Elitist Book Reviews

NOCTURNAL by Scott Sigler is a most curious creature. In all my years of reading I can't remember coming across a book quite like it. This isn't because NOCTURNAL features some brand new theme or idea, but because it is a book that showcases Sigler's evolution as an author and still manages to be an inferior novel than its predecessors. Considered to be Sigler's most ambitious novel to date, NOCTURNAL is a supernatural police procedural with a score of highs and lows.

Monsters lurk in the ruins of San Francisco's past, striking out at night to hunt for those who won't be missed in order to sake their blood thirst. Homicide detective Bryan Clauser is drawn to this dark secret by a crop of serial murders that bear chilling resemblance to his own twisted dreams. With his partner, Pookie Chang by his side, Bryan must uncover the mystery of Marie's Children and the shadowy vigilante known as Savior who kills the killers with supernatural strength.

I was pumped to read NOCTURNAL, a whopping 500+ page urban fantasy police procedural from the notably twisted mind of Scott Sigler. Having recently read Sigler's INFECTED, I expected no small amount of depravity and gore. INFECTED was a rough novel in many regards but it showed a certain potential that I was keen to see develop. NOCTURNAL being Sigler's latest piece of fiction, displays many of the ways his writing has improved over the ensuing years. The pacing is much more steady and deliberate this time around. I wouldn't jump to call this book a slow burner but much more time is spent getting the ducks in a row. The characters, by and large, are infinitely more likable and believable as well. And yet despite this progression NOCTURNAL still seems to be the lesser novel.

The characters may be more likable but they are still flat. Bryan (aka the Terminator) is dull during the first half of the book, exhibiting all the emotion of the killer robot he got his nickname from. During the second half of the book he compensates for his lack of depth by becoming extremely expressive and a bit hormonal. Robin the obligatory love interest is no better. She is an intelligent medical examiner for the police department but her whole existence seems to revolve around Bryan for no discernible reason. Ironically, though Bryan is the intended protagonist his partner Pookie is the one who comes off as the main character. Pookie is a decent individual, showing the most depth of any member of the cast even if his jokes are hit-or-miss.

The rest of the cast is passable for the most part. John Smith (aka Black Mr Burns) turned out to be my favorite character of all and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Rex, at least at first. Then comes a character like Mr Biz-Nass the vocally challenged fortune-teller with Tourette's. Yeah, if that seems to be reaching a bit for comedy that's because it is. I get that with these dark and serious novels a little humor is necessary to break up the morbidity but there is a line between funny and ridiculous.

I will commend Sigler for not falling back on the typical urban fantasy monsters. Marie's Children are definitely a unique creation, one that had promise. Unfortunately the gamble didn't entirely pay off as the monsters range from genuinely creepy to outright silly. That's really the largest problem NOCTURNAL faces, the constant tonal shift between horrifying and ludicrous. Early parts of the book, those that focus on the investigation, are dark and ominous but when the monsters finally reveal themselves they lose most of their potency. It's like those old horror movies when people are dying for unknown reasons and then eventually the killer turns out to be this dude sweating profusely in a really cheaply made monster costume. The two tones just don't reconcile.

NOCTURNAL isn't entirely a bad novel, the police procedural and forensics portions work much better than the supernatural parts. The nature of the monsters was even scientifically plausible (for an urban fantasy novel anyway) until the halfway mark when Sigler decided to give up trying to explain these mutant creatures. Fans of Sigler's work are bound to love this book as all the reviews until this point have been rave. I will go so far as to say that Sigler has come a long was as an author since INFECTED and I will continue to keep an eye out for his work.

Recommended Age: 18+
Language: No shortage here.
Violence: Plenty of blood and guts and carnage for all.
Sex: One very disturbing scene and lots of other disturbing mentions.

Going to risk reading this at hardback price? Get it here.

Growing up I watched this horror movie called Frailty with my mom. The movie had no cheap scares or gore but every night for of the following week I had nightmares that eventually led to me sleeping with a light on for years to come. Ever since then it seems as though horror flicks just can't phase me. Directors are too focused on the gore-factor to see what is really important. The psychological thrills. INFECTED by Scott Sigler promised to be a mind bender, a truly terrifying read. Promises aside, it doesn't quite deliver.

Perry Dawsey has been infected with an alien virus from space. A virus that turns its hosts into paranoid, violent psychopaths. After a childhood of physical abuse at the hands of his father, Perry is already more than halfway to becoming a paranoid, violent psychopath on his own. CIA agent Dew Philips and Center for Disease Control epidemiologist Margaret are in a race against time to unravel the mystery of the "triangles" and stop them before they can spread. Can Perry ignore the homicidal whispers in his head? Will Dew and Margaret be able to piece together the puzzles and save the world?

So it sounds like what we got here is Invasion of the Body Snatchers mixed with The Crazies, and really for all intents and purposes that's about right. The story is told from the perspective of the three protagonists, though it follows "Scary" Perry Dawsey for the majority of the romp. Smart move on Sigler's part. Perry is the only character with any personality or depth. He's a hard man that has lived a hard life but he really can be a sympathetic character, especially given what he went through during his childhood. Watching Perry's descent into madness is intense and fraught with peril because readers do care about his plight. And, despite his condition, Perry decides to fight back against the creatures residing in his own body and I find that pretty commendable.

Dew and Margaret are nowhere near as entertaining to read about but lucky for us their chapters are short and sparse. The only emotion Dew ever seems to show is indignation and Margaret is only ever scared or horny. Dew does not act like you would expect a seasoned CIA agent to act, not that the CIA should even be in charge of this type of investigation. The CIA wasn't built for that sort of business and it shows. Margaret doesn't act like you would expect a knowledgeable, educated doctor of the CDC to act either.

The investigation, which I have to admit I was most excited for, is actually the smallest part of the story. The majority of the story is spent watching as Perry's sanity is stripped away, layer by layer. I imagine this is where the "horror" angle is supposed to come from. There is a huge amount of self mutilation, this book is definitely not for the squeamish. The alien creatures are cool, Sigler appears to have a grasp of virology and biology. As unbelievable as Dew and Margaret are, I had no trouble suspending my disbelief on behalf of the aliens. I would consider INFECTED to be creepy rather than horrifying but I do realize that this sort of thing is subjective and it might give some people a good thrill.

The ending is rushed, a problem I've been having with most of my reading lately. After hundreds of pages of watching Perry struggle against his own body in a very personal conflict, the climax is far too rushed and impersonal. This short-cut finish is obviously setting up for the sequel (obvious because the sequel is out already) but I still hate to be short changed.

I like a lot of Sigler's ideas and I find his writing to be tight. The short chapters make for quick, uninterrupted reading and the tension is dense throughout the story. INFECTED takes a few pages out of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but does everything better so that is an improvement. The problem is that I just don't find INFECTED scary. Gory and disturbing for sure but it lacks that element that would make it a proper horror/thriller.

Recommended Age: 18+
Language: Pretty heavy on the cursing.
Violence: Lots of violence, lots of very disturbing self mutilation.
Sex: No sex but there is a very degrading nudity scene.

Here's your link should you want to check out the novel for yourself:
INFECTED