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Fade to Black
Jack is a young man caught between two terrifying worlds. In one, he is Marine Sergeant Casey Stillmam, locked in combat in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq. He is lying next to his dead and dying friends, bleeding in the street – until he wakes up at home, in bed with his wife.
In this other world, Jack is a high school science teacher, husband, and devoted father to his little girl. But the nightmares of war continue to haunt him, and to Jack/Casey they feel in many ways more real than his life at home with his family.
When news of killed Marines in Fallujah surface, Jack realizes he knows far more about these men then he should. But, when the dead Marines begin visiting him while he is awake—he realizes he is in serious trouble.
Faced with the possibility of losing his mind, or far worse, the nightmares being real, Jack knows he must somehow find a way to bridge the two realities and fight his way back from the nightmares to save his wife and little girl.
In this other world, Jack is a high school science teacher, husband, and devoted father to his little girl. But the nightmares of war continue to haunt him, and to Jack/Casey they feel in many ways more real than his life at home with his family.
When news of killed Marines in Fallujah surface, Jack realizes he knows far more about these men then he should. But, when the dead Marines begin visiting him while he is awake—he realizes he is in serious trouble.
Faced with the possibility of losing his mind, or far worse, the nightmares being real, Jack knows he must somehow find a way to bridge the two realities and fight his way back from the nightmares to save his wife and little girl.
- GenresFiction
254 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2013
8 people are currently reading
397 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Wilson
37 books361 followersJeffrey Wilson has at one time 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 numerous tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Navy combat surgeon, deploying with an east coast based SEAL Team as part of a Joint Special Operations Task Force.
He is the co-author, with Brian Andrews, of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon #1 Bestselling TIER ONE series of thrillers from Thomas & Mercer, including TIER ONE, WAR SHADOWS, CRUSADER ONE, and AMERICAN OPERATOR. He and Andrews also Co-author the Nick Foley Thriller Series, written under the pseudonym Alex Ryan, from Crooked Lane Books, which includes BEIJING RED and HONG KONG BLACK.
He is the author of three award winning Supernatural thrillers from JournalStone Publishing: THE TRAITEUR'S RING (2011), THE DONORS (2012), and FADE TO BLACK (2013).
He is also the author of the faith based, inspirational war time novel WAR TORN.
Jeff and his wife, Wendy, are Virginia natives who, with children Ashley, Emma, Jack, and Connor, call Tampa, Florida home. He still works as a Vascular Surgeon and as a consultant for the Department of Defense when not hard at work on his next book.
Learn more about Jeff at www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com and www.andrews-wilson.com
He is the co-author, with Brian Andrews, of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon #1 Bestselling TIER ONE series of thrillers from Thomas & Mercer, including TIER ONE, WAR SHADOWS, CRUSADER ONE, and AMERICAN OPERATOR. He and Andrews also Co-author the Nick Foley Thriller Series, written under the pseudonym Alex Ryan, from Crooked Lane Books, which includes BEIJING RED and HONG KONG BLACK.
He is the author of three award winning Supernatural thrillers from JournalStone Publishing: THE TRAITEUR'S RING (2011), THE DONORS (2012), and FADE TO BLACK (2013).
He is also the author of the faith based, inspirational war time novel WAR TORN.
Jeff and his wife, Wendy, are Virginia natives who, with children Ashley, Emma, Jack, and Connor, call Tampa, Florida home. He still works as a Vascular Surgeon and as a consultant for the Department of Defense when not hard at work on his next book.
Learn more about Jeff at www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com and www.andrews-wilson.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 8, 2013
Wilson just keeps getting better and better. FADE TO BLACK is a death-limbo drama that plays masterfully with melancholy notes of heartbreak backed by the roaring horrors of modern warfare. In the last fifty pages, you'll bite off every fingernail waiting to see the final outcome!
October 22, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Supernatural suspense/horror
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: People who like books dealing with war and fighting
Trigger Warnings: war (Iraq), death, killing
My Thoughts: This is a really hard book to read at times, and anyone who has family or loved ones in the military might especially have difficulty with it. Nonetheless, it's a very well-written book, the characters are engaging and well defined, and I was held by the story throughout. In many ways it is very sobering, as the descriptions of combat are visceral and real. It is sometimes hard to keep track of what is happening, since Jack/Casey himself doesn't know which world is real and which is the dream, but it slowly comes clear in time through the course of the book.
It's obvious that the author has either had experience in the Marines or has done a great deal of research to have all the jargon and lingo down so well, although I have to wonder why Marines have shortened “sergeant” to “sar'n”. It seems illogical.
Anyway, if this book sounds like something you'd like, definitely check it out.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book from JournalStone via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Jack is a young man caught between two terrifying worlds. In one, he is Marine Sergeant Casey Stillmam, locked in combat in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq. He is lying next to his dead and dying friends, bleeding in the street—until he wakes up at home, in bed with his wife.
In this other world, Jack is a high school science teacher, husband, and devoted father to his little girl. But the nightmares of war continue to haunt him, and to Jack/Casey they feel in many ways more real than his life at home with his family.
When news of killed Marines in Fallujah surface, Jack realizes he knows far more about these men then he should. But, when the dead Marines begin visiting him while he is awake—he realizes he is in serious trouble.
Faced with the possibility of losing his mind, or far worse, the nightmares being real, Jack knows he must somehow find a way to bridge the two realities and fight his way back from the nightmares to save his wife and little girl.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: People who like books dealing with war and fighting
Trigger Warnings: war (Iraq), death, killing
My Thoughts: This is a really hard book to read at times, and anyone who has family or loved ones in the military might especially have difficulty with it. Nonetheless, it's a very well-written book, the characters are engaging and well defined, and I was held by the story throughout. In many ways it is very sobering, as the descriptions of combat are visceral and real. It is sometimes hard to keep track of what is happening, since Jack/Casey himself doesn't know which world is real and which is the dream, but it slowly comes clear in time through the course of the book.
It's obvious that the author has either had experience in the Marines or has done a great deal of research to have all the jargon and lingo down so well, although I have to wonder why Marines have shortened “sergeant” to “sar'n”. It seems illogical.
Anyway, if this book sounds like something you'd like, definitely check it out.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book from JournalStone via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Jack is a young man caught between two terrifying worlds. In one, he is Marine Sergeant Casey Stillmam, locked in combat in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq. He is lying next to his dead and dying friends, bleeding in the street—until he wakes up at home, in bed with his wife.
In this other world, Jack is a high school science teacher, husband, and devoted father to his little girl. But the nightmares of war continue to haunt him, and to Jack/Casey they feel in many ways more real than his life at home with his family.
When news of killed Marines in Fallujah surface, Jack realizes he knows far more about these men then he should. But, when the dead Marines begin visiting him while he is awake—he realizes he is in serious trouble.
Faced with the possibility of losing his mind, or far worse, the nightmares being real, Jack knows he must somehow find a way to bridge the two realities and fight his way back from the nightmares to save his wife and little girl.
July 6, 2013
Fade to Black
Jeffrey Wilson
*** Spoiler Alert ***
Fade to Black is, according to the publisher, Jeffrey Wilson’s third novel with JournalStone Publishing. The author of “supernatural thrillers” The Donors (2012) and The Traiteur’s Ring (2011), this June 2013 release makes Wilson a prolific writer (considering that his “day job” is as a vascular surgeon), which is impressive in its own right. The publisher’s tip sheet includes an endorsement by Tom Young, and if you are familiar with Young, this might also impress you. I am not. Nor am I familiar with Wilson’s work. However, the blurb at Library Thing seemed interesting, so I put my hand up to receive an advance copy for review.
My task was delayed by other (paying) commitments; however, once I began to read, I became immediately entrenched, if only to see how things played out. Almost immediately, Fade to Black put me in mind of Bruce Joel Rubin’s Jacob’s Ladder, but with fewer horror-like influences. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jacob’s Ladder, have had the opportunity to meet Rubin and discuss the screenplay with him, so my expectations were high for Wilson’s book.
I was further gratified, as a Vietnam-era Navy veteran myself (with a Vietnam vet Marine Corps spouse) that Wilson actually has combat experience, medical experience, and served as a Navy Officer with the Marines. These are all important to the plot of Fade to Black.
The action – such as there is – is therefore believable. The main character, Sergeant Casey Stillman/Jack, experiences flashbacks to combat in Fallujah that may or may not have included him. Meanwhile, his life as a devoted husband, father of a near-toddler girl, and high school science teacher seems to be surely disintegrating into madness. He seeks medical then psychological assistance; he accommodates his wife’s wishes and is mindful of her fears, and – the thing Jack shares with Sgt. Stillman – he most definitely loves his wife and daughter and is loath to be separated from them. How this is all resolved constitutes the meat of the novel.
