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We Will Rise
For fans of 'The Walking Dead' and 'The Evil Dead', Tim Waggoner "has a knack for taking conventional horror tropes and giving them a deliciously bizarre spin." Horror Fiction Review.
In Echo Hill, Ohio, the dead begin to reappear, manifesting in various forms, from classic ghosts and poltergeists, to physical undead and bizarre apparitions for which there is no name. These malign spirits attack the living, tormenting and ultimately killing them in order to add more recruits to their spectral ranks.
A group of survivors come together after the initial attack, all plagued by different ghostly apparitions of their own. Can they make it out of Echo Hill alive? And if so, will they still be sane? Or will they die and join the ranks of the vengeful dead?
In Echo Hill, Ohio, the dead begin to reappear, manifesting in various forms, from classic ghosts and poltergeists, to physical undead and bizarre apparitions for which there is no name. These malign spirits attack the living, tormenting and ultimately killing them in order to add more recruits to their spectral ranks.
A group of survivors come together after the initial attack, all plagued by different ghostly apparitions of their own. Can they make it out of Echo Hill alive? And if so, will they still be sane? Or will they die and join the ranks of the vengeful dead?
256 pages, Paperback
Published July 19, 2022
27 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Tim Waggoner
282 books757 followersTim Waggoner's first novel came out in 2001, and since then, he's published over sixty novels and eight collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. He's written tie-in fiction based on Supernatural, The X-Files, Alien, Doctor Who, Conan the Barbarian, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Grimm, and Transformers, among others, and he's written novelizations for films such as Ti West’s X-Trilogy, Halloween Kills, Terrifier 2 and 3, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. He’s also the author of the award-winning guide to horror Writing in the Dark. He’s a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, a one-time winner of the Scribe Award, and he’s been a two-time finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and a one-time finalist for the Splatterpunk Award. He’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 3, 2022
This story begins in Echo Hill, Ohio where the dead are beginning to appear and causing death and destruction to whoever happens to be in their way. People everywhere are glued to their cell phones and televisions not believing what they are witnessing. At first most people think the crazy videos are a hoax until the deathly apparitions continue appearing all over the world. Whatever these evil entities are they are all communicating that is finally time for the Big Event and only they know the secret to the world's devastation that they are happily enjoying watching and causing but they are telling their victims "The Homecoming" is almost here and then all the people left alive will all belong to the dead when "The Homecoming" arrives in it's blazing horrifying finale.
The book sounds pretty intriguing, right? Well it was certainly horrifying and over-the-top with all the gruesome murders and I was intrigued who until forty percent into the story. First I must say Tim Waggoner can be wonderful horror writer and this book will be appreciated by the majority of hard-core horror fans but sadly this book wasn't for me. Action? So much bloody action and I mean Bloody action that wouldn't quit until the very end of the book but the point of the story was lost to me. I kept reading because I wanted to know why all these entities (not quite ghosts) appeared in the first place and what "The Homecoming" was all about and who or what was the leader in this supernatural invasion. Well, I read the entire book and finally found out "Nothing"! To me this was a definite cliffhanger which I can't stand if I don't know it's coming so I'm prepared for such a disappointed and let down feeling that I experienced.. I felt like I wasted a lot of my time on death in every disturbing, disgusting and deplorable form anyone can imagine! I'm sorry but I felt cheated and expected more quality substance to this horror book and I have absolutely no desire to read a book two if there is one.
Trigger Warnings: Every disturbing, disgusting and gruesome death one can think of. Rape, Abuse of a corpse, Physical, Sexual,Emotional abuse, Profanity, Torture, Blood &Gore, Blood &Gore and more Blood & Gore
I want to thank the publisher " Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of 2 GRUESOME AND BLOODY 🌟🌟 STARS!!
