Customer Reviews

Death's Dominion

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If there's one thing Simon Clark excels at, it's writing post-apocalyptic fiction. Here he offers us another stab at the genre, but in my mind's eye, this book falls a little shy of the author's potential.

Here we're given a re-imagining of the Frankenstein concept, brought to us so long ago by Mary Shelley. At an unspecified point in the future, science has unlocked the secrets to re-animating the bodies of the dead. Rather than mindless, wandering zombies, these "undead" are intellectual, social, caring, and kind; fully funstional as members of society.

Once accepted by homo sapiens, a time has now come when the humans have begun to rebel against the so-called monsters, seeking to wipe out thier kind to the point of extinction. Since their creation, these monsters have lived by a law that states that they must do all in their power to aid human kind, and can, under no circumstances cause a human to come to harm. It is not in their nature to break this law. However, one has risen among them to whom this law does not apply. His name is Dominion, and for his kind, unlife is about to change.

Although rooted in the legend of Frankenstein, it's very hard to call this a horror novel. Part sci-fi, but mostly introspection and social commentary, Clark has created a vision of an alternate future that raises questions on both society and human nature.

Fans of "Frankenstein" or "I, Robot" may find entertainment here. However, I found this to be a dull and rather slow-paced novel that didn't travel very far from beginning to end. If you're in the market for a post-apocalyptic vision from Simon Clark, let me suggest beginning with King Blood, and working your way to this book only after exhausting the rest of the author's works.

Simon Clark always delivers an enjoyable, dark read, and DEATH'S DOMINION is no exception. What starts out as an fantastic spin on the Frankenstein franchise turns into a slightly predictable, yet ultimately poignant tale. A few of the resolved mysteries near the end felt a bit far-fetched in regards to the missing God Scarers, but I went with the ride and had a good time. The very ending was powerful and I find myself still thinking about it. This is a very solid read from one of today's premiere horror writers.

A fascinating twist on the "Frankenstein's monster" story, in this book the dead who are brought back (called TRANSIENTS, not monsters - do the people who write the descriptions of the books even READ the bloody books?) are stronger, healthier and more attractive than when they died (the cover of the book notwithstanding - I don't think that whoever did the cover art actually knew ANYTHING about the book except it was going to have a "Frankenstein's monster" type theme). Although they have been programmed to not harm humans, nor allow harm to come to them through their action or inaction, there are several instances in the book where they allow harm to come to humans through their inaction - simply because to act would cause harm to _other_ humans - quite a dilemma. Therefore, most of the transients are completely helpless to defend themselves when the government of the last country to allow them is toppled and passes word that all Transients are to be destroyed. There never really is a lot of explanation as to why humans have turned upon their creations, but apparently the destruction of Transients is now a world-wide hobby. Or is it? Because a new type of Transient has just been born - the first to awaken while still in the Regenerator, and the first (among those with whom he takes up) to actively harm humans.

The book is a beautiful example of "that which we do not understand, we fear; that which we fear, we destroy." There is also, toward the end of the book, a quite obvious parallel to Israel. This book isn't as horrifying as I have generally seen from Mr. Clark but it nonetheless is a very satisfying read which kept me glued to the pages until I had finished the entire book in one sitting. Strongly recommended for fans of Simon Clark, horror, suspense and those who like to read a book that makes them think.

In a world where death is not the end but merely a beginning of a whole new existence, bodies are reanimated and pumped with Lazarite. Like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon they emerge reborn and renewed, fresh, strong, beautiful but with little or no memory of their past. The decaying flesh of valued members of the society lucky enough to go through the process is reborn as a Transient, meant to serve and protect humanity with their incredible strength and stealth; not invincible but very hard to kill they are machines of war made to be pleasant and helpful to their new masters; the still living original humans. They follow new laws based on Isaac Asimov's humanist and rationalist theologies forbidding them from harming any human being and to protect them from any harm they may cause to themselves.

In the beginning of the story there is a government raid upon a Transit Station where the reanimation takes place. Soldiers are on a mission killing all of the inhabitants, both human and Transients for unknown reasons. They manage to kill them all but one, a staggering giant who woke up early from the resting period and who managed to break out and run away, his name was Dominion and he was the only thing that stood up to the law. Upon his escape he runs into other Transients who are escaping humans, together they reach a small fishing village of Scaur Ness where nearby lies an abandoned castle, the Pharos. It is in the remains of the statuesque home of the old Gods where they seal themselves of to fight the angry mobs.

Simon Clark has reached into depths of his imagination for this gem. The story is unlike anything else I have ever read. The fascinating and peaceful beliefs the Transients withheld were clashing against the blood hungry humans who for now reasons known to them, other than the orders they got from the government, forsake all their human compassion and love for the metallic taste of blood and gratification from killing those who used to walk amongst them. It would all have ended in terrible tragedy if it wasn't for one special specimen and his name was Dominion. He alone stood up and disregarded the laws that were pumped into his veins with the Lazarite mixture and he alone decided to defend his fellow people against the humans. Clark's story was a moral and bloody battle with some nice bone crushing and plenty of gore as the strong Transients took matters in their own hands. The real kicker what the reason why Dominion was special, he was made to complete a specific task and the government wasn't too keen on letting him live. With his past memory hazy he knew nothing of his past lie and feared that he was never human after all, that be was death brought to life.

This was a fantastic read with a rich plot that I wouldn't dare to spoil. I was absolutely immersed in the tale and really loved the ending, it was dramatic and powerful and I still remember it weeks after I read the book. For fans of sci-fi and some blood gushing horror this is a great fast read that will thrill and captivate even the finickiest of readers.

- Kasia S.

......instead it is an entertaining and fast paced horror novel about living, breathing,gentle and subservient "monsters" that are suddenly hunted and destroyed by the very humans that created them. I found this to be another excellent book by one of the genres most anticipated writers. If you've never read a Simon Clark book before, this one will definately grab you,suck you in and make you an instant fan.

A lot of the books and stories that I've read by Simon Clark I've really liked. Death's Dominion won't be one of those. It's not a bad book. The characters are solid and mostly interesting. And the idea behind the story is pretty good. But there was something about the book that didn't grab me enough to keep me completely interested.

At some point in our future, scientists have discovered how to bring people back from the dead. In their remaking, the beings are made larger, stronger and more beautiful than before. They are also infused with two laws: do no harm to Humanity and allow no harm to befall Humanity due to your action or inaction. When we pick up the story, there has been a rejection of the creatures and Humanity is killing all of them for a second time. Unable to fight back, their hopes rely on a newly reborn man name Dominion; he does not have the laws embedded within and can strike back against those wishing them harm. Dominion leads a small group through a village and to a castle which they take over. It is there that they find out more about themselves and how things ended up as they are.

For me, there wasn't enough action nor events to pull me into the novel. Something brief would happen and then be followed by introspection and conversations around the social ramifications; the book involved a lot of commentary on society and on human nature. Rather than being infused throughout the actions of the characters, those topics seemed more prevalent than the story itself. I feel that there were a large number of elements that could have been explored to make the book more engaging than how it turned out. While I look forward to reading another book by Clark, this one wasn't quite the top of his works.

When I picked this book up at a Walgreen's, I was not expecting much at all. Instead, I was up until 5 AM reading. I simply could not put it down. This was the first Simon Clark I had read and it blew me away. It is not his best, but it showcases his strengths. He takes an unusual situation (in this case, the technology to reanimate the dead, essentially making them into servants) and creates a tension you usually get with horror films. Every time you think you've realized what is going to happen, he throws you for a loop and you can't put the book down. The epitome of the page-turner.

I have read many books from Simon Clark (Blood Crazy being my favorite), but this one is boring. The writing is real good but the content hasn't touch me at all.

Though the book is a fairly entertaining novel, it may be too easy. The use of repetative adjectives and various other descriptive devices actually lured me away from the story line. Which the plot line in and of itself was lacking. The novel does however raise many inner thoughts upon the afterlife. When we die is there a spiritual afterlife, or if there is said life after death, that will we remember if we are "zombified?"

The laws pertaining to coming back from the dead are simple: "Do no harm to humanity" and "Allow no harm to befall humanity due to your action or inaction". Those raised from the dead are placid individuals who serve the living.

However, something emotionally changes amongst the living as increasingly mankind finds the revised dead an abomination. The government decides to act on what they wrought. They begin a systematic hunt to destroy the reanimated. Unable to fight back due to the "laws" of nature that bound them from causing harm, a small few escape the latest lethal raid. They meet up with a "newborn", who shockingly has blood on his hands. Dominion is one of them and not one of them as he is able to kill humans. With him as their leader, others follow this bewildered evolved dead as he takes over a castle waiting for the counter human assault not understanding the betrayal from within by those who still obey.

When DEATH'S DOMINION concentrates on Asimov meets Frankenstein, the story line is a superb gory thriller; when a subplot focuses on the Holocaust and the Middle East it seems as bewildering as Dominion's brain. Still since the monsters are the prime theme, readers will appreciate this fun tale of just who is the monster.

Harriet Klausner