Never Rest

by Marshall Thornton

Nineteen-year-old Jake Margate has had terminal leukemia for five years and is ready to let go but his mother has other ideas. She's found a rogue doctor pursuing radical treatments and takes her son to a remote institute where he does seem to get better...at first. But then the treatment begins to fail in strange ways just as Jake begins to fall for another of the test subjects. Slowly, he realizes he's been turned into something truly horrible. Two-timeLambda Literary Award-winning author Thornton has written a contemporary queer twist on the Frankenstein monster story.

Genres: Horror, Queer, Gay, M M Romance, LGBT

176 pages, Paperback

First published October 28, 2018

About the author

Three-time Lambda Award-winning author, Marshall Thornton is best known for the Boystown and Pinx Video mystery series. Other novels include the erotic comedy The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood, Desert Run and Full Release. Marshall has an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he received the Carl David Memorial Fellowship and was recognized in the Samuel Goldwyn Writing awards.

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Reviews

[Giulio · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am a fan of Marshall Thornton and I loved all of his books except this one. It's gross, uncomfortable and not spooky at all.
When I read the blurb I thought that choosing cancer as the main topic of a horror novella was a very brave choice, but sadly it didn't work out

I wonder how someone could find pleasure in reading a sex scene between a boy who smells bad because his body is decomposing and with maggots coming out of his ears and another one lying on his death bed spending the last days of his life choking on his own phlegm .. I didn't

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never Rest
By Marshall Thornton
Published by Kenmore Books, 2022
Five stars

“No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks.”

This quotation from British author Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, “Frankenstein,” is a brilliant choice. First, it is a reminder that what most of us know about that title has nothing to do with the novel, and everything to do with the Hollywood image of Boris Karloff in extreme makeup. Secondly, this quotation prepares us for what is to follow: a darkly comical and deeply poignant story about good intentions gone awry.

Marshall Thornton’s novel is an insightful riff on that Frankenstein idea: a man seeking to do good—and for the best reasons—unintentionally creates something the world, if it knew, would consider a monster. The moral issue here, however, is not one of a mere mortal daring to challenge the creative power of God; but a man of science forgetting that the monster in question is sentient and has feelings of his own.

The monster, as it were, is Jake Margate, diagnosed at the age of fifteen with a pernicious form of leukemia. After five years of misery as doctors have battled his disease, Jake is ready to go. He is coerced by his desperate mother to enter an isolated clinic housed in a former Catholic boy’s school, where he is left in the care of the mysterious Dr. Harry.

I read Shelley’s “Frankenstein” many years ago, and was, honestly, underwhelmed. It is not really a horror story, but a wordy, philosophical look at the issues of morality surrounding what was (in 1818) the emerging quest for scientific knowledge as it pertained to human life. Remembering that in Shelley’s time, medicine was primitive and largely helpless against any real disease, the story of Jake and Dr. Harry is more like sci-fi than horror.

There is a love story here, too, centered in Goliath, another young man, dying not of leukemia but of cystic fibrosis. Also Dr. Harry’s experimental subject, Goliath—who calls himself Goth—is a natural companion for Jake. This is of course a major diversion from the idea of the solitary monster in “Frankenstein” (unless you consider the really campy film sequel with Elsa Lanchester as the reluctant bride of Frankenstein). In Goth, Jake discovers something his illness has denied him. Both young men find something worth living for.

From the first page, the book is funny, based on Jake’s snarky, late-teenage attitude toward his miserable situation. Jake’s humor keeps this sad tale oddly light-hearted, until the author decides to let in the darkness inherent in the plot.

As the incompetence and secrecy at the clinic begin to clue Jake into exactly what he’s in the middle of, he also becomes aware of some unintended consequences to his treatment that even Dr. Harry couldn’t have imagined. The reason for this, I think, is that the author wanted to let the readers’ imaginations run a bit free, so that the bittersweet ending would leave us pondering possibilities and not hopelessness.

This is a very good, compelling book. It takes a classic story and turns it into a modern conundrum, well suited to the complicated world we live in now.

[Shelba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the fact that this is written by one of my favourite authors, I was reluctant to read this, partly because we have young/new adults and partly because of the whole Frakenstien/zombie/horror thing.

And let me just say that for me, this is the worst kind of horror story in and of the fact that it feels like just a slightly hyperbolic version of a scenario humans are likely to do. People are obsessed with dying or not dying, so it's easy to imagine people forgoing ethics in a search for immortality.

As for the story, it took a little bit for me to get into, seeing as it wasn't a theme I really was interested in reading about. But, since Marshall Thornton read it, I knew that regardless of the theme, I would enjoy the characters and the writing. Marshall Thornton always has such realistic characters and each one serves a purpose in the story.

Eventually, I did get really into the story, in spite of my reservations. I wasn't sure how it would end, but I think the way it did was nigh on perfect.

[Natalie Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to my mother, I fell in love with the old horrors monarchs-Dracula, the wolfman, the mummy are among my 'heroes' but there is nothing I like better than Dr. Victor Frankenstein's monster! I was especially intrigued when as a young girl in the 70s, I discovered that the book, also known as the Modern Prometheus, was written by a woman (Mary Shelley)! I thought she was totally badass! So I will always be partial to this kind of story and Marshall Thornton's take on it is INCREDIBLE! Jake Margate has had terminal leukemia for five years and he's made his peace with the fact that he won't live to see his twentieth birthday. But his mother has found a doctor pursuing radical therapies. At the remote institute where he undergoes treatment, he does seem to get better. He even falls for a boy who is another patient at the clinic. But then there are other strange signs and symptoms that all is not well with him! Such as, why doesn't he have a pulse? And maggots?! WTF?! I LOVED it thoroughly and thought about it for days after finishing it! It creeped me out so delightfully! This book did NOT disappoint in ANY way and the audiobook incarnation was beautifully narrated by Jack Meloche! This made Halloween 2019 extra special for me!

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNFed. For just a short book, it pacing is really slow and not that much is actually happening to move things along. Jake isn't that interesting as a character, take away his cancer and he's your typical slightly moody late teenager.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different type of book from what I have read before. A boy dying of cancer is taken to an institute for research in the hope he is cured.
Interesting but an abrupt ending which is begging for a book 2

[Dylan (bearded.bibliomaniac) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / 5

Never Rest by Marshall Thornton is a unique, queer spin on the story of Frankenstein, following nineteen year old Jake who has terminal cancer. With his clock ticking down rapidly, his mother commits him to a remote facility to pursue a last ditch effort radical treatment, one that Jake soon realizes isn't as it seems. Strange symptoms compound with strange behaviors from the staff around him, when another boy is added to the study - one who just might restore a hope for a future in Jake - and everything that felt like a surety in Jake's life is suddenly undone.

I found this story exceptionally dark, even gory, yet it was undeniably sweet at times. The outlook from the jump was bleak, the main character already having accepted his own imminent death due to his illness. It was heartwarming to see how Jake's budding friendship allowed him to 'warm up' (lel) to the idea of a future. Marshall Thornton truly showed his writing skills in the way he crafted all of these characters, making them feel real. Despite only being with them for short periods of time, I truly cared about them.

I also felt a deep unease as Jake's treatments continued. The almost nonchalant descriptions of gore were horrific, which only added to the unsettling nature of the story.

My rating reflects my feelings for the beginning and end to this story: the beginning being a bit slow, and the end lacking a satisfying conclusion for me. I did enjoy the ending in some regards, it was kind of perfect, but open endings rarely do much for me. I don't know, okay!! It's just a personal preference.

Overall, Thornton showcased a finesse for writing characters and many other things I enjoy as a reader, especially the unique take on a classic horror. I'd absolutely pick up other books from him.

I was sent a copy of Never Rest for review, though all opinions are unbiased and my own.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is insane. Holy cow, I love it. Imagine being ready to die, actually dying, and then waking up as something else. I can't give it away, but man, this book is so good.
Jake was ready to die. He was even talking to his father to try to help get his mother to accept the fact. But she has other ideas. She's apparently been talking to a doctor that does research and may have found a cure. He doesn't want to go but she pretty much makes him. When he gets there, it's not at all what he expects. The treatment he starts getting is not what he expects. And soon, he figures out the treatments aren't what they're supposed to be. At all.
I don't even know what I would do in Jake's place. If I had finally comes to terms with the fact I was almost dead, I don't know if I'd fight for something new or not. Well, that's not true. I've been almost dead twice and I fought. But I'm a single parent too, so that's a big factor. Jake didn't want to. He was nineteen and didn't want to go through all that crap anymore. He tried to fight his mom on going to do this research crap but she got her way. It doesn't help much when you're floating above yourself seeing everything once you're dead. Kind of brings things into perspective. The things happening to him with this treatment are freaking him out as well. It's a tough thing to keep dealing with.
Such a good book. I fell in love with Marshall's writing with Boystown and Pinx Video. To me, this is just another good book of his. It's different, it's gory to a point, and something you don't expect, for sure.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/

[Mark Lucas-Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never Rest

Highly recommended.
This is a horror story, a romance, a gay love story, a thriller and a medical drama.
It has heroes, it has villains, it has a creepy research institute and the obligatory mad scientist who believes that what he is doing will be for the good of all mankind.
The book’s synopsis gives a fair idea of what to expect and it delivers in spades.
The story is very different from others by this author and quite a lot darker, it examines what it is to suffer from a terminal illness and the lengths that some people will go to to effect a cure, to survive. At heart though it is a love story, a love story of different types of love and how far someone will go and the steps they are prepared to take for a loved one.
The characters and their motivations are cleverly expressed, relatable and above all believable. It is written from the 1st person POV of a nineteen year old, gay, terminally ill and very close to death young man who in many ways is quite mature for his apparent youth, probably because of all that he’s endured over the last five years.
Although the premises and plot points are not new neither are they just rehashed but woven into a narrative that I think will stay with reader long after finishing the final chapter. In fact calling it the final chapter is misleading as really it is a new beginning rather than an ending.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is, either you love it or you hate it; I was inbetween. I was fine until it started to get really weird and some very discriptive writing about gorey side affects that happened before Property Five.

I really felt for the nineteen year old who was suffering these drastic side effects and then they got worse. Goth, another gay boy, was dying also. He had hopes that Jake was going to get better so he too could escape his fate. But things weren't going well with Jake and he was getting worse.

The ending is, I guess you could say HEA for Jake and Goth, but was creepy and desparate to get to the Property Five. It's a book that could be like a Stephen King novel. If your curious, it's worth reading.

[Molli B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well...this is a a weird one! But I liked it!

I didn't read the blurb, so I knew nothing at all about it save that it was being released for Halloween, basically. So I figured it would be kind of...creepy, and it was! Creepy. Like...creepy and uncomfortable. I think I'd probably go ahead and call it horror, honestly. Horror lite, maybe, but definitely there was a pervasive and persistent...creepiness as the story went along. I'm a bit squicked, to be honest. So, horror!

But there was a kind of sweet romance, too. And, uh, love conquers all, maybe??? :) ;)

Marshall's stuff is always an enjoyable read, and this is no exception!

[Tanathebookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story kept my attention the entire time because I really needed to know how this was going to end. And then it ended and I went “what the fuck??” I am not a fan of ambiguous endings. I don’t want to decide what I think happens next, I want to be told. Rating this book should be hard for me but because I prepared myself, assuming the ending would make me mad, it isn’t affecting the rating like it normally would. I really enjoyed the writing and Jake & Goth. A lot of people were saying it was really gruesome but I didn’t think it was that bad but I also have a high tolerance for horror. Good read for the season.

[Marc Glendinning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhh I really enjoyed this queer Frankenstein retelling- the NA humour, the characters (who show surprising depth for the length of this book), the parallels to the AIDS crisis and showing how good intentions don’t always equate to morally agreeable actions.

I’d give it 5 stars only I feel the climax happened all too soon, and things escalated rather quickly so the overall pacing felt off. That, and I’m always the kind of person who would love 50-100 extra pages for more world building, lore etc- but understandably that’s not the purpose of a short novella.

Would love a second book à la Bones and All to see how Jake and Goth navigate the world together.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

MM sci-fi romance. A young gay man with cancer named Jake has given up hope and accepted his death, but his divorced mother refuses to face the inevitable. She has found a doctor running a clinical trial, and drags her son there. Jake discovers that the doctor hasn't actually cured his cancer, but the treatment keeps his consciousness alive after Jake's body has failed.
Another young gay man called Goth who also has a terminal disease soon joins him in the trial, and they both begin their first relationships. When the doctor decides to shut down the institute, Jake violently takes matters into his own hands.

[Avid Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 * increased to 3 because of standard of writing but...... I should have read a few more reviews before getting this book. Marshall Thornton is an auto read for me but I didn’t like this one, mainly because I didn’t believe it (pause for irony, as it does edge into the horror genre). The storyline drifted into unexpected (to me) waters, and it wasn’t where I wanted to go. Still, I have to give the author kudos for trying something new and not resting on his laurels. More Pinx video mysteries for me please.

[Benjamin C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well crafted spooky tale. Marshall Thornton is a master spinner of stories. The book contains elements of mystery and science fiction and death.
It seems to me that Thornton wrote this book as an allegory for people caught up in the AIDs epidemic. He provides insight into those whose bodies were rotting away though their minds were still alive with the same emotions and desires they had pre-AIDs. Also, what it is to love someone whose body is being ravaged by disease. I loved this book, but I hope Thornton has it in him to write another Boystown story!

[Jared (jareadforfilth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

Listened to the audiobook version I was gifted by the author for my honest review. I really enjoyed this queer Frankenstein retelling! It kept me engaged and eager to see where the story would go. Following the story of 19-year old Jake who is terminally I’ll with Leukemia and days from death, his journey to treatment and a cure takes an interesting turn that keeps you on your toes. The narration was also excellent, partly attributed to the voice actor’s talent and partly to the author’s voice. A wonderful combination and a fun, quick, exciting read!

[voodoocactus · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st person POV… *makes a face* Luckily, it works here well.

That said, this was interesting! I liked Jake’s morbid humor, his take on life (and unlife), and the slow, creeping sense of Things Not Being Right. The romance part felt organic and believable and I liked the ending.

I can understand how people might be grossed out. Cancer, CF, and death are gritty topics and Thornton doesn’t shy away from the icky parts of terminal illness and death. But I have to say that for me (as a nurse), those were some of the more believable parts of the story.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. I’ve read other books by Thornton and this is very different. It’s sci fi for a start. Lots of humour in it from the main character. Looking at other reviews, maybe it’s not for everyone. It’s about young people facing death and it doesn’t shy away from the reality of it. But then when the sci fi element kicked in, it was good fun, the action sped up and it all goes crazy at the end, I finished it with a smile on my face.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this, I was a little nervous about the leukemia plot, but I seriously loved this Frankenstein retelling. I loved Jake’s inner thoughts and sense of humor about his entire life.

While the romance plot wasn’t as intense as I usually prefer, it was still sweet and I found myself invested. I was thoroughly intrigued the whole book and now I want a sequel to know how everything… continues.

The whole contemporary science take on Frankenstein just worked for me!

[Matthew Newport · Rating 4 out of 5]

never rest by Marshall Thornton is a fun supernatural story with a gay romance. This is a queer take on the Frankenstein story. The characters are believable and you will be rooting for Jake and Goth’s romance.

This is a great book for those looking for a spooky queer read that isn’t too intense. I enjoyed the horror elements in this story, but almost wish the body horror and gore was even more bloody and gross (but that’s just my personal taste)

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read without any blurb, sight unseen, for after all, it is Marshall Thornton! And, I wasn't disappointed!! Exceptional writing and something no one has dared to cover, to my mind.
Loved the characters! Marshall Thornton purposely makes you care, which he obviously has a knack, for.

[Mark P. Batenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scratching my head

A very odd tale about a boy who’s somewhere in-between alive and dead. Takes a long time to unfold, and then suddenly there’s this burst of violence and it’s over. Felt like the author got tired of the story and hurried the ending.

[Tony Williamson,jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great twist!

A sort of twisted Romeo and Romeo meet Frankenstein. Funny and actually very thought provoking. Will be checking out more from this author.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure about this one. It's gross, but also it's fascinating in a horrific way. I'll be willing to read more about this Universe if there is more, though.

[BakaRena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very touching and a bit disgusting (that thing with maggots). I would really like to read what would happen next to the characters.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally a fan of this author but this one was too gross for me lol and I didn't care for the ending.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

I really enjoyed this modern day YA retelling of Frankensteinin inspiration! I als definitely looking forward to exploring more of Marshall Thornton’s work!

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may have had a hard time enjoying this story, but it has stuck with me long after I've finished it. Parts of the story keep bouncing around in my brain, and I keep imagining what's next for Jake and Goth. I didn't particularly like many of the characters, including the MCs. Neither MC had much of a personality and I don't know what they saw in each other besides both being about the same age, gay, and dying. The writing was great, storyline interesting, and left a memorable mark.