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The World Turns Red
Welcome to the meat room.
At first, it’s a whisper on the edge of your consciousness.
As it gets louder, you begin to make out words—dark, sharp, dangerous words… You clap your hands over your ears to shut them out, but you can’t escape what comes from inside you.
The voice tells you to do things to yourself. Bad things. Awful things…
The longer you listen, the more they seem reasonable. Desirable.
Inevitable.
And as you reach for the nearest knife, gun, or rope, the voice speaks the last four words you’ll ever
All hail the Unhigh.
At first, it’s a whisper on the edge of your consciousness.
As it gets louder, you begin to make out words—dark, sharp, dangerous words… You clap your hands over your ears to shut them out, but you can’t escape what comes from inside you.
The voice tells you to do things to yourself. Bad things. Awful things…
The longer you listen, the more they seem reasonable. Desirable.
Inevitable.
And as you reach for the nearest knife, gun, or rope, the voice speaks the last four words you’ll ever
All hail the Unhigh.
108 pages, Paperback
Published May 29, 2025
12 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Tim Waggoner
282 books757 followersTim Waggoner's first novel came out in 2001, and since then, he's published over sixty novels and eight collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. He's written tie-in fiction based on Supernatural, The X-Files, Alien, Doctor Who, Conan the Barbarian, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Grimm, and Transformers, among others, and he's written novelizations for films such as Ti West’s X-Trilogy, Halloween Kills, Terrifier 2 and 3, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. He’s also the author of the award-winning guide to horror Writing in the Dark. He’s a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, a one-time winner of the Scribe Award, and he’s been a two-time finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and a one-time finalist for the Splatterpunk Award. He’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 30, 2025
This novella is exactly how it feels to have depression. I must admit I felt this one a bit too much.
May you never listen to the Unhigh
May you never listen to the Unhigh
June 12, 2025
I love horror packaged in novellas, and this one is exactly why!
Perfect opening, packs a punch, and keeps you asking for more: a guy witnesses an unaliving right next door; the neighbor is assisting his preteen grandson to unalive himself. Serious WTF moment, and it's just the first one, more to follow.
Perfect premise: the guy has a history of trauma, his dad too unalived himself, inexplicably, cruelly, and mysteriously; his trauma comes to the surface as people left and right are unaliving themselves, and he has to find his mum on time and save her from whatever is happening to his town- but why is he himself exempted from the unaliving madness?
Perfect ending: no spoilers, but the big reveal is terrific, flawlessly presented, and seriously creepy! It's precisely what I needed to see, and the anticipation sustained my interest in the novella (I doubt it'd be equally effective at novel length). That's how you leave the customer absolutely satisfied!
All Praise the Unhigh!
Perfect opening, packs a punch, and keeps you asking for more: a guy witnesses an unaliving right next door; the neighbor is assisting his preteen grandson to unalive himself. Serious WTF moment, and it's just the first one, more to follow.
Perfect premise: the guy has a history of trauma, his dad too unalived himself, inexplicably, cruelly, and mysteriously; his trauma comes to the surface as people left and right are unaliving themselves, and he has to find his mum on time and save her from whatever is happening to his town- but why is he himself exempted from the unaliving madness?
Perfect ending: no spoilers, but the big reveal is terrific, flawlessly presented, and seriously creepy! It's precisely what I needed to see, and the anticipation sustained my interest in the novella (I doubt it'd be equally effective at novel length). That's how you leave the customer absolutely satisfied!
All Praise the Unhigh!
June 18, 2025
This novella is a quick and gruesome story that packs a lot of horror into eighty-something pages.
Lewis Cooper is in the midst of an ordinary day, grading essays on his laptop, when he happens to look out the window and see his neighbor fashioning a noose on his oak tree. What follows is a rash of suicides that spread like a plague, seeming to travel everywhere Lewis goes.
Is Lewis immune, or is he somehow the catalyst? We learn the truth through flashbacks to his traumatic childhood and how these events shaped the man he is today. There were times I was not sure what was really happening and what was only inside his damaged mind.
This is a very dark, intense read with a surreal quality that pulled me in from page one and held me spellbound to the bitter end.
4 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications.
Lewis Cooper is in the midst of an ordinary day, grading essays on his laptop, when he happens to look out the window and see his neighbor fashioning a noose on his oak tree. What follows is a rash of suicides that spread like a plague, seeming to travel everywhere Lewis goes.
