- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Abaddon (Sep 26 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1905437013
- ISBN-13: 978-1905437016
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 10.9 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 204 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #273,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Product Description
The world has been devastated by an epidemic. Although there are pockets of an attempted continuation of civilisation, the truth is that the world has gone to hell in a handcart. The reason for this is a disease that has wiped out most of the world's population. It kills almost all those who are not of the blood group 'O neg'. Those people who survive are untouched. Everyone else dies. Infrastructures have collapsed. Mobs run rampant. The only kind of law that exists is that imposed by the people with the biggest guns. In this devastated and chaotic world who can bring hope and order? The Blight arose from nowhere. It swept across the bickering nations like the End of Times. As the numbers thinned and societies crumbled, the survivors picked their way between silent streets and looked out on the squalid new order. Hotheaded religion and territorial savagery rule the cities now. Somewhere, amidst the chaos, a damaged man receives a signal, and with it the tiniest flicker of hope. This is the chance to rediscover the humanity he lost, long ago, in the blood and filth and horror of the Cull. He mustcross the Atlantic, defeat warrior gangs in New York and seek out the location of his missing love.
About the Author
Simon Spurrier is an award-winning writer of novels and graphic novel fiction. He's worked extensively for the UK's talent-factory title 2000 AD, has published novels with Abaddon, the Black Library and Black Flame, and has won a series of accolades and prizes for screenwriting. He's worked as a cook, a bookseller, a BBC Art Director and a film student. He lives in London because the night sky is a far better shade of green than anywhere else.
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Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.1 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bloody, good fun., Jun 23 2009
By J. Shurin "carnivore" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: AFTERBLIGHT CHRONICLES: CULLED (Paperback)
In The Culled, the first of the Afterblight Chronicles, Spurrier introduces a post-apocalyptic world that's vicious, deranged, horrific and a whole lot of fun. Spurrier channels the golden age of splatterpunk in describing a disease-ravaged land populated by cannibals, cultists and drug-hazed maniacs.
The main character is an ex-SAS assassin type - exactly the sort of bullet-chewing hard man/action hero that the book needs. There's not a lot of subtlety going on - but that's not what the book requires. Spurrier takes the reader on a trans-atlantic, flashback-littered journey through the world of the Culled, keen to show off as much as possible before the ink runs out.
As a result, the plot (such as it is) takes a bit of a backseat. There are clearly defined good guys and bad guys (whew), so the reader doesn't really need to know why anything is happening as much as sit back and enjoy the show. And, again, it is a pretty spectacular show. Explosions, lunatics, super-violence, more explosions, car chases, man-hunts, gladiators, cannibals... anything that can blow up and/or lose a head appears during the course of the book. The result is surprisingly creative (and a very good time).
My one objection is the vague inference of the supernatural. Spurrier carefully mocks the rise of cult-like religion, while empathetically explaining how it came about. However, one of the sidekicks (a minor protagonist in his own right) is a Native American survivor of the Cull - chosen to go on a spiritual dream-quest by his tribal elders. He's plagued by mystical omens (some of which derive from his ultra-powerful drugs) and curious portents. It is a little over-the-top, and comes close to ruining an otherwise 'science fiction' style thriller. There's also the random editorial decision that allowed entire chapters to be written in italicized text - style aside, this was a (literal) headache.
Overall, a fun, filthy (in a good way) book. The Cull is shaping up to be a great shared world from a publisher that's not afraid to take risks. The second book (Kill or Cure) is fantastic, and I look forward to pressing on with the third!
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice escape from the world for a few hours, Dec 22 2007
By Dogs & Horses "Spanish Norman Horses" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: AFTERBLIGHT CHRONICLES: CULLED (Paperback)
I enjoyed the heck out of this book. Love the idea of looking at the new world after global "destruction" without zombies or vampires! It was a great way to pass hours at a time in a hospital waiting room over the weekend and the reason for the adventure was one I was not expecting at the end. Worth adding to your 4 for 3 Amazon deal!
53 of 77 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not sure about this book (I wonder about the sequels), May 9 2007
By vladimir998 "vladimir998" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: AFTERBLIGHT CHRONICLES: CULLED (Paperback)
Simon Spurrier, who I never heard of before stumbling across this book, is apparently an British horror writer. Having always been interested in "End of the World" stories, I immediately got Spurrier's book and began reading. Overall, the novel was average. I do not think you will necessarily regret reading it if you are a horror or end-of-the-world fan, but there are several aspects of the book I found particularly annoying.
Please forgive me for focusing on my pet peeves, but...
1) The F-bomb is used repeatedly - I mean REPEATEDLY. It's used as a noun. It's used as a verb. It's used as a modifier. It's used too often.
2) Once again, as seen in way too many end-of-the-world/sci-fi books, the military is evil.
3) Once again, as seen in way too many end-of-the-world/sci-fi books, the Christianity is evil.
4) The hero is far too perfect in terms of his ability to survive, defeat superior odds, fight his way out of impossible situations, etc. He might as well have a big red S on his chest and be able to leap tall buildings.
5) The way that the hero locates a message from his long lost love is just so over the top, although it is a lead in for a sequel. Alas, a sequel.
I have no idea if I am going to bother reading the sequel.
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