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Hellrider
After being burned alive by a gang, the Hell Riders, he used to belong to, Eddie Ryder returns as a heavy-metal spouting ghost with a temper that's worse now than when he was alive. At first he is nothing more than a floating presence, depressed he has to spend eternity watching his teenage brother, Carson, and ailing mother struggle without him. Then he develops powers. And he can control electricity. He can conjure the ghostly doppelganger of his motorcycle, Diablo, and fly across the sky, but he can't escape the boundaries of his hometown, Hell Creek.
Eddie decides to exact his revenge on the bikers who killed him. Before he can do more than scare some of the bikers, however, he discovers something even better: he can posses people. He uses this ability to get the gang members to attack each other, and to deliver a message to the current leader, Hank Bowman: Eddie's Coming.
Spouting fire and lightning from his fingers and screaming heavy metal lyrics as he rides the sky above the town of Hell Creek, he brings destruction down on all those who wronged him, his power growing with every death. Only Eddie's younger brother, Carson, and the police chief's daughter, Ellie, understand what's really happening, and now they have to stop him before he destroys the whole town.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
Eddie decides to exact his revenge on the bikers who killed him. Before he can do more than scare some of the bikers, however, he discovers something even better: he can posses people. He uses this ability to get the gang members to attack each other, and to deliver a message to the current leader, Hank Bowman: Eddie's Coming.
Spouting fire and lightning from his fingers and screaming heavy metal lyrics as he rides the sky above the town of Hell Creek, he brings destruction down on all those who wronged him, his power growing with every death. Only Eddie's younger brother, Carson, and the police chief's daughter, Ellie, understand what's really happening, and now they have to stop him before he destroys the whole town.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2019
2 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
J.G. Faherty
89 books138 followersJG Faherty is a Bram Stoker Award® and ITW Thriller Award nominee and the author of six novels, nine novellas, and more than 50 short stories. He writes adult and YA horror/sci-fi/fantasy, and his works range from quiet, dark suspense to over-the-top comic gruesomeness.
His novels and novellas, all of which are listed on Goodreads, include THE CURE, CARNIVAL OF FEAR, GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY, CEMETERY CLUB, THE BURNING TIME, LEGACY, CASTLE BY THE SEA, FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THIEF OF SOULS, THE COLD SPOT, and HE WAITS.
He enjoys urban exploring, photography, classic B-movies, good wine, and pumpkin beer. As a child, his favorite playground was a 17th-century cemetery, which many people feel explains a lot. His personal motto is "Photobombing people since 1979!" You can follow him at www.twitter.com/jgfaherty, www.facebook.com/jgfaherty, http://about.me/jgfaherty, and www.jgfaherty.com.
His novels and novellas, all of which are listed on Goodreads, include THE CURE, CARNIVAL OF FEAR, GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY, CEMETERY CLUB, THE BURNING TIME, LEGACY, CASTLE BY THE SEA, FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THIEF OF SOULS, THE COLD SPOT, and HE WAITS.
He enjoys urban exploring, photography, classic B-movies, good wine, and pumpkin beer. As a child, his favorite playground was a 17th-century cemetery, which many people feel explains a lot. His personal motto is "Photobombing people since 1979!" You can follow him at www.twitter.com/jgfaherty, www.facebook.com/jgfaherty, http://about.me/jgfaherty, and www.jgfaherty.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 9, 2019
Admittedly, I'm a sucker for a kick ass cover and this is definitely one of them. When I saw Mr. Faherty offering a paperback ARC of this on Twitter I jumped on the chance!
Eddie Ryder has had a rough family life. His dad is gone, his mom is dying and his smart little brother is trying to stay in school so that he can better himself. Formerly a member of the Hell Riders Motorcycle Club, but now trying to go straight and support his family, no one recognizes the changes in him-changes for the better. All that ends one night after his auto repair shop burns down with him in it. Inexplicably, he, (and his motorcycle, Diablo!), come back to life. Will he get revenge on those responsible? Will his family be able to keep their heads above water now that he's gone? You'll have to read this to find out!
At first, I could not have been more on board with this story. I love me a good revenge tale and this is definitely one. My problems with this novel came about a little over halfway through, when things began to get repetitive.
I loved Eddie's family and wanted to spend more time with his brother and mom, and I did get my wish towards the end of the book, but it wasn't as much time as I wanted.
I was not expecting a literary masterpiece here, but I did expect a tighter story with less repetition than this. All of that said, this was fun, and for the most part, I enjoyed my time with Eddie and Diablo, flying thunderously around the town of Hell Creek!
*Thank you to the author for the beautiful paperback you signed for me, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
Eddie Ryder has had a rough family life. His dad is gone, his mom is dying and his smart little brother is trying to stay in school so that he can better himself. Formerly a member of the Hell Riders Motorcycle Club, but now trying to go straight and support his family, no one recognizes the changes in him-changes for the better. All that ends one night after his auto repair shop burns down with him in it. Inexplicably, he, (and his motorcycle, Diablo!), come back to life. Will he get revenge on those responsible? Will his family be able to keep their heads above water now that he's gone? You'll have to read this to find out!
At first, I could not have been more on board with this story. I love me a good revenge tale and this is definitely one. My problems with this novel came about a little over halfway through, when things began to get repetitive.
I loved Eddie's family and wanted to spend more time with his brother and mom, and I did get my wish towards the end of the book, but it wasn't as much time as I wanted.
I was not expecting a literary masterpiece here, but I did expect a tighter story with less repetition than this. All of that said, this was fun, and for the most part, I enjoyed my time with Eddie and Diablo, flying thunderously around the town of Hell Creek!
*Thank you to the author for the beautiful paperback you signed for me, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
July 8, 2019
Oh, boy. This is one of those times when I’m not really thrilled to do the review, but there are things that need to be said.
I started this book really excited to read it. The cover (yes, I’m that person that judges a book by the cover) and the plot looked like so much fun. And the book started out that way. We had a character we really liked out there getting some otherworldly vengeance.
But it gets sour.
Part of that is done purposely by the author. That character we love changes as vengeance moves from righteousness to pure evil. I get that. But…in an effort to show just how evil that vengeance grows, the author has our main character do a series of horrid things to people. Yes, we start with the people who wronged him, but along the way, we get horrid things done to innocent people. And it stops being fun.
Worse was that the book gets rapey. Yes, sexual assault happens. Yes, it’s evil. And it’s okay to make that point – but maybe not over and over again? Slicing and dicing a murderer in a book can be fun. Forcing yourself on a teenager? Not so much. Even when the assault happens to bad characters, it’s not fun.
There are still enjoyable parts to the book. The author can write and boy, he makes you feel and hear and smell every bit of it (and you kind of regret the smell part at times). I just wish it had stayed fun.
I still give this three stars. It is a good story. Certain things just got to be too much for me.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
I started this book really excited to read it. The cover (yes, I’m that person that judges a book by the cover) and the plot looked like so much fun. And the book started out that way. We had a character we really liked out there getting some otherworldly vengeance.
But it gets sour.
Part of that is done purposely by the author. That character we love changes as vengeance moves from righteousness to pure evil. I get that. But…in an effort to show just how evil that vengeance grows, the author has our main character do a series of horrid things to people. Yes, we start with the people who wronged him, but along the way, we get horrid things done to innocent people. And it stops being fun.
