Ararat

Ararat

  • Downloads:4134
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-06-25 09:56:08
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Christopher Golden
  • ISBN:1472234308
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

In Ararat, by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, an ancient evil inhabits a cave on the snow-capped, dormant volcano, in the most Eastern reaches of Turkey, that is Mount Ararat。 Golden's writing is 'the real deal' (Stephen King) and Ararat will thrill and fascinate in equal measure。

'Golden puts it all together with tremendous skill and a gleeful relish' - Financial Times

Meryam and Adam take risks for a living。 But neither is prepared for what lies in the legendary heights of Mount Ararat, Turkey。

First to reach a massive cave revealed by an avalanche, they discover the hole in the mountain's heart is really an ancient ship, buried in time。 A relic that some fervently believe is Noah's Ark。

Deep in its recesses stands a coffin inscribed with mysterious symbols that no one in their team of scholars, archaeologists and filmmakers can identify。 Inside is a twisted, horned cadaver。 Outside a storm threatens to break。

As terror begins to infiltrate their every thought, is it the raging blizzard that chases them down the mountain - or something far worse?

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Reviews

Michelle {Book Hangovers}

Everything I love about horror fiction is in this book!!! I am a HUGE fan of eco-horror, adventure horror, survival horror • H U G E • So, i’m always on the hunt for these type of books。 Being stranded, trapped, lost or deserted while dealing with heinous weather conditions, dwindling supplies, and a decline in your mental health is terrifying enough…。。 but because it’s a Horror book, we’re gonna add in all these other horrifying things, like: cannibals, monstrous beasts, deranged serial killers Everything I love about horror fiction is in this book!!! I am a HUGE fan of eco-horror, adventure horror, survival horror • H U G E • So, i’m always on the hunt for these type of books。 Being stranded, trapped, lost or deserted while dealing with heinous weather conditions, dwindling supplies, and a decline in your mental health is terrifying enough…。。 but because it’s a Horror book, we’re gonna add in all these other horrifying things, like: cannibals, monstrous beasts, deranged serial killers, demonic creatures, etc…。I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT and can’t get enough of these type of books。 I love a scary story that’s bloodcurdling and gory。 The scarier the better。 Ararat had some creepy moments but all in all it was pretty subtle… It has just enough and I’m okay with that。 It was fast paced and entertaining from beginning to end。I’m really looking forward to reading Christopher Golden’s The Pandora Room。 。。。more

Stephen Dorneman

Ben Walker is the person you send when something beyond normal needs investigating, but he has never encountered something like this。 Noah's Ark is real, and it carries the coffin of a demon。 And now, everyone in the archeological expedition sent to climb Mount Ararat in the winter of deadly storms is finding out just how real an ancient dead demon can be。 Body count is high, the characters are very real in their reactions, and the results are。。。 well, you'd have to read it for yourself。 Recomme Ben Walker is the person you send when something beyond normal needs investigating, but he has never encountered something like this。 Noah's Ark is real, and it carries the coffin of a demon。 And now, everyone in the archeological expedition sent to climb Mount Ararat in the winter of deadly storms is finding out just how real an ancient dead demon can be。 Body count is high, the characters are very real in their reactions, and the results are。。。 well, you'd have to read it for yourself。 Recommended for horror/supernatural suspense fans。 。。。more

Sarah

3。5⭐️-This was a fast paced, adventurous, chilling story。 It didn’t manage to horrify me as much as I wanted, and I didn’t feel a strong connection to the characters, but it kept me interested and had a good amount of atmosphere。

James Derek

Good horror storyI give this novel a strong 4 star review, it surpriced me with a well buildt story and caracters。 To use the story of Noahs arc and the Ararat mountain as scence for the horrors that starts to unfold as a group of adventures find a cave containing what seems to bee the Biblical arc at the montain after an avalange was smart and original。 Very well written novel, recommend it

Bryan Alaspa

Fast paced intense horror thrillerThe books builds and then explodes。 The terror is real and felt on every page。 The story moves at a blistering pace。 And excellent work of supreme horror。

