It randomly snows. A LOT. But some how the characters end up with appropriate clothing to keep them warm enough to survive? I don’t know if that’s an English/UK thing, but here in Canada (where it gets cold!) we typically pack all our winter gear away during the summer months. Minor, but noticeable.
Why you should read it: ‘Bird Box.’ ‘The Silence.’ ‘A Quiet Apocalypse.’ In the last little bit, we’ve been blessed with some truly stunning survival horror stories where things arrive and humans try to remain living. ‘The Cold’ easily slots alongside these and should take it’s place as one of the best snow based horror stories. This was action from page one and never let up. I heard rumblings that a sequel may arrive at some point, and I’d be completely up for that. Keep in mind that salvation most likely will never come. Much like we see in the BPRD comics, when the sky cracks and the beasts arrive, the only option is to stay alive for as long as you can. There’s no going back.
But ‘The Cold’ has been the one that has intrigued me the most. Two big reasons really. The first is the premise/setting. You know I love my snow based horror. Add in tentacled monsters and I’ve sold. I mean look at that cover. The second reason is Adrian Shotbolt aka The GrimReader telling me how much he knew I’d love it. Adrian is one of the readers/reviewers I respect the most and when he says I’ll love a book, I can’t wait. I have a second recommendation from him I’m about to start and I’m very excited.
What I liked: ‘The Cold’ kicks off moments after a train crash/derailment where Seth and a few others managed to survive. The reason for the train crash, at first, is believed to be the massive blizzard that has arrived in the middle of summer. As Seth tries to figure out just what happened, a memory of what he saw just before the crash comes back – a massive beast from the sky.
From here ‘The Cold’ is 100% an emotionally driven survival story. A few of the people from the train crash begin to search for shelter and other people while things arrive to rip them limb from limb. Hawkins creates a chaotic story, but I loved the depth we get to each character. Little details come about that fill in who the person was and when the inevitable carnage ensues, you’ll feel sorrow that another character has left for good.
It was BP Gregory on Facebook who commented on my post saying I was reading this, that “this is one of those stories where I really enjoy the moment I go from ‘hell yeah I’d totally survive this’ to ‘oooh boy I really really wouldn’t.’ (Saying that, I would survive. For a bit. I like the cold. It’s the running. I’m not built to run!)
That statement is bang on true. Between the apparently never ending onslaught of membranous creatures, to the non-stop deluge of snow, to the realization that life will never be the same, Hawkins has crafted an absolutely despondent story filled with glimpses of hope that get snatched away in the blink of an eye.
What I didn’t like: If you haven’t figured it out yet I loved this story. Saying that, there was one thing I noticed that kind of made me shake my head, but then just let the story go and not look to deep into it. Suspension of belief let’s call it.
It’s summer. It randomly snows. A LOT. But some how the characters end up with appropriate clothing to keep them warm enough to survive? I don’t know if that’s an English/UK thing, but here in Canada (where it gets cold!) we typically pack all our winter gear away during the summer months. Minor, but noticeable.
Why you should read it: ‘Bird Box.’ ‘The Silence.’ ‘A Quiet Apocalypse.’ In the last little bit, we’ve been blessed with some truly stunning survival horror stories where things arrive and humans try to remain living. ‘The Cold’ easily slots alongside these and should take it’s place as one of the best snow based horror stories. This was action from page one and never let up. I heard rumblings that a sequel may arrive at some point, and I’d be completely up for that. Keep in mind that salvation most likely will never come. Much like we see in the BPRD comics, when the sky cracks and the beasts arrive, the only option is to stay alive for as long as you can. There’s no going back.
August 8, 2019
This was one bleak story full of sadness, hopelessness, and lashings of blood; some fresh, some congealed and blackened. So of course I enjoyed it immensely!
I’m a big fan of Rich Hawkins. His Plague Trilogy was superb; a post-apocalyptic world torn apart by, not zombies, but creatures even more terrifying and grotesque, albeit with a hunger for pathetic humans. He has a skill of writing terribly depressing stories that only implore you to carry on reading. The Cold was another example of this.
Again, this is a post-apocalyptic story where humankind is plagued by strange, bloodthirsty creatures very much from the Lovecraftian school of cosmic horror.
The world is suddenly flooded with snow. In the Summer. Aah, so now you understand where the title comes from. Of course, none of the characters are dressed appropriately for this extreme switch in weather conditions. This was one of the first things that drew me in. Stories set in the snow and ice mostly have characters in big coats and the like. But here, everyone was dressed for the warm weather. Suddenly their plight was heightened, although the bloody remains of fellow humans surrounding them also added to this.
Seth is the guy we follow throughout this story. He wakes up in the snow immediately after his train crashes. He’s – obviously – very much in the dark as to what’s going on. And so is the reader, so his journey of survival and discovery of the cause of this nightmare is one you really care about.
He remembers the train crashing after some massive monster thing with tendrils, possibly sent from Yuggoth, blazes out of the sky. Many of the passengers are killed, and their desecrated remains are described vividly.
And so we get the survival story as Seth and a group of passengers try to find civilisation and an explanation for the horrors that are unfolding around them. Along the way they meet others, some die (most die), and eventually head to an army base that’s supposedly still operational.
So yeah, the beasts. Damn, these things are grotesquely monstrous and ravenous for mankind. They’re not zombies, they’re not deformed animals, are they aliens? It’s never stated precisely, but that doesn’t matter, in fact it heightens their scariness. You could argue the beasts are a little too vague in what they are, but for me that makes them even more terrifying.
What Rich Hawkins is so good at is gore. There are some visceral deaths on display here. But its not only the deaths. The after effects of ‘off-screen’ butcherings are starkly portrayed, bringing more than a little vomiting from our survivors.
It’s hard to end a story like this, when all of humanity is either dead or soon-to-be-dead. Towards the end of the book there is some information about what the threat may be, info I’m certainly not sharing here, and although expertly handled, I really wanted to know more.
I also felt the character of Seth to be a bit of a wet blanket. Yeah I know it’s a scary thing to happen and I’d probably be much worse, but I just wished he had more balls, you know? Although saying that, by the end I could kind of understand why he was like he was. I think this book has two ways of interpreting the ending; the more subtle version being my favourite. But I can’t say anything more about that, apart from; the bit when they meet the woman who sent a distress call (for those who’ve read it).
If you want to be entertained by a depressing nothingness all covered in deep, gore-soaked snow, then you need to check this out. Just make sure you’re wearing a coat.
I’m a big fan of Rich Hawkins. His Plague Trilogy was superb; a post-apocalyptic world torn apart by, not zombies, but creatures even more terrifying and grotesque, albeit with a hunger for pathetic humans. He has a skill of writing terribly depressing stories that only implore you to carry on reading. The Cold was another example of this.
Again, this is a post-apocalyptic story where humankind is plagued by strange, bloodthirsty creatures very much from the Lovecraftian school of cosmic horror.
The world is suddenly flooded with snow. In the Summer. Aah, so now you understand where the title comes from. Of course, none of the characters are dressed appropriately for this extreme switch in weather conditions. This was one of the first things that drew me in. Stories set in the snow and ice mostly have characters in big coats and the like. But here, everyone was dressed for the warm weather. Suddenly their plight was heightened, although the bloody remains of fellow humans surrounding them also added to this.
Seth is the guy we follow throughout this story. He wakes up in the snow immediately after his train crashes. He’s – obviously – very much in the dark as to what’s going on. And so is the reader, so his journey of survival and discovery of the cause of this nightmare is one you really care about.
He remembers the train crashing after some massive monster thing with tendrils, possibly sent from Yuggoth, blazes out of the sky. Many of the passengers are killed, and their desecrated remains are described vividly.
And so we get the survival story as Seth and a group of passengers try to find civilisation and an explanation for the horrors that are unfolding around them. Along the way they meet others, some die (most die), and eventually head to an army base that’s supposedly still operational.
So yeah, the beasts. Damn, these things are grotesquely monstrous and ravenous for mankind. They’re not zombies, they’re not deformed animals, are they aliens? It’s never stated precisely, but that doesn’t matter, in fact it heightens their scariness. You could argue the beasts are a little too vague in what they are, but for me that makes them even more terrifying.
What Rich Hawkins is so good at is gore. There are some visceral deaths on display here. But its not only the deaths. The after effects of ‘off-screen’ butcherings are starkly portrayed, bringing more than a little vomiting from our survivors.
It’s hard to end a story like this, when all of humanity is either dead or soon-to-be-dead. Towards the end of the book there is some information about what the threat may be, info I’m certainly not sharing here, and although expertly handled, I really wanted to know more.
I also felt the character of Seth to be a bit of a wet blanket. Yeah I know it’s a scary thing to happen and I’d probably be much worse, but I just wished he had more balls, you know? Although saying that, by the end I could kind of understand why he was like he was. I think this book has two ways of interpreting the ending; the more subtle version being my favourite. But I can’t say anything more about that, apart from; the bit when they meet the woman who sent a distress call (for those who’ve read it).
If you want to be entertained by a depressing nothingness all covered in deep, gore-soaked snow, then you need to check this out. Just make sure you’re wearing a coat.
August 3, 2019
Absolute thrill to read start to end
I absolutely loved this book! From the get go it's just a constant barrage of suspense and dread on what's to come, and because of that I could barely stop reading it.
Rich really knows how to instill a complete sense of suspense with his writing, and make the plot move along not too fast and overload you with information and detail, but at a swift pace but not too hars to keep up with.
I've already recommended this book to a few other people and despite being only a few other chapters in they're already hooked. Absolute must read for any horror fan.
I absolutely loved this book! From the get go it's just a constant barrage of suspense and dread on what's to come, and because of that I could barely stop reading it.
Rich really knows how to instill a complete sense of suspense with his writing, and make the plot move along not too fast and overload you with information and detail, but at a swift pace but not too hars to keep up with.
I've already recommended this book to a few other people and despite being only a few other chapters in they're already hooked. Absolute must read for any horror fan.
December 8, 2023
"Fun read!" was my simple, and to the point, review from back in 2019...though still a "fun read" I have to lower my previous 4 stars to 3 as the writing styled seemed a little too basic for 4 stars. The author repeated a lot of the same descriptors throughout the book and the main character's need to ask everyone "what do you think did it?" when it was obviously no one would know.
Would I read this again in a few years?...sure! Like I said back in 2019, it is a fun read!
Would I read this again in a few years?...sure! Like I said back in 2019, it is a fun read!
September 2, 2019
An interesting premise for an end-of-the-world scenario, where eldritch abominations are heralded by unseasonable snow and cold, but the sense of cold – pervasive, life stealing and hostile to existence – never materializes and becomes an omnipresent threat. Likewise the alien horrors don’t have a particular arctic spin.
September 24, 2019
It's been a long time since I've read a real throwback to 70s and 80s pulp horror - and The Cold definitely fits that description in all the best ways. Graphic, bloody, moody, grim and good fun (if you're like me and grew up on the books and writers which clearly influenced Hawkins with The Cold). Think Stephen King's The Mist meets Lovecraft via James Herbert.
October 18, 2019
Monsters!!!
So much suspense and action packed into each and every chapter, I barely had a chance to breath. This book is stuffed full of monsters, creatures from your worst nightmares all gathered in a shellfish version of Earth. Excellent book. Well-written with gripping descriptions and an epic storyline.
So much suspense and action packed into each and every chapter, I barely had a chance to breath. This book is stuffed full of monsters, creatures from your worst nightmares all gathered in a shellfish version of Earth. Excellent book. Well-written with gripping descriptions and an epic storyline.
September 22, 2019
Really enjoyable book
It's summer and it's starts to snow
But with the snow is some unimaginable creatures who are very very hungry
Action and suspense never stop in this novel
It's summer and it's starts to snow
But with the snow is some unimaginable creatures who are very very hungry
Action and suspense never stop in this novel
June 18, 2020
I really enjoyed this book and the concept was very original. that said, it didn't end like I hoped or expected it to. But, will buy more from this author.
August 19, 2019
Put on your winter-warmers and take a frozen trip into hell….
Or Somerset….
If you’re a fan of monster stories and by ‘monsters’ I mean terrifying killer beings ranging from the size of small dogs to beasts which dwarf football pitches then look no further than The Cold. In the hands of a less versatile writer these descriptions would become repetitive very quickly, but this never happens in this gruesome novel. There are monstrosities which are reminiscent of giant moths, others which are similar to biped boars and further examples which are so dangerous they’ll rip your head off in two seconds flat. And don’t get me started on the giant worms which could devour a bus whole without a burp. This was also an incredibly bleak novel, but I loved every second of the chills radiating from the 245 pages, which I read in two sittings. Actually, I thought it was much shorter and Hawkins did very well in keeping which was a very minimal story on point without it overstaying its welcome or becoming samey.
This author sets many of his stories in the south west of England, Somerset, and so regular readers of his beguiling brand of cosmic horror are going to feel right at home as this latest offering is no different. The action opens directly after a train crash and main character Seth waking up after surviving the horrific accident. Bizarrely, it is also snowing incredibly hard, and since it is July and the middle of summer freaky occurrences are obviously afoot. Worryingly, the emergency services do not appear and Seth and a couple of other survivors strike out for the nearest train station for help whilst the majority shelter in the train carriages. Upon arrival they find the waiting room and ticket offices to be deserted, discovering blood stains everywhere. As the temperature continues to drop, after checking the station video surveillance, they realise inhuman creatures are hiding in the snow. Something bestial, vicious and very, very hungry.
After some broken sleep another survivor from the train crash, Ruby, arrives and claims everybody from the train crash is dead; creatures swooped from the skies and devoured them. There is not much more I can say about the plot except that readers should expect an exceptionally well-paced survival novel which is incredibly gory, blood-thirsty and so vividly described you’ll be wanting to put on your hat, gloves and winter-warmers. You’ll feel the cold along with the poor suffering and shivering characters. Throughout the story the adverse weather plays a critical part in proceedings, ramping up the helplessness the survivors feel as they’re stalked by the monsters in the snow. This only adds to the overall bleakness of proceedings.
Everything kicks off incredibly quickly and not a page is wasted before the creatures arrive on the scene. One moment, Seth is mulling over a disappointing job interview and a few seconds later he clocks weird shapes through the frosted train window and The Cold is off the ground running. The problem with the snow being so heavy, and half-blinding the survivors, makes them even easier pickings for the beasts. Along the perilous journey to any kind of sanctuary there are outstanding descriptions of destroyed homes, villages and landscapes dominated by beings so big their very movement can leave a vast trail of destruction.
Hawkins keeps the story very local and gives the occasional hint about what else is happening in the rest of the country or abroad. Harking back to Day of the Triffids the survivors try to head for military bases or follow SOS signals they pick-up on short-wave radios, but the reality is nowhere is safe. This feeling of threat and hopelessness permeates right to the core of The Cold and it becomes obvious the chances of survival are minimal. Many shell-shocked characters are threaded through the story, most are despatched quickly adding to an impressive body count.
The story is told in the third person via Seth, this guy is not a hero and would be the first to admit it, but he is a survivor and whilst everyone else is picked off Seth battles on, through a combination of luck and grit. Others have their brains eaten, are dropped from great heights, or simply disappear in the middle of the night. He is an easy character to root for, simply wanting to get home to find his elderly parents alive. There are touching moments, such as when he discovers a week-old newspaper and scans the football results realising this very mundane act is a thing of the past. Or wanders around a deserted fast-food restaurant that would have been a hub of activity a couple of days earlier.
Whilst other authors might tell a multi character or story with many different strands Hawkins keeps it lean and very localised; with the level of destruction over the space of the first 48 hours breath-takingly savage, even if most of it happens off-screen. Whilst Seth and his friends trudge in the snow the country is quickly being devoured. The survivors have very quickly become helpless prey and the reader can feel it.
The creatures themselves are wild and truly gruesome creations, that is until an even bigger monstrosity rumbles along and devours the smaller one. Yes, we live in a monster eat monster world! They may remind you of the creatures which lurked in the shadows of Maniac Gods (2018) Hawkins previous excellent novella. They also vaguely reminded me of the beasts from the film version of Stephen King’s The Mist. As it develops a cosmic horror element does evolve, which is predominant in much of this author’s work.
Ultimately The Cold was a monster novel which pulled no punches and once it got going was a sleigh ride into hell. It had a minimal story which was skilfully driven home in a violent and pulsating manner which bullied the survivors, hustling them from one terrifying situation to another. It was not deep (unless you’re talking about the snow), was a very easy read, and must rank amongst the bleakest novels I have read this year. If you’re after a quick apocalyptic terror trip this is a fine example. However, Rich Hawkins really needs to lighten up on poor old Somerset as whenever I read one of his books he’s wiping out small towns and villages. Anyone might think he does not actually like the place! And long may the destruction continue. Recommended.
Or Somerset….
If you’re a fan of monster stories and by ‘monsters’ I mean terrifying killer beings ranging from the size of small dogs to beasts which dwarf football pitches then look no further than The Cold. In the hands of a less versatile writer these descriptions would become repetitive very quickly, but this never happens in this gruesome novel. There are monstrosities which are reminiscent of giant moths, others which are similar to biped boars and further examples which are so dangerous they’ll rip your head off in two seconds flat. And don’t get me started on the giant worms which could devour a bus whole without a burp. This was also an incredibly bleak novel, but I loved every second of the chills radiating from the 245 pages, which I read in two sittings. Actually, I thought it was much shorter and Hawkins did very well in keeping which was a very minimal story on point without it overstaying its welcome or becoming samey.
This author sets many of his stories in the south west of England, Somerset, and so regular readers of his beguiling brand of cosmic horror are going to feel right at home as this latest offering is no different. The action opens directly after a train crash and main character Seth waking up after surviving the horrific accident. Bizarrely, it is also snowing incredibly hard, and since it is July and the middle of summer freaky occurrences are obviously afoot. Worryingly, the emergency services do not appear and Seth and a couple of other survivors strike out for the nearest train station for help whilst the majority shelter in the train carriages. Upon arrival they find the waiting room and ticket offices to be deserted, discovering blood stains everywhere. As the temperature continues to drop, after checking the station video surveillance, they realise inhuman creatures are hiding in the snow. Something bestial, vicious and very, very hungry.
After some broken sleep another survivor from the train crash, Ruby, arrives and claims everybody from the train crash is dead; creatures swooped from the skies and devoured them. There is not much more I can say about the plot except that readers should expect an exceptionally well-paced survival novel which is incredibly gory, blood-thirsty and so vividly described you’ll be wanting to put on your hat, gloves and winter-warmers. You’ll feel the cold along with the poor suffering and shivering characters. Throughout the story the adverse weather plays a critical part in proceedings, ramping up the helplessness the survivors feel as they’re stalked by the monsters in the snow. This only adds to the overall bleakness of proceedings.
Everything kicks off incredibly quickly and not a page is wasted before the creatures arrive on the scene. One moment, Seth is mulling over a disappointing job interview and a few seconds later he clocks weird shapes through the frosted train window and The Cold is off the ground running. The problem with the snow being so heavy, and half-blinding the survivors, makes them even easier pickings for the beasts. Along the perilous journey to any kind of sanctuary there are outstanding descriptions of destroyed homes, villages and landscapes dominated by beings so big their very movement can leave a vast trail of destruction.
Hawkins keeps the story very local and gives the occasional hint about what else is happening in the rest of the country or abroad. Harking back to Day of the Triffids the survivors try to head for military bases or follow SOS signals they pick-up on short-wave radios, but the reality is nowhere is safe. This feeling of threat and hopelessness permeates right to the core of The Cold and it becomes obvious the chances of survival are minimal. Many shell-shocked characters are threaded through the story, most are despatched quickly adding to an impressive body count.
The story is told in the third person via Seth, this guy is not a hero and would be the first to admit it, but he is a survivor and whilst everyone else is picked off Seth battles on, through a combination of luck and grit. Others have their brains eaten, are dropped from great heights, or simply disappear in the middle of the night. He is an easy character to root for, simply wanting to get home to find his elderly parents alive. There are touching moments, such as when he discovers a week-old newspaper and scans the football results realising this very mundane act is a thing of the past. Or wanders around a deserted fast-food restaurant that would have been a hub of activity a couple of days earlier.
Whilst other authors might tell a multi character or story with many different strands Hawkins keeps it lean and very localised; with the level of destruction over the space of the first 48 hours breath-takingly savage, even if most of it happens off-screen. Whilst Seth and his friends trudge in the snow the country is quickly being devoured. The survivors have very quickly become helpless prey and the reader can feel it.
The creatures themselves are wild and truly gruesome creations, that is until an even bigger monstrosity rumbles along and devours the smaller one. Yes, we live in a monster eat monster world! They may remind you of the creatures which lurked in the shadows of Maniac Gods (2018) Hawkins previous excellent novella. They also vaguely reminded me of the beasts from the film version of Stephen King’s The Mist. As it develops a cosmic horror element does evolve, which is predominant in much of this author’s work.
Ultimately The Cold was a monster novel which pulled no punches and once it got going was a sleigh ride into hell. It had a minimal story which was skilfully driven home in a violent and pulsating manner which bullied the survivors, hustling them from one terrifying situation to another. It was not deep (unless you’re talking about the snow), was a very easy read, and must rank amongst the bleakest novels I have read this year. If you’re after a quick apocalyptic terror trip this is a fine example. However, Rich Hawkins really needs to lighten up on poor old Somerset as whenever I read one of his books he’s wiping out small towns and villages. Anyone might think he does not actually like the place! And long may the destruction continue. Recommended.
January 16, 2025
This reminds me of every Godzilla movie: cool colossal monsters, boring uninteresting humans.
I sort of don’t get it. What was the point of this book. Seth is a huge pussy and yeah I guess he has his moment of growth and sacrifice at the end but like, why? Monsters destroy the earth, like 15 people survived, there’s no hope or deeper meaning, this entire book is just eldritch cosmic horrors shredding on homies in the UK. No conspiracies, no resolution, it just sort of ends.
I would’ve wanted to see more reflection from Seth on his own life and how he got to that point, or some more dialogue and theorizing of how and why the monsters came, or even once they get to the military base that’s when it really should’ve kicked the tires plot-wise. But instead everybody felt like an NPC, just tofu cannon fodder to get eaten by massive tentacle creatures. Never thought a book about a monster apocalypse would be bland
The premise sounded very cool but the writing was very curt and devoid of emotion. Lot of start-stop writing that made me feel like I ate a big bowl of popcorn, all calories but little substance. I’m sure this fella’s a good author but this just didn’t do it for me at all. Maybe his vampire or plague books are better. And why is there 50 chapters in a 250 page book!?!?
I sort of don’t get it. What was the point of this book. Seth is a huge pussy and yeah I guess he has his moment of growth and sacrifice at the end but like, why? Monsters destroy the earth, like 15 people survived, there’s no hope or deeper meaning, this entire book is just eldritch cosmic horrors shredding on homies in the UK. No conspiracies, no resolution, it just sort of ends.
I would’ve wanted to see more reflection from Seth on his own life and how he got to that point, or some more dialogue and theorizing of how and why the monsters came, or even once they get to the military base that’s when it really should’ve kicked the tires plot-wise. But instead everybody felt like an NPC, just tofu cannon fodder to get eaten by massive tentacle creatures. Never thought a book about a monster apocalypse would be bland
The premise sounded very cool but the writing was very curt and devoid of emotion. Lot of start-stop writing that made me feel like I ate a big bowl of popcorn, all calories but little substance. I’m sure this fella’s a good author but this just didn’t do it for me at all. Maybe his vampire or plague books are better. And why is there 50 chapters in a 250 page book!?!?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2020
This is the sort of monster story that I don't see enough of these days. Lessons in what it's like to be at the bottom of the food chain!
It's the middle of summer but a freak snowstorm makes visibility from inside a train almost nil, then there's a crash! But Seth, a young survivor, is sure he saw something very strange outside the windows. Was the crash natural? From the conditions?
So starts an adventure that will change everything. This is the sort of alternate world story worthy of writers like Tim Curran and I expect to read many more from this author. Apart from a small segment when I noted too much 'telling' of Seth's emotions, it's well written and keeps the reader in a dark place where it feels like nothing will ever be normal again.
Plenty of monster action and some good character development, apart from a little too much religion in one of them. Very creepy, full of surprises. I'm wondering if there will be another book. I'll read it if there is.
It's the middle of summer but a freak snowstorm makes visibility from inside a train almost nil, then there's a crash! But Seth, a young survivor, is sure he saw something very strange outside the windows. Was the crash natural? From the conditions?
So starts an adventure that will change everything. This is the sort of alternate world story worthy of writers like Tim Curran and I expect to read many more from this author. Apart from a small segment when I noted too much 'telling' of Seth's emotions, it's well written and keeps the reader in a dark place where it feels like nothing will ever be normal again.
Plenty of monster action and some good character development, apart from a little too much religion in one of them. Very creepy, full of surprises. I'm wondering if there will be another book. I'll read it if there is.
November 9, 2020
A non sensical homage to the much better The Mist.
I don’t know what Hawkins was trying to accomplish here other than to try his hand at (badly) imitating King and trying to prove that he understands Stranger Things.
That is a bit harsh (I mean, I’ve never written a novel, so I probably don’t have much room to talk), but cmon. The Cold is a mess. The story doesn’t make sense or offer anything new to the creature feature genre. There’s no closure or explanation. And the story just ends. Like Hawkins was out of ideas and instead of actually trying to wrap things up, he typed a final period and sent it in.
The only thing The Cold excels in is ample amounts of gore and bloodshed...which would be fine, but for the fact that Hawkins dedicated all his time to splattering the snow with red instead of completing a good story.
I don’t know what Hawkins was trying to accomplish here other than to try his hand at (badly) imitating King and trying to prove that he understands Stranger Things.
That is a bit harsh (I mean, I’ve never written a novel, so I probably don’t have much room to talk), but cmon. The Cold is a mess. The story doesn’t make sense or offer anything new to the creature feature genre. There’s no closure or explanation. And the story just ends. Like Hawkins was out of ideas and instead of actually trying to wrap things up, he typed a final period and sent it in.
The only thing The Cold excels in is ample amounts of gore and bloodshed...which would be fine, but for the fact that Hawkins dedicated all his time to splattering the snow with red instead of completing a good story.
March 10, 2020
To start things off, I have to admit that I bought this ebook by accident and still gave it a shot, as it was recommended to me by Amazon. Without further ado, I was thrown into a train wreck. Protagonist Seth, who is as whiny as he is able to take punishment, departs with his group a few pages in while the reader gets a small glimpse of the events that are about to fully unfold unto our unsuspecting survivors.
While the author isn't as descriptive regarding the otherwordly threats as I hoped him to be, the few words he used were sufficient to project the beasts into my mind. While the looming threat by these creatures was always palpable, the dwindling resources and harsh temperatures were more pressing issues.
Over the course of the story we get to know several characters, most of which get little space to be properly introduced, but each of them had something tangible. They were like you and me, not ready to deal with this absolute pile of shit they were thrown into. I actually expected to witness massive assholery at certain points, but none of the characters were villainous. The interactions between characters were nonetheless believable and the bunch of theories regarding the origins of the monsters were not fully original, but cleverly woven into the story.
From my point of view, the book got a proper and enjoyable ending, with Seth's character arc coming full circle.
Conclusion:
A rather short review for a short book. It was a wild, tumultuous ride from start to finish and while I wouldn't mind a few pages more, the book absolutely works in the way as it is. An enjoyable survival horror story filled to the brim with action, Lovecraftian abominations and gore, placed in a rather unique setting. I certainly do not regret buying this eBook.
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While the author isn't as descriptive regarding the otherwordly threats as I hoped him to be, the few words he used were sufficient to project the beasts into my mind. While the looming threat by these creatures was always palpable, the dwindling resources and harsh temperatures were more pressing issues.
Over the course of the story we get to know several characters, most of which get little space to be properly introduced, but each of them had something tangible. They were like you and me, not ready to deal with this absolute pile of shit they were thrown into. I actually expected to witness massive assholery at certain points, but none of the characters were villainous. The interactions between characters were nonetheless believable and the bunch of theories regarding the origins of the monsters were not fully original, but cleverly woven into the story.
From my point of view, the book got a proper and enjoyable ending, with Seth's character arc coming full circle.
Conclusion:
A rather short review for a short book. It was a wild, tumultuous ride from start to finish and while I wouldn't mind a few pages more, the book absolutely works in the way as it is. An enjoyable survival horror story filled to the brim with action, Lovecraftian abominations and gore, placed in a rather unique setting. I certainly do not regret buying this eBook.
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July 14, 2020
So this book manages to create the tension that several other books have claimed they would. It was a quick and interesting read - the monsters were pretty cool and the death toll was quite high. Maybe this whole COVID thing has already made me a bit tense and this fed off of it - or maybe it is the snow. Lord knows I'm not a fan of the stuff.
I know this is going to sound stupid, but I had to put on a sweater to read this even though it is quite warm out. Just felt cold. I did enjoy this book right up until the end when I realized it was the first book in a trilogy so I would not get any plot points answered.
Personally, I don't care for sequels or trilogies. My preference is stand alone books and I can say with all confidence, I won't be reading the other two. It will just end where it did in the first book for me.
I know this is going to sound stupid, but I had to put on a sweater to read this even though it is quite warm out. Just felt cold. I did enjoy this book right up until the end when I realized it was the first book in a trilogy so I would not get any plot points answered.
Personally, I don't care for sequels or trilogies. My preference is stand alone books and I can say with all confidence, I won't be reading the other two. It will just end where it did in the first book for me.
June 16, 2020
Apocalyptic nightmare.
I could feel the cold and the wind and snow as I read this. Chilling...in more ways than one. The Cold reminded me of going to the drive in movies as a young boy, and watching fascinated and on the edge of my seat as men battled various monsters. I was captivated then and I was captivated by this book as well. This was a very scary and terrifying story of the world turning upside down and people struggling to come to grips with this new reality. Rich Hawkins just keeps me coming back for more!!!
I could feel the cold and the wind and snow as I read this. Chilling...in more ways than one. The Cold reminded me of going to the drive in movies as a young boy, and watching fascinated and on the edge of my seat as men battled various monsters. I was captivated then and I was captivated by this book as well. This was a very scary and terrifying story of the world turning upside down and people struggling to come to grips with this new reality. Rich Hawkins just keeps me coming back for more!!!
Read
July 27, 2019This was phenomenal, from the first pages all the way through to the end. I probably could have done this book in one long sitting if time had allowed. The premise and setup was disturbing yet also full of beautiful imagery. Hawkins brought the bleakness full force with this one and I think this was his best work since his Last Plague trilogy.
June 13, 2020
A good fairly short read. Better than anticipated.
I especially liked the author's writing style. The short almost barren sentences underlined the bleak atmosphere in the book.
Main character was well written and very ordinary. Descriptions of the creatures were great and realistic in the sense of 'we are in way over our heads'.
I especially liked the author's writing style. The short almost barren sentences underlined the bleak atmosphere in the book.
Main character was well written and very ordinary. Descriptions of the creatures were great and realistic in the sense of 'we are in way over our heads'.
July 1, 2020
Surprisingly Good
This was definitely my kind of story. Was lucky to find this while browsing KU Horror books. The Cold was my first by this Author and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more. Loved the characters, the gore, the fear.
Terrifying to imagine such a scenario. Great book imo
This was definitely my kind of story. Was lucky to find this while browsing KU Horror books. The Cold was my first by this Author and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more. Loved the characters, the gore, the fear.
Terrifying to imagine such a scenario. Great book imo
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