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Road Series #1
I-35
I-35 is the critically acclaimed (NY Times Best Seller's Jonathan Maberry, William Hjortsberg, John Lutz, SPIN's M. Campbell, and more) story of David, a loner in his late 20s from New York City who suffers from blackout migraines and has a penchant for painkillers. He wakes one morning, freezing in the backseat of his car, 1,500 miles from home, with no idea how he got there. After hearing a horrifying voicemail, he embarks on a harrowing journey through America's heartland, searching for his estranged brother and his brother's wife, while attempting to piece together his own fractured memory. Along the road, David meets a cast of strange and disturbing characters who become suspects in his clouded and paranoid mind. And just as the clues and corpses begin to add up; a chance encounter at a seedy Oklahoma diner leads him to Shawna--a beautiful girl, shrouded in mystery, who escorts him down a vertiginous path to the end of the I-35 highway...where a shocking truth is revealed.
EDITORIAL REVIEWS
I-35 is a nail-biter of a road novel that crosses into the darkest territories of the soul. Brett Selmont brings serious game to this riveting thriller, and it takes some turns you absolutely will not see coming. Buckle up!"
Jonathan Maberry, NY Times Bestselling author of the PINE DEEP TRILOGY, FIRE & ASH, ROT & RUIN and EXTINCTION MACHINE, multiple Bram Stoker winner
"The road novel has been the heart and soul of American fiction ever since Huck set off down the Mississippi with Jim. London, Steinbeck and Kerouac all wrote books with highways running through them. By venturing into horror and the supernatural, Selmont charts a new direction for this classic form. Rough, tough and more than a little profane, "I-35" takes the reader on a trip into madness and damnation. It's a bleak journey but you'll be glad to have gone along for the ride."
William Hjortsberg, NY Times Bestseller, author of Falling Angel (Angel Heart)
"Tough, incisive, tough, evocative, tough, adroit, tough. Selmont will take you on a genuinely gripping journey down a highway that will inspire you to lock your car as automatically as you buckle your seat belt. You've been waiting for this one. A nifty piece of work by a talented writer."
John Lutz, NY Times Bestseller, author of Single White Female
"I-35 has a great cult classic level storyline that I think needs to be shared. If you enjoy sex, drugs and violence, this is quite a journey and one you will be pleased as punch to be along the ride for."
HorrorNews.net, John Clements
"Selmont has created a dark, page turning thriller full of bizarre and unique characters that draw us further down the road to oblivion. He's a writer to keep on your radar."
SPIN Magazine, Malcolm Campbell
Book Three of the "Road Series" I-95 should be available in January 2014!
EDITORIAL REVIEWS
I-35 is a nail-biter of a road novel that crosses into the darkest territories of the soul. Brett Selmont brings serious game to this riveting thriller, and it takes some turns you absolutely will not see coming. Buckle up!"
Jonathan Maberry, NY Times Bestselling author of the PINE DEEP TRILOGY, FIRE & ASH, ROT & RUIN and EXTINCTION MACHINE, multiple Bram Stoker winner
"The road novel has been the heart and soul of American fiction ever since Huck set off down the Mississippi with Jim. London, Steinbeck and Kerouac all wrote books with highways running through them. By venturing into horror and the supernatural, Selmont charts a new direction for this classic form. Rough, tough and more than a little profane, "I-35" takes the reader on a trip into madness and damnation. It's a bleak journey but you'll be glad to have gone along for the ride."
William Hjortsberg, NY Times Bestseller, author of Falling Angel (Angel Heart)
"Tough, incisive, tough, evocative, tough, adroit, tough. Selmont will take you on a genuinely gripping journey down a highway that will inspire you to lock your car as automatically as you buckle your seat belt. You've been waiting for this one. A nifty piece of work by a talented writer."
John Lutz, NY Times Bestseller, author of Single White Female
"I-35 has a great cult classic level storyline that I think needs to be shared. If you enjoy sex, drugs and violence, this is quite a journey and one you will be pleased as punch to be along the ride for."
HorrorNews.net, John Clements
"Selmont has created a dark, page turning thriller full of bizarre and unique characters that draw us further down the road to oblivion. He's a writer to keep on your radar."
SPIN Magazine, Malcolm Campbell
Book Three of the "Road Series" I-95 should be available in January 2014!
194 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2011
99 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 24, 2011
This is a very short book, but I couldn't really get into it. Maybe because it seemed so weird as the story went on. David blacks out all the time and ends up in places he has no idea how he got there and why. He meets up with Shawna in a diner and is surprised that she knows him but he can't remember her. He is also afraid for his brother who has left a desperate message on his voice mail, and can't be found anywhere. The story gets weirder and more disturbing as it unfolds, revealing a character that isn't so nice.
October 10, 2012
I picked up I-35 knowing nothing about what I was buying. The price was reasonable, and I liked the mixed-bag of reviewer ratings - a trait I look for when I venture into unknown territory - so I figured "what the hell?".
Happy I did. This was a well crafted and thoroughly enjoyable - not to mention fast - and I burned through it in one day. I only set it aside while I was driving.
I won't say it's perfect in every way, but the protagonist, David is a curiously likeable character despite his flaws.
An interesting cast of characters flows through the narrative, and every time you think you know what is really going on, Selmont craftily injects another twist to throw you off the trail... or does he?
I mentioned that I knew nothing about this story when I started reading it, and I would recommend buying it and reading it if you are into dark, hard-boiled fiction.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series entitled "I-66".
In closing, I am happy I found a new author that writes incredibly well.
Highly recommended.
Happy I did. This was a well crafted and thoroughly enjoyable - not to mention fast - and I burned through it in one day. I only set it aside while I was driving.
I won't say it's perfect in every way, but the protagonist, David is a curiously likeable character despite his flaws.
An interesting cast of characters flows through the narrative, and every time you think you know what is really going on, Selmont craftily injects another twist to throw you off the trail... or does he?
I mentioned that I knew nothing about this story when I started reading it, and I would recommend buying it and reading it if you are into dark, hard-boiled fiction.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series entitled "I-66".
In closing, I am happy I found a new author that writes incredibly well.
Highly recommended.
October 20, 2012
Amazing. I considered putting the book away and not reading any further. Parts of it seemed mean and violent - and in the end, what a surprise! This is a fast-paced raw book. I will be reading part two in the series, because the author has a fascinating way of mixing good and evil, violence and family love, movement and getting nowhere. I would recommend this book, but hey, fasten your seat belts.
June 25, 2020
Was a fun read. One thing, though. I usually hate it when writers attempt to write dialog in a southern accent. Rarely is a writer familiar enough with it for an accurate portrayal. It typically ends up like what is in this book which is just stereotypical Foghorn Leghorn. Southern white people do not use conjunctions like I's for "I is" and they's for "they is". The dialog is a weird mashup of redneck and ebonics. That was very annoying. But, I enjoyed the book and as a southern fella myself, I suppose I'd say, "For the most part, pretty good book, I reckon. Sure coulda used a native southerner for an editor, but reckon n'ere wut'n nun around. Found it to be tolerbly enjoyable ta read."
May 23, 2017
A DNF at 33%
A guy wakes up with no memory of the past few days and has a frantic voicemail from his brother, pleading for help.
We aren't really given a reason to care about the brother or the main character, whatever his name is. We don't know much about them at all and MC is sort of a douche.
MC randomly runs into a chick at a diner who knew him from before his blackout. This woman drove me nuts. Silly, childish, and an irritating southern accent.
The book switches back and forth between the time before MC's blackout and the time after. In the time before the blackout, we learn that MC hates cops (what an attractive trait) is strong and violent, somehow resembles a woman, and... that's it.
In the time after the blackout, we learn that MC is confused.
It becomes clear very fast that this mysterious woman is going to be following the MC around for the whole story.
My patience was already running thin before the weird, almost pornographic sex scene that involves a scarred vagina, vagina tentacles?, uncomfortably childlike behavior on the chick's part, and shoving panties in the chick's mouth.
The writing isn't bad, but it's toneless and occasionally off-putting. I don't know MC is getting mad until he yells. I don't know if the chick's old, weird house and bizarre sex is supposed to be hot or creepy.