The book sounds pretty intriguing, right? Well it was certainly horrifying and over-the-top with all the gruesome murders and I was intrigued who until forty percent into the story. First I must say Tim Waggoner can be wonderful horror writer and this book will be appreciated by the majority of hard-core horror fans but sadly this book wasn't for me. Action? So much bloody action and I mean Bloody action that wouldn't quit until the very end of the book but the point of the story was lost to me. I kept reading because I wanted to know why all these entities (not quite ghosts) appeared in the first place and what "The Homecoming" was all about and who or what was the leader in this supernatural invasion. Well, I read the entire book and finally found out "Nothing"! To me this was a definite cliffhanger which I can't stand if I don't know it's coming so I'm prepared for such a disappointed and let down feeling that I experienced.. I felt like I wasted a lot of my time on death in every disturbing, disgusting and deplorable form anyone can imagine! I'm sorry but I felt cheated and expected more quality substance to this horror book and I have absolutely no desire to read a book two if there is one.
Trigger Warnings: Every disturbing, disgusting and gruesome death one can think of. Rape, Abuse of a corpse, Physical, Sexual,Emotional abuse, Profanity, Torture, Blood &Gore, Blood &Gore and more Blood & Gore
I want to thank the publisher " Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of 2 GRUESOME AND BLOODY 🌟🌟 STARS!!
July 21, 2022
Well, that was entertaining!
No one can accuse Tim Waggoner of lacking an imagination.
It's not exactly poetry were talking about here... It was one hell of a fast and fun read, though. Chapter 8 onwards is where things get a bit wacky - beyond horror- taking a turn into bizarro territory. Depending on how demented your sense of humour is (Very in my case) you might get a few shameful laughs here and there. The story... well, who cares! It's absolutely bat-shit-crazy. It's an extreme-horror-popcorn-supreme. Everything from crazy monsters made out of human teeth, to demon babies riding giant umbilical cords. What more do you want?
4 Stars. For creativity.
No one can accuse Tim Waggoner of lacking an imagination.
It's not exactly poetry were talking about here... It was one hell of a fast and fun read, though. Chapter 8 onwards is where things get a bit wacky - beyond horror- taking a turn into bizarro territory. Depending on how demented your sense of humour is (Very in my case) you might get a few shameful laughs here and there. The story... well, who cares! It's absolutely bat-shit-crazy. It's an extreme-horror-popcorn-supreme. Everything from crazy monsters made out of human teeth, to demon babies riding giant umbilical cords. What more do you want?
4 Stars. For creativity.
August 14, 2022
Despite the use of "Rise" in the title this is not a zombie story. but rather tells the tale of what happens when ghosts return... almost -all- of the ghosts. It's got some very graphic and gory imagery of sex and violence, so should be avoided by anyone aware of trigger warnings. (Dentist's office... eewwkkk...) There's a rather large cast of characters that are so diverse that it seems a checklist may have been employed in their creation, but the main theme seems to be that there are a few good folks and a lot of nasty folks, and their dispositions aren't changed by passing. Some of the scenes and situations range from the surreal into the bizzarro realm, and I was fascinated by the overall journey but found the lack of a conclusion or explanation a little disappointing. It's well written, but not among Waggoner's best.
July 17, 2022
So gory, so good! So Implacable! You want a story that will give you endless nights of raving inescapable nightmares, right here it is.
A quiet unassuming Ohio town. A routine day, like any other. NOT! This is The Homecoming, the day all the dearly departed return, only they're no longer dear and they're not here for hugs and sympathy.
The Dead have an Agenda; and across the globe, no one can survive The Homecoming.
A quiet unassuming Ohio town. A routine day, like any other. NOT! This is The Homecoming, the day all the dearly departed return, only they're no longer dear and they're not here for hugs and sympathy.
The Dead have an Agenda; and across the globe, no one can survive The Homecoming.
July 19, 2022
WE WILL RISE is the latest horror novel from Tim Waggoner. In Echo Springs, Ohio, the dead are coming back--not as your quiet, run-of-the-mill ghosts, but as vengeful, violent entities that are capable of physical harm.
To begin with, this book is non-stop action--it goes from one person's personal situation, to another. The action scenes are almost too much, at times, as I honestly was exhausted reading at one point. The idea is unique and quite captivating, the characters have some great representation all around--which I found made the story more compelling. The first half, we get to know more about the characters, while still maintaining the action sequences and some great, bloody scenes.
Towards the end of the book, I felt that the action took over completely--without much adding to our original characters, other than wondering WHY things were happening. While there is more that is addressed at the end, I just didn't feel that it made as much sense (even in the context of suspended belief), and would have liked additional information regarding the plot than just the brutality. It brought a lot of questions to my mind, which remained unresolved.
Overall, some great inclusive characters, creative action scenes, and a unique approach to the undead. I only wish the core plot idea had been a little stronger/more detailed than what we had. Still, a fantastic read for the horror lovers who are mainly looking for carnage.
To begin with, this book is non-stop action--it goes from one person's personal situation, to another. The action scenes are almost too much, at times, as I honestly was exhausted reading at one point. The idea is unique and quite captivating, the characters have some great representation all around--which I found made the story more compelling. The first half, we get to know more about the characters, while still maintaining the action sequences and some great, bloody scenes.
Towards the end of the book, I felt that the action took over completely--without much adding to our original characters, other than wondering WHY things were happening. While there is more that is addressed at the end, I just didn't feel that it made as much sense (even in the context of suspended belief), and would have liked additional information regarding the plot than just the brutality. It brought a lot of questions to my mind, which remained unresolved.
Overall, some great inclusive characters, creative action scenes, and a unique approach to the undead. I only wish the core plot idea had been a little stronger/more detailed than what we had. Still, a fantastic read for the horror lovers who are mainly looking for carnage.
July 9, 2022
It's a Ghost Apocalypse in Echo Hill, Ohio as the undead return to torment and kill the living in Tim Waggoner's latest, We Will Rise.
Although the idea is pretty nifty and an interesting - and much weirder - spin on the traditional zombie apocalypse trope, the plot never really delves much deeper than that. Mostly, We Will Rise feels like an exercise in sustaining one long (and prolonged) action scene, albeit one divvied up amongst a handful of characters. Waggoner hits the ground running, beginning with a ghostly murder in the shower, and then, in chapter two, introduces us a woman haunted by her miscarried baby. You know you're in for a wild ride when a dead infant begins attacking its mother, trying to forcibly reenter the womb through her mouth and demanding to be let back in! Of course, since this is a Tim Waggoner book, things just get stranger from there.
Waggoner is undeniably creative, merging disparate ideas and tropes to give readers something fresh and unusual, but it does require a higher than usual level of suspended disbelief and a strong tolerance for the weird and fantastical. I generally like the man's work, but I have to admit that he can get a bit too weird for my tastes at times. While We Will Rise is hardly the weirdest Waggoner title out there, his material is a bit of an acquired taste and it's one that I'm not quite readily able to swallow so much of anymore. Here, we get a lot of physics-defying spectral anomalies and reality shifting, on top of strange, inhuman concoctions created by the ghosts (one spirit assumes the form of a monster made out of teeth a la Channel Zero, but whose own mouth teeth are the humans it has captured and implanted in its gums, while another appears human but is able to shoot bee stingers from its arms). Unbound by any sort of reality, and with seemingly nigh unstoppable power sets, Waggoner certainly brings a different paradigm to your typical ghostly hauntings.
But it's also exceedingly exhausting. If We Will Rise is an exercise in sustained action and nihilism, then it's also a rigorous endurance test for readers. By the halfway mark, I was tired, and by about 80%, I was both exhausted and, frustratingly, still oblivious as to why any of these events were happening. It's not easy to sustain this level of action for such a prolonged period, but it's even harder to keep one invested without any sort of explanation for why it's all happening to begin with. Like the characters, readers will spend the vast majority of the book completely in the dark to the cause, purpose, or motivations of these increasingly outlandish spectral attacks. When we finally do get some answers in the closing chapters, the rationale behind it all feels awfully flimsy and disproportionate to the events surrounding it.
To its credit, though, We Will Rise does feature a nicely diverse cast, including a trans boy, Oliver, whose perspective was much appreciated and, I thought, pretty well handled. Waggoner always does a good job of giving us multiple viewpoints that are representative of the real world, in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender. Of course, this also means there's some wholly undesirable perspectives, too, like the appropriately named Karen - a sentient, racist-to-the-max trashbag of a human being who lives solely to make others miserable. All that's missing from her is the MAGA hat! She's irredeemable and utterly unsympathetic garbage, the kind of character you want to see killed off immediately and who, naturally, sticks around until damn near the bitter end.
While the relentless action is good for keeping the pages turning, at least for a time, Waggoner's latest feels a bit too thin in terms of plot and themes, which mostly boil down to a simplistic "some people are good, but a lot are bad, too." We Will Rise is a lot of sound and fury, but one that ultimately signifies nothing.
