Kill Monster

by Sean Doolittle

A golem created to assassinate a criminal in 1856 is reawakened in the present . intent on targeting his victim's innocent descendants.

When treasure hunters excavate the long-lost wreck of the steamship Arcadia from a Kansas cornfield, a buried creature awakens - a mindless assassin of accursed earth, shaped like a man though in no way mortal, created to kill a slave trader in 1856.

With the original target long dead, the monster sets its sight on the man's closest surviving descendant . . . a burned-out IT technician named Ben Middleton. Nothing could have prepared Ben for the horror now aimed directly at his lackadaisical life. But he isn't only being chased by the monster, and it's not just his own life in danger.

Ben must pull himself together to not only save himself, but his estranged teenage son, Charley. Yet who are the mysterious people chasing him, and how do you stop a 150-year-old monster with no 'Off' switch?

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Audiobook

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 24, 2019

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kill Monster is a horror novel with the same level of urgency and intensity as a thriller.

When treasure hunters excavate a long lost wreck seeking bounty beyond belief, they awaken a horror which had been kept contained for over 150 years; a golem - with a grudge.

Kill Monster is a load of violent fun bundled up in a package of aggression with a dash of dismemberment. Sounds a little brutal but that's because it is. The golem is a mean piece of killer clay hellbent on eradicating a lineage who'd done him/her (it?) wrong 150 years ago.

Balancing out the bloodshed is some clever and witty dialogue by interesting and three-dimensional characters. Author Sean Doolittle also includes some deftly placed backstory which give context to the present day setting.

My rating: 4/5 stars. I really enjoyed Sean Doolittle's novel (not surprising given I've greedily devoured pretty much everything else he's published) and have my fingers and toes crossed for a return to some of these characters in the future.

[Jon Recluse · Rating 4 out of 5]

1856:

The steamship Arcadia sinks to the bottom of the Missouri River, taking with it a crate that contains something uniquely deadly, intended to stop a madman preying upon abolitionists in the Kansas Territory.

Present Day:

Amateur treasure hunters unearth the long lost Arcadia and it's cargo....opening a crate marked 'Books' that unleashes a sleeping weapon....one whose original target is dead and gone.

But that target's bloodline has survived....until now.


A fast paced creature feature that blends historic fact, folklore, and a touch of the X-Files into an entertaining horror novel.
Doolittle's talent for thriller writing amps up the tension levels and gives the novel a great sense of momentum...the kind with no brakes.

Highly recommended.

This was an eARC from Netgalley and Severn House Publishers.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly? A pretty fun ride.

First of all, the book used one of horror's golden rules to its fullest, which was "don't overexpose the monster" The golem isn't in many scenes, and that makes its actual appearances all the more effective.

There isn't really a lot of horror, and that was something I was disappointed by. I was expecting a very creepy read (I mean, look, the title is KILL MONSTER, kind of a hardcore combo, fitting for a death metal band's album title), and I can't say I was disappointed, per se, but I kind of was. It was a lot milder than I expected.

The writing was decent, nothing to write home about (the best scene was probably the climax of the story), and the characters are also decently developed, there was nothing spectacular about them and I wasn't incredibly attached to any of them (maybe Frankie, a little bit?). The main problem I had was that I'm ALREADY (and I only finished the book yesterday) forgetting it. I don't think I'll be able to remember much of it other than "killer golem on the loose" soon enough, and that's why it only gets 3 stars, otherwise hitting the "The Limbo state", from me. I was neither impressed nor unimpressed with it.

**I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

[Keith Chawgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I really liked this book a lot. This was such a fun read that my only disappointment is that it ended.

Starting out in the 1800’s for the Prologue, Doolittle gives us some background information that is interesting but kind of drags until the first chapter where we are introduced to our cast of characters. This is where the novel goes from first gear right into fifth without a moment of hesitation. Once the story is off and running, the prologue makes perfect sense and is very much needed to help round the novel winningly.

The characters are great and their personalities stand out with a large cast that keeps the reader entertained. They are caught up in an extraordinary situation and with their fun humanistic approach makes you glad that you are along for the ride. Ben and Abe are very well balanced and with the help of the IT gang we are headed for a joyride. Even the lesser characters which come across as secondary characters are given a chance to shine and take the foreground.

The plot is well established and well worked out. The page turner keeps going and going until its exciting conclusion. The set pieces are well handled and although there seems to be a couple of strings left hanging, one starts to wonder if this is the first of a series which is very possible.

The legend and folklore about the Golem is very well handled and mixing reality with folklore and history is a splendid mix that works extremely well. Doolittle adds details to the folklore that does not seem out of place and works very well in this world.

Overall, this is a fun book that I really enjoyed and would like to enter this world again or even more works from Doolittle as he has a keen eye for exciting thrillers. Human interactions and relations are realistic and help drive the story. Great monster novel with great characters and plot makes this a fun and exciting read. Well worth the time.

[Ward]

DNF at 60%

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because Jon liked it and he had great taste.

Fun monster romp that hit all the right buttons. Action starts on page one and never lets up. Humor and tension in equal measure.

4 stars

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there are certainly dedicated fans of horror fiction, too many readers shy away from it. Reading horror tales as part of an ongoing project is causing me to see the genre in a bit of a new light.

This one is made for Hollywood. Special effects would have a heyday. What I liked so much about this story is that is incorporates bits of history though in a very contemporary setting, there is one scary gross character but all others are highly relatable people you might know, a bit of the paranormal without making the whole story about that, and a ton of suspense that just doesn't quit.

There are actually heartwarming aspects to this horror novel as a middle-aged divorced father of a teenaged son grapples with their relationship, his love for his ex-wife, and career disappointments. Some light touches of humor find their way in as well. This is mainly though a high adrenaline novel that slowly sets the scene in the first few chapters and increases to a non-stop pace to the end. Well done.

[Steve Stred]

“A silent, soulless thing.”

I’ve started to try and find a nice quote to begin my reviews, something that sticks out for me at the start of each book. This one’s a bit odd, because the quote sums up my feelings pretty well for what I read.
Kill Monster, at least in my opinion, could have been sooooo much more.
At the basic levels of this book, the story follows a Ben, a man who doesn’t know he’s about to be hunted by a silent, soulless monster. A monster that has only one singular purpose – to get too Ben and kill him.
Along the way we get introduced to other characters and as I got further into the book, I started to see a few things well in advance. I also found that, while the prologue made the book appear to be a creature-feature horror tale, the book landed closer into the Urban Fantasy genre and this really started to irk me. I’ve not read much Urban Fantasy – Alan Baxter’s Devouring Dark was outstanding, JZ Foster’s Mind Wreck and the first Witch Hunter were awesome, but for the most part I’ve struggled to get into the genre because the other UF that I’ve read hasn’t been enjoyable to me because of a few things; characters I didn’t really care for or can’t find a connection with, and common genre trope failings. Both for me here occurred frequently.
I kind of alluded to it previously but as things unravel, none of it came as a surprise to me or was shocking. Sadly, it all felt like a big case of ‘ho-hum, read it before.’
Because of this – the resolution itself had no pay off for me and that was a bummer.
Overall, I think this book will really appeal to a lot of folks, but as for my tastes, it just lacked any flavour.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for sending me this. At this point I'm not going to leave a star rating out of fairness to the product and the fact that I'm struggling with what star I'd ultimately end up giving it. This isn't a one star book for me, but I consciously can't give it a 2 or a 3.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun horror novel, and throughout most of it, it felt like watching a horror movie, with flashbacks into the past of when and how the monster was created, to present day and the mayhem that ensued.

Towards the end, the shear amount of detectives, police, and FBI got me a little mixed up on who was who, and in the epilogue, with much of the tying up of loose ends, I kind of forgot all about those loose ends and I felt most of it unnecessary.

All in all, though, a good time.

[Jamie Brackell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kill Monster stood out for me due to its ingenious concept, which is effectively a “reverse-Terminator”, in that it features a seemingly invincible assassin in a determined hunt for his prey. Unlike Terminator however, Kill Monster’s antagonist is from the past who has awoken in the future, unrelenting in his mission to exterminate the descendants of his original target. Sean Doolittle strikes gold with this subversion of the genre, and the opening of the novel sets up the threat of the Golem perfectly – transitioning from the slave traders of the nineteenth century to a mid-mannered IT technician. Despite the blockbuster nature of the plot, Doolittle never skimps on the character development and humanity of his lead characters, who feel rooted to reality even when things become increasingly more fantastical for them.

At the risk of overusing the comparisons to Terminator, the novel feels similarly paced to Terminator 2: Judgment Day, as the opening third deals with the introduction and initial encounter with the unstoppable Golem, before it diverts for a series of chapters before returning to the main threat in the action-packed finale. Personally, I would have preferred that the Golem was a presence throughout the entire book, but given the way Doolittle builds it up as a force of nature killing its way through Midwestern America, it is not logical to have it consistently nipping at Middleton’s heels. Even when the Golem isn’t directly involved in the story, Doolittle provides us with snippets of the chaos it is unleashing upon the locals and the collateral damage accrued against Ben and Charley’s survival. In fact, the novel asks the pertinent question as to whether their two lives are worth more than the countless others lost and whether they should have just given up – a question that could be posed to a great number of blockbuster movies.

Doolittle makes up for the Golem’s occasional absence by introducing a secondary antagonist into the novel by the name of Malcom Frost, an aged burn-victim who has nefarious plans for our heroes and the kill monster itself. Frost exudes a real sense of menace from the minute he appears in the novel, and Doolittle could easily write a spin-off novel on the character. In fact, the novel itself merely peeks at the supernatural potential in this world he has created, leaving plenty of storytelling potential to be mined. There is a scene early on in the book with Frost that is so horrific that it instantly had me hooked, and demonstrated the detached insanity of the character. Let’s put it this way, I certainly wouldn’t be inviting him over for dinner at my place…

Tonally, Kill Monster leans more towards action-thriller than horror, although there are some extremely graphic sequences in the book – particularly in the aftermath of the Golem attacks. Doolittle writes with a cinematic flair, and I could definitely see this book adapted as a low-budget Netflix movie. The novel has the pace of a Dan Brown book at times, particularly in the early stages, with plenty of cliff-hangers designed to get you to read just one more chapter. There were also lots of surprise twists and turns, which added more context to the world in which Ben and Charley had found themselves in. Doolittle’s prose rattles along at a fine speed, yet never feels rushed. Characters are given time to react and respond to the chaos around them, and the action set-pieces are spaced apart to give the novel the motion of a roller-coaster, continually ramping up excitement.

Kill Monster is a book that does its fantastic “elevator pitch” justice, delivering a surprisingly character-driven narrative alongside the thrilling action that one would expect from the genre. Doolittle writes with a charming sense of humour that allows readers to naturally identify with the characters (I mean, who hasn’t accidentally let out a fart next to the office printer?) and ensures the novel is immensely readable. Filled with a great cast of characters, who he isn’t afraid to do nasty things to, I was surprised at how much I actually engaged with them all and wanted them to have happy endings. Overall, Kill Monster was a fantastic read that had me gripped from the outset and never failed to entertain. Its delicate mix of humour, action and horror worked perfectly together and I would love to read more from Sean Doolittle in the future. If you’re a fan of the Terminator series (just the original two, obviously), or love the idea of an unstoppable Golem rampaging its way through Midwestern America, then you definitely should give Kill Monster a read.

[Laura Hundley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can honestly say the writer is great with creating characters that enter twine well with each other as well as keeping the interest of the reader. The story starts out with a prologue that gives just enough information yet not too much that would cause the reader to become bored with the book. It is rather a slow pace at first but once it gets going you need to hold on because the writer takes you on a ride that you will not expect. Ben Middleton is a burned out IT worker who has absolutely no idea what he in store for. A group of excavators excavate a long lost wreck an unearth something that is not human. Something created to kill a slave trader in 1856. The slave trader is long been dead so now the inhuman creature will hunt down his next of kin. You guessed it, Ben. This book may seem like nonsense paranormal stuff but let me tell you that it may be of the paranormal realm but it scared me. I do not scare easily. I could not put this book down and only when I realized I had a few chapters left did I decide that I needed sleep, unfortunately. I woke ready to finish it and the ending blew me away. If scary is what you are looking for, this is the book you want to read.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Oswego Public Library District]

This turbulent monster story includes wit, violence, aggressive pacing, and a mildly bizarre cast. Ben Middleton is an ordinary, middle-aged, divorced IT tech in Nebraska. When a dormant golem is unearthed from the buried remains of a steamship and revives, Ben and his son become targets. The golem has an unfinished task—to kill those whose blood he was given—and Ben and Charley are the only ones who qualify.

On the run now, they’re joined by an eclectic though highly relatable group of individuals they meet as they flee. Superb action blends with humor, gore and even some heartwarming moments. This novel is swift and an entertaining high-adrenaline madcap adventure. -GD

Click here to place a hold on Kill Monster .

Another horror novel with some unexpected light moments and a charming cast of characters is Doorways to the Deadeye by Eric J. Guignard.

[April Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should have been right up my alley. I love horror, mythology, and a good monster story. But sadly, I simply cannot connect to the characters.

I’ve been struggling to read this off and on for a week, but at the 65% mark, I just don’t care enough about any of the characters to find out how their story ends. This isn’t a slight against the author who clearly can write. It’s just that this particular book isn’t doing it for me.

Part of the problem is that this feels way more like an action/adventure story with a bit of horror tossed in rather than the other way around. The golem is a menace that destroys everything in its path, but it’s not actually tense, intimidating, or scary to read about it.

Again, your mileage may vary. If you like this author and stories about golems, by all means, give this one a try. It might be much more for you than it is for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unrelenting pursuit of its prey

A buried steamboat from 1856 is unearthed from a cornfield in Kansas. Among the artifacts found is a sealed crate filled with what seems to be mud and clay.

But this innocuous box of earth animates into a monster - a golem - in mindless pursuit to wipe out the survivors of a lineage instilled into it when it was created.

I love horror books but golems have never been a favorite of mine. I will say this is my favorite golem story to date.

I liked the characters, especially the IT team and the author broadened this story out with some very creepy bad guys who want control of the golem themselves.

This was a quick, fun read and I could see it being made into a Grade B monster flick

I received this book from Severn House through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

[Shoshana Sumrall Frerking · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a solid kick out of this fast-moving novel. It's an ensemble action/supernatural thriller with a lot of humor. It manages to convey the individual characters' strengths and desires while propelling you through the story without delay or too much dwelling on any one event. I loved the fight scenes, and the monster itself is terrifying, reminding me of countless nightmares I've had about something completely unstoppable and relentless, where the only way to stay alive is keep running forever...Kind of like the thing in that movie "It Follows."
My favorite character was, of course, the protagonist Ben Middleton, a very Nebraska version of Arthur Dent, in my opinion.
"Kill Monster" is a fun, fast read that is very visual. You will laugh and be scared at the same time.

[Adam James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read and really enjoyed Doolittles crime novels, with their heavy Leonard influence I was extremely excited to read his take on a horror novel. I’m slightly disappointed that I didn’t get a horror novel, but instead I got an action novel with some horror tropes. Even then the most horror trope I got, the golem itself, barely appears in the book.

Now, that I know I’m not reading a horror novel, I really did enjoy this book. It travels along at a steady clip, the characters that you’re supposed to like, you do. It’s not going to win any awards, but the writing is solid as per Doolittle’s usual.

For fans of fast paced action, or fast paced monster novels. B+

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, Sean Doolittle sure can tell a tall monster tale. Literally. His new book Kill Monster throws down a wonderfully stinky muddy fisted story into our laps that doesn't let up until we've turned the last page. He combines a generation spanning story set in places we think we know, with creatively quirky characters who are relatable whether we hate them or not. His references are spot on and there's a heaping helping of humor well placed in all the right spots.

[Chelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just SO MUCH FUN!
Could I go on to say you know people just like (most) of these characters? Could I say that you might BE one of these characters? Could I say it's plotted well? Well written?
Yes, I could.
But all you really need to know is that THIS BOOK IS SO FUN!
I'm going to read all Sean Doolittle's books until I find one I hate or I die or he dies. I think I'll be reading for a long, long time

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hair Raising!

Sean Doolittle has outdone himself this time. Scary, suspenseful, and a damn good story. I've been a fan for some time now, and Kill Monster just cemented my appreciation for his storytelling ability. Add this book to your must be read list.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some dropped threads at the end. Also the guy reading did really annoying female voices.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually read the book not the audio, so can't comment on that. Wanted a scary book for Halloween, got the Scooby Gang. Loved it, no regrets.

[David Odeen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not the Sean Doolittle I have become accustomed too. Let me know if he returns. DNF

[Scott Crossley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wouldn't call it a horror. I wasn't scared or spooked once. More of an action book than anything. Forgettable.

[Alex Doenau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sean Doolittle unleashes a golem on unsuspecting readers, and it won’t stop coming until they close the book. A rollicking ride featuring a culturally sensitively represented murder machine, Kill Monster feels like a Koontz novel but in a good way. It doesn’t all work — the love story is shoehorned in, to be generous— but this is the best team building exercise a group of office workers could ask for.

An ARC of Kill Monster was provided for review by Severn House Publishers.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fans of Christopher Moore will appreciate the clever humor and fascinating mythology in this monster thriller.

[Heather Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kill Monster is a fantastic engrossing thriller/horror/science fiction book. This book is fast paced and well written.

[Madah J · Rating 4 out of 5]

When well-intentioned abolitionists decided to dabble in a little dark magic to create a Monster to take down a pro-slavery mad man, they didn't realise the magnitude of the horror they were about to unleash on the world.

In 1856 the steamboat, Arcadia sank taking with it a crate marked, "Books".

150 years later, treasure hunters are excited to make the discovery of the Arcadia's cargo until the open the Books crate and let loose the Golem - an unstoppable mud creature vaguely resembling man. The Golem has a mission to complete and he is determined to do it even if the initial target is dead.

What follows is a thrilling, dark, and at times witty tale of the descendants of Ben Middleton and how they escape with their lives...or do they?