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Adversary Cycle #1
The Keep
"Something is murdering my men."
Thus reads the message received from a German commander stationed in a small castle high in the remote Transylvanian Alps. And when an elite Nazi SS extermination squad is dispatched to solve the problem, the men find a something that's both powerful and terrifying. Invisible and silent, the enemy selects one victim per night, leaving the bloodless and mutilated corpses behind to terrify its future victims. Panicked, the Nazis bring in a local expert on folklore--who just happens to be Jewish--to shed some light on the mysterious happenings. And unbeknownst to anyone, there is another visitor on his way--a man who awoke from a nightmare and immediately set out to meet his destiny.
The battle has begun: On one side, the ultimate evil created by man, and on the other... the unthinkable, unstoppable, unknowable terror that man has inevitably awakened.
Thus reads the message received from a German commander stationed in a small castle high in the remote Transylvanian Alps. And when an elite Nazi SS extermination squad is dispatched to solve the problem, the men find a something that's both powerful and terrifying. Invisible and silent, the enemy selects one victim per night, leaving the bloodless and mutilated corpses behind to terrify its future victims. Panicked, the Nazis bring in a local expert on folklore--who just happens to be Jewish--to shed some light on the mysterious happenings. And unbeknownst to anyone, there is another visitor on his way--a man who awoke from a nightmare and immediately set out to meet his destiny.
The battle has begun: On one side, the ultimate evil created by man, and on the other... the unthinkable, unstoppable, unknowable terror that man has inevitably awakened.
403 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
558 people are currently reading
11.1k people want to read
About the author
F. Paul Wilson
395books1,938followersFrancis Paul Wilson is an author, born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He writes novels and short stories primarily in the science fiction and horror genres. His debut novel was Healer (1976). Wilson is also a part-time practicing family physician. He made his first sales in 1970 to Analog and continued to write science fiction throughout the seventies. In 1981 he ventured into the horror genre with the international bestseller, The Keep, and helped define the field throughout the rest of the decade. In the 1990s he became a true genre hopper, moving from science fiction to horror to medical thrillers and branching into interactive scripting for Disney Interactive and other multimedia companies. He, along with Matthew J. Costello, created and scripted FTL Newsfeed which ran daily on the Sci-Fi Channel from 1992-1996.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 899 reviews
August 21, 2019
I really enjoyed this fascinating good versus evil story set in a keep in Romania during WW2. Who is behind the characters of Molasar and Glenn and why are they fighting against each other since the beginning of the world? What connection is to Dracula/Vlad Tepes (you really got new unknown aspects here)? Compelling story with intriguing characters, Nazi villains and an evil force you can really be afraid of. A bit too long though but very eerie (Molasar) and uncanny at some parts (especially with the undead walking). There is also a romance between Glenn and Magda inside. A well written horror classic you shouldn't want to miss reading.
October 29, 2019
This was great! 5 stars!
The Keep is the first book in a series by F. Paul Wilson. This is the first book that I’ve read by him and it won’t be the last.
I loved the writing, the plot, the characterization and all the action. It was great from beginning to end!
The Keep is set in 1941 and Nazi’s are in full control. Germany is winning the war and concentration camps are in full force.
A Germany Captain, Klaus Woermann and his men have been stationed in a small castle in the Alps of Romania. It’s in the Transylvania area and one German soldier is getting killed each night. Woermann is convinced it’s not human and sends help back to Germany. Germany sends an elite SS squad in the charge of Major Erik Kaempffer.
Damn, I hated the Nazi SS squad and Major Kaempffer!!
I had no issues with Nazi scum getting killed each night. Sorry, not sorry.
Since the Nazi’s can’t control and fight what is killing them, they bring in a Romanian local expert that’s Jewish.
Yeah, cue the irony on a Jew been forced to help Nazi’s.
Professor Cuza and his daughter Magda are now forced to find out what is killing these men and how to fight it. While this is a going on, an unknown man is heading towards the action, and must stop this evil once and for all.
I'm not elaborating anymore with the plot because the less you know, the more you'll enjoy it!
Everything was great in this and the last 20% of the book was EPIC!
I would recommend this book if you enjoy horror, action, history and great plots.
I'm so glad to finally read this and looking forward to continuing the series, Adversary Cycle!!
The Keep is the first book in a series by F. Paul Wilson. This is the first book that I’ve read by him and it won’t be the last.
I loved the writing, the plot, the characterization and all the action. It was great from beginning to end!
The Keep is set in 1941 and Nazi’s are in full control. Germany is winning the war and concentration camps are in full force.
A Germany Captain, Klaus Woermann and his men have been stationed in a small castle in the Alps of Romania. It’s in the Transylvania area and one German soldier is getting killed each night. Woermann is convinced it’s not human and sends help back to Germany. Germany sends an elite SS squad in the charge of Major Erik Kaempffer.
Damn, I hated the Nazi SS squad and Major Kaempffer!!
I had no issues with Nazi scum getting killed each night. Sorry, not sorry.
Since the Nazi’s can’t control and fight what is killing them, they bring in a Romanian local expert that’s Jewish.
Yeah, cue the irony on a Jew been forced to help Nazi’s.
Professor Cuza and his daughter Magda are now forced to find out what is killing these men and how to fight it. While this is a going on, an unknown man is heading towards the action, and must stop this evil once and for all.
I'm not elaborating anymore with the plot because the less you know, the more you'll enjoy it!
Everything was great in this and the last 20% of the book was EPIC!
I would recommend this book if you enjoy horror, action, history and great plots.
I'm so glad to finally read this and looking forward to continuing the series, Adversary Cycle!!
November 23, 2019
”Request immediate relocation.
Something is murdering my men.�
The Keep 1983
Captain Klaus Woermann and his men have been sent to the Dinu Pass in the Transylvanian Alps to set up a fortified position to protect vital oil fields in Romania from a potential Russian invasion. Protect might be an overstatement. His small contingent can do little but warn Berlin that an invasion has happened. Woermann is too senior of an officer for this type of task, but because he has refused to join the Nazi party, he is seen as not committed enough to the cause to be deemed trustworthy. ”He had watched Hitler move from beer halls, to the Chancellery, to godhead. He had never liked him.�
Loyalty to Germany is not enough. Hitler demands loyalty to himself before country, family, or God. So even though Woermann is a decorated hero from the First World War, winning an Iron Cross for bravery, with the new Nazi regime this counts for very little. After all, they lost that war.
It is unthinkable that they could lose a second.
When Woermann’s men, one by one, start showing up dead with expressions of pure terror etched on their faces and their throats ripped out, it doesn’t take long for Woermann to realize that this is no act by man.
This terror is being perpetrated by something, not someone.
And why are there 16,807 crosses inbedded in the rock of the Keep they are occupying?
And why is this Keep even here? What purpose did it serve when it was built? When a fortified structure is too small to be considered a castle, it is called a keep.
Woermann is hoping to get the order to move his men to a new location. Instead he gets SS-Sturmbanfuhrer Erich Kaempffer. It is a nightmare anytime the SS show up, but for Woermann it is made many times worse by the presence of Kaempffer. He knows something about Kaempffer that Kaempffer doesn’t want anyone to know about. As a result, they loathe one another.
It turns out SS stormtroopers die just as easily at the hands of this creature as regular German army soldiers.
They turn for help to a Professor Theodor Cruz and his daughter, Magda. Cruz is nearly incapacitated by illness, but he is still their best hope to figure out what exactly is going on in the Keep. The irony is he is a Jew, the very people that Kaempffer has made a career of exterminating.
Why are there no birds in the Keep?
Magda is a beautiful, sexually repressed, young woman who collects folk songs sung by gypsies and other native people. She is a delectable morsel among beasts of prey who have raped their way across Europe. Oddly enough, her only saving grace may be the fact that this something, this fiend, may want her for himself. Her blood is like honeyed ambrosia.
”The eyes. Large and round, cold and crystalline, the pupils dark holes into a chaos of reason, beyond reality itself, black as a night sky that had never been blued by the sun or marred by the light of moon and stars. The surrounding irises were almost as dark, dilating as she watched, widening the twin doorways, drawing her into the madness beyond…�
The eyes are so seductive that, despite her fears, she wants to let this creature have her. She feels the pull to be whatever this thing wants her to be. She would snap the inhibiting bindings of her life to fall into the madness that whispers freedoms she will never experience any other way.
The creature is offering her father temptations well beyond wealth and power. He is offering him things much more important. Can he resist? Could anyone resist such an offer? Pacts are mutually beneficial by nature, so what does the creature want as his part of the bargain?
All hope may be lost, except for the one wild card that has appeared in this deck of cards...the red headed stranger.
F. Paul Wilson has been on my radar for years. There are many mysteries surrounding the murky reasons why authors continue to be ignored by me in favor of others. I can only protest in my defense that I am beset by the siren songs of many books. I have scaled the first mountain in the Wilson oeuvre and plan to throw my grappling hook onto the next one very soon. There are six volumes in what is called The Adversary Series, of which this is the first entry. The second volume is called The Tomb, which introduces the cult favorite, character Repairman Jack. He is such a popular character that Wilson spun him off into fourteen other adventures. There is much to read, and from what I’ve researched, they are all worth exploring.
This book is part of the 1980s horror fiction extravaganza that was so popular throughout the decade. Publishers were scrambling to find enough horror fiction to satisfy the thirsty public’s need for thrills and chills. True Crime books also took off in this same era. I remember ringing up armloads of paperback horror and true crime for readers who would query me for information about future publications in the hopes that their favorite writers were releasing something new...very soon. The quality of the writing of 1980s horror is uneven, to be expected anytime a surge in a genre occurs. (We are seeing this in YA right now.) However, there are some real gems among them. The Keep is certainly one of them.
About � of the way into this book, I was completely caught up in the thrall of Wilson’s plotting. I devoted an afternoon to blowing through the last 200 pages. The characters are well developed, with flaws and redeeming qualities in equal measure. Well, not the SS, but then the more devoted members of that organization were twisted, mentally deformed individuals before they ever joined the party. Michael Mann made a movie of The Keep back in 1983. I’m still unclear as to what exactly happened to that movie, but the original cut is three and a half hours long. The studio made the decision to edit the movie down to one and a half hours. This might account for why so many people find the movie indecipherable. I have not watched the movie, but having read the book, I should be better armed to follow even a hieroglyphic style version of the plot.
Still one does wonder about the version Michael Mann intended.
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July 24, 2022
2.5 �'s
Initial Thoughts
As part of a reading challenge for the Night Shift group on ŷ I had to read a book by F Paul Wilson. I decided to start right at the beginning with his first novel, and probably most famous, The Keep. Published in 1981 it's the first part of a six book series that's called The Adversary Cycle.
The book was later adapted by Michael Mann, starring Sir Ian McKellen and Gabriel Byrne and that's the main reason this novel is so well known. I've heard it's a very effective horror movie and I've been itching to watch it. But as we all know that undisputed rule of life, you should always read the book first. So here we go...
The Story
The Keep gives us a tale of the age old struggle between good and evil and takes place during the Second World War at the height of Germany's success. Captain Klaus Woerman finds himself posted to an old fort in Romania's Dinnu Pass, which has been identified as a key strategic location if the Nazi's relationship with Russia breaks down. When would that ever happen? Despite being abandoned the Keep, as it's affectionately called, is kept in mint condition by the locals.
Everything looks plain sailing until Nazi HQ receive a distress message from Woermann, stating “Request immediate relocation. Something is murdering my men.� Major Erich Kaempffer is quickly dispatched to investigate and find out what the hell is going on.
When it appears that an entity has been released by some of the medling German troops, Kaempffer quickly sends for local historian Josef Cuza to shed some light on the strange turn of events. That's Nazi's getting their heads turned round 360 degrees and their throats ripped out. He swiftly arrives with his daughter in tow and that's the set up for this one.
The Writing
This is a weird one for me. I was immediately drawn in by the atmospheric descriptions and all the conflicts that were developing. It was ticking all the boxes of what a traditional horror should be. The scenes of absolute terror told from the Nazi's point of view were absolutely top draw.
Wilson's fantastic description of the Keep's eerie walls covered in crosses and the gathering mist had me completely immersed. As gripping as a horror novel can be. The tension as the bodies started to mount up was tangible and I was all in.
However, and this is the bone of contention, despite such a strong start the book fell away in the second. Like completely, off a cliff. The characters that are initially compelling are put on the back burner in favour of a second rate love story. From this point on it feels as if a different author took over and it was finished in a great big hurry.
Don't get me wrong. There's a lot of good stuff going on in this story. The brutal murders in the keep, the infighting between the German troops and the professor's investigation into the supernatural presence in the keep. Unfortunately, it all starts to take a backseat to the boring and clichéd romance and for me the novel suffered dramatically to the point where I wanted to put it down and read something else. Like Sean Penn's Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff!
The Characters
Exactly the same story with the characters, We have a mixed bag. Kaempffer is your stereotypical Nazi and member of the SS who takes great pleasure in murder and violence. But he creates a great foil for Woerman.
Captain Woerman is definitely the star of the show and Wilson needs to take some credit for creating a Nazi soldier who can be viewed as a hero. Or at least in a positive light. A combat veteran from the First World War, he's often conflicted, opposed to Hitler's vision for the future, and disgusted by the Nazis treatment of the Jews. In fact he's been handed this mission as punishment for his "incorrect" views. In portraying him this way the author is able to add a great deal of depth to his character. The conflict between Kaempffer and him is fantastically done and really adds to the tension early doors.
Jozef Cuzas provides another piece of strong characterization executed in this book. I found his inner conflict and turmoil fascinating. However, the switch of POV to his daughter, Magda, and the introduction of her love interest Glen was an absolute stinker of a choice. The romance is forced, unbelievable and totally takes away from the superb atmosphere that had been built up. I could imagine that Wilson may have been forced to add this as sex in 80s horror was very popular at the time and it felt his heart was truly in it.
Where do I start with the character of Glen? Summoned from Portugal by the release of the entity within the keep, he then proceeds to romance Magda upon arrival and then sit in a tree watching the keep. It's absolutely baffling and kills the first rate momentum and tension that the story had at this point. Honestly it was as if a Mills and Booms romance had been inserted into the novel and a poor quality one at that. Not that I read Mills and Booms romance!
![](https://horrornews.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Keep-photo-1.jpg")
Final Thoughts
Holy hell! It feels I write more in these reviews when I have a problem with a book than when I really love it. Although this book is something I'd have probably loved in my teens and early twenties, currently I demand more. A lot more! As I've developed into a constant reader (thanks Stephen King) I've come to expect certain things from a book. Things like character development and a certain standard with the prose. The Keep really did fall short for me in the second half.
Honestly, if you took this romance out of the book it would have been a great story. But because it had a huge negative impact I just can't bring myself to recommend it.
Anyway, if anyone's still here I'm going to call a halt to the incessant complaining. Stick a fork in me, I'm done. With this being Wilson's first novel and the way it started I will give him another try but I'm certainly not in a rush to do it.
Thanks for reading and cheers!
January 16, 2016
He was dead. And yet not dead.
I’ve long been meaning to read The Keep. It is the first in the Adversary Cycle, and ties in with the (later) Repairman Jack novels. I have also seen it mentioned on numerous top-ten lists pertaining to Vampire Horror (although, to be fair, the author is very specific about the nature of his antagonist � but this is spoiler territory so I won’t go there).
So, does it live up to expectation?
Something in that air caused the hair on his arms and at the base of his neck to stand on end.
If you have read any of the Repairman Jack novels, you will already know what to expect from this book, although admittedly The Keep leans more toward straightforward horror whereas the Jack books follow a genre mishmash template. That said, you will not often feel too upset when characters get killed, since they’re mostly portrayed as fairly villainous themselves.
Something as dark and as cold as the chamber he had entered was awake and hungry and beside him.
I found this to be a fairly visual read, that’s to say it would probably make for a good film what with all the fantastic set pieces, not to mention the World War II backdrop. There are scenes here that are genuinely eerie and / or scary. What’s more, at times the story is quite ingenious, especially the concepts of Light and Chaos that the author introduces.
He was no longer in command of the keep.
Something dark and awful had taken over.
Two gripes.
There is a love story here that feels forced and awkward. It certainly has a place in the story, but at times the author lathers it on a bit thick and the fluttery-eyed sugary-sweet gloop is hard to stomach. In my experience when it comes to this sort of thing less is more.The second gripe that I do have comes from a rather abstract place. The cover art of the new Tor editions are rather unimaginative and, frankly, boring. I much prefer the artwork of some of the older editions.
She would fear the dark forever.
In closing, there are some nice conspiracy theories thrown in for good measure. You know, just to thicken the broth.
The Keep is a fairly solid entry in the Vampire Horror genre. Added bonus: it has some novelty value, especially if you already read Repairman Jack.
3.5 stars (which I have to round, because ŷ doesn’t give me any other option)
And night had become a dread enemy.
I’ve long been meaning to read The Keep. It is the first in the Adversary Cycle, and ties in with the (later) Repairman Jack novels. I have also seen it mentioned on numerous top-ten lists pertaining to Vampire Horror (although, to be fair, the author is very specific about the nature of his antagonist � but this is spoiler territory so I won’t go there).
So, does it live up to expectation?
Something in that air caused the hair on his arms and at the base of his neck to stand on end.
If you have read any of the Repairman Jack novels, you will already know what to expect from this book, although admittedly The Keep leans more toward straightforward horror whereas the Jack books follow a genre mishmash template. That said, you will not often feel too upset when characters get killed, since they’re mostly portrayed as fairly villainous themselves.
Something as dark and as cold as the chamber he had entered was awake and hungry and beside him.
I found this to be a fairly visual read, that’s to say it would probably make for a good film what with all the fantastic set pieces, not to mention the World War II backdrop. There are scenes here that are genuinely eerie and / or scary. What’s more, at times the story is quite ingenious, especially the concepts of Light and Chaos that the author introduces.
He was no longer in command of the keep.
Something dark and awful had taken over.
Two gripes.
There is a love story here that feels forced and awkward. It certainly has a place in the story, but at times the author lathers it on a bit thick and the fluttery-eyed sugary-sweet gloop is hard to stomach. In my experience when it comes to this sort of thing less is more.The second gripe that I do have comes from a rather abstract place. The cover art of the new Tor editions are rather unimaginative and, frankly, boring. I much prefer the artwork of some of the older editions.
She would fear the dark forever.
In closing, there are some nice conspiracy theories thrown in for good measure. You know, just to thicken the broth.
The Keep is a fairly solid entry in the Vampire Horror genre. Added bonus: it has some novelty value, especially if you already read Repairman Jack.
3.5 stars (which I have to round, because ŷ doesn’t give me any other option)
And night had become a dread enemy.
November 8, 2015
Such a fun book. Vampires and Nazis � what could go wrong? An isolated keep full of ne'er do-wells from the Third Reich, but oh man do they get their comeuppance at the hands of a very old bro who is pissed as hell that someone be all up in his hizzouse.
The only knock on this book is the dated damsel in distress plot line, the unbelievably beautiful woman who, for most of the book, is little more than a cowering, confused lass that can't come to grips with the reality in front of her. This ain't no Dana Scully, gang. But, the book was published in 1981, so I think you have to give it some slack as a product of the times. Our heroine isn't completely helpless, that's for sure.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. I loved it.
The only knock on this book is the dated damsel in distress plot line, the unbelievably beautiful woman who, for most of the book, is little more than a cowering, confused lass that can't come to grips with the reality in front of her. This ain't no Dana Scully, gang. But, the book was published in 1981, so I think you have to give it some slack as a product of the times. Our heroine isn't completely helpless, that's for sure.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. I loved it.
June 10, 2017
Beginning in Warsaw, 1941, this novel combines a Second World War story with Horror, creating a good mix of genres. Erich Kaempffer is a member of the SS and has just been promoted to become Commandant of Ploiesti � a new concentration camp in Romania, which is set to rival Auschwitz. Kaempffer is a dedicated man, who delights in murder and violence and also hopes to make himself a personal fortune. However, before he can set off to his new career, he is asked to visit a small army detachment, stationed in the Alps, shortly north of Ploiesti. There have been frantic messages from their commanding officer, Captain Klaus Woermann, saying that they have suffered losses and asking permission to relocate. Kaempffer is asked to go and see what is wrong before being allowed to take up his new position.
Of course, Woermann is known to Kaempffer, and their past history is one of conflict. As such, and with a much more lucrative post ahead of him, Kaempffer is keen to investigate, solve this issue quickly, and move on. The message from Woermann states, “Request immediate relocation. Something is murdering my men.� Imagining the problems to be partisans, Kaempffer sets out for the Keep. This turns out to be a perfectly placed tower, with endless crosses embedded into the walls. Two of Woermann’s men, thinking treasure is buried somewhere within the Keep, have accidentally released something of malevolent evil, and terrible power, which is now free to kill and to keep on killing.
Despite all evidence to the contrary, Kaempffer insists the problem is something that he can solve with force. Eventually, he and Woermann track down Professor Theodor Cuza, an academic who has studied the Keep for most of his life, and bring him, and his daughter, Magda, to the Keep to help him solve the mystery of who is killing Woermann’s men. Also, there is another man, who is travelling across Europe, on a mysterious mission involving the Keep. There is much irony in the fact that Cuza is Jewish and his own faith is also tested in this interesting novel. This is a horror novel which has a very interesting setting and characters. A good read, this is the first in the Adversary Cycle and is followed by “The Tomb.�
Of course, Woermann is known to Kaempffer, and their past history is one of conflict. As such, and with a much more lucrative post ahead of him, Kaempffer is keen to investigate, solve this issue quickly, and move on. The message from Woermann states, “Request immediate relocation. Something is murdering my men.� Imagining the problems to be partisans, Kaempffer sets out for the Keep. This turns out to be a perfectly placed tower, with endless crosses embedded into the walls. Two of Woermann’s men, thinking treasure is buried somewhere within the Keep, have accidentally released something of malevolent evil, and terrible power, which is now free to kill and to keep on killing.
Despite all evidence to the contrary, Kaempffer insists the problem is something that he can solve with force. Eventually, he and Woermann track down Professor Theodor Cuza, an academic who has studied the Keep for most of his life, and bring him, and his daughter, Magda, to the Keep to help him solve the mystery of who is killing Woermann’s men. Also, there is another man, who is travelling across Europe, on a mysterious mission involving the Keep. There is much irony in the fact that Cuza is Jewish and his own faith is also tested in this interesting novel. This is a horror novel which has a very interesting setting and characters. A good read, this is the first in the Adversary Cycle and is followed by “The Tomb.�
June 9, 2019
Wilson is a skilled story-teller who knows how to write a good plot and intertwine a story with healthy mix of terror romance and history.The story is about The Keep an intriguing fortress where one by one men are murdered by a mysterious being. The victims are german soldiers, I found myself backing the perpetrators blood thirst of ridding The Keep of the invaders of Romania, but there seems to be a more sinister purpose to what is taking place. Thoroughly enjoyed the story highly recommend it, i cant wait to read the next in the Adversary Cycle The Tomb by Paul Wilson a great story teller. This story has a very nice romance between a Jewish Romanian and a mysterious man.
April 27, 2014
It's Castle Wolfenstein - Zombie Nazi edition! 'Donnerwetter!' did I hear you say? 'Not mitt ze Shweinhund Zombies again!'
Just kidding...almost. There are Nazis in a Castle - or rather a Keep, in Romania, in the Transylvanian Alps, and there is something undead inside, and our story is set in 1941.
The SS take over an abandoned haunted Keep. The SS unwittingly let something loose in the Keep. The SS start dying horrible deaths - and Nazi's being turned into chunky bits is always a good thing. I can't help but think back to the black and white war comics I used to read, but instead of Nazi's going 'Aarghhh! Englander!' It's more like 'Aarghhh! Vampir!'
It's a quick easy read. For all the meaty bits flying about there wasn't much meat to it and it didn't quite maintain the suspense I was hoping for - but it was still a bit of fun and enjoyable for what it was ie a traditional vampire(like) story.
Auf Wiedersehen from me and I'm giving it...
3.5 stars
(which is a whole lot better than my Deutch)
PS - No Germans were harmed in the making of this review (I hope)
PSS - All German words appearing in this review are fictitious. Any resemblance to real German language, good or bad, is purely coincidental.
Just kidding...almost. There are Nazis in a Castle - or rather a Keep, in Romania, in the Transylvanian Alps, and there is something undead inside, and our story is set in 1941.
The SS take over an abandoned haunted Keep. The SS unwittingly let something loose in the Keep. The SS start dying horrible deaths - and Nazi's being turned into chunky bits is always a good thing. I can't help but think back to the black and white war comics I used to read, but instead of Nazi's going 'Aarghhh! Englander!' It's more like 'Aarghhh! Vampir!'
It's a quick easy read. For all the meaty bits flying about there wasn't much meat to it and it didn't quite maintain the suspense I was hoping for - but it was still a bit of fun and enjoyable for what it was ie a traditional vampire(like) story.
Auf Wiedersehen from me and I'm giving it...
3.5 stars
(which is a whole lot better than my Deutch)
PS - No Germans were harmed in the making of this review (I hope)
PSS - All German words appearing in this review are fictitious. Any resemblance to real German language, good or bad, is purely coincidental.
February 3, 2010
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. A friend recommended it to me, and against my better judgment, I took a copy with me on vacation. The writing style is very cliché - it feels like he has taken whole sentences from other horror writers and strung them together to create this work. The plot is forseeable, the characters are cheesy and annoying, the story seems to be rooted in pseudo-history...not quite accurate enough to seem like a real era, and not quite fantastical enough to transport the reader into another realm. I rolled my eyes consistently throughout the book, and I forced myself to finish it believing that it might possibly redeem itself at the end. Unfortunately, it did not. I immediately got rid of my copy, and all other F. Paul Wilson books that were lent to me. I suppose it you are a junior high school kid, this book might appeal to you, otherwise skip it and go for some Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, or Stephen King.
February 11, 2022
wow ! what a book , and how i came across it ! , after watching the da vinci code i recognised an actor ( the bank manager ) from a movie that i watched one night before school he played characters with a Germain accent in both films , i found out that he really is , cant think of his name right now ) so a few days ago i found out that the film is called the keep and i really enjoyed watching it again and found about the book , its one of those rare movie adaptions that stays very true to the book and would have done more so if the movie company hadnt made the director cut half of the film out , and sadly i doubt that one day they will restore the rest of the movie , by the sounds of it the director of the movie hated the hell he went through making the film . i really enjoyed this book , i look forward to reading the next book in the series , next on to star wars a new dawn by john jackson miller
June 27, 2022
I have a vague, but fairly bad memories from the early 80s of the movie adopted from this novel, but I never read the book itself. The novel was a neat twist on some old horror tropes, and the writing was engaging as well. The beginning kicks off a bit slow as we are introduced to the various main protagonists, but it picks up the pace about a quarter of the way in and just keeps going. Set in 1941, the Nazi's are blitzing Europe and all seems golden for Hitler and friends. Having just made a deal with the fascists in Romania, a few squads of German troops are set to guard a mountain pass there, as it leads to some key oil deposits the Germans do not want Russia to get. The German troops, regular army BTW, are to find and hold an ancient 'keep' in the pass, but the keep is quite strange, covered on the inside with strange crosses and in mint condition! After some escapades by some of the troops looking for hidden treasure, something is released from behind a wall and Germans start dying, one per day. Meanwhile, an aspiring SS officer on his way to start a new death camp in Romania is ordered to check out the keep on his way as Command received a strange message from the troops sent to the keep originally: "something is murdering my men."
We also have 'Glenn', currently a fisherman in Portugal, who rushes to the Keep after being somehow signaled that something escaped; he is the mystery man in the story. Finally, we have a crippled Jewish scholar in Bucharest and his lovely daughter who nurses him; it turns out they have visited the Keep before due to their interests in Romanian folklore and after the Nazi's find out, are picked up and taken back there.
So, we have Nazis stuck in a strange, perhaps haunted Keep, the mystery man 'Glenn' on his way there, along with the pair of Jews the Nazis brought in. What is killing the Germans? Who is the mystery man and what is his role? Wilson can build some suspense quite well. I was not so thrilled with (IMO) the cheesy romance that emerged between 'Glenn' and the daughter, although it did add a bit to the story.
Overall, a good read that has held up over time (it was written in 1981) even though I still have a vague bad taste about the movie version. 3.5 stars rounding up!
We also have 'Glenn', currently a fisherman in Portugal, who rushes to the Keep after being somehow signaled that something escaped; he is the mystery man in the story. Finally, we have a crippled Jewish scholar in Bucharest and his lovely daughter who nurses him; it turns out they have visited the Keep before due to their interests in Romanian folklore and after the Nazi's find out, are picked up and taken back there.
So, we have Nazis stuck in a strange, perhaps haunted Keep, the mystery man 'Glenn' on his way there, along with the pair of Jews the Nazis brought in. What is killing the Germans? Who is the mystery man and what is his role? Wilson can build some suspense quite well. I was not so thrilled with (IMO) the cheesy romance that emerged between 'Glenn' and the daughter, although it did add a bit to the story.
Overall, a good read that has held up over time (it was written in 1981) even though I still have a vague bad taste about the movie version. 3.5 stars rounding up!
October 30, 2019
I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to try out an F. Paul Wilson book! This was really good. The writing was very smooth and easy to read. The action started early and carried right through to the end. While this is definitely a horror story, it has an epic feel to it that I quite enjoyed. Overall, I’m going with 4.5/5.0 stars. The hard part now is deciding which of Mr. Wilson’s books to go to next - a good thing considering there are a bunch.
June 15, 2024
Нацисти, мрачна и пълна с тайни стара крепост, нещо като вампир (но не съвсем), герой не от този свят и красива жена. Нито един от героите не е това, за което първоначално се представя. А, да, и вълшебен меч. Какво повече му трябва на човек? Още си спомням отдавнашния прочит с усмивка.
November 3, 2019
3 stars
I have no doubt the book packed a punch when it was published in 1981.
Speaking for myself...
I really liked The Keep at the beginning 😍
Then it started to be a bit too predictable 🙄
Finally, it dragged 😴
But, if you enjoy the following trailer of Return To Castle Wolfenstein, you will probably enjoy reading The Keep as well!
I have no doubt the book packed a punch when it was published in 1981.
Speaking for myself...
I really liked The Keep at the beginning 😍
Then it started to be a bit too predictable 🙄
Finally, it dragged 😴
But, if you enjoy the following trailer of Return To Castle Wolfenstein, you will probably enjoy reading The Keep as well!
November 12, 2024
3.5 stars
April 2, 2022
I read this awesome book, way back in my teens in the 80’s. I remember never having read anything by this author before but this was a book that my (then) boyfriend had read, and had raved about. I didn’t think that it would be my cup of tea, but after a slow start I was inside the book. Can’t remember the details of this as it was a long time ago but something is killing the Nazi soldiers of WW2 taking shelter in this castle in Transylvania. I really need to read this again and re-familiarise with the story. When all is said and done, this was an awesome read!
October 17, 2022
A Nazi occupied Keep, high in the Transylvanian Alps is the source of mystery and murder. Each night a solider is brutally murdered, coming to light each morning and bringing with it a fresh serving of terror. For Woermann, the commander in charge, the night terrors are even more disturbing given the lack of evidence to support foul play. With panic mounting among the troops, Woermann has little choice but to seek the assistance of the SS. However, not even the extermination squad can stop the killings, that is, until, a Jewish academic and his attractive daughter are brought to the Keep to solve the mystery...
Professor Theodor Cuza and daughter Magda are reluctant to assist the Germans, especially given the backdrop of WWII, however have little choice but to go along with the SS's demands for answers. With a handful of recently discovered ancient text books to wade through, the Cuza's know their success is limited and that both could very well end up as casualties in the world wide conflict. Set to work in a cold, dark and dank room in the Keep, the two have no idea what awaits them when the sun goes down.
Enter Molasar, a vampiric-like entity who somehow manages to restrain himself from taking a bite out of the every so sweet Magda, to be the eventual saviour, or so it seems...
The Keep (1981) has a gothic feel to it while still reading like a traditional vampire story. The mysterious Molasar is the typecast Dracula (at least for a while) with Theodor Cuza assuming the role of Renfield and Magda, of course, the forbidden fruit, succulent, sexy and incredibly desirable - her innocence begging to be taken away by the Nazi occupiers (at least from the perspective of said Nazi occupiers, Magda, for her part wants nothing to do with them).
As you'd expect the supernatural element is the story's backbone and it fits in seamlessly with the WWII setting, meshing otherworldly horrors with the very real and present ones made of man. I won't spoil the finer details, but needless to say, the horror is amped up once Molasar is unearthed so to speak.
Shambling corpses, vampiric-like war lords, Nazi occupiers, a good verses evil battle to the death, and a cast of intriguing and well written characters make for a fun read full of scary moments. I highly recommended checking this one out!
Review also on my site:
Professor Theodor Cuza and daughter Magda are reluctant to assist the Germans, especially given the backdrop of WWII, however have little choice but to go along with the SS's demands for answers. With a handful of recently discovered ancient text books to wade through, the Cuza's know their success is limited and that both could very well end up as casualties in the world wide conflict. Set to work in a cold, dark and dank room in the Keep, the two have no idea what awaits them when the sun goes down.
Enter Molasar, a vampiric-like entity who somehow manages to restrain himself from taking a bite out of the every so sweet Magda, to be the eventual saviour, or so it seems...
The Keep (1981) has a gothic feel to it while still reading like a traditional vampire story. The mysterious Molasar is the typecast Dracula (at least for a while) with Theodor Cuza assuming the role of Renfield and Magda, of course, the forbidden fruit, succulent, sexy and incredibly desirable - her innocence begging to be taken away by the Nazi occupiers (at least from the perspective of said Nazi occupiers, Magda, for her part wants nothing to do with them).
As you'd expect the supernatural element is the story's backbone and it fits in seamlessly with the WWII setting, meshing otherworldly horrors with the very real and present ones made of man. I won't spoil the finer details, but needless to say, the horror is amped up once Molasar is unearthed so to speak.
Shambling corpses, vampiric-like war lords, Nazi occupiers, a good verses evil battle to the death, and a cast of intriguing and well written characters make for a fun read full of scary moments. I highly recommended checking this one out!
Review also on my site:
March 26, 2011
I've actually read this book before, but it still counts towards my 100 New Books goal because I didn't remember that I had read it until about a chapter or two in.
The premise is great: Nazis move into a keep in Romania and start dying one-by-one at the hands of what can only be described as a vampire. Nazis, vampire, and even zombies near the end. Great stuff for someone like me.
For the first 3/4 of the book, it's positively thrilling. It's creepy. It's atmospheric. But it falls apart near the end as the truth of what the mysterious hero Glenn really is, and his connection to the vampire in the keep. It becomes a story about ancient warring powers and demigods and nonsense with no leadup, suddenly shifting gears from horror to fantasy. Molasar, the vampire, is actually Rasalom the warlock from prehistory, and Glenn is actually Glaeken with a magic sword from that time too. It becomes too cartoonish. The villain was more threatening when he was an inhuman beast with no backstory other than the subtle hints of his relation to Dracula. Even the premise, promised on the back of the novel "Nazis vs a Vampire" falls apart as Glaeken takes the center stage and all of this ancient prehistory nonsense kicks in. The interesting characters, Kaempferr and Woermann are killed off and the center stage is left for the less interesting ones: the aforementioned Glenn, Magda (who inexplicably falls in love with Glenn on first sight, which is something the author enjoys reminding us of every third page), and her father.
I recommend this book only because of the first three quarters. They're just that entertaining that they make the last bit bearable. Supposedly, this is the first book of a series. Maybe reading the rest of it will improve the ending of this book.
The premise is great: Nazis move into a keep in Romania and start dying one-by-one at the hands of what can only be described as a vampire. Nazis, vampire, and even zombies near the end. Great stuff for someone like me.
For the first 3/4 of the book, it's positively thrilling. It's creepy. It's atmospheric. But it falls apart near the end as the truth of what the mysterious hero Glenn really is, and his connection to the vampire in the keep. It becomes a story about ancient warring powers and demigods and nonsense with no leadup, suddenly shifting gears from horror to fantasy. Molasar, the vampire, is actually Rasalom the warlock from prehistory, and Glenn is actually Glaeken with a magic sword from that time too. It becomes too cartoonish. The villain was more threatening when he was an inhuman beast with no backstory other than the subtle hints of his relation to Dracula. Even the premise, promised on the back of the novel "Nazis vs a Vampire" falls apart as Glaeken takes the center stage and all of this ancient prehistory nonsense kicks in. The interesting characters, Kaempferr and Woermann are killed off and the center stage is left for the less interesting ones: the aforementioned Glenn, Magda (who inexplicably falls in love with Glenn on first sight, which is something the author enjoys reminding us of every third page), and her father.
I recommend this book only because of the first three quarters. They're just that entertaining that they make the last bit bearable. Supposedly, this is the first book of a series. Maybe reading the rest of it will improve the ending of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2022
I’m such a sucker for historical horror. Throw in some evil Nazis, a mysterious medieval castle-like structure with strange looking crosses everywhere, and an ominous entity unleashed. Where do I sign up? F Paul Wilson hits a home run with what kicked off his Adversary Cycle of novels that springboarded his career. It was even picked up and made into a movie directed by Michael Mann.
With 18K ratings of The Keep, I won’t bore you with another breakdown of the story. What I will tell you is Wilson’s storytelling is very engaging with memorable characters and pacing that chugs along at a steady pace. I also love his take on the vampire mythology with Lovecraftian notes sprinkled in the mix. I rarely rate a story at 5 stars, but The Keep earns every bloody one.
5 Slashed Throats out of 5
With 18K ratings of The Keep, I won’t bore you with another breakdown of the story. What I will tell you is Wilson’s storytelling is very engaging with memorable characters and pacing that chugs along at a steady pace. I also love his take on the vampire mythology with Lovecraftian notes sprinkled in the mix. I rarely rate a story at 5 stars, but The Keep earns every bloody one.
5 Slashed Throats out of 5
October 4, 2016
I remember this book terrifying me when I read it in the early eighties. However, the horror is all reserved for the early chapters - towards the end, it becomes more of a thriller.
This one is really old-fashioned. A centuries-old evil and its centuries-old nemesis fighting it out in a Transylvanian castle during the Nazi occupation. There is also a Jewish exorcist (well, folklorist, actually) and his beautiful daughter in the mix.
If you love vintage ghost stories, this should be your cup of tea.
This one is really old-fashioned. A centuries-old evil and its centuries-old nemesis fighting it out in a Transylvanian castle during the Nazi occupation. There is also a Jewish exorcist (well, folklorist, actually) and his beautiful daughter in the mix.
If you love vintage ghost stories, this should be your cup of tea.
March 20, 2014
Ranked among the best horror novels of the twentieth century, and credited with shaping the landscape of that same genre through the 80s, it's hard not to be a little disappointed with what is on offer in The Keep. The set-up is quite good, with something unleashed from its hold in an abandoned keep stalking the German soldiers that have taken over said structure in the midst of WW2. For about a third of the novel, Wilson keeps the pace rattling along nicely, as the thing from the crypt murders one soldier a night. The entity is equal parts menacing and mysterious, but clearly does not have good intentions at heart, creating quite the interesting quandary: Who does the reader root for? The Germans and the SS soldiers that join them? Or the entity that seems hell bent on destroying them? In fact, my favourite part of the novel was the conflict between the sympathetic German officer and the over-the-top evil SS major, even if this was relegated to the realm of the sub-plot by the halfway point of the novel.
However, things begin to fall apart as other characters arrive at the keep, advancing the plot, but taking away from the evil versus a greater evil theme. By the end of the novel, nothing is as it seems, a trite romantic sub-plot has been woven in, and, worst of all, there is absolutely nothing frightening going on.
In the end, it seems that whatever ability The Keep had to scare its readers has been lost within the mists of time. But Wilson is a skilled enough writer to maintain my interest in pursuing more of The Adversary Cycle, even if my expectations will be suitably tempered.
2.5 to 3 Slashed Open Throats for The Keep.
However, things begin to fall apart as other characters arrive at the keep, advancing the plot, but taking away from the evil versus a greater evil theme. By the end of the novel, nothing is as it seems, a trite romantic sub-plot has been woven in, and, worst of all, there is absolutely nothing frightening going on.
In the end, it seems that whatever ability The Keep had to scare its readers has been lost within the mists of time. But Wilson is a skilled enough writer to maintain my interest in pursuing more of The Adversary Cycle, even if my expectations will be suitably tempered.
2.5 to 3 Slashed Open Throats for The Keep.
November 11, 2019
That was a cool story! I haven't read a straight up horror like this in a good while. I was a little late getting to it for a Halloween read, but no matter. I'm glad I finally checked this off my TBR list.
I enjoyed Molasar and how he handled the Germans. This book is perfect for anyone with pent up resentment towards Hitler and the Nazi party. This must have been fun for F. Paul Wilson to write.
I enjoyed Molasar and how he handled the Germans. This book is perfect for anyone with pent up resentment towards Hitler and the Nazi party. This must have been fun for F. Paul Wilson to write.
September 19, 2011
I was glad that I went into this book unaware of many of the plot elements. It made for a more exciting read. Despite this, I was still surprised as things turn out to be not as they seemed. I liked F. Paul Wilson's writing voice. It's erudite and sophisticated. He did his research about WW2 and what was going on in Europe at this time. The aspects of the Nazis' treatment of the Jews and the Gypsies made my heart hurt. I can't and never will understand such barbarity, cruelty, and inhumanity. Mr. Wilson doesn't just throw this in for a background historical context. This becomes a very important aspect of this story as it deals very much with the nature of evil, how humanity's actions perpetrate evil and its sickness in the world.
The characters were engaging, making this supernatural story feel very grounded in some respects. I felt deeply for Magda. She was a strong woman hemmed in by circumstances, a sickly father who took her granted in a way that was almost criminal. All her dreams denied because of her need to take care of him, and because she was Jewish. Glenn is an interesting character as well. He's quite enigmatic, something more than human, although he wears the cloak of humanity well for the most part. He has lost touch with some of the human emotions, as he says, but in contrast to the SS soldiers, there is no question that he is a humane person. As for the Germans... I felt sorry for Woermann, and I didn't think he was a bad man. Imagine me feeling sympathy for a German soldier in WW2. The key point that I am glad that Wilson makes clear is that not all the Germans supported or believed in what Hitler was doing. Of course, many did act to thwart Hitler, and lost their lives in the process. Something that one might not choose to acknowledge on the surface, as it's easy to label all Germans as the hated Nazis. It is the truth, none the less. History now makes it clear that there was a strong German Resistance, as well there should have been. One hopes that good men and women will not stand by and watch evil happen, and Woermann felt like he had done too much of that and it destroyed his belief in himself, and the country that he had spent most of his life serving. In contrast, there was the SS commander, Kaempffer, who was a horribly evil, vile human being. It is harder to feel sympathy for him and his ilk, in light of his vicious and unwarranted hatred and persecution of people because they happened to be of a different ethnicity than him. Part of me relished seeing the SS soldiers get their just deserts, but Wilson makes it clear that this only perpetuates the dangerous taint of evil in this story.
There were some touches I liked very much in this story:
*A very obvious nod to the Lovecraftian mythos. They find copies of some of the , such as De Vermis Mysteriis, Book of Eibon, Nameless Cults, Cultes des Goules and even The Necronomicon. Lovecraft fans will likely appreciate this as I did.
*I liked the romance very much. It was good to see that Magda does get a chance to have a 'life' and to be appreciated in a way that she didn't in a man's world, with a father who doesn't respect her as much as he should, and as a member of a group of people who were horribly persecuted against. And Glenn has been alone so long. Now he isn't.
*Some parts of this novel were truly creepy! I love a good scare, so I was a happy camper. It was less scary towards the end, but still thrilling and disturbing in a different way.
*The history and setting made this WW2 history buff happy, although sad at the same time. The Shoah is a disturbing subject, even in fiction. The supernatural horror of this story pales in comparison to what kinds of horrors really happened, and the fact that behind them was human evil and institutionalized racism.
*I like the cosmic scope of this battle between good and evil. I won't go into that, because that would spoil this book, and this is a book that the less you know, the better it reads. Suffice it to say, if you like arcane supernatural fiction as I do, you might enjoy these aspects of this book.
I found myself reading this very quickly on my Kindle. I was immersed in this story, transported to 1940s Romania, and submerged in the gothic feel of this novel. Although I had no expectations, it turned to be a lot more than I even imagined. I enjoyed it a lot.
The characters were engaging, making this supernatural story feel very grounded in some respects. I felt deeply for Magda. She was a strong woman hemmed in by circumstances, a sickly father who took her granted in a way that was almost criminal. All her dreams denied because of her need to take care of him, and because she was Jewish. Glenn is an interesting character as well. He's quite enigmatic, something more than human, although he wears the cloak of humanity well for the most part. He has lost touch with some of the human emotions, as he says, but in contrast to the SS soldiers, there is no question that he is a humane person. As for the Germans... I felt sorry for Woermann, and I didn't think he was a bad man. Imagine me feeling sympathy for a German soldier in WW2. The key point that I am glad that Wilson makes clear is that not all the Germans supported or believed in what Hitler was doing. Of course, many did act to thwart Hitler, and lost their lives in the process. Something that one might not choose to acknowledge on the surface, as it's easy to label all Germans as the hated Nazis. It is the truth, none the less. History now makes it clear that there was a strong German Resistance, as well there should have been. One hopes that good men and women will not stand by and watch evil happen, and Woermann felt like he had done too much of that and it destroyed his belief in himself, and the country that he had spent most of his life serving. In contrast, there was the SS commander, Kaempffer, who was a horribly evil, vile human being. It is harder to feel sympathy for him and his ilk, in light of his vicious and unwarranted hatred and persecution of people because they happened to be of a different ethnicity than him. Part of me relished seeing the SS soldiers get their just deserts, but Wilson makes it clear that this only perpetuates the dangerous taint of evil in this story.
There were some touches I liked very much in this story:
*A very obvious nod to the Lovecraftian mythos. They find copies of some of the , such as De Vermis Mysteriis, Book of Eibon, Nameless Cults, Cultes des Goules and even The Necronomicon. Lovecraft fans will likely appreciate this as I did.
*I liked the romance very much. It was good to see that Magda does get a chance to have a 'life' and to be appreciated in a way that she didn't in a man's world, with a father who doesn't respect her as much as he should, and as a member of a group of people who were horribly persecuted against. And Glenn has been alone so long. Now he isn't.
*Some parts of this novel were truly creepy! I love a good scare, so I was a happy camper. It was less scary towards the end, but still thrilling and disturbing in a different way.
*The history and setting made this WW2 history buff happy, although sad at the same time. The Shoah is a disturbing subject, even in fiction. The supernatural horror of this story pales in comparison to what kinds of horrors really happened, and the fact that behind them was human evil and institutionalized racism.
*I like the cosmic scope of this battle between good and evil. I won't go into that, because that would spoil this book, and this is a book that the less you know, the better it reads. Suffice it to say, if you like arcane supernatural fiction as I do, you might enjoy these aspects of this book.
I found myself reading this very quickly on my Kindle. I was immersed in this story, transported to 1940s Romania, and submerged in the gothic feel of this novel. Although I had no expectations, it turned to be a lot more than I even imagined. I enjoyed it a lot.
February 15, 2022
Bewildered by the great reviews of this ho-hum piece of horror hackwork. Rife with cliched conflicts, cardboard characters, derivative romantic subplot, thudding dialogue, unimaginative scenes of violent mayhem, a boring climax of ageless good v. evil, and the sappy, unearned epilogue, all of which have been seen a hundred, a thousand times before. It all adds up to the reader never feeling that tingle, that can't-turn-pages-fast-enough vibe that makes this kind of mainstream bestseller work. I’d put it down for a week and forget I was even reading it!
There's a notable lack of atmosphere too, which makes The Keep deadly dull in places: I mean, the setting is a castle in the mountains of Romania occupied by Nazis terrified because a mysterious monstrous vampire is trying kill them all—awesome! You gotta work it hard in the opposite direction to suck the creepy out of that set-up. And Wilson, unfortunately, is up to the task.
Dedicating this book to pulp masters like Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith is ludicrous. Wilson is a lazy, trite writer overall, unable to reach the true potential of the horror novel that resides within the admittedly great scenario. Despite its “reputation”—avoid.
There's a notable lack of atmosphere too, which makes The Keep deadly dull in places: I mean, the setting is a castle in the mountains of Romania occupied by Nazis terrified because a mysterious monstrous vampire is trying kill them all—awesome! You gotta work it hard in the opposite direction to suck the creepy out of that set-up. And Wilson, unfortunately, is up to the task.
Dedicating this book to pulp masters like Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith is ludicrous. Wilson is a lazy, trite writer overall, unable to reach the true potential of the horror novel that resides within the admittedly great scenario. Despite its “reputation”—avoid.
September 8, 2023
Not much I want to say about this one, other than that I had a ton of fun reading about German soldiers—and even some SS men—getting picked off one by one in a dread-heavy, gloomy, highly atmospheric castle setting by a terrifying, ultra evil, nearly invulnerable supernatural creature. In fact, it inspired me to revisit one of the best games of the 90s: Wolfenstein 3D! Remember that shit?
Hell yeah you do.
Hell yeah you do.
September 30, 2019
I loved it! Really dark and scary, and who doesn't like seeing a few soulless Nazis suffer?
January 3, 2019
Read in the mid to late 80's when I was going through a King/Straub/Koontz/Herbert phase.
May 6, 2019
Разкошна книжка. Хареса ми идеята, историята и самото развитие на сюжета. Единствено не ми допадна прекалено честите мисли и терзания на героите, които след средата на книгата станаха излишни и ми дотегнаха. Огромни благодарности искам да отправя към Коста Сивов затова, че ми препоръча цикъла за Пазителят на меча. Скоро ще продължа с Проклятието.
May 13, 2020
Rumuńskie ostępy Transylwanii, samotna twierdza na zboczach gór i odwieczna walka dobra ze złem � nie sposób oprzeć się takiej historii, tym bardziej w tak wspaniałym wznowieniu. Zapraszam za próg "Twierdzy" F. Paula Wilsona.
Ach! Już sama tytułowa twierdza poraża, zachwyca jako miejsce odludne, dziwne i odcięte od świata. Jej historia jest niewyjaśniona, nie do końca znana, a im więcej prawdy wychodzi na jaw, tym czytelnik czuje się bardziej zaintrygowany. Nieprzypadkowa jest również lokacja � Karpaty? Transylwania? Nawiązanie do hrabiego Draculi i wampirycznego mitu wydaje się nieprzypadkowe. A jednak! Bo "wampiryczność" tej powieści nie jest tak prostą odpowiedzią na to, co odnajdziecie w historii F. Paula Wilsona. Pisarz nastawia pułapkę na swoich bohaterów, tak też ustawia pułapkę na swoich czytelników. Tworzy intrygujący podstęp, który prowadzi nas, nic nieświadomych śmiertelników, prosto w paszczę prawdziwych potworów. A jako że spoglądamy na twierdzę oczami bohaterów, to razem z nimi czujemy się coraz bardziej osaczeni i bezbronni, ze strony na stronę.
Przed czytelnikiem uniwersalna, porażająca rozmachem opowieść o odwiecznym pojedynku dobra i zła. Jednak obok sił jasności, tak wyraźnych, chociaż wieloznacznych pojawiają się dwa oblicza zła. Z jednej strony, zło ludzkie, obrzydliwe, bezwzględne, ukryte pod postacią nazistowskich żołnierzy i ich niepojętych planów, które zostaje skonfrontowane ze złem nadprzyrodzonym, jeszcze bardziej bezlitosnym, bo zupełnie nieludzkim, odczłowieczonym, niemal kosmicznym. Powieść Wilsona czyta się jednym tchem, z zachwytem, z narastającą grozą, tak jak tylko można czytać fenomenalnie napisane horrory, które są czymś więcej niż tylko portretem makabry i okrucieństwa. Tutaj symbol rodzi kolejny symbol, a podteksty historyczne, idealnie podkreślają uniwersalny wymiar całości.
Nieprzypadkowo "Twierdza" to klasyk lat 80. Klasyk, który warto poznać, bo jedynie zyskał na znaczeniu.
Ach! Już sama tytułowa twierdza poraża, zachwyca jako miejsce odludne, dziwne i odcięte od świata. Jej historia jest niewyjaśniona, nie do końca znana, a im więcej prawdy wychodzi na jaw, tym czytelnik czuje się bardziej zaintrygowany. Nieprzypadkowa jest również lokacja � Karpaty? Transylwania? Nawiązanie do hrabiego Draculi i wampirycznego mitu wydaje się nieprzypadkowe. A jednak! Bo "wampiryczność" tej powieści nie jest tak prostą odpowiedzią na to, co odnajdziecie w historii F. Paula Wilsona. Pisarz nastawia pułapkę na swoich bohaterów, tak też ustawia pułapkę na swoich czytelników. Tworzy intrygujący podstęp, który prowadzi nas, nic nieświadomych śmiertelników, prosto w paszczę prawdziwych potworów. A jako że spoglądamy na twierdzę oczami bohaterów, to razem z nimi czujemy się coraz bardziej osaczeni i bezbronni, ze strony na stronę.
Przed czytelnikiem uniwersalna, porażająca rozmachem opowieść o odwiecznym pojedynku dobra i zła. Jednak obok sił jasności, tak wyraźnych, chociaż wieloznacznych pojawiają się dwa oblicza zła. Z jednej strony, zło ludzkie, obrzydliwe, bezwzględne, ukryte pod postacią nazistowskich żołnierzy i ich niepojętych planów, które zostaje skonfrontowane ze złem nadprzyrodzonym, jeszcze bardziej bezlitosnym, bo zupełnie nieludzkim, odczłowieczonym, niemal kosmicznym. Powieść Wilsona czyta się jednym tchem, z zachwytem, z narastającą grozą, tak jak tylko można czytać fenomenalnie napisane horrory, które są czymś więcej niż tylko portretem makabry i okrucieństwa. Tutaj symbol rodzi kolejny symbol, a podteksty historyczne, idealnie podkreślają uniwersalny wymiar całości.
Nieprzypadkowo "Twierdza" to klasyk lat 80. Klasyk, który warto poznać, bo jedynie zyskał na znaczeniu.
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