1041: Not All Highways End

by David Gulasi, Solly Vo (Narrator)

Amazon Kindle Bestseller in Horror Suspense

Jason wakes up being choked by something he can’t see.

When he escapes, every clock reads 10:41.

He doesn’t know where he is. He doesn’t remember how he got there. All he knows is that there’s a meeting he has to reach—somewhere beyond the fog, beyond the red glow on the horizon.

The road makes no sense.

Reality bends. Places feel wrong. A diner where the walls age before his eyes. A farm where he’s forced to watch something unspeakable. A museum that shows him things he shouldn’t want to see.

People appear along the way.

Kate, with golden hair and a trusting smile.

Suki, sweet in her white dress.

They get in his car. They won’t stop smiling. And they seem to know more about where this road ends than he does.

Every mile, his memory fractures.

Every stop reveals something worse.

And when he finally reaches that red glow, what happens there changes everything.

Some roads only go one direction.

1041 is extreme psychological horror—graphic, disturbing, and relentless. A descent you’ll listen to in one sitting and think about long after it ends.

Not for the faint of heart. Listener discretion advised.

Genres: Horror, Audiobook, Fiction

Audible Audio

Published March 5, 2026

About the author

About the Author

David Gulasi is the author of the Amazon Kindle bestselling horror-suspense novella 1041. He's originally from Sydney, Australia.

He really loves cats. Like, a lot. Probably more than is reasonable. He tends to write in random cafés around Sydney, usually right up until closing time, when the staff start giving him looks—mostly because he doesn't feel like going home yet.

That's pretty much David: a slightly odd guy who loves cats and writes unsettling horror.

And seriously—read the trigger warnings before you start.

Reviews

[GCR | Book Realm]

Fast-paced, eerie, and impossible to put down

1041: Not All Highways End was such a fun, fast-paced, intriguing, and immersive read/listen from the start. For something this short, it pulled me in almost immediately and never really let go.

I loved this kind of concept and atmosphere. It gave me strong 1408 vibes and had that eerie, contained horror energy that works so well in novella form. The whole thing felt tense, strange, and very easy to get lost in.

Experiencing it through both the ebook and audiobook worked really well for this story. The narration added even more to the eerie atmosphere and made the whole experience feel even more immersive.

I really like that it never overstayed its welcome. The length worked perfectly for the kind of story it was telling, and it left a strong impression without feeling dragged out or overexplained.

I would definitely recommend it to readers and listeners who enjoy fast-paced horror, eerie atmosphere, and immersive stories with strong 1408 vibes.

Also the author’s note was pretty eerie. Super cool story.

[James Rollins]

I read Mr. Gulasi's book for a blurb. Here is what I wrote: "“David Gulasi’s novella 1041 is a fever dream of a terrifying story. It’s a road trip through a hellish landscape told at breakneck speed, leaving room only to gasp with every turn of page and twist of the story. If Stephen King and Hunter S. Thompson smoked crack together, they might have come up with this story. But instead, it comes from a shocking new talent. I look forward to see where David takes us next.”

[Chelsea]

WTF DAVID GULASI YOU COOKED C*NT












(don't worry, he will understand this name calling and probably love it. But if you're an MM human, please note this is not MM. I don't even know what the shit this book was, other than a fever dream on meth, after a goon bag or two. I won a copy of this and felt I should read this fuckery, and that's exactly what it as.... fuckery. lol)

[McKenzie McCollin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read splatterpunk the way other people read self-help. I am not new here. I am not fragile. I have seen things on page 40(iykyk @Aron or even a 8 page novella @Rob) that would make this book file a police report and probably want to be lobotomized to forget what happened…
So don’t look at me like I’m supposed to be impressed. You cannot just smear blood on drywall and call it atmosphere. You cannot commit fictional crime and then shrug like “idk vibes.” I need intention. I need psychological decay. I need chaos with a pulse. If you’re going to try and drag me through depravity, make it mean something.
I need the WHY to gut me and absolutely DESTROY MY ENTIRE SOULD..

Why the motel.
Why the murders.
WHAT was the motive.

Instead I got vibes and confusion. Goosebumps after dark. Entry-level edgy. Diet chaos. Horror with training wheels.
The part that makes me feral is the potential. This could have gone rabid. It could have chewed through bone and ruined my week. Instead it hovered safely at “mildly unsettling,” like it was scared I’d tell on it.
If you’re new to extreme horror, sure. This might feel shocking. But if you actually live in the filth of splatterpunk and extreme horror?
This is horror with a safety disclaimer. 🩸

[Emmy Carrasco · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 ⭐️

I believe this novella would be for those who are new to body/surreal horror or enjoy psychological thrillers x gore.
The POV leaves you stumbling confused alongside our main character as we experience a multitude of events that don't quite make sense. Towards the end, everything comes together with vile scenes that will make your toes curl - not the good kind. The last 30% or so would be where the extreme horror comes into play and where trigger warnings need to be taken into account.

Subgenres: Surreal Horror, Body Horror, Gore, Extreme Horror

My thoughts:
I wasn’t personally gripped and felt it was a weak excuse of immersion or atmosphere. This had the vibes to make someone grossed out and for that, this works for beginners. For anyone appreciating or deep into horror, it’ll leave you wanting.

[Mason Eloph · Rating 5 out of 5]

1041 was another off-the-cuff choice, completely random, but the cover stood out so maybe not fully random. The story begins as a slightly raunchy, but severely mysterious tale of a protagonist who wakes up in an other worldy set of circumstances and anomaly’s. A journey sets forth (in what reminded me of the movie “Legion” if anyone’s watched that movie) and lots of awful, very horrific things occur that kept constantly feeling Biblical, or Rapturelike to be more specific, something i always find very interesting. One thing keeps recurring in this journey tho, the time 10:41….

I’m keeping this spoiler free, but the ending completely blew me away, im so ecstatic that i came upon this, a must listen / read for those who like down and dirty gore and horror. 5 stars

[AndaReadsTooMuch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was a complete surprise. Short enough to be consumed in one sitting it’s unnerving, unusual and in a strange way utterly satisfying. I won’t spoil the surprise but I can tell you this…10:41 on the clock will just hit different. I absolutely loved the ending! Be warned it is visceral and graphic. If you’re squeamish about gore, then this will likely not be a fit.

Huge thank you to the author David Gulasi and Tales with Atticus for this incredible read. Also, extra thanks David, I’m pretty sure I’m going to be scared every time I check the time.

(Trigger warning: animal death)

[READERSBEWARE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading 1041 by David Gulasi felt like stepping into a surreal horror maze where reality is always one step away from collapsing. The story follows Jason as he wakes up disoriented and quickly finds himself traveling down a strange, endless road where nothing behaves the way it should. Clocks freeze at the same time, strangers appear with unsettling smiles, and every stop along the way feels like it hides something darker beneath the surface. What hooked me personally was the atmosphere—Gulasi builds this suffocating sense of dread where even the smallest details feel wrong, like the world itself has been twisted into a nightmare.

What really makes the book work as horror is the creeping tension that never lets up. The journey becomes more disturbing with each encounter, and the sense that something larger and more sinister is guiding the path keeps the story constantly on edge. I loved how the novel blends psychological horror with strange, almost dreamlike imagery, making it feel unpredictable and deeply unsettling. For me, 1041 is the kind of horror story that lingers after you close the book—the type that makes you glance at the clock a little differently and wonder what might be waiting if the world suddenly stopped making sense.

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was spooky and raunchy at the same time. I had a fun time listening to the audiobook. It’s a very short novella so it didn’t take up a lot of time. It was so off the wall at times and I wondered what was really going on. But it comes together really nicely and leaves you holding your breath at the end. I love how he incorporates 1041 throughout the story. If you are ok with some raw naughty stuff with your horror, I bet you will like it.

[Emma Sneakybooktok · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really interested in the premise, but unfortunately it didn’t quite come together for me.

The writing style wasn’t for me, which made it difficult to stay fully immersed. The storyline also felt quite unclear at times, and I found it hard to stay engaged or connected to what was happening.

There are some unsettling moments and ideas throughout, but overall it didn’t resonate with me as much as I had hoped for.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

1041 sets out as a shock-jock horror, but unfortunately didn't have enough depth to give me what I was really looking for from the plot.

A lack of purpose and drive made many of the scenes feel voyeuristic (and not in a good way), with the attempts to shock me falling flat due a narrative that didn't give me enough stakes in the plot as it wound its way through familiar horror tropes covered in splattered gore. The overall disengagement from the plot left me feeling underwhelmed, with the promised "extreme horror" never really coming to fruition.

Overall, if you're new to the horror genre, this is a quick, short way to test what your stomach can handle. But if you've been around the space for a while, you won't find anything new here to keep you engaged despite the relatively short length.

[Mimi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not a stranger to horror or splatterpunk, but this missed the mark for me all across the board.

[Emi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really struggled with this book, and not because it was too dark, violent or disturbing. I enjoy horror and have no issue reading about deeply unlikeable or morally reprehensible characters. I understand a serial killer protagonist being capable of misogyny, racism, ableism and horrific violence. Depiction isn't endorsement.

My problem was that throughout the book, I really couldn't tell where the protagonist's worldview ended and the narrative's began. I think there’s an important difference between writing a misogynistic character and writing women misogynistically, and I don't think this book successfully navigates that distinction. When does it stop feeling like the character speaking and start feeling like the author?

Women are repeatedly referred to as ‘girls’ and described primarily through their attractiveness, vulnerability and physical characteristics. This became particularly uncomfortable for me in the portrayal of Asian women. Suki is described as "sweet and cute and vulnerable," "like an anime character," a "small cute Asian lady," wearing a "Lolita-style outfit" and speaking with a "Japanese-English accent." It explains her character bowing by saying it’s "more Japanese." Combined with the Asian woman pornography described at the beginning of the novel, the repetition didn’t feel like an intentional examination of the protagonist's fetishisation of Asian women and instead like the book itself (or author) was participating in that fetishisation of Asian women.

If these descriptions are intended to demonstrate how this protagonist views women then the narrative needs to establish some distance from his gaze. Give the women interiority, allow them to exist beyond his perception of them, make the protagonist’s fixation on their vulnerability tell us something meaningful about him. Instead, the female characters felt like collections of sexualised or infantilised characteristics rather than actual people. The misogyny/objectification comes off as simply description rather than characterisation or even really foreshadowing.

Horror can be graphic, disgusting and transgressive. Stephen King has written characters whose thoughts and actions are extraordinarily racist, misogynistic and violent. But in stronger horror writing, those qualities reveal character, create psychological horror, have emotional consequences or are challenged by the humanity and perspectives of other characters.

The writing style didn't help. The writing relies on fragments and blunt descriptions, and characters are often reduced to surface level physical traits. What may have been intended as a fast, punchy narrative voice became repetitive for me and ultimately made the characters feel even flatter. It relies very heavily on telling the reader instead of showing.

I also found the central reveal predictable. It didn’t take long for me to have a fairly clear idea of what was happening to him, so the eventual revelation didn't have the impact I think it was intended to have. It reminded me of a similar episode of Black Mirror (White Bear). Furthermore, I feel the protagonists motivations are barely explored (there’s got to be more to it than that one house party memory - where a group of people, including men, were mean to him, and again, why the fetishisation of Asian women??). Give us more backstory. Characters lacked so much depth in this & dialogue was unnatural frequently.

But I think what made the book most uncomfortable wasn't simply that I was inside the head of a monster, it was that at times the narration seemed to enjoy the same things the monster enjoyed. The repeated sexualisation of women, fetishisation of Asian women, infantilising language and more weren't interrogated enough for me to confidently understand them as deliberate criticism of the protagonist.

I can't know an author's personal beliefs or intentions from a novel, and I'm not claiming that the protagonist represents the author. But author intent also isn't the only thing that matters, i can only judge what ended up on the page and it didn't create enough narrative distance for me.

I recognise that 1041 potentially sits within the splatterpunk/extreme horror genre, where transgression, graphic violence, sexual content and deliberately grotesque imagery are part of the point. Thus, I don't necessarily criticise the book for being gratuitously violent or shocking. My discomfort was less about how extreme the content was and more about how that extremity was written and directed. Splatterpunk/extreme can be intentionally offensive while still using its transgression purposefully, developing its victims as people and distinguishing an evil protagonist's worldview from the narrative itself. Transgression can be satirical, political or revealing of something about humanity….being splatterpunk doesn't automatically make every instance of misogyny, racism or ableism beyond criticism. There were moments where I couldn't tell whether the novel was deliberately exposing the protagonist's warped, fetishistic and dehumanising worldview, or whether those attitudes were simply embedded in the way the story itself portrayed women, Asian women and disability. I can appreciate the intention to cross boundaries while still feeling that some of those choices lacked the narrative distance or depth that would have made the transgression feel purposeful rather than merely exploitative.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the f*ck?

This book felt like I was sat next to a drunk on a flight listening to him try and explain a scary story.. and I loved every minute! It’s weird, gross, funny, weird, graphic, and weird. But who doesn’t like a little weird from time to time
I’m not going to explain it too much as I’ll give something away. It’s a fairly short, quick read, so if you’ve got a long trip coming up, or hiding on the toilet instead of working, grab this for yourself and enjoy..? Experience..? Endure!!

[Shay loves books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best horror novellas I have read so far. It takes you on a wild ride of a serial killers afterlife. He has to relive his nightmares over and over and over again. 10:41 has a significant meaning to this story. A wild ride for sure and the whole time you’re reading your thinking, what is happening?

[Nakedfartbarfer]

Lmao. Like a bunch of stuff I read, grabbed this from Libby in the newly acquired tab, because it was short and had no waiting list. Judging from the other reviews, I guess my local library is stocking astroturfed booktok promotions.

It is impressive how many horror cliches are daisy-chained together here. The jacket copy pretty much plumbs the depths. At least Stephen King has the decency to build some connective tissue with kooky Maine vernacular before speedrunning trope-y genre conventions. I think this thing could have been procedurally generated by an algorithm, even prior to LLMs.

I'm still on the hunt for a horror writer I love, other than Shirley Jackson 🖤

[Maddison Ratcliffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This felt like an episode of Black Mirror! I felt like I was losing my mind along with the character but the way the story was tied up? I didn’t see it coming and thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion. What a wild ride!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

1041 is one of those stories that pulls you in with a weird vibe right from the start—and then just keeps cranking it up. What begins as strange quickly spirals into full-on unsettling, with each chapter adding another layer of “what is actually going on here?”
I loved how the tension kept building as things got more bizarre, and even though I kind of figured out where it was heading before the final reveal, it didn’t take away from the impact. If anything, it made the ending more satisfying watching it all come together. Creepy, unpredictable, and just the right amount of twisted—definitely a fun, weird ride.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowzers what a fever dream. I dont think I've ever read a book that fucked up David.

[Torrie Lennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. If you shy away from horror that’s visceral and disturbing, as well as sexual themes, this probably isn’t your cup of tea. But if you love a quick, intense thrill that lingers, 1041 delivers.

[Sheila42696 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like 1041. The premise was intriguing, and for the first few pages I thought I was settling into a genuinely unsettling psychological horror story. Unfortunately, it quickly became obvious where the story was headed, and from there it never really surprised me.

The biggest issue was the lack of substance. The book leans heavily on strange imagery, cryptic scenes, and shock value, but there isn’t much depth beneath it. Instead of building tension through mystery or character development, it repeatedly throws bizarre moments at the reader, hoping they’ll feel profound simply because they’re weird.

I spent much of the book waiting for a twist that would reframe everything I’d read. It never came. The ending confirmed what I’d already suspected early on, making the journey feel long and unrewarding rather than clever.

The characters were thin, the dialogue felt unnatural at times, and many scenes existed only to be unsettling without adding much to the story. By the end, I wasn’t shocked; I was just relieved to be finished.

If you’re looking for a horror novel with layered characters, meaningful twists, or psychological depth, this wasn’t it for me. Predictable, underdeveloped, and ultimately forgettable.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting. It's all kind of messed up, so much so that you needed to keep reading to find out WTAF was going on. I had some theories but I was not expecting that ending. Very imaginative, intriguing and the title? Well that will make sense when you read it. If you love horror and psychological thrillers (aka screwing with your head) you will absolutely love this novella.

[Ash · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling this read. It fell flat. Another TikTok rec let down.

[Alexandra Guillermo]

What the fuck David…..anyways are you okay

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
After initially being intrigued by the first chapter, I had to whip out my handy-dandy notepad to chronicle what I was experiencing for the rest of this novella. I was excited to read 1041 after coming across several positive reviews from (former) trusted sources on BookTok. It was supposed to be the perfect one-sit read in between books. Instead, 1041 turned out to be my second-worst rated book of the year. Whether it was written by a human or a chatbot, the author had clearly been trained on horror writing from thousands of creepypastas.
Back to my notes. I quickly noticed some patterns in his writing that made the story feel too repetitive and a bit uninspired. Here are a few non-spoiler examples:
"Not concerned. Not worried. Just watching."
"No air, no lungs. No sound."
"Not black, not dark, just nothing"
"Not crawling, not dragging."
Lots of things were described as wet, or sweet-smelling, mixed with another odor. And of course, plenty of entities that were "too tall and too skinny" to be human, creepy grins, and even the Tiptoe Through the Tulips song made an appearance.
Overall, I thought the novella's concept was really cool, and I enjoyed the atmosphere and some of the imagery Gulasi conjured. I think that he needs to find his own voice and dig a little deeper into his vivid imagination.

[Jasmine Grayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because there was a spiritual element to this horror story, I was immediately able to clock what was happening and who the MMC really is. I knew it!!! However, that didn’t take away from the horrific nightmare and uncomfortableness I felt while reading.


As we journey through his “highway to hell”, the imagery is downright scary! And, even confusing as our POV is from the MMC who is only getting bite sized information as he travels to his ultimate eternal destination.

In the scenes where his torment was depicted I felt real terror because personally I believe hell is a real place— but because of what we find out, he is certainly in the right place SMH.

Wow, this was a damn good horror story and I wish it was more, like perhaps a part two or another persons journey on that highway!

[Clint Irvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

1041 is a dark, unsettling read that stuck with me long after I finished. The writing is so vivid it makes the world feel uncomfortably real you can practically smell the rot seeping off the page. The atmosphere is heavy and suffocating, and the tension builds slowly but relentlessly.

The diner scene was genuinely messed up in the best way. It was shocking, disturbing, and perfectly captured the cruelty of this world without feeling gratuitous. Gulasi doesn’t shy away from discomfort, and that’s what makes the story hit so hard.

If you enjoy bleak, immersive reads that linger in your head and make your skin crawl, 1041 is absolutely worth it.

[Matt (Geaux Read Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

One man’s trigger warning is another man’s treasure! This horror novella wasn’t for me personally but may be exactly what you are looking for! It’s for you if you are looking for a fever dream of a story, full of dark twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. It is for you if you enjoy grizzly descriptions of blood and gore. It’s for you if body horror is your cup of tea! There were some truly shocking moments in this story that will stick in the brain for quite a while. So if these descriptions spark your darker interests, you should really pick it up for yourself!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like I was in someone else's fever dream!

1041 by David Gulasi was the book equivalent of if Stephen King and Thomas Harris had a love child.

I can normally pick where a horror is going to go. This one I had no idea and I enjoyed the ride.

One of the characters reminded me of the painting by Grant Wood of the farmer and his wife with the pitchfork. The hellish surroundings and an apple tree with a snake is chefs kiss.

I cannot express how much this book is going to stick in my head for a very long time.

[Talia Copley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly check your triggers. I’m not a horro reader at all but this one had me hooked from the moment I read the fist chapter I tried to take it slow and read a chapter a day because I was so new to horror. In the end I had a hard time putting it down in the end I just sat down and read the whole book. I will never think about how rotary phones work normally or ever not tho k about dinner the same way ever again!

Overall I loved 1041. It was a shocking yet fun read with twists and turns that literally made me want to come back for more!