ECHO CITY – random extract #3
“Don’t be afraid,” Nadielle said, her voice carrying over the wet sounds from the tearing vat.
“If you say so,” Gorham muttered, and he watched one of the Baker’s creations being birthed. The vat opened, thick rips in its side spreading and allowing the thing inside to push out. Both of its arms were in the open now, grasping at the air as trying to gain purchase. Its head followed, then its body, hips and legs. It fell to the solid ground with a wet thump, screaming again as it tried to stand. Fluid spilled out around it. The air steamed and stank. The vat spewed a thick flow of afterbirth, spattering down around the emerged shape.
It lifted its head and mewled, and Gorham saw its face for the first time. It was a very human face, with an expression of startled delight at being free. It smiled, dribbling slightly, and he saw the fully formed teeth in its mouth, some of them longer and sharper than normal. The size of a big man, its hair was dark and long, matted across its shoulders and back. A human face, he thought, and he concentrated on its eyes because the rest of its body was far from human. Very far. It looked at him and smiled, and Gorham looked away.
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Comments
February 16th, 2010 at 5:23 am
Hi Tim,
This doesn’t even sound like a fantasy novel. Its got all the hallmarks of one of your nasty horror stories and for that I’m well excited. I’m not a big fan of fantasy (elves and goblins, right?) but if this has plagues and strange birthing machines you can sing me up.
Looking forward to this one already.
Cheers
Rich
February 16th, 2010 at 5:24 am
You can sing me up of you want, but I think I meant ‘sign’ – lol
February 16th, 2010 at 8:41 am
It’s definitely a fantasy novel, but I don’t write about elves and goblins … you should check out Dusk, Dawn, Fallen and The Island. It’s dark, dark fantasy.
February 16th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Ohhh definitely intriguing!
February 17th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Hi Tim,
I have read Dusk and have Dawn and Fallen on the shelf. I must admit I thought Fallen was more of a ‘family friendly’ novel as the cover was a lot lighter than Dusk and Dawn.
I did enjoy Dusk, but I do prefer your horror stuff. It struck me that the extracts from this novel suggested more of the inventive nasty stuff that keeps me coming back to your books. I am really looking forward to what you do with these ideas…
Cheers
Rich
February 18th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Rich, FALLEN is dark as it gets. I know it had a softer cover … but it belies what’s inside.
ECHO CITY is probably darker than all of my fantasy novels combined, and I had such a good time making up monsters. Lots of monsters. Including one very, very big one.