Children of the End [Hardcover]

Mark A. Clements (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 30, 1993

A series of gruesome murders brings together Tony Garwood, an ex-San Diego police officer, and Deborah Kosarek, a technical writer, at a center for biomedical research as they discover a warped plot to alter the results of an experiment in genetic engineering. 10,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The plot of this B-grade shocker--Clements's second novel, after 6:02 --might easily have come from some low-budget '50s sci-fi movie. In a gory and unlikely scheme to save the world, Dr. George Pendergast genetically engineers a superpowerful, shape-changing race of carnivorous "Loners" to hunt humans and so reduce the world's population to a more sustainable level. When Deborah Kosarek, a curious employee of Pendergast's company, and helpful security guard Tony Garwood poke their noses too far into Pendergast's business, he sends his psychopathic assistant to eliminate them. Meanwhile, the Loners have acquired a Bible and developed a patchwork religion that defines their destiny: to kill all humans and take over the world. The novel's absurd premises--e.g., that Pendergast decoded the entire human genome in five years with a computer based on brain-like neurochips--are no better than its plot. With predictable characters, action advanced by coincidence and the not very frightening Loners--who speak in an unreadable patois of Bible bits and TV phrases ("So the ArrrrrrrK of the Fatherrrrrrr. Accept no imitationsssss")--Clements's novel fails as surely as Pendergast's world-saving plans.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The author's debut, Bram Stoker Award-nominated 6:02 (Warner Bks., 1988), clearly demonstrated that Clements knew how to tell a story. His second is big on the slice 'em/dice 'em action typical of modern horror: the pacing is breathtaking, the imagery not for the squeamish. The fancy footwork, however, can't conceal the fact that the material is awfully familiar. Mad scientist George Pendergast and his evil minion create a race of shape-shifting carnivores to prey on humanity. Technical writer Deborah Korsarek learns of this warped population-control project and enlists the aid of former cop and All-American hero Tony Garwood. From there, the plot follows an entirely predictable course involving love, a woman in danger, and a final battle with the monsters. The lack of any convincing motivation for Pendergast, who comes across as a neoconservative caricature of an environmentalist, consigns this to the fluff category. Worth a look for horror fans, but not an essential purchase.
- Randall L. Schroeder, Augustana Coll. Lib., Rock Island, Ill.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 311 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1St Edition edition (January 30, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556113420
• ISBN-13: 978-1556113420
• Product Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 20 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,989,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars TRULY HORRIFIC! Very Entertaining Read!, May 18, 2011

By 

Keith E. Hammer (Ravensdale, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Children of the End (Kindle Edition)

Without going into the plot - the synopsis takes care of that - I remember reading Mark Clement's Horror hardcovers in the early 1990s. They were all enteratining and very good reads. I will definitely pick up all his e-books to re-read; Lorelei, Land of Nod and 6:02 (paperback original that I never had the opportunity to read). Hint hint on that last title.

3.0 out of 5 stars Children of the End, July 29, 2010

By 

Indy Quillen (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Children of the End (Hardcover)

I was disappointed in the quality, compared to the advertisement - will probably not use this particular service again. I've used other services which always exceeded my expectations - this one didn't. The contents of the book are exceptional though.

5.0 out of 5 stars Psychopathic Monsters who Quote Sesame Street? I'm IN!, June 25, 2010

By 

Melanie Young - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Children of the End (Paperback)

I'll be the first to admit I don't normally read this genre...but I do read some King, and now I read Clements.

This is so much fun, especially once the real monsters are unleashed.

(warning: minor spoilers)
Terrifying and giggle-rific on the same page: monsters who have learned both English and religion from television. Just after chowing down on a victim, one grins and sings, "Ah wan mah Em Tee Vee!....halleighloooooyaaah" And a personal favorite, spoken in the presence of their dumbfounded mad scientist creator and several prisoners: "Yo, in the beginning was the Worrrd, and the Worrrd was God, and today's Worrrd is worrrrrth a thousand bonus points. We have some grrrrreat prrrrrrrizes forrrrr our winnerrrrrs."

And then the bloody baby shows up and the severed ear and...let's just say some pretty damn bad stuff happens.

But funny!

Anyone who can pull off intentional camp AND genuine terror (which he does at the end -- with a nice low building buzz of it throughout) is worth reading. Period.

Ignore the Reed Review; this is definitely worth a revival!

(Bonus: for San Diego readers, this is a really fun path down memory lane for some of Balboa Park's ugliest moments)