Although the idea is pretty nifty and an interesting - and much weirder - spin on the traditional zombie apocalypse trope, the plot never really delves much deeper than that. Mostly, We Will Rise feels like an exercise in sustaining one long (and prolonged) action scene, albeit one divvied up amongst a handful of characters. Waggoner hits the ground running, beginning with a ghostly murder in the shower, and then, in chapter two, introduces us a woman haunted by her miscarried baby. You know you're in for a wild ride when a dead infant begins attacking its mother, trying to forcibly reenter the womb through her mouth and demanding to be let back in! Of course, since this is a Tim Waggoner book, things just get stranger from there.
Waggoner is undeniably creative, merging disparate ideas and tropes to give readers something fresh and unusual, but it does require a higher than usual level of suspended disbelief and a strong tolerance for the weird and fantastical. I generally like the man's work, but I have to admit that he can get a bit too weird for my tastes at times. While We Will Rise is hardly the weirdest Waggoner title out there, his material is a bit of an acquired taste and it's one that I'm not quite readily able to swallow so much of anymore. Here, we get a lot of physics-defying spectral anomalies and reality shifting, on top of strange, inhuman concoctions created by the ghosts (one spirit assumes the form of a monster made out of teeth a la Channel Zero, but whose own mouth teeth are the humans it has captured and implanted in its gums, while another appears human but is able to shoot bee stingers from its arms). Unbound by any sort of reality, and with seemingly nigh unstoppable power sets, Waggoner certainly brings a different paradigm to your typical ghostly hauntings.
But it's also exceedingly exhausting. If We Will Rise is an exercise in sustained action and nihilism, then it's also a rigorous endurance test for readers. By the halfway mark, I was tired, and by about 80%, I was both exhausted and, frustratingly, still oblivious as to why any of these events were happening. It's not easy to sustain this level of action for such a prolonged period, but it's even harder to keep one invested without any sort of explanation for why it's all happening to begin with. Like the characters, readers will spend the vast majority of the book completely in the dark to the cause, purpose, or motivations of these increasingly outlandish spectral attacks. When we finally do get some answers in the closing chapters, the rationale behind it all feels awfully flimsy and disproportionate to the events surrounding it.
To its credit, though, We Will Rise does feature a nicely diverse cast, including a trans boy, Oliver, whose perspective was much appreciated and, I thought, pretty well handled. Waggoner always does a good job of giving us multiple viewpoints that are representative of the real world, in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender. Of course, this also means there's some wholly undesirable perspectives, too, like the appropriately named Karen - a sentient, racist-to-the-max trashbag of a human being who lives solely to make others miserable. All that's missing from her is the MAGA hat! She's irredeemable and utterly unsympathetic garbage, the kind of character you want to see killed off immediately and who, naturally, sticks around until damn near the bitter end.
While the relentless action is good for keeping the pages turning, at least for a time, Waggoner's latest feels a bit too thin in terms of plot and themes, which mostly boil down to a simplistic "some people are good, but a lot are bad, too." We Will Rise is a lot of sound and fury, but one that ultimately signifies nothing.
July 4, 2022
It’s a chilly February day and Echo Springs is about to be painted red. The dead have returned and they’ve got something special planned for the people they knew when they had heartbeats. 
Those whose pasts are about to collide with their present include substitute elementary school teacher Mari, business major Faizan, homeschooled son of religious parents Oliver, café owner Karen, librarian Jerome and EMT Julie.
There’s nowhere to run because what’s happening in Echo Springs isn’t an isolated event; the entire planet is experiencing a reddening.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun watching peoples’ insides become their outsides. The death scenes are gory and imaginative. Some are even worthy of a chuckle. On second thought, maybe they’re not supposed to be funny and my inner Karen is showing…
The blood flows freely, the organs are on show and the body count is ginormous. I had planned on tallying up all of the deaths but am pleased to report that I became overwhelmed by the task and gave up. I’m having trouble choosing a favourite death scene but the atrocities I witnessed at Smiles, Inc. are probably going to stay with me the longest.
