From 1983, this pulp horror continues the ’Omen’ storyline after 'The Final Conflict: Omen III'. Though Damien Thorn was stabbed by Kate in 'The Final Conflict', he was not killed according to the ritual described in 'The Omen'. So his physical body may be dead but his soul lives on. Plus Damien slept with Kate in 'The Final Conflict' and in the start of the book, she gives birth to his son before dying.
Years pass. The year is now 2000 and war is brewing as Damien's son lives hidden away. He prays to his father's body and he is mentored by Thorne Industries CEO Paul Buher. As Damien Jnr plots to avenge his grandfather’s fall, Buher has a crisis of faith.
This is good and ties up a lot of loose ends and continues the story. It is a dated view of 2000: telex machines, telegrams, CND, Arafat, Soviets and the Warsaw Pact. This and ‘Omen V’ are a far better conclusion to the ‘Omen’ movies than the terrible ‘Omen IV’ TV movie.
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The Abomination: Omen V by Gordon McGill
After the ‘Omen’ film trilogy (‘The Omen’, ‘Damien: Omen II’ and ‘The Final Conflict: Omen III’) the story continued in ‘Armageddon 2000: Omen IV’ and concludes here.
It is 2001, Damien Thorn is long dead but his son lives determined to stir up WW3 and carry on his father’s plan. A writer named Jack Mason becomes determined to write a book about the doomed Thorn clan. Can he thwart terrible plans of which he is not truly aware?
Published in 1985, this is a very dated view of 2001. No internet, there is a mention of a TV being on automatic video and Mason writes on a huge word processor that has a tape deck. This is okay pulp horror.
Best Lines:
“Just assume these are the ravings of lunatics. That way it will be easier for you.”
“As if she had glimpsed the hereafter and was horrified by it.”
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The Liar’s Lullaby by Meg Gardiner
The 3rd in the Jo Beckett series after the taunt ‘The Dirty Secrets Club’ and the silly ‘The Memory Collector’. Tasia McFarland is a pop diva icon and her death at a concert under mysterious circumstances is a sensation. Tasia is the ex-wife of the President of the United States, rumours and conspiracy theories fly wildly.
Jo Beckett investigates Tasia’s life and has to determine if Tasia was a paranoid bipolar drama queen or was someone out to get her? Surrounded by a toxic media, Jo vows to uncover the truth. This is good and suspenseful, however the ending gets farfetched.