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A Black and Endless Sky
From the author of The Night Will Find Us comes a white-knuckled horror-thriller set across the American Southwest.
Road trips can be hell.
Siblings Jonah and Nell Talbot used to be inseparable, but ever since Jonah suddenly blew town twelve years ago, they couldn’t be more distant. Now, in the wake of Jonah’s divorce, they embark on a cross-country road trip back to their hometown of Albuquerque, hoping to mend their broken relationship along the way.
But when a strange accident befalls Nell at an abandoned industrial site somewhere in the Nevada desert, she begins experiencing ghastly visions and exhibiting terrifying, otherworldly symptoms. As their journey through the desolate American Southwest reveals the grotesque change happening within his sister, one thing becomes clear to Jonah: It’s not only Nell in there anymore.
Pursued by a mysterious stranger who knows far more about Nell’s worsening condition than they let on, the siblings race to find a way to help Nell and escape the desert before they’re met with a violent, bloody end. But there are far worse things lurking in the desert ahead... some of them just beneath the skin.
Road trips can be hell.
Siblings Jonah and Nell Talbot used to be inseparable, but ever since Jonah suddenly blew town twelve years ago, they couldn’t be more distant. Now, in the wake of Jonah’s divorce, they embark on a cross-country road trip back to their hometown of Albuquerque, hoping to mend their broken relationship along the way.
But when a strange accident befalls Nell at an abandoned industrial site somewhere in the Nevada desert, she begins experiencing ghastly visions and exhibiting terrifying, otherworldly symptoms. As their journey through the desolate American Southwest reveals the grotesque change happening within his sister, one thing becomes clear to Jonah: It’s not only Nell in there anymore.
Pursued by a mysterious stranger who knows far more about Nell’s worsening condition than they let on, the siblings race to find a way to help Nell and escape the desert before they’re met with a violent, bloody end. But there are far worse things lurking in the desert ahead... some of them just beneath the skin.
348 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2022
68 people are currently reading
8740 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
August 8, 2024
I hardly know what I just read. Yikes.
A Black and Endless Sky is an intense, bloody, gory, fight-filled, phantasmagoria-laced story following an estranged brother and sister as they battle their way home.
This story actually kicks off with some unnamed workers digging in a cave system in the desert of the Western U.S., where they uncover something monumental.
We, as Horror Lovers, know that nothing good ever began with that circumstance. Y'all know, something terrible is about to be unleashed.
Then we get to meet estranged siblings, Jonah and Nell. The pair, once thick as thieves, have lost contact over the past twelve years, much to Nell's chagrin.
Nell feels abandoned by her brother, who, as she sees it, left their hometown of Albuquerque as quick as he could to run off and get married; leaving her in the dust.
Jonah, who may in fact be running from things, is a different person than he used to be. At least he is trying to be and he's sick of Nell trying to put him into the box of his past self.
Now as Jonah's marriage comes to an end, he feels sort of forced to return to Albuquerque. He also agrees to make the road trip home with his sister.
As the journey begins the siblings are butting heads. Jonah is exhausted, he can't believe his sister is making this, the hardest day of his life more difficult.
At that early stage, Jonah has absolutely no idea how difficult this journey will actually become.
The siblings end up having an interaction with the cave system mentioned-above and as I am sure all of you may have predicted, it doesn't end well.
Even though they both make it out alive and continue on their journey, Nell is not the same. It's like she brought something back with her out of the dark depths of that cave.
This story is absolutely wild and so violent. Jonah and Nell end up facing forces from this world and beyond, all seemingly hellbent on their destruction.
The siblings, who used to fight together so well, are forced to return to those earlier roles, kicking butts the entire way.
There's a lot going on in this story and I was never bored; not for one second. I am a huge fan of road trip stories and this one definitely delivered that aspect very well.
With this story, Lyons delivered a very Adult-version of What We Buried, mixed with elements of Desperation and the last little bit of Revival. It might not be Tak, but it sure as hell could be a distant cousin...((if you know, you know)).
I don't read a ton of Horror Thrillers, but comparing this to the few I have read, I think A Black and Endless Sky really holds its own.
I can't honestly say that I understand everything that was going on here, but I liked being given the opportunity to try and figure it out. It was super fast-paced and I really enjoyed the audiobook.
Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This is the second book I have enjoyed from Matthew Lyons. My taste meshes well with his style of storytelling and I look forward to going on another adventure of his making in the future!
A Black and Endless Sky is an intense, bloody, gory, fight-filled, phantasmagoria-laced story following an estranged brother and sister as they battle their way home.
This story actually kicks off with some unnamed workers digging in a cave system in the desert of the Western U.S., where they uncover something monumental.
We, as Horror Lovers, know that nothing good ever began with that circumstance. Y'all know, something terrible is about to be unleashed.
Then we get to meet estranged siblings, Jonah and Nell. The pair, once thick as thieves, have lost contact over the past twelve years, much to Nell's chagrin.
Nell feels abandoned by her brother, who, as she sees it, left their hometown of Albuquerque as quick as he could to run off and get married; leaving her in the dust.
Jonah, who may in fact be running from things, is a different person than he used to be. At least he is trying to be and he's sick of Nell trying to put him into the box of his past self.
Now as Jonah's marriage comes to an end, he feels sort of forced to return to Albuquerque. He also agrees to make the road trip home with his sister.
As the journey begins the siblings are butting heads. Jonah is exhausted, he can't believe his sister is making this, the hardest day of his life more difficult.
At that early stage, Jonah has absolutely no idea how difficult this journey will actually become.
The siblings end up having an interaction with the cave system mentioned-above and as I am sure all of you may have predicted, it doesn't end well.
Even though they both make it out alive and continue on their journey, Nell is not the same. It's like she brought something back with her out of the dark depths of that cave.
This story is absolutely wild and so violent. Jonah and Nell end up facing forces from this world and beyond, all seemingly hellbent on their destruction.
The siblings, who used to fight together so well, are forced to return to those earlier roles, kicking butts the entire way.
There's a lot going on in this story and I was never bored; not for one second. I am a huge fan of road trip stories and this one definitely delivered that aspect very well.
With this story, Lyons delivered a very Adult-version of What We Buried, mixed with elements of Desperation and the last little bit of Revival. It might not be Tak, but it sure as hell could be a distant cousin...((if you know, you know)).
I don't read a ton of Horror Thrillers, but comparing this to the few I have read, I think A Black and Endless Sky really holds its own.
I can't honestly say that I understand everything that was going on here, but I liked being given the opportunity to try and figure it out. It was super fast-paced and I really enjoyed the audiobook.
Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This is the second book I have enjoyed from Matthew Lyons. My taste meshes well with his style of storytelling and I look forward to going on another adventure of his making in the future!
November 5, 2023
Well-written cosmic horror by an up-and-coming master of the genre. Some parts dragged a bit, and the violence felt a touch too drawn out, even by my standards. Lyons is incredibly talented, probably the most of all the authors I've recently discovered, and I'm definitely coming back for more.
March 6, 2022
Road trips can be hell.
Going on a road trip with your sibling can go either way. It is either a great bonding experience or an exercise in terror. This road trip is the later.
I'm an outlier here but I just couldn't get into this book. Both characters, but especially Nell, were beyond annoying. I would have dumped Nell on the side of the road if I was Jonah. But he doesn't dump her on the side of the road, and their road trip to med their relationship back to their hometown, goes off the rails when Nell has an accident and well...things begin to hit the fan.
Others are enjoying this book more than I did but I struggled to get into this book, struggled with giving a hoot, and struggled to enjoy it. I listened to the audio book and can't say I enjoyed the narrators either.
We can't love them all and I encourage you to read the reviews of those who enjoyed this book and decide for yourself. This one just didn't work for me.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Going on a road trip with your sibling can go either way. It is either a great bonding experience or an exercise in terror. This road trip is the later.
I'm an outlier here but I just couldn't get into this book. Both characters, but especially Nell, were beyond annoying. I would have dumped Nell on the side of the road if I was Jonah. But he doesn't dump her on the side of the road, and their road trip to med their relationship back to their hometown, goes off the rails when Nell has an accident and well...things begin to hit the fan.
Others are enjoying this book more than I did but I struggled to get into this book, struggled with giving a hoot, and struggled to enjoy it. I listened to the audio book and can't say I enjoyed the narrators either.
We can't love them all and I encourage you to read the reviews of those who enjoyed this book and decide for yourself. This one just didn't work for me.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
March 6, 2023
MAN that was bloody 😅 the last like 100 pages was a violent gorefest with some pretty sickening descriptions and truly gnarly imagery. I was groaning and cringing from how much sympathy pain I was feeling.
The story was a weird slow burn, and I’m not sure how I feel about it totally, but man that ending!!!! 😂😅
The story was a weird slow burn, and I’m not sure how I feel about it totally, but man that ending!!!! 😂😅
March 19, 2022
3.5 Stars
Despite a slower start, this ended up being a gripping supernatural survival story. The book would have received a higher rating if I hadn't struggled so much with the beginning of the story. The setup was very slow paced and I struggled to get immersed until halfway through the novel. However, once I got hooked, I was hooked! It is very rare for a book to grab me so late, but this one did. I thought the buildup to the finale was very gripping. My favourite part was actually the "villian" who was well developed and even relatable. The main characters were unlikeable and not necessarily in a good way, but the villain really stole the show for me.
Overall I would recommend this book to horror readers who enjoy this subgenre. I encourage readers to stick it out because the ending delivered a satisfying climax that made the book worth reading.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Despite a slower start, this ended up being a gripping supernatural survival story. The book would have received a higher rating if I hadn't struggled so much with the beginning of the story. The setup was very slow paced and I struggled to get immersed until halfway through the novel. However, once I got hooked, I was hooked! It is very rare for a book to grab me so late, but this one did. I thought the buildup to the finale was very gripping. My favourite part was actually the "villian" who was well developed and even relatable. The main characters were unlikeable and not necessarily in a good way, but the villain really stole the show for me.
Overall I would recommend this book to horror readers who enjoy this subgenre. I encourage readers to stick it out because the ending delivered a satisfying climax that made the book worth reading.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 8, 2022
A dark and violent ride!
Edit: I'm giving this one a bump, as It's a shame how little attention this awesome book has had since It's release. It's still my number one pick for 2022. I don't know how reliable I am for picking the best books, but this one stuck with me for a long time.
All hell breaks loose when a brother and sister stumble upon an abandoned dig site -somewhere in the desert- while on their way back to their home town in New Mexico. I'll be as brief as possible to avoid spoilers.
This is Lyon's second book, and it's better than 'The Night Will Find Us' (Which I also really enjoyed). Definitely one of the best mainstream horror books of 2022 so far. The story is my kind of story - a road-trip from hell. The characters are so-so, but, there's so much tension and dread that builds up that I couldn't put the book down -at all- and can't recommend it highly enough. The ending was an absolute blood-bath! I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
Edit: 5 Stars.
Edit: I'm giving this one a bump, as It's a shame how little attention this awesome book has had since It's release. It's still my number one pick for 2022. I don't know how reliable I am for picking the best books, but this one stuck with me for a long time.
All hell breaks loose when a brother and sister stumble upon an abandoned dig site -somewhere in the desert- while on their way back to their home town in New Mexico. I'll be as brief as possible to avoid spoilers.
This is Lyon's second book, and it's better than 'The Night Will Find Us' (Which I also really enjoyed). Definitely one of the best mainstream horror books of 2022 so far. The story is my kind of story - a road-trip from hell. The characters are so-so, but, there's so much tension and dread that builds up that I couldn't put the book down -at all- and can't recommend it highly enough. The ending was an absolute blood-bath! I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
Edit: 5 Stars.
August 15, 2022
This novel read like a movie. The opening sequence setting the tone for a wild ride you won't soon forget. The author grants the reader a trifecta of content. The perfect amount of action, some severe body trauma for the horror lovers, and a solid plot that tracks from start to finish. It's rare when you have a horror story end the way this novel does, but I devoured it and salivated at the possibilities for the characters post-book. The plot was fresh in a genre often beaten to the ground, especially in today's media. It's rare to find a horror story that has sustinence as well as gore. Look no further than A Black and Endless Sky. The audiobook boasts a full cast and delivers quite a punch.
This novel deserves 10 stars, but I'll have to make due with 5. Perfect for fans of horror, but not sutable for those under the age of 16 as there is some harsh body trauma. This story would be excellent for a spooky book club and gives alot of thought provoking content.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
This novel deserves 10 stars, but I'll have to make due with 5. Perfect for fans of horror, but not sutable for those under the age of 16 as there is some harsh body trauma. This story would be excellent for a spooky book club and gives alot of thought provoking content.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2023
Why are men?
March 9, 2022
Sigh. Let me sum this book up for you. Nell and Jonah, siblings, take a road trip after Jonah’s divorce. For absolutely no logical reason, they stop at a bar and beat the shit out of a biker gang. Biker gang angry, pursues them. Nell gets possessed. Chuck a demon exorciser named Anna into the mix. Lots more violence and gore. The end.
The author really went for straight violence here. There are some tiny dashes of horror that I really wanted fleshed out a bit more, but not enough for me to really consider this a horror novel. The main character, Nell, is completely and wildly unlikeable (quite frankly, all of the characters are), but even that didn’t make it satisfying for me that they got exactly what they deserved. What could have made this book better: way more background info into Anna and the demon/creature, waaaaayy more time spent in the area where Nell picks up the demon, way less time spent in the car, way less ridiculous constant fight scenes. I did give one star back because I actually slightly liked the ending.
Audiobook wise, all of the narrators were very good (I think there were four different?), except for one female narrator who I don’t feel captured Anna’s essence very well.
Thank you to Netgalley and Keylight books for the advanced audiobook!
The author really went for straight violence here. There are some tiny dashes of horror that I really wanted fleshed out a bit more, but not enough for me to really consider this a horror novel. The main character, Nell, is completely and wildly unlikeable (quite frankly, all of the characters are), but even that didn’t make it satisfying for me that they got exactly what they deserved. What could have made this book better: way more background info into Anna and the demon/creature, waaaaayy more time spent in the area where Nell picks up the demon, way less time spent in the car, way less ridiculous constant fight scenes. I did give one star back because I actually slightly liked the ending.
Audiobook wise, all of the narrators were very good (I think there were four different?), except for one female narrator who I don’t feel captured Anna’s essence very well.
Thank you to Netgalley and Keylight books for the advanced audiobook!
June 13, 2022
This reminded me a lot of Lyons' previous novel THE NIGHT WILL FIND US, though this is better. They both have the same structural setup. In the first, a group of friends got themselves in a terrible situation and then you threw supernatural danger on top of it. In this one, a brother and sister get themselves in a terrible situation and then you throw supernatural danger on top of it. Next time I hope he mixes up the formula, it made the first third feel pretty predictable.
What I liked about this was that I really wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. It's also not clear exactly what tropes are being used for a while, and I liked that, too. The one we end up with is not one of my particular favorites, but I thought it was used well and not in a same-old kind of way. I particularly enjoyed the entrance of the fourth narrator, Anna, and how she shifted for the reader in the story.
I did roll my eyes at the idea that Jonah and Nell have this long history of bar fights and see them as almost fun. I didn't buy it, not even a little. Bar fights can be tame, yes, but you can't get in as many as they claim to without them getting awful, without guns getting involved, etc. I also found Terry and the biker stuff all pretty hard to believe, but I didn't care so much during the second half as the story's other elements picked up.
Lyons really likes to lay it on thick with the prose when something gross or scary is happening. It's not bad, but the dial turns up so much so quickly that it makes it less effective. He's better when he doesn't have it dialed up to 11.
What I liked about this was that I really wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. It's also not clear exactly what tropes are being used for a while, and I liked that, too. The one we end up with is not one of my particular favorites, but I thought it was used well and not in a same-old kind of way. I particularly enjoyed the entrance of the fourth narrator, Anna, and how she shifted for the reader in the story.
I did roll my eyes at the idea that Jonah and Nell have this long history of bar fights and see them as almost fun. I didn't buy it, not even a little. Bar fights can be tame, yes, but you can't get in as many as they claim to without them getting awful, without guns getting involved, etc. I also found Terry and the biker stuff all pretty hard to believe, but I didn't care so much during the second half as the story's other elements picked up.
Lyons really likes to lay it on thick with the prose when something gross or scary is happening. It's not bad, but the dial turns up so much so quickly that it makes it less effective. He's better when he doesn't have it dialed up to 11.
Read
April 2, 2022Dnf 20% bored 😭
April 13, 2022
What a wild ride! I however got a little confused with the story but still enjoyed it the two main characters Nell and Jonas brother and sister trying to mend their relationship take a road trip things keep getting worse they were annoying but I think their suppose to be then they grew on me and the ending I havent been that impressed since A head full of ghosts! If you like survivor horror meshed up with supernatural and thriller then pick this up!
April 24, 2022
Thank God the road trips I took with my family were nothing like this one! The book started out slow but once it got going it never stopped. This was an enjoyable read.
May 5, 2022
Gory and imaginative, A Black and Endless Sky succeeds on so many levels. Life hasn’t been easy for the Talbot siblings. Life, marriage, and escaping the past is constantly tugging at the seams of their existence. Jonah is freshly divorced after his marriage ended without fault but with something always feeling amiss. He heads on a road trip from San Francisco to New Mexico and invites his estranged sister, Nell, along for the ride. Old wounds will be repaired, and relationships will be mended, or will they encounter something they didn’t plan for?
Firstly, the novel depicts a dig that encounters something unprecedented and as a lifelong horror fan you know that isn’t going to end well. Think scenes in The Exorcist – that’s exactly where my mind went. As Jonah and Nell embark on their journey we see desolate landscapes morph into their biggest paranoia, the figures that always lie in their psyche, their burdens to bear. Very few novels have been able to nail home that impending sense of dread that you feel in A Black and Endless Sky – you will be consumed by shadow and only see the grey of the world.
I particularly enjoyed how Lyons compiled the chapters on how many miles they had travelled. It allows the reader to envisage the desolate nature of the landscape and the distance in which you can become unhinged with reality. I relished in the pleasure I felt in not only getting to know the protagonists but also the landscape. The author’s resplendent writing ensured I was hooked for the long haul. It made me shudder. The journey, the motels, the petrol stations, the Volvo – it all took a life of its own and each revealed deadly secrets.
The story interweaves humanity and the supernatural exquisitely well. The narratives are explored by the three predominant characters, Jonah, Nell, and Anna. Each of them has experienced things that would break and crack open the strongest of people. They each explore the impact of demons, abuse, and pain. The siblings live different lives and struggle to understand the core of who the other is, but they are determined to get back on track with each other. Their love for one another comes alive from the pages – we feel the hope, the despair, and the determination to make it through this – alive.
This was a story that threw me for a loop. It was gory, and everything cosmic horror should deem to be. The character development was second to none, one of the best I’ve read lately, and can’t wait to read more from this seriously talented author. Be prepared for a biker gang with a vendetta against the siblings, Anna, a sin-eater who would scare the crap out of any horror movie villain, and a love that will test the constraints of reality and truth.
Firstly, the novel depicts a dig that encounters something unprecedented and as a lifelong horror fan you know that isn’t going to end well. Think scenes in The Exorcist – that’s exactly where my mind went. As Jonah and Nell embark on their journey we see desolate landscapes morph into their biggest paranoia, the figures that always lie in their psyche, their burdens to bear. Very few novels have been able to nail home that impending sense of dread that you feel in A Black and Endless Sky – you will be consumed by shadow and only see the grey of the world.
I particularly enjoyed how Lyons compiled the chapters on how many miles they had travelled. It allows the reader to envisage the desolate nature of the landscape and the distance in which you can become unhinged with reality. I relished in the pleasure I felt in not only getting to know the protagonists but also the landscape. The author’s resplendent writing ensured I was hooked for the long haul. It made me shudder. The journey, the motels, the petrol stations, the Volvo – it all took a life of its own and each revealed deadly secrets.
The story interweaves humanity and the supernatural exquisitely well. The narratives are explored by the three predominant characters, Jonah, Nell, and Anna. Each of them has experienced things that would break and crack open the strongest of people. They each explore the impact of demons, abuse, and pain. The siblings live different lives and struggle to understand the core of who the other is, but they are determined to get back on track with each other. Their love for one another comes alive from the pages – we feel the hope, the despair, and the determination to make it through this – alive.
This was a story that threw me for a loop. It was gory, and everything cosmic horror should deem to be. The character development was second to none, one of the best I’ve read lately, and can’t wait to read more from this seriously talented author. Be prepared for a biker gang with a vendetta against the siblings, Anna, a sin-eater who would scare the crap out of any horror movie villain, and a love that will test the constraints of reality and truth.
April 17, 2024
A propulsive and uber-violent horror novel that reads like a decent horror film—think road trip version of Evil Dead Rise.
I’m not sure what the lower average rating is about, unless people were expecting something less horror-y? Also, it’s clear that there are no angels here, and you may wonder at certain points who you really ought to be rooting for.
I enjoyed it well enough; I particularly loved the brother/sister relationship and Nell and Jonah working out their accumulated baggage with one another. Although…said baggage is part of what starts them down the awful path that makes up much of the story. Yes the characters can be a bit over the top, and yes the prose is colourfully descriptive of gore, but those things are in part what defines the possession oeuvre (Evil Dead Rise remember?).
Recommended for fans of possession horror and scary road trips.
I’m not sure what the lower average rating is about, unless people were expecting something less horror-y? Also, it’s clear that there are no angels here, and you may wonder at certain points who you really ought to be rooting for.
I enjoyed it well enough; I particularly loved the brother/sister relationship and Nell and Jonah working out their accumulated baggage with one another. Although…said baggage is part of what starts them down the awful path that makes up much of the story. Yes the characters can be a bit over the top, and yes the prose is colourfully descriptive of gore, but those things are in part what defines the possession oeuvre (Evil Dead Rise remember?).
Recommended for fans of possession horror and scary road trips.
March 26, 2022
I really wanted to love this one….the prologue did hook me in. A mysterious door under the sand in the desert that causes chaos when opened? Definitely sign me up for that story, but then it moves to some pretty boring background that went on forever. This road trip that Jonah and his sister Nell took was ridiculously slow, especially considering they did have some adventures but I found the whole thing overly drawn out. The violence is graphic which didn’t bother me but I wasn’t exactly expecting it in the various fights that occurred. Jonah and his wife are separating and he’s headed home to Albuquerque and his sister Nell comes to keep him company. I found Nell’s character to be particularly annoying but all of the characters were pretty awful people. Feeling the need to senselessly mess with her brothers life they get into a bar fight at a biker bar. After fleeing Jonah falls asleep and wakes in the desert and when he finds Nell nothing in their lives will be the same again. I liked the narrators and I thought they did the best they could with what they were reading.
March 9, 2022
I really wanted to like this one. I don’t know if it was because it was an audiobook and the narrator didn’t do it for me or the story itself, but I thought the whole narrative about a car ride dragged so long I was constantly wondering are we there yet? Are getting to the part that it’s going to pick up? Sadly for me it never happened.
Brother and sister Jonah and Nell used to be incredibly close as children until Jonah left. As an adult Jonah has returned and him and Nell embark on a road trip across the country to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Somewhere along the way in the desert Nell has an accident at an abandoned construction site and begins to see horrific visions as well as other strange symptoms. To add fuel to the fire, the pair are being followed by someone who knows a lot about what is happening to Nell. Will they be able to make it out of the desert alive?
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Brother and sister Jonah and Nell used to be incredibly close as children until Jonah left. As an adult Jonah has returned and him and Nell embark on a road trip across the country to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Somewhere along the way in the desert Nell has an accident at an abandoned construction site and begins to see horrific visions as well as other strange symptoms. To add fuel to the fire, the pair are being followed by someone who knows a lot about what is happening to Nell. Will they be able to make it out of the desert alive?
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 9, 2023
?? Kam reikėjo šitos knygos? Čia ne iš piktos valios klausimas, knyga nėra kažkaip ypač prasta ir juolab nesakau, kad knyga būtinai turi turėti žinutę ar pamokymą, bet... niekaip nesuprantu, kam mes leidomės į kelionę su šitais personažais ir prie ko ji atvedė.
O šiaip čia toks blood-gore-demon bajavykas.
Kelionę pradedam su baisiai nesimpatingais broliu ir seserim, kurie važiuoja automobiliu į kažkokį Albakurkį. Kiekvienas skyrelis prasideda personažo vardu ir kiek mylių liko iki Albakurkio, lyg būtų gyvybiškai svarbu jį pasiekti, užuot bandžius spręsti akivaizdžią problemą – demono apsėdimą (nežymiu kaip spoilerio, nes gana aišku iš aprašymo).
Personažai visiškai be reikalo agresyvūs, pvz pradžioje brolis ir sesuo sustoja baikerių bare.
Sesuo:
- Pasikalbėkim apie tavo skyrybas.
- Nenoriu apie tai kalbėti.
- Tu ble visada bėgi nuo savo problemų! Dėl to tave žmona ir paliko!
- Ble gi sakau, kad nenoriu apie tai kalbėti!
- Tu pasikeitei, esi nebe tas brolis, kur mušdavosi baruose! Davaj susimušam su baikeriais?
- Tu gal durna, man virš 30, aš nenoriu muštis su baikeriais!
Sesuo susimuša su baikeriais.
Palyginus su pagrindiniais personažais antagonistai atrodė tokie logiški, kad reikėjo pridėti jiems visiškai random žudikiškų impulsų, idant skaitytojas mažiau jiems simpatizuotų.
Nežinau, kam parekomenduoti. Gal slasher filmų mėgėjams?
O šiaip čia toks blood-gore-demon bajavykas.
Kelionę pradedam su baisiai nesimpatingais broliu ir seserim, kurie važiuoja automobiliu į kažkokį Albakurkį. Kiekvienas skyrelis prasideda personažo vardu ir kiek mylių liko iki Albakurkio, lyg būtų gyvybiškai svarbu jį pasiekti, užuot bandžius spręsti akivaizdžią problemą – demono apsėdimą (nežymiu kaip spoilerio, nes gana aišku iš aprašymo).
Personažai visiškai be reikalo agresyvūs, pvz pradžioje brolis ir sesuo sustoja baikerių bare.
Sesuo:
- Pasikalbėkim apie tavo skyrybas.
- Nenoriu apie tai kalbėti.
- Tu ble visada bėgi nuo savo problemų! Dėl to tave žmona ir paliko!
- Ble gi sakau, kad nenoriu apie tai kalbėti!
- Tu pasikeitei, esi nebe tas brolis, kur mušdavosi baruose! Davaj susimušam su baikeriais?
- Tu gal durna, man virš 30, aš nenoriu muštis su baikeriais!
Sesuo susimuša su baikeriais.
Palyginus su pagrindiniais personažais antagonistai atrodė tokie logiški, kad reikėjo pridėti jiems visiškai random žudikiškų impulsų, idant skaitytojas mažiau jiems simpatizuotų.
Nežinau, kam parekomenduoti. Gal slasher filmų mėgėjams?
March 11, 2022
3.5 ⭐
Horror is not a genre I read too often, not because I don't like it, I just seem to flock to other ones. I am glad I gave this one a whirl because I thought it was well written and it kept me engaged.
The story follows estranged siblings, Jonah and Nell, as they travel across country back to their hometown. There are quite a few bumps they encounter along the way, to put it mildly. It is very violent at times with excessive amounts of fighting .
I liked that each new chapter gave us an update on how far away they are from their destination. I am doing an around the world challenge this year and I wanted to put this for New Mexico, but I am not sure if I can, since it did take them a long time to get there
I tend to enjoy my audiobooks a slight bit more when the narration is good and these 4 narrators did not disappoint.
This was my first time with this author and I would read their work again.
*Thanks to Netgally, Dreamscape Media LLC and Matthew Lyons for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Horror is not a genre I read too often, not because I don't like it, I just seem to flock to other ones. I am glad I gave this one a whirl because I thought it was well written and it kept me engaged.
The story follows estranged siblings, Jonah and Nell, as they travel across country back to their hometown. There are quite a few bumps they encounter along the way, to put it mildly. It is very violent at times with excessive amounts of fighting .
I liked that each new chapter gave us an update on how far away they are from their destination. I am doing an around the world challenge this year and I wanted to put this for New Mexico, but I am not sure if I can, since it did take them a long time to get there
I tend to enjoy my audiobooks a slight bit more when the narration is good and these 4 narrators did not disappoint.
This was my first time with this author and I would read their work again.
*Thanks to Netgally, Dreamscape Media LLC and Matthew Lyons for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
December 24, 2021
A compelling mix of horror and thriller featuring a cast of assholes you can’t help but like, a take on religious horror I’ve never seen before, and some TRULY upsetting body horror.
January 4, 2024
I was expecting a thriller with grounded characters, and the first two chapters definitely set this book up to succeed. The prologue create an ambiguously engrossing terror in your classic desert research base setting. The first chapter introduces a troubled and complicated protagonist whose divorce and struggles in repressing his aggressive nature was compelling. But everything after the beginning was just a mess.
The characters become incredibly unlikeable. They start fights with strangers for no reason at all, which then drives the remaining story. The horror entity central to the story is in many ways sidelined in favour of bland repetitive violent fisticuffs between the protagonists and a group of bikies. They fight the same bikies in the same way several times across the novel. The horror and thrill is sacrificed in favour of a numbing violence I was just waiting to end. The violence was not bad because it was overly gory or disgusting, it was just so boring and repetitive. I don’t know how many times I can hear about a different way someone can be punched in the face.
So little time is spent in the most interesting parts of the story such as the abandoned facility, and so much time is spent in similar scenarios of “the bikies have caught up to us and now we have to fight them again, and while we’re still all injured from the last time we fought, we’re all good to go toe to toe again, and end up even more injured but still all get away relatively unscathed.”
Just an absolute slog by the end, although the epilogue was a nice wrap up and kind of spooky again. Some interesting ideas and themes that were never explored to a satisfying depth.
The characters become incredibly unlikeable. They start fights with strangers for no reason at all, which then drives the remaining story. The horror entity central to the story is in many ways sidelined in favour of bland repetitive violent fisticuffs between the protagonists and a group of bikies. They fight the same bikies in the same way several times across the novel. The horror and thrill is sacrificed in favour of a numbing violence I was just waiting to end. The violence was not bad because it was overly gory or disgusting, it was just so boring and repetitive. I don’t know how many times I can hear about a different way someone can be punched in the face.
So little time is spent in the most interesting parts of the story such as the abandoned facility, and so much time is spent in similar scenarios of “the bikies have caught up to us and now we have to fight them again, and while we’re still all injured from the last time we fought, we’re all good to go toe to toe again, and end up even more injured but still all get away relatively unscathed.”
Just an absolute slog by the end, although the epilogue was a nice wrap up and kind of spooky again. Some interesting ideas and themes that were never explored to a satisfying depth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
Oh boy… My most disappointing books of 2023 list was already finished and ready to go. Then this thing decided to make an entry on the penultimate day of the year, and earned itself a spot… That’s right: I edited my list just so this one could get its well-earned spot on there…
To be fair, I have no one but myself to blame on this one, as I should’ve looked into the reasons this was rated so low, and adjusted my expectations. A Black and Endless Sky follows a brother and sister on a roadtrip cross-country to their hometown of Albuquerque. When Nell is caught up in a strange accident on an abandoned industrial in the Nevada desert, she begins to experience creepy and haunting symptoms.
Based off the synopsis I was expecting a more psychological, supernatural (possession?) horror featuring sibling relationships. Possibly some unknowable Eldridge Horror lurking underground and hitching a ride up to the surface through our protagonists...? In other words: I was hoping for suspenseful, cosmic and psychological. What I got instead was a book about exclusively detestable characters beating each other up in increasingly violent ways…
Instead of psychological, this book takes the route of violence and gore for its source of horror, and we all know how that tends to work out for me…
To be fair, I have no one but myself to blame on this one, as I should’ve looked into the reasons this was rated so low, and adjusted my expectations. A Black and Endless Sky follows a brother and sister on a roadtrip cross-country to their hometown of Albuquerque. When Nell is caught up in a strange accident on an abandoned industrial in the Nevada desert, she begins to experience creepy and haunting symptoms.
Based off the synopsis I was expecting a more psychological, supernatural (possession?) horror featuring sibling relationships. Possibly some unknowable Eldridge Horror lurking underground and hitching a ride up to the surface through our protagonists...? In other words: I was hoping for suspenseful, cosmic and psychological. What I got instead was a book about exclusively detestable characters beating each other up in increasingly violent ways…
Instead of psychological, this book takes the route of violence and gore for its source of horror, and we all know how that tends to work out for me…
March 23, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.
This book was intense. I really liked it. I loved the road trip aspect of it. To me, this book felt like a mixture of the movie Idle Hands and the books Razorblade Tears, the Exorcist and On the Road. There was so much going on that there was never a dull moment. I was hooked from the first sentence. There was not a dull moment in this book.
This book is about Jonah and Nell, two estranged siblings who reunite for a road trip home after Jonah's marriage ends. Along the way, something happens to Nell and she becomes something else. And, people are hunting them. That's all I will divulge about the plot.
This book gets an enthusiastic 4.25 stars. Like I said, it's action from page one. There are some really creepy scenes throughout and a lot of violence, so if that's not your thing, then steer clear of this book. But, if you have a strong stomach and enjoy good horror, this is definitely for you. This is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to. With multiple narrators, (5 in total, I think), it ranks up there with the likes of Daisy Jones and the Six, which is my favorite audiobook of all time. I enjoy multiple narrators and this one knocked it out of the park. Highly recommended.
This book was intense. I really liked it. I loved the road trip aspect of it. To me, this book felt like a mixture of the movie Idle Hands and the books Razorblade Tears, the Exorcist and On the Road. There was so much going on that there was never a dull moment. I was hooked from the first sentence. There was not a dull moment in this book.
This book is about Jonah and Nell, two estranged siblings who reunite for a road trip home after Jonah's marriage ends. Along the way, something happens to Nell and she becomes something else. And, people are hunting them. That's all I will divulge about the plot.
This book gets an enthusiastic 4.25 stars. Like I said, it's action from page one. There are some really creepy scenes throughout and a lot of violence, so if that's not your thing, then steer clear of this book. But, if you have a strong stomach and enjoy good horror, this is definitely for you. This is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to. With multiple narrators, (5 in total, I think), it ranks up there with the likes of Daisy Jones and the Six, which is my favorite audiobook of all time. I enjoy multiple narrators and this one knocked it out of the park. Highly recommended.
July 12, 2022
Fun road trip between estranged siblings Jonah and Nell goes off the rails immediately and it's the highway to hell from the first pit stop.
The first bar fight is BANANAS. The violence that was COMPLETLEY UNEXPECTED was intense. I was shooketh.
This book is about an ancient evil who possesses a young woman- but that hasn't happened yet.
Nell was hankering for a scrap and a scrap she got. Go off Nell
Never in my life.
Anyway on the run after the clusterfuck of a brawl Nell started an ancient evil takes hold of Nell and that alerts this zealot exorcist who calls herself a sin eater and now she is on the siblings trail as well.
A wild ride.
The first bar fight is BANANAS. The violence that was COMPLETLEY UNEXPECTED was intense. I was shooketh.
This book is about an ancient evil who possesses a young woman- but that hasn't happened yet.
Nell was hankering for a scrap and a scrap she got. Go off Nell
Never in my life.
Anyway on the run after the clusterfuck of a brawl Nell started an ancient evil takes hold of Nell and that alerts this zealot exorcist who calls herself a sin eater and now she is on the siblings trail as well.
A wild ride.
August 24, 2024
One of my favorite narrators was apart of the audiobook, buuuuuuuuut that’s the only good thing about it.
February 25, 2022
I was 100% hooked from the prologue. Open something you know you shouldn't? Yup, I'm here for that.
I was a little jarred after the prologue. The atmosphere changed enough that it took me a little while to get back into the story. I will say with confidence that everyone in this story are terrible people. I enjoy stories where the main characters aren't worth cheering for. I feel like it's an interesting challenge for the writer to convey. But as the story continued on, I found myself invested in seeing what was going to happen.
Be warned, there is body horror in this novel. Which, if we are going to dive into a gritty horror novel, I'm good with it. The intensity of the novel actively grew until the end. I loved how it built throughout. And I never could figure out where the story was going.
A Black and Endless Sky was a full and complete and satisfying horror novel. Also, the audiobook narrators all did a great job. Also, I love when there are separate narrators for each POV. It's an added cherry on top.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an Advance Listener Copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
I was a little jarred after the prologue. The atmosphere changed enough that it took me a little while to get back into the story. I will say with confidence that everyone in this story are terrible people. I enjoy stories where the main characters aren't worth cheering for. I feel like it's an interesting challenge for the writer to convey. But as the story continued on, I found myself invested in seeing what was going to happen.
Be warned, there is body horror in this novel. Which, if we are going to dive into a gritty horror novel, I'm good with it. The intensity of the novel actively grew until the end. I loved how it built throughout. And I never could figure out where the story was going.
A Black and Endless Sky was a full and complete and satisfying horror novel. Also, the audiobook narrators all did a great job. Also, I love when there are separate narrators for each POV. It's an added cherry on top.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an Advance Listener Copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2022
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t like reading synapses first so I went into this book completely blind and I was pleasantly shocked! The four narrators of the audiobook did a fantastic job of fully encompassing each character and I could tell who was speaking instantly before the book mentioned it! The story itself is full of horror, thriller, and down right edge of your seat suspense at times, which I found perfect to listen to on an eight hour road trip! It kept me awake and enthralled and even after the drive was over, I just had to know what was going to happen, especially with Jonah and Nell! I would definitely recommend to anyone that enjoys a real trip of a book with a great storyline!
I don’t like reading synapses first so I went into this book completely blind and I was pleasantly shocked! The four narrators of the audiobook did a fantastic job of fully encompassing each character and I could tell who was speaking instantly before the book mentioned it! The story itself is full of horror, thriller, and down right edge of your seat suspense at times, which I found perfect to listen to on an eight hour road trip! It kept me awake and enthralled and even after the drive was over, I just had to know what was going to happen, especially with Jonah and Nell! I would definitely recommend to anyone that enjoys a real trip of a book with a great storyline!
June 21, 2022
Another great book by Matthew Lyons! This book will keep you on the edge of your seat! It was non-stop action and horror, but it was also a touching story of estranged siblings coming back together. I enjoyed the cast of the siblings, the Sin Eater, and yes, the bikers! Who was bad, and who was good? I'll let you decide! Lots of tension and terror in this one!
April 12, 2022
This is my first experience with Lyons' writing - but I have to say that I really enjoyed listening to this spooky story. With what feels like a full cast narrator, this book opens with a mysterious buried door in the desert and quickly moves from that eerie opening to a more mundane start. Nell drove north from Albuquerque to San Francisco to pick up her older brother for a road trip back to New Mexico in the wake of his divorce. The siblings had once been close, but Nell resents Jonah's sudden departure years before. Still, she looks forward to reconnecting with him on the trip back. The story unfolds with a real cinematic flair. Nell tries to bring back her brother's fighting spirit - stirring up trouble at a biker bar. But soon, the biker gang isn't the only one after them. Though a bit light on some overall answers, there are some genuinely unsettling moments here - especially when it becomes clear that something is happening inside of Nell...
Fast-paced and well-performed, I definitely found myself listening to this one at every opportunity. It's spooky and the visual details add to make this an even more captivating story as the listener can practically smell the cigarette smoke, experience the weather and feel chills from all that is not quite right... I am definitely looking forward to reading (or listening) to more from Lyons in the future!
Fast-paced and well-performed, I definitely found myself listening to this one at every opportunity. It's spooky and the visual details add to make this an even more captivating story as the listener can practically smell the cigarette smoke, experience the weather and feel chills from all that is not quite right... I am definitely looking forward to reading (or listening) to more from Lyons in the future!
November 14, 2022
I read this book because I saw the words "cosmic horror", and figured it was for me. Turns out this book is light on the cosmic horror, and heavy on the PUNCHING!
These characters don't really have much personality, other than the fact that they all like to FIGHT, and they're really good at it, and take any opportunity to PUNCH people. I thought our main guy Jonah might have some depth to him, as when we first meet him, he's gotten divorced and is just moving out of the home he shared with his wife. Travelling with his sister to head back home to Albuquerque, she hints that there's secrets within Jonah that he never revealed to his wife. And what are these secrets? Oh, that he likes to FIGHT and PUNCH PEOPLE and he's really good at it! So no real character development of any real depth there.
I read this book hoping for a smart horror novel, but what I got was an action movie with demons in it. That worked for some people, I see, but it didn't work for me. I did appreciate that at the end of the book Nell is wearing a Vile Creature shirt, as they're a great band and deserved the shout out. Incidentally, I also live in Albuquerque, and have been planning on picking up a Vile Creature shirt, but I don't like to fight and I've never called any of my fellow Burqueños "townies."
These characters don't really have much personality, other than the fact that they all like to FIGHT, and they're really good at it, and take any opportunity to PUNCH people. I thought our main guy Jonah might have some depth to him, as when we first meet him, he's gotten divorced and is just moving out of the home he shared with his wife. Travelling with his sister to head back home to Albuquerque, she hints that there's secrets within Jonah that he never revealed to his wife. And what are these secrets? Oh, that he likes to FIGHT and PUNCH PEOPLE and he's really good at it! So no real character development of any real depth there.
I read this book hoping for a smart horror novel, but what I got was an action movie with demons in it. That worked for some people, I see, but it didn't work for me. I did appreciate that at the end of the book Nell is wearing a Vile Creature shirt, as they're a great band and deserved the shout out. Incidentally, I also live in Albuquerque, and have been planning on picking up a Vile Creature shirt, but I don't like to fight and I've never called any of my fellow Burqueños "townies."
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