From time to time, I enjoy fiction about the afterlife; Kevin Brockmeier’s The Brief History of the Dead comes to mind as one of my favorites (and it isn’t nearly as scary as Rubin’s or Wilson’s work). And if the reader already has ideas or theories about how the afterlife works – well, that determines to some degree how much he or she is willing to accept the premise of the work in question. I wondered why Casey and Jack had different names, although (to my recollection) Jack’s surname is never mentioned while Casey is most often referred to as Sgt. (“Sar’n”) Stillman. Even his surname may give one a bit of a hint as to his real physical condition. The hints and foreshadowing abound for an alert reader; however, this doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of the novel. While not as “heavy” as Jacob’s Ladder or, say, Marlantes’ Matterhorn, it is also by no means a “beach read.”
In short, if you enjoy forays into speculations about the afterlife, don’t mind some combat action (the first chapter is the seminal battle around which the plot revolves), and respect the fact that the author knows about what he writes, then pick up a copy of Fade to Black. I warrant that once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down.
Jeffrey Wilson
*** Spoiler Alert ***
Fade to Black is, according to the publisher, Jeffrey Wilson’s third novel with JournalStone Publishing. The author of “supernatural thrillers” The Donors (2012) and The Traiteur’s Ring (2011), this June 2013 release makes Wilson a prolific writer (considering that his “day job” is as a vascular surgeon), which is impressive in its own right. The publisher’s tip sheet includes an endorsement by Tom Young, and if you are familiar with Young, this might also impress you. I am not. Nor am I familiar with Wilson’s work. However, the blurb at Library Thing seemed interesting, so I put my hand up to receive an advance copy for review.
My task was delayed by other (paying) commitments; however, once I began to read, I became immediately entrenched, if only to see how things played out. Almost immediately, Fade to Black put me in mind of Bruce Joel Rubin’s Jacob’s Ladder, but with fewer horror-like influences. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jacob’s Ladder, have had the opportunity to meet Rubin and discuss the screenplay with him, so my expectations were high for Wilson’s book.
I was further gratified, as a Vietnam-era Navy veteran myself (with a Vietnam vet Marine Corps spouse) that Wilson actually has combat experience, medical experience, and served as a Navy Officer with the Marines. These are all important to the plot of Fade to Black.
The action – such as there is – is therefore believable. The main character, Sergeant Casey Stillman/Jack, experiences flashbacks to combat in Fallujah that may or may not have included him. Meanwhile, his life as a devoted husband, father of a near-toddler girl, and high school science teacher seems to be surely disintegrating into madness. He seeks medical then psychological assistance; he accommodates his wife’s wishes and is mindful of her fears, and – the thing Jack shares with Sgt. Stillman – he most definitely loves his wife and daughter and is loath to be separated from them. How this is all resolved constitutes the meat of the novel.
From time to time, I enjoy fiction about the afterlife; Kevin Brockmeier’s The Brief History of the Dead comes to mind as one of my favorites (and it isn’t nearly as scary as Rubin’s or Wilson’s work). And if the reader already has ideas or theories about how the afterlife works – well, that determines to some degree how much he or she is willing to accept the premise of the work in question. I wondered why Casey and Jack had different names, although (to my recollection) Jack’s surname is never mentioned while Casey is most often referred to as Sgt. (“Sar’n”) Stillman. Even his surname may give one a bit of a hint as to his real physical condition. The hints and foreshadowing abound for an alert reader; however, this doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of the novel. While not as “heavy” as Jacob’s Ladder or, say, Marlantes’ Matterhorn, it is also by no means a “beach read.”
In short, if you enjoy forays into speculations about the afterlife, don’t mind some combat action (the first chapter is the seminal battle around which the plot revolves), and respect the fact that the author knows about what he writes, then pick up a copy of Fade to Black. I warrant that once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down.
May 9, 2021
I won Fade To Black through a Goodreads contest. Fade To Black by Jeffrey Wilson is from JournalStone Publishing. Fade To Black is about a young man who is stuck in two worlds. In one world he is Jack a high school science teacher. Jack is a devoted husband and father who has a very happy life. Except for the nightmares that plague him. The nightmares are about his other world. In this world he is Casey Stillman a U.S. Marine locked in combat on the streets of Fallujah, Iraq.
One minute he is lying next to his dead or dying friends on the street, bleeding to death, then he wakes up at home beside his wife in bed. Because of these nightmares about Casey Stillman, Jack becomes obsessed with the war in Iraq. This wreaks havoc on his home and work life. Jack is scared that he is going insane. Especially after he sees dead Marines when he is awake. In order to keep his sanity, Jack needs to figure out which world is fantasy and which is the real world.
