CONGEAL BY JOHN F LEONARD - BOOK REVIEW

​ It’s no surprise really that Congeal from John F Leonard has gained a solid five star review from me, the man’s work just speaks to me at the soul level. His style of writing has a certain tone to it which resonates with me deeply, and his stories, his characters, they are always so ‘real’ that I instantly bond with them.

Congeal is possibly my favourite tale from John F Leonard, a sequel in some ways to The Bledbrooke Works (another wonderful tale), Congeal is a delicious post-apocalyptic outing with undertones of anti-establishment politics as well as covering the ‘is it all worth it’ questions.

I don’t know really if the anti-capitalist/anti-establishment tones were intentional, as always art is very subjective, one persons high can be another’s low. It’s not all together unlikely that my own views on the current modern world have seeped through when reading Congeal, so I apologise if I should go off on a tangent.

“She was adding to the pollution of the world when she could be adding something pure and innocent”

Amelia and Peter are running out of daylight, and energy. They bunker up in what used to be an office building, Lloyd Plaza, in hopes of safety from ‘The Clag’. A monstrosity from below, all powerful and all consuming with the intent of devouring all life on the planet, nothing can stand in its way.

Amelia, our protagonist, is very complex yet simple character, a contradiction I know, yet the way I would describe her. She has many layers, has dealt with unspeakable horrors and is still doing so, yet the simplicity of her is refreshing. She is probably one of the realest characters I have read. Her actions and choices come from a place of pure despair; she is ruined, yet somehow purified. I feel like she has gone through the ultimate trauma, and has gained a sense of clarity that few of us ever reach.

I feel I could bond with her over her guilt at working within the capitalist machine, yet as much as she despised her life before the end, she would still rather be doing that.

“Turns out that corrupt consumerism is preferable to post-apocalyptic subsistence.”

Comments about Peter being “built for this” and that she would rather just give up, it was quite tragic in a terribly understandable way. We have all become so accustomed to modern ‘pampered’ living that there are those of us who would just ‘give up’.

Personally, I felt like ‘The Clag’ was our primal selves returning to show us just how far we have strayed. The obsession with money and accumulating things has taken over our lives to the point that consumerism is actually ‘They Clag’ incarnate.

Congeal is a fantastically intricate work of art from John F Leonard. From the authors note it would seem we have more sequels in the works, and I for one cannot wait. He is a wonderfully talented writer, he never fails to impress.

​by Lesley-Ann 
 

Congeal: A Post-Apocalyptic Horror Story by John F Leonard 

It starts with reports on the news of an inland lake turning semi-solid.
Surely, a media joke, some lame April Fool’s prank?
The before and after pictures are vaguely ludicrous and oddly disturbing, the contrast stark and strange.
First, darkly rippling water that hints at hidden depths. Slightly spooky and perfectly normal. Next, a putrid blotch of clotted sludge which bears little resemblance to anything aquatic.

It isn’t a joke.
And pretty soon, that greasy, sickening substance isn’t confined to an inland lake.
It’s spreading. Flowing over fields and filling streets.
Each morning brings a new revelation. Countryside denuded of life and towns empty and echoing.
The night is when it changes, becomes something that consumes. Something infinitely worse than a congealed impossibility.

CONGEAL is a short tale of apocalyptic horror. How the world ends may not be how you expect. Nuclear Armageddon or a zombie apocalypse could get beaten to the punch.
Our apocalypse may come from below.
An ancient, cosmic entity bubbling up to the surface in search of food.
It’s also the story of one individual and her fight to stay afloat in a sea of despair.

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