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The Ship of Death
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26Horror Movie meets The Blair Witch Project in this supernatural chokehold of a book told entirely through found documents: the cursed story of an unwitting couple ensnared by a mysterious tabletop role-playing game, who are commanded, as the game’s intentions become clearer, to do the unthinkable.
Cole and Lorraine playtest board games for some extra cash as they save up to buy a home. But after a series of bizarre coincidences, and signing a strange NDA, the couple finds on their porch a mysterious indie developer’s tabletop role-playing game called The Ship of Death. The game relies heavily on the players’ imaginations, and takes up an ever-growing amount of space: in their kitchen, and in their minds. As its true sinister nature becomes clearer, and its forces capture more in its web, the boundary between the game and reality begins to dissolve. . . and the pair are instructed to possess a stranger’s soul.
Told entirely through game reports, emails, game forum posts, personal journals, and police reports, reading The Ship of Death feels like a dangerous dice roll. It’s a sleep-stealing, possession-inducing work of intense, intelligent found cosmic horror that announces Kyle Winkler as a spectacular voice in the genre.
Cole and Lorraine playtest board games for some extra cash as they save up to buy a home. But after a series of bizarre coincidences, and signing a strange NDA, the couple finds on their porch a mysterious indie developer’s tabletop role-playing game called The Ship of Death. The game relies heavily on the players’ imaginations, and takes up an ever-growing amount of space: in their kitchen, and in their minds. As its true sinister nature becomes clearer, and its forces capture more in its web, the boundary between the game and reality begins to dissolve. . . and the pair are instructed to possess a stranger’s soul.
Told entirely through game reports, emails, game forum posts, personal journals, and police reports, reading The Ship of Death feels like a dangerous dice roll. It’s a sleep-stealing, possession-inducing work of intense, intelligent found cosmic horror that announces Kyle Winkler as a spectacular voice in the genre.
256 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
April 25, 2026
The Goodreads description calls this book Horror Movie meets Blair Witch. I don’t understand either comparison, as this is nothing like either of those. Lucky for me that didn’t matter whatsoever because I absolutely ATE THIS UP. What a ride!
This is dark fantasy meets cosmic horror. Strong occult vibes. Very otherworldly. Highly recommend if that’s your cup of tea!
The story is told 100% via documents (emails, journal entries, phone notes, game pamphlets, excerpts from books, cards drawn in game, etc.) That format was very fun to read and kept me super engaged. Loved the characters! Cole and Lorraine were really easy to care about. The world is very mysterious and strange, lots of odd names and things but wasn’t hard to follow. I’m absolutely in awe of authors who can come up with stuff like this. What a mind! Well thought out, well written. Loved it from start to finish! Will for sure be buying a copy to add to my shelf once it publishes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book publishes September 29th 2026. Available in all formats.
Side Note:
I’ve never played DnD before so I definitely don’t think that’s a requirement to enjoy or understand what’s going on, but it’s probably a plus if you like RPG’s or are at least familiar with the concept and find it intriguing.
This is dark fantasy meets cosmic horror. Strong occult vibes. Very otherworldly. Highly recommend if that’s your cup of tea!
The story is told 100% via documents (emails, journal entries, phone notes, game pamphlets, excerpts from books, cards drawn in game, etc.) That format was very fun to read and kept me super engaged. Loved the characters! Cole and Lorraine were really easy to care about. The world is very mysterious and strange, lots of odd names and things but wasn’t hard to follow. I’m absolutely in awe of authors who can come up with stuff like this. What a mind! Well thought out, well written. Loved it from start to finish! Will for sure be buying a copy to add to my shelf once it publishes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book publishes September 29th 2026. Available in all formats.
Side Note:
I’ve never played DnD before so I definitely don’t think that’s a requirement to enjoy or understand what’s going on, but it’s probably a plus if you like RPG’s or are at least familiar with the concept and find it intriguing.
Did Not Finish
May 20, 2026Yeah...I don't do D&D or any games like that and I think you REALLY need to love those in order to read this.
The game was kind of exhausting and things were a little repetitive.
Will surely work for others.
The game was kind of exhausting and things were a little repetitive.
Will surely work for others.
May 28, 2026
From page one I was hooked. It was so bizarre but I couldn’t look away. I wanted to see where this story was going to take me, what this game had in store for the characters and that quickly turned into not being able to look away and getting sucked into the story just as much as the characters got sucked into the game.
This story about a man named Cole who test plays games and gets paid. He gets an email about a game and is asked to record everything that happens from when he gets the game in the mail until the end of playing it. It’s told through journal entries, redder threads, emails, etc. fairly early on in the story things start to take a weird turn, from mysterious people showing up at the bar where Cole works, to his wife Lorianne making some interesting decisions in regards to starting the game.
It’s a slow and intense unraveling into madness as the characters get deeper into this mysterious, multilayered, and psychologically draining TTRPG. I feel like this would be a great read for someone who enjoys games like D&D, strange and unusual happenings, and good old fashioned horror. This was unlike any other book I’ve read.
This story about a man named Cole who test plays games and gets paid. He gets an email about a game and is asked to record everything that happens from when he gets the game in the mail until the end of playing it. It’s told through journal entries, redder threads, emails, etc. fairly early on in the story things start to take a weird turn, from mysterious people showing up at the bar where Cole works, to his wife Lorianne making some interesting decisions in regards to starting the game.
It’s a slow and intense unraveling into madness as the characters get deeper into this mysterious, multilayered, and psychologically draining TTRPG. I feel like this would be a great read for someone who enjoys games like D&D, strange and unusual happenings, and good old fashioned horror. This was unlike any other book I’ve read.
April 18, 2026
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ship of Death is a "found media" formatted novel that, while an entertaining and quick read, fell a little short for me. I do feel that the constraints of the novel's format held it back. Even though I love the found media genre, especially when it comes to horror novels, it felt like the After Game Reports were really just a narrative of what happened, and given they were large chunks of text, honestly read as just a normal novel, at least to me. In between these reports were social media posts, police reports, and journal entries. However, as with the After Game Reports, the journal entries also read to me as that of a traditional novel. I feel like they were simply just normal narratives with "journal entry" or "AGR" slapped on to convey themselves as found media. I feel that the book would've been more immersive if it was told in alternating POVs with some found media interspersed throughout.
Even as a board game, video game, and D&D player, I found myself confused by the mechanics of the Ship of Death game. Perhaps this was the intention, with the author wanting to have the reader feel as immersed in the game as the characters were, mirroring our confusion to theirs. Even so, it left it hard for me to follow certain parts of the novel, which, in turn, took me out of any immersion I had.
While on the topic of immersion, I really struggled to connect with and see Cole and Lorraine as real people. I didn't have a good grasp on their personalities, relationship, goals, likes, dislikes, etc before being thrust into the story and it made it very difficult for me to care about anything that was happening to them. I did not feel invested even as things started to go awry and the plot revealed itself.
However, where the book really shined was the snippets of Mishilect we got to see. Mishilect is a dark, unforgiving, and gritty world full of despair and it really pulled me in. I almost wish the book had just been entirely in the world of the game and following Willem Lowcoin and Rot Apple instead of Cole and Lorraine.
Nevertheless, while it wasn't the novel I was expecting, it still kept me entertained and was a good quick palette cleanser between some of the more dense novels I've been reading.
Ship of Death is a "found media" formatted novel that, while an entertaining and quick read, fell a little short for me. I do feel that the constraints of the novel's format held it back. Even though I love the found media genre, especially when it comes to horror novels, it felt like the After Game Reports were really just a narrative of what happened, and given they were large chunks of text, honestly read as just a normal novel, at least to me. In between these reports were social media posts, police reports, and journal entries. However, as with the After Game Reports, the journal entries also read to me as that of a traditional novel. I feel like they were simply just normal narratives with "journal entry" or "AGR" slapped on to convey themselves as found media. I feel that the book would've been more immersive if it was told in alternating POVs with some found media interspersed throughout.
Even as a board game, video game, and D&D player, I found myself confused by the mechanics of the Ship of Death game. Perhaps this was the intention, with the author wanting to have the reader feel as immersed in the game as the characters were, mirroring our confusion to theirs. Even so, it left it hard for me to follow certain parts of the novel, which, in turn, took me out of any immersion I had.
While on the topic of immersion, I really struggled to connect with and see Cole and Lorraine as real people. I didn't have a good grasp on their personalities, relationship, goals, likes, dislikes, etc before being thrust into the story and it made it very difficult for me to care about anything that was happening to them. I did not feel invested even as things started to go awry and the plot revealed itself.
However, where the book really shined was the snippets of Mishilect we got to see. Mishilect is a dark, unforgiving, and gritty world full of despair and it really pulled me in. I almost wish the book had just been entirely in the world of the game and following Willem Lowcoin and Rot Apple instead of Cole and Lorraine.
Nevertheless, while it wasn't the novel I was expecting, it still kept me entertained and was a good quick palette cleanser between some of the more dense novels I've been reading.
May 21, 2026
Man, I loved this. It takes chances, is generally unsettling, and as a huge DnD fan, it scratched that itch too. The book deals with a game and reality melding, and the morning before finishing the book, I had an email from my HOA about strange people climbing balconies. The jolt of fear I had will make more sense when you get into this one.