Fade To Black is a quick paced novel that messes with your mind. It was so suspenseful, I could not put it down. I read it in one night. I had to see the outcome. Not only is this book full of action packed war fighting, it is thought provoking as well. Fade to Black is about looking at the choices people have made in life.This novel will make you question those choices you made. This book definetely made me question my own reality. I am sure it will make you question your own reality and the choices you made in life.
One minute he is lying next to his dead or dying friends on the street, bleeding to death, then he wakes up at home beside his wife in bed. Because of these nightmares about Casey Stillman, Jack becomes obsessed with the war in Iraq. This wreaks havoc on his home and work life. Jack is scared that he is going insane. Especially after he sees dead Marines when he is awake. In order to keep his sanity, Jack needs to figure out which world is fantasy and which is the real world.
Fade To Black is a quick paced novel that messes with your mind. It was so suspenseful, I could not put it down. I read it in one night. I had to see the outcome. Not only is this book full of action packed war fighting, it is thought provoking as well. Fade to Black is about looking at the choices people have made in life.This novel will make you question those choices you made. This book definetely made me question my own reality. I am sure it will make you question your own reality and the choices you made in life.
June 20, 2013
Jeffrey Wilson has definitely written a unique novel. I really liked how he tied in is vast knowledge of the Military and this added to the appeal of the book for me. I also liked how this book made me feel uneasy like the main character and his family. I felt like I was the main character and was really feeling for him. This book did seem like it had a few longer than necessary chapters but was a great read! Journal stone has delivered again!
July 9, 2013
Fade To Black pulls the reader into a life and death gun battle between six Marines that were separated from their platoon and an unknown number of insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq on the first page. Bullets fly and men die. One of the sniper’s bullets finds Sargent Casey Stillman, critically wounding him as he tries to save his fellow Marines.
He fades from consciousness only to wake up screaming. He isn’t dying in the hot, sandy street, but falling out of the bed he is sleeping in with his wife, Pam. The sounds, smells and horror of Fallujah slowly fade as he realizes he is home with his wife and his baby daughter is sleeping down the hall. He is not a Marine Sargent; he is a high school science teacher, Jack.
Jack’s horrible nightmare is so real he cannot stop thinking about it. His life feels somehow off kilter, familiar things seem foreign to him as he tries to make it through his workday.
His nightmares increase and Jack begins to think he is crazy. He seeks help from his family doctor, who sends him to a therapist. Pam stands by him, surprisingly calm during his struggle to grasp reality. Things get worse. He starts seeing the Marines killed in his dreams when he is awake. He knows facts about the men who died in Fallujah as if he really was their Sargent. How could he be Casey Stillman, when he was never in the military? Is he Casey or is he Jack?
Jeffrey Wilson’s third novel is a nail-biting, heart-stopping, gripping story told with such detail the reader is grabbed by emotion from the first page to the last. This book appeals to many different tastes on numerous levels. It is a war story – but not typical. It is a story about the love a man has for his wife and daughter – but not a love story. It is a mystery – just who is the main character? Is it Jack or is it Casey?
Wilson served in Iraq as a Marine combat surgeon. He brings the realities and horrors of war to the pages of his book with sounds, smells and images. Layered with emotions Fade To Black is an amazing, sometimes uncomfortable ride, but one you won’t want to put down until the last page is read.
Copyright © 2013 Laura Hartman
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review.
He fades from consciousness only to wake up screaming. He isn’t dying in the hot, sandy street, but falling out of the bed he is sleeping in with his wife, Pam. The sounds, smells and horror of Fallujah slowly fade as he realizes he is home with his wife and his baby daughter is sleeping down the hall. He is not a Marine Sargent; he is a high school science teacher, Jack.
Jack’s horrible nightmare is so real he cannot stop thinking about it. His life feels somehow off kilter, familiar things seem foreign to him as he tries to make it through his workday.
His nightmares increase and Jack begins to think he is crazy. He seeks help from his family doctor, who sends him to a therapist. Pam stands by him, surprisingly calm during his struggle to grasp reality. Things get worse. He starts seeing the Marines killed in his dreams when he is awake. He knows facts about the men who died in Fallujah as if he really was their Sargent. How could he be Casey Stillman, when he was never in the military? Is he Casey or is he Jack?
Jeffrey Wilson’s third novel is a nail-biting, heart-stopping, gripping story told with such detail the reader is grabbed by emotion from the first page to the last. This book appeals to many different tastes on numerous levels. It is a war story – but not typical. It is a story about the love a man has for his wife and daughter – but not a love story. It is a mystery – just who is the main character? Is it Jack or is it Casey?
Wilson served in Iraq as a Marine combat surgeon. He brings the realities and horrors of war to the pages of his book with sounds, smells and images. Layered with emotions Fade To Black is an amazing, sometimes uncomfortable ride, but one you won’t want to put down until the last page is read.
Copyright © 2013 Laura Hartman
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review.
June 14, 2013
5 of 5 Stars Review Copy
Just finished this new work from Jeffrey Wilson and my eyes are still a bit teary. Admittedly, I'm a soft touch. I tend to shed a tear when I'm overjoyed and when I'm heartbroken. And, yes, I did turn in my "man card" years ago.
When I started to read Fade To Black, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. The action starts in Iraq, with a fire-fight in Fallujah, where men are dying. I just don't care that much for war stories, but that's not what this fantasy tale is all about.
It's so much more than a war story. Wilson has created a well balanced tale about a man, Casey Stillman/Jack, caught between two worlds. One were he's dying on the battlefield in Iraq and another where he's a High School biology teacher spending every spare minute with his wife and daughter, Pam and his little Claire "bear".
Jack wakes screaming, his hands clutching his throat and his body drenched in sweat. It was all just a dream. Jack is just a HS biology teacher, safe and sound in his own bed. However, the vision he had as he died was vivid and seemed real beyond words.
Fade To Black feels, very much, like an extended episode of The Twilight Zone, one of the really good ones. The line between reality and and a dream world is razor thin. Is he a Marine, mortally wounded, dreaming of his family as he lays dying or is he a teacher, living with his family while desperately trying to hold on to what's left of his sanity?
Fade To Black kept me guessing to the very end. Just when you think reality is leaning in one direction or the other, there is an ever so slight shift. Just enough to make you rethink everything. This was a little deeper and a bit more philosophical than my usual reading material, but I'm very glad I had the chance to read it.
Today is the official release date, so it should now be available everywhere from the fine folks at JournalStone Press. Available in both print and ebook formats.
Just finished this new work from Jeffrey Wilson and my eyes are still a bit teary. Admittedly, I'm a soft touch. I tend to shed a tear when I'm overjoyed and when I'm heartbroken. And, yes, I did turn in my "man card" years ago.
When I started to read Fade To Black, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. The action starts in Iraq, with a fire-fight in Fallujah, where men are dying. I just don't care that much for war stories, but that's not what this fantasy tale is all about.
It's so much more than a war story. Wilson has created a well balanced tale about a man, Casey Stillman/Jack, caught between two worlds. One were he's dying on the battlefield in Iraq and another where he's a High School biology teacher spending every spare minute with his wife and daughter, Pam and his little Claire "bear".
Jack wakes screaming, his hands clutching his throat and his body drenched in sweat. It was all just a dream. Jack is just a HS biology teacher, safe and sound in his own bed. However, the vision he had as he died was vivid and seemed real beyond words.
Fade To Black feels, very much, like an extended episode of The Twilight Zone, one of the really good ones. The line between reality and and a dream world is razor thin. Is he a Marine, mortally wounded, dreaming of his family as he lays dying or is he a teacher, living with his family while desperately trying to hold on to what's left of his sanity?
Fade To Black kept me guessing to the very end. Just when you think reality is leaning in one direction or the other, there is an ever so slight shift. Just enough to make you rethink everything. This was a little deeper and a bit more philosophical than my usual reading material, but I'm very glad I had the chance to read it.
Today is the official release date, so it should now be available everywhere from the fine folks at JournalStone Press. Available in both print and ebook formats.
June 24, 2013
This book held my attention almost from the first page. This is the story of Jack, a beloved father/ husband/high school biology teacher and of Casey Stillman, a marine fighting in Iraq. Jack is having nightmares about the war he recently returned from. Casey is still fighting that war, and keeps appearing to Jack in his nightmares. Beginning to wonder if he is losing his mind, Jack seeks help from a doctor. The way this story weaves the two stories together is fascinating and realistic. I must admit the plot became apparent to me about a third of the way through, but the storyline is so strong I kept reading, trying to figure out the author would carry this through to what ending. This is a tale about love of family and love of country. It also provides some insight into the post war hell a combat soldier or marine can go through and often does. I found the author’s description of war in Iraq and in combat very realistic and interesting. This is not an easy story to get through if you have any military experiences in Iraq or any other war zone. The reader might find some of the military terms and jargon difficult to understand, but the author does a good job of explaining them through other words, actions or context. Anyone who enjoys good wartime books would probably find this interesting as well as anyone interested in the way war changes a person. Likewise, anyone who holds family and parenting dear will also find it to their liking. I received this free from Library Thing in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2013
Jack is a man living two lives. In one, he is a husband, father and school teacher. In the other, a Marine Sargent, a leader whose men are getting cut down by heavy gunfire in the dangerous streets of Iraq. One is desperate to keep his sanity, while the other is desperate to save his men. What hangs in the balance is the lives of both.
In his newest novel, Jeffery Wilson shows us again why he is a rising star in the field of horror fiction. Fade to Black takes you by the hand and walks you through a journey you will not soon forget, one which reminds you that the agony of war is not limited to those who fight for our safety. I can't say more without revealing too much, but I found myself caring deeply for Jack, his wife, Pam, and their daughter, Claire. And for the men in Iraq: Simmons, McIver, Bennet: men who risked their lives for what they believed in. Wilson's story is truly heart-wrenching.
The war scenes are vividly realized, as they should be. Dr Wilson served two tours In Iraq as a combat surgeon for the Marines and the Joint Special Operations Task Force. He's also served as a jet pilot, a Naval officer, a paramedic and a firefighter. The man's been through it, he has a story to tell, and it's one worth reading.
One other point about Fade to Black. It did something that few books have done: the ending made my cry. For that alone, the book gets Five Stars.
In his newest novel, Jeffery Wilson shows us again why he is a rising star in the field of horror fiction. Fade to Black takes you by the hand and walks you through a journey you will not soon forget, one which reminds you that the agony of war is not limited to those who fight for our safety. I can't say more without revealing too much, but I found myself caring deeply for Jack, his wife, Pam, and their daughter, Claire. And for the men in Iraq: Simmons, McIver, Bennet: men who risked their lives for what they believed in. Wilson's story is truly heart-wrenching.
The war scenes are vividly realized, as they should be. Dr Wilson served two tours In Iraq as a combat surgeon for the Marines and the Joint Special Operations Task Force. He's also served as a jet pilot, a Naval officer, a paramedic and a firefighter. The man's been through it, he has a story to tell, and it's one worth reading.
One other point about Fade to Black. It did something that few books have done: the ending made my cry. For that alone, the book gets Five Stars.
June 15, 2013
I received an early reviews copy of Fade to Black by Jeffery Wilson from LibraryThing. At first glance, this isn't a setting I would normally be interested in reading. I'm not an avid war novel reader, but the plot really piqued my interest. By day, Jack is a family man and teaches high school. By night, he is plagued by vivid, life-like dreams smack in the middle of combat in Fallujah, Iraq. Jack may be losing his mind, unsure if his nightmares are real.
This is an amazing book! I was absolutely immersed in the story and couldn't put it down. I ended up reading it in one setting. It's suspenseful, thought provoking, and at times heart breaking. Jeffrey Wilson crafts a reality that jumps off the page and scrambles you head. Amazing writing. I look forward to reading more from Jeffrey Wilson.
It's hard to say to much without giving away major plot details and I don't want to ruin it for you. Fade to Black was released on June 14th, so go grab a copy. It is worth the experience. I'm still reeling!
This is an amazing book! I was absolutely immersed in the story and couldn't put it down. I ended up reading it in one setting. It's suspenseful, thought provoking, and at times heart breaking. Jeffrey Wilson crafts a reality that jumps off the page and scrambles you head. Amazing writing. I look forward to reading more from Jeffrey Wilson.
It's hard to say to much without giving away major plot details and I don't want to ruin it for you. Fade to Black was released on June 14th, so go grab a copy. It is worth the experience. I'm still reeling!
November 19, 2015
2.5 stars. I am conflicted by this book. After the initial setup, the book went through and tried to build up a story, failed, and then tried again, following the same pattern. The first two thirds of the book were then pretty much done and the main character suddenly has a massive realization, doesn't explain it, but at least the story moved forward. The climax and the final plot twist were not a surprise to anyone, and I was saddened the resolution only addressed the major point of the story, and not others.
June 11, 2019
Mind blowing!
What an amazing read! This was unlike any book I’ve read before. The reader is whisked from Jacks reality to his nightmare seamlessly, and it gave me chills every time. This was such a spooky and heart pounding read.
What an amazing read! This was unlike any book I’ve read before. The reader is whisked from Jacks reality to his nightmare seamlessly, and it gave me chills every time. This was such a spooky and heart pounding read.
July 23, 2013
I receive this book free through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway!
Omg. What to say about this book...
First off let me say that i absolutely love this book. Really, really enjoy it, from the beginning to the end. It started off so great, I was honestly hooked just from the first chapter, which rarely happens. I love that it kept going on and on with the actions but it also had parts where it slowed it down which the author did a really good job with that. I find it really hard to stop reading this book because there was a lot of things going on and some parts actually made me think "WHATS GOING ON, WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN?" I love how the author describe the scenes, the horror, the action, really made you feel like you were actually there. I also went through so many emotions for this book, it got me excited, puzzled, scared, and the ending oh my goodness.. I was in class reading and I literally started crying in the middle of class... pretty funny.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good thriller, action packed, and real page turner kind of book!
i look forward to reading more of Jeffrey Wilson's book!
Omg. What to say about this book...
First off let me say that i absolutely love this book. Really, really enjoy it, from the beginning to the end. It started off so great, I was honestly hooked just from the first chapter, which rarely happens. I love that it kept going on and on with the actions but it also had parts where it slowed it down which the author did a really good job with that. I find it really hard to stop reading this book because there was a lot of things going on and some parts actually made me think "WHATS GOING ON, WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN?" I love how the author describe the scenes, the horror, the action, really made you feel like you were actually there. I also went through so many emotions for this book, it got me excited, puzzled, scared, and the ending oh my goodness.. I was in class reading and I literally started crying in the middle of class... pretty funny.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good thriller, action packed, and real page turner kind of book!
i look forward to reading more of Jeffrey Wilson's book!
May 23, 2013
What a top book. I scored this from the publisher for early reviewing - hand't previously heard of the author but will definitely be checking out his other work now.
In this book we meet Jack the school teacher who starts having vivid nightmares about the war in Iraq, vivid nightmares that seem all a bit to real. From here we follow his struggle to grasp their meaning as their intensity and appearance increases from merely when asleep to seeing things / hallucinating of a day time.
Whilst I can't say much more without ruining the story I can say the book is incredibly enthralling, you start off in general interest as the initial pages turn, then you drift into puzzled territory, then events become a little strange and you're not really sure where things are going, then you think you might know where things are going and it continues from there (maybe or maybe not where you think they are going!) - I can say the entire experience is an enjoyable one.
In this book we meet Jack the school teacher who starts having vivid nightmares about the war in Iraq, vivid nightmares that seem all a bit to real. From here we follow his struggle to grasp their meaning as their intensity and appearance increases from merely when asleep to seeing things / hallucinating of a day time.
Whilst I can't say much more without ruining the story I can say the book is incredibly enthralling, you start off in general interest as the initial pages turn, then you drift into puzzled territory, then events become a little strange and you're not really sure where things are going, then you think you might know where things are going and it continues from there (maybe or maybe not where you think they are going!) - I can say the entire experience is an enjoyable one.
June 9, 2013
I received this book to read and was really excited about reading it.
I don't really want to give anything away, but I found it to be extremely thought provoking and I had a hard time putting it down.
It started off with a bang, and the main premise is a man who starts having some really bad nightmares, and his struggles to find out what they mean.
I will definitely pick up some more of Jeffrey Wilson's books in the future.
I don't really want to give anything away, but I found it to be extremely thought provoking and I had a hard time putting it down.
It started off with a bang, and the main premise is a man who starts having some really bad nightmares, and his struggles to find out what they mean.
I will definitely pick up some more of Jeffrey Wilson's books in the future.
October 3, 2013
This book reminds me a lot of a television show that only ran for a season about a man who was in a wreck and some days he woke in a world where his son lived, others was a world where his wife lived. The two realities slowly collide and then the ending was just insane. The book is more of a psychological thriller than a horror story. I had some difficulty getting into the story at first, as the war thing is not really my genre. Fortunately, I am big into psychological
thrillers.
thrillers.
August 5, 2013
This is another of those 'cant put it down till its done' books. It's intriguing from the first page and keeps you guessing right to the end. It's well written and the main character or should I say characters (is he Jack or is he Casey) are believable. The descriptions of war in Iraq was a little confronting for me, but great for those who love war stories.
September 5, 2018
Received as an Early Reviewers book. All I can say is Wow!!!. This book gripped me from the beginning and would not let go. I finished it in a matter of hours only taking a short break for some sleep. It still haunts my thoughts, it gives you a lot to think about: love, death, heroism among other things.
I grew up in a military family and am married a man who spent 20 years in the Navy...looking at this book from a military wife's perspective I find it to be a love story. Read it and you will understand. It took me a while to figure it out: first I thought the horror of war, and death seemed the themes, but after consideration I understand it is about love.
Definitely not my usual reading genre, I don't know why I requested it. When I first received it I put off reading it because it just didn't look that interesting. Now I am very glad I forced myself to pick it up. (Reconsider the cover art)
I am not going to tell to much about what the book is about. To much could easily give the story away and it is something a person needs to experience for themselves. I will say that if vivid descriptions war bother you, you may want to think twice before picking up this book but it is no worse than the opening of the movie Saving Private Ryan... and only for short periods of a book well worth reading. Thank-you to Jeffery Wilson for writing it...you have a wonderful talent.
I grew up in a military family and am married a man who spent 20 years in the Navy...looking at this book from a military wife's perspective I find it to be a love story. Read it and you will understand. It took me a while to figure it out: first I thought the horror of war, and death seemed the themes, but after consideration I understand it is about love.
Definitely not my usual reading genre, I don't know why I requested it. When I first received it I put off reading it because it just didn't look that interesting. Now I am very glad I forced myself to pick it up. (Reconsider the cover art)
I am not going to tell to much about what the book is about. To much could easily give the story away and it is something a person needs to experience for themselves. I will say that if vivid descriptions war bother you, you may want to think twice before picking up this book but it is no worse than the opening of the movie Saving Private Ryan... and only for short periods of a book well worth reading. Thank-you to Jeffery Wilson for writing it...you have a wonderful talent.
June 15, 2013
I received an early reviewer's copy from library thing.
I thought I would have liked this book from the get go because I am an ex military member and it starts off with fairly vivid war images in Iraq and deals with aspects of post traumatic stress. But, I'm afraid I just couldn't get into it at all. Don’t think for a moment I don’t feel awkward writing a negative review of a copy I received ‘gratis’. It has taken me over a week to summon the courage to present my honest opinion of the book.
I didn't like anything about it. In my opinion, the quality of writing is poor. The descriptions are lazy or at best plain. There are frankly too many examples to even begin. All the characters are superficially portrayed. There's an excessive amount of time describing the protagonist and his A1 perfect family with a baby that doesn't cry and always sleeps like a baby and a wife who is only too happy to have lots of sex, but doesn't seem to have an 'own-self'. Everyone was too one dimensional.
Regarding the plot, so little new information is revealed and so little that is interesting happens. As the protagonist enters his delusional state, we are supposed to feel that it's scary and horrifying etc, but it didn't seem genuine to me.
Also, there is a blatant disregard of the show-don’t-tell rule, and this reader found the constant ‘telling’ of the story very frustrating; other readers will too. I don't like being spoon-fed or 'told' what to think, when I can work that out for myself.
'Telling' uses interpretive data -- an opinion. So "she was beautiful" is an opinion. It doesn't necessarily create an interesting picture. Unfortunately this book is full of 'telling', not 'showing' descriptions.
I thought I would have liked this book from the get go because I am an ex military member and it starts off with fairly vivid war images in Iraq and deals with aspects of post traumatic stress. But, I'm afraid I just couldn't get into it at all. Don’t think for a moment I don’t feel awkward writing a negative review of a copy I received ‘gratis’. It has taken me over a week to summon the courage to present my honest opinion of the book.
I didn't like anything about it. In my opinion, the quality of writing is poor. The descriptions are lazy or at best plain. There are frankly too many examples to even begin. All the characters are superficially portrayed. There's an excessive amount of time describing the protagonist and his A1 perfect family with a baby that doesn't cry and always sleeps like a baby and a wife who is only too happy to have lots of sex, but doesn't seem to have an 'own-self'. Everyone was too one dimensional.
Regarding the plot, so little new information is revealed and so little that is interesting happens. As the protagonist enters his delusional state, we are supposed to feel that it's scary and horrifying etc, but it didn't seem genuine to me.
Also, there is a blatant disregard of the show-don’t-tell rule, and this reader found the constant ‘telling’ of the story very frustrating; other readers will too. I don't like being spoon-fed or 'told' what to think, when I can work that out for myself.
'Telling' uses interpretive data -- an opinion. So "she was beautiful" is an opinion. It doesn't necessarily create an interesting picture. Unfortunately this book is full of 'telling', not 'showing' descriptions.
January 4, 2014
I’ve always been fascinated by war and the emotions associated with fighting, both internal and external. I cannot pinpoint why I don’t read more war related stories because of this fact. Yet, this novel takes my interest a step further, addressing the limbo prior to death, which has always fascinated me. I initially likened this story to Jacob’s Ladder, but was happily surprised. Very much enjoyed this book.
August 13, 2013
This was a Goodreads win. This is an action filled book with twists and turns. You want to keep turning the pages and are disappointed when the book ends
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