- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Gollancz; paperback / softback edition (17 April 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0575080272
- ISBN-13: 978-0575080270
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 274,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Ninth Circle (GollanczF.)
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Product Description
Review
"Bell's debut novel effectively fuses theological fantasy with psychological mystery to create a gripping narrative." (Eric Brown THE GUARDIAN )
"A haunting, engrossing story with a unique aura of its own. Alex Bell's remarkable debut is original, cleverly plotted and so well written the pages just flew by." (Raymond Khoury )
"Accomplished stuff." (SCI FI NOW )
"...highly engaging... Bell skillfully conveys the panic and paranoia Gabriel experiences as he descends into a nightmare world of revelation. Bell successfully taps into the rich vein of deep-seated biblical superstition that is so compelling in works like The Omen or even The Da Vinci Code." (John Berlyne SF REVU )
"I found this to be a rather enjoyable novel - pacey, easy to read, and interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. I'll be very interested to see where author Bell goes from here." (HORRORSCOPE )
"...powerful and bizarre British debut with supernatural overtones and a genuine quirky voice. Worth investigating." (MURDER ONE )
"This is a very readable debut novel... it will be worth keeping an eye on Bell." (Tony Chester CONCATENATION )
"It's well enough done as a thriller, and the conclusion sets us up perfectly for a long-running series. [An] assured debut." (Andrew McKie THE TELEGRAPH )
"A haunting, engrossing story with a unique aura of its own. Alex Bell's remarkable debut is original, cleverly plotted and so well written the pages just flew by." (Raymond Khoury )
"Accomplished stuff." (SCI FI NOW )
"...highly engaging... Bell skillfully conveys the panic and paranoia Gabriel experiences as he descends into a nightmare world of revelation. Bell successfully taps into the rich vein of deep-seated biblical superstition that is so compelling in works like The Omen or even The Da Vinci Code." (John Berlyne SF REVU )
"I found this to be a rather enjoyable novel - pacey, easy to read, and interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. I'll be very interested to see where author Bell goes from here." (HORRORSCOPE )
"...powerful and bizarre British debut with supernatural overtones and a genuine quirky voice. Worth investigating." (MURDER ONE )
"This is a very readable debut novel... it will be worth keeping an eye on Bell." (Tony Chester CONCATENATION )
"It's well enough done as a thriller, and the conclusion sets us up perfectly for a long-running series. [An] assured debut." (Andrew McKie THE TELEGRAPH )
Raymond Khoury
'A haunting, engrossing story with a unique aura of its own. Alex Bell's remarkable debut is original, cleverly plotted and so well written the pages just flew by'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully haunting debut,
By
This review is from: The Ninth Circle (GOLLANCZ S.F.) (Paperback)
THE NINTH CIRCLE is Alex Bell's début novel, published by Gollancz. The story revolves around a man who wakes up in a flat in Budapest, suffering from amnesia and unable to remember how he came to be there. In fact, he can't remember anything. Who is he, what does he do, where are his friends and family? By piecing together the clues he finds scattered around his apartment and through interactions with the few people he can bring himself to talk to, he starts to discover who he really is.
Which might not be a good thing, given what he starts to unearth. Fantastical and horrific visions and dreams also plague him, making him question his own sanity. And so would you, if you kept seeing a man dripping with fire in your apartment... The opening chapters of the novel are very haunting and you can really feel Gabriel's loneliness and longing coming through, as he tries to survive in a universe he feels so misplaced within. All this is captured in the pages of the journal that Gabriel is maintaining, to both keep himself sane and note down clues that might help him to remember his past. Before I began reading this book, I figured that I had the ending all worked out. I thought I knew what had really happened to Gabriel Antaeus and was waiting to be proven right. And, indeed, during the course of the story, a number of elements seemed to confirm my suspicions. However, I was wrong. Or was I? The story throws in a number of twists that I never saw coming. I always enjoy a good twist and a big reveal in a story - the sort that picks you up and slaps you in the face when you're least expecting it. The conclusion, too, was quite unexpected. Without spoiling anything, Gabriel's past is revealed and the pieces of the puzzle mostly all slot together... however, we are left with dangling thought. Was this real? Was it in his head? And, for my own opinion, was he really in Budapest..? So, all in all, there is a lot to love about this book. The bad? Well, I'd have to say that I'd be clutching at straws to find things wrong with this book. Since the novel is written in a journal-like format, some of the chapters only take up a few pages, so you get through the book quickly. Other than that..? No, can't think of anything. The Good: Well written, haunting, and very intriguing The Bad: The journal format can make it a short read and the ending is somewhat ambiguous. Note: The Ninth Circle has been optioned to become a motion picture.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Takes a while to get going but a good read by the end.,
By Pete "Pete" (Surrey UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Ninth Circle (Paperback)
I initially found the main character hard to relate to and the pace a little slow but after the 1st 50 or so pages the story really picks up, the characters become much more interesting and the supernatural element adds depth and insight. I especially enjoyed the dream sequences and the exploration of the blurry line between good and evil. Good stuff for a light read.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Better than the Da Vinci Code?,
By
This review is from: The Ninth Circle (Paperback)
Well, the list of ingredients on an HP Sauce bottle are better written than the Da Vinci Code and more exciting too!
I don't know why two people had to drag the comparison in with this book - it's nothing like Dan Brown's grossly overrated novel. It has a high degree of the supernatural but whilst its basic plot had some great possibilities the ending didn't live up to these and it sort of fizzled out. Well written but ultimately unsatisfying, it stands head and shoulders over the Code and then some!
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