Review: Awakened by James S. Murray & Darren Wearmouth

Author: James S. Murray & Darren Wearmouth
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Date of publication: June 2018

After years of waiting, New York's newest subway line is finally ready, an express train that connects the city with the burgeoning communities across the Hudson River. The shining jewel of this state-of-the-art line is a breathtaking visitors’ pavilion beneath the river.  Major dignitaries, including New York City’s Mayor and the President of the United States, are in attendance for the inaugural run, as the first train slowly pulls in.

Under the station’s bright ceiling lights, the shiny silver cars gleam. But as the train comes closer into view, a far different scene becomes visible.

All the train’s cars are empty.

All the cars’ interiors are drenched in blood.

As chaos descends, all those in the pavilion scramble to get out. But the horror is only beginning. High levels of deadly methane fill the tunnels. The structure begins to flood. For those who don’t drown, choke or spark an explosion, another terrifying danger awaits—the thing that killed all those people on the train. It’s out there…and it’s coming.

There's something living beneath New York City, and it's not happy we've woken it up.

Awakened was a random library pick that I ended up being pleasantly surprised with.  The book opens with a the launch of New York's latest subway line.  It's supposed to be an express to from New York to New Jersey under the Hudson river. Reporters, The President of the US and the mayor of New York are on the New Jersey platform waiting for the train to arrive.  When it does, everyone on the train is gone and only bloody hand prints remain.  

I thought this book was a fun sci-fi horror adventure.  The authors did a great job of building tension and suspense. It's bloody and gory, but I didn't mind.  I had a hard time turning the audiobook off, I was that engrossed in the story.   I loved that no one was safe. It was hard to predict who would make it out alive.  The creatures were truly creepy and not something I would want to be caught with underground. It makes you wonder what is really lurking under the subway tracks.  

There are a few twists, since the reader can't predict who is playing for which side.  I could easily see this made into a movie (if it was done right).  My only complaint is that I want to know more about the creatures and how they were first discovered.  Maybe in the next book we will get more background.

I definitely recommend this one. These two author's have done a great job with this collaboration and I look forward to reading more from them.