Started it two days ago and haven't been able to put it down. Can't believe I've never come across it before now. A Borders employee recommended it to me and I'm blown away so far (on page 275). Has anyone else on the boards checked it out?

Started it two days ago and haven't been able to put it down. Can't believe I've never come across it before now. A Borders employee recommended it to me and I'm blown away so far (on page 275). Has anyone else on the boards checked it out?

I read it a few years ago, and was knocked on my ass by the first 100 pages or so, then it seemed to slow down before picking up speed again. Overall I thought it was one of the better reading experiences I've had (outside of FPW, of course).

I tried the sequel, but just wasn't interested in it and gave up shortly after cracking it open.

Started it two days ago and haven't been able to put it down. Can't believe I've never come across it before now. A Borders employee recommended it to me and I'm blown away so far (on page 275). Has anyone else on the boards checked it out?

What is the premise of this story? I am waaaaay too lazy to google right now.

What is the premise of this story? I am waaaaay too lazy to google right now.

Without spoiling the revelation, a temple is discovered and an expedition is put together to search out what is beneath the earth. I had trouble putting it down, lots of action and suspense. I read the next book, Year Zero and lost interest. I think there's a third book as well.

What is the premise of this story? I am waaaaay too lazy to google right now.

From Wikipedia:

A group of new-age trekkers in Nepal are trapped in a cave by a snowstorm and stumble across a mutilated, mummified corpse, covered with cryptic tattoos in both English and undecipherable symbols; the party interprets the former to mean that the body was that of a RAF pilot who had crashed on the other side of the Himalayas in the 1940s. How the pilot had made it across the mountains is a mystery, but a diagram among the tattoos suggests that the cave the party is trapped may be part of a larger network, one that might have a outlet elsewhere. As thee blizzard not letting up, the party pushes deeper into the network, discovering the trophy-like remains of a slaughtered ancient army and a trail of gold coins; becoming separated, the members begin to be killed horribly by an unseen enemy, until only the mountain guides Ike and Kora remain.
Several years later, the scene shifts to a UN military base in Bosnia, where multinational soldiers are guarding a forensic team excavating a huge mass grave, which satellite imagery shows being disturbed every night. The soldiers first assume that Serb soldiers are trying to destroy the evidence of their atrocities; a US Army Aviation officer named Elias Branch leads a reconnaissance-helicopter flight to gather evidence. After a crash, he finds his navigator brutally assaulted, is menaced by an unseen enemy, and is himself badly injured by his unit's supporting fire. Found scarred and half-mad, he raves about being attacked by "demons;" during his recuperation, he begins to exhibit dramatic physical changes, and begins taking an interest in local cave systems.
The scene shifts again, to the edge of the Kalahari, where young nun Ali van Schade is about to leave a leper encampment at which she had been working. To her horror, she discovers that the lepers had saved her life by trading one of their own to be (in her place) mutilated and enslaved by an unknown presence, servants of a god they call "Older-Than-Old."
The narrative now cuts forward a few years; Branch, monstrously deformed, is leading the world's armies in exploring a vast network of caves that he has been instrumental in discovering, underlying the whole of the Earth's surface. Referred to as the "sub-planet," the labyrinth contains an entire separately-evolved ecosystem, and offers rare fleeting glimpses of elusive albino humanoids. Scarce archaeological evidence suggests the beings have occasionally emerged through human history, and had apparently given rise to the human concepts of Hell and demons. Scientists theorize the "demons" are trogloxenic hominids descended from Homo erectus; classified as Homo Hadalis (as in Hades), they are commonly referred to as "hadals," or, pejoratively, "Haddie."
After melting invisibly away from human encroachment for several years, the hadals spring a trap: a massive, coordinated worldwide ambush of the armies exploring and occupying the sub-planet. The attack is enormously successful; world casualties number a full quarter-million. Though an enormous initial shock, the dismay wears off quickly and humanity is essentially undeterred; the Descent recommences, in even greater force. Cities are built in the upper crust, three miles deep, while social instability grows and interest in space exploration diminishes.
Meanwhile, a mysterious Jesuit priest, Father Thomas, is assembling the Beowulf Circle, an informal group of scholars dedicated to the study of the sub-planet, with the eventual aim of discovering whether "Satan" (by which they do not necessarily mean a literal person, but some kind of long-term unified authority directing the activities of the hadal race) might actually exist. A member of the Circle persuades Ali to join the group; she is attached to an expedition funded by the Helios corporation, an unprecedentedly deep trek through a newly-discovered fissure which traverses the floor of the entire Pacific Ocean basin.


On page 400 or so right now. 175 more to go. Another night of sleep deprivation coming on I think......

Started it two days ago and haven't been able to put it down. Can't believe I've never come across it before now. A Borders employee recommended it to me and I'm blown away so far (on page 275). Has anyone else on the boards checked it out?

I've read it a couple of times. I liked it quite a lot. Big adventure and lots of things to think about.

I read it a few years ago, and was knocked on my ass by the first 100 pages or so, then it seemed to slow down before picking up speed again. Overall I thought it was one of the better reading experiences I've had (outside of FPW, of course).

I tried the sequel, but just wasn't interested in it and gave up shortly after cracking it open.

It did slow down a little bit in the middle, but I found that part more interesting the second time I read it. I haven't read the sequel yet, but I'll be adding it to my reading wish list.

Without spoiling the revelation, a temple is discovered and an expedition is put together to search out what is beneath the earth. I had trouble putting it down, lots of action and suspense. I read the next book, Year Zero and lost interest. I think there's a third book as well.

I loved Year Zero! I've probably read it three times now. It's not a sequel to The Descent - they're unrelated stories except for having some similar themes.

One reason I liked both books so much is that Jeff Long tells a good post-apocalyptic adventure story while dealing with some big questions in very thought provoking ways. Questions about the essence of religion, sacrifice of the one for the many, the military-industrial-congressional complex, and what it means to be "human" - without ever bashing you over the head with them.

Put me down as a strong recommendation for both The Descent and Year Zero. :thumbsup:

One reason I liked both books so much is that Jeff Long tells a good post-apocalyptic adventure story while dealing with some big questions in very thought provoking ways. Questions about the essence of religion, sacrifice of the one for the many, the military-industrial-congressional complex, and what it means to be "human" - without ever bashing you over the head with them.

Put me down as a strong recommendation for both The Descent and Year Zero. :thumbsup:

Good points all around. I agree wholeheartedly. About 70 pages to go and all of the things you mention have reared their heads. :yesnod:

The Descent is a great book. I also read Deeper which continues the story. It wasn't as good as The Descent but still a good read. I haven't read any other books of his yet. The way the Hadals sliced and diced was brutal.

I gave up trying to read The Descent after a couple of chapters. I might have to try reading again.
Read Year Zero it was okay but disappointed with the ending.

Well,finished it a few days ago and really enjoyed how it all came together in the end. Too many books can't deliver at the end but Long did just that.

Just started "In The Balance" by Harry Turtledove. 100 pages in and I'm enjoying it immensely.