Rating:

Hope in Hell

Author: Iain Rob Wright

Following on from The Road our intrepid group of mis-matched survivors have left the army and are seeking to destroy the alien corkscrews on their own. It’s a slim hope, but that’s all they (and humanity) have left. But hope is waning, the alien invaders have a shocking new tactic, and Aaron’s infection is morphing.

Second only to The Hill, Turning Point encapsulates everything that has made The Spread series so captivating. It’s creative, fast paced, post-apocalyptic mayhem with a soul. We’ve come to care for these characters deeply: from the shattered, grieving Helen; to the alcoholic Fiona; to the irate Cameron with heart of a hero; to Sophie and Nancy traveling the roads and seeking hope and those they love; to the big blue alien who started comically enough and is now a central character; to the beloved German Shepard Ranger and his once-bad master; to Aaron – the boy who became a man and sacrificed himself so gallantly and horrifically at the end of The Road.

Here, we pick up first with Aaron. He is infected, as we left him, with a green, twitching talon, barely controlled, replacing his arm. And yet, he maintains his humanity. As the infection grows and acts, Aaron becomes something else. This gives them a fighting chance while putting them all in extreme danger at the same time. Will love and friendship win out over the alien virus? Will Aaron learn to control his fungus infected side? Will this new hybridization save them or doom them? Will Aaron be forced to wander on his own as he changes, or can this beleaguered group find hope even in the darkest of transformations?

Meanwhile, of course, Iain Rob Wright is keeping the action high octane. You only thought the Greens were bad . . . wait until you see the new menace to literally fall from the sky. Be prepared to lose beloved characters and also gain new ones.

Image by Jordan Garner from Pixabay

Wright explores the man-as-monster theme more here, pitting humanity against itself as well as against the alien menace. There are some sappy moments, including some rousing speeches, concentrating on how humanity must band together and use this as a lesson to create a new, united future, alongside some blather about the joys of anarchy. It distracts from the aliens, unfortunately, but that’s ok, because Wright always remembers to get back to the action and put everyone in danger.

And the blue aliens, Helper included, have a more prominent and better role here. I admit, when they were first introduced, I hated it. It was taking the scary and making it silly, but the blue aliens have really come into their own, and Helper has become a favorite character here . . . which may or may not be a good thing. There is also a massive (if unbelievable) character surprise in the end that, frankly, made me incredibly happy. It wasn’t earned . . . but I didn’t even care because it’s exactly what I wanted.

I enjoyed the aptly named Turning Point so very much that I immediately started the final book in the series, Annihilation. While I felt that The Road had lost some of the steam gained by the series, it’s now more than back on track, with more risk, more horror, more creativity, and more memorable character moments. Narrator Aubrey Parsons really makes the Audible version too, bringing the accents thoroughly to life and making me even more connected to these lovable, brutalized characters who are trying to hold on to their humanity at the very end of the world. Highly recommended. This is an undervalued, often not touted addition to the horror world and a series that just keeps getting better.

– Frances Carden

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Frances Carden
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