Worse was that the book gets rapey. Yes, sexual assault happens. Yes, it’s evil. And it’s okay to make that point – but maybe not over and over again? Slicing and dicing a murderer in a book can be fun. Forcing yourself on a teenager? Not so much. Even when the assault happens to bad characters, it’s not fun.
There are still enjoyable parts to the book. The author can write and boy, he makes you feel and hear and smell every bit of it (and you kind of regret the smell part at times). I just wish it had stayed fun.
I still give this three stars. It is a good story. Certain things just got to be too much for me.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
September 14, 2019
Eddie Ryder might have been a snitch....but he didn't deserve to be burned to death by the Hell Riders. The members of the biker gang were once his friends, but now he wants to kill them all. But...being dead and all....he has to learn how to go from just floating around to handing out justice. Violent justice.
As I read this book, I could see this being a really fun, slightly cheesy, late night horror movie. I would watch it! I was even doing the casting in my head...... For Eddie, I would cast Austin Amelio (played Dwight on The Walking Dead). I even heard the dialoge in his voice as I read. :)
Although the plot was really nothing new, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are a few rough scenes involving adult situations (rape, sodomy, violent murder) and some rough language, so this book is not for the faint of heart (or kids). Those scenes are not all that graphic....but the subject matter is there. Be aware. If that type of violence in horror stories is not for you.....skip this one.
Quick read. Entertaining plot. Interesting take on the ghost-seeks-revenge storyline. This is the first book by this author that I have read, but he has written many, many horror novels and stories. I will definitely be reading more of them!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
As I read this book, I could see this being a really fun, slightly cheesy, late night horror movie. I would watch it! I was even doing the casting in my head...... For Eddie, I would cast Austin Amelio (played Dwight on The Walking Dead). I even heard the dialoge in his voice as I read. :)
Although the plot was really nothing new, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are a few rough scenes involving adult situations (rape, sodomy, violent murder) and some rough language, so this book is not for the faint of heart (or kids). Those scenes are not all that graphic....but the subject matter is there. Be aware. If that type of violence in horror stories is not for you.....skip this one.
Quick read. Entertaining plot. Interesting take on the ghost-seeks-revenge storyline. This is the first book by this author that I have read, but he has written many, many horror novels and stories. I will definitely be reading more of them!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
September 5, 2019
This review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
Nineteen-year-old Eddie Ryder is a biker in the small Florida town of Hell Creek against the backdrop of the Everglades with a sweet custom bike named ‘Diablo’. He is also a former member of the biker gang known as the Hellriders. Eddie is trying to go straight and turn his life around. His dad left and abandoned the family a few years ago and since then, after dropping out of school Eddie has been running his father’s garage, looking after his younger brother, sixteen-year-old Carson and his ill Mother, Sally who is deep in the throes of Emphysema and trying to support his family.
After Eddie and some other gang members were caught robbing a store Eddie sold out Ned Bowman, the gang leader in exchange for his freedom. Since then he has been trying to turn his life around and trying to move on. With an absent father, he has responsibilities that he has to live up to but he has always known that someday the rest of the Hellriders would seek retribution against him.
The Hellriders, with Ned in jail and now run by his brother Hank had been waiting, biding their time for the perfect opportunity to get their revenge on Eddie for betraying their code, their brotherhood and their leader. In a haze of drink and drugs members of the Hellriders, in the dead of the night burn down Eddie’s garage little realising that Eddie is inside. As the garage burns and as the flames consume the garage becomes a fiery, flaming tome for Eddie.
Eddie dies not giving up, refusing to give in and as the building explodes around him, he climbs on Diablo in an attempt to escape. The heat of the flames, the raging inferno of the fire fuses and melds his body to the frame of his beloved Diablo. Somehow, his spirit remains and returning from beyond the grave, his essence tethered to Hell Creek. His anger, his fury, his rage kept him from death, from passing over, now, with no mortal body, he is a vengeful spirit and it is his chance for revenge on those who killed him, who have wronged him.
Eddie is fuelled by, powered by his hatred and his rage towards those who killed him, those who took him away from his family, from those he loved, from those who needed him, who relied upon him and who are now alone. Eddie’s father abandoned him, his brother and his mother and now, through the actions of others, through the actions of the Hellriders, history has repeated itself and with is death Eddie has abandoned his family too.
After Eddie’s death, strange things start happening throughout Hell Creek, random power surges, windows blowing out, electrical discharges and a rumbling thunder high in the sky that sounds eerily like a motorbike revving and roaring away.
The Hellriders deny that they committed arson and murder, deny all knowledge of burning down the garage and the murder of Eddie. With no proof to say otherwise there isn’t much that the police can do. Only keep an eye on the gang and bring them in for every little misdemeanour that they found guilty of and put pressure on them until one cracks and admits the truth. Eddie doesn’t need the police, he knows that the gang are guilty and that they killed him. With Eddie’s spirit lose in Hell Creek members of the Hellriders start acting strangely, not just their usual drunk and drug-addled or drunk behaviour but, something more, they are losing hours where they can’t remember what they have done. Eddie doesn’t just kill the Hellriders, instead, he gets up to some diabolical mischief at their expense.
As a spirit, Eddie is chained to Hell Creek and his grave. He cannot pass the borders of the town and using his powers weakens him. He is anchored to his grave and that is where he can recharge his energy. His bike, Diablo is a part of him, it was in life, it is in death and his spirit can conjure a spectral version of his bike to ride upon.
Eddie finds that he can possess people and each time Eddie possess another person he becomes more powerful, a raging inferno and he feels energised, recharged and brimming with power. Eddie inherited his father’s anger, his temper and it had always been there bubbling away under the surface. With his death and transformation into a spirit, the anger now broils and he is far more volatile in death than he was in life.
It was a hard life, a troubled life that Eddie lived and by all accounts Eddie, himself was trouble but he had been trying to be better. Now, all his pain, regret, anger, hatred, rage and sadness form a miasmic torrent of roiling emotions inside his spirit. The more people that Eddie possesses the more dangerous and unhinged he becomes.
Finally, Eddie loses himself to insanity, loses who he was and in the churning maelstrom of the mind of the monster he snaps. He doesn’t just go after the Hellriders but the whole town of Hell Creek is in his sights. His vengeance and his wrath set upon them all. He starts hurting innocents, those who never did him any wrong and Hell Creek soon finds itself at the mercy of, besieged by the spirit of Eddie.
The bikers have a debauched lifestyle of drink, drugs and easy women who are drawn to the dangerous image of the biker gang. Women who follow them, offering themselves and their bodies like a ripe peach splitting open. The gang get up to some drunken and debauched behaviour at their clubhouse parties and the sexually explicit actions of Eddie under the guise of the biker that he is currently possessing are in the nature of both the gang members and the women who act like groupies for the gang. I’m not saying that I agree with, or condone it, I don’t but it fits with the personalities of the characters. However…some of the situations are downright uncomfortable, some including other characters are just unpleasant to read (one treads very close to crossing the line and overstepping the mark) and another was a complete misstep that felt in very bad taste and, in my opinion, shouldn’t have been included in the book
For me, this is where Hellrider crashed and burned. I understand the use of sexual assault to show how evil and twisted Eddie was becoming and his transformation into a full-blown monster. But, I wish that there was more variety to the descent with far less focus on things of a sexual nature (each time Eddie possessed a person there seemed to be something sexual involved) and more focus on the carnage, mayhem, murder and revenge.
I’m not a prude, but some of the terms/names used were very derisory and disrespectful and the amount of sexual assault in the second half of the book was well over the top. I have nothing more to say than simply, I didn’t enjoy the book at all when these bits were featured and it was a struggle to finish.
