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The Withering
In the early 1600s, a mysterious disease burns through the small French town of Bastion.
Out of ideas, Father Martine Donadieu sends pleas for assistance. He receives an answer in the form of a pair of plague doctors.
When fledgling physician Pierre and his mentor arrive to brave the town’s quarantine and get to work, they’re surprised to find that while many are withering away to nothing, not a single person has actually died from this affliction.
In fact, they can’t die.
Woefully unprepared to combat the rapidly spreading illness, the doctors and priest race to uncover the source of the town’s sinister corruption. Left unchecked, all the citizens of Bastion will be at the mercy of the disease they have so aptly named the Withering.
Out of ideas, Father Martine Donadieu sends pleas for assistance. He receives an answer in the form of a pair of plague doctors.
When fledgling physician Pierre and his mentor arrive to brave the town’s quarantine and get to work, they’re surprised to find that while many are withering away to nothing, not a single person has actually died from this affliction.
In fact, they can’t die.
Woefully unprepared to combat the rapidly spreading illness, the doctors and priest race to uncover the source of the town’s sinister corruption. Left unchecked, all the citizens of Bastion will be at the mercy of the disease they have so aptly named the Withering.
262 pages, Paperback
Published March 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 13, 2025
The Withering is a satisfying, small-scale, fast-paced cosmic horror period piece. The thrills and chills come frequently, as flickering light struggles against a darkness that is ancient, inscrutable, and gargantuan. It put me in the mind of Darkest Dungeon and Between Two Fires.
The premise—17th-century plague doctors battling the supernatural—carries much of the story's appeal. While the characters are a little bare-boned and the plot follows familiar beats, the concept is so novel and engaging that it easily keeps the pages turning.
The small-scale nature of the story really worked for me. The fact of the quarantine hovers over everything and lends an interesting edge of desperation and claustrophobia to all the character's actions. Bastion feels smaller and smaller as the story goes on and the plot's noose tightens.
Using the medicinal theory of the time was also a lot of fun. I love a story that immerses you not just into the setting, but into the very mindset of the time-period. To that end, i found the dialogue and the inner-monologue weakest. There would be bits (terms or phrasing structures) that would break the verisimilitude.
I also wish the characters were more developed. As i mentioned above their characterisation is a little sparse. While that can sometimes work, in this they occasionally fall closer to bland caricature than vivid archetype.
Those caveats aside, The Withering is a pretty good pulp-horror adventure.
I received a free copy of this book via Graveside Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The premise—17th-century plague doctors battling the supernatural—carries much of the story's appeal. While the characters are a little bare-boned and the plot follows familiar beats, the concept is so novel and engaging that it easily keeps the pages turning.
The small-scale nature of the story really worked for me. The fact of the quarantine hovers over everything and lends an interesting edge of desperation and claustrophobia to all the character's actions. Bastion feels smaller and smaller as the story goes on and the plot's noose tightens.
Using the medicinal theory of the time was also a lot of fun. I love a story that immerses you not just into the setting, but into the very mindset of the time-period. To that end, i found the dialogue and the inner-monologue weakest. There would be bits (terms or phrasing structures) that would break the verisimilitude.
I also wish the characters were more developed. As i mentioned above their characterisation is a little sparse. While that can sometimes work, in this they occasionally fall closer to bland caricature than vivid archetype.
Those caveats aside, The Withering is a pretty good pulp-horror adventure.
I received a free copy of this book via Graveside Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 29, 2025
The first thing that caught me about this book was the cover. I read the back cover copy & my intrigue went to curiosity. I haven't read a lot of historical/medieval horror fiction, but I'm glad I read this one. The plot draws you in, teasing with a horror element that can only be fully revealed upon completion. The author is confident in their portrayal of the era & the language makes it immersive.
April 30, 2025
Wow. I absolutely love this book the historical research that went into to write this book is amazing. The characters are both wonderful and mysterious, the world building is fantastic. It has the most perfectly done twists and turns and plot twists. You couldn't have asked for a better story. Can't wait for more and keep up the great work.
July 2, 2025
ITA
Nella città di Lille una strana malattia colpisce gli abitanti: inizia tutto con una tosse, fino a quando le persone entrano in uno stato comatoso. Alcuni, in coma da più tempo, appaiono come “asciugati”, raggrinziti, quasi svuotati. L’unico segno di vita è il loro respiro.
Padre Donadieu, nonostante la quarantena, riesce a inviare lettere alla Chiesa e alla comunità scientifica, chiedendo aiuto. La risposta arriva sotto forma di due medici itineranti: Guillaume e Pierre, accompagnati dal loro cavallo Hippocrates – per gli amici, Hippo.
Il romanzo è un horror, e per chi è sensibile (come me), segnalo la presenza di esorcismi e incendi. Nonostante ciò, l’ho trovato sorprendentemente piacevole, anche grazie al sottile senso dell’umorismo dell’autore, che alleggerisce la tensione nei momenti giusti.
I protagonisti principali sono Pierre, un giovane medico tirocinante un po’ maldestro ma genuino, e padre Donadieu, il classico sacerdote con un passato misterioso. Entrambi mi sono piaciuti molto.
C’è un momento, verso la fine, in cui la narrazione rallenta: Pierre entra in crisi e, quando si riprende, non è chiaro quanto tempo sia passato. Questo passaggio mi è sembrato un po’ “morto”, ma non rovina l’esperienza complessiva.
Nell’insieme una lettura consigliata. Non sono una esperta di horror, ma mi è piaciuto.
Ho ricevuto una copia gratuita di questo libro tramite Booksprout e sto volontariamente lasciando una recensione.
ENG
A strange illness is affecting the inhabitants of the city of Lille. It starts with a cough and progresses to a comatose state. Those who have been in a coma for a long time appear as if they have been "dried out," shriveled, and drained. The only sign of life is their breathing.
Despite the quarantine, Father Donadieu manages to send letters to the church and the scientific community, asking for help. The response comes in the form of two itinerant doctors, Guillaume and Pierre, accompanied by their horse, Hippocrates—or Hippo for short.
This is a horror novel, and I point out to those who are sensitive (like me) that it contains exorcisms and fires. Nevertheless, I found it surprisingly enjoyable, thanks in part to the author's subtle sense of humor, which lightens the tension at just the right moments.
The main protagonists are Pierre, an awkward yet genuine young intern doctor, and Father Donadieu, a classic priest with a mysterious past. I liked both of them very much.
Near the end, the narrative slows down. Pierre has a crisis, and when he recovers, it's unclear how much time has passed. This passage seemed a bit "dead" to me, but it doesn't ruin the overall experience.
It's an overall recommended read. I am not an expert on horror, but I enjoyed it.
I received a free copy of this book through Booksprout and am leaving a voluntary review.
Nella città di Lille una strana malattia colpisce gli abitanti: inizia tutto con una tosse, fino a quando le persone entrano in uno stato comatoso. Alcuni, in coma da più tempo, appaiono come “asciugati”, raggrinziti, quasi svuotati. L’unico segno di vita è il loro respiro.
Padre Donadieu, nonostante la quarantena, riesce a inviare lettere alla Chiesa e alla comunità scientifica, chiedendo aiuto. La risposta arriva sotto forma di due medici itineranti: Guillaume e Pierre, accompagnati dal loro cavallo Hippocrates – per gli amici, Hippo.
Il romanzo è un horror, e per chi è sensibile (come me), segnalo la presenza di esorcismi e incendi. Nonostante ciò, l’ho trovato sorprendentemente piacevole, anche grazie al sottile senso dell’umorismo dell’autore, che alleggerisce la tensione nei momenti giusti.
I protagonisti principali sono Pierre, un giovane medico tirocinante un po’ maldestro ma genuino, e padre Donadieu, il classico sacerdote con un passato misterioso. Entrambi mi sono piaciuti molto.
C’è un momento, verso la fine, in cui la narrazione rallenta: Pierre entra in crisi e, quando si riprende, non è chiaro quanto tempo sia passato. Questo passaggio mi è sembrato un po’ “morto”, ma non rovina l’esperienza complessiva.
Nell’insieme una lettura consigliata. Non sono una esperta di horror, ma mi è piaciuto.
Ho ricevuto una copia gratuita di questo libro tramite Booksprout e sto volontariamente lasciando una recensione.
ENG
A strange illness is affecting the inhabitants of the city of Lille. It starts with a cough and progresses to a comatose state. Those who have been in a coma for a long time appear as if they have been "dried out," shriveled, and drained. The only sign of life is their breathing.
Despite the quarantine, Father Donadieu manages to send letters to the church and the scientific community, asking for help. The response comes in the form of two itinerant doctors, Guillaume and Pierre, accompanied by their horse, Hippocrates—or Hippo for short.
This is a horror novel, and I point out to those who are sensitive (like me) that it contains exorcisms and fires. Nevertheless, I found it surprisingly enjoyable, thanks in part to the author's subtle sense of humor, which lightens the tension at just the right moments.
The main protagonists are Pierre, an awkward yet genuine young intern doctor, and Father Donadieu, a classic priest with a mysterious past. I liked both of them very much.
Near the end, the narrative slows down. Pierre has a crisis, and when he recovers, it's unclear how much time has passed. This passage seemed a bit "dead" to me, but it doesn't ruin the overall experience.
It's an overall recommended read. I am not an expert on horror, but I enjoyed it.
I received a free copy of this book through Booksprout and am leaving a voluntary review.
May 6, 2025
This book? Creeped. Me. Out. And I mean that in the best possible way.
The Withering grabbed me with plague masks, hushed prayers, and that thick sense of dread that settles in your bones before your brain catches up. J. Brian Ballinger doesn’t mess around—he drops you straight into a decaying little French town wrapped in fear and cloaked in secrets. And then he locks the door behind you.
From the jump, you know something is off. A town sealed tight by soldiers. A body swinging from a tree like a warning sign written in flesh. And then there’s the illness—not deadly, but damn near worse. Folks wasting away, eyes hollow, lungs wheezing, but somehow… still alive? That’s not natural. That’s not right. And if you’re like me, that’s the kind of setup that makes your spine itch and your curiosity burn.
I fell hard for the reluctant trio trying to get to the bottom of this slow-moving apocalypse—Father Donadieu, whose desperation borders on obsession, and the plague doctors, Guillaume and his apprentice Pierre, who are smart, skeptical, and in way over their heads. I mean, these guys came in with medicine and logic, and what they find? Not something you fix with leeches and poultices. This is some eldritch horror wrapped in religious rot and human desperation.
What I loved most? The pacing. Ballinger doesn’t sprint. He withers you—page by page, breath by breath. Every chapter peels back another layer of decay. And just when you think you've figured out what’s going on, it writhes into something darker. More ancient. More wrong. This isn’t just about a plague. It’s about what festers when the world looks away.
Fans of gothic horror, Lovecraftian whispers, and medieval dread with a side of candlelit tension—The Withering was made for you. It’s smart, eerie, and atmospheric as hell.
Read it with the lights on… and maybe a crucifix nearby. Just in case.
The Withering grabbed me with plague masks, hushed prayers, and that thick sense of dread that settles in your bones before your brain catches up. J. Brian Ballinger doesn’t mess around—he drops you straight into a decaying little French town wrapped in fear and cloaked in secrets. And then he locks the door behind you.
From the jump, you know something is off. A town sealed tight by soldiers. A body swinging from a tree like a warning sign written in flesh. And then there’s the illness—not deadly, but damn near worse. Folks wasting away, eyes hollow, lungs wheezing, but somehow… still alive? That’s not natural. That’s not right. And if you’re like me, that’s the kind of setup that makes your spine itch and your curiosity burn.
I fell hard for the reluctant trio trying to get to the bottom of this slow-moving apocalypse—Father Donadieu, whose desperation borders on obsession, and the plague doctors, Guillaume and his apprentice Pierre, who are smart, skeptical, and in way over their heads. I mean, these guys came in with medicine and logic, and what they find? Not something you fix with leeches and poultices. This is some eldritch horror wrapped in religious rot and human desperation.
What I loved most? The pacing. Ballinger doesn’t sprint. He withers you—page by page, breath by breath. Every chapter peels back another layer of decay. And just when you think you've figured out what’s going on, it writhes into something darker. More ancient. More wrong. This isn’t just about a plague. It’s about what festers when the world looks away.
Fans of gothic horror, Lovecraftian whispers, and medieval dread with a side of candlelit tension—The Withering was made for you. It’s smart, eerie, and atmospheric as hell.
Read it with the lights on… and maybe a crucifix nearby. Just in case.
April 30, 2025
The people of Bastion are succumbing to the Withering, a terrible disease that seems to rob it's victims of everything but their life, turning them into breathing, immobile corpses. Father Donadieu (whom I pictured from his first scene as Russell Crowe, for some reason) does what he can to comfort the afflicted. Help soon arrives in the guise of Guillaume and Pierre, a pair of doctors sent to identify and cure the strange ailment. Without giving away any plot, they quickly determine that a source of evil is responsible for the disease. The writing is quick-paced and enthralling. The scenes in the darkness of a crumbling castle and chapel are frightening and tense, and the descriptions of the creatures are terrifying in their descriptions. J. Brian Ballinger delivers a vastly entertaining novel, going to the top of the list of Graveside Press releases for me.
May 28, 2025
This was really good, in the beginning I didn’t think I’d get on with the book as I felt the writing would be too technical (with it being about two doctors), however, I was greatly relieved once I got into the story that it was super easy to read. It was interesting to get some insight into the historical side of medicine as well as the incredible horror side of the story.
July 2, 2025
What a great book, the details are written to make it a spooky experience. I don't usually read horror but this plot convinced me and fair enough, I ended up with my hair on end! If you're a fan or horror stories you won't be disappointed, and if you're not, like me, well... you'll be definitely spooked!! This book will keep your blood pumping!
May 18, 2025
This book is so eerie and disturbing but I couldn’t put it down. It was very much a page turner. Really liked the heroic characters of the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Graveside Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Graveside Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 29, 2025
Great book! I usually don't like horror but this might have changed my opinion. incredibly well written and original. I might have nightmares about flies now though!
May 20, 2025
The Withering is terrifying. I love how visual this story is. I had to stop a few times because my anxiety was so intense.
July 16, 2025
I loved the book! The characters were easy to empathize with, and the plot kept me engaged. Each passing chapter made me more intrigued and invested. I wished the book didn't have to end!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews