whatyoutolkienabout's review
5.0
My first review of 2023 and thankfully I fully enjoyed it! Even though it is a new year the same house-keeping applies. My reviews are always 100% honest and my own opinions. I will try to never fully spoil a plot. This particular copy I was given access to a copy to review as part of a book tour and also via netgalley. #TheBookNetwork #AconyteBooks #TerrorWorld #CathLauria #Zombicide #ZombicideInvader
Terror World is a brilliant tie-in horror novel that brings the world of the boardgame to the written page. It’s gritty, violent and if you enjoy a good sci-fi survival fun. Terror world sees “Time and space are under threat when a monstrous new alien zombie threat emerges, in this horror thriller from the riotous Zombicide Invader boardgame
Scientist Dizzie Drexler is on the mission of a lifetime: exploring a strange planet named Sik-Tar, in the company of a mysterious alien crew. The dig looks like a dud, until they stumble across an ancient spaceship, filled with arcane tech. What could possibly go wrong? Everything: opening the spaceship activates an unimaginable horror: a form of ravenous mold which possesses the skeletons that litter the spaceship with the desire to kill, spread, and consume every living thing. While fighting these undead terrors, Dizzie and their team delve into the spaceship’s mysteries, and soon realize that such monstrosities could only come from one place: the future.”
Cath Lauria clearly knows her way around a good horror thriller because this ticks all the boxes and then some. The rag tag alien crew are a delightful mix of clashing personalities which often add more trouble to the growing threats around them. Despite knowing that all hell will break loose eventually Lauria builds the novel as a sort of a hard sci-fi. We collect the crew members and begin to get glimpses of their personalities and in some cases motivations. Of course we are just waiting for something to go wrong and when it does that’s when the fun begins.
The writing is fast paced and pairs perfectly with the genre of horror, gore and action. Of course being a ‘zombie’ horror novel at its core some of the tropes we have come to expect are present, for example it’s a sure fact not everyone is getting out alive. Despite knowing this I let myself get a bit too attached Mason and Grayson even though I was sure what would happen. Even with knowing a lot of the characters wouldn’t survive I personally felt that we do get to know the characters and their personalities, I don’t believe they were just there to fill a plot device or tick a box of say ‘the fighter’, ‘the scientist’, ‘the coward’ etc although some of the characters clearly display these archetypes they each have their own personalities that make or made them memorable long after I finished reading. On the subject of characters I particularly liked the diversity of the cast and found that despite the main protagonist using they/them pronouns it was easy to follow and know who was who. A sign, I hope, that we could see even more inclusive protagonists soon.
The novel itself has some pretty tense and graphic moments, but I found this made it all the more enjoyable and memorable – it is a zombicide tie in after all. The description of the Xenos and the monstrosities the mold makes or taints are wonderful. I very much, as well as Zombicide Invader of course, got vibes akin to Dead Space or a little of Event Horizon but that is just me. As always no real spoilers from me but the ending was perfection as well, I’d actually love to see a sequel or prequel to this novel in the future!
If you enjoy the Zombicide Invader games, a good space/sci-fi horror or just horror in general you are bound to love this.
Terror World is a brilliant tie-in horror novel that brings the world of the boardgame to the written page. It’s gritty, violent and if you enjoy a good sci-fi survival fun. Terror world sees “Time and space are under threat when a monstrous new alien zombie threat emerges, in this horror thriller from the riotous Zombicide Invader boardgame
Scientist Dizzie Drexler is on the mission of a lifetime: exploring a strange planet named Sik-Tar, in the company of a mysterious alien crew. The dig looks like a dud, until they stumble across an ancient spaceship, filled with arcane tech. What could possibly go wrong? Everything: opening the spaceship activates an unimaginable horror: a form of ravenous mold which possesses the skeletons that litter the spaceship with the desire to kill, spread, and consume every living thing. While fighting these undead terrors, Dizzie and their team delve into the spaceship’s mysteries, and soon realize that such monstrosities could only come from one place: the future.”
Cath Lauria clearly knows her way around a good horror thriller because this ticks all the boxes and then some. The rag tag alien crew are a delightful mix of clashing personalities which often add more trouble to the growing threats around them. Despite knowing that all hell will break loose eventually Lauria builds the novel as a sort of a hard sci-fi. We collect the crew members and begin to get glimpses of their personalities and in some cases motivations. Of course we are just waiting for something to go wrong and when it does that’s when the fun begins.
The writing is fast paced and pairs perfectly with the genre of horror, gore and action. Of course being a ‘zombie’ horror novel at its core some of the tropes we have come to expect are present, for example it’s a sure fact not everyone is getting out alive. Despite knowing this I let myself get a bit too attached Mason and Grayson even though I was sure what would happen. Even with knowing a lot of the characters wouldn’t survive I personally felt that we do get to know the characters and their personalities, I don’t believe they were just there to fill a plot device or tick a box of say ‘the fighter’, ‘the scientist’, ‘the coward’ etc although some of the characters clearly display these archetypes they each have their own personalities that make or made them memorable long after I finished reading. On the subject of characters I particularly liked the diversity of the cast and found that despite the main protagonist using they/them pronouns it was easy to follow and know who was who. A sign, I hope, that we could see even more inclusive protagonists soon.
The novel itself has some pretty tense and graphic moments, but I found this made it all the more enjoyable and memorable – it is a zombicide tie in after all. The description of the Xenos and the monstrosities the mold makes or taints are wonderful. I very much, as well as Zombicide Invader of course, got vibes akin to Dead Space or a little of Event Horizon but that is just me. As always no real spoilers from me but the ending was perfection as well, I’d actually love to see a sequel or prequel to this novel in the future!
If you enjoy the Zombicide Invader games, a good space/sci-fi horror or just horror in general you are bound to love this.
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