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Mark Chadbourn
Mark Chadbourn is a talented horror and science-fiction author and a two-time winner of the British Fantasy Award. Chadbourn grew up in the English Midlands within a mining community. He studied in Leeds and graduated with an Economic History degree. After university, the author worked as a journalist and became such a success that he only wrote for the country’s best newspapers. Once his debut short story earned him a Best New Author award, Chadbourn quit journalism to concentrate on writing his stories. However, even when coming up with gripping novels, Chadbourn has maintained a successful career in screenwriting.
Hellboy: The Ice Wolves
Hellboy: The Ice Wolves is an intriguing story that takes us to different parts of the world. First, we head to Cancun in Mexico, where the police are investigating a slaughter that occurred during a wedding ceremony. In Dublin, a few people who had been drinking in a backstreet pub were found dead. In Japan, the bullet train arrived at the station with blood spatters on the windows. Throughout the world, it was time for the Black Sun where wolves were calling each other. These wolves were locked in bodies and were not aware of the situation until the Black Sun. Now, they were rising from this unconsciousness and turning towards the United States.
Hellboy is expected to find the Kiss of Winter that will prevent a takeover of the world by these wolves. In this race against time, Hellboy is drawn to Beacon Hill in Boston. The Grant Mansion in Beacon Hill is said to be haunted and the most obvious place to find the truth. As Hellboy is working to uncover the truth, the author also introduces the reader to Brad Lynch. Lynch worked as a journalist, and after witnessing horrible events in Iraq, he was diagnosed with PTSD. It did not help that he did not have a great relationship with his father. The blend of dark fantasy and family dynamics turned this into an outstanding piece.
Hellboy manages to convince Brad to talk to his father so that they could get into the Grant House. Since werewolves are also hunting the Kiss of Winter, Hellboy and Brad are barely inside when a fierce blizzard hits town. Even though the house is protected from werewolves, it is filled with spirits. Some of these spirits were benign, while others were malevolent. Some of the scenes here are scary, and you will be anxious to see what happens in this menacing house. Overall, this is an enthralling read with a great storyline, outstanding writing style, and well-developed characters.
Hellboy: The Ice Wolve is one hell of a haunted house tale. You will enjoy the werewolves, the creepy house with its ill-fated histories, and the unpredictability. It is almost impossible to predict what happens on the next page. The cast is also quite likable, starting with the witty, tough, and wise Hellboy. Even with his hands full fighting evil ghosts and werewolves, he still gets time to encourage Brad to repair his relationship with his father. The occult devices that keep werewolves out of the house are also outstanding. Imagine a witch candle that sets werewolves on fire when they attempt to enter the house. This book is a perfect choice if you are in the mood for an outstanding character-driven haunted-house story.
World’s End
World’s End comes first in the Age of Misrule series. We first meet Jack struggling to come to terms with his girlfriend’s suicide. Later, Jack is driving home late at night when he encounters a terrifying giant. Lawyer Ruth Gallagher also witnesses the horrible sight under the London bridge. Both Jack and Ruth pass out, and when they come to, they are plunged into a deep mystery that foretells the end of the world. The visions are terrifying, and they both struggle to come to terms with what is happening. It turns out that these bizarre sightings are nothing new. Throughout the country, ancient Celtic myth gods are returning after being banished for over a thousand years. Following the ancient gods are folklore creatures who cause dark terrors wherever they are sighted.
With foreign gods’ return, technology starts failing, and Jack and his new-found partner Ruth have to find four magical items. With these items, there is a chance that humanity can be saved. Life as we know it is changing and the legends’ return also meant that the rules were different. It is admirable how the author has managed to mix mythological elements with regular UK life. We get to see both Jack and Ruth travel throughout the country as they visit different outstanding destinations searching for the truth. As they transverse the country, we get to see the chaos with Hunt tearing the sky and a dragon firebombing the highway.
This is a dark fantasy tale set-in present-day England. The story covers the shift from the Age of Reason to the Age of Misrule, and the creatures that come with this change are sure to terrify you. While this is a horror story, you will enjoy the interactions between Ruth and Jack. Their realistic bickering allows them to learn a lot about each other. While it is clear that they both don’t like each other, it is amazing how they find common bonds to enable them to work together. The author slowly builds the characters, so you care enough to read about their experiences by the middle of the novel.
The details on the various destinations Jack and Ruth visit are done so well you can use this book as a guide for the Celtic monuments. You will find this story mostly entertaining with enough action to keep you on your toes. The author is obviously knowledgeable on mythology, and this information adds a lot of depth to this novel. Overall, World’s End is an exciting read with deep mythology, interesting characters, and enough darkness to qualify it as a horror novel. The pace gets to exhilarating levels at times, making this read like an action movie.
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