Quicksand Novels

Share Your Media Finds! Includes scans and incidental on-topic images, as well as links to on-topic items at photo and video sharing sites. Material created by the community should be posted in the Member Submissions forums. Information Nuggets go to General Discussion.
Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Mon Aug 01, 2022 9:45 am

The Mythical City by Cedric Daurio

A 10th century saga narrates the arrival of a Viking castaway to the Mayan cities. He is accepted as an avatar of the God Kukulkan and marries a Maya Princess

A genetic thread links those misty characters with a young Mexican archaeologist and through her with the members of an expedition set to find El Gran Paititi, legendary lost city of the Incas. Myths about lost civilizations are recurrent in all cultures because they exert an irresistible romantic attraction on the human soul. The search unfolds first in the Amazonian jungle between Peru and Brazil and in the forests of Peruvian highlands afterwards.

The expedition has attracted the attention of dangerous people led by a former Soviet intelligence officer who are looking for Paititi by its riches to put them at the service of a world power restoration project.

Finally, a strange millennial group of alleged descendants of the Incas intends to expel all foreigners who pollute their sacred site which they seek to preserve for the day of the resurrection of the vast Empire.

All these elements interact in the novel, creating a climate of sustained suspense and anxiety until the final climax.


There is one quicksand scene.

One of the female members of the expedition wanders off into the jungle for a nature break. She is distracted on the way back and does not realise that she has wandered into quicksand until she her feet become stuck. She struggles to escape, tries to sit on the sucking mud, then sinking the armpits. A native uses as bow to pull her out.

Sinkiness: 3.5/5

It's a decent jungle quicksand scene with the female wandering off and falling in. It's a fairly short and straightforward scene with nice descriptions of her entrapment.
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Mon Aug 01, 2022 9:52 am

The Collector's Treasure by A. Payne, N.D. Taylor, Vivienne Savage
Scottish wizard Griffin MacNeil has dedicated his life to seeking magical treasure, but his luck runs dry when a demonic cult sets their sights on him. When it seems his life can’t get any more complicated, an unexpected encounter with his first love adds fuel to the proverbial fire.

Aisling Kavanagh is more than a healer, she’s a half-fae with a knack for lifting devilish curses. When she crosses paths with her childhood crush, a dangerously sexy attraction reignites between her and Griffin. But if she wants him, she’ll have to battle for more than his heart—she’ll have to fight for his very soul.


There is one quicksand scene.

Aisling is confronted by a geomancer who turns the ground beneath her into quicksand. She sinks to her knees, and eventually reaches her breasts. She escapes using a summoned creature.

Sinkiness: 3/5

Short sequence. Nice setup with the female being trapped with magic. Otherwise a minor plot point.

Free preview:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Collector_s_Treasure/VvyqDgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Mon Aug 01, 2022 9:59 am

Such Power is Dangerous by Dennis Wheatley
. . . Once we have begun our operations there can be no turning back, but if you agree to join me I have no single doubt as to our success. What is your answer?'

Hinckman stood up – his great chin jutted out and he threw his massive shoulders back as he replied: 'I guess this is the biggest proposition that's ever been put up, Lord Fortescue – but I'm your man!'

Lord Gavin took his hand, a sudden fire leapt into his strange, cold eyes. 'Within a year,' he said softly, 'you and I will be the richest and most powerful men in the world.


There is one quicksand scene.

One of the female characters is trying to navigate her way through the bog. She finds her feet getting stuck in the mud. She attempts to cross it using saplings and stepping stones. However, she falls into the bog and slowly sinks. She tries to remain still, holding her weight up using the saplings, but eventually she tires and sinks to her chest. She is later rescued.

Sinkiness: 3.5/5

There's a fair bit of sinking and the narration is well paced for a slow sink. Much of the scene is a flashback of her other memories evoked by her impending doom. It is otherwise a short and uneventful scene.

