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Risen: A Supernatural Thriller
Previously published as a Pinnacle Book under the pseudonym J. Knight.
The residents of a small town find that the secret to immortality is murder. Welcome to Anderson. It's quiet here and that's how we like it. Except.... Madge Duffy sliced her husband's throat last week. Thought she killed him, but then John walked out of the morgue none the worse for wear. The new preacher's calling it a "miracle," but I don't know. It isn't right. I think there might be other people coming back, too. Like Deputy Haws, for one. He's got a bullet hole in his one good shirt and he won't talk about it. You know Peg Culler down at the diner...the one with the little girl on life support? Well, she's talking about pulling the plug, and nobody ever thought she'd do that, not in a million years. She thinks it might be the only way to get her back. Then there's that gang of kids that hangs around the reservoir...not one of them can look you in the eye without breaking into a cold sweat. They're keeping a secret, and it's got them all on edge. Something's going on in this town of ours, something that makes your skin crawl and your teeth grind in the night. I don't know what it is, but I know It scares me.
Contains adult language and violence. Supernatural elements. No explicit sex.
The residents of a small town find that the secret to immortality is murder. Welcome to Anderson. It's quiet here and that's how we like it. Except.... Madge Duffy sliced her husband's throat last week. Thought she killed him, but then John walked out of the morgue none the worse for wear. The new preacher's calling it a "miracle," but I don't know. It isn't right. I think there might be other people coming back, too. Like Deputy Haws, for one. He's got a bullet hole in his one good shirt and he won't talk about it. You know Peg Culler down at the diner...the one with the little girl on life support? Well, she's talking about pulling the plug, and nobody ever thought she'd do that, not in a million years. She thinks it might be the only way to get her back. Then there's that gang of kids that hangs around the reservoir...not one of them can look you in the eye without breaking into a cold sweat. They're keeping a secret, and it's got them all on edge. Something's going on in this town of ours, something that makes your skin crawl and your teeth grind in the night. I don't know what it is, but I know It scares me.
Contains adult language and violence. Supernatural elements. No explicit sex.
337 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 4, 2012
Do you know Seth? The people of Anderson do and that's not necessarily a good thing.
I started this book thinking it was more of a horror story but it isn't~ though some creepy stuff does happen ~ I can't even think about the cockroaches......
I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was well written and as creepy as it was in parts it was funny in others. Mr Strnad did a great job fleshing out his characters and the town of Anderson ~ I kept picturing Mayberry for some reason....maybe because a reference was made to the show and one of it's characters.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and if you're looking for a creepy funny scary thriller, I think you will enjoy it too.
I started this book thinking it was more of a horror story but it isn't~ though some creepy stuff does happen ~ I can't even think about the cockroaches......
I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was well written and as creepy as it was in parts it was funny in others. Mr Strnad did a great job fleshing out his characters and the town of Anderson ~ I kept picturing Mayberry for some reason....maybe because a reference was made to the show and one of it's characters.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and if you're looking for a creepy funny scary thriller, I think you will enjoy it too.
April 5, 2012
A supernatural tale set in a quiet little town where suddenly the dead don't stay that way for long. At midnight, when the church bell rings the newly dead become the risen. The sick are healed, the insane are sane, all it takes is the miracle of dying first and rising again... but just maybe... death was better.
October 1, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this creepy tale and have become a fast fan of this author. Several parts of this book have stuck with me for a long while after reading it. I don't think I'm going to think about cockroaches in the same way ever again. SHUDDER.
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February 8, 2021The nice part about this book is that, despite dealing with people rising from the dead, it's NOT a zombie story. Instead, a cult rises up around the newly-resurrected that threatens to consume the town. The character development near the beginning of the story was excellent and held me through the late-middle, where the plot started to get a little bit predictable. Nevertheless I cared enough about the characters to power through it and the ending had a surprise.
April 5, 2023
Creepy horror
Well written spooky tale. This book is the reason small towns in the middle of nowhere get a bad rap!
Well written spooky tale. This book is the reason small towns in the middle of nowhere get a bad rap!
November 18, 2012
What I liked about this novel was that it managed to hold my interest clear through to the end. So many novels I pick up now days don’t. With Risen: A Supernatural Thriller, I struggled some with the slow beginning and there were a few areas where the pace lagged unnecessarily (and I started to skim), but once the action got started, I breezed straight through to the end. It managed to do what a good horror is supposed to do in my opinion—give me the heebie-jeebies and keep me guessing about what exactly is going on to an interesting/surprise ending. I like zombie stories and I considered this one a zombie story with a HUGE twist.
The story is told through multiple points of view, which would usually bother me, but in this case I felt it worked. Instead of the story revolving around one or two characters, it took in all the residence of a small town named Anderson. Though there were several areas where head hopping was going on, for the most part the multiple points of view helped me to keep a name with a face and personality rather than two dimensional stick figures. The town of Anderson might not be huge, but we are still following a rather large group of people. Multiple points of view helped me understand how they related to one another before the trouble began.
What I didn’t like so much were too many unanswered questions left hanging. I liked how the antagonist was dealt with, but I never really understood where Seth originated from or how he got the power to resurrect these dead bodies in the first place. Theories were brought up, but never a satisfactory answer given. I didn’t understand the motive behind the killings. What did Seth have in mind once all the residents were under his control? Why was it important for certain individuals to kill particular people when others could kill anyone they wanted? I was made to feel certain individuals were killed for a reason, but the reason was never brought up again. An example would be the nudists. A lot of pages were given to the killing of these people and then nothing more after they rose. I had more questions, but they didn’t bother me as much as not understanding who Seth was and the motive behind his frightening actions.
There is much more to this story than your typical reanimated corpse. If the questionable areas had been made clearer, and more care taken with editing of punctuation and grammar to help tighten the text, I would have happily given this a five star rating over three. Perhaps there is a sequel planned in the near future and my questions will be answered there (I’m hoping anyway). I’ll look forward to reading more work by Jan Strnad.
The story is told through multiple points of view, which would usually bother me, but in this case I felt it worked. Instead of the story revolving around one or two characters, it took in all the residence of a small town named Anderson. Though there were several areas where head hopping was going on, for the most part the multiple points of view helped me to keep a name with a face and personality rather than two dimensional stick figures. The town of Anderson might not be huge, but we are still following a rather large group of people. Multiple points of view helped me understand how they related to one another before the trouble began.
What I didn’t like so much were too many unanswered questions left hanging. I liked how the antagonist was dealt with, but I never really understood where Seth originated from or how he got the power to resurrect these dead bodies in the first place. Theories were brought up, but never a satisfactory answer given. I didn’t understand the motive behind the killings. What did Seth have in mind once all the residents were under his control? Why was it important for certain individuals to kill particular people when others could kill anyone they wanted? I was made to feel certain individuals were killed for a reason, but the reason was never brought up again. An example would be the nudists. A lot of pages were given to the killing of these people and then nothing more after they rose. I had more questions, but they didn’t bother me as much as not understanding who Seth was and the motive behind his frightening actions.
There is much more to this story than your typical reanimated corpse. If the questionable areas had been made clearer, and more care taken with editing of punctuation and grammar to help tighten the text, I would have happily given this a five star rating over three. Perhaps there is a sequel planned in the near future and my questions will be answered there (I’m hoping anyway). I’ll look forward to reading more work by Jan Strnad.
April 4, 2015
Suppose you had an opportunity for a do-over in life...memories intact, no more illness, coma's, mental problems, handicaps, aches and pains - totally refurbished and pick-up right where you left off - would you do it? What if it required that you kill yourself first? What's the catch? Everybody in the town of Anderson seems to be doing it...
I don't read very many paranormal books and thought, at first, that "Risen" was a zombie book. However, after reading the first couple chapters and discovering that it wasn't, I was not disappointed. In fact, I was now hooked and committed to finishing the story. I have to admit that it starts out slow, but once I learned who the main characters were, the story got better and started moving right along - it's impossible to stop reading during the final 25% of the story. Some questions are answered and others not. Why do dogs sense something evil in those who have been reborn? Who is Seth? What does he want? The author will keep readers guessing about the outcome, throwing a few twists and turns out there to keep us off balance.
I was totally surprised at the ending and thought it could have been expanded somewhat. Risen is a creepy, chilling and thrilling story! Don't try to read it before bedtime...
Thank you, Jan Strnad, for writing this story, I enjoyed the change!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
I don't read very many paranormal books and thought, at first, that "Risen" was a zombie book. However, after reading the first couple chapters and discovering that it wasn't, I was not disappointed. In fact, I was now hooked and committed to finishing the story. I have to admit that it starts out slow, but once I learned who the main characters were, the story got better and started moving right along - it's impossible to stop reading during the final 25% of the story. Some questions are answered and others not. Why do dogs sense something evil in those who have been reborn? Who is Seth? What does he want? The author will keep readers guessing about the outcome, throwing a few twists and turns out there to keep us off balance.
I was totally surprised at the ending and thought it could have been expanded somewhat. Risen is a creepy, chilling and thrilling story! Don't try to read it before bedtime...
Thank you, Jan Strnad, for writing this story, I enjoyed the change!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
November 1, 2012
After many, many unfinished free books for Kindle, I was skeptical. Very skeptical. But Wrong. Very wrong. This book was fabulous. First, the humor. I don't know if it was intentional but, in the first 5 chapters, I woke my husband up 3 times one night from laughing. Then the hook. I was hooked and couldn't stop reading. The story was absorbing and the characters real. I have to say I saw huge authors influencing this story. I also individual flair and potential. Can't wait to read another of Mr. Strnad's books.
March 17, 2012
Death takes a holiday in a small town, but that isn't a good thing as Seth is behind it all. The writing was adequate, the characters fair, but the story was still quite engaging and enjoyable. My major criticism is the ending could have been much better for two reasons: the editors situation could have been written better with more impact, and a more complete understanding of Seth would have fleshed out the story more. Despite this, it was still a good read with an original idea.
July 14, 2013
I picked up this book on a whim. It was an Amazon freebie, and I liked the cover. Even though the description didn't do much for me, I gave it a try anyways. I'm super glad I did.
Jan is an amazing storyteller and Risen is proof. The vivid description pulls you in, the characters are well thought out, they live and breath, and the plot will keep readers up until the wee hours of the night turning pages.
Jan Strnad has just gained a new fan.
Jan is an amazing storyteller and Risen is proof. The vivid description pulls you in, the characters are well thought out, they live and breath, and the plot will keep readers up until the wee hours of the night turning pages.
Jan Strnad has just gained a new fan.
August 20, 2013
I came into Risen not expecting much but to my delight Strnad has woven a town filled with dense characterisation and a well crafted story that zooms along. The added short stories are like an extra cherry on top of your birthday sundae added with a wink by the cute Friendly's waitress with the nice wiggle in her walk.
September 29, 2012
I thought it was a great triller. The characters were built really well. The bad thing was that there were parts that were really slow. I didn't fly through it like I do most books. I only kept reading because I expected it to pick up and it did.
September 4, 2011
Great book! If you are looking for a good supernatural thriller, then this would be the book for you! The story drags in a few places but overall the pace is consistent.
May 16, 2012
A well done interesting tale.
August 6, 2012
Not half bad, death takes a holiday, no one dies, the dead come back. Fun read, all is good, until something strange (surprised?) bad occurs and things go south.
September 24, 2012
Great story! Creepy, yet laugh out loud funny at times.
October 19, 2012
Creepy, and a bit drawn out towards the end, but a great finish! Didn't see it coming.
October 25, 2012
I really enjoyed this read! Unique tale on the zombie pathos.
January 25, 2014
This book is fantastic and super creepy. I love when a book grabs my attention and I think about it all day and can't wait to pick it up again. This story would make a great movie!
February 19, 2015
Very unique premise
April 8, 2015
Not bad.
Different, but not in a bad way. Reminded me a bit of 'The Stepford Wives'. Interesting read. The roaches were really grooms though!
Different, but not in a bad way. Reminded me a bit of 'The Stepford Wives'. Interesting read. The roaches were really grooms though!
April 8, 2015
Risen
Very good story. Dragged in few places, but was easy to remember who was who. Am looking forward to reading more from this author in the near future
Very good story. Dragged in few places, but was easy to remember who was who. Am looking forward to reading more from this author in the near future
February 9, 2012
Enjoyed this book more then I thought I would.....
April 19, 2017
Risen.
It was well written. The premise was good. I enjoyed the back story of the characters. The only drawback to the story, you don't really find out what happened or why. I need that in a story. Especially a story that had this level of WTF. However, if you don't need that sense of closure that an explanation will bring, go for it and enjoy.
It was well written. The premise was good. I enjoyed the back story of the characters. The only drawback to the story, you don't really find out what happened or why. I need that in a story. Especially a story that had this level of WTF. However, if you don't need that sense of closure that an explanation will bring, go for it and enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews