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React
REACT
A spinning wheel. A crowded fairground. A simple sequence of numbers that appear over and over again... and a horrible feeling that something is very, very wrong.
Nina Vogel is haunted by a recurring nightmarish vision - but what does it mean?
In this powerful short story by Jack Harding, step into this nerve-racking, fast-paced fever dream that blurs the lines between the real and the unreal.
A spinning wheel. A crowded fairground. A simple sequence of numbers that appear over and over again... and a horrible feeling that something is very, very wrong.
Nina Vogel is haunted by a recurring nightmarish vision - but what does it mean?
In this powerful short story by Jack Harding, step into this nerve-racking, fast-paced fever dream that blurs the lines between the real and the unreal.
20 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2021
156 people want to read
About the author
Jack Harding
12 books126 followersJack was born in Portsmouth, U.K. in 1989. One June day in 2021, the impulse to write a short story came to him suddenly after a particularly vivid nightmare. That first short story, The Cat’s Meat Man, was published in a horror anthology several months later. More stories followed, and by the end of the summer, he had a total of ten short stories, one novelette, and three poems to his name which were subsequently published as a collection by Blood Rites Publishing in January 2022. That collection was Ripper Country.
In the autumn of 2021, Jack self-published the short stories React and Driving in the Dark, both of which were met with largely positive reviews. His second collection of short stories, Dark Lines, was published in the spring of 2022 by DarkLit Press. Jack has also had stories featured in the horror anthologies, Dead of Night and Terror in the Trench, in addition to pieces of flash fiction appearing in the collections, Slice of Paradise and 206 Word Stories.
His third collection of short stories, Warning Signs, is slated for release in the autumn.
His favorite authors are Ray Bradbury, Stephen King and Richard Matheson.
Instagram: @rocket.man.reads
In the autumn of 2021, Jack self-published the short stories React and Driving in the Dark, both of which were met with largely positive reviews. His second collection of short stories, Dark Lines, was published in the spring of 2022 by DarkLit Press. Jack has also had stories featured in the horror anthologies, Dead of Night and Terror in the Trench, in addition to pieces of flash fiction appearing in the collections, Slice of Paradise and 206 Word Stories.
His third collection of short stories, Warning Signs, is slated for release in the autumn.
His favorite authors are Ray Bradbury, Stephen King and Richard Matheson.
Instagram: @rocket.man.reads
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
November 21, 2021
The story was done in a very clever way. At first you think the premonitions of a woman named Nina are some kind of strange vision or nightmare. But the more you read the more hints are given by the author that there might be more behind it. Nevertheless the denouement is absolutely astonishing (never thought about that). Love the carnival setting with the ferris wheel (a very strong motif here) and the changing looks of Nina's daughter. A very good and uncanny story with some repetitive passages I regard as a bit exaggerated (e.g. the numbers, Anna calling out Mama, Bowie's song Ashes to Ashes). The eerie mysterious atmosphere was great and intriguing though. Highly recommended!
October 15, 2022
React by Jack Harding
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5*)
You guys know, that I love short-stories but when they are written really great, I love them even more. 😁 Same goes with React. This is my first book from Jack Harding and I‘m sure it won‘t be the last.
A mother finds herself near a ferris wheel with her daughter and witnesses the abolute horror and has to protect her child. ☠️
The writting was amazing: fast-paced, tense and remarkably clear. There were so many emotions in so few pages and I really rooted and cared for the characters. Exceptional work, highly recommend, especially in the „Month of Horror“! 🧛🏻♂️🦇💀👻🎃☠️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5*)
You guys know, that I love short-stories but when they are written really great, I love them even more. 😁 Same goes with React. This is my first book from Jack Harding and I‘m sure it won‘t be the last.
A mother finds herself near a ferris wheel with her daughter and witnesses the abolute horror and has to protect her child. ☠️
The writting was amazing: fast-paced, tense and remarkably clear. There were so many emotions in so few pages and I really rooted and cared for the characters. Exceptional work, highly recommend, especially in the „Month of Horror“! 🧛🏻♂️🦇💀👻🎃☠️
January 29, 2022
Funnily enough this was the first short story I've read. Like Charlie Patino for Arsenal this was the perfect debut for an author who clearly has the gift.
