KC Jones’ Black Tide, a character-driven science fiction/horror novel that explores what happens after a cataclysmic event leaves the world crawling with nightmares, will be published by Nightfire in May 2022!
A story with a cinematic feel, Black Tide is 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 a 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 the car and unspeakable horrors close in around them, these two self-destructive souls must find in each other the strength to overcome past pain and the fight to survive a nightmare of apocalyptic scale.
The comp titles – Cujo and A Quiet Place – immediately piqued my interest, and a beach setting sealed the deal.
Like Cujo, much of this story is spent with the two main characters trapped in a car. As in A Quiet Place, silence is the best way to avoid these invading creatures. A little over two hundred fifty pages, this is a well-paced, quick read, and the action starts almost immediately. At first glance, Beth and Mike aren’t people you’d bet on to survive an alien invasion. Beth is irresponsible and basically a trainwreck, and Mike is teetering on a life and death decision in his personal life. But you play the hand you’re dealt.
After both characters have bizarre experiences during the night (dreams? hallucinations?), their day gets even worse when they go to the beach and discover they weren’t dreaming or imagining things. Their world has been invaded, and the beach is being attacked. The descriptions of the alien creatures are creepy and very visual. Some of the scenes are fairly graphic, so if you’re a reader who prefers to avoid gore you might want to skip some paragraphs. The characters run into one obstacle after another in their attempts to survive, and there are plenty of tense scenes to sink your teeth into. Most are within the confines of a small car, and with two adults, a dog, and sweltering temps during the day it can feel pretty claustrophobic.
I like the way the author chose to end the story, leaving a feeling of hope for the characters because the odds sure aren’t in their favor. Black Tide is an intriguing blend of sci-fi and horror providing terror-filled visual scenes for fans of the genres.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Books and Such 
The comps of Cujo and A Quiet Place immediately grabbed my attention, too. This sounds like a story I’d enjoy. Would you say it’s more plot-driven or character-driven?
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With books like this they’re usually plot-driven, but I have to admit this weighs a bit heavier on the character-driven in my opinion. Neither of these characters is in a good place to begin with, and there are plenty of internal (and external) struggles before the end.
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Thanks.
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Damn Teri I wouldn’t have liked waking up in their shoes!!
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Same here, Sophie! One of them had a hangover, so the day just got progressively worse.
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Oh, my! What a thrilling story. I can just imagine it – so intense and edge of your seat. I bet it would make a good movie. Those type of stories often do. Excellent review!
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I could easily see this as a movie, Tessa. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit to see it show up on Netflix.
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This sounds right up my street! I’m headed over to check this book out. Great review, Teri. Thanks for sharing your thoughts 💕🙂
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It’s a tense one, Harmony – hope you enjoy it!
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Good review. When science fiction and horror are blended by a skillful author, the result is always a fun read!
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I agree, Priscilla. Seems like I’ve come across more and more books with that blend over the past couple years – and I’m all for it.
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Wow, it sounds thrilliing. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
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Most of the story takes place on the beach in the car, but there’s no shortage of action, Wendy.
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Interesting comp titles for sure.
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Right? No way could I turn this down when the publisher offered it for review.
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Great review, Teri. Thanks for sharing this one.
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Thanks, Jan! It was a nail-biter, for sure.
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This sounds fantastic. I don’t read many books like this one but I’ve enjoyed movies. Great review!
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I could totally see this one as a movie, Yesha. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if someone snatched it up.
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This sounds great! I will definitely check it out! It sounds like it would make a great movie too!
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I agree, Shari. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see this pop up on Netflix sometime.
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Hi Teri, the plot of this book sounds like a modern Day of the Triffids. An interesting sci-fi novel.
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You’ve mentioned that one before, Robbie, and I know it’s something I’d like. It’s added to a long list of books waiting for me, lol.
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Haha, I know the feeling.
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