The Calamities

by Chuck Wendig

The heir to one of the world’s most influential families reckons with the demonic secret to their power, in this contemporary dark fantasy that melds occult magic with shocking family drama from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

Mourning Mayne knows he’ll one day bear the duty of managing his family’s vast empire of wealth and power. But the feckless Mourning has always struggled to accept this legacy, which is one of cruelty, domination, and exploitation... and something even darker.

Because the Maynes are no ordinary family: Hidden in our world are the fiends—half-human, half-demon, and possessed of dark magic born from buying human souls—and the Maynes are one of the oldest and most influential fiendish families.

But when Mourning’s estranged father, the formidable and terrifying Hadrian Mayne, demands that he return to the fold, Mourning has to make a decision whether to accept his legacy and embrace his role in the family, or to forge his own destiny, and with it, change the course of the world.

Because along the way home, he will meet Key, a black-market seller of human souls, and Quinn, an artist who may hold the dark truth behind the fate of the fiends. Alone, they have all struggled with the darkness of their fiendish nature... but together, they might find a path out of the shadows.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

592 pages, Hardcover

First published August 18, 2026

About the author

Chuck Wendig is a novelist, a screenwriter, and a freelance penmonkey.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).

He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.

Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.

He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.

You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com.

Reviews

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some families inherit wealth. Others inherit power. The Maynes inherited something far more monstrous. My thanks to Del Ray for the arc.

Chuck Wendig’s The Calamities is a gloriously dark urban fantasy with gothic family drama and grotesque horror. Its deliciously sinister premise follows descendants of demons who make deals for human souls, turning those bargains into inherited power across generations.

Wendig builds an entire history around the fiendish families - their bloodlines, hierarchies, rivalries and the terrifying economy of souls. At the centre is the wealthy, powerful and spectacularly dysfunctional Mayne family. Mourning, the black sheep of the family, is drawn back into the fold with the mystery of what happened to his father. Watching he families manoeuvre for control in the power vacuum, tearing each other apart as individuals vie for power and survival is as compelling as any great family saga.

As Mourning digs deeper we descend with him into a world lurking beneath our own filled with ancient occultism, hedonism and inherited privilege. Beneath all the gothic excess is a sharp metaphor for the corruption and exploitation of the world by powerful dynastic families that inherit wealth and influence, hoard power, consume everything around them and leave everyone else to live with the consequences. The souls they collect become a particularly vicious symbol of what the ruling class can extract from those beneath them.

And then there is the horror.

Wendig lets this world get gloriously monstrous with grotesque body horror, visceral imagery and increasingly weird and unsettling developments. It's the kind of supernatural horror that keeps tightening the screws, raising the stakes until all those simmering family rivalries, secrets and power plays finally collide revealing it something much older, darker and more terrifying lurking behind the fiendish families.

Dark, decadent and deeply weird, The Calamities peels back the wallpaper of a beautiful old mansion to reveal something ancient, hungry and absolutely horrifying has been living inside the walls all along.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Wendig has taken his readers on many epic journeys. From a group of sleepwalkers who rebuild society, to an evil underground mine and a wicked apple orchard, to a mysterious staircase in the woods, and now he has introduced us to a family of demons.

Chuck Wendig is THE horror author whom I can always count on to deliver a completely original and compelling tale and The Calamities is no exception.

Bizarre, grotesque, shocking, and an action packed thrill ride are just a few words I’d use to describe this one. His world building is incredible and I enjoyed the main characters Mourning and Key. All of the nods to his prior works in this one were just icing on the cake. I can't wait to read book two of this series and I know that fans of Chuck’s prior works are going to love this one as well!

The Calamities by Chuck Wendig will be available on August 18. Many thanks to Del Rey for the gifted copy!

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧Horror fantasy ALC/ARC Review

Holy hell, the audiobook performances here are top tier good! In fact, I believe the audio itself is a whole experience! Damn man, @macleodandrewsactor has got to be one of the best storytellers ever! I knew right away that this man was an actor and can do just about any voice. Readers who enjoy audio as a preferred format and dig fantasy horror, LISTEN TO THIS!!

The Calamities is a pretty mind-bending tale. Think part Succession with demons. The story is full of some nasty little characters and boy, does this book get dark. Imagine a family dynasty who buy the souls of others.

Some scenes are freaking wild, grotesque, and terrifyingly horrific. Chuck Wendig has a wild imagination and is perfect for fans of fantasy, horror, and twisted family dynamics.

Highly highly recommend the audiobook and you can get it in multiple formats next Tuesday, 8/18.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommend by one of @scaredstraightreads ‘s favorites of 2026.

Pub Date - 8/18

Thank you to Del Rey and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.

[Morwen]

Pre-read
Noooo, my request for this one was rejected 😭 I guess I'll have to wait for it to come out! It sounds right up my alley (they totally got me with the For fans of Ninth House bit

[Casey Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be a contender for favorite book of the year! We have fantasy, we have horror...and you already know that's my favorite combination! Chuck Wendig brings us to our world, but it's actually run by demons. There are families in power, like crime syndicates, who trade in human souls. These souls bring them wealth and beauty and power, etc. You know I love demons, you know I love wealthy family drama! It's like this book was written for me personally, thank you so much Chuck! Add the cat character, and we've got an obvious slam dunk. I'm not giving a synopsis, just read the book blurb... I love how dark and unhinged it is, I love the exploration of the human soul, I love the gory parts, and I love the flesh room. After consulting with friends, I am apparently more messed up than initially expected, because I'm here for the flesh room, while they were appalled by it. Please DM when you hit that part. This is a MUST-READ for my dark fantasy loving counterparts! And there is corn (not Korn). 

Thank you SO MUCH to Del Rey for the physical ARC! A treasure. Book releases 8/18/26.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for the pre-release copy of Chuck Wendig's The Calamities. Below is my honest review.

Ughhhh, Chuck, the majority of the time, your books are big wins for me, but this one didn't work for me at all.

The characters weren't really likeable or root-for-able, though I am hoping Key completes her quest and Silas was a creepy yet interesting POV. The plot was kinda messy and all over the place with a lot of extraneous complications, and the pacing was just off. I felt like there was a lot of potential that was spent on making things gruesome for shock value rather than put into the main storyline.

There was a lot of build up at the end, leading to something huge, but then it just kind of abruptly stops and you're left feeling like "that's it? that?" and that was disappointing.

I did like the concept of the soul-bargaining and the elixir, but I felt like it took a massive back burner to the convoluted plot.

I didn't hate it overall though, and I'll consider reading the second/final book of the duology when it comes out, to see if it picks up and utilizes all the potential built in this one.

I give it 2.5 stars, rounded up to three for a "didn't love it, didn't hate it, liked it I guess."

[Crystal]

Dnf @16%. Some interesting moments but mostly meandering.

[Gareth Is Haunted · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Masterclass in High-Octane Supernatural Dread.

Part contemporary fantasy, part visceral horror, and pure unadulterated adrenaline. The Calamities by Chuck Wendig is an absolute juggernaut of a read. The book has been pitched as "Horror meets Succession," and that description hits the nail precisely on the head.
The story drops us right into the wealthy, monstrously dysfunctional Mayne family dynasty. Hidden from the regular human population, these "fiends" are elite, half-human, half-demon hybrids who maintain their global power by trafficking in human souls. When the terrifying patriarch Hadrian Mayne vanishes, his estranged, deeply reluctant son Mourning is dragged kicking and screaming back into the fold to claim his birthright. What follows is a brutal, bloody struggle where the stakes are quite literally eternal.

True to Wendig's signature style, the narrative moves at a relentless, white-knuckle pace. Once the momentum swings into motion, it never lets up. Wendig creates a fascinating, terrifyingly detailed hidden economy built entirely around the trade of human souls. The mythology of the various demonic lineages and how they weaponise their dark magic is brilliantly layered, unfolding naturally without massive, boring data dumps.

Mourning Mayne is a fantastic, deeply flawed protagonist. His struggle to resist the cruelty of his family's legacy while navigating a den of vipers makes him incredibly compelling to root for, while supporting characters like the soul-merchant Key add fantastic layers of moral ambiguity to the narrative.

I must admit, I did have my reservations early on in this book. The sheer scope of the demonic families and the terminology takes a little while to wrap your head around. However, after about an hour or so of reading, the hook dug in deep, and I found myself completely unable to put this book down.
It delivers a heavy dose of supernatural dread that will thoroughly satisfy fans of Stephen King, Ronald Malfi, or Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House. An absolute must-read!

[Lilah]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I DNF’ed this at 14% for numerous reasons.

The Calamities is a dark fantasy centred on Mourning Mayne, a wayward son of a powerful half-demon-half-human family. When Mourning is forced to return to his home, he is faced with his demonic inheritance and finds that he can no longer run from it.

I went into this book eager to read a good dark, perhaps urban gothic story. Instead, I was met with rampant misogyny, stilted prose, and such an edgelord of a protagonist that I wondered if he might somehow be worse than Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way. I will concede that I’ve never read anything by Wendig and therefore can’t comment on his authorship; whether this is a blip in an otherwise excellent record or a recurring theme remains unclear to me, and frankly I have no intention of finding out.

While I am aware that misogyny remains rampant in horror as a genre, and indeed in fiction overall, I remain intolerant of it. In what world is it necessary to present a female character (even a simulacrum of her) in a position so debasing and degrading that it warrants an interrogation of the author? Authors make choices in their writing, and they must be prepared to defend their narrative choices in the court of reader opinion. I cannot reasonably conceive of a reason why this scene was necessary beyond the kind of shock factor that only a seventeen year-old edgelord would find meaningful. It was unnecessary and therefore should not have been included.

Did the misogyny end there? Certainly not. The description of wealthy ‘horse girls’ would normally have been passable as a misogynistic character’s perception were it not so heavily implied to be a well-documented pattern. Readers who believe the women in this novel to reflect women in reality are likely due for a rude awakening when they find that the overwhelming majority of women don’t bring their sports/hobbies into the bedroom. Considering the author seemed to deem it necessary to mention a woman’s “folds” when describing childbirth, I must also add the possibly groundbreaking revelation that women do, in fact, exist beyond being sentient vessels for their vaginas.

All of this could have been enough to dismiss the book as simply a misogynistic mess, but it’s unfortunately riddled with some of the worst syntax I’ve ever seen in writing. If one were to take a shot every time this book uses the structure ‘not x, but y,’ they would die of alcohol poisoning within a single chapter. There was so much unnecessary repetition both in structure and content that the simple act of reading the novel felt like an exercise in self-immolation. In the end, I couldn’t drag out my suffering any longer.

I honestly can’t imagine anyone but an edgelord enjoying this book, but to each their own. Readers looking for dark, gothic themes that gracefully explore the sensuality and morbidity of their subject matter are better off reading Ava Reid’s Innamorata. If they want to read something edgy for the sake of it, popular Dramione fanfic My Immortal may be more their speed. Either way, I cannot in good conscience recommend this book.

[Denise Ruttan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Wendig has done it again with another banger of an epic masterpiece. He always takes a foundation of tropes that are tired and overdone - in this case, broods of rich families who eat souls in exchange for power - how often have I seen that archetypal storyline?? But he breathes fresh life into these tropes, and keeps me riveted thanks to his characters and worldbuilding.

I also am tired of this recent trend of fiction about billionaires behaving badly; I generally find rich people bland and the only thing interesting about them is their wealth. Here, too, Wendig twists the knife and makes characters that were unlikable, yes, but complex and compelling.

Mourning Mayne wasn't my favorite character, the shallow scion of one of the broods who is a wayward playboy with an obsessive childhood crush on his assistant. I found him dull and insipid at first, typical spoiled rich boy, until his backstory is revealed; he refused to eat his crush's soul. Eating souls is a crude way of explaining it, but basically these old families have fixers, or fiends, who span out over the world and bargain with people to sell them their souls. The souls then become an elixir that is like a drug to them and gives them their power. Then I was on Mourning's side, despite the silly name, because he always tried to do the right thing despite being a fucked up hot mess. This definitely had "What if Succession had demons" vibes too.

The families are in an uproar because the Mayne patriarch has gone missing and taken their fount of elixir. But the game is much more dangerous than that. The hunt is on for a homicidal nonbinary artist called Quinn who is the key to something far darker than stolen elixir.

Mourning joins forces with another fiend on the run, Key, another character I loved, who is trying to redeem herself for stealing the soul of her friend-with-benefits and unrequited love, Lucinda, to save her life. The daughter of an addict, she resists imbibing of elixir, making her even more interesting to me.

I also enjoyed Quinn's character. You can always win me over with a pet cat (who thankfully does not die, spoiler alert necessary for horror.) I thought they were excellent nonbinary representation. As a genderfluid person myself, I related to their feelings about gender. Only one small quibble though. When they/them pronouns are used, please, please say "themself" instead of "themselves." Them is intended to be a singular pronoun and nonbinary folks generally aren't plural.

The story was frequently gory and soaked in blood and tentacles, which I often found gross but I agreed with the author's afterword that I also find horror comforting because it is an unreal mirror of the darkness of the real world that allows us to confront its heartaches. I loved the room of flesh, gave me goosebumps. Sometimes I love to be grossed out. The book as a whole though wasn't all that scary to me, mostly just gross and weird but in a good way. It leaned heavier into fantasy than horror, I thought, as well as action and thriller elements.

At times I did get tired of rich people problems, but this epic novel kept up the pace and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was a fun blend of intellectual dark fantasy and horror that I loved, cinematic in scope. I can't wait for the next book. Chuck Wendig is fast becoming an author I can always count on; I have also read Wanderers by him and loved it, and am overdue to read its sequel.

This book is a nonstop thrill ride with rich layers and interesting characters, and a fun start to an intriguing new series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Calamities is one of those books where I finished thinking... well... man, that was A LOT.

And I mean that in both good and slightly overwhelming ways.

Mourning Mayne is called back to his family home by his father, Hadrian, despite having absolutely no desire to return. It becomes obvious pretty quickly that this isn't exactly one big happy demonic family. Mourning's relationship with his father is complicated at best, things aren't particularly warm and fuzzy with his twin siblings either, and Mourning has spent a long time trying to distance himself from everything the Mayne name represents.

Because the Maynes aren't simply another ridiculously wealthy and powerful family.

They're fiends.

Their power is built on human souls, Faustian bargains and a supernatural system that has allowed families like theirs to maintain their influence for generations. And Mourning has never been particularly interested in embracing his inheritance.

After the family's welcome gathering, everyone eventually goes to bed.

The next morning?

Hadrian is gone.

Bad.

But then they discover that the Fount beneath their estate, the source containing the Elixir their kind relies upon, is empty too....

So like I just said, Hadrian missing: bad.

BUT, Hadrian + THE SOUL JUICE missing: OH FUCK!

And that's basically when everything starts going spectacularly to hell.

Mourning suddenly has to deal with his father's disappearance, his dysfunctional family, the consequences of losing the Fount and the other powerful people who have a vested interest in what happened.

Meanwhile, we also meet Key, a black-market seller of human souls, and Quinn.

I have to give Chuck Wendig credit for the world-building because the whole concept is wonderfully messed up.

Fiends. Broods. Human souls. Founts. Elixir. Ancient families whose wealth and supernatural power have literally been built by consuming what they take from ordinary humans...

It's basically generational wealth and exploitation with demons.

Subtle? Maybe not.

Fun concept? Absolutely.

I also really liked Mourning as someone born into this incredibly powerful family who doesn't simply accept that their way of life should automatically become his. His complicated relationship with his legacy (and particularly the choices he's made when confronted with what participating in that system actually requires) made him an interesting character to follow.

Where the book lost me somewhat was in just how MUCH it was trying to do.

This is a big book with multiple characters, storylines, family politics, supernatural rules, soul dealing, mysteries, strange visions, grotesque creatures and enough terminology that occasionally I felt like I needed a notebook and a flowchart beside me.

There were moments when I was completely fascinated by the world and others where I felt a little disconnected because there were simply so many moving pieces.

That said, I think this is also one of those books that will work incredibly well for readers who love huge, strange, complicated worlds and don't mind being dropped into the middle of absolute supernatural chaos.

Overall, The Calamities is dark, bizarre, ambitious, occasionally grotesque and incredibly creative. I didn't connect with every part of it equally and I occasionally wished the story had been a little tighter, but the concept itself definitely stuck with me.

And ... I'm probably never going to look at generational wealth again without thinking about demon families drinking soul juice.

So... there's that...

3.75⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

😈 💀Calamities by Chuck Wendig —special thanks to @delreybooks for the gifted copy💀 😈

Are you looking for wealthy families with dark secrets? Faustian bargains that come at a heavy price? Some gross AF horror scenes? Some urban fantasy? Welcome to The Calamities, the first in a duology. Enjoy your unique stay.

I gave this one 3.5 stars. Below, I’ll explain what I loved and what I personally didn’t like—but you may 😉

💀 Liked:

💀 World Building
💀 Characters
💀 Horror Elements
💀 Storyline

😈 What didn’t work for me:

😈 Overall length of the story
😈 Some parts felt more like filler than plot points
😈 Slow build up that led up to a bit of a rushed ending

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Wendig absolutely knocked this one out of the park.


The Calamities is one of those rare books that manages to be funny, heartfelt, strange, and deeply human all at once. Wendig has a gift for creating characters who feel messy and real, and I found myself completely invested in their journey. The story balances humor and emotion beautifully, weaving together moments that made me laugh with others that hit surprisingly hard.


What stood out most was the sense of connection running through the entire book. Beneath the adventure, chaos, and larger-than-life circumstances is a story about people trying to find where they belong and who they can trust when everything falls apart. The characters aren’t perfect, and that’s exactly what makes them so compelling.


Wendig’s writing is sharp, energetic, and packed with personality. The pacing kept me turning pages, and even when things got weird, it always felt purposeful and grounded by the characters at its core.


By the time I finished, I wasn’t ready to leave this world or these people behind. Funny, emotional, imaginative, and unforgettable, The Calamities was an easy five-star read for me.

I love how there are ties to all of his other work within these pages, too. It’s just so good. Consistently.

GIVE ME THE SECOND BOOK *IMMEDIATELY* PLZ.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House/Del Ray, and Chuck Wendig for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I honestly cannot wait for this next book :D

[Krissy (books_and_biceps9155) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @delreybooks for my advanced copy! Believe it or not this is my first Wendig. I know..I know. Thank you @scaredstraightreads for the push.

What a freaking epic journey!!! I am always amazed at the creativity and minds of these authors. The blend of horror and fantasy was incredible and the attention to detail out of this world. The prose and poetic nature of Wendig’s writing really captures a vivid image for its readers. I could literally SEE this story.

The characters are all complex and have their own backstory. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I was saddened for Silas at the end. I had no idea this was going to have a second and now I will have to wait for Wendig to write another hunker! The pain is real lol

This was shocking, brutual and (at times) gross..but boy was this a wild ride.

[Lukasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I'm still fairly new to Chuck Wendig. I tried one of his books a while ago, but it didn't really wow me. Still, a lot of people love his work, so I wanted to give him another chance. And The Calamities sounded very much like my kind of thing - I like dark urban fantasy and horror.

And it is definitely dark. And gory. And bleak. There are some genuinely brilliant moments here, and Wendig can write the hell out of a scene when he wants to. The whole idea of fiendish families trading human souls for power is great, and I really liked the world he built around it. The different families, their history, the elixir, the whole strange economy of souls - there is a lot to like here. But it's also a lot.

The book takes its time setting everything up, and for quite a while I felt like the characters were wandering from one plot thread to another, meeting people, getting involved in another complication, then wandering somewhere else. There are lots of interesting things happening, but I wasn't always sure where all of it was going. Even when everything finally starts coming together, I couldn't shake the feeling that the book was simply too long.

Which is a shame, because there is some really good stuff here. The world is imaginative, the horror can be excellent, and there are some wonderfully disgusting ideas. Wendig clearly had a lot of fun with this book, and it shows. I just wish he'd had someone take a pair of scissors to it.

I also liked the characters in places, although I never became particularly attached to most of them. Key was probably my favorite, and Silas was certainly memorable. The whole group has an interesting dynamic, but again, there are so many characters and side stories that some of them never quite got the attention I wanted.

The premise itself is probably what kept me going. There is something really fun about this hidden world of demonic families living alongside ordinary people, making deals for souls and building dynasties out of them. And underneath all the blood and flesh and general Wendig weirdness, there are some interesting ideas about inherited wealth, power and exploitation.

So yeah, mixed feelings. There is a lot here that impressed me, but also a lot that made me wish the book would just get to the point already.

A very dark, very ambitious and often well written book that I enjoyed more in individual moments than as a whole. I'm glad I read it, but I think it could have been considerably shorter.

[Irene Well Worth A Read]

DNF @10% I have enjoyed previous books by this author, which is probably why I received an invitation to read this one. However, I did not realize it was part of a series when I accepted and I am just not into it.

[Jess ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this one so badly… but unfortunately, the demons and I are going to have to agree to disagree. 😅

The Calamities follows Mourning Mayne, heir to a powerful family of fiends who literally trade in human souls.
The premise? 👏🏼 Immaculate.
The worldbuilding? Weird and fascinating. The execution? Unfortunately, a miss for me.

There were definitely moments I enjoyed, but I struggled to stay fully invested, and the story felt like it was trying to do about 47 things at once. 😂

If you are into:
😈 Demons & fiends
🔮 Occult magic
🌑 Macabre stories

This might be your cup of demonic tea. ☕️😈

Thank you to Chuck Wendig, Del Rey Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader! 📚🖤

[✩｡°⋆ Lala ⋆｡°✩ · Rating 2 out of 5]

🖋️ Author: Chuck Wendig
📖 Title: The Calamities
📅 Pub Day: August 18, 2026
💌 Publisher: Del Rey
📚 Format: Digital
🏷️ ISBN: 9798217091829
⏱️ Length: 560 pages
📌 Genre(s): Dark Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural Fiction
⭐ Star Rating: 2

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──  

I'll be honest, I started this weeks ago, got to 16%, realized I hadn't retained a single thing I'd read, and restarted from scratch. The second time around I was actually enjoying myself. And then it just kept going. And going.

The premise is genuinely immaculate. A half demon heir to one of the world's most powerful fiend families, soul bargaining, elixirs. I was completely on board. But the execution struggled to keep up with the concept. The story felt overstuffed and all over the place, with too many subplots competing for attention when the core concept alone had more than enough to work with.

The soul bargaining and elixir elements were honestly the most interesting parts for me, and they kept getting pushed to the background in favor of a convoluted storyline that really needed to be trimmed down significantly. This book is long, and it feels it.

I didn't hate it, and I genuinely think the right reader will love it. It just wasn't for me.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

If you like:

✔️ demon family dynasties
✔️ supernatural family drama
✔️ found family
✔️ horror Succession vibes
✔️ large ensemble casts
✔️ morally grey antiheroes

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──  

Thank you to NetGalley, Chuck Wendig, and Del Rey Publishing for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

This review is cross‑posted across multiple platforms.

[Matt M · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Calamities is a tome of horror-fantasy in the vein of Clive Barker, but with Wendig’s signature style. The first in a duology, The Calamities sets the table exceptionally well with the lore-building throughout, layering in the rules of the fount, how the fiends utilize the elixir, and the almost Godfather-esque rich ass tree of part-demon families. We follow four main POVs, including the main character, Mourning, the castaway son of one of those aforementioned rich families. Mourning is about what you would expect, especially at the beginning of the novel. I found the other three character POVs to be even more interesting (that’s a compliment) and I especially loved Key.

If you’re intimidated by the length of this one, have no fear. The short chapters and constantly shifting POVs make this one sail by for a book of its scope and magnitude. There are all sorts of flavors here, gross horror, body horror, existential horror, and lots of humor. He made me laugh out loud and he made me say “what the fuck, Chuck???”.

I am especially excited for book two of this duology and it will be shooting straight to the top of my TBR pile when it comes out.

Thank you to Del Rey Books for the free copy!

[Stacey Markle · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow, I wouldn't want to be in this family!
A little unhinged and a lot of crazy demonic evil, this family saga takes us on a journey of drama and strange powers.
Incredible world building is Chuck Wendig's real talent, this is a believable world despite it being supernatural, evil and generally all around insane.
The characters have very distinct voices and experiences, yet they come together slowly in order to bring this story to a close. I admit that I'm not sure I caught all the nuances, this may be a re-read at some point in order to better understand everything that happens.
Of course I have a favourite character. He's actually a side character but he makes such an impact. Silas's voice is strong and he contributes something very interesting to the dynamic. His journey was one I want more of. I was able to do an immersive read with the audiobook and the narrator for him was SO GOOD! His under breath comments (raging mostly) were a highlight.
I love dark urban fantasy and this delivered everything I expected. While not perfect, it was a good solid read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the opportunity to read and review this fun title. My thoughts are my own.

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

The next time anyone sees me buying romantasy, just slap that book out of my hands because THIS IS THE KIND OF FANTASY I WANT! Dark, disturbing, twisted, freaky, haunted. Ugh I lóved this book and can’t wait for the next installment. While reading the e-arc on Netgalley I already decided this was simply too amazing to read digitally and I pre-ordered the hardcopy straight away. It took a while to arrive, but i was so happy when it did! I love how I kinda hated all the character in the beginning because, you know, they were kinda bad. Fiends. But quickly they grew on me and mostly they loathed themselves as well. Can’t wait to read more!

“There is no God, only the Below.”

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky Season, I guess, is officially started!

4.5 Stars for this demon-infested, insane hell-ride.

Usually I like to go into a book as blind as possible, as I did here, however I'd have done well to maybe read the synopsis first. I don't always feel this way, but I'll admit that I spent the first 33% of this book wondering "what the f**k is going on?" Seriously, for all the Wendig-style prose and choice of words, the gore and violence that kept me reading, I was waiting for the 'click', that piece to fall into place, the ah-ha moment where "I get it, now". And that did happen. I just wish, you know, it happened sooner.

But that's the extent of my complaints, here. Once I got to know the main characters, I got attached to them, and the story went soaring forward. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens with them (or to them) in the next episode.

This book was off the wall, bat-shit crazy. Dark, but not as heavy as Staircase in the Wood. In fact, I think I enjoyed this more than Staircase. I'd rank this above that, but just beneath Black River Orchard, which is probably my favorite of Wendig's stand-alone books.

[Christine HorrorReaderWeekend · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am in my horror fantasy era, and The Calamities hit just right. This a modern day found family quest novel filled with minimally likable characters. Mourning, Key, Silas and Quinn are soul-sucking demons, haunted by visions and hunted by their own families. They have a shared goal but each has their own selfish reason.

Tense, terrifying and propulsive, this book, though long, is a satisfying story of responsibility, family trauma, loyalty and addiction. A wild, wild ride.

[AlyciaRunsandReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Mourning’s uncles basement WTF 😳

This one had a bit of everything fantasy, horror, character development but also lots of heavy plot. I really enjoyed discovering the bits and pieces of what the heck was going on. Great imagery as per usual. I feel it for a little lengthy for me towards the end but not sure what I’d change so that is probably a me problem.

[Hunty · Rating 5 out of 5]

hi do you love complex characters who change and grow? Do you love absolute MIND BENDING horror and fever-dream mythology to tie it all together in a little bow? I am absolutely floored. I can’t believe this is my first Chuck Wendig book, I’m gobsmacked! Every word written in this book created an astoundingly picturesque cinematic experience in my brain. I am a HUGE sucker for authors who can create worlds with unique mythology and also incorporate real-life references. And to top it all off I couldn’t predict ANYTHING that was going to happen. This book (and its future companion 👀) will be seated amongst horror’s most notable works. BRING ON CHAOS REIGNS!

[myreadingescapism · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story: loved it.
The audiobook: set it over the top.

[Kelly Van Damme · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my most anticipated books of the year, I really wanted to love this one, but alas. I'm not even sure what went wrong, just a bad fit for me, I guess.

[Angela Staudt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, how it pains me to say this book just did not work for me... but unfortunately, I had a lot of issues with it, and I genuinely hate saying that. Before I get into those issues, I HAVE to say that Wendig is an absolutely phenomenal horror author. His books have consistently been five star reads for me, so trust me when I say I wanted to love this one.

I don't know if it was because this leaned more into dark fantasy rather than his usual horror, but I had such a hard time fully diving into the story. I just could not connect with a single character or become invested in the world, no matter how much I wanted to.

We follow quite a few characters, but mostly Mourning, who comes from a half-human, half-demon family that steals souls in exchange for things like wealth, fame, health, and success. I mean...come on. That premise sounds absolutely phenomenal and so incredibly up my alley. Unfortunately, I think there was just SO much happening from start to finish that it became too much for me.

I really think if Wendig had stuck with one main theme or storyline and dove deeper into one particular aspect, this could have completely engrossed me. Instead, it felt like there were a million different things being thrown at me at once, and by the end I genuinely didn't even know how I was supposed to feel besides... relieved that it was over. 😭

There were also quite a few moments that gave me a major ick, and I couldn't really understand why they were included. They didn't feel like they added anything meaningful to the story and instead felt like they were there purely for the sake of being uncomfortable or shocking.

Unfortunately, this one was a pretty big miss for me, which hurts even more because of how much I love Wendig's other books. That being said, one miss definitely isn't going to stop me from picking up whatever he writes next!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy.

I have found my new favorite Chuck Wendig book. Dark fantasy and horror collide as we learn about the Fiend families. This book is a doorstop, but it was so readable that it doesn't feel like a chore. This is a planned biology, but the book ends with a complete story. And what an ending! I was riveted. 5 stars

[Irem · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Calamities was really good. Imagine Succession, but with demons. That should probably tell you everything you need to know about the kind of chaos you're getting into.

The imagery in this book is outstanding. It's gross, visceral, and unsettling, with some genuinely top-tier creature designs. Everything was incredibly easy to picture, yet the descriptions still managed to make the creatures feel imposing and impactful. Wendig really knows how to make horror look horrible.

The characters aren't particularly likable, but given the circumstances, I think that's expected. I didn't really find myself rooting for any of them, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the journey they took me on. The blend of mystery, fantasy and horror works really well, and I was genuinely surprised by the ending—which is rare enough that I have to give the book extra credit for it.

I also really enjoyed Wendig's little ode to fantasy horror at the end. It was a lovely way to close out the book and made me appreciate even more what he was doing with the genre.

Four stars for now, although this is one of those books where I could see myself bumping it up to five if it sticks with me. And honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it does.

Highly, highly recommended for fantasy-horror readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.