The world has been invaded by bowling balls and floating jellyfish? Not what you want to wake up to after a hangover and one night stand with the next-door neighbor. Black Tide by K.C. Jones felt very short but in a good way. This peri-apocalyptic story is fast-moving and kept me moving from page to page. Continue reading to get my take on this new debut by K.C. Jones.
Summary
It was just another day at the beach. And then the world ended.
Mike and Beth didn’t know each other existed before the night of the meteor shower. A melancholy film producer and a house sitter barely scraping by, chance made them neighbors, a bottle of champagne brought them together, and a shared need for human connection sparked something more.
After a drunken and desperate one-night-stand, the two strangers awake to discover a surprise astronomical event has left widespread destruction in its wake. But the cosmic lightshow was only a part of something much bigger, and far more terrifying. When a set of lost car keys leaves them stranded on an empty stretch of Oregon coast, when their emergency calls go unanswered and inhuman screams echo from the dunes, when the rising tide reaches for the car and unspeakable horrors close in around them, these two self-destructive souls must find in each other the strength to overcome past pain and the fight to survive a nightmare of apocalyptic scale.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Pacing
Black Tide starts out the night before the apocalypse and it just keeps moving. The pacing of this story was very well done and kept me wondering how things were going to turn out. With this apocalyptic story, we the readers see the world begin to fall apart. We witness the characters go from their “normal” lives and try to cope with the reality of these new alien invaders. As a reader, learning about the alien entities and what has happened is a very unique experience that helps you stay hooked on the narrative.
Characters
Starting pre-apocalypse gives the readers an intimate look into the characters. How people react in crises (especially of apocalyptic proportions) can really tell you a lot about them. Throughout the novel, these strangers are thrust into survival companionship that does not feel too forced. By the end, there is also significant character growth that one might not expect with such an action/horror-driven plot.
Plot
Technically, not a lot actually happens in Black Tides but at the same time so much has. The narrative is set very in the moment and the suspense was palpable. I got some serious A Quiet Place and Birdbox vibes from this book. But I don’t want to put it in a box like that. Once you read it and come across some of the aliens (yes some, because there is more than one type), you’ll get what I’m saying.
Overall
Black Tide by K.C. Hones was an impressive debut novel. The pacing and plot made this a very quick read. It is action and suspense-packed but with strong and real characters. This book will have you second-guessing your lack of doomsday prepping the next time you see a meteor shower on a beach. If you are looking for your next science fiction/horror read (but probably a beach read), check out Black Tide by K.C. Jones.
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