Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand

The World House The World House
by Guy Adams
Angry Robot

Supplied for review by Harper Collins New Zealand

Reviewed By: Kelly Buchanan

An odd assortment of characters from various time periods find themselves trapped in a vast, bizarre labyrinth resembling the interior of a Victorian mansion gone mad in this novel by Guy Adams. At times, the size of the cast seems excessive, though there is a reason for it. And the main characters aren't the only ones to have been trapped; the house feels positively crowded, which is somewhat unexpected for the genre, and interactions with the other inhabitants take up as much space as more supernatural menaces. The perilous journeys through the house and the gradual revelation of its purpose makes for a fun if not especially remarkable read.

The big problem with the book is that it's incomplete. There's no indication on the cover that it's anything other than a standalone novel, but it ends on a cliffhanger with no resolution whatsoever. The World House and its forthcoming sequel (apparently the conclusion, though I had to dig a bit to discover that) belong in a single volume, or at the very least as clearly labelled Parts One and Two. Not an impressive move from the Angry Robot crew.

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