The Ritual by Adam Nevill

 

The Ritual by Adam Nevill - 418 pages

Four old university friends reunite for a hiking trip in the Scandinavian wilderness of the Arctic Circle. No longer young men, they have little left in common, and tensions rise as they struggle to connect. Frustrated and tired, they take a shortcut that turns their hike into a nightmare that could cost them their lives.

Lost, hungry and surrounded by forest untouched for millennia, they stumble across an isolated old house. Inside, they find the macabre remains of old rites and pagan sacrifices; ancient artefacts and unidentifiable bones. This place of dark ritual is home to a bestial predator that is still alive in the ancient forest. And now they’re the prey.

As the four friends struggle for salvation, they discover that death doesn’t come easy among these ancient trees..

This book was spooky enough, but I feel it could have been more so.  The story seemed to lag in the middle and the ending for me was not what I was hoping for.  However, the idea of this book is good and I did for the most part enjoy it.  I will definitely seek out another of his books.