Wyrd and Other Derelictions

By: Adam L.G. Nevill

Narrated by: Dennis Kleinman

Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Derelictions are horror stories told in ways you may not have encountered before.

Something is missing from the silent places and worlds inside these stories. Something has been removed, taken flight, or been destroyed. Us.

Derelictions are weird tales that tell of aftermaths and of new and liminal places. Each location has witnessed catastrophe, infernal visitations, or unearthly transformations. But across these landscapes of murder, genocide and invasion, crucial evidence remains. And it is the task of the listener to sift through ruin and ponder the residual enigma, to behold and wonder at the full horror that was visited upon mankind.

A dead ship carries a terrible cargo across a black ocean. Below deck, signs of slaughter and devotion await to tell a ghastly tale.

On a barren and hostile shore a great ritual has been enacted successfully. The act of a god may have taken place. But what kind of deity did this?

An eerily silent campsite. No sign of life. Look closer and observe the grisly artefacts of annihilation. In the very foundations of this dreadful house, was something supernormal called upon to abolish life so mercilessly?

Wyrd and Other Derelictions contains seven derelictions, original horror stories from the author of Hasty for the Dark and Some Will Not Sleep (winner of The British Fantasy Award for Best Collection).

©2020 Adam L. G. Nevill (P)2020 Journalstone

Highly descriptive scenery that goes nowhere

"Turn and leave. Nothing here, no answers." this quote encapsulates the entire book. The author attempts to weave stories with no protaganist, or even antagonist in some, just a bleak landscape of descriptions of found horror scenes. This sounds like a fantastic idea that summarily falls flat as the narrative drones along with no twinge of emotion. At one point the narrator literally asks the reader/listener "what is it?", which is infuriating. It's your story dont ask me what something is in it. It's this fault that I find with the book, in all of the scenes you're left asking yourself, "what happened?" and right before you have any kind of answer it ends. I understand this is supposed to be the mystery and horror, but because there is no protaganist and the reader is just a silent presence with no bearing on the story or scene, the horror has no teeth. The authors descriptions of scenery and landscape is fantastic, though because no people and very rarely any creatures appear, it sometimes feels like an excersize in word count to meet a quota than story building. The book could have been called "apparent" from how prominent the word features in all the stories. The narrator was good, given the way book was written, he comes across as if Edgar Allen poe was a forensic scientist having to document strange death scenarios and his boss said he could be as flowery as he liked, but having no answers to what actually happened.

Snoozefest

I couldn’t get through this. Incredibly boring. Narrator is good though. Too pedantic for me.

The Best Cosmic Horror Short Tales, Ever.

This collection of 7 "derelictions" will haunt your mind after listening. I speak as a jaded horror reader who finds many modern authors lacking.

Adam L.G. Neville is the real deal, people.

If you enjoy Lovecraft and Ramsey Campbell, this is for you.

But be warned: you WILL remember these stories for a long time. :D

Unsettling and Unique

Wyrd and Other Derelictions is a collection of stories with no characters, no plot and no dialogue. We are taken through aftermaths of horror, though desolate sites where something terrible has happened and the natural order has been disrupted by something malevolent.

Adam manages to effectively tell a story through hauntingly beautiful prose that elicits a feeling of isolation and unease as these places are described to us. It’s up to our imagination to work out what has happened, and as you piece together these mysteries, you’re left with a feeling of anxiety the dread.

I adored this book, it’s an experimental and unique experience that is unlike any other book that I’ve read. I give this my highest recommendation, this is a fantastic read that’ll leave you unsettled and wary of being alone.

enjoyed it

I was looking for somthing like this. I love cosmic horror\ hp love craft-ish stuff. this is like exploreing these worlds and the after math of whatever maddness happened.

horrifically good

just finished this and have to recommend. This is one of the most epically sick to your stomach horror stories I've ever listened to. It's smart and written very well.The derelictions are meticulous in description yet leave much to the imagination.
So much.
The narrator had me at the first story, it grabbed me hard and I had to sit and listen, rapt and fascinated. (I could listen to this narrator non stop)
I don't have the gift of words that my review of this audiobook deserves.
The authors experiment is in my opinion a success.
now on to his other works!

Fascinating. Astonishing. Profound.

This book is David Attenborough describing the morning after the end of the world. Not since Lovecraft have I seen a work of horror of such singular seminal invention. I never knew description alone could carry such weight as the empty ruined spaces, strange death and lonesome decay that Mr. Nevill has painted here into tangible, otherworldly realism.

A fascinating, unique project

perhaps it lends itself to be read, but I found this book extremely well-wrought. especially for any authors interested in bettering their ability to encompass a scene. just listen and absorb.

Fantastic Scene Building With the Perfect Narrator

While not all of the stories are frightening the descriptions used are incredible. Neville crafts with a nuance that makes our journey through the scene the reason for the story and not just a vehicle for a twist ending or heart stopping cat leaping from a closet.
The narrator is absolutely PERFECT for this title. His place and inflection, his care for what should be focused on what should be quickened is spot on for this *style* of story and story telling.
I loved this experience so much that I've been contacting friends in an effort to gift it to another audible user.

A Haunting and Macabre Collection

As a big Adam Nevill fan, I was looking forward to another of his short story collections. As the description says, Wyrd and Other Derelictions contains a number of dark stories with an absence of any people... living ones at least. Instead each story focusses on a location and as these haunting, often isolated places are described, they become the character. Each one has had some terrible thing happen to them, - never fully explained, just scraps which suggest to the listener what might have occured. Well written and narrated - in fact the narrator's all-too calm voice adds to the unease.

I never knew Nevill was this skilled a writer.

This was a real surprise. I read a lot of short stories, I have read thousands of them over the last 35 years and in that time I think I have every attempt at taking the form into new directions, some of them being interesting as with the story The Prospect Cards, where a genuine attempt has been made to try something different. This collection was described as being such an attempt. That's why I was interested in reading it. I admit that I wasn't expecting much. I have read some of Nevills work before and, wrongly I can now see, had thought him an OK read but not a craftsperson of the highest. I have been well and truly put in my place by this collection. The writing is wonderful. The stories are wonderful. The concept is interesting and has been realised with real skill. I absolutely loved it. I was left wishing there was twice as many works, but I didn't feel cheated. This is good stuff and has made me realise that I need to completely reassess my opinion of Mr Nevill and his skills as a writer.

I read this collection immediately after finishing Caitlin R Kiernan recent collection of her mythos stories. The writing in the collection by Nevill is every bit as engaging and well crafted as the collection of Kiernan I'd just finished.

I really did enjoy this.

Also the audio version is perfect. Excellent

A very successful experiment

Unique and breathtaking. Loved this book, the derelictions work as stories in the same way ambient music does, the brilliant narrator guides you gently through these atmospheric horrors. Really hope the author returns to this format again!