This is the first book in "the adversary cycle" series of novels. It doesn't end on any kind of cliffhanger, though, so it can definitely be read on its own.The PlotThere are basically 2 forces in the universe: Chaos and light. Both forces have their own agents. In "The Keep", we meet 2 of them.It's 1941 in Europe. The Germans have invaded Poland and are extending into Romania. A German regular army company has been ordered to occupy a keep in a mountain pass in Romania because it has a good view of any coming and going foot traffic. The commander of the company is being punished for not joining the Nazi party, but he's a WW I war hero so they can't just throw him out. After occupying the titular Keep, soldiers begin to die during the night, their throats ripped out, at a rate of 1 per night. The commander, knowing that it's not a normal enemy, requests that his company be moved elsewhere.The local German headquarters responds by sending out a contingent of SS men, led by a despicable Nazi death camp commander whose next assignment, after the investigation, is to start up a new death camp in Romania. He thinks it's Romanian partisans killing off the German soldiers. He's wrong!The plot continues from there. The thing killing people in the keep is quickly surmised to be a vampire. The SS commander and the regular army commander lock horns more than once. They know each other from before, and they hate one another. Other people are brought in to help with the investigation, including a Romanian History professor, who also happens to be a Jew.The GoodI liked the antagonists in this story. The main one is not actually a vampire; it's the creature upon whom the vampire legend is based. This makes for an interesting contrast between what we as readers know about vampires and the reality of the creature depicted in "The Keep". It's much, much worse than a vampire. A conventional vampire is a cute bunny rabbit compared to what's in "The Keep".The other antagonists are the Germans; specifically the commanders. One commander, the regular army one, is definitely more of a sympathetic character than the other, the Nazi SS commander. However, they are both well characterized as just guys with strongly-held beliefs trying to figure out what's happening to them.Is it scary? There are parts of it, mostly when depicting the main adversary, that are genuinely chilling. I think F. Paul Wilson did a good job of setting up a sense of horror and dread leading to the climax of the book.The BadMaybe it's the fact that bad guys are more fun, but the protagonists, while well done, were not as compelling as the antagonists. They were certainly not morally "pure", so they were realistically written. However, they just weren't as interesting.I would have preferred a little more plot involving the main adversary in "The Keep" and a little less plot involving the clash between the German commanders.These are really just nitpicks, though. If I could give it 4 1/2 stars, I would.ConclusionI say that vampire fans should get it to read the author's take on the vampire legend. I really enjoyed it and found it fresh.It's a page-turner. I couldn't put it down most times when I would get into it. I can't think of a higher praise for this kind of book.It's definitely a have-to read if you're a vampire fan looking for something fresh.
Ranked among the best horror novels of the twentieth century, and credited with shaping the landscape of that same genre through the 80s, it's hard not to be a little disappointed with what is on offer in The Keep. The set-up is quite good, with something unleashed from its hold in an abandoned keep stalking the German soldiers that have taken over said structure in the midst of WW2. For about a third of the novel, Wilson keeps the pace rattling along nicely, as the thing from the crypt murders one soldier a night. The entity is equal parts menacing and mysterious, but clearly does not have good intentions at heart, creating quite the interesting quandary: Who does the reader root for? The Germans and the SS soldiers that join them? Or the entity that seems hell bent on destroying them? In fact, my favourite part of the novel was the conflict between the sympathetic German officer and the over-the-top evil SS major, even if this was relegated to the realm of the sub-plot by the halfway point of the novel.However, things begin to fall apart as other characters arrive at the keep, advancing the plot, but taking away from the evil versus a greater evil theme. By the end of the novel, nothing is as it seems, a trite romantic sub-plot has been woven in, and, worst of all, there is absolutely nothing frightening going on.In the end, it seems that whatever ability The Keep had to scare its readers has been lost within the mists of time. But Wilson is a skilled enough writer to maintain my interest in pursuing more of The Adversary Cycle, even if my expectations will be suitably tempered.2.5 to 3 Slashed Open Throats for The Keep.
What do You think about The Keep (2006)?
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. A friend recommended it to me, and against my better judgment, I took a copy with me on vacation. The writing style is very cliché - it feels like he has taken whole sentences from other horror writers and strung them together to create this work. The plot is forseeable, the characters are cheesy and annoying, the story seems to be rooted in pseudo-history...not quite accurate enough to seem like a real era, and not quite fantastical enough to transport the reader into another realm. I rolled my eyes consistently throughout the book, and I forced myself to finish it believing that it might possibly redeem itself at the end. Unfortunately, it did not. I immediately got rid of my copy, and all other F. Paul Wilson books that were lent to me. I suppose it you are a junior high school kid, this book might appeal to you, otherwise skip it and go for some Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, or Stephen King.
—Becca
Read and re-read, a really good vampire story set in WW2. There was a sourcebook out that gave more backstory to this tale, also worth reading but nearly impossible to find. This is part of a series of books which didn't appear connectd at first, but were brought together nicely in the end with a fantastic 5th book. Worth noting all 5 books stand alone nicely for those who don't like to read a series. While Repairman Jack was introduced in these stories, it was only in the last few, and these are not a prequel. This is an original story series that first introduced the character. It was his popularity that spawned the spin-off RJ book series. The Michael Mann movie is still one of my favorites, though it's never officially been released on DVD, my understanding is those are bootleg versions out there, would love to see the director's cut version, and get more of the story restored. His take differed slightly from the book in what the adversary was (Molosar).. vampire, supernatural demi-god, demon... and was a good influence in the sourcebook that's hard to find.
—Uncle Randy
Ma tõesti tahtsin, et see raamat mulle rohkem meeldiks. Idee on ju lollikindel – natside sõjaväeüksus asub postile Transilvaania mägikindluses ning nendega hakkavad juhtuma üleloomulikud ebameeldivused. Sellest lihtsast ideest saaks luua niivõrd vinge loo, ent autor piirdus kahjuks vaid keskpärasega.Stoori on nagu mõni Allo! Allo! stsenaarium: natsid kutsuvad end päästma mustlastega semmiva juudi soost professori ning tema kauni neitsiliku tütre. Süžee kulgeb muidu õuduslugude traditsioonilist rada pidi; selles poleks iseenesest midagi negatiivset, kui vahepeal esineks ka mingeid twiste, mingeid põrutavaid üllatusi; kahjuks on neid minimaalselt ning enamikku toimuvast on võimalik juba mitu lehekülge varem ette ennustada.Tegelased on masendavalt ühedimensioonilised. Kõigil sakslastel peale ühe on eranditult negatiivsed iseloomujooned. Peategelaseks olev tütarlaps paneks iga feministi ahastama – kogu tema konflikt keerleb kahe mehe vahel valimise ümber. Peategelase isa on tüüpiline vana professor, kes tahab parimat, ent välja kukub nagu alati. Ja ühel hetkel välja ilmuv vampiirikütt oleks nagu kõigi seikluskangelaste paroodia – tuleb kohale, kepib tütarlast, tapab kurjami oma vägeva võlumõõgaga.Kolmandaks, Holokausti teemal jahumine, mis õigesti doseeritult oleks võinud loole anda surmtõsisuse mõõtme, muutub mingil hetkel tüütuks ja siis koomiliseks. Kõige Paham Nats on eriliselt totter kuju: suurema osa ajast veedab ta unistades, kuidas ta Rumeeniasse eriti vinge koonduslaagri ehitab ja kuidas ta seal siis juute ahju ajab. Üleüldse kõnelevad kõik Holokaustist nii endastmõistetavalt, nagu sellest iga päev lehes kirjutataks – seda ajal, mil ka natside endi seas kogu värgist vaid üksikud asjassepühendatud teadsid. Isegi professoriga semutsevat vampiiri ei säästeta, vaid ta peab iga öö viisakalt vana juudi kurtmisi kuulama – ilmselt selle jaoks, et teda poliitkorrektsusetuses ei süüdistataks.Ja lõpetuseks, mis pagana pärast oli vaja loosse sisse tuua lovecraftiaana keelatud raamatuid. Kindluses on olemas kogu kataloog ja nad ei mängi loos mitte mingit rolli. Tegelased korraks uurivad neid, viskavad need siis vastikusega käest ja enam neid ei mainita. Milleks kõik see?Nagu öeldud, ma tõesti lootsin raamatust enamat. See ei ole halb lugu, aga hea ka mitte. Kuuldavasti on raamat alles esimene tervest sarjast; järgesid ma lugema niipea ei tõtta. Võibolla mõnikord võtan ette, aga võibolla ka mitte.
—Priit