At the start of the story, you can easily get behind Eddie’s need for revenge on those who killed him. However, he transforms into a very contemptible person. While you did sympathise with him, as the story progresses and as he becomes more dislikeable and his acts more heinous that feeling fades and you just want to see him stopped.
As Eddie changes, as the darkness takes hold and as the strange occurrences start happening around Hell Creek with more frequency Carson and Kellie (the police chiefs daughter and Carson’s friend) take a more prominent role in the story. Carson is the opposite of Eddie, awkward around girls, sensible, intelligent and he likes school. It’s up to him with help from Kellie to uncover the truth and stop his brother. While your sympathy for Eddie diminishes, at the same time, it grows for Carson.
The pacing is fast in Hellrider. The characterisation is good, Eddie, Carson, Kellie, the police chief Johnny Ray Jones and the various main bikers in the Hellrider gang all have their own personalities (even if you don’t like them and they are just variants of drunken brutes or odious creeps) and role to play in the story being told. Eddie’s love of heavy metal music and the lyrics of his favourite songs are well incorporated into the story. There are also darkly funny moments spread throughout Hellrider that when done right manage to make you smile but, even for me, they were occasionally to puerile to be funny.
At its best, Hellrider is a flame-fuelled and firey revenge ride and, at its worst, it stutters and stalls like a bike out of gas before crashing and burning. I should have loved Hellrider, it promised to be a bloody and brutal tale of retribution, of vengeance and sadly, I didn’t. I did enjoy Hellrider, a hell of a lot in places but, that enjoyment eroded away, turned to dust and ultimately, the excessive and repetitive gratuitous sexual assault in the second half of the book ruined it for me.
Nineteen-year-old Eddie Ryder is a biker in the small Florida town of Hell Creek against the backdrop of the Everglades with a sweet custom bike named ‘Diablo’. He is also a former member of the biker gang known as the Hellriders. Eddie is trying to go straight and turn his life around. His dad left and abandoned the family a few years ago and since then, after dropping out of school Eddie has been running his father’s garage, looking after his younger brother, sixteen-year-old Carson and his ill Mother, Sally who is deep in the throes of Emphysema and trying to support his family.
After Eddie and some other gang members were caught robbing a store Eddie sold out Ned Bowman, the gang leader in exchange for his freedom. Since then he has been trying to turn his life around and trying to move on. With an absent father, he has responsibilities that he has to live up to but he has always known that someday the rest of the Hellriders would seek retribution against him.
The Hellriders, with Ned in jail and now run by his brother Hank had been waiting, biding their time for the perfect opportunity to get their revenge on Eddie for betraying their code, their brotherhood and their leader. In a haze of drink and drugs members of the Hellriders, in the dead of the night burn down Eddie’s garage little realising that Eddie is inside. As the garage burns and as the flames consume the garage becomes a fiery, flaming tome for Eddie.
Eddie dies not giving up, refusing to give in and as the building explodes around him, he climbs on Diablo in an attempt to escape. The heat of the flames, the raging inferno of the fire fuses and melds his body to the frame of his beloved Diablo. Somehow, his spirit remains and returning from beyond the grave, his essence tethered to Hell Creek. His anger, his fury, his rage kept him from death, from passing over, now, with no mortal body, he is a vengeful spirit and it is his chance for revenge on those who killed him, who have wronged him.
Eddie is fuelled by, powered by his hatred and his rage towards those who killed him, those who took him away from his family, from those he loved, from those who needed him, who relied upon him and who are now alone. Eddie’s father abandoned him, his brother and his mother and now, through the actions of others, through the actions of the Hellriders, history has repeated itself and with is death Eddie has abandoned his family too.
After Eddie’s death, strange things start happening throughout Hell Creek, random power surges, windows blowing out, electrical discharges and a rumbling thunder high in the sky that sounds eerily like a motorbike revving and roaring away.
The Hellriders deny that they committed arson and murder, deny all knowledge of burning down the garage and the murder of Eddie. With no proof to say otherwise there isn’t much that the police can do. Only keep an eye on the gang and bring them in for every little misdemeanour that they found guilty of and put pressure on them until one cracks and admits the truth. Eddie doesn’t need the police, he knows that the gang are guilty and that they killed him. With Eddie’s spirit lose in Hell Creek members of the Hellriders start acting strangely, not just their usual drunk and drug-addled or drunk behaviour but, something more, they are losing hours where they can’t remember what they have done. Eddie doesn’t just kill the Hellriders, instead, he gets up to some diabolical mischief at their expense.
As a spirit, Eddie is chained to Hell Creek and his grave. He cannot pass the borders of the town and using his powers weakens him. He is anchored to his grave and that is where he can recharge his energy. His bike, Diablo is a part of him, it was in life, it is in death and his spirit can conjure a spectral version of his bike to ride upon.
Eddie finds that he can possess people and each time Eddie possess another person he becomes more powerful, a raging inferno and he feels energised, recharged and brimming with power. Eddie inherited his father’s anger, his temper and it had always been there bubbling away under the surface. With his death and transformation into a spirit, the anger now broils and he is far more volatile in death than he was in life.
It was a hard life, a troubled life that Eddie lived and by all accounts Eddie, himself was trouble but he had been trying to be better. Now, all his pain, regret, anger, hatred, rage and sadness form a miasmic torrent of roiling emotions inside his spirit. The more people that Eddie possesses the more dangerous and unhinged he becomes.
Finally, Eddie loses himself to insanity, loses who he was and in the churning maelstrom of the mind of the monster he snaps. He doesn’t just go after the Hellriders but the whole town of Hell Creek is in his sights. His vengeance and his wrath set upon them all. He starts hurting innocents, those who never did him any wrong and Hell Creek soon finds itself at the mercy of, besieged by the spirit of Eddie.
The bikers have a debauched lifestyle of drink, drugs and easy women who are drawn to the dangerous image of the biker gang. Women who follow them, offering themselves and their bodies like a ripe peach splitting open. The gang get up to some drunken and debauched behaviour at their clubhouse parties and the sexually explicit actions of Eddie under the guise of the biker that he is currently possessing are in the nature of both the gang members and the women who act like groupies for the gang. I’m not saying that I agree with, or condone it, I don’t but it fits with the personalities of the characters. However…some of the situations are downright uncomfortable, some including other characters are just unpleasant to read (one treads very close to crossing the line and overstepping the mark) and another was a complete misstep that felt in very bad taste and, in my opinion, shouldn’t have been included in the book
For me, this is where Hellrider crashed and burned. I understand the use of sexual assault to show how evil and twisted Eddie was becoming and his transformation into a full-blown monster. But, I wish that there was more variety to the descent with far less focus on things of a sexual nature (each time Eddie possessed a person there seemed to be something sexual involved) and more focus on the carnage, mayhem, murder and revenge.
I’m not a prude, but some of the terms/names used were very derisory and disrespectful and the amount of sexual assault in the second half of the book was well over the top. I have nothing more to say than simply, I didn’t enjoy the book at all when these bits were featured and it was a struggle to finish.
At the start of the story, you can easily get behind Eddie’s need for revenge on those who killed him. However, he transforms into a very contemptible person. While you did sympathise with him, as the story progresses and as he becomes more dislikeable and his acts more heinous that feeling fades and you just want to see him stopped.
As Eddie changes, as the darkness takes hold and as the strange occurrences start happening around Hell Creek with more frequency Carson and Kellie (the police chiefs daughter and Carson’s friend) take a more prominent role in the story. Carson is the opposite of Eddie, awkward around girls, sensible, intelligent and he likes school. It’s up to him with help from Kellie to uncover the truth and stop his brother. While your sympathy for Eddie diminishes, at the same time, it grows for Carson.
The pacing is fast in Hellrider. The characterisation is good, Eddie, Carson, Kellie, the police chief Johnny Ray Jones and the various main bikers in the Hellrider gang all have their own personalities (even if you don’t like them and they are just variants of drunken brutes or odious creeps) and role to play in the story being told. Eddie’s love of heavy metal music and the lyrics of his favourite songs are well incorporated into the story. There are also darkly funny moments spread throughout Hellrider that when done right manage to make you smile but, even for me, they were occasionally to puerile to be funny.
At its best, Hellrider is a flame-fuelled and firey revenge ride and, at its worst, it stutters and stalls like a bike out of gas before crashing and burning. I should have loved Hellrider, it promised to be a bloody and brutal tale of retribution, of vengeance and sadly, I didn’t. I did enjoy Hellrider, a hell of a lot in places but, that enjoyment eroded away, turned to dust and ultimately, the excessive and repetitive gratuitous sexual assault in the second half of the book ruined it for me.
July 22, 2019
Hellrider by J G Faherty is an interesting novel that delivers on a lot of fronts but lacks a slight bit of empathy to keep you fuller interested in the characters.
Starting out as a man who is turning his life around, he get sent down into the bowels of violence where the lead man Eddie goes on a rampage of revenge from the afterlife. This is where the story really takes off. The plot speeds along at a very quicken pace and though sometimes rhyme and reason takes a backseat, the reader is in for an exciting journey and this is where the novel does extremely well. The reader stays involved and is absorbed by the action that takes place. Faherty handles these sections very well.
The characters are a bit two dimensional and we don’t really get Eddie, the man who is changing his life around and the man who is hell bent on revenge. This is where the novel slightly lets you down as you lack empathy for Eddie and by the end of the novel, it is really hard to find anything likable in him at all. If the novel spent time on good Eddie, one who accepts responsibility for bad decisions and then we feel the demon side take over, it might have given the reader a bit more scope. Unfortunately this doesn’t really happen.
The evil or bad characters lack any sort of depth and Eddie’s surviving family unfortunately lack substance to get you really involved in their flight. Saying this, this doesn’t detract from the overall plot but does give it a lack of depth to make this novel really special.
Overall, the book is a good read and it is enjoyable and kept me entertained. My interest was piqued by the plot and where it was going but I did lack any passion for the characters themselves. There is a lot to like and enjoy but could have gone a tad further with character development.
Starting out as a man who is turning his life around, he get sent down into the bowels of violence where the lead man Eddie goes on a rampage of revenge from the afterlife. This is where the story really takes off. The plot speeds along at a very quicken pace and though sometimes rhyme and reason takes a backseat, the reader is in for an exciting journey and this is where the novel does extremely well. The reader stays involved and is absorbed by the action that takes place. Faherty handles these sections very well.
The characters are a bit two dimensional and we don’t really get Eddie, the man who is changing his life around and the man who is hell bent on revenge. This is where the novel slightly lets you down as you lack empathy for Eddie and by the end of the novel, it is really hard to find anything likable in him at all. If the novel spent time on good Eddie, one who accepts responsibility for bad decisions and then we feel the demon side take over, it might have given the reader a bit more scope. Unfortunately this doesn’t really happen.
The evil or bad characters lack any sort of depth and Eddie’s surviving family unfortunately lack substance to get you really involved in their flight. Saying this, this doesn’t detract from the overall plot but does give it a lack of depth to make this novel really special.
Overall, the book is a good read and it is enjoyable and kept me entertained. My interest was piqued by the plot and where it was going but I did lack any passion for the characters themselves. There is a lot to like and enjoy but could have gone a tad further with character development.
August 22, 2019
Oh, I definitely picked this book because it reminded me of Nicholas Cage and Ghost Rider. I’m a sucker for covers like this and I haven’t read a story like this in a while.
The first half of this novel is a good old tale of revenge. It’s fun, and it’s exactly what I’d hoped for when I read the Blurb. Eddie Ryder has been really wronged, and he is on a mission to cause a lot of havoc and take out the people who angered him in his life.
What irked me a bit was when things started to get a little repetitive and when Eddie started taking out innocents. This is clearly done purposefully by JG Faherty to show Eddie’s sanity unravelling. While I find that plot line compelling, I think there are points that go a little over the top, and it becomes less believable.
Overall though, I did have fun reading this one. I think the first half is really well written, and while I had my issues with the second half, I’m still happy to have read this and am recommending it.
3.5 rounded to 4☆
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Random Things Tours. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
The first half of this novel is a good old tale of revenge. It’s fun, and it’s exactly what I’d hoped for when I read the Blurb. Eddie Ryder has been really wronged, and he is on a mission to cause a lot of havoc and take out the people who angered him in his life.
What irked me a bit was when things started to get a little repetitive and when Eddie started taking out innocents. This is clearly done purposefully by JG Faherty to show Eddie’s sanity unravelling. While I find that plot line compelling, I think there are points that go a little over the top, and it becomes less believable.
Overall though, I did have fun reading this one. I think the first half is really well written, and while I had my issues with the second half, I’m still happy to have read this and am recommending it.
3.5 rounded to 4☆
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Random Things Tours. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
August 8, 2019
2 and 1/2 stars
Didn't dig it as much that I thought I would. Fast-paced, clear narrative, nice enough rhythm but the overall delivery failed to grab me. Maybe it was the characters with whom I barely connected, or the plot which seemed to go nowhere. I wanted to be scared but I wasn't. Oh well, maybe next time. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
Didn't dig it as much that I thought I would. Fast-paced, clear narrative, nice enough rhythm but the overall delivery failed to grab me. Maybe it was the characters with whom I barely connected, or the plot which seemed to go nowhere. I wanted to be scared but I wasn't. Oh well, maybe next time. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
July 4, 2019
Eddie Ryder is a reluctant protagonist who owns his departed father, Big Eddie’s, car garage, but it’s a burden he did not wish for. He used to be a member of a biker gang called the Hell Riders. On top of being repulsive in many ways, they’re also devoted to racism. Eddie still respects most of their code not out of choice but out of necessity and survival.
He has been in several situations that left him with very difficult choices to make, which has turned him into a cynical pessimist. He also takes care of an ailing mother with emphysema as well as a younger brother, Connor, and had to quit school to support his family, another decision that he made out of necessity and something that ages him beyond his nineteen years. From a narrative standpoint, I found that Faherty pulled off a seamless transition between making Eddie a sympathetic character that transforms into a despicable one. The sympathy then shifts to his younger brother Carson, who takes the lead, and I think this was executed very well.
With a firm nod to the Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider comics (and the 2007 film adaptation starring Nicolas Cage), Eddie suffers a horrific death. Rather than using his newfound and unexpected powers for good, or having to fight the Devil, it doesn’t take long before he transforms into a force of unsettling evil. His inner turmoil at his newfound feelings and actions, trying to resist what he is becoming while firmly pursuing revenge, made for compelling reading.
One of author Faherty’s strong suits has long been the strong use of memorable characters that the reader can care for, and his latest novel is no exception. Eddie’s brother, Carson, and girlfriend, Kellie, have to work together against a malicious force and face the threat of an entity that is always five steps ahead of them. This makes for a suspenseful read.
There are copious amounts of cursing, drinking, and sexual content, so I do not consider it suitable for younger readers. Nonetheless, Hellrider is a thoroughly entertaining, pulse-pounding offering from J.G. Faherty and Flame Tree Press that will have a wide appeal to horror and fantasy readers.
He has been in several situations that left him with very difficult choices to make, which has turned him into a cynical pessimist. He also takes care of an ailing mother with emphysema as well as a younger brother, Connor, and had to quit school to support his family, another decision that he made out of necessity and something that ages him beyond his nineteen years. From a narrative standpoint, I found that Faherty pulled off a seamless transition between making Eddie a sympathetic character that transforms into a despicable one. The sympathy then shifts to his younger brother Carson, who takes the lead, and I think this was executed very well.
With a firm nod to the Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider comics (and the 2007 film adaptation starring Nicolas Cage), Eddie suffers a horrific death. Rather than using his newfound and unexpected powers for good, or having to fight the Devil, it doesn’t take long before he transforms into a force of unsettling evil. His inner turmoil at his newfound feelings and actions, trying to resist what he is becoming while firmly pursuing revenge, made for compelling reading.
One of author Faherty’s strong suits has long been the strong use of memorable characters that the reader can care for, and his latest novel is no exception. Eddie’s brother, Carson, and girlfriend, Kellie, have to work together against a malicious force and face the threat of an entity that is always five steps ahead of them. This makes for a suspenseful read.
There are copious amounts of cursing, drinking, and sexual content, so I do not consider it suitable for younger readers. Nonetheless, Hellrider is a thoroughly entertaining, pulse-pounding offering from J.G. Faherty and Flame Tree Press that will have a wide appeal to horror and fantasy readers.
May 3, 2019
I really anticipated this novel when I saw it available at NetGalley. In some ways I ended up liking it a lot, in other ways not so much. I found myself empathising with the eponymous character, Eddie Ryder, from the beginning, until nearly the end. He's had a rough life, bad genetics, but he does love his ailing mother (emphysema) and his younger (very intelligent) brother. He tries his best to support them and himself in a tiny little "backwater" community next to the Everglades. He's made mistakes, he's paid for them; but seems like either due to genetics or his own attitudes or his reputation, he's still paying...And then comes that fatal moment...
Except: for Eddie, it's fatal but it's also a second chance. So he decides to repay everybody that's done him wrong. That was fine for a while; I enjoy vigilante justice as much as the next person, but before too long, Eddie's spirit or ghost or whatever his afterdeath energy is called loses its hold on sanity; and from there it was just over the top. Too many people get hurt who really were "innocent bystanders." Like a war zone.
Finally Mr. Flaherty ties off the tapestry with a really neatly done ending and epilogue. Scary, but neat. And apropos to the story.
Except: for Eddie, it's fatal but it's also a second chance. So he decides to repay everybody that's done him wrong. That was fine for a while; I enjoy vigilante justice as much as the next person, but before too long, Eddie's spirit or ghost or whatever his afterdeath energy is called loses its hold on sanity; and from there it was just over the top. Too many people get hurt who really were "innocent bystanders." Like a war zone.
Finally Mr. Flaherty ties off the tapestry with a really neatly done ending and epilogue. Scary, but neat. And apropos to the story.
August 27, 2019
I absolutely loved this. Violence, bikes, death, revenge and even some romance. What more could you want in a book? This author writes with such tenacity I could not put this book down at all. Such a page-turner. Can't wait to see what else this author has written.
August 30, 2019
This is a book I'm reviewing for High Fever Books, so look there for my full review. However, I can at least give you a taste...
We don’t have enough horror novels that include heavy metal and motorcycles. In fact, I don’t know if we have that many horror novels that deal with motorcycles or heavy metal. It’s a fun pairing if you think about it. I mean, look at something like Ghostrider or The Spirit(it’s a movie, I know, but it works), both are deep in the horror vein, but they just need some speed metal to crank up the intensity. Which is exactly what JG Faherty did with Hellrider, a book about a vengeful ghost biker bent on taking the town of Hell Creek to task. It’s a fun, gory tale that might be a bit on the long side, but never lets up on the action.
When asked what influenced him the most when writing this, Faherty answered with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez’s Grindhouse as well as crazy motorcycle movies from the 50’s and 60’s. I mention this because this book definitely wears its influences on its sleeve. This is pure grindhouse cinema in book form. Lot’s of gory over-the-top action, plenty of boobs and talk of sex, plus the whole demon set on revenge thing. If that’s not your style than you are out of luck. But, for the rest of us, this is a blast of a book, something I could totally see as a B-movie that you’d watch late at night with a group of friends.
We don’t have enough horror novels that include heavy metal and motorcycles. In fact, I don’t know if we have that many horror novels that deal with motorcycles or heavy metal. It’s a fun pairing if you think about it. I mean, look at something like Ghostrider or The Spirit(it’s a movie, I know, but it works), both are deep in the horror vein, but they just need some speed metal to crank up the intensity. Which is exactly what JG Faherty did with Hellrider, a book about a vengeful ghost biker bent on taking the town of Hell Creek to task. It’s a fun, gory tale that might be a bit on the long side, but never lets up on the action.
When asked what influenced him the most when writing this, Faherty answered with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez’s Grindhouse as well as crazy motorcycle movies from the 50’s and 60’s. I mention this because this book definitely wears its influences on its sleeve. This is pure grindhouse cinema in book form. Lot’s of gory over-the-top action, plenty of boobs and talk of sex, plus the whole demon set on revenge thing. If that’s not your style than you are out of luck. But, for the rest of us, this is a blast of a book, something I could totally see as a B-movie that you’d watch late at night with a group of friends.
Read
August 14, 2019The cover really felt like a story about a motorcycle gang, and you would be right. It was about a man Eddie Ryder who was burned alive by the gang, Hell Riders, but lo and behold, he returned as a vengeful ghost who was hot tempered all the time. His motorcycle Diablo too joined him in his crusades. And man, he scared me. He could scare the gang and possess them. There was something purely evil in him.
My first book by J. G. Faherty, initially, it was super fun to see the ghostly avatar of Eddie taking his revenge. I was a wee bit scared imagining a vengeful spirit who had his super powers. Gulp!! I was amazed at the array of changes the author thrust on him. He soon transformed into pure evil where he started hurting innocent. It was this change which made him a strong character.
The author's style of writing was hard-hitting, some of the evil occurences written were a bit close to things that trigger me. I had to skim read those. A lot of cursing and sexual content had me turning the pages faster.
Overall the book reminded me of Ghost Rider and Nicholas Cage, and it was entertaining in its concept.
My first book by J. G. Faherty, initially, it was super fun to see the ghostly avatar of Eddie taking his revenge. I was a wee bit scared imagining a vengeful spirit who had his super powers. Gulp!! I was amazed at the array of changes the author thrust on him. He soon transformed into pure evil where he started hurting innocent. It was this change which made him a strong character.
The author's style of writing was hard-hitting, some of the evil occurences written were a bit close to things that trigger me. I had to skim read those. A lot of cursing and sexual content had me turning the pages faster.
Overall the book reminded me of Ghost Rider and Nicholas Cage, and it was entertaining in its concept.
August 18, 2019
2.5 stars rounded up.
I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. And to be honest, I really wish I liked it more.
I was hooked by a great cover and thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book where the story sets itself up and you get to know the characters.
Seeing as the plot of the book is Eddie’s revenge and how that changes him, I was prepared for his change in character; where the book lost me was in the truly juvenile nature of this revenge. Furthermore, I could have done without the explicit sexual scenes of revenge and the cringy underage almost-rape.
I think some readers will really enjoy this book, I’m just sad to say that it wasn’t my cup of tea.
I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. And to be honest, I really wish I liked it more.
I was hooked by a great cover and thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book where the story sets itself up and you get to know the characters.
Seeing as the plot of the book is Eddie’s revenge and how that changes him, I was prepared for his change in character; where the book lost me was in the truly juvenile nature of this revenge. Furthermore, I could have done without the explicit sexual scenes of revenge and the cringy underage almost-rape.
I think some readers will really enjoy this book, I’m just sad to say that it wasn’t my cup of tea.
August 8, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
I snagged Hellrider through Netgalley when it became available through Flametree Press. The cover art was intriguing and the brief synopsis sounded like a good time.
Hellrider is Eddie Ryder, a former biker-gang member who flipped on the boss to escape jail time. He now is trying to get his life in order, supporting his chronically ill mother and his younger brother, while running his dad’s repair shop. His dad took off some time ago and now Eddie is trying to make a go of it.
Then his former gang kills Eddie. But he doesn’t die. His soul or ghost of him remains and now he’s off for revenge.
Faherty did a great job of setting up for what could have been an outstanding redemption tale. Throw in revenge, ghostly compassion and some guidance for the younger brother and this story could’ve hummed like a well-built engine.
Where I found this tale went off the tracks for me was the frequent repetitive juvenile forays Eddie would take when possessing people. While the revenge scenes did play out well, far too often it felt like an episode of Sons of Anarchy only written by Adam Sandler.
Each time I thought Eddie would do the right thing, make a sound decision, he’d do something that felt unrealistic from what his intended actions for redemption were. And frequently the actions would cause pain or bring suffering on his brother or mom, the two people that we were supposed to believe Eddie cared about most in the world, both while living and dead.
The chronic illness aspect of the story with the mom also became a frustrating element. It was paramount and front at centre at the beginning, but as the action ramps up it gets pushed aside and doesn’t resurface until near the end of the book.
The story itself is a fun read and as I mentioned before, it really did remind me of SOA a bunch of times. Whether that’s a pro or con would be up to the individual.
The book itself was a page-turner and it had so much potential. Due to the repetitiveness, issues with Eddie’s character and the aspects I just found a bit dumbed down, it made for a struggle to thoroughly enjoy the book.
I wished this book would’ve elevated itself into the next level, but overall if you are just looking for a fun biker gang book with hints of Ghost Rider, you won’t go wrong here.
I snagged Hellrider through Netgalley when it became available through Flametree Press. The cover art was intriguing and the brief synopsis sounded like a good time.
Hellrider is Eddie Ryder, a former biker-gang member who flipped on the boss to escape jail time. He now is trying to get his life in order, supporting his chronically ill mother and his younger brother, while running his dad’s repair shop. His dad took off some time ago and now Eddie is trying to make a go of it.
Then his former gang kills Eddie. But he doesn’t die. His soul or ghost of him remains and now he’s off for revenge.
Faherty did a great job of setting up for what could have been an outstanding redemption tale. Throw in revenge, ghostly compassion and some guidance for the younger brother and this story could’ve hummed like a well-built engine.
Where I found this tale went off the tracks for me was the frequent repetitive juvenile forays Eddie would take when possessing people. While the revenge scenes did play out well, far too often it felt like an episode of Sons of Anarchy only written by Adam Sandler.
Each time I thought Eddie would do the right thing, make a sound decision, he’d do something that felt unrealistic from what his intended actions for redemption were. And frequently the actions would cause pain or bring suffering on his brother or mom, the two people that we were supposed to believe Eddie cared about most in the world, both while living and dead.
The chronic illness aspect of the story with the mom also became a frustrating element. It was paramount and front at centre at the beginning, but as the action ramps up it gets pushed aside and doesn’t resurface until near the end of the book.
The story itself is a fun read and as I mentioned before, it really did remind me of SOA a bunch of times. Whether that’s a pro or con would be up to the individual.
The book itself was a page-turner and it had so much potential. Due to the repetitiveness, issues with Eddie’s character and the aspects I just found a bit dumbed down, it made for a struggle to thoroughly enjoy the book.
I wished this book would’ve elevated itself into the next level, but overall if you are just looking for a fun biker gang book with hints of Ghost Rider, you won’t go wrong here.
August 29, 2019
This is a revenge story with supernatural twists that I loved. By setting the story in a small town it adds that besieged aspect to the story which is just another interesting element to the plot. The main character figuring out his powers little by little grounds this tale into a greater reality, at least as much reality as a ghost riding a custom motorcycle that can possess people and effect electricity can have.
I believe the characters are well fleshed out without any cliche traits or bogging down the story with tons of background info. Also enjoy the aspect that simple revenge creates a being that warps more and more into evil. Overall I enjoyed this book immensely and it makes me want to look up more of Mr. Faherty's work.
I believe the characters are well fleshed out without any cliche traits or bogging down the story with tons of background info. Also enjoy the aspect that simple revenge creates a being that warps more and more into evil. Overall I enjoyed this book immensely and it makes me want to look up more of Mr. Faherty's work.
August 15, 2019
2.5 stars rounded to 3 for goodreads.
A few months ago, while looking through all of the books Flametree press had up for sale on their website, I noticed Hellrider. One look at the demon on that motorcycle and I was immediately sold on this book. I wanted to love Hellrider. I NEEDED to love Hellrider. As I sit here after finishing the latest by JG Faherty, I’m disappointed to say that I had some issues with it that really prevented me from doing so.
Eddie Ryder, a former bike gang member who’s been recently released from prison is struggling. With a father who walked out on the Ryder family, and a mother too sick to pick up the slack, Eddie is left as the sole provider for his mother and brother. In a terrible case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Eddie is accidentally murdered by members of his former gang. Unfortunately for the town of Hells Creek, getting rid of Eddie wasn’t that easy. The book starts off great. I loved the story of a former gang member doing the right thing and taking care of his family. What I loved even more was the idea of the ghost of Eddie Ryder returning to obliterate the men who took his life. Although the book did get repetitive, Faherty has a way of keeping me hooked JUST enough to keep reading even when there were times I was ready to put this on the DNF. As the story progresses, Eddie's vengeful ghost changes for the worse. It’s obvious that Faherty has to make you hate Eddie, and I’m ok with that. A main character you hate can be just as good as one you love. Eddie’s teenage brother Carson is meant to be the hero you root for. Carson is the opposite of Eddie, he’s smart, he’s responsible, and he doesn’t get into the the kind of trouble Eddie did. So where did this go wrong? Simply put, as the ghost of Ryder becomes more powerful, Eddie loses control and essentially becomes a violent sex offender. If that wasn’t bad enough, I take some serious issue with the way that almost every female character is spoken about in this book. Many of the women here are essentially thrown in as sex objects for the Hellriders gang and frankly speaking, the way they are characterized is atrocious. It gets worse. Eddies ghost goes from a violent sexual deviant, to having sexual thoughts about his brothers teenage girlfriend, and there’s a point where those thoughts are almost acted on. What made all of this so noticeable and, in my opinion, so bad, is that it wasn’t necessary for the story at all. You really could have cut out all of those pieces, and what you’d have been left with is a much better book. That being said, the book around those parts was entertaining enough for me to continue to the conclusion.
By the time I had finished Hellrider, I was disappointed. I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. What makes my disappointment tougher to deal with, is that buried beneath the terrible depiction of many of the female characters, a propensity for sexual deviance, and a main character you hate (not in a good way) there was a very fun book that was ultimately held back by those issues.
2.5 stars
A few months ago, while looking through all of the books Flametree press had up for sale on their website, I noticed Hellrider. One look at the demon on that motorcycle and I was immediately sold on this book. I wanted to love Hellrider. I NEEDED to love Hellrider. As I sit here after finishing the latest by JG Faherty, I’m disappointed to say that I had some issues with it that really prevented me from doing so.
Eddie Ryder, a former bike gang member who’s been recently released from prison is struggling. With a father who walked out on the Ryder family, and a mother too sick to pick up the slack, Eddie is left as the sole provider for his mother and brother. In a terrible case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Eddie is accidentally murdered by members of his former gang. Unfortunately for the town of Hells Creek, getting rid of Eddie wasn’t that easy. The book starts off great. I loved the story of a former gang member doing the right thing and taking care of his family. What I loved even more was the idea of the ghost of Eddie Ryder returning to obliterate the men who took his life. Although the book did get repetitive, Faherty has a way of keeping me hooked JUST enough to keep reading even when there were times I was ready to put this on the DNF. As the story progresses, Eddie's vengeful ghost changes for the worse. It’s obvious that Faherty has to make you hate Eddie, and I’m ok with that. A main character you hate can be just as good as one you love. Eddie’s teenage brother Carson is meant to be the hero you root for. Carson is the opposite of Eddie, he’s smart, he’s responsible, and he doesn’t get into the the kind of trouble Eddie did. So where did this go wrong? Simply put, as the ghost of Ryder becomes more powerful, Eddie loses control and essentially becomes a violent sex offender. If that wasn’t bad enough, I take some serious issue with the way that almost every female character is spoken about in this book. Many of the women here are essentially thrown in as sex objects for the Hellriders gang and frankly speaking, the way they are characterized is atrocious. It gets worse. Eddies ghost goes from a violent sexual deviant, to having sexual thoughts about his brothers teenage girlfriend, and there’s a point where those thoughts are almost acted on. What made all of this so noticeable and, in my opinion, so bad, is that it wasn’t necessary for the story at all. You really could have cut out all of those pieces, and what you’d have been left with is a much better book. That being said, the book around those parts was entertaining enough for me to continue to the conclusion.
By the time I had finished Hellrider, I was disappointed. I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. What makes my disappointment tougher to deal with, is that buried beneath the terrible depiction of many of the female characters, a propensity for sexual deviance, and a main character you hate (not in a good way) there was a very fun book that was ultimately held back by those issues.
2.5 stars
September 30, 2019
2.5 Rounded Up!
Thank you to Netgalley & Flame Tree Press for providing me with an e-arc of Hellrider by J.G. Faherty in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings: I unfortunately did not jot down all the content warnings in Hellrider, however I do know there are a few mentions of rape & very close to being rape scenes.
Hellrider starts off pretty well; we get introduced to our protagonist (err…. antagonist?) Eddie. Eddie is an ex-Hellrider who gets murdered by his former bike gang. In the beginning, I felt for this character — he so clearly cared about his mother (who’s diagnosed with emphysema) & younger brother.
After the introduction we get introduced to the real meat of this tale & that’s Eddie returning from the dead with powers; y’all my dude’s out here controlling electricity & possessing bodies. Honestly, this whole concept is pretty rad.
After awhile, Eddie becomes drunk with revenge. Understandable, really. It’s a good time witnessing this development & see how much Eddie changes throughout his time in death. J.G. Faherty definitely developed a wonderful concept & characterization.
However, I do have some issues with Hellrider. As it progresses, Eddie continuously possesses bodies in order to get his revenge & this does start to feel repetitive & in all honesty, boring.
& although I know it’s intentional & it probably won’t bother many other people, I did start to get uncomfortable with Eddie going too far. Hellrider starts to get real rape-y when it comes to Eddie & his younger teen brother’s girlfriend, Kellie. There’s a scene where Eddie possesses Kellie & squeezes her breast & honestly, it just felt so weird and uncomfortable to read. There’s other rape-y aspects, including possessing a a gay man & having him force himself onto a female co-worker. What the what.
All in all, J.G. Faherty is a wonderful writer & he definitely told a tale that had a wonderful concept. However, towards the last half — most of my interest had evaporated & I was left with being uncomfortable.
Thank you to Netgalley & Flame Tree Press for providing me with an e-arc of Hellrider by J.G. Faherty in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings: I unfortunately did not jot down all the content warnings in Hellrider, however I do know there are a few mentions of rape & very close to being rape scenes.
Hellrider starts off pretty well; we get introduced to our protagonist (err…. antagonist?) Eddie. Eddie is an ex-Hellrider who gets murdered by his former bike gang. In the beginning, I felt for this character — he so clearly cared about his mother (who’s diagnosed with emphysema) & younger brother.
After the introduction we get introduced to the real meat of this tale & that’s Eddie returning from the dead with powers; y’all my dude’s out here controlling electricity & possessing bodies. Honestly, this whole concept is pretty rad.
After awhile, Eddie becomes drunk with revenge. Understandable, really. It’s a good time witnessing this development & see how much Eddie changes throughout his time in death. J.G. Faherty definitely developed a wonderful concept & characterization.
However, I do have some issues with Hellrider. As it progresses, Eddie continuously possesses bodies in order to get his revenge & this does start to feel repetitive & in all honesty, boring.
& although I know it’s intentional & it probably won’t bother many other people, I did start to get uncomfortable with Eddie going too far. Hellrider starts to get real rape-y when it comes to Eddie & his younger teen brother’s girlfriend, Kellie. There’s a scene where Eddie possesses Kellie & squeezes her breast & honestly, it just felt so weird and uncomfortable to read. There’s other rape-y aspects, including possessing a a gay man & having him force himself onto a female co-worker. What the what.
All in all, J.G. Faherty is a wonderful writer & he definitely told a tale that had a wonderful concept. However, towards the last half — most of my interest had evaporated & I was left with being uncomfortable.
April 28, 2021
I was well on my way to giving this book 4 stars.
Because, 1) motorcycles!, 2) a bad-ass ghost biker, 3) ACTION! LOTS of action, 4) a sweet little romance, and 5) a very cool premise of what the afterlife might be & how it all worked - at least for the lead, Eddie Ryder. All of these things made me really care for the main characters, their lives, their loves, their hardships, their dreams.
What changed? About 3/4 of the way through, it all started to take a slow, downward, repetitive plunge as Eddie began to gradually lose his mind & sense of self. There was still plenty of action and explosions and all that, but it turned into, *yawn* here we go yet again, just get it over with already! I didn't find his actions believable or in line with how he was being portrayed in the beginning. He was basically a good guy doing his damnedest to get his life and the lives of his family into a better place. He'd made some bad decisions in the past and was trying to right those horrible wrongs. For him to go where he did simply didn't make sense to me.
The ending also left me confused. Why? What actually happened to Eddie and why did he go in the direction he did? I wanted answers, not more questions that could only lead to more insanity.
Because, 1) motorcycles!, 2) a bad-ass ghost biker, 3) ACTION! LOTS of action, 4) a sweet little romance, and 5) a very cool premise of what the afterlife might be & how it all worked - at least for the lead, Eddie Ryder. All of these things made me really care for the main characters, their lives, their loves, their hardships, their dreams.
What changed? About 3/4 of the way through, it all started to take a slow, downward, repetitive plunge as Eddie began to gradually lose his mind & sense of self. There was still plenty of action and explosions and all that, but it turned into, *yawn* here we go yet again, just get it over with already! I didn't find his actions believable or in line with how he was being portrayed in the beginning. He was basically a good guy doing his damnedest to get his life and the lives of his family into a better place. He'd made some bad decisions in the past and was trying to right those horrible wrongs. For him to go where he did simply didn't make sense to me.
The ending also left me confused. Why? What actually happened to Eddie and why did he go in the direction he did? I wanted answers, not more questions that could only lead to more insanity.
August 20, 2019
Eddie used to be a member of the biker gang, The Hell Riders, but threatened with a jail sentence, he grassed up other gang members. Now persona non grata, he runs his garage and struggles to care for his emphasema ridden mum, and his 16 year old brother, Carson.
One night, working out in his garage, the Hell Riders firebomb the building, not knowing or caring if Eddie was inside…..he dies!
BUT, so full of anger, he comes back to seek revenge……along with his beloved Diablo…
If you like Grindhouse, as in Death Proof etc you’ll love this….it has violence, blood, revenge, bikes, and even a little teen romance in this small town horror….can Carson and Kellie stop his brother before the town is destroyed? Fun, gory and brilliant…
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book and this is my honest, unbiased review.
One night, working out in his garage, the Hell Riders firebomb the building, not knowing or caring if Eddie was inside…..he dies!
BUT, so full of anger, he comes back to seek revenge……along with his beloved Diablo…
If you like Grindhouse, as in Death Proof etc you’ll love this….it has violence, blood, revenge, bikes, and even a little teen romance in this small town horror….can Carson and Kellie stop his brother before the town is destroyed? Fun, gory and brilliant…
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book and this is my honest, unbiased review.
June 18, 2019
I was so excited to read this one. The blurb sounded exactly like something my twisted brain would love. And I did love it until about halfway through it. At that point, Eddie just became a murderous, raping, horrible person. Up until certain points in this story I was very sympathetic towards him and I really was rooting for him to get the revenge he wanted so badly after his death and honestly deserved IMO.
But then things happened and he just became so unlikable. The story itself remained really good. The writing was excellent and it flowed pretty well for such a long book. I can't wait to read more from this new-to-me author.
But then things happened and he just became so unlikable. The story itself remained really good. The writing was excellent and it flowed pretty well for such a long book. I can't wait to read more from this new-to-me author.
December 11, 2023
Eddie Ryder, ex-member of the Hell Riders, gets burned alive by the gang, only to come back for revenge. Eddie returns as a ghost who can take over other peoples bodies. Carson, his younger brother can feel his return. Driven by revenge, Carson and Kellie, the police chief's daughter, are the only ones who can stop Eddie before his mind gets completly taken over by anger.
Most definitely inspired by the Ghost Rider, Hellrider sadly did not bring much of its own on the table. I wouldn't mind a Ghost Rider inspired story, if the action was on par. We also don't get much time with Eddie before he goes on a rampage, so it was hard for me to care much about him.
Most definitely inspired by the Ghost Rider, Hellrider sadly did not bring much of its own on the table. I wouldn't mind a Ghost Rider inspired story, if the action was on par. We also don't get much time with Eddie before he goes on a rampage, so it was hard for me to care much about him.
August 19, 2019
Hellrider is a supernatural revenge story that's not afraid to push the envelope - but one that falls into the trap of feeling like it's doing so simply for shock value.
After Eddie Ryder is killed by the small town bikie gang he ratted out, he returns as a vengeful spirit determined to destroy those who stole his life.
With the ability to possess the living, he sets about a course of violence, sex and borderline rape to tear the club apart from the inside.
But as the bodies pile up, he begins to lose himself to the forces of evil - spiralling into a cycle of senseless violence and depraved acts.
It's a story that starts strong with a clear path of revenge but muddies as "the demon" takes hold.
Eddie is not a likeable character and offers very little redeemable moments as the novel progresses.
Yes, this is the point but it's a tough slog to make when for the most part you don't actually care if he succeeds or not.
Throw in some moments of borderline underage rape and it's mostly a hard pass.
After Eddie Ryder is killed by the small town bikie gang he ratted out, he returns as a vengeful spirit determined to destroy those who stole his life.
With the ability to possess the living, he sets about a course of violence, sex and borderline rape to tear the club apart from the inside.
But as the bodies pile up, he begins to lose himself to the forces of evil - spiralling into a cycle of senseless violence and depraved acts.
It's a story that starts strong with a clear path of revenge but muddies as "the demon" takes hold.
Eddie is not a likeable character and offers very little redeemable moments as the novel progresses.
Yes, this is the point but it's a tough slog to make when for the most part you don't actually care if he succeeds or not.
Throw in some moments of borderline underage rape and it's mostly a hard pass.
May 15, 2020
It's very rare for me to not give a writer of j g,s stature less than 5 stars, but for the life of me this seems all I can do. This book is crazy, insane, chaotic, funny, scary, I mean everything it's supposed to have, but it has only that spark of 4 stars. It exciting and very fast paced read, you cold read worse, and believe me there are worse out there. Thanks for a great read j g. Makes me wanna look up everytime I hear thunder. That's my review, and if you dont like it, take a number, you're gonna need a bigger boat.
August 12, 2022
Eddie Ryder is a bad boy who is doing his best for his family even if it means having a steady job at the garage instead of running with his motorcycle gang. He resents most of the people in town who he feels never gave him a chance. He's killed when his gang burns down his garage. The rest of the book is how he turns into "Hellrider" and gets his revenge. But as the anger slowly eats away at his mind, he has a little too much cruel fun at both real and imagined slights. His saving grace is his love for his brother and mother, but even that is wearing thin. Good story. Believable characters.
June 1, 2019
I received a galley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This novel has a fun idea, with a wronged man back for revenge, able to possess people to help bring about his vengeance. But as the book goes on and it devolves into a series of murders and sexual assaults, it becomes tiresome.
This novel has a fun idea, with a wronged man back for revenge, able to possess people to help bring about his vengeance. But as the book goes on and it devolves into a series of murders and sexual assaults, it becomes tiresome.
September 10, 2019
I found the bok to be well written and very descriptive, but unfortunately, I felt that it took forever to get to the point. The characters were well defined. I give it the rating I do because I believe that it does have some redeeming qualities. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish it. That's not to say someone else might not enjoy it.
August 22, 2019
A non-stop wave of escalating terror and destruction, with often a thin veil between the 'good' guys and the 'bad'. Lots of action, lots of twists and turns. Refreshingly different.
I received my copy through NetGalley.
I received my copy through NetGalley.
August 22, 2019
Dark and disturbing, this splendid example of a lead character’s transformation will keep you turning pages all night. Faherty is a gifted storyteller whose work seems to hit a new high with each publication. This horror novel is often cringe worthy (in a good way), and always compelling.
July 5, 2019
Not my cup of tea. I was not engaged by the plot and DNFed it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
August 12, 2020
I loved this. Fun little revenge tale and Eddie Ryders descent from ghost to vengeful spirit was just fantastic! One of my absolute favorites. Really good if you like this kind of story, imo.
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