I was excited to read this after the premise, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I really enjoyed the writing but I didn’t like the characters and the plot was slow. I lost interest halfway through and sadly I didn’t enjoy this one very much. I’m sure this book will find its right readers.

I loved the premise of this, with it being set in a hotel, but I just felt a bit lost and gave up. I probably should've clicked this just wasn't my sort of thing given it was written back in the 60s and thus not really going to be the style I'm used to.

I absolutely loved the concept of this book and would give it all the stars based on that alone but, alas, the execution wasn't the greatest.
We're not given a huge amount of background on things, which was fine for world-building, but it did mean that the characters lacked depth as we were not given enough information that help us form relationships or connections with them. It sounds weird but the book felt very open and vast in the sense of space. This hotel sits alone in a post-apocalyptic landscape and it gives this very short book a sense of vastness, which I enjoyed.
It's not the most exciting book but it is also not the worst. A straight-down-the-middle 3-star read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Termush is a luxury resort where the wealthy guests are survivors who reserved their places before the nuclear apocalypse. Our protagonist feared a possible nuclear contamination or a collapse of the government and therefore he safeguarded his future by moving to Termush. We then follow the main character as he starts to question the people and surroundings. Despite the decimated exterior world, life in Termush mirrors the world before the change in many ways. A micro-community; hierarchical, featuring a management team, chairmen, guards, a doctor and the guests themselves. The main point of the story is that money means nothing in this world, It is not very fast paced and does not have great world building or atmosphere. I think the book is obviously of its time, but not as gripping as apocalyptic tales we have today. I would definitely recommend it to be read though.

"Termush" co-authored by Sven Holm and Jeff VanderMeer is a mind-bending and immersive journey into a world that defies conventional boundaries. This novel pushes the limits of storytelling, taking readers on a surreal and thought-provoking adventure that challenges perceptions and leaves an indelible mark on the imagination.

The collaborative effort of Holm and VanderMeer results in a narrative that is both deeply philosophical and profoundly imaginative. Set in a universe that seems to exist at the edge of reality, "Termush" explores the intertwining lives of its characters against a backdrop of shifting landscapes and enigmatic dimensions. The authors' distinct styles seamlessly blend, creating a harmonious and intricate tapestry of words that draws readers into an otherworldly experience.

The characters in "Termush" are multi-layered and hauntingly evocative, reflecting the surreal nature of the narrative. As readers delve deeper into their stories, they become entangled in a web of emotions, memories, and existential questions. The authors play with perspectives and timelines, adding a layer of complexity that demands the reader's full engagement and reflection.

Holm and VanderMeer's writing is poetic and lush, immersing readers in the vividly described worlds of the story. The book's pacing ebbs and flows, mirroring the disorienting and dreamlike qualities of the narrative. The prose masterfully captures the uncanny and the mysterious, inviting readers to contemplate the nature of reality, identity, and the human experience.

One of the book's most remarkable achievements is its ability to elicit a wide range of emotions and interpretations. As the plot unfolds, readers are confronted with moments of awe, confusion, and introspection. "Termush" prompts contemplation on profound themes such as the nature of existence, the fragility of memory, and the limits of human understanding.

While "Termush" is undoubtedly a mesmerizing and intellectually stimulating read, it may not be for everyone. Its unconventional narrative structure and abstract concepts might pose a challenge for those seeking more traditional storytelling. However, for those willing to embrace its experimental nature, the book offers a deeply rewarding and thought-provoking experience.

In conclusion, "Termush" is a tour de force that showcases the creativity and brilliance of Sven Holm and Jeff VanderMeer. It's a novel that invites readers to step beyond the boundaries of the ordinary and embark on a mind-bending odyssey that will resonate long after the last page is turned. With its ethereal prose and existential explorations, "Termush" stands as a testament to the power of speculative fiction to push the limits of human imagination and understanding.

With touches of Ballard in its existential despair, Termush is a genuine rediscovered classic. Very thankful to not have read it over lockdown!

Like many post-apocalyptic stories, things do not go well here.
I truly enjoyed the style. The slow sense of dread the people discover in their mansion. And the ideas of 'the strangers' coming to get what they have, the food, security, &c. is realistic. Often we are only given the tale from the 'strangers' view.

VanderMeer's introduction set the stage well for this too. Giving it a context and a depth (I read it after I'd finished the novel rather than before).

Termush is a luxurious hotel where the most wealthy booked their rooms as survival packages against the impending apocalypse. Now, the walls protect them from the radiation outside, and the lavish provisions create an illusion of an extended holiday. Their ideal stay is disturbed when first outsiders needing medical help are brought into the hotel...

Termush is a short dystopian novel written in 1967, but the story seems surprisingly relevant today. In a post-apocalyptic world, the most wealthy hide in an isolated hotel, trying to lead a near-normal life. When the management opens the hotel’s doors to some people in need of shelter, the protests start. The outsiders are seen as a potential threat, using the provisions of ‘paying customers’ and bringing the danger of contamination. I can almost see our modern society doing something like that in a similar situation. Without revealing the plot, the hotel gradually plunges into chaos, and the utopian paradise becomes slightly darker...

A strange, stark, very cold novella set in a hotel for the uber rich in the aftermath of a nuclear disaster. Mostly inured from the suffering outside, our protagonist remains equally distant from the conflicts and dramas within his new community. Termush was an easy read, in a lovely translation, but the smooth prose combined with the apathetic narrator made for a read that I found somewhat empty.

Loved this book! Always a fan of older SF or apocalypse fiction told in a sparse yet meaningful way. Obviously was pulled in by the Faber marketing campaign but the quality of the book didn't disappoint. I was a bit confused about what was happening in the middle but was happy for it to wash over me until the conclusion. Many parallels with today's ecological and political crises.

A highly readable work of speculative fiction, feeling too real to breach "dystopia". It would sit next to J.G. Ballard. Heavy with sadness but the reflective tone does well as a warning against both herd inhumanity and the bomb itself.

I love Jeff VanderMeer works and I couldn't resist when I read his name. This is not the average sci-fi/dystopia/post-apocalyptic novel. It a post-apocalyptic novel but mainly a speculative fiction on how the difficulties can lead who’s in charge to change and not in a nice way.
There’s not a lot of information, there’s not a lot that we are told: the plot will lead you to unexpected turns and twists.
This book was written during the Cold War and some echo can be felt but it could be written today as it aged very well.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

This first came on my radar because Jeff VanderMeer wrote the introduction to this re-release of a translated 60s speculative novella, and if there’s anyone I trust to tell me a speculative novella is good it’s Jeff VanderMeer. And he did not lead me astray! Taut and atmospheric, with building tension and information apportioned and withheld in such a way that it becomes almost unbearable. If I hadn’t known this book is 55 years old, I never would have guessed; its themes and ethical dilemmas feel so timely and modern. This won’t be for everyone because you have to be okay with not knowing much, with going along for the ride without much promise of any clear answers. But this is very much for me.

‘Termush’ by Sven Holm was a book originally published in 1967 but this haunting tale about the dystopian future feels ageless. The stark landscape and isolated hotel filled with rich guests is introduced by an almost emotionless narrator. As events unfold in this hotel, the narrator is faced with many issues surrounding class, human rights and authority. The rich guests of this hotel have paid for their survival but at what cost?

This book made me think about the desperation of humans and how far one will go to ensure their survival. As the Earth becomes inhabitable, basic instincts start to take control. There are some who want to fight to live in a world full dust and others who still hold onto rules that once governed the world around them. These rich guests have been blessed their whole lives but now they are faced with the possibility of losing their privileges. How can things such as class and authority exist in a world that is unrelenting to its inhabitants?

This book is an amazing read for those interested in dystopian novels that explore human connection and survival. It is an unsettling read as there are some graphic depictions of radiation effects on human bodies. It’s also a good book to recommend to others as it holds a lot of subjects that can be discussed and debated with others.

Thank you to the publisher Faber and Faber and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for a review.

Termush is a destination for the rich amidst a nuclear apocalypse. A select few arrive at this luxury hotel to live beyond the end of the world in style. Eventually survivors start turning up and there is a divide in the hotel guests as to whether they should help or not. The hotel management seems to be withholding information from the guests about the outside, about a reconnaissance mission that has gone out and about their plans for the people that keep turning up.

This feels so modern and it makes a lot of sense that it is being reissued. I would say the kind of creeping dread you anticipate in stories like this is definitely absent because, well, I don't particularly care what happens to a bunch of rich people in a hotel at the end of the world! I think we get the perfect amount of information to make this work really well as a novella. Enjoyed it!

Wonderfully cold. Clinical, almost. A reflection on the staggering issue of class when structures and institutions no longer survive, although Termush posits that maybe they are the only things that do survive.


Massive amounts of gratitude to Faber Editions for the publication of this novel I would otherwise not have been able to find, and for the advance ebook!

A tight dystopian novella, which was originally published in 1967, is now translated to English, and chillingly relevant. Termush is an isolated resort where the wealthy purchased the ability to stay safe there, when a nuclear disaster struck the world. Inside Termush, there’s good food, lush furnishings, and a strict set of rules to keep everyone healthy. But then, strangers start to find them, and what does it mean to hold these lives in their hands? The inhabitants of Termush have to decide who they’re going to be and what they will do when confronted with desperation at the end of the world.

Whew. This was spooky, told by a calm and unruffled narrator, who clearly fancies himself a bit more moral than many of the others at Termush, but ultimately no different. The short chapters give a tense pacing, getting shorter as the days pass and the situation of the outside world spills into their enclave. It was fascinating and upsetting because it’s definitely true.

3/5

Termush tells the story of what happens after an unspecified nuclear disaster. It's a great premise, and the way events unfolds feels more or less believable, but there is something about it that doesn't quite work for me.

First, though, the positives. As I said above, the events feel vaguely plausible, and Holm skillfully and thoughtfully shows an individual (and a community's) response to a nuclear apocalypse without being too direct or forceful about what he's trying to say. The events of the book make you, along with the characters, reflect on fear and change and the desire for the familiar and comfortable in a changing world.

So why only 3/5? The book is written in quite a cold, remote style that befits the events and the mood the author was going for. While it seems like a deliberate style choice, the prose makes everything about the book feel washed out and flat. In addition to preventing you from connecting with the characters, it also deadens the impact of the story and the messages it's trying to pass on. I think there's a better version of this story that *could* have been written - possibly one where you're shown more of the characters, setting and emotions early on, before paranoia and the consequences of the apocalypse truly set in.

This edition is accompanied by a short introduction, which (as with most similar pieces) is best read at the end to avoid spoilers. This one was rather complicated, but did point out that some of J.G. Ballard's works are decent comparison titles for Termush - something with which I agree.

On the whole this was a good book - especially for those who like dystopias and subtle storytelling. Recommended with reservations.

Finally, thank you to Netgalley and Faber, who kindly provided an ARC of Termush in return for an honest review.

After a nuclear apocalypse the wealthy inhabitants of a hotel exit their underground bunker and begin to live their new normal lives in the hotel. However, their problems are only just beginning when survivors of the nuclear disaster begin to turn up at the hotel and tensions begin to run high between those who want to allow them to stay and those who wish to remain isolated.

This was a fascinating and gripping dystopian novel. The moral dilemmas that arose as well as how each person handled their new life was really interesting to watch as it unfolded. This was a short novel but one that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Termush by Sven Holm was written in 1967 and first translated to English in 1969. The book shows the psychological state of a group of wealthy survivors in a hotel after a nuclear accident. They were all ready before the apocalyptic event but still are struggling. The narrator tries to make sense of what is going on and if they thought they are safe now, they couldn't be more wrong, since the problems are just starting.
if apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is your thing, you sure will love this.