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Malignant
“I want your whole group to come closer, Detective. So you can see."
"And if we don’t?”
“Then I execute the first ten students, and one every minute after that. I bet you run out of resolve before I run out of hostages.”
When armed commandos storm an elite boarding school, the police think it’s a plot for ransom, or an attempt to extort favors from the teens’ powerful parents. But the men, led by a killer who calls himself ‘‘Teacher,” have much darker plans in mind.
Teacher intends to give a lesson unlike any taught before. A lesson written on flesh. A lesson inked in blood. A lesson about monsters.
The bell has been rung, the lesson begun. And the lesson is "The monsters are real, and to them... you are just a plaything."
Worldwide bestseller and multiple Bram Stoker Award and Dragon Award finalist Michaelbrent Collings brings you a horror that is all-too real… and truly MALIGNANT.
"And if we don’t?”
“Then I execute the first ten students, and one every minute after that. I bet you run out of resolve before I run out of hostages.”
When armed commandos storm an elite boarding school, the police think it’s a plot for ransom, or an attempt to extort favors from the teens’ powerful parents. But the men, led by a killer who calls himself ‘‘Teacher,” have much darker plans in mind.
Teacher intends to give a lesson unlike any taught before. A lesson written on flesh. A lesson inked in blood. A lesson about monsters.
The bell has been rung, the lesson begun. And the lesson is "The monsters are real, and to them... you are just a plaything."
Worldwide bestseller and multiple Bram Stoker Award and Dragon Award finalist Michaelbrent Collings brings you a horror that is all-too real… and truly MALIGNANT.
300 pages, Paperback
Published October 25, 2021
231 people are currently reading
397 people want to read
About the author
Michaelbrent Collings
92 books660 followersOne of the most versatile writers around, Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally bestselling novelist, produced screenwriter, and multiple Bram Stoker Award finalist. While he is best known for horror (and is one of the most successful indie horror authors in the United States), he has also written bestselling thriller, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, humor, young adult, and middle grade works, and Western Romance.
In addition to being a bestselling novelist, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, a RONE Award, and a Whitney award: and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. He is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, and Writing Excuses.
Find more about him at his website, WrittenInsomnia.com, or sign up for his mailing list (and get a free book!) at http://writteninsomnia.com/michaelbre....
In addition to being a bestselling novelist, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, a RONE Award, and a Whitney award: and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. He is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, and Writing Excuses.
Find more about him at his website, WrittenInsomnia.com, or sign up for his mailing list (and get a free book!) at http://writteninsomnia.com/michaelbre....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
September 24, 2022
An Ode Against Criminal Behavior.
Someone has taken over Reina High School and abducted students and teachers and made a great mystery about everything.
To tell you more than that will spoil the book for you.
Frankly, four stars. ⭐️
Someone has taken over Reina High School and abducted students and teachers and made a great mystery about everything.
To tell you more than that will spoil the book for you.
Frankly, four stars. ⭐️
October 21, 2021
MALIGNANT put me in mind of TV shows like Criminal Minds. Much like that show, this novel had me on the edge of my seat!
One morning, a heavily armed group of people takes over a high school and holds everyone there hostage. This isn't your average, every day high school. This is a school for the richest of the rich, and the most powerful people in the world have children there. Sounds like a great way to extort some money from these moguls, senators, and businessmen, doesn't it? But that's not what this group is after. What ARE they after? You'll have to read this to find out!
Here, we are treated to the viewpoints of a number of different people: a reporter, "Teacher," (the head of the kidnapping group), and a police detective. Sometimes the reader is privy to what is going to happen next, and sometimes the reader is left blind, depending upon whose viewpoint we're in at the time. I liked this! For one, it makes for short chapters, which makes the book fly by. It also makes for exciting reading as often times we have no idea where the story will take us next.
Much like Criminal Minds or other procedural shows, this is a fictional story, but it is based on real life crimes. MALIGNANT also makes some connections between perfectly legal activities and dire, life-threatening crimes. The story itself is not heavy handed about it, but there is a section from the author at the end where everything is set out for you from the author's point of view. I give him credit for speaking his mind on the subject, whether or not I agree with him. (But, in truth I do agree with him.)
Overall, this book represents the best of what I've read from Michaelbrent Collings so far. This is a brutal, no holds barred story that contains a lot of brutality, violence and just... ugliness, in general. The real world is a cruel, hard place and MALIGNANT doesn't shy away from any of it. This book held ME hostage until the very end and for that reason, I highly recommend it!
MALIGNANT spreads on 10/25/2021!
*Thank you to the author for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
One morning, a heavily armed group of people takes over a high school and holds everyone there hostage. This isn't your average, every day high school. This is a school for the richest of the rich, and the most powerful people in the world have children there. Sounds like a great way to extort some money from these moguls, senators, and businessmen, doesn't it? But that's not what this group is after. What ARE they after? You'll have to read this to find out!
Here, we are treated to the viewpoints of a number of different people: a reporter, "Teacher," (the head of the kidnapping group), and a police detective. Sometimes the reader is privy to what is going to happen next, and sometimes the reader is left blind, depending upon whose viewpoint we're in at the time. I liked this! For one, it makes for short chapters, which makes the book fly by. It also makes for exciting reading as often times we have no idea where the story will take us next.
Much like Criminal Minds or other procedural shows, this is a fictional story, but it is based on real life crimes. MALIGNANT also makes some connections between perfectly legal activities and dire, life-threatening crimes. The story itself is not heavy handed about it, but there is a section from the author at the end where everything is set out for you from the author's point of view. I give him credit for speaking his mind on the subject, whether or not I agree with him. (But, in truth I do agree with him.)
Overall, this book represents the best of what I've read from Michaelbrent Collings so far. This is a brutal, no holds barred story that contains a lot of brutality, violence and just... ugliness, in general. The real world is a cruel, hard place and MALIGNANT doesn't shy away from any of it. This book held ME hostage until the very end and for that reason, I highly recommend it!
MALIGNANT spreads on 10/25/2021!
*Thank you to the author for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
March 6, 2022
Man, this got dark. And in those parts I was reminded of Thomas Harris' Hannibal series. Other times it was police procedural, but at its core it's story of redemption and brutal revenge. Real edge-of-your-seat stuff here. MALIGNANT would make for a great film too. Good job, Collings!
November 9, 2021
The Malignant thriller
I am a big MichaelBrent fan, but I think he outdid himself here. It has all the qualities you find in a MichaelBrent story: slow start, colourful characters, blast to the finish. This story was extremely well plotted with a strong mix of horror
elements and cat and mouse thriller. He also did a great job making his audience focus on the horrors of the subject-matter.
I do have one comment though… if you have never read MichaelBrent before, don’t let the cover discourage you. My perception of the cover is that I will be reading an action packed Robert Ludlum book. For me, this cover just gives the wrong impression and I have to wonder if it would turn off first time Collings readers who would get the wrong impression about what the book is about and its genre.
I am a big MichaelBrent fan, but I think he outdid himself here. It has all the qualities you find in a MichaelBrent story: slow start, colourful characters, blast to the finish. This story was extremely well plotted with a strong mix of horror
elements and cat and mouse thriller. He also did a great job making his audience focus on the horrors of the subject-matter.
I do have one comment though… if you have never read MichaelBrent before, don’t let the cover discourage you. My perception of the cover is that I will be reading an action packed Robert Ludlum book. For me, this cover just gives the wrong impression and I have to wonder if it would turn off first time Collings readers who would get the wrong impression about what the book is about and its genre.
October 31, 2021
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
From the moment I read the introduction, I expected Malignant to take me on an intense journey. It did not disappoint. The level of intensity went beyond my expectation. Malignant is one of those books where it’s best for the reader to go in blind. I have read several thrillers since the start of the year, but none like this one. From the moment I began reading, I was hooked, and this was before the actual story began.Malignant is told through the eyes of ace reporter Connie Kendall. The author, with his descriptive writing style, pulled me into the story. I felt every emotion the characters experienced. Their fears, pain, sadness and despair. Some scenes literally sent chills down my spine. I tried putting the book aside a few times, but it proved difficult, despite the gruesomeness of some scenes.Teacher intrigued me. I wondered at his motives. The most macabre story of revenge I have read. Teacher came to teach and taught he did. It’s a lesson no one would soon forget. I know I will not be forgetting this story soon.
I may not agree with his actions, but grief can lead to irrational actions, which is what happened in this case. His emotional turmoil led to diabolical actions. I wondered what lesson teacher was trying to impart. Malignant had me guessing a mile a minute, but then I realized I was wasting time trying to figure it all out. Teacher had no plans to reveal his hand until he was good and ready. He left me in the dark just like he did the reporters and law enforcement officials.As the story progressed, the reasoning behind his actions became clear. At that moment I found understood why he did what he did and I could not help but empathize with him. If placed in a similar position, I don’t what I would do. I can safely say I know I would not have had the guts to do what he did. Malignant touched on topics that have been plaguing society for a while. It was dark, chilling, gruesome and shows how dark and desperate the human heart can be. We see how people in high positions abuse their power because of greed. The story further shows the domino effect of a single act of evil.
This was my first Michaelbrent Collings book and I look forward to reading more of his work. Love chilling. twisted and dark stories hen Malignant would be perfect for your library.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
From the moment I read the introduction, I expected Malignant to take me on an intense journey. It did not disappoint. The level of intensity went beyond my expectation. Malignant is one of those books where it’s best for the reader to go in blind. I have read several thrillers since the start of the year, but none like this one. From the moment I began reading, I was hooked, and this was before the actual story began.Malignant is told through the eyes of ace reporter Connie Kendall. The author, with his descriptive writing style, pulled me into the story. I felt every emotion the characters experienced. Their fears, pain, sadness and despair. Some scenes literally sent chills down my spine. I tried putting the book aside a few times, but it proved difficult, despite the gruesomeness of some scenes.Teacher intrigued me. I wondered at his motives. The most macabre story of revenge I have read. Teacher came to teach and taught he did. It’s a lesson no one would soon forget. I know I will not be forgetting this story soon.
I may not agree with his actions, but grief can lead to irrational actions, which is what happened in this case. His emotional turmoil led to diabolical actions. I wondered what lesson teacher was trying to impart. Malignant had me guessing a mile a minute, but then I realized I was wasting time trying to figure it all out. Teacher had no plans to reveal his hand until he was good and ready. He left me in the dark just like he did the reporters and law enforcement officials.As the story progressed, the reasoning behind his actions became clear. At that moment I found understood why he did what he did and I could not help but empathize with him. If placed in a similar position, I don’t what I would do. I can safely say I know I would not have had the guts to do what he did. Malignant touched on topics that have been plaguing society for a while. It was dark, chilling, gruesome and shows how dark and desperate the human heart can be. We see how people in high positions abuse their power because of greed. The story further shows the domino effect of a single act of evil.
This was my first Michaelbrent Collings book and I look forward to reading more of his work. Love chilling. twisted and dark stories hen Malignant would be perfect for your library.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
August 23, 2021
Deep breath here. So I just finished it and all I can say is thank God Michaelbrent Collings is a writer and not a criminal because the world could not handle his level of evil genius! Yes, I did figure out what Teacher was getting vengeance for, but not how he went about it. There were many surprises, and if you’re reading this and deciding whether or not to read the book you are so lucky that you get to discover them! Go get it now!
November 3, 2021
Well, this is a nail biter!
From the moment we meet Teacher, I was rapt. I simply had to find out who this was and why everything was happening!
Readers should know that the book is violent and much of what happens (and the why of it) is disturbing. But the book is also well written and completely unrelenting.
This is a fast moving and incredibly intense story and you won't want to stop reading.
Enjoyed this one!
From the moment we meet Teacher, I was rapt. I simply had to find out who this was and why everything was happening!
Readers should know that the book is violent and much of what happens (and the why of it) is disturbing. But the book is also well written and completely unrelenting.
This is a fast moving and incredibly intense story and you won't want to stop reading.
Enjoyed this one!
October 8, 2021
I’m not sure what genre to put this in. Horror? Thriller? Drama? It’s a mix of those.
Armed men (and a woman) take over a private high school during a no-school detention day. Then bodies start piling up. But this isn’t random. The leader, “Teacher,” has a lesson to teach these teachers and students.
The story builds very carefully as all the pieces are set up. At first you wonder what Teacher has planned. Who is he? What happened to him? Then you wonder what these teachers and students did. What crimes are they hiding? Are they worse than Teacher? You kind of start rooting for him and his twisted justice and feel guilty about it. All these pieces come together right in a row. It’s very absorbing and definitely a page-turner.
Under the death and violence is a serious message. I’ll mark it as a spoiler in case you want to discover it for yourself.
Language: Occasional moderately strong language
Sexual Content: Sexting in detail; mentions of rape and other abuse; adult men leer at teen girls
Violence: Very graphic; includes gun violence and knife violence involved in death, torture, and mutilation
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
Armed men (and a woman) take over a private high school during a no-school detention day. Then bodies start piling up. But this isn’t random. The leader, “Teacher,” has a lesson to teach these teachers and students.
The story builds very carefully as all the pieces are set up. At first you wonder what Teacher has planned. Who is he? What happened to him? Then you wonder what these teachers and students did. What crimes are they hiding? Are they worse than Teacher? You kind of start rooting for him and his twisted justice and feel guilty about it. All these pieces come together right in a row. It’s very absorbing and definitely a page-turner.
Under the death and violence is a serious message. I’ll mark it as a spoiler in case you want to discover it for yourself.
Language: Occasional moderately strong language
Sexual Content: Sexting in detail; mentions of rape and other abuse; adult men leer at teen girls
Violence: Very graphic; includes gun violence and knife violence involved in death, torture, and mutilation
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
October 8, 2021
Michaelbrent Collings writes some amazing novels and I never hesitate to say YES when I see a new one to read. Gimme Gimme.
…for this lesson he would be called teacher…death, destruction, instruction.
Already I have chills running up and down my spine at 4%, because from past experience with Michaelbrent Collings writing, his villains are at the top of my worst ever list. I am shoring myself up for the Teacher’s visit…I know it won’t be a pleasant one.
I began my journey into blackness thinking this is like a Criminal Minds episode and Michaelbrent Collings can take me to a place I have never been before, so dark and disturbing that sometimes I have to wonder what my fascination is with such criminals, psychopaths and sociopaths. They fascinate me.
“Is it just me or did he actually act like a human?” “He did….
But, the human monster can be the worst monster of all, the one you may not see coming. For me, I like reading about monsters and I like my stories dark and disturbing, hitting on humanities best and worst traits, making me uncomfortable and questioning…why…what is my fascination with the human mind, a human’s ability to inflict so much damage to another human being baffles and intrigues me.
I want to warn you…read the Prologue. Check out some reviews. This may not be a book for you…graphic brutality and triggers.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings.
See more at fundinmental
…for this lesson he would be called teacher…death, destruction, instruction.
Already I have chills running up and down my spine at 4%, because from past experience with Michaelbrent Collings writing, his villains are at the top of my worst ever list. I am shoring myself up for the Teacher’s visit…I know it won’t be a pleasant one.
I began my journey into blackness thinking this is like a Criminal Minds episode and Michaelbrent Collings can take me to a place I have never been before, so dark and disturbing that sometimes I have to wonder what my fascination is with such criminals, psychopaths and sociopaths. They fascinate me.
“Is it just me or did he actually act like a human?” “He did….
But, the human monster can be the worst monster of all, the one you may not see coming. For me, I like reading about monsters and I like my stories dark and disturbing, hitting on humanities best and worst traits, making me uncomfortable and questioning…why…what is my fascination with the human mind, a human’s ability to inflict so much damage to another human being baffles and intrigues me.
I want to warn you…read the Prologue. Check out some reviews. This may not be a book for you…graphic brutality and triggers.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings.
See more at fundinmental
December 30, 2021
Oof, this book is a kick in the gut. The author himself gives a warning at the beginning, and he means it. Malignant is violent, dark, bleak, and powerful. You think the story is going to be about exciting scenes and good vs. evil, but it turns out to be much more complicated and timely than that. The author gives a great, heartfelt explanation at the end, so stick around for it. Malignant doesn't pull any punches, and if you can stomach it, it's a great read.
August 23, 2021
Another home run for MBC. Centered around the violence that has become all to prevalent in todays world and coupled with a parents worst nightmare, the horror is real. No monsters in the closet here. The monsters walk on two feet and have ice in their veins. The writing is , as always, tight and to-the-point. Very chilling.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.
October 27, 2021
‘When armed commandos storm an elite boarding school, the police think it’s a plot for ransom or an attempt to extort favors from the teens’ powerful parents.’
‘But the men, led by a killer who calls himself ‘‘Teacher,” have much darker plans in mind.’
In a word, ‘Whoa!’ MALIGNANT, by Michaelbrent Collings, is an intense read that kept me engaged to the very end.
Highly Recommend!
‘Teacher wasn’t a DJ of some maleficent music, he was a snake charmer, weaving and bobbing and inevitably drawing first the attention and then the subservience of a snake that, though deaf, danced the way the master desired.’
From The Authors Note:
‘MALIGNANT is a horror story, in its purest sense – or at least, I hope it is. The things that happen in this story are horrific, and should cause readers to shudder and squirm. And, worst of all, they are representatives of real things that happen to real people.’
Thank you, Michaelbrent Collings, for providing me with an eBook of MALIGNANT at the request of an honest review.
‘But the men, led by a killer who calls himself ‘‘Teacher,” have much darker plans in mind.’
In a word, ‘Whoa!’ MALIGNANT, by Michaelbrent Collings, is an intense read that kept me engaged to the very end.
Highly Recommend!
‘Teacher wasn’t a DJ of some maleficent music, he was a snake charmer, weaving and bobbing and inevitably drawing first the attention and then the subservience of a snake that, though deaf, danced the way the master desired.’
From The Authors Note:
‘MALIGNANT is a horror story, in its purest sense – or at least, I hope it is. The things that happen in this story are horrific, and should cause readers to shudder and squirm. And, worst of all, they are representatives of real things that happen to real people.’
Thank you, Michaelbrent Collings, for providing me with an eBook of MALIGNANT at the request of an honest review.
October 25, 2021
Intense, horrifying and terrifying! Unfortunately, the basis of this horror novel is all too real which makes it so much worse. The world building and characters are almost too realistic! Please note that this book contains extreme violence and may be a trigger for some readers. I do recommend it.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.
August 23, 2021
I am a HUGE MBC fan, but this has got to be one of my favorites! The plot has me guessing all the way until the ending which just gutted me, in a good way! I have never felt such emotions caused by a book before. Bravo!
October 7, 2023
This book is all about the moment after the gray - the moment after good people do bad things or bad people do good things - when they make choices that cost them their humanity, or sometimes help them to find it.
It is a fast-paced, immersive story that unfurls slowly but with the inevitability of an avalanche, picking up momentum until the final massive impact. It is the train wreck you can't look away from, even as horror and disgust for the situation grows as more is revealed and the pieces start coming together. It is the event that no one walks away from unscathed; no one survives unchanged. No one wins. It is not a story where you are rooting for the good guys to rescue the innocents from the bad guys. This is not that kind of story. But in a way it is - Teacher's message is one that needed to be broadcast loudly in order to be heard, and maybe, just maybe somewhere amidst the cries of desperation, there is a message of hope for the true victims.
The choice of narrative voice worked well. It was written from the perspective of a news reporter who assumes that her audience is familiar with the story from other news coverage, but is giving the in-depth exclusive. That's where the heavy foreshadowing comes in. She maintains an objective position throughout most of the narrative despite personal involvement. This means that while the story does not shy away from gruesome details of the horrors that occurred and how they were done, it also is not gratuitously violent or gory. So dark and horrific, but in a more clinical rather than visceral way which in some ways makes the cold, calculated brutality even that much worse.
Dark story that will haunt your thoughts and nightmares not because of how gruesome it is, but because of how plausible it is, because of how many elements of the story are true. Because of the way a dark side of humanity was exposed for the evil it is. Dark difficult subject matter that goes deep down the rabbit hole. Read if you dare, but don't be surprised to find it leaves a mark.
It is a fast-paced, immersive story that unfurls slowly but with the inevitability of an avalanche, picking up momentum until the final massive impact. It is the train wreck you can't look away from, even as horror and disgust for the situation grows as more is revealed and the pieces start coming together. It is the event that no one walks away from unscathed; no one survives unchanged. No one wins. It is not a story where you are rooting for the good guys to rescue the innocents from the bad guys. This is not that kind of story. But in a way it is - Teacher's message is one that needed to be broadcast loudly in order to be heard, and maybe, just maybe somewhere amidst the cries of desperation, there is a message of hope for the true victims.
The choice of narrative voice worked well. It was written from the perspective of a news reporter who assumes that her audience is familiar with the story from other news coverage, but is giving the in-depth exclusive. That's where the heavy foreshadowing comes in. She maintains an objective position throughout most of the narrative despite personal involvement. This means that while the story does not shy away from gruesome details of the horrors that occurred and how they were done, it also is not gratuitously violent or gory. So dark and horrific, but in a more clinical rather than visceral way which in some ways makes the cold, calculated brutality even that much worse.
Dark story that will haunt your thoughts and nightmares not because of how gruesome it is, but because of how plausible it is, because of how many elements of the story are true. Because of the way a dark side of humanity was exposed for the evil it is. Dark difficult subject matter that goes deep down the rabbit hole. Read if you dare, but don't be surprised to find it leaves a mark.
September 23, 2021
MbC delivers AGAIN!
Book good. Me like book. Book booky book book!
Just kidding.
I’ve been on a MbC binge lately, having read at least 10 of his novels over the past few weeks. He is adept at character development and creating people readers actually care about. This story is no exception.
I was hooked from the very first page. “Malignant” is definitely nightmare fuel—a hellish rollercoaster ride straight into a sci-fi horrorscape.
This one is a little different than what I’m used to from MbC, but I enjoyed the departure and hope to hear more about this story and its (remaining) characters. Perhaps a sequel is in order?
Good stuff!
Book good. Me like book. Book booky book book!
Just kidding.
I’ve been on a MbC binge lately, having read at least 10 of his novels over the past few weeks. He is adept at character development and creating people readers actually care about. This story is no exception.
I was hooked from the very first page. “Malignant” is definitely nightmare fuel—a hellish rollercoaster ride straight into a sci-fi horrorscape.
This one is a little different than what I’m used to from MbC, but I enjoyed the departure and hope to hear more about this story and its (remaining) characters. Perhaps a sequel is in order?
Good stuff!
October 24, 2021
Heart pounding chilller
Renia high school is for troubled kids over Memorial day some of these kids are called in for detention. The kids and staff have been chosen and are captured by Teacher and his crew of colors. Teacher has lessons that need to be learned. The police are racing against time to figure out who Teacher is and what he wants.
Can the police figure it out before its too late. Intense chilling page turner. Keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Renia high school is for troubled kids over Memorial day some of these kids are called in for detention. The kids and staff have been chosen and are captured by Teacher and his crew of colors. Teacher has lessons that need to be learned. The police are racing against time to figure out who Teacher is and what he wants.
Can the police figure it out before its too late. Intense chilling page turner. Keeps you on the edge of your seat.
October 5, 2021
Let me start off by saying that’s this book is not for the faint of heart. It’s a tough read and will leave you thinking about the subject matter well after you’ve finished with it.
Mr. Collings not only wrote a story that keeps moving 100 miles an hour with no dull moments, as with his other books, but he wrote a story that has an extremely deep meaning. He certainly writes for entertainment, and boy does he entertain, but this felt like he really needed to get his message out and in the way he knows how to best.
It’s a horrific story that’s superbly well written and keeps you wanting to finally know why everything’s happening, with twists and turns and characters that you end up caring about- yeah, even the bad guys! And when you’ve turned or swiped to that final page there are no loose threads. To me that’s the icing on the cake.
Read it. It’s just good. And even though, it might mess with your head, it does for the right reasons. I’ve read a bunch of his books already and I’m shocked there aren’t movies or TV shows developed. He’s just a damn good storyteller.
Mr. Collings not only wrote a story that keeps moving 100 miles an hour with no dull moments, as with his other books, but he wrote a story that has an extremely deep meaning. He certainly writes for entertainment, and boy does he entertain, but this felt like he really needed to get his message out and in the way he knows how to best.
It’s a horrific story that’s superbly well written and keeps you wanting to finally know why everything’s happening, with twists and turns and characters that you end up caring about- yeah, even the bad guys! And when you’ve turned or swiped to that final page there are no loose threads. To me that’s the icing on the cake.
Read it. It’s just good. And even though, it might mess with your head, it does for the right reasons. I’ve read a bunch of his books already and I’m shocked there aren’t movies or TV shows developed. He’s just a damn good storyteller.
October 1, 2021
Malignant opens with a bang and never lets up from one page to the next. While Malignant is a fast-paced read and in no way slow to build in the action department it does have a slow build in the way it reveals what is happening and why it is all taking place. Malignant has a large number of characters and we get to see the story from different points of view.
A man known as Teacher storms into an elite school for delinquent students over Memorial Day. A few students have stayed over as they are in detention. Teacher takes the students and faculty hostage.
Malignant is a hard story to read but knowing that it is written as fiction makes it a little easier to read even though the contents of the story take place every day are real in some form.
Everything that takes place in Malignant makes it a horrific story. The things Teacher and his band of merry men do are very horrific indeed. Malignant has quite a few gruesome murder scenes. The descriptions were so vividly written to the point where I could see each and every horrifying scene as if I was there when they took place.
Malignant will definitely take you on a roller coaster of a ride as your emotions will be all over the place. A few of those emotions are fear, sadness, disgust, and anger.
Malignant is one of the best books I have read this year if not ever. I can’t wait to read more by Michaelbrent Collings.
I highly recommend Malignant to anyone who loves a good horror fiction novel! I also recommend that you one-click your copy of Malignant today!
A man known as Teacher storms into an elite school for delinquent students over Memorial Day. A few students have stayed over as they are in detention. Teacher takes the students and faculty hostage.
Malignant is a hard story to read but knowing that it is written as fiction makes it a little easier to read even though the contents of the story take place every day are real in some form.
Everything that takes place in Malignant makes it a horrific story. The things Teacher and his band of merry men do are very horrific indeed. Malignant has quite a few gruesome murder scenes. The descriptions were so vividly written to the point where I could see each and every horrifying scene as if I was there when they took place.
Malignant will definitely take you on a roller coaster of a ride as your emotions will be all over the place. A few of those emotions are fear, sadness, disgust, and anger.
Malignant is one of the best books I have read this year if not ever. I can’t wait to read more by Michaelbrent Collings.
I highly recommend Malignant to anyone who loves a good horror fiction novel! I also recommend that you one-click your copy of Malignant today!
August 23, 2021
Supposedly, this story is more disturbing than _Apparition_. I can definitely see how the subject matter could be triggering for many people, but involuntary filicide is always gonna be more disturbing to me than the violent elements of _Possession_ are. It takes a long time to figure out what's really going on, so maybe that tempered the potential freakiness.
From my point of view, this story was not *scary*. But it is definitely *horrific*. And it's got a solid message to deliver.
From my point of view, this story was not *scary*. But it is definitely *horrific*. And it's got a solid message to deliver.
October 3, 2021
Mr. Collings started his book off with a warning for the faint of heart, and I will 100% reiterate it; this book is NOT FOR EVERYBODY. It is uncomfortable, it is disturbing, and if you are a parent it is one of your biggest fears realized.
Written as a memoir/retrospective of a fictional reporter, the book covers the events that occur when a team of well trained adults (I don't want to spoil anything by saying more) enter Reina High School with mischief in mind. Led by the charismatic Teacher (who would make a great modern-day Moriarty), the team mutilates and murders certain members of the staff and students, but what first appears to be random violence quickly sharpens into a more revenge-driven plot.
At the same time, we follow Detective Montano as he struggles to figure out the connections between the staff, the students, and their parents, and we also follow the previously mentioned reporter as she provides insights through her memories of the events as they happened.
It is very difficult to discuss the plot without spoiling anything; every chapter or so there are new revelations that further reveal the events leading up to the hostage situation, and I found myself re-reading prior chapters because of new information provided.
This is a tough book to categorize; it's horror, definitely, but more of a thriller. Writing-wise, it reminded me of mixing Bentley Little's grasp of horror, John Grisham's tension, and Michael Crichton's sense of science. I spent a large amount of my reading time uncomfortably squirming, trying to figure out what was coming, and with a sinking feeling in my stomach. As much as I enjoyed reading it, I was equally glad when it was over because I didn't know how much more I could take!
This book is definitely not for everyone, but if the reviews you've read have you intrigued, and you want to see just how dark humanity can get, I say check it out.
Written as a memoir/retrospective of a fictional reporter, the book covers the events that occur when a team of well trained adults (I don't want to spoil anything by saying more) enter Reina High School with mischief in mind. Led by the charismatic Teacher (who would make a great modern-day Moriarty), the team mutilates and murders certain members of the staff and students, but what first appears to be random violence quickly sharpens into a more revenge-driven plot.
At the same time, we follow Detective Montano as he struggles to figure out the connections between the staff, the students, and their parents, and we also follow the previously mentioned reporter as she provides insights through her memories of the events as they happened.
It is very difficult to discuss the plot without spoiling anything; every chapter or so there are new revelations that further reveal the events leading up to the hostage situation, and I found myself re-reading prior chapters because of new information provided.
This is a tough book to categorize; it's horror, definitely, but more of a thriller. Writing-wise, it reminded me of mixing Bentley Little's grasp of horror, John Grisham's tension, and Michael Crichton's sense of science. I spent a large amount of my reading time uncomfortably squirming, trying to figure out what was coming, and with a sinking feeling in my stomach. As much as I enjoyed reading it, I was equally glad when it was over because I didn't know how much more I could take!
This book is definitely not for everyone, but if the reviews you've read have you intrigued, and you want to see just how dark humanity can get, I say check it out.
January 16, 2022
Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings
In the 2015 TV series Mr. Robot actor Rami Malek plays a security engineer and cyber super computer hacker name of Elliot, in one of the highlights of the first episode Elliot confronts a coffee shop owner name of Ron who runs a child pornography site Elliot calmly tells him how he discover the flaws in the VPN and FTP servers and follow them up installed tracking software discovered the photos the accounts the money everything then he walks out as the police are pulling up it was a very complete and epic take down. The reason I mention it was that is kind of half the premise of this book a vengeful super hacker takes over a school all part of a massive revenge plan, thing is it just wasn’t half as good or interesting as Rami’s character in Mr. Robot. The complex plot seems without focus and much of what lies at the heart of the sexual crimes is implied and not specified just vague reference like “You come with us or what happened at Novi won’t stay in Novi.” What does that mean No ideal the author never explained. So more implied sex crimes, terror, torture, and etc., as the reason for real murder and torture which all seemed a little over the top for me to buy into the plot so I’m giving this one only three stars. Alright but not great
In the 2015 TV series Mr. Robot actor Rami Malek plays a security engineer and cyber super computer hacker name of Elliot, in one of the highlights of the first episode Elliot confronts a coffee shop owner name of Ron who runs a child pornography site Elliot calmly tells him how he discover the flaws in the VPN and FTP servers and follow them up installed tracking software discovered the photos the accounts the money everything then he walks out as the police are pulling up it was a very complete and epic take down. The reason I mention it was that is kind of half the premise of this book a vengeful super hacker takes over a school all part of a massive revenge plan, thing is it just wasn’t half as good or interesting as Rami’s character in Mr. Robot. The complex plot seems without focus and much of what lies at the heart of the sexual crimes is implied and not specified just vague reference like “You come with us or what happened at Novi won’t stay in Novi.” What does that mean No ideal the author never explained. So more implied sex crimes, terror, torture, and etc., as the reason for real murder and torture which all seemed a little over the top for me to buy into the plot so I’m giving this one only three stars. Alright but not great
August 26, 2021
MALIGNANT
By MichaelBrent Collings
Malignant is a book everyone should read. While it is fiction, and not based on any actual case files, it covers a subject that is feared by every parent, specifically the parents of girls, although boys are not discounted. Mr Collings always does his due diligence, and everything stated as fact has been backed up by thorough research. Written from the viewpoint of Connie Kendall, a television news reporter, the story is so realistic that you may forget that it is fiction.
Where: Reina Memorial High School, a coed boarding school for difficult teens, the offspring of wealthy and/or celebrity parents.
When: Memorial Day;
Who: students - cheerleaders, the soccer team, the girls IT club; all serving detention on Memorial Day;
Staff - principal and vice principal, their secretary, two computer techs, soccer coach and assistant coach, and others;
Perpetrators - “Teacher” and his “Lady”, six underlings with armbands of different colors, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Purple;
Police - Det. Rick Montano, his partner Vincent Eberhardt, IT specialist Dapper Dan Hitomi, and countless others;
The Press.
What: the Teacher and his entourage enter Reina’s walls early morning and gather students and staff in the gym, where they are bound and gagged and covered in grey hoodies. Then he sends an email to specific computers in the Police Department and the school. The emails take over these computers, opening to a video attachment that cannot be closed or deleted. Teacher insists that Det. Montano take the lead on the situation. Communicating by phone only with Montano, the Teacher leads the police the direction he wants them to go, feeding Montano clues. Then the killings begin. The principal is shoved out the gym door with his clothes bloody and his sexual organs shredded. The computer techs are bound and shot on video.
With no obvious motive, the police are stymied. Is the Teacher blackmailing the parents, who include the Speaker of the House and the wealthiest of businessmen? Are the horny students tied in with the adult entertainment industry run by one of the fathers? Is there a connection to the rapes perpetrated by the boys of the soccer team and covered up?
The list and the killings go on. And Montano keeps running into a sexual connection.
Malignant is a book that will keep the chills running up your spine, you won’t be able to put it down. And you will run to check on your children.
By MichaelBrent Collings
Malignant is a book everyone should read. While it is fiction, and not based on any actual case files, it covers a subject that is feared by every parent, specifically the parents of girls, although boys are not discounted. Mr Collings always does his due diligence, and everything stated as fact has been backed up by thorough research. Written from the viewpoint of Connie Kendall, a television news reporter, the story is so realistic that you may forget that it is fiction.
Where: Reina Memorial High School, a coed boarding school for difficult teens, the offspring of wealthy and/or celebrity parents.
When: Memorial Day;
Who: students - cheerleaders, the soccer team, the girls IT club; all serving detention on Memorial Day;
Staff - principal and vice principal, their secretary, two computer techs, soccer coach and assistant coach, and others;
Perpetrators - “Teacher” and his “Lady”, six underlings with armbands of different colors, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Purple;
Police - Det. Rick Montano, his partner Vincent Eberhardt, IT specialist Dapper Dan Hitomi, and countless others;
The Press.
What: the Teacher and his entourage enter Reina’s walls early morning and gather students and staff in the gym, where they are bound and gagged and covered in grey hoodies. Then he sends an email to specific computers in the Police Department and the school. The emails take over these computers, opening to a video attachment that cannot be closed or deleted. Teacher insists that Det. Montano take the lead on the situation. Communicating by phone only with Montano, the Teacher leads the police the direction he wants them to go, feeding Montano clues. Then the killings begin. The principal is shoved out the gym door with his clothes bloody and his sexual organs shredded. The computer techs are bound and shot on video.
With no obvious motive, the police are stymied. Is the Teacher blackmailing the parents, who include the Speaker of the House and the wealthiest of businessmen? Are the horny students tied in with the adult entertainment industry run by one of the fathers? Is there a connection to the rapes perpetrated by the boys of the soccer team and covered up?
The list and the killings go on. And Montano keeps running into a sexual connection.
Malignant is a book that will keep the chills running up your spine, you won’t be able to put it down. And you will run to check on your children.
November 23, 2023
What appeared to be a hostile takeover at a prestigious boarding school was anything but. And Teacher, the leader of the nefarious group, wasted no time in clarifying that.
As I began reading, my first thought was this reminded me of James Patterson’s Along Came A Spider. It did, kind of. Then it got progressively darker and crazier.
I’ve read several of Michael’s books. I know his stories can wander to the dark side. To say this was dark was putting it mildly. And I was riveted. Held hostage right along with the characters in the book.
Teacher is the ultimate evil doer. And so many scenes made me wince. I kept telling myself it couldn’t get any uglier, right? Wrong. Malignant’s not for the faint of heart. What scared me the most was thinking, this could really happen. Yep….. it could.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
As I began reading, my first thought was this reminded me of James Patterson’s Along Came A Spider. It did, kind of. Then it got progressively darker and crazier.
I’ve read several of Michael’s books. I know his stories can wander to the dark side. To say this was dark was putting it mildly. And I was riveted. Held hostage right along with the characters in the book.
Teacher is the ultimate evil doer. And so many scenes made me wince. I kept telling myself it couldn’t get any uglier, right? Wrong. Malignant’s not for the faint of heart. What scared me the most was thinking, this could really happen. Yep….. it could.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
May 18, 2022
Wow!
What began as "gumen" going on the rampage at a high school soon morphed into something even more dark and violent. This was no ordinary high school however. This was where the great and good of American Society would send their troubled offspring. How and why this apparently senseless act is being carried out is finally explained at the end of the story. Before then the reader is taken on a journey where truth and falsehoods intertwine, where various law enforcement agencies fight for supremacy over each other and where the innocent and guilty alike meet their maker. A complicated revenge thriller in which the the punishment is made to fit the crime but, at what cost to the wider community?
What began as "gumen" going on the rampage at a high school soon morphed into something even more dark and violent. This was no ordinary high school however. This was where the great and good of American Society would send their troubled offspring. How and why this apparently senseless act is being carried out is finally explained at the end of the story. Before then the reader is taken on a journey where truth and falsehoods intertwine, where various law enforcement agencies fight for supremacy over each other and where the innocent and guilty alike meet their maker. A complicated revenge thriller in which the the punishment is made to fit the crime but, at what cost to the wider community?
August 30, 2021
Received an advanced copy for my honest review. That being said, I’ve read just about every one of MbCs books. Well, the “horror” and “thriller” ones anyways. This is quite possibly his very best work. Excellent story, suspenseful with a bit of gore. Terrific flow, every page draws you deeper into a web that at once captures you and refuses to let you go. Even after you’ve finished reading, this one will haunt you and keep you thinking for a long time to come.
September 24, 2021
A story within a story within a story. And boy is it a story. Be prepared to feel uncomfortable while you are reading this book because you should. But you need to read this book. The book starts out from the point of view of Connie, a reporter that experienced the events of the story. So Michaelbrent’s book Malignant has Connie’s book inside it. As Connie’s story begins to unfurl, Teacher’s story also emerges. I don’t want to give too much away, but the topic of this book is something that should be examined by everyone. There is horror in this book, but not from where you think when you first begin reading this story. Teacher and The Lady have taken over a private school for delinquent children of the very rich and powerful where only certain students and staff members are present for detention. Maiming and murder occur, but much more is going on behind the scenes. This was an amazingly gripping story that had me trying to figure out what was going on right up to the very end. And what an ending it was. Be sure to read the afterward too, and then tell your friends to read the book and read the afterward so we can start discussing this very important topic that needs to be discussed and stop being ignored.
October 4, 2021
What can I say about this book! Brilliant and scary. But not scary in the horror genre. Scary because it holds so much truth to it. It keeps you thinking that you are missing something but not sure what. Excellent Michaelbrent Collings!
June 15, 2022
This book was a Goodreads group pick. It was good. I loved it, yes, it’s dark, very dark given the subject matter but I enjoy the dark. It had me on the edge of my seat, awaiting revelations. Like the main character, I wanted to know why everything was happening. At the heart of this, its about parents who take revenge, brutal revenge on those who hurt their child, but it’s also a testament to the haves and have nots and how powerful people think they are untouchable…until they aren’t.
April 22, 2024
I thought that the book within a book concept was interesting, and I was intrigued enough by the story’s premise to ignore the slightly cringy author’s note in the beginning humble bragging about how scary and disturbing this book is. When armed commandos storm an elite boarding school, the police think it’s a plot for ransom, or an attempt to extort favors from the teens’ powerful parents. This is a school for the richest of the rich, and the most powerful people in the world have children there. Sounds like a great way to extort some money from these moguls, senators, and businessmen, doesn’t it? But that’s not what this group is after. Here, we are treated to the viewpoints of a number of different people: a reporter, “Teacher,” (the head of the kidnapping group), and a police detective. Sometimes the reader is privy to what is going to happen next, and sometimes the reader is left blind, depending upon whose viewpoint we’re in at the time. This book did a good job at setting up how unique Reina High School was compared to other schools. We immediately learn that the kids are the children of some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world. I was immediately grossed out by how the gym teacher was openly sexualizing the students and how the other teachers let him do it, but this does establish the tone of the story and the kind of people this story will follow. We immediately learn of the kids’ personalities and the high school power dynamics at this particular school, and it’s some of the slimiest characterization you could get out of high school characters. I liked how the author quickly introduced the landscape of the high school and these characters and immediately jumps into the heart of the action. The pacing of the story is excellent and does well to keep the reader in the heat of the action as the story unfolds. This book would make for a great horror action/thriller movie if it was ever adapted for the screen. I like how the action begins so soon that the reader is left wondering where the story is going to go and how far this group will go to get what they want. I love how we immediately see that the group descending upon the school already knows the names and lives of everyone in the building, and seeing them kill certain people while saving certain people makes the reader ponder what their motive or plan could possibly be. The last third of the story and the climax were so effective and twisted. I loved the many plot twists and how all the different plot threads came together. I loved how Teacher’s plan came to fruition and how everything was revealed, the grand plan was written well and was satisfying. It was so interesting how I originally thought there was no justification possible for what Teacher was doing, only to later come to see why he did what he did and even empathize with him. This story did a great job at showing the darkest part of the sex industry and the sex trade and how it corrupts people, adults and children, in more ways than one. I would have never expected for this book’s message to be what it was, but I’m so glad that it went in that particular direction and made me think about the way we consume adult entertainment. While I do have complex feelings about sex work and the pornography industry and don’t necessarily agree with all the ideas presented in this novel, I did love the main idea of how humans dehumanize each other and profit off of that corruption. I love how the tagline of the book came back in the end and had multiple meanings. I loved how the main architects of the hostage taking were fleshed out in the end and how the reader will easily side with them by the novel’s end. I think it’s important to read the author’s note to fully understand the author’s message. I think that in essence I agree with what the author is saying, but a big part of me doesn’t want to agree because my mind has been so easily desensitized to adult entertainment that I end up turning a blind eye to the darker side effects of the industry. Overall, I believe that adult entertainment is too big to be brought down, it is a billion dollar industry after all. However, I do think the way we talk about sex and adult entertainment needs to change, as well as sexual education overall. This is one of the cases where I feel like money ends up being the root of all evil more than anything, and the power and corruption that comes with it. I highly recommend this book for fans of thrillers and action in horror, and I like how the themes and overall message will start a conversation about sex and the adult entertainment industry.
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