What do you think?
Rate this book
Horror Lurks Beneath #1
It Waits on the Top Floor
The tower appeared overnight, but it wants to keep you forever.
Thursday night, it was a dirt lot.
Friday morning, it was a 60-story skyscraper.
A tech billionaire wants the building’s secrets for herself. She hires a team to reverse-engineer the overnight construction. But she knows more than she’s letting on.
A curious 9-year-old decides there’s treasure inside, and goes exploring. His terrified dad chases close behind.
Inside, the facade of an empty office building is quickly shattered. Ghostly figures stalk the explorers. The walls themselves are hungry. And something is waiting on the top floor.
Thursday night, it was a dirt lot.
Friday morning, it was a 60-story skyscraper.
A tech billionaire wants the building’s secrets for herself. She hires a team to reverse-engineer the overnight construction. But she knows more than she’s letting on.
A curious 9-year-old decides there’s treasure inside, and goes exploring. His terrified dad chases close behind.
Inside, the facade of an empty office building is quickly shattered. Ghostly figures stalk the explorers. The walls themselves are hungry. And something is waiting on the top floor.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2021
225 people are currently reading
1430 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
May 21, 2023
2.75 stars.
Interesting concept, and I thought the buildup was pretty great, but I found the sections inside the building to be pretty disappointing.
The premise is that a skyscraper impossibly appears overnight, and the MC is sort of hired to go into the building to figure out what’s what, and to find his son (someone described him as a Calliou-like kid (annoying asf)and that’s so spot on). The layout of the building, the monsters, the action, and just about every descriptor was just very abstract in a way that I really had no idea what was happening. It gave it a dreamlike quality, which I guess if you enjoy that kind of writing, dive in!
Also, and idk if I read it wrong or what, it seemed that the reason the skyscraper wasn’t being ambushed by the news or the government/military or whatever, was because it sprang up in a predominantly black neighborhood???? Idk if that was an attempt at social commentary, but AT BEST I think that’s clunky.
It did have its creepy moments, I liked the ending imagery, and again I enjoyed the initial build up/idea, but it fell a bit flat for me.
Interesting concept, and I thought the buildup was pretty great, but I found the sections inside the building to be pretty disappointing.
The premise is that a skyscraper impossibly appears overnight, and the MC is sort of hired to go into the building to figure out what’s what, and to find his son (someone described him as a Calliou-like kid (annoying asf)and that’s so spot on). The layout of the building, the monsters, the action, and just about every descriptor was just very abstract in a way that I really had no idea what was happening. It gave it a dreamlike quality, which I guess if you enjoy that kind of writing, dive in!
Also, and idk if I read it wrong or what, it seemed that the reason the skyscraper wasn’t being ambushed by the news or the government/military or whatever, was because it sprang up in a predominantly black neighborhood???? Idk if that was an attempt at social commentary, but AT BEST I think that’s clunky.
It did have its creepy moments, I liked the ending imagery, and again I enjoyed the initial build up/idea, but it fell a bit flat for me.
February 3, 2022
A mysterious sky scraper appears in downtown Richmond. A newly separated young architect enters into a competition to urban explore and reverse engineer the alien building. He’s desperate to do so to save his recently adopted son. It’s a nice concept but the execution leaves something to be desired.
First, the main character Chris is very good. He’s ambitious and stands up for himself. He’s a saint for going to such lengths to save this orphan child. He’s a competent architect. In fact, this book has a fair amount of architecture talk which I found interesting. The other characters are good too, well-drawn and reasonably complex.
The problem is the story itself and some of the writing. The whole Rendezvous With Rama with an alien office building is cool. Some nice exploration horror. But when you start to find out the meaning of the structure, it kind of loses focus. The whole thing is just abstract in a way that feels more lazy than mysterious. There are monsters too which are occasionally pretty effective and some creepy stuff here and there.
The writing on the weak side though. Descriptions are often unclear and hard to visualize. The action is a little too abstract and the climax to be a little vague and visually confusing. You just don’t get a good sense of where objects and people are in relation to one another. It’s a well structured mid level pulp novel with a creative premise and strong characterization. But it also has the sense of being hastily written and not well thought out. There’s a sequel on a boat I guess.
First, the main character Chris is very good. He’s ambitious and stands up for himself. He’s a saint for going to such lengths to save this orphan child. He’s a competent architect. In fact, this book has a fair amount of architecture talk which I found interesting. The other characters are good too, well-drawn and reasonably complex.
The problem is the story itself and some of the writing. The whole Rendezvous With Rama with an alien office building is cool. Some nice exploration horror. But when you start to find out the meaning of the structure, it kind of loses focus. The whole thing is just abstract in a way that feels more lazy than mysterious. There are monsters too which are occasionally pretty effective and some creepy stuff here and there.
The writing on the weak side though. Descriptions are often unclear and hard to visualize. The action is a little too abstract and the climax to be a little vague and visually confusing. You just don’t get a good sense of where objects and people are in relation to one another. It’s a well structured mid level pulp novel with a creative premise and strong characterization. But it also has the sense of being hastily written and not well thought out. There’s a sequel on a boat I guess.
December 19, 2022
“He couldn't explain how a sixty-story building could be supported by an empty pit. Or what he'd seen lurching in the basement and office.
Or how a skyscraper had appeared in a residential neighborhood overnight.”
While this one had an interesting plot, and was definitely eerie/cosmic, that’s about all it had going for it.
There were holes in the story (like the author forgot what actually happened earlier on, or had changed something and not corrected it for the rest of the story), and the characters were generally unlikeable. Especially the kid Eddie. I pictured him as an annoying Caillou type child and honestly just wanted him to get wasted by the cosmic horrors. If he was my only option for a child to adopt I would rather get a plant instead.
Or how a skyscraper had appeared in a residential neighborhood overnight.”
While this one had an interesting plot, and was definitely eerie/cosmic, that’s about all it had going for it.
There were holes in the story (like the author forgot what actually happened earlier on, or had changed something and not corrected it for the rest of the story), and the characters were generally unlikeable. Especially the kid Eddie. I pictured him as an annoying Caillou type child and honestly just wanted him to get wasted by the cosmic horrors. If he was my only option for a child to adopt I would rather get a plant instead.
July 17, 2021
This is my second book by Ben Farthing and it was just as good as the first one, The Pipers Graveyard. A really cool, cosmic horror, with characters you feel for, and a storyline you don't want to stop reading!! I read it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it! 🖤
August 15, 2021
Ben Farthing is a new to me author and I was pleasantly surprised by this one story. First off, the cover is gorgeous, the deep red tones are eye-catching and the overall tone of the image is just downright terrifying. The image also makes it clear that this is a cosmic horror, and I loved everything about it. The cover of a book is so important to me and this one absolutely nailed it. Striking, beautifully made, intriguing and deeply disturbing all at the same time. The story behind the cover would delight me just as much as the cover did, as I soon found out.
The book synopsis, loosely stated, is as follows; Thursday night, it was a dirt lot. Friday morning, it was a 60 story skyscraper. A tech billionaire wants to discover the building's secrets for herself. A curious nine year old believes it holds a treasure to help his father and goes exploring. His father races to find him. From the outside, it looks like a normal office building, but inside, ghostly figures stalk the halls, the walls are hungry and something waits on the top floor.
Chris is having a bad day. His wife, Sherri, tells him she is leaving. His former mentor, Dr. Lance Terry, arrives shortly after with a shady business proposition. Eddie, Chris’s newly adopted son, listens at the window to see how he can be helpful so Chris won’t make him leave. Eddie blames himself for Sherri leaving, believing he wasn’t helpful enough. All of this, early on a Friday morning, while Chris was just standing outside, gaping at the new skyscraper that now sits proudly in the dawn skyline, a skyscraper that was not there the night before.
Chris is heart-broken, angry, broke and distraught but determined to provide a good home for his son. Dr. Terry is the reason why Chris cannot seem to gain any real employment with the architectural firms around the city because he took all of the credit for Chris’s work with him on a project he did as part of his thesis for grad school. Dr. Terry made him out to be a laughing stock in the architectural world. But now, here is he, with the offer of a lifetime, an offer directly related to the skyscraper that they both were staring at from Chris’s driveway.
Eddie listens from the window, distraught that his new mom left and he swears to be helpful to Chris. He hears enough of his dad's conversation with Dr. Terry that convinces him that the new building holds a treasure that could help his dad keep his house and get more jobs; so he takes off for the new building, as helpful as he can be.
Soon Eddie, Chris, Dr. Terry and a few others are caught in an impossible maze of hallways, office floors, sub-basements and elevators that only go up. Elevators that hold numbers for twice as many floors as the building contains. The building itself becomes a menacing entity, looming over their every move as they try to navigate the building, all to discover its secrets for themselves. Eddie, to help his Dad. Chris, to help himself. Dr. Terry to rediscover his fame and possibly repair a past sin. And a billionaire intent on solving the riddle of how the building just appeared overnight. Soon, it becomes evident that the building is herding them to the top floor, where something devastating waits, where discovering the real secret may be more than any of them can bear.
I loved everything about this book. The characters' relationships to one another and how they change throughout the book. The office building itself and how it takes on a role of a character, not just a location and the many hidden secrets of each floor. The creep factor only intensifies with each floor they climb. Find out for yourself what is waiting on the top floor.
Four solid stars for this cosmic horror.
The book synopsis, loosely stated, is as follows; Thursday night, it was a dirt lot. Friday morning, it was a 60 story skyscraper. A tech billionaire wants to discover the building's secrets for herself. A curious nine year old believes it holds a treasure to help his father and goes exploring. His father races to find him. From the outside, it looks like a normal office building, but inside, ghostly figures stalk the halls, the walls are hungry and something waits on the top floor.
Chris is having a bad day. His wife, Sherri, tells him she is leaving. His former mentor, Dr. Lance Terry, arrives shortly after with a shady business proposition. Eddie, Chris’s newly adopted son, listens at the window to see how he can be helpful so Chris won’t make him leave. Eddie blames himself for Sherri leaving, believing he wasn’t helpful enough. All of this, early on a Friday morning, while Chris was just standing outside, gaping at the new skyscraper that now sits proudly in the dawn skyline, a skyscraper that was not there the night before.
Chris is heart-broken, angry, broke and distraught but determined to provide a good home for his son. Dr. Terry is the reason why Chris cannot seem to gain any real employment with the architectural firms around the city because he took all of the credit for Chris’s work with him on a project he did as part of his thesis for grad school. Dr. Terry made him out to be a laughing stock in the architectural world. But now, here is he, with the offer of a lifetime, an offer directly related to the skyscraper that they both were staring at from Chris’s driveway.
Eddie listens from the window, distraught that his new mom left and he swears to be helpful to Chris. He hears enough of his dad's conversation with Dr. Terry that convinces him that the new building holds a treasure that could help his dad keep his house and get more jobs; so he takes off for the new building, as helpful as he can be.
Soon Eddie, Chris, Dr. Terry and a few others are caught in an impossible maze of hallways, office floors, sub-basements and elevators that only go up. Elevators that hold numbers for twice as many floors as the building contains. The building itself becomes a menacing entity, looming over their every move as they try to navigate the building, all to discover its secrets for themselves. Eddie, to help his Dad. Chris, to help himself. Dr. Terry to rediscover his fame and possibly repair a past sin. And a billionaire intent on solving the riddle of how the building just appeared overnight. Soon, it becomes evident that the building is herding them to the top floor, where something devastating waits, where discovering the real secret may be more than any of them can bear.
I loved everything about this book. The characters' relationships to one another and how they change throughout the book. The office building itself and how it takes on a role of a character, not just a location and the many hidden secrets of each floor. The creep factor only intensifies with each floor they climb. Find out for yourself what is waiting on the top floor.
Four solid stars for this cosmic horror.
November 25, 2023
A Page Turner!!
So this story reminds me of reading "14". It definitely has a similar vibe and plot.
And its a fast moving adventure story. Never a dull moment in here and the plot was mysterious enough to keep me reading too. In fact I read the whole thing in one sitting. The book also kept me very wide awake as well! That alone says a lot.
I liked the theme in here too. Not only about mental health but also about the love of a father for his son. The theme extends throughout the entire story.
I also liked the other ideas the author included in here - things I never actually thought about before. The advances in building technology and what it allows us to do these days. I often enjoy these sorts of things in books as it gives me something to ponder. So its a tad more than just a scary story. The best stories make us think about things.
Neat cover image too!!
So this story reminds me of reading "14". It definitely has a similar vibe and plot.
And its a fast moving adventure story. Never a dull moment in here and the plot was mysterious enough to keep me reading too. In fact I read the whole thing in one sitting. The book also kept me very wide awake as well! That alone says a lot.
I liked the theme in here too. Not only about mental health but also about the love of a father for his son. The theme extends throughout the entire story.
I also liked the other ideas the author included in here - things I never actually thought about before. The advances in building technology and what it allows us to do these days. I often enjoy these sorts of things in books as it gives me something to ponder. So its a tad more than just a scary story. The best stories make us think about things.
Neat cover image too!!
August 6, 2024
review to come 70/100
This is a Lovecraftian horror novel, the first a trilogy. It was an interesting novel about a building that suddenly appeared from nothing and a guy, who is lacking money, is deciding if he should investigate or not after a very good proposal. When his adopted son goes to that building he has no way of refusing. The book was pretty good and interesting depictions of the world within a building with each floor a bit different, weirder. I hope for more to be honest but in the end I found it interesting the sufficient that made me want to read the second novel - and I already bought the book, so there's that.
If you want something kin to Lovecraft , probably this is not for your but this one is weird enough that makes you try to connect the dots between how Lovecraftian monsters can or could exist on society and how strange "buildings" were constructed.
Yeah not my best review...
This is a Lovecraftian horror novel, the first a trilogy. It was an interesting novel about a building that suddenly appeared from nothing and a guy, who is lacking money, is deciding if he should investigate or not after a very good proposal. When his adopted son goes to that building he has no way of refusing. The book was pretty good and interesting depictions of the world within a building with each floor a bit different, weirder. I hope for more to be honest but in the end I found it interesting the sufficient that made me want to read the second novel - and I already bought the book, so there's that.
If you want something kin to Lovecraft , probably this is not for your but this one is weird enough that makes you try to connect the dots between how Lovecraftian monsters can or could exist on society and how strange "buildings" were constructed.
Yeah not my best review...
July 16, 2024
Chris, an architect and new father, spots the building: erected overnight, a mystery and construction anomaly. Does it belong to him, or does he belong to it? He doesn't know, but after overhearing an offer for potential work, Chris's son decides he wants to be helpful and needs to find the treasure the building holds. However, the building doesn't hold treasure, as Eddie soon discovers—only horrors awaiting the unsuspecting child and father.
Originally, I expected this story to take an entirely different direction. However, I'm so glad it took an unexpected turn and surprised me. I was completely immersed in the story, and while it wasn't scary, it was entertaining, and the characters made it all the more interesting. It did become creepy and disturbing in a sense. It succeeded in transporting me to another dimension
Originally, I expected this story to take an entirely different direction. However, I'm so glad it took an unexpected turn and surprised me. I was completely immersed in the story, and while it wasn't scary, it was entertaining, and the characters made it all the more interesting. It did become creepy and disturbing in a sense. It succeeded in transporting me to another dimension
August 29, 2025
In the middle of Richmond, VA, a skyscraper appears overnight. The neighbors heard nothing. There are no building materials. The building just suddenly appears.
Chris hasn't had the best few days and it's now just him and his son, Eddie. Chris joins a team of architects and engineers, who have been asked to explore the building and understand where it came from and what its purpose is. Eddie just wants to help out and thinks the mysterious building has a treasure that he can use to make everyone's life better.
However, when everyone enters the building, it quickly becomes clear something is off. The elevators have a mind of their own. The interior does not match what you would expect from the exterior. The building even seems to have more floors than it seems. Around every corner, there are shadows and shapes moving. What's really happening? Who built the building (and how)? Chris makes his way through the building in an attempt to answer these questions and more, but by the time he finds the answer, will it be too late?
This book really grabbed me from the start. I felt like I was there with Chris and Eddie as they explored the building and I wanted to know everything about it just like they do! I can't wait to get to the second book in the series and see what the author has in store for us!
Chris hasn't had the best few days and it's now just him and his son, Eddie. Chris joins a team of architects and engineers, who have been asked to explore the building and understand where it came from and what its purpose is. Eddie just wants to help out and thinks the mysterious building has a treasure that he can use to make everyone's life better.
However, when everyone enters the building, it quickly becomes clear something is off. The elevators have a mind of their own. The interior does not match what you would expect from the exterior. The building even seems to have more floors than it seems. Around every corner, there are shadows and shapes moving. What's really happening? Who built the building (and how)? Chris makes his way through the building in an attempt to answer these questions and more, but by the time he finds the answer, will it be too late?
This book really grabbed me from the start. I felt like I was there with Chris and Eddie as they explored the building and I wanted to know everything about it just like they do! I can't wait to get to the second book in the series and see what the author has in store for us!
August 13, 2021
Freaky weird
Beware: this book might give you nightmares about alternate universes.
What a trippy thrill ride! The emotional rollercoaster this story takes you on is phenomenal. The characters are fantastic and you really care about them all - until you don't. Farthing writes about a building that is an entity but it's really just a building. Or something like that. I don't have the capacity to explain what I mean. You'll have to read it! I definitely recommend this!
Beware: this book might give you nightmares about alternate universes.
What a trippy thrill ride! The emotional rollercoaster this story takes you on is phenomenal. The characters are fantastic and you really care about them all - until you don't. Farthing writes about a building that is an entity but it's really just a building. Or something like that. I don't have the capacity to explain what I mean. You'll have to read it! I definitely recommend this!
November 17, 2021
Super interesting story with a pretty tight narrative. This was an effortless read, but it severely needs an editor for grammar, out-of-place words, and a bunch of other weird errors.
Note that I read this on my Kindle. That may account for the errors.
3.5/5 stars
Note that I read this on my Kindle. That may account for the errors.
3.5/5 stars
January 5, 2022
Chris is contacted to look at a building that appeared overnight. But once he goes in, nothing will ever be the same again.
This is the type of horror I absolutely love! It took some risks and had some original moments. It was also weirder than weird in sections, but that was part of the fun.
This is the type of horror I absolutely love! It took some risks and had some original moments. It was also weirder than weird in sections, but that was part of the fun.
October 27, 2025
A while ago I bought 'They Cling to the Hull' without knowing it was part 2 in a series. I recently discovered that and then bought It waits on the top floor, because I wanted to read them in order.
I believe having read this now you need to do that, otherwise you won't know the history, especially as part of the plot of the second book is already explained at the end of this one.
So for Spooktober I decided to read this one, mostly because I want to read the second one soon and I feel I will be more into that one than this one from the beginning.
This book just left me a bit disappinted. It just glosses over a lot of unexplained, weird stuff and leans on the idea that the reader will just eat up everything that is served. For me, it didn't work that way. From the very beginning I had questions that weren't answered. Then the story unfolds and it just meanders on, it doesn't get exciting, creepy, scary anywhere. Gory at some point for a moment, but even the climax just wasn't really that scary. So now I'm a bit afraid that the second book will be the same and another big let down.
It's not written great. It's not the worst book in the world, but it just lacks too much for me to call it good. I will probably read the second book. I do like haunted cruise ships. But I may wait a little to forget this one just enough to not remember the feeling it left me with after finishing it. 2 stars, at most.
I believe having read this now you need to do that, otherwise you won't know the history, especially as part of the plot of the second book is already explained at the end of this one.
So for Spooktober I decided to read this one, mostly because I want to read the second one soon and I feel I will be more into that one than this one from the beginning.
This book just left me a bit disappinted. It just glosses over a lot of unexplained, weird stuff and leans on the idea that the reader will just eat up everything that is served. For me, it didn't work that way. From the very beginning I had questions that weren't answered. Then the story unfolds and it just meanders on, it doesn't get exciting, creepy, scary anywhere. Gory at some point for a moment, but even the climax just wasn't really that scary. So now I'm a bit afraid that the second book will be the same and another big let down.
It's not written great. It's not the worst book in the world, but it just lacks too much for me to call it good. I will probably read the second book. I do like haunted cruise ships. But I may wait a little to forget this one just enough to not remember the feeling it left me with after finishing it. 2 stars, at most.
April 15, 2023
Pure popcorn horror. There's no fat in this bad boy. It gets started fast, and only heats up the farther you read.
April 25, 2024
Cosmic yet claustrophobic horror? Count me in.
January 29, 2025
1.5/5 - Not really a horror book in my opinion…..???? I also feel bad for pointing this out but there were heaps of mistakes :(
December 20, 2021
i love cosmic horror but i am so sorry i cannot stand children POVs
June 15, 2025
An interesting concept of a building appearing overnight. There were some interesting ideas but overall it felt a bit clunky. Some of the imagery was unnerving however some flat writing let the book down. The story seemed to lose itself halfway with a mishmash of ideas all thrown together making it tricky to navigate. I quite liked the ending but think I'd have enjoyed it more with some editing and shortening of the story. 2.5* rounded up.
February 3, 2025
After reading from this authors other series, I wanted to start a new one by him and this one is really good too. It felt very much like a Farthing book in a good way.
February 19, 2022
Cosmic creepy goodness with good characters that you'll root for. Supporting characters Robert and Cam each deserve their own novel. The environment in the building was tense and claustrophobic (in other words, perfect!).
The above was posted 2/18/2022 with a 4/5 rating. Today, 2/19/2022, I kept thinking about this story and the characters so I'm changing to a 5/5. Chris and Eddie are well-drawn characters and I feel like I experienced the building with them and became quite attached to them.
The above was posted 2/18/2022 with a 4/5 rating. Today, 2/19/2022, I kept thinking about this story and the characters so I'm changing to a 5/5. Chris and Eddie are well-drawn characters and I feel like I experienced the building with them and became quite attached to them.
December 25, 2024
3.75. The prose is very matter of fact and a little flat but I loved the concepts Ben was working with. The architectural details were very cool and the classic lovecraftian elements are a vibe.
October 11, 2021
This was definitely something different to the usual horror books and it was thoroughly entertaining. I enjoyed the story and the descriptions of the tower and what each floor contained were so vivid. I could even feel the panic and suspense whilst reading.
I liked that it gave the views from both the dad, Chris, and the son, Eddie, as it gave the different perspectives. I thought the way it all fitted together was good as I was trying to puzzle it out along with Chris. Also, the monsters and forces they encountered all served a purpose rather than just being there to pad the plot.
This is part of a series (next book out Sep 2021) so I'm not so worried that there were some bits I felt were unfinished. However, it doesn't end on a cliff-hanger so can be read as a standalone.
Overall, an entertaining horror with some great imagery along the way. I can categorically say if I see a tower like that appear overnight I won’t be going anywhere near it! However, I will be checking out other works by Ben.
*I received a complimentary copy of the e-book from BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I liked that it gave the views from both the dad, Chris, and the son, Eddie, as it gave the different perspectives. I thought the way it all fitted together was good as I was trying to puzzle it out along with Chris. Also, the monsters and forces they encountered all served a purpose rather than just being there to pad the plot.
This is part of a series (next book out Sep 2021) so I'm not so worried that there were some bits I felt were unfinished. However, it doesn't end on a cliff-hanger so can be read as a standalone.
Overall, an entertaining horror with some great imagery along the way. I can categorically say if I see a tower like that appear overnight I won’t be going anywhere near it! However, I will be checking out other works by Ben.
*I received a complimentary copy of the e-book from BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
August 26, 2021
It Waits on the Top Floor
by Ben Farthing
The tower appeared overnight, but it wants to keep you forever.
Thursday night, it was a dirt lot. Friday morning, it was a 60-story skyscraper. What the heck!
Chris, is an unemployed architect. His wife Sherri leaves him and their newly adopted son, Eddie.
Eddie, a curious 9-year-old decides there’s treasure inside the out of the blue mysterious skyscraper that appears like magic and goes exploring. His terrified dad chases close behind.
But Chris and Eddie are not the only people curious about the mysterious skyscraper either; others are also feeling called toward the monstrosity intent on solving its mysteries. What they find is beyond terrifying. Like a maze they are being pushed up towards the top floor.
And something is waiting on the top floor.
This was an intriguing idea for a story. It was well thought out and written with twists and turns literally that made it an edge of your seat read. I’m hooked. I have already bought the next book in the series. They Cling to the Hull (Horror Lurks Beneath Book 2)
by Ben Farthing
The tower appeared overnight, but it wants to keep you forever.
Thursday night, it was a dirt lot. Friday morning, it was a 60-story skyscraper. What the heck!
Chris, is an unemployed architect. His wife Sherri leaves him and their newly adopted son, Eddie.
Eddie, a curious 9-year-old decides there’s treasure inside the out of the blue mysterious skyscraper that appears like magic and goes exploring. His terrified dad chases close behind.
But Chris and Eddie are not the only people curious about the mysterious skyscraper either; others are also feeling called toward the monstrosity intent on solving its mysteries. What they find is beyond terrifying. Like a maze they are being pushed up towards the top floor.
And something is waiting on the top floor.
This was an intriguing idea for a story. It was well thought out and written with twists and turns literally that made it an edge of your seat read. I’m hooked. I have already bought the next book in the series. They Cling to the Hull (Horror Lurks Beneath Book 2)
February 21, 2022
I have dreams about houses sometimes, and this building is something I don't want to dream about. It started off kind of slowly but once things start to happen it's a anxious and interesting run. I liked the characters and hope the boy is happy in the end. There are some unanswered questions but it was definitely worth the read . I will be reading the second book (mainly because I love horror at sea).
August 11, 2021
Wow oh wow what a book!
You know how you find those rare gems occasionally? This is one of those. The author did a fantastic job of pulling me into the story and once I started reading they kept me totally entertained! This was one of those rare books that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! Kudos to Ben for giving me an enjoyable time!
You know how you find those rare gems occasionally? This is one of those. The author did a fantastic job of pulling me into the story and once I started reading they kept me totally entertained! This was one of those rare books that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! Kudos to Ben for giving me an enjoyable time!
June 3, 2024
Slow start, good end, terrible spelling and grammar.
October 19, 2024
creepy and amazing
Very cool premise with characters I grew to care about. Had some Cube vibes for sure. Loved the whole thing. It was creepy and intense and kept me guessing the entire time.
Very cool premise with characters I grew to care about. Had some Cube vibes for sure. Loved the whole thing. It was creepy and intense and kept me guessing the entire time.
November 18, 2022
It Waits on the Top Floor is a typical example of "indie-published" work. The author obviously has a knack for storytelling and an ability to spin yarns, but he has not polished his craft and so the very intriguing premise and well-executed creepiness throughout the story is blunted a bit by the flat prose and the MacGuffins that never get picked up and threads that are never woven to completion.
The basic idea is weird and eerie. Literally overnight, a 60-story building appeared in a vacant lot outside of Richmond, Virginia. The book opens by telling us this, as well as introducing the main character, Chris, a failed architect whose wife has decided to leave him immediately after they adopted a boy named Eddie. It's a nice hook that drags us immediately into both the supernatural mystery and Chris's personal dramas. These two things drive the rest of the story.
Chris's wife Sherri is just an incidental character in the first chapter. The way in which she abandons him and their newly adopted son and basically says "peace out" is almost cartoonish.
Then Chris's old mentor and enemy, a professor of architecture who sabotaged his career because Chris "embarrassed" him by writing a paper with some bizarre theories about ancient buildings, shows up on his driveway. He has been hired by a wealthy individual to investigate this miraculous new building, and he wants Chris's help because apparently that research he did might actually be useful. As he and Chris fight in the driveway, Eddie overhears, misunderstands everything and gets the idea there is treasure in the building. Since he also overheard his new mom leaving, he decides (in damaged, neglected orphan fashion) that he needs to go into the building, find the treasure for his new dad, and thus prove himself useful so they can stay together.
Eddie is joined by a teenage girl who had buried some money in the vacant lot the night before a building appeared on top of it. Chris goes into the building after him (with Professor Asshole and their billionaire patron and her other hirelings), and weirdness ensues.
On one level, I admired how the author just put this all together. No time is lost in establishing Chris's situation, Eddie's personality, and implausibly throwing together a team of urban spelunkers who somehow manage to be the only ones in this building that magically appeared out of nowhere outside an American city, as if all sorts of federal agencies wouldn't be all over it.
However, all these plot elements are literally shoved together with little time to make them plausible. Chapters alternate between Chris's POV and Eddie's, as they explore the building, going higher and higher, finding each floor empty yet filled with bizarro not-quite-right imitations of a typical American office building. The elevators go up to the 120th floor though the building only has 60 floors visible from outside. Some floors are too large to fit in the building. Others are full of materials that reflect light in sanity-bending patterns. Eventually they encounter monsters.
Chris eventually uncovers some of the mysteries behind the building, as explained to him by the billionaire who initiated this expedition. It's very Lovecraft-themed although it doesn't explicitly name any of Lovecraft's creatures.
It's a quick read with a viscerally creepy feel. But the prose is plain and just spells out everything as it happens and thoughts as people think them.
This was a good Halloween read. It's continued in a second book (teased at the end of this one), called They Cling to the Hull (apparently the next book takes place on a spooky ocean liner that appeared from nowhere), but I wasn't really enthralled enough by this book to be eager to read the next.
The basic idea is weird and eerie. Literally overnight, a 60-story building appeared in a vacant lot outside of Richmond, Virginia. The book opens by telling us this, as well as introducing the main character, Chris, a failed architect whose wife has decided to leave him immediately after they adopted a boy named Eddie. It's a nice hook that drags us immediately into both the supernatural mystery and Chris's personal dramas. These two things drive the rest of the story.
Chris's wife Sherri is just an incidental character in the first chapter. The way in which she abandons him and their newly adopted son and basically says "peace out" is almost cartoonish.
Then Chris's old mentor and enemy, a professor of architecture who sabotaged his career because Chris "embarrassed" him by writing a paper with some bizarre theories about ancient buildings, shows up on his driveway. He has been hired by a wealthy individual to investigate this miraculous new building, and he wants Chris's help because apparently that research he did might actually be useful. As he and Chris fight in the driveway, Eddie overhears, misunderstands everything and gets the idea there is treasure in the building. Since he also overheard his new mom leaving, he decides (in damaged, neglected orphan fashion) that he needs to go into the building, find the treasure for his new dad, and thus prove himself useful so they can stay together.
Eddie is joined by a teenage girl who had buried some money in the vacant lot the night before a building appeared on top of it. Chris goes into the building after him (with Professor Asshole and their billionaire patron and her other hirelings), and weirdness ensues.
On one level, I admired how the author just put this all together. No time is lost in establishing Chris's situation, Eddie's personality, and implausibly throwing together a team of urban spelunkers who somehow manage to be the only ones in this building that magically appeared out of nowhere outside an American city, as if all sorts of federal agencies wouldn't be all over it.
However, all these plot elements are literally shoved together with little time to make them plausible. Chapters alternate between Chris's POV and Eddie's, as they explore the building, going higher and higher, finding each floor empty yet filled with bizarro not-quite-right imitations of a typical American office building. The elevators go up to the 120th floor though the building only has 60 floors visible from outside. Some floors are too large to fit in the building. Others are full of materials that reflect light in sanity-bending patterns. Eventually they encounter monsters.
Chris eventually uncovers some of the mysteries behind the building, as explained to him by the billionaire who initiated this expedition. It's very Lovecraft-themed although it doesn't explicitly name any of Lovecraft's creatures.
It's a quick read with a viscerally creepy feel. But the prose is plain and just spells out everything as it happens and thoughts as people think them.
This couldn't be real.
Chris stayed pressed against the wall.
Architectural mysteries were one thing. It was another thing to see up close these monsters that appeared and disappeared, and magically repaired damage to the building, and lifted their faces like garage doors to set loose tentacles that dissolved fingertips.
Roberts inspected his shortened fingers. "I can't feel a thing in my hand."
Micah leaned on a table to catch her breath. "Did it inject you with an anesthetic?"
Their stoicism was infuriating. "Maybe it sucked away his nerve endings! How can you be so calm about this? We need to get out of here."
"We've been over this," Micah said evenly.
And they had. Chris had tried everything. He couldn't escape a man with Roberts' size and speed, and he couldn't convince Micah to leave. Until another opportunity came up, he was stuck.
But so was Micah's plan.
This was a good Halloween read. It's continued in a second book (teased at the end of this one), called They Cling to the Hull (apparently the next book takes place on a spooky ocean liner that appeared from nowhere), but I wasn't really enthralled enough by this book to be eager to read the next.
August 4, 2025
This is book 19 of the indie brawl.
The cover of this book is fantastic. The red cover, not the version with just the tower.
This book is about a down-on-his-luck architect named Chris who notices that over the span of 1 night, a 60 storie skyscraper has appeared on the skyline. Chris is given the opportunity to investigate the building, but things get more complicated when his son, Eddie, decides he also wants to investigate the building to search for treasure.
I have read a ton of cosmic horror this year and I am a fan of it, in general. This book had an excellent premise that felt really unique. I also appreciated the setting. The idea of trying to navigate, solve a mystery, and ultimately escape from a building reminded me a lot of the first resident evil movie. I know everyone else hated that movie, but I loved it. This is a cosmic horror version of that kind of idea.
The characters were hit or miss. Sorry if I can't remember all their names.
Chris is a 'failed' architect whose life is not going well but he loves his adoptive son so he's also someone you're rooting for throughout the story.
Eddie is the son. I can't quite remember but I think he's 9 years old. Some of his behavior is very well explained but some of it feels immature, even for a 9 year old.
Eddie meets another girl who's older than him in the story, and I totally forget her name but she was actually a great character and helped to shape Eddie's character a lot better.
Micah was okay. I was a little surprised that someone as important as her would be part of this expedition, but I get that she wants to experience the phenomenon firsthand.
The professor guy and the bodyguard guy were both fine characters.
Leon, the urban explorer, was actually one of the most interesting characters to me. His knowledge and skills seemed to be some of the most useful in this kind of situation.
The setting was interesting. Could it have had more atmosphere? Of course, but the basement scenes were pretty well done, I'd say! I appreciated that the author incorporated sound in his descriptions because appealing to other senses, other than just the visuals is something I find more immersive.
I didn't give this book a stellar rating because, it was just fine. I didn't really like the direction it went in the end. I didn't like how quickly Chris and the other characters figured out the mystery. The whole point of cosmic horror is that it's supposed to be unknowable.
I was annoyed at how well the characters handled major injuries. They basically just carry on like it was a cramp that they can walk off - not like they lost a limb or whatever. This might be more of a 'me' problem. I'm starting to get super annoyed by books not treating injuries or pain in a realistic way.
I didn't really like the end. It was very much set up for the sequel, but
Overall, this book was fine. I didn't love it but I didn't dislike it. The general premise is so interesting that I might give the sequel a try.
The cover of this book is fantastic. The red cover, not the version with just the tower.
This book is about a down-on-his-luck architect named Chris who notices that over the span of 1 night, a 60 storie skyscraper has appeared on the skyline. Chris is given the opportunity to investigate the building, but things get more complicated when his son, Eddie, decides he also wants to investigate the building to search for treasure.
I have read a ton of cosmic horror this year and I am a fan of it, in general. This book had an excellent premise that felt really unique. I also appreciated the setting. The idea of trying to navigate, solve a mystery, and ultimately escape from a building reminded me a lot of the first resident evil movie. I know everyone else hated that movie, but I loved it. This is a cosmic horror version of that kind of idea.
The characters were hit or miss. Sorry if I can't remember all their names.
Chris is a 'failed' architect whose life is not going well but he loves his adoptive son so he's also someone you're rooting for throughout the story.
Eddie is the son. I can't quite remember but I think he's 9 years old. Some of his behavior is very well explained but some of it feels immature, even for a 9 year old.
Eddie meets another girl who's older than him in the story, and I totally forget her name but she was actually a great character and helped to shape Eddie's character a lot better.
Micah was okay. I was a little surprised that someone as important as her would be part of this expedition, but I get that she wants to experience the phenomenon firsthand.
The professor guy and the bodyguard guy were both fine characters.
Leon, the urban explorer, was actually one of the most interesting characters to me. His knowledge and skills seemed to be some of the most useful in this kind of situation.
The setting was interesting. Could it have had more atmosphere? Of course, but the basement scenes were pretty well done, I'd say! I appreciated that the author incorporated sound in his descriptions because appealing to other senses, other than just the visuals is something I find more immersive.
I didn't give this book a stellar rating because, it was just fine. I didn't really like the direction it went in the end. I didn't like how quickly Chris and the other characters figured out the mystery. The whole point of cosmic horror is that it's supposed to be unknowable.
I was annoyed at how well the characters handled major injuries. They basically just carry on like it was a cramp that they can walk off - not like they lost a limb or whatever. This might be more of a 'me' problem. I'm starting to get super annoyed by books not treating injuries or pain in a realistic way.
I didn't really like the end. It was very much set up for the sequel, but
Overall, this book was fine. I didn't love it but I didn't dislike it. The general premise is so interesting that I might give the sequel a try.
August 2, 2021
Tower of Hell
Full disclosure. I was provided with a copy of this book by the author or their representative, however, have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
In the middle of the night in a Richmond, Virginia suburb a skyscraper appears. Where there was once an empty lot now stands a hulking mammoth of glass and steel. After waking up to his wife leaving him and his newly adopted son, this is the last thing that Chris Haberman wants to see. As a struggling architect with his career almost destroyed at the hands of his “mentor” this building seems too familiar. And when his professional nemesis appears on his doorstep with an offer to work with him to determine how the building appeared in a matter of hours, Chris is skeptical. But with his current situation, the money being offered would ensure that Eddie and himself did not become homeless in the near future. When Eddie overhears his dad’s conversation he decides to save the day and set out to the newly appeared building to find the treasure and save his family. Chris finds himself in a race against time as he joins up with his once mentor, an icon in the construction industry, and her associates with one goal in mind - break into the building and learns its secrets. But for Chris Haberman, he also needs to find Eddie before he falls victim to the evil lurking at the top of the tower.
The second I saw the cover for It Waits on the Top Floor, which features what I can only describe as an almost Cthulu-esque creature perched larger than life atop an equally eerie building I knew I had to read this book. It Waits is a wild ride that’s part Urban Exploration, part Twilight Zone and all deliciously sinister. Just when you think that the building cannot get any more bizarre, Farthing ups the ante with another floor and another anomaly. Tending to the seemingly abandoned tower are the “lurchers”, who for the most part mind their own business… unless you try to hurt their property. The main character Chris is the perfect example of a father who will do anything to save his son, which adds to the charm and likeability of the character as an adopted father. Eddie is the personification of a broken child who only wants to be loved and tries to be helpful to keep the adults in his life from leaving. It’s heartbreaking, but Eddie’s child-like qualities including referencing a video game as his game plan for searching for the treasure in the tower really made the character a welcome respite from the evil lurking within and was probably my favorite character in the entire novel. Farthing’s descriptions of the tower and each different floor were so vivid that the tower transcended from just a building and became part of the cast of characters as each nuance and twist was discovered. Farthings, descriptions of events, floors, and situations are so vivid it was not hard to imagine myself tagging along, trying to find the purpose of the tower, and then ultimately trying to make it out alive.
This is the first of Farthing’s books that I have had the chance to read, but I was not disappointed, and I am now looking forward to the second book in this series “They Cling to the Hull” which is set to be released later this year. If you like your horror twisted, mysterious, and unique It Waits on the Top Floor would be a great read.
Full disclosure. I was provided with a copy of this book by the author or their representative, however, have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
In the middle of the night in a Richmond, Virginia suburb a skyscraper appears. Where there was once an empty lot now stands a hulking mammoth of glass and steel. After waking up to his wife leaving him and his newly adopted son, this is the last thing that Chris Haberman wants to see. As a struggling architect with his career almost destroyed at the hands of his “mentor” this building seems too familiar. And when his professional nemesis appears on his doorstep with an offer to work with him to determine how the building appeared in a matter of hours, Chris is skeptical. But with his current situation, the money being offered would ensure that Eddie and himself did not become homeless in the near future. When Eddie overhears his dad’s conversation he decides to save the day and set out to the newly appeared building to find the treasure and save his family. Chris finds himself in a race against time as he joins up with his once mentor, an icon in the construction industry, and her associates with one goal in mind - break into the building and learns its secrets. But for Chris Haberman, he also needs to find Eddie before he falls victim to the evil lurking at the top of the tower.
The second I saw the cover for It Waits on the Top Floor, which features what I can only describe as an almost Cthulu-esque creature perched larger than life atop an equally eerie building I knew I had to read this book. It Waits is a wild ride that’s part Urban Exploration, part Twilight Zone and all deliciously sinister. Just when you think that the building cannot get any more bizarre, Farthing ups the ante with another floor and another anomaly. Tending to the seemingly abandoned tower are the “lurchers”, who for the most part mind their own business… unless you try to hurt their property. The main character Chris is the perfect example of a father who will do anything to save his son, which adds to the charm and likeability of the character as an adopted father. Eddie is the personification of a broken child who only wants to be loved and tries to be helpful to keep the adults in his life from leaving. It’s heartbreaking, but Eddie’s child-like qualities including referencing a video game as his game plan for searching for the treasure in the tower really made the character a welcome respite from the evil lurking within and was probably my favorite character in the entire novel. Farthing’s descriptions of the tower and each different floor were so vivid that the tower transcended from just a building and became part of the cast of characters as each nuance and twist was discovered. Farthings, descriptions of events, floors, and situations are so vivid it was not hard to imagine myself tagging along, trying to find the purpose of the tower, and then ultimately trying to make it out alive.
This is the first of Farthing’s books that I have had the chance to read, but I was not disappointed, and I am now looking forward to the second book in this series “They Cling to the Hull” which is set to be released later this year. If you like your horror twisted, mysterious, and unique It Waits on the Top Floor would be a great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews