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The Descent #1
The Descent
Hell exists.
In Tibet, while guiding trekkers to a holy mountain, Ike Crockett discovers a bottomless cave. When his lover disappears, Ike pursues her into the depths of the earth....In a leper colony bordering the Kalahari Desert, a nun and linguist named Ali von Schade unearths evidence of a proto-human species and a deity called Older-than-Old....In Bosnia, Major Elias Branch crash-lands his gunship near a mass grave and is swarmed by pale cannibals terrified of light....
So begins mankind's realization that the underworld is a vast geological labyrinth riddling the continents and seabeds, one inhabited by brutish creatures who resemble the devils and gargoyles of legend. With all of Hell's precious resources and territories to be won, a global race ensues. Nations, armies, religions, and industries rush to colonize and exploit the subterranean frontier.
A scientific expedition is launched westward to explore beneath the Pacific Ocean floor, both to catalog the riches there and to learn how life could develop in the sunless abyss. Is there a natural explanation, as the scientists hope? Or is there a true supernatural basis? Are the "demons" part of our evolutionary family tree? Is their enigmatic leader merely a freak genius, or could he be the legendary Satan?
Fathom by fathom, Ike guides the expedition--and Ali--deeper into the deadly stone wilderness. In the dark underground, as humanity falls away from them, the scientists and mercenaries find themselves prey not only to the savage creatures, but to their own treachery, mutiny, and greed. Meanwhile, on the surface, a band of aged scholars scours archaeological digs, museums, artifacts, and rare texts for clues to Satan's existence. Is he lurking in wait for the expedition, or is he roaming the earth? Or is he dead? One thing is certain: Miles inside the earth, evil is very much alive.
In the tradition of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, The Descent is an epic adventure through fantastic landscapes, among creatures for whom man is both god and meat. It is a horrifying mystery penetrating the realms of faith and reason, a raw and original questioning of the divine and the demonic. And finally, The Descent is the story of a man and woman who enter the maze of the underworld and find at its center the human heart.
In Tibet, while guiding trekkers to a holy mountain, Ike Crockett discovers a bottomless cave. When his lover disappears, Ike pursues her into the depths of the earth....In a leper colony bordering the Kalahari Desert, a nun and linguist named Ali von Schade unearths evidence of a proto-human species and a deity called Older-than-Old....In Bosnia, Major Elias Branch crash-lands his gunship near a mass grave and is swarmed by pale cannibals terrified of light....
So begins mankind's realization that the underworld is a vast geological labyrinth riddling the continents and seabeds, one inhabited by brutish creatures who resemble the devils and gargoyles of legend. With all of Hell's precious resources and territories to be won, a global race ensues. Nations, armies, religions, and industries rush to colonize and exploit the subterranean frontier.
A scientific expedition is launched westward to explore beneath the Pacific Ocean floor, both to catalog the riches there and to learn how life could develop in the sunless abyss. Is there a natural explanation, as the scientists hope? Or is there a true supernatural basis? Are the "demons" part of our evolutionary family tree? Is their enigmatic leader merely a freak genius, or could he be the legendary Satan?
Fathom by fathom, Ike guides the expedition--and Ali--deeper into the deadly stone wilderness. In the dark underground, as humanity falls away from them, the scientists and mercenaries find themselves prey not only to the savage creatures, but to their own treachery, mutiny, and greed. Meanwhile, on the surface, a band of aged scholars scours archaeological digs, museums, artifacts, and rare texts for clues to Satan's existence. Is he lurking in wait for the expedition, or is he roaming the earth? Or is he dead? One thing is certain: Miles inside the earth, evil is very much alive.
In the tradition of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, The Descent is an epic adventure through fantastic landscapes, among creatures for whom man is both god and meat. It is a horrifying mystery penetrating the realms of faith and reason, a raw and original questioning of the divine and the demonic. And finally, The Descent is the story of a man and woman who enter the maze of the underworld and find at its center the human heart.
598 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1999
792 people are currently reading
13515 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Long
22 books398 followersLong is a veteran climber and traveler in the Himalayas rock climbing often manifests in his writing. He has also worked as a stonemason, journalist, historian, screenwriter, and elections supervisor for Bosnia's first democratic election.
Many of his stories include plot elements that rely heavily on religious history or popular perceptions of religious events.
Many of his stories include plot elements that rely heavily on religious history or popular perceptions of religious events.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 941 reviews
February 6, 2008
This is the second book I had to put in the microwave in order to get to sleep. Because we all know that if you leave a scary book, a pants-shittingly scary book by your bedside, as you sleep the monsters inside will ooze from between the pages and come into full being beside you and eat your face while you dream. It's just a fact.
Throughout the novel there are terrible things, unthinkable torture, mass graves, thoughtless destruction and an actual descent into hell. It's huge and all over the place (too many concepts all being pursued at once, I'm impressed that he found a way to pull them into cohesion) but the reader is provided with a few calm centers to focus on: Satan, Ali and Ike.
That idea, the thought of one calm center in the middle of a terrible storm, is what drew me to and what I got from this book. Religion, obsession, a person or the sheer act of survival—everyone needs something to hold onto.
Throughout the novel there are terrible things, unthinkable torture, mass graves, thoughtless destruction and an actual descent into hell. It's huge and all over the place (too many concepts all being pursued at once, I'm impressed that he found a way to pull them into cohesion) but the reader is provided with a few calm centers to focus on: Satan, Ali and Ike.
That idea, the thought of one calm center in the middle of a terrible storm, is what drew me to and what I got from this book. Religion, obsession, a person or the sheer act of survival—everyone needs something to hold onto.
August 2, 2010
I'm not sure what the etiquette is for dropping f bombs in a review, so I'm just going to phrase it as gently as I know how: fuck this book.
1: Holy racism, Batman. Enough of the Italian stallions, the (ever unsympathetic, mind) gangster stereotypes, the brutish non-white others, and oh my God, that second chapter, what was that even. Oh, those poor, uncivilized Africans and their violent superstitions and their helpless childish minds and cultures, but at least they have given the nice, white, USAmerican nun a greater understanding of her own life. I also very much enjoyed this bit from the third chapter in which USA army major Elias Branch contemplates the war and genocide in Bosnia: "Branch did not want to save them, for they were savage and did not want to be saved." By enjoyed, I mean I wanted to rip the book in half.
2: Science does not work that way.
3: The narrative structure and the pacing of this book are equivalent disasters.
4: I seriously cannot break down all the ways in which I hate this book. It is a disaster. It is a mess. It is racist. It scrabbles toward and mimics meaning, but ultimately contains none. Stuffed with interesting concepts and engaging suggestions, it fails to adequately develop or explore any of them, leaving behind a superficial and pocked whole.
5: Seriously, fuck this book.
1: Holy racism, Batman. Enough of the Italian stallions, the (ever unsympathetic, mind) gangster stereotypes, the brutish non-white others, and oh my God, that second chapter, what was that even. Oh, those poor, uncivilized Africans and their violent superstitions and their helpless childish minds and cultures, but at least they have given the nice, white, USAmerican nun a greater understanding of her own life. I also very much enjoyed this bit from the third chapter in which USA army major Elias Branch contemplates the war and genocide in Bosnia: "Branch did not want to save them, for they were savage and did not want to be saved." By enjoyed, I mean I wanted to rip the book in half.
2: Science does not work that way.
3: The narrative structure and the pacing of this book are equivalent disasters.
4: I seriously cannot break down all the ways in which I hate this book. It is a disaster. It is a mess. It is racist. It scrabbles toward and mimics meaning, but ultimately contains none. Stuffed with interesting concepts and engaging suggestions, it fails to adequately develop or explore any of them, leaving behind a superficial and pocked whole.
5: Seriously, fuck this book.
March 19, 2015
I am just going to come out and say it; I loved this book. And yet, I fully understand why others didn’t. Let me explain.
For the entirety of their existence, humans have not been alone. Unbeknownst to the surface world, an unfathomable subterranean domain lies beneath their feet; and it is not uninhabited. ‘The Descent’ is exactly what it says on the tin; a story in which humanity descends to the bowels of the earth and battles for its very survival with the horrifying creatures which reside there. And yet, it is so much more than this – Jeff Long explores unsettling notions with this multi-layered novel which are likely to play on your subconscious long after you finish it. How much influence have these beings had in the evolution and development of the human species? And how closely are they related to us? These are but a few of the intriguing concepts raised in ‘The Descent’.
Despite my 5 stars, I do want to address the shortcomings of this novel. Not only do I recognise that this book has numerous flaws, I can easily identify them. I think the main issue with ‘The Descent’ is that it tries to be too many things all rolled into one, and each genre is depicted with heavy and overwhelming detail. Just when the reader becomes comfortable with the topic of spelunking, a comprehensive account of another subject (such as religion, anatomy, the ecosystem…the list is endless) assaults them and this continues consistently throughout the story. The complexity and vastness of the authors narrative is extremely impressive, but also confusing and overpowering and I can see why this was a turn off for many readers. And whilst I don’t claim to possess an extensive knowledge of the science behind the subterranean world that Long creates, even I can see that there is a whole host of discrepancies and scientific inaccuracies.
Now that the negativity is well and truly out of the way, let’s review exactly why I found this book to be such a gem – and it isn’t just because of my absurd nature to go against the grain. From the first page I was hooked, and I can’t say that about many other books – the lure of adventure was immediate and Long does a brilliant job of establishing the scene of his innovative and menacing world. And yes, before you ask, I am a huge fan of Jules Verne’s ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’.
The adventure aspect of this book was what truly captivated me, and I admit that whilst the other themes of the book did interest me, they paled in comparison with the immersive exploration of the underground. His creation of the substantial world beneath our feet and the terrible creatures which inhabit it is so credible (science aside) that it gave me genuine chills. And for me, the convincing details surrounding these fictional events worked immeasurably in the books favour; so much so I slept with the light on for the next few days after undertaking this read. Following on from this, the first chapter of ‘The Descent’ was without doubt the most epic and terrifying opening chapter in any book I have ever read; it could easily thrive as an independent short story.
At the risk of repeating myself, I fully recognise the blemishes in this imperfect novel, but for me personally they could not detract from the superb sense of adventure I felt whilst reading this. In other words; I wholeheartedly recommend this book, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
For the entirety of their existence, humans have not been alone. Unbeknownst to the surface world, an unfathomable subterranean domain lies beneath their feet; and it is not uninhabited. ‘The Descent’ is exactly what it says on the tin; a story in which humanity descends to the bowels of the earth and battles for its very survival with the horrifying creatures which reside there. And yet, it is so much more than this – Jeff Long explores unsettling notions with this multi-layered novel which are likely to play on your subconscious long after you finish it. How much influence have these beings had in the evolution and development of the human species? And how closely are they related to us? These are but a few of the intriguing concepts raised in ‘The Descent’.
Despite my 5 stars, I do want to address the shortcomings of this novel. Not only do I recognise that this book has numerous flaws, I can easily identify them. I think the main issue with ‘The Descent’ is that it tries to be too many things all rolled into one, and each genre is depicted with heavy and overwhelming detail. Just when the reader becomes comfortable with the topic of spelunking, a comprehensive account of another subject (such as religion, anatomy, the ecosystem…the list is endless) assaults them and this continues consistently throughout the story. The complexity and vastness of the authors narrative is extremely impressive, but also confusing and overpowering and I can see why this was a turn off for many readers. And whilst I don’t claim to possess an extensive knowledge of the science behind the subterranean world that Long creates, even I can see that there is a whole host of discrepancies and scientific inaccuracies.
Now that the negativity is well and truly out of the way, let’s review exactly why I found this book to be such a gem – and it isn’t just because of my absurd nature to go against the grain. From the first page I was hooked, and I can’t say that about many other books – the lure of adventure was immediate and Long does a brilliant job of establishing the scene of his innovative and menacing world. And yes, before you ask, I am a huge fan of Jules Verne’s ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’.
The adventure aspect of this book was what truly captivated me, and I admit that whilst the other themes of the book did interest me, they paled in comparison with the immersive exploration of the underground. His creation of the substantial world beneath our feet and the terrible creatures which inhabit it is so credible (science aside) that it gave me genuine chills. And for me, the convincing details surrounding these fictional events worked immeasurably in the books favour; so much so I slept with the light on for the next few days after undertaking this read. Following on from this, the first chapter of ‘The Descent’ was without doubt the most epic and terrifying opening chapter in any book I have ever read; it could easily thrive as an independent short story.
At the risk of repeating myself, I fully recognise the blemishes in this imperfect novel, but for me personally they could not detract from the superb sense of adventure I felt whilst reading this. In other words; I wholeheartedly recommend this book, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
April 11, 2013
In the preface to Long's _The Descent_, the author expresses his regret that although his friends gave him a lot of scientific advice, the science in the book would probably not please them.
I should have taken this as a sign.
I can't remember having read a book so deliberately bad. The dialogue is embarrassing, the science atrocious (none of it gathered, sadly, from actual scientists, just random articles and a whole lot of conjecture and handwaving). Long had a hundred ideas and shoved EVERY ONE OF THEM into his story without giving any of them enough time to germinate.
The horror isn't even scary - by the end, there's so much randomness and silliness going on that the moments that SHOULD be scary just blend into the background.
So, why two stars instead of one for this five-car-pileup of a novel? It was at least interesting enough for me to read the entire book. While Jules Verne may have pioneered the notion of deep exploration, Long takes it five steps further, and for all the chaos it's certainly not predictable.
Lastly... lepers without lips can't pronounce labials. Sorry, fella. It's common sense.
I should have taken this as a sign.
I can't remember having read a book so deliberately bad. The dialogue is embarrassing, the science atrocious (none of it gathered, sadly, from actual scientists, just random articles and a whole lot of conjecture and handwaving). Long had a hundred ideas and shoved EVERY ONE OF THEM into his story without giving any of them enough time to germinate.
The horror isn't even scary - by the end, there's so much randomness and silliness going on that the moments that SHOULD be scary just blend into the background.
So, why two stars instead of one for this five-car-pileup of a novel? It was at least interesting enough for me to read the entire book. While Jules Verne may have pioneered the notion of deep exploration, Long takes it five steps further, and for all the chaos it's certainly not predictable.
Lastly... lepers without lips can't pronounce labials. Sorry, fella. It's common sense.
February 7, 2025
I give this 5 stars not because it was perfect, but because it did what any good book should do – it made me want to keep reading. One night I read it until 3.30am, I just couldn’t stop. Other times I would find time to read a chapter rather than do something else. Only a minority of books have this effect on me, so it deserves the highest praise.
The opening chapter is the best one in the book. Mystery, twists, economical writing, and a descent into tension and then really convincing horror. This is a high mark – it obviously can’t be this good for the whole book, but the novel goes on to take you in directions you didn’t expect, and you still want to read on. If anything, the horror element fades out slightly: the more we learn about the Hadals, the less scary they become, and in comparison the humans seem more and more to be the monsters. It’s a nice twist, but switches the novel from horror to thriller. Still compelling, but less likely to give you nightmares.
The opening chapter is something I often use as an example of a gripping opening.
As other reviewers have noted, the novel is full of themes and subjects, an ambitious amount that few authors would try to incorporate into a single work. And, generally, it works well. It is part of the unexpected nature of the novel, with the twists and abrupt changes almost representing the twisting and broken tunnels beneath the earth.
Inevitably, tying up the loose ends is tricky but the author does it well. Despite elements that felt like they were added to the meal then not fully digested, the overall impression is of a stacked plate of unpredictable flavours. Details are convincing, there are many great scenes, and the alternation between discoveries and degradation (human or Hadal) strikes an interesting balance. This is Journey To The Centre Of The Earth crossed with the 2005 film The Descent and hints of The Omen film trilogy (in the subplot about discovering Satan’s identity). If you like horror that can zoom out to give a bigger picture, rather than staying tightly within a character, then you’ll love this. Try the first chapter and see if you aren't captured too.
Oh, this book is unrelated to the excellent British film The Descent which I just mentioned. Yes, there are numerous overlaps in plot, but the connection is unofficial, even if the film did turn out to be inspired by a few elements. Still, read the book, then watch that film.
It’s also unrelated to the excellent Amnesia: Dark Descent games.
Sadly, Jeff Long seems to have stopped writing. Websites gone, contacts disappeared. That’s a great shame. However, I do own his sequel to The Descent, which I’ve never opened. I look forward to reading it.
Don’t read on unless you have already read the book.
SPOILERS FOLLOW! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
The opening chapter is the best one in the book. Mystery, twists, economical writing, and a descent into tension and then really convincing horror. This is a high mark – it obviously can’t be this good for the whole book, but the novel goes on to take you in directions you didn’t expect, and you still want to read on. If anything, the horror element fades out slightly: the more we learn about the Hadals, the less scary they become, and in comparison the humans seem more and more to be the monsters. It’s a nice twist, but switches the novel from horror to thriller. Still compelling, but less likely to give you nightmares.
The opening chapter is something I often use as an example of a gripping opening.
As other reviewers have noted, the novel is full of themes and subjects, an ambitious amount that few authors would try to incorporate into a single work. And, generally, it works well. It is part of the unexpected nature of the novel, with the twists and abrupt changes almost representing the twisting and broken tunnels beneath the earth.
Inevitably, tying up the loose ends is tricky but the author does it well. Despite elements that felt like they were added to the meal then not fully digested, the overall impression is of a stacked plate of unpredictable flavours. Details are convincing, there are many great scenes, and the alternation between discoveries and degradation (human or Hadal) strikes an interesting balance. This is Journey To The Centre Of The Earth crossed with the 2005 film The Descent and hints of The Omen film trilogy (in the subplot about discovering Satan’s identity). If you like horror that can zoom out to give a bigger picture, rather than staying tightly within a character, then you’ll love this. Try the first chapter and see if you aren't captured too.
Oh, this book is unrelated to the excellent British film The Descent which I just mentioned. Yes, there are numerous overlaps in plot, but the connection is unofficial, even if the film did turn out to be inspired by a few elements. Still, read the book, then watch that film.
It’s also unrelated to the excellent Amnesia: Dark Descent games.
Sadly, Jeff Long seems to have stopped writing. Websites gone, contacts disappeared. That’s a great shame. However, I do own his sequel to The Descent, which I’ve never opened. I look forward to reading it.
Don’t read on unless you have already read the book.
SPOILERS FOLLOW! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
December 27, 2016
El Descenso es un libro que nos va a narrar como el mundo entero descubre que hay unos seres que habitan dentro de La Tierra, quienes al parecer tienen intenciones muy hostiles con la raza humana. La población mundial se da cuenta de esto debido a que comienzan a suceder casos aislados en varios puntos diferentes del mapa. Los gobiernos y las fuerzas armadas deciden iniciar una exploración al subplaneta para poder comprender mejor esta situación, quiénes son estos seres que habitan en el interior y qué es lo que quieren.
El libro está dividido en tres partes, la primera es la presentación del conflicto y de los protagonistas, la novela los ira describiendo uno por uno en capítulos separados. La segunda parte es la convergencia de todos ellos y por ultimo, la tercera parte es la resolución de la trama principal.
Opinión personal: el libro me genero varias sensaciones distintas. El inicio de la historia me parece sumamente atrapante, de hecho un excelente comienzo que te dan ganas de leer más y más. Pero está sensación me duró solo las primeras treinta páginas, ya que después la novela cambia por completo su esencia. Lo que en un principio parecía ser una prometedora historia de terror se convierte en una novela de ciencia ficción, y no necesariamente de las mejores. Desde mi punto de vista, la novela empieza a decaer a partir de este punto. La narrativa del libro se me hizo innecesariamente cargada, los capítulos extensos, sin fuerza, que terminan aburriendo. Ni hablar de los personajes, el autor los presenta uno por uno en capítulos distintos, pero ninguno de ellos me pareció un personaje bien delineado, todos me resultaron intrascendentes, sin personalidad, los diálogos dentro de libro son monosilábicos, sin ningún carisma, todos directo al olvido.
Si hablamos de los personajes secundarios, lo mismo. Un equipo elite de Marines que tienen la misma valentía que un niño de 5 años. Científicos expertos en la materia, los mejores del país, que solo realizan conjeturas estúpidas y suposiciones sin ningún tipo de fundamento o lógica. El diálogo entre ellos roza lo absurdo y lo hace todo muy poco creíble, gracioso por momentos.
La escritura de libro, por momentos me pareció desprolija, hay situaciones y hechos que suceden de forma "inexplicable", forzadas por el autor para que encajen. Luego del comienzo, que realmente me pareció muy bueno y prometedor, todo se empieza a diluir, los capítulos se hacen largos y poco interesantes, la historia se va para cualquier lado, el autor quizo hacer una gran ensalada de elementos y cosas que no encajaban, a veces parecia un libro de Tom Clancy, en otras repentinamente un Codigo Da Vinci o un "Viaje al centro de la tierra" de Julio Verne, todo se me hizo innesesario, creo que si hubiese seguido una linea principal con algunas variaciones hubiese sido más interesante.
Por la información que hay sobre Jeff Long, es un hombre que está relacionado con el montañismo, se nota que el autor tiene conocimiento del tema y lo aplicó en el libro, pero sentí que lo único que hizo fue volcar sobre la novela, artículos y artículos sobre la materia, con términos, conceptos y teorías sobre la geología que realmente hacían el libro aun mas pesado. ¿Cómo puede ser que personas comunes y corrientes que no sepan de estas cosas, comprendan la capacidad lumínica de las rocas, la capa de basalto y términos realmente específicos? todo me pareció demasiado forzado para tratar de darle sentido a la trama. Considero que el autor tuvo una idea muy interesante en las manos, pero que no la supo aplicar y volcó todo, absolutamente todo creando un mix de elementos y argumentos que desde el inicio no deja bien en claro hacia donde quiere ir Jeff Long con la historia.
El libro no me gustó, lo leí porque he escuchado tantas referencias del mismo, y al no haber mucha información al respecto creo que hay un misterio sobre él, muchos lo catalogan como un excelente libro de horror. Habiendo leído bastante terror, este libro no pertenece al género, a mi forma de pensar, es un libro de ciencia ficción, que a mi parecer hubiese sido mejor si la historia se ejecutaba desde otra perspectiva.
El final: Me pareció completamente absurdo.
El libro está dividido en tres partes, la primera es la presentación del conflicto y de los protagonistas, la novela los ira describiendo uno por uno en capítulos separados. La segunda parte es la convergencia de todos ellos y por ultimo, la tercera parte es la resolución de la trama principal.
Opinión personal: el libro me genero varias sensaciones distintas. El inicio de la historia me parece sumamente atrapante, de hecho un excelente comienzo que te dan ganas de leer más y más. Pero está sensación me duró solo las primeras treinta páginas, ya que después la novela cambia por completo su esencia. Lo que en un principio parecía ser una prometedora historia de terror se convierte en una novela de ciencia ficción, y no necesariamente de las mejores. Desde mi punto de vista, la novela empieza a decaer a partir de este punto. La narrativa del libro se me hizo innecesariamente cargada, los capítulos extensos, sin fuerza, que terminan aburriendo. Ni hablar de los personajes, el autor los presenta uno por uno en capítulos distintos, pero ninguno de ellos me pareció un personaje bien delineado, todos me resultaron intrascendentes, sin personalidad, los diálogos dentro de libro son monosilábicos, sin ningún carisma, todos directo al olvido.
Si hablamos de los personajes secundarios, lo mismo. Un equipo elite de Marines que tienen la misma valentía que un niño de 5 años. Científicos expertos en la materia, los mejores del país, que solo realizan conjeturas estúpidas y suposiciones sin ningún tipo de fundamento o lógica. El diálogo entre ellos roza lo absurdo y lo hace todo muy poco creíble, gracioso por momentos.
La escritura de libro, por momentos me pareció desprolija, hay situaciones y hechos que suceden de forma "inexplicable", forzadas por el autor para que encajen. Luego del comienzo, que realmente me pareció muy bueno y prometedor, todo se empieza a diluir, los capítulos se hacen largos y poco interesantes, la historia se va para cualquier lado, el autor quizo hacer una gran ensalada de elementos y cosas que no encajaban, a veces parecia un libro de Tom Clancy, en otras repentinamente un Codigo Da Vinci o un "Viaje al centro de la tierra" de Julio Verne, todo se me hizo innesesario, creo que si hubiese seguido una linea principal con algunas variaciones hubiese sido más interesante.
Por la información que hay sobre Jeff Long, es un hombre que está relacionado con el montañismo, se nota que el autor tiene conocimiento del tema y lo aplicó en el libro, pero sentí que lo único que hizo fue volcar sobre la novela, artículos y artículos sobre la materia, con términos, conceptos y teorías sobre la geología que realmente hacían el libro aun mas pesado. ¿Cómo puede ser que personas comunes y corrientes que no sepan de estas cosas, comprendan la capacidad lumínica de las rocas, la capa de basalto y términos realmente específicos? todo me pareció demasiado forzado para tratar de darle sentido a la trama. Considero que el autor tuvo una idea muy interesante en las manos, pero que no la supo aplicar y volcó todo, absolutamente todo creando un mix de elementos y argumentos que desde el inicio no deja bien en claro hacia donde quiere ir Jeff Long con la historia.
El libro no me gustó, lo leí porque he escuchado tantas referencias del mismo, y al no haber mucha información al respecto creo que hay un misterio sobre él, muchos lo catalogan como un excelente libro de horror. Habiendo leído bastante terror, este libro no pertenece al género, a mi forma de pensar, es un libro de ciencia ficción, que a mi parecer hubiese sido mejor si la historia se ejecutaba desde otra perspectiva.
El final: Me pareció completamente absurdo.
July 2, 2024
Although written in the late 1990s, The Descent reads like a 'men's adventure' novel from the 60s or 70s, but not a very good one. I really dug parts of this, and the first chapter rocked, but Long tried to do too much here, make this too epic, and it became harder and harder to suspend my sense of disbelieve, let alone a basic understanding of science.
The good: The initial premise. Earth possesses immense tunnels or caves that connect the world, miles beneath the surface. Further, a civilization arose there, predating 'modern' humanity by tens of thousands of years. Perhaps this civilization even taught our distant forbearers civilization in the first place. The story starts with a guy taking a group of new age hippies on some trek in Nepal until they are stranded in a cave during a blizzard. Well, something finds them...
The bad: Why Long decided to take this into good/evil or the underground really being satanic I have no idea. Being underground for too long induces people to grow horns and tails, as well as growing super strong. Basically, something underground transforms them into demons. This is only the first touch at some strange 'science' Long peppers the text with. Did we have to go to Satan and god to make this story? No. Why is it here? No idea.
This starts off pretty strong. I already mentioned the super opening chapter, and then Long introduces a range of characters who play the leads throughout the novel. Ike, the group leader in Nepal, Ali the beautiful, compassionate nun, who starts off in a leper camp in Botswana, Branch, a military guy who encounters some 'cave dwellers' in Bosnia, and De L'Orme, a blind scholar/archeologist. When word of the 'cave dwellers', or what become known as Haddies, hits, the world reacts. Nations globally send troops and such underground, trying to root them out.
A ruthless corporate guy, who ran for president of the USA, lost (and blamed election fraud (sound familiar?)) has a scheme to rule the underground and extract its mineral resources, among other things. He starts by building an elevator shaft that goes miles deep off South America and quickly builds a city there. Further, he pays for a mission to chart the depths, going all the way to Asia, and we follow this mission for some time...
I really do not have much motivation to write more, but Long brings a real macho feel to the book. Expect manly men doing manly things and passive devoted women doing their thing. The prose flows at times, but Long keeps breaking up the flow of the story by introducing various 'vignettes' of isolated events planet side or elsewhere, that just seems to pad the story. Finally, the idea of some Satan 2 faint stars.
The good: The initial premise. Earth possesses immense tunnels or caves that connect the world, miles beneath the surface. Further, a civilization arose there, predating 'modern' humanity by tens of thousands of years. Perhaps this civilization even taught our distant forbearers civilization in the first place. The story starts with a guy taking a group of new age hippies on some trek in Nepal until they are stranded in a cave during a blizzard. Well, something finds them...
The bad: Why Long decided to take this into good/evil or the underground really being satanic I have no idea. Being underground for too long induces people to grow horns and tails, as well as growing super strong. Basically, something underground transforms them into demons. This is only the first touch at some strange 'science' Long peppers the text with. Did we have to go to Satan and god to make this story? No. Why is it here? No idea.
This starts off pretty strong. I already mentioned the super opening chapter, and then Long introduces a range of characters who play the leads throughout the novel. Ike, the group leader in Nepal, Ali the beautiful, compassionate nun, who starts off in a leper camp in Botswana, Branch, a military guy who encounters some 'cave dwellers' in Bosnia, and De L'Orme, a blind scholar/archeologist. When word of the 'cave dwellers', or what become known as Haddies, hits, the world reacts. Nations globally send troops and such underground, trying to root them out.
A ruthless corporate guy, who ran for president of the USA, lost (and blamed election fraud (sound familiar?)) has a scheme to rule the underground and extract its mineral resources, among other things. He starts by building an elevator shaft that goes miles deep off South America and quickly builds a city there. Further, he pays for a mission to chart the depths, going all the way to Asia, and we follow this mission for some time...
I really do not have much motivation to write more, but Long brings a real macho feel to the book. Expect manly men doing manly things and passive devoted women doing their thing. The prose flows at times, but Long keeps breaking up the flow of the story by introducing various 'vignettes' of isolated events planet side or elsewhere, that just seems to pad the story. Finally, the idea of some Satan 2 faint stars.
December 11, 2010
Too many words, not enough story.
After one of the BEST opening chapters I've ever read, I *wanted* to suspend my disbelief for the sake of an exciting novel but I just couldn't do it. The Descent took things way past the point of suspended disbelief into plain silliness (the military guy grows horns and scales and still gets invited to lead seminars? And then he spontaneously recovers - for no apparent reason - and they put him in charge of a crack unit of soldiers to go hunt the bad guys? Huh!?).
One problem: Jeff Long introduces a great main character - then another (less great) - then another (okay) - and yet another (sort of boring)- and still another (etc) - and the plot just falls apart, goes nowhere. By introducing too much content and not enough suspense, he loses all his momentum.
This is one of the worst books I've ever read (skipped 200 pages in the middle). Which is a shame, because Long's writing style is better than most stuff out there today.
PS) Kind of funny: I found out that the book was made into a movie - but only, apparently, the first chapter. Instead of a mountaineering team, they use scantily-clad college girls to get eaten by monsters. What a shame.
After one of the BEST opening chapters I've ever read, I *wanted* to suspend my disbelief for the sake of an exciting novel but I just couldn't do it. The Descent took things way past the point of suspended disbelief into plain silliness (the military guy grows horns and scales and still gets invited to lead seminars? And then he spontaneously recovers - for no apparent reason - and they put him in charge of a crack unit of soldiers to go hunt the bad guys? Huh!?).
One problem: Jeff Long introduces a great main character - then another (less great) - then another (okay) - and yet another (sort of boring)- and still another (etc) - and the plot just falls apart, goes nowhere. By introducing too much content and not enough suspense, he loses all his momentum.
This is one of the worst books I've ever read (skipped 200 pages in the middle). Which is a shame, because Long's writing style is better than most stuff out there today.
PS) Kind of funny: I found out that the book was made into a movie - but only, apparently, the first chapter. Instead of a mountaineering team, they use scantily-clad college girls to get eaten by monsters. What a shame.
September 6, 2019
1.5
Este libro contiene:
Canibalismo
Torturas y mutilaciones muy gráficas
Abusos y violaciones grupales a menores de 14 años de ambos sexos.
Sé que el horror muchas veces busca horrorizar más que asustar, y en mi caso El Descenso muchas veces lo logró. Pero no fue tanto por el efecto que me pudo producir lo que se contaba, sino por el pensar que a un autor se le puedan ocurrir esas atrocidades y decida escribirlas. Y que al final no aporten nada a la historia más que morbo y gore.
El argumento de El Descenso es básicamente el descenso al centro de la tierra. Luego de la aparición de unos seres monstruosos salidos de cuevas subterráneas, la gente llega a la conclusión (por razones poco claras en las que Dante tiene algo que ver) que el famoso infierno está en el centro de la tierra. Obviamente los humanos van a ir derechito a investigarlo, y a ver si encuentran al diablo.
Llamaría a este libro 'Viaje al centro de la tierra 2.0', si no fuera porque la novela original de hecho me gustó (y menos mal que la leí, porque acá se cuenta el final). Por irónico que pueda ser, El Descenso se me hizo muy cuesta arriba.
Empieza bien, no lo voy a negar. La verdad es que con los primeros capítulos estaba intrigada y muy atrapada, la historia prometía ser algo diferente y bastante tétrico, y me gustaba que el autor manejara esa dosis de horror con pequeños detalles inexplicables e inesperados, por simples que fueran, como una huella de un pie no-humano en lo más profundo de un laberinto de cuevas subterráneas, o la insinuación de un ser oscuro y maligno.
Eso sin embargo no duró. Bastante al inicio hay un giro argumental tan abrupto como (para mi gusto) mal ejecutado que me hizo perder el interés casi por completo. La historia deja de ser de horror para convertirse en ciencia ficción, cualquier atisbo de algo sobrenatural se evapora, y con él la posibilidad de asustar. A partir de ahora simplemente se va a dedicar a horrorizar con escenas innecesarias de torturas tan detalladas, que lo que me perturbó fue la mente del autor y no el momento en sí.
Es una pena porque la idea que tuvo no es mala, simplemente la malgastó.
Pero a pesar de todo, eso no fue lo que hizo que este libro no me gustara. Mi gran problema fue que me empecé a aburrir, y hasta perdí el interés por los dos personajes que me gustaban.
Algo para lo que no tengo paciencia jamás es para los diálogos-monografía. Me molestan. Quiero argumento, no un compilado de los artículos científicos/religiosos que leyó el autor, y que ahora vemos disfrazados de diálogos que intentan ser controversiales. Y entonces el libro de ciencia ficción se vuelve una especie de El código DaVinci.
Con este libro he descubierto que la geología no está entre mis principales intereses, y que leer una novela sobre un grupo de científicos maravillados con unas rocas no es mi idea de lectura amena.
Hacia el final parecía que mejoraba, pero cada vez que mas o menos volvía a sentir interés volvían las monografías.
Otra cosa que no ayudó es que el estilo del autor es bastante desorganizado y desprolijo. Y también creo haber notado ciertos momentos que rozan el racismo.
A veces no me quedaba claro quién estaba hablando, hay cosas que ocurren simplemente porque sí y nunca se explican o retoman, hay muchos diálogos donde discuten una y otra vez lo mismo sin llegar a nada, y me llamó mucho la atención que un grupo de personas que se supone que son expertos en sus materias cometan errores deprincipiante imbéciles (me tienen harta los personajes que firman contratos sin leerlos), así como un curioso grupo de mercenarios y ex militares que viven asustados. El final tampoco me pareció gran cosa.
Lo único que sí quisiera rescatar, y que espero que haya sido la intención del autor y no simplemente que mi aburrimiento me hizo sobreanalizar, es que los humanos toman como bestiales a los seres de las cuevas subterráneas, y al final del día los "civilizados" pueden llegar a ser tanto o más salvajes que ellos. Aunque no necesitaba que me lo mostrara con tanto lujo de detalles, sinceramente.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
Este libro contiene:
Canibalismo
Torturas y mutilaciones muy gráficas
Abusos y violaciones grupales a menores de 14 años de ambos sexos.
Sé que el horror muchas veces busca horrorizar más que asustar, y en mi caso El Descenso muchas veces lo logró. Pero no fue tanto por el efecto que me pudo producir lo que se contaba, sino por el pensar que a un autor se le puedan ocurrir esas atrocidades y decida escribirlas. Y que al final no aporten nada a la historia más que morbo y gore.
El argumento de El Descenso es básicamente el descenso al centro de la tierra. Luego de la aparición de unos seres monstruosos salidos de cuevas subterráneas, la gente llega a la conclusión (por razones poco claras en las que Dante tiene algo que ver) que el famoso infierno está en el centro de la tierra. Obviamente los humanos van a ir derechito a investigarlo, y a ver si encuentran al diablo.
Llamaría a este libro 'Viaje al centro de la tierra 2.0', si no fuera porque la novela original de hecho me gustó (y menos mal que la leí, porque acá se cuenta el final). Por irónico que pueda ser, El Descenso se me hizo muy cuesta arriba.
Empieza bien, no lo voy a negar. La verdad es que con los primeros capítulos estaba intrigada y muy atrapada, la historia prometía ser algo diferente y bastante tétrico, y me gustaba que el autor manejara esa dosis de horror con pequeños detalles inexplicables e inesperados, por simples que fueran, como una huella de un pie no-humano en lo más profundo de un laberinto de cuevas subterráneas, o la insinuación de un ser oscuro y maligno.
Eso sin embargo no duró. Bastante al inicio hay un giro argumental tan abrupto como (para mi gusto) mal ejecutado que me hizo perder el interés casi por completo. La historia deja de ser de horror para convertirse en ciencia ficción, cualquier atisbo de algo sobrenatural se evapora, y con él la posibilidad de asustar. A partir de ahora simplemente se va a dedicar a horrorizar con escenas innecesarias de torturas tan detalladas, que lo que me perturbó fue la mente del autor y no el momento en sí.
Es una pena porque la idea que tuvo no es mala, simplemente la malgastó.
Pero a pesar de todo, eso no fue lo que hizo que este libro no me gustara. Mi gran problema fue que me empecé a aburrir, y hasta perdí el interés por los dos personajes que me gustaban.
Algo para lo que no tengo paciencia jamás es para los diálogos-monografía. Me molestan. Quiero argumento, no un compilado de los artículos científicos/religiosos que leyó el autor, y que ahora vemos disfrazados de diálogos que intentan ser controversiales. Y entonces el libro de ciencia ficción se vuelve una especie de El código DaVinci.
Con este libro he descubierto que la geología no está entre mis principales intereses, y que leer una novela sobre un grupo de científicos maravillados con unas rocas no es mi idea de lectura amena.
Hacia el final parecía que mejoraba, pero cada vez que mas o menos volvía a sentir interés volvían las monografías.
Otra cosa que no ayudó es que el estilo del autor es bastante desorganizado y desprolijo. Y también creo haber notado ciertos momentos que rozan el racismo.
A veces no me quedaba claro quién estaba hablando, hay cosas que ocurren simplemente porque sí y nunca se explican o retoman, hay muchos diálogos donde discuten una y otra vez lo mismo sin llegar a nada, y me llamó mucho la atención que un grupo de personas que se supone que son expertos en sus materias cometan errores de
Lo único que sí quisiera rescatar, y que espero que haya sido la intención del autor y no simplemente que mi aburrimiento me hizo sobreanalizar, es que los humanos toman como bestiales a los seres de las cuevas subterráneas, y al final del día los "civilizados" pueden llegar a ser tanto o más salvajes que ellos. Aunque no necesitaba que me lo mostrara con tanto lujo de detalles, sinceramente.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
August 18, 2021
Tragic.
That's my sole assessment of how rarely I see this novel cited by horror fans.
Jeff Long's modern take on the Verne-esque hollow Earth subgenre of science fiction seems to bear more resemblance to a contemporary Divine Comedy, where Hell is portrayed not as a metaphorical, supernatural, or intangible realm, but one lying in wait right beneath our feet - one made of rock, chains, and creatures.
I challenge you to read the opening chapter of The Descent and set the book down, never again to return to it. It cannot be done, not if you appreciate the 'that-which-should-not-be-seen-by-man' stylings of Lovecraft, or literature's answer to Cronenbergian body horror by way of Barker, or simply a masterful demonstration of how an author can present to you an irresistibly loaded fishing hook. The fishing hook is obvious. We see that we are being baited, but we must bite down. And what a joy it is to bite.
Look, I can't say whether you should listen to me or the fairly substantial array of written criticisms of the novel. Maybe you should listen to that yawning expanse of nothing, the book's near-total lack of mention in the relevant arenas perhaps foreshadowing an empty ride.
I say: listen to none of the above.
Listen only to your curiosity.
What cold-blooded, black-hearted horror lover couldn't ache with curiosity over a race of aeons-old cave dwelling creatures, lurking beneath the feet of mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, in caverns and chambers and tunnel systems so expansive, so DEEP that they sprawl below even the deepest recesses of the oceans, harbouring pits leading deeper still, pits of which even these creatures fear.
Risen and fallen civilisations, silent influence over the unfolding of humankind, enslavement of those unfortunate enough to discover how deep the hollows of the earth reach - and one man. A ruler. An influencer. A legend. Except this legend is flesh and blood, real as the gold rings brutally locked in place through the flesh and bone of His prisoners' lower jaws to keep them chained, leashed, and a perverted combination of both enslaved and loving.
Yeah, the clue's in the 'His'. This book is about the hunt for Satan.
So listen to your curiosity. Read the one book I've ever read that I can confidently rank alongside the masterpiece that is Frankenstein. This is my joint favourite novel of all time. Help me fill that yawning expanse, that absence of praise for this epic, biblical, maelstrom of horror.
Read The Descent.
That's my sole assessment of how rarely I see this novel cited by horror fans.
Jeff Long's modern take on the Verne-esque hollow Earth subgenre of science fiction seems to bear more resemblance to a contemporary Divine Comedy, where Hell is portrayed not as a metaphorical, supernatural, or intangible realm, but one lying in wait right beneath our feet - one made of rock, chains, and creatures.
I challenge you to read the opening chapter of The Descent and set the book down, never again to return to it. It cannot be done, not if you appreciate the 'that-which-should-not-be-seen-by-man' stylings of Lovecraft, or literature's answer to Cronenbergian body horror by way of Barker, or simply a masterful demonstration of how an author can present to you an irresistibly loaded fishing hook. The fishing hook is obvious. We see that we are being baited, but we must bite down. And what a joy it is to bite.
Look, I can't say whether you should listen to me or the fairly substantial array of written criticisms of the novel. Maybe you should listen to that yawning expanse of nothing, the book's near-total lack of mention in the relevant arenas perhaps foreshadowing an empty ride.
I say: listen to none of the above.
Listen only to your curiosity.
What cold-blooded, black-hearted horror lover couldn't ache with curiosity over a race of aeons-old cave dwelling creatures, lurking beneath the feet of mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, in caverns and chambers and tunnel systems so expansive, so DEEP that they sprawl below even the deepest recesses of the oceans, harbouring pits leading deeper still, pits of which even these creatures fear.
Risen and fallen civilisations, silent influence over the unfolding of humankind, enslavement of those unfortunate enough to discover how deep the hollows of the earth reach - and one man. A ruler. An influencer. A legend. Except this legend is flesh and blood, real as the gold rings brutally locked in place through the flesh and bone of His prisoners' lower jaws to keep them chained, leashed, and a perverted combination of both enslaved and loving.
Yeah, the clue's in the 'His'. This book is about the hunt for Satan.
So listen to your curiosity. Read the one book I've ever read that I can confidently rank alongside the masterpiece that is Frankenstein. This is my joint favourite novel of all time. Help me fill that yawning expanse, that absence of praise for this epic, biblical, maelstrom of horror.
Read The Descent.
August 12, 2018
This was in a random pile of books that a friend gave me to borrow of her husband’s. I read the synopsis/ back matter and thought, well, well, well. Pretty soon I was immersed in this book with chills on my arms sometimes. It was very interesting. Then years later after I returned the book(of course it was still in my mind) I saw it on sale in e-book form and snatched it up! It’s creepy in a psychological kind of way and also in that way that inches up your spine— slowly. I’m definitely going to read it again someday.
It really makes you wonder. What is in the deep and the dark? What kind of things live in absence of light? We already know of some pretty phantastical things as it is...
I have heard and seen that there is a sequel. Hmmmmm.
It really makes you wonder. What is in the deep and the dark? What kind of things live in absence of light? We already know of some pretty phantastical things as it is...
I have heard and seen that there is a sequel. Hmmmmm.
July 19, 2020
Gracias al cielo se terminó. Hace tiempo que un libro no se me hacía tan pero tan tedioso.
Si tuviera que calificarlo por originalidad de la trama quizá le daría unas 4 estrellas, sin embargo, la ejecución me pareció terrible.
Es todavía más triste que inicie de forma tan prometedora: con una partida de exploradores perdidos en el Himalaya, que encuentran un cadáver lleno de símbolos arcanos grabados en la piel. Esa primera parte tiene una descripción maravillosa, tétrica, atmosférica, pero muy pronto todo se va al demonio.
Mis expectativas eran muy altas con este libro. Más que ser una obra de horror, me pareció una mezcla de ciencia ficción con teorías de la conspiración tipo código Da Vinci.
Como digo, hay ideas geniales. Pensar que en una civilización subterránea se puede encontrar escondido Satanás, me parece una idea súper creativa y por eso le doy dos estrellas a Jeff Long, pero de resto sus descripciones científicas, construcción de personajes, diálogos e incluso el mismo ritmo de la narración son tediosos.
Aunque hay unos pequeños destellos macabros, no creo que valgan lo suficientemente la pena como para leer todo este libro.
Me siento súper tonta de haber comprado también la segunda parte, "The Deeper", porque honestamente no creo leerla nunca.
Si tuviera que calificarlo por originalidad de la trama quizá le daría unas 4 estrellas, sin embargo, la ejecución me pareció terrible.
Es todavía más triste que inicie de forma tan prometedora: con una partida de exploradores perdidos en el Himalaya, que encuentran un cadáver lleno de símbolos arcanos grabados en la piel. Esa primera parte tiene una descripción maravillosa, tétrica, atmosférica, pero muy pronto todo se va al demonio.
Mis expectativas eran muy altas con este libro. Más que ser una obra de horror, me pareció una mezcla de ciencia ficción con teorías de la conspiración tipo código Da Vinci.
Como digo, hay ideas geniales. Pensar que en una civilización subterránea se puede encontrar escondido Satanás, me parece una idea súper creativa y por eso le doy dos estrellas a Jeff Long, pero de resto sus descripciones científicas, construcción de personajes, diálogos e incluso el mismo ritmo de la narración son tediosos.
Aunque hay unos pequeños destellos macabros, no creo que valgan lo suficientemente la pena como para leer todo este libro.
Me siento súper tonta de haber comprado también la segunda parte, "The Deeper", porque honestamente no creo leerla nunca.
June 5, 2013
Last month I watched two movies with my wife. 'Sanctum' and 'The Descent' (which has no relation with this book). Sure, the casting and dialogues left a lot to be desired, but in retrospection it dawned on me that it didn’t really matter in the end as the real Hero-antagonist of these movies was The Darkness itself. The Claustrophobic Depths. The Subterranean Hell.
After watching those movies, my wife told me that she would never go on a cave "exploration" adventure even if it was in reality a tourist spot with all the safety features and she would never let me go anyplace like that either. I agreed wholeheartedly and promised that the only type of caves that I would ever go “exploring” would be like Ajanta and Ellora where, you know, I wouldn’t be more than a minute away from the open skies and sunlight. 30 seconds at the most, if I ran quick enough.
I wouldn’t go in a vertical cave, never. Thank you very much. And I will bet you a trillion Zimbabwean Dollars that you wouldn’t go either. No, I am not claustrophobic. At least I am not when I am above the surface of the earth. And no, I am not unadventurous either. You want me to climb Mt. Everest with you? I am ready. Let’s go tomorrow. Maybe I will lose my toes at 2000 metres and my nose at 2001 metres and maybe I will die at 2010 metres. But at least, I will die in the open. Above surface. In the sunlight. And if it is overcast (as in England), I can at least die looking at the grey clouds. Not the bloody darkness. (Real Fact: Ever wondered why the British don’t worship the Sun? It is because it is a relatively new discovery for them. They saw it the first time when the East India Company came to India. Only after 1947 when the sun began to shine for 10 minutes once in a week in the UK, they left.)
Okay then. Now about this book. It really lives up to its name. I have to give it that much. The Descent. The first chapter is excellent. But then the quality keeps descending unflaggingly right till the end. But my extreme fear of all things subterranean kept me going. Jeff Long’s writing style is choppy at the best. So much so that I had to read certain sentences twice just to comprehend what the hell was happening and who was talking to whom. The book started off as science fiction (much to my delight), but by the middle it drifted off towards science-fantasy and by the end it became pure fantasy. It clearly didn't know where it wanted to go. But who am I to blame it? Because in the deep, one can't possibly see.
Anywho, I had high hopes. And while it didn’t totally disappoint, it didn’t impress tremendously either.
So, an in-between 3 stars.
After watching those movies, my wife told me that she would never go on a cave "exploration" adventure even if it was in reality a tourist spot with all the safety features and she would never let me go anyplace like that either. I agreed wholeheartedly and promised that the only type of caves that I would ever go “exploring” would be like Ajanta and Ellora where, you know, I wouldn’t be more than a minute away from the open skies and sunlight. 30 seconds at the most, if I ran quick enough.
I wouldn’t go in a vertical cave, never. Thank you very much. And I will bet you a trillion Zimbabwean Dollars that you wouldn’t go either. No, I am not claustrophobic. At least I am not when I am above the surface of the earth. And no, I am not unadventurous either. You want me to climb Mt. Everest with you? I am ready. Let’s go tomorrow. Maybe I will lose my toes at 2000 metres and my nose at 2001 metres and maybe I will die at 2010 metres. But at least, I will die in the open. Above surface. In the sunlight. And if it is overcast (as in England), I can at least die looking at the grey clouds. Not the bloody darkness. (Real Fact: Ever wondered why the British don’t worship the Sun? It is because it is a relatively new discovery for them. They saw it the first time when the East India Company came to India. Only after 1947 when the sun began to shine for 10 minutes once in a week in the UK, they left.)
Okay then. Now about this book. It really lives up to its name. I have to give it that much. The Descent. The first chapter is excellent. But then the quality keeps descending unflaggingly right till the end. But my extreme fear of all things subterranean kept me going. Jeff Long’s writing style is choppy at the best. So much so that I had to read certain sentences twice just to comprehend what the hell was happening and who was talking to whom. The book started off as science fiction (much to my delight), but by the middle it drifted off towards science-fantasy and by the end it became pure fantasy. It clearly didn't know where it wanted to go. But who am I to blame it? Because in the deep, one can't possibly see.
Anywho, I had high hopes. And while it didn’t totally disappoint, it didn’t impress tremendously either.
So, an in-between 3 stars.
August 2, 2011
It is one of the best books I have ever read - period. I learned about this book through some recos other authors had made so I gave it a try. And I am really glad I did.
Sure the main premise of the books sounds very corny when you try to explain it to someone; some people have found tunnels under the earth and some strange creatures inside - they have found Hell. It sounds like a B-movie but Mr Long makes it a great epic story about who we are, what we maybe came from and what we may be in the future. There are a lot of thrills, scares and action through out the story and he manages to flesh out the characters as well. You really get to know them and root for or despise them. There are some twists in the end which really gets your attention.
But the best thing about the book is the really creepy atmosphere Long creates that seeps into your consciousness and doesnt leave. I couldnt put the book down and read it all in 3 days.
No - the best thing about the book is that there is a sequel - Deeper - which I am going to order right now.
Sure the main premise of the books sounds very corny when you try to explain it to someone; some people have found tunnels under the earth and some strange creatures inside - they have found Hell. It sounds like a B-movie but Mr Long makes it a great epic story about who we are, what we maybe came from and what we may be in the future. There are a lot of thrills, scares and action through out the story and he manages to flesh out the characters as well. You really get to know them and root for or despise them. There are some twists in the end which really gets your attention.
But the best thing about the book is the really creepy atmosphere Long creates that seeps into your consciousness and doesnt leave. I couldnt put the book down and read it all in 3 days.
No - the best thing about the book is that there is a sequel - Deeper - which I am going to order right now.
September 14, 2007
I wanted to enjoy this book, and Long gave a lot of early indications that the book was going to be a fun ride the whole way through.
Unfortunately the promise the book has early on goes nowhere and the end of the book is so disappointing and anti-climactic that I had to check if my copy was missing pages.
Long does some neat things, particularly his tying the story into the the study of proto-languages and the struggles in the Balkans. However by the time the Shroud of Turin comes in he's demonstrated that he isn't going to give you a worthwile explanation of anything.
Maybe the sequel will actually fill in all the stuff that is lacking in the first one.
Unfortunately the promise the book has early on goes nowhere and the end of the book is so disappointing and anti-climactic that I had to check if my copy was missing pages.
Long does some neat things, particularly his tying the story into the the study of proto-languages and the struggles in the Balkans. However by the time the Shroud of Turin comes in he's demonstrated that he isn't going to give you a worthwile explanation of anything.
Maybe the sequel will actually fill in all the stuff that is lacking in the first one.
February 10, 2018
Creepy and deeply unsettling book. Love it!
February 16, 2013
Very, very creepy. I will never, ever go on a cave exploration.
June 17, 2017
Es una maravilla de libro. Adictivo al 100% y muy emocionante. Es de esos libros que hasta que no lo acabas no lo puedes dejar de leer. Lástima que la 2ª parte no se haya editado en español.
March 3, 2011
Holy Wow what a book!!!
Dwight Crockett, a Himalayan guide known as Ike, discovers a cave containing a mutilated body...a warning that "Satan exists" carved into its skin. A nun, searching for the first language in her quest to be closer to God, unearths evidence another human species exists. A military expedition encounters something feeding upon the dead in a mass grave.
Each of these separate events lead to the most shocking revelation: Mankind is not alone. The Underworld is real. A geological labyrinth exists deep within the Earth, traveling under continents and oceans. Another race populates this new territory, and they know they're being hunted.
I love that this story made me think about my own personal belief system. Stop and ponder the "what if" and "is it possible?" Science and faith are so conjoined, the story is not only plausible but downright terrifying.
Deprivation, tactile sensation, and psychological horrors are delivered in this fast-paced adventure. I am awed by Mr. Long's talent for combining storytelling with philosophy, religion, and the indomitable human spirit with seamless precision.
This is a book I will revisit often, stretching the boundaries of my own imagination!
Dwight Crockett, a Himalayan guide known as Ike, discovers a cave containing a mutilated body...a warning that "Satan exists" carved into its skin. A nun, searching for the first language in her quest to be closer to God, unearths evidence another human species exists. A military expedition encounters something feeding upon the dead in a mass grave.
Each of these separate events lead to the most shocking revelation: Mankind is not alone. The Underworld is real. A geological labyrinth exists deep within the Earth, traveling under continents and oceans. Another race populates this new territory, and they know they're being hunted.
I love that this story made me think about my own personal belief system. Stop and ponder the "what if" and "is it possible?" Science and faith are so conjoined, the story is not only plausible but downright terrifying.
Deprivation, tactile sensation, and psychological horrors are delivered in this fast-paced adventure. I am awed by Mr. Long's talent for combining storytelling with philosophy, religion, and the indomitable human spirit with seamless precision.
This is a book I will revisit often, stretching the boundaries of my own imagination!
June 23, 2009
I don't think the author knew exactly what he wanted to write with this book. The first part was mostly a horror novel, and then it spent the second half bogged down in a philosophical search of the Christian mythos mixed with an adventure story. I liked the first half - the part with scary humanoid things under the earth that would steal and/or kill people. The bit with the helicopter was especially well done. The second half of the book was very slow, disjointed and it really lost my interest with the whole "search for Satan" thing.
I personally think this book would have been much stronger had the author decided what he wanted out of it - horror, adventure or philosophical look into modern Western religion.
I personally think this book would have been much stronger had the author decided what he wanted out of it - horror, adventure or philosophical look into modern Western religion.
July 2, 2017
One of my favourite books of all time. Not for everyone...but right up my street.
January 15, 2015
This book is super-duper not fucking around appalling.
The first chapter: interesting caving horror with likeable POC narrator.
The second chapter: our white savior Sue provides aid to lepers in unspecified Africa, who naturally kill and eat others and give them to their pagan cannibal god. As you do, I guess. She emerges a better person, etcetera.
The third chapter: Bosnia. Savages primative blah blah can't hear you, book.
The fourth chapter: ha ha nope you can't get me to read any more of this.
The first chapter: interesting caving horror with likeable POC narrator.
The second chapter: our white savior Sue provides aid to lepers in unspecified Africa, who naturally kill and eat others and give them to their pagan cannibal god. As you do, I guess. She emerges a better person, etcetera.
The third chapter: Bosnia. Savages primative blah blah can't hear you, book.
The fourth chapter: ha ha nope you can't get me to read any more of this.
March 6, 2013
[5/10]
I was looking forward to my first Jeff Long book, but it was largely a disappointment. To be honest, I would probably have rated The Descent a five star, had i only read it when I was 14 and eager for over the top adventures with scariest monsters and extensive bloodshed. This is the kind of modern high-octane thriller that I was craving for after growing a bit too old for the classic tales of Jules Verne or Alexandre Dumas. Alas, I can no longer ignore the poorly drawn characters, the whooping plot holes that accumulate toward the end of the journey, the bloated side quests that add nothing to the main plot, and especially the glaring inconsistencies in physics, chemistry and biology that masquerade as scientific facts. Jules Verne had an excuse when he wrote Journey to The Center of the Earth , as the sum of human knowledge about our planet at the time he wrote his novel was much more sketchy and speculative than what we have now. In the hollow world of The Descent, not only do the pressures and temperatures remain stubbornly temperate as we go down for miles into the earth's crust, but the air remains breathable, the walls glow with bioluminescence penetrating hundreds of meters of cavesapce, and microbes and fungi can support a fully functional ecosystem; standard batteries for lanterns and laptops can last for weeks of intensive use ()
For the good parts, the multiple POV storytelling, the epic scale and the apocalyptic disaster setting reminded me positively of some of Arthur Hailey or Michael Crichton thrillers. Horror afficionados should enjoy the scary scenes right from the opening chapter, the grotesque creatures of the dark, the extremely high bodycount and the explicit descriptions of torn limbs and scattered entrails. The high altitude rock climber (Ike) and the Catholic nun (Ali) are actually interesting lead characters, the religious connotations of the journey were well integrated into the story. But, frankly, when I came across the quote:
Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate ...
I felt like translating it into :
Check your brains out before you enter, and enjoy the popcorn!
What to read instead? I recommend F Paul Wilson and Robert R McCammon.
I was looking forward to my first Jeff Long book, but it was largely a disappointment. To be honest, I would probably have rated The Descent a five star, had i only read it when I was 14 and eager for over the top adventures with scariest monsters and extensive bloodshed. This is the kind of modern high-octane thriller that I was craving for after growing a bit too old for the classic tales of Jules Verne or Alexandre Dumas. Alas, I can no longer ignore the poorly drawn characters, the whooping plot holes that accumulate toward the end of the journey, the bloated side quests that add nothing to the main plot, and especially the glaring inconsistencies in physics, chemistry and biology that masquerade as scientific facts. Jules Verne had an excuse when he wrote Journey to The Center of the Earth , as the sum of human knowledge about our planet at the time he wrote his novel was much more sketchy and speculative than what we have now. In the hollow world of The Descent, not only do the pressures and temperatures remain stubbornly temperate as we go down for miles into the earth's crust, but the air remains breathable, the walls glow with bioluminescence penetrating hundreds of meters of cavesapce, and microbes and fungi can support a fully functional ecosystem; standard batteries for lanterns and laptops can last for weeks of intensive use ()
For the good parts, the multiple POV storytelling, the epic scale and the apocalyptic disaster setting reminded me positively of some of Arthur Hailey or Michael Crichton thrillers. Horror afficionados should enjoy the scary scenes right from the opening chapter, the grotesque creatures of the dark, the extremely high bodycount and the explicit descriptions of torn limbs and scattered entrails. The high altitude rock climber (Ike) and the Catholic nun (Ali) are actually interesting lead characters, the religious connotations of the journey were well integrated into the story. But, frankly, when I came across the quote:
Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate ...
I felt like translating it into :
Check your brains out before you enter, and enjoy the popcorn!
What to read instead? I recommend F Paul Wilson and Robert R McCammon.
February 3, 2016
Πριν δώδεκα μέρες έχασα το�� πατέρα μου, έτσι χρειάστηκε αρκετός καιρός (για τα δικά μου δεδομένα) μέχρι να τελειώσω τελικά το βιβλίο, έχοντας εννοείται μειωμένη όρεξη για οτιδήποτε. Οφείλω να ομολογήσω πάντως ότι σε αρκετές στιγμές το βιβλίο με συνεπήρε και μ'έκανε να ξεχάσω, έστω και για λίγο και όσο αυτό είναι δυνατό, την τραγική αυτή απώλεια.
Ο τίτλος του βιβλίου τα λέει όλα, έχουμε να κάνουμε με την κατάβαση των ανθρώπων στα έγκατα της Γης, στον απέραντο λαβυρινθώδες υπόγειο κόσμο, όπου κατοικεί μια άλλη φυλή, η οποία αποτελείται από τρομακτικά πλάσματα που τα συναντούσε κανείς μόνο σε μύθους και ιστορίες τρόμου. Μετά την ανακάλυψη του τεράστιου υπόγειου κόσμου, κυβερνήσεις, οργανισμοί και επιχειρήσεις, έθεσαν ως στόχο την κατάκτησή του. Έτσι, παρακολουθούμε τις προσπάθειες των ανθρώπων να εξερευνήσουν τον τεράστιο και σκοτεινό αυτό κόσμο, καθώς και να κατανοήσουν τον τρόπο δημιουργίας του και τις σχέσεις του με τον δικό μας κόσμο. Α, και φυσικά να δουν αν υπάρχει Σατανάς...
Το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της ιστορίας διαδραματίζεται σε υπόγειους λαβυρίνθους και σε αχανή τοπία χιλιάδες μέτρα κάτω από τα πόδια μας και νομίζω πως ο συγγραφέας κατάφερε με τις ωραίες και παραστατικές του περιγραφές να μας δείξει πως είναι ένας τέτοιος κόσμος. Η πλοκή είναι γεμάτη με αγωνία και σασπένς, ενώ και η δράση είναι φυσικά πάρα πολλή και χορταστική και οι δυνατές σκηνές βίας και τρόμου δεν λείπουν από το μενού. Η γραφή μου φάνηκε αρκετά καλή και ευκολοδιάβαστη, σίγουρα εθιστική, αν και κάποιοι διάλογοι δεν δούλεψαν και πολύ καλά. Όσον αφορά τους χαρακτήρες, δεν δέθηκα ιδιαίτερα με κάποιον, πάντως νομίζω πως έκαναν καλά την δουλειά τους.
Γενικά πρόκειται για ένα συναρπαστικό και ενδιαφέρον περιπετειώδες βιβλίο τρόμου, γεμάτο ένταση, δράση, δυνατές εικόνες και ωραίες περιγραφές, ό,τι πρέπει για να περάσει ψυχαγωγικά η ώρα. Δυστυχώς δεν το απόλαυσα στον βαθμό που θα ήθελα, όμως μ'έκανε να ξεχαστώ λιγάκι από την απώλειά μου. Το προτείνω στους λάτρεις των περιπετειών.
Ο τίτλος του βιβλίου τα λέει όλα, έχουμε να κάνουμε με την κατάβαση των ανθρώπων στα έγκατα της Γης, στον απέραντο λαβυρινθώδες υπόγειο κόσμο, όπου κατοικεί μια άλλη φυλή, η οποία αποτελείται από τρομακτικά πλάσματα που τα συναντούσε κανείς μόνο σε μύθους και ιστορίες τρόμου. Μετά την ανακάλυψη του τεράστιου υπόγειου κόσμου, κυβερνήσεις, οργανισμοί και επιχειρήσεις, έθεσαν ως στόχο την κατάκτησή του. Έτσι, παρακολουθούμε τις προσπάθειες των ανθρώπων να εξερευνήσουν τον τεράστιο και σκοτεινό αυτό κόσμο, καθώς και να κατανοήσουν τον τρόπο δημιουργίας του και τις σχέσεις του με τον δικό μας κόσμο. Α, και φυσικά να δουν αν υπάρχει Σατανάς...
Το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της ιστορίας διαδραματίζεται σε υπόγειους λαβυρίνθους και σε αχανή τοπία χιλιάδες μέτρα κάτω από τα πόδια μας και νομίζω πως ο συγγραφέας κατάφερε με τις ωραίες και παραστατικές του περιγραφές να μας δείξει πως είναι ένας τέτοιος κόσμος. Η πλοκή είναι γεμάτη με αγωνία και σασπένς, ενώ και η δράση είναι φυσικά πάρα πολλή και χορταστική και οι δυνατές σκηνές βίας και τρόμου δεν λείπουν από το μενού. Η γραφή μου φάνηκε αρκετά καλή και ευκολοδιάβαστη, σίγουρα εθιστική, αν και κάποιοι διάλογοι δεν δούλεψαν και πολύ καλά. Όσον αφορά τους χαρακτήρες, δεν δέθηκα ιδιαίτερα με κάποιον, πάντως νομίζω πως έκαναν καλά την δουλειά τους.
Γενικά πρόκειται για ένα συναρπαστικό και ενδιαφέρον περιπετειώδες βιβλίο τρόμου, γεμάτο ένταση, δράση, δυνατές εικόνες και ωραίες περιγραφές, ό,τι πρέπει για να περάσει ψυχαγωγικά η ώρα. Δυστυχώς δεν το απόλαυσα στον βαθμό που θα ήθελα, όμως μ'έκανε να ξεχαστώ λιγάκι από την απώλειά μου. Το προτείνω στους λάτρεις των περιπετειών.
Currently reading
July 15, 2009My son, Mike, bought this book for me and highly recommended it. I've started it and have gotten, very quickly, to page 70 or so and know I'm in trouble: I've started a book whose subject matter I DON'T LIKE and yet have been hooked by an author's skillful presentation of this world I DON'T LIKE.
What's not to like? Well, we're dealing with a presentation of evil manifested as gruesome and unreasoning cruelty. Right off, I'm on guard. What makes this book simultaneously off-putting and intriguing is Long's central concept: Hell, Satan and hordes of demons exist not as spiritual entities seeking to influence our lives but as physical realities whose activities over the ages have been recast as myth in human worship. Interesting concept, not one that shocks or even surprises but an interesting concept for a skillful author to play with. For me, Long's powerful presentation begs the larger question of what essence motivates the unrelenting and savage cruelty which alone seems to dominate the underworld's limited behavioral and emotional palette.
Book starts off with the likes of Ike and Ali and Branch separately encountering the underworld and its limited behavioral palette's short selection of social interactions (read: mayhem, gore and cruelty). Later in the book, I take it that these three (and others not yet encountered) GO LOOKING FOR THIS UNDERWORLD!!!! No! Don't go looking! Run! Hide! Join Rotary and attend luncheons! Maybe these guys will stay DOWN THERE!
This book seriously creeps me out and does so with skill and power. The scenes of slaughter do not overwhelm the senses with gratuitous and lurid language but with terse wording and phrasing that lets the eye linger just a moment on a grim scene and sets the imagination to building its own impression on its own, all unbidden–and unwelcomed–by this reader. The resulting impact hits powerfully and directly and again begs the question: what could motivate this stuff??
The notion that our concept of evil is myth drawn from physical reality threatens to weaken evil's essentials. Such weak manifestations NEED unimaginable cruelty and violent hatred to make up for the lack. And that's what leads me to wonder, ok, what lies at the heart of our book's Satan and at the core of his army of troglodytes?
Parallels between Long's world and mine exist. In both spheres, human curiosity wedded to a sense of entitlement to answers to all our questions undoes Ike and Ali and etc even as it undid Adam and Eve. In both universes, evil's raw strength manifests itself in increments that overmatch our own. Beyond these parallels, everything is a contrast. In Long's world, evil exists as an outside physical presence and humans face it on their own. In our world, evil inhabits our frame and we battle to limit its effect on our selfishness and pride. Various religious traditions offer aid, advise, relief and comfort in that struggle. Mine offers me a Savior, but that's another matter.
I'll finish this book. Indeed, I put it down with difficulty, a tribute to its power and realistically drawn characters and gripping situations. I read to see how true to evil Long makes his Satan: can he manifest evil with mere physical cruelty or will his depictions cut closer to the spiritual realities of real evil?
What's not to like? Well, we're dealing with a presentation of evil manifested as gruesome and unreasoning cruelty. Right off, I'm on guard. What makes this book simultaneously off-putting and intriguing is Long's central concept: Hell, Satan and hordes of demons exist not as spiritual entities seeking to influence our lives but as physical realities whose activities over the ages have been recast as myth in human worship. Interesting concept, not one that shocks or even surprises but an interesting concept for a skillful author to play with. For me, Long's powerful presentation begs the larger question of what essence motivates the unrelenting and savage cruelty which alone seems to dominate the underworld's limited behavioral and emotional palette.
Book starts off with the likes of Ike and Ali and Branch separately encountering the underworld and its limited behavioral palette's short selection of social interactions (read: mayhem, gore and cruelty). Later in the book, I take it that these three (and others not yet encountered) GO LOOKING FOR THIS UNDERWORLD!!!! No! Don't go looking! Run! Hide! Join Rotary and attend luncheons! Maybe these guys will stay DOWN THERE!
This book seriously creeps me out and does so with skill and power. The scenes of slaughter do not overwhelm the senses with gratuitous and lurid language but with terse wording and phrasing that lets the eye linger just a moment on a grim scene and sets the imagination to building its own impression on its own, all unbidden–and unwelcomed–by this reader. The resulting impact hits powerfully and directly and again begs the question: what could motivate this stuff??
The notion that our concept of evil is myth drawn from physical reality threatens to weaken evil's essentials. Such weak manifestations NEED unimaginable cruelty and violent hatred to make up for the lack. And that's what leads me to wonder, ok, what lies at the heart of our book's Satan and at the core of his army of troglodytes?
Parallels between Long's world and mine exist. In both spheres, human curiosity wedded to a sense of entitlement to answers to all our questions undoes Ike and Ali and etc even as it undid Adam and Eve. In both universes, evil's raw strength manifests itself in increments that overmatch our own. Beyond these parallels, everything is a contrast. In Long's world, evil exists as an outside physical presence and humans face it on their own. In our world, evil inhabits our frame and we battle to limit its effect on our selfishness and pride. Various religious traditions offer aid, advise, relief and comfort in that struggle. Mine offers me a Savior, but that's another matter.
I'll finish this book. Indeed, I put it down with difficulty, a tribute to its power and realistically drawn characters and gripping situations. I read to see how true to evil Long makes his Satan: can he manifest evil with mere physical cruelty or will his depictions cut closer to the spiritual realities of real evil?
January 15, 2009
This book was SO much fun to read. It scared me silly then kept me dangling up until the very end. One of the major criticisms of this book was its ending, but I disagree. I liked the ending & it was appropriate. Other than that, there really wasn't much I didn't like about this book. The characterizations were good, the plot was outstanding & the creep quotient was right up there. For a fun, scary, adventure type novel, it definitely merits a good rating.
brief plot summary
Ike Crockett and his girlfriend Kora have a business where they guide wealthy people around holy sites in Tibet. As the story opens, they along with their group find themselves stuck in a cave during a snowstorm In Tibet. Turning on their lights, they make the gruesome discovery of a mummy with writing tattooed into his skin. Then the next day, they wake up and one of their group is gone. Ike goes off in one extension of the cave to find him, and Kora & the others go the other way. After a long while, he has no luck, so he decides to go back to the others, but when he gets there, they've disappeared. He chases after them, to find Kora, but comes across a scene of death & mutilation. Then switch to the Kalahari, where Ali, a nun, is working in a leper colony. There she comes across knowledge of a deity known as Older-than-Old, and evidently, the locals are feeding their sick & infirm to the deities. Then, in the final introductory chapter, Elias Branch, an Army general oversees an operation involving locating mass graves in Bosnia. After making the decision to overfly a mass grave in his Apache helicopter after reconnaisance photos reveal large amounts of nitrogen being released (thinking the grave is being desecrated), he crashes & strange looking people come after him at the burial site.
It doesn't take long until humanity realizes that they are not alone in this world...all over the world weird creatures are emerging out of cave openings etc. After tests are done, it is shown that there is an entire complex of subterranean territory waiting to be claimed. But first the humans must deal with what is below. And let me tell you, what's down there ain't pretty.
Very similar in many ways to Dante's Inferno (you'll understand if you've read Dante), it's also kind of a Journey to the Center of the Earth type thing.
This is not your standard horror novel; I would say it goes between supernatural and science fiction. It is one of those books where you have to tell yourself going into it that you're here for the suspenseful experience and for the fun. I really liked this book and if you're into this kind of stuff, you'll like it too.
brief plot summary
Ike Crockett and his girlfriend Kora have a business where they guide wealthy people around holy sites in Tibet. As the story opens, they along with their group find themselves stuck in a cave during a snowstorm In Tibet. Turning on their lights, they make the gruesome discovery of a mummy with writing tattooed into his skin. Then the next day, they wake up and one of their group is gone. Ike goes off in one extension of the cave to find him, and Kora & the others go the other way. After a long while, he has no luck, so he decides to go back to the others, but when he gets there, they've disappeared. He chases after them, to find Kora, but comes across a scene of death & mutilation. Then switch to the Kalahari, where Ali, a nun, is working in a leper colony. There she comes across knowledge of a deity known as Older-than-Old, and evidently, the locals are feeding their sick & infirm to the deities. Then, in the final introductory chapter, Elias Branch, an Army general oversees an operation involving locating mass graves in Bosnia. After making the decision to overfly a mass grave in his Apache helicopter after reconnaisance photos reveal large amounts of nitrogen being released (thinking the grave is being desecrated), he crashes & strange looking people come after him at the burial site.
It doesn't take long until humanity realizes that they are not alone in this world...all over the world weird creatures are emerging out of cave openings etc. After tests are done, it is shown that there is an entire complex of subterranean territory waiting to be claimed. But first the humans must deal with what is below. And let me tell you, what's down there ain't pretty.
Very similar in many ways to Dante's Inferno (you'll understand if you've read Dante), it's also kind of a Journey to the Center of the Earth type thing.
This is not your standard horror novel; I would say it goes between supernatural and science fiction. It is one of those books where you have to tell yourself going into it that you're here for the suspenseful experience and for the fun. I really liked this book and if you're into this kind of stuff, you'll like it too.
July 23, 2009
this could have been an economical little horror / adventure story but the author couldn't seem to decide what kind of story he wanted to write. cave monsters, deep sea adventure, satan and hell, the lawless frontier, reincarnation, demon possession, political intrigue, a debate about what makes us human - it's all in there and more. Unfortunately there's not much in the way of character development or plot pacing. There was at least one character that was introduced and then disappeared for 100 pages or so.
A world wide system of tunnels and caves is discovered deep within the earth along with an aggressive and violent human-like race of people living in them. Much of the first 100 pages goes to introducing the 4 or 5 main characters. Then the author often skips ahead years at a time, devoting only 2 or 3 pages to establishing an alternate future where government and corporations are struggling to find a place for the new hadals, as the new underground race is called. There are some good scares in these establishing shots but things don't really get going until an exploratory expedition composed of scientists and militia is sent down into a tunnel system thought to extend across the pacific. Here there is only a tease of what could have been a really interesting story. Ali, a nun struggling with her calling and Ike, a human captive of the hadals who escaped and works for the US military as a scout and interpreter, form a strong bond and come to rely on each other to survive when (no big surprise here) the expedition starts to fall to pieces when food supplies run low and personalities clash with deadly results. Ike who lived as a slave with the hadals for several years chafes at an identity that has become not entirely human and not entirely hadal. Ali, a linguist and anthropologist is obsessed with finding the root of human language, the very first words thinking this may be the vehicle that brings her closer to God and possibly Satan-incarnate. This is where the author seems to take a glancing shot off some interesting themes about what it means to be human and how faith can bring us together and tear us apart but unfortunately nothing ever gets the attention it deserves.
In the end this is an old-fashioned adventure story cluttered with a whole lot of half-baked ideas. I say read Journey to the Center of the Earth instead.
A world wide system of tunnels and caves is discovered deep within the earth along with an aggressive and violent human-like race of people living in them. Much of the first 100 pages goes to introducing the 4 or 5 main characters. Then the author often skips ahead years at a time, devoting only 2 or 3 pages to establishing an alternate future where government and corporations are struggling to find a place for the new hadals, as the new underground race is called. There are some good scares in these establishing shots but things don't really get going until an exploratory expedition composed of scientists and militia is sent down into a tunnel system thought to extend across the pacific. Here there is only a tease of what could have been a really interesting story. Ali, a nun struggling with her calling and Ike, a human captive of the hadals who escaped and works for the US military as a scout and interpreter, form a strong bond and come to rely on each other to survive when (no big surprise here) the expedition starts to fall to pieces when food supplies run low and personalities clash with deadly results. Ike who lived as a slave with the hadals for several years chafes at an identity that has become not entirely human and not entirely hadal. Ali, a linguist and anthropologist is obsessed with finding the root of human language, the very first words thinking this may be the vehicle that brings her closer to God and possibly Satan-incarnate. This is where the author seems to take a glancing shot off some interesting themes about what it means to be human and how faith can bring us together and tear us apart but unfortunately nothing ever gets the attention it deserves.
In the end this is an old-fashioned adventure story cluttered with a whole lot of half-baked ideas. I say read Journey to the Center of the Earth instead.
December 29, 2019
En términos generales, es un libro fascinante. El principal problema es que tiene más páginas de las necesarias, y mucho de lo que sobra no solo es innecesario, sino también aburrido, y eso hizo que se me dificultara muchas veces avanzar en la lectura. Además, tampoco está muy bien escrito, lo que lo hace bastante confuso, y muchas cosas no tienen sentido.
July 27, 2022
The Descent is an epic tale of discovery, a journey to the deep depths of the earth and a revelation of what resides there. The story starts out with a truly gripping and terrifying 1st chapter in the Himalayan mountains which sets the stage for the epic adventure the rest of the book takes us on. For anyone thinking this book is what the movie of the same name is based on, I can tell you that it is not. This book and the movie are completely different beasts. I absolutely loved this book! It took me on a journey which I did not expect and the ending truly surprised me. This book isn't going to be for everyone. It has a lot going on and meanders quite a bit, but for me personally, it's a masterpiece and will be forever treasured as a favourite. If you are one of those people who started this book but gave up early due to being disappointed with the turn it took after the first chapter, I urge you to pick it up again and keep going till you've finished. It comes together beautifully. I am not going to go to any great depths with my review, I think with this book, it's best you go into it with little knowledge of what lies beneath so to speak, but I can tell you this, If you like adventure, if you enjoy a journey where you don't know where it's taking you from one minute to the next, you will love this book as I did.
April 30, 2023
So much time wasted on not DNFing this. And I guarantee I’ll do it again, because I am cursed with a pathological inability to abandon books, no matter how frustrating they might be. The silver lining is that, since I read all 500-something pages, I at least feel qualified to speak on the (many) issues with Jeff Long’s The Descent with authority - which I will now do.
The Descent follows four main protagonists, or groups of protagonists, in their respective capacities exploring the network of labyrinthine tunnels that comprise the subglobe - colloquially known as hell - discovered after several significant encounters with its occupants, homo hadalis. Think pop-culture-understanding of Neanderthals, but with horns; a new, heretofore unknown branch of human evolution.
In order of introduction, we have Ike, a mountaineer-turned-hadal-captive who is eventually rescued from said captivity, though still bearing the scars. We have Ali, nun and linguistics scholar whose obsession is finding the first word, the root of all language. We have Branch, who represents the US military, and little else. And finally, we have a group of scholars and theologians, who are also friends of Ali.
The first third of The Descent is slow going, introducing each of these characters and establishing their motivations. This slow-paced section is followed by a glacial one, which relays in impersonal and excruciating detail the initial steps of colonisation as the surface-dwelling humans lay claim to the occupied space beneath. A highly coordinated global counterstrike from the hadals impedes this process, but is handily fixed with a time jump, which is where we next meet our protagonists.
Ali has agreed to join private corporation Helios on a year-long expedition further underground than any have ventured yet, deep into the Earth, underneath the Pacific Ocean. Why exactly a nun was recruited for such a mission, who knows, but Helios’s next recruit, Ike, at least makes sense. His time in captivity has given him the experience and skills necessary to act as guide for the scientists and mercenaries that comprise the rest of the expedition. Note: Branch and the scholars remain above ground.
The rest of the book covers this expedition with a level of detail that I felt was actually warranted. Long’s descriptions of this world beneath the world are both captivating and authentic, and the world he’s captured as a result is alien and primal, new and ancient, beautiful and terrifying, all at once. Like the rest, the science is probably bogus, but it’s believable, immersive bogus, and, feeling that Long had gotten over his growing pains, the writing here is what motivated me to continue.
Where it fell apart was in the increasingly ridiculous plot contrivances and character motivations. Ali and Ike’s motivations are fairly simple. Ali is driven by her curiosity, Ike by his need to return to the place of his captivity; after spending so many years underground, the surface no longer feels like home, even if the people feel like family. This expedition offers him the best of both worlds.
The group of scholars, who have remained on the surface, are invested in a theological quest to ‘find Satan’. They are convinced that the geological existence of ‘hell’ (which is such a laughably religiocentric way of interpreting the discovery of what amounts to a bunch of interconnected cave systems, but okay) logically implies the existence of a historical Satan, in the way that there was probably a historical Jesus. Why, then, are they searching for him now, you might ask, when he’s presumably been dead for thousands of years, if he existed at all?
This question is eventually answered when an unrelated scientist character seemingly becomes possessed by a (previously dismembered and very much dead) hadal specimen. This freak event is immediately referred to, with no further explanation, as “clinical proof” of “the ability to transfer memory from one consciousness to another” (actual quote), aka reincarnation. So, real Satan has created a lineage of Satans, reincarnating with each death, meaning that the current leader of the hadals, whoever he might be - is Satan.
Nevermind the fact that the concurrently-unfolding expedition has shown us firsthand that the hadals are a disorganised and nomadic species who are probably not capable of the counterstrike depicted early on in The Descent, and who are certainly not ruled by one lone monarch. Nevermind the fact that this is not at all what reincarnation is, and nevermind the fact that none of this makes sense.
The Descent’s main problem is that it tries to do too much. The hadals as-presented are an impossible, anthropological mess. It’s stated that they are a separate branch of human evolution, but homo sapiens who spend extended periods of time underground, such as Ike and the colonists, quickly take on many of the same physical characteristics, including ones that would seem impossible, like horns and the ability to scale walls. The hadals are organised enough to rally for large-scale counterstrikes, but create no art or culture of their own, instead pilfering from human civilisations and squirrelling the loot away underground. The Helios expedition is fathoms deep and miles from their starting point, but characters from the remaining above-ground groups make sudden appearances in their midst, for the sake of plot convenience and big reveals.
It’s too much and not enough, and ultimately falls flat, failing to either scare me as a work of horror, or convince me as a work of speculative fiction. Also, I mistakenly believed this novel was the basis of the 2005 film of the same name, and it is not. Had I known that prior, I probably would never have read it to begin with, and unfortunately I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone else, either in comparison to the film or on its own merits.
The Descent follows four main protagonists, or groups of protagonists, in their respective capacities exploring the network of labyrinthine tunnels that comprise the subglobe - colloquially known as hell - discovered after several significant encounters with its occupants, homo hadalis. Think pop-culture-understanding of Neanderthals, but with horns; a new, heretofore unknown branch of human evolution.
In order of introduction, we have Ike, a mountaineer-turned-hadal-captive who is eventually rescued from said captivity, though still bearing the scars. We have Ali, nun and linguistics scholar whose obsession is finding the first word, the root of all language. We have Branch, who represents the US military, and little else. And finally, we have a group of scholars and theologians, who are also friends of Ali.
The first third of The Descent is slow going, introducing each of these characters and establishing their motivations. This slow-paced section is followed by a glacial one, which relays in impersonal and excruciating detail the initial steps of colonisation as the surface-dwelling humans lay claim to the occupied space beneath. A highly coordinated global counterstrike from the hadals impedes this process, but is handily fixed with a time jump, which is where we next meet our protagonists.
Ali has agreed to join private corporation Helios on a year-long expedition further underground than any have ventured yet, deep into the Earth, underneath the Pacific Ocean. Why exactly a nun was recruited for such a mission, who knows, but Helios’s next recruit, Ike, at least makes sense. His time in captivity has given him the experience and skills necessary to act as guide for the scientists and mercenaries that comprise the rest of the expedition. Note: Branch and the scholars remain above ground.
The rest of the book covers this expedition with a level of detail that I felt was actually warranted. Long’s descriptions of this world beneath the world are both captivating and authentic, and the world he’s captured as a result is alien and primal, new and ancient, beautiful and terrifying, all at once. Like the rest, the science is probably bogus, but it’s believable, immersive bogus, and, feeling that Long had gotten over his growing pains, the writing here is what motivated me to continue.
Where it fell apart was in the increasingly ridiculous plot contrivances and character motivations. Ali and Ike’s motivations are fairly simple. Ali is driven by her curiosity, Ike by his need to return to the place of his captivity; after spending so many years underground, the surface no longer feels like home, even if the people feel like family. This expedition offers him the best of both worlds.
The group of scholars, who have remained on the surface, are invested in a theological quest to ‘find Satan’. They are convinced that the geological existence of ‘hell’ (which is such a laughably religiocentric way of interpreting the discovery of what amounts to a bunch of interconnected cave systems, but okay) logically implies the existence of a historical Satan, in the way that there was probably a historical Jesus. Why, then, are they searching for him now, you might ask, when he’s presumably been dead for thousands of years, if he existed at all?
This question is eventually answered when an unrelated scientist character seemingly becomes possessed by a (previously dismembered and very much dead) hadal specimen. This freak event is immediately referred to, with no further explanation, as “clinical proof” of “the ability to transfer memory from one consciousness to another” (actual quote), aka reincarnation. So, real Satan has created a lineage of Satans, reincarnating with each death, meaning that the current leader of the hadals, whoever he might be - is Satan.
Nevermind the fact that the concurrently-unfolding expedition has shown us firsthand that the hadals are a disorganised and nomadic species who are probably not capable of the counterstrike depicted early on in The Descent, and who are certainly not ruled by one lone monarch. Nevermind the fact that this is not at all what reincarnation is, and nevermind the fact that none of this makes sense.
The Descent’s main problem is that it tries to do too much. The hadals as-presented are an impossible, anthropological mess. It’s stated that they are a separate branch of human evolution, but homo sapiens who spend extended periods of time underground, such as Ike and the colonists, quickly take on many of the same physical characteristics, including ones that would seem impossible, like horns and the ability to scale walls. The hadals are organised enough to rally for large-scale counterstrikes, but create no art or culture of their own, instead pilfering from human civilisations and squirrelling the loot away underground. The Helios expedition is fathoms deep and miles from their starting point, but characters from the remaining above-ground groups make sudden appearances in their midst, for the sake of plot convenience and big reveals.
It’s too much and not enough, and ultimately falls flat, failing to either scare me as a work of horror, or convince me as a work of speculative fiction. Also, I mistakenly believed this novel was the basis of the 2005 film of the same name, and it is not. Had I known that prior, I probably would never have read it to begin with, and unfortunately I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone else, either in comparison to the film or on its own merits.
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