HIDDEN WORLD

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HIDDEN WORLD. William Schoell. Raven Tale; 2025.

I first became aware of William Schoell through his books on comics -- and one he did on 20th century opera -- but I also knew he wrote several horror novels back in the days of the horror boom. He also wrote a more recent novel entitled Monster World in which scientists use a time machine to bring dinosaurs to the 21st century, and it was excellent. Hidden World is a short, fast-paced novel in which a group of people, led by a determined and desperate woman, descend into a huge cavern under a Greek island to find an ancient city and in particular a certain mystical artifact. Schoell peoples the book with a host of interesting characters, some of whom meet dire fates, not unexpected when you consider the creatures -- huge lizards, rapacious rats, and even giant cannibals -- that he throws at them at regular intervals. You might be surprised at who survives and who doesn't. Written with Schoell's customary verve and vivid descriptive powers, Hidden World is tremendous fun. 
 

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