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Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown
64 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 4, 2026
About the author
Alexander Semenyuk
51 books67 followersAlexander is a bestselling Ukrainian-Swedish. author. He has published 30+ books, including award winning bestseller in multiple countries, Paradise Harbour, and international bestseller, “The Illuminated”.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
The ship becomes a deathtrap because you’re trapped between two different kinds of nightmares: ( find out for yourself 🤭 )
If you’re a fan of "no-exit" horror, this one is a total anxiety trip. It’s essentially a period-piece nightmare that takes the classic zombie trope and traps it on a creaky, 1800s wooden ship in the middle of the ocean.
The coolest part is the format—it’s written as Johnny’s personal diary, so everything feels incredibly raw and frantic. You aren't just reading about a monster attack; you’re reading the frantic scribbles of a guy who is slowly realizing that his "fresh start" in the New World has turned into a floating tomb. The author, Alexander Semenyuk, does a great job making the ship feel claustrophobic. You can almost smell the salt air and the... well, the rotting passengers.
Absolutely loved reading this book! Highly recommending it to everyone who loves fast paced reads! You won't be disappointed!
If you’re a fan of "no-exit" horror, this one is a total anxiety trip. It’s essentially a period-piece nightmare that takes the classic zombie trope and traps it on a creaky, 1800s wooden ship in the middle of the ocean.
The coolest part is the format—it’s written as Johnny’s personal diary, so everything feels incredibly raw and frantic. You aren't just reading about a monster attack; you’re reading the frantic scribbles of a guy who is slowly realizing that his "fresh start" in the New World has turned into a floating tomb. The author, Alexander Semenyuk, does a great job making the ship feel claustrophobic. You can almost smell the salt air and the... well, the rotting passengers.
Absolutely loved reading this book! Highly recommending it to everyone who loves fast paced reads! You won't be disappointed!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This short story was a good fun read. The author creates an intensity that is impressive in such a short amount of time. Definitely worth the read! I read it in one sitting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
The author masterfully engages the reader from the outset. This concise narrative delivers a compelling and unsettling experience, with the detailed descriptions ensuring a satisfying read. Johnny's international journey takes an unexpected turn as he uncovers a disquieting presence.
Review of advance copy
I loved this! my heart was racing half the time!
May 4, 2026
I will be honest this book wasn’t my cup of tea as I don’t normally read horror but I did enjoy the reading the diary of Johnny at sea it gave an insight how it was like..
Johnny finds himself fighting for survival on a zombie-infested 1800s passenger ship. After creating an illusory dream about the new world, he learns that it’s not the destinations, but the journeys, that determine who we are.
Johnny finds himself fighting for survival on a zombie-infested 1800s passenger ship. After creating an illusory dream about the new world, he learns that it’s not the destinations, but the journeys, that determine who we are.
February 18, 2026
I enjoyed the concept of this book. Giving an almost apocalyptic feel without the normal apocalyptic theme or scenery. I don’t want to give too much away. But if you’re looking for a short horror-apocalyptic story I would recommend this one. I enjoyed it was set more in the 1800s instead of the usual present or future settings you normally see this type of apocalypse in.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 10, 2026
I received an advance copy from the author.
🇬🇧
We have here a short story, but one filled with emotions. It has love, self-discovery, terror, panic… a little bit of everything.
This is the second book I’ve read by the author and I love the way his narrative transports us into the minds of the characters, making us feel exactly what they feel. All the descriptions of the environment, the objects and even the weather make it feel like we are inside the story, living everything intensely.
Johnny comes from an orphanage and wants to leave behind the little he has to start over from scratch. He has never known anything about his family, having been abandoned, which is why his surname is Unknown. He is a character with enormous determination, full of the will to live and with a strong desire to find answers to the many ‘whys’ of his life.
Unexpectedly, he finds love beside Mira, a girl whose life is completely opposite to his: coming from a wealthy family and a life full of privileges. As Johnny describes her in the book: “strong, independent, intelligent… beautiful”.
This is a story of horror, of monsters, of a siren’s song capable of hypnotizing anyone who hears it, leading them to their death, and, above all, a story of survival.
The author conveys very well the fear, the despair and all the tension that Johnny and Mira experience in what I can only describe as… the ship of horrors.
🇵🇹
Temos aqui uma história curta, mas repleta de emoções. Tem amor, autodescoberta, terror, pânico… um pouco de tudo.
É o segundo livro que leio do autor e adoro a forma como a sua narrativa nos transporta para a mente das personagens, fazendo-nos sentir exatamente o que elas sentem. Todas as descrições do ambiente, dos objetos e até do tempo fazem com que pareça que estamos dentro da história, a viver tudo intensamente.
Johnny vem de um orfanato e quer deixar para trás o pouco que tem para recomeçar do zero. Nunca soube nada sobre a sua família, tendo sido abandonado, daí o seu apelido ser Unknown. É uma personagem com uma garra enorme, cheia de vontade de viver e com um desejo enorme de encontrar respostas para os seus muitos “porquês”.
Inesperadamente, encontra o amor ao lado de Mira, uma rapariga com uma vida completamente oposta à dele: vinda de uma família rica e cheia de privilégios. Como Johnny a descreve no livro: “forte, independente, inteligente… linda”.
Esta é uma história de horror, de monstros, de um canto de sereia capaz de hipnotizar todos aqueles que o ouvem, conduzindo-os à morte e, acima de tudo, de sobrevivência.
O autor transmite muito bem o medo, o desespero e toda a tensão que Johnny e Mira vivem naquele que só posso descrever como… o navio dos horrores.
🇬🇧
We have here a short story, but one filled with emotions. It has love, self-discovery, terror, panic… a little bit of everything.
This is the second book I’ve read by the author and I love the way his narrative transports us into the minds of the characters, making us feel exactly what they feel. All the descriptions of the environment, the objects and even the weather make it feel like we are inside the story, living everything intensely.
Johnny comes from an orphanage and wants to leave behind the little he has to start over from scratch. He has never known anything about his family, having been abandoned, which is why his surname is Unknown. He is a character with enormous determination, full of the will to live and with a strong desire to find answers to the many ‘whys’ of his life.
Unexpectedly, he finds love beside Mira, a girl whose life is completely opposite to his: coming from a wealthy family and a life full of privileges. As Johnny describes her in the book: “strong, independent, intelligent… beautiful”.
This is a story of horror, of monsters, of a siren’s song capable of hypnotizing anyone who hears it, leading them to their death, and, above all, a story of survival.
The author conveys very well the fear, the despair and all the tension that Johnny and Mira experience in what I can only describe as… the ship of horrors.
🇵🇹
Temos aqui uma história curta, mas repleta de emoções. Tem amor, autodescoberta, terror, pânico… um pouco de tudo.
É o segundo livro que leio do autor e adoro a forma como a sua narrativa nos transporta para a mente das personagens, fazendo-nos sentir exatamente o que elas sentem. Todas as descrições do ambiente, dos objetos e até do tempo fazem com que pareça que estamos dentro da história, a viver tudo intensamente.
Johnny vem de um orfanato e quer deixar para trás o pouco que tem para recomeçar do zero. Nunca soube nada sobre a sua família, tendo sido abandonado, daí o seu apelido ser Unknown. É uma personagem com uma garra enorme, cheia de vontade de viver e com um desejo enorme de encontrar respostas para os seus muitos “porquês”.
Inesperadamente, encontra o amor ao lado de Mira, uma rapariga com uma vida completamente oposta à dele: vinda de uma família rica e cheia de privilégios. Como Johnny a descreve no livro: “forte, independente, inteligente… linda”.
Esta é uma história de horror, de monstros, de um canto de sereia capaz de hipnotizar todos aqueles que o ouvem, conduzindo-os à morte e, acima de tudo, de sobrevivência.
O autor transmite muito bem o medo, o desespero e toda a tensão que Johnny e Mira vivem naquele que só posso descrever como… o navio dos horrores.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Alexander Semenyuk is a master storyteller. This story will pull you in and won’t let you go, even after it’s over. Johnny Unknown is a passenger on a ship, sailing for a new life. The voyage soon becomes a battle for survival. The isolation and eery feel in the beginning reminded me of the creepy sailing stories I read in school (The Rime of the Ancient Marinor) and a zombie story.
The prose is fantastic, and I really love his style for dialogue. I would love to read the stories of the other characters, especially Emilia, Jacques, and Henry. I expect to be thinking about this one for a long time.
Highly recommend!
I received a free copy of this book, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
The prose is fantastic, and I really love his style for dialogue. I would love to read the stories of the other characters, especially Emilia, Jacques, and Henry. I expect to be thinking about this one for a long time.
Highly recommend!
I received a free copy of this book, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown by Alexander Semenyuk is one of those quiet little surprises that sneaks up on you. It reads like a raw, unfiltered journal, part adventure, part introspection and it really captures that restless, searching feeling of being out at sea (and maybe a little lost in life, too).
Johnny feels real in all the messy, uncertain ways that make a narrator compelling. The ocean backdrop adds this constant sense of movement and unpredictability, which mirrors his inner world nicely. Some passages feel almost poetic, while others are blunt and honest in a way that makes you pause.
It's not a fast paced, plot heavy read it's more about mood and reflection but if you're in the right headspace for something thoughtful and a little melancholic, it's definitely worth picking up.
Johnny feels real in all the messy, uncertain ways that make a narrator compelling. The ocean backdrop adds this constant sense of movement and unpredictability, which mirrors his inner world nicely. Some passages feel almost poetic, while others are blunt and honest in a way that makes you pause.
It's not a fast paced, plot heavy read it's more about mood and reflection but if you're in the right headspace for something thoughtful and a little melancholic, it's definitely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Fear is good, but only if you listen to the advice it gives.”
Straight out the gate, the author weaves deep detail in little time, laying down the pieces of fabric that supply an involved storyline into a small amount of time, flawlessly.
Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown follows the life of a man with past hardships as he attempts to follow his dreams. Slowly, the horror starts to reveal itself, while still paying mind to the foundation of the story.
There’s elements of class, religion, and hints of activism that quickly draws the reader in. The icing on the cake? Monsters.
If you’re looking for a short story to cleanse your palette from your normal go-to genre reads, Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown will not disappoint.
Straight out the gate, the author weaves deep detail in little time, laying down the pieces of fabric that supply an involved storyline into a small amount of time, flawlessly.
Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown follows the life of a man with past hardships as he attempts to follow his dreams. Slowly, the horror starts to reveal itself, while still paying mind to the foundation of the story.
There’s elements of class, religion, and hints of activism that quickly draws the reader in. The icing on the cake? Monsters.
If you’re looking for a short story to cleanse your palette from your normal go-to genre reads, Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown will not disappoint.
Review of advance copy
I was in the mood for a zombie book, and this story was perfect to satisfy my desire. Johnny is an orphan, and an incredible guy; his point of view telling of his experience onboard a ship is intriguing and mesmerizing. I could not put this AWESOME book down.
A beautiful love story was woven into this zombie adventure, and the book ended without a cliffhanger. This was an extremely satisfying and pleasurable read. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading “Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown”.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A beautiful love story was woven into this zombie adventure, and the book ended without a cliffhanger. This was an extremely satisfying and pleasurable read. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading “Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown”.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a fun, quick read. The author is really good at creating tension and atmosphere. There is enough action, but I loved the slow, quiet pace of it. This was an interesting take on a zombie story and historical fiction. There was even a lovely little romance story, although I don't think I'd classify it as a romance book. I read The Illuminated by this author earlier this year, and loved it, so I'm thankful to have received an ARC from the author through BookSprout.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It’s hard to bring something new to zombie horror, but Alexander Semenyuk absolutely pulls it off in Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown. Every chapter is a page-turner, with a fresh spin that kept me hooked. I always enjoy his storytelling, and this one is no exception. If you like zombies, horror, and genuinely great writing, definitely check this book out.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Sea Diary of Johnny Unknown” is a delightful escape from everyday life. Alexander Semenyuk builds an intriguing tale set in an immersive, imaginative world. It’s a quick read that offers a satisfying touch of mystery and intrigue.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Short but enthralling read. I sat down to begin reading it and all of a sudden I was sucked into the story. The details are vivid, the story line intriguing, and it felt like an action movie. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a quick read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Pleasantly surprised! More to the story than meets the eye…. Subtle life experiences intertwined with pulp fiction (or is it?!?) Definitely had me on the edge wondering what happens next… Bravo!! Sweet romance meets page turning thriller!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews