| Title | : | Darkbound |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 289 |
| Publication | : | First published January 19, 2013 |
Darkbound Reviews
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4 "I am soooooooooo done with Halloween" stars !!!
I finished this half an hour or so ago and I cannot get my heart to stop pounding and my breathing to slow down. This book scared the bejezus out of me over and over and over again. This was not fun at all.
When I finished this book- I grabbed the cat and held him tight, turned on all the lights in the house, put on some Eurythmics full blast and called my partner on his cell and begged him to come home early from his bridge night. I have not been so scared reading a book for a very long time. If I was alone at the cottage I think I would likely have several panic attacks. (no joke it was that scary)
I have had nightmares three nights in a row and kept a nightlight on. I want this book to be forgotten very soon.
This book was FRIGHTENING on four different levels: atmospherically, psychologically, sociologically and supernaturally. It was very well written (for mass market) and the tension was high right throughout the book. I found the story highly original and the characters varied and interesting. The premise is that six strangers get stuck on a subway and the subway leads to six different types of hell and I am going to leave it at that as I do not want to give anything else away.
I HIGHLY recommend this to horror buffs and the rest of you STAY AWAY!!!
Now I am going to just read reviews until my sweetie gets home and please let me have a restful sleep. No more horror for me for a while.
Damn you Mr. Collings you know how to write scary shite!!! :)) -
3.5 Stars
"The Dead are coming for us"....."They're touching me"....."They're inside of me".....(and that's just a preview of "things" to come)
This work of horror turns creepy fast after six diverse passengers board a seemingly innocent subway train (barring the skull-thing) that turns into a train ride from hell soon reminding me of Aliens, Night of the Living Dead and The Twilight Zone all rolled into one. With otherworldly "revengeful" spirits about and horrors just "too disgusting" to mention, the screams of madness soon become filled with an abundance of blood and gore.
While I, personally, did not find this a particularly scary read due to the heavy gore factor, (the more subtle approach of gothic lore is what creeps me out the most) it did have its moments, and the disgustingly ghoulish creatures within the pitch black atmosphere of a speed demon train made for a great Halloween read!
There is only one thing left to say..... Enjoy!
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In true Collings form, 'Darkbound' is one graphic, explicit and terrifyingly psychological ride through his tremendous imagination!
At each stop my heart pounded as I waited and wondered for what was to come next to the group of 6 passengers trapped on a subway ride through the primordial ooze of torturous and horrific suffering. More importantly... why??
For anyone desiring a good scare - I highly recommend. -
I listened this one on audio and it was one hell of a ride. Steve Marvel did a great job with the narration. His tone and cadence were spot on throughout and really added to the building tension of the story as the subway train barreled down the track heading straight to hell. A well done audio and a well written tale with a solid storyline and colorful characters. 4 Stars!
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Darkbound is a dark and crazy read where things really do go bump in the night. Finding themselves on a train of horror, a group of seemingly innocent bystanders are overcome one by one. Gruesome deaths and hidden secrets are revealed over time and it made for a really exciting read. It becomes clearer over time everyone is there for a reason but it's not clear why or how until the bitter end. Parts of the book were mildly confusing but it works given the circumstances. The group is on the fast track to hell and I only wish the book was a bit longer. Enjoyed this!
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3.5 stars. This book had a very interesting premise. Five strangers get trapped in a train compartment on the subway and then become prey to strange manifestations. It becomes evident that their very lives are in danger as they watch one of their number torn apart by some supernatural force before their eyes. They have to bond together and figure out how to escape.
It was well-written and definitely got the reader involved in the action and caring about the characters. I would give it a full 4 stars, but it was a tad predictable. I had the book figured out very early on. That doesn't mean I wasn't occasionally surprised with some of the details, and that it wasn't an interesting journey. It was a very quick read and I would suggest this to hardcore gore fans especially.
Collings other book, "Strangers" dealt with similar themes but was a tad less predictable. I would suggest that over this.
Anyways, I'm not sad I bought it except for the gore was a little too squelchy for me. Other than that, you might enjoy it. Depends on your tastes. -
A very twisted read, I give it a strong 4.5. Loved the concept and the twists in the story. One of those rare books that I can honestly say "I didn't see that coming"
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I am so enamoured with MichealBrent Collings that I’m reading everything he has written. I also love subway stories. There is always something creepy about a subway’s atmosphere. Thus, I was very much looking forward to reading this. It is a pretty good story but nowhere in the realm of Collings other novels. My biggest issue was that I saw the ending coming from a mile away and that sort of killed it for me. It is well-written but just lacked in an exciting plot that didn’t just follow the same pattern from train car to train car. The ending was a nice wrap up.
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ABR's original
Darkbound audiobook review and many others can be found at
Audiobook Reviewer.
Warning: this is a horror novel with some gore and mentioning of rape.
For a horror genre the settings of the novel are real, it’s a normal subway station in the early morning hours.
In the early morning, there are six people waiting in the subway to ride the Metro. The problem is that the Metro isn’t taking them to where they want to go or even where they should go. Instead this Metro goes where their fear is . . . We see Jim, a family man, describing the other passengers by stereotypes so we have a sweet old grandma, a ganger, a rapist, a rich lawyer, and a pedophile. You know the normal people you see every day, yet moving with the chapters of the story we realize how the characters are much more complex than their simple stereotypes. The author really focused on the inner psychology of each character in their behavior, speech, and reactions. There were reality aspects to each of these characters, but I didn’t find them likable.
The events had a very visual aspect told from Jim’s point of view, but he wasn’t the narrator here. The plot was fast going; we see an incident after another in very quick session, with the degree of horror intensity climbing up a notch with each incident. As is common in the horror genre this had a very climatic ending, but was it predictable? For me some aspects were clear, I knew the jest of what was happening, but I will say there were some very good plot twists here.
Steve Marvel did a great job here as his voice was calm but chilling in describing the horror and even the gory parts. He really gave each character its own voice and accent depending on the background of each of them. He delivered the emotion in each moment making the reader feel as if they are there watching what is happening.
A psychological note: since I’m a psychologist, I couldn’t pass by without saying, there is a character whom we are told is a sociopath. I have to say this isn’t quite accurate, a sociopath wouldn’t feel anxious, afraid, or despair, a sociopath feel so little or mostly nothing.
Audiobook provided for review by the author. -
Six stereotypes on the subway train of the damned. Interesting premise but the execution leaves quite a bit to be desired. The passages of horrific gore go on for too long, becoming boring and repetitive and the characters are such thinly developed stereotypes that you don't care enough about them for there to be much in the way of suspense.
I was pretty bored before the half way point but I pushed through to the end so that I could see what was going to be revealed. Not sure it was worth it. The end is more interesting than most of what preceded it but was still fairly predictable. I didn't predict it exactly but I got pretty close. -
One of my favorite films from the 1960's was DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS. In the story, a group of strangers are traveling together in a train car and are subjected to a horrific glimpse of their futures. (Christopher Lee being pursued by a dismembered hand gave me nightmares.)
This delightfully wicked book uses a similar theme, although the tension, justification and the grizzliness are all heightened. I suppose it could have been subtitled, "Here's what would happen if the Cenobites ran a major transportation system."
The only real fault I found with the story is that it telegraphs the "reason why" early in the tale. Part of this is because of excellent use of foreshadowing. It would have been perfect for me, though, if the ending had been a complete surprise.
That being said, this is a marvelous horror story with indelibly drawn characters. It was easy to picture all of them, and their images haunted my mind for some time after completing the book. Readers who do not appreciate graphic sex scenes have nothing to fear here. However, if detailed descriptions of gore bother you, it would be best to move on.
The writing is crisp and the narrative unfolds at an engaging pace. I'm sure some other reviewer will have noted that this could easily be made into a movie. At the same time, this is terrific for a novel, and horror fans will have a reason to anticipate each new reading session ... certainly to see if their predictions of the plot line come true.
If you've ever wondered what an old Amicus horror story would have been like if it was written by Clive Barker, you may find your answer here. It is a form of storytelling that isn't willing to let you go. -
Amidst all the mystery, the impending sense of doom that hangs over the characters, and the graphic descriptions of gore, there's something almost delightfully fun about Michaelbrent Collings' DARKBOUND.
Briefly, several people are trapped on a Subway-Car-to-Hell and it doesn't take a genius to realize that the plot of this book is going to be a series of punishments for the revealed sins of the subway car's occupants. The flaw in the book, and it's strength, is this very predictability.
Collings is able to create fairly fully-fleshed out characters with extraordinary efficiency, using what would pass for only the briefest sketch under the pen of a less talented author. We get very little exposition; Collings thrusts us right into the action and into his alternative reality without any apologies or explanations. And when he does decide to make his character revelations, nothing is very surprising. Yet the slow, inexorable decline in the number of passengers still alive on the train is, for lack of a better word, fun in the same way we loved watching TEN LITTLE INDIANS and THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE, or even FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH and gleefully wondering, "Who's next and how are they gonna buy the farm?"
There's a bit too much gore for my taste, frankly, and I think that Collings could have been a trifle more creative and ironic with some of his characters' demises, especially the latter ones. And DARKBOUND is far from something that can be described as "great" literature. But, if you accept it for what it is, an amusing (if gory!) and clever little horror romp, you'll undoubtedly get as much enjoyment out of it as I did. -
All aboard! And hold on tight, because this is one downward spiral of a ride that just might make you think twice about hopping in a New York subway. Or, really, any train.
Six people get on. None will leave, not in the conventional sense, and before you get to thinking that was a cheap spoiler, the suspense is not about what is obviously going to happen. I hold your intelligence in high regard. Rather, it’s how it will all come together, or fall apart as the case may be.
I bought the book on a whim, one of those Audible recommendations that returned positive reviews on Goodreads. It was well worth the shot in the dark, because we’re not talking about an average horror book. In some ways its hard to write of the plot without giving away the meat of it, but think modern twist on Dante’s Inferno.
Do not read if you have a weak stomach. After a time the author experiences a bit of detail fatigue, but getting broken in is a slow and methodical process.
That is part of the reason it fell short of 5 stars. It’s very well written to be sure, but if you’re going to go nuts, you may as well embrace the lunacy in all its twisted glory. Get a little creative with the escalating horror. Why hold back now?
Also, it’s one of those books you can read once and be satisfied. I may return to it in a decade or so, but the story is so open and shut that there’s not a whole lot to come back and digest with a second or third read.
Definitely a good read for October! And I am most definitely looking into other titles by this guy. -
The first few pages really got me hooked and I was convinced this would be an easy five star read. However, a couple more pages into it my enthusiasm slowly left, and I caught myself reading only a couple pages at a time.
All in all, an entertaining and thrilling ride, but the predictability of the plot stole a lot of fun for me. -
I'm having one of those "How do I write this review without giving everything away?" moments. Seriously, it's the twists and turns of what we learn on this subway that makes the journey so enjoyable. You know, enjoyable in a dark, brutal, bloody sort of way.
My word of warning is that this book is pretty gruesome. Gross things happen. Bloody, terrible things. So, if you have a weak stomach or don't like gore, it's probably best to stay away. However, if you like a little viscera in your story, this book does deliver.
I like the twists we learn about each character as their story unfolds. Some of them you can see coming but a few surprised me. I like being surprised. Bad things happen and the people we see on the outside aren't AT ALL the people they are within. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @
Reading the Paranormal -
4.5 stars
This subway truly leads UNDERGROUND!
Michaelbrent Collings continues to amaze me with his incredible writing talent! I've been reading just about everything of his that I can find lately, and have yet to give less than a 4 star rating to any of them. DARKBOUND was a solid, grisly read that took many unexpected turns throughout. Just when I thought I had figured out some aspect of the storyline, it would veer off in an entirely new direction. The unpredictability in all of Collings' work does wonders to showcase his versatility and imagination in this genre. A unique voice in horror that I look forward to reading much more from in the future.
Highly recommended! -
Darkbound is as well-written tale that will keep you guessing as you take a terrifying trip on a subway like no other. Read this, you won't be disappointed if you enjoy exciting twists. I'm looking forward to reading more from the author. (may not be appropriate for readers with delicate sensibilities)
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Got this for the Kindle because it sounded interesting. Next thing I know, I've read the entire thing in one afternoon. Really creepy and well-written. I've been wanting a good scary read and this was perfect.
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Book 45/75: Darkbound by Michaelbrent Collings. Probably not the best choice considering how anxious I've been lately but I've always found an unspoken calmness reading horror novels because the characters' problems are always much worse than my own reality. Something not many books have to offer (especially not romance lol). Now this one... this one is just plain gore for the sake of gore too, oh wow, my stomach is in knots. What a roller coaster. Then you realize how much this is like the movie Seven in a way, everyone is getting what they deserve and it becomes a personal eternal hell. We're they already dead upon entering this hell subway? Who knows, but it explains the gore. I figured out quite early that the punishment had fit the crime except for the main character of the story that reached the end, and it explained everything. God, I love horror for this reason. The twists and turns and how human nature at its core shows its true colours in the end.
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Much about this book was sort of predictable. A subway with various levels of hell? Figured it out after the first death(although, I wasn’t 100% sure and thought it could go a zombie/ghoul route). Drug lord? Sociopathic stalker? Seen both from a mile away.
Even though certain elements were predictable, it was still a hell of a ride (lol).
The characters were well written and the gory, graphic scenes made me uncomfortable.
Some of my comments above may seem like I didn’t enjoy the book, but I absolutely did. It was difficult to put down.
If you’re a horror fan, I think you’ll enjoy this. You’ll enjoy it even more if you’re into gore and violence. -
It's hard to review this book without giving away the story. 6 people board a subway car and all Hell breaks loose, quite literally. As the train moves forward we learn about each of the passengers, and some horrific things happen. The action starts early and doesn't let up until the very end. If you're a fan of Michaelbrent Collings like I am, you will know that things are rarely as they appear to be and his characters are multidimensional, and will still manage to surprise you. There is a lot of gore, so if you're sensitive to that, you may want to skip this one, but if not, go for it. It's a great read!
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Had this one on my TBR pile and picked it out to take me through the weekend. This was straight up horror and I LOVED it. Not many authors can bring on those chills like MBC. Bit of a build up while we meet the players and then BAM. The visuals in some of the happenings can be somewhat gory but it is horror after all. Some of the the story was a bit predictable but made me shudder at the thought of what was happening just the same. Reads like an old late night Amicus Studios anthology chiller thriller film from the 60s and 70s. I enjoyed it.
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A quick, fun and brutal read. Six people trapped on a NY subway train (was it being driven by a skull-faced engineer? Who can say?). There’s no earthly way of knowing where the subway train is going. Certainly it’s not showing any signs of slowing. Anyway, if you’ve read a horror novel or two before (or seen one of Amicus portmanteau horror movies from the 70’s) you know where this train is headed and what’s in store for our strap-riders. Figuring it out doesn’t detract from one minute of the bloody fun. Recommended as a good ride.
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Just Wow!
I could not stop reading this book, I finished it in 2 days! This is not for those who are squeamish, the subject matter and descriptions are very graphic. I wasn't sure where this was going at times but the way it was all pulled together at the end, amazing and scary at the same time! This book left me exhausted but in a good way. -
Six strangers boarding a subway end up in the same car since the door will only open on the last car. Everything about the subway seems wrong. The lights go out as the subway speeds down the tracks. Darkbound is a very well written horror tale, the characters well defined. Can't say much more without a spoiler!