But maybe the book’s got me? Either way, I’m keeping my eyes peeled for toads…
My first Winkler, but certainly not my last.
But maybe the book’s got me? Either way, I’m keeping my eyes peeled for toads…
My first Winkler, but certainly not my last.
May 28, 2026
Okay first off this is WILD in the best way!!! I was so engrossed with the concept and the style of writing, I love when books have journal entries and articles/blog type things! The whole last 30% had me wide eyed with my jaw dropped and turning the pages as fast as I could tap on my kindle HAHA I loved this so much! This gave me jumanji meets horror vibes in the best way! I didn’t fully understand all the game rules but that didn’t take away from loving the story for me!
May 9, 2026
this was so cool?? totally new concept of trying to bring “found footage” horror to a book (so “found emails/letters/telephone logs/interviews” lol). and i LOVE found footage horror movies
i had played DnD back in high school and play a lot of role playing fantasy games (skyrim, baldurs gate, fable) so this book immediately captured my attention. i could see if you’re not into role playing games (or board games) of any kind, this may not be your cup of tea
while not comparable in terms of a similar plot, a horror book (‘Nothing Tastes As Good’) i’d read a few months back would have intermittent articles from social media pages to emails to interviews like ‘The Ship of Death’ and I enjoyed that aspect of it, so makes sense I dug this book so much! and both books have that sense of characters spiraling into moral degeneration and losing their sense of reality
super creative, loved how in depth the actual game was in the book, was totally unsettling and dark. this wasn’t terribly long but i was immediately attached to the characters and dedicated to finding out how this would end. i could see how using different forms of media / communication could cause some disconnect, but i think the author did a really good job of how he approached it. you were getting into the heads of our two main characters while also getting outside perspectives that helped to show the general doom to the story.
i totally recommend giving this a shot, it was pretty palatable, if i hadn’t needed to go to bed i could have read this in one sitting.
*ARC courtesy of netgalley*
i had played DnD back in high school and play a lot of role playing fantasy games (skyrim, baldurs gate, fable) so this book immediately captured my attention. i could see if you’re not into role playing games (or board games) of any kind, this may not be your cup of tea
while not comparable in terms of a similar plot, a horror book (‘Nothing Tastes As Good’) i’d read a few months back would have intermittent articles from social media pages to emails to interviews like ‘The Ship of Death’ and I enjoyed that aspect of it, so makes sense I dug this book so much! and both books have that sense of characters spiraling into moral degeneration and losing their sense of reality
super creative, loved how in depth the actual game was in the book, was totally unsettling and dark. this wasn’t terribly long but i was immediately attached to the characters and dedicated to finding out how this would end. i could see how using different forms of media / communication could cause some disconnect, but i think the author did a really good job of how he approached it. you were getting into the heads of our two main characters while also getting outside perspectives that helped to show the general doom to the story.
i totally recommend giving this a shot, it was pretty palatable, if i hadn’t needed to go to bed i could have read this in one sitting.
*ARC courtesy of netgalley*
June 21, 2026
3.5 rounded up because I love clever ideas like this and want more books like Ship of Death out there.
Quite a unique horror experience. Jumanji meets Stephen King is a crude way of describing it, but that would be my elevator pitch to a fellow reader, and it would certainly convince me to read it. It also reminded me a bit of Heart Shaped Box and Schraders Chord. Horror centered around a nefarious object.
I’ve never played DnD but now I want to try it. Does that make me sick?
I had some questions remaining at the end and was left a bit wanting (could it have been longer? I wanted resolution but the ending felt slightly rushed) but thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience, and couldn’t wait to get back to it.
Winkler’s writing style is simple and accessible, but still potent—a tricky balance to strike—and I would certify the Ship of Death as a genuine page turner, and a really fun, albeit stomach turning at times, ride. Don’t overthink this one! Crack it open and get ready to have fun.
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance ebook copy.
Quite a unique horror experience. Jumanji meets Stephen King is a crude way of describing it, but that would be my elevator pitch to a fellow reader, and it would certainly convince me to read it. It also reminded me a bit of Heart Shaped Box and Schraders Chord. Horror centered around a nefarious object.
I’ve never played DnD but now I want to try it. Does that make me sick?
I had some questions remaining at the end and was left a bit wanting (could it have been longer? I wanted resolution but the ending felt slightly rushed) but thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience, and couldn’t wait to get back to it.
Winkler’s writing style is simple and accessible, but still potent—a tricky balance to strike—and I would certify the Ship of Death as a genuine page turner, and a really fun, albeit stomach turning at times, ride. Don’t overthink this one! Crack it open and get ready to have fun.
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance ebook copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
the ship of death is a work that feels constrained by its premise as a "found media" horror story. to be completely honest I have very little interest in most found media fiction as I find that they are rarely well executed. this isn't to say that there aren't ones that haven't been successful, and there are ones that I have personally liked very much. but these types of media - especially if they are in a written format - tend to suffer from similar problems.
as fresh as the ship of death as a found media book may feel (at least in comparison to most published fiction), its execution falls flat. telling the story as a series of journal entries, reports and transcripts actually takes away from the suspension of disbelief that is necessary for the reader. I was constantly thinking "no person types a report like this. or writes in their journal like this." the narrative lampshades this sometimes by saying, for example, that a character is told to write in a way that's as detailed as possible. but it is so jarring when the character goes out of their way to write whole pages of conversations from memory or detail what a random store looks like. it's things like that which pull you out in actually believing that you are reading the transcript from someone's voice memo. it's silly when you have to believe a character would go out of their way to hand-write a journal entry while their body is decaying. (it's the same thing you sometimes have to believe in video games when someone is conveniently writing a note "for posterity" about the location of an important key while running from a monster. except you can at least be distracted by this fact because you are playing a video game and aren't stuck reading just entry after entry of these types of things.)
(another side tangent: a problem that presents itself with these types of "creepypasta" media is that you know how it ends. if you are reading someone's entry documenting some horrible thing that they have just experienced, and then posted to the internet or shared in some way - like a book? - then presumably they have actually survived said traumatic thing. so you don't really have to worry about that character dying since they have literally lived to tell the tale and shared it. this has the effect of reducing the overall tension of the narrative, and the ship of death does not dodge this specific problem either.)
if these entries were written in a more convincing way, then maybe I could have been more hooked into the board game the characters were playing. but maybe I am just not the target audience for this. I enjoy a ttrpg from time to time, but I guess I'm more of a casual ttrpg fan, because the very idea of this game made me so angry. the in-narrative ship of death game is convoluted and has an overwhelming number of booklets and rules and game pieces, which does tickle the brain cell a bit in the beginning. by the time I was halfway through, this game sounded so annoying and needlessly convoluted, and really for no other reason than to make it seem cool and epic and immersive. every time a character pulled a "oh wait but before you do that, you need to draw a card from THIS random obscure deck from the game that we haven't opened yet!" or "we had to search for 5 minutes to find the specific tiny separate booklet that covered this specific set of rules" just made me so angry imagining if it were me playing this game. and on top of that, once more about the board game is revealed, it makes less sense why a board game like this would need to be this complicated to the point it's almost comical.
if you put aside the game itself and turn to the characters who are writing these entries that make up this book, they are also. so. dumb. I tend to excuse characters making dumb decisions as there still has to be a plot for a story to tell. but these characters made every bad choice imaginable without a single critical thought to the potential danger they would be putting themselves in. sure go ahead and invite an unknown stranger to your house to play a game and drink his homemade moonshine. sure don't even question the idea of stopping to play the game, ever, even when your game is going terribly wrong. and the psychic woman made me so angry by the end when
the random "scary" things that happen throughout the book make no sense. while horror never has to make "sense" per se and things can be unexplainable and defy logic, I would expect these happenings to have a consistent feeling to them in tone and nature. otherwise it all feels completely arbitrary, with the same energy as throwing common "scary" things at a wall and hoping that one of them is scary enough to stick, cobbling together horror cliches to form some semblance of a horror story.
the ship of death is a frustrating experience for many reasons. but the one that I keep coming back to is the way I feel it does not live up to its potential with the found media format that it has chosen for its narrative. I fail to see how this format better serves the story it's trying to tell. I was hoping to get the feeling that I was reading something that could have the verisimilitude of being a strange internet mystery, something uncomfortably real but ultimately unprovable. found media fiction lends itself to producing a heightened reality that could actually exist, which should make the horror scarier, but instead with the ship of death, it feels clunky and comedic.
it sadly just wasn't the experience that I was hoping for.
thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy
as fresh as the ship of death as a found media book may feel (at least in comparison to most published fiction), its execution falls flat. telling the story as a series of journal entries, reports and transcripts actually takes away from the suspension of disbelief that is necessary for the reader. I was constantly thinking "no person types a report like this. or writes in their journal like this." the narrative lampshades this sometimes by saying, for example, that a character is told to write in a way that's as detailed as possible. but it is so jarring when the character goes out of their way to write whole pages of conversations from memory or detail what a random store looks like. it's things like that which pull you out in actually believing that you are reading the transcript from someone's voice memo. it's silly when you have to believe a character would go out of their way to hand-write a journal entry while their body is decaying. (it's the same thing you sometimes have to believe in video games when someone is conveniently writing a note "for posterity" about the location of an important key while running from a monster. except you can at least be distracted by this fact because you are playing a video game and aren't stuck reading just entry after entry of these types of things.)
(another side tangent: a problem that presents itself with these types of "creepypasta" media is that you know how it ends. if you are reading someone's entry documenting some horrible thing that they have just experienced, and then posted to the internet or shared in some way - like a book? - then presumably they have actually survived said traumatic thing. so you don't really have to worry about that character dying since they have literally lived to tell the tale and shared it. this has the effect of reducing the overall tension of the narrative, and the ship of death does not dodge this specific problem either.)
if these entries were written in a more convincing way, then maybe I could have been more hooked into the board game the characters were playing. but maybe I am just not the target audience for this. I enjoy a ttrpg from time to time, but I guess I'm more of a casual ttrpg fan, because the very idea of this game made me so angry. the in-narrative ship of death game is convoluted and has an overwhelming number of booklets and rules and game pieces, which does tickle the brain cell a bit in the beginning. by the time I was halfway through, this game sounded so annoying and needlessly convoluted, and really for no other reason than to make it seem cool and epic and immersive. every time a character pulled a "oh wait but before you do that, you need to draw a card from THIS random obscure deck from the game that we haven't opened yet!" or "we had to search for 5 minutes to find the specific tiny separate booklet that covered this specific set of rules" just made me so angry imagining if it were me playing this game. and on top of that, once more about the board game is revealed, it makes less sense why a board game like this would need to be this complicated to the point it's almost comical.
if you put aside the game itself and turn to the characters who are writing these entries that make up this book, they are also. so. dumb. I tend to excuse characters making dumb decisions as there still has to be a plot for a story to tell. but these characters made every bad choice imaginable without a single critical thought to the potential danger they would be putting themselves in. sure go ahead and invite an unknown stranger to your house to play a game and drink his homemade moonshine. sure don't even question the idea of stopping to play the game, ever, even when your game is going terribly wrong. and the psychic woman made me so angry by the end when
the random "scary" things that happen throughout the book make no sense. while horror never has to make "sense" per se and things can be unexplainable and defy logic, I would expect these happenings to have a consistent feeling to them in tone and nature. otherwise it all feels completely arbitrary, with the same energy as throwing common "scary" things at a wall and hoping that one of them is scary enough to stick, cobbling together horror cliches to form some semblance of a horror story.
the ship of death is a frustrating experience for many reasons. but the one that I keep coming back to is the way I feel it does not live up to its potential with the found media format that it has chosen for its narrative. I fail to see how this format better serves the story it's trying to tell. I was hoping to get the feeling that I was reading something that could have the verisimilitude of being a strange internet mystery, something uncomfortably real but ultimately unprovable. found media fiction lends itself to producing a heightened reality that could actually exist, which should make the horror scarier, but instead with the ship of death, it feels clunky and comedic.
it sadly just wasn't the experience that I was hoping for.
thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Honestly, average apartment life. Half of this reads like a non-fiction account of whatever my upstairs neighbors got up to at 3am.
Strapped for cash and living in a run-down apartment complex, Cole and Lorraine playtest board games to help save up for their starter home. When their broker recommends them a dark fantasy table-top role-playing game, with the developer requiring in-depth After Game Reports and a strangely worded NDA, they figure it’s just a quirk of a small eccentric board game company. Upon beginning the game, they realize the complex and extensive set of maps, rulebooks, action cards, and mini-figures are taking up not just their apartment, but their minds. The otherworldly game has them role-play their sickly, evildoing characters in and outside the sessions, and as the game escalates, each action it asks them to take is more drastic than the last, culminating in a demand to possess a stranger’s soul.
Something I always think is worth mentioning in my horror reviews is that I am a huge weenie. Horror usually isn’t my cup of tea - I enjoy eerie, tense vibes, but as soon as things get gross or gory, I’m out. Unfortunately, the majority of this book didn’t fall into the category I enjoy. I think The Ship of Death fails to pull off any truly scary moments. All it really does is say gross shit to make you uncomfortable, and maintain its sort of generally feverish vibe. The kind of thing where there's a lot of mention of dead or dying animals, milk used in weird ways, and way too much choking/vomiting, but nothing actually happens.
I think what worked best and what I really wished there was more of was the world-building of the fantasy board game. The world of the Mishilect is dark, gritty, and intense, and the depravity of the ship is one of the more unsettling parts of the book. There are even intricate religions, magic systems, and weather patterns, but they’re glossed over for less interesting exposition on whatever the characters are up to in the real world. Truly, it felt like this should have had a more Jumanji-style approach, where Cole and Lorraine are literally inside the game. There was a clear gap in quality between the fantasy writing and the more domestic writing, where somehow the most unrealistic part of the book was how the couple talked to each other and exist on a day-to-day.
This had so many of the common horror pitfalls - the characters make stupid decisions, they’re way too trusting, they don’t react appropriately to insane situations, and so on. What really adds to the issue is the clunky dialogue. In general, the conversations just feel… unnatural, but not in the way you want from a supernatural horror novel. To a degree, the characters are absolutely being controlled by the game, making them do and say quite odd things, but the book doesn’t distinguish between normal nerdy role-playing and supernatural brainwashing. There were a lot of moments I had where I was thinking “Are the characters acting strange or are they just really into the game?”
Of course, this book also has some of the male writer-isms, the “breasted boobily” of it all, if you catch my drift. In particular, every scene with the psychic was just so over the top and unnecessary. Cole describes her as “not good-looking in a way men would think a woman attractive” and that she “smelled like oranges and sex.” He also mentions multiples times that he is turned on/aroused around her. Why? Genuinely, what does this add to the story?
I think it’s worth saying that I did speed through this book, it’s definitely a page-turner, but it’s also just not my thing. I’d recommend this to those who like found-footage tropes, fans of dark fantasy looking to get into horror, or anyone looking for a quick, ~250 page eerie read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Strapped for cash and living in a run-down apartment complex, Cole and Lorraine playtest board games to help save up for their starter home. When their broker recommends them a dark fantasy table-top role-playing game, with the developer requiring in-depth After Game Reports and a strangely worded NDA, they figure it’s just a quirk of a small eccentric board game company. Upon beginning the game, they realize the complex and extensive set of maps, rulebooks, action cards, and mini-figures are taking up not just their apartment, but their minds. The otherworldly game has them role-play their sickly, evildoing characters in and outside the sessions, and as the game escalates, each action it asks them to take is more drastic than the last, culminating in a demand to possess a stranger’s soul.
Something I always think is worth mentioning in my horror reviews is that I am a huge weenie. Horror usually isn’t my cup of tea - I enjoy eerie, tense vibes, but as soon as things get gross or gory, I’m out. Unfortunately, the majority of this book didn’t fall into the category I enjoy. I think The Ship of Death fails to pull off any truly scary moments. All it really does is say gross shit to make you uncomfortable, and maintain its sort of generally feverish vibe. The kind of thing where there's a lot of mention of dead or dying animals, milk used in weird ways, and way too much choking/vomiting, but nothing actually happens.
I think what worked best and what I really wished there was more of was the world-building of the fantasy board game. The world of the Mishilect is dark, gritty, and intense, and the depravity of the ship is one of the more unsettling parts of the book. There are even intricate religions, magic systems, and weather patterns, but they’re glossed over for less interesting exposition on whatever the characters are up to in the real world. Truly, it felt like this should have had a more Jumanji-style approach, where Cole and Lorraine are literally inside the game. There was a clear gap in quality between the fantasy writing and the more domestic writing, where somehow the most unrealistic part of the book was how the couple talked to each other and exist on a day-to-day.
This had so many of the common horror pitfalls - the characters make stupid decisions, they’re way too trusting, they don’t react appropriately to insane situations, and so on. What really adds to the issue is the clunky dialogue. In general, the conversations just feel… unnatural, but not in the way you want from a supernatural horror novel. To a degree, the characters are absolutely being controlled by the game, making them do and say quite odd things, but the book doesn’t distinguish between normal nerdy role-playing and supernatural brainwashing. There were a lot of moments I had where I was thinking “Are the characters acting strange or are they just really into the game?”
Of course, this book also has some of the male writer-isms, the “breasted boobily” of it all, if you catch my drift. In particular, every scene with the psychic was just so over the top and unnecessary. Cole describes her as “not good-looking in a way men would think a woman attractive” and that she “smelled like oranges and sex.” He also mentions multiples times that he is turned on/aroused around her. Why? Genuinely, what does this add to the story?
I think it’s worth saying that I did speed through this book, it’s definitely a page-turner, but it’s also just not my thing. I’d recommend this to those who like found-footage tropes, fans of dark fantasy looking to get into horror, or anyone looking for a quick, ~250 page eerie read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Vibes 4
Technical 3
Rec yes
Reread maybe
What a wild ride. I don't really know what I expected from this but what I got was a quick creepy read that draws the reader in just as the characters are drawn to The Ship of Death.
The writing definitely has some flaws, and there are technical errors that come with reading a proof, I assume they will be corrected before the book is published.
Our story follows Cole and his wife Lorraine as they are quickly absorbed into a tabletop RPG, that is quickly revealed to be far more than just a game. The game begins to infiltrate their lives and pushes them to do more and more extreme and bizarre things in real life.
What I liked:
the story is insane, and felt wholly original. I don't think I've ever read something quite like this before. I enjoyed Cole as a character and Lorraine's speedy descent. The creepy parts are intensely creepy, the creepy characters are deeply unsettling.
The book captures the feeling of madness and confused realities really well in my opinion.
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy a book written in this "found footage" format, but I think it ended up working pretty well, though there was some nuance that was left to be desired.
What I didn't like:
the word choice is a little.... Strange. I am a pretty avid reader with what I think is a decent lexicon and I found myself having to look up words pretty often. This isn't necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but it can detract from my immersion in a story if I have to keep stopping to understand the words being used.
My biggest gripe with this book is that it could stand to be maybe 20 pages longer toward the beginning to (1) really give the reader a feel for who Cole and Lorraine are as individuals and as a couple. And (2) give the reader a deeper understanding of *why* they devolve into the game so quickly. There is enough subtext that we can assume the moment the "game" starts they are being influenced and that's why they make choices that to a rational person seem entirely insane. But, I would have liked a more gradual representation of how the game is worming into their minds and why Cole would not just invite a stranger to his home but consume a mystery moonshine.
Overall I really enjoyed this one, it delivers exactly what is promised and leaves you feeling a little squirmy and freaked out.
I don't give half-star ratings but if I did I would give this a 3.5, as it is I rounded up to 4.
Thank you to netgalley for providing an early copy of The Ship of Death for review.
Technical 3
Rec yes
Reread maybe
What a wild ride. I don't really know what I expected from this but what I got was a quick creepy read that draws the reader in just as the characters are drawn to The Ship of Death.
The writing definitely has some flaws, and there are technical errors that come with reading a proof, I assume they will be corrected before the book is published.
Our story follows Cole and his wife Lorraine as they are quickly absorbed into a tabletop RPG, that is quickly revealed to be far more than just a game. The game begins to infiltrate their lives and pushes them to do more and more extreme and bizarre things in real life.
What I liked:
the story is insane, and felt wholly original. I don't think I've ever read something quite like this before. I enjoyed Cole as a character and Lorraine's speedy descent. The creepy parts are intensely creepy, the creepy characters are deeply unsettling.
The book captures the feeling of madness and confused realities really well in my opinion.
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy a book written in this "found footage" format, but I think it ended up working pretty well, though there was some nuance that was left to be desired.
What I didn't like:
the word choice is a little.... Strange. I am a pretty avid reader with what I think is a decent lexicon and I found myself having to look up words pretty often. This isn't necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but it can detract from my immersion in a story if I have to keep stopping to understand the words being used.
My biggest gripe with this book is that it could stand to be maybe 20 pages longer toward the beginning to (1) really give the reader a feel for who Cole and Lorraine are as individuals and as a couple. And (2) give the reader a deeper understanding of *why* they devolve into the game so quickly. There is enough subtext that we can assume the moment the "game" starts they are being influenced and that's why they make choices that to a rational person seem entirely insane. But, I would have liked a more gradual representation of how the game is worming into their minds and why Cole would not just invite a stranger to his home but consume a mystery moonshine.
Overall I really enjoyed this one, it delivers exactly what is promised and leaves you feeling a little squirmy and freaked out.
I don't give half-star ratings but if I did I would give this a 3.5, as it is I rounded up to 4.
Thank you to netgalley for providing an early copy of The Ship of Death for review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Many thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
When I selected this book to read I was drawn in by the cover, the title and the fact that my horror loving butt has been on a sci/fi fantasy binge and haven't read a good horror in a while. With that being said, I didn't read the description because I'm a horrible person and judge books by their covers. I went in blind knowing nothing about this book. Oddly enough, I probably turned out to be the target demographic. I love board games and I've been dying to play D&D enough so that I kind of know the gist (but don't know enough to have understood about the dice being thrown and if a high roll is good or bad).
The Ship of Death is about a man- Corey who tests board games as a side gig. He is given a mythical (amongst the redditors and board game afficionados of the world) board game to test with his wife who ends up becoming egregiously obsessed with the game and it has real life consequences. Think of Dungeons and Dragons meets Jumanji but you have a sadistic DM.
I think the book had a lot of potential, but really it fell short of being great or spectacular. It was easy enough to keep my attention and was a quick read. However, there were things from the beginning that just made me groan and say, "Give me a break. Can we make it a little believable?" There is no push back on what ends up happening, they just accept this is reality and move on which was a hurdle I really struggled with. Why is the wife so obsessed, why is she being a total weirdo, why is this couple so in love so quickly turning on each other? Books generally don't need to be believable for me to enjoy them but this was so far from reality it had me scratching my head.
There were several items I needed to look up as they weren't explained which isn't good or bad, it just is. The characters had no depth and I wasn't invested in them at all.
And finally, being cautious about what I say to avoid spoilers. Something happens to a character that is never explained so, what happened to this character? I had to go back to see if I was missing pages or not. I was...in fact. Not missing pages.
I think the editing needs some polishing, I wouldn't really consider this a horror either to be honest. Glad I read it but wouldn't recommend it.
When I selected this book to read I was drawn in by the cover, the title and the fact that my horror loving butt has been on a sci/fi fantasy binge and haven't read a good horror in a while. With that being said, I didn't read the description because I'm a horrible person and judge books by their covers. I went in blind knowing nothing about this book. Oddly enough, I probably turned out to be the target demographic. I love board games and I've been dying to play D&D enough so that I kind of know the gist (but don't know enough to have understood about the dice being thrown and if a high roll is good or bad).
The Ship of Death is about a man- Corey who tests board games as a side gig. He is given a mythical (amongst the redditors and board game afficionados of the world) board game to test with his wife who ends up becoming egregiously obsessed with the game and it has real life consequences. Think of Dungeons and Dragons meets Jumanji but you have a sadistic DM.
I think the book had a lot of potential, but really it fell short of being great or spectacular. It was easy enough to keep my attention and was a quick read. However, there were things from the beginning that just made me groan and say, "Give me a break. Can we make it a little believable?" There is no push back on what ends up happening, they just accept this is reality and move on which was a hurdle I really struggled with. Why is the wife so obsessed, why is she being a total weirdo, why is this couple so in love so quickly turning on each other? Books generally don't need to be believable for me to enjoy them but this was so far from reality it had me scratching my head.
There were several items I needed to look up as they weren't explained which isn't good or bad, it just is. The characters had no depth and I wasn't invested in them at all.
And finally, being cautious about what I say to avoid spoilers. Something happens to a character that is never explained so, what happened to this character? I had to go back to see if I was missing pages or not. I was...in fact. Not missing pages.
I think the editing needs some polishing, I wouldn't really consider this a horror either to be honest. Glad I read it but wouldn't recommend it.
Review of advance copy
Ship of Death is a modern epistolary novel, assembled from police reports, journal entries, note apps on phone, and most central to the plot, after game reports for someone playtesting a 'new' board game. Cole is our bartender main character and the initial recipient of the play test opportunity. His wife and later, against her will, a neighbor are roped into the game by our main antagonist. What starts as an interesting play test of a vastly complex game quickly turns into a terrifying blurring of reality, dreams, and the game. The final forum post documents leave us with questions as to reliability of our narrator at all, and of what reality might in fact have been. An honorable mention for Tess, our fortune teller/psychic/witch supporting character who is actually one of my favorites in the book (though her taste in blended scotch is understandably bad). It is in no small part through her that we're directly told what is otherwise just menacingly implied, that ultimately once events are set in motion both ourselves and the characters are on an inexorable march toward tragedy and terror.
For all its modern trappings and brisk pacing, Winkler is obviously drawing on strong, serious, literary traditions. Beyond the titular (and thematic) reference to D.H. Lawrence, there is a lot of Clark Ashton Smith here. Sure, Zothique is mentioned by name at one point, but even prior to that anyone familiar with CAS would easily notice that the parts written about/in the Mishilect are drawing heavily on his style linguistic traditions. There's a lot of clever things going on with the naming of things, especially books, if one cares to notice or look up some terms if they're unfamiliar to them.
There's also a lot going on here with themes of power and control...who has it, how its exercised, how far it can be pushed or fought, and how it shapes our lives and reality in both figurative and literal terms. I'd almost say there are shades of dysfunctional, unhealthy, versions of dom/sub relationships. Its most obvious with Rot/Atapath...but also between Javier and our protagonist couple. It never pushes into the sexual, but its definitely a more overt exercise in power than simple manipulation.
This book was a lot of fun, and the everyperson main characters are easy to connect with, down to their inabilty to find a livable home at an affordable price (though I'll be honest, compared to right across the border in Michigan, those prices seemed pretty damn good). This is well worth your time to read, and I've already got holds on other books by him from my library.
For all its modern trappings and brisk pacing, Winkler is obviously drawing on strong, serious, literary traditions. Beyond the titular (and thematic) reference to D.H. Lawrence, there is a lot of Clark Ashton Smith here. Sure, Zothique is mentioned by name at one point, but even prior to that anyone familiar with CAS would easily notice that the parts written about/in the Mishilect are drawing heavily on his style linguistic traditions. There's a lot of clever things going on with the naming of things, especially books, if one cares to notice or look up some terms if they're unfamiliar to them.
There's also a lot going on here with themes of power and control...who has it, how its exercised, how far it can be pushed or fought, and how it shapes our lives and reality in both figurative and literal terms. I'd almost say there are shades of dysfunctional, unhealthy, versions of dom/sub relationships. Its most obvious with Rot/Atapath...but also between Javier and our protagonist couple. It never pushes into the sexual, but its definitely a more overt exercise in power than simple manipulation.
