r/horrorlit • u/Unrealliving • 22h ago

Discussion Struggling through Necroscope

270 pages in so a little more than halfway. The book certainly isn’t so awful that I’m gonna stop reading, but I am taking a break to start another vampire novel, children of the night by Dan Simmons. The problem with Necroscope is that it’s just taking so goddamn long to set everything up. For 270 pages in and there’s just been basically a lot of background. I understand this book set up a very long series so I guess a lot of explaining is necessary. But man thought it would be a little more exciting than this.

5 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

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5

u/Lil-Bit-813 22h ago

Read the series when I was in middle school and LOVED it. Push through. It’s worth it imo

5

u/Call_of_the_Cuntress 22h ago

This is an extremely common complaint with the book I see on here and when I talk about the book with people.

3

u/Ekimatir 22h ago

Yea despite being pulpy as hell Necroscope takes quite a while setting up pins so they can be demolished in the final act.

It's trying to be a spy-thriller/horror book, and an earily book by the author, and I think that causes it to be over-long at times.

I don't really have any advice except maybe space out reading (do like a chapter a day or something) rather than trying to read it right through if you aren't really getting into it. Or, of course, it may just not be for you, no shame in DNFing a book you aren't enjoying. Tons of good books out there.

3

u/vikingguitar 21h ago

I've read three of them now, and they're pretty prone to this. FWIW, there is usually a BIG payoff in the last couple of chapters. If you're halfway through, I think it's worth finishing it up to see what you think. I found it interesting enough during the setup, and absolutely batshit nuts at the end. Also, each book seems to really up the "holy shit wtf" factor from the previous one.

2

u/strange_username58 22h ago

Both of those books drag

2

u/Khartun 21h ago

It's one of my favorite series, but I read it when it first came out.

2

u/Anselmo 15h ago

Me and a friend of mine occasionally answer the phone saying, "Dragosani". You have to say it really slow with a heavy accent.

2

u/shlam16 8h ago

You've picked a funny change to make.

I personally love Necroscope and don't feel it drags at all, but conversely I think Carrion Comfort is a bloated plodfest.

1

u/Unrealliving 3h ago

It’s a vampire themed October this year :) and I’ve already read the most popular vampire novels 

1

u/shlam16 48m ago

Check out Exhumed by SJ Patrick for a newer indie on the scene. One of my favorites.

1

u/Unrealliving 37m ago

No thanks. I don’t take unsolicited recommendations. My tbr is already eight miles long 

1

u/haunted_doll_lott 20h ago

I didn't much like it either. I read the first three, and they really felt like spy novels to me, with just a bit of vampire.

I don't know why I pushed so far when I wasn't enjoying them, but...there you go.

1

u/GullCatcher THE OVERLOOK HOTEL 20h ago

I absolutely despised Necroscope, so I feel your pain. For me it never improved and got more stupid as it went on.

0

u/NAOT4R 12h ago

Necroscope gets gassed up pretty seriously by some very avid fans in this sub, but it’s mostly just fine. It’s more urban fantasy detective story than vampire series, and then it kind of crosses into very weird territory that took me out of it completely. The first three books as a trilogy are fine, but if you’re not vibing with the first book I’d say just drop it.