The Lost Level

Brian Keene

Jan 2015 · Apex Publications

About this ebook

Apex is proud to present the first book in Grand Master Award winner Brian Keene's long-awaited new series, a loving ode to lost world classics like Burroughs's PELLUCIDAR, Howard's ALMURIC, and Lansdale's THE DRIVE-IN, but with a thoroughly modern twist that only Brian Keene could conceive.

When modern-day occultist Aaron Pace discovers the secrets of inter-dimensional travel via a mystical pathway called The Labyrinth, he wastes no time in exploring a multitude of strange new worlds and alternate realities. But then, Aaron finds himself trapped in the most bizarre dimension of all — a place where dinosaurs coexist with giant robots, where cowboys fight reptilian lizard people, and where even the grass can kill you. This is a world populated by the missing and the disappeared, a world where myth is reality and where the extinct is reborn. Now, side-by-side with his new companions Kasheena and Bloop, Aaron must learn to navigate its dangers and survive long enough to escape... THE LOST LEVEL. 

Ratings and reviews

The protagonist comes off as annoying and arrogant right from the start and the book itself seems more like a summary than a story. The character names are corny and clichéd which could be a poor attempt at satire but isn't really obvious one way or another. To be fair I haven't read anything else by Brian Keene, but in general it reads more like the pitch for a crappy exploitation film than an actual narrative, to the point where major events in the story are glossed over at the end as though he's saying "buy my other books and you'll get the full story". In general the whole story was shallow and lazy. 2 stars due to the fact that it was just entertaining enough to read start to finish, disappointing as it was.

Richard Laymon fans this is a departure from his normal horror genre. No longer should he be pigeonholed into horror only. Is a great out of time and out of place story reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs novels and I even see some Richard Laymon's Thin Air novel in this. Also love the universal mysteries it includes. Can't wait for the next installment.

About the author

BRIAN KEENE is the Bram Stoker and Grand Master award-winning, bestselling author of over forty books, includingDarkness on the Edge of Town, Take the Long Way Home, Urban Gothic, Castaways, Kill Whitey, Dark Hollow, Dead Sea, and The Rising trilogy. He’s also written comic books such as The Last Zombie, Doom Patrol, and Dead of Night: Devil Slayer. His work has been translated into many foreign languages. Several of his novels and stories have been developed for film, including Ghoul and The Ties That Bind. In addition to writing, Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions via Thunderstorm Books. Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro,Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. Keene lives in Pennsylvania. You can communicate with him online atwww.briankeene.com or on Twitter at @BrianKeene.