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The Donors

by Jeffrey Wilson (Goodreads Author)

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 56 ratings · 29 reviews

An evil force is at work at the Hospital where Nathan is recovering from injuries he received at the hands of his Mom's abusive ex-boyfriend. Demonic looking men with pale faces and glowing eyes lurk in the shadows. Someone is harvesting skin and organs from living donors against their will. In his dreams, Nathan can see these demons in their true form -- evil creatures wh...more

Paperback, 246 pages

Published June 29th 2012 by JournalStone

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Jun 21, 2012 Natalie Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, favorites, early-reviewers, journalstone-publishing

"The Donors" by Jeffery Wilson is a suspenseful and frightening story. The book opens with shadow creatures outside of a hospital. The creatures are waiting for an opportunity to feed on the pain and misery of the E.R. patients. Five year old Nathan ends up as a patient in the E.R. because he was burned by his mother's boyfriend. His mother's boyfriend, Steve, ends up being questioned by police about what happened to Nathan. Two strange cops named Mr. Clark and Mr. Smith come to question Steve.
N...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Brett Talley rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you read enough of a writer’s work, you start to get a feeling for their strengths and weaknesses. And when an author gets in his groove, it can end up creating something truly magical. Jeffrey Wilson is a talented writer, no matter what he puts his hand to. But when he creates a story that is quintessentially about family, that is when he shines. In The Donors, he has done precisely that, and it is the readers who have benefited.

The Donors is a wonderfully well balanced story about evil, re...more If you read enough of a writer’s work, you start to get a feeling for their strengths and weaknesses. And when an author gets in his groove, it can end up creating something truly magical. Jeffrey Wilson is a talented writer, no matter what he puts his hand to. But when he creates a story that is quintessentially about family, that is when he shines. In The Donors, he has done precisely that, and it is the readers who have benefited.

The Donors is a wonderfully well balanced story about evil, revenge, fate, and family. Set in primarily in a hospital, The Donors follows a little boy named Nathan who has experienced terrible things in his young life. But within him stirs a power that almost no one recognizes. No one, that is, but a doctor who also works in the hospital. He has seen the same dark visions as Nathan, and he knows that if the boy is to survive against the evil forces that hunt him and that neither of them fully comprehend, both of them will have to go to the blackest corners of their souls and confront the things that make nightmares happen.

I am constantly amazed by Jeff Wilson’s ability to spin believable and lovable characters out of seeming thin air. From the moment we meet Nathan, we are rooting for him. The same can be said for Dr. Gelman and the young nurse who quickly becomes his love interest. I cared about these people. I rooted for them to succeed. I was so invested in their efforts that I literally finished this novel in the span of twenty-four hours. It’s that good.

I want to say something about the “lizard men” who are the bad guys in The Donors, but I want to be careful not to give too much away. I love that they are clearly the antagonists in the book. They are evil, through and through. And yet, and yet. You will root for them. You will want them to succeed, in a certain way at least. I dare you not to celebrate when they pull off their first kill. The fact that we do says something about all of us. It’s rare that a horror novel manages to make such a profound statement about the human condition. The Donors accomplishes that in spades.

Jeffrey Wilson can spin a chilling scene with the best of them, but it's his characters that make his writing so horrifying. These are real people and real families, and Wilson forces us to walk with them on a terrifying journey into the blackest shadows where creatures of primordial evil feed on their darkest fears. Highly recommended.
(less)

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May 07, 2013 Joyce Gilmour rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Donors by Jeffrey Wilson is probably not a book that I would have picked off the shelf to read, but when presented the opportunity to read it for MWSA, I chose to “get out of my box” and try a genre outside of my comfort zone. The cover alone would have scared me away, however, I am glad to say that I accomplished the reading of The Donors. I found myself wanting to constantly get back to reading this book…it drew me into its pages—scary as they tended to be.

Jeffrey Wilson created believable...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Hal Bodner rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you're a fan of monster tales, you'll definitely want to check out "The Donors". While you'll find no traditional vampires or ghouls here, Jeffrey Wilson has managed to capture the essence of the classic monster novel in a very innovative way.

Wilson never quite explains his monsters and, in most cases, that's a serious literary flaw. But in "The Donors" Wilson achieves something that lesser authors try to do and often crash and burn. He's created a monster in his Lizard Men which is both bel...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Joe Young rated it 4 of 5 stars

An engaging story that chronicles the terror of a small boy who is living in an abusive situation with his mothers boy friend baby sitting him while his mother works and resenting the task and hating the child he is watching. What complicates the story is the second year resident medical student that is treating young Nathan after he is badly burnt and his arm broken by the cruel boyfriend, Steve is also the product of an abused childhood where every day was lived in pain and fear while his moth...more An engaging story that chronicles the terror of a small boy who is living in an abusive situation with his mothers boy friend baby sitting him while his mother works and resenting the task and hating the child he is watching. What complicates the story is the second year resident medical student that is treating young Nathan after he is badly burnt and his arm broken by the cruel boyfriend, Steve is also the product of an abused childhood where every day was lived in pain and fear while his mother did everything she could to provide for him but finally died from cancer. The doctor, Jason, felt he didn't do enough to sustain his mother even though he was just a small child. In this mix, two lizard like entities from another dimension, Mr. Clarke and Mr. Smith were attracted to the hospital environment because of the fear and pain that is incident there. They had the ability to mask their true appearances (lizard like creatures with black hollow eyes with an orange cast around the center, appearing like just very white slender men that dressed in long trench coats and fedoras). They also were able to compel human subjects to take part in their grizzly actions of drugging patients, declaring death and then kidnapping and harvesting organs in the most painful and cruel way, then erase their memories of the actions the participated in. This activity supplied the heavy charged emotions incident with fear and pain that the entities fed upon, in the form of life force escaping as light from the mutilated patients and absorbed by the monster entities. Mr. Clarke and Mr. Smith cloaked their actions as attempts to reform abusers that they justified torturing to force their repentance. The other dimension entities feared children younger that six or seven because of their ability to imagine and believe in their dreams. A torture cave with liquids puddling after draining down the walls was the center of much of the torture of Mr. Clarke and Mr. Smith. The darkness, moistness and hard echos of the moaning caused by pain accentuated the creation of even more fear and hence more food for the other dimension natives. It was impossible to leave the book for any length for fear that the beautiful nurse that Jason was falling for was going to be subverted by the monsters or they would drag off another patient to do terrible things to or perhaps compel Nathan or his mother to participate in one of their organ removal activities. It felt like you had to just keep reading to prevent any additional damage to these poor young damaged children. It was just about as hard to abandon the abused mothers but, there was an urge to encourage punishment of the abusive partners that were also taken. Good read with consequences and redeeming strength being manifest just at the right time from abused children that still were able to conjure up the images of the Red Ranger or in Jason's case, the force from his youthful association with the Star Wars Characters. A real edge of the chair action thriller with very real seeming threats to the sympathetic characters. A bit of a dark story based on the horrible activities that the children and other weak people were forced to endure but, not that far away from real life on our planet. (less)

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Jun 16, 2012 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nathan was at home with Steve, his mother's boyfriend. Steve was mean. It was still going to be a long time until Nathan's mother returns home. Nathan decides to cook himself dinner. Suddenly, Steve comes marching into the kitchen and burns Nathan's arm. Nathan ends up in the hospital in the burn unit, where he will receive skin grafts.

Steve is about to meet his worst nightmare. The Lizard men. The Lizard men are judge, jury, and executor.

This book was full of gruesome, gut-wretching moments. E...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Maxine McLister rated it 4 of 5 stars

Five-year-old Nathan is rushed to the hospital after being abused by his mother's boyfriend. As bad as his ordeal has been, though, things are worse in the hospital because he starts having horrible nightmares. Someone or something is cutting up people for their organs without their consent and while they are wide awake. Only Nathan's pretty sure they aren't dreams at all. In fact, he's pretty sure they're real and he is a big part of the horror. Fortunately, his favourite doctor and nurse belie...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Linda Bss rated it 5 of 5 stars

Doctor Jason Gelman was bored, he had seen it all in the ER and unless something happened within the last ten minutes of his twelve hour shift getting off would drag. Suddenly he was called to attend a five year old little boy who had a broken arm and severe burns on his fingers, instantly he was propelled back to an eight year old boy and an abusive father that broke his leg in a drunken rage..............

Nathan Doren had tried to be quiet, but he was hungry and Steven, his mother's boyfriend w...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Stuart rated it 4 of 5 stars

What happens to those that rob, beat up and generally are bad people?

In this hospital they are taken away to another world to be a donor. But not in the sense of what you believe.

If you are visited by The Lizard Men be careful as you have been bad...very bad. And they will make you pay. Bit by bit.........as they make you wish you had not done anything wrong in the first place.

But as there power grows so does their wish to get more donors. Who can stop them? Who is the innocent who believes enou...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Richard Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Note: I received a copy of this book from the author and/or publisher. All requested is a honest review and all expected was a copy of the book.

This is a book that I wasn't sure if I should give it 3 stars or 5. The reason is this book I just couldn't get interested in and I don't know why but I would read a few pages, put it down, then read a few pages and put it down. It wasn't until about the last 10% of the book that I really became interested. As I said I don't know why I couldn't get inter...more

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Jun 15, 2013 Eirian Phillips rated it 2 of 5 stars

An interesting premise, though poorly delivered.

The premise of Wilson’s book was reasonable enough, but it could have been a far more frightening and gripping book if time had been taken to build the suspense, and not give away too much too soon; to allow the story to build more slowly and to show more of what was going on, rather than tell all there was to know. Most of the ‘horror’ in the book came from half-heartedly written descriptions of a person being eaten alive by the bad guys in the st...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Christopher Payne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: journalstone

An evil force is at work at the Hospital where Nathan is recovering from injuries he received at the hands of his Mom’s abusive ex-boyfriend. Demonic looking men with pale faces and glowing eyes lurk in the shadows and it appears that someone is harvesting skin and organs from living donors against their will.

In his dreams, Nathan can see these demons in their true form-- evil creatures who feed on the fear and hatred they help create in their victims. Nathan’s only ally is the Doctor who cares...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Kelly Knapp rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: horror buffs, hospital buffs...

Recommended to Kelly by: Goodreads Firstreads giveaway

Nathan is five years old. His mother works full time and his mother’s live-in boyfriend, Steve, is his sitter. Steve should not be allowed near children, but he thinks he has punished Nathan enough to keep control. But Nathan is hungry, so he quietly tries to fix his dinner of Spaggettios.

When Steve catches him, he decides the boy needs to learn just how dangerous the stove can be and forces the boy’s hand into the flames of the gas stove, breaking Nathan’s arm while causing deep tissue burns.

T...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Chandni rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, librarything-giveaways, reviewed

This was a surprisingly dark novel. It starts off with a young boy getting abused by his mother’s boyfriend. At the hospital, he meets Dr. Jason Gelman, a man who has something very important in common with Nathan. I liked this novel, but it’s not what I normally read. The antagonists in this book were the Lizard Men, creatures that feed on fear and pain.

This isn’t the type of book I normally read because in this book, it’s pretty clear who the bad guys are. It’s simplistic in the sense that you...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Bob Milne rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Donors is one of those rare books that manages to challenge, and indeed alter, your perceptions. I started the book in complete sympathy with the 'lizard men', so much so that I looked forward to their appearance on the page. It made me feel guilty, and a bit dirty, but I took no small amount of pleasure in the pain they inflicted upon the human monsters of the tale.

Until, that is, the course of the story began to change, and the certainties that I held were not only challenged, but ultimate...more The Donors is one of those rare books that manages to challenge, and indeed alter, your perceptions. I started the book in complete sympathy with the 'lizard men', so much so that I looked forward to their appearance on the page. It made me feel guilty, and a bit dirty, but I took no small amount of pleasure in the pain they inflicted upon the human monsters of the tale.

Until, that is, the course of the story began to change, and the certainties that I held were not only challenged, but ultimately proven wrong. It takes a skilled storyteller to build up that kind of monstrous allegiance, and then to tear it down - without coming across as a cheat - but Jeffrey Wilson deftly manages it. If you've ever thought that, just maybe, the end does sometimes justifies the means . . . and wondered what might be at the bottom of that slippery moral slope, then this book gives you a lot to think about.

What immediately struck me about the book is just how well Wilson immerses us in the voices of his characters. Dr. Gelman hits all the right notes in drawing the reader into his world of long hours, difficult decisions, and painful histories. You really get the sense that this is a man stretched thin, but passionate about what he does. Similarly, Nathan is pitch-perfect in creating the literary illusion of childhood, portraying a sense of vulnerability, innocence, and child-like wonder.

As for the lizard men, Wilson smartly keeps them shadowy and creepy, never quite putting them all the way out there for the reader to dissect. It's a gamble, but it maintains the suspense, and really helps sell that twist in perception I mentioned earlier. What they really are and where they come from isn't important. What is important is the role they play in the shared experiences of Dr. Gelman and Nathan. It takes a long time for that role to become clear, for their connection to prove itself, but it sets up a climactic battle that works as a climax, rather than just as a means of tying up the storylines.

Creepy and suspenseful, with definite heart, this is a horror story that keeps you engaged, builds a relationship with you, and ultimately allows you to exit with a smile of contentment upon your face. I find my greatest struggle with most horror novels is that the end never quite lives up to what has come before, but Wilson succeeds here where so many others have failed. Definitely worth a read.

Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins(less)

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Sep 02, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of dark fantasy, lighter horror, those who hate abusers

Recommended to Katy by: LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Shelves: ebook, librarything-win

Book Info: Genre: Dark Fantasy Reading Level: Adult

Disclosure: I received a free ARC in ebook format from Journalstone via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer’s giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: An evil force is at work at the hospital where Nathan is recovering from injuries he received at the hands of his Mom’s abusive ex-boyfriend. Demonic-looking men with pale faces and glowing eyes lurk in the shadows and it appears that someone is harvesting skin and organs from living donor...more Book Info: Genre: Dark Fantasy Reading Level: Adult

Disclosure: I received a free ARC in ebook format from Journalstone via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer’s giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: An evil force is at work at the hospital where Nathan is recovering from injuries he received at the hands of his Mom’s abusive ex-boyfriend. Demonic-looking men with pale faces and glowing eyes lurk in the shadows and it appears that someone is harvesting skin and organs from living donors against their will.

In his dreams, Nathan can see these demons in their true form – evil creatures who feed on the fear and hatred they help create in their victims. Nathan’s only ally is the doctor who cares for him. Bound together by their common legacy, they alone seem to share the ability to see the demons for what they are.

Together they must find a way to stop these creatures before their own loved ones become the next victims and the demons destroy them-- and much more.

My Thoughts: I’m not a huge fan of “horror novels that feature children”; they’re right up there with “horror novels about animals acting like... umm, animals”. However, this one was quite engaging overall, and actually ended up being more dark fantasy than horror. The sections with Nathan sort of rubbed me raw, because I’m just not that excited to read about things from a young child’s point of view, but at the same time, I felt badly for the little guy. And as a result, I was 100 percent behind the monsters – want to kill abusive jerks painfully and slowly? I’m right behind that, gotta say. Of course, they don’t stop there, and that’s where the trouble starts.

There are a lot of point-of-view shifts in the book, but they’re pretty easily followed, so it doesn’t feel like head hopping. We get the most character development from Nathan and Jason, with a bit from Jenny, while Sherry feels mostly like a filler character. I feel like readers would have had a stronger impact from Steve and Jazz from outside their heads, but that’s just me; I didn’t really feel like their internal dialogue did much for the story other than make them look unsympathetic.

Overall, those who enjoy dark fantasy should enjoy this story. I wouldn’t really define it as horror due to the ending, but those who enjoy lighter horror fare should probably enjoy this story as well. Hard-core horror fans might feel cheated by how it all ends up. If you have a problem with abusive jerks, you will probably like what happens in this book. So, overall, I think there are a lot of people who will enjoy this story. Check it out.(less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Five year old Nathan is brought to the emergency room after his mother's boyfriend breaks his arm and burns his hand to teach him a lesson. Dr Jason Gelman feels an instant rapport with the boy due to his painful childhood due to abuse. Nathan mentions the strangle dreams he is having to the doctor and Dr Gelman has a sensation of de'ja vu. Well written horror and hard to put down. Can Jason save Nathan from the horror he remembers or will they become donors? Great way to spend an afternoon in t...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Chelsea rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, horror-suspense

I won this book through a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway. I had some conflicting emotions while I was reading this book. When I first read the summary, it reminded me of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, 'Killed by Death.' I have to say that I was very happy that this was not exactly the case. Instead of a 'monster/creature' killing the children in the book, it tortures people who hurt them. However, that was the best concept the author had. I liked that there were multiple people who knew ab...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Pamela K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

I recieved this book through Librarything's member giveaway program.

Starting with little Nathan getting burned by big bad Steve, his mom's boyfriend, this book keeps you entranced. From the detailed torture supposedly to make the bad people feel remorse,to the agony of those caught up in the operations, to the bravery of Nathan and Jason. Jeffrey Wilson has given you it all.

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Jun 08, 2012 Cynthia Rielley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ok, that was a creepy creepy creepy creepy-ass book. Not that that is a bad thing. Whooo! Good ride, glad I am off. I am not going to sleep well tonight and I blame Jeffrey Wilson. Creepy. When's your next book coming out?

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Jul 29, 2012 Benjamin Ethridge rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of the more suspenseful, tense things I've read in a while. Wilson has definitely shown he can do action-driven plots, as well as more thoughtful, cerebral books (Traiteur's Ring). In THE DONORS his main characters are very likable and the Lizard men are brutal nasties I always looked forward to seeing again, despite their smell.

If you like fast-paced horror fiction, you're going to have to check this one out.

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Oct 18, 2012 Frederick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, arc, journalstone, first-reads

The Donors by Jeffrey Wilson - I won this book from First Reads so I'd like to start by saying thanks to First Reads and Journalstone. The book was pretty good. It wasn't too scary but it was graphic and gory at times. The story itself was good and it was nicely written. There were some parts I found a little strange for instance at one point several of the characters all found themselves naked yet no one seemed to really care like it was no big deal. Over all it was a pretty cool book and I t...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Lourdes rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a great horror book full of supernatural monsters and people with forgiving and courageous spirits who somehow find a way to forgive and still fight the bad. One reason I really liked it was because I've worked in hospitals and the descriptions just brought me back. The characters seemed real to me, although 5 year old Nathan was sometimes too mature for his age. I guess having gone through what he has in his short life was what forced him into being "mommy's little man."
I am already pla...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Sarah Hulcy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Certainly a different take on "the monsters are coming to get you" tale! This book has a good pace and involves interesting and realistic characters. The "bad guys" are real monsters (from another planet or space-time continuum) and must be faced down by someone who believes he or she actually CAN destroy them. There is pathos, hope, fear and dread; but also strength, concern and putting someone else first. Together, those qualities of the characters make this a worthwhile read for horror fans -...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Monica Skeens rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jeffrey, wilson, lt, early, reviewers, copy-s

Definitely a Horror Book, very descriptive with gory details. Well written story line with hospital being overtaken by an evil force attempting to do good by killing the Evil people who entered the hospital for treatment. The Evil force however drags in Dr's a nurse and a child patient to help them along with their killing of the Evil people. Recommended for people who are into Horror however this is not for the faint of heart. I received this as an ER book and I am glad I got to enjoy it.

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Jun 18, 2012 Michelle Thayn rated it 2 of 5 stars

ok, so i am still readin and this one is serioulsy giving me nightmares. I don't normally read stories like this. I am still frging through..it has a good premise. I want to see what happens to the little boy and his mom and the Dr and the nurse. So, I will keep reading! But, why is everyone having nightmares, but are awake, but don't remember? huh?

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Jul 03, 2012 Liza rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is reminiscent of "It" by Stephen King in that the child is the hero, trying to kill the monsters that can only be killed by a child. The book can be confusing when the "meals" are discussing what is happening to them. I wasn't sure if they were seeing the creatures or if there were actual doctors working on them.

I would really like to see this in movie form, though it may be more as a "made for TV" show.

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Jul 05, 2012 Cassie McCown rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review coming soon!

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Sep 14, 2012 Jamie marked it as to-read

Shelves: goodreads-firstreads, priority-reads, books-i-own

Won this as a goodreads giveaway! I will review this book upon completion of my reading it.

-Due to some moves this year I was a bit behind my reading, but now I am back on my books and hope to review soon. :)

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Oct 09, 2012 Cyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Picked this up on LibraryThing, I believe - in one of their giveaways. Good horror story, interesting and different concept. I enjoyed the book, as well as the opportunity to discover a new author.

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About Jeffrey Wilson

Jeffrey Wilson has worked as an actor, a firefighter, a paramedic, a jet pilot, a diving instructor, a Naval Officer, and a Vascular and Trauma Surgeon. He also served two tours in Iraq as a combat surgeon with both the Marines and with a Joint Special Operations Task Force.

His first novel, THE TRAITEUR'S RING, was released in 2011. His second novel is THE DONORS, released in June 2012. Look for...more

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