All the Fiends of Hell

Over time, I have grown to prefer mostly “high brow” literature, though I can never disavow my affinity for horror and other genre works. With that in mind, I’d say Nevill does a great job of offering an elevated horror piece that manages to be readable and page-turning while incorporating a more literary style within a unique conceptual framework. The main premise is a familiar one — the world as we know it has ended, and the protagonist must navigate a post-apocalyptic world by foraging for supplies and evading danger — however, it enjoys a thoroughly inventive execution. While this is ostensibly an alien invasion story deriving inspiration from the War of the Worlds, there are biblical vibes to the antagonists who impart a sort of demonic/non-Euclidean impression. There’s an eschatological flavor to the events that is wisely never explicitly clarified, but adds to the overall sense of dread. By the end of the book we have learned very little about the origin or motivation of the entities, though we do understand more about their incursion into this world and how they operate. This lack of overt elucidation may be frustrating to some, but I find it to be a stylistic choice that skillfully avoids a common flaw of works within the genre that often begin with a promising idea that perishes when exposed to too much sunlight. Additionally, there is a very human story at the core of this eldritch exploration, with the protagonist in some ways receiving an opportunity to grow within this apocalyptic scenario that he never managed in his mundane, pre-apocalyptic life. I appreciate this element of poignant characterization, which lends some humanity and a glint of hope to a story that is otherwise oppressively bleak. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to those with a fondness for literary horror. In some ways it’s redolent of Bird Box, though I find Nevill’s to be the superior offering. This was my first book of his and I do intend to investigate his other works.

well written and had interesting concepts, our main character is a bit pathetic though. it's understandable why, but he's not my favorite narrator i've ever read if i'll be blunt. regardless i found the world interesting, and the beginning was stellar at setting the tone. the creatures had a nice tug between well described and still mysterious to get my mind racing. wouldve loved to learn more, or seen more, especially after what we saw in the ending, but im still happy with it as is

I am not even certain where to begin with this review. Perhaps I should start by saying that I am overly critical of any dystopian novel given that it is one of my favorite topics to read. I have read and watched so many end of the world scenario stories that it feels nearly impossible to find something that has not been done but also something worth reading. Nevill absolutely delivers in this book. Yes, this is an end of the world scenario. No, this was not something I have read before. I picked up elements similar to other stories, such as The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the Mist by Stephen King, War of the Worlds, and even I Am Legend. While I found some similarities, Nevill's story remains truly unique and stands on its own as something new and special. When I read McCarthy's The Road, one aspect that stood out to me the most was the world that McCarthy created. Within those pages, I felt as if I was thrust into that world, walking with the father and the boy. The same can be said for the world Nevill created here, with passages such as this: "Discoloured veins of vapour, hidden from sight the last time he'd inspected the sky from a different angle, were no horrible apparent in the west. From a vast wall of crimson cloud that defined the horizon, a rosy hue seeped deeper south, threading between troughs of fragmenting cumulus. Blookd trickling between stones. Towards them. Beneath the fresh scarlet threads, a red haze was visible like distant rainfall. Probably fog." And this: "No human geometry, design, or recognisable architecture could he discern from these intricate gallows upon which the vanquished had been threaded. And twisted. And broken into the disorder of manmade materials to convey an awful aesthetic. None but the depraved could have imagined such a thing, and only then in the furthest leaps of abstraction." I found myself lost in this world, trapped in it, frustrated by it, wanting a way out, wanting to know how this happened in the first place. Following Karl, we navigate this terrible new world full of evil unexplained and all encompassing. Unlike too many Hollywood action films, Karl is not a superhero, equipped with knowledge and abilities meant for end-of-the-world survival. He is just a regular person. This is a great detail added and makes him, and the reader, more vulnerable. As Karl tries to make his way to where he feels he can escape and survive this new hell, we follow his journey and are shown evil in a new and different way. These are not zombies, crawling their way forward to eat the brains of the living. These are aparitions, "stay-heres", horrors, unveiled only in specific light, with clicks and smells. I want so badly for this to be a movie to see the visuals, but at the same time, don't want a movie to ruin this beautiful story. I could ramble forever about this, and most likely will devote and episode of haveyoureadthispodcast.com to it. This was an instant favorite and one that I will forever recommend. I loved this from start to finish.

This book kept me interested and I will buy more of his novels but it definitely isn’t a 5 star classic that you will want to read again.

It’s like The Mist, The Road, War of the Worlds, the book of Revelation, and HP Lovecraft had a love child.

Great story,pulls you right in,with a sense of dread!outstanding buy!

Spooky, horrifying, and incredibly grim. It's the perfect book for folks who love cosmic horror and are frequently nostalgic over "The Road."

"All the Fiends of Hell" is a captivating (in a horrific sense) tale of individuals caught in the aftermath of an "alien" (perhaps) invasion of Earth in which the only survivors are those too ill or infirm to have succumbed to "falling into the sky." The main characters are a childless man and two children who flee the invisible beings who violently kill any life that survived the original encounter. The principal human villain appears to be helpful at the outset but his murderous (and perhaps pedophilic) impulses are quickly revealed as the small group of survivors race for the sea which may offer protection from the predatory invaders. Initially, I did find the character of Karl (the childless man) interesting. He seemed barely more competent than the children (and whined more about the challenges faced than did the pre-adolescent boy). However, that provided him with the opportunity to grow in the face of overwhelming odds. The second half of the novel adds the complexities of saving helpless children while being pursued by monsters and the destruction of human society. Through most of the novel, we know nothing about these horrors other than the fact that they are strengthened by the red light that is slowly engulfing the planet and the fact that their presence is signaled by distinctive odors (chlorine and ozone). The horrors don't speak or otherwise communicate with the human characters which rendered the tale even more compelling. As a reader, I wanted to know "why" this was happening and "who" these fiends were as much as I wanted to see if the protagonists survived. These questions are part of why the novel was so compelling. Spoiler Alert: in life not all questions are answered. The writing is highly descriptive but clear and engaging. If you are a fan of horror and mystery, this book is an excellent choice.