Reviewing Night Train by Thomas F. Monteleone

Night Train
By Thomas F. Monteleone
Borderland Press/Gauntlet Press
2019

Originally published in 1984, Night Train roars back to life for the first time in hardcover, rebooted to scare the crap out of a whole new generation.

In an era where paranoia and end-of-the-world fears already run rampant, the inhabitants of New York are about to face their greatest fears yet. An underground labyrinth full of nightmarish creatures threaten to overflow into the unsuspecting world above.

Tom Monteleone showcases an uncanny ability to make us meet, empathize with and mourn new characters in the span of a single chapter while downright caring for those who manage to last longer. There’s a lot to like here, and it’s clear Tom had a blast seamlessly crossing genres at will whenever the story called for it. He infuses the weird and terrifying with the supernatural and the scientific and manages to toss a dab of romance into the mix for good measure, and, of course, to up the ante of what’s at stake.

What at first comes across like a whodunit slasher story with the sub-plot of a disappearing train, soon becomes the beginning of apocalyptic terror. As an unlikely troupe of characters soon discover, a pattern of pending evil from beyond the world emerges which can’t be ignored. It’s up to an ambitious news reporter, a pair of cops and a professor of ancient history to find and prevent the teeming cornucopia of ungodly creatures which threatens the very existence of humanity.

Considering the clarity of detail in which the author describes every turn and dark passageway under the city, it’s easy to feel claustrophobic as we wonder if Tom put in some serious adventure time down there himself at some point.

Night Train proves to be an epic novel with enough terrifying adventure to accommodate at least a few sleepless nights.

All aboard – and highly recommended!

Get your copy HERE before this train leaves the station for the last time.

Be sure to check out Dark Bites next Tuesday for an exclusive interview with Tom as we discuss Night Train, his approach to writing multi-layered stories, and what’s next to come. You won’t want to miss this one!