Thunderland

by Brandon Massey

The stunning debut novel from the award-winning author of Dark Corner and Within the Shadows, now back in print . . .

Days after a devastating gale rips through his town and nearly takes his life, young Jason Brooks wakes up to a whole new world. His mother--once a neglectful, angry drunk--has given up the bottle to spend more time with him. His father--largely absent for most of Jason's life--is making an honest effort to mend his troubled marriage. And shy, self-conscious Jason has made friends--at last. The whole family is well on the way to recovery--and to finding the happiness that in the past has proved so elusive.

But then the nightmares start . . .

The stalker creeps into the bedroom. He bends down, slowly lifting the bedspread. He lifts it higher . . . and Jason wakes up screaming, his heart thudding in his chest.

And strange things begin to happen . . .

Cryptic messages appear on the bathroom mirror. Clothing flies about the room. The bed rises in the air . . . and thumps back to the ground. And always, in the distance, thunder roars . . .

Because someone--or something--is coming.

For Jason . . .

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Horror Thriller

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Here’s a little about me, Brandon Massey. (“Massey” is not pronounced “macy,” by the way. Think of “mass” instead.)

I was born June 9, 1973, in Waukegan, Illinois. I grew up in Zion, a suburb north of Chicago.

I originally self-published Thunderland, my first novel, in 1999. After managing to sell a few thousand copies on my own, Kensington Publishing Corp. in New York offered me a two-book contract, and published a new, revised edition of Thunderland in December 2002.

Since then, I’ve published up to three books a year, ranging from thriller novels such as The Other Brother, to short story collections such as Twisted Tales, and anthologies such as Dark Dreams.

My newest suspense thriller, Covenant, was published in November 2010.

I’ve got plenty more stories in the works that I’ll publish in the coming years.

I live with my family near Atlanta, GA.

Reviews

[Nilaja A. Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't hate on Thunderland. Brandon Massey managed to do what most writers only dream of. He completed a novel and got it published. While there are flaws in the writing and at times the story seemed a bit first draftish (that's a word), overall Thunderland was a good story. It made me keep an eye out for Massey's work whenever I found myself in a bookstore. He's now one of my favorite authors. I really appreciate when Black authors (or is it authors who happen to be Black?) write in genres that are deemed "not Black." I love that more Black authors are writing horror/suspense fiction.

One day I hope to be able to find Brandon Massey not only in the African American section, but also in the Horror section of every bookstore.

[L.J. Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Ride

It was far better then I expected. I'd recommend to anyone interested in horror. Thus helped me so much with how to write characters for my stories.

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for spooky season. I was engrossed from the very beginning because I had to know why the MMC was being targeted by an invisible entity and what did this entity want him to remember. There were some tragic moments as well as small victories, but an enjoyable terrifying read, nonetheless.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished this thiller while bed bound with a bacterial infection (yuck) but the good news is I was enthralled by this novel. This is the story of a fourteen year old boy who is one day reminded of a long lost friend of his "The Stranger" who may or may not be a spirit and may or may not be there to harm him. After "The Stranger" grants a few wishes and shows himself to him and his friends it is up to young Jason to make things right, free himself of this lingering "friend" and rid the world of the dangers of the Stranger's playground..Thunderland. I enjoyed the side stories of his parents and the quintessential tale of boys being boys growing up discovering and dealing with bullies. Overall this book was enjoyable and surprisingly a good read.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Zion. Not a bad read by a local author.

[Lily Java · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really was intrigued and enjoyed the first half of this book a lot. Teenager Jason's story of a creepy unknown person that was slowly creating havoc in his life was suspenseful and compelling. I loved the relationship between Jason and his friends and Grandfather and wished that both had been explored more. I also liked the side story and issues between his parents and how they were resolved but reading about them often took me out of the main story. And that may ultimately be the reason this did not stay a compelling read for me. The characters often felt superficial and I didn't always care about them or their intentions. By the time we got to the climatic part of the book I could appreciate the thrill of increasingly action packed aspects of the story but it still lacked some of the depth that I expected from such an awesome beginning. I'm glad I gave the book a chance though and I'd read this author again. If you like paranormal horror and thrillers you will be satisfied.

[Lulu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ghosts dimensions, strange phone calls and family drama! There was a lot to like in this, especially in the first half, but the second half majorly fell apart and I felt very little about the characters and situation. The antagonist’s identity is literally unguessable given the little info we’re given, and the reveal ended up feeling more silly than anything else. I also really hated how adultery was treated by all the characters in the end. It’s a shame because there were so many elements that were great. I liked the family dynamics a lot, the friendship between the three boys was well portrayed and there were some good spooky moments at the beginning, but yeah. Unlikely to seek out more from Massey off the back of this one.

[Vivienne Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Jaw-Dropping Thriller

The author consistently delivers engaging plots, multifaceted characters, and realistic conversations. The setting is Spring Harbor, a small, quiet town in Chicago. Linda is a freelance writer, married to Thomas Brooks a successful restaurateur, but their relationship is not what it appears to be. Their son, Jason has reoccurring nightmares, revealing family chaos, bullying, hate, and betrayal. This story, which becomes a bitter match among the characters, will keep you speculating from start to finish, with an ending that will send chills up your spine.

[Samyra Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect ending

This book drew me in because of the family dynamics. Once the weird stuff began happening, I became interested in how the son would navigate it considering the other adjustments he’d gone through. There were many moving parts but the author brought it all together. As some readers said, at times the novel felt like a teen thriller, but that didn’t take away from the story.

[Becky Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stranger

I loved this book. It reminded me of Stephen Kings work. The stranger and where he comes from is an amazing stroke of genius. The friendships shared between the 3 boys was genuinely heart warming. The lives of the family involved was familiar and complex. I discovered Mr. Massey's books a few months ago and have read several of his books and loved them all.

[Blood Guts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself surprised by how enthralled i was within the story. From surrealistic moments to the depths of the uncanny valley. this is a fine piece of contemporary literature that bends genres at its will, gracefully dissolving between horror and suspense into psychological thriller and literary fiction. This was the first Massey book I've read but it wont be the last!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.75 stars

This was like a mix of Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky and Stranger Things. I had a lot of fun reading this book. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Once this picked up, it hit the ground running. I am so glad I finally got around to this one. I will be picking up more by this author.

[Gregory Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jason’s imaginary friend, Mr. Magic comes back to destroy his friends and family to have Jason for himself. Each time Mr. Magic reappears time stops and thunder appears and he is in an alternate reality. Jason finally destroys him.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one.

[Jacci Tyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story.

[Latonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning started slow but it turned out to be an awesome read! I am biased though Brandon Massey is my favorite thriller author 🙃🙂. I recommend his books.

[Joe Orozco · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are at least three things that make this book a bad pick:

1. Plagiarism is too strong a word to call what this guy does with one of his scenes, but there was too much similarity between the bullies who gave chase
because the protagonist refused to let the dumbest of the bad boys copy during a test. If you've read Stephen King's It, you'll recognize the resemblance.
I forgave this offense long enough to read a few more chapters, but in the end the limp plot line made it difficult to continue even if there had not been
a strange coincidence between the two stories.

2. Thunderland is really two stories in one. Never mind the boys that are wrestling with evil. There is also the protagonist's father who is dealing with
an extramarital affair. I did not understand the link. It felt as though the author was really trying to explore the aftermath of a relationship gone bad
and sort of stuck the horror element in the story as an irritating backdrop.
3. The alleged main characters, the boys, are poorly constructed. The cheating husband is well-developed, but then, this is no surprise since this appears
to be his story anyway.

Bottom line: Skip this one. You'll thank me.

[Elke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thunderland presents a satisfying suspense read with an interesting plot. I really loved the first half of the book, when you are still trying to figure out who or what the Stranger is and what its (?) motives are. My guess was something like a split persona, but it was clear that it must have been closely linked to Jason and his mind/imagination. Later on, when the Stranger and its origins are revealed (aha!), the novel lost some of its attraction and became a more or less ordinary, but still entertaining, battle-against-evil story.

I considered this to be an early work of the author and found that indeed this is his debut novel. Compared to other books by Mr Massey I have read, Thunderland has some minor flaws in its story building (at least in my opinion) and does not read as smoothly. But it already shows the author's potential and unique style, sparking interest in his other work.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Brandon Massey's novels! I read some of his later works first and then decided to go back and read this first novel of his that he self-published. It was a fantastic story. I did not like it as much as some of his later works, but I appreciated that this was his starting point as an author. I can see how he's grown as an author and honed his skills, but this was still an excellent start. I can only hope that he'll finish projects quickly, because I would love to read a couple of new novels of his each year!

[CeCe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel was awesome. I found out about it through Goodreads. Can't believe I hadn't come across him before . This book was well written. it sucked me in early on and kept me going the whole entire time. I'm definitely a fan can't wait to read another one of his novels. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Ms. Monroe :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I ever read by Brandon Massey. I had never heard of him before but the cover attracted me. I could not stop reading! It was a wonderful journey into the world of the supernatural that I will never forget. I have been hooked on his books ever since.

[Smithb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. I'm new to the sci fi genre so I'm not sure what to expect. It was a good read and held my interest. I've read The Other Brother and also thought it was good. I'll read more of this author's books.

[Theresa Grant]

This book takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride to terror. It keeps you turning pages to see what will happen next.

Merged review:

Spellbinging. Keeps you in suspense until the ending. My favorite kind of suspense book.

[Josh Hargrove · Rating 4 out of 5]

be careful for what you think of

[reneeNaDaCherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thunderland

I listened to the audible version. My very first read by the author Brandon Massey. What a thrill novel! This was a scary but suspenseful story.

[Hazel · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Sjon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice, twisted ending. "want to play again?"