RE: Horror Review: Inhuman by John Russo (1986, Pocket Books)
John Russo continues to test his heroes with the invasion of creepy creatures, carrying chaos and doom. In “Night of the Living Dead”, these were the living dead (easy to guess, is not it?). In “Inhuman” - terrorists with completely damaged brains that have acquired the habits of not people, but predatory reptiles, not fearing death.
It is worth saying that there is a regrettably little action movie in the book than the horror, and there are very few tense moments - I can only point out the pursuit of a terrorist for a little girl. Here Russo pleased - and suspense, cruelty and the child is easier to empathize.
In addition, if “Night of the Living Dead” took off right off the bat almost instantly, then “Inhuman” in this regard follows the traditions of Stephen King. The first half of the book is a biographical digression into the past of the heroes, long household details. The second is actually action and action.
I'm pleased to see others are familiar with this story, @aydogdy! Thanks for commenting. Russo's a bit of a one-trick pony with regards to the books I've read. Inhuman joins Night of the Living Dead and Return of the Living Dead as you so aptly put it: testing heroes with an invasion of creepy creatures, carrying chaos and doom.
Damn, what a great line!
Yeah, the terrorists wrecking havoc on Janie's house is pretty tense. There's another scene where one of the reptilian-brained people waits just outside a window to grab one of the women he's seen that is also well done. The guy's got a rifle, but he's not interested in using it as a firearm, he's planning to use the shoulder strap to lasso her head if she gets close enough for him to do it.
Those scenes are well-done. But the rest of the book, especially the action after the group abandons the house and (literally) heads for the hills, is nowhere near as pointed. Knowing Russo's penchant for the doom-and-gloom downer ending, I was a little surprised not to see one here too. It would have fit better with the rest of the story. :)