What do you think?
Rate this book
Midsummer
It began in Antarctica, where a naval research base uncovered a mystery both ancient and deadly. Only one man, Alan Ward, escaped alive. Or did he?
Now Ward has come home, to the small town of Stoneywood, to its annual Midsummer Carnival -- and he's brought something with him. An infection, a living organism that is transforming Stoneywood into a savage, inhuman nightmare, one body at a time.
Once you've visited this carnival, you'll never be the same. In fact, you won't even be you.
Now Ward has come home, to the small town of Stoneywood, to its annual Midsummer Carnival -- and he's brought something with him. An infection, a living organism that is transforming Stoneywood into a savage, inhuman nightmare, one body at a time.
Once you've visited this carnival, you'll never be the same. In fact, you won't even be you.
- GenresHorror
307 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
2 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 6, 2016
This was pretty disappointing for me, as I was expecting more for some reason. The semi-recent Tor.com review of Costello's Wurm led me to reviews and online comments about Midsummer, which made it seem like balls-out, just-plain-fun horror, which was just what I was in the mood for.
And while the concept of an alien parasite from Antarctica making it's way to a small mountain town and slowly infecting everyone seemed fun, it jumped around way too much, as in every couple of pages we're in the head of a new character, many of whom are both uninteresting and unimportant to the overall story, but were included, I surmise, to pad out the length as was the custom during the post-King horror boom (and which probably contributed to the market's eventual collapse).
I wish the author would have focused the story around 13 year-old Josh, who's new in town and living with his grandmother, and Clara, his newfound tomboy friend, as this could have made for a great coming-of-age-type horror story. And those two were at least interesting. The last 1/3 of the novel, when the shit hits the proverbial fan, was pretty cool, but by that point I had long since stopped caring. Still, a decent book for it's type, though these types were a dime a dozen in the late 80s/early 90s.
2.5 Stars
And while the concept of an alien parasite from Antarctica making it's way to a small mountain town and slowly infecting everyone seemed fun, it jumped around way too much, as in every couple of pages we're in the head of a new character, many of whom are both uninteresting and unimportant to the overall story, but were included, I surmise, to pad out the length as was the custom during the post-King horror boom (and which probably contributed to the market's eventual collapse).
I wish the author would have focused the story around 13 year-old Josh, who's new in town and living with his grandmother, and Clara, his newfound tomboy friend, as this could have made for a great coming-of-age-type horror story. And those two were at least interesting. The last 1/3 of the novel, when the shit hits the proverbial fan, was pretty cool, but by that point I had long since stopped caring. Still, a decent book for it's type, though these types were a dime a dozen in the late 80s/early 90s.
2.5 Stars
September 5, 2023
This is a well written and fast paced “action” horror story. It felt like a lot of elements were taken from classic horror movies. It’s a fun read.
August 1, 2014
Great, suspenseful horror novel. Doesn't bring a whole lot new to the table, but it works many different horror tropes so well and ties its many threads together so expertly that it garners high praise. The first half of the book is kind of slow, but the last hundred or so pages race by with mounting suspense. Costello is a great writer, highly recommended to horror fans.
August 9, 2021
Fun read about what is found in a dig in antartica that may bring on the end of the world. Mother earth stopped it millions of years ago, but now a couple of kids have to stop it. Well writen and good pace.
January 11, 2014
Prologue: Something is uncovered in Antarctica and the last man standing brings it home with him.
Home is a town called Stoneywood; small town America, a town full of unsuspecting and trusting people. A town that is basically screwed.
Matthew spins this yarn from several points, about several people, throwing a wide web across the town. As they mingle and interact the story pulls tighter until all hell breaks loose at the carnival which has visited the town.
Of course, the military gets involved. They have the manpower, the guns, and (more importantly) the flame throwers. But in typical government fashion, some of the problem isn't eradicated...
This is a fun ride; a great exploration of 'what if?'
Home is a town called Stoneywood; small town America, a town full of unsuspecting and trusting people. A town that is basically screwed.
Matthew spins this yarn from several points, about several people, throwing a wide web across the town. As they mingle and interact the story pulls tighter until all hell breaks loose at the carnival which has visited the town.
Of course, the military gets involved. They have the manpower, the guns, and (more importantly) the flame throwers. But in typical government fashion, some of the problem isn't eradicated...
This is a fun ride; a great exploration of 'what if?'
October 10, 2021
Pretty basic The Thing-style story with a Stephen King-esque small town and colorful cast of characters. Sometimes entertaining but also other times it felt like a lot of sections were just padding to get to the good stuff. Adequate light read.
September 18, 2023
Not bad, but not that great either.
I do agree with another review on here that this would have been much better if it just focused on the 2 main kids in the town instead of jumping all over the place to other characters which didn't contribute much to the storyline. It COULD have been a great coming of age horror story. And that carnival? Well you don't get to see it til the last few chapters of the book. The cover art and the synopsis makes you think it's all about it, but unfortunately it isn't.
I do agree with another review on here that this would have been much better if it just focused on the 2 main kids in the town instead of jumping all over the place to other characters which didn't contribute much to the storyline. It COULD have been a great coming of age horror story. And that carnival? Well you don't get to see it til the last few chapters of the book. The cover art and the synopsis makes you think it's all about it, but unfortunately it isn't.
April 23, 2018
Read this back in the late eighties/early nineties. Just reread and didn't enjoy it as much as I must have then. Not a bad story idea but not executed very well. Too many crude sexual references from the fifty or so unnecessary characters which did nothing for furthering the plot. Not the worst, but nothing worth keeping either.
March 17, 2017
I found this book in local used bookstore and was caught by the cover. But, don't be fooled, because the cover picture has nothing to do with anything. The story is all over the place and I had to create a 'character card' to keep up with who was who and what their situation was in the book. So, if you like the storyline of the movie 'The Thing', you might like a few pages of this, otherwise you may just be frustrated.
October 31, 2013
Midsummer von Matthew Costello ist Old School Horror. Inhaltlich lehnt es sich stark an Filme wie Das Ding aus einer anderen Welt und Die Körperfresser kommen sowie amerikanischen Kleinstadt-Horror an und ein bißchen Shining. Das ist weder originell noch innovativ. Allerdings ist die Idee so schlecht nicht und wenn man ein Faible für diese Art von Horrorfilmen hat, macht das Buch durchaus Spaß.
Alan Ward arbeitete auf einer Wetterstation in der Antarktis, bei Bohrungen im Eis wird eine uralte Lebensform freigesetzt, die mit ihm zusammen in die Kleinstadt Stoneywood zurückkehrt. Dort verbringt der Junge Josh die Ferien bei seiner Oma. Er kann Dinge sehen und zeichnet sie. Bei einem seiner Ausflüge lernt er die gleichaltrige Clara kennen, die aus einem ziemlich gestörten Elternhaus kommt. Gemeinsam kommen sie dem Geheimnis um Ward zu nahe. Gleichzeitig erhält Navy Lieutnant Brian McShane den Auftrag, Ward im Auge zu behalten. In der ersten Hälfte laufen all diese Handlungsstränge parallel. Gut gefallen hat mir, dass diese Personen und auch mehrere Stoneywooder recht ausführlich vorgestellt wurden.
Der im Klappentext erwähnte Karneval und die Mittsommernacht spielen keine so große Rolle, wie man annehmen könnte. Es ist nur dieser Tag, an dem die große Konfrontation zwischen den Kleinstadtbürgern und der Lebensform aus dem Eis stattfindet. Der Roman verläuft ganz so, wie man es erwarten würde, ohne große Überraschungen oder raffinierte Wendungen und endet ebenso. In großen Teilen unterhaltsam ist es trotzdem.
Alan Ward arbeitete auf einer Wetterstation in der Antarktis, bei Bohrungen im Eis wird eine uralte Lebensform freigesetzt, die mit ihm zusammen in die Kleinstadt Stoneywood zurückkehrt. Dort verbringt der Junge Josh die Ferien bei seiner Oma. Er kann Dinge sehen und zeichnet sie. Bei einem seiner Ausflüge lernt er die gleichaltrige Clara kennen, die aus einem ziemlich gestörten Elternhaus kommt. Gemeinsam kommen sie dem Geheimnis um Ward zu nahe. Gleichzeitig erhält Navy Lieutnant Brian McShane den Auftrag, Ward im Auge zu behalten. In der ersten Hälfte laufen all diese Handlungsstränge parallel. Gut gefallen hat mir, dass diese Personen und auch mehrere Stoneywooder recht ausführlich vorgestellt wurden.
Der im Klappentext erwähnte Karneval und die Mittsommernacht spielen keine so große Rolle, wie man annehmen könnte. Es ist nur dieser Tag, an dem die große Konfrontation zwischen den Kleinstadtbürgern und der Lebensform aus dem Eis stattfindet. Der Roman verläuft ganz so, wie man es erwarten würde, ohne große Überraschungen oder raffinierte Wendungen und endet ebenso. In großen Teilen unterhaltsam ist es trotzdem.
August 11, 2013
This is newly released by Cemetery Dance, but previously published in 1990. A fun horror read for fans of John Carpenter's The Thing, if a good bit derivative.
November 21, 2013
Average horror story. Nothing new.
October 28, 2016
Pretty standard rehash of "The Thing". Nothing really new here, but at least the characterizations were decent enough to keep me reading to the end.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews