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HELLBENDER

by Jason Jack Miller (Goodreads Author)

4.35 of 5 stars 4.35 · rating details · 43 ratings · 19 reviews

Although the Collins clan is steeped in Appalachian magic, Henry has never paid it much attention. But when his younger sister dies mysteriously Henry can't shake the feeling that the decades-old feud between his family and another is to blame. Strange things are happening at the edge of reality, deep in the forests and mountains of West Virginia.

Excerpt:
If I could've carr...more Although the Collins clan is steeped in Appalachian magic, Henry has never paid it much attention. But when his younger sister dies mysteriously Henry can't shake the feeling that the decades-old feud between his family and another is to blame. Strange things are happening at the edge of reality, deep in the forests and mountains of West Virginia.

Excerpt:
If I could've carried her by myself, I would have. But just the weight of the pine and spruce box was more than I could bear alone. The linens that covered her body and her clothes, the last she'd ever wear, made her heavier. The coins that covered her eyes added a few ounces more.
I could've carried her, by herself, forever.
January wasn't a kind time for a burial, but we don't get to choose. Old Christmas hid the sun behind a flat grey wall of clouds. January has a way of taking a person's optimism and crushing it beneath its bony heel.
I'd take June, when long days kept wayward pessimism at bay for just a few hours more, when blackberry blossoms spilt over old stone fences while young rabbits got fat and lazy. I'd take Solstice over Old Christmas any day.

There are some strange things happening at the edge of reality. Let Raw Dog Screaming Press author Jason Jack Miller take you to a place where love is forever even when death isn't, where magic doesn't have to be seen to be believed, where a song might be the only thing that saves your soul.

Jason Jack Miller's MURDER BALLADS AND WHISKEY series is a unique blend of dark fiction, urban fantasy and horror. It's Appalachian Gothic, Alt.Magical.Realism, Hillbilly Horror. It's AMERICAN GODS meets JUSTIFIED. TRUE BLOOD with witches. It's Johnny Cash with a fistful of copperheads singing the devil right back to hell.

Henry Collins's quiet life is changed forever the day he buries his little sister. This single event forces him to enter a strange world whose very existence he spent his whole life denying--a dark wilderness where the old magic thrives--a place far darker and deadlier than the Appalachia he grew up in. To avenge his sister Henry must slip past the boundaries of logic and reason to a place where the only reality is survival. He won't be able to come home until his life is no longer simple, his heart no longer kind.

This is a tale of star-crossed lovers and civil revenge by uncivil hands, written in blood that is barely thicker than water.(less)

Kindle Edition, 232 pages

Published June 24th 2012 (first published November 19th 2011)

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Jan 10, 2013 Jared Bennett rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*Won this book in Goodreads First Reads giveaway, thanks to all involved!*

An excellent book from an author coming into his own. If you've never been to the mountains of West Virginia, this book paints an excellent portrait of the land and the people who've become entwined with it over decades and centuries. A generations-old family feud comes to a boil with suspense, intrigue, colorful characters and backwoods folk magic permeating every page. I was impressed with the author's ability to corral...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Welcome to wild and wonderful West Virginia but keep an eye out for snakes. Jason Jack Miller's Appalachian gothic tale explores twisty back roads where old-time clan feuds are not so distant and magic is still part of the every day. Henry Collins may not believe in his family history but he can't escape it.

Hellbender spins out like a fireside yarn told under the stars. Miller is an adept tour guide showing us the heartbreaking beauty of the mountains, introducing us to the way of life and belie...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Lee Howard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mountain Magic

“It’s Johnny Cash with a fistful of copperheads singing the devil right back to hell.”

HELLBENDER, sophomore novel by Jason Jack Miller, is as much a sensory experience as his first in the Murder Ballads and Whiskey Series, THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK. Instead of Morgantown, HELLBENDER is set in the mountains of West Virginia, and with Miller’s descriptive skill, I got to experience the flora and fauna of the Appalachians: the sights, sounds, and smells of a place I’ve never been bu...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Judah Davis rated it 5 of 5 stars

The opening gave me chill bumps. Really can't wait to finish reading this book. I can tell I'm really going to like it. Full review will be up soon.
Finally finished. Have been knee deep in work mud. Excellent read full of culture and complex and interesting characters.
Once I got going it was hard to put it down. This guy is a talented author with a very unique way of stringing his words together. Every sentence is like poetry. I read a book like this very slowly as every sentence is a gourmet...more

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Nov 18, 2012 The Digital Ink Spot rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jason Jack Miller wrote the novel Hellbender during his graduate studies at Seton Hill University. From that experience, Miller produced an amazing piece of prose. My reading of Hellbender was a full tilt sensory adventure. Miller can bring you into exactly what the character are observing. It is a joy to read. I loved it.
What I did not enjoy was the characters themselves. I felt I got to know each one well enough but Miller did not cause me to care for them. I think the atmosphere of the Appala...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Anachronist rated it 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Two Appalachian Mountains families, the Lewises and the Collinses, have been at war for something like a century. Each of those families have had witches among their folk so the fight has been bloody, dirty and mean. Janie Collins, a young college girl, is the next victim of the feud – officially the girl drowned in a river but her family know better. It was a murder by a spell. Her brother, Henry, comes to the funeral and promises to avenge his sister. Still he must also protect lovely...more Synopsis:

Two Appalachian Mountains families, the Lewises and the Collinses, have been at war for something like a century. Each of those families have had witches among their folk so the fight has been bloody, dirty and mean. Janie Collins, a young college girl, is the next victim of the feud – officially the girl drowned in a river but her family know better. It was a murder by a spell. Her brother, Henry, comes to the funeral and promises to avenge his sister. Still he must also protect lovely Alex, Janie ex roommate and a girl who is told by her mom to stick to Henry at all cost because those evil Lewises are planning to murder her next. You see, family honour is at stake. If you think protecting a girl against a clan including witches is easy think again. Henry will have to show his mettle many times and finally believe in magic, something he never wanted to include in his life.

What I liked:

I have never been to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia but, after reading this book, I feel like I know the area and the people who call that land home, pretty well. That’s what a well-written fiction can do to you – allowing you to travel in time and space. I really enjoyed this gritty tale with all the scenic background, the sator squares, the snakes and the witches.

The whole story reminded me a bit about Romeo and Juliet, you know. Two quarreling clans, plenty of bad blood and killing, two star-crossed lovers coming from the opposite sides who want to make everything right but cannot overcome years of feud, prejudice and hurt. Still Alex is not a young, inexperienced girl and she will surprise you several times with her skills. Also Henry is not a real Romeo type –he won’t kill anybody in a duel and if he shoots somebody everyone will be cheering along, including Alex herself. Killing himself is also not even an option - when your family needs you alive, you keep fighting to the very end.

Also I enjoyed how much Henry and Alex had to change in order to stand a chance against their enemies. I like dynamic characters a lot. Finally I loved the fact that Preston Black and his girlfriend made a cameo appearance.

What I didn’t like:

I read The Devil and Preston Black first and I couldn’t help noticing the similarities of those two novels in terms of plot construction. In both books the protagonist has to sink to the bottom before vanquishing his enemies, in both we deal with some evil females who are almost she-devils. After a while the pattern became too repetitive for my liking but still I wanted to read to the very end.

My last carping: the baddies. I wish they were more three-dimensional. Few people are evil to the core and here it seemed all the ‘pure’ Lewises were just bad, bad, bad.

Final verdict:

Since this book is part of the Murder Ballads and Whiskey series the good news is that the Appalachian adventure doesn't have to end. I would like to revisit the Appalachians once more.
(less)

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Mar 24, 2012 Ryan Zimmerman Carstairs rated it 4 of 5 stars

Subtle and Dangerous aptly describes the folk magic of the story. It feels different from the folk magic I am familiar with, but that regional differences for you. Still I like how you cannot be quite sure if its magic or something else (luck, drugs, the usual suspects).

It is a Hero's Journey adventure, complete with a trip to the Otherworld and a return to life (Very Joseph Campbell). I really, really liked that the protagonist had none of the oh-too-typical aversion to killing and revenge we g...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Scott Emerson rated it 4 of 5 stars

With HELLBENDER Jason Jack Miller gives us a multi-generation blood feud between two Appalachian clans steeped in superstition and mountain magic. At its center is Henry Collins, a restless young writer having enough trouble finding his place in the world without the added burden of friction with the neighboring Lewis family. However, he's forced into action when his sister drowns in a supposed accident that bears the marks of supernatural influence.

Miller presents a vivid backdrop of southwest...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Tom rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jason Jack Miller does it again! If you liked The Devil and Preston Black, then Hellbender is going to knock your socks off and have you gasping for air. As expected, Miller’s characters were well developed – sincere and realistic. His scenic descriptions – excellent – in true Miller fashion. Miller’s vivid imagery of Appalachia is something special. It’s clear that he truly loves and appreciates the mountains, meadows, forests, rivers, fauna, music and culture of the area. I left southwestern P...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic book! Five stars! Miller’s book isn’t perfect (I can’t think of many that are) but it comes damn near close. Miller captures protagonist Henry Collins’ voice perfectly, and from the prologue, I’m ready to follow Henry anywhere he takes me.

I never question what the book tells me about Appalachian magic. I’m totally sold. Giving Henry skepticism about his family history sells it. The action is well paced, the family ties are strong. Another strength is the descriptions of the landscape....more

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Mar 22, 2013 Rachel rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: name-this-shelf

I have NO idea how this book managed an average 4+ star rating. I found it free on Amazon for Kindle, and decided to read it right away because of the high ratings it had.

THIS BOOK IS PLOTLESS!! The book is basically a bunch of action scenes strung together with a few "drinking & singing around the campfire" scenes. There are probably only four scenes in the whole book that do anything to advance the plot. And there are so many holes in the plot, other than jumping straight into the middle o...more I have NO idea how this book managed an average 4+ star rating. I found it free on Amazon for Kindle, and decided to read it right away because of the high ratings it had.

THIS BOOK IS PLOTLESS!! The book is basically a bunch of action scenes strung together with a few "drinking & singing around the campfire" scenes. There are probably only four scenes in the whole book that do anything to advance the plot. And there are so many holes in the plot, other than jumping straight into the middle of a decades-old family feud that the families have decided it's time to "finish", I'm not even sure what I just read.

I was really excited about reading a book out of such a unique genre of fiction - since it's about Appalachian "Old Magic". Thought I'd learn something. Nope. I had to do background research to even figure out most of what they were talking about. Charms and spells are used and mentioned throughout the book, but even though there is a main character that is only just learning about this stuff as the reader is, there's never a real explanation as to how any of it is supposed to work or what it's supposed to do. It irritated me so much that they gave each other spells and charms with no explanation as to what they actually did or what you had to do to make it work, that I actually did my own background research just to get the basics on Appalachian Old Magic.

The plot was absolutely ridiculous - it got off to a good start: Henry comes from a family in which all the women practice Old Magic, the book opens with a funeral for his little sister who was killed by Old Magic as part of a long-standing family feud. Henry runs away from it all after the funeral, not sure who he is or if he really buys into the feud or the magic, and is basically hiding from the world as a river guide just 50 miles over the mountain from home. Out of the blue, he is found by his sister's former roommate, Alex, who happens to be a distant relation in the opposing feuding family. Alex says her mom has told her the feud is about to get dangerous and that Alex has to go to Henry and stay with him til it blows over, he is the only one who can protect her. The first couple action scenes are great - there's a bar fight where the opposing family's men find Alex together with Henry at a river bar and there's a bar fight with Henry, some of his friends, the Lewis boys, and some of their employees. That's where the plot goes off track.

From there, it's just a string of action scenes (that really do NOT advance the plot) broken up by meeting Henry's entire family and learning that they like bluegrass, home cooking and alcohol a whole lot. Also there's an abundance of descriptive over-kill about trekking around in the woods being chased by the Lewis family.

SPOILER
Apparently, while the men are out traipsing about the woods, the women are at home teaching Alex the Old Magic, which she uses from there to protect Henry, deal with the Lewis men, etc. When she does meet back up with Henry in the woods, she leads and protects them both with some random magic stuff that is never really explained. And at one point the dialogue and actions of her character go so off track I thought it might be a plot twist that she was being used by the Lewis family being made to mislead Henry. But no. Sutff happens like Alex leading an injured Henry through the woods by tying white strips of cloth on bushes as she goes on ahead of him. The strips of cloth drip milk and Henry says he made sure to avoid the milk. There's no reason given about why they ooze milk or why it should be avoided. And ultimately, the strips also lead the Lewis family straight to them. In the end, Henry and Ben are left gunning down one last Lewis man. They stumble around, get sprayed with stray buckshot, and ultimately shove a thistle down the guy's throat. Don't know if he died or just went staggering off through the woods. But then all of a sudden Henry is talking about how bad he needs to get to the hospital that he's coughing up blood. I can't figure out how he got hurt that bad. I went back and re-read and still couldn't find it.

Then there's this envelope. Janie left it in the place she shared with Alex. After she died, Alex got all her stuff together, brought Henry this envelope. The cousin girls go through the envelope, there's a brief description of some of the odds and ends it contains, and how Janie knew they'd need it. The envelope just keeps popping up, Alex brings it out to the woods for the final showdown, they make sure to protect the envelope and its contents when they ford the river... then nothing ever comes of the envelope. I thought it was going to be some big key or puzzle they'd have to solve to end the feud. Nope. Nothing.
Oh, and a ring. There's a random ring that apparently belonged to a great grandmother in Henry's family. The Lewis family is dying to get there hands on it. The whole time they have to protect the ring, don't lose it, don't let them take it. With their dying breaths the Lewis women are talking about getting that ring... we never really find out why. No significance other than that it belonged to Henry's family.

I thought eventually Henry and Alex would have to work some Old Magic to end the feud learn about it through the book, Henry would come to respect it as a part of him, it would save them in the end. Nope. No real explanations for any of it. And in the end, they solved it all with nothing but lead. (less)

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Nov 27, 2012 Mieneke rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, fantasy

Hellbender came as a complete surprise. I'd expected an urban fantasy with some supernatural elements and all that entails; instead I got a beautiful gothic story which mixed lyrical descriptions with some downright bloody dialogue and action. It was a pleasant surprise from an author I hadn't heard of before. While it was a great story, I did have some issues with the book.

The setting is key in Hellbender, I don't think the story would have worked even half so well if set in any other place. It...more Hellbender came as a complete surprise. I'd expected an urban fantasy with some supernatural elements and all that entails; instead I got a beautiful gothic story which mixed lyrical descriptions with some downright bloody dialogue and action. It was a pleasant surprise from an author I hadn't heard of before. While it was a great story, I did have some issues with the book.

The setting is key in Hellbender, I don't think the story would have worked even half so well if set in any other place. It is set in the Appalachian Mountains – a region I don't know much about except that it's a mountain range in the Eastern part of the US – but in Hellbender the Appalachians are so much more than just a mountain setting. They create their own seemingly rather isolated communities, which often have a history going back for over a hundred years, and which grown a people unique to their ranges. However large the places named in the book maybe, they always felt like they were small, and everyone knows everyone, their grandfather and their aged horse. It's that kind of small, rural village feeling, though there seems to be more logging and mining going on than farming. Miller creates an incredibly atmospheric setting – that at times seems almost otherworldly – that leaves the reader enchanted and creeped out at the same time.

Dropped into this environment is a cast of great characters, though I did have one or two complaints in this department. Actually all complaints boil down to same source: motivation. There were several characters whose motivations weren't really clear to me. Mostly this applied to the bad guys in the story, the Lewises, and their cronies, but there were a few good guys as well. To start with the bad guys, I didn't get why they were still keeping on with the feud. I understood the basis of the dispute, but why did it go on after all this time? And why were some 'outsiders', such as Lucinda Tesso, so invested in the fight? Similarly, on the Collins' side, there are Greg and Preston. While I could kind of understand Preston's motivation, his fiancée is a Collins, I didn't see why Greg would get himself mixed up in it. However, I didn't get hung up on these questions, mostly because Miller swiftly moves on with the action and I kept telling myself that blood feuds aren't logical and reasonable anyway.

What I did like was that the protagonists were both awesome and flawed. And Miller has no problem letting his female protagonists take care of themselves and has them taking physical damage just as much as his male protagonists. Henry, the main character and the narrator of the story, is very much a sceptic when it comes to the Appalachian magic and I appreciated his struggles to accept the reality of his situation. I also like his reluctance to get drawn into the feud after his sister is killed to the point of taking off and not getting in touch with his family for over six months. However, when he does decide to do something about the Lewises, he fully commits and there is no going back. As for his love interest, Alex, I loved her spirit. When she initially re-enters his life, I was all set to go, oh no, not another damsel-in-distress, but she turned out to be far more interesting, even if there were some oblique Romeo-and-Juliet vibes going round. I liked that she decides to act for herself and not rest in the bosom of the Collins family and wait till the menfolk finish the feud. She's not the only one, Rachael and Katy are similarly strong females and I really enjoyed Miller's characterisation of these women.

Overall the plot worked well, though in conjunction with my questions about the motivations for some of the characters, there were also some things in the plot that had my raising my eyebrows in wonder. For example, how on earth can there be so many bodies and no one gets arrested? I know the Lewis family have bought off the local sheriff, but I'd expect with those numbers, outside law enforcement would come into it at some point? What about the families of the Lewis workers that get killed? Also, the way the object that started all the problems gets passed down didn't make sense to me. How come Alex gets to have it? Why doesn't it pass to Ben, the eldest son's eldest son, or to Katy, the daughter's eldest daughter? But as with the motivational questions, these thoughts quickly got lost as I was swept on by the action. Hellbender is a very fast-moving book. There are moments where Miller allows his characters and his readers to breathe, but these never last long and are always followed by more and even more serious action.

Despite my reservations, I really enjoyed my time spent in the Appalachian Mountains, courtesy of Hellbender. Miller succeeds in drawing the reader into his setting through loving description and the atmosphere wafts off the page. Hellbender is a great example of a modern gothic horror story and makes for a wonderful read.

This book was provided for review by the publisher.(less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Steve rated it 5 of 5 stars

A tale of a feudal murder told through mountain folklore magic.

I have come into this series with Hellbender first (albeit I have now bought The Devil and Preston Black) but I was not left for dead I was carried along and reassured I could see that adventure later on. There is a true warmth to the Collins community, Henry’s homecoming get together is wonderfully written and brings us an ensemble cast and has us sing a long with them at the end of night and like every good night out we are friends...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Heidi Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, seton-hill-writers, signed

Beautiful details of the West Virginia mountains are a wonderful backdrop to a modern day Hatfields and McCoys meets Romeo and Juliet. Time and reality can be distorted in this engaging tale about Henry Collins as he tries to come to terms with his sister's murder and the family witchcraft that seems to be the only protection he has from the rival Lewis clan.

Hellbender is a love story between Henry and Alex, but it is also a story about family and history, and most certainly about revenge.

Jason...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Rusty rated it 5 of 5 stars

No other Appalachian book I know of covers this territory(if I don't know about it, please tell me).It inspired me to buy about twenty other books on Appalachian and kitchen magic, among other things.

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Jul 07, 2012 Tye Tyson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hellbender sweeps you into the Appalachian Mountains and makes you feel like you'll need the protection of the SATOR square. It has a Hatfield and McCoy feel, if the Hatfields could make you stop breathing by whispering a few words. It is unputdownable and a chilling read.

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Jun 15, 2012 Darcia Helle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, fiction, general-fiction, suspense-thriller-mystery, indie

I have never been to the Appalachian Mountains. After reading this book, I feel like I know the area, as well as the people who call the land home.

Miller has a captivating writing style. His characters instantly come alive. Their journey is told in feelings and images that spark every sense. All of it captured me; the music, the traditions, the generations of family and how they related to one another, the feud, and the superstitions and witchcraft. This is one of those rare books that isn't ju...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Nicole Wolverton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm fascinated by the subject of kitchen magic!

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Mar 05, 2013 Jaimi Sk rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This one did nothing for me. I gave up before I reached the last page. I had the book lying on my nightstand for more than a week and could never go past 50%

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Shelves: kindle

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About Jason Jack Miller

Jason Jack Miller hails from Fayette County, Pennsylvania, as in, "Circus freaks, temptation and the Fayette County Fair," made famous by The Clarks in the song, "Cigarette." He is a writer, photographer and musician who has been hassled by cops in Canada, Mexico and the Czech Republic. An outdoor travel guide he co-authored with his wife in 2006 jumpstarted his freelancing career; his work has si...more

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“May your glass always be full, may there always be a roof over your head, and may you dirty sinners be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead.” — 3 people liked it

“It's Coke, my man. You really think I'm going to let you pour any more alcohol into your body tonight?” — 2 people liked it

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