Friday 4 March 2016

Review: NOD by Adrian Barnes

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Dawn breaks over Vancouver and no one in the world has slept the night before, or almost no one. A few people, perhaps one in ten thousand, can still sleep, and they’ve all shared the same golden dream.

After six days of absolute sleep deprivation, psychosis will set in. After four weeks, the body will die. In the interim, panic ensues and a bizarre new world arises in which those previously on the fringes of society take the lead.

Paul, a writer, continues to sleep while his partner Tanya disintegrates before his eyes, and the new world swallows the old one whole.


Ok so let me begin by saying this is unlike anything I have ever read before. In a good kind of way. Imagine a world where almost all of the population can not sleep anymore, just doesn't get tired and stays awake night after night... Not good. Remember the last time you was so tired your mind didn't quite work as it should? Now divide that by a hundred or more.

This almost reminds me a little of the walking dead, but rather then zombies people are just loosing their mind. Zoning out, seeing things, extreme mood swings, the lot. Tbf its very close to a zombie in a way.

Paul is one of the very few people who can still sleep. Which in their new world is a dangerous thing and he finds himself having to protect his life at every corner. All while watching his partner Tanya go crazier with every passing day. But how does Paul's book NOD fit into this?

This is a very visual book and not for the light hearted. While normally I would find this kind of book hard to keep up with I found it flowed rather well. Barnes has some seriously good world building skills and I could very much imagine the horror Paul has been going through.

Its one of those books that stay with you for some time and leaves you with plenty to talk about. Personally I think the end was very satisfying. All in all I think this has been a truly terrifying and unique story. The style reminds me of Stephen King, which I haven't read in a while, but feel like I should pick up again. I will certainly be keeping an eye on Barnes from now on.

As a big cover lover I must mention this one! Its very catching and fitting, I love it.

Thank you to Lydia Gittins at Titan Books for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

NOD is out TODAY!

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