I recommend a hard pass on this one.
A guy wakes up with no memory of the past few days and has a frantic voicemail from his brother, pleading for help.
We aren't really given a reason to care about the brother or the main character, whatever his name is. We don't know much about them at all and MC is sort of a douche.
MC randomly runs into a chick at a diner who knew him from before his blackout. This woman drove me nuts. Silly, childish, and an irritating southern accent.
The book switches back and forth between the time before MC's blackout and the time after. In the time before the blackout, we learn that MC hates cops (what an attractive trait) is strong and violent, somehow resembles a woman, and... that's it.
In the time after the blackout, we learn that MC is confused.
It becomes clear very fast that this mysterious woman is going to be following the MC around for the whole story.
My patience was already running thin before the weird, almost pornographic sex scene that involves a scarred vagina, vagina tentacles?, uncomfortably childlike behavior on the chick's part, and shoving panties in the chick's mouth.
The writing isn't bad, but it's toneless and occasionally off-putting. I don't know MC is getting mad until he yells. I don't know if the chick's old, weird house and bizarre sex is supposed to be hot or creepy.
I recommend a hard pass on this one.
August 13, 2012
A friend recommended this book and I have to say I’m a big a fan of Brett Selmont’s debut novel I-35. I devoured this book quickly. It’s hard to write about it without giving anything away so I’ll just say I couldn’t put it down. I-35 is very dark (Not For The Faint Of Heart!) and weird even for this genre. The author takes you on a ride like a twisted tour guide through the Midwest and does an exquisite job of describing each place so I felt as if I’d been there myself. The characters were strong and mysterious and I never knew what was going to happen next. Then David, the main character, meets Shawna and her FREAKY family and it gets even more bizarre and ratchets up the suspense. I will definitely be looking for more of his work in the future.
January 3, 2013
Not a bad little book. This was a new author for me, and I found his writing to be fairly decent. A good job of character development and quite descriptive in his writing. I will say at times it was almost too descriptive bordering on wordy.
The characters are quite engaging and you find yourself completely entangled in this jacked up situation. I thought I had everything figured out and knew where the end of the story was headed, but I was so very wrong. There is a nice little twist that you don't quite see coming, maybe I should have. Once you finish and think back, it is all right there in front of you.
All in all I really enjoyed the book, it did seem to drag in a couple of places, but it is a good story. I look forward to reading book two.
The characters are quite engaging and you find yourself completely entangled in this jacked up situation. I thought I had everything figured out and knew where the end of the story was headed, but I was so very wrong. There is a nice little twist that you don't quite see coming, maybe I should have. Once you finish and think back, it is all right there in front of you.
All in all I really enjoyed the book, it did seem to drag in a couple of places, but it is a good story. I look forward to reading book two.
January 24, 2015
I really don't get what all the fuss is about.
Description is always good, but the author goes way overboard with his descriptions, to the point where it becomes overblown.
The main character is one of the most unsympathetic and annoying characters I've ever come across, but he fits in well with all the others, to the point where they all become pretty much indistinguishable from each other. The character of Shawna does stand out, but not in a good way. I found the way the author wrote her dialogue to be completely irritating. I only kept reading to see if this got better, but I was disappointed. I have no idea if the main mystery got solved, because by the end, I just didn't care.
Description is always good, but the author goes way overboard with his descriptions, to the point where it becomes overblown.
The main character is one of the most unsympathetic and annoying characters I've ever come across, but he fits in well with all the others, to the point where they all become pretty much indistinguishable from each other. The character of Shawna does stand out, but not in a good way. I found the way the author wrote her dialogue to be completely irritating. I only kept reading to see if this got better, but I was disappointed. I have no idea if the main mystery got solved, because by the end, I just didn't care.
November 14, 2011
Selmont has crafted a tale that is darker than any book out there, with an ending that will make you say “ah ha!” as suddenly everything falls into place. He is a skilled writer that makes “I-35″ an easy and entertaining read. While there are parts that may drop your jaw, there are times when you cheer for David, no matter how evil his actions are.
Check out my full review at www.crazybookreviews.com!
Check out my full review at www.crazybookreviews.com!
October 15, 2012
Got this book randomly at St. Marks books in NYC because it said he was a local writer and I just bought another for a friend after finishing it. It was a nice surprise to find a local writer doing something both dark and surreal but also accessible. It's a road story, a mystery, and a parable. The story keeps you guessing and the character's are unique, strange, and also sexy (the main girl at least..haha). Would definitely suggest it! Hopefully he will make more of his work available.
October 21, 2012
Very fast pace. I found myself caring for many of the characters I should not have.
July 4, 2020
Very Twisted
David has blackouts. He also has a temper. When these two things come together crazy stuff happens. All David wants to do is find his missing brother. To do that, he has to follow Jim's trail which leads him down the I-35.
What exactly will Davud find at the end of the road?
A very twisted ride...but enjoyable all the same.
David has blackouts. He also has a temper. When these two things come together crazy stuff happens. All David wants to do is find his missing brother. To do that, he has to follow Jim's trail which leads him down the I-35.
What exactly will Davud find at the end of the road?
A very twisted ride...but enjoyable all the same.
April 6, 2021
WHAT A WASTE
Synopsis..........great beginning....clever characters.......star of the book is a real piece of work.....ending comes too late to keep you from realizing you have wasted a lot of time........Richard S.
Synopsis..........great beginning....clever characters.......star of the book is a real piece of work.....ending comes too late to keep you from realizing you have wasted a lot of time........Richard S.
April 22, 2023
Bizarre. I kept reading, trying to figure out if David was dreaming, in a coma, in an asylum suffering a mental break. I was kept guessing right up to the end. It would be a great Tarantino movie with the cross of gore and strangeness.
May 28, 2022
Interesting, graphic, well written
When things are too confusing to be reality ...
Graphic, nearly to the point of guilty voyeurism, but well written.
When things are too confusing to be reality ...
Graphic, nearly to the point of guilty voyeurism, but well written.
January 19, 2023
Dark short story with an interesting ending.
February 24, 2015
I think this started out pretty good, it was interesting - it started going back and forth between time frames (which i thought kept it interesting)...there were some mysterious circumstances that were intriguing but it went downhill towards the end.
I wasn't a huge fan of the characters, though they were fairly unique. I found the emphasis on consistently writing in "redneck" speak annoying and distracting. I think the author could have just mentioned they spoke like cliched hillbillies and we could have read that accent into the voices. Constantly seeing the 'slang' typed out hurt my brain a bit.
There were aspects of this I liked, but I think I was disappointed in the outcome. I just feel like all I could think was 'are you kidding me?' when the last few chapters happened. Then there was one last twist in the last chapter and I'm left wondering wtf is going on. Maybe I should be smart enough to assume but I don't know.
This started off intriguing and seemed to be heading to a really mind trippy ending, and I guess it was supposed to be, but I just didn't feel it. (I think my expectation was one thing and when the book went a different direction I was left feeling 'meh' about it).
I wasn't a huge fan of the characters, though they were fairly unique. I found the emphasis on consistently writing in "redneck" speak annoying and distracting. I think the author could have just mentioned they spoke like cliched hillbillies and we could have read that accent into the voices. Constantly seeing the 'slang' typed out hurt my brain a bit.
There were aspects of this I liked, but I think I was disappointed in the outcome. I just feel like all I could think was 'are you kidding me?' when the last few chapters happened. Then there was one last twist in the last chapter and I'm left wondering wtf is going on. Maybe I should be smart enough to assume but I don't know.
This started off intriguing and seemed to be heading to a really mind trippy ending, and I guess it was supposed to be, but I just didn't feel it. (I think my expectation was one thing and when the book went a different direction I was left feeling 'meh' about it).
August 2, 2012
http://xoxoxoe.blogspot.com/2012/06/w...
"A fast-paced read, I-35 at times feels more like a short story that may have gone on too long, or a novel that should have been fleshed out much more to come up to its mythic intentions. Anti-hero David is also, unfortunately, the least interesting and sympathetic character in the novel. He runs across a variety of seedy and downright creepy characters on his travels. ... There are echoes of old-school noir writing, and especially Neil Gaiman's American Gods, but unfortunately without the humor. Selmont feels compelled to meticulously describe just about every place David visits, every bar and gas station, no matter how decrepit or disgusting. He writes well, but all of the depictive prose may wear down even the most fervent fan of nihilistic fiction."
"A fast-paced read, I-35 at times feels more like a short story that may have gone on too long, or a novel that should have been fleshed out much more to come up to its mythic intentions. Anti-hero David is also, unfortunately, the least interesting and sympathetic character in the novel. He runs across a variety of seedy and downright creepy characters on his travels. ... There are echoes of old-school noir writing, and especially Neil Gaiman's American Gods, but unfortunately without the humor. Selmont feels compelled to meticulously describe just about every place David visits, every bar and gas station, no matter how decrepit or disgusting. He writes well, but all of the depictive prose may wear down even the most fervent fan of nihilistic fiction."
January 15, 2021
Fast, creepy read. David wakes up in his grandfather's maroon Lincoln in Minnesota. He can't remember how he got there, but figures since he is there, he might as well try and find his brother. Things go south from there. David is an asshole and chooses violence in almost any situation. I skipped all the sex. There were way too many annoying similes and metaphors in the beginning, but the story was interesting enough to get past that.
July 2, 2014
Brett Selmont's I-35 took me by surprise. It is a well written and gripping erotic thriller, one that gets darker and more twisted and intense with every turn of the page. I would definitely recommend this book as a good read. Get ready for a wild ride down the corridors of Mr. Selmont's vivid imagination. I look forward to reading more by this author.
December 27, 2014
I like a book with good descriptions. That said, this book was so deeply descriptive that I found myself getting bored. It also jumped around so much that I was tired of trying to figure out where he currently was at. There is no closure in this book, the mystery just stays completely in solved. Maybe I just didn't get it, but this book was a waste of my time.
December 25, 2013
If you are looking for something dark and surprising, you're in the right place. This story has some crazy twists and a great ending that I didn't see coming. It is a quick read but definitely not for the queasy. I've already started the second book, Route 66 and so far it is just as good!
January 22, 2014
I was confused by this book, very heavy on detail, but the story line took a turn I didn't see coming and I am not sure I fully appreciated. It was well written, this is my first book by this author. I may read the next, I haven't decided yet.
February 24, 2014
One bad headache!
Like the star of this story, I also suffer migraine headaches, but not as bad as he has 'em!
Good story. Strange with a lot if unexpected twists. Decently written. The author has a good imagination.
Like the star of this story, I also suffer migraine headaches, but not as bad as he has 'em!
Good story. Strange with a lot if unexpected twists. Decently written. The author has a good imagination.
December 30, 2014
Different kind of thriller.
Very original and thought provoking book, bordering on extremely weird. I read this in one sitting - I just had to see where the story would go. I will definitely read more of Selmont's work.
Very original and thought provoking book, bordering on extremely weird. I read this in one sitting - I just had to see where the story would go. I will definitely read more of Selmont's work.
February 23, 2014
Not my style
Not my style
there only 2 books out of over a thousand that I did not finish, often will read on to see if it gets better, Most do, this one did not
Not my style
there only 2 books out of over a thousand that I did not finish, often will read on to see if it gets better, Most do, this one did not
April 26, 2014
A deeply disturbing voyage through hell. At times it seemed to drag. I didn't know where it was going. I still found it to be an "okay" GoodReads.
June 30, 2014
Cool road story. Very dark & graphic. Kept me guessing the whole time.
Looking forward to reading the follow up.
Looking forward to reading the follow up.
November 1, 2014
A good read
I'm going with 5 stars. I love tales from the unreliable narrator :) I kept thinking about what was going to happen next when I didn't have my kindle with me.
I'm going with 5 stars. I love tales from the unreliable narrator :) I kept thinking about what was going to happen next when I didn't have my kindle with me.
January 9, 2015
A page Turner
This book had me guessing and on the edge of my seat to the end. Was a great read and can't wait to read the next one
This book had me guessing and on the edge of my seat to the end. Was a great read and can't wait to read the next one
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews