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Afraid (Afraid #1)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 2,857 ratings · 532 reviews

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? YOU WILL BE . . .

Welcome to Safe Haven, Wisconsin. Miles from everything, with one road in and out, this peaceful town has never needed a full-time police force. Until now . . .

A helicopter has crashed near Safe Haven and unleashed something horrifying. Now this merciless force is about to do what it does best. Isolate. Terrorize. Annihilate...more

Paperback, 372 pages

Published April 1st 2009 by Grand Central Publishing

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Aug 02, 2009 Rowena rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like cozies. I might as well be honest about that. Also happy ever afters. Further, in the interests of full disclosure, you should know that I read AFRAID by Jack Kilborn (with a view to a review) because Joe Konrath dared me to do so.He has a thick skin, and a strong stomach... and anyone who reads AFRAID needs both.

This is not a book to take on a fishing trip, especially if you've left your loved ones at home, alone. In fact, this book ought to come with a free membership of the NRA. You'll...more

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Mar 16, 2009 Ophelia Julien rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jack Kilborn knows that a small town in America's heartland is the perfect place to set a horror thriller: remote, surrounded by shadowy woods, and sparsely populated by residents who still live by an unlocked-door policy. After reading this book, residents of small towns everywhere will be locking their doors with deadbolts and going to bed with .357 Magnums under their pillows. I know I would.

The evil that descends upon this town, literally, in a helicopter, is motivated by the worst of all ni...more Jack Kilborn knows that a small town in America's heartland is the perfect place to set a horror thriller: remote, surrounded by shadowy woods, and sparsely populated by residents who still live by an unlocked-door policy. After reading this book, residents of small towns everywhere will be locking their doors with deadbolts and going to bed with .357 Magnums under their pillows. I know I would.

The evil that descends upon this town, literally, in a helicopter, is motivated by the worst of all nightmares: inflicting pain and death for the sheer enjoyment of it. Sure, there is an agenda behind it all, but the reader realizes pretty quickly that the agenda is secondary to the basic goals of pain and death, in that order. And pain is dispersed among the townspeople in spectacularly grisly fashion. Mr. Kilborn is very good at visiting every possible nightmare from biting to stabbing, from burning to drowning, dismemberment to electric shock, with unremitting darkness and the occasional bout of claustrophobia thrown into the mix. One can almost picture Kilborn sitting at his keyboard and rubbing his hands in cackling glee as he speeds from one ghastly vision to the next.

This is not to say that the entire book is nothing but gore. The reason this book succeeds so well is that beneath the surface layer of horror is a tight, strong, well-founded story that follows the path of three (and a half) unlikely heroes as they battle not only to survive but to overcome the monstrosity that has derailed their lives. The fact that all of them have been clothed in very real flesh and blood by the author will keep the reader turning pages to see what happens next, because you will care what befalls each of them.

If you are seeking a page-turner that will have you switching on more lights as darkness descends and will linger in your mind long after you've reached the end, then AFRAID is the book for you. Just do yourself a favor and try to read it when you can consume it in one gulp. It's that good.
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Mar 21, 2009 Joe Rixman rated it 4 of 5 stars

One word describes the first novel from author Jack Kilborn: relentless. Much like the works of Jim Butcher and David Morrell, Kilborn’s premiere work, AFRAID, is non-stop tension. Each section break, while short, somehow manages to ratchet up the suspense to the point that you wonder how much more you can take. You won’t want to put the book down once you start it and a small part of you will wonder what possessed you to pick it up in the first place. The story is a non-stop horror ride…once on...more One word describes the first novel from author Jack Kilborn: relentless. Much like the works of Jim Butcher and David Morrell, Kilborn’s premiere work, AFRAID, is non-stop tension. Each section break, while short, somehow manages to ratchet up the suspense to the point that you wonder how much more you can take. You won’t want to put the book down once you start it and a small part of you will wonder what possessed you to pick it up in the first place. The story is a non-stop horror ride…once on, you can’t get off.

The story centers on Safe Haven, Wisconsin, a small town that prefers its privacy over even economic depression. Snowbirds flee south for the winter, leaving the 900+ full-time residents to their quiet, peaceful place of fishing and relaxation. That is, until what appears to be a helicopter crash ignites a world of trouble for every one of the town’s 900 inhabitants.

The main characters are 70-year-old Sheriff Streng, three weeks from retirement, Josh VanCamp, a young firefighter dealing with the loss of his fiancé and the desire to save people as a paramedic-in-training and Fran Stauffer, a single mother whose husband had earlier been killed in a traffic accident, leaving her and their ten-year-old son, Duncan, emotionally scarred. Through their eyes (and half-a-dozen other peripheral characters), we witness the horrors that can befall those unprepared. The attacks, when they come, are lightning quick…yet seem to last for hours. Gripping stuff!

From page one of AFRAID, author Kilborn grabs the reader and refuses to let go. The story slowly, methodically unfolds even as the body count rises. The gruesome factor rises exponentially as the story heads toward its violent climax, but the real horror, the real suspense, comes from those scenes where the information is doled out in tidbits, allowing the mind to fill in the gaps…and it is guaranteed that those gaps will eventually be filled with the most awful things imaginable. It is to Kilborn’s credit, however, that he manages to come up with horrors that make even the unimaginable feel tame.

The antagonists, (yes, there are multiple baddies), gain brief moments of humanity before they are snuffed out by the monsters they’ve become. There are moments of pure beauty, selfless heroism and several scenes that, were this to be a movie, would illicit screams of pandemonious glee and gut-wrenching terror. AFRAID, as a novel, does pretty much the same thing. It is exhausting. I didn’t want to put it down and yet, at the same time, I wanted to fling it across the room and run screaming from it. The words are visceral. You can see the enemy approaching, smell the burning flesh, taste the blood, feel the knife slither across your skin and hear the sounds of your heart thumping madly in your chest. Yes, the book is that good.

This may be Kilborn’s first novel, but he writes with the assuredness of a seasoned veteran. That is not to say this is a perfect book. The characters are not as fully-rendered as I would have liked and the nasties felt, at first, contrived and dull. However, like a pro, Kilborn takes these quibbles and sets them aside, due mostly to the frenetic pace of his story, the bareness of his prose and, in the end, our personal desire to see good triumph over evil. The realization that we humans are capable of atrocities similar to what are revealed throughout this book permeate the soul long after the last words are read, much like mold over rotting food. It is a bitter pill to swallow, that we are capable of such great good and yet, perform such hideousness upon one another. Both sides of that coin get equal billing here.

Get AFRAID and be afraid. Then hold on tightly for a ride you will both want to jump off…and ride again and again.
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Mar 12, 2010 Rusty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, thriller, read-in-2009, 2000, midwest, fiction

Rarely has Wisconsin been so intersting. I kid, Wisconsin - you know how I feel about you. From the opening sequence, when the intruder responds to the old lady's question: "what are you going to do to me?", this book is brutal, and it never lets up. Kilborn does a great job of creating atmosphere (mostly of dread) and the characters are likeable and/or interesting. A special forces unit of unknown origins is dropped into a small town in Wisconsin, and they systematically spread throughout the t...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mallory Anne-Marie by: Adam Light

Shelves: 2013-authors-new-to-me-challenge, 2013-eclectic-reader-challenge, 2013-personal-reading-challenge, 2013_reads, january_2013_reads, armchair-great-lakes

Review soon (this is one of the grossest books I've ever read, worse to me than reading about the My Lai Massacre or Argentine's Dirty War--but in the end, very well worth the reading. There's more than a couple of really shocking surprises I never saw coming. Thanks much to Author Adam Light for challenging me to try this for the second time-this time I made it through, and I'm glad!) PS: this is not a full review yet

Review:

Review of Afraid by Jack Kilborn
5 stars
This book amazed me in that I w...more

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Mar 27, 2009 Patricia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Afraid means filled with fear or apprehension and is much too mild a word to describe the feelings of the residents of Safe Haven, Wisconsin when five men invade the town. These five men are members of a Red-Ops group. The five all have backgrounds of violent behavior. The group have been specially trained and programmed to kill. Now the five want an answer to one question.

No one in the town seems to be able to answer the question so the residents die and no one dies an easy death. Safe Haven...more

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Mar 31, 2009 Bobbie Crawford-McCoy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone!!

Shelves: books-that-i-own, all-reviews, fiction-reviews

Afraid
Written By: Jack Kilborn
Published By: Grand Central Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 384 pages, mass market paperback
ISBN 978-0446535939

Afraid is a fantastic book; I just couldn’t put it down! The fast-paced plot and emotion-driven story is very convincing; it’s so fiendishly nauseating that it makes your skin crawl! The suspense is palpable and the atmosphere is rife with tension and fear; just what you would expect from a book with a title as simple yet as powerful as Afraid. When the ac...more

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Apr 05, 2009 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Afraid” written by Jack Kilborn is one hell of a ride. No not a ride, more like an express elevator to hell. It starts fast and only picks up speed. It is relentless with enough horror, gore, action and twists to keep even the most hardcore adrenaline junkies satisfied. These are very bad people doing very bad things. You’ll have a toe sucking good time. Don’t worry, you’ll figure out the reference. Kilborn is the pseudonym for JA Konrath writer of the “Jack Daniels” series of books. Don’t expe...more

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Mar 30, 2009 Karin rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading AFRAID it is very easy to see why “Jack Kilborn prefers not to share personal details about his life. He could be living anywhere.” Of, course he doesn’t want THEM to know where he lives. He knows too much! Only someone who is very aware of the secrets of our government could have written this book. That’s why Jack likes to “stay off the grid”. He knew that the “Red-ops units didn’t crash here accidentally”. Of course they might run JA Konrath’s car off the road in hopes that Jack...more

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Apr 05, 2009 Carmen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I decided to read Afraid based on the fact it was written by Jack Kilborn, AKA J.A. Konrath. I’m a big fan of his Jaqueline "Jack" Daniels series, so I figured it was a safe bet that Afraid wouldn’t suck. However, I was apprehensive. I just never enjoy any book or movie about covert ops, government/military cover-ups, rogue soldiers/scientists, or the like. Yawn-o-rama. OK...full disclosure is over.

Afraid was incredible! Gripping, fast-paced, absolutely frightening, and beyond gory (um, whoa!)....more

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Apr 22, 2009 Connie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

I gave this five stars because for the horror genre, I think it's excellent. This book was scary from page one until the final chapter. I get goosebumps thinking about particular scenes (a man panting like a dog, the popcorn throwing scene) which is a good way to judge how functional a horror novel is in scaring the daylights out of someone...I mean, I'm still thinking about it. And....I burned the midnight oil just to finish it. Exactly the sort of thing that one needs in a good horror novel, r...more

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Dec 02, 2008 J.A. Konrath rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Awesome debut. I wish I'd written it...

16 likes · like · see review

Dec 22, 2011 Marvin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, autographed

At the end of this book is this "About the Author" blurb...

Jack Kilborn prefers not to share personal details about his life. He could be living anywhere. Possibly near you

Considering what he writes, that is a very scary thought.

Fortunately, I do know where he lives. He resides in the body of author J. A. Konrath. During the day he is harmless. But at night, he sneaks out and makes Mr. Konrath write these deliciously disgusting little books.

Or at least that is the way I imagine it.

The one thin...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Debra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror-supernatural

This was like watching SAW; pretty gruesome torture scenes, although the author doesn't go into many gory details. However, there is plenty of shocking stuff through-out the book. I don't love that kind of stuff, but it's like watching a train wreck; I just had to keep turning the pages because the story was so good! I really cared about the characters and was rooting for the small group of people (and scene-stealing Woof) fighting the evil that had come to their town. Nothing supernatural going...more

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Apr 06, 2009 Robert rated it 3 of 5 stars

This one has pretty much nonstop action and takes place over the course of five or six hours. The book is just begging Hollywood to come and screw up the movie. My biggest quibble is the name of the town in which all the carnage ensues -- Safe Haven -- a bit too much of a cutesy oxymoron, don't you think?

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May 06, 2009 Chris Carroll rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just finished this last night. This is such a great summer book: a horror/thriller that is well-written with likable characters...well, the ones that don't kill you, anyway.
Can't wait to read his next one, Trapped, coming out next year.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 14, 2010 WilowRaven added it

A true thriller of a book. In one suspenseful night an entire town is virtually destroyed. Told from the point of view of several different characters, including the members of the killing squad, the story progresses along at a good pace. There is no fluff to this story. NOT for the faint of heart! I found the blood and guts of the story so to speak to be very graphic but appropriately so. Kilborn could have very easily taken this story into the realm of sexual sadism which would have ruined it....more

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Mar 27, 2009 Harry Bennett rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a book from JA Konrath, author of the Jack Daniels series (she is a Chicago cop with a penchant for going head to head with serial killers). This novel had alot of great advance praise and it actually lived up to the adjectives that were thrown around about it. It is suspensful, taut, fun, action packed, gore soaked and more. It is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. This ride straddles the line between action novel & horror novel, and it straddles it well, dipping in and out...more

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Mar 27, 2009 Tdewhirst rated it 5 of 5 stars

A plane crashes outside of the small town of Safe Haven, Wisconsin and unleashes a horrifying string of events brought to life in a truly spectacular way by Jack Kilborn.

Kilborn conveys an emotion that could be mildly called terror in a beautiful economy of words that sucks the reader in right from the start. This reader – who can be callous in the extreme when reading – teared up during the first kill – a scene so cleverly diabolical and sadistic that I think I can say Kilborn has a fan for lif...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Kristin Lundgren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, horror, biological-weapon

While I might have given this a lower rating, since it was somewhat run-of-the mill, it was just enough up my alley that I wanted to try others that he has written. So I may change it down if I don't like the others. Set in a small Wisconsin town (remind me NOT to go into a small wooded Wisconsin town with only one entrance even though I am from Minnesota), and full of enough blood and guts to last a long while. The four main characters are Sheriff Streng, about to retire, Fran a waitress at the...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Rob Errera rated it 4 of 5 stars

Joe Konrath (aka Jack Kilborn, aka J.A. Konrath) is a kind of folk hero to struggling authors everywhere. His blog, A Newbie’s Guide To Publishing, outlines his success as a self-published novelist, and encourages others to follow a similar path. He makes a compelling argument for DIY book publishing, and the demise of the industry’s traditional New York publishing houses. Your mileage may vary, of course, when it comes to self-publishing (in fact, your mileage will likely be that of a Hummer wi...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Matt Schiariti rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. This is my first time reading a Kilborn/Konrath horror novel. I'd read The List and loved it and finally got around to downloading this and digging in. I wasn't disappointed.

This book is brutal. From the very first page, the action and tension just does NOT quit. As the story goes, a secret force descends on the sleepy town of Safe Haven. It's a sheltered island featuring a small population, tranquil lakes and town life and poor cell phone reception. Safe Haven doesn't stay safe for very lo...more Wow. This is my first time reading a Kilborn/Konrath horror novel. I'd read The List and loved it and finally got around to downloading this and digging in. I wasn't disappointed.

This book is brutal. From the very first page, the action and tension just does NOT quit. As the story goes, a secret force descends on the sleepy town of Safe Haven. It's a sheltered island featuring a small population, tranquil lakes and town life and poor cell phone reception. Safe Haven doesn't stay safe for very long when a secret group of 'monsters' are unleashed on the town with one thing in mind: total destruction.

This is probably one of the most action packed books I've read since Matt Reilly but this isn't filled with over the top and unbelievable action sequences. The action comes in the form of the relentless pursuit by the brutal force of the townspeople as they try to complete their mission. But beware, this book isn't for the feint of heart. It's extremely graphic. It's written wonderfully but it is, as I said, BRUTAL in the extreme. The things the author puts the characters through are imaginative, horrible and flat out disturbing to read but I mean that in the best possible way. Kilborn/Konrath puts his characters through such hellish experiences that it makes one wonder how someone could dream up these nightmarish visions.

Is this a horror novel? In a way I suppose it is but it's not traditional horror. The monsters here are human, and that makes for an even more disturbing feeling during the course of the book. Still, I wouldn't label this as just a horror novel. It's part techno-thriller, part action, part horror.

While the story is particularly brutal, it wouldn't be worth much if it weren't for the characters. From the single mother and fire fighter with broken pasts to the town sheriff three weeks away from retirement, every character is well fleshed out with their own voice, own back story and own motivations. Kilborn/Konrath does a great job of not giving us everything all at once about these characters. It's a slow reveal with each scene giving the reader a little more insight into their pasts and what makes them tick.

I haven't spent much time in Kilborn/Kontrath's sandbox but after reading The List and now Afraid, I find that it's a place I want to visit again and very soon at that. I understand what the buzz is about this guy and it's well deserved.

Now it's time to read Trapped ;) (less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Steven Gaskin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really didn't want to like this book. I find the author a touch abrasive in how he conducts himself online, and from reading the reviews, I suspected he didn't have the talent to back up the abundant confidence he appears to have in his output, but I wanted to make my own assessment. In the most part, the reviews are correct. His prose is basic, his ideas just retreads - knock-off versions of other thrillers, from better writers like Dean Koontz, and it could do with a once-over from a better...more

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Oct 17, 2012 D. Hilliard rated it 4 of 5 stars

What would happen if the very worst our country could build as a human weapon got turned on it’s own citizenry?

That’s the scenario explored in Afraid.
A military helicopter crashes outside the isolated town of Safe Haven, and soon the killing begins. And right off the bat, let me warn you that this book is gory. So if that bothers you, I suggest looking elsewhere. There is blood, disfigurement, and several scenes of torture. At first, it comes off as rather gratuitous, although by the end I under...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Yes, this was a fast read. I read it in one day.

Now, I do NOT mind violence in a book that is about violence. I LOVE Thomas Harris. I'm not squeamish! The description of the book told me this was not going to be a feel good story. I knew it was going to be out there. However, this book was REALLY graphic and I wouldn't have a problem with it except I think it was graphic for the sake of being graphic. So many choices were made by the author that were gratuitous. These choices did not enhance th...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Stacy rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

Safe Haven, Wisconsin, is a one road in and one road out kind of town. Isolated by water and woods the town is a perfect target for a hostile takeover. The takeover comes in the form of five special forces, trained and manipulated by the government, wreaking havoc on the small community in horrifying ways.

This book is a thrill ride and perfect for a fast and entertaining read. If you find eating off toes and skinning people alive entertaining. If you cannot find those things fun, even i...more

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Jul 23, 2012 J. McClain rated it 1 of 5 stars

This is probably my first one-star rating. After being told I needed to keep up with more contemporary horror writers a few years ago, I bought a selection of novels, Afraid included. Here's the first sentence:

"The hunter's moon, a shade of orange so dark it appeared to be filled with blood, hung fat and low over the mirror surface of Big Lake McDonald."

In my opinion, this is all you need to read of the novel to know exactly how badly-written the rest is going to be. This novel has an average of...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

I don't often give warnings for horror novels or thrillers, since people who search them out generally have some sort of idea what they're getting into, but this one's pretty graphic and involves not just a lot of blood and a high body count, but a lot of torture scenes. So if that's one of your squicks, this is not the book you're looking for.

Like a lot of thrillers, Afraid starts with a huge cast of characters, almost enough to be confusing and certainly more than can be relatable at one time....more I don't often give warnings for horror novels or thrillers, since people who search them out generally have some sort of idea what they're getting into, but this one's pretty graphic and involves not just a lot of blood and a high body count, but a lot of torture scenes. So if that's one of your squicks, this is not the book you're looking for.

Like a lot of thrillers, Afraid starts with a huge cast of characters, almost enough to be confusing and certainly more than can be relatable at one time. As people start dying, the list thins out, though, leaving just a few, each with their own tragic history. That they each come to the story a little broken from personal tragedy has them feeling a little unvarying, but still a decent representation of the everyman. I was rather fond of Erwin, who ignores all calls for heroism in his attempts to run as far away from the situation as possible, even if it means leaving other people to be tortured and killed. Yeah, ok, he's not what we're used to rooting for, but that's why I liked him. Also, his instinct to run away makes it all the more powerful later when he discovers the one thing to make him run in and take the risk to rescue someone.

Once I got past the town name (Safe Haven? Really? Good grief!), the premise is appallingly plausible, especially given recent revelations about the American government's secret fondness for torture. Without giving away spoilers, I'll mention the two twists in the tale, one which was pulled off really nicely, and the other which made me think "really? That's it? Alright, then." Thankfully, the disappointing twist was a very small one and didn't take away from the story overall.

While Afraid isn't necessarily non-stop action (which, let's face it, would make for an exhausting read), it's pretty relentless in its horrifyingness. Horrification? Horror-ness. If there isn't a direct chase, torture, mutilation, or some such thing happening, there's the dread and/or anticipation of what's coming next, the attempts to flee and/or rescue, and the scheming. It's dark and gritty, playing as much on the fear of whatmight happen as what's actually happening. And nobody is safe.(less)

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Jan 10, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-have-reviewed

Transhumanism is the idea that human life can be made better with the help of technology. Now imagine controlling the human brain by electrical stimulation and making it function more like a computer. Forget years of study and practice, simply download information directly into a person’s brain and, depending on the program, anyone can have any skill set desired. In Jack Kilborn’s Afraid, "transhumanistic neuropathology" is the underlying concept behind the development of his modified soldiers,...more Transhumanism is the idea that human life can be made better with the help of technology. Now imagine controlling the human brain by electrical stimulation and making it function more like a computer. Forget years of study and practice, simply download information directly into a person’s brain and, depending on the program, anyone can have any skill set desired. In Jack Kilborn’s Afraid, "transhumanistic neuropathology" is the underlying concept behind the development of his modified soldiers, or "Red-ops". Government-sponsored terrorists, Red-ops are trained in all aspects of munitions, battle and war and they function as small strike forces with three goals: isolate, overpower and annihilate.

Forget the ethical implications with this type of science and the type of ideal world this could possibly create, we’re not reading Afraid to think, we’re reading Afraid to be entertained and this book is loaded with entertainment. Kilborn provides that entertainment by taking things a couple of steps further. Rather than training regular military personnel as Red-ops, he gives us Hannibal Lector combined with Rambo with transhuman modifications. In other words, unstoppable human monsters. We see a team made up of death row inmates: psychopaths and sadists, and rather than isolate, overpower and annihilate, they torture, rape and murder. And they do it well. Now drop this team of scientifically engineered mutant maniacs into the sleepy town of Safe Haven, Wisconsin, population 907, and the result is— well, the result is something you’re going to have to find out for yourself.

Afraid is billed as horror, but for me this wasn’t horror and I didn’t find the story frightening. However, this was an amazingly tense thriller; a violent (maybe too extreme for some readers) page-turner of the highest order. The action starts quickly and aside from taking breaks to reveal more layers of the plot, doesn’t let up until the end. If you’re the type of reader who doesn’t like to wait, you might want to start Afraid early in the day or early in the weekend because you're not going to want to put it down once you start. If violent thrillers are your cup of tea you won’t be disappointed with this one.(less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ever since Jack Kilborn / J.A. Konrath switched to e-publishing, it's been increasingly hard to find his titles in print (and sadly there was no e-reader under the tree for me this Christmas.)

I picked up Afraid at a used book sale, a major score since it's been on my TBR list for almost the entire year. Though I've read only one other book by this author - Whiskey Sour (J.A. Konrath) - the hype surrounding Afraid has kept my interest piqued.

It didn't disappoint.

As James Rollins' blurb on the cov...more Ever since Jack Kilborn / J.A. Konrath switched to e-publishing, it's been increasingly hard to find his titles in print (and sadly there was no e-reader under the tree for me this Christmas.)

I picked up Afraid at a used book sale, a major score since it's been on my TBR list for almost the entire year. Though I've read only one other book by this author - Whiskey Sour (J.A. Konrath) - the hype surrounding Afraid has kept my interest piqued.

It didn't disappoint.

As James Rollins' blurb on the cover suggests, Kilborn starts the action on page one and the horror never stops. A town is terrorized with unimaginable torture, by "men" of extraordinary strength. The premise is not supernatural - in fact, you can almost believe this type of "universal soldier" might already exist somewhere.

Not the kind of guy you want to meet in a dark alley.

After a string of paranormal romance and YA fiction, I was ready for something grittier. Kilborn certainly delivers. The pacing is spectacular. It wasn't until about the half-way point of the book I realized there were no chapter breaks. When time is tight - as it was this week - I tend to sneak in a chapter here and there when I can. The lack of chapter designation "tricked" me into reading more, until I simply ran out of steam.

I'm a huge fan of Kilborn's writing style. It's tight and clean, not a single word of extra fluff. The dialogue serves its purpose, voice is consistent, and the description is minimal but effective. I've bought a lot of horror books in my time but never read any author who could do "gore" so well. Afraid isn't for the weak at heart.

The story isn't predictable and the characters - even the bad guys - are sympathetic. But I've yet to find a book that actually scared me, and I truly wanted this one to be the one. While the gore factor was high, Afraid fell a little short on suspense.

I suspect this will be the last book of the year for me, which means I've fallen well short on my 100 books in 2010 challenge. I know 56 books is nothing to be ashamed of, and really, the challenge pushed me to read when other distractions might have played a role. Still...

For 2011, I'm issuing myself a new challenge - 75 books and 26 movies. I just need a catchy title. Got any ideas?(less)

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About Jack Kilborn

Jack Kilborn is pen name for writer J.A. Konrath. The Kilborn name denotes his horror novels; the Konrath name his thrillers.

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Afraid (Afraid #1)

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