Desolation

by Tim Lebbon

A young man moves into a new apartment, but finds the other tenants in the building are all frighteningly strange. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0843954280
• ISBN13: 9780843954289
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Leisure Books
• Length: 309 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Desolation - A Review by Steve Vernon

DESOLATION by Tim Lebbon A Book Review by Steve Vernon Tim Lebbon's new Leisure Horror release, DESOLATION, reminded me a little of David Lynch's ERASERHEAD. I wasn't always certain what was going on, but I'd be damned if I could look away. Taut, bleak, compelling - a long slow bath in icy cold vinegar. We are brought into the life-space of a character named Cain. He moves into a sort of halfway-home from a sanitarium where he's been recuperating from his childhood. His father seemed to have problems distinguishing the difference between a cradle and a Skinner box. The neighbourhood is initially fraught with biblical metaphor. The caretaker's name is Peter. Peter lives in Heaven, (the name of the house that is). We meet a woman named Magenta. She changes shape as often as Star Jones changes her shoes. There's also a sexual flying nun, a pied piper with a hobby that Norman Bates could really get behind, and a werewolf, sort of. None of these characters seem to be overly influence Cain. He is more a spectator in a peepshow of the damned, trying to figure out how to act based upon the actions of a twisted band of outsiders. Cain has spent his entire life in a virtual isolation tank, and a great deal of this novel has to do with him finding himself. It's kind of like a "coming-of-age" novel written by a drunken Sartre. The pacing is very sedate. Like watching maggots grow upon paved over roadkill. There's a lot that seems to be happening between the lines. I would have liked to know more about this character, and I would have liked to have seen Cain actually interacting with his world. He seems a little stuck in the meditative, a perpetual spectator, calmly staring at the landscape he's awoken in. We are watching a man making up his mind, in the same way a man might make up an acre of beds. Calmly, methodically, dispassionately. Think of MY PRIVATE IDAHO, and you'll have captured the flavor. DESOLATION is not a novel for every reader. It's a bit of a "head-game" that you need to steep in. Soak it up, breathe it, get to know this character. Anyone who digs the long drawn out scrolls of flesh and ink that Ramsey Campbell loves to pen will enjoy DESOLATION. It's an affectation, a pose, a style and a taste that is definitely hard to acquire, but worth the knowing nonetheless. I think DESOLATION was a bit of an exploration for Lebbon. He's trying a new style. You will find yourself being wrapped up in Lebbon's own straight jacket, you'll feel his fingers busily tightening the stitches about your confinement, and then when you feel there is no escape, he will dig the needle in a little deeper. You keep waiting for something to happen, but it doesn't. The stitchwork grows a little tighter, and you're trapped. DESOLATION is a walk through a strange man's mind. A story told with a tight cloistered dispassion. There's a lot that happens, but it doesn't really happen to the character. It happens around the character. The ending was fun, a little rus

Dark, slow, moody, psychological

A slow, gripping psychological mind bender that never gets go. Told in a way that ensues you get the heavy dose at horror; because of the very slow pace and dreamy writing style, it's like being hooked up to a slow drip IV - a steady, slow drip of horror into your blood stream almost non stop. Don't go into this one without patience, however, for it is on the slower side. A reason Lebbon may have chosen this pace is because of the rich, bleak atmosphere he created. Note I said created, not tried to create. When I read this book I felt like I was falling down a spiral of darkness, zapped this way and that, my psyche being put on the hot plate and cooked on low heat. Excellent! Lebbon's style was so amazing it's more than good writing, it's a talent that deserves to be slapped on the wall and put on display. There were numerous occasions where I just sat back for a minute, stunned into reader silence, marveling at his way of writing. It came across as an artful type of prose, working well for me. This ride was worth the longer-than-normal wait - ignore the heat shining on your back, the annoying flies attracted to the crowds sweaty skin, the woman with the weird hat in front of you, the hour long wait flashing on the sign - once you get on this ride and reach your destination, you'll know it's worth it. I promise. If you turn out traumatized, I'm sure Cain can recommend some good therapists...

For hardcore fans...

The atmosphere is intense, spellbinding even. Imagine being in a completely black room, void of all senses other than hearing, and then something that you know doesn't belong there - or wasn't there a moment ago - echoes slightly. That's what this was; subtle changes in pressure, shadows at the edge of your vision, an unnerving chill up your spine for no good reason. The pace was lazy, like watching a leaf float along a river. You can either be bored by it and toss a rock in to break up the surface, or you can become hypnotized by it and lose track of time. The story is good, new, solid... you can smell the `but' here can't you? It just didn't grab me right away. Or rather it grabbed me, then told me to hang on while it took this phone call, and when it came back again I had to remember what the hell we were talking about. The nature of the tale is to be mystifying, I get that, but combined with the pace Lebbon used, it was not captivating. I really wanted to know what was going on, what was going to happen, where everyone was going to end up - I just didn't know if I wanted to find out today. The main character is befuddled, perplexing, and afraid of both of those facts. The other characters don't add much to clarify his situation for quite some time, and in their own way laugh at your confusion as the reader. That's okay though, I can handle a joke at my expense. Other than that factor, a very unique cast of characters is presented - something akin to a carnival's freak show. You're dangerously curious to see them, can't believe it when you do, have empathy for everyone inside the tent, and walk way thinking about how they got that way. Definitely a good thing to leave me with... And just to further mix my metaphors, Lebbon's style was like an actor attempting an accent they don't know how to do. When he slipped and his true voice came through it was amazing, when he remembered to be in character he almost seemed forced and uncomfortable. *sniff* I missed Lebbon, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching him grow, as the story grew, in this new technique. I don't know if I liked the style [especially when combined with this particular pace] but I know that I am intrigued by it. Go figure! The beginning is enticing, the ending is superb, and the middle... well it gets you there. It's not normal Lebbon, that much I know for sure. Did I like it? yes. Do I recommend it? I think so. To everyone? Maybe not. If you're a Lebbon fan you should have this because it is different - a FIVE [5] If you've never read Lebbon, then maybe a THREE [3] , I wouldn't necessarily suggest this one first, would depend on what kind of reader was asking...

The Grand Master of Horror

The plot is creative, intelligent, and absolutely enthralling. With a bit of the paranormal, a hint of spiritual awakening, and a subject that is often reported but never actually heard, this story will mark you for life. The subplot interweaves with the main gracefully, and not a moment too soon. Wrapping up questions that lingered, while others surface, I promise you, by the end of this book you will be screaming for more! Pulling you into a disorienting atmosphere, let me warn you now, you will spend half the book in a state of extreme confusion and paranoia. The imagery, while not terrifying, is nightmarish and deceitful. Also, the more you read, the more delusional you will become; inheriting Cain's psychosis. The pace is all-consuming in its need to involve you, trapping you in its embrace while slowly freeing you of your inhibitions. While it may seem slow to some, your patience will be rewarded. Is Lebbon's style altered? Yes and no. His writing, while slightly different than his norm, doesn't stray too far from what you've come to expect, the only change is his viewpoint. More distanced, it's only his perspective that has changed, evolved. Instead of participating in his stories, he has now become the observer. You can still see him in there; he's just chosen to reside in the shadows. Never fear though, even if Lebbon's style has changed - his characters haven't. Constructing a cast that is highly diverse, each is interesting in their own right. The characters are intriguing, and emotionally-binding. Thought their talents and outlook may differ, it is their vitality that grabs you. Focusing on Cain and his journey to self-discovery, the supporting cast adds insight and comprehension into Cain's impulsion without hindering it. Perfect!!