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Whom the Gods Would Destroy
For Damien, growing up was all about being an outsider in his own home. His mother and brother shared an unfathomable bond that left him excluded from their lives. Yet his earliest, fragmentary memory of them was so nightmarish, their lives were something he ran from as soon as he could.
Now an astronomy graduate student in Seattle, Damien is happy with his place as a speck in a cosmos vast beyond comprehension. Until his brother turns up after 13 years, to make amends and seek his expertise on a discovery that may not be of this Earth. The more the world expands to admit the possibilities of a universe stranger than even Damien has imagined, the greater is his urgency to resist being reclaimed by a past that never seemed to want him…until now.
Like a collision of galaxies between H.P. Lovecraft and Carl Sagan, Whom the Gods Would Destroy looks to the night skies as the source of our greatest wonder, and finds them swarming with our worst fears.
Now an astronomy graduate student in Seattle, Damien is happy with his place as a speck in a cosmos vast beyond comprehension. Until his brother turns up after 13 years, to make amends and seek his expertise on a discovery that may not be of this Earth. The more the world expands to admit the possibilities of a universe stranger than even Damien has imagined, the greater is his urgency to resist being reclaimed by a past that never seemed to want him…until now.
Like a collision of galaxies between H.P. Lovecraft and Carl Sagan, Whom the Gods Would Destroy looks to the night skies as the source of our greatest wonder, and finds them swarming with our worst fears.
85 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2013
21 people are currently reading
1296 people want to read
About the author
Brian Hodge
149 books447 followersBrian Hodge, called “a writer of spectacularly unflinching gifts” by Peter Straub, is the award-winning author of ten novels of horror and crime/noir. He’s also written well over 100 short stories, novelettes, and novellas, and four full-length collections. His first collection, The Convulsion Factory, was ranked by critic Stanley Wiater as among the 113 best books of modern horror.
He lives in Colorado, where he also dabbles in music and photography; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga, grappling, and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.
He lives in Colorado, where he also dabbles in music and photography; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga, grappling, and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
August 1, 2016
For most of his childhood, Damien was shunned by his sinister mother in favor of his older half-brother. Decades later, Cameron shows up, wanting help. Will Damien help him?
When I read the blurb saying this was HP Lovecraft meets Carl Sagan, I jumped on it since that's a pretty clever-sounding elevator pitch. Plus, I've loved some of Brian Hodge's short stories so I was itching to see what he'd do with a novella. He did pretty well.
Damien is an astronomy student with mother who was a little too interested in the occult. When his brother shows up, things quickly go off the rails in a tale of alien gods, meteor showers, and human sacrifice. Cameron's appearance shake's Damien's life to the core and one gets the sense it keeps on shaking long after the final page.
That's about all I want to say without revealing too much. Whom the Gods Would Destroy asks a lot of questions about man's place in the universe, the sheer vastness of the cosmos and whether or not we're alone. It's not fantastic but it was a fun, fascinating read. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
When I read the blurb saying this was HP Lovecraft meets Carl Sagan, I jumped on it since that's a pretty clever-sounding elevator pitch. Plus, I've loved some of Brian Hodge's short stories so I was itching to see what he'd do with a novella. He did pretty well.
Damien is an astronomy student with mother who was a little too interested in the occult. When his brother shows up, things quickly go off the rails in a tale of alien gods, meteor showers, and human sacrifice. Cameron's appearance shake's Damien's life to the core and one gets the sense it keeps on shaking long after the final page.
That's about all I want to say without revealing too much. Whom the Gods Would Destroy asks a lot of questions about man's place in the universe, the sheer vastness of the cosmos and whether or not we're alone. It's not fantastic but it was a fun, fascinating read. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
December 11, 2013
4.5 stars!
WOW! That was my first thought. Let's see if I can elaborate on that.
This story begins with Damien relating his first memories, and what horrible memories they were. Memories of a mother who neglected and mentally abused him. A mother who favored Damien's half brother Cameron over him. A mother that chains her son to the steering wheel and takes off for hours at a time.
After a start like that, the reader is already invested in Damien and is hoping that he will one day gain the love and attention that he so deserved as a child. We now join Damien as a grown man, living the calm and sedate life of a grad student and dating a beautiful stripper named Ashleigh. Everything is cool and we're happy for him. Until Cameron shows up after years of no contact whatsoever and wants to have a relationship again.
From there this story heads to different cities...hell, to different WORLDS, provoking and prodding my imagination to no end. Which then brought to mind the questions-Is space infinite? If not, how far does it go? Is there life out there? If so, is it coming here, and if so, in what form? Is it coming at different times throughout the centuries? Can we call it here under the right conditions? If so, how?
Mr. Hodge provokes the reader to ask all of these questions during the course of this tale. I suspect the answers will all be different, depending upon the reader. All I know is that this novella was well written, provocative, interesting and mysterious. I will be thinking about it for some time. I also know that I've been dragging my feet in familiarizing myself with Mr. Hodge's other works. I will rectify that shortly. I highly recommend this novella to fans of dark fiction, science fiction, Lovecraft and/or cosmic horror.
WOW! That was my first thought. Let's see if I can elaborate on that.
This story begins with Damien relating his first memories, and what horrible memories they were. Memories of a mother who neglected and mentally abused him. A mother who favored Damien's half brother Cameron over him. A mother that chains her son to the steering wheel and takes off for hours at a time.
After a start like that, the reader is already invested in Damien and is hoping that he will one day gain the love and attention that he so deserved as a child. We now join Damien as a grown man, living the calm and sedate life of a grad student and dating a beautiful stripper named Ashleigh. Everything is cool and we're happy for him. Until Cameron shows up after years of no contact whatsoever and wants to have a relationship again.
From there this story heads to different cities...hell, to different WORLDS, provoking and prodding my imagination to no end. Which then brought to mind the questions-Is space infinite? If not, how far does it go? Is there life out there? If so, is it coming here, and if so, in what form? Is it coming at different times throughout the centuries? Can we call it here under the right conditions? If so, how?
Mr. Hodge provokes the reader to ask all of these questions during the course of this tale. I suspect the answers will all be different, depending upon the reader. All I know is that this novella was well written, provocative, interesting and mysterious. I will be thinking about it for some time. I also know that I've been dragging my feet in familiarizing myself with Mr. Hodge's other works. I will rectify that shortly. I highly recommend this novella to fans of dark fiction, science fiction, Lovecraft and/or cosmic horror.
December 26, 2013
Damien’s Mother didn’t invest one little shred into his childhood, in fact she tied him to the steering wheel of her car while she went with his brother off into the countryside. That’s his earliest memory of his Mother, in fact he ends up being taken in by his best friend’s family and an end to his so called family. Years later he’s an astronomy student when his brother shows up wanting to repair their relationship and with amazing tales of the unbelievable. Soon Damien is off searching for the past and the future with startling revelations.
An interesting novella that does get railroaded at times with intensive science descriptions but it is well worth hanging in there, with engaging characters and a thought provoking plot.
An interesting novella that does get railroaded at times with intensive science descriptions but it is well worth hanging in there, with engaging characters and a thought provoking plot.
April 9, 2015
This is the first book I have read by Brian since Without Purpose, Without Pity. The story starts out with Damien thinking about his early memories of how badly he was treated by his mother. And how much better his half brother Cameron was treated. He leaves his family at a early age and then the story moves to him as a grad student with a girlfriend named Ashleigh. Then one day Cameron shows up and tells him he needs help and he has to show him something. This is where the story takes off. He later tracks down his father to find out the story about his mother. Then the story goes into talking about DNA, Gods, other Universes and how... I don't want to say to much so I'll stop here. I did enjoy reading WGWD. It had that Sci-Fi Lovecraft feel too it. I gave it 4 stars.
July 7, 2025
3 stars.
Damien’s mother had no time for him, but adored his older brother Cameron. Damien broke free from their lives and now studies the stars in Seattle, living life on his own terms. Then Cameron reappears in his life and claims to have interesting information on space to offer which might lead to a job. This pulls Damien down the worst of all rabbit holes.
Intense book. Short.
Damien’s mother had no time for him, but adored his older brother Cameron. Damien broke free from their lives and now studies the stars in Seattle, living life on his own terms. Then Cameron reappears in his life and claims to have interesting information on space to offer which might lead to a job. This pulls Damien down the worst of all rabbit holes.
Intense book. Short.
December 11, 2013
4.5 stars
Brian Hodge has a terrific horror/sci-fi blended novella in WHOM THE GODS WOULD DESTROY. The story begins with our first person narrator, Damien, exploring his first real memory. Right from the beginning, you begin to feel for this person who was ostrasized by his own mother--who only felt that her older son, Cameron, was worth anything. To break away from his sorrowful upbringing, Damien takes to studying the stars and other galaxies in order to "feel" as far away from his own as possible.
He couldn't have been more wrong in this assumption.
We travel with Damien as he begins to discover what happened to his biological family after he left them at a young age. Through mind-blowing revelations, we're taken on a journey that will leave you pondering "what if….." the next time you look up into the vast reaches of space. While part of me wishes that Hodge had gone on just a little further with this story, another part of me insists that it ended on just the right note…. Read it for yourself and see what conclusions you come to.
Another fantastic read from the Dark Fuse novella line!
Recommended!
Brian Hodge has a terrific horror/sci-fi blended novella in WHOM THE GODS WOULD DESTROY. The story begins with our first person narrator, Damien, exploring his first real memory. Right from the beginning, you begin to feel for this person who was ostrasized by his own mother--who only felt that her older son, Cameron, was worth anything. To break away from his sorrowful upbringing, Damien takes to studying the stars and other galaxies in order to "feel" as far away from his own as possible.
He couldn't have been more wrong in this assumption.
We travel with Damien as he begins to discover what happened to his biological family after he left them at a young age. Through mind-blowing revelations, we're taken on a journey that will leave you pondering "what if….." the next time you look up into the vast reaches of space. While part of me wishes that Hodge had gone on just a little further with this story, another part of me insists that it ended on just the right note…. Read it for yourself and see what conclusions you come to.
Another fantastic read from the Dark Fuse novella line!
Recommended!
April 9, 2015
I'm not sure how Brian Hodge managed to squeeze an abusive childhood, a strained sibling relationship, elements of the science of astronomy, and a whole lot of cosmic horror into one 85 page novella, but I know he did it and did it extremely well.
Taking the first person POV of Damien, a young man who never knew his father and only escaped his critical and neglectful mother as soon as he was able, Whom the Gods Would Destroy details his search for answers when his half-brother shows up on his door-step and wants him to see something critically important. From there, Hodge takes the reader on a nightmarish journey of earth-altering proportions, steadily building tension, while at the same time delivering something truly thought-provoking. The writing is also on par with the plot, as Hodge delivers time and again with sentences which stopped me in my reading tracks.
A fantastic novella that was equal parts fascinating and frightening, Whom the Gods Would Destroy is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a little science mixed up with their fantastical horror.
4.5 Missed Nominations for Mother of the Year for Whom the Gods Would Destroy.
Taking the first person POV of Damien, a young man who never knew his father and only escaped his critical and neglectful mother as soon as he was able, Whom the Gods Would Destroy details his search for answers when his half-brother shows up on his door-step and wants him to see something critically important. From there, Hodge takes the reader on a nightmarish journey of earth-altering proportions, steadily building tension, while at the same time delivering something truly thought-provoking. The writing is also on par with the plot, as Hodge delivers time and again with sentences which stopped me in my reading tracks.
A fantastic novella that was equal parts fascinating and frightening, Whom the Gods Would Destroy is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a little science mixed up with their fantastical horror.
4.5 Missed Nominations for Mother of the Year for Whom the Gods Would Destroy.
December 25, 2013
Brian Hodge has long been one of my favorites, ever since Nightlife from the now defunct Dell Abyss line, and for those who haven't read him, you really should. Quite simply, Hodge is a master craftsmen with words, and one of horror fiction's brightest dark stars.
This novella from Darkfuse deals with an astronomy grad student, Damien, and his dysfunctional family, who he'd thought he long left behind...until his half brother, Cameron, shows up inexplicably, with the promise of something big and vastly important to show him. But what Damien doesn't know, until its too late, is that his crazed mother is still alive and well, but very different...and its time for him to claim his legacy. While obviously a tale of cosmic horror smartly done, and the slight comparisons to Lovecraft are warranted, Hodge deftly weaves a story of uncomprehending menace by an alien intelligence beyond our reckoning. Highly recommended! I received a reader's copy for an honest review.
This novella from Darkfuse deals with an astronomy grad student, Damien, and his dysfunctional family, who he'd thought he long left behind...until his half brother, Cameron, shows up inexplicably, with the promise of something big and vastly important to show him. But what Damien doesn't know, until its too late, is that his crazed mother is still alive and well, but very different...and its time for him to claim his legacy. While obviously a tale of cosmic horror smartly done, and the slight comparisons to Lovecraft are warranted, Hodge deftly weaves a story of uncomprehending menace by an alien intelligence beyond our reckoning. Highly recommended! I received a reader's copy for an honest review.
April 19, 2014
This was a very thought provoking read that masterfully mixes science fiction and horror. Damien is the central character in the tale and the author does a great job in fleshing him out, creating a sympathetic but flawed man and one who is still trying to make peace with his turbulent upbringing.
The writing was beautiful, the pace was steady but still drew you in to the story although at times the science descriptions got very detailed. I think the author also wanted readers to really think about the subject matter, giving enough information to follow the plot without completely guiding the reader to the conclusion.
I will guarantee that after reading this, you will never look at the stars in the same way.
January 28, 2020
Лъвкрафт и Артър Кларк са си чукнали срещичка в главата на Брайън Ходж и това е резултатът. Брутален микс от космически ужас и твърда фантастика.
Не искам да развалям кефа на бъдещите читатели с подсказки, та накратко:
Деймиън е напредващ в кариерата астроном с доста проблемно минало. Един слънчев ден се появява брат му, който не е виждал, и не иска да вижда, от много години. Деймиън получава предложение, което може би ще изчисти проблемите в семейството му и ще бутне напред научната му кариера. Горкият нещастник изобщо си няма представа какво ще получи вместо това.
Не искам да развалям кефа на бъдещите читатели с подсказки, та накратко:
Деймиън е напредващ в кариерата астроном с доста проблемно минало. Един слънчев ден се появява брат му, който не е виждал, и не иска да вижда, от много години. Деймиън получава предложение, което може би ще изчисти проблемите в семейството му и ще бутне напред научната му кариера. Горкият нещастник изобщо си няма представа какво ще получи вместо това.
August 10, 2014
This story starts out with young Damien's first memory: being handcuffed to the steering wheel of a car while his mother and brother go off to do something. Worried about their safety, he escapes and chases them only to find something horrifying. Fast forward 13 years and his brother shows up wanting his assistance with something. Something that he has to see to believe. Little did Damien know, it isn't just his brother that needs help; it's the entire human race.
I have heard several times about how good Brian Hodge's books are and after reading this, I have to agree. Hodge paints a beautiful, flowing story that pulled me right in and when I reached the end, I just sat there and blinked. I couldn't believe that the story was over because it felt like I had been reading for only a few minutes. That's how much I got lost reading the story. If you are like me and never read anything by Hodge, read this. You won't regret it. Recommended!
I have heard several times about how good Brian Hodge's books are and after reading this, I have to agree. Hodge paints a beautiful, flowing story that pulled me right in and when I reached the end, I just sat there and blinked. I couldn't believe that the story was over because it felt like I had been reading for only a few minutes. That's how much I got lost reading the story. If you are like me and never read anything by Hodge, read this. You won't regret it. Recommended!
December 18, 2013
A beautiful mix of horror and sci-fi with a nice dose of superstition/anthropology thrown in for good measure. Does one make sacrifices to alien invaders? One does if they are indistinguishable from gods. It is in our nature, I suppose. You won’t just breeze through this one. Or at least you shouldn’t. There is too much depth to this story. Too many moments when you pause and just think about what you just read. While clearly horror, with the usual suspension of disbelief required, at its core this is a deeply unsettling and very plausible extinction event scenario. One that may have even already occurred. Yet one so subtle that we might not even realize that we are, in fact, going extinct. I was blown away and most likely will re-read this one in the near future. I have a feeling that I merely scratched the surface.
August 4, 2016
Have you ever looked up at the stars and felt inspired? Awed? Terrified? This one gets pretty deep and makes you think about what lies beyond the realms of our universe. Damien studies astronomy and has always been fascinated by other galaxies. Perhaps his head is in the stars because he is running from his past. Unfortunately for Damien, severing family ties will not erase the painful past and he may just find out that he is a bigger part of the cosmos than he ever could have bargained for. Very well written and Highly Recommended! 4+ Stars!
June 19, 2015
A complex, disturbing and original take on cosmic horror. The more Hodge I read, the more I like him. 5 stars.
(It also just clicked that Hodge authored perhaps my favorite, certainly top 5, New-Lovecraftian story of the last few years -- "The Same Cold Waters as You.")
(It also just clicked that Hodge authored perhaps my favorite, certainly top 5, New-Lovecraftian story of the last few years -- "The Same Cold Waters as You.")
December 23, 2013
He fumbled with his keys at the building's steel back door. "You must know the Arthur C. Clarke quotation about technology and magic. Don't you?"
I did:Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
"Well," he said, and had to steady one hand with the other to get the key in the lock. "There's at least one good variation of it that was waiting to be coined. Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from godhood."
Fantastic cosmic horror. I am a big fan of Lovecraft and his contemporaries and am always looking for new cosmic horror. Thanks to my friends over at HA this title was brought to my attention. I stopped several times while reading to look up things that the author referenced; I remember the pictures from Hubble but still went back to scroll through and had never heard of the Geminids, 3200 Phaethon, a von Neumann probe or panspermia theory until reading this book.
Some cool concepts, a little horror(don't let it scare you off, not much gore) and some dysfunctional family moments make for a very entertaining read.
Which made me think of one of the professors I'd had as an undergrad, a stoop-shouldered fellow with the graying, disheveled look of an Einstein acolyte, and the uncharacteristic sorrow he showed one evening as he contemplated the stars and confessed, "I really thought we'd be out there by now. I really did. But we've become a complacent species without will."
You are the universe expressing itself as a human being for a little while
BTW-Thanks to Eleven for the loan.
February 11, 2014
I liked this book - good character development throughout, story was interesting, and the cover art was superb. Mr. Hodge is definitely a gifted wordsmith. Believe it or not, his style reminds me a lot of Bradbury, although no one quite measures up to the master. The weird part for me was the middle, where things kind of switch gears. I wish there could have been a little more description about what happened to the brother - it was a little confusing.
I thought the ending was cool - doesn't leave you hanging, but still makes you wonder what the future holds. Nice description of the alien, though its interaction with the humans toward the end was a little confusing, as well. None of that really took away from my enjoyment of the book. Would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their horror mixed with astronomical science. Lots of fun!
I thought the ending was cool - doesn't leave you hanging, but still makes you wonder what the future holds. Nice description of the alien, though its interaction with the humans toward the end was a little confusing, as well. None of that really took away from my enjoyment of the book. Would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their horror mixed with astronomical science. Lots of fun!
December 16, 2013
4.5 stars
Thanks to Charlene for recommending this wonderful story about the cosmos and mankind's fate and place in it all. This story touches on many of my favorite things in a horror/sci-fi story. I will be on the lookout for more of this author's books.
Thanks to Charlene for recommending this wonderful story about the cosmos and mankind's fate and place in it all. This story touches on many of my favorite things in a horror/sci-fi story. I will be on the lookout for more of this author's books.
December 11, 2013
Brian Hodge is such a terrific writer. I just wish this story was a little bit longer.
February 6, 2014
I won this book, the tiniest HC signed edition, from a live author event. My previous experience with Hodge was limited to his absolutely terrific short story collection Picking The Bones. This book was every ounce as good as Hodge's short stories have prepared me for. Original, interesting, wild, fascinating premise, perfectly realized (especially for such a small book) characters combined with sparse yet very moving emotionally honest writing created for a dark, unsettling and pretty terrifying read. The story was either horror with scifi elements or scifi with horror elements, with a strong undercurrent of intense family drama. The main character goes onto a very tenebrous personal quest to uncover secrets about his mother's past and what he finds turns out to be larger and scarier than he could have imagined. This seems like a fairly vague review, but there are plenty of very capable plot summaries out there already and I don't know if I could do the book justice. Suffice it to say I was completely awed and impressed by this book and couldn't put it down, finished it all in a couple of hours in one evening. It's the kind of an immersive read that turns the world off, however briefly. Excellent book. Highly recommended.
July 8, 2015
This well-crafted bit of cosmic horror is a fine example of why the novella is an ideal length for the dark stuff. There’s no flab here to get in the way of Brian Hodge’s storytelling, though there is – and needs to be – a considerable amount of scientific information and theoretical speculation. (Have you ever heard of a von Neumann probe? I hadn’t, either.)
Although I wouldn’t call this story strictly Lovecraftian (it names no Names, & certainly doesn’t commit pastiche), I caught echoes of several of HPL’s more famous tales. An unwanted, uncanny heritage? Check. A creepy mother in league with something Not of This World? Check. Hypotheses that would make Fox Mulder roll his eyes turning out to be hideously true? Check . . .
All the same, there’s nothing warmed-over about the plot here. It’s an investigative thriller, a decent piece of SF, & an increasingly chilling horror tale all in one, with an ending I honestly don’t think I’ve seen before. Lovecraftians might enjoy this a little more than other horror readers, but it’s a solid two hours of entertainment either way – and the prose, though not flashy, never detracts. Recommended.
Although I wouldn’t call this story strictly Lovecraftian (it names no Names, & certainly doesn’t commit pastiche), I caught echoes of several of HPL’s more famous tales. An unwanted, uncanny heritage? Check. A creepy mother in league with something Not of This World? Check. Hypotheses that would make Fox Mulder roll his eyes turning out to be hideously true? Check . . .
All the same, there’s nothing warmed-over about the plot here. It’s an investigative thriller, a decent piece of SF, & an increasingly chilling horror tale all in one, with an ending I honestly don’t think I’ve seen before. Lovecraftians might enjoy this a little more than other horror readers, but it’s a solid two hours of entertainment either way – and the prose, though not flashy, never detracts. Recommended.
January 15, 2025
I hate space -- it's way too big!! I want to move to the timeline where it's a lot smaller.
April 2, 2014
This is the story of Damien. Rejected by his mother and brother growing - he is now an astronomy graduate at University. Content with his life, he is stunned when his brother turns up after 13 years with news of their mother, and a discovery he has made that will change all of their lives forever....
This was an interesting story, I really liked the originality of it but for me a lot of the 'sci-fi' bits went right over my head. I didn't understand much of the terminology and that spoiled the story a little bit for me. That being said, if 'sci-fi' is your thing then you will enjoy it immensely. The story underneath the 'techy' stuff was unique, and it captivated me. The characters seemed real, and I related to them. The pace was spot on, and the story read well. My caveat is that this will appeal to 'techy', 'sci-fi' fans more.
This was an interesting story, I really liked the originality of it but for me a lot of the 'sci-fi' bits went right over my head. I didn't understand much of the terminology and that spoiled the story a little bit for me. That being said, if 'sci-fi' is your thing then you will enjoy it immensely. The story underneath the 'techy' stuff was unique, and it captivated me. The characters seemed real, and I related to them. The pace was spot on, and the story read well. My caveat is that this will appeal to 'techy', 'sci-fi' fans more.
December 29, 2013
I picked this one up on a recommendation and really stepped outside of my reading comfort zone in doing so. I am glad I did.
Whom the Gods Would Destroy is a sci-fi story with a slight horror element.
Damien, a graduate student studying astronomy, gets a surprise visit from his older brother after a 13 year absence. What his brother tells him and shows him changes his entire perception of his past and ultimately his idea of what his future holds as well as the future of humanity as a whole.
5 STARS
Whom the Gods Would Destroy is a sci-fi story with a slight horror element.
Damien, a graduate student studying astronomy, gets a surprise visit from his older brother after a 13 year absence. What his brother tells him and shows him changes his entire perception of his past and ultimately his idea of what his future holds as well as the future of humanity as a whole.
5 STARS
May 7, 2015
All I can say is wow! I don't read a lot of modern homage to Lovecraft, although, you'll find in just a few pages it's as much a love letter to Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan as Lovecraft. But this is cosmic horror done exactly right! Every page of Whom the Gods Would Destroy was close to perfect. I read this one in a single sitting and I'd encourage you to do the same if you have time. It's just THAT GOOD!
December 20, 2013
Cosmic horror at its finest. A short but brilliant read. Highly recommended.
April 10, 2014
Whom the Gods Would Destroy is the first work of Brian Hodge that I have read. If this work is any indication, then I have been missing a significant talent. WTGWD is a work steeped in astronomy, physics, and philosophy – along with elements of science fiction-based horror. The story is quite complex with discourses on our existence within this vast cosmos dovetailing with a plot that is solidly grounded in the uncanny.
Damien is a young man in his mid-twenties who is visited by his estranged older brother who needs his help. The fact that Damien is a PhD student in astronomy and his brother has been involved with secretive organizations related to astrobiology is not a coincidence. While growing up, Damien was an outcast in his family to the point that he essentially ran off in his early teens. His mother and older brother, Cameron, had an unnatural bond that involved ritualistic torture of strangers in the woods near their home. This bizarre family past somehow was connected with astrological events like meteor showers and comet appearances. The adult Cameron appears on Damien’s doorstep seeking help with mystery that has him over his head in turmoil and involved their mother who has died two years earlier. Somehow, dear old mom still has control over Cameron. Her presence involves the working of some otherworldly, if not alien, force.
The novella is written in the first person from Damien’s point of view. The result is an internal exploration of past and present – and Mr. Hodge is in complete control. The inner workings of Damien’s world are expertly portrayed. The actual plot line is gripping and unusual. This isn’t an action packed novella, but the story is so absorbing and, quite frankly uniquely gripping given the nature of the subject matter, that the pace maintains a high level of tension. I had no clue how Mr. Hodge would deliver the goods at the end, and I was not disappointed. For me, this was a a highly unusual story penned by a very talented writer. Highly recommended.
Damien is a young man in his mid-twenties who is visited by his estranged older brother who needs his help. The fact that Damien is a PhD student in astronomy and his brother has been involved with secretive organizations related to astrobiology is not a coincidence. While growing up, Damien was an outcast in his family to the point that he essentially ran off in his early teens. His mother and older brother, Cameron, had an unnatural bond that involved ritualistic torture of strangers in the woods near their home. This bizarre family past somehow was connected with astrological events like meteor showers and comet appearances. The adult Cameron appears on Damien’s doorstep seeking help with mystery that has him over his head in turmoil and involved their mother who has died two years earlier. Somehow, dear old mom still has control over Cameron. Her presence involves the working of some otherworldly, if not alien, force.
The novella is written in the first person from Damien’s point of view. The result is an internal exploration of past and present – and Mr. Hodge is in complete control. The inner workings of Damien’s world are expertly portrayed. The actual plot line is gripping and unusual. This isn’t an action packed novella, but the story is so absorbing and, quite frankly uniquely gripping given the nature of the subject matter, that the pace maintains a high level of tension. I had no clue how Mr. Hodge would deliver the goods at the end, and I was not disappointed. For me, this was a a highly unusual story penned by a very talented writer. Highly recommended.
December 12, 2013
Damien grew up a stranger in his own family, useless baggage in the eyes of his mother and older brother. Beyond just feeling unwanted, his earliest memory is of nightmarish events involving his mother and brother. And so as soon as he can, while barely into his teens, he quietly joins a far more normal, supportive family, and cuts all contact with the family that has no interest in him anyway. Thirteen years later, he's a happy astronomy student, studying the universe and valuing the experience of being a small part of the cosmos.
Then his brother turns up, with a story about wanting to make amends, and a discovery of alien life. It is, he promises, an incredible opportunity.
While Damien doesn't altogether believe or trust him, he can't let go of the idea of how it will eat at him to not even take the chance of finding out. He and his brother set out from Seattle to Portland.
What happens there sends him searching for his family's dark secrets, including who and what his mother really is.
This story is as much horror as science fiction, and horror isn't normally my thing. This is an extremely well done novella, though, with characters and plot nicely developed with no wasted words. Anyone who has ever felt that they were the less favored sibling, true or not, will recognize Damien's nightmare version of that experience. Added to that is his reaction to the terrible dilemma he finds himself in, someone who desperately wants to be a normal, ordinary young man, confronted with an Earth-shaking threat no one else will believe.
Recommended, especially if you like horror.
I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
Then his brother turns up, with a story about wanting to make amends, and a discovery of alien life. It is, he promises, an incredible opportunity.
While Damien doesn't altogether believe or trust him, he can't let go of the idea of how it will eat at him to not even take the chance of finding out. He and his brother set out from Seattle to Portland.
What happens there sends him searching for his family's dark secrets, including who and what his mother really is.
This story is as much horror as science fiction, and horror isn't normally my thing. This is an extremely well done novella, though, with characters and plot nicely developed with no wasted words. Anyone who has ever felt that they were the less favored sibling, true or not, will recognize Damien's nightmare version of that experience. Added to that is his reaction to the terrible dilemma he finds himself in, someone who desperately wants to be a normal, ordinary young man, confronted with an Earth-shaking threat no one else will believe.
Recommended, especially if you like horror.
I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
June 18, 2015
Utterly magnificent. One of those stories that keeps you on the edge of your seat in suspense, then delivers. One that you go back and re-read a couple of times to see all the things you missed in the first run through, then go back again to study the structure of the tale itself.
When he was barely more than a child, Damien escaped the toxic family of his twisted mother and half-brother by an unknown father best not spoken of. Since then, he has become an astronomy student in Seattle, sharing his family’s fascination with space, if not their bizarre beliefs. He is on the cusp of building a new life until his half brother, Cameron, turns up again after a thirteen-year absence.
With vague offers and promises, Cameron starts Damien on a journey into the mysteries of the past, where he finds a horror that will impact not just his future, but that of the wider world.
This is my first story by Hodge, and he shows phenomenal talent in slowly building an atmosphere of encroaching dread, step by relentless step.
The fascination with space and the stars come through as well, with the author using astrological phenomena combined with some fringe theories about space to create a plausible and truly cosmic horror. The research involved along makes this a worthy Lovecraft story. Shades of Dunwitch and Innsmouth, but all its own.
Finally, the descriptions of the alien incursions were subtle and horrific.
What grounds the story, however, is Damien’s struggle for meaning and search for identity, which the intrigued reader joins. This being a Lovecraftian tale, however, a pleasant revelation is not in the stars.
January 11, 2014
4 AND 1/2 STARS
Brian Hodge has been a highly respected author for a very long time. And while he does not have a huge body of work in terms of novels, what he has is an extremely high caliber of writing and originality in whatever he writes. Whom The Gods Would Destroy is no exception.
With this small story on an epic scale, you will find yourself contemplating many thought provoking ideas and concepts Hodge has brought into play. Mixing science fiction with horror, the author manages to tie together intimate childhood abuse with intergalactic invaders and sibling relationships with occult sacrifices. While still effective as a novella, Hodge could have easily expanded this into a full novel, and perhaps he will at some point. But as it stands, this is hugely successful and one of the best quick reads I've experienced in a long time.
Brian Hodge has been a highly respected author for a very long time. And while he does not have a huge body of work in terms of novels, what he has is an extremely high caliber of writing and originality in whatever he writes. Whom The Gods Would Destroy is no exception.
With this small story on an epic scale, you will find yourself contemplating many thought provoking ideas and concepts Hodge has brought into play. Mixing science fiction with horror, the author manages to tie together intimate childhood abuse with intergalactic invaders and sibling relationships with occult sacrifices. While still effective as a novella, Hodge could have easily expanded this into a full novel, and perhaps he will at some point. But as it stands, this is hugely successful and one of the best quick reads I've experienced in a long time.
June 5, 2017
This book had a wonderful concept! It could have been really mind blowing and wonderful, but there just wasn't enough of it to fit this big of a concept in. I felt like it teased me with a great idea then just refused to elaborate.
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