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The Seventh Seal #1
The Seventh Seal
John Burgoyne awakens from a Halloween party, with a hangover and a dead cell phone, on the first day of the End of Days. He's desperate, on the run, and fighting for his life. After a violent coup, the Father, the figurehead of the Holy Covenant and the commander of a new military order, pursues John through the post-apocalyptic wreckage of Cleveland, Ohio, in search of the hidden knowledge he believes John holds. Burgoyne escapes and aligns with the resistance until Father orchestrates a final showdown.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2011
65 people are currently reading
541 people want to read
About the author
J. Thorn
170 books171 followersWant a story that’s rooted in a fundamental aspect of being human?
I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind.
I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me.
Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness.
I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end.
I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain.
My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt.
I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled.
Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it.
Experience:
By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide.
J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute.
Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.
I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind.
I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me.
Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness.
I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end.
I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain.
My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt.
I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled.
Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it.
Experience:
By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide.
J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute.
Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 27, 2012
Honestly, I got 40% of the way through this before I almost set my kindle on fire. I refuse to finish this wretched dribble. I'm pissed off that I bothered with as much of this as I did. I'm angry and let me count the ways:
1. WHO THE FUCK IS THE INTENDED AUDIENCE??? I mean, really, is this written for a secular audience or a religious one? I ask because I've read end of times religious fiction; I've read secular apocalyptic novels and this doesn't work either way . Secular audiences don't want to read PAGES of Revelations. Religious audiences don't want to read about the Catholic Church deciding its going to start the end times. (The end times isn't dictated by man, and sure as hell isn't a war started by the church, FYI). Neither side is painted in any kind of positive light, 40% of the way through the book and you still have NO ONE to root for.
2. THE WRITING IS TERRIBLE. I've read better written and more appealing menus. I'm not even sure how I got through as much of this as I did because the first several chapters are confusing, pointless and boring. Every time the plot starts to work in any way the author sidetracks into something unnecessary, offensive or confusing. Also, is Thorn not aware that Christians of any variety don't refer to non-believers as INFIDELS? Its distracting. The dream sequences are bad and move the book into some sort of mystical place which frankly makes it even harder to read. The sermons from Revelations are terrible. If I wanted to reread Revelations, I would. And I don't.
3. ALL OF THE CHARACTERS ARE AWFUL. (And they don't make any sense) The priests are full of bloodlust, which frankly is terrible. I know Catholic priests have done some horrible things, but its really too easy to paint them as awful. And of course the bikers don't care about anything other than sex and drugs. Why would they care about what's going on in the world? Just because they live there and people are wiping out them, their livelihood and way of life? They only want to get drunk and pass bitches around. Every single character is one dimensional. No one is complex. No one is interesting.
4. IT IS THE WORST KIND OF SEXUALIZED END OF TIMES. Really, seriously, have you ever known people to bust out into random orgies when they have been rounded up and shot? When they are being preached to about the end times and bible? No? Me FUCKING either. Real people in a situation where everyone has been killed and they are being preached to are not going to bust into oral sex. They are going to fight/argue or they are going to go along to get along. Sex is the last damn thing on your mind. Also, not every tattooed dude is a rapist. I hate that I need to point this out, but DAMN! And FYI- while biker gangs might like lots of sex, and they might pass women around, its just as likely some of them are married or have a woman who they are in a relationship with. Particularly if you make it point to talk about how they aren't like other gangs. They don't run drugs, they don't run guns and they don't have prostitutes.
This not something anyone should waste their time on. EVER.
1. WHO THE FUCK IS THE INTENDED AUDIENCE??? I mean, really, is this written for a secular audience or a religious one? I ask because I've read end of times religious fiction; I've read secular apocalyptic novels and this doesn't work either way . Secular audiences don't want to read PAGES of Revelations. Religious audiences don't want to read about the Catholic Church deciding its going to start the end times. (The end times isn't dictated by man, and sure as hell isn't a war started by the church, FYI). Neither side is painted in any kind of positive light, 40% of the way through the book and you still have NO ONE to root for.
2. THE WRITING IS TERRIBLE. I've read better written and more appealing menus. I'm not even sure how I got through as much of this as I did because the first several chapters are confusing, pointless and boring. Every time the plot starts to work in any way the author sidetracks into something unnecessary, offensive or confusing. Also, is Thorn not aware that Christians of any variety don't refer to non-believers as INFIDELS? Its distracting. The dream sequences are bad and move the book into some sort of mystical place which frankly makes it even harder to read. The sermons from Revelations are terrible. If I wanted to reread Revelations, I would. And I don't.
3. ALL OF THE CHARACTERS ARE AWFUL. (And they don't make any sense) The priests are full of bloodlust, which frankly is terrible. I know Catholic priests have done some horrible things, but its really too easy to paint them as awful. And of course the bikers don't care about anything other than sex and drugs. Why would they care about what's going on in the world? Just because they live there and people are wiping out them, their livelihood and way of life? They only want to get drunk and pass bitches around. Every single character is one dimensional. No one is complex. No one is interesting.
4. IT IS THE WORST KIND OF SEXUALIZED END OF TIMES. Really, seriously, have you ever known people to bust out into random orgies when they have been rounded up and shot? When they are being preached to about the end times and bible? No? Me FUCKING either. Real people in a situation where everyone has been killed and they are being preached to are not going to bust into oral sex. They are going to fight/argue or they are going to go along to get along. Sex is the last damn thing on your mind. Also, not every tattooed dude is a rapist. I hate that I need to point this out, but DAMN! And FYI- while biker gangs might like lots of sex, and they might pass women around, its just as likely some of them are married or have a woman who they are in a relationship with. Particularly if you make it point to talk about how they aren't like other gangs. They don't run drugs, they don't run guns and they don't have prostitutes.
This not something anyone should waste their time on. EVER.
March 31, 2014
Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of Apocalyptic fiction
Read: First read 9/29 - 30/2012. Edited 10/15 - 16/2012
My Thoughts: Wow, this book is quite a ride, in which a man named John gets caught between fanatical Catholics that have decided to cleanse the world of “Infidels” and a motorcycle gang that calls itself the Keepers of Wormwood, while his wife Jana ends up with another group of survivors, and they both have strange dreams involving Father, the fanatical leader of the Covenant.
Thorn has a real gift for description. Consider this passage: “The cold November sun sent weak rays onto the floor of the old house. The floor beneath snickered, trying hard to hold back snaps of bawdy laughter. The temperature dropped with ease.”There are some spelling mix-ups, such as “thirty odd six” for “thirty-aught six”, but overall the pace is too fast to really stop and notice these sorts of things. (Please note: Most of those spelling errors were fixed after I re-edited the book in October, 2012. I read and reviewed the book in September, 2012)
It’s a terrific coincidence that I originally posted this review on International Blasphemy Day at the end of September, since in many ways this story deals with faith, redemption, fanaticism, belief, being an outsider vs. conforming to the conqueror (We welcome our new insect overlords), and the End of Days. Strong themes, and overall, strongly presented. The only real problem I had with the story was how characters were introduced – they would just appear, with their name, and that was the introduction. It made it a little hard to feel comfortable with them: “Hey, who's this Alex dude?” But they were eventually described, and the reader just had to keep up.
I think folks who enjoy apocalyptic fiction will like this story. It’s intense, it’s not pretty, and it was a good story. Definitely check it out.
Disclosure: I picked up a copy of this book when I found it free on Amazon; I am under no particular obligation to anyone, but am happy to provide an honest review. Later the author asked me to help him by providing a polishing edit, which I began on 10/15/12.
Synopsis: John awakes from a Halloween party with a hangover and a dead cell phone, on the first day of the End of Days. He's desperate, on the run, and fighting for his life.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of Apocalyptic fiction
Read: First read 9/29 - 30/2012. Edited 10/15 - 16/2012
My Thoughts: Wow, this book is quite a ride, in which a man named John gets caught between fanatical Catholics that have decided to cleanse the world of “Infidels” and a motorcycle gang that calls itself the Keepers of Wormwood, while his wife Jana ends up with another group of survivors, and they both have strange dreams involving Father, the fanatical leader of the Covenant.
Thorn has a real gift for description. Consider this passage: “The cold November sun sent weak rays onto the floor of the old house. The floor beneath snickered, trying hard to hold back snaps of bawdy laughter. The temperature dropped with ease.”
It’s a terrific coincidence that I originally posted this review on International Blasphemy Day at the end of September, since in many ways this story deals with faith, redemption, fanaticism, belief, being an outsider vs. conforming to the conqueror (We welcome our new insect overlords), and the End of Days. Strong themes, and overall, strongly presented. The only real problem I had with the story was how characters were introduced – they would just appear, with their name, and that was the introduction. It made it a little hard to feel comfortable with them: “Hey, who's this Alex dude?” But they were eventually described, and the reader just had to keep up.
I think folks who enjoy apocalyptic fiction will like this story. It’s intense, it’s not pretty, and it was a good story. Definitely check it out.
Disclosure: I picked up a copy of this book when I found it free on Amazon; I am under no particular obligation to anyone, but am happy to provide an honest review. Later the author asked me to help him by providing a polishing edit, which I began on 10/15/12.
Synopsis: John awakes from a Halloween party with a hangover and a dead cell phone, on the first day of the End of Days. He's desperate, on the run, and fighting for his life.
May 15, 2013
THE SEVENTH SEAL is a good example of the overuse of adjectives, adverbs and descriptive writing.
The use of descriptive writing sets the mood, but when it is used excessively in every sentence, it stilts the plot and makes scenes unclear. In one scene the author writes "...John's vision came into focus. The black cape of a vampire fanned out across the floor with a pool of dark liquid shimmering under his chest." Where did a vampire come from? John knew there was a Halloween party (however the reader does not know), why not just say it? It made me stop and look back to see what I had missed. We find out later these are costumes.
The paragraph continues with "The hardy flies that survived the bitter day buzzed above the corpse." Seriously? John discovers a dead body and this went through his mind?
And it continues "The Bee Lady slumped..." The Bee Lady? Who is that? Where did she come from? Is she a vampire too? "Mascara ran down her face and smudges of black lipstick caressed her chin." A supoosedly dead body (we are to assume from the dead vampire that she is dead) has lipstick that is caressing her? "Three ragged holes desecrated her chest." Okay, now I guess she's supposed to be dead. Desecratedly dead.
John walks into a bedroom. Mind you he has been unconcious in the basement for three days. He get upstairs, steps over some dead partygoers and raids the refrigerator and eats a ham. Then cooks some beans and eats those. Meanwhile "The stove rattled and popped, following the lead of the house in attempting to expel the intruder." The House was expelling him? He's an intruder now? I thought he was part of the party from three days ago.
So John eats and NOW he searches the house (I guess he was afraid of being expelled).
..."The faces of others sunk in sickening pools of life's essence." Did you mean they were facedown in blood?
"Black holes crawled down from the ceiling to the wall and escaped by shattering the two windows overlooking South Belvoir Road." What? What?
"John recognized the growl of an internal combustion chamber."
John is running from some Army guys, a "blinding beam of light cut through the sheer curtains..." John dives for the floor. In the next paragraph he climbs into a bed and goes to sleep. Okay, maybe he does. He doesn't seem too concerned over a houseful of dead friends. Maybe he can sleep with dudes just outside the window.
I think that is enough to show how slow the plot runs and how indifferent the first character we meet seems to act. The book reads like someone wrote it then went back and added everything they could think of to try and impress the reader with the author's literary knowledge and skill. Unfortunately, J. Thorn fails in the worst way and makes the same mistakes one would expect from a high school student. Thorn makes the plot plodding, confusing, and boring.
I love a descriptive novel. However, the use of description must be judicious and in the proper place. There is nothing wrong with setting a scene, but then stop it! Move the story along and put away the thesaurus!
I recommend this book only as an example of how not to write.
The use of descriptive writing sets the mood, but when it is used excessively in every sentence, it stilts the plot and makes scenes unclear. In one scene the author writes "...John's vision came into focus. The black cape of a vampire fanned out across the floor with a pool of dark liquid shimmering under his chest." Where did a vampire come from? John knew there was a Halloween party (however the reader does not know), why not just say it? It made me stop and look back to see what I had missed. We find out later these are costumes.
The paragraph continues with "The hardy flies that survived the bitter day buzzed above the corpse." Seriously? John discovers a dead body and this went through his mind?
And it continues "The Bee Lady slumped..." The Bee Lady? Who is that? Where did she come from? Is she a vampire too? "Mascara ran down her face and smudges of black lipstick caressed her chin." A supoosedly dead body (we are to assume from the dead vampire that she is dead) has lipstick that is caressing her? "Three ragged holes desecrated her chest." Okay, now I guess she's supposed to be dead. Desecratedly dead.
John walks into a bedroom. Mind you he has been unconcious in the basement for three days. He get upstairs, steps over some dead partygoers and raids the refrigerator and eats a ham. Then cooks some beans and eats those. Meanwhile "The stove rattled and popped, following the lead of the house in attempting to expel the intruder." The House was expelling him? He's an intruder now? I thought he was part of the party from three days ago.
So John eats and NOW he searches the house (I guess he was afraid of being expelled).
..."The faces of others sunk in sickening pools of life's essence." Did you mean they were facedown in blood?
"Black holes crawled down from the ceiling to the wall and escaped by shattering the two windows overlooking South Belvoir Road." What? What?
"John recognized the growl of an internal combustion chamber."
John is running from some Army guys, a "blinding beam of light cut through the sheer curtains..." John dives for the floor. In the next paragraph he climbs into a bed and goes to sleep. Okay, maybe he does. He doesn't seem too concerned over a houseful of dead friends. Maybe he can sleep with dudes just outside the window.
I think that is enough to show how slow the plot runs and how indifferent the first character we meet seems to act. The book reads like someone wrote it then went back and added everything they could think of to try and impress the reader with the author's literary knowledge and skill. Unfortunately, J. Thorn fails in the worst way and makes the same mistakes one would expect from a high school student. Thorn makes the plot plodding, confusing, and boring.
I love a descriptive novel. However, the use of description must be judicious and in the proper place. There is nothing wrong with setting a scene, but then stop it! Move the story along and put away the thesaurus!
I recommend this book only as an example of how not to write.
March 28, 2012
I've only made it about 23% way through the book and I'm sure I am done with it.
One thing is the plot so far has so many holes in it. (Spolier Alert!). How does a group of Catholic Priest that want to take over america and kill everyone that's not a fully active Catholic go unnoticed within the church? How does it have some much power with the U.S. military? Are there so many Catholics in the military that are so far out of their minds that they decide going door to door killing people sounds like a good plan?
The writings less than O.K. and it's like the book relies on "because that's what happened " Logic to set up the story. The main character join doesn't seem like a real person and seems to react more than think, and also he seems to be someone's best friend with only spending literal minutes with them. Maybe it would try to explain so of what I've wrote, but I don't think would ever logically explain why the military was so quickly turned into SS stormtroopers by the Catholic Church's Nazis.
One thing is the plot so far has so many holes in it. (Spolier Alert!). How does a group of Catholic Priest that want to take over america and kill everyone that's not a fully active Catholic go unnoticed within the church? How does it have some much power with the U.S. military? Are there so many Catholics in the military that are so far out of their minds that they decide going door to door killing people sounds like a good plan?
The writings less than O.K. and it's like the book relies on "because that's what happened " Logic to set up the story. The main character join doesn't seem like a real person and seems to react more than think, and also he seems to be someone's best friend with only spending literal minutes with them. Maybe it would try to explain so of what I've wrote, but I don't think would ever logically explain why the military was so quickly turned into SS stormtroopers by the Catholic Church's Nazis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2014
All I can say is that I got 14% through the book and can't remember the characters and have no idea what is going and figured there are more interesting things to do....like watching paint dry.
April 2, 2012
I gave it two stars only because I managed to finish it.
If you get this book and keep reading it to find out why the holy rollers are after Our Hero, don't bother -- never gets explained.
Aside from errors an editor with even a hint of ability would notice (such as using "course" when the author meant "coarse"), the story is choppy, hard to follow. It's a shame, because it's an interesting and topical premise (given who is running in the primaries.) I even like that it was set in Cleveland.
The theology is bizarre. Enough plot holes to drive a tank through. When did Jana meet Brother Cyrus? Who the hell IS Brother Cyrus? And bizarre dreams and hallucinations don't make this story paranormal -- not one hint of the paranormal in it.
Beware: there is NO ENDING. You'll read and read and read hoping for at least a hint of why they decided John was a prophet, but noooo, god forbid the plot makes any sense. You never figure out how people such as Sully even knew what was going on given that all communications were cut off. You never find out what happened to key characters, like Alex.
This is a book the author should pay YOU to read. Don't waste any money on it.
If you get this book and keep reading it to find out why the holy rollers are after Our Hero, don't bother -- never gets explained.
Aside from errors an editor with even a hint of ability would notice (such as using "course" when the author meant "coarse"), the story is choppy, hard to follow. It's a shame, because it's an interesting and topical premise (given who is running in the primaries.) I even like that it was set in Cleveland.
The theology is bizarre. Enough plot holes to drive a tank through. When did Jana meet Brother Cyrus? Who the hell IS Brother Cyrus? And bizarre dreams and hallucinations don't make this story paranormal -- not one hint of the paranormal in it.
Beware: there is NO ENDING. You'll read and read and read hoping for at least a hint of why they decided John was a prophet, but noooo, god forbid the plot makes any sense. You never figure out how people such as Sully even knew what was going on given that all communications were cut off. You never find out what happened to key characters, like Alex.
This is a book the author should pay YOU to read. Don't waste any money on it.
April 28, 2012
If you're not uptight about your faith and don't mind sex, violence, and dirty language, this urban fantasy is for you. Thorn's post-apoc story takes you through the wreckage of Cleveland after an overthrow by radical Christian terrorists. Yes, Christians can commit acts of terrorism too. Crusades? Inquisition?
But do yourself a favor and read the warning on the product page. If you don't, you look like an idiot when you say its religiously offensive and 1-star it. D'uh.
But do yourself a favor and read the warning on the product page. If you don't, you look like an idiot when you say its religiously offensive and 1-star it. D'uh.
January 25, 2013
I tried. I honestly tried to read this book and I couldn't get past a few pages in Chapter 10. It went from weird to weirder quickly. I went to Catholic School and I can't recall that much 'preachiness'. As soon as I starting reading the Apostle's Creed, the book took a bizarre turn. I wasn't even sure about how I felt towards the characters I was reading about, there was no connection I felt towards them........at all.
April 26, 2012
First off, i grew up in Cleveland recognized many of the places in this book. i love The Walking Dead and books about the apocalypse and this was awesome. The bad guys are not who you think and Thorn has a nice mix of biker culture and Mad Max. i could feel the action oozing off the page and had a hard time putting it down.
April 30, 2012
The Seventh Seal delivers a fun ride through the end of the world if a group you least expected was the bad guys. You have to accept certain things the same way you have to accept zombies exist in that genre, but if you do, this is good fun. The dialog was amusing and Sully was definitely my fav characer.
Read
August 14, 2012Soldiered on till I got to about 14% completed and decided there were better books to read.... Containing sentences like "The floorboards snickered, trying hard to hold back snaps of bawdy laughter." and "Bare feet kept him fastened to the living room floor."
Some will love it, but I hated it.
Some will love it, but I hated it.
August 11, 2015
Good book
This was a good book and I probably would have rated it higher but I think the ending needed a little more, maybe just a page or two. I don't want to give anything away so that's all I'll say. The story was interesting and kept me guessing where it was going. I'm still wondering about some things but I expect the sequel to cover that..
This was a good book and I probably would have rated it higher but I think the ending needed a little more, maybe just a page or two. I don't want to give anything away so that's all I'll say. The story was interesting and kept me guessing where it was going. I'm still wondering about some things but I expect the sequel to cover that..
April 28, 2012
Like another reviewer said, I also think the 1-star haters are super religion people freaking out. This is a really good read, fun. Its prolly more for men cause it got bikers and guns and stuff. I loved it.
February 2, 2013
I can't believe I'm giving this 4 stars but up until near the end it was a solid 3!! The twist at the end was so unexpected but truly how reactions would be that I was blown out of the water. Well played J. Thorn.
April 15, 2013
Interesting concept. Well written, but I didn't like that it was a series book. Some books are good on their own - and they give you the answers and conclusions, but this is a definite series book - trying to get you to buy the next one. There was a bit of closure - enough, but not enough.
November 27, 2015
This was the WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ. The premise of having Christian terrorists was unique, but it's execution was an abject failure. the plot is full of holes. the characters were simple and static, and poorly written. I barely managed to force myself to finish this book.
Want to read
March 14, 2012Kindle free download 3/14/12
March 17, 2012
If this book has a follow up its great and I can't wait for book two. If it does not good concept but not a complete story.
March 28, 2012
I'll let the one-star rating speak for itself.
May 1, 2012
the 7 seal brought the good stuff. i loved the fast-action and the biker gang was really cool. lots of fun to read.
May 18, 2012
I enjoyed this apocalyptic tale immensely. A unique take on one possible future. Don't miss a great read by a talented new author.
April 16, 2013
I barely finished this... it was really dumb. I didn't find myself enjoying the characters, falling into the world, or anything. Yep, don't waste your time.
December 23, 2024
The Seventh Seal (1957), directed by Ingmar Bergman, is a quintessential cinematic meditation on existential despair, mortality, and the human search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. Bergman’s magnum opus is rife with dense metaphysical inquiries, amplified through its bleak, allegorical narrative, which employs stark visual imagery, oppressive silence, and unrelenting philosophical discourse to interrogate the individual’s struggle against the ceaseless ticking of time and the omnipresent shadow of death.
At the heart of the film lies the protagonist, Antonius Block, a medieval knight returning to a plague-ravaged Sweden. Block's character is imbued with an acute sense of ontological dislocation, embodying the archetype of a man wrestling with the absurdity of existence. Upon encountering Death, personified by a skeletal figure in the iconic scene of the chess game, the knight enters into a grim game of intellectual cat-and-mouse. This game, with its slow-burning existential stakes, becomes an emblematic motif of the human condition: the perennial desire to delay, if not avoid, the inevitable confrontation with mortality.
Bergman’s cinematic craftsmanship is drenched in nihilistic overtones, exploring the tension between the ephemeral nature of existence and the eternal unknown. The black-and-white cinematography, with its stark chiaroscuro, serves not merely as a formal choice but as an extension of the film’s thematic pursuit, encapsulating the abyssal interplay between light and dark, life and death, certainty and doubt. The pallid Swedish landscape is suffused with a sense of cold desolation, mirroring the internal barrenness of its characters, as they navigate the terrain of a world bereft of divine solace.
The film's dialogue is a veritable playground of erudition, as its characters, ranging from the deeply disillusioned knight to the stoic yet profoundly human Jöns, engage in dialogues laden with theological and existential quagmires. The tension between faith and doubt is palpable, not merely as a thematic undercurrent but as an existential battleground where abstract metaphysical questions of divine justice, theodicy, and human agency are relentlessly interrogated.
Despite its overtly cerebral nature, The Seventh Seal is not an exercise in intellectual abstraction alone. Bergman deftly contrasts the intellectual ennui of Block with the simplicity and purity of the traveling actors, who embody a contrasting vitality. Their belief in the fleeting joys of existence—represented through their love, laughter, and performance—serves as a poignant counterpoint to the nihilistic ethos that pervades the knight’s journey.
Ultimately, The Seventh Seal stands as a cinematic epitaph for the modernist preoccupation with meaninglessness, a relentless confrontation with the "void" of existence. Its narrative oscillates between humanistic despair and flickers of redemptive transcendence, a dialectical tension that remains unresolved, echoing the film’s central existential paradox: the search for meaning in a world that offers none.
At the heart of the film lies the protagonist, Antonius Block, a medieval knight returning to a plague-ravaged Sweden. Block's character is imbued with an acute sense of ontological dislocation, embodying the archetype of a man wrestling with the absurdity of existence. Upon encountering Death, personified by a skeletal figure in the iconic scene of the chess game, the knight enters into a grim game of intellectual cat-and-mouse. This game, with its slow-burning existential stakes, becomes an emblematic motif of the human condition: the perennial desire to delay, if not avoid, the inevitable confrontation with mortality.
Bergman’s cinematic craftsmanship is drenched in nihilistic overtones, exploring the tension between the ephemeral nature of existence and the eternal unknown. The black-and-white cinematography, with its stark chiaroscuro, serves not merely as a formal choice but as an extension of the film’s thematic pursuit, encapsulating the abyssal interplay between light and dark, life and death, certainty and doubt. The pallid Swedish landscape is suffused with a sense of cold desolation, mirroring the internal barrenness of its characters, as they navigate the terrain of a world bereft of divine solace.
The film's dialogue is a veritable playground of erudition, as its characters, ranging from the deeply disillusioned knight to the stoic yet profoundly human Jöns, engage in dialogues laden with theological and existential quagmires. The tension between faith and doubt is palpable, not merely as a thematic undercurrent but as an existential battleground where abstract metaphysical questions of divine justice, theodicy, and human agency are relentlessly interrogated.
Despite its overtly cerebral nature, The Seventh Seal is not an exercise in intellectual abstraction alone. Bergman deftly contrasts the intellectual ennui of Block with the simplicity and purity of the traveling actors, who embody a contrasting vitality. Their belief in the fleeting joys of existence—represented through their love, laughter, and performance—serves as a poignant counterpoint to the nihilistic ethos that pervades the knight’s journey.
Ultimately, The Seventh Seal stands as a cinematic epitaph for the modernist preoccupation with meaninglessness, a relentless confrontation with the "void" of existence. Its narrative oscillates between humanistic despair and flickers of redemptive transcendence, a dialectical tension that remains unresolved, echoing the film’s central existential paradox: the search for meaning in a world that offers none.
March 30, 2019
This book upset me because I had such high hopes for it. I enjoyed some of the Portal Arcane series and this book had a very interesting premise, but it went nowhere. There was an author's note in the version I read explaining how the reader had to "suspend disbelief" that the Catholic Church would do such a thing, but that wasn't even my problem. The author is using our world and events happen in the same world we live in right now. Its not just a matter of suspending disbelief. There are too many unanswered questions and events happen with no explanation. The military involvement was just over the top. There was no explanation of how that happened and it is so ridiculous that suspending disbelief is impossible. If Thorn had this set in a fictional universe and made his own rules, someone like that might work. It doesn't work grounded in reality. The supernatural elements like the dreams were random and really irritating because thats the only supernatural aspect of the book and there is no explanation for that either. John doesn't have much of a purpose as the prophet for the crazies. The entire plot went nowhere. Stereotypes abound, and I didn't care the slightest bit for any character.
October 15, 2025
I kinda feel dupped on this. If I'd known the only spooky month element of this book was that it starts on Halloween, I would have waited until November to read it. But now I've finished it and have the sequel to get through today.
The book itself is decent. It's a modern day story of the inquisition. The US government has someone come under the control of a group of zealots that are trying to force the second coming.
This was actually a decent dark fantasy. The characters are believable, the situation hits a bit close to home right now for a lot of us here in the US which adds to the whole ambience of the story.
Would I have normally read this in October? No. But I don't really regret that I did either.
The book itself is decent. It's a modern day story of the inquisition. The US government has someone come under the control of a group of zealots that are trying to force the second coming.
This was actually a decent dark fantasy. The characters are believable, the situation hits a bit close to home right now for a lot of us here in the US which adds to the whole ambience of the story.
Would I have normally read this in October? No. But I don't really regret that I did either.
December 7, 2017
This book is an insult to the intelligence and a total waste of time.
The plot is not only ridiculous, it is a mess.
Perhaps if Thorn had created an alternate universe I could have suspended disbelief a little better.
Then there are the vocabulary choices.
There are many occasions when his word choices leave me struggling to understand his meaning. I think he even invented a few words. He has a dire need for a good editor.
The plot is not only ridiculous, it is a mess.
Perhaps if Thorn had created an alternate universe I could have suspended disbelief a little better.
Then there are the vocabulary choices.
There are many occasions when his word choices leave me struggling to understand his meaning. I think he even invented a few words. He has a dire need for a good editor.
November 4, 2021
As a rule, I do not abandon a book once I start reading it. This book was a challenge to finish. I kept waiting for that moment where I would be hooked and it just didn’t happen for me. It could be that the entire story was set in a post apocalyptic OHIO? I finally resorted to reading through it like a fanfic.My husband hated all of the dialogue I read aloud to him. If you’re looking for strange religious based ravings and even more strange characters, this might be the book for you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2018
I didn't like this book at all. There was no character development or any real story.
September 24, 2017
Very good read.
I found myself completely engrossed in this book to the extent that I spent close to a solid 24 hours reading it. If you want a good read, this could very well be what you are looking for.
I found myself completely engrossed in this book to the extent that I spent close to a solid 24 hours reading it. If you want a good read, this could very well be what you are looking for.
August 12, 2015
The Seventh Seal by J. Thorn is a dark, apocalyptic story full of evil bad guys, outnumbered good guys, and a total destruction of modern society. And it’s dark. Dark. Did I say it was dark? It’s really dark.
While attending a halloween party, this guy John gets drugged and locked in the basement by his vindictive ex-girlfriend. When he wakes up the next day, the electricity is turned off, no radio stations are broadcasting, and everyone is dead except Alex, the guy that releases John from the basement. Makes you wish there were zombies. (There are no zombies.) Alex is able to explain what happened, having witnessed his family being slaughtered in front of him (I said it was dark), but not why it happened. John and Alex start their journey across this apocalyptic landscape to find John’s wife, who may still be alive. They meet a motorcycle gang, other refugees, and finally the perpetrators of this catastrophe, who have a special interest in John.
It’s not much of a spoiler to say that the bad guys in this story are religious fanatics from the Catholic Church. The author has taken a rather unique approach to casting his villains, and boy are they villainous. All I can say about that is I hope that J. Thorn makes enough income from his writing to pay for all the years of deep psychological counseling and therapy that he so obviously needs.
But the author’s demons feed the fans of dystopian landscapes. We’ve come for the gore, despair, and casual violence that that turn our cultural suburban wasteland into a wasteland of another kind.
This is urban fantasy that paints a coherent picture of the world the author has constructed. The story hangs together, and events unfold in a plausible way in this new society. The story is fast-paced, and holds the reader's interest throughout. I wanted to keep reading it, I did not want to put it down, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Man’s Ruin.
While attending a halloween party, this guy John gets drugged and locked in the basement by his vindictive ex-girlfriend. When he wakes up the next day, the electricity is turned off, no radio stations are broadcasting, and everyone is dead except Alex, the guy that releases John from the basement. Makes you wish there were zombies. (There are no zombies.) Alex is able to explain what happened, having witnessed his family being slaughtered in front of him (I said it was dark), but not why it happened. John and Alex start their journey across this apocalyptic landscape to find John’s wife, who may still be alive. They meet a motorcycle gang, other refugees, and finally the perpetrators of this catastrophe, who have a special interest in John.
It’s not much of a spoiler to say that the bad guys in this story are religious fanatics from the Catholic Church. The author has taken a rather unique approach to casting his villains, and boy are they villainous. All I can say about that is I hope that J. Thorn makes enough income from his writing to pay for all the years of deep psychological counseling and therapy that he so obviously needs.
But the author’s demons feed the fans of dystopian landscapes. We’ve come for the gore, despair, and casual violence that that turn our cultural suburban wasteland into a wasteland of another kind.
This is urban fantasy that paints a coherent picture of the world the author has constructed. The story hangs together, and events unfold in a plausible way in this new society. The story is fast-paced, and holds the reader's interest throughout. I wanted to keep reading it, I did not want to put it down, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Man’s Ruin.
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