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    The Luminous Dead: A Novel
    The Luminous Dead: A Novel
    The Luminous Dead: A Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Luminous Dead: A Novel

    Written by Caitlin Starling

    Narrated by Adenrele Ojo

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    ""This claustrophobic, horror-leaning tour de force is highly recommended for fans of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation and Andy Weir’s The Martian."" -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

    ***

    A thrilling, atmospheric debut with the intensive drive of The Martian and Gravity and the creeping dread of Annihilation, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival.

    When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. She also thought that the fat paycheck—enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother—meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe. Keeping her sane.

    Instead, she got Em.

    Em sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash—and a lash. And Em has secrets, too . . .

    As Gyre descends, little inconsistencies—missing supplies, unexpected changes in the route, and, worst of all, shifts in Em’s motivations—drive her out of her depths. Lost and disoriented, Gyre finds her sense of control giving way to paranoia and anger. On her own in this mysterious, deadly place, surrounded by darkness and the unknown, Gyre must overcome more than just the dangerous terrain and the Tunneler which calls underground its home if she wants to make it out alive—she must confront the ghosts in her own head.

    But how come she can’t shake the feeling she’s being followed?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateApr 2, 2019
    ISBN9780062898333
    Author

    Caitlin Starling

    Caitlin Starling is a writer and spreadsheet-wrangler who lives near Portland, Oregon. Equipped with an anthropology degree and an unhealthy interest in the dark and macabre, she writes horror-tinged speculative fiction of all flavors. The Luminous Dead is her first novel.

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    Reviews for The Luminous Dead

    3.5/5

    493 ratings36 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 1/5
      Was constantly hoping for the reveal / twist, but it never comes. By the end of the book was left was a feeling "Is this it?" Feel like there was a big potential to make this story more thrilling.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      The only horror is this book is how toxic the relationship between the characters is. This should be mass listed with content and trigger warnings for trama, emotional/physical/mental abuse, toxic manipulation, medical/drug misuse, plus more and worst of all- the fact that the ending supports all this and makes it like the manipulation and trama are the basis for a good relationship. Everyone should take a hard pass on this. I really don't understand how books like this even get published.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      Loved the concept of this creepy story but didn’t quite get what I wanted. Certain parts felt repetitive, with same shouty conversations happening again and again. The mystery element of the story could have been played up much more, as could the part around the big threat the ‘tunnellers’ which seemed to be resolved in a few pages.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      An insufferable relationship drama thinly veiled behind a Scifi thriller veneer. The main character is constantly unwilling to see that her own choices are what has placed her in the bad situations she consistently faces and goes to length to attribute blame everywhere else. She does, however, have poignant moments of self realization which are forgotten in the next paragraph. The background behind the story is interesting( the planetary circumstances, the dismissal of human life for the sake of profit) but this story is not.
      Also, there are no glowing zombies.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Dark,atmospheric and addictive.Dont listen in the dark or in any caves.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Wow, I really don't have words for what a bland waste of time that was. What thrills?
    • 4/5
      What a fun, creepy, spooky ride.
    • 2/5
      The book didn't keep it's promise but got lost in endless repetitive dialogue and a needlessly inserted romance. It would have been better as a movie.
      The idea behind it was what drew me, but in the end I was disappointed. I hope others can enjoy it, but it was not for me.
    • 4/5
      I liked the setting and the sci fi elements - I was reminded of the still suits from Frank Herbert's "Dune" (in the best way!) for example. The suspense was so protracted that the final few scenes felt just slightly anticlimactic. However I enjoyed the journey and the dynamic between the two women the story centers. I prefer to listen to audiobooks while crocheting, and this one got me through a hat and a blanket! Overall, I would recommend giving this title a go.
    • 5/5
      I'm always blown away by genre fiction where the Themes fit so perfectly with the Narrative that it's hard to tell which came first - is this a book about codependent relationships set in a cave, or is this an underground ghost story starring some weird leabians? Yes and yes. Plus, as someone who gets full body shivers when a character realizes something fucked up, this book was like ASMR to me. The audiobook is well read, but the drawback for me was not realizing the print book includes a map of the cave until I discussed it with a friend. I definitely recommend looking that up for reference.
    • 5/5
      It had a good plot, a good pace and the suspense had me hanging on every word.
    • 5/5
      Worthwhile read. Very focused dialogue. Future tech believable. Plot and pacing great with curiosity keeping you turning the pages.
    • 3/5
      The book had a very good suspense and creepy claustrophobic/isolation atmosphere, and a big plus is the wlws, but I was very disappointed with the ending. I really thought there was going to be more story behind it, and I expected some big twist at the end, maybe a little bit more really scary moments not just mind games. I thought it was going to be more like Anihilation. I didn't really get it. I think it had a loooot of potential that just wasn't used properly :( Still I read it in one night and I got really immersed in the story, so it isn't the worst book ever.
    • 4/5
      I really loved how intense this book was. I just felt like the ending was a little stale.
    • 3/5
      Narrator was trying way too hard. What's with everything turning into a soap opera halfway through these days?
    • 3/5
      Left off after about 4 hours. This would have made a fantastic novella or short novel (3-6) hours, but 1/3 of the way in and the story just wasn’t going anywhere. The atmosphere was beautiful, and the parallel traumas of the two characters was very cool, but ultimately, unlike Gyre, I decided to turn back at Cache Number Four, and the mystery of what lies below will have to remain.
    • 5/5
      I really liked this one. Interesting concept and I was easily brought into the world of the book. It was creepy from the start and from there the sense of dread and doom kept building.
    • 3/5
      I liked the story, thought it was interesting, though a little redundant at some points. The theme is new and I thought it was pretty cool. More of a science romance than a sci-fi, really. I will say though that I’ve never disliked a protagonist more than in this book. Maybe that is the mark of a good author, but I don’t know if that was the intent. The constant woe-is-me made the main character unbelievable and took a lot away from the story.
      The narrator was really good though. Probably wouldn’t have finished it without her.
    • 4/5
      Excellent storytelling, great characters, and a slowly unraveling plot that leads to an unexpected but satisfying ending. I really enjoyed the listen, and Ojo's narration made it an even better experience.
    • 5/5
      5+ stars! This book is amazing and I was filled with dread the entire time I was reading it. It's definitely a new favourite.
    • 1/5
      That most difficult thing to understand about this book is how it got so many good reviews! The story seemed to drag on not really getting anywhere, it just seemed to repeat over and over. The few times I was baited into a slight sense of suspense it just fell flat and I was left disappointed and bored. I do feel like I can sympathize with the characters, I felt as trapped and doomed in this book as Gyra felt in the cave. I just had to see it through to the end because I had a false hope that it would somehow get better, it never did.
    • 1/5
      I was so interested in this book due to not only the description indicating some unknown terror deep in an underground cave but also (silly enough) due to the cover art hinting as some unknown enemy lurking in the shadows.

      But sadly, after reading 17 of the 37 chapters (approx. 50% of the book) I just couldn't latch on to this story.

      The premise sounded great, but the main character(s) were annoying AF. Gyre constantly lashing out at EM (her "handler" and boss), complaining about the reason for the expedition, and the repetitive thoughts going through her head page after page led me to dislike her very much.

      There was just nothing that really jumped out and grabbed my interest after 222 pages and I'm moving on.
    • 3/5
      The writing is compelling and brought to life by a talented narrator. Unfortunately, by chapter 23 I was too irritated with the primary character to go any farther. In this reader's opinion, Gyre comes off as selfish and judgmental. She waivers constantly between fear, determination, and infantile rage. It is exhausting. She signed on for a very dangerous job and then climbed upon the world's highest soap box about the climbers before her and the motivation compelling Em to continue her search despite past negative outcomes. Personally, I found it tiresome to the point that I no longer cared about outcome of the book.
    • 5/5
      Sapphic Horror Psycho Thriller.

      When I have first read this book, I was amazed by how the author manage to have a story with only two characters involved and only one perspective. It remind me of Misery by Stephen King.
      The psychological impacts of being alone, stressed, fear and the call of the cave/death. Was so true in this book.

      The audiobook was good, the banter between the characters was a bit irritating to listen to than reading... but it’s the reality.
    • 1/5
      Fucking Awful. Holy fucking dragged out for way too long. I feel time raped.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Reading this book felt just like being stuck in a cave by yourself with only one person to talk to for weeks. And I don't mean that in a good way. It was an arduous read and the payoff wasn't as exciting as I would have hoped. Its much more of a psychological horror novel than a thriller. The characters go through some really horrific experiences, to be sure, but it all felt so...pointless? Gyre was manipulated hardcore by Em, her handler in this offworld caving expedition, but she was also manipulated by the cave fungus spores. Somehow, through all of the disasters that befall her in her journey into the cave, she is still able to redeem Em, who has led numerous other people to their deaths in this cave, perhaps because of their similarities in traumas, or in realizing that they need each other, but it was a stretch for me to believe that Gyre, at 22 had the emotional intelligence to accomplish this task.Perhaps my expectations were off going into this book. I wanted more creepy cave fauna, less psychological torture. More definitive cave zombie activity, less is-it-actually-happening-or-all-a-hallucination ramblings. Overall, I found it to be a slog to get through.
    • 4/5
      So many books offer up multiple perspectives, a spectrum of characters, a myriad of locations. This one has two characters, and one cave. And really, it is one character (Gyre, the caver) and one voice (Em, who has employed her to explore the cave - few details, lots of money, definitely something's up. Em is also the only support Gyre has). Also, this is a cave on a foreign planet, so who knows what is out there?)

      This is a claustrophobic, taut read. Can Gyre believe what she sees? Can she trust Em? Em, who is hiding what she knows about the cave, who can control Gyre's suit, sedate her with drugs, make her move.

      It is clever and although at times, a bit repetitive (we are stuck in a cave after all), but The Luminous Dead is a solid psychological nightmare of a horror story.
    • 2/5
      The Luminous Deadby Caitlin StarlingI really wanted to love this book but it was ok at it's high points. It has so much potential to be great! A cave climber on a back world planet wants off and lies about being a great climber and caver. She gets the job. She gets surgically enhanced for body waste and feeding to go with her suit. She will be down for two months. During that time we find out more and more about the person that is watching her climb and the reason for the climb.I found Gyre, the caver, always forgiving Em, the watcher, too much. Em was crazy, selfish, and not risking her life.
    • 2/5
      This novel seemed to go . . . o n . . . f o r e v e r . . .

      It's a decent idea for a story, but really, this is a novella dragged out to novel length. To be quite honest, I got really sick and tired of Em and Gyre having a spat, then Gyre seeing a different, softer, more empathetic side to Em, decide to trust her, only to have it fall to shit because Em does something else underhanded.

      All the damn way through the book.

      What should have been claustrophobic and taut with suspense was, instead, rambling, repetitious, and overly focused on the caving process for my taste.

      Coulda been good. Wasn't.
    • 4/5
      Exactly the kind of slow, suspense-building read I like.

      If you want a tldr to this review, here you go: This book is...
      creepy, eerie, claustrophobic, atmospheric, suspenseful, slow, terrifying.

      The descriptions of the cave, the suit, and how the latter distances Gyre from the former, her slow progress down through tunnels and water, the closed environment, the struggle for control, her thoughts and the constant uncertainty, the question if something is real or not - I loved all of these.

      The eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere in this book is amazing, as is the body horror, and some of those scenes are truly terrifying to read.

      Sometimes I was even reminded of those story-driven videogames, which is probably because of the close one-person perspective and the alternation between more adventure-like scenes and scenes where we (or the protagonist) get more information.

      I loved all the descriptions of the suit and how Gyre's thoughts towards it changed depending on her situation. Feeling trapped, then feeling protected and so on. And all those descriptions really created a barrier between Gyre in her cyberpunk-scifi-ish suit that is controlled in every aspect all the time and the completely tech-free, natural and unpredictable environment of the cave. The scenes where Gyre interacted directly with the world outside her suit rank among the most scary ones for me, just because I, too, was so used to the suit being there. First the times where she doubted what the suit was showing her, then when she opened her helmet and in the end when the suit started to break apart. And that scene at camp six where her suit started to power down and she was trapped. That was scary!

      The exploration of Gyre's psyche was both engaging and horrifying and I did find all of it truly believable. The author does not only play with Gyre's perception of reality, but with ours as well, and she does hit the mark.

      Some examples: (mild spoilers here)
      Trying to convince herself what a gread handler Em is, despite not trusting her and knowing perfectly well all the things Em does wrong, just because Em is the only person Gyre has to watch over her.
      Trying to find reasons to push forward and not turn around, simply because she does like the challenge and the thrill, but she knows this alone would be a rather dangerous and stupid motivation.

      One of my favourite scenes was when she discovered the line in one of those long drops that was still taut as if someone was hooked to it and she tried to decide wheter to cut it or not. That was so good! Also, the empty suit and feeding canister she discovered that wasn't there before.

      The Tunnelers are an interesting concept and worked well for me up until a certain point - that point being the reason why I'm giving this book only four stars. When we actually get to see the tunneler, Gyre faces it down and then kills it. That scene really irritated me, it just didn't fit in with the rest. My least favourite. Especially disappointing directly after that super scary and well-crafted scene where the tunneler passed right behind Gyre and everything was chaos. I remember being thankful that it passed so close and yet we didn't get to see it.

      Regarding the ending:

      I found it rushed, especially in comparison to everything else.
      I liked that not everything was cleared up and I liked everything that happened until Gyre got out of the cave. For me, the book could have ended there.

      I'm a bit disappointed by everything that happend afterwards and especially by the fact that the two actually ended up together. But on the other hand, it feels fitting that Gyre continues to tell herself that Em is good for her, because she got her out of the cave. So the massive power imbalance continues ... and actually, whily typing this out, I realized this book could not have a happy ending, so maybe I do like it after all. I was just angry about Gyre's interpretation of everything, the "well, we were both assholes". I guess they are both depending on each other in a very unhealthy way.