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Written in Hell
“The entire narrative is irreverent fun, with mild overtones of Kurt Vonnegut and Tom Robbins … An entertaining, inventive and occasionally over-the-top fantasy novel.”
-Kirkus Reviews
Written in Hell follows writer Nathanial Blovey on his strange and perilous adventures through Hell. Nathaniel’s book, a collection of lewd tales set in the old west, failed miserably, prematurely ending his career; however, unbeknownst to him, his stories had become a huge success in Hell. The Devil decides to send him a one-way invitation to her realm, to write for her, and to keep his damned fans happy. There is only one problem: he has writer’s block. With a firm deadline imposed by the Devil herself, Nate has to find a way to keep the most terrible of bosses happy, and survive his trip through Hell. While there is no fire and brimstone, and a burgeoning civilization is growing, Hell is still a very dangerous place for a soft man like Nathaniel.
Written in Hell is a creepy, fun and thought-provoking journey through Hell, with a guide who can’t help but anger people everywhere he goes. It takes you through a new and creative re-imagining of Hell.
-Kirkus Reviews
Written in Hell follows writer Nathanial Blovey on his strange and perilous adventures through Hell. Nathaniel’s book, a collection of lewd tales set in the old west, failed miserably, prematurely ending his career; however, unbeknownst to him, his stories had become a huge success in Hell. The Devil decides to send him a one-way invitation to her realm, to write for her, and to keep his damned fans happy. There is only one problem: he has writer’s block. With a firm deadline imposed by the Devil herself, Nate has to find a way to keep the most terrible of bosses happy, and survive his trip through Hell. While there is no fire and brimstone, and a burgeoning civilization is growing, Hell is still a very dangerous place for a soft man like Nathaniel.
Written in Hell is a creepy, fun and thought-provoking journey through Hell, with a guide who can’t help but anger people everywhere he goes. It takes you through a new and creative re-imagining of Hell.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2014
6 people want to read
About the author
Jason Helford
2 books5 followersJason Helford has written two books: Written in Hell and From a Killer’s Mind. He’s a devoted husband and father, an avid comic book collector and an enthusiastic craft beer drinker. Prizing originality and creativity more than anything else, some of his favorite authors are Hunter S. Thompson, Chuck Palahniuk, Ray Bradbury, Terry Brooks, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Robert Asprin and Albert Camus. Please don’t be offended if you are an author and your name wasn’t mentioned, he probably likes you, too. He lives in Maryland with his wonderful wife, Bella, his awesome-sauce daughter, Maddie, and his goofy dog, Sunset.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 19, 2015
Written in Hell’s main character, Nathaniel Blovey, is a rude, fat, and fairly gross failed writer (to be fair, his book was basically an old western porno, so it isn’t so surprising that it failed).
Nate is busy living his miserable life when the Devil arranges to have him sent to her (yup, the Devil is a she) in Hell, not because she likes him, (she views him as just another “pathetic monkey”) but because his book was actually a huge success in Hell. Nate is stunned to discover that the people in Hell have designed entire towns based off of his book, and they have frequent shows re-enacting scenes from Nate’s book. Unfortunately, one book can only support so many shows before things get a little old. The Devil makes this very clear to Nate. He was brought here for a purpose, and that purpose is to write another book.
The people of Hell are excited to have him here, and quickly bring him to one of “his” shows. Nate quickly learns that the stage adaptations are very different from what Nate originally wrote. And I think I already mentioned that Nate is rude. Manners aren’t his forte. A very drunk Nate gets chased out of town, and a pissed-off Devil relocates him to the next town.
Nate is placed under even more pressure to write the book. But Nate doesn’t work well under pressure, and he finds himself with writer’s block.
While at times Written in Hell was a little slow (there was a lot of Nate running in fear), I thought the idea was wonderfully creative and well executed. I started it right before I went to bed, thinking, “I’ll read a few chapters and then get some sleep.” I couldn’t put it down.
One of my favorite parts was seeing Nate’s insults. At the beginning of the book, Nate’s ex-girlfriend calls him out for speaking with “bullshit writer’s vocabulary”, and Nate proves himself by using unique insults to describe people throughout the book.
Some of my Favorite Insults from Nate:
*Supercilious bitch
*Vulgar knuckledragger
*Ignominious wretch
*Glandular freak
*Repugnant curs
*Street excrement
Overall, I enjoyed reading Written in Hell, and I definitely recommend it.
Disclaimer: I did receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, however I would never recommend something I did not honestly enjoy.
This is a copy of a review originally posted on my blog, bookreviews77.com
Nate is busy living his miserable life when the Devil arranges to have him sent to her (yup, the Devil is a she) in Hell, not because she likes him, (she views him as just another “pathetic monkey”) but because his book was actually a huge success in Hell. Nate is stunned to discover that the people in Hell have designed entire towns based off of his book, and they have frequent shows re-enacting scenes from Nate’s book. Unfortunately, one book can only support so many shows before things get a little old. The Devil makes this very clear to Nate. He was brought here for a purpose, and that purpose is to write another book.
