The Reddening: A Gripping Folk-Horror Thriller from the Author of The Ritual.

Written by Adam L.G. Nevill

Narrated by Conner Goff

"One million years of evolution didn't change our nature. Nor did it bury the horrors predating civilisation. Ancient rites, old deities and savage ways can reappear in the places you least expect.

Lifestyle journalist Katrine escaped past traumas by moving to a coast renowned for seaside holidays and natural beauty. But when a vast hoard of human remains and prehistoric artefacts is discovered in nearby Brickburgh, a hideous shadow engulfs her life.

Helene, a disillusioned lone parent, lost her brother, Lincoln, six years ago. Disturbing subterranean noises he recorded prior to vanishing, draw her to Brickburgh's caves. A site where early humans butchered each other across sixty thousand years. Upon the walls, images of their nameless gods remain.

Amidst rumours of drug plantations and new sightings of the mythical red folk, it also appears that the inquisitive have been disappearing from this remote part of the world for years. A rural idyll where outsiders are unwelcome and where an infernal power is believed to linger beneath the earth. A timeless supernormal influence that only the desperate would dream of confronting. But to save themselves and those they love, and to thwart a crimson tide of pitiless barbarity, Kat and Helene are given no choice. They were involved and condemned before they knew it.

'The Reddening' is an epic story of folk and prehistoric horrors written by Adam Nevill, the author of 'The Ritual', 'Last Days', 'No One Gets Out Alive' and the three times winner of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JournalStone Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781094242705

Reviews for The Reddening

[remymilitello · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book is a mess. It breaks a lot of cardinal rules of writing. Which is really because I ordinarily love this author, but the plot just makes no sense at all and feels so deeply contrived at times it begs to be rewritten. The characters are all so paper thin. The two lead female characters are completely defined by motherhood and being barren, that’s literally it. This is in just stark contrast to the ritual where the whole cast feels so well fleshed out, even the villains. Also why the hell does the one lead with for a lifestyle magazine? In the context of the story it didn’t make any sense and the ending twist is so deeply contrived it just hurts. I wanted to like this, it got fairly good reviews in horror circles but it’s just honestly not very good. It’s overwritten and full telling not showing as well as massive info dumps that just feel clunky at best and pointless at worst. Go check out the ritual or god excellent short story collections, hard pass on this.

[Seff Liddell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The end of this book. I mean, this whole story was just....wild. I loved it.

[Nicholas Allan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not my favourite Adam Nevill book. I found myself getting bored towards the end and didn't care what happened to the characters. I love his other books but this one is a bit meh.....

[Tim · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good story and actually very well written overall. The characters are nothing to write home about but they are fine and get the job done. My main issue though, and this is really just personal preference, is that the author goes back and forth between normal prose and purple prose and it's honestly pretty jarring. Also I feel like this would have been much better if it had been a novelette as the story, while good, is pretty basic and the purple prose really drags it out...at the end of the day I'm glad I listened to it though I would never return to it.

[Mrs Henson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Terrifying and brutal. Scared me from beginning to end. Five stars!

[Alexandra Jane Welcome · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This rating is not a reflection of the book itself, but for the audiobook. Truly one of the worst narrations I have listened to. He read the whole story in one tone, giving no acting whatsoever. I do not expect narrators to be award winning actors, but this guy read this horror book like he was reading a math book. Monotone energy and narration. The book itself I give a 3.5, maybe a 4. But this audiobook was infuriating to listen to.

[Charles Haines · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chilling horror story. Well-executed. The only things that didn't work: one character took more risks than I could believe anybody would. Another character was just too credulous in one key scene, while the author overplayed the things that should have been a warning. Both times it detracted from character agency. But these were minor distractions from a very solid story.

[MistinaChristina · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was creepy in a way that I didn’t like. Unsettling in an icky way. Plus I really wanted more ancient mystery. But I did recommend it to people because it sticks with you. Which makes it worth reading.

[Jason Doerr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoy creepy folkloric horror. It's likely more plausible than we realize.

[Kristen Shull · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book had some good moments, but quickly lapsed into the worst kind of horror. The main characters are written as cliches and it repeats over and over. We get it, Helene is a mother. Kat is barren. Don't have to remind us every other paragraph (exaggeration but only slightly). The horror elements also become cliche and worn out. Not the best book.

[Austin Smith · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I have listened to hundreds of audiobooks (no exaggeration) and I have encountered very few that I have stopped before finishing. Narration was part of it, monotone and a LOT of mispronunciation which irritates me although maybe not other listeners. My biggest issue however is that it reads like a high school essay in which the student is trying to stretch content to meet a word limit. Left, right and center the author says the same thing in three different ways back to back or adds meaningless modifiers to sentences add substance.
Interesting idea but a terrible telling.

[Hannah Collins · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book itself was ok, the main story was good but it was just much longer than it needed to be.
The narration of the audiobook is horrible though! Why would they have an American narrate a story set in Devon? The mispronunciation of British place names and the characters accents were horrendous.. the book is set in Devon and Walsall, why do the locals have (really bad) cockney accents? And I think there was an attempt at Irish at some point too? Non-brits may not notice anything amiss, but as a Brit it really took me out of the story and made me wince and cringe all the way through… also, after wandering for ages wtf a “boo-ee” is and having no idea what was happening in the story, I finally realised he was talking about a “buoy” and it made me irrationally irritated. I nearly had to give up on the book then and there..
if you’re British and tempted by this book, do yourself a favour and get a paper copy, give the audiobook a miss

[Chase Connolly · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

the narrators voice is so dull couldn’t make it past the second chapter

[Angie Obryant · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed book very much! Kept readers intrigued and guessing. Thanks

[Lauren Powell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book, creepy from the start and I liked the ending. The climax lost it a little for me but still very good! The reading of this book is good, however the narrator is American. He mispronounced a lot of words probably through a combination of a lack of understanding of the regional quirks of English and unfamiliarity with the words.

[Jessica Kopchik · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just started it and it’s already very creepy! That’s rare for me, I’ve read SO many ‘horror’ novels in my life and I’m not usually impressed by them, especially so quickly. I’m excited to see where it goes…..I finished and definately recommend this to true bloody horror fans only!