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Criterium
Fighting the same addiction that killed his father, a young man stumbles across a strange bike that takes him on a terrifying ride into darkness.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2020
18 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Tyler Jones
23 books195 followersTyler Jones is the author of CRITERIUM, THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROOM, ALMOST RUTH, BURN THE PLANS, TURN UP THE SUN, HEAVY OCEANS, MIDAS, and LONGSIGHT M40.
His upcoming books include:
DEPTH CHARGE (Shortwave Publishing)
NIGHT OF THE GLASS KNIVES (Shortwave Publishing)
GO (Clash Books)
His work has appeared in the anthologies BURNT TONGUES (edited by Chuck Palahniuk), ONE THING WAS CERTAIN, 101 PROOF HORROR, CAMPFIRE MACABRE, PARANORMAL CONTACT and in Dark Moon Digest, Coffin Bell, Aphotic Realm, Cemetery Dance, LitReactor, and The NoSleep Podcast.
He lives in Portland, Oregon.
He is represented by Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Agency and Alec Frankel at IAG for Film/TV.
His upcoming books include:
DEPTH CHARGE (Shortwave Publishing)
NIGHT OF THE GLASS KNIVES (Shortwave Publishing)
GO (Clash Books)
His work has appeared in the anthologies BURNT TONGUES (edited by Chuck Palahniuk), ONE THING WAS CERTAIN, 101 PROOF HORROR, CAMPFIRE MACABRE, PARANORMAL CONTACT and in Dark Moon Digest, Coffin Bell, Aphotic Realm, Cemetery Dance, LitReactor, and The NoSleep Podcast.
He lives in Portland, Oregon.
He is represented by Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Agency and Alec Frankel at IAG for Film/TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
February 1, 2021
This is the second novella I've ready by Tyler Jones and, like the first one, I've emerged impressed, entertained, and wanting more.
Jones has a unique perspective on things, and I found both his books to be fresh ideas that are breathing a little life into the same-old, same-old I sometimes get from reading horror fiction. I like new ideas. I like new voices.
Jones delivers on both.
Very excited to see what this dude conjures up coming forward. If you haven't picked up his books, I'd highly recommend doing so immediately.
Jones has a unique perspective on things, and I found both his books to be fresh ideas that are breathing a little life into the same-old, same-old I sometimes get from reading horror fiction. I like new ideas. I like new voices.
Jones delivers on both.
Very excited to see what this dude conjures up coming forward. If you haven't picked up his books, I'd highly recommend doing so immediately.
January 5, 2021
I finished 'Criterium' by Tyler Jones in less than a day, but this novella has an important subject - addiction. It is on its surface a novella about a kid's journey into horror after he steals a bicycle, but I think the book is an allegory about addiction.
Criterium - a one-day bicycle ride on a circuit road course.
Zach Ayers is grieving after seeing his dad's body on the street. Mysteriously, his father's body had been on fire while on a bicycle. He didn't understand how his dad died, but he had already been scared of what was happening to his dad.
The Ayers were broke from Mr. Ayers spending every penny on drugs. His mother was in despair. His eleven-year-old sister Tessa was frightened. Everyone was awake in the middle of the night from the screaming fights between Zach's parents. Zach couldn't understand what was happening to his dad. Then his dad died, his body destroyed.
Zach begins using opioids. It's the only thing that makes the emotional pain stop. The pills make him feel good, and they stop the disturbing feelings. Of course, now his mother, who is working night shifts to pay the bills, has to also do all of the housework that Zach is too stoned to do despite that he promised to help out. Tessa is skipping breakfast because Zach couldn't wake up to help her get ready for school, which he also promised. He meant to help out the family! But the drugs make all of his grief and guilt from slacking off on his responsibilities disappear....
Oh oh.
The novella is graphic as the intended audience are fans of horror, especially young readers who love reading horror genre.
Criterium - a one-day bicycle ride on a circuit road course.
Zach Ayers is grieving after seeing his dad's body on the street. Mysteriously, his father's body had been on fire while on a bicycle. He didn't understand how his dad died, but he had already been scared of what was happening to his dad.
The Ayers were broke from Mr. Ayers spending every penny on drugs. His mother was in despair. His eleven-year-old sister Tessa was frightened. Everyone was awake in the middle of the night from the screaming fights between Zach's parents. Zach couldn't understand what was happening to his dad. Then his dad died, his body destroyed.
Zach begins using opioids. It's the only thing that makes the emotional pain stop. The pills make him feel good, and they stop the disturbing feelings. Of course, now his mother, who is working night shifts to pay the bills, has to also do all of the housework that Zach is too stoned to do despite that he promised to help out. Tessa is skipping breakfast because Zach couldn't wake up to help her get ready for school, which he also promised. He meant to help out the family! But the drugs make all of his grief and guilt from slacking off on his responsibilities disappear....
Oh oh.
The novella is graphic as the intended audience are fans of horror, especially young readers who love reading horror genre.
December 29, 2020
Criterium is a brutal journey that launches us into the world of grief, addiction, and something infinitely darker.
The novella introduces us to Zach, a boy following his father's footsteps down a path of dependency. His day takes a turn when he happens upon a bike he decides to steal, and we are treated to a bone-chilling ride that will make even the most jaded horror fan cringe and cower.
I loved of this story. From the tear-stained moments of real world sorrow to the merciless, supernatural terror, I was enthralled.
The honesty of the Jones' writing is an open wound, suffering laid bare. And in that suffering is an overwhelming beauty.
I highly recommend, and I'll be excited to discover other titles by this author.
The novella introduces us to Zach, a boy following his father's footsteps down a path of dependency. His day takes a turn when he happens upon a bike he decides to steal, and we are treated to a bone-chilling ride that will make even the most jaded horror fan cringe and cower.
I loved of this story. From the tear-stained moments of real world sorrow to the merciless, supernatural terror, I was enthralled.
The honesty of the Jones' writing is an open wound, suffering laid bare. And in that suffering is an overwhelming beauty.
I highly recommend, and I'll be excited to discover other titles by this author.
January 3, 2021
Criterium
by Tyler Jones
This is an odd story where people end up burnt to a crisp in front of a old drug dealer's house with no explanation as to how they got there or how they caught fire. The story is about a boy and his father is one of those drug addicts that died there. But the story doesn't stop there, he finds out how and why people die like that.
I liked the story but the people were flat, maybe it was meant to be, but I didn't have strong emotions for the boy who was the main character.
by Tyler Jones
This is an odd story where people end up burnt to a crisp in front of a old drug dealer's house with no explanation as to how they got there or how they caught fire. The story is about a boy and his father is one of those drug addicts that died there. But the story doesn't stop there, he finds out how and why people die like that.
I liked the story but the people were flat, maybe it was meant to be, but I didn't have strong emotions for the boy who was the main character.
July 11, 2020
I read an advanced copy of this. Stay tuned for a glowing review on Cemetery Dance. Cover Reveal/Pre-Order, etc. on Night Worms.
October 27, 2020
4.5 stars - updated as now live on STORGY.com
Back in the early part of 2014 I first read Bunt Tongues (an anthology of transgressive fiction) and to be honest, I didn’t think much of it.
This year Burnt Tongues got a much needed facelift. The thing is the only difference was a new cover and an illustration for each of the stories held within. You see it’s strange when you re-read books, because this time, I bloody loved it – I guess my brain was ready to process what I was reading, and well, pretty much all of the stories hit home like a machete to the face.
I then went on a manhunt, trying to find stories from the writers I enjoyed reading in the anthology, and I couldn’t find any. I found the rare short story on a website, but there was nothing really substantial, no collection, no novella, not even a novel. So my hopes of discovering more from these writers was looking like a dead end, and I remember thinking how criminal that was, so much talent in those pages and yet nothing substantial to show for their brilliance.
I put a tweet out and was thrilled when Tyler Jones (he wrote F For Fake in Burnt Tongues) said that he had a little novella coming out that he’d send my way. I enjoyed the prose and writing style of Jones’ work in F For Fake, so was very excited to see what he could do with a longer form, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Criterium starts like a spark from a broken plug socket, a small insignificant flash of light, but that spark soon catches the chair next to it on fire, then the fire soon spreads to the curtains, and then before you know it the whole room is a fiery furnace, full of raging destruction and evil intent. The reader continues reading and opens the door to the novella and the backdraft just rages through us, destroying and laying waste to everything in its path.
Towards the novella’s end we are looking back at that same room as the smoke clears, we see what was a family home laid to waste, we see memories torn from their moorings, we see lives broken and shattered like the picture frames that succumbed to the devastating heat. We see grief and fear, mushed underfoot in the soggy carpet from the water used to stop this inferno.
But in the chaos, in the brokenness, in the blackened and devastated lives this fire has touched and consumed; there are a few rare things that remain unblemished, things that escaped the blaze – memories, dreams and hope for something better. Things will get better, things will be better, it might just take some time.
Jones’ prose in Criterium is like a shot of adrenaline to the heart. Once you turn that first page, you give over any control you once had, this book will steamroll you into the ride of your life (I finished it in less than a day). Criterium has such a frenetic and frenzied feel to the prose, you can almost feel the wind in your face and the heat on your flesh. But with it being fast and unforgiving Jones never loses control of the story, in fact I’d say that he writes this story to within an inch of it’s life… there are moments of frenzied paranoia and then subtle and melancholic moments of sadness, grief and aloneness. It’s intoxicating.
What I also fiercely enjoyed about Jones’ writing is the things that remain unsaid, the small nuggets that he drops into conversations. It’s truly brilliant writing, because without saying too much or spelling it out to the reader, we become fully aware of the familial issues that are plaguing the Ayers family. These issues build in the opening of the book and leave the reader gasping for breath as the familial fire rages and sucks all the oxygen from your lungs. I was both shocked and appalled, but couldn’t look away.
‘Fighting the same addiction that killed his father, a young man stumbles across a strange bike that takes him on a terrifying ride into darkness.’
As this is a novella I don’t want to talk too much about the story as I feel it would do a disservice in directing it too much attention to the plot – as I mentioned this book reads like a freight train, you keep flipping those pages and the story is gone in the blink of an eye. But what I will say is this, Criterium is a familial story wrapped in the tight embrace of grief and of repeating past mistakes. It’s a story that made my heart ache and my palms sweaty – and it perfectly details the lengths that people travel to escape the curse of hopelessness and the all consuming power of addiction.
Criterium is a small story but with a big blackened heart beating at its centre. There are not many players in this intense novella, but each one is beautifully brought to life. The themes of loss, addiction, grief, hope and despair are fabulously woven into the tight and addictive prose, with the calibre of writing showcasing what a talent Jones is, and why we need more from his pen and his macabre mind. Jones’ prose is a delight, easy on the eye whilst also being all consuming – I just couldn’t put this book down once I started and the world seemed to fade away whilst I was stuck within its pages.
Criterium had me reminiscing about a few books and stories, Christine by Stephen King, What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson, Damned by Chuck Palahniuk, Junky by William S. Burroughs and a short story I had the honour of reading from James Frey which has yet to be published (for the life of me I can’t remember it – but it was a young boy given a tour of purgatory, pretty damn good!), also you can’t help but make the Ghost Rider (comic book not that appalling film) connection too – but with all these comparisons, Criterium still remains wholly original and unique, a book that announces Tyler Jones to the world – it has been a long time coming since the publication in Burnt Tongues in 2014 but now he’s here, and long may it continue!
Criterium is a blistering ride of a novella and one I highly recommend you check out!
Back in the early part of 2014 I first read Bunt Tongues (an anthology of transgressive fiction) and to be honest, I didn’t think much of it.
This year Burnt Tongues got a much needed facelift. The thing is the only difference was a new cover and an illustration for each of the stories held within. You see it’s strange when you re-read books, because this time, I bloody loved it – I guess my brain was ready to process what I was reading, and well, pretty much all of the stories hit home like a machete to the face.
I then went on a manhunt, trying to find stories from the writers I enjoyed reading in the anthology, and I couldn’t find any. I found the rare short story on a website, but there was nothing really substantial, no collection, no novella, not even a novel. So my hopes of discovering more from these writers was looking like a dead end, and I remember thinking how criminal that was, so much talent in those pages and yet nothing substantial to show for their brilliance.
I put a tweet out and was thrilled when Tyler Jones (he wrote F For Fake in Burnt Tongues) said that he had a little novella coming out that he’d send my way. I enjoyed the prose and writing style of Jones’ work in F For Fake, so was very excited to see what he could do with a longer form, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Criterium starts like a spark from a broken plug socket, a small insignificant flash of light, but that spark soon catches the chair next to it on fire, then the fire soon spreads to the curtains, and then before you know it the whole room is a fiery furnace, full of raging destruction and evil intent. The reader continues reading and opens the door to the novella and the backdraft just rages through us, destroying and laying waste to everything in its path.
Towards the novella’s end we are looking back at that same room as the smoke clears, we see what was a family home laid to waste, we see memories torn from their moorings, we see lives broken and shattered like the picture frames that succumbed to the devastating heat. We see grief and fear, mushed underfoot in the soggy carpet from the water used to stop this inferno.
But in the chaos, in the brokenness, in the blackened and devastated lives this fire has touched and consumed; there are a few rare things that remain unblemished, things that escaped the blaze – memories, dreams and hope for something better. Things will get better, things will be better, it might just take some time.
Jones’ prose in Criterium is like a shot of adrenaline to the heart. Once you turn that first page, you give over any control you once had, this book will steamroll you into the ride of your life (I finished it in less than a day). Criterium has such a frenetic and frenzied feel to the prose, you can almost feel the wind in your face and the heat on your flesh. But with it being fast and unforgiving Jones never loses control of the story, in fact I’d say that he writes this story to within an inch of it’s life… there are moments of frenzied paranoia and then subtle and melancholic moments of sadness, grief and aloneness. It’s intoxicating.
What I also fiercely enjoyed about Jones’ writing is the things that remain unsaid, the small nuggets that he drops into conversations. It’s truly brilliant writing, because without saying too much or spelling it out to the reader, we become fully aware of the familial issues that are plaguing the Ayers family. These issues build in the opening of the book and leave the reader gasping for breath as the familial fire rages and sucks all the oxygen from your lungs. I was both shocked and appalled, but couldn’t look away.
‘Fighting the same addiction that killed his father, a young man stumbles across a strange bike that takes him on a terrifying ride into darkness.’
As this is a novella I don’t want to talk too much about the story as I feel it would do a disservice in directing it too much attention to the plot – as I mentioned this book reads like a freight train, you keep flipping those pages and the story is gone in the blink of an eye. But what I will say is this, Criterium is a familial story wrapped in the tight embrace of grief and of repeating past mistakes. It’s a story that made my heart ache and my palms sweaty – and it perfectly details the lengths that people travel to escape the curse of hopelessness and the all consuming power of addiction.
Criterium is a small story but with a big blackened heart beating at its centre. There are not many players in this intense novella, but each one is beautifully brought to life. The themes of loss, addiction, grief, hope and despair are fabulously woven into the tight and addictive prose, with the calibre of writing showcasing what a talent Jones is, and why we need more from his pen and his macabre mind. Jones’ prose is a delight, easy on the eye whilst also being all consuming – I just couldn’t put this book down once I started and the world seemed to fade away whilst I was stuck within its pages.
Criterium had me reminiscing about a few books and stories, Christine by Stephen King, What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson, Damned by Chuck Palahniuk, Junky by William S. Burroughs and a short story I had the honour of reading from James Frey which has yet to be published (for the life of me I can’t remember it – but it was a young boy given a tour of purgatory, pretty damn good!), also you can’t help but make the Ghost Rider (comic book not that appalling film) connection too – but with all these comparisons, Criterium still remains wholly original and unique, a book that announces Tyler Jones to the world – it has been a long time coming since the publication in Burnt Tongues in 2014 but now he’s here, and long may it continue!
Criterium is a blistering ride of a novella and one I highly recommend you check out!
July 25, 2021
A great allegory for addiction. Add this to the list of books addicts should probably read. There aren't necessarily answers here, but there is perspective, and that's something addicts lose while slaves to whatever it is they struggle with. Great job, Tyler!
January 31, 2021
A haunting masterclass in storytelling. Highly recommended.
December 2, 2020
4.5 stars (Rounded up for Goodreads)
A family is being torn apart from the inside out due to the inability of the man of the house to shake his demons and out-run the ghost. The ghost unfortunately is drugs.
Now gone, but not forgotten, the void the father of two has left behind causes turmoil to the surviving members of the family. This would be the perfect time for teenager Zach to step up and become the man of the house. Instead, Zach becomes the disappointment in his mother’s eyes due to him following his father down the same road.
After being kicked out, we can only hope Zach does the right thing, and turns his life around. Instead he decided to make bad choice after bad choice, before coming across a bike that will change his life forever.
Criterium is laced with grief and heartbreak throughout, as a Supernatural force makes Zach realize how his actions affect those he loves.
This is a remarkable story, told with gut-wrenching details, causing emotions from deep within. Tyler Jones hits hard, hard enough to knock the reader on their ass. Complete with fast paced details, the transitions from page to page and chapter to chapter are flawless. Once the ride starts, your adrenaline starts to pump and doesn’t let up until it’s finished.
The tale is brilliantly presented, with a smooth prose. Tyler Jones presents a very honest and straight to the point story. Haunting throughout with a dark and eerie figure looming overhead, you feel the hair on your arms to stand up when Zach is faced with pending doom.
A finely crafted story.
A family is being torn apart from the inside out due to the inability of the man of the house to shake his demons and out-run the ghost. The ghost unfortunately is drugs.
Now gone, but not forgotten, the void the father of two has left behind causes turmoil to the surviving members of the family. This would be the perfect time for teenager Zach to step up and become the man of the house. Instead, Zach becomes the disappointment in his mother’s eyes due to him following his father down the same road.
After being kicked out, we can only hope Zach does the right thing, and turns his life around. Instead he decided to make bad choice after bad choice, before coming across a bike that will change his life forever.
Criterium is laced with grief and heartbreak throughout, as a Supernatural force makes Zach realize how his actions affect those he loves.
This is a remarkable story, told with gut-wrenching details, causing emotions from deep within. Tyler Jones hits hard, hard enough to knock the reader on their ass. Complete with fast paced details, the transitions from page to page and chapter to chapter are flawless. Once the ride starts, your adrenaline starts to pump and doesn’t let up until it’s finished.
The tale is brilliantly presented, with a smooth prose. Tyler Jones presents a very honest and straight to the point story. Haunting throughout with a dark and eerie figure looming overhead, you feel the hair on your arms to stand up when Zach is faced with pending doom.
A finely crafted story.
November 21, 2020
Haunting and Sublime
CRITERIUM is a haunting novella that deals with loss and addiction, and I absolutely could not put it down. The writing is sublime, and compelled me to finish the book in one sitting.This is a dark, mysterious story that drips with atmosphere, and a sense of dread runs through it like a cable. CRITERIUM easily gets five stars from me. I look forward to reading more work from this author in the future.
CRITERIUM is a haunting novella that deals with loss and addiction, and I absolutely could not put it down. The writing is sublime, and compelled me to finish the book in one sitting.This is a dark, mysterious story that drips with atmosphere, and a sense of dread runs through it like a cable. CRITERIUM easily gets five stars from me. I look forward to reading more work from this author in the future.
March 8, 2021
”Zach wiped his bloodshot eyes and went over to the door, put his hand on the knob. He wanted to see her, give her a hug, say he loved her, but his eyes fluttered as his head grew lighter, and all those thoughts burst apart in chalk explosions. He felt each one dissolve like a pill under his tongue.”
Criterium is a story about struggling to be the best version of yourself, of coping with grief at losing a loved one not only through death but through addiction. It is the difficulty of escaping the bad cycles (heh) we feel doomed to repeat.
Since this is such a short tale, the less you know going in, the better. I knew the general premise when I picked it up, which made me impatient to “get to the good parts.” One of my editing clients raved about this book after hearing Chuck Palahniuk rave about it on a podcast, so that goes to show the power of word of mouth.
Zach is a flawed-but-sympathetic protagonist, but Henry Thayer is the real MVP as a background mentor figure in the story who carries the emotions of key scenes. In general, I love books that feature unexplained supernatural happenings, and this story definitely leaves the reader with more questions than answers. The conflict didn’t escalate as much as I expected, but I did like the twist ending, which was darkly comedic in its way.
There are several moments of poignant prose, such as “he told himself that counted for something in a world whose teeth were forever ripping things away from him” and “The disappointment, and love so raw it was angry, etched into every wrinkle around his mom’s eyes.” Jones does a stellar job of conveying weighty ideas through simple language. I can’t get that phrase “love so raw it was angry” out of my head.
I doubt this book is longer than 20,000 words. Having said that, I was unsurprised to find that in an interview, the author said this book had begun its life as a short story. At times, the scenes felt overly elongated and repetitive, making me feel that perhaps it should’ve remained a short story. The manuscript could’ve used one more polish for typos and filter verbs (especially “he knew”).
Overall, Criterium feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone, leaving readers with a burning afterimage.
I highly recommend reading the author’s interview with Lit Reactor, where he shares his insights into the writing and editing process, such as this gem that captures the perfect imperfections of this book:
Back when I played guitar in a band, we’d often talk about “perfect imperfection” in the records we all loved. It was the slightly out-of-tune guitar, the ragged voice that couldn’t quite hit the high note—all these things that, together, created something raw and real. I think there’s purity in letting something exist within the context it was created. Not that something shouldn’t be edited, or made better, but not at the cost of draining all the blood out of the work in order to make it more “perfect.”
August 6, 2021
Last year @tjoneswriter was kind enough to send a couple of his books, and I’m FINALLY getting to them!
First up is CRITERIUM, a novella about a teenage boy named Zach who is fighting the same addiction that killed his father when he stumbles across a strange bike that takes him on a terrifying ride into darkness.
I love the opening set up for this story because as soon as Zach gets on that bike and it won’t let him off, you know he’s in trouble. You know because the book starts with a screaming, burning, shocking death…involving the same bike. And so you read with a cold sinking feeling in your gut, hand gripping the pages and eyes unable to blink. I’ve never been so scared of a bike before.
This is absolutely one of those books you read in a single day or, time permitting, a single sitting. It hooks you immediately and doesn’t let up. The prose is quick and light, but full of deeper meaning. Lots of vivid imagery and details too. The tension ratchets up with every page, but there are also moments of raw emotion, grief, and honesty scattered throughout. It’s a coming of age book of sorts, and it touches on topics of addiction, abandonment, broken trust, and guilt (all done literally and through captivating metaphor).
This is not a happy book, but I had a blast reading it. It’s very earnest and I’m a big fan of our imperfect young protagonist. This is an excellent introduction to the author’s work, and I’m very excited to read more!!
First up is CRITERIUM, a novella about a teenage boy named Zach who is fighting the same addiction that killed his father when he stumbles across a strange bike that takes him on a terrifying ride into darkness.
I love the opening set up for this story because as soon as Zach gets on that bike and it won’t let him off, you know he’s in trouble. You know because the book starts with a screaming, burning, shocking death…involving the same bike. And so you read with a cold sinking feeling in your gut, hand gripping the pages and eyes unable to blink. I’ve never been so scared of a bike before.
This is absolutely one of those books you read in a single day or, time permitting, a single sitting. It hooks you immediately and doesn’t let up. The prose is quick and light, but full of deeper meaning. Lots of vivid imagery and details too. The tension ratchets up with every page, but there are also moments of raw emotion, grief, and honesty scattered throughout. It’s a coming of age book of sorts, and it touches on topics of addiction, abandonment, broken trust, and guilt (all done literally and through captivating metaphor).
This is not a happy book, but I had a blast reading it. It’s very earnest and I’m a big fan of our imperfect young protagonist. This is an excellent introduction to the author’s work, and I’m very excited to read more!!
October 3, 2020
An intense novella with 'It's a Wonderful Life' emotions, streetwise smarts and bizarro-horror energy. The writing is fresh, honest and to-the-point, the prose of a far more experienced writer. If you like your supernatural fiction to stray into the realms of fable whilst delivering the occasional gut-punch, this is the right book for you.
January 26, 2022
CW: Drug Addiction, Parental Loss, Depression
Zach Ayers is the son of a drug addict. At the start of this novella, Zach hears his father walk out on his mother. The next time his father is seen, he is burnt beyond recognition. Three months later, Zach is following in his father's footsteps. One day he messes up so bad that he ends up following in his fathers footsteps when he finds a bicycle he gets trapped on and he either has to overcome his struggle, or die. What will happen? Only one way to find out.
This is a deep and emotionally charged novella that takes a deep look into drug addiction and it's effects. All the characters are portrayed with a lot of empathy, which helps attach me as a reader. I wanted to see Zach's story through to the end.
This novella has a lot to say about the effects of drug addiction, not just on the person, but on the ones around them. How it affects the children of an addict, the wife of an addict. How one persons vices can doom and ruin the entire family. It's a novella that really shows the struggle addicts face, and the troubles that one can face when trying to overcome addiction. This is easily one of the best horror novellas I read and I strongly suggest you check it out.
The novella also includes a companion story called Enter Softly, which follows Lisa, the nurse who worked with Zach's father, who, after seeing his horribly burnt body has begun using drugs. As her addiction is worsening, shes also on the verge of losing custody of her son to her ex-husband. She's trying to stay afloat but addiction keeps on dragging her down.
This is a fantastic companion novella to Criterium. It's kind of a counter point to the original novella and just as emotionally charged. You feel for Lisa and her struggles. You want her to overcome her addiction, but it's teeth are deep into Lisa and there's a lot of tension about if she'll be able to.
I strongly recommend reading both of these stories. They're fantastic, harrowing, and bleak novellas. What more could a horror fan want?
Zach Ayers is the son of a drug addict. At the start of this novella, Zach hears his father walk out on his mother. The next time his father is seen, he is burnt beyond recognition. Three months later, Zach is following in his father's footsteps. One day he messes up so bad that he ends up following in his fathers footsteps when he finds a bicycle he gets trapped on and he either has to overcome his struggle, or die. What will happen? Only one way to find out.
This is a deep and emotionally charged novella that takes a deep look into drug addiction and it's effects. All the characters are portrayed with a lot of empathy, which helps attach me as a reader. I wanted to see Zach's story through to the end.
This novella has a lot to say about the effects of drug addiction, not just on the person, but on the ones around them. How it affects the children of an addict, the wife of an addict. How one persons vices can doom and ruin the entire family. It's a novella that really shows the struggle addicts face, and the troubles that one can face when trying to overcome addiction. This is easily one of the best horror novellas I read and I strongly suggest you check it out.
The novella also includes a companion story called Enter Softly, which follows Lisa, the nurse who worked with Zach's father, who, after seeing his horribly burnt body has begun using drugs. As her addiction is worsening, shes also on the verge of losing custody of her son to her ex-husband. She's trying to stay afloat but addiction keeps on dragging her down.
This is a fantastic companion novella to Criterium. It's kind of a counter point to the original novella and just as emotionally charged. You feel for Lisa and her struggles. You want her to overcome her addiction, but it's teeth are deep into Lisa and there's a lot of tension about if she'll be able to.
I strongly recommend reading both of these stories. They're fantastic, harrowing, and bleak novellas. What more could a horror fan want?
January 13, 2021
Pretty sure this is Tyler's first novella, even first book? The grief the MC experiences is all too relatable . . . even for those who don't experience all aspects of it. Scenes with the bicycle were my favorite, and I wish Tyler included it more often! I dig Tyler's work here, and I'll now have to check out his newest release, The Dark Side of the Room. Fingers crossed for a small allusion to either Pink Floyd or All Time Low, lol.
P.S. The reading dates are no sign of it being bad. Got super busy with my debut book release and obligations to my book club's readings and its upcoming anthology.
P.S. The reading dates are no sign of it being bad. Got super busy with my debut book release and obligations to my book club's readings and its upcoming anthology.
November 13, 2021
4.5, rounded up.
As a debut, this novella certainly packs a punch. I can only imagine the level of writing Tyler has gone on to achieve since, and I will definitely be reading more from him.
What elements stood out for me?
Grief horror, addiction horror and all it encompasses, but most of all the clever use of metaphor.
Congratulations, Mr Jones!
As a debut, this novella certainly packs a punch. I can only imagine the level of writing Tyler has gone on to achieve since, and I will definitely be reading more from him.
What elements stood out for me?
Grief horror, addiction horror and all it encompasses, but most of all the clever use of metaphor.
Congratulations, Mr Jones!
January 15, 2021
You could blast through this in a day, easy. Great story about addiction and grief, and the writing was just spot on all the way.
Need to read more Tyler Jones.
Five stars easy.
Buy it now.
Need to read more Tyler Jones.
Five stars easy.
Buy it now.
December 14, 2020
A short and unrelenting novella about dealing with grief and finding our place in the world. When his father unexpectedly dies, Zach struggles and turns to drugs. On the way to find a new fix, he finds a bike abandoned and steals it. The bike is sort of a 'ghost of Christmas past' that whisks him off on an unwanted and painful journey of self-discovery.
An absolutely surreal read and is unlike anything else that I've read this year. Tyler Jones knocked it out of the park with this one. I had only a few minor complaints that kept Criterium from being a five-star read.
Thank you to the author for sending me a code for the audiobook version for review consideration.
An absolutely surreal read and is unlike anything else that I've read this year. Tyler Jones knocked it out of the park with this one. I had only a few minor complaints that kept Criterium from being a five-star read.
Thank you to the author for sending me a code for the audiobook version for review consideration.
November 10, 2020
Tyler Jones’ CRITERIUM is a heart wrenching story about a father who gave his life to addiction and a son who followed in his footsteps.
Addiction horror has a special place in my heart for two reasons: one, the stories always seem to suck me in and two, addiction runs deep in my family. Oddly enough, the horror aspect makes a difficult story easier to digest, and even though there might be a supernatural or unconventional element to it, the emotions feel incredibly real.
Zach Ayers is the son of an addict, overwhelmed with grief over his father’s death. Zach wants it all to stop, to stop the excruciating pain of grief, sadness, and resign himself to the inevitable life of drugs. Zach is a character that truly comes to life and will forever be seared into my mind.
Jones managed to write one of my favorite books of the year and I don’t say that lightly. His prose is flawless, the ambiance is stunning, and the story has a beautiful darkness. Although, technically a novella, it consumed me in a big way. It will eat you up and spit you out. Seriously, I cannot stop thinking about this book.
CRITERIUM is intelligent, haunting, and emotional with a compelling plot that combines the hell of addiction with horror seamlessly. I couldn’t put it down if I wanted.
Addiction horror has a special place in my heart for two reasons: one, the stories always seem to suck me in and two, addiction runs deep in my family. Oddly enough, the horror aspect makes a difficult story easier to digest, and even though there might be a supernatural or unconventional element to it, the emotions feel incredibly real.
Zach Ayers is the son of an addict, overwhelmed with grief over his father’s death. Zach wants it all to stop, to stop the excruciating pain of grief, sadness, and resign himself to the inevitable life of drugs. Zach is a character that truly comes to life and will forever be seared into my mind.
Jones managed to write one of my favorite books of the year and I don’t say that lightly. His prose is flawless, the ambiance is stunning, and the story has a beautiful darkness. Although, technically a novella, it consumed me in a big way. It will eat you up and spit you out. Seriously, I cannot stop thinking about this book.
CRITERIUM is intelligent, haunting, and emotional with a compelling plot that combines the hell of addiction with horror seamlessly. I couldn’t put it down if I wanted.
December 8, 2020
Just wow. This is a painful and beautiful novella that drags you along as forcefully as the bike it depicts. In the opening, we learn that Zach’s father dies brutally in the midst of a drug addiction and the pain of this loss has pushed Zach to take pills to numb the grief. It’s not lost on Zach the irony involved, but his pain is blurring the lines of his world.
Jones writing is wonderful and sucks you headlong into the addiction and grief of the character and is fuelled with an unstoppable adrenaline. There are many more great reviews that truly do justice to this book, but the writing here is absolutely wonderful even when it is tearing you apart. The story is a metaphor for some very real issues, but in terms of horror it is absolutely pure as you can see what is coming, but cannot tear your eyes away no matter how much you want to.
I have Jones other novella on my Kindle and it won’t be long before I read that. Just feel this book and its feels are draped across my being right now. A truly wonderful and at the same time harrowing (if reading can be such a thing and in a kind of good way) experience.
Jones writing is wonderful and sucks you headlong into the addiction and grief of the character and is fuelled with an unstoppable adrenaline. There are many more great reviews that truly do justice to this book, but the writing here is absolutely wonderful even when it is tearing you apart. The story is a metaphor for some very real issues, but in terms of horror it is absolutely pure as you can see what is coming, but cannot tear your eyes away no matter how much you want to.
I have Jones other novella on my Kindle and it won’t be long before I read that. Just feel this book and its feels are draped across my being right now. A truly wonderful and at the same time harrowing (if reading can be such a thing and in a kind of good way) experience.
April 19, 2025
Ghostrider ain’t got nothing on this story
March 10, 2021
"Whatever came next, whatever happened, he would experience all of it, no matter how much it hurt."
A great novella. Cuts to the heart of grief, addiction and family. I really felt the love Jones injected into writing this, its a novella that feels distraught with grief but with the hope for joy in the future. The protagonist is wrestling with his demons and the bike which takes control of him and the novella really feels like a stand in for addiction itself. The way it takes people's sense of control out of their lives and leaves them as a dead burned out husk. Some manage to escape this fate and life feels renewed and more real when clean than it ever did while in the dark pit of drug use.
I'm hoping Jones writes a big thick novel or short story collection of his own. This really points towards the talent he has which I hope he can hone fully in the future.
A great novella. Cuts to the heart of grief, addiction and family. I really felt the love Jones injected into writing this, its a novella that feels distraught with grief but with the hope for joy in the future. The protagonist is wrestling with his demons and the bike which takes control of him and the novella really feels like a stand in for addiction itself. The way it takes people's sense of control out of their lives and leaves them as a dead burned out husk. Some manage to escape this fate and life feels renewed and more real when clean than it ever did while in the dark pit of drug use.
I'm hoping Jones writes a big thick novel or short story collection of his own. This really points towards the talent he has which I hope he can hone fully in the future.
August 24, 2020
* edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews **
I connected with Tyler some time back on Twitter over a shared love of Horror. I honestly can’t recall what it was, but something had been posted and we ended up replying a bit back and forth. Through all of that, Tyler ended up reaching out recently to see if I’d take a stab at reading his debut novella ‘Criterium.’ Tyler has had his short stories published in a number of fantastic anthologies, so I was excited to see what he’d created in a longer read.
For those going into this blind and are reading this review before reading the synopsis – you’re going to be emotionally devastated.
What I liked: This quick read is black. Think all absence of light. We arrive during the darkest moments of a struggling family. A father has OD’d and been found in the street. Now, his son is in the grips of his own addiction, trying to blot out the pain he feels over his father’s death. His mom is fighting to stay afloat, working to provide for her son and daughter.
From here Tyler takes us on a hellish road trip. We follow our main character as he tries to get another fix, but when that fails, he stumbles across a bike. What Jones does once this bike arrives was at times, close to pure brilliance. I had moments where I was reminded of ‘Remains’ by Andrew Cull and ‘What Dreams May Come’ from Richard Matheson. Jones doesn’t shy away from making the character hurt over his decisions but also having the reader experience some truly horrific emotions.
What I didn’t like: This would have been an easy five star read for me if we’d just been given a bit more about that bike. We do get a large, shadowy hint, but other than the symbol of it being a vessel and even harkening to the idea of the ghosts of Christmas past from Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol,’ we are left with an ambiguous, but important, bike.
Why you should buy it: Pure devastation is all that will await you in this quick novella. If you enjoy confronting familial pain and the throes of addiction, look no further. I wasn’t expecting this novella to unravel the way it did, but my goodness, what a pleasant (if black) surprise.
I think this one is going to be the sleeper hit for 2020, the one that keeps building and building for years to come and will help grow the legend that was Tyler Jones debut release.
I connected with Tyler some time back on Twitter over a shared love of Horror. I honestly can’t recall what it was, but something had been posted and we ended up replying a bit back and forth. Through all of that, Tyler ended up reaching out recently to see if I’d take a stab at reading his debut novella ‘Criterium.’ Tyler has had his short stories published in a number of fantastic anthologies, so I was excited to see what he’d created in a longer read.
For those going into this blind and are reading this review before reading the synopsis – you’re going to be emotionally devastated.
What I liked: This quick read is black. Think all absence of light. We arrive during the darkest moments of a struggling family. A father has OD’d and been found in the street. Now, his son is in the grips of his own addiction, trying to blot out the pain he feels over his father’s death. His mom is fighting to stay afloat, working to provide for her son and daughter.
From here Tyler takes us on a hellish road trip. We follow our main character as he tries to get another fix, but when that fails, he stumbles across a bike. What Jones does once this bike arrives was at times, close to pure brilliance. I had moments where I was reminded of ‘Remains’ by Andrew Cull and ‘What Dreams May Come’ from Richard Matheson. Jones doesn’t shy away from making the character hurt over his decisions but also having the reader experience some truly horrific emotions.
What I didn’t like: This would have been an easy five star read for me if we’d just been given a bit more about that bike. We do get a large, shadowy hint, but other than the symbol of it being a vessel and even harkening to the idea of the ghosts of Christmas past from Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol,’ we are left with an ambiguous, but important, bike.
Why you should buy it: Pure devastation is all that will await you in this quick novella. If you enjoy confronting familial pain and the throes of addiction, look no further. I wasn’t expecting this novella to unravel the way it did, but my goodness, what a pleasant (if black) surprise.
I think this one is going to be the sleeper hit for 2020, the one that keeps building and building for years to come and will help grow the legend that was Tyler Jones debut release.
January 5, 2021
Heartbreaking, tragic story of grief, pain, and loss.
I usually avoid stories about addiction, as I find them tragic in a way that's all too prevalent in real life. I want escapism!
That being said, I'm so glad I decided to check out Criterium. The story follows Zach, a boy whose father struggled with addiction and who becomes an addict himself, following a path of self-destruction until he finds a creepy paranormal bike.
Is the entity a force of good? Evil? Neutral? It's a journey of self-discovery, leading to a vivid and existential conclusion.
Lines like the above are succinct and visceral, and they cut like a scalpel in this book.
The story is a quick read with a tight narrative and rapid pacing. Definitely worth the read.
I usually avoid stories about addiction, as I find them tragic in a way that's all too prevalent in real life. I want escapism!
That being said, I'm so glad I decided to check out Criterium. The story follows Zach, a boy whose father struggled with addiction and who becomes an addict himself, following a path of self-destruction until he finds a creepy paranormal bike.
Is the entity a force of good? Evil? Neutral? It's a journey of self-discovery, leading to a vivid and existential conclusion.
Your own pain was all you ever saw, and it became so big that it made the world.
Lines like the above are succinct and visceral, and they cut like a scalpel in this book.
The story is a quick read with a tight narrative and rapid pacing. Definitely worth the read.
December 1, 2020
I think “Criterium”, by Tyler Jones, is a true example of how to use the novella format when writing fiction. At 172 pages, the story moves swiftly and effortlessly, not a word wasted or an allegory strained.
“Criterium: a one day bicycle race on a circuit road course.” And that is exactly what we get.
Zach Ayers comes from a broken home. With a severely addicted father comes a struggling wife trying to make ends meet. To do so, she certainly needs Zach’s help, especially when it comes to helping raise his younger sister, Tessa. But family cycles are hard to break and Zach, a once promising basketball player in high school, rides down some of the same roads his father did, which ended in disaster.
Allegorical in its structure and straightforward in its tone, Jones pens a sharp novella fraught with pain, empathy, and the nature of addiction. Can Zack break the cycle? The custom bike he finds left alone outside a rundown house which he hopes to sell for drug money has a mind of its own and lessons to teach. Think Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on amphetamines by way of Aranofsky’s Requiem For a Dream. Unflinching and brutal with redemption and salvation at its core.
And just sitting here typing all of this reminds me how perfect a tale this is. Jones makes his point succinctly with no wasted words or ideas. It wants to be exactly what it is. You WANT to see Zach break the cycle and overcome his past. 200 pages would have been too much to tell this tale. And this novella is definitely best read in one sitting.
5 out of 5 Schwinntastic stars.
“Criterium: a one day bicycle race on a circuit road course.” And that is exactly what we get.
Zach Ayers comes from a broken home. With a severely addicted father comes a struggling wife trying to make ends meet. To do so, she certainly needs Zach’s help, especially when it comes to helping raise his younger sister, Tessa. But family cycles are hard to break and Zach, a once promising basketball player in high school, rides down some of the same roads his father did, which ended in disaster.
Allegorical in its structure and straightforward in its tone, Jones pens a sharp novella fraught with pain, empathy, and the nature of addiction. Can Zack break the cycle? The custom bike he finds left alone outside a rundown house which he hopes to sell for drug money has a mind of its own and lessons to teach. Think Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on amphetamines by way of Aranofsky’s Requiem For a Dream. Unflinching and brutal with redemption and salvation at its core.
And just sitting here typing all of this reminds me how perfect a tale this is. Jones makes his point succinctly with no wasted words or ideas. It wants to be exactly what it is. You WANT to see Zach break the cycle and overcome his past. 200 pages would have been too much to tell this tale. And this novella is definitely best read in one sitting.
5 out of 5 Schwinntastic stars.
December 17, 2020
Zack. The demons have found you. The same demons that killed your father. The same demons that are squeezing the life out of your mother and sister.
You’ll be fine, you can quit if you want to. But first let’s go for a bike ride.
Tyler Jones has written a short masterpiece of what it is like to spiral out of control. Is what happens to Zack supernatural or symbolic? This is a ride that you won’t be able to let go. From your heart and from your mind, Criterium won’t let you put it down. And still, the cycle continues
You’ll be fine, you can quit if you want to. But first let’s go for a bike ride.
Tyler Jones has written a short masterpiece of what it is like to spiral out of control. Is what happens to Zack supernatural or symbolic? This is a ride that you won’t be able to let go. From your heart and from your mind, Criterium won’t let you put it down. And still, the cycle continues
December 11, 2020
Compelling, fast-paced novella about a young addict who steals a supernaturally possessed bicycle and goes on a frightening ride that he can't stop on his own—a powerful metaphor for his addiction. Criterium is a clever, surreal horror story that's well-written and emotionally engaging. I read it in a single sitting.
October 24, 2023
Genius.
April 14, 2022
Review coming soon!
May 1, 2021
When you see the cover of this book, it sets you up for the story itself. A clean white background, and a seemingly squeaky-clean ride. But it's not about that. (No spoilers) It's a lesson. Don't mess with things that can take over your life. The cover is innocence. I'll let you read the rest. You won't be disappointed.
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