The people of Hell are excited to have him here, and quickly bring him to one of “his” shows. Nate quickly learns that the stage adaptations are very different from what Nate originally wrote. And I think I already mentioned that Nate is rude. Manners aren’t his forte. A very drunk Nate gets chased out of town, and a pissed-off Devil relocates him to the next town.
Nate is placed under even more pressure to write the book. But Nate doesn’t work well under pressure, and he finds himself with writer’s block.
While at times Written in Hell was a little slow (there was a lot of Nate running in fear), I thought the idea was wonderfully creative and well executed. I started it right before I went to bed, thinking, “I’ll read a few chapters and then get some sleep.” I couldn’t put it down.
One of my favorite parts was seeing Nate’s insults. At the beginning of the book, Nate’s ex-girlfriend calls him out for speaking with “bullshit writer’s vocabulary”, and Nate proves himself by using unique insults to describe people throughout the book.
Some of my Favorite Insults from Nate:
*Supercilious bitch
*Vulgar knuckledragger
*Ignominious wretch
*Glandular freak
*Repugnant curs
*Street excrement
Overall, I enjoyed reading Written in Hell, and I definitely recommend it.
Disclaimer: I did receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, however I would never recommend something I did not honestly enjoy.
This is a copy of a review originally posted on my blog, bookreviews77.com
February 2, 2016
Written in Hell is one of those occasional books I like more the more I think about it. Once in a while a book or a film comes along that is better from a distance, when contemplation and synaptic action has had a chance to allow the images and words and messages to coalesce and connect. I had the same reaction to the last film in the 'Cornetto Trilogy', The World's End. Also comic science fiction, there were details and actions in the film that didn't work for me at the time, but after a few days, I realized I had quite liked the film, perhaps more than quite liked it. Written in Hell has engendered the same reaction.
The protagonist, Nate (or “Ate”) is a failed writer; his one book, a western bordering on pornographic, has not sold well at all. He takes his sense of failure out on just about everyone, sneering at them via his extensive vocabulary. But Nate isn't quite the failure he believes himself to be: his book has done exceptionally well in one place. Hell. So well that the Devil is tired of Hell's denizens role-playing characters from the book, and recruits Nate to write another one.
Anyone involved in a creative pursuit will likely relate to many of the images in the book. Not, perhaps, to Nate himself – he's not a particularly likeable character – but to certain other concepts: the thick skin Nate finds he's grown; the misinterpretations of his characters; his helpless lack of control over his intellectual property. The comedy is at once both slapstick - strong physical comedy focused on Nate's lack of control over his body – and much more subtle. The ending, without spoilers, has Nate facing what is likely the deepest fear of most writers and artists.
I can't fault Written in Hell on any of the usual issues of plot or voice or grammar. I will say the pacing may be a bit uneven, with perhaps too much time spent on repeating some of the more physical issues Nate faces. If you're offended by swearing, this book will offend you. Characters were not stereotypical, especially the Devil, and the plot had twists that just couldn't be expected. It's never going to be a favourite book, but if the role of art is to change the way you see the world, ...well, I'm never going to picture the Devil the same way again.
Review by Goodreads author Marian Thorpe Empire's Daughter
The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The protagonist, Nate (or “Ate”) is a failed writer; his one book, a western bordering on pornographic, has not sold well at all. He takes his sense of failure out on just about everyone, sneering at them via his extensive vocabulary. But Nate isn't quite the failure he believes himself to be: his book has done exceptionally well in one place. Hell. So well that the Devil is tired of Hell's denizens role-playing characters from the book, and recruits Nate to write another one.
Anyone involved in a creative pursuit will likely relate to many of the images in the book. Not, perhaps, to Nate himself – he's not a particularly likeable character – but to certain other concepts: the thick skin Nate finds he's grown; the misinterpretations of his characters; his helpless lack of control over his intellectual property. The comedy is at once both slapstick - strong physical comedy focused on Nate's lack of control over his body – and much more subtle. The ending, without spoilers, has Nate facing what is likely the deepest fear of most writers and artists.
I can't fault Written in Hell on any of the usual issues of plot or voice or grammar. I will say the pacing may be a bit uneven, with perhaps too much time spent on repeating some of the more physical issues Nate faces. If you're offended by swearing, this book will offend you. Characters were not stereotypical, especially the Devil, and the plot had twists that just couldn't be expected. It's never going to be a favourite book, but if the role of art is to change the way you see the world, ...well, I'm never going to picture the Devil the same way again.
Review by Goodreads author Marian Thorpe Empire's Daughter
The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2014
"Written in Hell" by Jason Helford is a well-crafted tale of the journey through Hell for a very "bad" author.
Nathaniel Blovey is a writer whose collection of books failed miserably to garner much readership while he was alive. He also was a pretty awful person in real life, just ask his girlfriend. Although his girlfriend was no prize either.
The story begins where Nate's life is cut short is a most horrific way and he is sent to Hell. Well, actually, he has been asked to write in Hell. Since his books have been a big hit there, the Devil decides to allow the hoards their request of more books from this famous (in Hell) author. But, Nate has a problem. He has writer's block. What is an author to do if writing a best-seller is the key to him NOT spending eternity in the worst level of Hell (the Hall of Mediocrity and in his own mediocre mind)?
The plot is unique, original and different with a touch of "Dante's Inferno", yet this version of Hell is masterfully created with a fresh newness about it. The book is strange, creepy and at times flinch-worthy, but not so much as to take away from the storyline.
I would recommend this to those who appreciate fantasy, however, be warned that there is a large peppering of profanity throughout the book.
Overall, a very good read and one that I will not soon forget.
Nathaniel Blovey is a writer whose collection of books failed miserably to garner much readership while he was alive. He also was a pretty awful person in real life, just ask his girlfriend. Although his girlfriend was no prize either.
The story begins where Nate's life is cut short is a most horrific way and he is sent to Hell. Well, actually, he has been asked to write in Hell. Since his books have been a big hit there, the Devil decides to allow the hoards their request of more books from this famous (in Hell) author. But, Nate has a problem. He has writer's block. What is an author to do if writing a best-seller is the key to him NOT spending eternity in the worst level of Hell (the Hall of Mediocrity and in his own mediocre mind)?
The plot is unique, original and different with a touch of "Dante's Inferno", yet this version of Hell is masterfully created with a fresh newness about it. The book is strange, creepy and at times flinch-worthy, but not so much as to take away from the storyline.
I would recommend this to those who appreciate fantasy, however, be warned that there is a large peppering of profanity throughout the book.
Overall, a very good read and one that I will not soon forget.
September 16, 2016
Kat Mandu says...
What do you do when the devil has you murdered just because she wants you down in her realm for one specific purpose? And that purpose is to write the sequel to a book that the people in hell seem to love? Well, you’d probably better write that book! However, some people just can’t figure that out…
In this sin-provoking book, Nate Blovey gets viciously murdered and sent straight to hell. Not that it’s a surprise – the guy’s a very pompous asshole with a lot of hypocritical issues.
But the devil has plans for Nate. His book, a western erotica, is quite popular with citizens in hell. In fact, as he discovers, there are entire towns based off the settings in his book, and even plays that people put on from scenes in it. Very vivid scenes, might I add. Either way, Nate’s writing is getting around and the denizens of hell are eager to show it off to the author himself.
Well, until they meet the guy.
Nate discovers that he doesn’t want to write the book and so he spends most of his time getting into trouble – even if it’s by accident – and essentially pissing a whole bunch of people off. And you gotta realize, these people are in hell. So they’re not exactly good people. More often than not, Nate gets threatened, beat up, and insulted. A lot.
Adding to his queasiness about the state of thing, Nate is petrified of pretty much everything, especially the devil, who expresses her distaste about her lack of a new book in violent and scary ways. You’d think that Nate would catch a hint and write the book.
Alas, he doesn’t And that’s when things get really bad. But I’m not going to spoil the ending for you.
I really got into this at first, right off the bat when Nate was getting murdered and first sent to hell. The descriptions throughout the story are vivid, though some of the scenes where Nate just does what he does are rather repetitive. I enjoy the world-building and multitude of characters, though I would have appreciated a few more of those power-hungry villains in hell rather than just ones who seem to have the same affliction: cagey drunkards looking for a fight who tend to have bad vocabulary. Surely we could have thrown some more political assholes into the mix? I feel like they deserve a special place in hell too sometimes.
What do you do when the devil has you murdered just because she wants you down in her realm for one specific purpose? And that purpose is to write the sequel to a book that the people in hell seem to love? Well, you’d probably better write that book! However, some people just can’t figure that out…
In this sin-provoking book, Nate Blovey gets viciously murdered and sent straight to hell. Not that it’s a surprise – the guy’s a very pompous asshole with a lot of hypocritical issues.
But the devil has plans for Nate. His book, a western erotica, is quite popular with citizens in hell. In fact, as he discovers, there are entire towns based off the settings in his book, and even plays that people put on from scenes in it. Very vivid scenes, might I add. Either way, Nate’s writing is getting around and the denizens of hell are eager to show it off to the author himself.
Well, until they meet the guy.
Nate discovers that he doesn’t want to write the book and so he spends most of his time getting into trouble – even if it’s by accident – and essentially pissing a whole bunch of people off. And you gotta realize, these people are in hell. So they’re not exactly good people. More often than not, Nate gets threatened, beat up, and insulted. A lot.
Adding to his queasiness about the state of thing, Nate is petrified of pretty much everything, especially the devil, who expresses her distaste about her lack of a new book in violent and scary ways. You’d think that Nate would catch a hint and write the book.
Alas, he doesn’t And that’s when things get really bad. But I’m not going to spoil the ending for you.
I really got into this at first, right off the bat when Nate was getting murdered and first sent to hell. The descriptions throughout the story are vivid, though some of the scenes where Nate just does what he does are rather repetitive. I enjoy the world-building and multitude of characters, though I would have appreciated a few more of those power-hungry villains in hell rather than just ones who seem to have the same affliction: cagey drunkards looking for a fight who tend to have bad vocabulary. Surely we could have thrown some more political assholes into the mix? I feel like they deserve a special place in hell too sometimes.
January 1, 2017
When I first received this book from the author to review I was kind of excited to read it because the description sounded very intriguing and exactly like my type of book.
Unfortunately, once I started reading it I realised that I wasn't going to be a fan of this book. I really did try to like it and keep an open mind throughout but there were just so many issues I had while reading that I couldn't seem to get past.
My biggest issue was with the main character Nate. He was made out to be such a disgusting and pathetic individual and I think the way he was portrayed really gave me a bad taste from the start. I know that in a way it's probably a smart move by the author to have done this because if he was a nice character it would be a bit hard to justify why he was sent to hell, but I like to relate to or at least have some sort of positive or inquisitive feeling about a character I am reading about in a book and I just couldn't get to this point with Nate.
Also, there were many little regular occurences in the book that literally made me feel disgusted in one way or another. I won't mention them because I don't want to spoil it for someone else but every time it was noted I got more and more sick of reading about it until it really did become too much. If you have already read this book you may be able to guess what bits I am referring to, otherwise I'll just have to leave you guessing.
I do have to admit that the storyline was an interesting concept and definitely different to any I have read before so I do have to give the author credit for his originality.
I really did have to force myself to finish reading this book and found myself not in any way interested in what was actually going to happen in the end. When I did finally finish it I felt a huge sense of relief.
I really do wish I could have liked this book more but I guess not every book is for every person. If they were it would probably be a boring world.
Unfortunately, once I started reading it I realised that I wasn't going to be a fan of this book. I really did try to like it and keep an open mind throughout but there were just so many issues I had while reading that I couldn't seem to get past.
My biggest issue was with the main character Nate. He was made out to be such a disgusting and pathetic individual and I think the way he was portrayed really gave me a bad taste from the start. I know that in a way it's probably a smart move by the author to have done this because if he was a nice character it would be a bit hard to justify why he was sent to hell, but I like to relate to or at least have some sort of positive or inquisitive feeling about a character I am reading about in a book and I just couldn't get to this point with Nate.
Also, there were many little regular occurences in the book that literally made me feel disgusted in one way or another. I won't mention them because I don't want to spoil it for someone else but every time it was noted I got more and more sick of reading about it until it really did become too much. If you have already read this book you may be able to guess what bits I am referring to, otherwise I'll just have to leave you guessing.
I do have to admit that the storyline was an interesting concept and definitely different to any I have read before so I do have to give the author credit for his originality.
I really did have to force myself to finish reading this book and found myself not in any way interested in what was actually going to happen in the end. When I did finally finish it I felt a huge sense of relief.
I really do wish I could have liked this book more but I guess not every book is for every person. If they were it would probably be a boring world.
September 1, 2014
The concept was a good one. I was very excited to read this.
Description of the environment was full and vivid. I have no doubt that I saw exactly what I was meant to see, and this was truly enjoyable. It was an engaging environment, and the visuals were excellent.
Unfortunately, the dialogue fell short of expectations, and I didn't particularly feel any interest in what happened to any of the characters, because of this. I think a bit more character research is necessary, in order to bring them to life, as well as to make each one of them unique.
It needs much more work, but with more in-depth character examination I think a future update could be fun to read.
Description of the environment was full and vivid. I have no doubt that I saw exactly what I was meant to see, and this was truly enjoyable. It was an engaging environment, and the visuals were excellent.
Unfortunately, the dialogue fell short of expectations, and I didn't particularly feel any interest in what happened to any of the characters, because of this. I think a bit more character research is necessary, in order to bring them to life, as well as to make each one of them unique.
It needs much more work, but with more in-depth character examination I think a future update could be fun to read.
December 21, 2014
Written in Hell is a brilliant concept. It plunges you into a different world. Intriguing, it keeps you turning the pages. The author places a premium on characterization and setting. One is compelled to delve into the characters. The plot was brilliant. This book is well worth its price. I recommend this book as it is a five-star read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews