Estranged friends Dean and Bethan meet after five years apart when they are drawn to a network of caves on a remote Arctic island. Bethan and her friends are environmental activists, determined to protect the land. But Dean’s group’s exploitation of rare earth minerals deep in the caves unleashes an horrific contagion that has rested frozen and undisturbed for many millennia. Fleeing the terrors emerging from the caves, Dean and Bethan and their rival teams undertake a perilous journey on foot across an unpredictable and volatile landscape. The ex-friends must learn to work together again if they’re to survive… and more importantly, stop the horror from spreading to the wider world.

I’ve long been a fan of the work of Tim Lebbon. I find he writes from a rather unique viewpoint, always offering an alternative take on things, constantly looking to give his readers something unexpected. For some unknown reason I had missed his last few novels (I think that’s because I’ve been reading crime fiction for the larger part), but when I had the chance to read his latest novel Among the Living I seized the chance. Boy, am I glad I did.

The novel is set in the near future, featuring a small cast of memorable characters. The plot is fairly straightforward, but the manner in which the story unfolds is superb. It draws together contemporary themes such as climate concerns and environmental activism with body horror and a fast-paced thriller. Parts of it reminded me slightly of the Southern Reach trilogy of books by Jeff VanderMeer (although this does feel like a lazy comparison as Among the Living is so much more than a riff on these novels), but the body-horror aspect of the released virus strikes a strong chord, especially in the wake of the recent global pandemic we have all endured. Clearly Lebbon has researched the science behind the climate aspect, but this does not get in the way of his masterful storytelling. The pace is blistering, especially as the story reaches its climax, and the fate of the characters felt meaningful. This novel would make one hell of a film.

Lebbon has delivered another hit; a wonderfully prescient novel involving a great cast of characters, with a plot that has enough science as to sound totally believable. I had a fantastic time reading this and cannot recommend it enough.