Reviews

The Keep by F. Paul Wilson

joliechampion07's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

3.25

cu_detat's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

knittingchaos's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I read this when I was in high school and I had forgotten most of it. I only remember that there were Nazis and a keep on a mountain. I probably liked it better back then, but it is still pretty entertaining. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry, and Rape

topdragon's review against another edition

5.0

I came to this novel a little differently than most people. I have read all 15 of the Repairman Jack novels over the last several years, (not counting short stories and the prequel histories), not realizing that the Adversary Cycle should really be read in parallel. So when I finished [b:The Dark at the End|10866880|The Dark at the End (Repairman Jack, #15)|F. Paul Wilson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408462662s/10866880.jpg|15782087] I decided I needed to hold off on [b:Nightworld|219412|Nightworld (Adversary Cycle, #6)|F. Paul Wilson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388271206s/219412.jpg|212439] until I had completed this other group of five or six novels. That way I will be ready for the final climactic novel at the end where both series culminate.

So, for me, it was great fun to go back and experience one of this author’s earlier works and his very first horror novel. It was cool to see how some of the major characters came about, (Rasalom and Glaeken) and to match that up with what I knew was coming in later books. Had I come at this one with no prior knowledge I suspect I would still enjoy it thoroughly simply because I like Wilson’s writing style. However it would have been a fairly straight-forward WWII era horror novel with a good twist on traditional vampires and zombie tales and may not have earned a full five starts from me. But as it is, I am happy to say I continue to come back to FP Wilson novels even if Repairman Jack ain’t in it.

Since I’ve already consumed the second of the Adversary cycle, The Tomb (which is also the first of the Jack novels), it’s now on to [book:The Touch|219416. Technically, these three are all stand-alone novels and can be read in any order but I don’t want to take any chances.

kylemurphy's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

barleybeagle01's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

4.25

badcassette's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

_adamjh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

myakemovic's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

hotsake's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

It's amazing how different a book and movie based on the same story can be. I had read this book years ago before I even knew that a movie was adapted from it. Years later I watched the movie and didn't make the connection until a couple of years ago. The movie is a trippy mess and the book is an overly bundle of cool horror and lame romance that was hampered by the bad pacing.