Fearing for their lives, the residents of the complex must band together. A young trans woman, a suicidal middle-aged writer, a lonely Vietnam vet, a newlywed couple, an elderly widow, a single mother and her son, two on-the-run criminals and the serial killer known as The Exit. Eleven strangers. The only thing they have in common is the unstoppable horde that wants to kill them. If they are to make it through the night, they must fight back.
The Complex by Brian Keene is told through various POVs of the apartment tenants, revealing backstories for each character, as well as referencing events and characters from the author's short stories included in Scratch and Jack's Magic Beans. I couldn't help but feel the tenants could be people I've crossed paths with in the past, giving the story a more personal feel and amping the horror of their battle for survival.
I urge readers to pay special attention to Javier's POV, as it offers some insight into the supernatural entities from Keene's stories, such as Halves. There are just so many great elements in this novella, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. As entertaining as the horror is, I am most impressed by the sociological aspects, particularly Stephanie's last words.
I would love, LOVE, a follow-up story strictly from Hannibal's POV. Better yet, have Hannibal and Javier team up in a story of their own.
As always,
AstraDaemon
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