What do you think?
Rate this book
'48
In 1945, Hitler unleashed the Blood Death on Britain as his final act of vengeance.Those who died at once were the lucky ones. The really unfortunate took years. The survivors - people like me, who had the blood group that kept us safe from the disease - were now targets for those who believed our blood could save them.I survived for three years. I lived alone, spending my days avoiding the fascist Blackshirts who wanted my blood for their dying leader. Then I met the others - and life got complicated all over again . . .
336 pages
First published November 4, 1996
89 people are currently reading
2101 people want to read
About the author
James Herbert
100 books2,377 followersJames Herbert was Britain's number one bestselling writer (a position he held ever since publication of his first novel) and one of the world's top writers of thriller/horror fiction.
He was one of our greatest popular novelists, whose books are sold in thirty-three other languages, including Russian and Chinese. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his 19 novels have sold more than 42 million copies worldwide.
As an author he produced some of the most powerful horror fiction of the past decade. With a skillful blend of horror and thriller fiction, he explored the shaded territories of evil, evoking a sense of brooding menace and rising tension. He relentlessly draws the reader through the story's ultimate revelation - one that will stay to chill the mind long after the book has been laid aside. His bestsellers, THE MAGIC COTTAGE, HAUNTED, SEPULCHRE, and CREED, enhanced his reputation as a writer of depth and originality. His novels THE FOG, THE DARK, and THE SURVIVOR have been hailed as classics of the genre.
He was one of our greatest popular novelists, whose books are sold in thirty-three other languages, including Russian and Chinese. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his 19 novels have sold more than 42 million copies worldwide.
As an author he produced some of the most powerful horror fiction of the past decade. With a skillful blend of horror and thriller fiction, he explored the shaded territories of evil, evoking a sense of brooding menace and rising tension. He relentlessly draws the reader through the story's ultimate revelation - one that will stay to chill the mind long after the book has been laid aside. His bestsellers, THE MAGIC COTTAGE, HAUNTED, SEPULCHRE, and CREED, enhanced his reputation as a writer of depth and originality. His novels THE FOG, THE DARK, and THE SURVIVOR have been hailed as classics of the genre.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
October 15, 2018
In this alternate 1948, London is devastated by a Nazi-created hemorrhagic plague.
We enter this new reality three years after Hitler's rockets spread the Blood Death across London. The city is a decaying mess and ruling over the dead are a band of neo-Nazi British --the Blackshirts-- who are slowly dying from the plague. They hunt the handful of those immune to the disease. Why? Sport of course, didn't I said they where a bunch of Neo-Nazi, but mostly because they crave the blood of the immune in the illusion that transfusing it into their own bodies will save their lives.
From the start, the action is relentless, as we follow the efforts of one of the immune, "Yank" Eugene Nathaniel Hoke, to elude capture. Wild chases, escapes and combat by hand and firearms fill up the narrative, which complicates as Hoke teams up with four other immunes. One of which is a mole from the Blackshirts.
This is a Mad Max reimagining of WWII, and Herbert's vision of London as a ghost city --the hotels and subways and buses filled with the long dead-- is a haunting one, and the best part of this book.
For me, the problem lies in the relentlessness of the plot, that goes forward like a tiresome movie killing-fest, action scene upon action scene, boom upon boom. Very much in the spirit of George Romero's zombie films, but without Romero's eye for irony.
Though Herbert's tour around this damned London is bound to appeal more to British readers than Americans, fans of the gruesome on both sides of the pond should find it an interesting read.
We enter this new reality three years after Hitler's rockets spread the Blood Death across London. The city is a decaying mess and ruling over the dead are a band of neo-Nazi British --the Blackshirts-- who are slowly dying from the plague. They hunt the handful of those immune to the disease. Why? Sport of course, didn't I said they where a bunch of Neo-Nazi, but mostly because they crave the blood of the immune in the illusion that transfusing it into their own bodies will save their lives.
From the start, the action is relentless, as we follow the efforts of one of the immune, "Yank" Eugene Nathaniel Hoke, to elude capture. Wild chases, escapes and combat by hand and firearms fill up the narrative, which complicates as Hoke teams up with four other immunes. One of which is a mole from the Blackshirts.
This is a Mad Max reimagining of WWII, and Herbert's vision of London as a ghost city --the hotels and subways and buses filled with the long dead-- is a haunting one, and the best part of this book.
For me, the problem lies in the relentlessness of the plot, that goes forward like a tiresome movie killing-fest, action scene upon action scene, boom upon boom. Very much in the spirit of George Romero's zombie films, but without Romero's eye for irony.
Though Herbert's tour around this damned London is bound to appeal more to British readers than Americans, fans of the gruesome on both sides of the pond should find it an interesting read.
April 13, 2014
Eh, it was alright. Macho man with issues saves some people in an almost post-apocalypse type London in 1948, after Hitler ended the war by unleashing a genocidal disease. I thought at the start I'd love it (post-apocalypse! Places I recognise!) but ended up being about the characters, which is *usually* what I want in a book, but I didn't really care for these characters. Huge pile of cliches. The dog was alright but underused ;). The main narrator was awful. Must kill. Uh. Pretty woman. Must notice body shape whilst running for life. Must hate. Must punch. Etc, etc. Boys books.
September 4, 2023
was a bit apprehensive of Herbert trying to do an American narrator but this ended up being really great, he was just such a talented writer, ugh!
September 26, 2012
This story is set, as the title suggests in the year 1948 shortly after the end of the second world war. Hitler has released the "Blood Death" which is a genetically modified disease that wiped out the majority of the population. It is also indicated that the disease spread and wiped out most of the world, the only survivors being those who belong to the rare AB negative blood group.
The story follows Hoke, a survivor of Hitler's deadly attack living in the city of London. He is trying to lay low and stay away from a bank of mercenaries who are hunting down survivors. The story picks up right in the middle of this conflict.
As expected the main (and secondary) characters run into various troubles throughout the story which I won't go into detail on for the sake of spoilers. However it is worth noting that the characters are certainly believable and being set in London, also take on some very British traits. These traits help to create a credible set of characters and the differences between them help to re-enforce the impression of being thrown in the mess together.
You can relate to the characters well in this story as they all seem to have a strong sense of national pride and image and all had regular lives like you and me before the war ended. This helps you to empathise with their situation and also leads you to start rooting for them in conflict situations.
Overall this was a book that I enjoyed. The action throughout and the interaction of the characters was sufficient to keep me as a reader interested throughout and the "end of the world" theme that the book takes on is one that I am a particular fan of. Herbert has done this in past novels, namely The Rats and I think it is one that he pulls off very well.
There is a fair bit of violence and plenty of your traditional Herbert horror in here so it will definitely be one for the James Herbert fans but I also think there is plenty in there for the everyday horror fan. My only complaint is that there isn't really anything in there that hasn't been done before and I got the feeling that it was a little "samey." There are enough twists and turns to keep the story interesting though and that is why I scored the book 4 stars rather than 3.
July 31, 2016
Well this book earns a solid so-so rating. What an intriguing premise. In 1945 Hitler unleashes a devastating biological suicide weapon killing a huge portion of the Human race. Taking everybody with him as Nazi Germany goes down the drain. When the story begins it's three years later and our protagonist (an American pilot) is living in London (now a gigantic mausoleum) and being chased by British Nazis who believe that his blood can save them. A few survivors are immune while others are dying more slowly. Our hero meets up with four other immunes and the chase is on. If ever a book screamed to be made into a movie this one is it. It's a classic action novel with pages of drawn out set-pieces supported by elaborate descriptions of the physical structure of a post-apocalyptic London. Another reviewer compares the novel to the video game "Half-Life" which is spot-on (sorry too much BBC).
However what would be a great set-up for a video game, graphic novel or a movie doesn't work so well for a novel. Pages and pages of high-speed pursuits and one cliffhanger after another isn't so effective when it's in writing. Actually it becomes repetitive and stale after a couple hundred pages. I skimmed the last third of the novel and didn't miss anything since there was nothing to miss.
I'm giving this book two stars because it wasn't a piece of garbage. Mr. Herbert was an old pro who understood how to write. It's obvious that he did his research and there was nothing amateurish about his work, but in this case it just wasn't that interesting. I'm a big fan of both the alternative-history and post-apocalyptic genres. When I learned about '48 I was eager to read it. Seemed like a certain slam-dunk, but it isn't. Just goes to show that even the best of writers can sometimes have downtimes and even the best of ideas might not translate very well into writing.
However what would be a great set-up for a video game, graphic novel or a movie doesn't work so well for a novel. Pages and pages of high-speed pursuits and one cliffhanger after another isn't so effective when it's in writing. Actually it becomes repetitive and stale after a couple hundred pages. I skimmed the last third of the novel and didn't miss anything since there was nothing to miss.
I'm giving this book two stars because it wasn't a piece of garbage. Mr. Herbert was an old pro who understood how to write. It's obvious that he did his research and there was nothing amateurish about his work, but in this case it just wasn't that interesting. I'm a big fan of both the alternative-history and post-apocalyptic genres. When I learned about '48 I was eager to read it. Seemed like a certain slam-dunk, but it isn't. Just goes to show that even the best of writers can sometimes have downtimes and even the best of ideas might not translate very well into writing.
February 17, 2014
Slowly but surely working my way through back catalogue of the late great James Herbert. '48 was a departure for him, not so much horror as a dystopian alternate history. As the title suggests, set in the post WW2 England (London to be specific), the plot follows an American pilot who has been surviving in the war ravaged city. He comes across a group of fellow survivors and they struggle on together against the remainder of british fascists. The twist here is that although Hitler did lose the war, his left a nasty partying gift behind, something that kills anyone whose blood type isn't AB negative. So ABneg blood has become the most precious of commodities. Those who haven't died out yet are separated not merely by class and creed, but also by their very blood providing for interesting social metaphors as well as an intense dramatic narrative. The story starts off with a speedy zoom of an action packed chase and continues on in a similarly dynamic fashion. The scenery and descriptions of a war torn London are absolutely stunning. What an awesome movie this would make. Very entertaining (especially for such a bleak subject) read. Recommended.
December 20, 2018
I’m not sure where to start with this book. It’s post war with some post apocalyptic overtones thrown in for good measure. It’s hard to know where the book starts and finishes. The middle part is full action but it didn’t grab me
December 9, 2024
This wasn’t my first James Herbert and it won’t be my last, after really liking the Ash series and The Secret of Crickley Hall I couldn’t wait to read more from this author. 48 has such a unique plot, a book based in the aftermath of World War ll, what if Hitler had unleashed a deadly virus after his defeat.
This book follows some of the survivors of the war and the virus as they navigate the new world – well what’s left of it. I think I would have enjoyed a this a little more if it would have described the instant aftermath rather than months later, however this was a pretty fun book. The body horror in this book was incredible it had me wincing and feeling a little ill at times. The thriller/suspense moments were also really well done and had me reading this book with some speed.
However I wanted this book to slow down a little, I wanted more characters development, this book was all about the thrills and action. It was well written and well-paced, but I almost wished this was a little longer so I could have delved deeper into the characters and their life in the aftermath or such terror. The main character was very abrupt and almost heartless which was completely understandable after you get a little of his backstory, but I wish we as the reader would have been there with him for those moments to get a feel of who he was before.
I think the way this is written like a diary is really fun, with the characters little inserts and thoughts often in brackets. Go into this book knowing you are going to get brutal violence and gore, and possibly not the nicest/tidiest of endings. Of course I will be looking out for more James Herbert books in the future, he has a pretty decent track record for me now.
This book follows some of the survivors of the war and the virus as they navigate the new world – well what’s left of it. I think I would have enjoyed a this a little more if it would have described the instant aftermath rather than months later, however this was a pretty fun book. The body horror in this book was incredible it had me wincing and feeling a little ill at times. The thriller/suspense moments were also really well done and had me reading this book with some speed.
However I wanted this book to slow down a little, I wanted more characters development, this book was all about the thrills and action. It was well written and well-paced, but I almost wished this was a little longer so I could have delved deeper into the characters and their life in the aftermath or such terror. The main character was very abrupt and almost heartless which was completely understandable after you get a little of his backstory, but I wish we as the reader would have been there with him for those moments to get a feel of who he was before.
I think the way this is written like a diary is really fun, with the characters little inserts and thoughts often in brackets. Go into this book knowing you are going to get brutal violence and gore, and possibly not the nicest/tidiest of endings. Of course I will be looking out for more James Herbert books in the future, he has a pretty decent track record for me now.
May 3, 2012
My most favourite book of all time, one of the first full novels I ever read. I must have finished it upwards of a dozen times now.
Outstanding.
Outstanding.
January 31, 2014
-Pulp modernizado y disfrazado.-
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. La Segunda Guerra Mundial terminó en el año 1945 y ahora, en el año 48 y en Londres, los pocos supervivientes de la plaga aguda conocida como Muerte Sanguínea, que llegó a Gran Bretaña desde Alemania acompañando a la tonelada de explosivos de las ojivas de las V2, tratan de capturar a los escasos inmunes gracias a su sangre tipo AB negativo para experimentar buscando una cura a la versión crónica, pero igualmente letal, que padecen. Uno de los inmunes, Hoke, es un norteamericano que llegó a las Islas Británicas como piloto voluntario para pelear en la Batalla de Inglaterra y que ahora lucha por sobrevivir entre los restos de la civilización.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. La Segunda Guerra Mundial terminó en el año 1945 y ahora, en el año 48 y en Londres, los pocos supervivientes de la plaga aguda conocida como Muerte Sanguínea, que llegó a Gran Bretaña desde Alemania acompañando a la tonelada de explosivos de las ojivas de las V2, tratan de capturar a los escasos inmunes gracias a su sangre tipo AB negativo para experimentar buscando una cura a la versión crónica, pero igualmente letal, que padecen. Uno de los inmunes, Hoke, es un norteamericano que llegó a las Islas Británicas como piloto voluntario para pelear en la Batalla de Inglaterra y que ahora lucha por sobrevivir entre los restos de la civilización.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
February 28, 2021
Slow moving with a bang up finish. I like the research the author completed on WWll
January 21, 2022
The plot of this one is the kind of thing that I’d normally be into, and so I was looking forward to picking this one up, even though I wasn’t super keen on the format that I had because it was part of a bind-up. Weirdly, the book it was presented alongside was in the middle of a series, so I had to track down the earlier books and read those first so that I could finish it off.
Basically, this is an alternate history novel that’s set in London in 1948 after Hitler launched some biological warfare rockets that led to the blood death, in which people die unless they have A/B blood.
Because of that, it’s a post-apocalyptic (or at the very least post-cataclysmic) novel with a grounding in history, following a small group of survivors as they try to hide from neo-Nazi blackshirts. There are rotting corpses everywhere and half of London has been destroyed because of things like leaking gas mains.
It was okay, I guess, but it wasn’t one of Herbert’s best. For whatever reason, I didn’t get too absorbed in the story, and I found myself not really caring about the characters or what happened to them. I think part of it is because of the way that it started, which was with an action sequence. I found it difficult to “fall into” the story with it starting out like that. It’s weird to read about someone running for their life when you don’t know whether they deserve what’s coming to them.
But still, as a general rule, it was a pretty good read, as it always is when you read a James Herbert book. It’s just that by this point, I’m about half way through the guy’s back catalogue and there have been so many better books than this one. It’s funny because I seem to enjoy his books most when the concept doesn’t speak to me.
Basically, this is an alternate history novel that’s set in London in 1948 after Hitler launched some biological warfare rockets that led to the blood death, in which people die unless they have A/B blood.
Because of that, it’s a post-apocalyptic (or at the very least post-cataclysmic) novel with a grounding in history, following a small group of survivors as they try to hide from neo-Nazi blackshirts. There are rotting corpses everywhere and half of London has been destroyed because of things like leaking gas mains.
It was okay, I guess, but it wasn’t one of Herbert’s best. For whatever reason, I didn’t get too absorbed in the story, and I found myself not really caring about the characters or what happened to them. I think part of it is because of the way that it started, which was with an action sequence. I found it difficult to “fall into” the story with it starting out like that. It’s weird to read about someone running for their life when you don’t know whether they deserve what’s coming to them.
But still, as a general rule, it was a pretty good read, as it always is when you read a James Herbert book. It’s just that by this point, I’m about half way through the guy’s back catalogue and there have been so many better books than this one. It’s funny because I seem to enjoy his books most when the concept doesn’t speak to me.
June 21, 2025
A very fast paced book- the action never stops from start to finish!
It can, at times, be a little hard to keep up with and the rate Herbert kills off the characters is a bit much to handle at times.
I only rated this book a 3 however as I found it startlingly similar to Domain, the final book in the Rats trilogy- both focus of a post-apocalyptic London, ravaged by a war, with few survivors trying to survive the enemy... Obviously in Domain it's the rats but in 48 it's the Blackshirts.
Still, a decent book filled with Herbert's usual imagination when it comes to all things dark and gory!
It can, at times, be a little hard to keep up with and the rate Herbert kills off the characters is a bit much to handle at times.
I only rated this book a 3 however as I found it startlingly similar to Domain, the final book in the Rats trilogy- both focus of a post-apocalyptic London, ravaged by a war, with few survivors trying to survive the enemy... Obviously in Domain it's the rats but in 48 it's the Blackshirts.
Still, a decent book filled with Herbert's usual imagination when it comes to all things dark and gory!
June 23, 2019
Typical Herbert. We have our anti-hero, this time in London in an alternative history where Hitler launched a doomsday weapon toward the end that killed 97% of the population. Our anti-hero Hoke is on the run from British Fascists who want his 'clean' blood. Lots of action and a few unexpected twists, but not one of his best.
May 29, 2016
This is James Herbert on form. Its high adventure, there are elements which stretch credulity a bit and I imagine the plot would not stand up to intense scrutiny but as I have far better things to do than intensely scrutinise this tale who am I to worry?
What this does do is hold you attention and take the story to a satisfying end. It also has plot devices that I actually rather enjoyed:-
I liked the baddie in this, I liked the finite nature of him and the fact that his thinking was hopeful and wrong headed.
I liked the fact that this book was not about saving the world but was about survival only.
I liked the setting of the book. It worked in terms of the time and it felt like it was in a moment. I liked the back stories and where there were twists they were fun.
I liked the fact the sex in this book (and it wasn't overloaded with it) actually helped moved the plot forwards and was a feature of the reasoning in the book. It was part of a trust theme in part of the book.
I thought the back-story shock reveal was not such a shock in this book and it went off like a damp squib. There is SO much horror and awfulness in the situation that we had already been through that the empathy circuits in my brain were a little overloaded already. I was effectively battle hardened by the time it came. That is not so say it was a bad twist, just less impactful than it could have been.
All in all a fine read. Not a classic but one I enjoyed and that is enough.
What this does do is hold you attention and take the story to a satisfying end. It also has plot devices that I actually rather enjoyed:-
I liked the baddie in this, I liked the finite nature of him and the fact that his thinking was hopeful and wrong headed.
I liked the fact that this book was not about saving the world but was about survival only.
I liked the setting of the book. It worked in terms of the time and it felt like it was in a moment. I liked the back stories and where there were twists they were fun.
I liked the fact the sex in this book (and it wasn't overloaded with it) actually helped moved the plot forwards and was a feature of the reasoning in the book. It was part of a trust theme in part of the book.
I thought the back-story shock reveal was not such a shock in this book and it went off like a damp squib. There is SO much horror and awfulness in the situation that we had already been through that the empathy circuits in my brain were a little overloaded already. I was effectively battle hardened by the time it came. That is not so say it was a bad twist, just less impactful than it could have been.
All in all a fine read. Not a classic but one I enjoyed and that is enough.
April 26, 2019
First of all let me say how much I loved the setting in this book: silent and almost empty London in 1948, three years after Hitler's ultimate biological weapon extinguished almost all life on Earth, leaving buildings intact. Only a handful of people survived, and they are either sick or crazy or both. Among the ghostly remnants of civilization, a group of fascist bad guys (Blackshirts) is trying to round up all uninfected humans, including our superhero, the American pilot named Hoke, and steal their blood in a desperate attempt to cure themselves.
Hoke is going through this novel like a character from Half Life, running, jumping, riding bikes, cars and boats, fighting, shooting, and killing dozens of Blackshirts, and suffering only minor injuries in the process. But that's kind of ok because he is immune to the disease that made his enemies slower and weaker, almost decomposing. Still the numerical odds are against him, so Hoke needs not one, not two... but at least six miracle saves from mortal danger, before he can finally annihilate the bad guys, get the girl, and lead a group of survivors to better tomorrow. Hell yeah!
'48 is a fast paced novel that is easy to read, has simple black and white characters, interesting idea and setting, but it does not work well at all if you try to use your brain too much while reading.
Hoke is going through this novel like a character from Half Life, running, jumping, riding bikes, cars and boats, fighting, shooting, and killing dozens of Blackshirts, and suffering only minor injuries in the process. But that's kind of ok because he is immune to the disease that made his enemies slower and weaker, almost decomposing. Still the numerical odds are against him, so Hoke needs not one, not two... but at least six miracle saves from mortal danger, before he can finally annihilate the bad guys, get the girl, and lead a group of survivors to better tomorrow. Hell yeah!
'48 is a fast paced novel that is easy to read, has simple black and white characters, interesting idea and setting, but it does not work well at all if you try to use your brain too much while reading.
August 5, 2017
I have read a couple of his books in the past and they're ok, but never going to win any literary awards. The concept of the plot intrigued me. Alternative history where the Germans have dropped a bomb on London right at the end of WWII, causing a deadly virus to attack most people. Only those of a certain blood type can ultimately survive.
The actually story was woefully boring, just a catalogue of events of one man and occasional associates (all with the correct blood type) evading those with the wrong blood. I ended up very fast speed-reading, skipping paragraphs and not once did it have any effect on losing the thread of the story. As I said, boring.
The actually story was woefully boring, just a catalogue of events of one man and occasional associates (all with the correct blood type) evading those with the wrong blood. I ended up very fast speed-reading, skipping paragraphs and not once did it have any effect on losing the thread of the story. As I said, boring.
May 3, 2020
At first I thought I wasn’t really going to like this book or the author’s style of writing one bit!
But I persevered and actually it turned out to be quite good!
I have never read a book like this before with so much action and relentless fight scenes.
It looks as though the author generally writes horror stories. I wouldn’t call this a horror, more a post apocalyptic survival story, which is set after an alternative ending to the second world war.
But I persevered and actually it turned out to be quite good!
I have never read a book like this before with so much action and relentless fight scenes.
It looks as though the author generally writes horror stories. I wouldn’t call this a horror, more a post apocalyptic survival story, which is set after an alternative ending to the second world war.
July 18, 2024
A fast paced chase story. Follows the usual apocalyptic trope of a main character joining with other strangers. Hoke is chasing the Blackshirts, the ones dying slowly from the disease, because they are after him. All goodbloods, those AB-, will eventually be their target so his group joins him. Lots of action like an action movie. Would have preferred character development. An ok story.
September 23, 2019
Read on train to Exeter and staying with Brother for a few days. Reminded me a bit of Herbert’s book The Rats. Central character picking up people around. The Blood Death storyline excellent. Would make a great film. Really enjoyed
January 30, 2016
I've always loved this book. Each time I read it I enjoy it just a little bit more. James Herbert's story telling a true gem
June 21, 2016
A fast paced chase/alternate history story that doesn't let up pretty much from start to finish. Lots of fun.
February 3, 2025
Hoke is one of the few survivors of a weapon Hitler launched in the final days of the war. Blood death killed everyone not AB with any survivors slowly dying. In 1948 Hoke is escaping from Black Shirts a dying fascist group trying to catch healthy people in the mistaken belief their blood will save them.
Muriel, Cissie and Stern with Hoke form a group to escape the fascists. Buckingham Palace, the Savoy, the Tower and Tower bridge form places where the action takes place.
The finals confrontation is an exciting one with the fascists mad leader Max Hobble. Lots of action, fast paced and entertaining with betrayal and Hoke regaining his sanity.
Muriel, Cissie and Stern with Hoke form a group to escape the fascists. Buckingham Palace, the Savoy, the Tower and Tower bridge form places where the action takes place.
The finals confrontation is an exciting one with the fascists mad leader Max Hobble. Lots of action, fast paced and entertaining with betrayal and Hoke regaining his sanity.
October 13, 2022
James Herbert has written some of the greatest horror stories of the last 50 years. The Rats, The Jonah, The Survivor and lots of them became films too. Notably The Survivor with Robert Powell and Jenny Agutter. Having read this one, with its WW2 setting l feel this too deserves to be adapted into a movie. The premise is brilliant and believable and the characters too are well researched. Come on somebody, turn this into the movie it deserves to be.
May 1, 2019
*audio-boek*
Een mooi verhaal, dat zich afspeelt in 1948 (vandaar de titel). Vlak voor het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, laat Hitler raketten met een virus ('bloeddood'). Door dit virus verdikt het bloed van zijn slachtoffers, tot het uiteindelijk zo dik is dat de aders verstopt raken. Het resterende bloed zoekt een uitweg via allerlei lichaamsopeningen, en sommige slachtoffers sterven vrijwel direct, terwijl het voor anderen jaren duurden. Sommige mensen doen er langer over om te sterven, en zij leiden een naar leven. Dan zijn er ook nog mensen met AB-negatief, die immuun zijn voor deze ziekte.
Hoke, een piloot uit Amerika, is een van de mensen met deze bloedgroep, en hij probeert van alles om uit de handen te blijven van de Britse Nazis die het op zijn bloed hebben voorzien. Het boek begint in het midden van het conflict.
De hoofd- en secundaire personages komen in diverse moeilijkheden gedurende het verhaal. De personages zijn zeer geloofwaardig neergezet, en de interactie tussen hen voldoende om me in het verhaal te houden.
Er was genoeg geweld en 'horror' in het verhaal zodat een echtefan voldoende aan zijn of haar trekken kan komen. Zelfs ben ik geen liefhebber van het horror genre, maar in dit boek paste het.
Een mooi verhaal, dat zich afspeelt in 1948 (vandaar de titel). Vlak voor het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, laat Hitler raketten met een virus ('bloeddood'). Door dit virus verdikt het bloed van zijn slachtoffers, tot het uiteindelijk zo dik is dat de aders verstopt raken. Het resterende bloed zoekt een uitweg via allerlei lichaamsopeningen, en sommige slachtoffers sterven vrijwel direct, terwijl het voor anderen jaren duurden. Sommige mensen doen er langer over om te sterven, en zij leiden een naar leven. Dan zijn er ook nog mensen met AB-negatief, die immuun zijn voor deze ziekte.
Hoke, een piloot uit Amerika, is een van de mensen met deze bloedgroep, en hij probeert van alles om uit de handen te blijven van de Britse Nazis die het op zijn bloed hebben voorzien. Het boek begint in het midden van het conflict.
De hoofd- en secundaire personages komen in diverse moeilijkheden gedurende het verhaal. De personages zijn zeer geloofwaardig neergezet, en de interactie tussen hen voldoende om me in het verhaal te houden.
Er was genoeg geweld en 'horror' in het verhaal zodat een echtefan voldoende aan zijn of haar trekken kan komen. Zelfs ben ik geen liefhebber van het horror genre, maar in dit boek paste het.
March 11, 2021
I’d been reluctant to read this book as Herbert’s stories are usually supernatural or occult in nature, and that’s a subject that appeals to me. However, since I’ve read all his others, and I couldn’t believe Herbert could disappoint, I picked this up. It is definitely his most mainstream of books, but still contains plenty of gruesome imagery (the rotting piles of dead in London, the effects of the ‘blood death’). It's set in an “alternate” 1948 in which Hitler killed off most of Britain with a biological weapon. One thing that’s obvious is that there’s very little plot to this book, it’s a straight-up action movie of a story, with an all-American hero (with some belated character colouring) and a group of survivors. It could easily make an exciting Hollywood action film. I didn't find it very satisfying. However, with Herbert’s usual cool, sharp, pacy prose, it was one I still finished quickly.
May 18, 2020
I was drawn to this book as I'd always wanted to read a book by James Herbert and the fact this was post - apocalyptic added to the attraction.
I won't deny the book started at an intense pace and Herbert clearly has a great skill at being descriptive of the situation. However, as the book progressed the storyline slowed and his descriptive style got tedious as it proved ineffectual in advancing the overall story. I got bored and it become a chore pick g it up to read, I just didn't feel gripped to keep turning the pages as a book should.
I don't make a habit of ending a book before I've finished, but in this instance I just couldn't bare wasting any more valuable reading time on this particular book.
I won't deny the book started at an intense pace and Herbert clearly has a great skill at being descriptive of the situation. However, as the book progressed the storyline slowed and his descriptive style got tedious as it proved ineffectual in advancing the overall story. I got bored and it become a chore pick g it up to read, I just didn't feel gripped to keep turning the pages as a book should.
I don't make a habit of ending a book before I've finished, but in this instance I just couldn't bare wasting any more valuable reading time on this particular book.
August 9, 2021
I admit this type of book might just not be my cup of tea, but I felt like I was reading an action movie in prose and just couldn't get into it.
Set in an alternate reality, we are bombarded with chasing scene after chasing scene, without barely a moment to catch breath, while the characters, and especially our protagonist, Hoke, seems to always escape at a hair's breadth. Hoke is too much like the perfect hero with a tragic past and I couldn't help being reminded of that on his many comments throughout the book in the middle of the action sequences.
I was wavering between a 2 or 3 stars rate, but given I had to push through to finish it almost since the start of the book, I think 2 stars is a more honest rating.
Set in an alternate reality, we are bombarded with chasing scene after chasing scene, without barely a moment to catch breath, while the characters, and especially our protagonist, Hoke, seems to always escape at a hair's breadth. Hoke is too much like the perfect hero with a tragic past and I couldn't help being reminded of that on his many comments throughout the book in the middle of the action sequences.
I was wavering between a 2 or 3 stars rate, but given I had to push through to finish it almost since the start of the book, I think 2 stars is a more honest rating.
February 11, 2021
So a few chapters into #48 I wasn’t sure. I didn’t like the lead characters narration and it almost just seemed over the top. Then i realised I had read half the book in one sitting. Then tonight all I wanted to do was read. And just damn! A story about London in 1948 but in a world where hitlers final act had been to wipe out 97% of the worlds population. #jamesherbert creates an Erie wasteland and #postapocalyptic world. Action and horror rolled into one. A brilliant story and well worth reading
January 26, 2019
I struggled to finish this book; abandoning it twice before reaching the somewhat flat and disappointing ending. Blood and gore feature quite heavily in here, as you would expect in a James Herbert novel, but not enough of a story to keep my attention. That said, I enjoyed backdrop of a war ravaged London.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews