When sixteen-year-old Logan Burrow chases his dog into the woods, he doesn’t expect to tumble into an endless abyss, straight into the pit of Hell itself.
But the real nightmare begins when he realizes a formless spirit has possessed his body. A spirit with unfinished business. A spirit desperate to escape eternal torment. A spirit…named Jack.
Together, Logan and his unwelcome invader must navigate a labyrinth of horrors where the dead are flayed, twisted, and broken for eternity. Everywhere drips with blood. And at the heart of it all waits Leviathan, an ancient terror that doesn’t forgive escape attempts.
As reality unravels and sanity slips away, Logan must fight for survival or surrender his soul to Jack–and Hell–forever.
Salvation for the Damned is a dungeon-crawling plunge into terror. For fans of Dante’s Inferno and Diablo with a blood-soaked twist, do you dare to descend?
JAY BOWER is a horror author living outside St. Louis, MO in the forest of Southern Illinois. He spends his time reading, writing, and convincing his wife the dark stories he writes do not involve her.
One time punk-rock skateboarder and heavy metal kid of the 80s, Jay approaches his work with the same indie attitude as those early punk bands.
He's the author of several dark novels and short stories. He can be reached at jay@jay-bower.com.
Logan is trying to find his dog but ends up somewhere unexpected. Now, Logan must face unimaginable things to try and escape from Hell. Terrors await at every turn. Horrifying story full of hope, determination, and love. Amazing characters' heart-pounding ending. Amazing tale of horror and courage.
Salvation For the Damned is a fast-paced descent into Hell that blends Dante-esque symbolism with modern horror and a surprising amount of heart. What begins as an ordinary night of video games turns into a nightmare when Logan follows his pup to a strange red light in the woods, only to be dragged into a portal straight to the depths of Hell.
The reader is quickly immersed into Hell’s dark, brutal environment, rife with demons you may be familiar with but also creatures you’ve never imagined. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT!
The story is a relentless gauntlet. An entity named Jack possesses Logan, using his memories, past mistakes, and insecurities against him in an attempt to wear down his resolve and take control of his body to escape Hell. Every confrontation becomes a fucking “boss fight” against creatures only Jay can conjure up in his twisted mind. His descriptions of the demons, spider-creatures, and his reinterpretation of Leviathan are gruesome and beautifully crafted.
(BTW, I have Leviathan in my book The Shimmering as well.)
Despite the constant terror, the novel pauses for introspection. Logan is forced to examine the good he’s done (rather, find the good he’s done) and the kind of person he wants to become. It’s a hellish coming-of-age story, and his internal battles are often as gripping as the physical ones.
For context—and in my case, the occasional reprieve from Logan’s brutal journey—the reader is given his mother Stephanie’s perspective. Her frantic search for Logan brings a raw, human desperation fueled by regret, guilt, and maternal fear. Watching her fight through her own demons while Logan faces literal ones adds emotional weight to the narrative.
Bower’s pacing is relentless, the world-building clever and grotesque, and the action rarely lets up. Fans of infernal horror, possession stories, or fast-moving survival narratives will have a blast with this one.
This might be one of my favorite Jay Bower titles that I've read. What a ride this one was! Logan gets dragged into 'Hell' by a spirit named Jack. The story has a video game feel to it, something those who read LitRPG will understand. It added to the fun of seeing Logan conquer the many obstacles that 'Hell' provided him. I also appreciated the psychological side where Logan's mother blames herself for her son going missing without knowing that the truth is much darker.
Jack turns out to be a huge character toward the end, but I can't spoil it as much as I want to. All I can say is that the ending will leave you shocked and perhaps even cursing at the screen. I even cursed Jay's name, lol. This was a fun ride and I hope there is a sequel, please tell me there is one. You can't leave that ending like that, haha!
On a serious note, this was one of my top reads for 2025. So go read it today!
“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” — DANTE ALIGHIERI
These are the very words that precede Chapter One of Jay Bower’s latest blockbuster release, Salvation for the Damned. This new book is deliciously dark, dangerous, and delightfully daring in a new and different kind of story arch that fans of Jay are accustomed too and I for one am totally here for it! This book blew me away and has become my favorite, Jay Bower novel to date!!
Jay takes us on a trip through Hell as seen and felt through the horrible, terrifying experiences of a young man named, Logan, who was summoned by an evil soul looking for a means of escape. Though the author does not take us on the full thirty-four levels of Hell that Dante circled, we do travel far enough in to see more than enough grotesqueries to last a lifetime of memories.
This is certainly a book that I will never ever forget and will be the first to recommend when asked for the smartest and most interesting, yet disturbing read ever.
His character development is strong. You grow to love and cheer for certain people, while intensely disliking others. His world building is superb! By the time I finished this novel I kind of felt like I’d been to Hell. Honestly, I hope to never go back, but there’s only one reason why I would and Jay Bower knows why.
Jay Bower was kind enough to allow me to be an ARC reader. Thank you so very much! I absolutely loved the book!! 5⭐️
Salvation For The Damned is a riff on Dante’s Inferno that takes 16-year-old Logan on a journey through the dark, terrifying levels of Hell. When he chases his dog into the woods one night, Logan doesn’t find his beloved pet, but instead gets pulled into Hell by a spirit who goes by the name Jack. He tells the teen that the only way out is for the two of them to work together. Logan quickly realizes that he’s not dreaming, not having a bad trip, but is truly trapped in Hell, surrounded by horrifying demons, monstrous creatures, and the suffering souls of the damned. Meanwhile, his mother, Stephanie, is frantic to find the son she knows she has neglected for too long, and is also trapped in her own personal hell as the days go by with no sign of Logan.
I loved the parallels and inspiration from Dante’s Inferno. Bower weaves a bloody, gory tale filled with terrible monsters, fear, and hopelessness. But through it all, Logan finds inner strength, profound insight, and courage he never knew he possessed. The chapters focused on Stephanie provided a respite from the torturous scenes of Hell, although she suffered in different ways than her son. I personally didn’t love the ending, but the ride to get there was more than worthwhile, and Logan’s growth throughout his ordeal was a fantastic character arc. Fans of Bower will instantly recognize his signature style and vivid descriptions, and won’t want to miss this one.
Book Review Author: Jay Bower Title: Salvation for the Damned Book Rating: 4 Stars Horror/Dark Fantasy
Salvation for the Damned by Jay Bower was an incredibly dark horror novel that also read as a dungeon crawling dark fantasy. I would agree with the description of it being almost a horror Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Logan, a troubled sixteen-year-old, finds himself in hell sharing his body with a spirit who calls himself Jack. Jack is trying to escape hell and is showing Logan the ropes on how to do it. Soon enough, Logan and Jack are working their way through the 9 levels of hell just like Dante had done.
This is probably one of the darkest books I've read, but it also had a fair amount of comedy and dungeon action that makes it a little more palatable for non-horror readers.
I loved it! I loved the plot, and I loved that all the characters in the story even though every single person is unlikable and selfish. It added to the depth of the plot and made it all the more real.
Some minor issues that I had were the surprise twist at the end I saw early on, and the characters seemed to keep rehashing the same conversations over and over again. Neither one of these issues drew me out of the book, though. It was a hell of a ride, pun intended, and it shows the length at which Jay will go to tell a horrifying story.
Jay is one of the best in the Indie scene, and you all need to give this book, as well as his Eyebiter series a shot. They are all amazing.
A tale inspired by Dante's Inferno, this book is a masterfully written tale that kept me on the edge of my seat until its thrilling conclusion.
Logan is a troubled sixteen year old teen who lives with his dog and his mother who has some deep seated issues of her own. On a night he's left alone, his dog escapes and runs deep into the forest. He follows only to find himself dragged through a portal into hell thanks to one of it's denizens, a spirit with a terrible past who is desperate to escape named Jack. Logan is possessed by Jack but Jack is too weak to take control of his body so leaves him to do so and settles for feeding him advice and intel. Together, the duo venture through the levels of hell as told by Dante to try and find a way back to earth.
There are some truly horrific trials Logan has to endure and deal with while he fights to hold back the spirit of Jack taking him over as he gets stronger. Logan is forced to mature and face truth's that take most of us years to do but he has to if he is to survive. As such, his character development is strong and I grew to really care about his character which is always the mark of a great story.
The imagery is vivid and descriptive without being overly so and the world building is impressive. There are chapters which focus on the real world and Logan's mother as she goes through the heartbreak of finding her son missing without any trace which helps break up the opressiveness of the chapters in Hell. She has her own growth moments and it ties in with Logan's journey which really enhanced the story further.
Make no mistake, this is a bleak story but it is brilliant and one that every horror reader that dares to take this trip through hell will appreciate.
Thanks Jay for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I've read several books by Jay Bower and this one is one of his darkest, but still has some humor in it. This has been described as a mix of Dante's Inferno and the game Diablo and I couldn't agree more. I would add that I got some The Black Farm vibes from it as well, but dialed back a notch or two. So this might be great to check out if that book was too much for you.
The reader gets to know the characters pretty well there is a good balance between plot and character development. The dialogue between Logan and Jack reminded me of the movie Venom which was quite entertaining to read. The story also follows Logan's mother, Stephanie, as she deals with looking for her missing son. According to the author, her story was not originally a part of the book so I'm glad he decided to include it.
This book was action-packed and not for the faint of heart. This had some very emotional parts and was at times downright depressing. I'm giving this one 4.5⭐️s rounded up to 5 where applicable. This book borders on being more dark fantasy so if you like horror and want to expand your horizons, check this one out.
What started as a regular night streaming video games, Logan finds himself fighting for his life and soul traveling through the various levels of Hell. He's been dragged down by a lost soul named Jack who is trying to get out of Hell himself, and is attempting to take over Logan's body to do so. Can they work together to make it out? Or will Logan succumb to the horrors that are trying to hunt him down?
This one is a brutal read, full of torture and body horror. I mean, that's expected, the setting is 99% in the various bowels of Hell. And Hell is not somewhere anyone wants to find themselves. I know Logan is just a teenager under circumstances that most adults wouldn't be able to handle, but I found myself really annoyed with some of the decisions he made 🤣 He really, REALLY doesn't want Jack to take over his body. I would have given in pretty much immediately 🙈
We also see some chapters from the POV of Logan's mom and her search for her missing son, disappeared with only one confusing clue left behind. She's fighting with herself and her poor life choices, feeling helpless in all attempts to get Logan back home. It was bad enough reading what he went through, but Stephanie was going through a different kind of torture.
Logan is a troubled teen with an unattentive Mother with problems of her own. When his dog, Major (his only true friend) runs into the woods, Logan follows. Instead of finding Major, he drops into the depths of Hell.
This book is a dark look at the afterlife, inspired by Dante's Inferno. Logan encounters an entity that calls himself Jack and Jack is determined to take over Logan's body in order to leave his torment. As Logan tries to find his way out of this situation, he faces horrific creatures, pain and torment. He also faces up to his past and what might have brought him here.
The story moves at a fast pace and is full of gruesome horror, but it also touches on dysfunctional family dynamics and a bit of religion. All in all, the book is well-written with great characters and will surely make the reader look at the afterlife in a different way.
Holy Hell! Jay Bower spun an insane tale of a teenage boy's unfortunate trip to Hell. Logan was minding his own business looking for his dog when he found himself tumbling into Hell. I felt so bad for Logan! He had his problems and faults, but I enjoyed watching him grow and mature while trying to fight the spirit inhabiting him and find his way home. The scenes and creatures Logan encountered were described very vividly. Logan's fear and pain were intense. Every chapter I hoped that Logan would make it out so he could get his life back together. I really grew fond of him and wanted him to succeed.
Jay Bower does it again with knocking it out of the park! I hated jack so so much and had a feeling about who he was halfway through. But that ending? Nope! Didn’t see that coming and I was MAD! lol! Jay is such an amazing author and writes details so well that you feel completely immersed in the story. I’ve never read Dante’s inferno, but I want to now! I can’t wait to read more about these characters and I am super curious as to what happens to Stephanie! Where is she going to end up? Will we see her again?????
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Be ready to have your mind blown with the amount of disturbing creatures in this book. Imagine going through the 9 levels of hell. Could you survive?
This book is so descriptive you can literally smell hell coming off the pages. With every page death inches closer. It's bloody, horrifying and downright disturbing. Our mc fights like hell while being tormented. Oh that crazy little twist at the end will have you on the edge of your seat.
Jay has weaved his way through hell to tell this story and you won't be disappointed.
If you like your evil relentless, this is the one for you. I can certainly say the it is a "hell" of a ride. Pun intended. There is no slack in the action what-so-ever, it is there page after page after page throughout the whole book. The reader barely has time to catch a breath when Logan, the protagonist, is thrust into another perilous branch of his journey. There are a few chuckles here and there sprinkled about like tiny life rafts. The line "wicked game of whack-a-mole" had me snort out loud. A very good read.
I enjoyed every moment of this. After an absolute adrenaline rush of a first chapter it continues to get better and better. I especially loved all the references to Dante’s Inferno and will have to read that next. The creatures that were in hell were from a nightmare and were so well imagined and crafted and are unforgettable. The diabolical characters certainly added extra nastiness to the situation and I really hope to see one of them again.
This was a hell of a ride! No pun intended! It starts out innocent enough but quickly gets out of hand. Logan finds himself within the depths of hell guided by an ill intentioned spirit inhabiting his own body. It’s a new spin on Dante’s Inferno and is grotesquely intriguing. As he navigates each circle of hell, he faces evil that cannot be imagined. The whole time you are rooting for the kid but you know the odds are not in his favor.
Welcome to Hell! Logan finds himself with a spirit attachment plaguing his every move while he tries to escape the bowels of hell. The relationship between Jack and Logan gives the energy of the Marvel characters Eddie Brock and Venom. They have to work together to battle what lies ahead to get back to earth. Lots of fun and action in this one!
Oh my Lata!!! What a whirlwind of emotions! Jay does it again! I loved this book! It’s definitely what he said it was going to be. It keeps you on your toes and makes you want to know what happens to Logan next. Jack is hilarious and gives Logan such a hard time.. Logan gets sick of his crap.
The ending wasn’t something I expected but I won’t spoil it! Go read it yourself!
Logan gotten pulled into purgatory. Now Logan is possessed with another soul and have to battle through the circles of hell to escape.
I gotten bored with it and predicted the end 50 percent in. The book has repetitive dialog and battle scenes just with different creatures. Reading this book all the way through made me feel trapped in purgatory myself.
Jay Bower knows how to tell an engaging story that will keep you hooked until the very end. Starts off strong and is a memorable story of loss, love, and the realization of one’s true horrors, with an ending you’ll never see coming. This is a story you won’t want to miss! Trust me.
This book was exactly as advertised. It’s a dungeon crawl through hell. I loved the visions of hell that were created and the beasts that populated it. This was such an interesting book and I really enjoyed it.
Damn, that was definitely a wild ride. Pretty brutal scenes and great character development. The ending was one I didn’t see coming. I like and dislike how it ended lol! Would’ve given 4 starts if not for the dog and how the mom and Logan essentially died and/or are stuck in hell.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Masterfully written horror story with an unexpected twist
Well versed horror...the characters were well thought out. The descriptions of Hell were powerful and described to a T. Now that twist at the end...perfection!
I’m a big fan of Jay Bower and I think this one might be my new favorite book he’s written because it involves a possession story that literally takes place inside Hell itself where the main character meets all kinds of demons and creatures including Leviathan and Satan himself !
When Logan gets dragged to hell, he has to go through all kinds of horrors and terrors to try to get out. With an onboard guide, so to speak he thinks he is getting out. The ending is a twist you'll never see coming! Strap in and buckle up. You're in for a wild ride! @JAY BOWER
Logan, a troubled teen, accidentally stumbles into hell, ends up sharing his body with a damned soul named Jack, and they must fight their way out. Where some books that deal with hell have more of a heavy metal vibe, this one is like experiencing a video game, where new danger lurks every time Logan reaches a new circle of hell. It is full of adventure, action, and many gross moments. I won't reveal anything, but Circle of Gluttony made me gag. The logistics of hell are inspired by Dante's Inferno.
When we first meet Logan, he is an immature teen who hasn't had it easy. His mom, Stephanie, had him young and wasn't the most attentive to him. She loves him though. He acts out and uses drugs. The story flips back and forth between his journey through hell and his mother's grief while he is missing. Logan grows up quickly in hell and grapples with philosophical questions. Bower does this without hitting the readers over the head with them, which creates a religiously inclusive reading experience.
It gets emotional as we see Stephanie reflecting on her life and worrying while Logan is missing. As she goes through this process, she realizes how much her own trauma shaped her. This is a very exciting book, and I feel we'll be meeting the characters again in the near future.