Marie Stackbom

Lots of cinematic writing, almost no character development。 Someday someone is going to make a politically correct film out of this, a jew, a muslim , a catholic and an unspecified asian person walks up a mountain。。。

Megan Cooper

3。5

Claire- Louise

The topic matter was excellent: scary and original。 The Dybbuk Box, I rubbed my hands together in glee。 I couldn’t wait to jump in and get scared。 At first I couldn’t really get into the characters; there was something missing that was interrupting the flow。 Nevertheless, she persisted。 There began some truly creepy parts as the story progressed: The cold, the cave, and the horrifying discovery。 This was often muted by the characters repetitive dialogue and discord, back and forth it went, as I The topic matter was excellent: scary and original。 The Dybbuk Box, I rubbed my hands together in glee。 I couldn’t wait to jump in and get scared。 At first I couldn’t really get into the characters; there was something missing that was interrupting the flow。 Nevertheless, she persisted。 There began some truly creepy parts as the story progressed: The cold, the cave, and the horrifying discovery。 This was often muted by the characters repetitive dialogue and discord, back and forth it went, as I patiently waited for the horror to commence in this godforsaken cave。 The build up of horror moments offered rich rewards; they were well executed, interesting, and filled me with a sense of foreboding。 Did I wish it was slightly more consistent in it’s offerings? Yes I do。 By the time it all started to come to fruition, I was beginning to lose interest。 I began to skim through the characters dramas and conversations to get to some more interesting developments about the discovery。 Ultimately, I was left with a feeling of lost potential, although the topic is deserving of 5 stars。 。。。more

Patt Kelley

Oh man。 I really wanted to like this one so much more than I did。 It has an incredible plot。 After an earthquake an archaeological team finds what the believe to be the remains of Noah’s Ark on Mt Ararat。 Once inside they find a tomb with horned human remains inside。 After that, shit goes crazy and spooky。 I love the idea, and the basic storyline is interesting。 Interesting turn of events and story trajectory。 My problem with it was that the characters were very flat。 There’s very little back st Oh man。 I really wanted to like this one so much more than I did。 It has an incredible plot。 After an earthquake an archaeological team finds what the believe to be the remains of Noah’s Ark on Mt Ararat。 Once inside they find a tomb with horned human remains inside。 After that, shit goes crazy and spooky。 I love the idea, and the basic storyline is interesting。 Interesting turn of events and story trajectory。 My problem with it was that the characters were very flat。 There’s very little back story or character building and all just pushing the narrative to a conclusion。 Really really wish I liked this one more。 。。。more

Craig

This was a fun and fast-moving (and, occasionally, scary) novel set in a cave high on the slopes of Mt。 Ararat, where, apparently, the remains of Noah's Ark have finally been found, following an earthquake。 Several teams rush to the site, hoping to be the first to lay claim。 Unfortunately, there's something else in the ruins, other than the remains of several human beings and a number of animals, and it is this something else that lends the novel its horror。 Perfect reading for fans of Preston a This was a fun and fast-moving (and, occasionally, scary) novel set in a cave high on the slopes of Mt。 Ararat, where, apparently, the remains of Noah's Ark have finally been found, following an earthquake。 Several teams rush to the site, hoping to be the first to lay claim。 Unfortunately, there's something else in the ruins, other than the remains of several human beings and a number of animals, and it is this something else that lends the novel its horror。 Perfect reading for fans of Preston and Child's Agent Pendergast, as well as other writers who have characters similar to Golden's Ben Walker, a specialist in weird s#%t。 。。。more

Lucas Swanger

A great premise, but the story takes a little too long to become a horror tale and a little too long to let our characters (especially our main character Ben Walker) become knowable and likable。 I'm intrigued enough to check out the second book in the series。 A great premise, but the story takes a little too long to become a horror tale and a little too long to let our characters (especially our main character Ben Walker) become knowable and likable。 I'm intrigued enough to check out the second book in the series。 。。。more

David Thirteen

I really had high hopes for Ararat。 The concept is tantalizing and could have gone in so many interesting directions。 Unfortunately, I found the horror a bit formulaic。 It seemed almost exactly what a low-budget horror studio would do with the premise (and that might even be a good thing to see come from this book)。 Also, I couldn’t help feeling the use of multiple POVs was a mistake。 This really wants to be a story told by the grizzled hunter of supernatural beings, Ben Walker (heck, it is his I really had high hopes for Ararat。 The concept is tantalizing and could have gone in so many interesting directions。 Unfortunately, I found the horror a bit formulaic。 It seemed almost exactly what a low-budget horror studio would do with the premise (and that might even be a good thing to see come from this book)。 Also, I couldn’t help feeling the use of multiple POVs was a mistake。 This really wants to be a story told by the grizzled hunter of supernatural beings, Ben Walker (heck, it is his series after all)。 But instead, Walker seems regulated to a side character until the end, and the other characters whom we see the story through are never fleshed out enough to be engaging and often serve as little more than cannon-fodder。 This isn’t a bad novel, it just doesn’t do enough to stand out from the pack。 。。。more

Eleni

I've never seen a more stunning literary example of dropping the ball。 Golden had everything at his fingertips - religion, an ancient mythological relic from the past, a newly discovered language, literally Noah's Ark in the flesh, archaeology, science, the US military for some weird reason, geopolitics - and still managed to blow it。 This book had the potential to be so interesting。 I picked it up purely because of the supposed discovery of Noah's Ark。 But instead of tapping into the interestin I've never seen a more stunning literary example of dropping the ball。 Golden had everything at his fingertips - religion, an ancient mythological relic from the past, a newly discovered language, literally Noah's Ark in the flesh, archaeology, science, the US military for some weird reason, geopolitics - and still managed to blow it。 This book had the potential to be so interesting。 I picked it up purely because of the supposed discovery of Noah's Ark。 But instead of tapping into the interesting part of the book (i。e。 the discovery of the ark and how the fuck it got to the top of a mountain and does this mean what I think it means) we are treated to a cast of one-dimensional characters and their soap opera-style bizarre drama。 There was nothing scary about this book - demons and possession are overdone and pretty boring。 I kept waiting for the twist, but it never came。The untapped religious subtext made me weep。 The fact that they are named Adam and Maryam? The ark? I was aching for this to be explored。 Instead, this book ends up being a run-of-the-mill slasher thriller。 All that biblical subtext begging to be written。。。。and Golden writes a SLASHER。 Someone take that man's cool idea away from him, he doesn't deserve it。 Almost all the tension in this novel is derived from interpersonal conflict - and lame interpersonal conflict at that。 The worst thing that Golden has his characters do to each other is。。。cheating? Being a bad dad? Come on, now。 I skipped many a page because I was so over these characters。 I started actively rooting for Maryam and Adam to break up。 And for some reason the US military and the UN are inexplicably involved in this expedition?? The reasoning behind that, and Walker's character, is a veneer at best - it felt like a manufactured reason for the author to do a self-insert male power fantasy or whatever, resulting in a boring cookie-cutter tough guy who sweeps in to save the day or whatever。 I'm so over this trope。I also have a bone to pick with Maryam's character。 She really came across like a woman written by a man。 There was so much she said/did that was just bizarre to me, like the random "feminist" internal monologues she breaks out into。 A woman who has been an expert in her field for years doesn't stress about how she's being perceived to the degree she did - she's been there, done that。 Her internal monologue is better suited to an up-and-coming young woman in her field。 There's just no way someone of her age and reputation has those worries。 Men like Hakan would not faze her - you don't get anywhere in life as a woman by letting misogynists under your skin that easily。 Maryam would have been eaten alive and spat out long before then。 You learn to brush them off like an annoying fly because you have shit to do。 I'll leave off with the part of the book that amused me the most - the part when Calliope monologues about how the demon just found the darkness in all of them and exploited it, or whatever。 This is hilarious to me because none of them actually think/do anything evil?? Like, sorry Golden, but cheating was all you could come up with for unspeakable evil?? That, and an emotionally unavailable male character who shuts his wife out, resulting in a divorce??? LMAO。 Your head must be a pretty nice place if that's the evil you dream up。TL;DR This book betrayed me with it's poor execution of a super interesting concept。 。。。more

Tasos Manouras

Oh man……The book itself is captivating, great pace, amazing descriptions especially of the climbs and the mountain surroundings but the “monster” of the story fails to deliver。

Ali G

Meh。 Wish I liked this more。 I got bored about halfway when I felt nothing was happening。

Jay

Cool idea dragged out too far without enough story to cover it

Brett Grossmann

Excellent the author is awesome at world building。 Original story

Kris Kelbrants

This book scared the hell out of me I could only read it during the day。 Facts。。。

Tracy

An earthquake uncovers what could be Noah's Ark, all the scholars, archaeologists etc all rush to the mountain。 The story is about what they discover, what it means to all of those of many different faiths, although it didn't get too deep into that aspect。 Demons, evil, suspense - maybe the realization sometimes we should leave well enough alone。 Lot of different viewpoints that could have been explored a bit more, all of them seemed to be pretty surface level, even the secret government interes An earthquake uncovers what could be Noah's Ark, all the scholars, archaeologists etc all rush to the mountain。 The story is about what they discover, what it means to all of those of many different faiths, although it didn't get too deep into that aspect。 Demons, evil, suspense - maybe the realization sometimes we should leave well enough alone。 Lot of different viewpoints that could have been explored a bit more, all of them seemed to be pretty surface level, even the secret government interest was just kind of a given but not really delved into。 A good story, but not too compelling。 。。。more

TJ

Not nearly as good as I had hoped, but not as bad as I thought it would be as I struggled to get to the halfway point of the book。The premise is fine and the subject matter interesting, it's just that the characters are not especially likable or memorable。 In addition, the plot and protagonist are both too fantastic to make me want to rate this more than 3 stars or give it anything beyond a lukewarm recommendation。I'll probably not be continuing with the series。 Not nearly as good as I had hoped, but not as bad as I thought it would be as I struggled to get to the halfway point of the book。The premise is fine and the subject matter interesting, it's just that the characters are not especially likable or memorable。 In addition, the plot and protagonist are both too fantastic to make me want to rate this more than 3 stars or give it anything beyond a lukewarm recommendation。I'll probably not be continuing with the series。 。。。more

Adrian Olteanu

The build up was nice and kept me reading holding my breath but the ending is anticlimactic。

Tatiana

История меня развлекла, держала в напряжение, читалась быстро, с азартом。НО。Много героев, и все они на оно лицо。 Нет интересной предыстории。 Арарат, то ради чего я начала читать - просто локация с кучей снега。 Любовные потуги были откровенно слабы и не нужны в книги。 Автор сосредоточился на жути и экшене。

Michael Cummings

I could not do this to myself。 When halfway through the book I still felt no interest in any of the characters or even the scenario as it was being portrayed, I decided to walk away。 Based on the other reviews of this book, it looks like you, fellow reader, will fall into one of two camps (and only TWO!) - you will either enjoy this book, or you will question the Bram Stoker award, the publishing industry, and what passes for well-written horror these days。For myself, I'm in the latter camp。 I could not do this to myself。 When halfway through the book I still felt no interest in any of the characters or even the scenario as it was being portrayed, I decided to walk away。 Based on the other reviews of this book, it looks like you, fellow reader, will fall into one of two camps (and only TWO!) - you will either enjoy this book, or you will question the Bram Stoker award, the publishing industry, and what passes for well-written horror these days。For myself, I'm in the latter camp。 。。。more

Shelbi

This was a quick little adventure-y thriller with heavy horror elements and an interesting premise--what if the possible site of the real Ark of the Bible was uncovered? And maybe demons are/were real, or biblical demons were inspired by aliens or otherworldly horrors。。。 or something?? And the people who originally lived inside the Ark were possessed by a supernatural creature and all murdered each other, and now the same thing could happen to the research project team doing the excavation?!The This was a quick little adventure-y thriller with heavy horror elements and an interesting premise--what if the possible site of the real Ark of the Bible was uncovered? And maybe demons are/were real, or biblical demons were inspired by aliens or otherworldly horrors。。。 or something?? And the people who originally lived inside the Ark were possessed by a supernatural creature and all murdered each other, and now the same thing could happen to the research project team doing the excavation?!The book itself is not bad but also not awesome or amazing。 A quick and creepy read that doesn't require too much focus or investment。 (Some pretty serious violence and gore described。) 。。。more

Himantra

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 This book did nothing to build any thrill, horror, uncertainty, mystery。 So my review is going to have spoilers。 I don't really care to remain coy about this pretty paint-by-numbers thriller。The premise was interesting and the kind of thing I like: a mystery cave that may hold Noah's Ark, a team goes to investigate only to find skeletons and a mutilated body。 Immediately I was like "ooh, what happened? How will the mystery and horror/thriller elements build?" But nothing of the premise is well d This book did nothing to build any thrill, horror, uncertainty, mystery。 So my review is going to have spoilers。 I don't really care to remain coy about this pretty paint-by-numbers thriller。The premise was interesting and the kind of thing I like: a mystery cave that may hold Noah's Ark, a team goes to investigate only to find skeletons and a mutilated body。 Immediately I was like "ooh, what happened? How will the mystery and horror/thriller elements build?" But nothing of the premise is well developed。 The characters on the team are never developed past tropes, (For example: the long-term couple who are having relationship problems, the locals who believe superstitions, the American who has "battle experience" and issues that cost his marriage。。。) so when shit hits the fan, I found myself not rooting for anyone。 When the writing tried to veer into the emotional during thriller moments, it seemed heavy-handed。And the antagonist is barely formed。 I was hoping there'd be more of a mystery regarding what happened in the cave, but very quickly we learn it's a demon。 I was disappointed, I didn't want it to be so。。。 Ho-hum。 Just a demon, guys。 Your generic demon。 We don't even get much about the excavation or any build of the mystery before it starts possessing and killing people。 And I'm not quite sure how it managed。 Is it superhuman once it possesses someone? Why not just tackle the possessed person and tie them up? No one mentions the powers of the demon (that I remember); instead it's all about how horrible it is, lots of lines like "oh my God, the things it shows you!" (What things? Who knows, we're never told beyond lines like this。) Basically, the usual cliche demon possession stuff。Anyway, by the climax, I was kind of ready to call it a day。 But, by then, I'd invested hours into the book and wanted to see the end。Oh, by the way, the audiobook narrator makes some interesting choices for the accents of the British characters and the Korean character。 Oof。 。。。more

Melanie

When an earthquake reveals the remains of an ancient boat on Mout Ararat, long believed to be the resting site of Noah's ark, archeologists swarm to the discovery only to find something menacing has been hiding in the bowels of the ship, waiting to be unearthed。This is, in short, Alien meets The Exorcist with none of the good bits。 Spoilers follow below。 The first issue I had was the lack of substance to any of the characters who felt more like stand-ins of a genre than actual human beings。 It m When an earthquake reveals the remains of an ancient boat on Mout Ararat, long believed to be the resting site of Noah's ark, archeologists swarm to the discovery only to find something menacing has been hiding in the bowels of the ship, waiting to be unearthed。This is, in short, Alien meets The Exorcist with none of the good bits。 Spoilers follow below。 The first issue I had was the lack of substance to any of the characters who felt more like stand-ins of a genre than actual human beings。 It made it pretty hard to care when they start getting picked off or worried for their safety in the tight corners of the mountain's summit。 This was perhaps exacerbated by the story's very strange pace in the first 50 pages that felt, frankly, like an unbelievable trajectory of events。 If Golden was eager to rush to the ark, he should have started the book there and let us discover the characters as they went along on their journey。 Further, he has a main character who is nominally a Muslim and, admittedly has abandoned her faith, but feels more like this author has simply told us she is a Muslim to fulfill an unrealized theme in the story。 She never feels like a real person。 The other big issue I had was how predictable and toothless the main events felt and how an interesting premise turned into a generic possession story。 The great triumph of The Exorcist was in the humanity of the characters, the way the supernatural evil could stand-in for something real and palpable。 The "evil" of this story is a supernatural entity with the sole goal of murdering folks in gruesome ways and causing general chaos。 By today's standards, that doesn't feel like a believable evil, especially when Golden had the fertile ground of rival religions and warring factions trapped together on a mountain。 He uses small moments of tension between the variation Abrahamic religions in moments, but it never feels like a constant, simmering element to the story, the catalyst for some sort of viral rage。 And the ways in which this entity attempts to use the internal worlds of characters against them falls flat went the characters lack any high stakes internal worlds to begin with。 Ultimately, this was a fun premises that quickly fizzled out between pacing, predictable plot, cardboard characters, and a soulless, toothless main villain。 。。。more

David Ross

While Ararat is certainly not the best horror novel, regardless of the Bram Stoker Award that it won, this was one of Golden's better books。 A very interesting premise, decent atmosphere, and some chilling moments make this a nice quick read。 I would have liked better details as to the layout of the ark and space in which most of the book takes place。 Even Golden himself did not seem to grasp the spacial distance of the rooms and various levels。 But the dread was almost always present and once t While Ararat is certainly not the best horror novel, regardless of the Bram Stoker Award that it won, this was one of Golden's better books。 A very interesting premise, decent atmosphere, and some chilling moments make this a nice quick read。 I would have liked better details as to the layout of the ark and space in which most of the book takes place。 Even Golden himself did not seem to grasp the spacial distance of the rooms and various levels。 But the dread was almost always present and once the violent action begins, it keeps up until the end, which was solid。 I would be interested in reading a sequel, which Golden has mentioned is possible。 Not great, but a very good recommendation。 。。。more

Jonathan

I first tried reading (not listening to) Ararat back during the winter, but gave it up around 1/3 of the way through。 I had a lot going on, so I assumed it was me。 Well, it wasn't。 The story is still interesting, but the characters are not。 In fact, on the page, they're one-dimensional--and the only thing the narrator added to any of the characters was to make Miriam sound like a whiny, posh Carol Beer。 I didn't even make it to my previous stopping place before giving this up for lost。 I first tried reading (not listening to) Ararat back during the winter, but gave it up around 1/3 of the way through。 I had a lot going on, so I assumed it was me。 Well, it wasn't。 The story is still interesting, but the characters are not。 In fact, on the page, they're one-dimensional--and the only thing the narrator added to any of the characters was to make Miriam sound like a whiny, posh Carol Beer。 I didn't even make it to my previous stopping place before giving this up for lost。 。。。more

Shane Kaler

I rate it perfectly adequate。 I don’t know the history of the Bram Stoker Award bestowed upon this book, but if you’re looking for deep and gripping content this isn’t necessarily for you。 It played out like one of memaw’s daytime soaps, with a simple horror backdrop to the real place where some biblical scholars believe Noah’s Ark, or something like it, is hidden。 It was cool to get Golden’s fictional, if not hypothetical, take on what might befall us if those rumors were true。 #readingrainbow

Passion4Books79

This is the kind of horror story that I enjoy! The story starts off setting the stage by having multiple different cultures and belief systems all working to unearth what they believe is Noah’s Arch。 As the story progresses, the reader is taken along as the insidious evil slowly overtakes the archeological team。 Deaths begin to occur and they become more gruesome as the plot unfolds。 I could barely put the book down to read other books in my TBR for this month。 This was a great introduction to C This is the kind of horror story that I enjoy! The story starts off setting the stage by having multiple different cultures and belief systems all working to unearth what they believe is Noah’s Arch。 As the story progresses, the reader is taken along as the insidious evil slowly overtakes the archeological team。 Deaths begin to occur and they become more gruesome as the plot unfolds。 I could barely put the book down to read other books in my TBR for this month。 This was a great introduction to Christopher Golden’s writing and a great start to a new series I want to continue! 。。。more