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  • Ararat: A Novel
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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
715 global ratings
5 star
39%
4 star
30%
3 star
18%
2 star
9%
1 star
4%
Ararat: A Novel

Ararat: A Novel

byChristopher Golden
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Top positive review

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William M Miller
4.0 out of 5 starsOne of Golden's Better Books
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2018
While Ararat was certainly not the best horror novel of the year, regardless of the Bram Stoker Award that it won (let's be honest - most HWA members just love Golden's ultra liberal views, not to mention his constant networking among them), this was one of Golden's better books. A very interesting premise, decent atmosphere, and some chilling moments make this a nice quick read. I would have liked better details as to the layout of the ark and space in which most of the book takes place. Even Golden himself did not seem to grasp the spacial distance of the rooms and various levels. But the dread was almost always present and once the violent action begins, it keeps up until the end, which was solid. I would be interested in reading a sequel, which Golden has mentioned is possible. Not great, but a very good recommendation.
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38 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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readergal
3.0 out of 5 starsInteresting, but still so many questions
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2020
The concept of Ararat is interesting — an ark-like ship found in Mount Ararat. Three stars seemed about right for this book compared to the many other horror/suspense novels I've read. I found it enjoyable while reading, but I was left with too many questions, ones that even the supposed scientists didn't have enough curiosity to ask. For instance, how do they know the structure is a boat? They never discuss it. If it was actually Noah's ark, why are there dead bodies aboard — wouldn't they have walked off once it landed? If they died before the boat landed, why were they not tended to with traditional funeral rites? Is there any evidence of previous habitation by animals? Dung, for instance? Could it have been uplifted or encased by Ararat's volcanic activity? Were there any water lines on the wood anywhere, to show it was ever in a flood?

If not knowing — or even having characters consider — these questions doesn't bother you, you might enjoy this novel for its basic scary premise, though that also leaves us with a zillion unanswered questions.
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10 people found this helpful

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From the United States

William M Miller
4.0 out of 5 stars One of Golden's Better Books
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
While Ararat was certainly not the best horror novel of the year, regardless of the Bram Stoker Award that it won (let's be honest - most HWA members just love Golden's ultra liberal views, not to mention his constant networking among them), this was one of Golden's better books. A very interesting premise, decent atmosphere, and some chilling moments make this a nice quick read. I would have liked better details as to the layout of the ark and space in which most of the book takes place. Even Golden himself did not seem to grasp the spacial distance of the rooms and various levels. But the dread was almost always present and once the violent action begins, it keeps up until the end, which was solid. I would be interested in reading a sequel, which Golden has mentioned is possible. Not great, but a very good recommendation.
38 people found this helpful
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Phillip Tomasso III
5.0 out of 5 stars Ancient disease? Ancient curse? Stranded miles above the earth in the side of a mountain with something ... evil!
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2018
Verified Purchase
Thrilled to have stumbled upon Christopher Golden. After reading SNOWBLIND, I dove right into ARARAT. Once again, I devoured the book. Great characters, and constant-moving-forward plot, and the tension and suspense builds and builds.

I love Golden's crisp writing. He adds just enough details to paint a picture for readers with his words, but does not overdo it. (As I find too much kills the story tempo, and turns a book into a boring snooze-fest). No fear of that with Golden,

After an earthquake a face of the Ararat Mountain crashes away during an avalanche. A cave is exposed. Teams from all over the world race to be first to explore the cave. A husband and wife team that writes books, and shoots documentaries about their adventurous waste no time getting to Turkey and securing the best guides for their journey up the mountain.

Adding to the mix government and U.N. representatives, professors, archaeologists, paleontologists, a priest (while muslims are most popular in the area), and Ben Walker from the "National Science Foundation," you've got yourself an explosive mix of Type A personalities. With a storm moving in the time for exploring the discovery is limited.

But the entire world is watching.

Because it is not a cave that has been unearthed. It is a ship --and potentially The Noah's Ark. The Biblical ark. The find could change the world. Forever.

The problem isn't the boat --or the natural questions about how it would up at the top of a mountain in the first place. The issue comes from a coffin found inside the ark, and the remains discovered inside the sealed sarcophagus. Is exposing what is within, a something not human-like with horns to the world be the best choice? Could something so old carry unknown diseases?

Ancient writings, wards, and spells . . . Noah?

Imagine being miles above the earth in the side of a mountain with a storm brewing and a demon among the cast and crew?!?!?

ARARAT is like part The Thing, and part The Exorcist. An exciting and absolute fast, tense read!

Phillip Tomasso
Author of Absolute Zero
and Damn the Dead
30 people found this helpful
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readergal
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but still so many questions
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
The concept of Ararat is interesting — an ark-like ship found in Mount Ararat. Three stars seemed about right for this book compared to the many other horror/suspense novels I've read. I found it enjoyable while reading, but I was left with too many questions, ones that even the supposed scientists didn't have enough curiosity to ask. For instance, how do they know the structure is a boat? They never discuss it. If it was actually Noah's ark, why are there dead bodies aboard — wouldn't they have walked off once it landed? If they died before the boat landed, why were they not tended to with traditional funeral rites? Is there any evidence of previous habitation by animals? Dung, for instance? Could it have been uplifted or encased by Ararat's volcanic activity? Were there any water lines on the wood anywhere, to show it was ever in a flood?

If not knowing — or even having characters consider — these questions doesn't bother you, you might enjoy this novel for its basic scary premise, though that also leaves us with a zillion unanswered questions.
10 people found this helpful
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Sean Farrell
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the year's best horror novels.
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2017
Verified Purchase
"Popcorn" books can be a lot of fun no matter what time of year it is, but they seem especially appropriate in the Summer time, and this latest horror offering from Christopher Golden is a pretty perfect Summer book. Engaged, moutain-climbing authors / documentary filmmakers Adam and Meryam are in a race to be first up Mt. Ararat into a cavern that has opened up as the result of an earthquake, possibly revealing Noah's Ark. Unsurprisingly they make it and discover that the cavern appears to actually be the ark itself, and it contains a rather disturbing discovery inside. Nevertheless, they assemble a team of international archaeologists, religious experts, mountain guides, and government representatives and get to work studying their findings. As a blizzard approaches, effectively trapping them inside the Ark, things begin to take a turn for the worse at the site as the body count begins piling up, and the tone of the book switches from adventure mixed with some mystery to a straight-up frightfest. This is one of the scarier books I've read in a while, using some pretty shocking violence to really up the fear factor. As a result, while not likely to win any literary rewards, Mr. Golden has created one of the year's most entertaining books, and written a story that would make a great Summer blockbuster.
19 people found this helpful
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Cheryl Stout
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
4.0 out of 5 stars Is it Noah's Ark?
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2019
Verified Purchase
After an avalanche/landslide occurs down the side of Mt. Ararat in Turkey, a huge cavern appears in the side of the mountain.

Archaeologists, biblical scholars, Arkologists, guides, ancient language experts, government agents, and documentary crews all want to be the first to lay claim to the sit - because it seems an ancient ship has been discovered inside the cavern.

Meryam and Adam, her fiance, have a small documentary crew and experts and they want to be the first to step foot on site. They've filmed their adventures before plus written books and this could be a huge story with far-reaching impacts.

This is quite an adventure tale that bogs down a bit because of repetition but still is fast-paced and asks some difficult questions. What is found on this ancient craft is the stuff nightmares are made of and plenty of thrills and chills.

I've enjoyed this author previously and am now off to read book number two THE PANDORA ROOM featuring Ben Walker, ostensibly a U.S. representative for the National Science Foundation but actually an agent for DARPA.
5 people found this helpful
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Misty Battle
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
I seem to be finding all the horror books with demons in it this week. This one being the most terrifying by far. My second read by Mr. Golden, both 5 stars. Climbers discover what might be Noah's Ark high up in the mountains. Don't ask me why it is there, it just is. Cue everyone trying to get in on the discovery in the middle of a blizzard. They find something with horns that was entombed in a black box with old writing. All kinds of chaos start breaking out as the demon starts body hopping faster than an escort on a Friday night. Trapped inside by the blizzard with no hopes of rescue, with death around every corner, who will make it out. Outstanding read.
2 people found this helpful
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Zen
5.0 out of 5 stars Mummy on Ararat mountain.
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
I wasn't expecting a great novel. I've seen online very few reviews that would convince me this is a great book.
The plot it's interesting and i would say original : a team of experts are flying on Ararat mountain after they find out Noah's Ark has been discovered. Only, on top of the ship they would find also a horned mummy. Which won't stay completely dead. Killings are next.
I really hated a character named Meryam, an ex-muslim female who has a Jewish boyfriend. If the author wanted to create a very unpleasent character, he succed it. If he wanted to create a superhero , bossy female character, then he failed. I disliked her since the beginning of the book .
It's a story mix with supernatural, horror, survival and crimes.
Very well written and twist after twist and wasn't expecting so many characters to...die.
Although the ending leaves many questions open, it was fine for me. A weird story should not finnish without unanswered questions.
Great work.
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Tolkien Trekkie
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not what I was expecting…
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
I had never read anything by Christopher Golden. When this book was first announced, I awaited its release with great anticipation. I was expecting an archeology based mystery being unraveled with hair raising action prevalent. While there were some aspects of that there’s a greater emphasis on demon possession and exorcism dominating the last half of the novel. Even though I don’t normally read that genre, the storytelling was intense and kept me off balance. The ending was an unexpected twist and could be a setup for a sequel.
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Ctones
2.0 out of 5 stars Expected more, but still above average book.
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
I was excited about the concepts and plot of Ararat. Unfortunately, for me it fell short. The idea of the biblical Ark being found and an ancient evil gave the author many opportunities to provide details that would make this come more “to life “. The effort of research in this aspect just wasn’t there. Also, there was so much I wish would be explained, but in the end was not revealed. The book was never creepy or scary. And it’s pace is slow until the last fourth of the story. The use of of the word “abate” was used so much it distracted me. Now the good stuff... the characterization is great. I felt I got to know multiple characters. The last portion of the book is a page turner. It gets exciting and easy to imagine. You can feel the tension. The ending is pretty good as well. Overall it’s a good read, it just had the potential to present so much more.
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Philip Fracassi
4.0 out of 5 stars A High-Altitude Thrill Ride
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2019
Verified Purchase
ARARAT is a ton of fun, and the fascinating introduction to Ben Walker is welcome, especially now that it's been revealed there will be more Ben Walker books as well as a potential television series adaption.

The novel starts quietly - but intriguingly - enough, as climbers make a bizarre discovery right out of the Old Testament (quite literally). Soon enough, however, the story veers from a thrilling adventure story into a full-blown horror show. So much so that it caught me a bit off-guard, although not unpleasantly.

The final act is where things cut loose and all bets are off, as Golden gleefully tosses the 250-pages or so of buildup off the side of the mountain and takes the reader on one last, bloody-as-hell, thrill ride - right to the bottom.

Interesting, well-told, surprising at times and universal in its themes and readership-appeal, ARARAT was an arresting novel that I'd highly recommend for fans of THE TERROR or for those who enjoy a fast-paced supernatural thriller. This book is sleek and dangerous, like the mountain itself.
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