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The Sorrow King
The papers call it “The Suicide Virus.” The teenagers of Gethsemane, Ohio, are killing themselves at an alarming rate. Steven Wrigley is trying to survive his senior year of high school, still reeling from the death of his mother and adjusting to life with his father. Along the way, he meets a girl who becomes another kind of Elise Devon. Elise’s secrets keep her distanced from everyone. She has a special place she calls the Obscura. She goes there when she is depressed or angry. The Obscura makes her feel like nothing she’s ever felt before. When she loses herself to the Obscura, she fears she also gives herself to something much darker, something much more powerful. Something calling itself the Sorrow King. Who is the Sorrow King? He is carved from wood and bone. He smells like wax, dead leaves, and memories. He travels by moonlight and drinks the sorrow of others. Can love exact vengeance on a monster made from madness, depression, and misery? Or will the Sorrow King bleed the town dry before satiating himself and moving on?
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2009
42 people are currently reading
1470 people want to read
About the author
Andersen Prunty
51 books669 followersAndersen Prunty lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He writes novels and short stories. Visit him at notandersenprunty.com, where he posts a free story every Friday.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
August 18, 2018
DO NOT RUN FROM THIS BOOK'S LURID COVER!
The Sorrow King is a real find. my only other experience with the author - the extremely goofy The Sex Beast of Scurvy Island - was not the best introduction to Prunty. the man is talented and the novel is unusually sensitive and moving. the imagery is unearthly. the writing is wry, lean, and clear-eyed. and the protagonists... heartbreaking. surpassingly so.
the story is one of classic horror. a sort of suicide virus is taking out the teens of Gethsemane, Ohio. moody teenager Steven flirts with his own depression. his father is a sensitive sort who has built up his so-called life as one of solitary contemplation. and then a troubled girl comes along, one who may be the link between the rash of suicides and a sinister supernatural presence with many names.
have you seen an obscure 80s horror film called Strange Behavior? if not, you should. it is also about a small town haunted by multiple deaths, and an offbeat but tender relationship between a father and son. the film has its moments of straight-up horror, but much of the tone is almost wistfully nostalgic. i was reminded of Strange Behavior while reading The Sorrow King, and i was reminded a bit of Twin Peaks as well - that same dreamy, at times surreally elegiac unearthliness. unlike Twin Peaks, The Sorrow King is not teeming with quirky characters. instead it has an almost underpopulated feel to it, a chamber piece of sorts, with three main characters and very little else in the way of supporting characters. we see the world through our three protagonists, and it is a very real world of sadness, lack of affect, and free-floating anomie, one where angst equals melodrama and is therefore skirted, where pathos equals mawkwishness and is likewise avoided. the dialogue is wittily off-kilter but is anchored by the depth, delicacy, honesty, and offhand despair of the characterization. in the end, the novel is a distinctly emotional experience. it is also full of surprises, both within the story and with the narrative itself - surprises that are often unpleasant yet exciting in their execution. i appreciate Anderson's smarts and his unsentimentality in constructing his novel. although it led to a particularly painful, unexpected scene that left me genuinely upset.
one last thing: the novel portrays teenagers perfectly. well, certain sorts of teenagers - the moody ones, smart and self-absorbed and yearning and pitiless and awkward and melancholy. i remember the emotions on display, the casual cruelty, the equally casual tenderness, moving from nervous agitation to studied nonchalance, that feeling of being such a small player in life's strange pageant, that sense that - despite everyone saying the world will open up - that life after high school will just be a series of diminishing returns. the novel gets all of that without reducing its world to a BE Ellis level of predetermined nihilism. there are no false notes; the novel gets it right. i finished the last chapter and sighed, a thoughtful and sad and satisfied sigh.
The Sorrow King is a real find. my only other experience with the author - the extremely goofy The Sex Beast of Scurvy Island - was not the best introduction to Prunty. the man is talented and the novel is unusually sensitive and moving. the imagery is unearthly. the writing is wry, lean, and clear-eyed. and the protagonists... heartbreaking. surpassingly so.
the story is one of classic horror. a sort of suicide virus is taking out the teens of Gethsemane, Ohio. moody teenager Steven flirts with his own depression. his father is a sensitive sort who has built up his so-called life as one of solitary contemplation. and then a troubled girl comes along, one who may be the link between the rash of suicides and a sinister supernatural presence with many names.
have you seen an obscure 80s horror film called Strange Behavior? if not, you should. it is also about a small town haunted by multiple deaths, and an offbeat but tender relationship between a father and son. the film has its moments of straight-up horror, but much of the tone is almost wistfully nostalgic. i was reminded of Strange Behavior while reading The Sorrow King, and i was reminded a bit of Twin Peaks as well - that same dreamy, at times surreally elegiac unearthliness. unlike Twin Peaks, The Sorrow King is not teeming with quirky characters. instead it has an almost underpopulated feel to it, a chamber piece of sorts, with three main characters and very little else in the way of supporting characters. we see the world through our three protagonists, and it is a very real world of sadness, lack of affect, and free-floating anomie, one where angst equals melodrama and is therefore skirted, where pathos equals mawkwishness and is likewise avoided. the dialogue is wittily off-kilter but is anchored by the depth, delicacy, honesty, and offhand despair of the characterization. in the end, the novel is a distinctly emotional experience. it is also full of surprises, both within the story and with the narrative itself - surprises that are often unpleasant yet exciting in their execution. i appreciate Anderson's smarts and his unsentimentality in constructing his novel. although it led to a particularly painful, unexpected scene that left me genuinely upset.
one last thing: the novel portrays teenagers perfectly. well, certain sorts of teenagers - the moody ones, smart and self-absorbed and yearning and pitiless and awkward and melancholy. i remember the emotions on display, the casual cruelty, the equally casual tenderness, moving from nervous agitation to studied nonchalance, that feeling of being such a small player in life's strange pageant, that sense that - despite everyone saying the world will open up - that life after high school will just be a series of diminishing returns. the novel gets all of that without reducing its world to a BE Ellis level of predetermined nihilism. there are no false notes; the novel gets it right. i finished the last chapter and sighed, a thoughtful and sad and satisfied sigh.
February 4, 2022
An American small town is hit by a series of suicides among pupils. What causes this suicide virus? Steven Wrigley has premonitions about the dead youths. Ken, an old bum, tells his father the town is poisoned. By whom? When Steven becomes better acquainted with Elise darkness takes off. What is the Jackthief? Wonderful modern story set between horror and fantasy with a strong reference to horror novels of the 80s and Stephen King. The Water Tower made me think about IT. What is the obscura and what about the dark cloud? Who is the harvester of sorrow (had to think about the Metallica song here)? This is one of the best coming of age stories since IT. Great storytelling, brilliant perspectives, impressive characters, wonderful tone, hair raising tension to the end and something really evil. Highly recommended. A true highlight for every horror fan!
September 2, 2011
The town of Gethsemane, Ohio, is rocked by a string of suicides that some are calling The Suicide Virus. Meanwhile, troubled young teenager Steven Wrigley meets the girl of his dreams. But does his new lady love have some sort of connection to the suicide plague?
Some people seem to be afraid of the bizarro genre, thinking it's full of things like talking penises running for president, super heroes wielding magical dildos, people having sex with fruit, and pieces of furniture having sex with one another. While this is certainly true in some cases, it is not always the case. I like to think of the bizarro as writers writing what they feel like without the constraints of a conventional publisher. This book is a perfect example.
The Sorrow King is a chilling tale of a demon-like creature, the Sorrow King, that drives teenagers to commit suicide so that it can feed on their misery and the misery their deaths cause. Andersen Prunty does a great job maintaining a creepy mood throughout as the Sorrow King tempts his victims. Up until a huge twist near the end, I could easily see the Sorrow King coming from a major publishing house. Then came the twist, which I couldn't see any major publishing house putting out. I'm not going to divulge any more plot information at this time. I already feel like the back cover gives away a little too much.
The characters of Steven and his father are very well done. I liked the interplay between them as it nicely summed up their relationship, more like friends than father and son. The character of Elise could have used a bit more developing but I bought Steven falling for her so fast. After all, I was a hormone-driven teenage boy once.
Andersen Prunty's writing continues to impress me. I enjoyed Zerostrata quite a bit and, while it's a completely different kind of book, I enjoyed The Sorrow King even more. I almost wish I would have saved it until Halloween.
To sum things up, The Sorrow King is one the best bizarro books I've read so far and I recommend it to all the Bizarro-curious (or Bi-curious, as Steve Lowe calls them) readers out there.
Some people seem to be afraid of the bizarro genre, thinking it's full of things like talking penises running for president, super heroes wielding magical dildos, people having sex with fruit, and pieces of furniture having sex with one another. While this is certainly true in some cases, it is not always the case. I like to think of the bizarro as writers writing what they feel like without the constraints of a conventional publisher. This book is a perfect example.
The Sorrow King is a chilling tale of a demon-like creature, the Sorrow King, that drives teenagers to commit suicide so that it can feed on their misery and the misery their deaths cause. Andersen Prunty does a great job maintaining a creepy mood throughout as the Sorrow King tempts his victims. Up until a huge twist near the end, I could easily see the Sorrow King coming from a major publishing house. Then came the twist, which I couldn't see any major publishing house putting out. I'm not going to divulge any more plot information at this time. I already feel like the back cover gives away a little too much.
The characters of Steven and his father are very well done. I liked the interplay between them as it nicely summed up their relationship, more like friends than father and son. The character of Elise could have used a bit more developing but I bought Steven falling for her so fast. After all, I was a hormone-driven teenage boy once.
Andersen Prunty's writing continues to impress me. I enjoyed Zerostrata quite a bit and, while it's a completely different kind of book, I enjoyed The Sorrow King even more. I almost wish I would have saved it until Halloween.
To sum things up, The Sorrow King is one the best bizarro books I've read so far and I recommend it to all the Bizarro-curious (or Bi-curious, as Steve Lowe calls them) readers out there.
August 17, 2017
The small town of Gethsemane becomes the center of attention when many of its younger members commit suicide. The once quiet town now emits a presence of doom and eeriness, experienced primarily by a handful of characters. There is no doubt that this is a horror story. The author has a way of making his characters so relatable that, as a reader, I was instantly drawn into the ominous world of Gethsemane. Ghostly rumors, unconscious scribblings in a notebook and cloud formations take us further into the seemingly unreal atmosphere. Death knows no boundaries here. There is a monster to be confronted and conflicts to be resolved. What I enjoyed the most about this book was the very strong sense of emotion that runs like a current between the characters. Isolation, the confusion of relationships, and the bond between parent and child are explored and exposed, raw as nerves. I was moved by this book, and I am greatly looking forward to reading more by this author.
April 28, 2011
To those who might read this review,
This is not Steve, this is his widow. Yes, that is correct. Steve is dead. His last wish, which he pinned to himself before he took his own life, was for me to post this review for him. I do so begrudgingly.
And I lay the blame for my beloved husband’s death at your feet, Mr. Prunty. It was your book, The Sorrow King which drove him to this madness. Your skillfulness in capturing the mindset of downcast, suicidal teens and their daily angst so thoroughly depressed my husband that it sent him over the edge.
The depth given to your down-in-the-mouth main character, who I might also point out was named STEVEN, was so complete, and the sadness and depression of being a teenager again, experienced vicariously through this story, so intense, it was too much for my poor husband. Being from a smallish Midwestern town himself, he was intoxicated by your portrayal of a dying Gethsemane, Ohio, where the body count mounts as teens are driven to what appears to be a number of suicides. But then you piled on the awful, sinister truth of what was truly behind all of that sorrow and grief.
You, Mr. Prunty, you are the Sorrow King. I hope you feel the shame of a murderer, because that is what you are. You’ll be hearing from my attorney soon.
Signed,
The Grieving Widow of Steve Lowe
This is not Steve, this is his widow. Yes, that is correct. Steve is dead. His last wish, which he pinned to himself before he took his own life, was for me to post this review for him. I do so begrudgingly.
And I lay the blame for my beloved husband’s death at your feet, Mr. Prunty. It was your book, The Sorrow King which drove him to this madness. Your skillfulness in capturing the mindset of downcast, suicidal teens and their daily angst so thoroughly depressed my husband that it sent him over the edge.
The depth given to your down-in-the-mouth main character, who I might also point out was named STEVEN, was so complete, and the sadness and depression of being a teenager again, experienced vicariously through this story, so intense, it was too much for my poor husband. Being from a smallish Midwestern town himself, he was intoxicated by your portrayal of a dying Gethsemane, Ohio, where the body count mounts as teens are driven to what appears to be a number of suicides. But then you piled on the awful, sinister truth of what was truly behind all of that sorrow and grief.
You, Mr. Prunty, you are the Sorrow King. I hope you feel the shame of a murderer, because that is what you are. You’ll be hearing from my attorney soon.
Signed,
The Grieving Widow of Steve Lowe
October 10, 2013
OCTOBER COUNTRY 2013 - #1
First of all, there are some fantastic four and five star reviews available that really sell the merits of this book's accomplishments in mood and story. But it's this review that most closely captures my reading experience of it.
What can I say? I like my horror to hit the lizard part of my brain, rather than the mysterious, atmospheric-laden kind that's literary and beautiful, yes, but misses my lizard brain altogether and goes right for the higher thinking part. I'm not opposed to literary horror -- some of it can be quite effective and evocative -- but it's not my favorite, it's not what I seek out, and it's not what I tend to remember. The best horror combines the elements of both, succeeding not only in a literary sense, but in attacking that primal part of our brain that feels and reacts rather than thinks and considers.
In the Afterword to his collection of novellas Full Dark, No Stars, Stephen King writes:
Aspects of The Sorrow King tickled my lizard brain, but like Elise's time spent in the Obscura, or Steven's long midnight walks, it's more a tale constructed out of dreams and moods, colors and sounds. Don't get me wrong -- things really do happen, frightening things accompanied by disturbing imagery -- I just feel like I spent too much time in my head while reading this one, and not enough time looking over my shoulder for the monster creeping up behind me.
First of all, there are some fantastic four and five star reviews available that really sell the merits of this book's accomplishments in mood and story. But it's this review that most closely captures my reading experience of it.
What can I say? I like my horror to hit the lizard part of my brain, rather than the mysterious, atmospheric-laden kind that's literary and beautiful, yes, but misses my lizard brain altogether and goes right for the higher thinking part. I'm not opposed to literary horror -- some of it can be quite effective and evocative -- but it's not my favorite, it's not what I seek out, and it's not what I tend to remember. The best horror combines the elements of both, succeeding not only in a literary sense, but in attacking that primal part of our brain that feels and reacts rather than thinks and considers.
In the Afterword to his collection of novellas Full Dark, No Stars, Stephen King writes:
I want to provoke an emotional, even visceral, reaction in my readers. Making them think as they read is not my deal...if the tale is good enough and the characters vivid enough, thinking will supplant emotion [only] when the tale has been told and the book set aside.As a reader of horror, that's the experience I'm seeking first and foremost. I want to be made to feel on an instinctual level of 'fight or flight'. The cerebral stuff is for another time and place.
Aspects of The Sorrow King tickled my lizard brain, but like Elise's time spent in the Obscura, or Steven's long midnight walks, it's more a tale constructed out of dreams and moods, colors and sounds. Don't get me wrong -- things really do happen, frightening things accompanied by disturbing imagery -- I just feel like I spent too much time in my head while reading this one, and not enough time looking over my shoulder for the monster creeping up behind me.
March 16, 2020
I enjoyed this dark tale, though I didn't care much for the narration.
I will read more of this author's work in the future, but through actual reading, not audiobook.
I will read more of this author's work in the future, but through actual reading, not audiobook.
March 10, 2017
“Let strange things explain the strangeness.”
There is something rotten in the small town of Gethsemane. Lurking in the shadows. Driving the students of the local High School to suicide. Hunting. Feeding off the sorrow of the town and threatening to destroy anyone and anything that stands in its way. It’s getting stronger. The bodies are starting to pile up.
A very well written and smart novel with sharp characterizations and a well thought out story line.
A solid 4+ Stars and highly recommended.
There is something rotten in the small town of Gethsemane. Lurking in the shadows. Driving the students of the local High School to suicide. Hunting. Feeding off the sorrow of the town and threatening to destroy anyone and anything that stands in its way. It’s getting stronger. The bodies are starting to pile up.
A very well written and smart novel with sharp characterizations and a well thought out story line.
A solid 4+ Stars and highly recommended.
January 2, 2012
After a recent slog through Stephen King's Insomnia, Anderson Prunty's Sorrow King came as a nice (but grim) surprise. The subject of teen suicide is a tough one. I've had friends, relatives, that have had to deal with such terrible occurrences. To see a life gone at such a young age is horrible. It turns life upside down. The subject matter is so painful that I wasn't even sure I wanted to read this book. But Prunty handles the subject with sensitivity, while still telling a horror story.
The town of Gethsemane, Ohio, is suffering through a wave of apparent teen suicides. The novel opens with the shocking death of a young boy who is only 13. The means of his death is pretty brutal, but Prunty is so good at portraying teens, that I kept reading. It's not like he's serving them up for deliberate massacre. He likes his characters, gives them depth, so when they do die, there is anguish over their loss -- which dovetails perfectly with the monster in the book. The "monster" is a murky nightmare creature, kind of an Ohio pal of Freddy Krueger. I'm no fan of Elm Street, so that was something of a hurdle for me. But the nature of the beast proved to be totally secondary. It's the characters, the small town setting, and the subject of teen death, that dominates. In addition, Prunty's prose is clean and economical, something bigger names have yet to get a handle on. One writer he reminds me of us Richard Laymon, but without the padding, and only a fraction of the horny teen stuff. I thought some of the end scenes faltered a bit, were a bit too Hollywood, maybe because Prunty had sort of painted himself into a corner. Nevertheless, the novel's resolution was well done, and left me feeling OK, even good, considering the subject matter. This guy's a pro, and deserves a wide audience.
The town of Gethsemane, Ohio, is suffering through a wave of apparent teen suicides. The novel opens with the shocking death of a young boy who is only 13. The means of his death is pretty brutal, but Prunty is so good at portraying teens, that I kept reading. It's not like he's serving them up for deliberate massacre. He likes his characters, gives them depth, so when they do die, there is anguish over their loss -- which dovetails perfectly with the monster in the book. The "monster" is a murky nightmare creature, kind of an Ohio pal of Freddy Krueger. I'm no fan of Elm Street, so that was something of a hurdle for me. But the nature of the beast proved to be totally secondary. It's the characters, the small town setting, and the subject of teen death, that dominates. In addition, Prunty's prose is clean and economical, something bigger names have yet to get a handle on. One writer he reminds me of us Richard Laymon, but without the padding, and only a fraction of the horny teen stuff. I thought some of the end scenes faltered a bit, were a bit too Hollywood, maybe because Prunty had sort of painted himself into a corner. Nevertheless, the novel's resolution was well done, and left me feeling OK, even good, considering the subject matter. This guy's a pro, and deserves a wide audience.
November 30, 2020
Mysteriously, it took me a while to get through a novel about a "virus" sweeping through a small town, killing teens and isolating the townsfolk. Can't imagine why! That aside...a cinematic and mysterious work, like a better Stephen King with a great ending and solid execution. Really looking forward to exploring more Prunty!
September 11, 2011
I've wanted to read Andersen Prunty for a long time. Almost as long as I've been coming to goodreads. I mean, who wouldn't want to read books with titles like The Overwhelming Urge, Jack and Mr. Grin, Zerostrata, The Sex Beast of Scurvy Island and Fuckness? Maybe Jack van Impe and Jimmy Swaggart, but for the rest of us these titles are like lesbian porn smothered in chocolate. So bad for you in so many ways but impossible to avoid forever.
And I've finally done it. I just finished reading The Sorrow King, and I fear it is the doobie-ous gateway to my new Prunty as heroin addiction.
I have to admit that The Sorrow King was a lot less bizarro than I had imagined it would be. Even with its semen monster and a zombie fellatio dream, The Sorrow King is more mainstream horror than bizarro madness. But that works. And works well. Those bizarro moments flavour the mainstream horror in ways that are horrible (rather than horrifying), spicing up a genre that often bores my tastebuds.
I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but I seriously loved this book right up to the last chapter or two. I loved the shift in narrators; I loved that none of the characters were safe; I loved the way Prunty was able to maintain suspence and even surprise me once or twice; I loved the father and son bits between Steven and Connor; and I loved that Prunty remembered and could convey what it was like to be a horny teenage boy about to have sex. We need more of that in the books being written today. More of that would go a long way to removing the shame our society is piling on sexuality.
Back to the The Sorrow King, though. It is an excellent piece of horror fiction, and its cinematic qualities scream for a chance to find its way onto HBO or the big screen.
I don't know how you can be so prolific, Andersen, and still achieve the quality of The Sorrow King, but if the rest of your books are anywhere near as good as this one, I am going to be appreciate your speed and offer my vein up to you as my horror pusher.
In other news, this was the first novel length book I've read on an e-Reader. I can't see it becoming my main format -- ever -- but I like its convenience. I will read something that way again.
And I've finally done it. I just finished reading The Sorrow King, and I fear it is the doobie-ous gateway to my new Prunty as heroin addiction.
I have to admit that The Sorrow King was a lot less bizarro than I had imagined it would be. Even with its semen monster and a zombie fellatio dream, The Sorrow King is more mainstream horror than bizarro madness. But that works. And works well. Those bizarro moments flavour the mainstream horror in ways that are horrible (rather than horrifying), spicing up a genre that often bores my tastebuds.
I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but I seriously loved this book right up to the last chapter or two. I loved the shift in narrators; I loved that none of the characters were safe; I loved the way Prunty was able to maintain suspence and even surprise me once or twice; I loved the father and son bits between Steven and Connor; and I loved that Prunty remembered and could convey what it was like to be a horny teenage boy about to have sex. We need more of that in the books being written today. More of that would go a long way to removing the shame our society is piling on sexuality.
Back to the The Sorrow King, though. It is an excellent piece of horror fiction, and its cinematic qualities scream for a chance to find its way onto HBO or the big screen.
I don't know how you can be so prolific, Andersen, and still achieve the quality of The Sorrow King, but if the rest of your books are anywhere near as good as this one, I am going to be appreciate your speed and offer my vein up to you as my horror pusher.
In other news, this was the first novel length book I've read on an e-Reader. I can't see it becoming my main format -- ever -- but I like its convenience. I will read something that way again.
June 4, 2012
Book Info: Genre: Dark Fiction Reading Level: While the characters would make it YA, the content makes it Adult
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Amazon on a sale and am happy to provide an honest review.
Synopsis: "There are no happy endings in hell."
The papers call it “The Suicide Virus.” The teenagers of Gethsemane, Ohio, are killing themselves at an alarming rate.
Steven Wrigley is trying to survive his senior year of high school, still reeling from the death of his mother and adjusting to life with his father. While sleeping, Steven writes names in a notebook-- the names of dead teenagers before he can possibly know they’re dead. These messages fill him with dread, clues to some mystery he must try to unravel. Along the way, he meets a girl who becomes another kind of obsession: Elise Devon.
Elise’s secrets keep her distanced from everyone. She has a special place she calls the Obscura. She goes there when she is depressed or angry. The Obscura makes her feel like nothing she’s ever felt before. She soon realizes the Obscura may be partially to blame for the suicides. When she loses herself to the Obscura, she fears she also gives herself to something much darker, something much more powerful. Something calling itself the Sorrow King.
Who is the Sorrow King? He is carved from wood and bone. He smells like wax, dead leaves, and memories. He travels by moonlight and drinks the sorrow of others. And, drunk from this sorrow, he must always create more.
Can love exact vengeance on a monster made from madness, depression, and misery? Or will the Sorrow King bleed the town dry before satiating himself and moving on?
My Thoughts: In a book that calls itself suspense or horror, there should be at least one moment where you are startled enough to voice an expletive out loud. There were a couple of those in this book. While it is very dark, I would not call it horror because of the ending, so I’m calling it Dark Fiction.
Prunty does a good job with characterization; you feel as if you really understand the characters in this book. There are plenty of twists and turns as well – you never know exactly what is going to happen next, except for a few instances in which some foreshadowing is employed. The plot moves smoothly while keeping the reader in the dark about the mystery behind the scenes. Fans of dark or bizarre fiction should enjoy this.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Amazon on a sale and am happy to provide an honest review.
Synopsis: "There are no happy endings in hell."
The papers call it “The Suicide Virus.” The teenagers of Gethsemane, Ohio, are killing themselves at an alarming rate.
Steven Wrigley is trying to survive his senior year of high school, still reeling from the death of his mother and adjusting to life with his father. While sleeping, Steven writes names in a notebook-- the names of dead teenagers before he can possibly know they’re dead. These messages fill him with dread, clues to some mystery he must try to unravel. Along the way, he meets a girl who becomes another kind of obsession: Elise Devon.
Elise’s secrets keep her distanced from everyone. She has a special place she calls the Obscura. She goes there when she is depressed or angry. The Obscura makes her feel like nothing she’s ever felt before. She soon realizes the Obscura may be partially to blame for the suicides. When she loses herself to the Obscura, she fears she also gives herself to something much darker, something much more powerful. Something calling itself the Sorrow King.
Who is the Sorrow King? He is carved from wood and bone. He smells like wax, dead leaves, and memories. He travels by moonlight and drinks the sorrow of others. And, drunk from this sorrow, he must always create more.
Can love exact vengeance on a monster made from madness, depression, and misery? Or will the Sorrow King bleed the town dry before satiating himself and moving on?
My Thoughts: In a book that calls itself suspense or horror, there should be at least one moment where you are startled enough to voice an expletive out loud. There were a couple of those in this book. While it is very dark, I would not call it horror because of the ending, so I’m calling it Dark Fiction.
Prunty does a good job with characterization; you feel as if you really understand the characters in this book. There are plenty of twists and turns as well – you never know exactly what is going to happen next, except for a few instances in which some foreshadowing is employed. The plot moves smoothly while keeping the reader in the dark about the mystery behind the scenes. Fans of dark or bizarre fiction should enjoy this.
August 28, 2012
I tried, but maybe this was just not my bag?
If we broke the elements of the story into parts I got most of them, there is a teenage boy who is lonely and a bit depressed, got it, there is a pretty girl with a secret, got it,
there is a surge in teen suicide in the past few weeks, got it,
there is a realm called the Obscura where you can feel power and happiness, but is also connected to cloud formation….
Yes what? I just could not for whatever reason get into the flow of this book and fully ..understand what the Obscura was and the dynamics in play. This book is 211 pages and it took me 2 weeks to finish, I just did not get into it all.
Also there were bugs, I do not do bugs, they creep me the fuck out. There is a character Mary in the Sorrow King who at one point hears a scuttle and turns to see a substantial spider run and hide behind a box. The proper course of action is to not “try to ignore it”, that will not end well. My advice to Mary is a little more like this..
Spiders are not be trusted…ever
There is a story within the story that was cool, The Jackthief. It was very creepy. I like creepy and suspense, rather then out and out gross. Which was my issue with The Sorrow King just a bit too yucky for my tastes.
If we broke the elements of the story into parts I got most of them, there is a teenage boy who is lonely and a bit depressed, got it, there is a pretty girl with a secret, got it,
there is a surge in teen suicide in the past few weeks, got it,
there is a realm called the Obscura where you can feel power and happiness, but is also connected to cloud formation….
Yes what? I just could not for whatever reason get into the flow of this book and fully ..understand what the Obscura was and the dynamics in play. This book is 211 pages and it took me 2 weeks to finish, I just did not get into it all.
Also there were bugs, I do not do bugs, they creep me the fuck out. There is a character Mary in the Sorrow King who at one point hears a scuttle and turns to see a substantial spider run and hide behind a box. The proper course of action is to not “try to ignore it”, that will not end well. My advice to Mary is a little more like this..
Spiders are not be trusted…ever
There is a story within the story that was cool, The Jackthief. It was very creepy. I like creepy and suspense, rather then out and out gross. Which was my issue with The Sorrow King just a bit too yucky for my tastes.
September 30, 2018
"His world had become a very strange place."
Grindhouse Books had a sale sometime last month (I think), and that was the first time I came across The Sorrow King. I saw that cover & immediately put it in my cart.
This book is grim as hell, and it's such an entertaining read. It opens so well, and it sets the tone for the rest of the story. It's a very unsettling story, and there were definitely a couple good creepy parts. The Sorrow King feels like fever dream in a lot of ways, and it's easy to get hooked on the story. If you enjoy dream horror, this is a good one to pick up.
I wish the book would have focused on the romance a bit less, but I understand why it was there. I found the family dynamic to be more interesting, and probably would have enjoyed more time there. Grief plays a major role in this book, and I thought that it was done well. It was easy to connect with the characters.
The Sorrow King was my introduction to Andersen Prunty. I know his other books are different, and I'm looking forward to reading more!
Grindhouse Books had a sale sometime last month (I think), and that was the first time I came across The Sorrow King. I saw that cover & immediately put it in my cart.
This book is grim as hell, and it's such an entertaining read. It opens so well, and it sets the tone for the rest of the story. It's a very unsettling story, and there were definitely a couple good creepy parts. The Sorrow King feels like fever dream in a lot of ways, and it's easy to get hooked on the story. If you enjoy dream horror, this is a good one to pick up.
I wish the book would have focused on the romance a bit less, but I understand why it was there. I found the family dynamic to be more interesting, and probably would have enjoyed more time there. Grief plays a major role in this book, and I thought that it was done well. It was easy to connect with the characters.
The Sorrow King was my introduction to Andersen Prunty. I know his other books are different, and I'm looking forward to reading more!
January 9, 2012
The Sorrow King is my Bizarro baptism. I come to it laden with some prejudice: I am very particular about supernatural horror: I don’t like the way it’s a carte blanche for authors to spew up Mephistolean apnoea with no rhyme or reason. Unless its Dune or some totally otherly world where I don’t mind raconteuring about the colour of nonsense. But, if its going to be Smallville in the US of A v. the Sorrow King, then I want it a la Shyamalan’s ‘the Sixth Sense’ mode: everything joined up in rational and logical continuum despite the advent of the Dark Side.
This doesn’t happen in the Sorrow King. At least, not sufficiently. Prunty’s trifecta of characters (he doesn’t seem too bothered about fleshing out secondary characters), namely Connor, his son Steven and the requisite love interest, Elise, take up equal space centre stage so effectively there isn’t the one main character. Things happen to them which make no sense at all, unless I just accept a blanket pass for the supernatural to just wield its way hither and thither, another way of saying Prunty is too lazy to tie his themes together. For example, The Sorrow King can’t kill Elise, she is the only one he needs/can’t kill to achieve his ‘ghoulish’ mission. Well, why the hell is she the chosen one? Or should I just shut up and put up? Connor provides a conduit for the Sorrow King to materialise in his youth, yet its his son Steven who has to pay for this. First, why do either Steven OR Connor have to pay for letting the Genie out of the bottle? And if anyone has to pay, why should it be the son and not the father ‘wot done it? See, that’s the problem I have with supernatural horror: I just can’t grin and bear it.
The Sorrow King has one more serious flaw which rankled even more than the above. Who exactly is the target audience for this book? Is it YA fiction? It seems like it: Connor and Elise are just seventeen and in high school. So, a lot of teenage angst and the associated storming, norming and forming that goes with it, and best appeals to spotty pubescent who, like the opening character Jeremy Levine in the sorrow King, are best preoccupied with should they beat themselves off in front of the TV or not. On the other hand, Steve and Connor engage in some of the wittiest and most cynical/sarcastic conversation etudes I’ve read in a long time|: a real treat of wordplay. But, not the type associated with a seventeen year old at all. Ah, the vicissitudes…..
So, I’ve got very mixed reactions to this….perhaps whatever the target audience, it simply isn’t me.
Just under three stars on this one.
This doesn’t happen in the Sorrow King. At least, not sufficiently. Prunty’s trifecta of characters (he doesn’t seem too bothered about fleshing out secondary characters), namely Connor, his son Steven and the requisite love interest, Elise, take up equal space centre stage so effectively there isn’t the one main character. Things happen to them which make no sense at all, unless I just accept a blanket pass for the supernatural to just wield its way hither and thither, another way of saying Prunty is too lazy to tie his themes together. For example, The Sorrow King can’t kill Elise, she is the only one he needs/can’t kill to achieve his ‘ghoulish’ mission. Well, why the hell is she the chosen one? Or should I just shut up and put up? Connor provides a conduit for the Sorrow King to materialise in his youth, yet its his son Steven who has to pay for this. First, why do either Steven OR Connor have to pay for letting the Genie out of the bottle? And if anyone has to pay, why should it be the son and not the father ‘wot done it? See, that’s the problem I have with supernatural horror: I just can’t grin and bear it.
The Sorrow King has one more serious flaw which rankled even more than the above. Who exactly is the target audience for this book? Is it YA fiction? It seems like it: Connor and Elise are just seventeen and in high school. So, a lot of teenage angst and the associated storming, norming and forming that goes with it, and best appeals to spotty pubescent who, like the opening character Jeremy Levine in the sorrow King, are best preoccupied with should they beat themselves off in front of the TV or not. On the other hand, Steve and Connor engage in some of the wittiest and most cynical/sarcastic conversation etudes I’ve read in a long time|: a real treat of wordplay. But, not the type associated with a seventeen year old at all. Ah, the vicissitudes…..
So, I’ve got very mixed reactions to this….perhaps whatever the target audience, it simply isn’t me.
Just under three stars on this one.
June 8, 2011
For a Prunty book, this one was pretty damned intense. I mean, his writing is unlike anyone else who has ever played with a pen or typer, and his stories are original, often quite funny, and always entertaining. And while they are always a bit dark, this one was like a night with no stars.
Prunty offers us real horror, complete with a seemingly unstoppable monster/demon-thing, and a death-mechanism that is unspeakable: teen suicide.
For, as one of the characters puts it in the novel: "What could be worse than children killing themselves?" THat's not a direct quote, but it is close, and sums up the feeling nicely. The novel is appropriately dark, morose, with only the faintest tricklings of hope here and there. He manages to plunge the reader headfirst into a slowly unfolding nightmare ten-times better than most horror novels out there. Here. Whatever.
THe point is, if you like dark horror. If you like a bit of surrealism with your fiction. If you like novels just a little too fucked up to reccomend to your friends.
Then I reccomend you read this book. Besides, the cover art alone should've sold you on it.
Prunty offers us real horror, complete with a seemingly unstoppable monster/demon-thing, and a death-mechanism that is unspeakable: teen suicide.
For, as one of the characters puts it in the novel: "What could be worse than children killing themselves?" THat's not a direct quote, but it is close, and sums up the feeling nicely. The novel is appropriately dark, morose, with only the faintest tricklings of hope here and there. He manages to plunge the reader headfirst into a slowly unfolding nightmare ten-times better than most horror novels out there. Here. Whatever.
THe point is, if you like dark horror. If you like a bit of surrealism with your fiction. If you like novels just a little too fucked up to reccomend to your friends.
Then I reccomend you read this book. Besides, the cover art alone should've sold you on it.
August 24, 2011
This may be the most conventional work I've read by Andersen Prunty. It can be said to have more Stephen King than Bizarro. Yet that may be a misleading statement for Prunty is never conventional. There is nothing basically weird or surreal about the town of Gethsemane, Ohio, which in itself makes it an atypical setting for the author. It appears to be a normal mid-western town. But it is in this setting that the author weaves a story of death, regrets, and sorrow. Like most horror tales, there is a monster and it is one of the most original monsters I have read about in a long time. I am starting to think that no writer can deal with death and depression better than Andersen Prunty. Yet as depressing as his stories can be, he manages to seed them with a bit of hope and The Sorrow King is no exception. Prunty continues his winning streak with The Sorrow King, which may also be his most accessible work for the reader used to mainstream fiction.
October 3, 2011
Now that it's pitch black when I leave the comforts of my warm home to make the journey to the train to get me to my day job, I love to read horror stories in preparation of my favorite holiday, Halloween!
This one was one of the best modern horror stories I have read in a very long time (Since I won The Place In Between, to be exact). Andersen Prunty knows how to get into your head and make your deepest fears - rational or irrational; repressed or addressed - come to life. He does this eloquently well with the main characters of this story: Steve, Elise and Connor.
The Sorrow King himself is one of the creepiest creations (on par with The Good Doctor, I thought) so fans of psychological horror should certainly pick up a copy and read it this fall. It's intense, but it's also one of those stories that will stay with you for a very long time. I'm really glad I read it.
This one was one of the best modern horror stories I have read in a very long time (Since I won The Place In Between, to be exact). Andersen Prunty knows how to get into your head and make your deepest fears - rational or irrational; repressed or addressed - come to life. He does this eloquently well with the main characters of this story: Steve, Elise and Connor.
The Sorrow King himself is one of the creepiest creations (on par with The Good Doctor, I thought) so fans of psychological horror should certainly pick up a copy and read it this fall. It's intense, but it's also one of those stories that will stay with you for a very long time. I'm really glad I read it.
Read
June 6, 2011 Teen suicides have paralyzed the town of Gethsemane, Ohio. Steven Wrigley’s nightmares spill over into his journal, record the names of the dead, and reveal clues to a bloodthirsty stalker. Unable to sleep peacefully, he walks the quiet streets till dawn, alone, until he meets Elise. Elise has a secret hideaway, the Obscura, that enfolds her and allows her to escape her anger, stress, and conscience, It’s the one place Steven won’t follow her. A monster watches her there, absorbing her anguish and growing stronger.
Steven and Elise know they are both somehow connected to the legendary horror gripping their town. The Sorrow King lurks, a fiend carved from wood and bone, whose empty black eye sockets melt like wax, who reeks of blood and decay. How can they possibly fight the terrifying entity who feeds on fear and misery? Will it demand the ultimate sacrifice from them? Will that be enough to appease its bloodlust?
Anderson Prunty’s novel, The Sorrow King, is a shocking work. The prose is tight and brisk, speeding the reader through scenes of teen angst interesting to any young adult reader. However, passages of serious gore, extremely graphic and disturbing sex, and horrific violence appear in nightmare sequences. These episodes are so terrifying and emotionally painful that they cause the teenage characters to commit suicide. This aspect pushes the fear and image envelope a full step past the rest of the book’s themes, and makes it difficult to recommend a particular age group. Certainly this book is not for anyone just looking for a few chills.
Having said that, the story is gripping, and the style straightforward and clean; just proceed with caution. The violent sequences are a definite speed bump to the flow of the novel and are not fully justifiable to the plot.
Prunty is the author several horror and cult titles including, My Fake War, Slag Attack (both from Eraserhead Press, 2010), Morning is Dead (Atlatl Press, 2010), and The Beard (Atlatl, 2009). His website, www.andersonprunty.com is very well linked to several horror genre publishing houses and sites.
Contains: graphic violence and sex, suicide
Reviewed by: Sheila Shedd
Steven and Elise know they are both somehow connected to the legendary horror gripping their town. The Sorrow King lurks, a fiend carved from wood and bone, whose empty black eye sockets melt like wax, who reeks of blood and decay. How can they possibly fight the terrifying entity who feeds on fear and misery? Will it demand the ultimate sacrifice from them? Will that be enough to appease its bloodlust?
Anderson Prunty’s novel, The Sorrow King, is a shocking work. The prose is tight and brisk, speeding the reader through scenes of teen angst interesting to any young adult reader. However, passages of serious gore, extremely graphic and disturbing sex, and horrific violence appear in nightmare sequences. These episodes are so terrifying and emotionally painful that they cause the teenage characters to commit suicide. This aspect pushes the fear and image envelope a full step past the rest of the book’s themes, and makes it difficult to recommend a particular age group. Certainly this book is not for anyone just looking for a few chills.
Having said that, the story is gripping, and the style straightforward and clean; just proceed with caution. The violent sequences are a definite speed bump to the flow of the novel and are not fully justifiable to the plot.
Prunty is the author several horror and cult titles including, My Fake War, Slag Attack (both from Eraserhead Press, 2010), Morning is Dead (Atlatl Press, 2010), and The Beard (Atlatl, 2009). His website, www.andersonprunty.com is very well linked to several horror genre publishing houses and sites.
Contains: graphic violence and sex, suicide
Reviewed by: Sheila Shedd
November 4, 2011
I've been meaning to check out the work from Andersen Prunty for some time now, and the cover art to "The Sorrow King" had grabbed me early on. With an interesting premise, I opened an e-book version and hoped for the best. Simply put, I read the entire thing in one sitting and them immediately sat down to write a review for this amazing novel.
Other reviews will already cover the synopsis, so I won't bother with that. No, instead I'll tell you that Prunty writes in an effortless style that somehow combines the best qualities of Stephen King and Clive Barker. We are introduced to real, believable characters who aren't weighed down by too much cliched backstory, and yet we're drawn into an arcane series of events that aren't overly esoteric.
There are whispers of modern humanity's existential crisis, but nothing ham-fisted, nothing spoonfed. It all plays out wonderfully for the reader. (I would especially love to see Ken pop up again.) We see so much half-concealed love between Connor and his son, Steven, that fragile bond that also plays out so well in the overall story. How can we expect young people like Steven and Elise to trust each other when they can't trust the world their own parents run? Perhaps it's these connections, especial so wonderfully detailed in the back-and-forth dialogue, that ultimately serve as the defeat to The Sorrow King.
Now, as an author in Ohio as well, I must point out how incredible Prunty has done in describing the madness that truly is this state's weather. That, along with his depiction of small, rural life in Ohio was quite accurate without resorting to caricature or hyperbole. It was refreshing to see an author do this in such an honest manner.
In the end, I feel this novel is not only a work that Prunty should be immensely proud of, but a work the horror community as a whole should embrace. This is exactly the type of novel that the new generation of readers are looking for, the type authors shouldn't be hesitant to write. And it makes me very excited to find more by Andersen Prunty.
Other reviews will already cover the synopsis, so I won't bother with that. No, instead I'll tell you that Prunty writes in an effortless style that somehow combines the best qualities of Stephen King and Clive Barker. We are introduced to real, believable characters who aren't weighed down by too much cliched backstory, and yet we're drawn into an arcane series of events that aren't overly esoteric.
There are whispers of modern humanity's existential crisis, but nothing ham-fisted, nothing spoonfed. It all plays out wonderfully for the reader. (I would especially love to see Ken pop up again.) We see so much half-concealed love between Connor and his son, Steven, that fragile bond that also plays out so well in the overall story. How can we expect young people like Steven and Elise to trust each other when they can't trust the world their own parents run? Perhaps it's these connections, especial so wonderfully detailed in the back-and-forth dialogue, that ultimately serve as the defeat to The Sorrow King.
Now, as an author in Ohio as well, I must point out how incredible Prunty has done in describing the madness that truly is this state's weather. That, along with his depiction of small, rural life in Ohio was quite accurate without resorting to caricature or hyperbole. It was refreshing to see an author do this in such an honest manner.
In the end, I feel this novel is not only a work that Prunty should be immensely proud of, but a work the horror community as a whole should embrace. This is exactly the type of novel that the new generation of readers are looking for, the type authors shouldn't be hesitant to write. And it makes me very excited to find more by Andersen Prunty.
May 15, 2011
What if the scariest thing you had to face was your own mind? Do you think that you would be able to fight through the madness, to save a town full of people, which have fallen under a sadistic spell? What if a monster of your imagination sprang to life?
I was a little hesitant when I read the synopsis to The Sorrow King. It didn’t look like something that I could fall into at first glance, but after reading a few reviews, I thought I would give it a shot since it was only $0.99 on Kindle. I’m glad I took the risk. It had all of the four “M”s that I look for in a story. Monsters, Murder, Madness, and Mayhem.
The dialog was the best part. The dark and demented humor between Conner and Steven, it felt like conversations that my friends and I have. My only complaint would be that I would get lost in the dialog, and wasn’t quite sure who was saying what lines. It’s mostly my fault though, and not the author. Ninety percent of my reading is done in a break room of 30 plus people, bustling through vending machines, talking, laughing, and a television blaring in the back ground. So sometimes I get distracted.
This was a good read. It makes you think of the scary things that you can create, and the things you are capable of doing, not only to yourself, but to others around you.
I was a little hesitant when I read the synopsis to The Sorrow King. It didn’t look like something that I could fall into at first glance, but after reading a few reviews, I thought I would give it a shot since it was only $0.99 on Kindle. I’m glad I took the risk. It had all of the four “M”s that I look for in a story. Monsters, Murder, Madness, and Mayhem.
The dialog was the best part. The dark and demented humor between Conner and Steven, it felt like conversations that my friends and I have. My only complaint would be that I would get lost in the dialog, and wasn’t quite sure who was saying what lines. It’s mostly my fault though, and not the author. Ninety percent of my reading is done in a break room of 30 plus people, bustling through vending machines, talking, laughing, and a television blaring in the back ground. So sometimes I get distracted.
This was a good read. It makes you think of the scary things that you can create, and the things you are capable of doing, not only to yourself, but to others around you.
July 20, 2011
The sorrow king really surprised me. I was imagining some same ole book on how horrible life is yada yada. Instead I got an amazing story basically about this regular teenager whose mother died and has a bad time talking to his dad. He starts to fall in love with a depressed teenage girl. She wants to be all alone so everytime she moves she builds an obscura. A place where she feels at peace. She has no idea that the sorrow king has chosen her to help with his evil plans. All over town kids drop dead from "suicides" and whats more sorrowful than children dying?
Who is the sorrow king?
He carved from wood and bone.
He smells like wax, dead leaves, and memories.
He travels by moonlight and drinks the sorrow of others.
I won this book on the goodreads giveaway and it was a totally worth the read!
Who is the sorrow king?
He carved from wood and bone.
He smells like wax, dead leaves, and memories.
He travels by moonlight and drinks the sorrow of others.
I won this book on the goodreads giveaway and it was a totally worth the read!
April 17, 2015
Dnf at 82%.
I kept trying because I really wanted this to turn around, but it was starting to feel like a chore reading this.
It's just too depressing. I understand that suicide is a key factor to the story. But everyone is just constantly depressed. There is no breath of fresh air.
Sorry just didn't do it for me.
All reviews can be found at http://lennonslair.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1
I kept trying because I really wanted this to turn around, but it was starting to feel like a chore reading this.
It's just too depressing. I understand that suicide is a key factor to the story. But everyone is just constantly depressed. There is no breath of fresh air.
Sorry just didn't do it for me.
All reviews can be found at http://lennonslair.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1
September 29, 2011
I came across the name Andersen Prunty one day on Bizarro Central when they were announcing that the paperback of his novel Fuckness was available. The premise of that book sounded intriguing so I filed the name away as something to check out eventually. A while later I was on Bizarro Central again and they had a free fiction round up. Right there at the bottom of that list was that name again, Andersen Prunty, this time for the kindle version of The Sorrow King, for free. It’s almost near impossible for me to pass up a free book, especially if it’s an author I’m interested in, so of course I grabbed it up. What I didn’t know at the time was that I would end up reading it so soon, and that when I started I wouldn’t be able to stop until I was finished.
The Sorrow King takes place in small town Gethsemane, Ohio where the local teenagers are plagued with what is being called The Suicide Virus. The kids are scared that they could be next, wondering if it truly is a virus could they catch it from their friends? The parents don’t know what to do to keep their kids safe, or what could possibly be causing a rash of suicides with teens that seemingly have no connection to one another.
The story focuses on Steven Wrigley, a depressed teen living full time with his father, Conner, after his mother’s untimely passing. Their relationship is more of two friends than father and son, no matter how much his father truly does worry about him. Steven has secrets that he doesn’t understand and can’t share with anyone else. Enter Elise, a girl he becomes infatuated with, a girl who has just as many secrets as Steven. Together they both play parts in the darkness that is closing in on Gethsemane, more so than they realize.
What impressed me most about Andresen Pruntys writing is his characters. He has a solid grasp on developing very real people. Stevens’s awkwardness with his hormonal feelings toward Elise reminded me so much of myself in high school. Prunty spells out the confusing emotions of a high school loner like he was following me around taking notes. I could feel for Conner as he struggles to be there for his son, as he tries to get Steven to open up without pushing him away. The fears that the teenagers endure from the Sorrow King are very real, and get you thinking about your own fears, how you would be able to deal with these situations.
The story itself should intrigue any fans of horror, or just fans of new and interesting stories. But the writing itself will draw you in and force you to stay on target until the very end, and like me, will probably leave the reader wanting more. From now on Andersen Prunty won’t just be a name I keep filed away for later, it’s one that I’ll be looking forward to and making an effort to find any other work from.
The Sorrow King takes place in small town Gethsemane, Ohio where the local teenagers are plagued with what is being called The Suicide Virus. The kids are scared that they could be next, wondering if it truly is a virus could they catch it from their friends? The parents don’t know what to do to keep their kids safe, or what could possibly be causing a rash of suicides with teens that seemingly have no connection to one another.
The story focuses on Steven Wrigley, a depressed teen living full time with his father, Conner, after his mother’s untimely passing. Their relationship is more of two friends than father and son, no matter how much his father truly does worry about him. Steven has secrets that he doesn’t understand and can’t share with anyone else. Enter Elise, a girl he becomes infatuated with, a girl who has just as many secrets as Steven. Together they both play parts in the darkness that is closing in on Gethsemane, more so than they realize.
What impressed me most about Andresen Pruntys writing is his characters. He has a solid grasp on developing very real people. Stevens’s awkwardness with his hormonal feelings toward Elise reminded me so much of myself in high school. Prunty spells out the confusing emotions of a high school loner like he was following me around taking notes. I could feel for Conner as he struggles to be there for his son, as he tries to get Steven to open up without pushing him away. The fears that the teenagers endure from the Sorrow King are very real, and get you thinking about your own fears, how you would be able to deal with these situations.
The story itself should intrigue any fans of horror, or just fans of new and interesting stories. But the writing itself will draw you in and force you to stay on target until the very end, and like me, will probably leave the reader wanting more. From now on Andersen Prunty won’t just be a name I keep filed away for later, it’s one that I’ll be looking forward to and making an effort to find any other work from.
January 31, 2014
The Sorrow King is one splendid and interesting read! While it certainly asks more questions than it answers, it still manages to tell an absolutely compelling horror story about the imagination and its power of persuasion. Prunty doesn't attempt to impress the reader with any twists or last-minute M. Night Shyamalan moments here, rather, he focuses on the dialogue, setting and story arc to create the rather unique tale of the Sorrow King. The book itself is neatly split into three different sections, with chapters individually labeled and titled, often offering subtle clues to the events about to unfold. Prunty also does an interesting thing with perspective throughout the book, as he switches characters at least three separate times to explain certain events.
This is important: halfway through the book, Prunty also writes a story within a story, detailing the exact origin of the Sorrow King. While this is a nice stylistic touch, it actually functions as an aid to the plot. The prose itself is written in such a beautiful manner that the origin-story instantly reminded me of authors like Gabriel García Márquez and Haruki Murakami. Furthermore, the actual book itself follows a similar prose-style, similar to the origin-story: simple and easy to follow yet still engaging and extremely thought-provoking. THE SORROW KING is not as bizarre as some of his other texts but still a success and definitely worth reading.
This is important: halfway through the book, Prunty also writes a story within a story, detailing the exact origin of the Sorrow King. While this is a nice stylistic touch, it actually functions as an aid to the plot. The prose itself is written in such a beautiful manner that the origin-story instantly reminded me of authors like Gabriel García Márquez and Haruki Murakami. Furthermore, the actual book itself follows a similar prose-style, similar to the origin-story: simple and easy to follow yet still engaging and extremely thought-provoking. THE SORROW KING is not as bizarre as some of his other texts but still a success and definitely worth reading.
February 23, 2012
This is an immensely creepy and utterly chilling horror tale that you will not be able to put down. Prunty creates a compelling story through his characters and dialogue without relying on shock tactics or sudden twists in the tale to give the reader goosebumps. The presence of the Sorrow King (or Jackthief, which I found creepier as a name than Sorrow King for some reason) builds gradually as the sorrow and grief that envelopes the little town of Gethsemane builds to its bloody, heart wrenching, terrifying climax. This may be labelled as a piece of bizarro fiction but to me it is a masterpiece of horror combined with the most chilling of traditional fairy tales (and no I'm not referring to the Disney-fied versions we know today, think more original Grimms or Angela Carter), an absolute must read.
November 10, 2015
I will keep it short by saying that this was good in every way. From the character development, the experiences of said characters, the way the story unfolded, the well placed twists, etc. etc. I am often stingy with the 5 star rating, but this one certainly deserves it in my humble opinion.
April 4, 2012
4+ stars. Excellent story.
June 2, 2019
The teenagers in a small American times are killing themselves. What do the suicides have to do with a trio of lonely, sorrowful people in the town - a boy, his father, and the girl?
This is a very introvert book: you meet 3 people, get to know the insides of their head, and follow them through their indifference, depression, and languish. Scary imagery is less scary than the numbness of the town and its inhabitants - I found it scarier than the sorrow itself. Sadness is still a feeling, after all. Anhedony is scarier.
The book felt heavy, and I struggled to wade through the middle of it. Once it picks up, the ending comes about quite abruptly, and I was left wanting more - more of the story, more of the characters.
This is a very introvert book: you meet 3 people, get to know the insides of their head, and follow them through their indifference, depression, and languish. Scary imagery is less scary than the numbness of the town and its inhabitants - I found it scarier than the sorrow itself. Sadness is still a feeling, after all. Anhedony is scarier.
The book felt heavy, and I struggled to wade through the middle of it. Once it picks up, the ending comes about quite abruptly, and I was left wanting more - more of the story, more of the characters.
December 31, 2013
This book is the reason why I believe Andersen Prunty has at least dabbled in chaos magick if not a full blown practitioner of the dark arts. As I familiarized myself with the story of Steven and his father as well as the troubled Elise, I found passages of this book seeping into my subconscious, and this is not hyperbole when I say this.
Pages before reading of the ennui and uneasy intuitions of Steven's father that something bad was about to happen, I too had a certain anxiety I couldn't tie back to any specific happening in my life. This book moved through me, wormed its way into my mind and worked its dark magic in a way that I believe only someone attuned to the workings of chaos magick could manage.
The Obscura, or hideaway that Elise uses to escape her troubles, could be a metaphor for any number of things: drugs, sex, the womb. In a sordid fashion, it is all of these things.
Suicide is a strange phenomenon. It is almost always a temporary solution to an enduring struggle. Many human beings romanticize suicide as the ultimate 'last word', their way of showing people who have wronged them, a way to make one's enemies and neglectful friends fall into line once and for all and love them the way they couldn't while they were alive. The problem with this is that they are not around to see it, and why they can't reconcile this obvious fact with reality eludes all reason for me. The eponymous antagonist of this book preys on such lacking reason. He is a seducer of human strays, and far more menacing than Freddy Krueger who kills through similar methodologies.
Andersen Prunty is an interesting character in literature. He's not entirely a horror author, nor if he a straightforward Bizarro author. He is a gatekeeper of his own literary fount, where he can employ many shades of genre, some all at once. The result is almost always clear and concise. Just as Prunty is a gatekeeper of genre, he is also a surgeon with a precision of words and visual direction that puts him in the company of such cult luminaries as Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, Jack Ketchum and Edward Lee.
Pages before reading of the ennui and uneasy intuitions of Steven's father that something bad was about to happen, I too had a certain anxiety I couldn't tie back to any specific happening in my life. This book moved through me, wormed its way into my mind and worked its dark magic in a way that I believe only someone attuned to the workings of chaos magick could manage.
The Obscura, or hideaway that Elise uses to escape her troubles, could be a metaphor for any number of things: drugs, sex, the womb. In a sordid fashion, it is all of these things.
Suicide is a strange phenomenon. It is almost always a temporary solution to an enduring struggle. Many human beings romanticize suicide as the ultimate 'last word', their way of showing people who have wronged them, a way to make one's enemies and neglectful friends fall into line once and for all and love them the way they couldn't while they were alive. The problem with this is that they are not around to see it, and why they can't reconcile this obvious fact with reality eludes all reason for me. The eponymous antagonist of this book preys on such lacking reason. He is a seducer of human strays, and far more menacing than Freddy Krueger who kills through similar methodologies.
Andersen Prunty is an interesting character in literature. He's not entirely a horror author, nor if he a straightforward Bizarro author. He is a gatekeeper of his own literary fount, where he can employ many shades of genre, some all at once. The result is almost always clear and concise. Just as Prunty is a gatekeeper of genre, he is also a surgeon with a precision of words and visual direction that puts him in the company of such cult luminaries as Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, Jack Ketchum and Edward Lee.
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