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The Dark Thing
The son of a schizophrenic, Jared Gordon has lived his entire life with a genetic time bomb coded into his DNA. So when the night terrors and hallucinations arrive in force, it seems undeniable that the same disease responsible for his father’s suicide is to blame.
But a bizarre reunion with his estranged brother and a journal from their father resurface chilling childhood memories that cast his current experiences in a sinister new light. To have any hope of salvation, Jared must find proof whether the nightmare he’s living is a descent into madness or an assault from a supernatural force more ancient and evil than Hell itself. Yet at every turn, the answer only grows more impossible to believe, upending his view of himself, his past, and the very nature of reality.
Worst of all is the growing suspicion that his youngest daughter Elena – an eccentric little girl prone to strange and sometimes unsettling behaviors – may be responsible for setting into motion a cataclysm that began decades before she was born.
But a bizarre reunion with his estranged brother and a journal from their father resurface chilling childhood memories that cast his current experiences in a sinister new light. To have any hope of salvation, Jared must find proof whether the nightmare he’s living is a descent into madness or an assault from a supernatural force more ancient and evil than Hell itself. Yet at every turn, the answer only grows more impossible to believe, upending his view of himself, his past, and the very nature of reality.
Worst of all is the growing suspicion that his youngest daughter Elena – an eccentric little girl prone to strange and sometimes unsettling behaviors – may be responsible for setting into motion a cataclysm that began decades before she was born.
358 pages, Paperback
Published September 13, 2024
446 people are currently reading
4210 people want to read
About the author
John Ashley
5 books111 followersJohn Ashley is a freelance writer and indie author who lives in Springfield, Missouri. What started as a love for ghost stories and Goosebumps books turned into a lifelong passion for all things horror, and writing horror books is the bloody, beating heart of that passion. When he’s not writing, John enjoys watching sports, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with his wife and their three pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
July 18, 2024
I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this is a debut novel. If John Ashley isn’t on your radar, then you better get him there now.
Jared Gordon is hoping to not follow in his schizophrenic father’s footsteps. But when the hallucinations and night terrors begin, he doesn’t know what to think. Are they real and cause by a supernatural force or is it all in his head? Jared later starts to wonder if his daughter has somehow had a role to play in the arrival of these experiences. Now he is on the hunt to figure out how to stop it once and for all.
The Dark Thing was a beautifully written novel that had me questioning my own sanity. The dread and fear that our main character Jared was feeling in the first volume was so tangible. The second volume was just as good, if not better. Being able to follow Jared’s journey through the eyes of Ra’Tak and Elena in the second volume truly brought everything together in a way that I was not expecting. This book was hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking all in one.
Jared Gordon is hoping to not follow in his schizophrenic father’s footsteps. But when the hallucinations and night terrors begin, he doesn’t know what to think. Are they real and cause by a supernatural force or is it all in his head? Jared later starts to wonder if his daughter has somehow had a role to play in the arrival of these experiences. Now he is on the hunt to figure out how to stop it once and for all.
The Dark Thing was a beautifully written novel that had me questioning my own sanity. The dread and fear that our main character Jared was feeling in the first volume was so tangible. The second volume was just as good, if not better. Being able to follow Jared’s journey through the eyes of Ra’Tak and Elena in the second volume truly brought everything together in a way that I was not expecting. This book was hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking all in one.
July 2, 2025
Firstly, thank you to the author for an ARC of this novel.
This was a very good debut novel from John Ashley. It's very surprising to see a self published, independent author with such a polished first outing.
This novel of a father who is battling an entity that seems to have possessed one or more of his family members is also possibly having a massive schizophrenic episode. Of course, novels of possession are often also stories of mental health and this one tackles that issue head on.
I found the first 3/4 of the book to be wholly engrossing, although there were some moments that seemed slightly repetitious for me. I was ready to give this a four star review, until the last quarter. At about the 75% mark in, the novel suddenly switches narrators from our main character to the POV of two others. It then seemed to start throwing a lot of elements into the story that I personally found somewhat superfluous and obfuscating. I found myself heavily skimming past whole paragraphs that felt redundant and were not really advancing the story.
I think it just lost its excellent momentum from the first 3/4 of the book.
It was still a good book, and I'd definitely try any new efforts from this author. This one just didn't land for me in the end.
This was a very good debut novel from John Ashley. It's very surprising to see a self published, independent author with such a polished first outing.
This novel of a father who is battling an entity that seems to have possessed one or more of his family members is also possibly having a massive schizophrenic episode. Of course, novels of possession are often also stories of mental health and this one tackles that issue head on.
I found the first 3/4 of the book to be wholly engrossing, although there were some moments that seemed slightly repetitious for me. I was ready to give this a four star review, until the last quarter. At about the 75% mark in, the novel suddenly switches narrators from our main character to the POV of two others. It then seemed to start throwing a lot of elements into the story that I personally found somewhat superfluous and obfuscating. I found myself heavily skimming past whole paragraphs that felt redundant and were not really advancing the story.
I think it just lost its excellent momentum from the first 3/4 of the book.
It was still a good book, and I'd definitely try any new efforts from this author. This one just didn't land for me in the end.
August 24, 2025
I am currently Arc reading Ashley's upcoming release and felt I needed to come back and give this creepy story the love it deserved.
October 2, 2024
Really enjoyed the first half where you are left guessing if he is really being haunted or just schizophrenic. Hateeed the 2nd half, so far fetched and absolutely ridiculous.
October 18, 2024
This book started off so promising but sadly the second part was so far fetched and disappointing.
July 13, 2024
The Dark Thing had me on the first page. I consider myself a tough critic because I love horror so much that I devour everything horror. And sometimes, I feel desensitized at times. It's difficult for me to get creeped out and really get spooked and dare I say scared. But with The Dark Thing, that is exactly what I got. I received EVERYTHING I look and long for in a horror book. So many times, I thought I knew what was going on. But I got completely lost in the story and found out I knew NOTHING. I highly recommend this book. THIS IS AN EASY 5 STARS 🌟 🤩
August 11, 2024
5 million stars
INCREDIBLE and THAT ENDING
INCREDIBLE and THAT ENDING
March 31, 2025
i can't believe this was John Ashley's debut?? it's so well written & really pulls you in very quickly. you can really feel the fear & dread the mc is experiencing throughout the novel. i was really sucked in for the first part & then part two happened & it completely lost me. I found part two to be a little repetitive & almost far fetched? i don't know, it almost made me feel like i was reading a different book. the storyline kind of got lost with everything going on in that second part
overall, a solid read!
read if you like; the supernatural, psychological horror, & creepy kids.
overall, a solid read!
read if you like; the supernatural, psychological horror, & creepy kids.
October 2, 2024
An intense debut novel!
I knew this was a debut novel for the author going into it but wow! This was great!
It seems like a mix between a psychological thriller and haunting/possession horror. Great premise!
I think the author did a great job giving us the overlapping POVs from part 1 and part 2.
I hear there’s another book coming out by the author next year. I’ll definitely be reading it!
I knew this was a debut novel for the author going into it but wow! This was great!
It seems like a mix between a psychological thriller and haunting/possession horror. Great premise!
I think the author did a great job giving us the overlapping POVs from part 1 and part 2.
I hear there’s another book coming out by the author next year. I’ll definitely be reading it!
October 22, 2024
John Ashley’s debut novel, The Dark Thing, was extremely well written! I love any book that makes me wonder if the main character has gone mad or if there is something more at play. I really ate this story up through all of part 1.
Part 2 is where it lost me. I felt like maybe there was a little too much detail and the storyline started to fall to the wayside. I had to push myself to finish the book (even put it down for a few weeks) but I went back to it because I kept wondering where it would go!
That being said, I think the ending was REALLY solid and I am glad that I finished! I will for sure be giving other books from this author a chance; he definitely has some great potential!!!
Part 2 is where it lost me. I felt like maybe there was a little too much detail and the storyline started to fall to the wayside. I had to push myself to finish the book (even put it down for a few weeks) but I went back to it because I kept wondering where it would go!
That being said, I think the ending was REALLY solid and I am glad that I finished! I will for sure be giving other books from this author a chance; he definitely has some great potential!!!
September 13, 2024
The Dark Thing by John Ashley is an extremely well-written novel taking you on a hauntingly beautiful journey following the main character Jared, the son of a schizophrenic, and his family through a bizarre and chilling experience. Is it his descent into madness or a supernatural force causing his night terrors and hallucinations? Multiple times, while reading this novel, I would catch myself biting my lip, holding my breath, and deeply feeling the intense and unexpected twists and turns deep inside of my gut. The visceral feel you get from every emotion from fear to heartbreak and dread at the turn of every page will leave you questioning everything you know. The author brings you on a rollercoaster ride with an ending that leaves you wanting more! It's hard to believe this is the author's first novel. What a fantastic, incredibly intense book! My favorite read of 2024! The book release date is 9/13/2024, THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ and a MUST to add to your collection.
September 20, 2024
"Something was terribly wrong inside his mind. He could deny it no more. The entire past week had been marked by staggering depths of darkness. It wasn't just the places his mind went in his dreams and daydreams alike. It was a darkness that permeated his every experience."
Wow, what a debut for author John Ashley. Part paranoid psychological horror, part cosmic good vs evil supernatural epic. The Dark Thing keeps you turning the page and looking over your shoulder.
Very grateful to the author for choosing me as an ARC reader.
March 4, 2025
weirdly religious & slumped me :-/
some of the imagery was excellent but toward the end of the book the metaphors just crumbled down into over-exaggerations that escaped all explanation. as the author you’re only allowed to have a limited number of indescribables bc your job is to describe.
July 24, 2024
Jared Gordon lives in fear that gets worse when he starts seeing things. Is he losing his mind or is something evil after him?
October 12, 2024
ok, firstly. i bought this because i was drawn to the cover. and then the description sounded good.
So.. i began...
I WAS HOOKED FROM THE FIRST PAGES!
i could not put it down!
its not the typical book i read but i was so glad i did. the description in this book had me right there as if watching a movie. i loved every minute. it would be a great movie btw.
i will definately be reading more of john ashley.
also i learned halfway through that this was his debut novel!
cant wait for more from him.
So.. i began...
I WAS HOOKED FROM THE FIRST PAGES!
i could not put it down!
its not the typical book i read but i was so glad i did. the description in this book had me right there as if watching a movie. i loved every minute. it would be a great movie btw.
i will definately be reading more of john ashley.
also i learned halfway through that this was his debut novel!
cant wait for more from him.
November 15, 2025
The dark thing
This book is interesting to read. I think it took me while to figure what it's about. John write well but it's abit hard to follow thru tho. I thought it was pretty goid
This book is interesting to read. I think it took me while to figure what it's about. John write well but it's abit hard to follow thru tho. I thought it was pretty goid
October 10, 2024
I can not believe this is this author first book. This was AMAZING. The writing style. I don’t even know what to say. Will definitely read more of this authors books. Epilogue! Amazing
October 30, 2024
This novel gave an eerie and creepy vibe because it felt so real. Mixing horror with the very real world of mental illnesses (schizophrenia) leaving the reader not knowing what’s real and what’s not. I couldn’t put this down. And holy moly what a heart breaking ending.
July 28, 2024
Wow just wow…
it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel! It was so well written and really captured everything beautifully and i was feeling creeped out the whole time.
the son of a schizophrenic, Jared
following him through his night terrors and hallucinations we are constantly wondering could Elena have really let in a supernatural force thats causing all of this ?
i couldn’t read this fast enough! The ending left me heartbroken.
i want to thank the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! i cant wait for everyone to read this on September 13th!!
it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel! It was so well written and really captured everything beautifully and i was feeling creeped out the whole time.
the son of a schizophrenic, Jared
following him through his night terrors and hallucinations we are constantly wondering could Elena have really let in a supernatural force thats causing all of this ?
i couldn’t read this fast enough! The ending left me heartbroken.
i want to thank the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! i cant wait for everyone to read this on September 13th!!
July 27, 2024
This was such a great read. The whole book you are left guessing as to what is really happening. Jared the main character is seeing things and experiencing horrible visions. Everyone is convinced he is a schizophrenic like his dad was, but is that what is really happening? John did an amazing job setting the scene with The Dark Thing and I thoroughly enjoyed it to the very end. I can't wait to read more of his books as they come out in the future.
July 23, 2024
What a great book! It had me turning the pages so fast so I could see what would happen next. I liked how the 2 parts came together without it feeling repetitive. I can't wait to read more from this author!
January 17, 2025
This is the author’s debut horror novel and it’s a nail-biter!!
Jared, haunted by his father’s past, must save himself and his family from the dark thing that haunts him.
The two parts of this unsettling story complement each other well! I was hooked from the beginning! But that epilogue will blow your mind!
Look forward to the next novel!
Thank you to the author for allowing me to ARC read this debut novel!!
Jared, haunted by his father’s past, must save himself and his family from the dark thing that haunts him.
The two parts of this unsettling story complement each other well! I was hooked from the beginning! But that epilogue will blow your mind!
Look forward to the next novel!
Thank you to the author for allowing me to ARC read this debut novel!!
November 19, 2024
Easily a five star read. It took me a little bit to get into it - but once I got to the nitty gritty, I simply couldn’t put it down. As I’m writing this review, I’m contemplating the existence of good and evil- the war that we fight against all odds. Legion and Heaven, Hell and earth. This is a make you scratch your brain book - are religious delusions truly a mental health disorder or a message from either side we can’t determine in this life?
September 19, 2024
This book was absolutely amazing. I loved the premise of the story and how well the character development was done. My favorite thing about the whole book was getting the story from multiple perspectives. I can’t wait to read more from this author
September 27, 2024
part 1 had me interested but part 2 is where everything fell off for me personally. was super excited for this book but feel like the ending was far too prolonged. still excited to see future works from this author because i enjoyed part 1
March 21, 2025
Oh, this book got me all in my feels & managed to grab me and not let go for a good 4 days ( I do have a job.. and a teenager so I did have to put the book down more than I would have liked )
I've had this one in my TBR for a while now and kept putting it off due to finding something I thought I wanted to read more. Don't make the same mistake I did. If you are looking at reading this one just make the commitment and start it. I PROMISE you will not be disappointed.
So my review. I don't want to give away much because I truly feel you need to go into this book with the basic knowledge that Jared's dad had schizophrenia, there is a good change he has developed it and you are reading the escalation of his disease.
When you are first introduced to Jared you are made aware of his fathers past and the disease that haunted him and his brother. You are brought into Jared's mind and are given descriptions of what he is not only seeing but how his mind is deteriorating. You are introduced to his family, who he clearly cares a lot for and the mention of Elena - his youngest daughter - being a "odd child" just adds so so much to this story!
I cant really give a detailed review without giving away the story, so the remainder of this will be hidden for spoilers. Again before I continue I IMPLORE you to read this book blind apart from the basics. The entire story rests on you as a reader not knowing what is going on and I promise it is well worth the read!
If you have read it, and don't mind a little spoil to the story here we go;
Overall I really did enjoy this one. It deserved the hype in my opinion and for this being the authors first book, it was extraordinary! I clearly am not giving it 5 stars and I want to express why because I do not want someone to go looking for this book and see the 4 star rating and skip it. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK lol
What is keeping me from giving it 5/5 is the way some words were articulated and some chapters were a tad unnecessarily over worded and extensive. I may be in the minority with this though process and if so that's ok, I just didn't see why a small child was having thoughts with words that would be better used by a college professor or English major. There were some points while reading that I genuinely was thinking to myself "Please just move on from the over descriptions already" or "nobody speaks to themselves like this." Again, this is just me and due to those times it did take away from my overall enjoyment and excitement of the book. But nevertheless this was a fantastic read and I can not recommend it enough.
I've had this one in my TBR for a while now and kept putting it off due to finding something I thought I wanted to read more. Don't make the same mistake I did. If you are looking at reading this one just make the commitment and start it. I PROMISE you will not be disappointed.
So my review. I don't want to give away much because I truly feel you need to go into this book with the basic knowledge that Jared's dad had schizophrenia, there is a good change he has developed it and you are reading the escalation of his disease.
When you are first introduced to Jared you are made aware of his fathers past and the disease that haunted him and his brother. You are brought into Jared's mind and are given descriptions of what he is not only seeing but how his mind is deteriorating. You are introduced to his family, who he clearly cares a lot for and the mention of Elena - his youngest daughter - being a "odd child" just adds so so much to this story!
I cant really give a detailed review without giving away the story, so the remainder of this will be hidden for spoilers. Again before I continue I IMPLORE you to read this book blind apart from the basics. The entire story rests on you as a reader not knowing what is going on and I promise it is well worth the read!
If you have read it, and don't mind a little spoil to the story here we go;
Overall I really did enjoy this one. It deserved the hype in my opinion and for this being the authors first book, it was extraordinary! I clearly am not giving it 5 stars and I want to express why because I do not want someone to go looking for this book and see the 4 star rating and skip it. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK lol
What is keeping me from giving it 5/5 is the way some words were articulated and some chapters were a tad unnecessarily over worded and extensive. I may be in the minority with this though process and if so that's ok, I just didn't see why a small child was having thoughts with words that would be better used by a college professor or English major. There were some points while reading that I genuinely was thinking to myself "Please just move on from the over descriptions already" or "nobody speaks to themselves like this." Again, this is just me and due to those times it did take away from my overall enjoyment and excitement of the book. But nevertheless this was a fantastic read and I can not recommend it enough.
September 11, 2024
I’ve been mulling over how to write a review on this book since I finished it, and it’s hard for me to put into words just how good it truly is. It is a DEBUT, however, in my humble opinion? It is a masterpiece. The plot development, the character development, the unexpected ending… I couldn’t get enough so much so that, when I started reading it and flew through the first half, I kept having to resist the urge to pick it back up because I didn’t want it to end.
Yes, it is a horror novel. No, it will not leave you sleeping with the lights on or with the blankets over your head [as many of us desensitized horror fans so often seek and fail to find]. Regardless, if this DEBUT novel doesn’t leave your mouth agape at just how good the writing is and how well the story and characters continue to develop through the book, I can’t imagine any writing will ever leave you satisfied.
You can read the blurb on the back and get an idea of what the book is about; I don’t need to do that for you. I did it, and it did not prepare me for how good this would turn out to be. Any other details or explanation of this story would do the reader a disservice.
Just. fucking. read. it. This is not a ruse or an exaggeration by any stretch. This book is worth your time and attention as the story develops impeccably to an ending that left me in tears first, and then wondering what just happened as I took in the contents of the final page.
I personally think John Ashley is a literary genius with a gift for which I am thankful he has chosen to share with the world, and I cannot wait to read everything he has in store for us.
Just read this book and appreciate it for exactly what it is.
Yes, it is a horror novel. No, it will not leave you sleeping with the lights on or with the blankets over your head [as many of us desensitized horror fans so often seek and fail to find]. Regardless, if this DEBUT novel doesn’t leave your mouth agape at just how good the writing is and how well the story and characters continue to develop through the book, I can’t imagine any writing will ever leave you satisfied.
You can read the blurb on the back and get an idea of what the book is about; I don’t need to do that for you. I did it, and it did not prepare me for how good this would turn out to be. Any other details or explanation of this story would do the reader a disservice.
Just. fucking. read. it. This is not a ruse or an exaggeration by any stretch. This book is worth your time and attention as the story develops impeccably to an ending that left me in tears first, and then wondering what just happened as I took in the contents of the final page.
I personally think John Ashley is a literary genius with a gift for which I am thankful he has chosen to share with the world, and I cannot wait to read everything he has in store for us.
Just read this book and appreciate it for exactly what it is.
August 30, 2024
First off, I would like to thank John for sending me this book. It was greatly appreciated as I still absolutely adore the look of the book and bookmark.
This book follows a father whose greatest fear was following in the footsteps of his father who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. This book in my opinion focuses very heavily on mental illness, which doesn’t necessarily make it a bad thing, it just made it require more breaks than I usually take in reading a book as it drags you into the point that at least for me as it was a bit emotionally draining.
This book took me a lot longer to get through this than it normally does as in the first volume I found it did read like a book twice it’s intended length and did feel a lot slower than I would have liked for a lot longer than I would have liked.
This book is divided into Volume One and Volume Two. Volume Two which consists of the last roughly 25% of the book was more exciting than its previous 75%. The ending however was something I personally did not expect and without spoilers threw me for quite a loop.
Everything being said could it have been trimmed down in certain places….yes. Does that make it a bad book…absolutely not. This book despite it being as previously stated slower than I would like, it is still a book that would be very much worth giving a read and is still a solid 4 stars and most people if not told prior would not think this is a debut release.
This book follows a father whose greatest fear was following in the footsteps of his father who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. This book in my opinion focuses very heavily on mental illness, which doesn’t necessarily make it a bad thing, it just made it require more breaks than I usually take in reading a book as it drags you into the point that at least for me as it was a bit emotionally draining.
This book took me a lot longer to get through this than it normally does as in the first volume I found it did read like a book twice it’s intended length and did feel a lot slower than I would have liked for a lot longer than I would have liked.
This book is divided into Volume One and Volume Two. Volume Two which consists of the last roughly 25% of the book was more exciting than its previous 75%. The ending however was something I personally did not expect and without spoilers threw me for quite a loop.
Everything being said could it have been trimmed down in certain places….yes. Does that make it a bad book…absolutely not. This book despite it being as previously stated slower than I would like, it is still a book that would be very much worth giving a read and is still a solid 4 stars and most people if not told prior would not think this is a debut release.
July 27, 2024
This book blurb intrigued me. Is the main character suffering from schizophrenia or is there perhaps a darker force at play impacting him?
Firstly, thank you to the author for an arc copy of this novel. The parts about mental illness I thought were well written. Particularly the ending I really enjoyed. However, the plot line overall I felt seemed a little slow and it took me quite a while to get through the book. I enjoyed the element of surprise in what was actually happening but it took a fair while to get there.
However, I wonder if perhaps this was just not a novel for me which is no fault of the author. The story was well written and did evoke feelings of unease at times which you would expect for a horror novel. I think the varying opinions at the end make it a bit more creepy too.
Overall it was a decent read however I think it fell short for me with how slow paced it felt personally but if you’re looking for something a bit creepy and unusual with a hint of good versus evil then you might enjoy this one.
Firstly, thank you to the author for an arc copy of this novel. The parts about mental illness I thought were well written. Particularly the ending I really enjoyed. However, the plot line overall I felt seemed a little slow and it took me quite a while to get through the book. I enjoyed the element of surprise in what was actually happening but it took a fair while to get there.
However, I wonder if perhaps this was just not a novel for me which is no fault of the author. The story was well written and did evoke feelings of unease at times which you would expect for a horror novel. I think the varying opinions at the end make it a bit more creepy too.
Overall it was a decent read however I think it fell short for me with how slow paced it felt personally but if you’re looking for something a bit creepy and unusual with a hint of good versus evil then you might enjoy this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews