Conqueror Worms, Brian Keene

[DL_Snell]

Thread may contain spoilers

Sea creatures, huge earthworms, flooded cities--Brian Keene’s The Conqueror Worms is one of the best post-apocalyptic stories I’ve ever read! It’s short, which is a little disappointing, and the ending didn’t give me the right amount of closure, but, damn, is this a cool book. I especially enjoyed the story about the group surviving on the building tops in a flooded city. Anyone else read this?

 

[bryanspellman]

I have to agree I was more interested in the group in the buildings then the old man and his mountain top home. Cool concept bad execution...sorry Keene!!!

 

[Paige Turner]

I wonder if the story bears any similarities to Swamp Thing #11 (1974) The Conqueror Worms.

 

[AdzeybuB]

how about you use your imagination for closure to this book?

hang on, do you think he might write another to follow

 

[bryanspellman]

Have to disagree. Love Keene's stuff but this was not his best and there are far better PA books out there. Try SM Stirling for one. This might have been better as a short story collection on a common theme....

 

[AdzeybuB]

i have enjoyed all keene's books especially conqueror worms and terminal. terminal especially for personal reasons.

never read anything by SM Stirling what would you recommend?

 

[bryanspellman]

Sorry been away awhile...

I would recommend this one. It is an end of the world happening and the rebuilding afterwards. The end of the world is caused by another book of his but I did not read it and didn't have to to understand or enjoy this series....
Dies the Fire trilogy,

Dies the Fire
The Protector's War
A Meeting at Corvallis

 

[dlsevern]

I realize this is an old post and you may already know this, but Keene does have a sequal to "The Conquerer Worms" called "Deluge" and it's free on his website right now. He was in between publishers and just decided to put it on his website for the fans of the first book. He is planning on publishing it in the near future so I don't think it is the final draft.

 

[dlsevern]

Just thought that I would let all of those that are interested that Mr. Keene does have new publishers and will be releasing all of his now out of print books.

 

[Null_Zone]

That's good to know.

I enjoyed the Conqueror Worms for its rather unique approach to having an isolated character. Normally the hero in this type of horror is a boderline sociopath with no friends or family as a reason for the author to avoid those awkward "well what about my wife" moments and grief.

 

[Daezarkian]

The middle section of "The Conqueror Worms" was originally a novella featured in his collection "Fear of Gravity" (which is overall an excellent collection). The stuff with the old man was added on to make it novel length. I prefer the novella version myself.

 

[Caledfwlch]

I really enjoyed Conquerer Worms. Ok, its basically pulp horror, perhaps a little in homage to the Tremors movies with the big evil worms, though of course, we have the added, they are demons made flesh aspect.

But it was really nice to have an apocalyptic horror which we viewed mainly through the eyes of a lonely OAP - normally, its hip young things, or the chisel jawed hero on a mission to find safety and Protect Others in these sorts of things.

Brian Keene is not the best writer, but I find his books readable, and fun, and the man does have some brilliant ideas and original takes on done to death concepts, such as the reasons behind the zombie apocalypse in his Dead series.

 

[dlsevern]

Honestly, I would rank Keene right up there with King, Simmons, Campbell, Straub, and Laymon.

 

[Diggler]

Have to disagree. Love Keene's stuff but this was not his best and there are far better PA books out there. Try SM Stirling for one. This might have been better as a short story collection on a common theme....

There are many good PA books out that. S.M. Stirling's Dies The Fire series isn't one of them as far as I'm concerned. It's nothing more than urban post apocalyptic sword and sorcery (without the sorcery) drudgery. But that's just my opinion.

I have read Keene's Rising series, which I quite liked. So I will have to get this as well.