When I was asked to write a review of a new horror novel by the publishers, I was a little
sceptical. To be honest, I was expecting yet another gore-fest filled with bodies, blood and
bug-eyed monsters.
Something of the Night, by Paul Cave, certainly contains its fair share of grisly terror, but
it's also a horror novel with a difference.
"Shrouded in a veil of impenetrable darkness, the world of tomorrow offers Jacob Cain
little comfort. One of the last surviving humans, he finds himself pitched in battle with an
enemy even darker than the shadows which surround him.
"An uncountable mass of vampires pushes Man towards extinction. Two armies, both
desperate to capture the human refugees, threaten to converge, forming an inescapable
net. And trapped in an old military complex, deep underground, hide what remains of the
human race."
Well, that's what it says on the back cover.
Imagine that a huge lump of rock from God-knows-where in the galaxy is heading for earth.
As it passes, it spews billions of tons of muck and debris into the atmosphere, plunging the
world into a catastrophe of nightmare proportions. Only a few colonies of humans survive,
and - for a while - it looks like homo sapiens may just make it into another era.
But not quite. Something is out there, in the eternal winter darkness, and it wants to hunt.
Humanity, unfortunately, is its prey.
A scary story, and yet the author, Paul Cave, is a quiet, unassuming young man who, before
penning his novel, had done nothing more exciting than studying for a mathematics degree.
Then, wisely, he gave up his fascination with numbers and started a new career as a writer.
When I asked Paul what had precipitated his interest in horror, he wasn't really certain.
"I just found writing incredibly satisfying, and so I set to work. Actually, Something of the
Night wasn't my first novel, though. I'd written one previously, but just never had it published."
The thing that impressed me about Paul's latest novel is the emphasis on detail and
accuracy. Whether he's describing the inner workings of the US military or the terrible
effects of being "vampirised", Cave manages to make the reader feel that they're really
there, actually living the experience.
Paul Cave is as much a reader as he is a writer.
"I've just finished reading Muriel Gray's The Trickster, and I'm now half-way through
Mystery Walk, by Robert McCammon. They're both good books."
Not that he needs to read to fuel his hyperactive imagination, though. His stories are sharp,
unusual and provide a welcome breath of fresh air to the horror scene.
I told Paul that I'd read The Trickster, but lost my copy of it. He kindly offered to post his
up to me. A horror writer with a heart!
Paul's next novel, The Cold Light of Day, is now on sale, and he asked me
if I'd write the foreword to it. was honoured. I can tell you that it's every bit as scary as
sceptical. To be honest, I was expecting yet another gore-
Something of the Night, by Paul Cave, certainly contains its fair share of grisly terror, but
it's also a horror novel with a difference.
"Shrouded in a veil of impenetrable darkness, the world of tomorrow offers Jacob Cain
little comfort. One of the last surviving humans, he finds himself pitched in battle with an
enemy even darker than the shadows which surround him.
"An uncountable mass of vampires pushes Man towards extinction. Two armies, both
desperate to capture the human refugees, threaten to converge, forming an inescapable
net. And trapped in an old military complex, deep underground, hide what remains of the
human race."
Well, that's what it says on the back cover.
Imagine that a huge lump of rock from God-
world into a catastrophe of nightmare proportions. Only a few colonies of humans survive,
and -
But not quite. Something is out there, in the eternal winter darkness, and it wants to hunt.
Humanity, unfortunately, is its prey.
A scary story, and yet the author, Paul Cave, is a quiet, unassuming young man who, before
penning his novel, had done nothing more exciting than studying for a mathematics degree.
Then, wisely, he gave up his fascination with numbers and started a new career as a writer.
When I asked Paul what had precipitated his interest in horror, he wasn't really certain.
"I just found writing incredibly satisfying, and so I set to work. Actually, Something of the
Night wasn't my first novel, though. I'd written one previously, but just never had it published."
The thing that impressed me about Paul's latest novel is the emphasis on detail and
accuracy. Whether he's describing the inner workings of the US military or the terrible
effects of being "vampirised", Cave manages to make the reader feel that they're really
there, actually living the experience.
Paul Cave is as much a reader as he is a writer.
"I've just finished reading Muriel Gray's The Trickster, and I'm now half-
Not that he needs to read to fuel his hyperactive imagination, though. His stories are sharp,
unusual and provide a welcome breath of fresh air to the horror scene.
I told Paul that I'd read The Trickster, but lost my copy of it. He kindly offered to post his
up to me. A horror writer with a heart!
Paul's next novel, The Cold Light of Day, is now on sale, and he asked me
if I'd write the foreword to it. was honoured. I can tell you that it's every bit as scary as
the first...
Something of the Night, by Paul Cave, is available from Apex Publishing at £10.99
(ISBN: 1-904444-72-5)
