Ararat: a 2017 Bram Stoker Award winner
ByChristopher Golden
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Readers` Reviews
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
john dinh
ARARAT by Christopher Golden has a premise that is, if you’ll pardon the pun “golden” – an earthquake exposes a hitherto unknown cave in Mount Ararat, the legendary resting place of Noah’s Ark. A group of adventurer/explorers investigate and find much more than they bargained for…
Great idea; so good in fact it’s surprising it hasn’t been done before (F. Paul Wilson’s “The Keep” touched a little bit on similar notions), and as other reviewers have noted, it is highly cinematic. So much so, that I strongly suspect ARARAT was written as a screenplay before it was produced as a novel – the book itself reads very much like a movie novelization, with, sadly, all the flaws that tend to come with that form – uninspired prose, thinly sketched characters, and by-the-numbers story beats.
Golden has his great idea and does very little with it; there is no passion or energy to the narrative, which moves at a plodding pace (the main action, after a set-up intro, takes place over about three days but it feels like weeks with lots of back and forthing and chin-wagging achieving very little). No effort is put into building any atmosphere, and descriptives are sparse and kind of contradictory (when you step into the cave you essentially step into the belly of the ark, Golden tells us, with ancient, dry wood that groans and creaks with the wind, and yet characters run, jump, pound, fall, and collide with it all through the story with nary a splinter knocked away. The ark itself seems to be small when he needs it to be small, and vast when he needs it to be vast, and wait, there are three decks? Four?). Golden seems to latch onto a handful of key notes and then just repeat them over and over (The horns-horns-horns! Snow-snow-snow! Wind-wind-wind!). And if we made a drinking game out of the repetition of the word “bitumen” in the text, most of us would be unconscious in the hospital with alcohol-poisoning before hitting the halfway mark.
Characters are talking heads with one or two shallow traits given, which are then stated and restated for, I suppose, the benefit of a short attention-span audience (ohhh, right, he’s the guy with the kid, yeah, I forgot… uh, who’s the old, fat guy again?). Golden moves his people around, and then kills them off without much interest and zero impact. The early kills are never really followed through – the devil made someone do it, but who? The same person each time? A different person? Guess it didn’t matter. Like all classic, cheesy horror movies, the book ends with a “final bump” and like those cheesy horrors, it makes no character sense. Downright contradictory again, based on everything that’s happened to that particular character, but oh well – gotta give the audience something to talk about as they leave the multiplex; I mean close the book.
Clearly from the other reviews, a lot of people did like this book, and I’m happy for them. Your level of enjoyment will probably depend on your level of experience with horror overall, and with the concepts in the story – the newer it all is to you, the more you’ll tend to dig it, I think. It is a great idea, it really is. It will make a decent movie. But as a superficial, merely adequate workman novel, I can only recommend it if you have some time you want to kill.
Great idea; so good in fact it’s surprising it hasn’t been done before (F. Paul Wilson’s “The Keep” touched a little bit on similar notions), and as other reviewers have noted, it is highly cinematic. So much so, that I strongly suspect ARARAT was written as a screenplay before it was produced as a novel – the book itself reads very much like a movie novelization, with, sadly, all the flaws that tend to come with that form – uninspired prose, thinly sketched characters, and by-the-numbers story beats.
Golden has his great idea and does very little with it; there is no passion or energy to the narrative, which moves at a plodding pace (the main action, after a set-up intro, takes place over about three days but it feels like weeks with lots of back and forthing and chin-wagging achieving very little). No effort is put into building any atmosphere, and descriptives are sparse and kind of contradictory (when you step into the cave you essentially step into the belly of the ark, Golden tells us, with ancient, dry wood that groans and creaks with the wind, and yet characters run, jump, pound, fall, and collide with it all through the story with nary a splinter knocked away. The ark itself seems to be small when he needs it to be small, and vast when he needs it to be vast, and wait, there are three decks? Four?). Golden seems to latch onto a handful of key notes and then just repeat them over and over (The horns-horns-horns! Snow-snow-snow! Wind-wind-wind!). And if we made a drinking game out of the repetition of the word “bitumen” in the text, most of us would be unconscious in the hospital with alcohol-poisoning before hitting the halfway mark.
Characters are talking heads with one or two shallow traits given, which are then stated and restated for, I suppose, the benefit of a short attention-span audience (ohhh, right, he’s the guy with the kid, yeah, I forgot… uh, who’s the old, fat guy again?). Golden moves his people around, and then kills them off without much interest and zero impact. The early kills are never really followed through – the devil made someone do it, but who? The same person each time? A different person? Guess it didn’t matter. Like all classic, cheesy horror movies, the book ends with a “final bump” and like those cheesy horrors, it makes no character sense. Downright contradictory again, based on everything that’s happened to that particular character, but oh well – gotta give the audience something to talk about as they leave the multiplex; I mean close the book.
Clearly from the other reviews, a lot of people did like this book, and I’m happy for them. Your level of enjoyment will probably depend on your level of experience with horror overall, and with the concepts in the story – the newer it all is to you, the more you’ll tend to dig it, I think. It is a great idea, it really is. It will make a decent movie. But as a superficial, merely adequate workman novel, I can only recommend it if you have some time you want to kill.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
nanzy
Golden writes a taut, insightful thriller. It's cold, it's cramped, it's in the modern world, and yet you cannot get out! There's a lot of weirdness going on, when an avalanche uncovers Noah's Ark on Mt. Arrarat. But it turns out that there's a lot more to the story than got handed down to us, two thousand years later.
But all the atmosphere in the world won't help if you don't care about the characters. But Golden works it, makes the characters come to life. You spend a lot of time with these people, and though it sometimes feels crowded in the frozen cave up on the mountain, you always know who everybody is. And that's a real achievement for such a large cast.
Excellent book, recommended to anyone who likes supernatural thrillers.
But all the atmosphere in the world won't help if you don't care about the characters. But Golden works it, makes the characters come to life. You spend a lot of time with these people, and though it sometimes feels crowded in the frozen cave up on the mountain, you always know who everybody is. And that's a real achievement for such a large cast.
Excellent book, recommended to anyone who likes supernatural thrillers.
Now a major online streaming series - The World of Lore :: What the Hell Did I Just Read (John Dies at the End) :: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul :: Native Son (Abridged) by Richard Wright (2003-09-30) :: The Night Listener
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
charles nicholas saenz
An earthquake and subsequent avalanche on Mt. Ararat leads to the discovery of a cave in which the final resting place of Noah's Ark is believed to have been discovered. A team of experts is hastily assembled to ascend the mountain and establish whether it is indeed the Ark.
Events take a sinister turn when a coffin-type box encased in bitumen is forced open and the remains of a hideous, horned cadaver are revealed. Could this really be a demon? A growing sense of unease and claustrophobia ensues and the team become increasingly unsettled and unnerved. When events take a violent turn, they need to evacuate the mountain immediately but there's a problem. A fierce blizzard is howling outside and anyone foolish enough to risk leaving may pay for it with their life. If they remain inside the cave they will almost certainly die too.
Ararat is a must-read for any ardent horror devotee. The sense of claustrophobia and ensuing doom is palpable; so much so that I could not put this book down! Anyone who has seen the movie 'The Thing' will understand the hopelessness and bleakness of the situation presented to the reader. I came to care about the characters and their backstories. I needed to know if they were going to survive or if the evil lurking inside the cave would claim them.
If you don't already own a copy of this book - GO AND GET IT. You won't be disappointed. It's one of the best horror novels I've read.
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley and Headline publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Events take a sinister turn when a coffin-type box encased in bitumen is forced open and the remains of a hideous, horned cadaver are revealed. Could this really be a demon? A growing sense of unease and claustrophobia ensues and the team become increasingly unsettled and unnerved. When events take a violent turn, they need to evacuate the mountain immediately but there's a problem. A fierce blizzard is howling outside and anyone foolish enough to risk leaving may pay for it with their life. If they remain inside the cave they will almost certainly die too.
Ararat is a must-read for any ardent horror devotee. The sense of claustrophobia and ensuing doom is palpable; so much so that I could not put this book down! Anyone who has seen the movie 'The Thing' will understand the hopelessness and bleakness of the situation presented to the reader. I came to care about the characters and their backstories. I needed to know if they were going to survive or if the evil lurking inside the cave would claim them.
If you don't already own a copy of this book - GO AND GET IT. You won't be disappointed. It's one of the best horror novels I've read.
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley and Headline publishers in exchange for an honest review.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
j v bolkan
Review of ARARAT by Christopher Golden
Approaching this novel, I expected excellence and received it, even exceeding my expectations. This is a story that defines the term page-turner, as I could not rest until I completed it (and oh! That ending! Knocked me for a loop!). In fact, I stayed up late, postponing sleep, in order to reach the remarkable end of a remarkable novel.
An avalanche on Mount Ararat in Turkey (the specified Biblical location of Noah's Ark) uncovers an immense cave, where indeed is contained an ark. Inside are bones, both human and animal, and a wooden box sealed with bitumen pitch. Of course, the discovery itself sets off controversy around the world, arguments and discussions as to whether it is the Biblical Ark, or not, and because of its potential religious ramifications, incites controversy irregardless.
A pair of adventurers, very different in their background, an engaged couple who together travel and write books on their adventures in “calculated risk,” are first to reach the newly exposed cave and so are granted archaeological rights by the Turkish government. Their discovery, and future explorations, unleash an immensity of tribulation, violence, death, and more.
Author Christopher Golden amasses a tapestry of contemporary archaeology, prehistory and historical record, science fiction, religion, spirituality, and as always, the very human nature of the individuals who come together on Mount Ararat.
I reviewed a digital ARC generously provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, for review and book blog purposes. This review is my fair and impartial opinion of this book.
Approaching this novel, I expected excellence and received it, even exceeding my expectations. This is a story that defines the term page-turner, as I could not rest until I completed it (and oh! That ending! Knocked me for a loop!). In fact, I stayed up late, postponing sleep, in order to reach the remarkable end of a remarkable novel.
An avalanche on Mount Ararat in Turkey (the specified Biblical location of Noah's Ark) uncovers an immense cave, where indeed is contained an ark. Inside are bones, both human and animal, and a wooden box sealed with bitumen pitch. Of course, the discovery itself sets off controversy around the world, arguments and discussions as to whether it is the Biblical Ark, or not, and because of its potential religious ramifications, incites controversy irregardless.
A pair of adventurers, very different in their background, an engaged couple who together travel and write books on their adventures in “calculated risk,” are first to reach the newly exposed cave and so are granted archaeological rights by the Turkish government. Their discovery, and future explorations, unleash an immensity of tribulation, violence, death, and more.
Author Christopher Golden amasses a tapestry of contemporary archaeology, prehistory and historical record, science fiction, religion, spirituality, and as always, the very human nature of the individuals who come together on Mount Ararat.
I reviewed a digital ARC generously provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, for review and book blog purposes. This review is my fair and impartial opinion of this book.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
greg forrester
Ararat is a great horror story about finding Noah's ark. In this book, the ark contained more than the story in the Bible told. A team of archaeologists, a priest, and a camera crew discover the remains of something that looks like a horned demon! This was like listening to a very dark version of Indiana Jones! I loved it! Great narration by Robert Fass!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
gayatri
It’s true that ambition is the path to success. But when ambition leads them to the top of Mount Ararat, ambition might turn to be out a lot more. Ararat is the horror novel by Christopher Gold which is one of the best horror books for 2017.
Maryam and Adam are a newly engaged young and very ambitious couple. Together they have coauthored a lot of books about their adventures and travels to thrilling and dangerous places. To them, that thrill is not only about making a living, it’s the way they feel alive. Having written three very successful books, Meryam comes to Adam with the new opportunity in hand. An adventure on Mount Ararat to explore an ancient cave over there. After a recent avalanche, the cave had emerged. Can this cave be related to Noah’s Arc? Can this be their opportunity to a groundbreaking discovery and thus to worldwide fame and fortune?
A team of researchers, archeologists, film makers and even UN and US representatives is assembled. Together they work at this extremely dangerous altitude to unravel the cave’s secret. The joy of the discovery is thrilling, but something is not right. Something is lurking in the shadows and waiting for them.
Ararat has been one of the best horror books I read this year. The adventure is very thrilling. Also the setting is more than wonderful. I love books about mountains and snow. If climbing such mountain as Ararat was not challenging enough, then there’s the mysterious evil on the top. It’s not only that. Christopher Gold has his way of setting the events and the characters. The writing style is eloquent and encompassing. I loved the way he weaved myth into his story, I stayed all night unable to put the book down. My eyes were closing, yet I was dying to know what comes next.
One of the things I loved about the book was the ending. It follows some classical masterpiece of literature, but I still loved it. I think it also gives way to a second installment. I don’t know whether the author intended to have other installments. All I am saying is that his ending allows for that. It can be a fantastic second installment.
Some few things I noticed about the book. I believe the author wasn’t successful in portraying how women are treated in the Middle East. He emphasized how the Turkish guide was not used to reporting to women and just tried to ignore Meryam and scorn her. Well, that’s not the case. Women in the Middle East are well educated and respected and can have whatever post they are entitled to just like men.
**Special thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for supplying my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. **
Maryam and Adam are a newly engaged young and very ambitious couple. Together they have coauthored a lot of books about their adventures and travels to thrilling and dangerous places. To them, that thrill is not only about making a living, it’s the way they feel alive. Having written three very successful books, Meryam comes to Adam with the new opportunity in hand. An adventure on Mount Ararat to explore an ancient cave over there. After a recent avalanche, the cave had emerged. Can this cave be related to Noah’s Arc? Can this be their opportunity to a groundbreaking discovery and thus to worldwide fame and fortune?
A team of researchers, archeologists, film makers and even UN and US representatives is assembled. Together they work at this extremely dangerous altitude to unravel the cave’s secret. The joy of the discovery is thrilling, but something is not right. Something is lurking in the shadows and waiting for them.
Ararat has been one of the best horror books I read this year. The adventure is very thrilling. Also the setting is more than wonderful. I love books about mountains and snow. If climbing such mountain as Ararat was not challenging enough, then there’s the mysterious evil on the top. It’s not only that. Christopher Gold has his way of setting the events and the characters. The writing style is eloquent and encompassing. I loved the way he weaved myth into his story, I stayed all night unable to put the book down. My eyes were closing, yet I was dying to know what comes next.
One of the things I loved about the book was the ending. It follows some classical masterpiece of literature, but I still loved it. I think it also gives way to a second installment. I don’t know whether the author intended to have other installments. All I am saying is that his ending allows for that. It can be a fantastic second installment.
