Geek Syndicate Issue 3 | Page 58

Geek Syndicate BOOK REVIEW - Last Days plague his shoots. Frightening out-of-body experiences and nocturnal visitations follow, along with the discovery of ghastly artefacts. Until Kyle realises, too late, that they’ve become entangled in the cult’s hideous legacy. to help him. Following Max’s meticulously prepared filming schedule and with money no object, they are whisked between London, France and the American desert on the hunt for the story which will put them firmly on the filmmaking map. Except things go awry, things go awry in a very big way, as supernatural forces begin to take notice of Kyle and people around him start dying. As you would expect from Nevill, the writing is very good with strong characters and generally well paced plot development. Last Days has the feel of a more traditional horror story brought into the modern day with the reveals coming slowly throughout without allowing the story to drag too much, even at 500 plus pages. Last Days focuses on two obsessive egos; Sister Katherine’s desire for power and Kyle’s bloody mindedness at revealing the truth behind the cult and finishing his film at any cost. Although told anecdotally, with Katherine you get a real sense of the madness of a female Charles Manson capable of driving her followers to unspeakable acts of self-degradation. This is one manipulative woman you wouldn’t want to cross. Kyle’s descent into his own personal hell gives the story its edge as he fights against the interference and manipulations of the purportedly philanthropic Max. His obsession with controlling the film The Review: Here at Geek Syndicate we love a bit of well written horror so we were excited to get our eager little hands on a copy of the latest novel by rising star of the horror scene, Adam Nevill. Adam’s previous books have included The Ritual, Apartment 16 and Banquet for the Damned. Published by Pan MacMillan, Last Days is his fourth horror novel and throws us headlong into the world of cultists, guerrilla filmmaking and things that do more than just go bump in the night. Initially set in present day London, Last Days tells the tale of the rise and demise of the Temple of the Last Days cult founded by the infamous Sister Katherine in the nineteensixties. Guerrilla filmmaker Kyle Freeman is engaged by philanthropist Maximillian Solomon to film the untold story of the cult through interviews with ex-members and others whose lives had been touched by the actions of Sister Katherine. Tempted by the £100,000 on offer and promises of total editorial control, Kyle is hooked and it doesn’t take him long to persuade his elite production team of sound man Dan and editing genius Fingermouse Author: Adam Nevill Publisher: Pan Macmillan The Blurb: The new horror from this rising star of the macabre Indie filmmaker Kyle Freeman is a man at the end of his tether. He faces bankruptcy and obscurity, until he lands a commission to make an unusual documentary. The Temple of the Last Days was a notorious cult, which reached its bloody endgame in the Arizona desert in 1975. Ever since, the group’s rumoured mystical secrets and paranormal experiences have lain concealed behind a history of murder, sexual deviancy and imprisonment. Kyle and his one-man crew film the cult’s original bases in London and France – finally visiting the desert crime scene where the cult self-destructed in a night of ritualistic violence. But when Kyle interviews survivors, uncanny events 58