I'll make this quick because the movie based on this 509 page paperback book is already in the theaters. I haven't seen it or read any reviews. I don't even know if the movie adheres very much to the novel. The cover blurb from Stephen King calls it the best horror novel of the new century.
The book is a monster story, of a kind, which I generally prefer. I'm reluctant to spoil your reading with too many details so let's see if I can finesse this.
The setting is important, a vegetation-covered earthen mound in the Yucatan jungle. Archaeologists working on the mound and in the pit atop the mound are missing when a handful of students arrive to fetch the brother of one of their number. The brother is missing too. The tents and other items are there, but not the people.
The students find themselves prevented from leaving. Why precisely they are being kept trapped there are unclear, but they are. As a reader, I think I see the reason, but the students don't.
Slowly, they begin to realize the immensity of the threat they face. As their realization grows, so does the capabilities of the threat and so does their horror.
I know this doesn't help much, but there's a shaggy dog element to it...I can't give too many details about what they face without undermining your enjoyment if you want to read it.
A big book but fast reading. Pretty unpleasant at times. My own judgment: An interesting read but not ultimately to my taste.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 5