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Carrion
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY. WORDS HAVE POWER. A sheet of black filled his vision as hundreds of birds dived at the cottage, pointed beaks thrust forward. From this angle, he couldn’t see many of them striking it, but the few he did see held nothing back as they hammered into the shutter. The scale of the attack was beyond anything he’d seen or heard of. And bloodied casualties littered the skulls shattered, wings broken, innards spilling from them. The fact that so many of them continued with the onslaught in spite of this filled him with even more dread. Salin has always wanted an adventure and, when the opportunity presents itself, he grabs it with both hands, taking his friends along for the ride – whether they want to or not. With strange lands come strange creatures that stand between them and their goal. And that goal is the same for someone else, a man who believes the prize is worth every sacrifice – especially when the sacrifices are made by others. The future is about to change. But who for?
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 9, 2020
2 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Graeme Cumming
4 books18 followersGraeme Cumming lives in Robin Hood country, and has spent most of his life immersed in fiction – books, TV, movies – turning to writing his own during his early teens.
With his interests in story-telling sparked by an excessive amount of time sitting in front of a black and white television, his tastes are varied. Influences ranged from the Irwin Allen shows (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, etc.) to ITC series (The Saint, The Champions, Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) and so many more), so the common theme was action and adventure, but crossed into territories including horror, fantasy and science fiction as well as crime and espionage.
This diverse interest in fiction continued with his reading and his discovery of the magical world of cinema. As a result, his stories don’t always fall into a specific genre, but will always maintain the style of a thriller.
When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is past President and Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. Oh yes, and he reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.
With his interests in story-telling sparked by an excessive amount of time sitting in front of a black and white television, his tastes are varied. Influences ranged from the Irwin Allen shows (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, etc.) to ITC series (The Saint, The Champions, Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) and so many more), so the common theme was action and adventure, but crossed into territories including horror, fantasy and science fiction as well as crime and espionage.
This diverse interest in fiction continued with his reading and his discovery of the magical world of cinema. As a result, his stories don’t always fall into a specific genre, but will always maintain the style of a thriller.
When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is past President and Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. Oh yes, and he reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 19, 2020
Definitely reading out of my comfort zone with this one. I met Graeme on Twitter. I had no idea what the book was about when I promised to read it. Blooming heck, his writing is amazing, atmospheric and mesmerising at times. I was absolutely gripped by the story.
It's definitely a mixture of genres anything from an adventure thriller to at times a dip into the realms of fantasy.
We meet Salin and his group of friends, each very different and all of them have a place in this engaging story. There were definitely some shocking moments throughout during their adventures.
The author did a fantastic job of making the reader feel they belonged in the story with their own lives at stake.
Highly recommended and an absolute pleasure to read.
It's definitely a mixture of genres anything from an adventure thriller to at times a dip into the realms of fantasy.
We meet Salin and his group of friends, each very different and all of them have a place in this engaging story. There were definitely some shocking moments throughout during their adventures.
The author did a fantastic job of making the reader feel they belonged in the story with their own lives at stake.
Highly recommended and an absolute pleasure to read.
November 10, 2020
This book is impossible to categorise. Is it horror? (Bits of it definitely are.) Is it fantasy? Is it a thriller? Is it some type of dystopian morality tale? Is it just all of these things mixed together? It is certainly unlike anything you will have read before. The closest I can get to describing it is Lord of the Rings meets Game of Thrones meets The Birds. It was completely outside my reading comfort zone, but I was thoroughly gripped from start to finish.
The book starts of very Hobbit-like with four people (?) setting off on some kind of quest. I wasn’t sure who they were to begin with, and for the first few chapters you have to concentrate quite hard to sort out who is who and what is going on, as the narrative jumps between quite a few different viewpoints, and there is no clear definition of who is doing what or why. Eventually, all is revealed, but you do need to stick with it to begin with until it shakes itself out. There is plenty of action to keep you occupied while the strands arrange themselves, and I found the book really gripping from the off, and it only got more and more so as it went along. By the end, the strain on my nerves was almost too much to bear, because I absolutely NEEDED things to work out a certain way, such was my absolute loathing for one of the characters, but I wasn’t sure it was going to end to my satisfaction.
The book is a visceral read. I know I referred to LOTR, but the violence level is definitely more George R. R. Martin than J. R. R. Tolkein. Graeme is not shy about bumping off what appear to be central characters, or people you have grown attached to, and he does it in some imaginatively gory ways. There is a strong element of horror in the book, particularly in the first half, and I felt this very strongly. It was oppressive and nerve-shredding, not a book for relaxing in the bath with for sure. If you want something to get the adrenaline pumping, this is it.
Graeme has done some fantastic world-building in this book, I could really picture the setting for the novel and completely bought into it. There are a lot of interesting ideas explored here, and some really well-constructed characters. He may have created the most hateful antagonist of any book I have come across in a long while, which has the effect of making the reader totally invested in the outcome of the quest. The whole thing came together very effectively, and I am really pleased for him, because I know this book has been a labour of love.
This book isn’t going to be for everyone, but it is very original, action-packed, immersive and evocative. I hope lots of people pick it up and experience it for themselves, because it is unlike anything else you will have read this year.
The book starts of very Hobbit-like with four people (?) setting off on some kind of quest. I wasn’t sure who they were to begin with, and for the first few chapters you have to concentrate quite hard to sort out who is who and what is going on, as the narrative jumps between quite a few different viewpoints, and there is no clear definition of who is doing what or why. Eventually, all is revealed, but you do need to stick with it to begin with until it shakes itself out. There is plenty of action to keep you occupied while the strands arrange themselves, and I found the book really gripping from the off, and it only got more and more so as it went along. By the end, the strain on my nerves was almost too much to bear, because I absolutely NEEDED things to work out a certain way, such was my absolute loathing for one of the characters, but I wasn’t sure it was going to end to my satisfaction.
The book is a visceral read. I know I referred to LOTR, but the violence level is definitely more George R. R. Martin than J. R. R. Tolkein. Graeme is not shy about bumping off what appear to be central characters, or people you have grown attached to, and he does it in some imaginatively gory ways. There is a strong element of horror in the book, particularly in the first half, and I felt this very strongly. It was oppressive and nerve-shredding, not a book for relaxing in the bath with for sure. If you want something to get the adrenaline pumping, this is it.
Graeme has done some fantastic world-building in this book, I could really picture the setting for the novel and completely bought into it. There are a lot of interesting ideas explored here, and some really well-constructed characters. He may have created the most hateful antagonist of any book I have come across in a long while, which has the effect of making the reader totally invested in the outcome of the quest. The whole thing came together very effectively, and I am really pleased for him, because I know this book has been a labour of love.
This book isn’t going to be for everyone, but it is very original, action-packed, immersive and evocative. I hope lots of people pick it up and experience it for themselves, because it is unlike anything else you will have read this year.
June 30, 2020
I have to say that considering Carrion isn’t my usual kind of read I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read, and loved, Graeme Cumming’s previous book Ravens Gathering I was very much looking forward to reading Carrion. I was even more intrigued knowing that it was going to be so much different to Ravens Gathering. There are a couple of similarities though such as the birds which did their job of creeping me out in this book as much as they did in the last!
How amazing is that cover by the way!!?
I definitely think this book benefits from spending enough time completely immersing yourself in the story. I started it well then found myself not having as much time as I’d like to read it over the following few days, going to bed too late etc. which really frustrates me, but from about half way I found more time to read larger amounts, and I easily found myself completely captivated. It’s a wonderfully entertaining story to get yourself lost in and forget about the real world for a while.
It is quite violent at times and certain parts make for uncomfortable reading, but these scenes just serve to highlight the evil nature of certain characters.
There are some excellent characters throughout this story. Not all likeable, of course, but all quite fascinating and with fabulous names. I think Willow was my favourite character.
The story moves along at quite some speed as it is so full of action. The danger Salin and his friends face in their quest is quite terrifying at times and there are some devastating losses along the way. Salin is a brave and intelligent soul.
I was particularly disturbed by the sorcerer, the beast, and also the Troll. I have to say that I was most impressed when I found out what the beast really was. I honestly never twigged. Very clever writing!
Time inevitably brings change and sometimes that change can be immense in such a short space of time, but everything evolves at the pace it is meant to and to interrupt evolution in any way could have a catastrophic effect. There are always going to be people in this world who thrive on power and do everything in their power to upset the natural order of the world. Maybe there is an ‘order’ who keep their eye on us and make sure we don’t interfere with our destiny. Who knows!? It certainly makes you think. I know this is fiction, but still….
I loved that the message to Salin was to “Choose your words carefully. Words have power”. This is true on so many levels. In the case of Carrion these words have the power to transport you to another place and time where you can experience the action, adventure, suspense and intrigue of a story full of magic and mystery.
I highly recommend.
How amazing is that cover by the way!!?
I definitely think this book benefits from spending enough time completely immersing yourself in the story. I started it well then found myself not having as much time as I’d like to read it over the following few days, going to bed too late etc. which really frustrates me, but from about half way I found more time to read larger amounts, and I easily found myself completely captivated. It’s a wonderfully entertaining story to get yourself lost in and forget about the real world for a while.
It is quite violent at times and certain parts make for uncomfortable reading, but these scenes just serve to highlight the evil nature of certain characters.
There are some excellent characters throughout this story. Not all likeable, of course, but all quite fascinating and with fabulous names. I think Willow was my favourite character.
The story moves along at quite some speed as it is so full of action. The danger Salin and his friends face in their quest is quite terrifying at times and there are some devastating losses along the way. Salin is a brave and intelligent soul.
I was particularly disturbed by the sorcerer, the beast, and also the Troll. I have to say that I was most impressed when I found out what the beast really was. I honestly never twigged. Very clever writing!
Time inevitably brings change and sometimes that change can be immense in such a short space of time, but everything evolves at the pace it is meant to and to interrupt evolution in any way could have a catastrophic effect. There are always going to be people in this world who thrive on power and do everything in their power to upset the natural order of the world. Maybe there is an ‘order’ who keep their eye on us and make sure we don’t interfere with our destiny. Who knows!? It certainly makes you think. I know this is fiction, but still….
I loved that the message to Salin was to “Choose your words carefully. Words have power”. This is true on so many levels. In the case of Carrion these words have the power to transport you to another place and time where you can experience the action, adventure, suspense and intrigue of a story full of magic and mystery.
I highly recommend.
May 22, 2020
I was lucky enough to be offered a digital copy of Carrion by the author Graeme Cumming via a writing group. I knew this was something out my comfort zone, not my usual genre. But the eye-catching cover and the impact of a blurb, a contrast of harrowing scenes yet filled with detailed description of an enticing adventure begged me to dip my toes.
I would like to say so much about this dark compelling story but appreciate readers will undoubtedly want to go on this absorbing adventure and experience it themselves. I can tell you I loved how the author portrays the start of the adventure and acts out via the characters introducing me to Salin and his so believable friends, especially Willow who always seems to have her head screwed on in some sticky situations. I immediately felt Salin’s enthusiasm for this adventure and felt the need to follow it through to see if he reached his goals. All the characters are well fleshed out their names cleverly chosen by the author so appropriate to the story. I had to flip back occasionally at the start to reassure myself as there are several characters to get to know. The deeper into the story and as I became accustomed to the author’s writing style it became clearer and didn’t spoil the story.
I felt as if I was in the middle of the battel at times during the continuing onslaught, even had to make sure there were no shattered skulls or blooded casualties around me. The great variation of emotion within this story sometimes left me breathless and the many strange creatures are so wonderfully described leaving me in almost astonishment.
This has been an eyeopener to me. Graeme Cumming has no doubt a wonderful way with words and an amazingly vivid imagination. His talent shines throughout with a great sense of creativity and planning. I can only imagine much valid time was spent on research too. If you fancy going on a unique journey filled with some awesome descriptive and gripping scenes, why not give it a go. I’m so pleased I went out of my comfort zone. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out.
July 21, 2020
Carrion is the second book I've read by Graeme Cumming and is quite a different read to his debut novel, Raven's Gathering. The book is written from a couple of perspectives, including Carrion, the evil sorcerer, Salin, the son of a retired member of the Order and his group of three friends as well as four members of the Order who are on an important journey.
This book followed a more traditional fantasy story with its central theme of good versus evil and the main protagonist on a quest to save the world from an power hungry and ruthless sorcerer who has learned to use his power in the pursuit of self serving interest rather than for the benefit of mankind as they were intended. There is lots of intrigue with groups of birds who act as spies for the sorcerer as well as some well known and awe inspiring mythical creatures. The story of the journey reminded me of Frodo Baggin's journey through Mordor in the third Lord of the Rings book. The story is face paced and enjoyable and, although it wasn't particularly original for me, it is a good read.
The character of Carrion is well described and his back story is provided which gives the reader insight into his past and the circumstances which have resulted in his horribly flawed psychic. The reader is quick to learn to despite and hate Carrion as is intended.
Salin is a bit immature and impatient but he is assisted by more sensible and practical friends and the group is able to progress their quest. Salin's personality flaws, together with his loyalty and bravery, make him a believable character who the reader quickly becomes attached to. I enjoyed the female character, Willow, who always managed to keep the group focused and on track.
All in this book is an excellent read which will not disappoint lovers of fantasy and thrilling adventures.
This book followed a more traditional fantasy story with its central theme of good versus evil and the main protagonist on a quest to save the world from an power hungry and ruthless sorcerer who has learned to use his power in the pursuit of self serving interest rather than for the benefit of mankind as they were intended. There is lots of intrigue with groups of birds who act as spies for the sorcerer as well as some well known and awe inspiring mythical creatures. The story of the journey reminded me of Frodo Baggin's journey through Mordor in the third Lord of the Rings book. The story is face paced and enjoyable and, although it wasn't particularly original for me, it is a good read.
The character of Carrion is well described and his back story is provided which gives the reader insight into his past and the circumstances which have resulted in his horribly flawed psychic. The reader is quick to learn to despite and hate Carrion as is intended.
Salin is a bit immature and impatient but he is assisted by more sensible and practical friends and the group is able to progress their quest. Salin's personality flaws, together with his loyalty and bravery, make him a believable character who the reader quickly becomes attached to. I enjoyed the female character, Willow, who always managed to keep the group focused and on track.
All in this book is an excellent read which will not disappoint lovers of fantasy and thrilling adventures.
November 24, 2020
Content Warning: Domestic violence, uxoricide, physical violence, misogyny, objectification, sexual assault and rape (women and children), death, blood and gore (humans and animals).
Carrion is a trip. As it follows Graeme Cumming’s debut novel Ravens Gathering, this reviewer expected horrific characters, characters to root for, surprise plot twists, and immersive setting descriptions. All of which were delivered with just the right pacing and amount of dialogue.
The characters, setting, and world parameters are rooted in fantasy (sorcery, mythological creatures), and the story also features thriller and horror elements. It’s not exactly “our world” but it is certainly recognizable, which gives those thriller and horror elements even more weight. From the mundane task of cutting wood to descriptions of landscapes, physical descriptions of people and creatures to the nitty gritty details of action sequences, the descriptions are straightforward yet all-consuming.
Read the rest of my review on my blog - linked in my profile because Goodreads won't show the link here.
Carrion is a trip. As it follows Graeme Cumming’s debut novel Ravens Gathering, this reviewer expected horrific characters, characters to root for, surprise plot twists, and immersive setting descriptions. All of which were delivered with just the right pacing and amount of dialogue.
The characters, setting, and world parameters are rooted in fantasy (sorcery, mythological creatures), and the story also features thriller and horror elements. It’s not exactly “our world” but it is certainly recognizable, which gives those thriller and horror elements even more weight. From the mundane task of cutting wood to descriptions of landscapes, physical descriptions of people and creatures to the nitty gritty details of action sequences, the descriptions are straightforward yet all-consuming.
Read the rest of my review on my blog - linked in my profile because Goodreads won't show the link here.
Read
February 2, 2022Browsing for books usually means searching for a favourite genre. So it might be easy to miss Graeme Cummings's Carrion. It is not a book that fits into the traditional categories. It is a book about magic, about the future, about evil. But it is also about a young man's journey, almost a coming-of-age quest. And like all such journeys it is himself our protagonist finds. And on the way he must face a deadly foe.
Carrion follows Raven's Gathering but not chronologically. It is not a sequel. Rather it is another glimpse into a strange world, a world that was as fascinating as it was strange. Within its pages we are given a literal bird's eye view of the world, and it is as disturbing as it is illuminating.
A Good Read indeed.
Carrion follows Raven's Gathering but not chronologically. It is not a sequel. Rather it is another glimpse into a strange world, a world that was as fascinating as it was strange. Within its pages we are given a literal bird's eye view of the world, and it is as disturbing as it is illuminating.
A Good Read indeed.
January 23, 2024
An interesting fantasy follow-up to Raven's Gathering, but you don't need to have read that beforehand. Basically it's a Tolkien-esque quest whilst avoiding being gruesomely murdered by the antagonist (a thoroughly nasty piece of work). There's magic and strange creatures but the main focus is on the group of teens as they make their way across unfamiliar lands.
The author has acknowledged that some references to it being set hundreds of thousands of years in the past may be a bit jarring to anyone who knows about history (it is) but if you ignore that and treat it as a sword & sorcery tale it's an engaging read.
The character interplay is good and there's even some backstory to the antagonist that helps explain who he is and why he's such a bad 'un.
The author has acknowledged that some references to it being set hundreds of thousands of years in the past may be a bit jarring to anyone who knows about history (it is) but if you ignore that and treat it as a sword & sorcery tale it's an engaging read.
The character interplay is good and there's even some backstory to the antagonist that helps explain who he is and why he's such a bad 'un.
December 6, 2020
I have to say I truly enjoyed this book so close to Halloween. I have a fear of birds so the suspense caused by them throughout the book and the cover helped with the anticipation. This was the first read I have read by this author and won’t be the last. The book can be graphic at times with the violence. So is not for the faint hearted. Some excellent story building and character history. Really looking forward to reading more by this author.
November 23, 2020
The future is about to change. But who for?
Wow this book was dark but I loved it. It is something that is so far from my normal read and is brilliant. It drags you into a supernatural world of sorcery.
I have never read anything quite like it and it definitely opened my eyes to a different style of writing.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wow this book was dark but I loved it. It is something that is so far from my normal read and is brilliant. It drags you into a supernatural world of sorcery.
I have never read anything quite like it and it definitely opened my eyes to a different style of writing.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 24, 2020
It was an amazing read. Mysterious, suspense, and adventures.. So much decision making and sacrifices It is a different type of reading I am use too but definitely a great book quite dark. This is my first time reading about this author and I look forward to his other books. I like the development of the story and the mysterious of it plus its sorcery.
November 7, 2021
A thoroughly absorbing book. An exciting adventure with a little bit of sorcery and evil thrown in too. I really felt like I got to know the characters, and had that strange sense of sadness you feel when you've read a good book - you want to finish knowing you'll be annoyed when you have. Highly recommend.
May 15, 2020
A dark and compelling adventure story that will drag you into a world of sorcerers and a twisted battle between good and evil. The author paints a world of vivid imagery, honour and friendship, hate and control that will keep you wanting more.
A fantastic read!
A fantastic read!
January 30, 2021
This story takes us on an adventure. A thrilling fascinating adventure where we are constantly learning more about things as we go. Salin and his friends embark on a journey far more involved than they had planned for. The villain is as villainous as they get and incites huge dislike very early on. There are a few shocking moments throughout the book but I wont give any spoilers here except to say one was really upsetting and tragic and the other well let's just say the beast was not what I expected. Read this book it has action adventure thrills a troll a dragon i mean who doesnt love a dragon and many many birds. This is my first book read by this author but certainly wont be my last the description is really good and you can imagine the settings clearly. Brilliant job Graeme Cumming.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews