Nine Levels Down

by William R. Dantz

Inventor of a computerized implant that controls a criminal's urge to kill, Dr. Anna Kane installs it in serial killer John Marlon, who promptly escapes into New York City's underground network of subways and sewers

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

312 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1995

About the author

aka Rodman Philbrick, Chris Jordan, W.R. Philbrick

William Rodman Philbrick is an outstanding author who has won the prestigious American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and Quick Pick Awards. Freak the Mighty has been made into a Hollywood film.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good techno thriller by Dantz, but not his best work. Nine Levels Down features Dr. Anna Kane, a behavioral psychologist who helped invent the MSD, or 'Microcomputer Sedation Device', a surgical implant that detects psychopathic rage and and renders the subject unconscious. While still in trial phases, Anna has great hopes that this device will help lower prison violence, making it safer for both inmates and guards.

After a few tests, the NY prison system chooses to implant John Chester Marlon, the infamous 'subway killer'. Anna is not really happy about this, but being a team player, goes along. Marlon, our antagonist, is one creepy dude. Smart, he was chief engineer of the 'underground' in NYC, being an expert on the thousands of miles of tunnels, sewers, etc. built there over a hundred years; he was the 'go to' guy when utilities and so forth needed to do underground repairs. Unfortunately, the guy is also a complete psychopath who nabbed people of subways and so forth to populate his 'doll house'. Only luck resulted in his being caught (a victim bonked him with a brick and got away).

It is pretty clear from the book blurb that Marlon is going to somehow escape and take Anna with him, and of course he will head underground. Nuff said on the plot. I really enjoyed the discussion of the NYC underbelly; I know it has been the scene for numerous books, but Dantz did a great job here. Good thrillers need to build tension and this fell down on this score a bit as you kinda knew where it was going to go. Marlon, however, excels. Think Hannibal Lecter, but with a civil engineering background instead of medical. 3 solid stars.

[Kornelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

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[Kathy Estime · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of questions. I felt as if this concept was a really good one. However, I felt it just didn't seem too far thought out. Also, the ending left so much to be desired.

[Whitney Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading "Nine Levels Down" by William R. Dantz. I really enjoyed this book overall, however it only got three stars from me due to the amount of time it took for the story to get going. I almost stopped reading it because it just wasnt getting good. The first 100-or-so pages are kind of a snooze-fest but essential to the plot line, and the rest of the book is rather exciting.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

super scary, like watching a horror movie..with an interesting twist at the end

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the first books I read on my own out of high school. It was suspenseful, tactful and it kept me reading just to find out what happens next.

[Nesrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy story, lot of suspense, I couldn't stop reading, really loved it !

[Katherine]

not in the mood for horror