Progeny: The Truth Is Sometimes Best Left Buried...

by Shaun Hutson

Can you imagine what it would be like not to have any memory of your first ten years of life?Jake Howard knows how that feels.  He's a successful psychiatrist and writer.  He has an apparently adoring lover and the respect of his peers. But he also has a huge gap where his childhood memories should be.  What's more, Jake is tormented by the worst kind of nightmares.  Nightmares he's not even sure are his.

Tormented by dreams and visions that threaten his sanity, he must find their source in order to understand and banish them.

His hunt will take him to a run-down seaside town, to the place where he was raised and also forty years back in time, to what he must confront to release himself from the grip of the visions and also to discover the hidden memories.

However, he will discover things about himself he did not dare imagine.  Things he really didn't want to know.

And he will also discover that not everyone is what they appear to be.  Those revelations will expose a darkness and horror that no one should have to confront.

Sometimes a lie is preferable.

Some truth is best left undiscovered...

Genres: Horror

436 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2020

About the author

British horror novelist, including horror and urban thriller novels.

His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.

Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.

Reviews

[Serenity · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading other books by him, I was disappointed in this one. Very PG compared to his other ones. Didn't feel any attachment to any of the characters. Bring back the gore! Lol

[Jakob Haargaard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhh
Mostly nothing happened and only the first chapter was good and unsettling

[Bookschatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Progeny is the thirty-ninth book published by prolific British horror writer Shaun Hutson. Although released as a stand-alone novel, Progeny is a sequel to Spawn (1983), and, as such, the publishers commissioned the same artist, Mark Taylor, to design its cover which unmistakably links the two works.

Progeny opens very strongly with the prologue setting the scene for the mystery that will follow and a first chapter that stuns with its sudden brutality. I was hooked.

The author states that his "inspirations were always and still are cinematic", and I thought this came through clearly in his work. Narrated in the third person, Progeny comprises short chapters that alternate between the two main characters, unfolding the main storyline and a couple of subplots, like scenes in a movie. The writing is engaging, sharp, and driven by a small cast of characters who are mostly dislikable and with few, if any, redeeming features, yet memorable.

I enjoyed the premise which revolved around nightmares, repressed memories, and trauma, as well as the persistent dark undertone, with a good balance of horror, gore, mystery, sleeze, and deception. However, several scenes felt superfluous (for instance the repeated visits to Jake's mother and their interactions) and the main subplot seemed to have been created purely to place a particular character in a specific situation at the climax of the story. Several subplots did not come to much and the overall ending felt somewhat rushed and predictable.

I found an interview where the author said that he writes "fast" and

"out of sequence too. A scene I feel like writing one day might not come until half way through the book but I'll do it nonetheless and then hope I can use it later. It's more like making a film I suppose. Not everything is shot in sequence. My next book, Progeny, is a good example of that. I was going backwards and forwards all the time adding bits and writing new chapters to slot in (trying to make it make sense!!)." [Shaun Hutson, 20 Dec 2019]

I felt this is definitely reflected in this work, and I was particularly distracted by the inconsistency in the ages of three characters: when we are first introduced to Jake Howard we are told he is 48 years old (ch. 4), then we are told he is 56 (ch. 9), then he is about 45 or 46 (ch. 34), and again around 58 as we are first told he is "twice" (ch. 35) and then "almost twice" (ch. 51) Dani's age, who is 29 in chapters 5, 14, 24, 101, but 25 in chapter 60 (in fact, ch. 51 had told us that was when they had met). Similarly, Jake's daughter is introduced to us as an 18-year old (ch. 14), but is then referred to as being 22 (ch. 60). These inconsistencies, as well as a few others (such as 'Jake' being called 'Jason' in chapter 20 when laughing about the price of flags) should have been picked up at the editing stage and let Hutson's story-telling down unnecessarily.

As a word of warning, chapter one depicts in gruesome detail the slaughter of newborn babies, however this is an isolated occurrence and not a theme of this book; in fact, I was left wondering about its relevance and felt that the motivation behind it was never explained - that scene seemed to be there simply for shock-value, which it fully achieves.

Overall this is a highly entertaining disturbing tale that kept me turning pages and spurred me to find out more about the author, Shaun Hutson, and his back-catalogue, starting with Spawn to get to the inception of Progeny.

[ARC received from Caffeine Nights Publishing]

BooksChatter

[Deacon D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shaun Hutson writes some seriously messed up stuff. And I dig it. Creepy, I am. ☺

If you make it past Chapter 1 (YIKES!), this one is gonna have you turning pages thinking wtf.

[Michael Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Shaun does not disappoint. I always say that reading a book from Shaun is comforting, like being with an old friend, even if the book shocks. It's why we love Shaun's books and eagerly await each and every installment.

Progeny is a hard read, hard as in the content, not the book. It's pure horror and it's wonderful. Most things wither with age, but not the mind and imagination of Shaun. It seems that from the early 80's till now he's books just get better and better, but he's only just getting started.

So if you want to be shocked, scared and repulsed, disgusted and entertained, then grab a copy of Progeny today! If you are easily shocked, offended and have a weak stomach, still grab a copy today, and you will never forget the name Shaun Hutson.

[Andrew West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome sequel

Spawn was the first Shaun Hutson book I read, way back in the golden oldie days, and have read everything he has written since, so to see a sequel to that, now, is pretty exciting.

It acts so well as a continuation of the story and set a similar number of years to the actual years since the original was released is genius. Well done Mr Hutson. You remain one of my favourite horror authors of all time. Up there with James Herbert and Richard Laymon (RIP).

Brilliant book and looking forward to the next one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jules Chance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysterious, atmospheric and gruesome

I've been reading Shaun Hudson for 30 years and have been a little disappointed with his Caffeine Nights output so far. This has restored my faith.

A stand-alone novel, but also a sequel to early novel 'Spawn', it's chilling, disturbing and riveting. Never one to shy away from a shocking scene, Hutson's yet again proved that he's the UK's greatest living horror writer.

[David Irons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really infectious book. I really liked the story and loved the atmosphere, and found every chapter left you wanting for more. My only problem is that whoever edited it needs to brush up on their skills as there are many mistakes in the hardback edition. Characters ages change and also their names change at times. This is a let down as these minor things distract from a great story.

[amanda garnett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read all the early Shaun Hutson books many years ago. Stopped reading when they became less horror and more politics/ thrillers (probably around White Ghost). Had read Spawn many years ago and reread prior to this. There's no comparison between his old work and the new. I won't be buying any more of the newer material. He seems to have lost his sparkle with the horror material.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

🙌

Shaun does it again and again. I have never been disappointed in any of his books and this one is top notch. A sequel to Spawn which was released in the 1980s. Actually makes me want to go back and re read classic Shaun.....if you love e spawn this sequel is a must read.

[Simon Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Progeny is a tale about Jake Howard, a man who seems to have everything. He’s got the job, the car, the young and beautiful girlfriend. Yep, it would seem that Jake is a lucky fellow. However, not only is he troubled by some very dark dreams, he can’t remember anything of the first ten years of his life.

The story kicks off in true Hutson style with a shocker of a first chapter. I feel a trigger warning must be given here, as Chapter One contains a truly brutal and horrific scene that takes place in a maternity ward. While the rest of the story has plenty of shocks and blood, I do feel that opening was the darkest part of the book.

Progeny is a fast read and one that keeps you guessing til the end. That’s another thing I love about his books, the grim final chapters. That’s not a spoiler by the way, just another of his famous trademarks.

My only negative about Progeny would be that I was left feeling like the book should have been a couple of chapters longer. There were a few things I was expecting answers to, but these never came. Perhaps it’s just me being a bit fussy now I’m an older reader of his. How the years change us. I’m sure the younger me who bought Deathday would tell me to shut up and enjoy the read. I think I’ll listen to him.

So, regardless of this minor quibble, Progeny is another Hutson hit. While It can be read as a stand-alone novel, I do recommend checking out Spawn first. Double the horror is never a bad thing!

[Stephen Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hutson never fails to deliver

Great book, addictive, brilliant characters and narrative. Not quite as good as his earlier books but still my favourite horror writer alongside the late James Herbert. Don't ever stop Shaun

[Craig Snider · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was drawn into this book at first, but at the halfway mark when I realized the premise, I was disappointed.

The "message" was overt, and just made the entire story ridiculous, to be honest. I actually like the writing itself, but the storytelling left a lot to be desired for me.

[Sam Garforth · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a thriller than horror

A good read. A mystery, trying to work out what’s going on but not much horror happens, it’s just an investigation. A few typos too.

[Nick Bouchard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Progeny opens with the graphic slaughter of every newborn in a nursery. The story never really comes back around to this except to hint that it’s a woman’s guilt or madness over having an abortion that drove her to it.

After the gruesome opening, Progeny settles into repetitive vignettes featuring some of the most unlikeable unsympathetic characters I can recall. Nobody is likable, so the stakes never get very high.

All the acts of violence and sex seem more like sophomoric attempts to shock than anything organic to the story. The story takes the position that abortion is evil and must be punished.

The lingering feeling from Progeny is for me the same as with the movie Re-Cycle. Sort of a long, amateurish production with a ham fisted surprise political message.

There’s a lack of quality editing here that could easily have elevated this story significantly.

TL/DR: almost awful/not quite good