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Hell: A Cyberpunk Thriller
Gideon Eshanti and Rachel Braque were loyal Artificial Reality Containment Investigators—until a lethal "scrub team" paid them an unexpected visit one night. After they decorated the walls with scrub team entrails, returning to the office Monday morning just wasn't an option.
With the underground world of mobsters, techie subersives, and treacherous demons their only hope, Gideon and Rachel must go to Hell and back more than once if they want to stay alive.
About the Author
Chet Williamson is the author of more than a dozen novels, including Ash Wednesday, Reign, Mordenhiem, and Second Chance. His shorter works have appeared in Playboy, The New Yorker, and Esquire.
With the underground world of mobsters, techie subersives, and treacherous demons their only hope, Gideon and Rachel must go to Hell and back more than once if they want to stay alive.
About the Author
Chet Williamson is the author of more than a dozen novels, including Ash Wednesday, Reign, Mordenhiem, and Second Chance. His shorter works have appeared in Playboy, The New Yorker, and Esquire.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 9, 1995
About the author
Chet Williamson
190 books127 followersChet Williamson has written horror, science fiction, and suspense since 1981. Among his novels are Second Chance, Hunters, Defenders of the Faith, Ash Wednesday, Reign, Dreamthorp, and the forthcoming Psycho Sanitarium, an authorized sequel to Robert Bloch's classic Psycho. Over a hundred of his short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Playboy, Esquire, The Magazine of F&SF, and many other magazines and anthologies.
He has won the International Horror Guild Award, and has been shortlisted twice for the World Fantasy Award, six times for the HWA Stoker, and once for the MWA's Edgar. Nearly all of his works are available in ebook format.
A stage and film actor, he has recorded over 40 unabridged audiobooks, both of his own work and that of many other writers, available at www.audible.com. Follow him on Twitter (@chetwill) or at www.chetwilliamson.com.
He has won the International Horror Guild Award, and has been shortlisted twice for the World Fantasy Award, six times for the HWA Stoker, and once for the MWA's Edgar. Nearly all of his works are available in ebook format.
A stage and film actor, he has recorded over 40 unabridged audiobooks, both of his own work and that of many other writers, available at www.audible.com. Follow him on Twitter (@chetwill) or at www.chetwilliamson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 5, 2019
I was reluctant to try this because I don't generally read many novels based on video games, especially on outdated games. I saw Chet Williamson's name on the cover, though, and I've read a fair amount of his work, particularly some shorter stuff, and always found it enjoyable.
The material I’ve seen from Williamson has been horror, and so I was a bit surprised when the opening suggested dystopian fantasy. That impression carried on through the book but I began to realize how much the story was a mashup of fantasy, horror, dystopian, and SF. In fact, I finally classified it as SF.
To begin, a pair of lovers who work for “The Hand of God,” a religious tyrant who has come to rule America, are targeted for assassination and discover unknown skills that allow them to turn the tables and kill the hit team instead. They go on the run, trying to hook up with “The Front,” which is a resistance movement. Along the way come a few big reveals that aren’t easy to foresee, and which would spoil too much if I mentioned them here. The book is entertaining and a pretty quick read.
I’ve never played the video game but I read that the images and actions of certain entities in the book are pretty true to the visuals and play of the game. I actually suspect that this restrained Williamson’s normal writing since some of the story didn’t seem as intense as I was thinking it might be. As far as I can tell, this was the only spin-off novel set in this game world. I’m curious how it came about but I don’t have that information yet.
The material I’ve seen from Williamson has been horror, and so I was a bit surprised when the opening suggested dystopian fantasy. That impression carried on through the book but I began to realize how much the story was a mashup of fantasy, horror, dystopian, and SF. In fact, I finally classified it as SF.
To begin, a pair of lovers who work for “The Hand of God,” a religious tyrant who has come to rule America, are targeted for assassination and discover unknown skills that allow them to turn the tables and kill the hit team instead. They go on the run, trying to hook up with “The Front,” which is a resistance movement. Along the way come a few big reveals that aren’t easy to foresee, and which would spoil too much if I mentioned them here. The book is entertaining and a pretty quick read.
I’ve never played the video game but I read that the images and actions of certain entities in the book are pretty true to the visuals and play of the game. I actually suspect that this restrained Williamson’s normal writing since some of the story didn’t seem as intense as I was thinking it might be. As far as I can tell, this was the only spin-off novel set in this game world. I’m curious how it came about but I don’t have that information yet.
July 16, 2017
Way better than it has any right to be (considering it's a novelization of a mid-90's point-and-click adventure game!).
Two law enforcement detectives enter Hell in order to solve an ongoing series of crimes. They're set-up by their employers as turncoats and have to lean on the denizens (and demons!) of hell in order to clear their names, solve the case and find out whose behind it all.
Unique premise and it's umpteen times better than its source material (the game was DIRE). I can't imagine too many people have read this thing or are aware of its existence. Pity, because I think this book has definite cult potential.
Two law enforcement detectives enter Hell in order to solve an ongoing series of crimes. They're set-up by their employers as turncoats and have to lean on the denizens (and demons!) of hell in order to clear their names, solve the case and find out whose behind it all.
Unique premise and it's umpteen times better than its source material (the game was DIRE). I can't imagine too many people have read this thing or are aware of its existence. Pity, because I think this book has definite cult potential.
June 10, 2020
BAR NONE-LITERALLY BAR NONE
hands down one of my favorite books ive ever read. I read it very young and have picked it up many times since.
honestly its great social commentary.
like the end, i mean, come on right?
This is totally worth the effort and time.
hands down one of my favorite books ive ever read. I read it very young and have picked it up many times since.
honestly its great social commentary.
like the end, i mean, come on right?
This is totally worth the effort and time.
March 3, 2025
Not at all good, but I have nostalgia for the video game so I enjoyed it.
February 8, 2013
Excellent Read, Really Enjoyed it!
May 27, 2013
For pulpy cyberpunk books, I would rather read the Shadowrun series. However, this was not a terrible book overall and did have some turns that made it enjoyable.
Read
January 27, 2024I read it in 4th grade not just now. I can't imagine it was actually good but me and my dipshit friends sure giggled about it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews