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Jago
Paul, a young academic composing a thesis about the end of the world, and his girlfriend Hazel, a potter, have come to the tiny English village of Alder for the summer. Their idea of a rural retreat gradually sours as the laws of nature begin to break down around them. The village, swollen by an annual rock festival of cataclysmic proportions, prepares to reap a harvest of horror.
A brand-new edition of the critically acclaimed novel.
A brand-new edition of the critically acclaimed novel.
734 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
43 people are currently reading
616 people want to read
About the author
Kim Newman
288 books949 followersNote: This author also writes under the pseudonym of Jack Yeovil.
An expert on horror and sci-fi cinema (his books of film criticism include Nightmare Movies and Millennium Movies), Kim Newman's novels draw promiscuously on the tropes of horror, sci-fi and fantasy. He is complexly and irreverently referential; the Dracula sequence--Anno Dracula, The Bloody Red Baron and Dracula,Cha Cha Cha--not only portrays an alternate world in which the Count conquers Victorian Britain for a while, is the mastermind behind Germany's air aces in World War One and survives into a jetset 1950s of paparazzi and La Dolce Vita, but does so with endless throwaway references that range from Kipling to James Bond, from Edgar Allen Poe to Patricia Highsmith.
In horror novels such as Bad Dreams and Jago, reality turns out to be endlessly subverted by the powerfully malign. His pseudonymous novels, as Jack Yeovil, play elegant games with genre cliche--perhaps the best of these is the sword-and-sorcery novel Drachenfels which takes the prescribed formulae of the games company to whose bible it was written and make them over entirely into a Kim Newman novel.
Life's Lottery, his most mainstream novel, consists of multiple choice fragments which enable readers to choose the hero's fate and take him into horror, crime and sf storylines or into mundane reality.
An expert on horror and sci-fi cinema (his books of film criticism include Nightmare Movies and Millennium Movies), Kim Newman's novels draw promiscuously on the tropes of horror, sci-fi and fantasy. He is complexly and irreverently referential; the Dracula sequence--Anno Dracula, The Bloody Red Baron and Dracula,Cha Cha Cha--not only portrays an alternate world in which the Count conquers Victorian Britain for a while, is the mastermind behind Germany's air aces in World War One and survives into a jetset 1950s of paparazzi and La Dolce Vita, but does so with endless throwaway references that range from Kipling to James Bond, from Edgar Allen Poe to Patricia Highsmith.
In horror novels such as Bad Dreams and Jago, reality turns out to be endlessly subverted by the powerfully malign. His pseudonymous novels, as Jack Yeovil, play elegant games with genre cliche--perhaps the best of these is the sword-and-sorcery novel Drachenfels which takes the prescribed formulae of the games company to whose bible it was written and make them over entirely into a Kim Newman novel.
Life's Lottery, his most mainstream novel, consists of multiple choice fragments which enable readers to choose the hero's fate and take him into horror, crime and sf storylines or into mundane reality.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
December 9, 2014
Newman's tale of a rural community driven to madness by the presence of a monstrous psychic cult-leader is probably the closest a British author has come to matching the scale and ambition of Stephen King's more meaty tomes. Newman's dual trademarks of dark wit and love of referencing pop-culture are given much more room to shine than in his short stories, making this a must-read for fans and neophytes alike. Horror with a hefty dose of humour to sweeten the splatter. Lovely.
March 7, 2013
In the tiny English village of Alder, dreams and nightmares are beginning to come true. Creatures from local legend, science fiction and the dark side of the human mind prowl the town.
Paul, a young academic composing a thesis about the end of the world, and his girlfriend Hazel, a potter, have come to stay in Alder for the summer. Their idea of a rural retreat gradually sours as the laws of nature begin to breakdown around them. Paul and Hazel are drawn into a vortex of fear as violent chaos engulfs the community and the village prepares to reap a harvest of horror.
Alder is just like any other village, everyone knows everyone else’s business and some of the families have lived there for countless generations. To an outsider, life would appear wonderful in this rural idyll, but bubbling just beneath the surface lies a whole host of repressed emotions, violent tendencies and age-old lusts.
Right at the centre of all this pent up frustration and angst is the local manor house, Agapemone, home to Anthony William Jago and his followers. Jago is, as you might expect from the leader of a religious cult, suitably enigmatic. His presence is felt strongly throughout the entire novel, but he doesn’t actually utter a single word until around two hundred pages in. Newman really plays up the character’s spiritual otherworldliness. He exhibits an eerie stillness, always watching, taking everything in. When he does speak his pronouncements have a hypnotic quality, his loyal flock can’t fail to be drawn in by their ‘Beloved’ leader. There’s a nicely creepy vibe that permeates his entire being. You can’t hope for much better than that when it comes to a villain in a horror novel.
There are a host of other fantastic characters but two really stood out for me.
Jeremy is a young boy whose family suffer thanks to Jago’s evil influence. They begin to metamorphose into the stuff of childhood nightmares. I liked the way that the author uses Jeremy’s narrative as an opportunity to include subtle references from classic legends and children’s fairy tales. Taking the stories of childhood and subverting them into something much darker.
As an aside, it’s noticeable that Newman really does love littering his text with as many pop culture references as he can. If you’re half as geeky as I am, you’ll love it.
The other great character is Badmouth Ben. He is the living embodiment of controlled calculated rage. Ben stomps through the novel dishing out his own unique blend of chaotic vengeance on anyone who gets in his way. Without giving anything away, I think it’s fair to say that Ben leaves his mark on everyone that crosses his path. There aren’t any hidden depths to Ben he’s just out and out nasty.
As the plot progresses things go from bad to far, far worse. Jago and Agapemeone become a divining rod for all the bile, hatred and ill feeling that has built up in the area over many years. Things build to an epic climax as Jago’s powers reach their apex when crowds descend on the village for the local music festival.
In many ways, Jago is far more than just a man, he’s a metaphor for everything that is wrong with organized religion. Newman’s novel explores the nature of belief and how it can control and potentially corrupt.
The horror that takes place in Jago covers the gamut from the psychological, to the physical right on through to the mind-bendingly surreal. Kim Newman certainly doesn’t pull any punches with his descriptive imagery. There are a plethora of nasty moments that certainly keeps a reader on their toes. Put it this way, if body horror isn’t your thing, there are a couple of chapters that you really will not enjoy. I can’t stress strongly enough those lacking a strong constitution need not apply. Be warned there are a handful of moments that some may find unpleasant or even unpalatable. Personally though, I like a little bit of grossness in my horror. There is no denying that Newman takes things right up to the wire on multiple occasions (cannibal sacrifice anyone?), but he still manages to stay just the right side of vomit-inducing ickyness.
How best to summarise Jago then? Well, Newman is pretty sneaky. This is actually a thoughtful exploration of organized religion masquerading as a terribly British apocalypse. The novel was originally published back in the early nineties, I read it back then and I think its aged remarkably well. Though it is very much of its time, the themes that this horror explores are just as relevant today as they were twenty plus years ago. As an added bonus, this new edition also includes some short stories featuring variations of the characters found in the main text. These additional extras are bound to be of interest to any Kim Newman fan.
Jago is published on 8th March by Titan Books. If you enjoy bold, bloody and undeniably adult horror then I suggest you look no further than here.
Paul, a young academic composing a thesis about the end of the world, and his girlfriend Hazel, a potter, have come to stay in Alder for the summer. Their idea of a rural retreat gradually sours as the laws of nature begin to breakdown around them. Paul and Hazel are drawn into a vortex of fear as violent chaos engulfs the community and the village prepares to reap a harvest of horror.
Alder is just like any other village, everyone knows everyone else’s business and some of the families have lived there for countless generations. To an outsider, life would appear wonderful in this rural idyll, but bubbling just beneath the surface lies a whole host of repressed emotions, violent tendencies and age-old lusts.
Right at the centre of all this pent up frustration and angst is the local manor house, Agapemone, home to Anthony William Jago and his followers. Jago is, as you might expect from the leader of a religious cult, suitably enigmatic. His presence is felt strongly throughout the entire novel, but he doesn’t actually utter a single word until around two hundred pages in. Newman really plays up the character’s spiritual otherworldliness. He exhibits an eerie stillness, always watching, taking everything in. When he does speak his pronouncements have a hypnotic quality, his loyal flock can’t fail to be drawn in by their ‘Beloved’ leader. There’s a nicely creepy vibe that permeates his entire being. You can’t hope for much better than that when it comes to a villain in a horror novel.
There are a host of other fantastic characters but two really stood out for me.
Jeremy is a young boy whose family suffer thanks to Jago’s evil influence. They begin to metamorphose into the stuff of childhood nightmares. I liked the way that the author uses Jeremy’s narrative as an opportunity to include subtle references from classic legends and children’s fairy tales. Taking the stories of childhood and subverting them into something much darker.
As an aside, it’s noticeable that Newman really does love littering his text with as many pop culture references as he can. If you’re half as geeky as I am, you’ll love it.
The other great character is Badmouth Ben. He is the living embodiment of controlled calculated rage. Ben stomps through the novel dishing out his own unique blend of chaotic vengeance on anyone who gets in his way. Without giving anything away, I think it’s fair to say that Ben leaves his mark on everyone that crosses his path. There aren’t any hidden depths to Ben he’s just out and out nasty.
As the plot progresses things go from bad to far, far worse. Jago and Agapemeone become a divining rod for all the bile, hatred and ill feeling that has built up in the area over many years. Things build to an epic climax as Jago’s powers reach their apex when crowds descend on the village for the local music festival.
In many ways, Jago is far more than just a man, he’s a metaphor for everything that is wrong with organized religion. Newman’s novel explores the nature of belief and how it can control and potentially corrupt.
The horror that takes place in Jago covers the gamut from the psychological, to the physical right on through to the mind-bendingly surreal. Kim Newman certainly doesn’t pull any punches with his descriptive imagery. There are a plethora of nasty moments that certainly keeps a reader on their toes. Put it this way, if body horror isn’t your thing, there are a couple of chapters that you really will not enjoy. I can’t stress strongly enough those lacking a strong constitution need not apply. Be warned there are a handful of moments that some may find unpleasant or even unpalatable. Personally though, I like a little bit of grossness in my horror. There is no denying that Newman takes things right up to the wire on multiple occasions (cannibal sacrifice anyone?), but he still manages to stay just the right side of vomit-inducing ickyness.
How best to summarise Jago then? Well, Newman is pretty sneaky. This is actually a thoughtful exploration of organized religion masquerading as a terribly British apocalypse. The novel was originally published back in the early nineties, I read it back then and I think its aged remarkably well. Though it is very much of its time, the themes that this horror explores are just as relevant today as they were twenty plus years ago. As an added bonus, this new edition also includes some short stories featuring variations of the characters found in the main text. These additional extras are bound to be of interest to any Kim Newman fan.
Jago is published on 8th March by Titan Books. If you enjoy bold, bloody and undeniably adult horror then I suggest you look no further than here.
July 19, 2010
Yeah! This book ruled. A lot more enjoyable than I thought i would have been. While it does indulge in that bone-headed device of changing the tone of a third person narrative depending on the character a particular passage is focused on, overall it was a totally unpretentious, gory, creative (at times psychedlic, sometimes so much so that I didn't really get what was going on), fun book. This was the first book I've read by Kim Newman, a dude I never gave a chance to before because a) he has a girl's name, and b) He wrote a book with a title like Dracula Cha Cha Cha or something like that, something that sounded so awful to me at the time that I thought I'd never read one of his books. But I'm relaxing my standards in my old age I guess, and kind of lok forward to read more books by him. He's kind of like Clive Brker in his outlandish imagination, but less pretentious (and less skilled as a wordsmith, it must also be said). There need to be more books like this and less like Huraki Mrakami's books.
December 16, 2015
I commend Titan Books for this edition of Jago. I did not read the novel when first published and had not been aware of the short stories included at the end.
Those inclusion have really set the work on a high for me. The alternate history approached in the two tstories was entertaining for me, especially as, unlike most Alternate History that I have read (eg The Man in the High Castle), these slant a time period I was alive and aware of events and personalities throughout it.
Those inclusion have really set the work on a high for me. The alternate history approached in the two tstories was entertaining for me, especially as, unlike most Alternate History that I have read (eg The Man in the High Castle), these slant a time period I was alive and aware of events and personalities throughout it.
April 26, 2013
Alder, Somerset, a small town in Britain has always had weird things happening. From sights of the archangel Gabriel on the hill, to stray bombs falling on that same spot. There are supposedly leylines – supernatural veins in the earth – crossing the town, so that could very well explain the supernatural phenomena, but nobody expected Hell on Earth when the annual music festival came around again. Anthony William Jago is known to his followers as ‘Beloved’ and they all live in the Agapemone in Alder, Somerset. Not many people had beef with the seemingly harmless cult, but of course people from the government infiltrated their ranks in order to make sure it doesn’t turn out to be another Jonestown episode. However, as time passes and the truth reveals itself, things quickly turn out to be far worse than anything they ever expected from Jago and it’s up to a small group of people who are immune to his influence to save Alder, the town and the thousands of people who had come to see the music festival.
Jago by Kim Newman (Anno Dracula) is a book that brings together so many elements that it’s sometimes hard to keep up, but it’s immediately apparent that the main elements have religious annotations filled with horror and monsters, which always makes for intriguing tales. That being said, it would be much better if you realise that fiction is fiction and doesn’t mean anything other than that, because believe me when I say that Jago has a mind of its own and it doesn’t apologise for being crude. In other words, this is my type of book. With characters that are easily distinguishable from one another and an antagonist that puts normal cult leaders to shame, Jago has its charms.
Let’s be honest, from time to time the language use in Jago can be somewhat nasty, with filthy jokes and some odd characters who needs to get their mouths washed out with soap, but as with the good vs. evil theme, we also have our prim and proper characters, giving the book balance. With modern vs. non-modern and young vs. old, Jago touches many subjects whilst keeping its eye on the prize, which turns out to be none other than the bringing the Book of Revelations to life… literally.
Newman is a seasoned author wit quite a few titles under his belt, and yes I have reviewed Anno Dracula and Dracula Cha Cha Cha in the past on the site, which were both excellent books, but this baby… boy oh boy did I enjoy it. When I picked Jago up, I couldn’t put it down and for two days I was reading every waking minute to get to the end. The climax was awesome and as far as horror goes, it’s got just the right amount of suspense and blood to keep a girl happy. Frankly, I find it to be one of Newman’s best works and a must-read to anyone who enjoys a bit of Bible horror. Also, seeing as The Following, starring Kevin Bacon has made cults a little cooler again, and seeing as some may not be getting enough of it, you might like to fill the void with Jago.
(Review originally posted on www.killeraphrodite.com )
Jago by Kim Newman (Anno Dracula) is a book that brings together so many elements that it’s sometimes hard to keep up, but it’s immediately apparent that the main elements have religious annotations filled with horror and monsters, which always makes for intriguing tales. That being said, it would be much better if you realise that fiction is fiction and doesn’t mean anything other than that, because believe me when I say that Jago has a mind of its own and it doesn’t apologise for being crude. In other words, this is my type of book. With characters that are easily distinguishable from one another and an antagonist that puts normal cult leaders to shame, Jago has its charms.
Let’s be honest, from time to time the language use in Jago can be somewhat nasty, with filthy jokes and some odd characters who needs to get their mouths washed out with soap, but as with the good vs. evil theme, we also have our prim and proper characters, giving the book balance. With modern vs. non-modern and young vs. old, Jago touches many subjects whilst keeping its eye on the prize, which turns out to be none other than the bringing the Book of Revelations to life… literally.
Newman is a seasoned author wit quite a few titles under his belt, and yes I have reviewed Anno Dracula and Dracula Cha Cha Cha in the past on the site, which were both excellent books, but this baby… boy oh boy did I enjoy it. When I picked Jago up, I couldn’t put it down and for two days I was reading every waking minute to get to the end. The climax was awesome and as far as horror goes, it’s got just the right amount of suspense and blood to keep a girl happy. Frankly, I find it to be one of Newman’s best works and a must-read to anyone who enjoys a bit of Bible horror. Also, seeing as The Following, starring Kevin Bacon has made cults a little cooler again, and seeing as some may not be getting enough of it, you might like to fill the void with Jago.
(Review originally posted on www.killeraphrodite.com )
September 6, 2015
If the truth is to be known, I’m not one hundred percent sure where I stand with this book. At times I felt as though it was a bit of a battle to continue through and yet at other times I was really eager to find out exactly where things were heading.
Focusing upon the cult-like gathering that exists in the village, we’re soon thrown into supernatural happenings as we follow a number of characters in their time in the town. With many different things going on at once there are a few moments of confusion, yet overall they play well together and enlighten the reader as to what is going on. The reason for the supernatural events was not at all what I was expecting, which was a nice twist, but at the same time I felt as though there could have been a bit more supernatural interplay. In my opinion there was too much focus upon specific desires – for a lack of a better way to politely put it – which I think contributed to the moments in which I did not enjoy the book.
However, it was certainly an interesting read and if you’re a fan of Kim Newman I see no reason for you to overlook this book.
Focusing upon the cult-like gathering that exists in the village, we’re soon thrown into supernatural happenings as we follow a number of characters in their time in the town. With many different things going on at once there are a few moments of confusion, yet overall they play well together and enlighten the reader as to what is going on. The reason for the supernatural events was not at all what I was expecting, which was a nice twist, but at the same time I felt as though there could have been a bit more supernatural interplay. In my opinion there was too much focus upon specific desires – for a lack of a better way to politely put it – which I think contributed to the moments in which I did not enjoy the book.
However, it was certainly an interesting read and if you’re a fan of Kim Newman I see no reason for you to overlook this book.
February 25, 2014
I'm a huge fan of Kim Newman's Anno Dracula and Diogenes Club Books, so i was very disappointed with this one. A powerful psychic with delusions of messiahhood runs a cult in a small English village, and when a counterculture music festival comes to town it all goes bad in a way which Stephen King would thoroughly recognise but would not be so unimaginative to put to paper. Too much pointless plot-irrelevant gore/sex/gory sex for the sake of it, too much supposedly cutting observational criticism of post-Thatcher Britain, too few multidimensional characters who acts as more than class stereotypes, and too little focus on the plot. This is a series of rejected scenes dragged up from the cutting room floor of a low-budget horror movie studio, not a novel.(
January 10, 2013
Jago has the knack of turning good people very evil. He will do whatever he can to turn the outside world to his thought process. A very scary view of a charismatic character, evil in the world and those who fight against it.
September 10, 2013
I liked this, it reminds me of James Herbert. If you like the genre you'll love this. I found the characters very engaging and the plotline evolved at a nice pace. Really creepy and a good ending, if a little sad. Recommended!
November 7, 2018
DNF
The beginning was good. I liked the first chapter.
But then nothing happens. And new characters are introduced. EVERY. CHAPTER.
It's impossibly tedious and the plot is literally going nowhere. Had to give up on this one.
It's a nope for me.
The beginning was good. I liked the first chapter.
But then nothing happens. And new characters are introduced. EVERY. CHAPTER.
It's impossibly tedious and the plot is literally going nowhere. Had to give up on this one.
It's a nope for me.
March 29, 2013
Jago is a horror of epic proportions and definitely not one for the faint hearted!
Taken from a historic account of a cult-ish gathering in Britain and given ghoulish stature from the imagination of a dark but brilliant narrator. The modern setting of a small but self appreciative village playing host not only to routine summer visitors but to a music festival is a touch of genius for the plot. As you'd expect, there are some misgivings abut the necessity of the festival for the future of the village and exploring the emotions and reactions to this in the first half of the book gives a rich display of our characters in all their glory.
Interwoven between chapters are glimpses of a back story which gives the reader a further insight, not always clarifying but certainly enlightening.
There were times whilst reading this grandiose, macabre story that I wanted it to come to a conclusion quickly, then there were times when the humor and the beautifully descriptive narrative carried me along on a wave of bile and blood that only a "Barkeresque" horror can do proficiently.
This is the first Kim Newman book I've read but will certainly be adding his name to my top 10 Horror writers and I look forward to starting his Anno Dracula series.
Taken from a historic account of a cult-ish gathering in Britain and given ghoulish stature from the imagination of a dark but brilliant narrator. The modern setting of a small but self appreciative village playing host not only to routine summer visitors but to a music festival is a touch of genius for the plot. As you'd expect, there are some misgivings abut the necessity of the festival for the future of the village and exploring the emotions and reactions to this in the first half of the book gives a rich display of our characters in all their glory.
Interwoven between chapters are glimpses of a back story which gives the reader a further insight, not always clarifying but certainly enlightening.
There were times whilst reading this grandiose, macabre story that I wanted it to come to a conclusion quickly, then there were times when the humor and the beautifully descriptive narrative carried me along on a wave of bile and blood that only a "Barkeresque" horror can do proficiently.
This is the first Kim Newman book I've read but will certainly be adding his name to my top 10 Horror writers and I look forward to starting his Anno Dracula series.
April 11, 2013
If you are looking for a light read, maybe to pass some time at the airport, or on your way to work, look elsewhere. Not just because of the sheer length of the book, (734 pages) but it's one of those books you MUST take your time with. Told from alternating perspectives, it gets a bit hard to follow at times and on occasion, know what to make of it. Let me tell you though, it is absolutely worth it. If you consider yourself a horror buff, this book is an absolute must read. One that you can really sink your teeth into.
I've got to say, this book earned it's place in my top five favorite horror novels. Macabre, grotesque, bizarrely humorous, the imagery in this book is unforgettable.
The copy that I won in a GoodReads Giveaway is a new addition, and additionally contains three short stories. While the short stories contain a few characters from the main story, the stories themselves don't really fit in with the main one. It's more like, here's a little bonus for those who've enjoyed my book. If you were in a bookstore about to buy the book, I'd tell you to go for the new edition.
I've got to say, this book earned it's place in my top five favorite horror novels. Macabre, grotesque, bizarrely humorous, the imagery in this book is unforgettable.
The copy that I won in a GoodReads Giveaway is a new addition, and additionally contains three short stories. While the short stories contain a few characters from the main story, the stories themselves don't really fit in with the main one. It's more like, here's a little bonus for those who've enjoyed my book. If you were in a bookstore about to buy the book, I'd tell you to go for the new edition.
March 4, 2013
I won this book in a First Reads Giveaway.
This book took me a while to finish because it is so long. There were a lot of surprises along the way, it just seem like twist after twist. Also, there are also a lot of weird stuff that happens that I did not expect (let me just say "tree people" and I will leave it at that). The twist that shocked me the most was one of the people Jago gets to join his flock of followers.
There are a lot of characters and sometimes it can be hard to keep them all straight in my mind from the third person narrative constantly switching what character it is focusing on. Like, one chapter may focus on Paul and his girlfriend Hazel then the next will switch to let's say one of Jago's followers.
Anyways, Jago was an interesting, unique read that kept my mind guessing the entire time.
This book took me a while to finish because it is so long. There were a lot of surprises along the way, it just seem like twist after twist. Also, there are also a lot of weird stuff that happens that I did not expect (let me just say "tree people" and I will leave it at that). The twist that shocked me the most was one of the people Jago gets to join his flock of followers.
There are a lot of characters and sometimes it can be hard to keep them all straight in my mind from the third person narrative constantly switching what character it is focusing on. Like, one chapter may focus on Paul and his girlfriend Hazel then the next will switch to let's say one of Jago's followers.
Anyways, Jago was an interesting, unique read that kept my mind guessing the entire time.
September 23, 2013
Wow. Jago was creepy and addicting at the same time. Some of the images I will never be able to un-see...and I wish that I could. But what a storyteller! Kim Newman RULES the English language: his style is jerky when he wants you unbalanced and it seems to disappear when he needs you to experience an event that could not happen but just did. I won't be recommending this to anyone, because few readers would choose this journey. It was wonderful and disturbing at the same time. I always seem to come down on the side of style and concept, though, so I am glad I read it.
January 15, 2016
I don't know if its possible to like a book and not finish it. Anyway, with this one, I did.
I do think this was a little bit too long. The point of view feels very 'Stephen King' in the way it focuses on a number of random people. For this reason, I think the synopsis is rather misleading. Paul is a main character, don't get me wrong but he is definitely not the focal point.
However, some of the popular references in the story line are spectacular and the concept is bold, brash and compelling.
All in all it is a very strange book!
I do think this was a little bit too long. The point of view feels very 'Stephen King' in the way it focuses on a number of random people. For this reason, I think the synopsis is rather misleading. Paul is a main character, don't get me wrong but he is definitely not the focal point.
However, some of the popular references in the story line are spectacular and the concept is bold, brash and compelling.
All in all it is a very strange book!
February 25, 2014
This is an English-country-village-gone-awry novel like no other. Reminded me a lot of the film Wicker Man - everything seems ok for about five minutes and then utter madness ensues. Although its been knocking around for 20 years or so, it still feels contemporary. This isn't for the faint hearted, it is nightmarish in the extreme - expect plenty of super-weird sex, transformations that are off the scale and, well a lot of insanity. Great fun for the horror fan.
December 10, 2018
Having thoroughly enjoyed the Anno Dracula series, I was really disappointed with Jago. The start was engaging, but this book should have ended at its halfway point. After the first three hundred or so pages I grew bored and it was quite a struggle to reach the end. When I finally did, it wasn’t worth the effort. It’s such a shame, because I loved the concept and a few of the characters (hence the two stars). An extremely condensed version could have been fantastic.
March 27, 2013
I kept thinking I knew what kind of a book Jago was, and it kept surprising me. There were quite a few 'WHAT?!' moments, some quite horrific and some just... very strange. And, because it's Kim Newman, a couple of his recurring characters make a minor appearance - the lovely Edwin Winthrop and Catriona Kaye.
Read
May 27, 2024"Jago" by Kim Newman is a novel that delves into the dark and supernatural corners of a seemingly tranquil English village. The story unfolds in Alder, a rural community where the arrival of a new, charismatic leader named David Jago begins to unsettle the locals. Jago, who possesses a mesmerizing charm and an almost supernatural influence, gradually reveals his true intentions, leading to a series of sinister events.
The protagonist, Paul, a documentary filmmaker, arrives in Alder to explore and document the village's unique character. As he immerses himself in the community, he becomes increasingly aware of Jago's impact on the villagers. Jago presents himself as a spiritual guru and a figure of enlightenment, but Paul soon realizes that there is something profoundly disturbing about him.
Jago's influence starts small, with subtle manipulations and the introduction of new, seemingly benign spiritual practices. However, as his control over the villagers deepens, it becomes clear that his intentions are far from pure. The village, once a place of harmony, descends into chaos and fear. Jago's teachings and rituals unleash dark forces that had been lying dormant, turning the community into a battleground of supernatural and psychological terror.
Paul's investigation into Jago's background reveals a complex history of malevolence and manipulation. He uncovers connections between Jago and ancient, dark practices that hint at his true nature as more than just a charismatic leader. The tension escalates as Paul tries to expose Jago's true identity and save the villagers from his malevolent grip.
The novel explores themes of power, control, and the vulnerability of communities to charismatic but dangerous individuals. It also delves into the psychological impacts of cult-like influence and the thin line between enlightenment and madness. Newman skillfully weaves a narrative that combines horror, suspense, and a deep psychological exploration of human nature.
As the story progresses, Paul's quest becomes more perilous. He faces numerous obstacles, both supernatural and human, as he tries to rally the villagers against Jago. The climax of the novel is intense and filled with shocking revelations, leading to a resolution that is both satisfying and thought-provoking.
"Jago" is a compelling read that blends horror with a keen psychological insight into the dynamics of power and manipulation. Kim Newman masterfully creates an atmosphere of dread and suspense, making the novel a gripping and chilling exploration of the dark side of human nature and the supernatural.
The protagonist, Paul, a documentary filmmaker, arrives in Alder to explore and document the village's unique character. As he immerses himself in the community, he becomes increasingly aware of Jago's impact on the villagers. Jago presents himself as a spiritual guru and a figure of enlightenment, but Paul soon realizes that there is something profoundly disturbing about him.
Jago's influence starts small, with subtle manipulations and the introduction of new, seemingly benign spiritual practices. However, as his control over the villagers deepens, it becomes clear that his intentions are far from pure. The village, once a place of harmony, descends into chaos and fear. Jago's teachings and rituals unleash dark forces that had been lying dormant, turning the community into a battleground of supernatural and psychological terror.
Paul's investigation into Jago's background reveals a complex history of malevolence and manipulation. He uncovers connections between Jago and ancient, dark practices that hint at his true nature as more than just a charismatic leader. The tension escalates as Paul tries to expose Jago's true identity and save the villagers from his malevolent grip.
The novel explores themes of power, control, and the vulnerability of communities to charismatic but dangerous individuals. It also delves into the psychological impacts of cult-like influence and the thin line between enlightenment and madness. Newman skillfully weaves a narrative that combines horror, suspense, and a deep psychological exploration of human nature.
As the story progresses, Paul's quest becomes more perilous. He faces numerous obstacles, both supernatural and human, as he tries to rally the villagers against Jago. The climax of the novel is intense and filled with shocking revelations, leading to a resolution that is both satisfying and thought-provoking.
"Jago" is a compelling read that blends horror with a keen psychological insight into the dynamics of power and manipulation. Kim Newman masterfully creates an atmosphere of dread and suspense, making the novel a gripping and chilling exploration of the dark side of human nature and the supernatural.
December 31, 2024
Disappointing.
The basic plot synopsis: a young couple move to the small village of Alder in Somerset for the summer to see if they can live together while trying to follow a new working routine (the woman, Hazel, is a potter, and Paul is working on an academic thesis, so they're not due in the office during the week or anything). But the cult in the local 'big house', led by a charismatic charlatan, and the ongoing drought cause strange occurrences and problems which come to a head during the annual music festival.
The original plot (which feels somewhat folk horrorish to me) may have been promising, but at over 640 pages, this novel felt overlong and bloated. There were too many characters and the plot felt like it had too many pointless incidents smashed together, making it hard to know where exactly one should focus or who the main characters actually were. Someone suggested this is Kim Newman trying to write something like Stephen King, which may be so, but if it was, it didn't match King's readability.
When it was finished I just felt vaguely irritated and relieved it was over. To be fair, I did read it very quickly, in two or three big chunks, so there's that.
It didn't work for me (I'm beginning to think Anno Dracula was a fluke); if you like Newman's other works, you'll probably like this. If not, my advice would be to stick to other authors and leave this one well alone.
The basic plot synopsis: a young couple move to the small village of Alder in Somerset for the summer to see if they can live together while trying to follow a new working routine (the woman, Hazel, is a potter, and Paul is working on an academic thesis, so they're not due in the office during the week or anything). But the cult in the local 'big house', led by a charismatic charlatan, and the ongoing drought cause strange occurrences and problems which come to a head during the annual music festival.
The original plot (which feels somewhat folk horrorish to me) may have been promising, but at over 640 pages, this novel felt overlong and bloated. There were too many characters and the plot felt like it had too many pointless incidents smashed together, making it hard to know where exactly one should focus or who the main characters actually were. Someone suggested this is Kim Newman trying to write something like Stephen King, which may be so, but if it was, it didn't match King's readability.
When it was finished I just felt vaguely irritated and relieved it was over. To be fair, I did read it very quickly, in two or three big chunks, so there's that.
It didn't work for me (I'm beginning to think Anno Dracula was a fluke); if you like Newman's other works, you'll probably like this. If not, my advice would be to stick to other authors and leave this one well alone.
April 13, 2024
This entire book has made me feel kinda of squirmy, icky, uncomfortable. That being said, I feel weird that I have definitely been entertained by it. It is centered on a religious cult, with a supernatural (thinks he is HIM) leader, kind of apocalypse-ish, multiple very sexually explicit scenes but not the spicy kind, and has multiple 3rd person POVs (I kinda lost count after 5...haha).
Also, just incase you were wondering the title which is a character's name is pronounced jay-go, not jah-go like I originally thought when I bought the book. But I also originally thought the book was gonna be about vampires when I first saw the cover, oops. Only character I really connected with is Susan and she turned out to be kind of a bamf.
Paranormal, cult vibes, explicit scenes, decent plot line, makes you uncomfortable, horror. Not normally my cup of tea, but I was already invested in finding out what was gonna go down so I took a month-ish to finish this. 😅 Gave 4 stars cause it was a bit too much on the gore/horror sexually explicit details for me. Otherwise entertaining plot line.
Also, just incase you were wondering the title which is a character's name is pronounced jay-go, not jah-go like I originally thought when I bought the book. But I also originally thought the book was gonna be about vampires when I first saw the cover, oops. Only character I really connected with is Susan and she turned out to be kind of a bamf.
Paranormal, cult vibes, explicit scenes, decent plot line, makes you uncomfortable, horror. Not normally my cup of tea, but I was already invested in finding out what was gonna go down so I took a month-ish to finish this. 😅 Gave 4 stars cause it was a bit too much on the gore/horror sexually explicit details for me. Otherwise entertaining plot line.
July 12, 2018
Got a little long in bits but basically brilliant.
April 25, 2025
A thrilling mix of folk horror, British grind house violence and the pacing of a slowly cranked jack in the box.
Not for the faint of heart, the inventive imagery will haunt you.
Not for the faint of heart, the inventive imagery will haunt you.
October 25, 2013
Jago begins with the Reverand Mr. Timothy Charles Bannerman claiming that they will be lead by an Angel on the road to Paradise. He has tiny English village of Alder to give up all earthly possession including the clothes the village worn to be burned in a fire. The next day, life continuing to go on. There were no Angel to lead them to Heaven.
Several years later, Paul and Hazel came to Alder. Paul was hoping to finished his thesis about the end of the world and Hazel was hoping to creates some decent and marketable pottery. Being in a small town, there was no way of avoiding a religious cult Agapemone lead by Jago especially when they are holding a country fair in Alder. At first, the followers of Agapemone seemed nice and decent. No one in Alder has seen Jago since he has moved his followers into the mansion. No one in Alder seemed to be concerned about Jago and his followers.
Slowly things were starting to happened. Things that people feared were becoming real and none are able to escape their fears.
Jago is a very long book with so many point of view from each characters. Wendy, a handmaiden of Jago, was running away from her past of an abusive relationship. Her fear started the first manifestation. As each villagers' darkside came out, that negative energy was feeding into Jago's ego and his belief that he is the Messiah.
To me, any cult leader who believed that he is God, has been played over and over even in real life, is already a given that there will be a mass murders of people. The only difference is that Jago has psychic abilities that can make people see what they want to see before they conditioned that Jago is their savior. This story does have a bit of paranormal activities.
As all cult, a person has to fall beyond hopeless and despair into believing the lies of a cult leader. Jago was able to use the fear and the darkside of each individual's nature to manipulate each to his will. Even the character Susan has pointed out that Jago's real interest was sex and to manipulate sex. There were real no substances to Jago's preaching.
The good thing about this story is that Jago is a secondary character that the story just touches and then moves on to the other major characters in the book.
Several years later, Paul and Hazel came to Alder. Paul was hoping to finished his thesis about the end of the world and Hazel was hoping to creates some decent and marketable pottery. Being in a small town, there was no way of avoiding a religious cult Agapemone lead by Jago especially when they are holding a country fair in Alder. At first, the followers of Agapemone seemed nice and decent. No one in Alder has seen Jago since he has moved his followers into the mansion. No one in Alder seemed to be concerned about Jago and his followers.
Slowly things were starting to happened. Things that people feared were becoming real and none are able to escape their fears.
Jago is a very long book with so many point of view from each characters. Wendy, a handmaiden of Jago, was running away from her past of an abusive relationship. Her fear started the first manifestation. As each villagers' darkside came out, that negative energy was feeding into Jago's ego and his belief that he is the Messiah.
To me, any cult leader who believed that he is God, has been played over and over even in real life, is already a given that there will be a mass murders of people. The only difference is that Jago has psychic abilities that can make people see what they want to see before they conditioned that Jago is their savior. This story does have a bit of paranormal activities.
As all cult, a person has to fall beyond hopeless and despair into believing the lies of a cult leader. Jago was able to use the fear and the darkside of each individual's nature to manipulate each to his will. Even the character Susan has pointed out that Jago's real interest was sex and to manipulate sex. There were real no substances to Jago's preaching.
The good thing about this story is that Jago is a secondary character that the story just touches and then moves on to the other major characters in the book.
July 29, 2016
If you've read any of Newman's other stuff you know that he's very knowledgeable in the horror genre and his novels tend to have myriad winks and nods to other novels, movies, TV shows and so on. I got to know his work by reading the Anno Dracula series, but I've read through his Diogenes Club series, his Dark Future series and his Warhammer vampire novels as well, and he's always quite entertaining. This one's more in the vein of "The Quorum" or "The Hound of the D'Ubervilles" in the sense that it's not part of a series as such, though being a Newman novel, it does have some links to some of his other novels even if they're not obvious or central to the plot. Go ahead and give this guy a try, any of his novels is good.
The version I read also inlcuded three short stories as extras. One was a sort of jokey anecdote starring the Gilpin brothers, and the other two were sort a sort of alternate reality post-apocalyptic gunslinger stories starring another version of James Lytton from the novel, as well as other versions of the rest of the characters. They're pretty good, actually. Reminded me a bit of David Gemmel's Jerusalem Man books.
The version I read also inlcuded three short stories as extras. One was a sort of jokey anecdote starring the Gilpin brothers, and the other two were sort a sort of alternate reality post-apocalyptic gunslinger stories starring another version of James Lytton from the novel, as well as other versions of the rest of the characters. They're pretty good, actually. Reminded me a bit of David Gemmel's Jerusalem Man books.
January 25, 2014
Jago is an overlong fantasy horror tale pitting good against evil in a remote, tiny English village. The evil is Jago, the charismatic leader of a strange religious cult that takes residence in the town of Alder and through his disciples he spreads an ever increasing web of death and destruction throughout the area. When a multi-day music festival sets up camp nearby hell literally breaks loose.
This novel has all the ingredients of a fun suspenseful read but doesn't live up to challenge. Parts are dragged out and unnecessary and when the action finally heats up, the line between fantasy, reality and dreams is so blurred it is difficult to figure out what is or isn't actually happening.
This novel has all the ingredients of a fun suspenseful read but doesn't live up to challenge. Parts are dragged out and unnecessary and when the action finally heats up, the line between fantasy, reality and dreams is so blurred it is difficult to figure out what is or isn't actually happening.
February 25, 2014
Hated this. It's rare that I can't be bothered to finish a book, but honestly, this was so boring a dreaded picking it up to continue. I stopped at page 150, and I really don't care if anyone says it gets better, because that's nowhere near good enough. In a story, events are meant to occur. nothing was happening here, just a bunch of vaguely unpleasant characters moaning. Almost the worst book I've read so far this year.
July 30, 2015
After reading some of Newman's other work it is clear he is a master of both storytelling and Prose more specifically. Here, however, both fall short. Jago is a rambling mess that took me months on and off to struggle through. There isn't a single compelling paragraph until the last 200 pages or so.
Nobody's perfect so I guess we'll have to chock this up to experience and hope Newman is back on form in the future.
Nobody's perfect so I guess we'll have to chock this up to experience and hope Newman is back on form in the future.
April 28, 2013
I'm halfway through, and that's enough. It started out well, but then got really weird. Just can't finish it. I gave it a good try, though. Forgot to say that this book was a First Reads giveaway winner.
July 19, 2013
This is pretty good, but it did not have the plot and narrative perfection of Newman's Anno Dracula series. I would recommend reading those first, and I actually read much of this book hoping it would segue into the characters from Anno Dracula!
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