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The Night Birds
Not yet published
Expected 6 May 25The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from NYT bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak, they never expected to see each other again, but when terror enters Ruby’s life, Charlie Book is the only safe harbor she can believe in.
In his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book has been living aboard and studying the Christabel, a 19th century freighter that lies half-sunken in Gulf waters, just off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest, full of birds, crabs, and snakes. Though a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, Book intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, preparing to motor out to the Christabel, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And Ruby’s not alone. With her are a mysterious, terrified woman named Johanna and an infant child. They need Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run, only it isn’t the police who are after them. It’s the coven of witches Johanna has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom they had hideous plans…or so Johanna claims.
It’s lunacy. Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, back in Galveston there are shadowed figures out in the storm, sniffing the air like bloodhounds. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline as if searching for their prey.
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak, they never expected to see each other again, but when terror enters Ruby’s life, Charlie Book is the only safe harbor she can believe in.
In his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book has been living aboard and studying the Christabel, a 19th century freighter that lies half-sunken in Gulf waters, just off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest, full of birds, crabs, and snakes. Though a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, Book intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, preparing to motor out to the Christabel, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And Ruby’s not alone. With her are a mysterious, terrified woman named Johanna and an infant child. They need Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run, only it isn’t the police who are after them. It’s the coven of witches Johanna has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom they had hideous plans…or so Johanna claims.
It’s lunacy. Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, back in Galveston there are shadowed figures out in the storm, sniffing the air like bloodhounds. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline as if searching for their prey.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2025
12 people are currently reading
10.2k people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
751 books2,770 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 9, 2025
Eh, I think maybe I need to accept that Christopher Golden isn't one of my favorite horror authors. There's nothing particularly wrong with this book, but it was just a very middle-of-the-road read for me and I wasn't super invested in the outcome or any of its characters. But, overall, it was … fine. This, probably not so coincidentally, is the way I've felt about most of his novels that I've read (although I did like The House of Last Resort more than a lot of other reviewers seemed to, so go figure). They're always entertaining-ish but never something to write home about.
I do have to give Golden props for being able to write atmospheric prose, though. This book, especially the first half or so, is super dark and atmospheric and creepy and full of foreboding. You know something bad is going to happen, but the story takes its sweet time getting there and it's incredibly suspenseful.
Once the action finally starts, however, all hell really breaks loose. There are witches (not-witches?) everywhere and everyone is running around trying to stay alive. Unfortunately, this is the part where I mostly lost interest. I was rooting for Boot's three coworkers and was a little invested in their side story, but I just didn't care at all about the main characters. Maybe it's because you don't really learn a whole lot about them other than the whole “relationship gone sour” stuff? I dunno, but I kind of just kept hoping that the (not-)witches would kill them quickly so it could be over and done with.
The setting, though, is fantastic. A floating forest that's risen up from an old sunken freighter in the Gulf of Mexico? Yes, please! It would have been the perfect setting for a haunted house (ship?) type story, and I'm a little sad that this book didn't veer at all into that direction. Not-witches and a haunted floating forest? Now there's a storyline that could've held my attention. Unfortunately, there are no ghosts to be found in this one, only (not-)witches and creepy birds.
This book did give me a bit of insight into my own capacity for self-sacrifice (and general lack of bravery), because I would have given the baby to the witches when they first showed up in Ruby's backyard. Of course, I'm the person who adopted a toddler so that I could completely avoid ever having to touch a baby (they're so … squishy), so perhaps I'm in the minority here. But let this be a warning to all my friends and family and general acquaintances – if you're ever running from a coven of very irritated witches with a mini-human in tow, don't come to my house (or, should I ever acquire one, to my sunken freighter off the coast of Galveston).
My rating: 3.3 stars, rounded down. Die-hard Christopher Golden fans might enjoy this one more than I did, but overall it was a pretty average horror read for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is May 6, 2025.
I do have to give Golden props for being able to write atmospheric prose, though. This book, especially the first half or so, is super dark and atmospheric and creepy and full of foreboding. You know something bad is going to happen, but the story takes its sweet time getting there and it's incredibly suspenseful.
Once the action finally starts, however, all hell really breaks loose. There are witches (not-witches?) everywhere and everyone is running around trying to stay alive. Unfortunately, this is the part where I mostly lost interest. I was rooting for Boot's three coworkers and was a little invested in their side story, but I just didn't care at all about the main characters. Maybe it's because you don't really learn a whole lot about them other than the whole “relationship gone sour” stuff? I dunno, but I kind of just kept hoping that the (not-)witches would kill them quickly so it could be over and done with.
The setting, though, is fantastic. A floating forest that's risen up from an old sunken freighter in the Gulf of Mexico? Yes, please! It would have been the perfect setting for a haunted house (ship?) type story, and I'm a little sad that this book didn't veer at all into that direction. Not-witches and a haunted floating forest? Now there's a storyline that could've held my attention. Unfortunately, there are no ghosts to be found in this one, only (not-)witches and creepy birds.
This book did give me a bit of insight into my own capacity for self-sacrifice (and general lack of bravery), because I would have given the baby to the witches when they first showed up in Ruby's backyard. Of course, I'm the person who adopted a toddler so that I could completely avoid ever having to touch a baby (they're so … squishy), so perhaps I'm in the minority here. But let this be a warning to all my friends and family and general acquaintances – if you're ever running from a coven of very irritated witches with a mini-human in tow, don't come to my house (or, should I ever acquire one, to my sunken freighter off the coast of Galveston).
My rating: 3.3 stars, rounded down. Die-hard Christopher Golden fans might enjoy this one more than I did, but overall it was a pretty average horror read for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is May 6, 2025.
April 1, 2025
Review in the April 1 & 15, 2025 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2025/04... (link live on 4/3/25)
Three Words That Describe This Book: pervasive unease, multiple povs, captivating
A perfect example of a Horror-Thriller.
More words: trapped, witches, balance of character and action, original and captivating world building, heartbreakingly beautiful, every detail matters (one of my favorite things and something that makes a book rise to the top of the top), entertaining from start to finish.
Original setting. The unease is pervasive because of the setting-- a sunken ship that has become a mangrove and a hurricane. But also the title-- every time a bird is mentioned, even before you learn the "truth" you as a reader are a bit uneasy.
Golden does superior world building here-- both the ship but also the witchcraft and its original. HE is also great at developing characters (sympathy and flaws) and place without sacrificing the action and keeping the plot moving forward. He does that in every book, but here it is top of his game.
The characters-- Book and Ruby are the main ones, but POV is spread to a few other key figures (no spoilers) and the details and information the reader gets from those chapters is important. Not a word is wasted here. We see the characters, flaws and all, and we sympathize with them. No POV is unnecessary tot he story and our enjoyment of it.
Golden is already a must buy at your library, but this one will be an easy handsell to anyone who likes supernatural thrillers. bonus if they like witches or sunken ships.
But please note-- it is Horror first and Thriller second. Not a 50-50 split. The tone and the storyline are Horror first.
This reminded me of ARARAT and ROAD OF BONES-- two of Golden's best ever. But for readalikes, I think it is for readers in the Venn diagram who liked Hex by Thomas Olde Huevelt (the witch parts and the bleak and menacing tone) and This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer (the trapped trope and the multiple point of view for character development that keeps the story moving). Also both Horror books that appeal to a wide audience.
Laid Barron fans will like this one. The Troop by Cutter also a good readalike.
Three Words That Describe This Book: pervasive unease, multiple povs, captivating
A perfect example of a Horror-Thriller.
More words: trapped, witches, balance of character and action, original and captivating world building, heartbreakingly beautiful, every detail matters (one of my favorite things and something that makes a book rise to the top of the top), entertaining from start to finish.
Original setting. The unease is pervasive because of the setting-- a sunken ship that has become a mangrove and a hurricane. But also the title-- every time a bird is mentioned, even before you learn the "truth" you as a reader are a bit uneasy.
Golden does superior world building here-- both the ship but also the witchcraft and its original. HE is also great at developing characters (sympathy and flaws) and place without sacrificing the action and keeping the plot moving forward. He does that in every book, but here it is top of his game.
The characters-- Book and Ruby are the main ones, but POV is spread to a few other key figures (no spoilers) and the details and information the reader gets from those chapters is important. Not a word is wasted here. We see the characters, flaws and all, and we sympathize with them. No POV is unnecessary tot he story and our enjoyment of it.
Golden is already a must buy at your library, but this one will be an easy handsell to anyone who likes supernatural thrillers. bonus if they like witches or sunken ships.
But please note-- it is Horror first and Thriller second. Not a 50-50 split. The tone and the storyline are Horror first.
This reminded me of ARARAT and ROAD OF BONES-- two of Golden's best ever. But for readalikes, I think it is for readers in the Venn diagram who liked Hex by Thomas Olde Huevelt (the witch parts and the bleak and menacing tone) and This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer (the trapped trope and the multiple point of view for character development that keeps the story moving). Also both Horror books that appeal to a wide audience.
Laid Barron fans will like this one. The Troop by Cutter also a good readalike.
February 7, 2025
ARC for review. To be published May 6, 2024.
3 stars
Charlie Book works for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and as a perk (if you want to consider it that) of his job he lives aboard the “Christobel,” a half sunken 19th century freighter off the coast of Galveston that he and his co-workers are working to restore with an eye toward making it a state park. A forest of mangroves is growing through the deck. And, as the action is going to take place on this vessel, hang on to your hats my friends, because this is going to shock and amaze you….a storm is a’comin.
He heads to the boat one night and finds his former paramour, Ruby Cahill, waiting on the dock, along with another woman and a baby. Ruby says a coven of witches is after them and they need to hide. Book agrees. Calamity follows.
Here’s some free advice: if a man named Charlie Book ever approaches you run far, far away. Knowing him is a recipe for disaster. Sure, he seems all nice, like someone you could count on, but count on this…you’re gonna die. Doesn’t seem like such a great guy now, does he?
This was decent, nothing bad, nothing great. I liked it fine.
3 stars
Charlie Book works for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and as a perk (if you want to consider it that) of his job he lives aboard the “Christobel,” a half sunken 19th century freighter off the coast of Galveston that he and his co-workers are working to restore with an eye toward making it a state park. A forest of mangroves is growing through the deck. And, as the action is going to take place on this vessel, hang on to your hats my friends, because this is going to shock and amaze you….a storm is a’comin.
He heads to the boat one night and finds his former paramour, Ruby Cahill, waiting on the dock, along with another woman and a baby. Ruby says a coven of witches is after them and they need to hide. Book agrees. Calamity follows.
Here’s some free advice: if a man named Charlie Book ever approaches you run far, far away. Knowing him is a recipe for disaster. Sure, he seems all nice, like someone you could count on, but count on this…you’re gonna die. Doesn’t seem like such a great guy now, does he?
This was decent, nothing bad, nothing great. I liked it fine.
Want to read
February 25, 2025Are reviews disappearing?
I know I thanked St. Martin's Press for my early copy of this, one of my most anticipated reads of the Spring, but it is no where to be found.
Thank you again, St. Martin's Press!
I love this cover and am so excited for this one. I'm a huge Christopher Golden fan, so I'm anticipating this will be a lot of fun for me.
I know I thanked St. Martin's Press for my early copy of this, one of my most anticipated reads of the Spring, but it is no where to be found.
Thank you again, St. Martin's Press!
I love this cover and am so excited for this one. I'm a huge Christopher Golden fan, so I'm anticipating this will be a lot of fun for me.
February 8, 2025
Originally published on my website at https://www.michaelpatrickhicks.com/b...
Christopher Golden’s The Night Birds hit a few particular sweet spots for me. I’m a sucker for sea-based horror, so to have the setting be the hundred-year-old, rusting hulk of the Christabel, marooned off the coast of Galveston, TX, immediately make me perk up. To sweeten things even further, the Christabel isn’t just a marooned ship, but one that has become reclaimed by nature and turned into a floating forest as mangrove trees have taken root and grown through the ship’s decks. It’s a marvelous visual that I think the book’s cover has only partially managed to capture, as Golden’s writing makes it clear — or maybe it’s just my imagination — that the ship has become positively wooly with wild vegetation. Whatever the case, the Christabel makes for one hell of a striking locale. To top it all off, the story takes place during a seriously, wickedly violent tropical storm. Well, gang, I love me a good storm setting, too, and between the monsoon Golden conjures up here and the crashing waves breaking against the hull of the Christabel, I’m kind of surprised The Night Birds pages aren’t soaked all the way through and dripping everywhere.
The Galveston storm, however, isn’t the only thing wreaking havoc and bringing on a long night full of violence aboard the Christabel. One other aspect really drew me into The Night Birds, and that’s the subject of the horrors at play here. Witches. Witches galore. A whole nasty coven, with one single, solitary demand — the life of a newborn baby recently hidden away in the ship’s cabin.
Ruby and Mae have been on the run with this child, having only just fled a black magic-fueled assault that has led them to Charlie Book’s dock slip. Book is a researcher for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the floating forest of the Christabel has become both the focus of his work and his de facto home. Ruby is his ex-lover, and when she turns up in desperate need for help, with a child that is not her own, he cannot possibly turn her away. They need shelter from the storm and a place where nobody would think to look for them, and Book knows just the right place to ride out the evening. But then the birds begin to circle overhead with predatory intent, and the witches that Ruby and Mae have been fleeing are much closer than expected.
The Night Birds is Christopher Golden at the absolute top of his game. I freaking loved this book, but even just saying that feels like I’m selling it short. The story is masterfully executed, its pacing both precise and exciting. Details are crisply delivered, and rather than ever feeling like a barrage of an infodump these moments serve the story perfectly and help to ratchet up the tension. In a way, it’s like watching an expert artisan watchmaker. Springs are deliberately, carefully coiled to deliver a high level of torque to turn the gears, while keeping everything perfectly balanced. One gears turns another, and another, to keep the hands moving. It looks simple and deliberate enough from the outside, but underneath, there’s so much machinery and moving parts, all so carefully crafted to make it all work. (I am, obviously, not a watchmaker, expert or otherwise, but hopefully this analogy works well enough to get my point across, imprecise though it may be. My apologies to watchmakers everywhere.)
Golden works hard, too, at building characters to care about. Book and Ruby’s relationship is underscored by tragedy and bitterness, and while they’re forced together into tight quarters under less than ideal circumstances, I found myself rooting for them. Even the secondary characters are nicely developed, and I found myself growing quickly attached to Otis, who runs the boatyard and wants nothing more than to be left alone to read his mystery novels and listen to the waves crashing against the docks. I get Otis. I understand Otis. But what really sold me was Golden’s exploration of witch lore and the utter monstrosities he has concocted here. Golden’s no stranger to witches, given his work with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and Baltimore comics, not to mention co-editing the anthology Hex-Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery with Rachel Autumn Deering, but his take on witchy gals in The Night Birds casts this coven in a unique candlelight. These ladies are unapologetically vicious, and I dug the hell out of them for that.
Bottom line: The Night Birds is horror craftsmanship at its best, and one of my first no doubt about it, hands-down favorite reads of 2025 thus far. Golden’s latest is tense and exciting, full of wonderful little surprises along the way, and by the time the violent climax rolls around it becomes impossible to step away from.
Christopher Golden’s The Night Birds hit a few particular sweet spots for me. I’m a sucker for sea-based horror, so to have the setting be the hundred-year-old, rusting hulk of the Christabel, marooned off the coast of Galveston, TX, immediately make me perk up. To sweeten things even further, the Christabel isn’t just a marooned ship, but one that has become reclaimed by nature and turned into a floating forest as mangrove trees have taken root and grown through the ship’s decks. It’s a marvelous visual that I think the book’s cover has only partially managed to capture, as Golden’s writing makes it clear — or maybe it’s just my imagination — that the ship has become positively wooly with wild vegetation. Whatever the case, the Christabel makes for one hell of a striking locale. To top it all off, the story takes place during a seriously, wickedly violent tropical storm. Well, gang, I love me a good storm setting, too, and between the monsoon Golden conjures up here and the crashing waves breaking against the hull of the Christabel, I’m kind of surprised The Night Birds pages aren’t soaked all the way through and dripping everywhere.
The Galveston storm, however, isn’t the only thing wreaking havoc and bringing on a long night full of violence aboard the Christabel. One other aspect really drew me into The Night Birds, and that’s the subject of the horrors at play here. Witches. Witches galore. A whole nasty coven, with one single, solitary demand — the life of a newborn baby recently hidden away in the ship’s cabin.
Ruby and Mae have been on the run with this child, having only just fled a black magic-fueled assault that has led them to Charlie Book’s dock slip. Book is a researcher for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the floating forest of the Christabel has become both the focus of his work and his de facto home. Ruby is his ex-lover, and when she turns up in desperate need for help, with a child that is not her own, he cannot possibly turn her away. They need shelter from the storm and a place where nobody would think to look for them, and Book knows just the right place to ride out the evening. But then the birds begin to circle overhead with predatory intent, and the witches that Ruby and Mae have been fleeing are much closer than expected.
The Night Birds is Christopher Golden at the absolute top of his game. I freaking loved this book, but even just saying that feels like I’m selling it short. The story is masterfully executed, its pacing both precise and exciting. Details are crisply delivered, and rather than ever feeling like a barrage of an infodump these moments serve the story perfectly and help to ratchet up the tension. In a way, it’s like watching an expert artisan watchmaker. Springs are deliberately, carefully coiled to deliver a high level of torque to turn the gears, while keeping everything perfectly balanced. One gears turns another, and another, to keep the hands moving. It looks simple and deliberate enough from the outside, but underneath, there’s so much machinery and moving parts, all so carefully crafted to make it all work. (I am, obviously, not a watchmaker, expert or otherwise, but hopefully this analogy works well enough to get my point across, imprecise though it may be. My apologies to watchmakers everywhere.)
Golden works hard, too, at building characters to care about. Book and Ruby’s relationship is underscored by tragedy and bitterness, and while they’re forced together into tight quarters under less than ideal circumstances, I found myself rooting for them. Even the secondary characters are nicely developed, and I found myself growing quickly attached to Otis, who runs the boatyard and wants nothing more than to be left alone to read his mystery novels and listen to the waves crashing against the docks. I get Otis. I understand Otis. But what really sold me was Golden’s exploration of witch lore and the utter monstrosities he has concocted here. Golden’s no stranger to witches, given his work with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and Baltimore comics, not to mention co-editing the anthology Hex-Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery with Rachel Autumn Deering, but his take on witchy gals in The Night Birds casts this coven in a unique candlelight. These ladies are unapologetically vicious, and I dug the hell out of them for that.
Bottom line: The Night Birds is horror craftsmanship at its best, and one of my first no doubt about it, hands-down favorite reads of 2025 thus far. Golden’s latest is tense and exciting, full of wonderful little surprises along the way, and by the time the violent climax rolls around it becomes impossible to step away from.
March 31, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 6, 2025
Just off the coast of Galveston, Texas sits a deteriorated, half-sunken ship, abandoned and almost lost to nature. Charlie Book and his team have taken on the task of renewing it, to bring it to some of its former glory and turn it into a floating museum. But a storm is coming in, so the team decides to wait it out in a local hotel. All, of course, except for Charlie, who decides to hunker down onboard the “Christabel”, suffering through the storm in solitude. Until his ex-girlfriend, Ruby, shows up, with another young woman and a baby, in desperate need of help. Ruby tells a tale that Charlie can barely believe, about witchcraft and human sacrifice, until he starts to see it with his own eyes and soon, it isn’t just the storm that threatens the “Christabel”, and all the lives on it.
Author of “All Hallows” and “The House of Last Resort”, Christopher Golden’s new novel, “The Night Birds” is a dark and disturbing horror novel set on an abandoned ship in the middle of a rainstorm. You know, just in case you were worried it wouldn’t be scary enough.
Although the novel is narrated by Charlie, with other characters taking over the narration on some chapters, it is the atmosphere that makes this book the terrifying delight that it is. The romantic tension and unresolved issues between Charlie and Ruby are necessary and engaging, and both characters are flawed and human, making them easy to build a quick rapport with. Then Golden throws in the witch’s coven and their ability to transform into some pretty gruesome birdlike creatures and the ultimate horror novel is created.
Golden’s writing is top notch, completely immersing the writer in the plot with his grotesque depictions of the monsters, and pulling readers along for an action-packed adventure that goes up and down with the waves.
“The Night Birds” has all the hallmarks of a superb horror novel. This will be a must-read for Golden fans, but anyone who considers themselves a horror fiction fan will want to pick this one up, too. This is the third novel I’ve read by Golden and I’m so glad he keeps on delivering books like this that exceed my expectations. It goes without saying I’ll be eagerly waiting for his next work.
Expected publication date: May 6, 2025
Just off the coast of Galveston, Texas sits a deteriorated, half-sunken ship, abandoned and almost lost to nature. Charlie Book and his team have taken on the task of renewing it, to bring it to some of its former glory and turn it into a floating museum. But a storm is coming in, so the team decides to wait it out in a local hotel. All, of course, except for Charlie, who decides to hunker down onboard the “Christabel”, suffering through the storm in solitude. Until his ex-girlfriend, Ruby, shows up, with another young woman and a baby, in desperate need of help. Ruby tells a tale that Charlie can barely believe, about witchcraft and human sacrifice, until he starts to see it with his own eyes and soon, it isn’t just the storm that threatens the “Christabel”, and all the lives on it.
Author of “All Hallows” and “The House of Last Resort”, Christopher Golden’s new novel, “The Night Birds” is a dark and disturbing horror novel set on an abandoned ship in the middle of a rainstorm. You know, just in case you were worried it wouldn’t be scary enough.
Although the novel is narrated by Charlie, with other characters taking over the narration on some chapters, it is the atmosphere that makes this book the terrifying delight that it is. The romantic tension and unresolved issues between Charlie and Ruby are necessary and engaging, and both characters are flawed and human, making them easy to build a quick rapport with. Then Golden throws in the witch’s coven and their ability to transform into some pretty gruesome birdlike creatures and the ultimate horror novel is created.
Golden’s writing is top notch, completely immersing the writer in the plot with his grotesque depictions of the monsters, and pulling readers along for an action-packed adventure that goes up and down with the waves.
“The Night Birds” has all the hallmarks of a superb horror novel. This will be a must-read for Golden fans, but anyone who considers themselves a horror fiction fan will want to pick this one up, too. This is the third novel I’ve read by Golden and I’m so glad he keeps on delivering books like this that exceed my expectations. It goes without saying I’ll be eagerly waiting for his next work.
March 20, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think Christopher Golden is becoming a middle of the road author for me. I really enjoyed All Hallows, but this and his previous book were just a little underwhelming. This book involves witches, sacrifices, very atmospheric setting, and new beginnings. The characters throughout are just not captivating. None of them really turned out to be likeable, and you have a hard time rooting for anyone throughout the story.
I'm also kind of disappointed because I thought the story might gear more towards some paranormal with the freighter being haunted. It did not go in that direction at all, unfortunately. I wanted to be invested in the story, but I found my mind wandering frequently and had to keep going back to read parts I partially skimmed through.
I would still try another book from the author, as you can still say his books are still entertaining once you've completed them.
I think Christopher Golden is becoming a middle of the road author for me. I really enjoyed All Hallows, but this and his previous book were just a little underwhelming. This book involves witches, sacrifices, very atmospheric setting, and new beginnings. The characters throughout are just not captivating. None of them really turned out to be likeable, and you have a hard time rooting for anyone throughout the story.
I'm also kind of disappointed because I thought the story might gear more towards some paranormal with the freighter being haunted. It did not go in that direction at all, unfortunately. I wanted to be invested in the story, but I found my mind wandering frequently and had to keep going back to read parts I partially skimmed through.
I would still try another book from the author, as you can still say his books are still entertaining once you've completed them.
February 20, 2025
The Night Birds is a supernatural thriller set in a raging storm on a half-sunken 19th-century freighter. Top that for atmosphere!
Ruby is home alone when a strange woman carrying a baby practically bursts through her door with an incredible story and a plea for help. She finds it all beyond belief until she is confronted with the terrifying proof.
Charlie is preparing to ride out the storm alone when Ruby shows up. He has not seen or spoken to her since their painful break-up, but even though she won't answer his questions he doesn't turn her away when she needs a place to hide. Hide from what, you ask? The coven that wants to sacrifice the baby so that the Ur-witch (the original witch who is the reason stories of witchcraft are told) can be permanently resurrected.
I love folklore and folk horror so resurrecting some old world legends in the modern day was a hit with me. True love, fractured family bonds, partial revelations and broken hearts ratcheted up the tension in between the terror and kept me engaged with the characters.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.
Ruby is home alone when a strange woman carrying a baby practically bursts through her door with an incredible story and a plea for help. She finds it all beyond belief until she is confronted with the terrifying proof.
Charlie is preparing to ride out the storm alone when Ruby shows up. He has not seen or spoken to her since their painful break-up, but even though she won't answer his questions he doesn't turn her away when she needs a place to hide. Hide from what, you ask? The coven that wants to sacrifice the baby so that the Ur-witch (the original witch who is the reason stories of witchcraft are told) can be permanently resurrected.
I love folklore and folk horror so resurrecting some old world legends in the modern day was a hit with me. True love, fractured family bonds, partial revelations and broken hearts ratcheted up the tension in between the terror and kept me engaged with the characters.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.
October 24, 2024
I would like to thank edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. When a woman lands on Ruby’s doorstep with a baby in tow claiming it’s her sister’s baby who she hasn’t seen in years and they need to run and hide, Ruby doesn’t know what to think. But suddenly women show up wanting the baby at any cost so off they run, running to Ruby’s ex and the sunken ship he lives on all while in a massive storm. Who are these women? What do they want? Are they really witches? An interesting read chock full of weather and witches.
March 1, 2025
4.5 rounded up because I finished this in 2 sittings with that last one blowing through 175-ish pages.
We're promised a thrilling and atmospheric reading experience from the back cover and that is exactly what is delivered! Not only was this atmospheric, it read as cinematic as well; I find that to be mighty impressive because I often have a difficult time visualizing descriptions in my mind. Also... as a person who likes a bit of blood and gore in my horror books, this was perfectly satisfying lol.
I did find the characters to be the slight weak point of the book as it was difficult to connect with them...maybe lacking dimension?? Strangely enough, this didn't take away from my reading experience--for me, the storyline and writing were strong enough to negate any qualms of that nature.
This is a perfect book to get someone out of a reading slump or looking for a page-turning thriller/horror type book, this one is for you!!
Thank you to Christopher Golden for so generously forwarding an advanced copy to me--these opportunities are one of the many reasons I love working at an independent bookstore. Your kindness has warmed my heart and means more to me than you may think!
*this does not influence my review or thoughts about this book at all! I don't know if that needs to be said but I'll say it anyways.
We're promised a thrilling and atmospheric reading experience from the back cover and that is exactly what is delivered! Not only was this atmospheric, it read as cinematic as well; I find that to be mighty impressive because I often have a difficult time visualizing descriptions in my mind. Also... as a person who likes a bit of blood and gore in my horror books, this was perfectly satisfying lol.
I did find the characters to be the slight weak point of the book as it was difficult to connect with them...maybe lacking dimension?? Strangely enough, this didn't take away from my reading experience--for me, the storyline and writing were strong enough to negate any qualms of that nature.
This is a perfect book to get someone out of a reading slump or looking for a page-turning thriller/horror type book, this one is for you!!
Thank you to Christopher Golden for so generously forwarding an advanced copy to me--these opportunities are one of the many reasons I love working at an independent bookstore. Your kindness has warmed my heart and means more to me than you may think!
*this does not influence my review or thoughts about this book at all! I don't know if that needs to be said but I'll say it anyways.
January 21, 2025
Wow. Where do I even begin? Christopher Golden is absolutely one of my favorite authors. His ability to craft a world of magical realism is without compare. You learn so much about his characters that you feel as though you could know them. You understand who they are and how they are moving along the path of discovering the unbelievable. And, in most cases, the horror there within. The worlds, lives and stories are so well created that it all feels real. And then he will rip your heart out. What can I say? Have you read any of his books? Then you know. I loved this book as much as all the others I have read and am so thankful to Christopher Golden for my advanced copy of this book. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who is curious about reading it. It is beautiful and heartbreaking and wonderful.
March 16, 2025
4.5★
Another banger from Christopher Golden! This book had similar vibes to Road of Bones- the eeriness and Golden's signature style of writing horror that actually makes my skin crawl. Something about the feeling of being stalked by a monster in an isolated setting really does it for me. I learned from Road of Bones not to get attached to the characters and I'm glad I did because when I say no one is safe I really mean NO ONE is safe. This author is not afraid to go there and I really love that about his books. He also blends fantasy and horror in a way that really works for me. I know not everyone vibes with his style but I think his stories are fantastic.
I also discovered upon finishing this book that prior to the release of this novel Golden worked on a comic series Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens that features the Ur Witches- the same type of witches found in The Night Birds. It was very cool having a visual to go with the descriptions in this novel. I haven’t finished the comic yet but I plan to. I did read All Hallows and found it very mid so I am hoping that one is just a dud. I plan to read more of this author’s backlist while I wait for his next release- at this point Golden is an auto-buy author for me and I just hope I continue loving his books in the future.
Another banger from Christopher Golden! This book had similar vibes to Road of Bones- the eeriness and Golden's signature style of writing horror that actually makes my skin crawl. Something about the feeling of being stalked by a monster in an isolated setting really does it for me. I learned from Road of Bones not to get attached to the characters and I'm glad I did because when I say no one is safe I really mean NO ONE is safe. This author is not afraid to go there and I really love that about his books. He also blends fantasy and horror in a way that really works for me. I know not everyone vibes with his style but I think his stories are fantastic.
I also discovered upon finishing this book that prior to the release of this novel Golden worked on a comic series Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens that features the Ur Witches- the same type of witches found in The Night Birds. It was very cool having a visual to go with the descriptions in this novel. I haven’t finished the comic yet but I plan to. I did read All Hallows and found it very mid so I am hoping that one is just a dud. I plan to read more of this author’s backlist while I wait for his next release- at this point Golden is an auto-buy author for me and I just hope I continue loving his books in the future.
January 13, 2025
Christopher Golden excels in combining the horrifically fantastic with the relatable mundane placing believable characters into a realm of nightmares. His latest, The Night Birds, is an atmospheric, supernatural tale of mankind taking on a magical force while dealing with brutal Mother Nature. The Night Birds is an action-packed, soul-plummeting novel that makes for a scary adventure, even when Golden’s prose gets a little soggy.
The Night Birds features Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill former lovers with an understandable loss. Charlie, going by his surname Book, is a researcher for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Ruby is a musician a few gigs away from making a name for herself on the touring circuit. They are both dealing with life separately until an unexpected baby and a major category hurricane brings them back together.
Along with the witches. A whole nasty coven of them.
Golden goes through the paces of setting up Book, his team, and their homebase the Christabel, a 19th century freighter that lies half-sunken just off the shore of Galveston, perhaps fictitiously based off the SS Selma. Similar to his previous works of Ararat and All Hallows, Golden crafts relatable people with all their charm and faults in place. He gives them stories and lives, showing that these characters need to be a worthy investment, especially for when the peril kicks in and those numbers start to dwindle.
Similar to those aforementioned works, Golden’s foundations here are nearly too solid so when the magic does occur that bedrock does not easily sway. When the uncanny finally hits, the result should be eye-opening. At first, though, any such revelation is merely eye-rolling.
Until it isn’t.
Golden, after all, is a craftsman who can easily manipulate both characters and readers. Otherwise the storm that threatened to capsize the Christabel could have inflicted similar damage to the narrative.
Golden remains a thrilling contemporary horror writer. Both Road of Bones and his more-recent The House of Last Resort, has Golden at his best as he properly balances human lives with undead terror. While The Night Birds sometimes gets a little rain soaked in its repetitiveness, when Golden finally unleashes the crazy, he has the volume cranked to eleven. As waves of water pummel the Christabel, darkness and dread choke the reader in a glorious page-turner of read.
The witches are after the baby who has come into Ruby’s possession – her nephew. Golden plays with Old World fairy tales and intermixes it all with 21st century comic book action. Even when some of Book’s labors fall to the laborious, Golden builds the tension with Ruby, the renegade witch Mae, and Book’s compatriot Gerald, that keeps the blood flowing. And spilling.
In previous stories, both aforementioned as well as the fun read Snowblind, Golden hints and teases at the monsters from the shadows. With The Night Birds he goes deep into the origins of witches, witchcraft, and their strange, dark power. While he could have gone even deeper, bringing the past’s history into the relevant present, Golden keeps his book focus on Book, making the reluctant hero all the more valiant. The Night Birds, regardless of its few unkempt feathers, is a striking entry in the world of modern horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this finely-feathered advance treat.
For more of this review as well as others, flap your wings on over to Read @ Joe's
The Night Birds features Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill former lovers with an understandable loss. Charlie, going by his surname Book, is a researcher for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Ruby is a musician a few gigs away from making a name for herself on the touring circuit. They are both dealing with life separately until an unexpected baby and a major category hurricane brings them back together.
Along with the witches. A whole nasty coven of them.
Golden goes through the paces of setting up Book, his team, and their homebase the Christabel, a 19th century freighter that lies half-sunken just off the shore of Galveston, perhaps fictitiously based off the SS Selma. Similar to his previous works of Ararat and All Hallows, Golden crafts relatable people with all their charm and faults in place. He gives them stories and lives, showing that these characters need to be a worthy investment, especially for when the peril kicks in and those numbers start to dwindle.
Similar to those aforementioned works, Golden’s foundations here are nearly too solid so when the magic does occur that bedrock does not easily sway. When the uncanny finally hits, the result should be eye-opening. At first, though, any such revelation is merely eye-rolling.
Until it isn’t.
Golden, after all, is a craftsman who can easily manipulate both characters and readers. Otherwise the storm that threatened to capsize the Christabel could have inflicted similar damage to the narrative.
Golden remains a thrilling contemporary horror writer. Both Road of Bones and his more-recent The House of Last Resort, has Golden at his best as he properly balances human lives with undead terror. While The Night Birds sometimes gets a little rain soaked in its repetitiveness, when Golden finally unleashes the crazy, he has the volume cranked to eleven. As waves of water pummel the Christabel, darkness and dread choke the reader in a glorious page-turner of read.
The witches are after the baby who has come into Ruby’s possession – her nephew. Golden plays with Old World fairy tales and intermixes it all with 21st century comic book action. Even when some of Book’s labors fall to the laborious, Golden builds the tension with Ruby, the renegade witch Mae, and Book’s compatriot Gerald, that keeps the blood flowing. And spilling.
In previous stories, both aforementioned as well as the fun read Snowblind, Golden hints and teases at the monsters from the shadows. With The Night Birds he goes deep into the origins of witches, witchcraft, and their strange, dark power. While he could have gone even deeper, bringing the past’s history into the relevant present, Golden keeps his book focus on Book, making the reluctant hero all the more valiant. The Night Birds, regardless of its few unkempt feathers, is a striking entry in the world of modern horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this finely-feathered advance treat.
For more of this review as well as others, flap your wings on over to Read @ Joe's
February 20, 2025
I was trying to think of the last time I read a scary witch story and...it's been a bit. Maybe Hex?
Most witches these days tend to be either the leather clad urban fantasy ones or the kitchen witch type. These? They're just pure evil.
Aside from our scary witches, we also have an amazing setting. I could see, hear and smell this place - it was so vivid.
I loved our characters, my heart broke more than once, and I want nothing to do with our witchy ones.
A great read!
Most witches these days tend to be either the leather clad urban fantasy ones or the kitchen witch type. These? They're just pure evil.
Aside from our scary witches, we also have an amazing setting. I could see, hear and smell this place - it was so vivid.
I loved our characters, my heart broke more than once, and I want nothing to do with our witchy ones.
A great read!
January 6, 2025
The Night Birds
by New York Times bestselling author
Christopher Golden
is a true testament to Golden's writing ability, drawing me into an atmospheric tale set against the haunting backdrop of a half-sunken 19th-century freighter off the coast of Texas. The Night Birds is a heart-pounding novel filled with suspense, romance, and supernatural horror.
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.
Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she’s not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them, it’s a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims.
It’s lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.
After reading The House of Last Resort to start 2024, I was unsure how Christopher Golden would able to repeat my love for his writing. The Night Birds did just that with a sense of mystery and suspense that permeates every page. Golden wastes no time in enveloping us in an eerie ambiance with vivid imagery of this half-submerged freighter ship—a rusting hulk lying forgotten at sea with a mangrove forest bursting from the seams. While the ship frightening on its own, the horror of the ship during a storm is only the beginning. As I dove deeper into this maritime horror, I found myself aboard this precarious vessel alongside characters with secrets, mysteries and horrors of their own.
Central to The Night Birds is a visceral conflict between good and evil that transcends mere physical confrontation. This struggle shines with complex characters whose motives are revealed gradually throughout the story. This character development, in addition the Christabel–the ships is almost its own character as well, added depth to the narrative. The presence of an old flame complicates matters further, presenting questions about loyalty, trust, and how far one would go to help someone once cherished under such harrowing circumstances.
In addition the Christabel and the characters, the birds themselves are creepy and foreboding. Their appearances are insidious yet compelling; they provoke curiosity tinged with dread—much like watching a storm gather strength over open waters. The Night Birds with the eerie birds and the rats in The House of Last Resort equally gave me goosebumps with each read.
Golden's prose is nothing short of mesmerizing—evocative without being overwrought—and his ability to intertwine psychological suspense with elements of supernatural horror kept me perpetually on edge. The author's dialogue flows super naturally (see what I did there) even amidst chaos ensuing while the pacing is spot on.
The Night Birds by Christopher Golden meets, if not succeeds, my expectations of the author's ability to craft eerie and atmospheric horror tales. Each sentence, paragraph and chapter is flawlessly executed creating a comprehensively outstanding novel that is sure to end up on my favorite books of 2025. Golden has a knack for telling stories that stay with me long after the book is closed and The Night Birds is not different.
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.
Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she’s not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them, it’s a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims.
It’s lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.
After reading The House of Last Resort to start 2024, I was unsure how Christopher Golden would able to repeat my love for his writing. The Night Birds did just that with a sense of mystery and suspense that permeates every page. Golden wastes no time in enveloping us in an eerie ambiance with vivid imagery of this half-submerged freighter ship—a rusting hulk lying forgotten at sea with a mangrove forest bursting from the seams. While the ship frightening on its own, the horror of the ship during a storm is only the beginning. As I dove deeper into this maritime horror, I found myself aboard this precarious vessel alongside characters with secrets, mysteries and horrors of their own.
Central to The Night Birds is a visceral conflict between good and evil that transcends mere physical confrontation. This struggle shines with complex characters whose motives are revealed gradually throughout the story. This character development, in addition the Christabel–the ships is almost its own character as well, added depth to the narrative. The presence of an old flame complicates matters further, presenting questions about loyalty, trust, and how far one would go to help someone once cherished under such harrowing circumstances.
In addition the Christabel and the characters, the birds themselves are creepy and foreboding. Their appearances are insidious yet compelling; they provoke curiosity tinged with dread—much like watching a storm gather strength over open waters. The Night Birds with the eerie birds and the rats in The House of Last Resort equally gave me goosebumps with each read.
Golden's prose is nothing short of mesmerizing—evocative without being overwrought—and his ability to intertwine psychological suspense with elements of supernatural horror kept me perpetually on edge. The author's dialogue flows super naturally (see what I did there) even amidst chaos ensuing while the pacing is spot on.
The Night Birds by Christopher Golden meets, if not succeeds, my expectations of the author's ability to craft eerie and atmospheric horror tales. Each sentence, paragraph and chapter is flawlessly executed creating a comprehensively outstanding novel that is sure to end up on my favorite books of 2025. Golden has a knack for telling stories that stay with me long after the book is closed and The Night Birds is not different.
December 30, 2024
A big thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.
A gory, supernaturally good time. I’ve never read anything of Christopher Golden’s before (although I see he’s on my TBR!), and after reading The Night Birds, I couldn’t be more excited to get to some of his other novels.
Charlie Book lives and works on a grounded freighter off the coast of Galveston. One stormy night, his ex, Ruby, shows up at his doorstep. Ruby’s sister, Bella, has been murdered and someone is after her new baby nephew, Aiden, and Bella’s ex Mae. Ruby asks Book to give them shelter for the night, promising that they’ll be gone in the morning. Things don't go exactly to plan.
There’s no gradual building to the horror here. Golden drops us right into the center of the action. The entire novel is fast-paced; I finished it in only a couple of days. Golden has a way of writing that propels the narrative forward at break-necked speed. This is a great novel for someone that wants a quick read and isn’t afraid of some blood and mutilation (or a lot of blood, really).
When it comes to magic, I know that there’s some people who want really clearly defined parameters for the magic rules. I will say, The Night Birds doesn’t have that. The focus is a lot less on the magic, how it’s possible, and how it works, and much more focused on the characters rolling with the punches and just trying to stay alive. This didn’t bother me at all, I actually preferred it this way. Instead of bogging down the narrative with exposition or backstory, we leaned as the characters did (and didn’t learn more). I’m completely here for that close-kept point-of-view.
That said, there are some rules that are given to us, and the narrative doesn't deviate from them which I can appreciate. There’s the trope of two estranged characters coming back together, falling back in love throughout the narrative, and then standing together, the only survivors on the hill as the sun rises. I feel like that’s in everything anymore, especially horror. I really appreciated Golden flipping that script . The characters were constantly making difficult choices, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t always know what choices they were going to make, especially out of Mae.
At it's heart, this is a horror novel, and The Night Birds doesn't shy away from reminding the reader of this fact. The novel is full of gore and violence and death. As an avid horror reader, it didn't find any of it particularly shocking. The setting is interesting and a bit spooky but not particularly atmospheric. The horror primarily shines through the physical violence rather than the vibes. So something to keep in mind depending on what kind of horror you're into.
Golden really weaves a nice, tightly wound, tale. I’m looking forward to what else he has to offer.
A gory, supernaturally good time. I’ve never read anything of Christopher Golden’s before (although I see he’s on my TBR!), and after reading The Night Birds, I couldn’t be more excited to get to some of his other novels.
Charlie Book lives and works on a grounded freighter off the coast of Galveston. One stormy night, his ex, Ruby, shows up at his doorstep. Ruby’s sister, Bella, has been murdered and someone is after her new baby nephew, Aiden, and Bella’s ex Mae. Ruby asks Book to give them shelter for the night, promising that they’ll be gone in the morning. Things don't go exactly to plan.
There’s no gradual building to the horror here. Golden drops us right into the center of the action. The entire novel is fast-paced; I finished it in only a couple of days. Golden has a way of writing that propels the narrative forward at break-necked speed. This is a great novel for someone that wants a quick read and isn’t afraid of some blood and mutilation (or a lot of blood, really).
When it comes to magic, I know that there’s some people who want really clearly defined parameters for the magic rules. I will say, The Night Birds doesn’t have that. The focus is a lot less on the magic, how it’s possible, and how it works, and much more focused on the characters rolling with the punches and just trying to stay alive. This didn’t bother me at all, I actually preferred it this way. Instead of bogging down the narrative with exposition or backstory, we leaned as the characters did (and didn’t learn more). I’m completely here for that close-kept point-of-view.
That said, there are some rules that are given to us, and the narrative doesn't deviate from them which I can appreciate. There’s the trope of two estranged characters coming back together, falling back in love throughout the narrative, and then standing together, the only survivors on the hill as the sun rises. I feel like that’s in everything anymore, especially horror. I really appreciated Golden flipping that script . The characters were constantly making difficult choices, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t always know what choices they were going to make, especially out of Mae.
At it's heart, this is a horror novel, and The Night Birds doesn't shy away from reminding the reader of this fact. The novel is full of gore and violence and death. As an avid horror reader, it didn't find any of it particularly shocking. The setting is interesting and a bit spooky but not particularly atmospheric. The horror primarily shines through the physical violence rather than the vibes. So something to keep in mind depending on what kind of horror you're into.
Golden really weaves a nice, tightly wound, tale. I’m looking forward to what else he has to offer.
January 29, 2025
Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Night Birds is the newest horror from Christopher Golden, following Book, Ruby and Mae as they fight to protect an infant child from a coven of not-witches dead set on killing him. Set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship that has it's own forest growing out of it, this book is filled with eerie atmospheric writing. The tension in this book is off the charts, and manages to climb the entire story. I started reading it during the day and was about 60% in when I found myself alone, at night, reading this, and decided to take a break to finish it during day time.
If you're already a Christopher Golden fan, dive right in, the water (wink wink) is warm and the girls are terrifying.
I do think if you've read previous Golden books, this one isn't as scary. It's much more thriller than horror compared to, say, Ararat or The House of Last Resort, but its still a lot of fun, as his books usually are.
The Night Birds is the newest horror from Christopher Golden, following Book, Ruby and Mae as they fight to protect an infant child from a coven of not-witches dead set on killing him. Set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship that has it's own forest growing out of it, this book is filled with eerie atmospheric writing. The tension in this book is off the charts, and manages to climb the entire story. I started reading it during the day and was about 60% in when I found myself alone, at night, reading this, and decided to take a break to finish it during day time.
If you're already a Christopher Golden fan, dive right in, the water (wink wink) is warm and the girls are terrifying.
I do think if you've read previous Golden books, this one isn't as scary. It's much more thriller than horror compared to, say, Ararat or The House of Last Resort, but its still a lot of fun, as his books usually are.
March 8, 2025
I thought this was just ok. I really loved the first half of the book, the setting and events leading up to the climactic chapters were so ominous and dark. The storm, the ship, the mysterious birds…..the author very effectively gave me this eerie sense of foreboding. Then once the action and physical horror kicked in, I thought it was just okay. I don’t tend to think witches are scary so the horror aspect didn’t resonate with me at all. Also Book and Ruby didn’t have me rooting for them like I thought I would, I didn’t even care about them as much as I did Book’s co-workers. I’d still recommend it if you like an action packed horror and if you aren’t looking for anything too deep in terms of character portrayal.
March 12, 2025
3.5 stars rounded down
This is an atmospheric and moody read, which I absolutely love. It would be the prefect read in a thunderstorm. The primary setting, on a half-sunken freighter in the Gulf of Mexico, is unique and amazing.
The action is fast-paced, and it's a pretty quick read. I read this during a busy time in my life, and even if I didn't have much time to read, I was able to knock out big chunks of this book in very little time.
Where the book kind of lost me is with the characters. This book was more focused on the plot than the characters, so I wasn't super invested in the characters to really care about their outcome.
Thanks to Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is an atmospheric and moody read, which I absolutely love. It would be the prefect read in a thunderstorm. The primary setting, on a half-sunken freighter in the Gulf of Mexico, is unique and amazing.
The action is fast-paced, and it's a pretty quick read. I read this during a busy time in my life, and even if I didn't have much time to read, I was able to knock out big chunks of this book in very little time.
Where the book kind of lost me is with the characters. This book was more focused on the plot than the characters, so I wasn't super invested in the characters to really care about their outcome.
Thanks to Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2024
This book, the cover originally caught my eye, because those colors are stunning, and it really pops off the screen.
But i stayed for the story inside, not what i expected going in, but it looked like isolation horror on some kind of boat, and i LOVE isolation horror.
The story starts with two people, who loved each other until their hearts broke and they parted ways.
You know how that story goes, sometimes love isn't enough and life just gives you the old heave ho.
But there life is again stirring the pot and Ruby shows back up in Charlies life, because Charlie is the one thing she can trust, despite their not so lovely break up.
Charlie finds all this out, in true surprise fashion, its not something you can just text, when he shows up at the dock to get on board the ship he's supposed to be studying wild life and doing science stuff on, which as soon as i knew "science " was happening, i just KNEW this shit was not going to go well, it never does.
So Ruby shows up, strange lady AND baby in hand needing safe passage and begging Charlie, who goes along with it because he cant say no to Ruby and their shared past, no matter how much it hurts, or how crazy the situation currently is.
And thats just the regular part of the book, can we talk about the "night birds" for just a brief second, what in the nightmare fuel are they ??
Supernatural, or is this some genetic engineering gone bad, because of the "pride of man" ?
There are witches or are they "witches" who knows, everything is going wrong for Charlie.
This gave me big Crichton vibes and I miss that mans writing so much, this, this got me close.
Its not Congo, but it gave me that same breakneck, I HAVE to finish this and cannot stop vibes, while also having crazy things happening, and I say "things" because no spoilers but who knows if its demons, ghosts, witches or experiments gone horribly wrong...
I have read a few of Golden's books, but this one took the cake for me, my favorite of what I've read.
I snagged this off of Netgalley and i high HIGHLY recommend checking this creepy boat trip a little read.
But i stayed for the story inside, not what i expected going in, but it looked like isolation horror on some kind of boat, and i LOVE isolation horror.
The story starts with two people, who loved each other until their hearts broke and they parted ways.
You know how that story goes, sometimes love isn't enough and life just gives you the old heave ho.
But there life is again stirring the pot and Ruby shows back up in Charlies life, because Charlie is the one thing she can trust, despite their not so lovely break up.
Charlie finds all this out, in true surprise fashion, its not something you can just text, when he shows up at the dock to get on board the ship he's supposed to be studying wild life and doing science stuff on, which as soon as i knew "science " was happening, i just KNEW this shit was not going to go well, it never does.
So Ruby shows up, strange lady AND baby in hand needing safe passage and begging Charlie, who goes along with it because he cant say no to Ruby and their shared past, no matter how much it hurts, or how crazy the situation currently is.
And thats just the regular part of the book, can we talk about the "night birds" for just a brief second, what in the nightmare fuel are they ??
Supernatural, or is this some genetic engineering gone bad, because of the "pride of man" ?
There are witches or are they "witches" who knows, everything is going wrong for Charlie.
This gave me big Crichton vibes and I miss that mans writing so much, this, this got me close.
Its not Congo, but it gave me that same breakneck, I HAVE to finish this and cannot stop vibes, while also having crazy things happening, and I say "things" because no spoilers but who knows if its demons, ghosts, witches or experiments gone horribly wrong...
I have read a few of Golden's books, but this one took the cake for me, my favorite of what I've read.
I snagged this off of Netgalley and i high HIGHLY recommend checking this creepy boat trip a little read.
December 30, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book started slow and then the horror HIT HARD. I liked the small town vibes and the sense of dread that the beginning chapters lent to the story, and then end certainly didn’t pull punches. The way the story came full circle was both sad and satisfying. Part of me wonders if this was an allegory for certain political positions, but maybe I’m thinking too much into it.
Huge TW: Child-Loss - seriously, don’t read it if this is a concern for you.
This book started slow and then the horror HIT HARD. I liked the small town vibes and the sense of dread that the beginning chapters lent to the story, and then end certainly didn’t pull punches. The way the story came full circle was both sad and satisfying. Part of me wonders if this was an allegory for certain political positions, but maybe I’m thinking too much into it.
Huge TW: Child-Loss - seriously, don’t read it if this is a concern for you.
Want to read
January 2, 2025oooh, this one sounds SO GOOD! Out in May
Read
February 3, 202570% dnf. witches were cool but characters and plot line are weak and slow.
November 12, 2024
Like always, an excellent story with flawless writing. I'll never look at a ship or seabird the same ever again, and neither will you.
January 23, 2025
The Night Birds provides a unique setting—a creepy, half-sunken, rusty old freighter, the Cristabel, that ran aground off the coast of Galveston, Texas in the 19th century. It has since evolved into an ecosystem all its own, with a forest of Mangrove trees growing up through the broken deck and creating a home for other flora and fauna that wouldn’t otherwise be there. It has become an informal research facility that four intrepid scientists are studying to persuade the government that it has value as a wildlife preserve, in order to keep the state from dismantling the old ship and hauling it away for scrap.
Of the four, Charlie Book is the hardest core, the only scientist who lives aboard the Cristabel. His life is simple and quiet, as he likes it…until a violent storm comes up and brings with it his former girlfriend, Ruby, with whom things ended badly a year ago. She and another young woman carrying an infant, are seeking asylum on the ship, but won’t explain who is after them right away.
Book finally finds out that, as he initially thought, it wasn’t the police chasing them, but something much more dangerous and ghastly…the Night Birds…shapeshifting witches.
Christopher Golden has put a new slant on a familiar trope by tapping into Icelandic folklore to create the eerie Night Birds. I did some reading of Icelandic folklore after reading this book, and it is nothing short of fascinating. The author weaves this ancient lore into the present day so seamlessly that something unbelievable suddenly seems quite possible, and this is why the book is so frightening. I read it in one sitting and was on the edge of my chair the whole time—and being the jaded horror fan that I am, it is difficult to do this to me, but Mr. Golden does it every time. You will feel as if you know his characters personally by the time you finish the book and will be sorry to say goodbye as you turn the last page.
No horror fan can possibly go wrong with Christopher Golden, and I have every confidence that if you pick up a copy of The Night Birds, based upon my recommendation, you will be delighted and will want to read more by this New York Times bestselling author, who won both the Shirley Jackson Award and the Bram Stoker Award. None of his books will fail to provide hours of fast-paced, page-turning excitement. Add one…or twelve…to your library today.
Of the four, Charlie Book is the hardest core, the only scientist who lives aboard the Cristabel. His life is simple and quiet, as he likes it…until a violent storm comes up and brings with it his former girlfriend, Ruby, with whom things ended badly a year ago. She and another young woman carrying an infant, are seeking asylum on the ship, but won’t explain who is after them right away.
Book finally finds out that, as he initially thought, it wasn’t the police chasing them, but something much more dangerous and ghastly…the Night Birds…shapeshifting witches.
Christopher Golden has put a new slant on a familiar trope by tapping into Icelandic folklore to create the eerie Night Birds. I did some reading of Icelandic folklore after reading this book, and it is nothing short of fascinating. The author weaves this ancient lore into the present day so seamlessly that something unbelievable suddenly seems quite possible, and this is why the book is so frightening. I read it in one sitting and was on the edge of my chair the whole time—and being the jaded horror fan that I am, it is difficult to do this to me, but Mr. Golden does it every time. You will feel as if you know his characters personally by the time you finish the book and will be sorry to say goodbye as you turn the last page.
No horror fan can possibly go wrong with Christopher Golden, and I have every confidence that if you pick up a copy of The Night Birds, based upon my recommendation, you will be delighted and will want to read more by this New York Times bestselling author, who won both the Shirley Jackson Award and the Bram Stoker Award. None of his books will fail to provide hours of fast-paced, page-turning excitement. Add one…or twelve…to your library today.
January 14, 2025
Thank you Christopher and NetGalley for the ARC!
NIGHT BIRDS has everything. Half-sunken ships. A coven hunting a sacrifice. And a lot of messy relationships.
Buffeted by a storm in off the Gulf, the Cristabel is something of a maritime wonder. The ancient wreck has been left to rust and rot off Galveston, but nature reclaimed her in unexpected ways. Her deck and some lower levels have been taken over by a huge mangrove forest. It is here that Golden's protagonists make their last stand against a flock (see what I did there?) of witches (don't call them that, they get mad) planning to restore their goddess to the walking world through the ritual sacrifice of a baby.
TW: child loss
A wild horror ride woven together by shared grief and trauma. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a child will immediately find kinship with Ruby, feeling isolated long before she makes it aboard the Cristabel. Wondering how the world carries on while you come to terms with the knowledge that you could not love your baby enough to save them. When given something like a second chance in the form of her sister's child, Ruby is ready to do whatever it takes.
The horrors are made all the more terrible when you consider each character's isolation. Everyone is keeping secret griefs or pains or loves from everyone else, letting them metastasize even as the next horror unfolds.
Beautiful and sad and fraught with tension, Night Birds is one of Golden's best.
NIGHT BIRDS has everything. Half-sunken ships. A coven hunting a sacrifice. And a lot of messy relationships.
Buffeted by a storm in off the Gulf, the Cristabel is something of a maritime wonder. The ancient wreck has been left to rust and rot off Galveston, but nature reclaimed her in unexpected ways. Her deck and some lower levels have been taken over by a huge mangrove forest. It is here that Golden's protagonists make their last stand against a flock (see what I did there?) of witches (don't call them that, they get mad) planning to restore their goddess to the walking world through the ritual sacrifice of a baby.
TW: child loss
A wild horror ride woven together by shared grief and trauma. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a child will immediately find kinship with Ruby, feeling isolated long before she makes it aboard the Cristabel. Wondering how the world carries on while you come to terms with the knowledge that you could not love your baby enough to save them. When given something like a second chance in the form of her sister's child, Ruby is ready to do whatever it takes.
The horrors are made all the more terrible when you consider each character's isolation. Everyone is keeping secret griefs or pains or loves from everyone else, letting them metastasize even as the next horror unfolds.
Beautiful and sad and fraught with tension, Night Birds is one of Golden's best.
February 27, 2025
Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Night Birds. Christopher Golden is a master storyteller when it comes to the horror genre. I have read all his novels and each one is so different and chilling.
In his new book he takes you to the sea. A group of scientists are working on an old sunken ship and their goals are to find out how the ship will survive in nature among other things.
Charlie Book leads his team in the research. Book and his team are on a short recess when a big storm hits. Book stays on the ship as usual to wait it out.
Ruby is a woman with a past that includes Book. But that is history and now she is alone.
One night a woman shows up at Rubys doorstep and she has a baby in tow. The woman used to be her sister’s lover. Her sister is dead according to this woman.
Her name is Mae and she’s in trouble.
Ruby takes her and the child to Book. They need help but they don’t tell him why. They tell him they need him to hide them for a few Few days.
Book is troubled but agrees and that is the beginning of a nightmare because what follows them is not human and has one goal in mind. The child. And Ruby is terrified she will lose her nephew.
But what follows has plans of their own. And they also will do everything to achieve that goal.
Very good. Very scary. 4 stars
In his new book he takes you to the sea. A group of scientists are working on an old sunken ship and their goals are to find out how the ship will survive in nature among other things.
Charlie Book leads his team in the research. Book and his team are on a short recess when a big storm hits. Book stays on the ship as usual to wait it out.
Ruby is a woman with a past that includes Book. But that is history and now she is alone.
One night a woman shows up at Rubys doorstep and she has a baby in tow. The woman used to be her sister’s lover. Her sister is dead according to this woman.
Her name is Mae and she’s in trouble.
Ruby takes her and the child to Book. They need help but they don’t tell him why. They tell him they need him to hide them for a few Few days.
Book is troubled but agrees and that is the beginning of a nightmare because what follows them is not human and has one goal in mind. The child. And Ruby is terrified she will lose her nephew.
But what follows has plans of their own. And they also will do everything to achieve that goal.
Very good. Very scary. 4 stars
December 21, 2024
Wow, this might be Golden's wildest book yet! A forest on a hundred-year-old ship, a hurricane, a coven of 'don't call us witches,' a violent battle between good and evil, what more could you ask for?
The action ramps up almost immediately, and the tension never wavers. There are some truly unsettling scenes, wonderfully gruesome deaths, and plenty of creepy characters throughout - all elements that many recent horror novels have been lacking. The setting is truly unique, and the atmosphere is consistently palpable.
There's a decently large cast of characters to keep track of, but most, including our protagonist Book are solidly created and easy to root for. My favorite was, surprisingly, Mae, our conflicted anti-hero.
Overall, I enjoyed the breakneck pacing of the book, but I would have liked a little more background on the 'not witches' and their mythology. The early conversations attempting to explain their existence were some of the weaker parts of the book, and a little bit awkward. There were also scenes later in the book where supernatural aspects were less effective than they could have been without more context.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Netgalley, and am voluntarily providing an honest review.
The action ramps up almost immediately, and the tension never wavers. There are some truly unsettling scenes, wonderfully gruesome deaths, and plenty of creepy characters throughout - all elements that many recent horror novels have been lacking. The setting is truly unique, and the atmosphere is consistently palpable.
There's a decently large cast of characters to keep track of, but most, including our protagonist Book are solidly created and easy to root for. My favorite was, surprisingly, Mae, our conflicted anti-hero.
Overall, I enjoyed the breakneck pacing of the book, but I would have liked a little more background on the 'not witches' and their mythology. The early conversations attempting to explain their existence were some of the weaker parts of the book, and a little bit awkward. There were also scenes later in the book where supernatural aspects were less effective than they could have been without more context.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Netgalley, and am voluntarily providing an honest review.
February 5, 2025
I couldn't put this book down! The captivating reunion between Charlie and Ruby had me hooked from the start. I loved how their history added depth and tension to the story, making their unexpected encounter on the Christabel even more compelling. The description of the Floating Forest was so vivid that I could almost see the mangrove trees growing through the deck of the ship—what a beautiful and eerie setting! I was genuinely surprised when Ruby showed up with Mae and her infant child, seeking refuge from a coven of witches. The mix of magic, mystery, and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. The dynamic between Book and Ruby was filled with unspoken pain and unresolved feelings, which made their interactions both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The blend of romance, mystery, and supernatural elements made for a truly engaging read.
If you're looking for a story that will keep you entertained and invested in the characters, this book is a must-read!
Thank you to @stmartinspress @christopher_golden and @netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
If you're looking for a story that will keep you entertained and invested in the characters, this book is a must-read!
Thank you to @stmartinspress @christopher_golden and @netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
March 7, 2025
An edge of your seat read. I was not sure what this book was about but it gripped me from the beginning. I loved Christopher Golden's book All Hallows so I was excited to read this ARC. Ruby is at home one night and hears something in her backyard. She sees it's a woman holding an infant. The woman claims to be her estranged sister's girlfriend and the baby is Ruby's nephew. She then tells Ruby's her sister was murdered and that they need to run to save the baby from her sister's killers.
Ruby takes them all to seek out her former lover Charlie Book. Book is a scientist studying an old freighter called the Christabel that has been shipwrecked so long that a floating forest trees have taken residence through it. Due to an oncoming storm that has began the four of them seek refuge aboard the ship. However only one of them knows what is to come upon. An ancient evil has arrived and is willing to take down anyone that stands in the way of it getting that baby.
Ruby takes them all to seek out her former lover Charlie Book. Book is a scientist studying an old freighter called the Christabel that has been shipwrecked so long that a floating forest trees have taken residence through it. Due to an oncoming storm that has began the four of them seek refuge aboard the ship. However only one of them knows what is to come upon. An ancient evil has arrived and is willing to take down anyone that stands in the way of it getting that baby.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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