11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
RADIANT & RAVENOUS- Must Reads!!!, July 26, 2005
This review is from: Radiant Dawn (Paperback)
Imagine this- a few years back there was a strange meeting where James Ellroy, Robert Ludlum, David Foster Wallace, Swamp Thing-era Alan Moore, Mendel, Darwin, and the ever-expanding tissue mass from the end of Akira were all sitting around a table, holding a séance where they brought back the ghost of H.P. Lovecraft. Imagine that Lovecraft gave them a message from beyond the grave- "I was right! The Old Ones exist! You have to tell the world!"
"But how will we do that?" the strange and majestically gifted group asked.
And then the ghost commanded them to write a pair of seriously epic horror/action literary thrillers (RADIANT DAWN & RAVENOUS DUSK) under the pseudonym of Cody Goodfellow.
I know the whole scenario is ludicrous, but that's the feeling I had when I was reading these books. Both RADIANT DAWN and RAVENOUS DUSK contain moments of real vision and creativity equal to the greats mentioned above- the intricate plotting, conspiracy, and character arcs of Ellroy, the clean, propulsive action of Ludlum, the rampant intelligence and density of Wallace, the sense of comic book activity elevated to high literature that Moore can pull off, the biological and evolutionary radicalism of Mendel and Darwin- it's all here, amidst Lovecraft's tentacles and the machinations of our own obscure political landscape. And it kicks ass.
The plot of the books is so labyrinthine that describing them here would be futile, but I can say that it involves an ever-expanding global conspiracy revolving around mankind's place on Earth and the potential awakening of creatures vast and ancient and powerful. Central to the tale are three fully-developed characters, Zane Storch, Stella Orozco, and Martin Cundieffe. Storch is the battle-scarred ex-soldier who just won't stay down (think Marv in Sin City, but slightly smarter and more driven). Stella is the feisty everywoman just trying to stay alive at any cost. Martin is, well, Martin is a lot of things, but first and foremost he's a cunning FBI agent with a knack for finding the right info while the world is going crazy around him. The dynamic between hard-charging Zane and wiley Martin will be especially resonant to readers of Ellroy's L.A. Confidential or American Tabloid (Zane is the Bud White to Martin's Exley, the Pete Bondurant to his Ward Littell).
RADIANT DAWN & RAVENOUS DUSK (effectively parts 1 & 2 of one giant story-yes, you need both books, and no, you can't skip ahead to RAVENOUS) are fiercely smart, fast-paced novels for the reader who wants cinematic thrills and chills, and as a nice bonus, fascinating ideas. There are moments here where both Goodfellow's line-by-line writing and his gift for the epic and visionary are nothing less than stunning. Remember the first time you read Clive Barker's "In The Hills, The Cities"? Remember that moment towards the end where your jaw dropped and you realized King wasn't pulling your leg when he said this Barker guy was the real deal? There are hundreds of moments like that throughout Goodfellow's RD books.
Both are highly and absolutely recommended.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bright Star On The Horizon, August 1, 2005
This review is from: Radiant Dawn (Paperback)
This Author is truly a Bright New Star On The Horizon, and if this book is any indication of how good he can be, there's many great stories ahead.
Just finished reading Radiant Dawn last night and I still have a few nightmare images implanted in my mind. This one really is a nail bighter for those of us who like action packed horror fiction with excellent intrigue and characterization. We follow our protagonists from the deserts of Iraq to the Mojave desert on a rollercoaster ride that makes its way through Death Valley and beyond. And death is actually a welcome blessing for those misfortunate enough to survive the terror that is unleashed upon the world.
John Skipp says this is H.P. Lovecraft mixed with Tom Clancy, Thomas Pynchon, with a bit of Phillip K. Dick, and I couldnt agree with him more. He also says that Cody Goodfellow is truly an original. All I know is I can't wait to read the next book.
Here's to a rising new star, who will bring you many sleepless nights.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cancer = Evolution, May 25, 2005
This review is from: Radiant Dawn (Paperback)
When I met Cody Goodfellow at a local Science Fiction convention, I had him sign my recently purchased copy of Radiant Dawn. He wrote on the front page, "Cancer = Evolution." The novel definitely plays that thought out very well.
There is much more going on than a simple evolutionary tale, many different stories are played out, revealing bits of information that helps sustain the suspense and keeps the reader continuing on, wanting more. I enjoyed how the different organizations intertwine and compete with one another in their unique way.
I found a couple of times I would become lost in the narrative as scenes moved quickly, and Highway 101 turned into Interstate 280 in the San Franscisco Bay Area. However, the issues were minor in comparision with the larger story. A story that is not complete and has many unanswered questions. The reason why Ravenous Dusk was written to complete the story - a book I am currently reading.
If you like suspense, horror or science fiction, not to mention a good military thriller, I would definitely recommend taking a look at this book. (...)
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