Author: Christopher Rice
Genre: Paranormal Thriller
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Description:
New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice brilliantly conjures the shadowed terrors of the Louisiana bayou—where three friends confront a deadly, ancient evil rising to the surface—in this intense and atmospheric new supernatural thriller.
It’s been a decade since the Delongpre family vanished near Bayou Rabineaux, and still no one can explain the events of that dark and sweltering night. No one except Niquette Delongpre, the survivor who ran away from the mangled stretch of guardrail on Highway 22 where the impossible occurred…and kept on running. Who left behind her best friends, Ben and Anthem, to save them from her newfound capacity for destruction…and who alone knows the source of her very bizarre—and very deadly—abilities: an isolated strip of swampland called Elysium.
An accomplished surgeon, Niquette’s father dreamed of transforming the dense acreage surrounded by murky waters into a palatial compound befitting the name his beloved wife gave to it, Elysium: “the final resting place for the heroic and virtuous.” Then, ten years ago, construction workers dug into a long-hidden well, one that snaked down into the deep, black waters of the Louisiana swamp and stirred something that had been there for centuries—a microscopic parasite that perverts the mind and corrupts the body.
Niquette is living proof that things done can’t be undone. Nothing will put her family back together again. And nothing can save her. But as Niquette, Ben, and Anthem uncover the truth of a devastating parasite that has the potential to alter the future of humankind, Niquette grasps the most chilling truths of all: someone else has been infected too. And unlike her, this man is not content to live in the shadows. He is intent to use his newfound powers for one reason only: revenge.
The Heavens Rise is a paranormal mystery/thriller set in Lousiana. It tells the story of Niquette Delongpre and how her family disppeared without a trace in 2005. It also tells the story of Niquette's best friend Ben and her boyfriend, Anthem, as they continue to deal with their grief over losing Nikki. Lastly, it tells the story of a guy that Nikki rejected before she disappeared - and who now wants nothing but revenge. Suddenly, in 2013, Nikki and her father Noah reappear in New Orleans to Ben and Anthem. Their story is confusing, strange, and almost impossible to believe. Once Ben and Anthem realize that Nikki is telling the truth, they must race to find - and stop - the one other person who has the same power that Nikki does - before he finds them.
This was a phenomenal novel that was a mystery, a paranormal thriller, and a Gothic contemporary fiction all at once. I'm a huge fan of the author and have read all of his previous works, but this one by far is my favorite. There are several smaller story lines intertwined with the main plot, but these only serve to show more detail to the overall story and weren't confusing at all. The characters were all incredibly well written, especially the three main characters of Nikki, Ben, and Anthem as well as the mysterious guy bent on revenge against them. They had distinct personalities with unique strengths and weaknesses and by the end of the book I felt like I personally knew each one of them. The setting was a perfect fit for the book. Louisiana and New Orleans hold an air of mystery and the supernatural already and the author grasps that and runs with it. The story itself is told in quite a different way than most novels - it is told between two different periods of time, 2005 and 2013, and is also split up and told from several different points of view. I enjoyed the way the author wrote the book because it gives the reader background to the characters, their relationships and the events that led up to what happened. We are then propelled into the present to see how the past events have affected the characters and their lives. I also liked how the differing points of view allows the reader to get inside the minds of different characters and see how they react to each other and the events that unfold. The paranormal aspect of the book was fascinating and truly unique. It definitely sets it apart from the other novels out there in the genre and in general. The only complaint I have is that at one point in the book I thought the author was going to go a certain way that I didn't want it to (I can't anything else without spoilers), but luckily it didn't go in that direction and completely restored my love of the book. The writing is impeccable with a fast pace, edgy thrills and twists, and a quick flow that made it impossible for me to put the book down. Very highly recommended for fans of paranormal fiction and mystery/thrillers. You definitely don't want to miss out on this one - it will be one that everyone is talking about for a long time to come.
Praise:
“Creepy, chilling, and almost impossible to put down
all describe the new novel by New York Times bestselling
author Rice…This is a horror novel, but in the telling of this
page-turner, Rice also manages to deftly address issues of race and
class in the Big Easy.”
—Booklist
“My first foray into the world twisted by New York Times bestseller Christopher Rice [THE HEAVENS RISE]
will absolutely not be my last. With rich, multi-layered characters
merging into the lush backdrop of pre- and post-Katrina,
south Louisiana, Rice had my attention from the start…In Rice’s world,
nothing is as it seems. Every twist and unexpected revelation fell into
place smoothly and kept me engaged, wanting to rush ahead to see what
may be next. I’ll be first in line looking
forward to the next amazing story.”
—Suspense Magazine
“Christopher Rice never disappoints with his
vivid people and places and masterful prose. He will hold you captive
under his spell as his images and emotions become your own.”
—Patricia Cornwell
“Christopher Rice has crafted a rich and haunting world in
THE HEAVENS RISE. This story of a tormented family and the events
that have led to their destruction and onward into the future is tense,
tight, disturbing and made very real by a very talented author who
obviously knows his way around the Big Easy.
An excellent read!”
—Robert McCammon
“Christopher Rice has written an amazing horror
novel with more twists and turns than a mountain road. You’ll think you
know your destination . . . but you’ll be wrong.”
—Charlaine Harris
“Christopher
Rice is a magician. This brilliant, subtly destabilizing novel inhales
wickedness and corruption and exhales delight and enchantment. Rice
executes his turns,
reversals, and surprises with the pace and timing of a master. THE HEAVENS RISE would not let me stop reading it—that’s how compelling it is.”
—Peter Straub
Christopher Rice is the author of four New York Times
bestsellers. The son of author Anne Rice and the late poet Stan Rice,
he was raised in New Orleans. He now resides in Los Angeles, where he
is a co-host of the Internet radio
program, The Dinner Party With Christopher Rice & Eric Shaw Quinn.
Author Links:
Website:
www.christopherricebooks.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisricewriter
Well, this is definitely not the first time I hear of the author and this book sounds like my kind of book
ReplyDeleteIt's been a while since I have read a good paranormal book so I am intrigued
Your reader,
Soma
http://insomnia-of-books.blogspot.com/