Is Lewis immune, or is he somehow the catalyst? We learn the truth through flashbacks to his traumatic childhood and how these events shaped the man he is today. There were times I was not sure what was really happening and what was only inside his damaged mind.
This is a very dark, intense read with a surreal quality that pulled me in from page one and held me spellbound to the bitter end.
4 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications.
September 2, 2025
i find cult plots kinda boring but this had really fun descriptions and i love the worlds that tim waggoner builds so this was a good read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2025
As is a common theme at the moment, short, sharp, and powerful explosions of horror are the current en vogue, and The World Turns Red definitely ticks those boxes. From the opening, and harrowing, scene we are left with a jaw-dropping story that has you flying through the pages.
Lewis' world is changing and all those around him are unaliving themselves. This quick read hits you with the traumer of what it's like when everything you know goes to hell. It's thoughtful, and poinient and Waggnor captures it beautifully.
Lewis' world is changing and all those around him are unaliving themselves. This quick read hits you with the traumer of what it's like when everything you know goes to hell. It's thoughtful, and poinient and Waggnor captures it beautifully.
June 11, 2025
"The World Turns Red" by Tim Waggoner is a quick read, both because of its diminutive length (83 pages) and because Waggoner's writing grabs you by the throat in a narrative chokehold from the opening line, and doesn't let up. It's a simple premise: a sociology instructor, Lewis, is grading student essays from his home office in a state of disaffected boredom, when he looks out the window and witnesses his neighbor and young grandson affixing a hangman's noose from a bough in a tree. Lewis's initial puzzlement turns into horror as the neighbor then lovingly drapes the noose around the child's neck.
When Lewis rushes outside to warn them of a danger that should have been more than obvious, the child looks in his direction, gives a hearty wave and an eerie smile, then leaps from the ladder on which he's been perched, committing suicide before Lewis's aghast eyes. When his nonplussed neighbor then nonchalantly walks into the street, and directly into the path of a speeding oncoming pickup truck, followed soon after by the driver of the truck shooting herself in the head, Lewis quickly realizes this is no ordinary October afternoon. Everyone in the small, quiet town where he lives seems to be committing suicide, as further evidenced by the fact when he turns on the local news, he sees a reporter self-immolating on camera. For Lewis, the horror hits especially close to home; as a young child, he discovered his father shortly after he'd committed suicide with a shotgun blast to the head, and the memory of the gruesome sight -- as well as grisly hallucinations of his father's corpse, taunting him from beyond the grave that have lasted well into adulthood -- has left Lewis traumatized and emotionally scarred.
Although similar in premise to the M. Night Shyalaman 2008 movie "The Happening," the outbreak of suicidal tendencies in "The World Turns Red" hasn't affected the entire world just yet, and as Lewis rushes across town in the hopes he can rescue his mother, he eventually learns why. The reason, as well as the outcome of the story, are best left to be discovered on your own. No spoilers from me, but suffice it to say, the answer, my friend, isn't blowing in the wind.
This was such a fantastic story. The ending caught me completely off-guard, and I want to say more, but I'm not going to ruin it. Waggoner's writing is amazing, and the imagery in the story is truly chilling. "The World Turns Red" is a dark, disturbing, masterpiece worth binge-reading in one sitting.
When Lewis rushes outside to warn them of a danger that should have been more than obvious, the child looks in his direction, gives a hearty wave and an eerie smile, then leaps from the ladder on which he's been perched, committing suicide before Lewis's aghast eyes. When his nonplussed neighbor then nonchalantly walks into the street, and directly into the path of a speeding oncoming pickup truck, followed soon after by the driver of the truck shooting herself in the head, Lewis quickly realizes this is no ordinary October afternoon. Everyone in the small, quiet town where he lives seems to be committing suicide, as further evidenced by the fact when he turns on the local news, he sees a reporter self-immolating on camera. For Lewis, the horror hits especially close to home; as a young child, he discovered his father shortly after he'd committed suicide with a shotgun blast to the head, and the memory of the gruesome sight -- as well as grisly hallucinations of his father's corpse, taunting him from beyond the grave that have lasted well into adulthood -- has left Lewis traumatized and emotionally scarred.
Although similar in premise to the M. Night Shyalaman 2008 movie "The Happening," the outbreak of suicidal tendencies in "The World Turns Red" hasn't affected the entire world just yet, and as Lewis rushes across town in the hopes he can rescue his mother, he eventually learns why. The reason, as well as the outcome of the story, are best left to be discovered on your own. No spoilers from me, but suffice it to say, the answer, my friend, isn't blowing in the wind.
This was such a fantastic story. The ending caught me completely off-guard, and I want to say more, but I'm not going to ruin it. Waggoner's writing is amazing, and the imagery in the story is truly chilling. "The World Turns Red" is a dark, disturbing, masterpiece worth binge-reading in one sitting.
July 2, 2025
Well, all I can say is that The World Turns Red is another in a long line of brilliant horror work by Tim Waggoner. There was never anyone who could blend the real with the surreal so seamlessly that, as wild as the story gets, it makes perfect sense somehow. Now THAT takes one hell of a writer.
The reader is immediately pulled into…well, no…the reader is grabbed by the throat and dragged into the story when Lewis Cooper, an Everyman type of guy, witnesses three gruesome, senseless suicides. And that’s in the first nine pages! The book grabs you and does not let go. It’s almost impossible not to read it all in a single sitting. I did. It was nailed to my hands. I’m pretty hard to shock, but this book did it.
The three initial suicides are only the beginning, as everyone in town starts thinking up ghastly ways to shuffle off this mortal coil. And nobody ever leaves a note. It seems that a voice in their heads, called’ The Unhigh,’ is encouraging them to kill themselves, and by the time they are convinced, they are euphoric about the whole idea, and they die with huge grins on their faces.
Lewis is no stranger to suicide, as he watched his father blow half his head off with a shotgun when he was a child, so the act of suicide has always been anathema to him—especially when his father’s bloody shade starts following him around, trying to get him to follow everyone else’s example. But Lewis seems to be immune to The Unhigh’s urging…perhaps because the horror of his father’s suicide has remained engraved in his psyche for his entire life?
He tries to reach his mother to save her from this insanity…but will he get there in time? And how will he save her if he does?
The story builds beautifully, gradually progressing from a careless whisper to a scream until your throat bleeds. I didn’t see the creepy ending coming, but it was perfect…just like the last creamy bite of Chocolate Mousse.
I have never before read a novella this tightly written, and when you read it, you will look back and be amazed at how much Mr. Waggoner packed into less than one hundred pages, without making it seem like an overstuffed suitcase.
The book is a flawless masterpiece. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of The World Turns Red. And if you have horror-loving friends on your Christmas list, grab a few for them, too!
6 out of 5 stars.
The reader is immediately pulled into…well, no…the reader is grabbed by the throat and dragged into the story when Lewis Cooper, an Everyman type of guy, witnesses three gruesome, senseless suicides. And that’s in the first nine pages! The book grabs you and does not let go. It’s almost impossible not to read it all in a single sitting. I did. It was nailed to my hands. I’m pretty hard to shock, but this book did it.
The three initial suicides are only the beginning, as everyone in town starts thinking up ghastly ways to shuffle off this mortal coil. And nobody ever leaves a note. It seems that a voice in their heads, called’ The Unhigh,’ is encouraging them to kill themselves, and by the time they are convinced, they are euphoric about the whole idea, and they die with huge grins on their faces.
Lewis is no stranger to suicide, as he watched his father blow half his head off with a shotgun when he was a child, so the act of suicide has always been anathema to him—especially when his father’s bloody shade starts following him around, trying to get him to follow everyone else’s example. But Lewis seems to be immune to The Unhigh’s urging…perhaps because the horror of his father’s suicide has remained engraved in his psyche for his entire life?
He tries to reach his mother to save her from this insanity…but will he get there in time? And how will he save her if he does?
The story builds beautifully, gradually progressing from a careless whisper to a scream until your throat bleeds. I didn’t see the creepy ending coming, but it was perfect…just like the last creamy bite of Chocolate Mousse.
I have never before read a novella this tightly written, and when you read it, you will look back and be amazed at how much Mr. Waggoner packed into less than one hundred pages, without making it seem like an overstuffed suitcase.
The book is a flawless masterpiece. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of The World Turns Red. And if you have horror-loving friends on your Christmas list, grab a few for them, too!
6 out of 5 stars.
June 29, 2025
Overall, this was a rather strong and impressive novella. The central premise is incredibly unnerving and plays out spectacularly, following the unnerving series of actions taking place in front of him, and the utter disconnect and nonchalance that takes place during these encounters create a wholly immersive starting point. Trying to uncover the source of the incidents, only to be met with even further gruesome discoveries, involving more people in the community undergoing the same thing, or the sheer madness of the situation not evoking the natural reactions of others, only furthers this starting point as we delve further into the strange situation. These are kept in fine order, and the more this unfolds, the more it aligns with the fine series of revelations that slowly point to something inhuman at the center of the madness, pulling into his background and piecing it together with some chilling encounters and brutal confrontations.
One of the better attributes of this setup is a strong talking point about suicide and mental health. Given the ultimate end game of what’s going on features an intriguing focus on why these people are killing themselves and what that ultimately means, involving why he’s chosen to carry out these strange accidents, there’s a healthy look at the impact of suicide on a person’s sanity. Given the detailed background about his childhood history with suicide, featuring how his father killed himself and the emotional scars that were left on him as he grew up, always being hampered by these incidents, there’s a strong look at how it weakens a person to leave them susceptible to something like this. This happens through some awkward time shifts and flashbacks that make following the main storyline a bit clumsy, but it’s still clear enough by the end that it won’t be a big deal in the end.
4.5/5
One of the better attributes of this setup is a strong talking point about suicide and mental health. Given the ultimate end game of what’s going on features an intriguing focus on why these people are killing themselves and what that ultimately means, involving why he’s chosen to carry out these strange accidents, there’s a healthy look at the impact of suicide on a person’s sanity. Given the detailed background about his childhood history with suicide, featuring how his father killed himself and the emotional scars that were left on him as he grew up, always being hampered by these incidents, there’s a strong look at how it weakens a person to leave them susceptible to something like this. This happens through some awkward time shifts and flashbacks that make following the main storyline a bit clumsy, but it’s still clear enough by the end that it won’t be a big deal in the end.
4.5/5
June 12, 2025
The World Turns Red drops you right in to a mystery drenched in gore: when one by one Lewis’ neighbours and people around him all start committing mass-unaliving of themselves, he finds himself on a mission to stop the spread of whatever disease this is.
Along the way, his mind and memories plague him, pulling him into chaos and making him question everything. Even reality.
This novella has not a single word wasted. You are pulled along on a path of destruction, heartbreak and loss, sorrow, humour, and unlikely heroism, and it doesn’t let up. This novella will leave you questioning everything. You will feel numb and excited, empty and satisfied. It is truly a one-of-a-kind novella that only Waggoner could create.
Some really lighthearted moments break the tension expertly before another wave of gore and despair sweep you away again. It is a quick read, but one hell of a journey.
Along the way, his mind and memories plague him, pulling him into chaos and making him question everything. Even reality.
This novella has not a single word wasted. You are pulled along on a path of destruction, heartbreak and loss, sorrow, humour, and unlikely heroism, and it doesn’t let up. This novella will leave you questioning everything. You will feel numb and excited, empty and satisfied. It is truly a one-of-a-kind novella that only Waggoner could create.
Some really lighthearted moments break the tension expertly before another wave of gore and despair sweep you away again. It is a quick read, but one hell of a journey.
June 16, 2025
The World Turns Red grips you from the very first page and refuses to let go. It opens with a shocking scene—a man witnessing his neighbor calmly assist his young grandson in taking his own life. It's a brutal, disorienting moment that immediately sets the tone: this is a story where the rules of reality are dissolving, and no one is safe.
A man haunted by past trauma—particularly his father’s inexplicable and cruel suicide. As his town spirals into a wave of self-inflicted deaths, his memories begin to surface. He’s desperate to save his mother before she succumbs to whatever force is sweeping through the population—but why is he seemingly immune?
Highly recommended for fans of psychological terror, small-town surrealism, and stories that make you question the limits of sanity.
A man haunted by past trauma—particularly his father’s inexplicable and cruel suicide. As his town spirals into a wave of self-inflicted deaths, his memories begin to surface. He’s desperate to save his mother before she succumbs to whatever force is sweeping through the population—but why is he seemingly immune?
Highly recommended for fans of psychological terror, small-town surrealism, and stories that make you question the limits of sanity.
January 2, 2026
It's an odd tale of a town drawn to mass suicide as the main character, Lewis Cooper, must discover what is making everyone in town do this. Cooper is also dealing with psychological trauma of his own father having committed suicide when he was a child. Although Tim Waggoner is considered an extreme horror novelist, one cannot deny the psychological aspects of his writings. It is something that is not easily done, but he seems to do it right every time. This is one of his short novellas, but definitely worth the quick read if you like either extreme horror or psychological horror.
July 8, 2025
A novella done right, this is a masterfully written story that packs a punch.
Not a single word is wasted in the novella's 83 page length, making for a story that seems a lot longer than it is and what a story it is.
