Josh MalermanBlack Mad Wheel

Before you read this review, please note that it contains a few spoilers.I loved Bird Box - in fact, it was one of the best books in the genre that I'd read in a long time. Taut, fast-paced, claustrophobic with a sense of foreboding. Malerman managed to bring a unique, sensory horror story alive in a way that only an accomplished writer could do. So I was really looking forward to Black Mad Wheel. Unfortunately, although this was another sensory horror (based around hearing this time, rather than sight) it just didn't have the same sense of edginess and pace that Bird Box did.While it was well written, the characters seemed sparsely introduced and rather flat. The Danes (a pop group and ex veterans) never seemed to come to life. I had trouble identifying who was who. And although there were a couple of brief chapters where each band member was speaking to a friend or family about the mission they were due to go on - to try and locate the source of a sound in the African desert (one which, when heard, not only has a terrible physical impact on the listener but is also capable of rendering weapons useless) - this part felt shoehorned in as a quick way of giving an overview of the cast, without really doing much to bring them to life.The book flits between what happened to the Danes in the desert and the recuperation of Philip Tonka (the only band member who returned and who's laid up in a military hospital). There's also Ellen, the nurse who tends to Philip and begins to sense that all's not quite right with 'doctor's orders'.While I generally enjoy books that switch between two timeframes, in this book neither storyline fully grabbed me (maybe because they were taking place only six months apart) and rather than progressing the story, each switch seemed to stall it a bit.But the thing that disappointed me the most with this novel, is that I just didn't 'get' it - and I'm not sure why. The explanation for the source of the noise (and the reason for its existence) just seemed very muddled to me; maybe because of the flitting to and fro. Without wanting to give too much away, I just didn't understand why there were numerous drawings of goats or who'd drawn them. Was it the man in the goat outfit? I couldn't work out what the motive was for the person generating the sound (and how he'd worked out what to do). I wasn't sure why people were being held prisoner either. I think, to be honest, my concentration levels dipped in this novel because I wasn't that engaged and perhaps that's the reason for my lack of understanding; but when I turned the last page, rather than being satisfied, I was left feeling WTF was that all about.It won't put me off reading Josh Malerman's next novel though because I do think he's a talented writer with a big imagination and maybe this current book just wasn't my thing.

A confusing and sometimes poorly written mess. The writer keeps going on that the drummer for the band is black, but never mentions anyone else’s skin colour. There are scenes which just happen, and then go nowhere. There’s no real explanation of anything, especially why the US Army sends a rock band to investigate the source of the sound, instead of audio engineers and scientists. There’s no explanation of how the sound managed to switch off a nuclear warhead or how it was picked up by US Army radio operators when it comes from the Namibian desert.The main action happens in the desert, but the bad guy in the hospital part of the story is called Dr Szands. Really.Surely, if the sound travels from Africa to America, then someone else would have heard it?No mention.I’m annoyed because I paid for this crap.It makes zero sense. It’s like the ramblings of a philosophy student who thinks they’re cool because the can play a guitar.Seriously, why would they send a rock band instead of scientists and audio engineers?What the hell is a bass player going to be good for?This sucks.Read Clovenhoof instead!

Very rarely you happen upon a writing style that stands out from the crowd, that has a rhythm and cadence that hooks you in and keeps you reading. As I did, for the entire book in one sitting. If I have one criticism it is that the ending felt rushed. It needed more explanation, more expansion on the themes that had built to this point. But ultimately this is a story that will make you think about the world and your place in it long after the last page turns and the last note dies. And a red piano with flaking paint. It’ll make you think about that too.

I don't know if i would have loved this book if i hadn't already read, loved, watched the film and reread Bird Box. I'm afraid it just doesn't have any truly chilling episodes, characters to actually care for or a thrilling plot line. It was a slog to get to the end and I only persevered expecting a fantastic finale, which didn't happen. I was so excited to read his other book after this one, but I'm going to give it a miss now.

This book intrigued me when I read the blurb.It soon hooked me in and I began to wonder what on earth was going on here.It built to some quite disturbing moments, especially the "beach scene"Worth a read, as its unusual and will keep you guessing right to the end....