Awakened: A Novel (Awakened, 1)

*** #1 The Sunday Times bestseller*** Publishers Weekly bestseller"This book is no joke. Get ready to not sleep tonight. Awakened does exactly what it advertises. Scary amazing fun." -- Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The Escape Artist.“Awakened hits the high notes of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child’s Relic and Scott Snyder’s The Wake [...] but its scope actually extends much further.” -- Kirkus***The star of truTV’s hit show Impractical Jokers—alongside veteran sci-fi and horror writer Darren Wearmouth—delivers a chilling and wickedly fun supernatural novel in the vein of The Strain, in which a beautiful new subway line in New York City unearths an ancient dark horror that threatens the city’s utter destruction and the balance of civilization itself.After years of waiting, New York's newest subway line is finally ready, an express train that connects the city with the burgeoning communities across the Hudson River. The shining jewel of this state-of-the-art line is a breathtaking visitors’ pavilion beneath the river.  Major dignitaries, including New York City’s Mayor and the President of the United States, are in attendance for the inaugural run, as the first train slowly pulls in.Under the station’s bright ceiling lights, the shiny silver cars gleam. But as the train comes closer into view, a far different scene becomes visible.All the train’s cars are empty. All the cars’ interiors are drenched in blood.As chaos descends, all those in the pavilion scramble to get out. But the horror is only beginning. High levels of deadly methane fill the tunnels. The structure begins to flood. For those who don’t drown, choke or spark an explosion, another terrifying danger awaits—the thing that killed all those people on the train. It’s out there…and it’s coming.There's something living beneath New York City, and it's not happy we've woken it up.

Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Glimpse and V-Wars

“Awakened is a good old-fashioned monster story with devious new twists. Creepy and disturbing in all the right ways!”

Kirkus Reviews

“Awakened is a taughtly written, brilliantly unexpected thriller from authorial duo James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth [...] Awakened hits the high notes of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child’s Relic and Scott Snyder’s The Wake [...] but its scope actually extends much further.”

Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The Escape Artist

“This book is no joke. Get ready to not sleep tonight. Awakened does exactly what it advertises. Scary amazing fun.”

Booklist

“Murray and coauthor Wearmouth [...] sculpt a briskly moving narrative that includes a plethora of short-burst action sequences and pacing fit for a Brad Meltzer novel. Along the way, they plant the seeds for sequels and craft a tight, pulse-pounding story that practically cries out for a film adaptation.”

Publishers Weekly

“Aliens meets The Taking of Pelham 123 in this fast-moving science fiction thriller.”

New York Journal of Books

“Awakened is a thrilling read.”

SciFiMoviePage

“A great book with both science fiction and horror elements, along with some mystery. I highly recommend this.”

Serendipitous Reads ”It took James S. Murray many years to get his debut thriller Awakened finally published....It was well worth the wait. The thriller is a page-turning great debut.”

“Short, tightly plotted and as grounded in reality as monster stories can be, it’s a cinematic read.”

The Tattooed Book Geek

“Awakened is an action-packed, fast-paced and exciting read, one to switch your brain off and just enjoy for what it is, a fun-filled creature-fest.”

Bibliosanctum

“If you’re looking for a good scare delivered in a fast-paced, blockbuster-style novel with thrilling action and horror, this novel should do the trick. Overall, I thought it was a fun and thrilling read.”

From the Back Cover

After years of planning and construction, New York unveils its newest subway line, an express train that connects the city with the burgeoning communities across the Hudson River. The shining jewel of this state-of-the-art expansion is the breathtaking Visitors’ Pavilion beneath the river. Major dignitaries, including New York City’s mayor and the president of the United States, are in attendance for the inaugural run as the first train slowly pulls up to the Pavilion’s platform.Under the station’s bright ceiling lights, the shiny silver cars gleam. But as the train comes closer, a far different vision of the future rolls into the station.All the train’s cars are empty. All the cars’ interiors are drenched in blood.As chaos descends, everyone in the Pavilion scrambles to get out. But the horror is only beginning. High levels of deadly methane fill the tunnels. The structure begins to flood. For those who don’t drown, choke, or spark an explosion, another terrifying danger awaits—the thing that killed all those people on the train. It’s out there . . . and it’s coming.There’s something living beneath New York City, and it’s not happy we’ve woken it up.

About the Author

James S. Murray is a writer, executive producer, and actor, best known as “Murr” on the hit television show Impractical Jokers on truTV. He is also one of the stars of the TV show The Misery Index on TBS along with his comedy troupe, The Tenderloins. He has worked as the Senior Vice President of Development for NorthSouth Productions for a decade, is the owner of Impractical Productions, LLC, and is the author of the international bestselling novels Awakened and The Brink. Originally from Staten Island, he now lives in Princeton, NJ. Facebook / Twitter: @ jamessmurray Instagram: @TheRealMurrDarren Wearmouth spent six years in the British Army before pursuing a career in corporate technology. After fifteen years working for multinational firms and a start-ups, he decided to follow his passion for writing. He is the author of numerous international bestselling novels, including Awakened, The Brink, First Activation, and Critical Dawn. He lives in Hamilton, Ontario.Twitter: @ darrenwearmouth

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