Lewis Cooper is grading essays on his laptop at home when he witnesses his neighbour and his grandson outside going about setting up a noose on a tree as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. After the shocking event that then occurs, Lewis navigates through a world that has seemingly gone crazy where people are happily unaliving themselves for no apparent reason.
His concern immediately turns to his mother and he embarks on a journey to try and save her from what has begun to plague the town.
This is a super dark tale that fucuses heavily on the psychological and emotional aspects of Lewis's journey, both from his past and his present. It all leads up to create a emotionally charged and disturbing conclusion.
A brilliant novella that I would recommend being high on anyone's TBR list.
Not a single word is wasted in the novella's 83 page length, making for a story that seems a lot longer than it is and what a story it is.
Lewis Cooper is grading essays on his laptop at home when he witnesses his neighbour and his grandson outside going about setting up a noose on a tree as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. After the shocking event that then occurs, Lewis navigates through a world that has seemingly gone crazy where people are happily unaliving themselves for no apparent reason.
His concern immediately turns to his mother and he embarks on a journey to try and save her from what has begun to plague the town.
This is a super dark tale that fucuses heavily on the psychological and emotional aspects of Lewis's journey, both from his past and his present. It all leads up to create a emotionally charged and disturbing conclusion.
A brilliant novella that I would recommend being high on anyone's TBR list.
August 23, 2025
A mysterious voice called "The Unhigh" has plunged Ohio into chaos, driving citizens to commit horrific acts that lead to suicides.
The World Turns Red isn't as grief-stricken as I thought it would be, despite being told from the perspectives of a deranged individual, his younger self, and a shotgun. Waggoner tackles tough subjects head-on, with the afterword being the only exception. At its core, Red is a short, brutal, and effective story.
The World Turns Red isn't as grief-stricken as I thought it would be, despite being told from the perspectives of a deranged individual, his younger self, and a shotgun. Waggoner tackles tough subjects head-on, with the afterword being the only exception. At its core, Red is a short, brutal, and effective story.
November 2, 2025
This is an extremely well-done horror novella that balances gore and thrills with psychological introspection. Our protagonist, an academic who witnessed his father's suicide, struggles to survive as his community is overwhelmed with a wave of people killing themselves. Waggoner combines horrific imagery, some of it accompanied with illustrations, with an examination of how suicide blights not only the lives of those who kill themselves, but also those who survive them.
July 28, 2025
An Excellent Nightmarish Work
Waggoner’s work is a great example of the zombie-apocalyptic trope all told in a comfortable encapsulation of a novella. Smart, with detailed descriptions of nightmarish scenarios, Waggoner gets right into the action , maintaining the interest of the reader throughout the story. Apart from a weak ending, the narrative is an excellent read.
Waggoner’s work is a great example of the zombie-apocalyptic trope all told in a comfortable encapsulation of a novella. Smart, with detailed descriptions of nightmarish scenarios, Waggoner gets right into the action , maintaining the interest of the reader throughout the story. Apart from a weak ending, the narrative is an excellent read.
August 11, 2025
The World Turns Red is a masterclass in extreme horror—tight, relentless, and disturbing in all the right ways. Waggoner’s ability to fuse surreal dread with emotional realism makes this novella both unforgettable and deeply affecting. If you're drawn to psychological horror that lingers long after the last page, this is a must-read.
June 27, 2025
I was first drawn into the book by the cover. Once I started reading oh man I was hooked even more. Right from page one to the end. If you want a book to read that is fast and has you on the edge of your seat this one is for you.
August 9, 2025
Quick and Dark
I read this on an airplane--does that make it a perfect airplane book?--and it kept me attention the entire time. Tim Waggoner is an excellent writer and tells a story that is both grim and hopeful.
I read this on an airplane--does that make it a perfect airplane book?--and it kept me attention the entire time. Tim Waggoner is an excellent writer and tells a story that is both grim and hopeful.
October 19, 2025
This is a genius of a novella. Anyone who has struggled with suicidal feelings or clinical depression will find that the world Waggoner paints is scarily close to home. I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down.
October 18, 2025
Nice short sharp shock of a story. Fun read.
December 28, 2025
Very dark. The action starts off right away and continues. It covers a very dark subject matter: suicide
December 28, 2025
Drawn in by the cover..I found this book to be emotional, heart-wrenching and shocking. It started with a WTF?! and dragged me through the rest of the book ending with hellish creepiness! I loved the pacing, plot, anticipatory dread and overall horror.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews