The Sorrows
Books | Fiction / Horror
Jonathan Janz
"Anyone who likes a good ghost story is going to enjoy The Sorrows. Anyone who likes a ghost story where there’s no doubt the ghosts are undoubtedly real will love this novel." - New York Journal of Books The Sorrows, an island off the coast of northern California, and its castle have been uninhabited since a series of gruesome murders in 1925. But its owner needs money, so he allows film composers Ben and Eddie and a couple of their female friends to stay a month in Castle Blackwood. Eddie is certain a haunted castle is just the setting Ben needs to find inspiration for a horror film. But what they find is more horrific than any movie. Something is waiting for them in the castle. A malevolent being has been trapped for nearly a century. And he’s ready to feed. FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launching in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
AD
Buy now:
More Details:
Author
Jonathan Janz
Pages
288
Publisher
Flame Tree Publishing
Published Date
2018-11-30
ISBN
1787580563 9781787580565
Community ReviewsSee all
"Do you remember those remakes of William Castle movies that came out in the early 2000’s? Like House on Haunted Hill or 13 Ghosts? They were were fun, had music video visuals (in a good way), and were a little mean-spirited? That’s kind of how this book read to me- a good midnight movie and for the most part I really enjoyed it. THE SORROWS is Jonathan Janz’s first novel and also the first of his I’ve read. It won’t be the last.<br/><br/>Ben and Eddie are composers who specialize in film scores. They’ve just been hired to score a major new horror movie, but Ben has writer’s block. Eddie thinks that spending some time in a castle on an island off the coast of Northern California will help Ben get his groove back. But no one has lived there since a bunch of people were killed there in the 20’s. Only one way on or off the island...what could possibly go wrong? Horror, gore, and more ensue!<br/> <br/>I found this to be a very quick read. The chapters are short which kept me speeding along until the end. Once things hit the fan, they don’t let up and that propelled me through to the conclusion- I think I read the final third on one sitting. Every several chapters, there are journal entries from someone who used to live in the island that provide some context as to why the castle isn’t necessarily where you’d want spend a month completely cut off from the world; these were my favorite part because I really wanted to know more about what haunted the castle and why. <br/><br/>There are a lot more characters then the two I mentioned earlier- both on and off the island, and in the past revealed through the journal entries. While I felt like characters were a little thin, I did find myself invested in the more likable ones. The unlikable ones were extremely unlikable; no redemption in sight for most of them, no middle ground. And at least one truly vile one that you hope terrible things happen to, but I’m not telling.<br/><br/>My only gripe is that I wish we got to find out a little more about the entity and the island’s multiple mysteries (trying to avoid spoilers) as I still had questions in the end; there’s a sequel called CASTLE OF SORROWS and maybe we find out more there. It feels like there’s more to this island and I will definitely be scheduling a return trip!"
J L
Justin Lewis