Black Tide

By: KC Jones

Narrated by: John Pirhalla, Sophie Amoss

"...narrators John Pirhalla and Sophie Amoss skillfully let the protagonists’ voices cycle through emotions like exhaustion, despair, and even hope." -Library Journal

A character-driven science fiction/horror blend, KC Jones's Black Tide is Stephen King's Cujo meets A Quiet Place.

It was just another day at the beach. And then the world ended.

Mike and Beth didn't know each other existed before the night of the meteor shower. A melancholy film producer and a house sitter barely scraping by—chance made them neighbors, a bottle of champagne brought them together, and a shared need for human connection sparked something more.

After a drunken and desperate one-night stand, the two strangers awake to discover a surprise astronomical event has left widespread destruction in its wake. But the cosmic lightshow was only part of something much bigger, and far more terrifying.

When a set of lost car keys leaves them stranded on an empty stretch of Oregon coast, when their emergency calls go unanswered and inhuman screams echo from the dunes, when the rising tide reaches for their car and unspeakable horrors close in around them, these two self-destructive souls must band together to survive a nightmare of apocalyptic scale.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Nightfire

Critic reviews

<p>“Grab your popcorn for this one....Mayhem, masses of menacing monsters, pulsing parasitic vines...this is one gnarly day at the beach.” —Jeremy Robert Johnson, author of <i>The Loop</i><br><br>“A superb, fast-paced read that will compel readers to quickly devour the book.... Excellent writing, a consuming plot, and relatable characters make this an easy recommendation for library collections where sf/horror circulates well.” —<i>Library Journal</i><br><br>“A relentless, nerve-jangling nightmare ride through an apocalyptic maritime hellscape. Brimming with relatable characters and shocking left turns, this is gasp-for-your-breath, peek-through-your-fingers horror, and I loved every page of it. Highly recommended!” —Jonathan Janz, author of <i>The Siren and the Specter</i><br><br>“<i>Black Tide</i> is the ultimate walk-of-shame straight to the end of the world, equal parts cataclysmic thrill ride and acerbic character study.” —Clay McLeod Chapman, author of <i>Whisper Down the Lane</i><br><br>“Jones’ debut novel unfolds like a movie, a terrifying nightmare come to life, an intense, realistic portrayal of an alien invasion. The action-oriented, blisteringly fast-paced plot is authentically rendered; but beware, not all make it out alive.....” —<i>Booklist</i><br><br>“<i>Black Tide</i> is cinematic, fast-paced, pedal-to-the-metal storytelling: I found myself gasping!” —Ally Wilkes, author of <i>All the White Spaces</i><br><br>“[A] snark-filled romp through a postapocalyptic world. The sarcastic, self-deprecating characters and quirky setup set this first contact tale apart.” —<i>Publishers Weekly</i><br><br>“The characters are so perfectly crafted, which makes their nightmare scenario even more frightening and seemingly possible. I held my breath for them every time I turned the page.” —S.A. Barnes, author of <i>Dead Silence</i></p>

Such an intriguing and unique read

This was a really great book. Some of the voice acting was to be desired but the story itself was incredible.

Really decent book!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. A lot of reviews complain about disliking the female character or her narrator. I just try to put myself in the perspective that I don’t know how I would react in this kind of situation. Some people would panic. Some people would stay level headed and some would bounce between the two. Both of the main characters were the latter and I thought they were pretty realistic.

I liked the lovecraftian monsters and had good suspense. Fair warning of the animal harm. It’s not terribly graphic or over-the-top.

Is there a sequel?

I really hope there’s a sequel. I really want to know what happened after the last sentence! If there’s not a sequel coming, I may need to lower my rating as this story leaves a of important info unsaid and questions unanswered.

I like the premise of this story and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it until the very end. The voice actors felt like a perfect fit, although I do have to say, at times, I thought the male sounded a bit like Kacey Kasem. Not in a bad way though.

Recommended for lovers of sci-fi and thrillers.

Pretty Good Story

I liked the story and the humor. Spoiler warning - I think it is extremely unlikely that someone would be thinking of sex while gravely wounded, but that’s just me!

Annoying main character

I couldn't stand the main character female at all. Shes suspicious and snappy for too long, it gets the point of losing the story and I've stopped listening with 3 hours left. I never got into the monsters too swept up in the characters drama to care they are being attacked. the dog better live, but im not listening to find out, put me in a coma.