This book was a lot of fun, and the everyperson main characters are easy to connect with, down to their inabilty to find a livable home at an affordable price (though I'll be honest, compared to right across the border in Michigan, those prices seemed pretty damn good). This is well worth your time to read, and I've already got holds on other books by him from my library.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Conceptually, this is a super fun book and there is definitely an audience for it, but surprisingly that audience does not include me.
I say surprisingly because I am a long time TTRPG player as well as a lover of found document/non-traditional horror novels. This should have been a home run! Unfortunately, the format seemed to be a hinderance in this case. The writing style was a bit disjointed (understandable to a point), and I found the sections of game logs to be the most unsuited for this style of novel. They were far too detailed and just feel like a novel in first person rather than someone writing a log meant to be sent to a game designer. I also found it frustratingly perplexing that an experienced play tester would be writing such extensive notes that included his work shift and other "out of game" moments from the get go if not because of some meta reason (like he knew that this game would get weird and start bleeding into his real life before he even started playing it). I think I would have preferred the game logs to start out being very straightforward and then slowly they include more of his personal life as they got further sucked into the reality bending nature of the game. Since, we started out at a 10, there was little room to feel the stakes being raised as the game shifts from being 'just a game.' I also didn't care for the decision to divide each game log into parts interspersed with other documents. If these documents were being given to someone, would they not be reading each log in its entirety before moving on to relevant supplemental documents then more gameplay logs, etc.?
Somehow 'The Ship of Death manages to both not include enough explanation while also feeling unnecessarily drawn out. Major pacing issues.
Also worthy to note, I grew up with 'Chick Tracts' and the plot so closely mirrors the Satanic Panic tract called 'Dark Dungeon' (sans the religious bits) that I would not be shocked to hear that 'The Ship of Death' was directly inspired by it.
I do think this will be a fun book for many TTRPG players and the format is a fun novelty that could have wide appeal. Just know you will get few answers going into it and non TTRPG players may find the sections that include rulebook excerpts and in game cards tedious.
I say surprisingly because I am a long time TTRPG player as well as a lover of found document/non-traditional horror novels. This should have been a home run! Unfortunately, the format seemed to be a hinderance in this case. The writing style was a bit disjointed (understandable to a point), and I found the sections of game logs to be the most unsuited for this style of novel. They were far too detailed and just feel like a novel in first person rather than someone writing a log meant to be sent to a game designer. I also found it frustratingly perplexing that an experienced play tester would be writing such extensive notes that included his work shift and other "out of game" moments from the get go if not because of some meta reason (like he knew that this game would get weird and start bleeding into his real life before he even started playing it). I think I would have preferred the game logs to start out being very straightforward and then slowly they include more of his personal life as they got further sucked into the reality bending nature of the game. Since, we started out at a 10, there was little room to feel the stakes being raised as the game shifts from being 'just a game.' I also didn't care for the decision to divide each game log into parts interspersed with other documents. If these documents were being given to someone, would they not be reading each log in its entirety before moving on to relevant supplemental documents then more gameplay logs, etc.?
Somehow 'The Ship of Death manages to both not include enough explanation while also feeling unnecessarily drawn out. Major pacing issues.
Also worthy to note, I grew up with 'Chick Tracts' and the plot so closely mirrors the Satanic Panic tract called 'Dark Dungeon' (sans the religious bits) that I would not be shocked to hear that 'The Ship of Death' was directly inspired by it.
I do think this will be a fun book for many TTRPG players and the format is a fun novelty that could have wide appeal. Just know you will get few answers going into it and non TTRPG players may find the sections that include rulebook excerpts and in game cards tedious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
The Ship of Death was a unique and engaging read but ultimately left something to be desired.
Kyle Winkler deserves praise for taking a big swing with his execution here. Other books include letters, emails, reports, etc. but to fully write the book in this style was really out of the ordinary. This “missive” style of writing worked well to break up the story and give the characters distinct voices. Including different perspective and opinions within the book made it also seem more realistic and grounded.
Another gamble, which pays off quite well, was using a tabletop RPG as a fantastical catalyst. The gameplay is what brings the main cast of characters together. It muddies the gap between illusion and reality. It provides lore and intrigue. It feels intentionally confusing and daunting because the game acts more like a dark entity than a static item - forever changing and adapting to meet it’s desires. It’s well executed, suspenseful, and distinct. It will surely excite both tabletop and video gamers.
Most of the fumbling comes from incomplete character work and poor pacing. Winkler never takes the time to properly introduce us to the book’s two leads, Cole and Lorraine. As a result, it’s difficult to care deeply for them and their situation. The reader never gets a sense for who these people are, their personalities, and their relationship before all hell breaks loose and they begin succumbing to dark forces. It felt like the story and the characters really came in second place to the more uncommon and eye-catching elements of the book. Without a solid foundation, the cracks become more visible and the concept becomes more gimmicky.
Additionally, the pacing was as issue. It was enthralling and exciting at the start, but by the midway point, it lost steam and became predictable.
Excellent concept, okay execution, definitely runway to create additions to this universe (à la Jumanji).
Kyle Winkler deserves praise for taking a big swing with his execution here. Other books include letters, emails, reports, etc. but to fully write the book in this style was really out of the ordinary. This “missive” style of writing worked well to break up the story and give the characters distinct voices. Including different perspective and opinions within the book made it also seem more realistic and grounded.
Another gamble, which pays off quite well, was using a tabletop RPG as a fantastical catalyst. The gameplay is what brings the main cast of characters together. It muddies the gap between illusion and reality. It provides lore and intrigue. It feels intentionally confusing and daunting because the game acts more like a dark entity than a static item - forever changing and adapting to meet it’s desires. It’s well executed, suspenseful, and distinct. It will surely excite both tabletop and video gamers.
Most of the fumbling comes from incomplete character work and poor pacing. Winkler never takes the time to properly introduce us to the book’s two leads, Cole and Lorraine. As a result, it’s difficult to care deeply for them and their situation. The reader never gets a sense for who these people are, their personalities, and their relationship before all hell breaks loose and they begin succumbing to dark forces. It felt like the story and the characters really came in second place to the more uncommon and eye-catching elements of the book. Without a solid foundation, the cracks become more visible and the concept becomes more gimmicky.
Additionally, the pacing was as issue. It was enthralling and exciting at the start, but by the midway point, it lost steam and became predictable.
Excellent concept, okay execution, definitely runway to create additions to this universe (à la Jumanji).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I play Dungeons and Dragons every Thursday night, except when my schedule interrupts. I attend board game nights with my friends. I play RPGs on my Playstation, and love reading fiction, love stories. So when I read the description of The Ship of Death (TSoD) which combined a bunch of things I love, I was on board.
The best way I can describe this novel is if Jumanji and Blair Witch Project had a baby. It centers around the Tabletop Role-Playing Game “The Ship of Death,” but the story is told in an unconventional way – through e-mails, reports, forum posts, and other documents. I have not read a story told in this way before, and it was gripping.
Cole and Lorraine felt like real people. They had struggles, passions, and their relationship seemed genuine. It was not a picturesque relationship, but was reminiscent of how two people learn to grow together, how to be two separate people but one family unit.
The story itself was also compelling. TSoD is a short read which I read over 2-3 days. I would have finished it quicker if life had not gotten in the way. It was quite spooky at times. Once I fell asleep while reading TSoD (not because it was boring, but because I was exhausted), and I dreamed about the book. That might not sound weird, but once you finish the book, you will understand why I woke up a little unsettled.
I enjoyed TSoD. I do think some of the reveals were not as powerful as they could have been, but that did not detract from my enjoyment. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Tabletop RPGs, or tabletop games in general. It captures the love the tabletop community has for the hobby very well.
I received a free eARC of The Ship of Death from Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The best way I can describe this novel is if Jumanji and Blair Witch Project had a baby. It centers around the Tabletop Role-Playing Game “The Ship of Death,” but the story is told in an unconventional way – through e-mails, reports, forum posts, and other documents. I have not read a story told in this way before, and it was gripping.
Cole and Lorraine felt like real people. They had struggles, passions, and their relationship seemed genuine. It was not a picturesque relationship, but was reminiscent of how two people learn to grow together, how to be two separate people but one family unit.
The story itself was also compelling. TSoD is a short read which I read over 2-3 days. I would have finished it quicker if life had not gotten in the way. It was quite spooky at times. Once I fell asleep while reading TSoD (not because it was boring, but because I was exhausted), and I dreamed about the book. That might not sound weird, but once you finish the book, you will understand why I woke up a little unsettled.
I enjoyed TSoD. I do think some of the reveals were not as powerful as they could have been, but that did not detract from my enjoyment. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Tabletop RPGs, or tabletop games in general. It captures the love the tabletop community has for the hobby very well.
I received a free eARC of The Ship of Death from Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a cool idea for a horror novel and I’m honestly a little sad I didn’t love it more because evil tabletop game that slowly ruins your life is SO my kind of nonsense.
The story follows a couple who test board games for extra money, which already sounds kind of fun until they receive this bizarre role playing game that immediately starts feeling less like a hobby and more like a cursed Craigslist encounter. The deeper they get into it, the more the game bleeds into real life, and things get increasingly creepy and chaotic.
The format was probably my favorite part. Everything is told through emails, journal entries, forum posts, reports, and other little documents, which made it feel super immersive at first. Very found footage energy. I flew through it because I kept wanting to see what strange thing would happen next.
That said, I think the book leaned a little too hard on vibes over explanation. There were moments where characters reacted to absolutely unhinged situations with the energy of someone mildly inconvenienced at Target, and I kept wanting more emotional payoff or clarity. I also never fully connected with the couple, which made some of the bigger moments land a little flat for me.
The actual game lore though? Weirdly fascinating. I almost wished more of the story had focused on that because the dark fantasy elements were genuinely unsettling and creative. Every time the book dipped deeper into the mythology, I got pulled right back in.
Overall, this was one of those reads where I admired the concept more than the execution, but I still had fun with it. If you love tabletop games, creepy internet horror, or stories where reality starts melting around the edges, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The story follows a couple who test board games for extra money, which already sounds kind of fun until they receive this bizarre role playing game that immediately starts feeling less like a hobby and more like a cursed Craigslist encounter. The deeper they get into it, the more the game bleeds into real life, and things get increasingly creepy and chaotic.
The format was probably my favorite part. Everything is told through emails, journal entries, forum posts, reports, and other little documents, which made it feel super immersive at first. Very found footage energy. I flew through it because I kept wanting to see what strange thing would happen next.
That said, I think the book leaned a little too hard on vibes over explanation. There were moments where characters reacted to absolutely unhinged situations with the energy of someone mildly inconvenienced at Target, and I kept wanting more emotional payoff or clarity. I also never fully connected with the couple, which made some of the bigger moments land a little flat for me.
The actual game lore though? Weirdly fascinating. I almost wished more of the story had focused on that because the dark fantasy elements were genuinely unsettling and creative. Every time the book dipped deeper into the mythology, I got pulled right back in.
Overall, this was one of those reads where I admired the concept more than the execution, but I still had fun with it. If you love tabletop games, creepy internet horror, or stories where reality starts melting around the edges, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 10, 2026
Reviewing an unedited ARC sent to me by the publisher:
I have a lot of thoughts to put down. Overall, the book was fine. There is a better book buried within this one though, hidden somewhere within the gimmick of the “found footage” schtick. For a moment that gimmick grew on me, but in the end I find it unnecessary. It actually added nothing to the story. In fact it cheapened the better book that’s hidden in here with false tension and allowed so many things to be left entirely unexplained with the general idea that “well you wouldn’t know everything it’s just found scraps”.
There is so much incredible world building here and honestly I just kind of wish the book took place in the other world. The hints of and glimpses of that world were these glimmers of sheer genius peeking through, but they never really materialized.
Overall, the book is fine but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. If someone picked it up and read it not knowing anything they’ll be fine, but it isn’t doing anything new. And that’s where it really let me down because it felt like it could have. Instead it was a very mediocre story that ended exactly how I thought it would. There were no grand twists, no grand reveals. Nothing grand at all. So much didn’t make sense or wasn’t really explained, it just kind of happened. The found footage gimmick let this book get away with explaining way less than it should have had to, but it was truly such a cheap gimmick.
All in all, it was fine. I put three stars because there’s a better book buried in there somewhere. But my gut says it’s really a 1 or 2 star book.
Anyway, I’m sure this means the publisher won’t send me anymore ARCs because I feel there’s this unwritten rule to give them a positive review. I’m just giving you my honest opinion.
I have a lot of thoughts to put down. Overall, the book was fine. There is a better book buried within this one though, hidden somewhere within the gimmick of the “found footage” schtick. For a moment that gimmick grew on me, but in the end I find it unnecessary. It actually added nothing to the story. In fact it cheapened the better book that’s hidden in here with false tension and allowed so many things to be left entirely unexplained with the general idea that “well you wouldn’t know everything it’s just found scraps”.
There is so much incredible world building here and honestly I just kind of wish the book took place in the other world. The hints of and glimpses of that world were these glimmers of sheer genius peeking through, but they never really materialized.
Overall, the book is fine but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. If someone picked it up and read it not knowing anything they’ll be fine, but it isn’t doing anything new. And that’s where it really let me down because it felt like it could have. Instead it was a very mediocre story that ended exactly how I thought it would. There were no grand twists, no grand reveals. Nothing grand at all. So much didn’t make sense or wasn’t really explained, it just kind of happened. The found footage gimmick let this book get away with explaining way less than it should have had to, but it was truly such a cheap gimmick.
All in all, it was fine. I put three stars because there’s a better book buried in there somewhere. But my gut says it’s really a 1 or 2 star book.
Anyway, I’m sure this means the publisher won’t send me anymore ARCs because I feel there’s this unwritten rule to give them a positive review. I’m just giving you my honest opinion.
March 9, 2026
The Ship of Death blends dark fantasy with the structure and language of tabletop role-playing games. The story begins with a husband and wife who are invited to test play a mysterious game together but their experience quickly expands beyond the two of them. A strange patron from a local bar joins in, followed later by an upstairs neighbor, and the group becomes increasingly pulled into the game’s strange rules and unfolding narrative. As the story progresses, the boundary between the game and reality grows more and more uncertain, leaving both the characters (and the reader) questioning what is actually real.
Overall, I found the story itself to be solid. It's weird in an intriguing way and is populated with genuinely interesting characters. The atmosphere is often eerie and unpredictable, and the narrative leans into its strangeness rather than trying to smooth it out. My favorite character by far was the fortune teller, who added a layer of mystery and personality that made every scene she appeared in more engaging.
My biggest struggle with the book was the heavy use of terminology and acronyms drawn from role-playing games. Since I don’t personally play those kinds of games, I found myself stumbling over some of the language and occasionally feeling like I was missing context that more experienced readers would immediately understand. Because of that, the reading experience felt a bit uneven for me at times.
That said, the underlying story and characters kept me invested. Readers who are familiar with or enthusiastic about tabletop or role-playing games will likely get even more out of the references and mechanics that shape the world. For me, it was still an enjoyable read, just one that I suspect will be even more impactful for fans of that gaming culture.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Overall, I found the story itself to be solid. It's weird in an intriguing way and is populated with genuinely interesting characters. The atmosphere is often eerie and unpredictable, and the narrative leans into its strangeness rather than trying to smooth it out. My favorite character by far was the fortune teller, who added a layer of mystery and personality that made every scene she appeared in more engaging.
My biggest struggle with the book was the heavy use of terminology and acronyms drawn from role-playing games. Since I don’t personally play those kinds of games, I found myself stumbling over some of the language and occasionally feeling like I was missing context that more experienced readers would immediately understand. Because of that, the reading experience felt a bit uneven for me at times.
That said, the underlying story and characters kept me invested. Readers who are familiar with or enthusiastic about tabletop or role-playing games will likely get even more out of the references and mechanics that shape the world. For me, it was still an enjoyable read, just one that I suspect will be even more impactful for fans of that gaming culture.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Kyle Winkler, and NetGalley for providing an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was, unfortunately, a significant letdown for me. As a fan of found-footage storytelling, LitRPG, fantasy, and thrillers, I was genuinely excited by the premise. However, the execution ultimately fell flat.
There were elements I could overlook. The limited variety in the storytelling formats was disappointing, but not a dealbreaker. The chaotic and often nonsensical game mechanics could be interpreted as an intentional choice, perhaps meant to mirror the confusion and overwhelm experienced by the characters. I also found the horror elements underwhelming and, at times, dull—though I recognize that may come down to personal taste.
What I couldn’t overlook, however, was how consistently unrealistic the characters’ decisions felt. Describing their actions as minor lapses in judgment would be like suggesting the Trojans were merely a bit careless in accepting the wooden horse. The characters are not only unrelatable, uninteresting and unlikable, but they repeatedly make choices that strain all credibility, pulling me completely out of the story.
On a more positive note, the epistolary format does lend itself to moments of real momentum, making parts of the book genuinely engaging. The atmosphere is also well-crafted, with a dark, desperate tone that suits the premise. Ultimately, the concept is strong, and the foundation is there—but the novel would have greatly benefited from more refinement, editing, and rewriting.
This book was, unfortunately, a significant letdown for me. As a fan of found-footage storytelling, LitRPG, fantasy, and thrillers, I was genuinely excited by the premise. However, the execution ultimately fell flat.
There were elements I could overlook. The limited variety in the storytelling formats was disappointing, but not a dealbreaker. The chaotic and often nonsensical game mechanics could be interpreted as an intentional choice, perhaps meant to mirror the confusion and overwhelm experienced by the characters. I also found the horror elements underwhelming and, at times, dull—though I recognize that may come down to personal taste.
What I couldn’t overlook, however, was how consistently unrealistic the characters’ decisions felt. Describing their actions as minor lapses in judgment would be like suggesting the Trojans were merely a bit careless in accepting the wooden horse. The characters are not only unrelatable, uninteresting and unlikable, but they repeatedly make choices that strain all credibility, pulling me completely out of the story.
On a more positive note, the epistolary format does lend itself to moments of real momentum, making parts of the book genuinely engaging. The atmosphere is also well-crafted, with a dark, desperate tone that suits the premise. Ultimately, the concept is strong, and the foundation is there—but the novel would have greatly benefited from more refinement, editing, and rewriting.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really liked the concept of the story and the cover fits perfectly. Based off of the description of this story being told from found footage, Cole's documented version of the game playing, police files, chat room and forum notes, contract, card creations, etc., I was expecting this to be told in a similar style to The Illuminae Files, which is a series I love. Unfortunately, the author's approach to this was very disjointed. Some of these elements are just written long paragraphs that read as overly detailed information in some ways and not nearly enough information in other ways. The game play itself is very D&D and RPG, which was to be expected but it is done in a way that makes it hard to get invested in who Cole and Lorraine are while keeping up with what they're experiencing. From the onset of the story all we know about them is that they enjoy playing board games and Cole somehow knows someone who connects him with previews of soon-to-be released games. Also, the idea thar Cole is typing or writing out detail for detail everything they did and said, including when Javier and others are involved, makes this even harder to get into. Maybe if it was being video recorded or something, then it would *feel* more realistic and creepy. Overall, the story landed flat for me, which is a shame because it hits so many of my favorite genres and I like games. I think anyone who loves D&D, or RPGs in general, may enjoy this story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a gamer who loves found footage/epistolary novels, I was so excited to read The Ship of Death. Unfortunately, though, the execution of this wonderful concept didn't quite work for me.
Found footage horror is effective because it's believable; the reader should feel like they're witnessing materials from actual events. But the inconsistencies in The Ship of Death completely took me out of the story. For example, at the beginning, Cole is told that he should try to play test the game with as many people as possible, but a couple paragraphs later he's told about a strict NDA he has to sign. Which is it: Should he share information about the game, or not disclose information.
The majority of the novel is told through game reports Cole writes for the gaming company, and they tell him to share everything—clearly an attempt at an explanation for why Cole shares *everything,* including work stories and dreams. But it doesn't feel believable because it doesn't read as a game report. He's using dialogue tags and extremely detailed write ups of everything he does during the day; he's writing in past tense but includes things that are happening in real time, like his wife asking him what he's writing.
Finally, while this is an ARC and I know it hasn't been proofread, the spelling errors were distracting. Nearly every page included typos that should have been caught by a basic spell check, which likewise brought me out of the story.
I loved the concept of The Ship of Death, but it needs a lot of work to turn it into a compelling novel
Found footage horror is effective because it's believable; the reader should feel like they're witnessing materials from actual events. But the inconsistencies in The Ship of Death completely took me out of the story. For example, at the beginning, Cole is told that he should try to play test the game with as many people as possible, but a couple paragraphs later he's told about a strict NDA he has to sign. Which is it: Should he share information about the game, or not disclose information.
The majority of the novel is told through game reports Cole writes for the gaming company, and they tell him to share everything—clearly an attempt at an explanation for why Cole shares *everything,* including work stories and dreams. But it doesn't feel believable because it doesn't read as a game report. He's using dialogue tags and extremely detailed write ups of everything he does during the day; he's writing in past tense but includes things that are happening in real time, like his wife asking him what he's writing.
Finally, while this is an ARC and I know it hasn't been proofread, the spelling errors were distracting. Nearly every page included typos that should have been caught by a basic spell check, which likewise brought me out of the story.
I loved the concept of The Ship of Death, but it needs a lot of work to turn it into a compelling novel
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review The Ship of Death. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Cole is a bartender and Lorraine works in an office; together, they playtest new boardgames and have received a new one, called the Ship of Death. The story is told entirely in forum posts, police reports, pages from the rulebook, and journal entries; this found-document way of telling the story is what initially drew me to this novel. What heightened the story for me is this is essentially litrpg horror! I'm a new fan of the litrpg genre and I think this was a great addition to it.
The horror of this feels eldritch, creeping, and suffocating. The way the story is told in bits and pieces heightens the experience. The story is entirely different, but it brought to mind the claustrophobic feelings that House of Leaves brought up for me. I couldn't stop thinking about House of Leaves while reading. Take from that what you will. The Ship of Death is absolutely bizarre, a complete fever dream.
I loved the addition of the side characters (Tess and Betsy). I loved the "wtf is going on" aspect. I think the pacing could have been a bit better, because it felt almost like an accordion to me - pacing would speed up and then slow down. I think that would be my only criticism. I will be reading more from Kyle Winkler.
I think this is perfect for fans of found footage films, metahorror, and cosmic horror. I can't wait for my best friend to read it! I've already recommended it to her, because its right up her alley.
Cole is a bartender and Lorraine works in an office; together, they playtest new boardgames and have received a new one, called the Ship of Death. The story is told entirely in forum posts, police reports, pages from the rulebook, and journal entries; this found-document way of telling the story is what initially drew me to this novel. What heightened the story for me is this is essentially litrpg horror! I'm a new fan of the litrpg genre and I think this was a great addition to it.
The horror of this feels eldritch, creeping, and suffocating. The way the story is told in bits and pieces heightens the experience. The story is entirely different, but it brought to mind the claustrophobic feelings that House of Leaves brought up for me. I couldn't stop thinking about House of Leaves while reading. Take from that what you will. The Ship of Death is absolutely bizarre, a complete fever dream.
I loved the addition of the side characters (Tess and Betsy). I loved the "wtf is going on" aspect. I think the pacing could have been a bit better, because it felt almost like an accordion to me - pacing would speed up and then slow down. I think that would be my only criticism. I will be reading more from Kyle Winkler.
I think this is perfect for fans of found footage films, metahorror, and cosmic horror. I can't wait for my best friend to read it! I've already recommended it to her, because its right up her alley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC—my honest thoughts, as always, are my own.
Now let’s descend into the shadows…
Some voyages promise escape… others promise something far more dangerous.
The Ship of Dreams isn’t the kind of journey you take lightly. What begins with intrigue quickly dissolves into something far more unsettling—where reality blurs, trust fractures, and the line between dream and nightmare becomes dangerously thin.
I’ve always been drawn to stories that trap you in liminal spaces—places where nothing feels solid, where you can’t quite trust what you’re seeing or feeling. This book thrives in that uneasy in-between. The ship itself feels less like a setting and more like a drifting, inescapable entity—cut off from the world, yet teeming with tension just beneath the surface.
There’s a quiet, creeping dread woven throughout—nothing rushed, nothing wasted. Just a slow unraveling that pulls you deeper the longer you stay. And by the time you realize something is truly wrong… it’s already too late.
**Content Warning:** Psychological distress, disorientation, isolation, and unsettling dreamlike sequences.
If you enjoy horror that disorients, lingers, and leaves you questioning what was real long after the final page, this is a journey worth taking.
🕸️I’m that weird girl who reads the shadows—and you’ll follow willingly.🕸️
Now let’s descend into the shadows…
Some voyages promise escape… others promise something far more dangerous.
The Ship of Dreams isn’t the kind of journey you take lightly. What begins with intrigue quickly dissolves into something far more unsettling—where reality blurs, trust fractures, and the line between dream and nightmare becomes dangerously thin.
I’ve always been drawn to stories that trap you in liminal spaces—places where nothing feels solid, where you can’t quite trust what you’re seeing or feeling. This book thrives in that uneasy in-between. The ship itself feels less like a setting and more like a drifting, inescapable entity—cut off from the world, yet teeming with tension just beneath the surface.
There’s a quiet, creeping dread woven throughout—nothing rushed, nothing wasted. Just a slow unraveling that pulls you deeper the longer you stay. And by the time you realize something is truly wrong… it’s already too late.
**Content Warning:** Psychological distress, disorientation, isolation, and unsettling dreamlike sequences.
If you enjoy horror that disorients, lingers, and leaves you questioning what was real long after the final page, this is a journey worth taking.
🕸️I’m that weird girl who reads the shadows—and you’ll follow willingly.🕸️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First and foremost, I’d like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I was initially drawn in by the cover and the promise of a horror story with a Blair Witch-style concept. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite land for me. I found myself struggling to stay engaged and even considered DNFing it several times.
At points, the narrative felt confusing and difficult to follow. I frequently had to stop and reread sections, thinking, “Wait—what does that mean?” The heavy use of acronyms and specialized terminology made it even harder to stay immersed in the story.
That said, I do think part of the disconnect comes down to personal preference. This book leans heavily into an RPG-style format, which isn’t typically something I enjoy, so I may not have been the ideal audience going in.
Overall, I found the pacing slow and the horror elements lacking in impact. It never quite delivered the sense of tension or fear I was hoping for. The shorter length did make it easier to finish, but I was left wanting more in terms of both clarity and payoff.
These are, of course, just my honest opinions. I can see how this book might appeal to readers who enjoy RPG-inspired storytelling or more experimental narrative styles—it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
I was initially drawn in by the cover and the promise of a horror story with a Blair Witch-style concept. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite land for me. I found myself struggling to stay engaged and even considered DNFing it several times.
At points, the narrative felt confusing and difficult to follow. I frequently had to stop and reread sections, thinking, “Wait—what does that mean?” The heavy use of acronyms and specialized terminology made it even harder to stay immersed in the story.
That said, I do think part of the disconnect comes down to personal preference. This book leans heavily into an RPG-style format, which isn’t typically something I enjoy, so I may not have been the ideal audience going in.
Overall, I found the pacing slow and the horror elements lacking in impact. It never quite delivered the sense of tension or fear I was hoping for. The shorter length did make it easier to finish, but I was left wanting more in terms of both clarity and payoff.
These are, of course, just my honest opinions. I can see how this book might appeal to readers who enjoy RPG-inspired storytelling or more experimental narrative styles—it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
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April 28, 2026thank you netgally for providing this for me to read ♡
Unfortunately this was not for me :( I went into it thinking it would be a horror story kind of like truth or dare where you play a game and the game comes to life and horror ensues but it is a little far from that. I think if I had any background in role playing games maybe I would be more interested but I found all the aspects of that too intricate that I felt at times like I was more getting long winded history lessons rather than the actual action of the game. At the same time the game seemed TOO much that even if I played rpgs I would eventually get exhausted by everything that the game seems to have. 😭
I was also very excited to know that it was a mixed media book as I love those but I found it didn’t help the story at all. I think if the author gave a normal novel from the guys pov and the journals be kept as the woman’s it would be fun that way but the chapters where we read about some dudes on forums I just didn’t care for. I also didn’t feel like it was horror at any moment because I felt like something would happen but then I needed to keep reading this lesson about this game.
I DO think if you like really intricate gaming you would enjoy this, I think the author does a great job imagining this game and the history behind it.
Unfortunately this was not for me :( I went into it thinking it would be a horror story kind of like truth or dare where you play a game and the game comes to life and horror ensues but it is a little far from that. I think if I had any background in role playing games maybe I would be more interested but I found all the aspects of that too intricate that I felt at times like I was more getting long winded history lessons rather than the actual action of the game. At the same time the game seemed TOO much that even if I played rpgs I would eventually get exhausted by everything that the game seems to have. 😭
I was also very excited to know that it was a mixed media book as I love those but I found it didn’t help the story at all. I think if the author gave a normal novel from the guys pov and the journals be kept as the woman’s it would be fun that way but the chapters where we read about some dudes on forums I just didn’t care for. I also didn’t feel like it was horror at any moment because I felt like something would happen but then I needed to keep reading this lesson about this game.
I DO think if you like really intricate gaming you would enjoy this, I think the author does a great job imagining this game and the history behind it.
May 30, 2026
The Ship of Death had a lot of fun ideas working in its favor. As someone who enjoys TTRPGs, board games, video games, and TCGs, I was immediately drawn to the premise. The found footage angle also caught my attention, and I was excited to see how those elements would come together.
Overall, I thought the concept was really interesting. The imagery was well done, and because I'm familiar with these types of games, it was easy for me to picture the sessions and the events unfolding. Where the book struggled for me was in the character development. Unfortunately, I never felt like I got to know the main characters well enough to become emotionally invested in what happened to them. That didn't stop me from reading, though. Even without that connection, I was still curious enough about the mystery and the outcome to keep turning the pages.
The found footage format only partially worked for me as well. The book was easy to follow, but I think labeling some sections as recordings, videos, or transcripts would have helped sell the concept. As written, the ARG elements felt more like a traditionally structured novel than true found footage.
In the end, this was an entertaining read with some genuinely cool ideas and strong imagery. It just didn't quite come together in a way that fully landed for me. Not a nat 20, but still an interesting adventure.
Overall, I thought the concept was really interesting. The imagery was well done, and because I'm familiar with these types of games, it was easy for me to picture the sessions and the events unfolding. Where the book struggled for me was in the character development. Unfortunately, I never felt like I got to know the main characters well enough to become emotionally invested in what happened to them. That didn't stop me from reading, though. Even without that connection, I was still curious enough about the mystery and the outcome to keep turning the pages.
The found footage format only partially worked for me as well. The book was easy to follow, but I think labeling some sections as recordings, videos, or transcripts would have helped sell the concept. As written, the ARG elements felt more like a traditionally structured novel than true found footage.
In the end, this was an entertaining read with some genuinely cool ideas and strong imagery. It just didn't quite come together in a way that fully landed for me. Not a nat 20, but still an interesting adventure.
June 3, 2026
”Have you ever seen a movie or read a book and you just can’t quit thinking about it? Well, it’s like that with this game. Ever since it showed up at our house, it’s all I’ve ever thought about. Like, I can’t help it. I’m obsessed.”
I knew I was going to like this because I love found footage/found media and this story is told in nothing but found media which makes it all the more fun and creepy! Though the book is almost 300 pages, it goes by so fast! Because just like the characters in the game, you become immersed into this story and game they’re playing to see what is going to happen. I love board games but games like Monopoly and Clue lol so games like D&D I know would confuse the hell out of me because that’s how I felt when they would try to understand or read the rules of the game or things that pertained to the board game…so if you like games like D&D I can see you liking the concept of the game in the book because you know how those games work! But once the board game became a little bit more easy to understand, I was able to follow. I liked how it ended, it was a creepy ending but when it came to the climax I just wanted a little more! Overall it was creepy, entertaining and a fun time because it’s nothing I’ve read before!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper for the arc!
I knew I was going to like this because I love found footage/found media and this story is told in nothing but found media which makes it all the more fun and creepy! Though the book is almost 300 pages, it goes by so fast! Because just like the characters in the game, you become immersed into this story and game they’re playing to see what is going to happen. I love board games but games like Monopoly and Clue lol so games like D&D I know would confuse the hell out of me because that’s how I felt when they would try to understand or read the rules of the game or things that pertained to the board game…so if you like games like D&D I can see you liking the concept of the game in the book because you know how those games work! But once the board game became a little bit more easy to understand, I was able to follow. I liked how it ended, it was a creepy ending but when it came to the climax I just wanted a little more! Overall it was creepy, entertaining and a fun time because it’s nothing I’ve read before!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 Stars
A Slow Burn Psychological horror, The Ship of Death was not at all what I expected, but still an addictive read.
Told in found documents style, for the most part we follow Cole & Lorraine, a couple that playtests board games for some extra cash. Enter The Ship of Death, a mysterious board game with vague origins that seems to be growing in size and taking over their realities in the most mind f*ckery manner.
What held it back: Lorraine. Her character annoyed me to no end from her crazy actions to withholding information to Cole to having plenty of time trying to understand the game's rulebooks but choosing to waste the day away. I was also a bit lost during some of the in-game sessions because random words would be thrown around, and it took me a minute to figure out what it was talking about.
Now the Good: The entire mystery behind the Ship of Death had me hooked and when it started affecting the real world the more they played, it had me racing to turn the page to see what would happen next. Winkler does not hold back, making you question what is even happening. Told in documents & excerpts. I loved the inclusions of the police reports & reddit posts. With the exception of Lorraine, I enjoyed all the characters. The ending alone left me wanting more, but it also felt right for the kind of story it was.
Overall I would recommend this to fans of TTRPG or DnD.
A Slow Burn Psychological horror, The Ship of Death was not at all what I expected, but still an addictive read.
Told in found documents style, for the most part we follow Cole & Lorraine, a couple that playtests board games for some extra cash. Enter The Ship of Death, a mysterious board game with vague origins that seems to be growing in size and taking over their realities in the most mind f*ckery manner.
What held it back: Lorraine. Her character annoyed me to no end from her crazy actions to withholding information to Cole to having plenty of time trying to understand the game's rulebooks but choosing to waste the day away. I was also a bit lost during some of the in-game sessions because random words would be thrown around, and it took me a minute to figure out what it was talking about.
Now the Good: The entire mystery behind the Ship of Death had me hooked and when it started affecting the real world the more they played, it had me racing to turn the page to see what would happen next. Winkler does not hold back, making you question what is even happening. Told in documents & excerpts. I loved the inclusions of the police reports & reddit posts. With the exception of Lorraine, I enjoyed all the characters. The ending alone left me wanting more, but it also felt right for the kind of story it was.
Overall I would recommend this to fans of TTRPG or DnD.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Ship of Death took me a long moment to get into, I feel like I was confused by quite a bit of the game mechanics and the more historical parts of the story but about at the half way point some of the stuff/terms started clicking with me and I was able to better understand what was going on. The Ship of Death is a bit of a new form of horror for me, some of the horror aspects in here still confuse me and some of it definitely went over my head but I still found myself enjoying the story.
I was drawn into this novel mainly because it’s told in different forms of mixed media but I also haven’t read many horrors that focus around games. The story feels a bit dense at times but because of the formatting it reads (at least to me) rather quickly. Overall, I hadn’t minded these characters, I liked them and I was sort of rooting for them. The writing did a good job with adding these strange and tense moments that lead up to the big moment of the book, I could never really trust what any of these characters were saying, doing, or seeing and that put me on edge. I feel a bit mixed regarding how this stories big event and ending played out, on one hand I’m like yeah okay but on the other I’m also feeling left feeling like: is that it? Thank you to the publisher for my complimentary review copy.
I was drawn into this novel mainly because it’s told in different forms of mixed media but I also haven’t read many horrors that focus around games. The story feels a bit dense at times but because of the formatting it reads (at least to me) rather quickly. Overall, I hadn’t minded these characters, I liked them and I was sort of rooting for them. The writing did a good job with adding these strange and tense moments that lead up to the big moment of the book, I could never really trust what any of these characters were saying, doing, or seeing and that put me on edge. I feel a bit mixed regarding how this stories big event and ending played out, on one hand I’m like yeah okay but on the other I’m also feeling left feeling like: is that it? Thank you to the publisher for my complimentary review copy.
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