Horror Book Review: Outpost (Adam Baker)

They took the job to escape the world, they didn’t expect the world to end.

Far away on the Arctic Ocean sits, Kasker Rampart. A derelict oil refinery manned by a skeleton crew of just 15. There they pass the time the best way they can while waiting for a relief ship to take them back home.

That is until a mysterious virus spreads, ravaging the world causing a global pandemic. Cities lie in ruins & the crew of the Rampart can only watch in horror as the TV & radio die, replaced by silence.

Panic & despair runs rife through the crew as they realise they are alone now & marooned with dwindling supplies. Winter is coming, the sea is freezing around them & the deadly contagion that destroyed the world is heading their way…

Outpost is the debut novel by Adam Baker & what a phenomenal effort it is.

Initially it might just seem like your run of the mill ‘zombie apocalypse’ story but is in fact an incredible character driven, descriptive horror story that feels more real than anything I’ve ever read before. Every blast of cold wind, every freezing plummet into the Ocean, every bite & rip of flesh & bone is felt.

What helps make Outpost such a compelling read is the virus itself. It’s not like any zombie virus you’ve ever seen before. The infection spreads incredibly fast & is always deadly…eventually. Slowly the carrier loses their mind as metal shavings, filaments grow from bones & wounds. Silvery metal that spreads throughout the body coming out of orifices & leaving devastating wounds.

As the infection deepens the carrier becomes a blood-thirsty creature impervious to pain & the freezing cold. Eventually the silvery metal will fuse the creature to whatever is nearest…the floor, a TV screen, the roof. It’s a horrific image made all the worse by the knowledge that in some cases the hosts mind remains. Unable to stop themselves, unable to move in some cases, unable to fight the urge to feed on those they love.

It’s dark, twisted but oh so enjoyable.

The same can be said for the fantastic characters…a motley collection of misfits. Rather than just being fodder for the infection most of them get backstories & develop as the story goes on. You’ll care about their safety & want them to survive even when all hope is lost.

The only character who is a bit one-dimensional is the bad-boy of the rig. Don’t get me wrong, he’s necessary but he just isn’t exciting enough & some of his sub-plots fall a bit flat.

Outpost is an excellent read, it’s exciting & terrifying in equal amounts. One of the best zombie horror books ever written. Read this!