Part of the scene is in the free preview:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Such_Power_is_Dangerous/_qWaBAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Mon Aug 01, 2022 10:07 am

Time of the Twins by Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Elizabeth Killmond-Roman, Katherine Killmond
In Time of the Twins, Lex, an impulsive military cadet, and Livia, a pampered Airess, have just found out they are twins, which is against the law in the great City of Indra. Now they are leaving behind the only world they have ever known: for Lex, it was the dark world of the Hub below the surface of Indra, where she survived the brutal Orphanage to become an elite member of Indra’s Population Control Forces, and for Livia, it was a life of luxury on the sky island of Helix, where she was brought up to be a Proper Indrithian Young Woman.

With help from the charming and handsome Kane, Lex’s best friend and Livia’s newfound love, and Zavier, a gruff rebel who would prefer to leave them all behind, they make the grueling trek through the dangerous underground tunnels toward the Outlands beyond the dome of Indra in search of the mother they thought was dead. When they finally reach the Outlanders' colony, they discover their mother holds the key to unlocking their past, and they must confront an ancient prophecy, “The Time of the Twins.” The prophecy claims they are the long-awaited “twin saviors,” destined to save the City of Indra from the oppressive High Council who have long reigned over all of its people.

Will Lex and Livia agree to be a part of their mother’s dangerous plan and take on the daunting role of the “twin saviors”? Will they trust their mother and put themselves in jeopardy to save countless lives? It’s a responsibility they never asked for . . . but one that may prove impossible to ignore.

With unforgettable characters, an action-packed pace, and the sparks of new romance, the Jenner sisters have created a page-turning, heart-stopping adventure that will leave you wanting more.


There is one quicksand scene.

The characters have to navigate through a deep, muddy swamp. They tie ropes around their waists in case they sink too deep. They go through deep spots up to their hips. The male companion is fed up with being stuck in the mud, removes himself from the rope and gets out, only to sink into a deep mudpit. The others use the rope to pull him out.

Sinkiness: 3/5

This one is more of a deep mud scene with a minor sinking sequence at the climax. The swamp journey is well told, describing the thick mud and their depths quite well, notably how the female leads react. The sinking sequence itself is short with the male character, and nothing else comes out of it.

The scene is in the free sample:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Time_of_the_Twins/yFU3DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Mon Aug 01, 2022 10:17 am

Freakn' Shifters by Eve Langlais
Wild times in the jungle, inmate seduction, alpha males and awesome heroines. This huge bundle is a shifter lover’s delight featuring not just werewolves but big cat shifters as well.


The male and female lead characters have a back-and-forth lovers quarrel. The hunky male shifter turns out to be standing in quicksand and is slowly sinking. The female stands over him and taunts him, making fun of his male superiority. He begins to panic and sinks to chest, telling her to go get help. She tries to pull him out, but he pulls her, sinking to her knees. She briefly panics when she realises they're both stuck in quicksand. However, it turns out that he has touched the bottom and is pranking her.

Sinkiness: 4/5

While it is a male scene, the setup, narration and pacing are quite good, with the final rug-pull being a cute moment. This one is more for the female domination kind of vibe.

The free sample I found is from the bundle that has Books #4 - #6. I'm not exactly sure which book this scene is in.
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Freakn_Shifters_Bundle_2/fgP-DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Mon Aug 01, 2022 10:28 am

Stalked by James Broderick
What happens when what you know can’t explain what you experience? That’s the crisis facing Kelsey Kane, a twenty-seven-year-old single mother who’s desperately trying to build a life for her and her seven-year-old son. As she nears the end of her formal education—and is tantalized by a life just beyond her reach—she finds everything she’s learned in graduate school is about to become academic. Kelsey will encounter a fierce reminder of the limits of logic—as well as her own insecurities—as she battles to save herself, her son, and her sanity from the clutches of a creature that can’t exist—but which does.


There is one very nice quicksand scene.

Kelsey is taking photos by the lake. She doesn't realise that she is sinking into the mud. She tries to free her legs but cannot move. She realises that she is trapped and slowly sinking. She reaches into the mud to find something in her pockets, but has nothing of use and struggles to pull her arms free. She sinks to her chest and uses her arms for balance. She realises there is a branch nearby. She uses her camera strap to reach the branch and pulls herself free.

Sinkiness: 5/5

This is a fantastic solo sink. We expect there to be quicksand but the character is oblivious until it is too late. She slow sink paces the scene out very well, which is interspersed with her thought processes on how to get out. Her self-rescue is a nice finish to the scene.

The scene is in the free sample:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Stalked/LtSXDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Tue Aug 02, 2022 7:29 am

Alien Collective by Gini Koch
Despite not having run for office, nor wanting to remain in office, Representative Jeff Martini is being wooed as the vice presidential running mate for a charismatic senator who seems likely to win the campaign. While the Diplomatic Corps has to deal with the pressures of a political campaign sure to uncover secrets they don’t want shared with the world, Ambassador Kitty Katt-Martini has other worries—handling the reemergence of her most potent nemesis, thought dead and buried.


There is one very long quicksand scene.

After Kitty and her team wrestle with a sand monster alien thing, they are all trapped in quicksand in Groom Lake. Kitty notices her ankles sinking into the sand. The team realises that it isn't real quicksand, but an alien power that is being created by a driver on a vehicle that driving circles around them far away, while also corralling a herd of javelinas to run over them and... it gets weird. Basically Kitty and team get several members out of the quicksand, but sink to their calves and thighs. Then Kitty's husband gets her and the others out, sinking to their armpits. Eventually they overcome the weird battle and they all get out. Or something. I really don't know what's going on.

Sinkiness: 2/5

This is actually a really big disappointment. Honestly my searches triggered the MOST number of hits for "quicksand" in a single book, yet there's virtually no sinking. The concept is great - female lead and her squad being trapped and unable to move in fear of sinking in quicksand. But nothing actually happens in the quicksand. They don't even sink about from the two throwaway lines when they drop down after rescuing people. The entirety of those chapters is a chaotic mess of sci-fi technobabble and creatures that doesn't create a coherent narrative. There's a lot of talking in the quicksand and mentioning the quicksand, but even though they are literally standing in quicksand, it's the least quicksand-y sequence I've reviewed.

Part of it is in the preview here:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Alien_Collective/tGN-AgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=alien+collective+quickksand&pg=PT138&printsec=frontcover
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Fri Aug 05, 2022 12:36 pm

The Hidden by C.C. Sommerly
Teagan’s truth was hard to accept…

…because one mistake cost her everything.

Would her next move save her?

She loved being a Marine. Getting assigned to the special demon hunting unit was the best day of her life. In a moment, she had to act. She pulled the trigger. It started a domino effect that ended her career and landed her in jail.

It isn’t safe.

Many want her dead.

What started as a government experiment, mixing the DNA of demons with humans, spiraled out of control. They needed a perfect soldier to battle the demon invasion. What they got was more dangerous than they imagined.

Twice she was nearly killed.

Now, people Teagan doesn’t know, stand before her. They’re breaking her out. It’s time to go. Can she trust them?

Does she have any choice?

The adventure begins.


There is one quicksand scene.

Action Girl Teagan has to navigate an obstacle course. One of the obstacles is a chasm with a rope stretched out over quicksand. Teagan understands the nature of the trap and begins to shuffle over the quicksand, growing anxious as she hangs above it. The stakes go up as the villain comes up from behind and burns the rope. Teagan realises that the rope will snap and plunge her into the quicksand. She attempts to close enough of the distance to wade out using the rope. She drops into the quicksand and sinks to her chest before making it out.

Sinkiness: 2/5

The concept is excellent. However, the scene itself is very short. The quicksand segment is not a significant part of the plot or sequence, so it is glossed over fairly briefly.

The full scene is in the preview:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Hidden/qmnxDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22quicksand%22+%22rope%22&pg=PT97&printsec=frontcover
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Fri Aug 05, 2022 12:51 pm

The Desert Prince by Alisha Sevingy
Ancient Egyptian healer and scribe Sesha is ready for another role: spy.

Be sure to read Sesha’s first adventure, The Lost Scroll of the Physician.

Forced to flee Thebes or face death, Sesha and her friends, Paser and Reb, travel up the Nile and into the desert in search of a hidden oasis. Led by a freed spy, they plan to rescue Pharaoh’s daughter Princess Merat, given to a Hyksos chieftain against her will. Before they can get there, though, they have to battle lurking crocodiles, endless dunes, and blinding sandstorms.

When the group finally straggles into the Hyksos camp, they find the rebels preparing for combat. But as Sesha and her friends spend time with the rival tribe, the lines in the sand begin to blur. When she takes on a dangerous secret mission and learns about a prophecy that could change the course of history, Sesha has to decide where her future — and the real danger — lies.


There is one quicksand scene. It falls into the "desert oasis" trope.

Sesha wanders off for a swim and plunges into quicksand. The chapter picks up with her already chest-deep. While she is terrified, her companions, with more experience in the desert, calm her down by instructing her not to struggle and that the quicksand would not pull her under. They make a rope out of their scarves while instructing Sesha to lean forward and float herself up. After several attempts, they pull her out of the quicksand.

Sinkiness: 4.5/5

The scene isn't that great to be honest, but it is an entire chapter dedicated to a favourite fantasy scenario. The descriptions and mood are coherent and well-narrated. More could be said about the sinking side, but the focus on the rescue is admirable.

The full scene is in the preview:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Desert_Prince/iKGxDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22quicksand%22+%22rope%22&pg=PT66&printsec=frontcover
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/

Viridian
Posts: 1587
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Quicksand Novels

Postby Viridian » Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:52 pm

Rogue Angel: Tear of the Gods by Alex Archer
The legacy of a pagan king could unleash terror on the world

It started as a dream--a redheaded warrior king fought and died for his men centuries ago. The dream would lead archaeologist Annja Creed to the king's undisturbed corpse...and one of England's greatest mythical artifacts.

Deep in an archaeological dig in England's Midlands, Annja locates a braided necklace around a mummified king's neck. Made of an unusual material--not quite obsidian, but gleaming with multihued color--the torc is an astonishing find. But someone knows exactly what the torc means. And he will do anything to get his hands on the Tear of the Gods. When the dig is compromised and innocent archaeologists are slain, even Annja herself is left for dead. Now she is fleeing for her life, not knowing the terrifying truth about the relic she risks everything to protect--or the devastating consequences should it fall into the wrong hands....


There is one quicksand scene. This was alluded to in the later Rogue Angel story, Treasure of Lima, as the main character Annja referenced her she escaped from quicksand when rescuing Hugo. This is the solo female scene that we wanted.

The entire story takes place around a dig site searching for relics from a peat bog. Annja and the archaeologists are attacked. The team are killed and Annja survives head wound. The attackers dump the bodies, including Annja, into the bog. Annja awakes to find herself lying on her back in the bog. She straights up, sinks to her waist, and her feet in stuck in thick silt. Annja manages to work her way on top of the surface and uses the bodies as a way to wriggle back to solid ground.

Sinkiness: 4/5

The intensity of the scene is notably high. The scene immediately starts the female lead into the bog segment. The description of the thick, sucking bog is vivid. The scene is notably very long, taking up the entire chapter and forms a significant part of the plot as Annja has to now find out why the team had been attacked and why she had been left for dead in the bog.

The entire scene is available in the free preview:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Tear_of_the_Gods/O2JVHqJBnWEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=inauthor:%22Alex+Archer%22+bog&pg=PA72&printsec=frontcover
Viridian @ deviantART: http://viridianqs.deviantart.com/


Return to “Nuggets”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest