MWhile the main plot - mutants created by toxic waste - is not really new, the setting of 'Black Creek' during a whiteout blizzard was scary as hell. For a long part of the story, the snow storm is the only enemy the people living in the Black Creek area have to face, and it's a really mean one. The author did a great job bringing it to live, making me shiver to the bone just reading about and imagining it.
The invasion of the long forgotten underground inhabitants seemed just like the icing on the cake, so to speak, adding another layer of horror to make this book a perfect read. But the real horror definitely was the snow blizzard - without it this would have been just another variation of the mutant creature theme, something like Silent Hill during bad weather.
The author did a great job bringing his characters to life and creating an ever-present intimidating atmosphere that doesn't allow anyone to take a breath, not even the reader. I recommend reading this not only with the lights on, but the thermostat as well.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)