What do you think?
Rate this book
The Forgotten
The Citadel was supposed to be the safest possible place to live. No crime. No worries. A haven for those fleeing the dangers of city life. But even the Citadel offered no protection against the blood-hungry horror that dwelled in its depths.
Only ten-year-old Mark Sullivan knew about the creature that stalked the building's secret shadows. It talked to him, called him "friend," begged him to unlock the grate that imprisioned it underground. And though Mark knew he should stay away, he was no match for the deadly call of THE FORGOTTEN.
Only ten-year-old Mark Sullivan knew about the creature that stalked the building's secret shadows. It talked to him, called him "friend," begged him to unlock the grate that imprisioned it underground. And though Mark knew he should stay away, he was no match for the deadly call of THE FORGOTTEN.
- GenresHorror
351 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
98 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. George
19 books26 followersStephen R. George is a Canadian author of horror fiction, suspense and dark fantasy. He writes under his own name and the pseudonyms Jack Ellis and Valerie Stephens. He has published 14 novels. His novels have been translated into Italian, Polish, Russian, and Norwegian. His short stories have appeared in a number of publications and anthologies including Cemetery Dance and the Hot Blood series. George was born in Scotland in 1959; he lives and works in Canada.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 16, 2022
3.5
An enjoyable example of understated horror that emphasizes grief and paranoia over what might be presumed to be a subterranean slasher based on the cutaway illustration adorning the cover. A traumatized survivor who lost her family violently a few years prior buys passage into a state-of-the-art self-sufficient apartment complex (more like a compound). There she befriends a small child who, unbeknownst to the fainthearted residents and security staff, has made friends with a creature found underneath at the maintenance level. Hijinx occur. Eventually, at least. Could have been trimmed of character development in favor of more, and perhaps, sooner horror, but at the end of the day it's still a well-written Zebra horror paperback.
Warning: irritating child within
An enjoyable example of understated horror that emphasizes grief and paranoia over what might be presumed to be a subterranean slasher based on the cutaway illustration adorning the cover. A traumatized survivor who lost her family violently a few years prior buys passage into a state-of-the-art self-sufficient apartment complex (more like a compound). There she befriends a small child who, unbeknownst to the fainthearted residents and security staff, has made friends with a creature found underneath at the maintenance level. Hijinx occur. Eventually, at least. Could have been trimmed of character development in favor of more, and perhaps, sooner horror, but at the end of the day it's still a well-written Zebra horror paperback.
Warning: irritating child within
July 15, 2023
3.5 stars
December 6, 2020
I can't believe no one has left a written review for this book yet. It has 9 ratings so far on Goodreads, and no one rated it lower than 3 stars. It has an average rating of 4.11 stars, so I had a feeling this might be a "hidden gem." I picked up a copy back in May of 2020, and devoured the book in 3 nights. The Forgotten is written by Stephen R. George, who wrote Nightscape -- a fairly well acclaimed horror novel in the horror paperback community. So I took a shot and nabbed a copy of The Forgotten for $10. The plot intrigued me, and I hoped for the best. What I ended up getting was WAY MORE than what I bargained for. The Forgotten is one of my favorite reads of 2020!
The story revolves around a woman and her son who move to the Citadel, a hi-tech 5-star apartment complex designed to keep away riffraff and hoodlums. Little does she know, there is a questionable character living deep below in the sewers. Her young son, Mark, ends up meeting the sewer man, and there's a bunch of interesting goings on from there. I don't want to spoil the book, but there are enough chills and kills to keep your average horror fanatic satisfied. But what sets this book apart is the above average writing of Stephen R. George. He's a far higher skilled writer than your average Zebra horror writer of late 80's/early '90s fame. The Forgotten reads a lot like a really fun B-Movie from 1989. Unfortunately, the book was released in the summer of 1991 -- by which point horror paperbacks had been on the steep decline for at least a year already.
Thankfully, due to technology, the internet and more disposable income than what you had when you were a kid, The Forgotten can easily be purchased and NOT be forgotten (sorry). I don't want to spill any more beans but this is definitely one of my favorite horror books I have read so far. Highly recommended, and now I can't wait to read Nightscape as well as some of Stephen R. George's other horror novels.
I give The Forgotten 4.5 immensely satisfying stars (rounded up to 5 for Goodreads).
The story revolves around a woman and her son who move to the Citadel, a hi-tech 5-star apartment complex designed to keep away riffraff and hoodlums. Little does she know, there is a questionable character living deep below in the sewers. Her young son, Mark, ends up meeting the sewer man, and there's a bunch of interesting goings on from there. I don't want to spoil the book, but there are enough chills and kills to keep your average horror fanatic satisfied. But what sets this book apart is the above average writing of Stephen R. George. He's a far higher skilled writer than your average Zebra horror writer of late 80's/early '90s fame. The Forgotten reads a lot like a really fun B-Movie from 1989. Unfortunately, the book was released in the summer of 1991 -- by which point horror paperbacks had been on the steep decline for at least a year already.
Thankfully, due to technology, the internet and more disposable income than what you had when you were a kid, The Forgotten can easily be purchased and NOT be forgotten (sorry). I don't want to spill any more beans but this is definitely one of my favorite horror books I have read so far. Highly recommended, and now I can't wait to read Nightscape as well as some of Stephen R. George's other horror novels.
I give The Forgotten 4.5 immensely satisfying stars (rounded up to 5 for Goodreads).
February 15, 2023
The Forgotten is a book that reads like a movie! The story has a few different paths going on, and at times it starts to feel like a romantic comedy, but then drags you right back into suspense and horror.
This books also does something I never saw coming, and takes us into the life of the “creature”. You get his origin story, you get to go with him throughout the book. I assumed we would only get to see bits and pieces of him throughout the story, but he plays just a big of a role as anyone else.
The book is 350 pages but reads like 150! You can’t help but keep going, and if my schedule wasn’t so busy as of late, I would have read this one in two days easily! I’m surprised this one never got picked up for a movie.
Excellent read. Great thrasher. An easy 5 stars!
This books also does something I never saw coming, and takes us into the life of the “creature”. You get his origin story, you get to go with him throughout the book. I assumed we would only get to see bits and pieces of him throughout the story, but he plays just a big of a role as anyone else.
The book is 350 pages but reads like 150! You can’t help but keep going, and if my schedule wasn’t so busy as of late, I would have read this one in two days easily! I’m surprised this one never got picked up for a movie.
Excellent read. Great thrasher. An easy 5 stars!
December 18, 2023
Review to come.
July 16, 2023
The characters are actually quite well drawn in this one, which is a pleasant surprise for a Paperback from Hell.
The ending is really quite fun and thrilling as well.
The issues with this book are mostly due to being about 50 pages too long and weirdly paced. For a while it was hard to get a grasp on what Stephen R. George was trying to say on certain bigger topics.
Does he fall hook line and sinker to the 'Super Predator' nonsense? Does he hate the unhoused population? By the end I read it as more of a Frankenstein tale about abuse creating the monster, as the central antagonist really has an emotional backstory.
Far from perfect, but reads super quickly, and the ending was great.
The ending is really quite fun and thrilling as well.
The issues with this book are mostly due to being about 50 pages too long and weirdly paced. For a while it was hard to get a grasp on what Stephen R. George was trying to say on certain bigger topics.
Does he fall hook line and sinker to the 'Super Predator' nonsense? Does he hate the unhoused population? By the end I read it as more of a Frankenstein tale about abuse creating the monster, as the central antagonist really has an emotional backstory.
Far from perfect, but reads super quickly, and the ending was great.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews