Bloodtype Online

Leisure Fiction 

    As is usually the case, although not so much recently to tell the truth, I have books sitting on my shelf that I buy, then for whatever reason don't get around to reading until months, even years, later. The Conqueror Worms, originally released as Earthworm Gods, was one such book, but the strange thing is that I enjoyed Keene's The Rising and its follow-up City of the Dead immensely, both had me gripped from start to finish. These zombie-esque novels were gory, violent and, in the case of City of the Dead, incredibly bleak. But above all that they were well written novels that every horror fan should read. This of course brings me back to The Conqueror Worms, and why the Hell it took me so long to read. Well, I can't really answer that, but as of late I have been knocking through about one novel a week, which is pretty good by my standards, especially as I only read at work. Ssh, don't tell anyone! The Conqueror Worms being my latest worktime reading pleasure. 

    The story within this novel is fairly straightforward; the planet is being flooded by rains of Cecil B Demille proportions, leaving only a few areas above ground. And I do mean just a few. Once such area is Punkin' Centre in West Virginia where we join Teddy Garnett, an octogenarian who is isolated in his house. He relates to us, through his notebook, the events that led up to his present situation. 

    Now, writing to us about nothing but rain would be incredibly uninteresting. However, what the rain brings to the surface is another matter, yep worms, lots and lots of worms. Some small, some as large as buildings, but all very dangerous. The rain may have brought them to the surface, but it is never totally given away as to how they got so big, and why they are so dangerous. Of course there are Biblical references, scientific musings and so on. There is even reference made to Ob (from The Rising and City of the Dead) during the course of the novel, which leaves it open as to whether there is some supernatural force at work. It isn't really important though, as more than anything else this came across to me as a well structure character study, with Teddy as the focus.

    Teddy wasn't always alone though, we meet and learn about his best buddy Carl who ends up stuck there with Teddy in the house. These two old boys are also joined by Kevin and Sarah later on in the novel. Their story, told by Kevin, is the second act in this three tier story, and is nicely done as it shifts the momentum of the story by adding more characters, a little more pace and excitement, not that the rest isn't rivetting, and a change of scenery. My only problem with this section was that it reminded me a little too much of City of the Dead in the sense of being holed up in a high-rise building. Nonetheless, it does make for very exciting, and at times horrifying reading. The third section of the book is set back at Teddy's house. 

    I have to admit that I was a little unsure to start with when reading The Conqueror Worms. Did I really want to read a book written from the perspective an an old man? I needn't have worried though as it works very well, weaving in backstories to the main plot whilst holding my attention throughout. Those expecting a gorefest along the lines of The Rising may well be disappointed, but rest assured there are plenty of disturbing moments throughout, not too mention the tension and fears of all those involved. At times heartwarming, sometimes funny, occasionally philisophical but more often than not very bleak, The Conqueror Worms did the one thing that I like best about a novel; when I had finished the final sentence I had a smile on my face, and I can't ask for much more than that. 

I can assure you that my next purchase of a Brian Keene novel will not end up sitting on my bookshelf for very long at all! 

Rating - ***

- Jude Felton