"The military has hidden a house in the hills for a very long time. There were lots of disturbing rumors about things that have happened in this house. There is a force in this house that is as hard to explain as it is to imagine."
Sherrie L. Jones, Resident Matthew Costello Scholar
"
Berkley, July 2002, 6.99, 352 pp.
ISBN 0425185176
In the Glen Coe range of the Scottish Highland lies an odd shaped house in the middle of nowhere. They don't know the real name of the man who built it and all the work was contracted out to various builders around the world. People who actually built the house were killed in a series of seemingly unrelated incidents. The house is surrounded by electrical barbed wire and soldiers armed with heavy artillery as if the occupants expected an invading land army.
Sophie MacDonald's father is in hiding, doing research on the house when he is killed. Sophie travels from England to Glasgow following her father's last instructions to meet with another professor who was studying the house. Maddy is asked by the authorities to go in the house following the disappearances of her brother and her friend after gaining access to the perimeter of the house. Maddy's friend Nick travels to Glen Coe to try and keep his pal out of trouble. These three people, working together, are the only hope an unknowing world has for its continued survival.
Matthew Costello is rapidly gaining the acclaim reserved for superstars such as F. Paul Wilson and Stephen King. UNIDENTIFIED is the best kind of horror novel, a slow revelation of the problem, a short time to fix it, and a climatic ending with all the pieces falling into place. The characters are likable, especially teen-aged Sophie who copes with a burden that would break most adults.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Matthew Costello Scholar
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Overall Review
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dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%
Tone of book
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy story on current Earth
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Horror story?
Yes
Horror plotlets
- the haunted house chased me!
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- student
- champion of justice
Age:
- a teen
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- telekinesis
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- An "It".
Has magical powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- can change shapes
- super strength
- can fly
- teleportation
- is very quick
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Terrain
- Mountains
Earth setting:
- current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
- rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