'React' is very well written and kept me guessing until the end. I sensed subtle undertones of 'The Shining' for instilling fear into the reader.
Jack Harding appears to have a lot more to come and I will immediately move on to 'Driving in The Dark' aswell as read more short stories.
Do any of you have any short story collections you'd recommend?
Easy 5*
'React' is very well written and kept me guessing until the end. I sensed subtle undertones of 'The Shining' for instilling fear into the reader.
Jack Harding appears to have a lot more to come and I will immediately move on to 'Driving in The Dark' aswell as read more short stories.
Do any of you have any short story collections you'd recommend?
Easy 5*
October 18, 2022
It is the ending, my god! This is a punching my gut! Well done, Jack Harding!
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙩 by Jack Harding aka @rocket.man.reads
One, two, three, four…
𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰! Nina senses this in a nightmarish vision, where she tries to save her little girl, Anna. The ferris wheel looks rusty and old, ashes are whirling around both of them but the crowd doesn’t notice any of this… only Nina does!
Waking from this nightmare, Nina still senses the dread… will she be in time to avoid what is to come?
My God, this was a punch in my gut! That ending! Jack suckerpunched me and I’m still recovering! The story is short (only 21 pages) but leaves such an impression! As it is short and I can’t say much more, to avoid spoiling anything, I will keep my review short as well! But let me end with telling you that I’m definitely looking forward to read more of this writer! Highly recommended!!!
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙩 by Jack Harding aka @rocket.man.reads
One, two, three, four…
𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰! Nina senses this in a nightmarish vision, where she tries to save her little girl, Anna. The ferris wheel looks rusty and old, ashes are whirling around both of them but the crowd doesn’t notice any of this… only Nina does!
Waking from this nightmare, Nina still senses the dread… will she be in time to avoid what is to come?
My God, this was a punch in my gut! That ending! Jack suckerpunched me and I’m still recovering! The story is short (only 21 pages) but leaves such an impression! As it is short and I can’t say much more, to avoid spoiling anything, I will keep my review short as well! But let me end with telling you that I’m definitely looking forward to read more of this writer! Highly recommended!!!
November 22, 2021
Lunchtime Read
After reading so many good reviews about this short story, I thought it’d be perfect for a quick lunchtime read. At only 21 pages, it’s hard to write without giving much away, however I did ruin the ending for myself because: I Know Random Facts That Have No Bearing On My Daily Life. This didn’t detract from it, however, and made for an interesting read, wondering how he’d wind it up.
However: being a teenager in the 80s, I’m not suprised more of us don’t have those sorts of dreams.
After reading so many good reviews about this short story, I thought it’d be perfect for a quick lunchtime read. At only 21 pages, it’s hard to write without giving much away, however I did ruin the ending for myself because: I Know Random Facts That Have No Bearing On My Daily Life. This didn’t detract from it, however, and made for an interesting read, wondering how he’d wind it up.
However: being a teenager in the 80s, I’m not suprised more of us don’t have those sorts of dreams.
October 29, 2021
A recurring nightmare, obsessive thoughts, and a nagging dread that something not good is going to happen. Nina tries to make sense of what is going on inside her head. Will she figure it out in time?
Brooding and dangerously vivid, REACT is a hybrid slow burn fever dream that you won't be able to put down. Harding does a great job building tension and dread, making the full impact of the reveal at the end that much more impactful.
Brooding and dangerously vivid, REACT is a hybrid slow burn fever dream that you won't be able to put down. Harding does a great job building tension and dread, making the full impact of the reveal at the end that much more impactful.
November 9, 2021
As a debut solo short this story sets a high bar for Jack Harding. The sense of dread blended with vivid and sometimes horrific imagery were such an effective combination. I had a feeling that something big was coming at the end but had no idea the story was going to go the direction it did. I could feel the panic and the terror that Nina experienced in her dream. Very solid and worthy solo debut
November 4, 2021
"One. Two. Three. Four"
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Jack Harding's first solo adventure, "React" is a great story! I managed to get an early release copy/ Advanced Review Copy/ ARC for this one from Jack and I genuinely really enjoyed it. The story is very tricky to talk about at this point since *SPOILERS* and I am keeping this one spoiler free. You can really imagine being in this story and with the characters. There's a great deal of mystery to this one with you wondering just what on Earth is happening in this one. You will want to keep reading it to get answers. I really enjoyed this one and Jack is one to most definitely watch and read. If you can please pick up a copy of React!
.
Jack Harding's first solo adventure, "React" is a great story! I managed to get an early release copy/ Advanced Review Copy/ ARC for this one from Jack and I genuinely really enjoyed it. The story is very tricky to talk about at this point since *SPOILERS* and I am keeping this one spoiler free. You can really imagine being in this story and with the characters. There's a great deal of mystery to this one with you wondering just what on Earth is happening in this one. You will want to keep reading it to get answers. I really enjoyed this one and Jack is one to most definitely watch and read. If you can please pick up a copy of React!
October 13, 2021
Haunting and unsettling, this short story had me gripped from the first page. I loved the ending, and I loved Nina’s character (although not her opinions about Bowie 😂)
A great story, recommend picking this up if you like psychological horror, a little bit of gore, and a bit of clever misdirection.
A great story, recommend picking this up if you like psychological horror, a little bit of gore, and a bit of clever misdirection.
November 19, 2021
Jack Harding is the author to watch. Harding's voice is visceral, varied, full of color and rhythm; it pulls the reader along until the end. "React" may be short, but it's a powerful promise of what's to come. I'll be greatly anticipating his upcoming short story collection to see where he goes from here.
I do need to give one Content Warning: unjustified slandering of the objectively brilliant David Bowie ;-)
I do need to give one Content Warning: unjustified slandering of the objectively brilliant David Bowie ;-)
December 9, 2021
Beautiful writing, really wanted more! Dark and twisty, can highly recommend 👌
October 13, 2021
This is an absolute gem of a short story. Jack's first solo short really gets you thinking and is wild. It's so well written and the twist is horrific and shocking. I would say its a psychological nightmare. If this is how his work will be like I'm a fan and can't wait for more of his work.
November 30, 2021
Powerful & unexpected. Great writing and super engaging for a short story!
January 7, 2022
An anxiety inducing fever dream with a shocking twist!!
November 18, 2021
“React”, by Jack Harding
Thank you for my review copy.
“React”, by Jack Harding, is very short at only twenty pages, but do not let that fool you. Harding wrote a unsettling psychological horror story with visions, a crowded fairground and ash falling from the sky.
Nina, the main chracter, senses something is coming in a vivid nightmare. The story opens in a crowded fairground with a ferris wheel that looks rusty. As the story progresses, and Nina’s sense of dread intensifies, Harding does a fantastic job at increasing the tension. He was able to compose a story with vivid descriptions and a consistent pace barreling the reader to an unexpected ending.
Due to the length, I can not write too much about the description in order to not spoil it. If you are in the mood for a short story, I recommend you give this one a try.
Thank you for my review copy.
“React”, by Jack Harding, is very short at only twenty pages, but do not let that fool you. Harding wrote a unsettling psychological horror story with visions, a crowded fairground and ash falling from the sky.
Nina, the main chracter, senses something is coming in a vivid nightmare. The story opens in a crowded fairground with a ferris wheel that looks rusty. As the story progresses, and Nina’s sense of dread intensifies, Harding does a fantastic job at increasing the tension. He was able to compose a story with vivid descriptions and a consistent pace barreling the reader to an unexpected ending.
Due to the length, I can not write too much about the description in order to not spoil it. If you are in the mood for a short story, I recommend you give this one a try.
November 15, 2021
Wow. That was INTENSE and I absolutely LOVED it! Massively atmospheric, dark and dripping with bucket loads of suspense.
A five star triumph!
A five star triumph!
October 31, 2021
Great short story
This was a great short story. It set up its finale so well, and had some fantastic imagery throughout. The descriptions were vivid, and the story moved at a fantastic pace. It really delivered on that feeling of being trapped in a dream, with things changing without explanation according to the twisted logic dreams tend to employ, yet it all fit together so well within this story.
To an extent, I saw the ending coming. Not exactly, but the entire story put that particular setting in mind for me. Even with that prediction in mind, though, the story kept me guessing and played up the tension in a very effective way.
Looking forward to reading more from Jack in future.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a great short story. It set up its finale so well, and had some fantastic imagery throughout. The descriptions were vivid, and the story moved at a fantastic pace. It really delivered on that feeling of being trapped in a dream, with things changing without explanation according to the twisted logic dreams tend to employ, yet it all fit together so well within this story.
To an extent, I saw the ending coming. Not exactly, but the entire story put that particular setting in mind for me. Even with that prediction in mind, though, the story kept me guessing and played up the tension in a very effective way.
Looking forward to reading more from Jack in future.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 5, 2021
Gripping & Tense!
Wow! This short story by Jack Harding is incredible. Harding has truly mastered the art of making every sentence count as he guided the reader through the labyrinth of reactive emotions of MC—Nina Vogel.
The story had an essence of Shutter Island vibes, IMO, in the way it unfolded. Never quite certain if some of what Nina had been experiencing was real or not. Harding’s use of descriptive language made the imagery palpable. I not only saw the scenes, I truly felt them as if I were Nina. Thought this book may be a “quick” read, it doesn’t lack for quality! Highly recommend this short story to everyone.
Wow! This short story by Jack Harding is incredible. Harding has truly mastered the art of making every sentence count as he guided the reader through the labyrinth of reactive emotions of MC—Nina Vogel.
The story had an essence of Shutter Island vibes, IMO, in the way it unfolded. Never quite certain if some of what Nina had been experiencing was real or not. Harding’s use of descriptive language made the imagery palpable. I not only saw the scenes, I truly felt them as if I were Nina. Thought this book may be a “quick” read, it doesn’t lack for quality! Highly recommend this short story to everyone.
November 21, 2021
Forgot to post my updated review, here it is:
My rating with this one changed a few times, when I first read I thought damn was pretty good, then I thought about it for a while and thought no that was really good, then I read it again today before writing the review and thought no I REALLY like this😅
This is a very short story, only 21 pages and can be read in a few minutes, but it hits the ground running and throws you into an incredibly tense scenario, I was so anxious reading it (in a good way). The premise in very gripping and you're immediately invested in what the hell is going on, the writing is solid, structured and very well written for a debut. I'm a big fan of short stories and have read some great ones this year, and this is right up there with the best. The big pull of this story is the ending, I'll say no more on that.
One of the things I was most impressed with was how well the story flowed for such a short amount of pages, it's incredibly intense for the majority, it then pulls you back into a slower, more even pace, giving you a sense of security, then punches you in the stomach with brilliantly executed ending. It's very difficult, with short stories, to keep a readers interest without giving away what you're building to. And harding, in my opinion executed this perfectly.
I've been informed this story is set to lead into a similar themed collection in the future. One I'll be very eager to get my hands on, a really interesting blend of concepts delivered a really intriguing view of what's to come
My rating with this one changed a few times, when I first read I thought damn was pretty good, then I thought about it for a while and thought no that was really good, then I read it again today before writing the review and thought no I REALLY like this😅
This is a very short story, only 21 pages and can be read in a few minutes, but it hits the ground running and throws you into an incredibly tense scenario, I was so anxious reading it (in a good way). The premise in very gripping and you're immediately invested in what the hell is going on, the writing is solid, structured and very well written for a debut. I'm a big fan of short stories and have read some great ones this year, and this is right up there with the best. The big pull of this story is the ending, I'll say no more on that.
One of the things I was most impressed with was how well the story flowed for such a short amount of pages, it's incredibly intense for the majority, it then pulls you back into a slower, more even pace, giving you a sense of security, then punches you in the stomach with brilliantly executed ending. It's very difficult, with short stories, to keep a readers interest without giving away what you're building to. And harding, in my opinion executed this perfectly.
I've been informed this story is set to lead into a similar themed collection in the future. One I'll be very eager to get my hands on, a really interesting blend of concepts delivered a really intriguing view of what's to come
December 28, 2021
A supremely clever story that begs to be read more than once. Touching, brutal, terribly haunting. A masterpiece in misdirection and absolutely unmissable!
November 10, 2021
A spinning wheel, a crowded fairground, a simple sequence of numbers... and a horrible feeling that something is very, very wrong. Why is Nina haunted by this claustrophobic vision?
React is a powerful story written by Jack Harding, it's quite short (20 pages) so I will keep my review short as well. There are two main things that I loved about React:
- Nina's visions are dark and unsettling, they made me even feel a bit anxious, proof that Harding can build tension and beautifully too;
- That ending 😲 Definitely didn't see that one coming, but it's so good and clever!
Super recommended!
5 stars.
* I'd like to thank Jack Harding for providing this free copy in exchange for my honest review.
React is a powerful story written by Jack Harding, it's quite short (20 pages) so I will keep my review short as well. There are two main things that I loved about React:
- Nina's visions are dark and unsettling, they made me even feel a bit anxious, proof that Harding can build tension and beautifully too;
- That ending 😲 Definitely didn't see that one coming, but it's so good and clever!
Super recommended!
5 stars.
* I'd like to thank Jack Harding for providing this free copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 26, 2021
One. Two. Three. Four.
Wow! What a read. This short story truly packs a punch. It’s anxiety inducing from the very first page. And that ending!! This was a fantastic, quick read that I would highly recommend. This story deserves all the praise and more. Jack is certainly going to be an author to watch, I know I can’t wait to read more from him.
Thank you very much Jack for sending me a copy.
Wow! What a read. This short story truly packs a punch. It’s anxiety inducing from the very first page. And that ending!! This was a fantastic, quick read that I would highly recommend. This story deserves all the praise and more. Jack is certainly going to be an author to watch, I know I can’t wait to read more from him.
Thank you very much Jack for sending me a copy.
November 15, 2021
Hell yes!! This is a great solo debut novella from Jack Harding. Fast paced and packed with tension, Jack does a great job of keeping you gripped throughout and I couldn't and didn't put it down until I'd finished.
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A spinning wheel. A crowded fairground. A simple sequence of numbers that appear over and over again... and a horrible feeling that something is very, very wrong.
.
Nina Vogel is haunted by a recurring vision - but what does it mean?
.
.
A spinning wheel. A crowded fairground. A simple sequence of numbers that appear over and over again... and a horrible feeling that something is very, very wrong.
.
Nina Vogel is haunted by a recurring vision - but what does it mean?
December 4, 2021
Wowee. This debut short story is just wow. As soon as I started reading, the author gripped me. The descriptive writing and imagery was brilliant. I went in totally blind not knowing what this story was about at all and I highly recommend doing the same thing. It's only 21 pages and packs a big ole punch in the face😂. Amazing. Looking forward to reading more of this authors work!
December 29, 2021
love a good nuclear meltdown
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2022
Somehow, even spookier than Driving in the Dark!
Twisty and creepy.
I loved it!
Twisty and creepy.
I loved it!
November 9, 2021
A tension filled psychological suspense/horror, React is a short story that packs a punch. I felt like I was right there with Nina, trying to figure out what was happening while becoming more harried and stressed with each turn of the page. Jack’s writing is attention grabbing and man, he knows how to nail an ending! I’d love to see what he does in a longer story with more character development, but React is a great example of how impactful a short story can be when done right.
March 17, 2022
An exceptionally written story that had my attention from the first line until its shocking ending. Did NOT see that end coming at all. Jack Harding knows how to weave a story together.
November 27, 2021
Great story by Jack Harding! I loved the sense of dread that a series of numbers causes in the protagonist of this short story. The ultimate conclusion was an interesting payoff, I really enjoyed it. Check it out, for a fun short read.
October 31, 2021
Bit disconcerting that I had to change buses on my commute to work whilst reading this because the engine was burning 🤡 This was fantastic though, I can’t wait to see what Jack does next!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews