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The Hunted
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide - an electrifying, heartpounding, truly unputdownable thriller - a bestselling debut from talented newcomer, Gabriel Bergmoser.
'A truly terrifying, breathlessly exciting novel. It gut punches you in the first few pages and doesn't let you recover until the final, thrilling climax. An extraordinary book.' M W Craven 'An original and high-octane read , it makes Deliverance look like Picnic at Hanging Rock.' The Times/Sunday Times Crime Club Frank is a service station owner on a little-used highway who just wants a quiet life. His granddaughter has been sent to stay with him to fix her attitude, but they don't talk a lot. When a badly injured young woman arrives at Frank's service station with several cars in pursuit, Frank and a handful of unsuspecting customers are thrust into a life-or-death standoff. But who are this group of men and women who will go to any lengths for revenge? And what do they want? Other than no survivors ...? A ferociously fast-paced, filmic, visceral, tense and utterly electric novel, unlike anything you've read before. Set on a lonely, deserted highway, deep in the Australian badlands, The Hunted is white-knuckle suspense matched to the fast-paced adrenaline of a Jack Reacher novel and the creeping menace of Wake in Fright. This is unmissable reading. 'This slice of outback noir is .... at once exhilarating, gleefully vicious and totally, race-to-the-finish-line unputdownable ' Observer 'An audacious walk on the wildest side of outback noir ... a vivid thriller .' Sydney Morning Herald ' A perfectly paced, thrilling read with an unrelenting sense of dread and menace ...building suspense at every turn of the page. Crime and thriller readers will love this savage Rottweiler of a novel that will clamp its jaws around their throat and shake them to the end.' Bookseller+Publisher ' Tough, violent, suspenseful and peopled with great characters, The Hunted could well be the Australian thriller of the year. This is Jack Reacher for adults.' Canberra Weekly
'A truly terrifying, breathlessly exciting novel. It gut punches you in the first few pages and doesn't let you recover until the final, thrilling climax. An extraordinary book.' M W Craven 'An original and high-octane read , it makes Deliverance look like Picnic at Hanging Rock.' The Times/Sunday Times Crime Club Frank is a service station owner on a little-used highway who just wants a quiet life. His granddaughter has been sent to stay with him to fix her attitude, but they don't talk a lot. When a badly injured young woman arrives at Frank's service station with several cars in pursuit, Frank and a handful of unsuspecting customers are thrust into a life-or-death standoff. But who are this group of men and women who will go to any lengths for revenge? And what do they want? Other than no survivors ...? A ferociously fast-paced, filmic, visceral, tense and utterly electric novel, unlike anything you've read before. Set on a lonely, deserted highway, deep in the Australian badlands, The Hunted is white-knuckle suspense matched to the fast-paced adrenaline of a Jack Reacher novel and the creeping menace of Wake in Fright. This is unmissable reading. 'This slice of outback noir is .... at once exhilarating, gleefully vicious and totally, race-to-the-finish-line unputdownable ' Observer 'An audacious walk on the wildest side of outback noir ... a vivid thriller .' Sydney Morning Herald ' A perfectly paced, thrilling read with an unrelenting sense of dread and menace ...building suspense at every turn of the page. Crime and thriller readers will love this savage Rottweiler of a novel that will clamp its jaws around their throat and shake them to the end.' Bookseller+Publisher ' Tough, violent, suspenseful and peopled with great characters, The Hunted could well be the Australian thriller of the year. This is Jack Reacher for adults.' Canberra Weekly
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2020
212 people are currently reading
3362 people want to read
About the author
Gabriel Bergmoser
18 books273 followersGabriel Bergmoser is a Melbourne based author and playwright. After starting out in the youth theatre scene with his early plays Windmills, Life Without Me and Hometown, Gabriel completed his Masters of Screenwriting at the Victorian College of the Arts. He co-founded the independent production company Bitten By Productions, entering the Melbourne theatre scene with the one-act comedy Reunion and the futuristic Babylon Trilogy of noir thrillers. Gabriel's 2015 Beatles comedy We Can Work It Out opened to sell out shows and rave reviews – it has also been performed in Queensland and returned to Melbourne stages for the 2018 Fringe Festival.
In 2015 he won the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award for his pilot screenplay based on Windmills and was flown to the International Emmys in New York to accept. The same pilot was later nominated for the Monte Miller Award. In 2016 his first young adult novel, Boone Shepard, was published by Bell Frog Books; it was later shortlisted for the Readings Young Adult Prize the day after the sequel, Boone Shepard's American Adventure was released. The third book, Boone Shepard: The Silhouette and the Sacrifice, was released in 2018 and a television adaptation is currently in development with Pirate Size Productions.
His 2016 plays The Lucas Conundrum, Regression and The Critic opened to excellent reviews while his early 2017 play Springsteen sold out its entire season. His play Heroes was nominated for the 2017 Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing and went on to win several awards, including five for Best Production and three for best script, on the 2017 VDL One Act Play Festival circuit. His first musical, Moonlite (featuring original songs by Dan Nixon) was performed as part of the 2018 Midsumma Festival; it received rave reviews, sold out its entire season, and was later selected for the highly sought after Home Grown Grassroots development initiative. His 2019 play, The Trial of Dorian Gray, sold out its entire season, was extended, then sold out again. Several of his plays have been published by Australian Plays.
In 2019 Gabriel signed a two book deal with Harper Collins, with the first, The Hunted, scheduled for publication in July 2020. The Hunted will be published in the UK by Faber with translation rights having sold to Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Italy and France. The film adaptation is currently being developed in a joint production between Stampede Ventures and Vertigo entertainment in Los Angeles, with Gabriel writing the screenplay. He has since signed a second two book deal with Harper for his YA coming of age novel The True Colour of Little White Lies and a follow up.
In 2015 he won the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award for his pilot screenplay based on Windmills and was flown to the International Emmys in New York to accept. The same pilot was later nominated for the Monte Miller Award. In 2016 his first young adult novel, Boone Shepard, was published by Bell Frog Books; it was later shortlisted for the Readings Young Adult Prize the day after the sequel, Boone Shepard's American Adventure was released. The third book, Boone Shepard: The Silhouette and the Sacrifice, was released in 2018 and a television adaptation is currently in development with Pirate Size Productions.
His 2016 plays The Lucas Conundrum, Regression and The Critic opened to excellent reviews while his early 2017 play Springsteen sold out its entire season. His play Heroes was nominated for the 2017 Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing and went on to win several awards, including five for Best Production and three for best script, on the 2017 VDL One Act Play Festival circuit. His first musical, Moonlite (featuring original songs by Dan Nixon) was performed as part of the 2018 Midsumma Festival; it received rave reviews, sold out its entire season, and was later selected for the highly sought after Home Grown Grassroots development initiative. His 2019 play, The Trial of Dorian Gray, sold out its entire season, was extended, then sold out again. Several of his plays have been published by Australian Plays.
In 2019 Gabriel signed a two book deal with Harper Collins, with the first, The Hunted, scheduled for publication in July 2020. The Hunted will be published in the UK by Faber with translation rights having sold to Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Italy and France. The film adaptation is currently being developed in a joint production between Stampede Ventures and Vertigo entertainment in Los Angeles, with Gabriel writing the screenplay. He has since signed a second two book deal with Harper for his YA coming of age novel The True Colour of Little White Lies and a follow up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 656 reviews
August 14, 2024
‘If you took all the criminals in the world, put them on an island and left them for a hundred years, what is the first thing they’d say to you when you came back?’ Allie had no idea. Maggie smiled. ‘Probably something like “G’day, mate”.’
The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser is a pulse-pounding thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Set in the vast and unforgiving Australian outback, this novel dives straight into the action and doesn't let up until the very end.
The story kicks off with a bang: a young woman, covered in blood, stumbles into a desolate roadside diner. From there, things escalate quickly. The diner’s inhabitants, an old man and his granddaughter, soon find themselves caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse as they try to protect her from a group of relentless pursuers.
Bergmoser excels at building tension. The isolated setting of the outback adds to the feeling of dread and vulnerability. You can almost feel the oppressive heat and the vast emptiness surrounding the characters, which heightens the suspense.
The characters are well drawn and relatable. The young woman, although initially a mystery, reveals a depth of strength and resilience. The old man and his granddaughter are endearing, and their bravery in the face of danger adds a lot of heart to the story. The villains are terrifying and relentless, making the stakes feel incredibly high.
The pacing is fast and furious, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Just when you think you know where the story is headed, Bergmoser throws in a curveball that makes you rethink everything.
The Hunted is a taut, intense read that fans of thrillers will devour. It’s a story about survival, the bonds that form in the face of danger, and the darkness that can lurk in the most unexpected places. If you enjoy books that keep you up late into the night, this one’s for you.
I Highly Recommend.
4.5
The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser is a pulse-pounding thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Set in the vast and unforgiving Australian outback, this novel dives straight into the action and doesn't let up until the very end.
The story kicks off with a bang: a young woman, covered in blood, stumbles into a desolate roadside diner. From there, things escalate quickly. The diner’s inhabitants, an old man and his granddaughter, soon find themselves caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse as they try to protect her from a group of relentless pursuers.
Bergmoser excels at building tension. The isolated setting of the outback adds to the feeling of dread and vulnerability. You can almost feel the oppressive heat and the vast emptiness surrounding the characters, which heightens the suspense.
The characters are well drawn and relatable. The young woman, although initially a mystery, reveals a depth of strength and resilience. The old man and his granddaughter are endearing, and their bravery in the face of danger adds a lot of heart to the story. The villains are terrifying and relentless, making the stakes feel incredibly high.
The pacing is fast and furious, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Just when you think you know where the story is headed, Bergmoser throws in a curveball that makes you rethink everything.
The Hunted is a taut, intense read that fans of thrillers will devour. It’s a story about survival, the bonds that form in the face of danger, and the darkness that can lurk in the most unexpected places. If you enjoy books that keep you up late into the night, this one’s for you.
I Highly Recommend.
4.5
May 18, 2020
Well that's certainly what I call an unputdownable novel! It comes out of the boxes running, and doesn't let up until the finishing post is reached.
When an injured girl drives into a service station in outback Australia, little does the owner know that his life, and the lives of those around him, are about to get very interesting. And that's an understatement. I'm not going to say anymore as I don't want to give anything away.
This is a book for all action, thriller and suspense lovers, so do yourself a favour and grab a copy!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When an injured girl drives into a service station in outback Australia, little does the owner know that his life, and the lives of those around him, are about to get very interesting. And that's an understatement. I'm not going to say anymore as I don't want to give anything away.
This is a book for all action, thriller and suspense lovers, so do yourself a favour and grab a copy!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2021
Maggie is the Hunted, the intended prey of violent men who she has upset badly and are now out for revenge. That is until she stumbles into Frank's run down roadhouse on a lonely stretch of highway in the Australian outback. Now Frank, his granddaughter Allie and customers are all the Hunted.
This is one for those who like their thrillers dark, graphic and menacing. More violent than books I normally read and definitely not one for the faint hearted, but utterly compelling. The waves of suspense just keep on coming as the tension ramps up and up to boiling point. A high octane roller-coaster of a novel, brilliantly written with strong characters to cheer for. Just don't read it before going to sleep, like I did.
With thanks to HarperCollins Australia and Netgalley for a copy to read
This is one for those who like their thrillers dark, graphic and menacing. More violent than books I normally read and definitely not one for the faint hearted, but utterly compelling. The waves of suspense just keep on coming as the tension ramps up and up to boiling point. A high octane roller-coaster of a novel, brilliantly written with strong characters to cheer for. Just don't read it before going to sleep, like I did.
With thanks to HarperCollins Australia and Netgalley for a copy to read
June 23, 2020
There is a stranger inside Frank's house. His estranged granddaughter is living with him for a brief period and he knows as little about how to care for her as he knows about how to talk to teenage girls in general. He escapes from his ramshackle home every day to make the kilometre walk to the just as ramshackle service station he owns and runs, which provides the only source of meagre rest and nourishment on the largely disused highway road it rests beside. But, one day, familial discontent prove to be the least of his worries when a girl falls from her car, coated in blood and mud and in dire need of his assistance. She only has one direction to give before she succumbs into unconsciousness from her injuries: do not call the cops!
This was one WILD FUCKING RIDE! This entire book was just pure, fast-paced tension and I loved every insane page of it! Events continued to spiral and the barriers were incessantly pushed. This type of bloody horror does not impact me as it may others, and so I found more sick enjoyment than actual terror here, but I enjoyed it just as much for that.
The multiple perspectives and timelines ensured a thrilling mystery was explored and it wasn't until the central point of this back-and-forth narrative that the reader was given the truth of what was occurring. This did not mean the concluding portion was any less thrilling, however, only that it became more blood-soaked.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Gabriel Bergmoser, and the publisher, Faber and Faber, for this opportunity.
This was one WILD FUCKING RIDE! This entire book was just pure, fast-paced tension and I loved every insane page of it! Events continued to spiral and the barriers were incessantly pushed. This type of bloody horror does not impact me as it may others, and so I found more sick enjoyment than actual terror here, but I enjoyed it just as much for that.
The multiple perspectives and timelines ensured a thrilling mystery was explored and it wasn't until the central point of this back-and-forth narrative that the reader was given the truth of what was occurring. This did not mean the concluding portion was any less thrilling, however, only that it became more blood-soaked.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Gabriel Bergmoser, and the publisher, Faber and Faber, for this opportunity.
February 24, 2021
This was another in-between thriller for me, but what an unforgettable story it turned out to be. ‘The Hunted’ must be one of the most heartbeat stopping thrillers I ever read. And, mind you, I do not mean that in the sense of the body slashing tales of Karin Slaughter or Jo Nesbo. This is a tale that really gets too close for comfort and in that way it almost gets personal because it is not unthinkable that this could happen to you, driving on a long empty road in a far off wild region in the U.S. or in this case Australia, where the story takes place. And, yes, this is about hunting and extremely sick people who like to hunt. Humans, that is.
Prepare to hold your breath. Many times over. It is that good!
Prepare to hold your breath. Many times over. It is that good!
November 22, 2020
Fans of everything from slasher films such as Wolf Creek, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Wrong Turn through to Criminal Minds, sit up and take notice.
Now – Frank owns and runs The Roadhouse – a combination gas station, diner, and convenience store in a remote area of Victoria. There's nothing else for miles, and that's the way he likes it.
Then – Melbournite, Simon is on a road trip, and he's determined to see and experience the ‘real' Australian outback.
Both are about to encounter the same young woman in different scenarios.
They'll quickly wish they hadn't.
Because, their lives (along with a handful of others) are about to turn into the stuff of nightmares. And it's going to be a bloodbath.
When I think of the Australian Outback I envision the adventure of a lifetime, a dream scenic vacation in a beautiful, vast, unspoiled wilderness, but The Hunted painted a very different savage, uncivilised picture, and showed just how quickly things can turn threatening and deadly in such isolated surroundings. Horrific and terrifying, with twists and turns galore, my heart was pounding for the entire 288 ‘non-stop action-packed thrill-ride’ pages.
Right from the get go my hackles were raised, my anxiety high, as character's gut-instincts warned them something was very wrong but they ignored their unease, didn't want to believe they were in danger. For others, it was an unfortunate case of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The characterisations were fantastic. The good guys ranged from brave to cowardly, relying on their wits and resourcefulness to outsmart and survive. The psychopathic baddies were truly evil and their dialogue, mannerisms and behaviour were spot-on. They showed no mercy, lived by a cultish mentality, perpetrated their own sick moral code, and even when they were pretending to be friendly and kind, they oozed revulsion and creepiness. I loved Frank and his evolving relationship with his Granddaughter, Allie (who was visiting him for a few weeks). A third character was very memorable too, but I can't spoil who it was.
As you've probably figured, there were some graphic kill scenes, high body count, and as you would expect, not everyone made it, so not for the faint-hearted. But the humour the author injected into the writing toned down the grimness, and it helped that the goriest deaths were reserved for the bad people.
While reading I kept thinking that The Hunted would make an amazing movie. Well, guess what, it is being made into a film – yippee! Gabriel Bergmoser, you hit the mark with this adrenaline-pumping, incredible read. It sure did scare me!
Now – Frank owns and runs The Roadhouse – a combination gas station, diner, and convenience store in a remote area of Victoria. There's nothing else for miles, and that's the way he likes it.
Then – Melbournite, Simon is on a road trip, and he's determined to see and experience the ‘real' Australian outback.
Both are about to encounter the same young woman in different scenarios.
They'll quickly wish they hadn't.
Because, their lives (along with a handful of others) are about to turn into the stuff of nightmares. And it's going to be a bloodbath.
When I think of the Australian Outback I envision the adventure of a lifetime, a dream scenic vacation in a beautiful, vast, unspoiled wilderness, but The Hunted painted a very different savage, uncivilised picture, and showed just how quickly things can turn threatening and deadly in such isolated surroundings. Horrific and terrifying, with twists and turns galore, my heart was pounding for the entire 288 ‘non-stop action-packed thrill-ride’ pages.
Right from the get go my hackles were raised, my anxiety high, as character's gut-instincts warned them something was very wrong but they ignored their unease, didn't want to believe they were in danger. For others, it was an unfortunate case of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The characterisations were fantastic. The good guys ranged from brave to cowardly, relying on their wits and resourcefulness to outsmart and survive. The psychopathic baddies were truly evil and their dialogue, mannerisms and behaviour were spot-on. They showed no mercy, lived by a cultish mentality, perpetrated their own sick moral code, and even when they were pretending to be friendly and kind, they oozed revulsion and creepiness. I loved Frank and his evolving relationship with his Granddaughter, Allie (who was visiting him for a few weeks). A third character was very memorable too, but I can't spoil who it was.
As you've probably figured, there were some graphic kill scenes, high body count, and as you would expect, not everyone made it, so not for the faint-hearted. But the humour the author injected into the writing toned down the grimness, and it helped that the goriest deaths were reserved for the bad people.
While reading I kept thinking that The Hunted would make an amazing movie. Well, guess what, it is being made into a film – yippee! Gabriel Bergmoser, you hit the mark with this adrenaline-pumping, incredible read. It sure did scare me!
October 10, 2020
Oh my goodness, what a dark book The Hunted is! I read this in one afternoon, completely addicted to what was happening on the pages. I love a good Aussie crime thriller and this was so much more than a thriller. It is a gruesome and graphic read and may not be for everybody. If you can cope with explicit language and details on murder you will love it!!
Frank and his granddaughter are having a normal day in their roadside petrol station on an outback highway, kilometres from everywhere. There are 2 customers when a young woman turns up, bloody and beaten in serious need to medical help. She is adamant there is to be no police. The 4 of them try to help the poor girl - and then some evil and dangerous men come looking for the girl, Megan. This is the beginning of a day that they would rather forget.
I won this book in a giveaway from Bookster and Harper Collins and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Frank and his granddaughter are having a normal day in their roadside petrol station on an outback highway, kilometres from everywhere. There are 2 customers when a young woman turns up, bloody and beaten in serious need to medical help. She is adamant there is to be no police. The 4 of them try to help the poor girl - and then some evil and dangerous men come looking for the girl, Megan. This is the beginning of a day that they would rather forget.
I won this book in a giveaway from Bookster and Harper Collins and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 3, 2021
Well, I must admit this book took me by surprise as I didn’t expect it to be a heart stopping read one in which I couldn’t put down. This book ticked all the boxes for me when it comes to reading a thriller. Page turner, gruesome, intense, edge of your seat this book had the lot plus so much more.
Aussie author Gabriel Bergmoser sure knows how to get his reader’s attention that’s for sure. So if you are looking for your next page turner look no further as this one is a must. Highly recommended.
Aussie author Gabriel Bergmoser sure knows how to get his reader’s attention that’s for sure. So if you are looking for your next page turner look no further as this one is a must. Highly recommended.
October 22, 2020
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
The Hunted was absolutely blood curdling, brutal and action packed. I was quite taken aback when I realised this thriller was part blood-bath rampage but once over the initial shock I really enjoyed what was a fast paced and suspenseful read.
The story is set in the desolate sunburned Australian Outback. After having returned from a road trip camping in the Northern Territory outback just over a week ago I feel so relieved I read this book after my trip and not before! Think an action packed Wolf Creek and you’ll understand where I’m coming from!!
The story features fifty something Frank who owns a roadhouse that sits hours from the nearest town and on a remote highway. He's been sent his granddaughter Allie to stay with him for a short time but when an injured young woman turns up at the roadhouse and collapses out of her car, coated in blood and mud the violence begins and nobody is safe.....
The scenes are so vivid and this book would make the most creepiest, messed up movie!
The Hunted was absolutely blood curdling, brutal and action packed. I was quite taken aback when I realised this thriller was part blood-bath rampage but once over the initial shock I really enjoyed what was a fast paced and suspenseful read.
The story is set in the desolate sunburned Australian Outback. After having returned from a road trip camping in the Northern Territory outback just over a week ago I feel so relieved I read this book after my trip and not before! Think an action packed Wolf Creek and you’ll understand where I’m coming from!!
The story features fifty something Frank who owns a roadhouse that sits hours from the nearest town and on a remote highway. He's been sent his granddaughter Allie to stay with him for a short time but when an injured young woman turns up at the roadhouse and collapses out of her car, coated in blood and mud the violence begins and nobody is safe.....
The scenes are so vivid and this book would make the most creepiest, messed up movie!
January 19, 2020
This type of horror/action thriller isn’t my usual thing but boy, did I love this book.
The book is split into ‘then’ and ‘now’ sections. ‘Now’ features teenager Allie who has gotten into trouble with bullies at school at the same time as her parents are planning to divorce. As part punishment, part getting her out of the way whilst her parents sort things out, she is sent to stay with her grandfather, Frank, who runs a service station/roadhouse literally in the middle of nowhere. Frank and Allie are still tiptoeing around each other when a young woman drives into the service station before passing out from some horrific injuries.
The ‘then’ section focuses on Simon, who has left the city to find the ‘real’ Australia, and Maggie, whom he meets in a bar. Maggie claims to be homeless and she persuades Simon to let her join him on his road trip. The 'then' part follows them as they drive down one dirt road too many into the back of beyond.
I felt like Bergmoser reached his peak when the two story/timelines eventually met up. He created heart pounding tension along with a slew of roller coaster action episodes. The pace was frenetic but wonderful. I felt like every scene was a cliffhanger, let alone the end of the chapters. I literally could not stop reading and sat up way too late, flicking pages like a mad woman, to discover how the characters would fare in this weird wild world.
The action was all very well written. I knew exactly what was happening and could picture the scenes easily. They were also very clever and original. Characters get into, and out of, tight situations in the most unexpected and unique ways. Certainly nothing seemed cliched to me. Some of the scenarios might usually stretch the imagination but Bergmoser managed to make them all seem realistic.
Bergmoser has written a few young adult books but I wouldn’t recommend this to youngsters! As I said, this isn’t my usual genre, so I’m not sure how graphic these novels usually are, but I would give a content warning of violence and swearing and it’s certainly not for the fainthearted.
The official publication date isn’t until June but I managed to read this via an ARC on Net Galley (thanks Harper Collins). I recommend you click on pre-order and grab yourself a copy when this becomes available. It’s got the added bonus of appealing to both male and female readers, I think.
5 out of 5 I’ll definitely be on the lookout for future Bergmoser books.
The book is split into ‘then’ and ‘now’ sections. ‘Now’ features teenager Allie who has gotten into trouble with bullies at school at the same time as her parents are planning to divorce. As part punishment, part getting her out of the way whilst her parents sort things out, she is sent to stay with her grandfather, Frank, who runs a service station/roadhouse literally in the middle of nowhere. Frank and Allie are still tiptoeing around each other when a young woman drives into the service station before passing out from some horrific injuries.
The ‘then’ section focuses on Simon, who has left the city to find the ‘real’ Australia, and Maggie, whom he meets in a bar. Maggie claims to be homeless and she persuades Simon to let her join him on his road trip. The 'then' part follows them as they drive down one dirt road too many into the back of beyond.
I felt like Bergmoser reached his peak when the two story/timelines eventually met up. He created heart pounding tension along with a slew of roller coaster action episodes. The pace was frenetic but wonderful. I felt like every scene was a cliffhanger, let alone the end of the chapters. I literally could not stop reading and sat up way too late, flicking pages like a mad woman, to discover how the characters would fare in this weird wild world.
The action was all very well written. I knew exactly what was happening and could picture the scenes easily. They were also very clever and original. Characters get into, and out of, tight situations in the most unexpected and unique ways. Certainly nothing seemed cliched to me. Some of the scenarios might usually stretch the imagination but Bergmoser managed to make them all seem realistic.
Bergmoser has written a few young adult books but I wouldn’t recommend this to youngsters! As I said, this isn’t my usual genre, so I’m not sure how graphic these novels usually are, but I would give a content warning of violence and swearing and it’s certainly not for the fainthearted.
The official publication date isn’t until June but I managed to read this via an ARC on Net Galley (thanks Harper Collins). I recommend you click on pre-order and grab yourself a copy when this becomes available. It’s got the added bonus of appealing to both male and female readers, I think.
5 out of 5 I’ll definitely be on the lookout for future Bergmoser books.
January 7, 2021
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**4.5 stars**
The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser. (2020).
Frank is a service station owner on a little-used highway who just wants a quiet life. His granddaughter has just come to stay to fix her attitude but they don't talk a lot. When a badly injured young woman arrives at the service station with several cars in pursuit, Frank and a few unsuspecting customers are thrust into a sudden life-or-death standoff. But who are this group of people who will yup to any lengths for revenge? And what do they want? Other than no survivors...?
Woooowwwwww. This is one excellent piece of writing! It won't be for everyone because of the detailed violence and crude language. BUT. If you don't mind that, then definitely pick this one up. I can't believe I almost returned this to the library without reading because I had too many books at home - it would have been such a shame to have missed this one! It's an intense, fast and action-packed read; it has a 'Wolf Creek' or 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' feel to it which I wasn't really expecting at all to be honest, but worked so well. The story alternates between the current stand-off, and then the events involving Maggie that led to the stand-off. The suspense and tension makes for one compelling storyline. I look forward to the sequel featuring Maggie, she is one hell of a bad-ass woman.
Highly recommend this novel to those that can appreciate a dark thriller/horror type of story.
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**4.5 stars**
The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser. (2020).
Frank is a service station owner on a little-used highway who just wants a quiet life. His granddaughter has just come to stay to fix her attitude but they don't talk a lot. When a badly injured young woman arrives at the service station with several cars in pursuit, Frank and a few unsuspecting customers are thrust into a sudden life-or-death standoff. But who are this group of people who will yup to any lengths for revenge? And what do they want? Other than no survivors...?
Woooowwwwww. This is one excellent piece of writing! It won't be for everyone because of the detailed violence and crude language. BUT. If you don't mind that, then definitely pick this one up. I can't believe I almost returned this to the library without reading because I had too many books at home - it would have been such a shame to have missed this one! It's an intense, fast and action-packed read; it has a 'Wolf Creek' or 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' feel to it which I wasn't really expecting at all to be honest, but worked so well. The story alternates between the current stand-off, and then the events involving Maggie that led to the stand-off. The suspense and tension makes for one compelling storyline. I look forward to the sequel featuring Maggie, she is one hell of a bad-ass woman.
Highly recommend this novel to those that can appreciate a dark thriller/horror type of story.
January 7, 2022
Wow! This book is one that demands to be read in a single sitting. It was SO hard to put down.
Right from the beginning I was hooked, yes it was violent and quite gruesome, but it was also a thrilling story.
Frank lives a reclusive life working in his service station on a remote stretch of highway. He finds himself looking after his teenage grand daughter who appears to be going through a rough patch and her parents don't know how to deal with her. Then a girls pulls into the service station, she is not only badly injured but she is about to take them into a whole world of trouble.
Highly recommended - but bear in mind the graphic and violent nature of this book. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
Right from the beginning I was hooked, yes it was violent and quite gruesome, but it was also a thrilling story.
Frank lives a reclusive life working in his service station on a remote stretch of highway. He finds himself looking after his teenage grand daughter who appears to be going through a rough patch and her parents don't know how to deal with her. Then a girls pulls into the service station, she is not only badly injured but she is about to take them into a whole world of trouble.
Highly recommended - but bear in mind the graphic and violent nature of this book. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
Read
May 3, 2022DNF at 45%. Normally I’m a reasonably good judge of the types of book that will appeal to me. I’ve had plenty of practice after all. Sometimes though I call it wrong, and this was one such occasion.
There’s no lack of pace with this story, but as it progressed I began to feel the level of brutality was excessive. I also thought it increasingly resembled a version of Deliverance, reset to Australia. (I’ve never actually read that book, but I’ve seen the movie version).
Looking at the reviews, most other people have really enjoyed it, so don’t let me put you off! We all have different tastes, but this one wasn’t for me.
No rating as I didn't finish it.
There’s no lack of pace with this story, but as it progressed I began to feel the level of brutality was excessive. I also thought it increasingly resembled a version of Deliverance, reset to Australia. (I’ve never actually read that book, but I’ve seen the movie version).
Looking at the reviews, most other people have really enjoyed it, so don’t let me put you off! We all have different tastes, but this one wasn’t for me.
No rating as I didn't finish it.
October 27, 2021
Set in the Australian outback this thrilling horror is very reminiscent of many gory films of that nature.
The reader is initially introduced to service station owner Frank who's initial seclusion is broken when granddaughter Allie is sent to stay with him during the summer.
The peace is completely shattered when a young women walks into the store severely injured.
The dual timeline follows both events at the remote highway station whilst flashbacks follow dreamer Simon who's travelling the open road whilst hoping to get a real view of Australia.
It's during his journey that he meets Maggie which sets in motion a sequence of events that will lead to the confrontation at the road.
This brilliant heart pounding slasher doesn't shy aware from the horric elements in what awful people are capable of inflicting on each other.
At the same time the hot Australian setting adds another fascinating level to this fight for survival.
This quick page turner is already in movie development and this novel has the feel of being a potential best seller once more people become aware of it...
The reader is initially introduced to service station owner Frank who's initial seclusion is broken when granddaughter Allie is sent to stay with him during the summer.
The peace is completely shattered when a young women walks into the store severely injured.
The dual timeline follows both events at the remote highway station whilst flashbacks follow dreamer Simon who's travelling the open road whilst hoping to get a real view of Australia.
It's during his journey that he meets Maggie which sets in motion a sequence of events that will lead to the confrontation at the road.
This brilliant heart pounding slasher doesn't shy aware from the horric elements in what awful people are capable of inflicting on each other.
At the same time the hot Australian setting adds another fascinating level to this fight for survival.
This quick page turner is already in movie development and this novel has the feel of being a potential best seller once more people become aware of it...
February 28, 2021
It's hard to say much about The Hunted by Australian author Gabriel Bergmoser without spoilers. Suffice to say that I initially assumed I had started a highway-killer thriller- or a highway-thrill-killer thriller, rather (important distinction), something along the lines of The Hitcher or Duel. Turns out, the story is actually more like- you know what, I'm going to use spoiler tags anyway- , at least in terms of content.
I found a lot of this to be very competent, and also very familiar. We've got a protagonist pushed to the limits of her endurance, who realizes that in order to survive her ordeal, she has to become more ruthless than her adversaries; we've got scenes of her staggering on a wounded leg to reload a shotgun before it's too late; we've got some YA-adjacent dialogue like "you're only as weak as you let yourself feel"; and we've got a scene where a bad guy is threatening a young girl, demanding to know where the hell is! "Right here", answers from behind, just before blowing the guy's head off. Again, it's all competently-written, it's just that I've seen a lot of it before in movies- I can only imagine the author has, too.
The bad guys are virtually indistinguishable from each other, despite the author's efforts to build one of them up as the most sadistic of all. Speaking of them, the bad guys, I feel like a killjoy even mentioning this, and maybe it's a bit hypocritical of me because I love the movie Deliverance, but ultimately I did find it a little disturbing that one of the lessons of this story seems to be that the country folks of Australia are just as dangerous and depraved as the city folks of Australia might sometimes suspect they are. They're just country folks, one of the protagonists tries to tell himself early on, just country folks, which turns out to be very foolish rationalization in the context of the novel. Much later, there's a moment of grim camaraderie and resolve between two of the other protagonists:
"Tell you what", Frank said. "Kill another four of the hick fucks and you're forgiven."
"We're gonna have to kill a lot more than four to see the morning."
"I'm game if you are."
Aside from the cliched dialogue, I just can't help imagining an analogous American novel about a young professional New Yorker who travels to oh, I don't know, Idaho, or another red state, and spends the early part of the book telling herself: they're just Idahoans, they're just Idahoans...Boise even has a Starbucks. What's that you say, slated to be published in 2022? I think I'll pass.
All that being said, I was engaged with the story until about the 40% mark; at that point, I realized what kind of story this was, and started to feel a familiar disappointment. The disappointment was the result of there being no mystery left. By the 40% mark, the game is pretty much up, you know what's going on, and all that's left is , and a few grisly discoveries.
There are some movies that seem as though they can only exist as movies, and some books that seem unfilmable. This book, on the other hand, is practically a movie already, and maybe it should have been; if I had absorbed this story in the form of a 90-minute late-night showing, I think I would have enjoyed it a little more. As a reading experience, I found it lacking.
August 24, 2020
Oh this was messed up - in a good way, if you like that sort of thing (I do). The Hunted is getting saturation-level publicity at the moment, but it was only after listening to the author talking about this, his first novel for adults, on a podcast, that I decided I had to see what all the fuss was about ASAP. Oh my god! This is an author indulging a no-limits style of storytelling. Seriously, if you are squeamish, this is not the book for you.
Frank, the man with a mysterious past, owns and operates a one-man, remote roadhouse somewhere on an Australian highway. His anxiety levels are up a bit because his estranged son has asked him to look after his teenage granddaughter for a few weeks. The pair know very little about each other, and their common ground seems to be a reluctance to communicate. One day while Frank is at work, a badly injured young woman arrives at the roadhouse. She falls unconscious, but not before imploring Frank not to call for an ambulance or the police. In a very short time, some people have come looking for the woman and it's clear that not everyone is going to get to the end of the story alive.
This story is all about the action. It is unrelenting. It's the kind of book usually described as unputdownable, except that for those types of books I often do! I put this one down frequently to give my brain a bit of space, but then eagerly picked it up when I was ready to go again.
There are characters that you can be curious about and perhaps even care about up to a point, but you don't really get to know them very well. Glimpses of the past from both Frank's and the young woman's POV give you a better idea of why they act the way they do, but it's nowhere near enough to truly understand them. And there are so many dispensable/disposable characters. So very many...
One of the things I remember Bergmoser talking about in the podcast was how the screenplay is coming along (a film is already in development). He said the director sometimes comes to him and says we could do that this way...and he regrets not having thought about that for the novel. I could see that, too. There were a few times when I thought that character wouldn't do/say that. But overall, it doesn't really matter, because that's not the point. This is a bucking bronco of a horror/thriller, and you're just hanging on for dear life and enjoying the ride.
Frank, the man with a mysterious past, owns and operates a one-man, remote roadhouse somewhere on an Australian highway. His anxiety levels are up a bit because his estranged son has asked him to look after his teenage granddaughter for a few weeks. The pair know very little about each other, and their common ground seems to be a reluctance to communicate. One day while Frank is at work, a badly injured young woman arrives at the roadhouse. She falls unconscious, but not before imploring Frank not to call for an ambulance or the police. In a very short time, some people have come looking for the woman and it's clear that not everyone is going to get to the end of the story alive.
This story is all about the action. It is unrelenting. It's the kind of book usually described as unputdownable, except that for those types of books I often do! I put this one down frequently to give my brain a bit of space, but then eagerly picked it up when I was ready to go again.
There are characters that you can be curious about and perhaps even care about up to a point, but you don't really get to know them very well. Glimpses of the past from both Frank's and the young woman's POV give you a better idea of why they act the way they do, but it's nowhere near enough to truly understand them. And there are so many dispensable/disposable characters. So very many...
One of the things I remember Bergmoser talking about in the podcast was how the screenplay is coming along (a film is already in development). He said the director sometimes comes to him and says we could do that this way...and he regrets not having thought about that for the novel. I could see that, too. There were a few times when I thought that character wouldn't do/say that. But overall, it doesn't really matter, because that's not the point. This is a bucking bronco of a horror/thriller, and you're just hanging on for dear life and enjoying the ride.
October 9, 2023
The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser
Synopsis /
Frank is a service station owner on a little-used highway who just wants a quiet life. His granddaughter has been sent to stay with him to fix her attitude, but they don't talk a lot.
When a badly injured young woman arrives at Frank's service station with several cars in pursuit, Frank and a handful of unsuspecting customers are thrust into a life-or-death standoff. But who are this group of men and women who will go to any lengths for revenge? And what do they want? Other than no survivors.
My Thoughts /
You'd think you were in an episode of John Wick the bodies are dropping that quickly. The pace of this story goes from zero to one hundred with just a turn of a page.
The roadhouse sat on a stretch of highway; the petrol pumps set back a good hundred metres from the bitumen. The nearest towns were hours away in either direction. Frank's livelihood relied on the roadhouse being the only place you could stop for food or fuel in one of the more desolate parts of what counted as civilised Australia. Too grassy to be a desert; too ugly to mean anything to a tourist; too dry to be farming land. Nobody came out this way unless they had a bloody good reason.
The roadhouse is owned and operated by Frank. He bought the place nearly a decade ago, and hoped that, in time, the isolation and quiet would rub off on him.
It was just under a kilometre from his home to the roadhouse, a kilometre of dry grass and hard dirt rising and falling in erratic hills and surprise ditches. He didn't bother to jump on the quad bike or get in the car. He liked his morning walk and besides, the day would be considered busy if anyone stopped in before noon.
When Frank receives a phone call from his son Nick, asking if his daughter Allie, Frank's granddaughter, can come and stay with him for a few weeks, he wasn't to realise this moment would be a catalyst for change. If Frank thought having a surly fourteen-year-old staying with him was going to be difficult……he had no idea that a storm was coming.
It's just another quiet day at the roadhouse - things are awkward with Allie, Frank is struggling to connect with his granddaughter. A car pulls in, and a couple who are passing through come in for a break and a meal. Frank chats amiably with his transient travellers when a sudden screeching noise commands his attention. An old station wagon has just pulled up near the pumps. It's parked at an odd angle for filling. The driver's door opens, and a body falls out. A young woman, not much older than Allie, and she's covered in mud and what appears to be blood. Although badly injured, the woman keeps repeating 'no police'.
It's about now that the tension begins to escalate, and you learn that there are two types of people in this story - the 'hunters' and the 'hunted'. The injured woman in question - Maggie - has fled from a mob who seemingly want to kill her. Although we are not yet privy to the full background of why, Frank knows he's not about to just hand her over, no questions asked.
The result? A standoff at the roadhouse. In the middle of nowhere. On one side is the 'mob' - a posse of men with plenty of guns and explosives and powerful tempers. On the other side is Frank, Allie, a badly injured girl and two hapless travellers with very unfortunate luck.
Using alternating chapters of 'then' and 'now' we come to learn how Maggie came to arrive at the roadhouse in such an injured state. Bergmoser does a great job with bringing the striking descriptions of the roadhouse and surrounding setting to life. However, I did find the detailed descriptions of the sinister and gruesome acts of violence carried out by the mob to be a little unsettling. Especially when the root cause for all this violence seemed to be nothing other than for 'enjoyment'. Because of the high-octane plot, I felt the character development took a bit of a backseat. But I learned just enough about Frank and Allie to feel invested enough to read the next book.
I just hope the body count is not so high in the next one.
Synopsis /
Frank is a service station owner on a little-used highway who just wants a quiet life. His granddaughter has been sent to stay with him to fix her attitude, but they don't talk a lot.
When a badly injured young woman arrives at Frank's service station with several cars in pursuit, Frank and a handful of unsuspecting customers are thrust into a life-or-death standoff. But who are this group of men and women who will go to any lengths for revenge? And what do they want? Other than no survivors.
My Thoughts /
You'd think you were in an episode of John Wick the bodies are dropping that quickly. The pace of this story goes from zero to one hundred with just a turn of a page.
The roadhouse sat on a stretch of highway; the petrol pumps set back a good hundred metres from the bitumen. The nearest towns were hours away in either direction. Frank's livelihood relied on the roadhouse being the only place you could stop for food or fuel in one of the more desolate parts of what counted as civilised Australia. Too grassy to be a desert; too ugly to mean anything to a tourist; too dry to be farming land. Nobody came out this way unless they had a bloody good reason.
The roadhouse is owned and operated by Frank. He bought the place nearly a decade ago, and hoped that, in time, the isolation and quiet would rub off on him.
It was just under a kilometre from his home to the roadhouse, a kilometre of dry grass and hard dirt rising and falling in erratic hills and surprise ditches. He didn't bother to jump on the quad bike or get in the car. He liked his morning walk and besides, the day would be considered busy if anyone stopped in before noon.
When Frank receives a phone call from his son Nick, asking if his daughter Allie, Frank's granddaughter, can come and stay with him for a few weeks, he wasn't to realise this moment would be a catalyst for change. If Frank thought having a surly fourteen-year-old staying with him was going to be difficult……he had no idea that a storm was coming.
It's just another quiet day at the roadhouse - things are awkward with Allie, Frank is struggling to connect with his granddaughter. A car pulls in, and a couple who are passing through come in for a break and a meal. Frank chats amiably with his transient travellers when a sudden screeching noise commands his attention. An old station wagon has just pulled up near the pumps. It's parked at an odd angle for filling. The driver's door opens, and a body falls out. A young woman, not much older than Allie, and she's covered in mud and what appears to be blood. Although badly injured, the woman keeps repeating 'no police'.
It's about now that the tension begins to escalate, and you learn that there are two types of people in this story - the 'hunters' and the 'hunted'. The injured woman in question - Maggie - has fled from a mob who seemingly want to kill her. Although we are not yet privy to the full background of why, Frank knows he's not about to just hand her over, no questions asked.
The result? A standoff at the roadhouse. In the middle of nowhere. On one side is the 'mob' - a posse of men with plenty of guns and explosives and powerful tempers. On the other side is Frank, Allie, a badly injured girl and two hapless travellers with very unfortunate luck.
Using alternating chapters of 'then' and 'now' we come to learn how Maggie came to arrive at the roadhouse in such an injured state. Bergmoser does a great job with bringing the striking descriptions of the roadhouse and surrounding setting to life. However, I did find the detailed descriptions of the sinister and gruesome acts of violence carried out by the mob to be a little unsettling. Especially when the root cause for all this violence seemed to be nothing other than for 'enjoyment'. Because of the high-octane plot, I felt the character development took a bit of a backseat. But I learned just enough about Frank and Allie to feel invested enough to read the next book.
I just hope the body count is not so high in the next one.
June 17, 2021
Chef's kiss! UH-MAAAAZIIIIIING!
June 22, 2020
Όταν οι εκδόσεις Bell ανακοίνωσαν ότι θα κυκλοφορούσαν τούτο το βιβλίο μέσα στο 2020, αμέσως το έβαλα στη σχετική λίστα με τις νέες κυκλοφορίες που έπρεπε πάση θυσία να αγοράσω. Κάτι τέτοια περιπετειώδη θρίλερ από νέους συγγραφείς -που δεν έχουμε ξαναδεί στα ελληνικά-, πάντα με εξίταραν. Και οι εκδόσεις Bell έχουν βγάλει διάφορα τέτοια διαμαντάκια (βλέπε βιβλία των Τζ. Κεντ Μέσαμ, Ρόμπερτ Πόμπι, Σολ Μπλακ κλπ), οπότε λογικό ήταν να θεωρήσω και αυτό το βιβλίο σαν ένα ακόμα διαμαντάκι και να περιμένω την έκδοσή του πώς και πώς.
Λοιπόν, πρόκειται για ένα σαφώς πολύ δυνατό και βίαιο περιπετειώδες θρίλερ, στα όρια του τρόμου. Από άποψη θεματολογίας και ατμόσφαιρας μου θύμισε λιγάκι το "Δόλωμα" του Τζ. Κεντ Μέσαμ, αν και φυσικά υπάρχουν πολλές διαφορές στην πλοκή, τα σκηνικά και τη γραφή. Σίγουρα ο συγγραφέας έχει δει και έχει λατρέψει ταινίες του στιλ "Όταν ξέσπασε η βία", "Ξύπνημα στον τρόμο", "Wolf Creek" κλπ (στην περίπτωση των δυο πρώτων μπορεί να έχει διαβάσει και τα βιβλία στα οποία βασίζονται), έβαλε και τη δική του, προσωπική τρέλα στο μίξερ, και το αποτέλεσμα είναι αυτό το αιματηρό θρίλερ. Είναι από τα βιβλία που τα ξεκινάς και δεν μπορείς να τα αφήσεις παρά μέχρι να φτάσεις στην τελευταία σελίδα. Δεν υπάρχει χρόνος ή χώρος για να πάρεις μια ανάσα σαν αναγνώστης, μιας και το ένα γεγονός διαδέχεται το άλλο, είναι σαν ένα τρενάκι του τρόμου όλο κατηφόρες και απότομες στροφές.
Σίγουρα, δεν είναι για όλα τα γούστα. Μιλάμε ουσιαστικά για ένα βίαιο και αρκετά ωμό θρίλερ επιβίωσης σε ερημικές τοποθεσίες. Ούτε αστυνομικό είναι, ούτε μυστηρίου. Φυσικά, δεν είναι ακριβώς από αυτά τα άμυαλα και χαζά θρίλερ που προσφέρουν μόνο αίμα και πόνο, υπάρχει πλοκή, υπάρχει μια κάποια ανάπτυξη χαρακτήρων, ενώ και η γραφή είναι αρκετά καλή, άκρως εθιστική και ευκολοδιάβαστη, με γλαφυρές και γραφικές περιγραφές σκηνικών και καταστάσεων. Έχει τα θεματάκια του στην πλοκή, τους χαρακτήρες ή ακόμα και στη γραφή, όμως κατά τη γνώμη μου πρόκειται για ένα άκρως ψυχαγωγικό μυθιστόρημα, ό,τι πρέπει για να ανάψουν λίγο τα αίματα. Στα χέρια ενός καλού σκηνοθέτη (και με αντίστοιχα καλό καστ) θα γινόταν μια πολύ δυνατή ταινία, ελπίζω να έχει μια τέτοια τύχη.
Υ.Γ. Προτείνω οπωσδήποτε για διάβασμα το "Στη νεκρή καρδιά της ηπείρου" του Κένεθ Κουκ (εκδόσεις Εξάρχεια), πάνω στο οποίο βασίζεται η καταπληκτική ταινία "Ξύπνημα στον τρόμο" (aka "Wake in Fright). Γραφή, ατμόσφαιρα, χαρακτήρες, σκηνικά της Αυστραλιανής ενδοχώρας... τι να λέμε τώρα, εξαίσιο βιβλίο.
Λοιπόν, πρόκειται για ένα σαφώς πολύ δυνατό και βίαιο περιπετειώδες θρίλερ, στα όρια του τρόμου. Από άποψη θεματολογίας και ατμόσφαιρας μου θύμισε λιγάκι το "Δόλωμα" του Τζ. Κεντ Μέσαμ, αν και φυσικά υπάρχουν πολλές διαφορές στην πλοκή, τα σκηνικά και τη γραφή. Σίγουρα ο συγγραφέας έχει δει και έχει λατρέψει ταινίες του στιλ "Όταν ξέσπασε η βία", "Ξύπνημα στον τρόμο", "Wolf Creek" κλπ (στην περίπτωση των δυο πρώτων μπορεί να έχει διαβάσει και τα βιβλία στα οποία βασίζονται), έβαλε και τη δική του, προσωπική τρέλα στο μίξερ, και το αποτέλεσμα είναι αυτό το αιματηρό θρίλερ. Είναι από τα βιβλία που τα ξεκινάς και δεν μπορείς να τα αφήσεις παρά μέχρι να φτάσεις στην τελευταία σελίδα. Δεν υπάρχει χρόνος ή χώρος για να πάρεις μια ανάσα σαν αναγνώστης, μιας και το ένα γεγονός διαδέχεται το άλλο, είναι σαν ένα τρενάκι του τρόμου όλο κατηφόρες και απότομες στροφές.
Σίγουρα, δεν είναι για όλα τα γούστα. Μιλάμε ουσιαστικά για ένα βίαιο και αρκετά ωμό θρίλερ επιβίωσης σε ερημικές τοποθεσίες. Ούτε αστυνομικό είναι, ούτε μυστηρίου. Φυσικά, δεν είναι ακριβώς από αυτά τα άμυαλα και χαζά θρίλερ που προσφέρουν μόνο αίμα και πόνο, υπάρχει πλοκή, υπάρχει μια κάποια ανάπτυξη χαρακτήρων, ενώ και η γραφή είναι αρκετά καλή, άκρως εθιστική και ευκολοδιάβαστη, με γλαφυρές και γραφικές περιγραφές σκηνικών και καταστάσεων. Έχει τα θεματάκια του στην πλοκή, τους χαρακτήρες ή ακόμα και στη γραφή, όμως κατά τη γνώμη μου πρόκειται για ένα άκρως ψυχαγωγικό μυθιστόρημα, ό,τι πρέπει για να ανάψουν λίγο τα αίματα. Στα χέρια ενός καλού σκηνοθέτη (και με αντίστοιχα καλό καστ) θα γινόταν μια πολύ δυνατή ταινία, ελπίζω να έχει μια τέτοια τύχη.
Υ.Γ. Προτείνω οπωσδήποτε για διάβασμα το "Στη νεκρή καρδιά της ηπείρου" του Κένεθ Κουκ (εκδόσεις Εξάρχεια), πάνω στο οποίο βασίζεται η καταπληκτική ταινία "Ξύπνημα στον τρόμο" (aka "Wake in Fright). Γραφή, ατμόσφαιρα, χαρακτήρες, σκηνικά της Αυστραλιανής ενδοχώρας... τι να λέμε τώρα, εξαίσιο βιβλίο.
December 5, 2020
A new Australian author with his debut novel and fast paced outback thriller. A grandfather runs a service station in the middle of nowhere, when his granddaughter is sent to live with him. Complicating his quiet life further, the passing traffic brings people who stop for petrol and food. Then one day, a harbinger of trouble appears in the form of a injured young woman at his door. This is a menacing and fast paced action tale, that builds up into a dark crescendo, that some may find overtly violent. It's a tense and electrifying read, particularly if you like a dark crime tinge. A sequel is indicated and the adventure of a new hero will be interesting to unfold. So a 4 star read.
November 23, 2020
On a little-used highway in the Australian Outback, Frank runs a dilapidated roadhouse - he has his routines but these have been disrupted recently by the sudden arrival of his teenage granddaughter Allie, at the surprise request of his somewhat estranged son. One day, a travelling couple are eating at the roadhouse when a battered car appears on the forecourt and an injured woman staggers out of the car, shortly followed by a man looking for her... In a series of 'then and now' chapters, we find in the 'then' storyline Melbourne student Simon travelling into the Outback to discover himself. He meets Maggie in a small-town pub and they agree to travel together. Their later decision to turn off the main road takes them to a small community where things are not as they should be....
This is a violent and disturbing tale, the threat level is high and the storyline gripping throughout - quite reminiscent of the Wolf Creek TV series for me - with great characters and setting - 9.5/10.
This is a violent and disturbing tale, the threat level is high and the storyline gripping throughout - quite reminiscent of the Wolf Creek TV series for me - with great characters and setting - 9.5/10.
August 22, 2020
Billed as 'Deliverance' meets 'Wolf Creek' meets 'Battle Royale'... it's not fit to lick any of their boots I'm afraid. It's a turgid 'outback' story where protagonists fall foul of the evil locals.
This is a nasty, squalid book... but that's not the reason for just the 1 star. That is what you expect with a title like that and a cover that has dripping blood on it.
But you also expect tension and scares... and for me there was none of that. For a few reasons really.
1) The story itself was dull and badly written.
2) There were only (thankfully) 267 pages of 'story'. So no chance of any depth or scene-building whatsoever.
3) The structure of the narrative. It starts with a girl driving a truck and we are informed it is 'NOW'. We also get a scene in an outback diner featuring an ageing loser and his grand-daughter. It then flips to 'THEN'... and we see how she gets to the position of driving away.
The story (as it is) flits between 'then' and 'now', but there is absolutely no tension as you know how 'then' turns out... and honestly... it's not that interesting or surprising. Absolutely nothing happens that isn't signposted way in advance. You know who will live and who is just fodder. What is worse is... you just do not care. None of the characters whatsoever are any more than a cardboard cutout of characters we've met before in other movies and novels... who are far more rounded and deep. There was one death that mildly (very mildly) annoyed me.
And that was it.
It was boring. Predictable. One-dimensional. Unoriginal. It had one good point. It was short.
A really bad book. For all the wrong reasons. Hated it. Avoid.
This is a nasty, squalid book... but that's not the reason for just the 1 star. That is what you expect with a title like that and a cover that has dripping blood on it.
But you also expect tension and scares... and for me there was none of that. For a few reasons really.
1) The story itself was dull and badly written.
2) There were only (thankfully) 267 pages of 'story'. So no chance of any depth or scene-building whatsoever.
3) The structure of the narrative. It starts with a girl driving a truck and we are informed it is 'NOW'. We also get a scene in an outback diner featuring an ageing loser and his grand-daughter. It then flips to 'THEN'... and we see how she gets to the position of driving away.
The story (as it is) flits between 'then' and 'now', but there is absolutely no tension as you know how 'then' turns out... and honestly... it's not that interesting or surprising. Absolutely nothing happens that isn't signposted way in advance. You know who will live and who is just fodder. What is worse is... you just do not care. None of the characters whatsoever are any more than a cardboard cutout of characters we've met before in other movies and novels... who are far more rounded and deep. There was one death that mildly (very mildly) annoyed me.
And that was it.
It was boring. Predictable. One-dimensional. Unoriginal. It had one good point. It was short.
A really bad book. For all the wrong reasons. Hated it. Avoid.
March 31, 2021
You know those movies where you spend the first half getting angrier and angrier at the villains, and the second half watching with glee as those same villains are shot, stabbed, blown up and bludgeoned with a variety of weighty objects? This is one of those, but in book form. (Consequently, the anger lasts longer, but so does the catharsis.)
Frank runs a petrol station in the middle of nowhere. When a young woman arrives, bleeding from a shredded leg and barely conscious, he and his troubled granddaughter barely have time to wonder who she is and how she got here before a group of armed and almost comically threatening small-town thugs arrive looking for her. What follows is a tense and claustrophobic stand-off, sprinkled with flashbacks that slowly reveal the young woman's past.
THE HUNTED is written more like a movie than a book, with frequent smash cuts and a surprisingly large cast of characters, many of whom have backstories revealed only at the last minute (often in dramatic confessions to other players). But it captures the Australian outback in a way films usually don't (and perhaps can't); with vivid prose, rich sensations and a distinctive air of menace. The dialogue rings true, and the sudden bloodshed is always satisfying - often troublingly so. One wonders, though, if rural readers will be offended by how easily their city counterparts are convinced by the central premise.
Frank runs a petrol station in the middle of nowhere. When a young woman arrives, bleeding from a shredded leg and barely conscious, he and his troubled granddaughter barely have time to wonder who she is and how she got here before a group of armed and almost comically threatening small-town thugs arrive looking for her. What follows is a tense and claustrophobic stand-off, sprinkled with flashbacks that slowly reveal the young woman's past.
THE HUNTED is written more like a movie than a book, with frequent smash cuts and a surprisingly large cast of characters, many of whom have backstories revealed only at the last minute (often in dramatic confessions to other players). But it captures the Australian outback in a way films usually don't (and perhaps can't); with vivid prose, rich sensations and a distinctive air of menace. The dialogue rings true, and the sudden bloodshed is always satisfying - often troublingly so. One wonders, though, if rural readers will be offended by how easily their city counterparts are convinced by the central premise.
July 30, 2020
Θετικά
-Είναι ένα βιβλίο δράσης που πετυχαίνει τον σκοπό του.
-Διαβάζεται γρήγορα.
-Σε μερικά σημεία κάνει τον αναγνώστη να αγωνιά για την τύχη της πρωταγωνίστριας.
-Απουσιάζουν οι φλυαρίες και οι περιττές περιγραφές.
Αρνητικά
-Δεν υπάρχει κάποια ιδιαίτερη πλοκή.
-Είναι μονοδιάστατο. Είναι ένα βιβλίο δράσης που δεν θίγει άλλα φαινόμενα και δεν δίνει κάτι το ξεχωριστό.
-Το πρώτο μισό του βιβλίου δεν κεντρίζει το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη (ευτυχώς από τη μέση και μετά δένουν οι ιστορίες).
-Είναι ένα βιβλίο δράσης που πετυχαίνει τον σκοπό του.
-Διαβάζεται γρήγορα.
-Σε μερικά σημεία κάνει τον αναγνώστη να αγωνιά για την τύχη της πρωταγωνίστριας.
-Απουσιάζουν οι φλυαρίες και οι περιττές περιγραφές.
Αρνητικά
-Δεν υπάρχει κάποια ιδιαίτερη πλοκή.
-Είναι μονοδιάστατο. Είναι ένα βιβλίο δράσης που δεν θίγει άλλα φαινόμενα και δεν δίνει κάτι το ξεχωριστό.
-Το πρώτο μισό του βιβλίου δεν κεντρίζει το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη (ευτυχώς από τη μέση και μετά δένουν οι ιστορίες).
June 27, 2020
Not very flattering for Australia. For a moment I had the feeling that there are lots of dry deserted fields with villages of psychopaths. But it is a high tension book. Fear and anxiety are escalating. The writing is immature, but it is adequate for an action movie scenario. The ending is satisfying.
October 18, 2023
Još uvek sam pod jakim utiskom zbog ove knjige. Iskreno nisam očekivao ništa specijalno, a dobio sam jednu od najboljih knjiga ove godine.
Knjiga od samog početka počinje napeto i ne dopušta da pauzirate sa čitanjem. Na kraju svakog poglavlja je cliffhanger takav da prelećete na sledeće poglavlje uz zadržavanje daha.
Uprkos tome što je triler, ovo se lako može svrstati i u horore. Parira, a čak je i bolja od nekih horora koje sam čitao. Odlični likovi za jedan ovakav roman. Zaista imate utisak da gledate jedan dobar horor film, gde su loši likovi gadni, jezivi, podli, bolesni... Realno i napeto. Knjiga odiše vajbom nekih od poznatih filmova, poput Texas Chainsaw Massacre i Wrong Turn-a.
Prepuno jezivih delova, napetih scena, krvavih i gnusnih delova. Tu su i neke teške, emotivne scene koje samo doprinose atmosferi i osećaju realnosti. U pozadini je i par velikih tajni likova, koje kroz priču otkrijemo, a neke i na samom kraju. Neke scene su me šokirale, neke činile da se naježim.
Zaista pravi predstavnik žanra i veliko oduševljenje za mene. Do samog kraja se moje mišljenje o ovoj knjizi nije promenilo. Velika preporuka za ljubitelje napetih trilera i realnih horora. Nadam se da će izdavač čitaocima pružiti još naslova ovog autora.
Knjiga od samog početka počinje napeto i ne dopušta da pauzirate sa čitanjem. Na kraju svakog poglavlja je cliffhanger takav da prelećete na sledeće poglavlje uz zadržavanje daha.
Uprkos tome što je triler, ovo se lako može svrstati i u horore. Parira, a čak je i bolja od nekih horora koje sam čitao. Odlični likovi za jedan ovakav roman. Zaista imate utisak da gledate jedan dobar horor film, gde su loši likovi gadni, jezivi, podli, bolesni... Realno i napeto. Knjiga odiše vajbom nekih od poznatih filmova, poput Texas Chainsaw Massacre i Wrong Turn-a.
Prepuno jezivih delova, napetih scena, krvavih i gnusnih delova. Tu su i neke teške, emotivne scene koje samo doprinose atmosferi i osećaju realnosti. U pozadini je i par velikih tajni likova, koje kroz priču otkrijemo, a neke i na samom kraju. Neke scene su me šokirale, neke činile da se naježim.
Zaista pravi predstavnik žanra i veliko oduševljenje za mene. Do samog kraja se moje mišljenje o ovoj knjizi nije promenilo. Velika preporuka za ljubitelje napetih trilera i realnih horora. Nadam se da će izdavač čitaocima pružiti još naslova ovog autora.
June 29, 2020
Οι φίλοι των βιβλίων που θυμίζουν και λίγο σενάρια θα το λατρέψουν. Ξεκάθαρα ο άνθρωπος το έγραψε έχοντας πρωτίστως το νου του στην επερχόμενη ταινία. Θεωρώ ότι του βγήκε.
Είναι σκοτεινό και άγριο... και μας αρέσει!
Είναι σκοτεινό και άγριο... και μας αρέσει!
October 20, 2020
What an action-packed read this was I was on the edge of my seat throughout this tense horror/thriller and this was definitely one that had me biting my nails and perched right on the edge of my seat throughout.
This story takes place in the Australian outback and it’s told from a few different sources.
Each individual here having a purpose and adding their own piece to the unfolding story.
So Frank owns a run down roadhouse and house in the middle of nowhere.
He finds himself agreeing to take his teenage granddaughter Allie in for a few weeks for his estranged son.
When an injured girl turns up at the roadhouse bleeding and in a mess trouble is not far behind.
Frank, Allie, some innocent bystanders along with the mysterious girl all find themselves fighting for there lives in a night filled with bloodshed and terror.
The girl in trouble is Maggie and we get to relive her back story and just how she ended up in this situation through a series of flashbacks.
We are taken through each step of her journey.
Along with all the whys and what-ifs.
So this was tense and gripping and I couldn’t put it down.
Be prepared for some dark and graphic stuff as this story definitely doesn’t pull its punches.
This was bloody and intense and I managed to read this in one sitting.
It’s well written and one I will not forget in a hurry.
I enjoyed this one much more than I was expecting and I do recommend especially if you like edge of your seat thrillers meshed with vicious horror.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of The Hunted.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
January 5, 2022
Thanks to Netgally for the ARC
Oh wow this story blew me away!
I did not expect this be as gory or horrific as I initially thought. This starts off with two stories. One looking At Frank and his granddaughter Allie, and the second seeing Maggie and Simon. Then their two worlds collide dramatically, and it quickly turns into one crazy nightmare.
The writing was really good, and honestly put the absolute fear into my soul. There were parts of this story where I felt so scared, and couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I find that it is difficult to write a good horror story, and this absolutely hit the nail on the head. It is like watching those horror movies that you want to look away and you feel sick, but you must keep watching because you need to know how it ends. There were a few parts that I had to go over and read and think "did I just miss something or read that right", that is why I didn't give it 5 stars, however, that may have been just me, greedily reading.
Fantastic read, everything I could have asked for. Thank you!
Oh wow this story blew me away!
I did not expect this be as gory or horrific as I initially thought. This starts off with two stories. One looking At Frank and his granddaughter Allie, and the second seeing Maggie and Simon. Then their two worlds collide dramatically, and it quickly turns into one crazy nightmare.
The writing was really good, and honestly put the absolute fear into my soul. There were parts of this story where I felt so scared, and couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I find that it is difficult to write a good horror story, and this absolutely hit the nail on the head. It is like watching those horror movies that you want to look away and you feel sick, but you must keep watching because you need to know how it ends. There were a few parts that I had to go over and read and think "did I just miss something or read that right", that is why I didn't give it 5 stars, however, that may have been just me, greedily reading.
Fantastic read, everything I could have asked for. Thank you!
December 7, 2023
Ocena bi mogla da bude i manja, ali dajem četiri jer je bilo brzo i zabavno čitanje.
Lov na ljude u maniru filmova Pogrešno skretanje i Teksaški masakr, vrlo nerealno i na momente tupavo.
Ovo je knjiga koja se čita sa 1/4 mozga i samo gura kroz akciju koja ne staje.
Mislim da bi mi se više dopala da imam mnogo manje godina. Ovako nisam mogla da ne vidim mane, preuveličavanje (svi su vrhunski komandosi) i glupe postupke nekih likova.
Svakako, bilo je zabavno i pročitano za noć
Lov na ljude u maniru filmova Pogrešno skretanje i Teksaški masakr, vrlo nerealno i na momente tupavo.
Ovo je knjiga koja se čita sa 1/4 mozga i samo gura kroz akciju koja ne staje.
Mislim da bi mi se više dopala da imam mnogo manje godina. Ovako nisam mogla da ne vidim mane, preuveličavanje (svi su vrhunski komandosi) i glupe postupke nekih likova.
Svakako, bilo je zabavno i pročitano za noć
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