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War in the Ruins #1
Barren
Murder their sons to protect our daughters.
When a sudden storm slams Katy’s boat into the shore, she’s forced to enter the lawless wasteland she’d avoided since the world ended. The horror she discovers amongst the ruins is far worse than she could have imagined. The masked warriors of the Venganza clan chase Katy through the post-apocalyptic landscape, forcing her to decide between her past or the survivors’ future — a decision that could determine the fate of the human race.
*For a limited time, the exclusive short story prequel BARREN: Blood Moon is included for FREE
When a sudden storm slams Katy’s boat into the shore, she’s forced to enter the lawless wasteland she’d avoided since the world ended. The horror she discovers amongst the ruins is far worse than she could have imagined. The masked warriors of the Venganza clan chase Katy through the post-apocalyptic landscape, forcing her to decide between her past or the survivors’ future — a decision that could determine the fate of the human race.
*For a limited time, the exclusive short story prequel BARREN: Blood Moon is included for FREE
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 6, 2017
134 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
J. Thorn
170 books171 followersWant a story that’s rooted in a fundamental aspect of being human?
I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind.
I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me.
Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness.
I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end.
I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain.
My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt.
I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled.
Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it.
Experience:
By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide.
J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute.
Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.
I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind.
I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me.
Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness.
I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end.
I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain.
My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt.
I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled.
Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it.
Experience:
By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide.
J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute.
Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 3, 2019
War In The Ruins is the first book in the Barren trilogy, by an author I had not come across before, but who has published extensively in the post-apocalyptic, horror and sci-fi genres. I received a free copy to review via the Reedsy Discovery programme. This was an addictively exciting read, featuring a wonderful heroine and a new take on the traditional PA adventure, with no supernatural elements but some scarily over-zealous villains.
Fifteen years after an unspecified man-made apocalypse, forty-something obstetrician Katy has survived the horrors of the wasteland that America has become, by remaining on her sailboat on Lake Erie with her faithful dog. Hiding away on remote islands where she grows food, she visits land only to help women from the gangs roaming the ruins of what was once Ohio to give birth. When her boat is wrecked by a storm, Katy is forced to take refuge with the Los Muertos tribe, who are being hunted to extinction by the aggressive Venganza, who want their most precious resource - a special little girl who holds the key to their survival.
At 241 pages, this is a short but compelling read which took me less than a day to finish, as I was rapidly engrossed in Katy’s story. The writing is superb, with evocative descriptions of both the scenery and the highly cinematic action sequences. This felt like a young adult story, but featured an older heroine and some very dark passages - revelation of exactly what the Venganza have been doing was pretty shocking, but animal lovers need not fear, Decker survives!
At the start of the book is a link to a free prequel short story that describes Hado’s rise to the head of Venganza, with a recommendation to read it afterwards to avoid spoilers (which I of course ignored since I like to read things in order.) This meant I did foresee some of the major twists but this in no was detracted from my enjoyment, and I look forward to reading the next two, which are already available on Amazon. Recommended to those who like a strong female lead and no romance.
Fifteen years after an unspecified man-made apocalypse, forty-something obstetrician Katy has survived the horrors of the wasteland that America has become, by remaining on her sailboat on Lake Erie with her faithful dog. Hiding away on remote islands where she grows food, she visits land only to help women from the gangs roaming the ruins of what was once Ohio to give birth. When her boat is wrecked by a storm, Katy is forced to take refuge with the Los Muertos tribe, who are being hunted to extinction by the aggressive Venganza, who want their most precious resource - a special little girl who holds the key to their survival.
At 241 pages, this is a short but compelling read which took me less than a day to finish, as I was rapidly engrossed in Katy’s story. The writing is superb, with evocative descriptions of both the scenery and the highly cinematic action sequences. This felt like a young adult story, but featured an older heroine and some very dark passages - revelation of exactly what the Venganza have been doing was pretty shocking, but animal lovers need not fear, Decker survives!
At the start of the book is a link to a free prequel short story that describes Hado’s rise to the head of Venganza, with a recommendation to read it afterwards to avoid spoilers (which I of course ignored since I like to read things in order.) This meant I did foresee some of the major twists but this in no was detracted from my enjoyment, and I look forward to reading the next two, which are already available on Amazon. Recommended to those who like a strong female lead and no romance.
July 9, 2017
I'm not a big fan of post-apocalyptic thrillers, but J.Thorn's action packed plot kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what to expect next. This is the first book I have read by this author, but will definitely be reading more. His writing style made it an enjoyable read and his main character, Katy, was a very powerful, strong-willed woman who was thrown into a world of utter chaos.
This was not the normal genre that I read, but the author wrote it with just the right amount of descriptive action. His characters were well developed and I felt like I was right there with them. It also had a surprising ending that I didn't see coming. I look forward to the next book in this series.
This was not the normal genre that I read, but the author wrote it with just the right amount of descriptive action. His characters were well developed and I felt like I was right there with them. It also had a surprising ending that I didn't see coming. I look forward to the next book in this series.
June 29, 2017
The author takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, determination, and often harsh and barbaric rules of survival in the barren world left after The War that truly devastated the country. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of the book.
July 6, 2017
Thorn does a great job in Barren. I enjoyed getting to know Katy through the snapshots of her past and the world she spent years struggling to help, while maintaining her sheltered life. The dichotemy of what was going on around her, just out of reach, was horrifying, but her immersion into it was well done. It's an enjoyable read, and a quick one. The ending was both fulfilling and depressing simultaneously. Part of me wanted a bit more retribution, but the fatherly figure in me disagreed. I was torn. That's what you get in a world where civilization is a thing of the past and only the strongest survive. Five stars all the way. Pick up your copy today.
June 10, 2017
This is an apocalyptic/dystopian novel, set in a world where unspecified manmade disaster has left the infrastructure in ruins and civilization non-existent. Not to say there aren't people...just not much civilization. Think Lord of the Flies but all the boys have grown up still warring on their island and there are women there too. The women are important in this one!
Our main character, Katy, is a midwife who has been avoiding contact with both land and survivors as much as possible whilst still plying her trade to help the needy. She is thrown into contact with both and much of the storyline involves her efforts to survive with minimal resource and violence on all sides.
This is quite a dark story. There is some infant torture/death, plus plenty of blood and some heads on spikes. Do not expect a happy ending from this one! I think that really that is the only thing that I struggled with here. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the dark side as much as the light when it comes to my reading choices, but I always find it personally challenging when it relates to the suffering of children, and on this occasion I could see where something shockingly inhumane was needed for the plot and character development, but I still found it very hard to get past.
In addition to the survivalist main narrative there is a sub-plot of Katy's missing family that she became separated from when the apocalyptic event occured and is still seeking to find in the current story, which comes to the fore when the story takes a big twist (which I won't reveal of course, although I had picked up the pointers before the dramatic reveal). Suddenly the survivalist tale becomes a personal battle and the stakes are higher. There was a whole lot going on in this novel and the plotlines interweaved smoothly to create something action-packed but also thought-provoking.
The ending gives a sense of resolution whilst still leaving threads trailing to lead into a wider story arc of a series, and there is clearly MUCH more to say here. There are questions of morality, brainwashing, gender, and whether ends justify means which are clearly set out here with the intention of exploring them further in future novels.
Whilst this was not my personal cup of tea, I found it an enjoyable and easy read (barring the Reckoning Day bits which I found distressing, but was supposed to) and whilst I initially thought that I would probably not continue to follow this series I found myself still pondering about the story and fate of the characters hours after finishing the last page. I do definitely intend to check out the author's Portal Arcane series as well (the first book, Reversion, is currently free on Amazon), so look for further reviews of J Thorn's writing at a later date.
June 16, 2017
"It's the intent not the action."
Set some 15 years after an unspecified happening brought the world as we know it to an end, a woman who lives alone with her dog and acts as a visiting midwife to survivors living close to Lake Erie, becomes involved with a beset community of ex- bikers and their families. Simply written and quick to read, there is much in this story which could make a good book. But I struggled throughout with the question, for what age has this book been written? Surely not adults as it was far too simplistically presented, and the same pretty well applies for young adults, too. And yet some of the scenes seem rather harrowing for children and the themes just a touch too advanced.
To give my reasonings, sadly, would need at least one very major spoiler which would be gross!y unfair on any new reader. So I will simply say that, although the premise was an interesting one, in this context it was implausible in it's being able to happen (much too noticeable to anyone, even children), and the predictability of the tale, but the lack of awareness of the protagonists,was infuriating.
A good try but not quite there. It could possibly make a good young person film, though.
Set some 15 years after an unspecified happening brought the world as we know it to an end, a woman who lives alone with her dog and acts as a visiting midwife to survivors living close to Lake Erie, becomes involved with a beset community of ex- bikers and their families. Simply written and quick to read, there is much in this story which could make a good book. But I struggled throughout with the question, for what age has this book been written? Surely not adults as it was far too simplistically presented, and the same pretty well applies for young adults, too. And yet some of the scenes seem rather harrowing for children and the themes just a touch too advanced.
To give my reasonings, sadly, would need at least one very major spoiler which would be gross!y unfair on any new reader. So I will simply say that, although the premise was an interesting one, in this context it was implausible in it's being able to happen (much too noticeable to anyone, even children), and the predictability of the tale, but the lack of awareness of the protagonists,was infuriating.
A good try but not quite there. It could possibly make a good young person film, though.
January 18, 2018
Although it took me a few more chapters than usual for me to get into this particular work of J. Thorn, I ended up really getting pulled into the characters and the world here. It's a dark book, partly because the collapsed societies and what's left are frighteningly believable in a way that's hard to dismiss; the discomfort of reading is elevated by the twisted logic of the villains as well, and the fact that it's slightly too easy to imagine how the world we know could crumble into what's depicted here, given the right catalysts.
I will say that this doesn't feel like a first book in a series--it feels complete and ended, to the extent that I'm curious how the series will continue, or even what character it will follow, so while elements of the book felt somewhat predictable (though, not many), the series itself is already turning out to be something of a surprise for me. One way or another, I expect to read the next one in the series, and although I've got mixed feelings about the ending here, I find that I'm actually really anxious to see where this storyline gets taken next.
I will say that this doesn't feel like a first book in a series--it feels complete and ended, to the extent that I'm curious how the series will continue, or even what character it will follow, so while elements of the book felt somewhat predictable (though, not many), the series itself is already turning out to be something of a surprise for me. One way or another, I expect to read the next one in the series, and although I've got mixed feelings about the ending here, I find that I'm actually really anxious to see where this storyline gets taken next.
June 6, 2017
A solid 4 star apocalyptic tale!
I was given this book by the author for an honest review...so here it is :-)
This broken world seems to have had a cataclysmic event that has left humanity on its knees. This book gives very little away about what has happened, preferring to focus on the characters and the plot. Good choice I think, as it's the people who drive this tale on, and that was what kept me reading. I put down the book I was currently reading after I looked at the first few pages of Barren. There are two main groups in this book, one of which seems bent on destroying the other, plenty of conflict to keep the pages turning.
I really enjoyed this book, the pacing was good most of the way through, flagged for a short while in the middle but the strong ending more than made up for that. I think this is to be book 1 of a new series, so I'll be keeping and eye out for the next one!
If you are into your apocalyptic tales, but you prefer the characters to take centre stage rather than an overpowering setting, this book is you.
Cheers all.
:-)
I was given this book by the author for an honest review...so here it is :-)
This broken world seems to have had a cataclysmic event that has left humanity on its knees. This book gives very little away about what has happened, preferring to focus on the characters and the plot. Good choice I think, as it's the people who drive this tale on, and that was what kept me reading. I put down the book I was currently reading after I looked at the first few pages of Barren. There are two main groups in this book, one of which seems bent on destroying the other, plenty of conflict to keep the pages turning.
I really enjoyed this book, the pacing was good most of the way through, flagged for a short while in the middle but the strong ending more than made up for that. I think this is to be book 1 of a new series, so I'll be keeping and eye out for the next one!
If you are into your apocalyptic tales, but you prefer the characters to take centre stage rather than an overpowering setting, this book is you.
Cheers all.
:-)
June 6, 2017
I love S.F. And this hard hitting post-apocalyptic novel set in ruins of Cleveland Ohio was a real find.
After being separated from her sister and young daughter during the early days, obstetrician Katy and her dog Decker have taken to sailing the south coast of Lake Erie providing medical care to pregnant survivors while searching for her lost family. For the past fifteen years she's managed to avoid the gang battles that rage on shore but when her boat is damaged in a late fall storm she's forced to go ashore and enter the war in the ruins while she confronts the ghosts of her past.
Barren is a well written science fiction story with a strong heroine and a well constructed supporting cast of survivors and a careful attention to detail and setting. Even for a born and bred Lake Erie girl, the ruins, the weather, the shoreline and the Lake islands are bang on.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
After being separated from her sister and young daughter during the early days, obstetrician Katy and her dog Decker have taken to sailing the south coast of Lake Erie providing medical care to pregnant survivors while searching for her lost family. For the past fifteen years she's managed to avoid the gang battles that rage on shore but when her boat is damaged in a late fall storm she's forced to go ashore and enter the war in the ruins while she confronts the ghosts of her past.
Barren is a well written science fiction story with a strong heroine and a well constructed supporting cast of survivors and a careful attention to detail and setting. Even for a born and bred Lake Erie girl, the ruins, the weather, the shoreline and the Lake islands are bang on.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
December 20, 2017
I absolutely loved this book. I was hooked from the first chapter. J Thorn creates a fictional, post-apocalyptic world that seems like a potential path we could be headed down. I was intrigued to find out what would happen to Katy, the main character. With her dog Decker, she steps off her boat and into the dreaded world of the ruins where she must fight to survive. Absolutely loved that the setting was the city of Cleveland. I live on one of the great lakes so I instantly identified. Found it intriguing and the author definitely put a lot of research into this work. Looking forward to getting book 2.
July 16, 2017
I really liked to be taken on this journey of discovery by Katy and Decker.
A great read. A dark and twisted world. Well-developed characters, fighting for survival.
Despite not being surprised by the end, and the revelations that came right before it, it still had some unexpected and even shocking turns that moved the story at a good pace, keeping it all interesting till the very last page.
Am curious to know more and the story is a book 1, but think the story works just as well as a stand-alone.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
A great read. A dark and twisted world. Well-developed characters, fighting for survival.
Despite not being surprised by the end, and the revelations that came right before it, it still had some unexpected and even shocking turns that moved the story at a good pace, keeping it all interesting till the very last page.
Am curious to know more and the story is a book 1, but think the story works just as well as a stand-alone.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
June 3, 2017
Incredibly heartfelt story from the author quickly becoming the master of the post apocalypse. The main character is J's best yet, a charming, broken woman with the ability and the will to survive. The villain is an equally matched terror, with interesting motives and a tantalizing backstory. Good luck seeing the ending coming.
June 17, 2017
This novel is superlative in it's worldbuilding and character creation. I felt as though I was in the scenes with Katy as she underwent so much trying to find the daughter she had lost fifteen years esrlier. Thorne has a wonderfully well-defined voice and it comes across in his insightful and vivid storytelling. A definite must read.
April 1, 2023
☠️😱
In a post apocalyptic world, one woman lives on the water with her furry companion. Never coming ashore. She helps pregnant women though to the best of her ability.
Tragedy strikes and she finds herself in land and that's when the horrors of the née reality really hit home.
Very interesting book.
In a post apocalyptic world, one woman lives on the water with her furry companion. Never coming ashore. She helps pregnant women though to the best of her ability.
Tragedy strikes and she finds herself in land and that's when the horrors of the née reality really hit home.
Very interesting book.
June 13, 2017
WOW! All you post-apocalyptic/dystopian fans will be excited to read this first novel in a series. It has NO ZOMBIES. Now don't think I don't love my zombie stories, cause I do. But this is a great book and a break from them. Are you still here? Go on, go get it. I know you want too.
June 13, 2017
J. Thorn does it again!
I really enjoyed this first book in the series. Thorns writing style had me hooked after the first few pages. I really liked how the characters developed and loved Decker! Can't wait for book two in the series!
I really enjoyed this first book in the series. Thorns writing style had me hooked after the first few pages. I really liked how the characters developed and loved Decker! Can't wait for book two in the series!
August 18, 2017
A different twist...
As a lover of apocalyptic fiction, this was an interesting read. It left me wanting to know what caused the event, and how it formed the current events. Not a "keep you up all night" page Turner, but a nice way to spend some time.
As a lover of apocalyptic fiction, this was an interesting read. It left me wanting to know what caused the event, and how it formed the current events. Not a "keep you up all night" page Turner, but a nice way to spend some time.
April 10, 2018
Just when you think you can't read any more dystopian books, something like this comes along.
Incredible storytelling, characters, world, and plot. I loved everything about it and devoured it within a few short hours.
Incredible storytelling, characters, world, and plot. I loved everything about it and devoured it within a few short hours.
February 12, 2019
This book was a delight. A solemn and depressing delight—but that’s what was intended. I’ve read a few J.Thorn books and they never disappoint. He really understands what we readers want in this genre. A must read.
June 25, 2017
Different
I liked this book. It moves along with a comfortable rhythm. It's not an edge of seat thriller but a comfortable read. I recommend this as a good beach read
I liked this book. It moves along with a comfortable rhythm. It's not an edge of seat thriller but a comfortable read. I recommend this as a good beach read
June 29, 2017
Excellent and entertaining read, looking forward to the next in the series
November 28, 2017
bit of good fun, even if it is a bit predictable. The style is good, and the seamless jumps over 'empty' time is done well.
March 18, 2018
Cleveland Dystopian dark fantasy with a female protagonist who kicks ass. Loved the twist. Can't wait to find out what happens next.
March 28, 2018
This one was very different. It held me all the way through and surprised me a couple of times. am off to read the next one.
December 31, 2018
Page turner
I was sucked into this book from the first chapter and can’t wait to start book 2. The scene descriptions and characters almost jump of the page.
I was sucked into this book from the first chapter and can’t wait to start book 2. The scene descriptions and characters almost jump of the page.
July 1, 2017
Awesome
The ends justify the means when mother and daughter reunite on opposite sides. This unique and newer author offers more than just action and intrigue.
The ends justify the means when mother and daughter reunite on opposite sides. This unique and newer author offers more than just action and intrigue.
October 6, 2017
Barren, is a fantastic beginning of the series. The main character, Katy, is a woman on a mission. She is determined to not get involved but to help in her own way. Boy, that changed. Am waiting for the next book.
June 16, 2017
This book wasn't what I expected. It was a good one. I voluntarily reviewed this ARC book.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews