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Hurst
Stephen—an official who works for an entity known only as “the bureau”—arrives one night at the gates of Hurst to investigate a mysterious death. He is not welcome in this secluded, cult-like sanctuary, which long ago cut itself off from society. To get inside, he must enlist the help of a reluctant deputy, and together this odd couple probes a deepening mystery. The situation grows more and more perilous and Stephen must find what he is looking for before the residents of Hurst uncover the truth about him. Here is a story that defies the boundaries of genre—a Blade Runner-meets-Edgar Allan Poe thriller—and will keep you guessing until its startling conclusion.
Benjamin Percy is the author of three novels--most recently, The Dead Lands (Grand Central/Hachette, 2015)--as well as two books of short stories. He writes the Green Arrow Series for DC Comics and is a contributing editor at Esquire magazine.
Benjamin Percy is the author of three novels--most recently, The Dead Lands (Grand Central/Hachette, 2015)--as well as two books of short stories. He writes the Green Arrow Series for DC Comics and is a contributing editor at Esquire magazine.
- GenresAudiobookScience Fiction
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2015
15 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Percy
790 books1,205 followersBenjamin Percy is the author of seven novels -- most recently The Sky Vault (William Morrow) -- three short fiction collections, and a book of essays, Thrill Me, that is widely taught in creative writing classrooms. He writes Wolverine, X-Force, and Ghost Rider for Marvel Comics. His fiction and nonfiction have been published in Esquire (where he is a contributing editor), GQ, Time, Men's Journal, Outside, the Wall Street Journal, Tin House, and the Paris Review. His honors include an NEA fellowship, the Whiting Writer's Award, the Plimpton Prize, two Pushcart Prizes, the iHeart Radio Award for Best Scripted Podcast, and inclusion in Best American Short Stories and Best American Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 6, 2019
It's a nice little story. That being said, it's too long to be a short story and too short to be a novella, and as such, the story is hampered by not enough information for the reader, and we're just along for the ride with very little understanding about where we're going, where we came from, and how we got there.
January 29, 2025
If you have an itch to download “Hurst,” do so; you’ll be entertained and just perhaps a little engaged by the story, a genre-mashing mystery set in 2075 that feels part Medieval morality play / western show-down / futuristic attack of the cyborgs.
But if you have not yet read anything by Percy, my advice is you’d be better off downloading his first book, the short-story collection “Refresh, Refresh.” Percy’s first published work, especially the title story is an immensely accomplished tale of the bravado of a teenager in rural Oregon emailing as a way of coping with the absence of his father, who is fighting in Iraq.
Percy followed with the “Wilding,” another story set in the Pacific Northwest. This time, dealing with a backcountry camping trip involving father, son and grandfather and one supremely menacing brown bear.
After that Percy veered toward more dystopian themes and jumped on the wagon heaping full of vampires thirsting for blood. And depending on your preference, Percy’s style may be evolving in your direction more than mine.
I picked up “Hurst” because I wanted to check in on Percy and see where his literary bent is at present. The 48-page story moves forward step by step and hour by hour. There’s little time or effort put into character development; you’ll come across a surprise here and there and a denouement that you will have figured out a third of the way through. But it’s an easy read.
Hurst is a walled sanctuary, a commune-like colony isolated from a futuristic society. One of the outsiders -- he’s representing The Bureau – enters the gate to investigate a mysterious death. Stephen is his name; he’s helped by the enclave’s “deputy” in the search for reasons and answers hidden inside the closed society.
You'll probably be entertained but reading the story is like picking up an issue of “People.” It doesn’t leave you with much residual value when you’re done and there is not much left to stick in your memory. If you’ve got an hour to wind down, do so. “Hurst” is relaxation. And there is definitely something to say for relaxing once in awhile.
In a word or two: Rainy day read
But if you have not yet read anything by Percy, my advice is you’d be better off downloading his first book, the short-story collection “Refresh, Refresh.” Percy’s first published work, especially the title story is an immensely accomplished tale of the bravado of a teenager in rural Oregon emailing as a way of coping with the absence of his father, who is fighting in Iraq.
Percy followed with the “Wilding,” another story set in the Pacific Northwest. This time, dealing with a backcountry camping trip involving father, son and grandfather and one supremely menacing brown bear.
After that Percy veered toward more dystopian themes and jumped on the wagon heaping full of vampires thirsting for blood. And depending on your preference, Percy’s style may be evolving in your direction more than mine.
I picked up “Hurst” because I wanted to check in on Percy and see where his literary bent is at present. The 48-page story moves forward step by step and hour by hour. There’s little time or effort put into character development; you’ll come across a surprise here and there and a denouement that you will have figured out a third of the way through. But it’s an easy read.
Hurst is a walled sanctuary, a commune-like colony isolated from a futuristic society. One of the outsiders -- he’s representing The Bureau – enters the gate to investigate a mysterious death. Stephen is his name; he’s helped by the enclave’s “deputy” in the search for reasons and answers hidden inside the closed society.
You'll probably be entertained but reading the story is like picking up an issue of “People.” It doesn’t leave you with much residual value when you’re done and there is not much left to stick in your memory. If you’ve got an hour to wind down, do so. “Hurst” is relaxation. And there is definitely something to say for relaxing once in awhile.
In a word or two: Rainy day read
February 4, 2017
Entertaining quick read
This was a good read. Once I was finished, I started wondering about the possible back story. Where's the prequel?
This was a good read. Once I was finished, I started wondering about the possible back story. Where's the prequel?
December 26, 2015
Enjoyable but it left me wanting more. A really interesting premise. I would have liked to read more from this world.
July 24, 2015
Benjamin Percy does it again! Loved it!
December 22, 2015
a good little futuristic story of a bunch of people who are afraid of the future
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews