Exploring David Morrell's "Creepers"
Frank Balenger, a feature writer for a major publication, signs on to accompany a group of urban explorers as fodder for what he hopes will be a great story. At least that's how it appears at the outset of "Creepers" by bestselling author, David Morrell. But people start to question Balenger almost immediately. Is he who he seems to be? "Creepers" starts off with a great premise, that of the adventure and peril of urban explorers, or city speleologists as they sometimes call themselves. These adventurers, known as creepers, explore the past, infiltrating abandoned buildings and underground tunnels, hoping for an untainted vision of a time long gone. Creeping, however, is fraught with danger: floors that can give way at any time, roofs ripe for collapse, the sharp edges of debris, and the possibility of rodent-borne disease. Plus, creeping is illegal and has steep penalties for the participants if caught.. In "Creepers," this particular group of folks is about to embark on an exploration of the Paragon Hotel, an abandoned structure with a curious history and an eccentric owner. It has the potential to be the adventure of a lifetime. When I stumbled upon "Creepers" in the bookstore, I was excited. The premise intrigued me. And when I began reading, I was hooked immediately. The first hundred pages just flew by. But where "Creepers" failed for me was that it wasn't the book I'd bargained for. Ultimately, "Creepers" isn't really about the adventure and dangers of urban exploration. It's just another cat-and-mouse thriller, only with a more interesting setting. Midway through the novel, the setting takes a major backseat to the more standard good guys versus bad guys plot, and for me, this was a major disappointment. That's not to say that "Creepers" isn't a good book. At times atmospheric, it's a fast read, filled with mounting suspense. No one will dispute that David Morrell is a pro when it comes to building tension and raising the stakes. On the downside, I had a hard time suspending disbelief at times throughout the book. Some of the plot twists actually made me groan right out loud. At times, the writing was overdone and melodramatic. By the end of the book, I was entirely disengaged from its characters and was happy for it to be over. For me, the best part of the book was actually the Author's Notes section at the end, where David Morrell talks about his own experiences in the world of urban exploration, beginning in childhood. So if you do decide to dig into "Creepers," be sure not to miss that. Ultimately, I can't really recommend "Creepers". If you're looking to immerse yourself in a good adventure novel, try one of James Rollins's later books instead.
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