Diary of the Displaced: The Journal of James Halldon

Diary of the Displaced by Glynn James is about a man who wakes up in a dark, unfamiliar place with no idea of when or how he arrived there. As the story progresses, he explores this new, dark world, discovering strange dog-like creatures; weird, Frankenstein-esque zombies; giant mushrooms; and other, stranger things. This story is equal parts stranded survivalist; memory mystery; ghost story; treasure hunt and horror adventure, set in an eerie semi-apocalyptic landscape and is told in diary-form.

The author generates an excellent sense of atmosphere; at no point do you think the landscape he has created is safe or familiar. Even when a familiar item turns up, it only deepens the sense of unease because it isn't where it ought to be. show more Because the story is told using a single point of view, the reader is put in a state of sympathy in something like the same state of confusion as the narrator. His questions are largely ours, as is his frustration at the lack of answers. The antagonist* has the feel of a folk tale, and is largely effective because of the shadows and half-truths of the rhymes in which he is shrouded; nothing is as creepy as a child's rhyme.

On the downside, I felt that the writing could be tighter and that minor issues - grammar and typos - could have been spotted by an editor. Recounted conversations also felt stilted a bit, and could be made smoother and less expository**, though I do recognise that making them flow in a more regular manner could be difficult or awkward. Naturally, you're only going to remember the highlights/ important parts of a conversation if you're writing it into a diary; I just felt that they could be a bit better. I felt initially that the language is at times too simple, though this does improve as the book progresses, so this could be taken as part of representing the narrator's state of mind.

I'd recommend this to readers of dark or horror fantasy with a touch of mystery. It has a slow start to it, but builds well. I'm looking forward to reading the sequels.

Overall: 3.5 or 4 stars
Review copy supplied by the author as part of LibraryThing's Member Giveaway program.
*He reminded me of Jack of Irons (Brian Froud's illustration in Faeries with the heads hanging from his belt was called to mind) from folklore, as much as the landscape reminded me of the hollow hills of the Irish Sidhe or the interior of an enchanted barrow, perhaps.

**They felt a bit like conversations one has when playing an adventure game and speaking with non-player characters in town. This book did have the feel of a game script when it started, so that may have biased me a bit. show less

Diary of the Displaced by Glynn James is an amazing, mystifying, surreal adventure story. A man wakes up. It is completely dark, and he has to work his way around by feel. He is bruised and battered. He's lost his cell. Where is he? What happened? He slowly discovers he is in a strange place. He makes friends with a demon dog and a ghost or two. He tries to make sense of it all, while working on survival.

The author beautifully captures the emotion that someone in this situation would feel, and pulls the reader completely into the story. I read all night, trying to work out (with the protagonist, James) what on earth was happening. James explores this weird and wonderful world, and so vividly describes it that I felt I was there along show more with him. It was a bit like being inside a Salvador Dali painting - everything was a bit surreal, with elements of the familiar and real. The ending perfectly explains it all. I have just purchased a second book based in the same world, Chasing Spirits. I suppose I will be up all night again! show less

I was given a complimentary copy of the book for review. I must say it was quite original I don't believe I have ever read anything quite like it before.
A man awakens in a strange place, isn't even sure if he is indoors or out, or how he came to be there. No food, no water, and strange creatures the likes of which have never been seen anywhere else. Very original and imaginative. I was pleased to learn there will be more to come, since this is the first book in a series.

The main character is dumped into a world of darkness with no idea how he got there. So, as the reader, are you. As the hero explores his surroundings so do you. At first it's by touch, then he manages to create light. He finds himself within a giant junkyard, yet in a place that is clearly... well, somewhere else. This book was an amazing read and a big part is exploring the world with the hero so I don't want to give too much away.

The writing is very good, with vivid descriptions that really transport you into the world. It comes with a number of scary enemies, in particular one named Cutterjack (I'll let you read and find out more). The book builds to a very satisfying end which still leaves the door open for the next book in the show more series. It's so good that I went out and bought the omnibus of books 1 to 3 immediately (it was cheaper than buying 2 and 3 separately). Highly recommended. show less

The book starts with the main character knowing as much about his situation as the reader, and together they explore the strange world that he finds himself in. A fantasy-esque version of Robinson Crusoe, James Halldon is alone in a vast and apparently endless sea of junk, beset by zombies, demon dogs, murderers, and ghosts he must work out what is going on - and how he got there... While perhaps slow to start, the pace worked fine in the end I found.

Written in the style of a diary kept by the character, the story progresses at the rate at which Halldon discovers things and easily kept me engrossed - indeed I read the whole thing in one sitting, and picked up the sequel to find out what happened next.

I received this book through the Member Giveaway and I am pleasently surprised. As the title suggests, it is written as a diary, the diary of a man who wakes in a mysterious place. I will not write a synopsis of the plot because I think it serves the story very well to discover all the secrets of the world you are thrown in along with the narrator.

What I really enjoyed in this book are the descriptions of the place in which the story is set. I was able to have a perfect picture of what was around every moment and, despite the sun shining through my window, I could easily loose myself in the darkness and horror of the world surrounding the main character. Very well done!

The end of the book leaves you looking forward to reading the show more following books and I think I will not let too much time go before getting the second one and finding out what happens next. show less

Is this another Stephen King? This book absolutely had me in another world and the thought to return to my real world was not allowed in.. Until I turned the last page. The ending? Not what I expected and I loved it!!! I was so absorbed in this novel and I felt like I was right there with the character trying to make sense of this world he had woken up in. I loved Rudy.. so kind and a almost scary-cat but always faithful. James wakes up in a strange land and it is in between the real world and something so horrific and yet he finds a way to exist and search for his way home. The amazing creatures scar you and tug at your heart too. This was one book that kept me up way past my bedtime and was simply worth it. This book was a mix between show more Twilight zone, the outer limits and Stephen King’s books and…Spielberg needs to read this book and bring it to life on screen!!!
This book was bought through Amazon show less