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Horror Lurks Beneath #3
We Hide Our Faces
In a small Virginia town, a library grows a new wing.
Eddie has encountered impossible buildings before. He knows it’s a mysterious lure to an ancient evil.
But when Dad disappears inside the infinite maze of library shelves, Eddie has no choice. He enters the library to solve its mysteries and confront its terror.
Deep in the Pacific Ocean, water drains through a rip in reality.
Riley barely survived the imposter cruise ship Aria. She never wants to see the ocean again.
But then a federal agent forces Riley onto a Navy battleship. Its stop the ocean from draining.
Once again, Riley finds herself on a ship beset by mysterious terrors.
Eddie’s and Riley’s fights for survival barrel towards a horrific collision… with each other, and with an ancient horror they’ve encountered before…
We Hide Our Faces is the terrifying followup to It Waits on the Top Floor and They Cling to the Hull, from the “unhinged imagination” of “one hell of a writer” (Shirley Jackson Award winner Daryl Gregory).
This series is meant to be read in numerical order. This is Book 3.
Eddie has encountered impossible buildings before. He knows it’s a mysterious lure to an ancient evil.
But when Dad disappears inside the infinite maze of library shelves, Eddie has no choice. He enters the library to solve its mysteries and confront its terror.
Deep in the Pacific Ocean, water drains through a rip in reality.
Riley barely survived the imposter cruise ship Aria. She never wants to see the ocean again.
But then a federal agent forces Riley onto a Navy battleship. Its stop the ocean from draining.
Once again, Riley finds herself on a ship beset by mysterious terrors.
Eddie’s and Riley’s fights for survival barrel towards a horrific collision… with each other, and with an ancient horror they’ve encountered before…
We Hide Our Faces is the terrifying followup to It Waits on the Top Floor and They Cling to the Hull, from the “unhinged imagination” of “one hell of a writer” (Shirley Jackson Award winner Daryl Gregory).
This series is meant to be read in numerical order. This is Book 3.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2022
28 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 4, 2022
I'm a big fan of the first two novels in this series. Both were elevated by likable characters, gnarly set pieces, and a firm understanding of cosmic horror.
While Farthing mostly succeeds with We Hide Our Faces, it's also not quite as refined as its predecessors, focusing less on the unknown than tying up loose ends in a relatively haphazard way. I'm a supporter of shorter novels and fully believe that most stories can be told more efficiently than they frequently are, but WHOF feels as though over a hundred pages are missing that could have and should have further developed Riley and Eddie's stories, making a big finale feel slightly abrupt and left of center. I was a bit surprised that this was the final book in the trilogy, seeing as how certain threads or characters don't get a true resolution, and it left me wanting more, which is both a positive and a negative.
The book is still very much worth a read and I can't wait to see what Farthing puts out next, but I'm also hoping that characters like Riley, Chris, and even Roberts make a return down the line.
While Farthing mostly succeeds with We Hide Our Faces, it's also not quite as refined as its predecessors, focusing less on the unknown than tying up loose ends in a relatively haphazard way. I'm a supporter of shorter novels and fully believe that most stories can be told more efficiently than they frequently are, but WHOF feels as though over a hundred pages are missing that could have and should have further developed Riley and Eddie's stories, making a big finale feel slightly abrupt and left of center. I was a bit surprised that this was the final book in the trilogy, seeing as how certain threads or characters don't get a true resolution, and it left me wanting more, which is both a positive and a negative.
The book is still very much worth a read and I can't wait to see what Farthing puts out next, but I'm also hoping that characters like Riley, Chris, and even Roberts make a return down the line.
August 5, 2022
A little underwhelming
I enjoyed the two prior books in the trilogy quite a bit, they were fast and fun eldritch horror novels. I was looking forward to this and while I did still enjoy it I found it to be a bit rushed in how it wrapped up the trilogy.
I’m still happy to read more of Ben Farthing’s stuff, he’s got a solid handle on enjoyable horror. This just didn’t hit how I’d hoped coming in.
I enjoyed the two prior books in the trilogy quite a bit, they were fast and fun eldritch horror novels. I was looking forward to this and while I did still enjoy it I found it to be a bit rushed in how it wrapped up the trilogy.
I’m still happy to read more of Ben Farthing’s stuff, he’s got a solid handle on enjoyable horror. This just didn’t hit how I’d hoped coming in.
January 18, 2024
Two tales with unforgettable characters pull you along through never ending aisles and under the depths of the Pacific ocean in the this third book.
Eddie must be brave and unravel the newly stretched library's mysterious interior to find his missing father. Meanwhile Riley is recruited to seal the tear in the ocean to stop the water from draining into a world she wants nothing to do with. Will either individual achieved their goal and place the terrors awaiting on the other side of the library and ocean or will it finally trap them deep in the horror that lurks beneath?
I half expected this third book to be a watered down conclusion to the series but, I was pleased to find myself swimming through this one as I had the previous two. Loved it, love the characters and the story and the weird creatures and the mystery and the suspense. Creepy in many instances and endearing in others. A wild adventure of a read indeed.
Thank you Ben Farthing.
Eddie must be brave and unravel the newly stretched library's mysterious interior to find his missing father. Meanwhile Riley is recruited to seal the tear in the ocean to stop the water from draining into a world she wants nothing to do with. Will either individual achieved their goal and place the terrors awaiting on the other side of the library and ocean or will it finally trap them deep in the horror that lurks beneath?
I half expected this third book to be a watered down conclusion to the series but, I was pleased to find myself swimming through this one as I had the previous two. Loved it, love the characters and the story and the weird creatures and the mystery and the suspense. Creepy in many instances and endearing in others. A wild adventure of a read indeed.
Thank you Ben Farthing.
August 7, 2022
The third book in the series and another weird, mind bending story. I really like the heart of the characters, they are a good bunch. They go through their journey to try and fix the rip between worlds like rats in a maze, escaping one danger time after time. I think of the three books, The second one, They Cling to the Hull was my favourite, but this one was a good addition to the strange cosmic horror.
December 15, 2024
Cosmic horror is my jam.
November 26, 2023
A Really Weird and Twisted Tale from another Dimension - but Too Much Action
Well I had handled the first two books in this series ok but this one I had really struggled with - probably because I never thought of the library being dangerous (except by tempting you with too many books - hahaha - but this is a whole new type of danger in this library). I guess too many books is not a good thing!
But I did struggle with reading this. I don't know if it was because I was tired or if it was just the plot. But I started to think "what is the point of all of this?" I guess the alternate reality was actually too alien for me? I never felt any fear or worry for the characters. I was not relating to them. At all. The story in my mind had turned into one of those action movies that actually has TOO much action. Like too much action and not enough of the other stuff? I hope that makes sense? But I ended up not really caring about the bizarre thing that used to be a woman and was now a twisted creature bent on power. Yes it all turned out to be a "power corrupts totally" thing (which Star Trek had taught back in the 1960s - clearly Micah had not watched that episode).
There was no suspense to keep me interested. And while there was lots of danger it was just too bizarre.
Plus the bit with the navy ship was left hanging? Or it seems way from my perspective.
Hmmmm....
I believe this is supposed to be horror but its not scary. Its not exciting or suspenseful. Things are described very well. I admit that... But its just too much action and not enough of the other stuff. The author tries to add a theme (be yourself) and that does extend throughout the trilogy but its not enough. Something is missing in here. In part I think it has something to do with the characters. I guess I want to be inside the head of the main character and to feel their feelings and to know their thoughts and that is lacking in here. Plus the main character in here keeps switching. Which makes it hard. Who am I supposed to relate to? I guess I am saying I want a more in depth experience from reading a book and this is more "surface level"? There are some thoughts in here from characters but its not enough and as I said it keeps switching.
I guess am also confused about how the people who were snatched in the first book into the other reality now suddenly had so much power?
So to sum it up I grew bored with the book around the 60% mark but I read it through the end.
Well I had handled the first two books in this series ok but this one I had really struggled with - probably because I never thought of the library being dangerous (except by tempting you with too many books - hahaha - but this is a whole new type of danger in this library). I guess too many books is not a good thing!
But I did struggle with reading this. I don't know if it was because I was tired or if it was just the plot. But I started to think "what is the point of all of this?" I guess the alternate reality was actually too alien for me? I never felt any fear or worry for the characters. I was not relating to them. At all. The story in my mind had turned into one of those action movies that actually has TOO much action. Like too much action and not enough of the other stuff? I hope that makes sense? But I ended up not really caring about the bizarre thing that used to be a woman and was now a twisted creature bent on power. Yes it all turned out to be a "power corrupts totally" thing (which Star Trek had taught back in the 1960s - clearly Micah had not watched that episode).
There was no suspense to keep me interested. And while there was lots of danger it was just too bizarre.
Plus the bit with the navy ship was left hanging? Or it seems way from my perspective.
Hmmmm....
I believe this is supposed to be horror but its not scary. Its not exciting or suspenseful. Things are described very well. I admit that... But its just too much action and not enough of the other stuff. The author tries to add a theme (be yourself) and that does extend throughout the trilogy but its not enough. Something is missing in here. In part I think it has something to do with the characters. I guess I want to be inside the head of the main character and to feel their feelings and to know their thoughts and that is lacking in here. Plus the main character in here keeps switching. Which makes it hard. Who am I supposed to relate to? I guess I am saying I want a more in depth experience from reading a book and this is more "surface level"? There are some thoughts in here from characters but its not enough and as I said it keeps switching.
I guess am also confused about how the people who were snatched in the first book into the other reality now suddenly had so much power?
So to sum it up I grew bored with the book around the 60% mark but I read it through the end.
August 22, 2022
Full disclosure - I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the authors but have voluntarily provided a review. All opinions are my own.
The Deviser is back for a final stand
Two years have passed since the incident at the Richmond skyscraper that saw Eddie and his dad Chris fighting an otherworldly entity known as the Deviser, but Eddie still jumps at shadows and looks over his shoulder. So, when he senses an eerie presence stalking him through the halls of the school where his dad is currently a professor he is not surprised and only wishes for his dad and him to escape. But when the Technician that is following them takes his dad into the local library Eddie knows that their time has run out. The Deviser is back, and it is after Eddie. Enlisting the help of his grandfather, Eddie bravely enters the library in search of his father. True to his memory and as the Deviser has done in the past the building has been vastly altered. Eddie and his grandfather must avoid the traps and pitfalls set in their way and figure out the secrets if he ever wants to see his dad again.
Cam is also moving on with her life. Struggling with juggling her 911 operator job and school she is still haunted by the sights she experienced in the Skyscraper with Eddie. When she is unceremoniously collected by military types and shuttled to an aircraft carrier in the middle of the sea to “consult” on the recent sinking of the Aria of the Seas the nightmares of the past come flooding forward. Joined by Riley, a former Aira passenger who helped Chris in routing the Deviser in its most recent attempt to gain access to our world, the duo attempts to cooperate as much as they can. But when a person comes onto the scene that they thought had died, their missing changes to staying alive and putting an end to the Deviser once and for wall. With our world and the Deviser’s colliding, it is a race to rescue Chris and close of the portal to seal off the Deviser’s dimension once and for all.
We Hide our Faces is the third and final book in the Horror Lurks Beneath series by author Ben Farthing. In this final book the action begins within the first few paragraphs and does not stop until the very end. The book follows two parallel narratives that weave into the overall plot. The main action takes place primarily with Eddie and his grandfather exploring the library to locate and rescue Chris. Simultaneously and almost halfway across the world Riley and Cam have been compelled with assist the military in their pursuit to locate the rip in our reality that is allowing the Deviser access to our world and to close it. But true to form with this series all is not black and white and sometimes even the grey areas have grey areas. As the event unfold with the various twists and wrinkles in time, Farthing takes what appears to be an impossible task and skillfully take the series to a conclusion that while will leave the reader wondering if this is truly the end. If you are a fan of the bizarre, Lovecraft-esque monsters, weird worlds, and a cast of characters you just cannot help but root for, please give this series a shot. You will be glad that you did.
The Deviser is back for a final stand
Two years have passed since the incident at the Richmond skyscraper that saw Eddie and his dad Chris fighting an otherworldly entity known as the Deviser, but Eddie still jumps at shadows and looks over his shoulder. So, when he senses an eerie presence stalking him through the halls of the school where his dad is currently a professor he is not surprised and only wishes for his dad and him to escape. But when the Technician that is following them takes his dad into the local library Eddie knows that their time has run out. The Deviser is back, and it is after Eddie. Enlisting the help of his grandfather, Eddie bravely enters the library in search of his father. True to his memory and as the Deviser has done in the past the building has been vastly altered. Eddie and his grandfather must avoid the traps and pitfalls set in their way and figure out the secrets if he ever wants to see his dad again.
Cam is also moving on with her life. Struggling with juggling her 911 operator job and school she is still haunted by the sights she experienced in the Skyscraper with Eddie. When she is unceremoniously collected by military types and shuttled to an aircraft carrier in the middle of the sea to “consult” on the recent sinking of the Aria of the Seas the nightmares of the past come flooding forward. Joined by Riley, a former Aira passenger who helped Chris in routing the Deviser in its most recent attempt to gain access to our world, the duo attempts to cooperate as much as they can. But when a person comes onto the scene that they thought had died, their missing changes to staying alive and putting an end to the Deviser once and for wall. With our world and the Deviser’s colliding, it is a race to rescue Chris and close of the portal to seal off the Deviser’s dimension once and for all.
We Hide our Faces is the third and final book in the Horror Lurks Beneath series by author Ben Farthing. In this final book the action begins within the first few paragraphs and does not stop until the very end. The book follows two parallel narratives that weave into the overall plot. The main action takes place primarily with Eddie and his grandfather exploring the library to locate and rescue Chris. Simultaneously and almost halfway across the world Riley and Cam have been compelled with assist the military in their pursuit to locate the rip in our reality that is allowing the Deviser access to our world and to close it. But true to form with this series all is not black and white and sometimes even the grey areas have grey areas. As the event unfold with the various twists and wrinkles in time, Farthing takes what appears to be an impossible task and skillfully take the series to a conclusion that while will leave the reader wondering if this is truly the end. If you are a fan of the bizarre, Lovecraft-esque monsters, weird worlds, and a cast of characters you just cannot help but root for, please give this series a shot. You will be glad that you did.
June 3, 2024
HUZZAH! The author has finally learnt how long a chapter should be! But maybe I must admit I was wrong. I think the sporadic, snappy nature of the previous installments works better for the dual narrative format of this book and the last, making book 2 the strongest in the trilogy by far. I was so certain that this installment was going to end in a cliffhanger, not a lot happened for a quite a lot of time, leaving the final few chapters to tie together this Avengers™ style team up in a not entirely satisfying rush. Even if the pacing of this book was perfect, it would still be hampered by the fact that one of the two concurrent plots focuses on the least likeable character of the series.
The cosmic awe is missing from this book, as is the gore, and the action from the previous story. However, this book does contain what I believe to be the single spookiest, most spine chilling moment of the entire series.
I speculate that this book was drafted before 'They Cling to the Hull' was written, a kind of end point that needed a middle installment to build towards, but I no longer believe that to be true. This is the author's best writing so far in this series, with only few mistakes in spelling and as far as I can remember, no grammatical errors at all. With the well delineated cosmic horror becoming less present as the series progresses, it seems the author has just run out of interesting ideas to write about.
The cosmic awe is missing from this book, as is the gore, and the action from the previous story. However, this book does contain what I believe to be the single spookiest, most spine chilling moment of the entire series.
I speculate that this book was drafted before 'They Cling to the Hull' was written, a kind of end point that needed a middle installment to build towards, but I no longer believe that to be true. This is the author's best writing so far in this series, with only few mistakes in spelling and as far as I can remember, no grammatical errors at all. With the well delineated cosmic horror becoming less present as the series progresses, it seems the author has just run out of interesting ideas to write about.
September 28, 2022
Enjoyable close to a very interesting series. This one really can't stand on it's own, it's too dependent on the two prior novels, but it brings together threads and adds fascinating twists. I do wish more time was spent developing the interdimensional mysteries, however there's a lot to be said for how they're presented here as many unexplained surprises and tantalizing hints at worlds beyond. Also satisfying is that this story runs at a gallop, making it a satisfying and quick page turner.
I definitely recommend the first two novels, and if you like those, this is then a must.
I definitely recommend the first two novels, and if you like those, this is then a must.
June 14, 2025
I'm almost sad to see this story end, even if the ending was anticlimactic. I hope there will be a spinoff series. Riley send to have her work cut out for her now and I can't be the only one that's curious to see how that all goes.
Like the other two, there's a few write littering the pages, but they don't really impede reading speed.
I give this book 4 of 5 Paws
Like the other two, there's a few write littering the pages, but they don't really impede reading speed.
I give this book 4 of 5 Paws
August 11, 2022
Strange, Intriguing, but very Strange!
I don't know if I can sleep tonight!! Strange how that is when you have just read one of the strangest books! This will stay with me for a very long time!
I don't know if I can sleep tonight!! Strange how that is when you have just read one of the strangest books! This will stay with me for a very long time!
August 10, 2022
Well written, very imaginative, mind bending horror. It was like being in the middle of someone else's nightmare. Logical thinking to outwit a monster. Plenty of action throughout. My kind of book.
May 16, 2023
First of all, let's talk about what a great title for a book this is. This whole trilogy is a breezy blast for fans of cosmic horror, and the last book wraps things up nicely.
February 7, 2024
This was great, though i wouldn't mind more on this series, it had alot of aorld building and fun.
April 11, 2024
Thrilling to the last page
This series is so, so good. There's going to be more, right? There's got to be more! This author is just so good!
This series is so, so good. There's going to be more, right? There's got to be more! This author is just so good!
October 8, 2024
Review originally on BookBub: While I think the first two books are more compelling, this one wraps the trilogy up nicely!
January 9, 2025
I loved this book the most out of the entire series. merging all the characters into one book and fighting off the divisor together. I can't wait to see what Ben has in store for Rylie next.
January 21, 2025
Ben pls, what was that ending??? 🥲
September 4, 2025
Eddie, Chris, and Riley embark on a epic journey to save the world, but are they too late? The Deviser has its creation ready and it could be the end of civilization as we know it!
February 27, 2024
Fantastic opening really jumps right out of the gate with gooey extradimensional monsters but doesn't reach the highs of the other books in the series. The previous two stories I did feel a sense of lag in the middle and this one is significantly more pronounced. The stuff on the navy ship was a bit tedious until it popped off. And oh boy it really popped. I'm still glad I read it. It's so hard to end a story so no knocks on the author. I think it was wrapped up very neatly with room for further sequels if desired. And I do desire.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews