Just Finished Reading: The X-Files - Goblins by Charles Grant (FP: 1995)

At first it seemed like a simple mugging. Certainly nothing to bother the FBI about. Purely a case for local law enforcement. But when a witness comes forward to say that the wall came alive and killed him some people start to take notice – especially Special Agent Fox Mulder. But it doesn’t help that he’s under internal investigation and that the very existence of the X-Files section is in jeopardy. However, when a US Senator become involved Mulder and ever capable, ever sceptical assistant investigator Dana Scully are sent to find out exactly when is happening in the small town. When the bodies start piling up and a nearby military base becomes the focus of their interest more than solving a simple crime is at stake. Local urban legends of Goblins capable of vanishing into thin air and striking from anywhere become all too real. A secret government project, illegal human experimentation, cover up, murder and an adversary that can disappear faster than you can blink. Mulder hasn’t had this much fun in ages….

Yet another book that’s been on my shelves for years and only brought out as part of the 2015 Reading Challenge. I enjoyed the X-Files (at least to begin with) and not just because of the lovely sceptic Dana Scully. No, The X-Files was just delicious conspiratorial fun, until it got fat too self-referential, convoluted and just plain boring. Anyway, the volume had nothing (much) to do with the over-arching alien conspiracy the show got mired in and was (pun intended) much more down to Earth. It was classic X-Files territory. A small town plagued by an inexplicable series of crimes which had more than a hint of covert conspiracy and secret government involvement. This element I thought was well done and there were definitely moments of a real creep factor. It took me a little while to ease into both the Mulder and Scully characters because at first, at least, they didn’t seem quite ‘right’. I can’t really put my finger on it but something about them clashed with my memory of the series. I soon got over that and just enjoyed the ride. Despite, or maybe because, my low expectations I actually rather enjoyed this book. There was plenty of drama, pretty good characterisation, a decent story with some pretty decent bad guys and a nicely ambiguous ending (as always in the show!). Reasonable.

[2015 Reading Challenge: A book based on or turned into a TV show – COMPLETE (21/50)]