Some few things I noticed about the book. I believe the author wasn’t successful in portraying how women are treated in the Middle East. He emphasized how the Turkish guide was not used to reporting to women and just tried to ignore Meryam and scorn her. Well, that’s not the case. Women in the Middle East are well educated and respected and can have whatever post they are entitled to just like men.
**Special thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for supplying my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. **
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
rachel flavin
Christopher Golden is the author of a Sons of Anarchy book titled Bratva (which was released in 2014). Wondering if Golden ever wrote another SOA book, I looked him up to discover this particular book. While not as good as Bratva, I particularly recommend this one to fans of John Carpenter's The Thing!
Sadly, another SOA book was not found. ?
Sadly, another SOA book was not found. ?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
shruti vyas
Liars and blizzards and demons... OH MY!
An avalanche that opens a cave in the mountain.
The discovery of what appears to be Noah's Ark.
An expedition led up the mountain in search of answers.
A demon that has been lying in wait for just the right time to make its presence known to the world.
A group of people with more secrets and lies than a presidential election.
A breeding ground for terror.
I have never read anything by Christopher Golden before, but this will not be the last novel I read that he has penned. From the beginning, I was hooked. The pages racing by like the rapid descent of snow in a churning avalanche. The characters wanting to reach off the page and drag me into oblivion with them. The complex plot weaving and accelerating until the very last page... which left me breathless and sated.
Golden pulled off a masterful, suspenseful thriller that also incorporated the coming together of Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths, as well as scientific research and a hodge -podge of intermingled relationships with beauty and grace.
If you love Lovecraftian type horror, philosophical, biblical, part supernatural, and part psychological horror, this book is for you! This book is like a sweet, slow melting terror candy that you just can't get enough of. This was a 4.5 out of 5 stars read for me and I recommend you not read this novel before you go to bed! Happy reading!
An avalanche that opens a cave in the mountain.
The discovery of what appears to be Noah's Ark.
An expedition led up the mountain in search of answers.
A demon that has been lying in wait for just the right time to make its presence known to the world.
A group of people with more secrets and lies than a presidential election.
A breeding ground for terror.
I have never read anything by Christopher Golden before, but this will not be the last novel I read that he has penned. From the beginning, I was hooked. The pages racing by like the rapid descent of snow in a churning avalanche. The characters wanting to reach off the page and drag me into oblivion with them. The complex plot weaving and accelerating until the very last page... which left me breathless and sated.
Golden pulled off a masterful, suspenseful thriller that also incorporated the coming together of Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths, as well as scientific research and a hodge -podge of intermingled relationships with beauty and grace.
If you love Lovecraftian type horror, philosophical, biblical, part supernatural, and part psychological horror, this book is for you! This book is like a sweet, slow melting terror candy that you just can't get enough of. This was a 4.5 out of 5 stars read for me and I recommend you not read this novel before you go to bed! Happy reading!
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
shahida
The premise was exciting. Archaeology is a hook for me. And so is horror. How could I be disappointed? I savored the first thirty or forty pages, even thinking I'd have to tell my son about this book. And then it fell apart. Once they reached the summit and made the unexpected discovery, I felt like the original author suddenly died and was replaced by an amateur. The wonder and excitement I had been feeling had been replaced with a tedious attempt at horror. So many of the characters died ... and I didn't give a damn about any of them.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
sarah barton
St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Ararat. This is my honest opinion of the book.
Engaged adventure seekers Adam Holzer and Meryam Karga get a call from their friend, Feyiz, with a once in a lifetime chance to explore a new cavern on Mount Ararat. When it is determined that the cavern is actually part of a buried ship, many believe it must be Noah's Ark. A discovery on the ship changes everything and leads those in its proximity into danger. Will it turn out that this archeological discovery was better left undisturbed?
Ararat is a great blend of horror, psychological thriller, and suspense. The book escalates at a fevered pace, culminating in a movie worthy storm - both literally and figuratively - of epic proportions. With the tension thrumming in the air from the beginning of the novel, the author skillfully builds upon that foundation until the very end. I would definitely recommend Ararat to readers who enjoy a thrilling tale filled with horror and suspense.
Engaged adventure seekers Adam Holzer and Meryam Karga get a call from their friend, Feyiz, with a once in a lifetime chance to explore a new cavern on Mount Ararat. When it is determined that the cavern is actually part of a buried ship, many believe it must be Noah's Ark. A discovery on the ship changes everything and leads those in its proximity into danger. Will it turn out that this archeological discovery was better left undisturbed?
Ararat is a great blend of horror, psychological thriller, and suspense. The book escalates at a fevered pace, culminating in a movie worthy storm - both literally and figuratively - of epic proportions. With the tension thrumming in the air from the beginning of the novel, the author skillfully builds upon that foundation until the very end. I would definitely recommend Ararat to readers who enjoy a thrilling tale filled with horror and suspense.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
james grissel
Spoiler-free review of Ararat by Christopher Golden
5/5
Following a massive avalanche, an expedition team ascends Mount Ararat to explore an unearthed cave. Legends abound as to what might be buried within Mount Ararat. What our team finds is at once mesmerizing, profound, and horrifying...
In Ararat, Golden masterfully whips up a violent and unrelenting blizzard of chilling horror and suspense. Ararat is a rich, multilayered story that transplants readers inside a vertiginous maelstrom of mounting tension, paranoia, claustrophobia, and isolation. Action picks up quickly, building into a frenetic vortex, constantly assailing our fears and emotions.
Ararat features numerous characters, skillfully developed and exactingly placed to ignite warring views of superstition, politics, and religion, adding further apprehension to the story. Well-crafted, visual, and terrifying, the cold, unforgiving tempest Ararat stirs up will stick with readers for days.
Fans of the claustrophobia and paranoia instilled by The Thing, and the religious horror and dread stirred by The Exorcist, may enjoy Ararat.
I'm sure Ararat will be a new favorite read during the winter months.
Highly recommended.
5/5
Following a massive avalanche, an expedition team ascends Mount Ararat to explore an unearthed cave. Legends abound as to what might be buried within Mount Ararat. What our team finds is at once mesmerizing, profound, and horrifying...
In Ararat, Golden masterfully whips up a violent and unrelenting blizzard of chilling horror and suspense. Ararat is a rich, multilayered story that transplants readers inside a vertiginous maelstrom of mounting tension, paranoia, claustrophobia, and isolation. Action picks up quickly, building into a frenetic vortex, constantly assailing our fears and emotions.
Ararat features numerous characters, skillfully developed and exactingly placed to ignite warring views of superstition, politics, and religion, adding further apprehension to the story. Well-crafted, visual, and terrifying, the cold, unforgiving tempest Ararat stirs up will stick with readers for days.
Fans of the claustrophobia and paranoia instilled by The Thing, and the religious horror and dread stirred by The Exorcist, may enjoy Ararat.
I'm sure Ararat will be a new favorite read during the winter months.
Highly recommended.
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
jamey
The narration on the audiobook is horrible! He is so hard to listen to and when he does the voices for the different characters it is very grating. The story starts off very slowly and when it hadn't picked up by the 5th chapter I gave up.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
bhavyatta bhardwaj
Boom! That is how a large-scale supernatural thriller is done.
The pace? Relentless. The plot? Fascinating. As a reader, I was hurled into this story on a frigid wind and it was one breathless moment after another from then on.
Even with its dark and creepy elements, ARARAT is just a ripping, damned good time. Honestly, this book is more fun than most Hollywood blockbuster films cut from similar cloth.
That said, I do hope this becomes a well-done film. Soon! It deserves all the hype and all the praise being lobbed at it. It's definitely Christopher Golden—who already has a staggering amount of credits to his name across the spectrum of fiction and comics—in top form.
If you want to lose yourself in a blood-pumping, heart-racing read, ARARAT will give you all that and leave you wanting more.
The pace? Relentless. The plot? Fascinating. As a reader, I was hurled into this story on a frigid wind and it was one breathless moment after another from then on.
Even with its dark and creepy elements, ARARAT is just a ripping, damned good time. Honestly, this book is more fun than most Hollywood blockbuster films cut from similar cloth.
That said, I do hope this becomes a well-done film. Soon! It deserves all the hype and all the praise being lobbed at it. It's definitely Christopher Golden—who already has a staggering amount of credits to his name across the spectrum of fiction and comics—in top form.
If you want to lose yourself in a blood-pumping, heart-racing read, ARARAT will give you all that and leave you wanting more.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
brad eldredge
An earthquake uncovers a cave on Ararat. Visible within that cave are the remains of what many believe to be Noah’s ark. Meryam and Adam are determined to be the first team in the cave regardless of the horrid conditions on the mountain. As they begin the excavations they are not prepared for what they find and soon discover they are not alone on the mountain.
Don’t start this late at night or during a blizzard. If you want to be up all night, ignore this warning. Golden has given us a white-knuckle ride complete with a fully defined, diverse cast. This is a quick read because you just can’t put it down. Leave yourself plenty of time, not only to read but to reflect on what happens on that mountain.
I thank the generosity of the publishers for granting me access to the Advanced Readers Copy.
ISBN: 9781250117052 Publisher: St Martins Pub Date: April 18, 2017
Don’t start this late at night or during a blizzard. If you want to be up all night, ignore this warning. Golden has given us a white-knuckle ride complete with a fully defined, diverse cast. This is a quick read because you just can’t put it down. Leave yourself plenty of time, not only to read but to reflect on what happens on that mountain.
I thank the generosity of the publishers for granting me access to the Advanced Readers Copy.
ISBN: 9781250117052 Publisher: St Martins Pub Date: April 18, 2017
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
tara reed
I haven't read anything by Christopher Golden that I can put down - this book included. None of his books last more than three days....I can't stop reading until the end. This novel was interesting from start to finish. The author has yet to disappoint me.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
rachel kirk
Chris Golden always delivers a compelling story and he has hit a home run with Ararat. I shivered with chills, feeling the cold of the mountain and the terror within. His characters are whole and multifaceted, even though they have flaws that make their struggles more difficult, they are believable. It is always enjoyable to go where Chris's tales take me.
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
bethe
walk into a cave...which is actually the entrance to Noah's Ark...so they think...and then people start dying.
I found this book to be a struggle. Plodding along with one dimensional characters and mediocre writing.
I was thinking this was going to be more like Davinci Code but ended up with
a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this ancient port, aboard this tiny ship.
Was the ship the ark? S.S. Minnow?
Who was the demon? A back story would have made this a better book.
And the ending? Uh,no.
'The power of Christ compels you' ....not to read this book
I found this book to be a struggle. Plodding along with one dimensional characters and mediocre writing.
I was thinking this was going to be more like Davinci Code but ended up with
a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this ancient port, aboard this tiny ship.
Was the ship the ark? S.S. Minnow?
Who was the demon? A back story would have made this a better book.
And the ending? Uh,no.
'The power of Christ compels you' ....not to read this book
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
kris smith
Ararat starts with a cool premise--a diverse multinational crew of scientific, academic, and religious experts investigating what could be Noah's ark--and quickly escalates into the kind of action horror adventure the author excels at. A fast read with just the right infusion of character and mythological background to enrich the story's twists and turns, Golden manages to establish a large cast of characters with distinct personalities and not a word wasted. Tensions both interpersonal and supernatural soon boil over and tip this tale of mystery and suspense into a hyper-violent survival thriller in which no one is above suspicion. All of this unfolds against the majestic backdrop of the mountain, resulting in a symphonic crescendo of threatening forces. Highly recommended.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jennifer walker
Blizzard conditions on a mountain top, people of different backgrounds and religions stuck in a cave, possibly with Noah's Ark and an ancient evil? And it was written by Christopher Golden? I clicked so fast on the NetGalley request button, the mouse was a blur.
The gradual building of tension, mistrust, and fear the characters have both for their horrific situation and each other is compelling and intense. Trust me - make sure you're not disturbed while reading the last thirty or so pages of this book. The characters are wonderfully flawed and fascinating and I found the religious diversity thought-provoking, but relieved it wasn't the primary focus of the story.
This is the third book I've read by Christopher Golden and I've yet to be disappointed. I'm a confirmed fan.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
The gradual building of tension, mistrust, and fear the characters have both for their horrific situation and each other is compelling and intense. Trust me - make sure you're not disturbed while reading the last thirty or so pages of this book. The characters are wonderfully flawed and fascinating and I found the religious diversity thought-provoking, but relieved it wasn't the primary focus of the story.
This is the third book I've read by Christopher Golden and I've yet to be disappointed. I'm a confirmed fan.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
carole loconte tedesco
Book starts fast, is very exciting, hard to put down. About halfway through, it slows down and never really grabs your interest again. This is the first book by CG that I have read, and I was disappointed.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
j l ficks
Y'all need to read Christopher Golden's Ararat, like, now. A fascinating tale with strong female characters (thank you for this, by the way), it's a timely, relevant journey into the evil that dwells within all of us. Blew through it in two days. Still not completely convinced that a desiccated, horned creature isn't lurking somewhere around here. ?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
khaliah williams
An exciting novel with horror, evil adventure and compelling intensity that is almost impossible to put down. Was thoroughly impressed by this new (to me) author. Will have to check out his other books.
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
tara nichols
An earthquake gives access to the much searched for Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat.
Leading the team are a husband and wife followed by scientists, undergrads and military protection. What they discover within the celebrated arc is a coffin covered with warnings of death and destruction. So of course they open it to find a well preserved corpse with two horns. It is a devil that tried to escape on the ark when the flood came and laid waste to everything. They captured him once thousands of years ago, but now he is free and he moves from body to body to take control and murder what remains of the exploration ream.
Christopher Golden does not know how to write this type of novel without borrowing heavily from other sources. Once the devil is let out he easily decimates the team and the few that make it down the mountain back to civilization live there in fear. Who cares?
An interesting plot direction should have been what happens when the devil reachest the cities. As it is we don't know what its plan is.
Instead the novel ends on a whimper as the survivors deal with the emotional aftermath. How the authorities explained all those deaths on the mountain to the World is ignored.
Leading the team are a husband and wife followed by scientists, undergrads and military protection. What they discover within the celebrated arc is a coffin covered with warnings of death and destruction. So of course they open it to find a well preserved corpse with two horns. It is a devil that tried to escape on the ark when the flood came and laid waste to everything. They captured him once thousands of years ago, but now he is free and he moves from body to body to take control and murder what remains of the exploration ream.
Christopher Golden does not know how to write this type of novel without borrowing heavily from other sources. Once the devil is let out he easily decimates the team and the few that make it down the mountain back to civilization live there in fear. Who cares?
An interesting plot direction should have been what happens when the devil reachest the cities. As it is we don't know what its plan is.
Instead the novel ends on a whimper as the survivors deal with the emotional aftermath. How the authorities explained all those deaths on the mountain to the World is ignored.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kaycee mutchler
A real page-turner with suspense, adventure, supernatural mystery, history, and horror all mixed masterfully together like a perfect storm that will have you wishing every novel could be so entertaining. Thankfully, Golden is prolific.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kyrie
I am an absolute sucker for well-developed characters, realistic relationships, and biblical horrors. Christopher Golden delivers all of these things and more with this book. I cannot recommend it enough! Stop reading this review and start reading Ararat!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
bookmancph
Christopher Golden is always able to write a fast paced story that you can tear through in a day or two, and Ararat is no exception. Great mix of horror, adventure, Lovecraftian weirdness. Definitely recommend.
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
leami
I don't quite understand the good reviews on this. The writing was not great and the characters never became real, only three of them were more than filling space, people were often mentioned without any explanation of who or what they were. There were some very choppy passages where it was hard to follow who was saying/thinking what and to whom. The eerie premonitions and bad feelings were way too thick and heavy, so much more could have been done with that aspect. A huge chunk of the story was jumped over (what happened after they first entered the "cave" for example, how they got all that equipment in place) The group's plan to deal with this evil being - was no plan at all. I came close to not even finishing but I had little else to read on tap and I wanted to see how he would finish this up. LOL I won't be reading anymore of this author.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
michelle richards
Ararat is a great horror story about finding Noah's ark. In this book, the ark contained more than the story in the Bible told. A team of archaeologists, a priest, and a camera crew discover the remains of something that looks like a horned demon! This was like listening to a very dark version of Indiana Jones! I loved it! Great narration by Robert Fass!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
britney smith
ARARAT begins with an avalanche and doesn't let up from there. A full synopsis of the plot can be found in some of the other reviews here. Suffice it to say, a cave is discovered and inside is found what many believe could be Noah's Ark. A team of archaeologists and other experts is dispatched to the site to examine and investigate further. The team is led by Meryam and Adam, a husband and wife team of adventurers who have been documenting their various trips around the world and broadcasting them online. They believe Noah's Ark might be the one that puts them on the map, so to speak.
Inside the ark, the team finds a sarcophagus that has been sealed for ages. Naturally, they open it and the body found inside isn't just deformed, it could be outright evil.
I truly enjoyed the hell out of this book. The cast of characters is somewhat large but Golden handles them masterfully. Overall, the horror element in the book is kind of a slow burn until the last quarter of the book. There's enough action and suspense to keep you turning pages from the get go, don't get me wrong. But, if you're expecting buckets of blood to be thrown on every page, look elsewhere. This is a very creepy book, not an "in your face" monster free for all.
I've been following Golden's career for several years now. I think this kid has what it takes to go far. He's well worth watching.
Inside the ark, the team finds a sarcophagus that has been sealed for ages. Naturally, they open it and the body found inside isn't just deformed, it could be outright evil.
I truly enjoyed the hell out of this book. The cast of characters is somewhat large but Golden handles them masterfully. Overall, the horror element in the book is kind of a slow burn until the last quarter of the book. There's enough action and suspense to keep you turning pages from the get go, don't get me wrong. But, if you're expecting buckets of blood to be thrown on every page, look elsewhere. This is a very creepy book, not an "in your face" monster free for all.
I've been following Golden's career for several years now. I think this kid has what it takes to go far. He's well worth watching.
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
nehal
The narration on the audiobook is horrible! He is so hard to listen to and when he does the voices for the different characters it is very grating. The story starts off very slowly and when it hadn't picked up by the 5th chapter I gave up.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
liesl gibson
ARARAT by Christopher Golden has a premise that is, if you’ll pardon the pun “golden” – an earthquake exposes a hitherto unknown cave in Mount Ararat, the legendary resting place of Noah’s Ark. A group of adventurer/explorers investigate and find much more than they bargained for…
Great idea; so good in fact it’s surprising it hasn’t been done before (F. Paul Wilson’s “The Keep” touched a little bit on similar notions), and as other reviewers have noted, it is highly cinematic. So much so, that I strongly suspect ARARAT was written as a screenplay before it was produced as a novel – the book itself reads very much like a movie novelization, with, sadly, all the flaws that tend to come with that form – uninspired prose, thinly sketched characters, and by-the-numbers story beats.
Golden has his great idea and does very little with it; there is no passion or energy to the narrative, which moves at a plodding pace (the main action, after a set-up intro, takes place over about three days but it feels like weeks with lots of back and forthing and chin-wagging achieving very little). No effort is put into building any atmosphere, and descriptives are sparse and kind of contradictory (when you step into the cave you essentially step into the belly of the ark, Golden tells us, with ancient, dry wood that groans and creaks with the wind, and yet characters run, jump, pound, fall, and collide with it all through the story with nary a splinter knocked away. The ark itself seems to be small when he needs it to be small, and vast when he needs it to be vast, and wait, there are three decks? Four?). Golden seems to latch onto a handful of key notes and then just repeat them over and over (The horns-horns-horns! Snow-snow-snow! Wind-wind-wind!). And if we made a drinking game out of the repetition of the word “bitumen” in the text, most of us would be unconscious in the hospital with alcohol-poisoning before hitting the halfway mark.
Characters are talking heads with one or two shallow traits given, which are then stated and restated for, I suppose, the benefit of a short attention-span audience (ohhh, right, he’s the guy with the kid, yeah, I forgot… uh, who’s the old, fat guy again?). Golden moves his people around, and then kills them off without much interest and zero impact. The early kills are never really followed through – the devil made someone do it, but who? The same person each time? A different person? Guess it didn’t matter. Like all classic, cheesy horror movies, the book ends with a “final bump” and like those cheesy horrors, it makes no character sense. Downright contradictory again, based on everything that’s happened to that particular character, but oh well – gotta give the audience something to talk about as they leave the multiplex; I mean close the book.
Clearly from the other reviews, a lot of people did like this book, and I’m happy for them. Your level of enjoyment will probably depend on your level of experience with horror overall, and with the concepts in the story – the newer it all is to you, the more you’ll tend to dig it, I think. It is a great idea, it really is. It will make a decent movie. But as a superficial, merely adequate workman novel, I can only recommend it if you have some time you want to kill.
Great idea; so good in fact it’s surprising it hasn’t been done before (F. Paul Wilson’s “The Keep” touched a little bit on similar notions), and as other reviewers have noted, it is highly cinematic. So much so, that I strongly suspect ARARAT was written as a screenplay before it was produced as a novel – the book itself reads very much like a movie novelization, with, sadly, all the flaws that tend to come with that form – uninspired prose, thinly sketched characters, and by-the-numbers story beats.
Golden has his great idea and does very little with it; there is no passion or energy to the narrative, which moves at a plodding pace (the main action, after a set-up intro, takes place over about three days but it feels like weeks with lots of back and forthing and chin-wagging achieving very little). No effort is put into building any atmosphere, and descriptives are sparse and kind of contradictory (when you step into the cave you essentially step into the belly of the ark, Golden tells us, with ancient, dry wood that groans and creaks with the wind, and yet characters run, jump, pound, fall, and collide with it all through the story with nary a splinter knocked away. The ark itself seems to be small when he needs it to be small, and vast when he needs it to be vast, and wait, there are three decks? Four?). Golden seems to latch onto a handful of key notes and then just repeat them over and over (The horns-horns-horns! Snow-snow-snow! Wind-wind-wind!). And if we made a drinking game out of the repetition of the word “bitumen” in the text, most of us would be unconscious in the hospital with alcohol-poisoning before hitting the halfway mark.
Characters are talking heads with one or two shallow traits given, which are then stated and restated for, I suppose, the benefit of a short attention-span audience (ohhh, right, he’s the guy with the kid, yeah, I forgot… uh, who’s the old, fat guy again?). Golden moves his people around, and then kills them off without much interest and zero impact. The early kills are never really followed through – the devil made someone do it, but who? The same person each time? A different person? Guess it didn’t matter. Like all classic, cheesy horror movies, the book ends with a “final bump” and like those cheesy horrors, it makes no character sense. Downright contradictory again, based on everything that’s happened to that particular character, but oh well – gotta give the audience something to talk about as they leave the multiplex; I mean close the book.
Clearly from the other reviews, a lot of people did like this book, and I’m happy for them. Your level of enjoyment will probably depend on your level of experience with horror overall, and with the concepts in the story – the newer it all is to you, the more you’ll tend to dig it, I think. It is a great idea, it really is. It will make a decent movie. But as a superficial, merely adequate workman novel, I can only recommend it if you have some time you want to kill.
Please RateArarat: a 2017 Bram Stoker Award winner
Earthquake in Turkey reveals a cave opening with a giant ship inside it. Locals and scholars believe it to be Noah's Ark. Advanced teams are sent up the mountain Ararat to discover the truth.
Adam, Meryam, Feyiz, and Hakan made a deal with the Turkish government that who ever made it to the cave first would have the rights to the cave. Adam and Meryam are adventurist and authors, they record all their adventures and put them out on the internet and finding Noah's Ark, if it is indeed The Ark, would be the big break they needed. Feyiz and Hakan are sherpas they know the mountain better than anyone else. In a race against time these four start ascending the mountain hopefully to get their before the other team. Three weeks later specialist Dr. Ben Walker, Dr. Kim Seong, and Father Cornelius Hughes are called up the mountain for their expert opinion, but on what they don't know yet. Once they get there it's immediate, a dark feeling surrounds them. Something isn't right with the cave or the ruins of the ship. Once they see what Adam and Meryam found in the ruins of the ark strange things start to happen. The sarcophagus with a demonic looking corpse makes everyone uncomfortable. Rumors are running rampant and the workers are getting scared of the creature but a blizzard she them trapped inside the cave until the next morning at least. But people start disappearing and people keep behaving out of the norm. Can the crew make it past nightfall or will they be forced to leave the cave and face the blizzard instead of the thing inside it.
Overall, like I said not normally my kind of read but was written in a way I needed to find out what happened.