The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone

The Hatching (Hatching, #1) (Hatching Series, The)

by Ezekiel Boone

Deep in the jungle of Peru, a black, skittering mass devours an American tourist party whole. FBI agent Mike Rich investigates a fatal plane crash in Minneapolis and makes a gruesome discovery. Unusual seismic patterns register in a Indian earthquake lab, confounding the scientists there. The Chinese government "accidentally" drops a nuclear bomb in an isolated region of its own country. The first female president of the United States is summoned to an emergency briefing. And all of these events are connected.

As panic begins to sweep the globe, a mysterious package from South America arrives at Melanie Guyer's Washington laboratory. The unusual egg inside begins to crack. Something is spreading...
The world is on the brink of an apocalyptic disaster. An virulent ancient species, long dormant, is now very much awake. But this is only the beginning of our end...

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

4 of 5 stars

Share
Five Terrifying Reasons to read The Hatching:

  • It was refreshing to read an apocalyptic novel that does not involve Zombies. Sure, I love those slow-moving brain eaters and the fear of being bitten would have me hiding but this ancient race of CARNIVOROUS spiders that emerge are scary as F@ck. Think about it. How do you hide from spiders? Lock your doors and close your windows? Gulp. Spiders get in. We KNOW they get in! Now imagine a hoard of them. Go on; take a minute to digest that.


  • The writing was intense and shared perspectives all over the world as this outbreak began. I started this late one Friday evening and sat up until its conclusion. Which by the way is only the beginning, as this story continues with SKITTER in 2017. The story has a fantastic flow to it, weaving back and forth between key characters, catastrophic events and terrifying attacks. Boone carefully weaved all the threads together creating suspense and fear in this addictive tale.


  • The premise of this ancient race of CARNIVOROUS spiders was fascinating. Boone introduced American University professor and leading spider expert Dr. Melanie Guyer. She becomes involved when an ancient egg is shipped to her for study after being unearthed during a dig in South America. She is even more intrigued when it appears to vibrate and crack. Guyer, the ex-wife of the President’s Chief of Staff will be instrumental in sharing knowledge and terrifying theories about this predator..


  • The Hatching unfolds in bits, introducing us to characters to care about from FBI Agent Mike Rich in Minneapolis to scientists studying seismic activity for earthquakes. We follow the U.S. President and her closest advisors after China drops a nuclear bomb on its own country. The events take place over a single week creating a fast paced, edge of your seat read. IT WILL give you the heebie-jeebies. Boone terrifyingly describes the swarm of spiders and shares their acts. He brings us up close and personal with a few of those attacks providing graphic details from the perspective of eyewitnesses. Just when I thought, it could not get any more horrifying he reveals twists that will unleash a blood-curdling scream from the reader as the knowledge of these reveals are digested.


  • The Hatching was engaging providing that rush of adrenaline that comes with an epic horror story and it is only the beginning. The ending of this tales comes with reveals that let the reader know the horror has only just begun. The Hatching would do well in theaters, but trust me when I tell you I will not be going. I might love to read horror stories but viewing them is another kind of crazy. Skitter the next book will release in May 2017.


BEA, copy provided by publisher This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 28 May, 2016: Finished reading
  • 28 May, 2016: Reviewed