We are not alone. Some call them devils or demons. But they are real. They are down there. And they are waiting for us to find them. In a cave in the Himalayas, a guide discovers a self-mutilated body with a warning: Satan exists. In the Kalahari Desert, a nun unearths evidence of a proto-human species and a deity called Older-than-Old. In Bosnia, something has been feeding upon the dead in a … upon the dead in a mass grave. So begins mankind’s most shocking realization: the underworld is a vast geological labyrinth populated by another race of beings.
With all of Hell’s precious resources and territories to be won, a global race ensues. Nations, armies, religions, and industries rush to colonize and exploit the subterranean frontier. A scientific expedition is launched westward to explore beneath the Pacific Ocean floor, both to catalog the riches there and to learn how life could develop in the sunless abyss. But in the dark underground, as humanity falls away from them, the scientists and mercenaries find themselves prey not only to the savage creatures, but also to their own treachery, mutiny, and greed. One thing is certain: Miles inside the earth, evil is very much alive.
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An unlikely group of people journeys to the center of the earth, not realizing that not only are they not alone but the others are not friendly. This sounds very improbable but the characters are so well done and the world building so spectacularly believable that I was completely sucked in after the first couple of chapters.
Tragic.
That’s my sole assessment of how rarely I see this novel cited by horror fans.
Jeff Long’s modern take on the Verne-esque hollow Earth subgenre of science fiction seems to bear more resemblance to a contemporary Divine Comedy, where Hell is portrayed not as a metaphorical, supernatural, or intangible realm, but one lying in wait right beneath our feet – one made of rock, chains, and creatures.
I challenge you to read the opening chapter of The Descent and set the book down, never again to return to it. It cannot be done, not if you appreciate the ‘that-which-should-not-be-seen-by-man’ stylings of Lovecraft, or literature’s answer to Cronenbergian body horror by way of Barker, or simply a masterful demonstration of how an author can present to you an irresistibly loaded fishing hook. The fishing hook is obvious. We see that we are being baited, but we must bite down. And what a joy it is to bite.
Look, I can’t say whether you should listen to me or the fairly substantial array of written criticisms of the novel. Maybe you should listen to that yawning expanse of nothing, the book’s near-total lack of mention in the relevant arenas perhaps foreshadowing an empty ride.
I say: listen to none of the above.
Listen only to your curiosity.
What cold-blooded, black-hearted horror lover couldn’t ache with curiosity over a race of aeons-old cave dwelling creatures, lurking beneath the feet of mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, in caverns and chambers and tunnel systems so expansive, so DEEP that they sprawl below even the deepest recesses of the oceans, harbouring pits leading deeper still, pits of which even these creatures fear.
Risen and fallen civilisations, silent influence over the unfolding of humankind, enslavement of those unfortunate enough to discover how deep the hollows of the earth reach – and one man. A ruler. An influencer. A legend. Except this legend is flesh and blood, real as the gold rings brutally locked in place through the flesh and bone of His prisoners’ lower jaws to keep them chained, leashed, and a perverted combination of both enslaved and loving.
Yeah, the clue’s in the ‘His’. This book is about the hunt for Satan.
So listen to your curiosity. Read the one book I’ve ever read that I can confidently rank alongside the masterpiece that is Frankenstein. This is my joint favourite novel of all time. Help me fill that yawning expanse, that absence of praise for this epic, biblical, maelstrom of horror.
Read The Descent.
A brilliant blend of horror, science fiction and anthropology. Elegant and terrifying. I don’t recommend reading this book at bedtime.
Blindsides coming at every turn….and lots of turns!
WOW! this story will haunt you the rest of your life. I loved it and have read it 3 times so far. This is not the movie. As good as that was, this is so much better. Be prepared to stay up for the night reading.
Excellent book. Unique take on a subterranean civilization and it’s inhabitants. While the denizens of the deep are cruel and savage, we too have our less than stellar moments. Is Satan real? Is he evil or just on a different level than us?
One of the best books I have ever read. Despite the improbability of the story, it is grounded in enough fact to support plausibility. The writing is wonderfully imaginative and so thrillingly addictive that it’s difficult to put down. In fact I have read it three times! Each time providing further insight and understanding of the story and characters without a bit of ennui. ‘The Descent’ by Jeff Long is a unique novel that I highly recommend.
PS: It is absolutely nothing like the extremely disappointing and vapid movie with the same title.
Began very well, but after the first two chapters became rather silly and unrealistic. Still it is quite action-packed with a few twists so that you can finish it.
Great story and a bit disturbing. Enjoyed it very much.
Wow!!
Great read. One of my favorite horror reads. I’ve read everything Jeff Long has written. I wish he had more books. I have been a long time fan.
Best book I’ve read in a long time. I don’t know if this is true but the writer writes like it is true the way he has written it. Love the hero & heroine. It looks like a unassuming book, but when you get done reading it, I kept thinking about it.
Liked this book a lot. You do need to be able to stretch your mind around this one.
One of the best books I’ve ever read
An interesting idea but I put it away about half way through because I just didn’t care about ANY of the characters.
Plot line(s) are two convoluted and go on for too long. This SF world was never believable for me.
This has to be one of the best books I have read in a long time. So realistic, and scary to think there is another world and race under the earth. The characters were excellent, and the story was deep. I will re-read again just to understand everything, some of the character stories were hard to understand because everything was inter-woven but this was a book I truly could not put down. I loved it!
Picked this up because I enjoyed the 2005 film of the same name, which I had no idea was based, loosely so on this book. While similar to the movie, but only in the basic “humans underground encountering a mutated humanoid race” premise, the novel just gives way more. I’d image the movie now as a related spin off to the world built up in the book. Excellent in every way. A little creepy, serious depth (accidental pun 😉 and never boring. Recommend to anyone!
Very, very, different book with a unique story to tell. I don’t want to spoil it by divulging the plot, just read it, you will not be disappointed … One of the most intriguing books I have read.
This book caused me a couple of sleepless nights thinking about the possibility of the Hadels popping up out of the ground like Morlocks and carrying me away. A fascinating book that I could not put down. I also recommend the sequel “Deeper”