This would have been a much quicker read if I hadn’t been compelled to stop every time I got to a particularly graphic description so I could read it to the person beside me, interrupting their current read. I definitely need to see this book made into a movie.
Had I visited Echo Springs before the dead decided to add to their ranks, I would have visited the library (obviously) and Icing on the Cake.
The fact that my Kindle looked like it was haunted every time I opened it while reading was just perfect.
My only niggle was that, of all of the people I met in Echo Springs, it was .
Content warnings include mention of .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
“Evidently, people are starting to see ghosts.”
Those whose pasts are about to collide with their present include substitute elementary school teacher Mari, business major Faizan, homeschooled son of religious parents Oliver, café owner Karen, librarian Jerome and EMT Julie.
There’s nowhere to run because what’s happening in Echo Springs isn’t an isolated event; the entire planet is experiencing a reddening.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun watching peoples’ insides become their outsides. The death scenes are gory and imaginative. Some are even worthy of a chuckle. On second thought, maybe they’re not supposed to be funny and my inner Karen is showing…
The blood flows freely, the organs are on show and the body count is ginormous. I had planned on tallying up all of the deaths but am pleased to report that I became overwhelmed by the task and gave up. I’m having trouble choosing a favourite death scene but the atrocities I witnessed at Smiles, Inc. are probably going to stay with me the longest.
This would have been a much quicker read if I hadn’t been compelled to stop every time I got to a particularly graphic description so I could read it to the person beside me, interrupting their current read. I definitely need to see this book made into a movie.
Had I visited Echo Springs before the dead decided to add to their ranks, I would have visited the library (obviously) and Icing on the Cake.
The fact that my Kindle looked like it was haunted every time I opened it while reading was just perfect.
My only niggle was that, of all of the people I met in Echo Springs, it was .
Content warnings include mention of .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
July 6, 2022
Review coming soon to Kendall Reviews.
July 3, 2022
The dead are returning, coming back to destroy those who they felt did them wrong. Nobody in Echo Hill is safe. A group of survivors that have seen their loved ones taken in the most devastating of way band together to try and survive what is happening. They're all running from demons - literally.
This was absolutely fantastic! How on earth could this book be anything other than 5 stars!!
The book is CREEPY. It's devastating and brutal, with parts not for the faint hearted. It's definitely a horror, and one of my new favourite horrors that's for sure!
Fans of the supernatural / walking dead / brutal gory horror - you will LOVE this.
This was absolutely fantastic! How on earth could this book be anything other than 5 stars!!
The book is CREEPY. It's devastating and brutal, with parts not for the faint hearted. It's definitely a horror, and one of my new favourite horrors that's for sure!
Fans of the supernatural / walking dead / brutal gory horror - you will LOVE this.
July 1, 2022
What a gory blood filled adventure. Tim Waggoner delivers on old school creepy blood and guts horror. We Will Rise is no exception. A fast, fun and terrifying tale of the undead and those living loved ones quest to get away alive. Super creepy.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc
Thank you NetGalley for this arc
July 19, 2022
Review to follow
August 11, 2022
Something is happening in the town of Echo Springs. The dead are coming back...
Randy Herrera was the first. Eddie has mourned the loss of his little brother for decades after he drowned in a terrible accident. And it's taken that long for Eddie to get over his fear of water. None of that matters when Randy comes back, though. Because he's taking Eddie with him this time!
All over town, people are faced with dead friends and relatives. No one knows why they're back but it's clear they're determined to increase their ranks, taking as many of Echo Springs' living as they can!
Tim Waggoner is something of a legend in the horror world. With umpteen short stories under his belt and almost as many books, he is definitely someone every horror fan should be reading!
We Will Rise is a fun and creepy ghost story. Definitely different from anything else I've read in quite a while.
A town plagued by its dead—and they're not zombies! That alone makes this a stand out :)
If you're looking for a great chiller to read this summer, you should absolutely add We Will Rise to your TBR pile!
Randy Herrera was the first. Eddie has mourned the loss of his little brother for decades after he drowned in a terrible accident. And it's taken that long for Eddie to get over his fear of water. None of that matters when Randy comes back, though. Because he's taking Eddie with him this time!
All over town, people are faced with dead friends and relatives. No one knows why they're back but it's clear they're determined to increase their ranks, taking as many of Echo Springs' living as they can!
Tim Waggoner is something of a legend in the horror world. With umpteen short stories under his belt and almost as many books, he is definitely someone every horror fan should be reading!
We Will Rise is a fun and creepy ghost story. Definitely different from anything else I've read in quite a while.
A town plagued by its dead—and they're not zombies! That alone makes this a stand out :)
If you're looking for a great chiller to read this summer, you should absolutely add We Will Rise to your TBR pile!
July 30, 2022
We Will Rise
Author: Tim Waggoner
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
Release date: 19th July 2022
"Homecoming – the fun doesn’t end until you do!"
Eddie Herrera is a busy guy, working nights in his town of Echo Springs and getting home late enough to make breakfast, spend time with his wife Anna and see the kids off to school before falling in bed.
Afterwards, he takes his shower, disturbed by memories of his young brother who drowned.
But these are not memories.
It's the start of Homecoming ...and the dead are rising.
Each beginning chapter we see a different narrative POV, as an unusual 'ghost' or 'spirit' comes back to haunt the person in their lives. The bullying parent who comes to one college student, Faizan, tells him that they're coming and there will be more. Just as young Oliver, his mom Emily, Julie a paramedic, Mari and Karen also see family and friends return.
These are all quite dark, some grisly, but I have to admit I snorted at one scene with a couple of hapless rednecks who take stupid to a whole new level.
Despite the odd bits of humour, and some great characters we get to know quite well, the body count is high and the gore and blood level is even higher.
Think Nightmare on Elm St: Freddy's Revenge.
Strike that - think Prince of Darkness - it's apocalyptic level fatalities.
There are some seriously, visceral, freaky and absurd things happening in the town of Echo Springs as the inhabitants - worldwide as well - run round like headless chickens fighting animated pieces of metal, rivers of blood, exploding bodies and reality swerving out of control.
Amidst those fleeing for safety, are the ones who exist in the dark, and the current spread of death gives them a chance to thrive and enjoy the carnage.
For those few, like Jerome, it's an opportunity to cause suffering and revel in it.
I don't think it's a coincidence that the 'person' who speaks to him, is called Randall (think Randall Flag). As for Karen, well, the memes have nothing on her and it's fun to see her story arc.
Characters like Oliver Faizan and Julie show the best of humanity whilst Jerome and others like him show the worst.
With its religious iconography, self-proclaimed prophets, evil vs good, and infinite bloodshed, this felt as monumental as The Stand or The Mist.
With that comparison, I feel it would make a terrific film or TV show.
It has everything; violence, gore, a broad depth of characters, backstory, biblical level destruction and potential heroes as well as villains. Though I would give a bit of content warning here, in regards to the loss of children.
This may affect some readers, so proceed with caution.
Otherwise, bloody awesome!
I want myself a lovely, shiny Flame Tree Press hardback of this to keep on my shelves and one day get signed.
It's pretty much as bat-sh** crazy as it sounds and I think this is the most twisted and extreme thing I've ever read of Waggoner's.
And the ending is one that will stay with me a while; definitely food for thought.
I loved every second of it.
Author: Tim Waggoner
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
Release date: 19th July 2022
"Homecoming – the fun doesn’t end until you do!"
Eddie Herrera is a busy guy, working nights in his town of Echo Springs and getting home late enough to make breakfast, spend time with his wife Anna and see the kids off to school before falling in bed.
Afterwards, he takes his shower, disturbed by memories of his young brother who drowned.
But these are not memories.
It's the start of Homecoming ...and the dead are rising.
Each beginning chapter we see a different narrative POV, as an unusual 'ghost' or 'spirit' comes back to haunt the person in their lives. The bullying parent who comes to one college student, Faizan, tells him that they're coming and there will be more. Just as young Oliver, his mom Emily, Julie a paramedic, Mari and Karen also see family and friends return.
These are all quite dark, some grisly, but I have to admit I snorted at one scene with a couple of hapless rednecks who take stupid to a whole new level.
Despite the odd bits of humour, and some great characters we get to know quite well, the body count is high and the gore and blood level is even higher.
Think Nightmare on Elm St: Freddy's Revenge.
Strike that - think Prince of Darkness - it's apocalyptic level fatalities.
There are some seriously, visceral, freaky and absurd things happening in the town of Echo Springs as the inhabitants - worldwide as well - run round like headless chickens fighting animated pieces of metal, rivers of blood, exploding bodies and reality swerving out of control.
Amidst those fleeing for safety, are the ones who exist in the dark, and the current spread of death gives them a chance to thrive and enjoy the carnage.
For those few, like Jerome, it's an opportunity to cause suffering and revel in it.
I don't think it's a coincidence that the 'person' who speaks to him, is called Randall (think Randall Flag). As for Karen, well, the memes have nothing on her and it's fun to see her story arc.
Characters like Oliver Faizan and Julie show the best of humanity whilst Jerome and others like him show the worst.
With its religious iconography, self-proclaimed prophets, evil vs good, and infinite bloodshed, this felt as monumental as The Stand or The Mist.
With that comparison, I feel it would make a terrific film or TV show.
It has everything; violence, gore, a broad depth of characters, backstory, biblical level destruction and potential heroes as well as villains. Though I would give a bit of content warning here, in regards to the loss of children.
This may affect some readers, so proceed with caution.
Otherwise, bloody awesome!
I want myself a lovely, shiny Flame Tree Press hardback of this to keep on my shelves and one day get signed.
It's pretty much as bat-sh** crazy as it sounds and I think this is the most twisted and extreme thing I've ever read of Waggoner's.
And the ending is one that will stay with me a while; definitely food for thought.
I loved every second of it.
September 8, 2022
Such a fun, horrifying rollercoaster of a book! Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Excellent for fans of “The Taking” by Dean Koontz, and “The Haunted Forest Tour” by James A. Moore & Jeff Strand.
I could read a whole book of nothing but everyone’s personal nightmare encounters with the evil deceased/ Monad.
Thank you to Tim Waggoner, NetGalley, and Flame Tree Press for a copy!
I could read a whole book of nothing but everyone’s personal nightmare encounters with the evil deceased/ Monad.
Thank you to Tim Waggoner, NetGalley, and Flame Tree Press for a copy!
July 13, 2022
Thank you #NetGalley, #FlameTreePress for letting me review #WeWillRise by #TimWaggoner.
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. It is so well written and kept my attention the entire time. I wish it had not ended, I wanted to keep reading more.
At first, it is hard to keep up with all the characters. But as the story moves along, it gets easier. The world building, the Monad, and the evil people were so well described I got lost in the emotions and events happening.
This is a story about fear, hatred, and revenge with a lot of hope, happiness and the will to survive.
I hope to read many more books like this from Tim Waggoner. He is definitely an author to look out for.
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. It is so well written and kept my attention the entire time. I wish it had not ended, I wanted to keep reading more.
At first, it is hard to keep up with all the characters. But as the story moves along, it gets easier. The world building, the Monad, and the evil people were so well described I got lost in the emotions and events happening.
This is a story about fear, hatred, and revenge with a lot of hope, happiness and the will to survive.
I hope to read many more books like this from Tim Waggoner. He is definitely an author to look out for.
July 11, 2022
What would you do if every loved one you've ever had that has passed away came back to enact a vengeance you knew nothing about? We Will Rise - and the ghosts of the world rose up in Tim Waggoner's newest horror novel.
This book blew me away! The gore, the horror, the creativity of each death. All of these details came together to tell not only a few and new story, but one that was genuinely terrifying. I had some idea of what to expect when I started reading this, but the change in perspectives ensured that the story was fast-paced and interesting until it's riveting conclusion.
You do not want to miss out on this story and I for one will not be sleeping for several days because of it!!
This book blew me away! The gore, the horror, the creativity of each death. All of these details came together to tell not only a few and new story, but one that was genuinely terrifying. I had some idea of what to expect when I started reading this, but the change in perspectives ensured that the story was fast-paced and interesting until it's riveting conclusion.
You do not want to miss out on this story and I for one will not be sleeping for several days because of it!!
May 5, 2023
A book that was okay at the beginning and the premise was good. It was gory but the gore had no substance or story to carry it. I wanted to know what had caused it and started to skip over a lot of the gore. When I got no answer I went back to see if I missed something. Nope.
August 29, 2022
Really interesting concept, gnarly and gruesome ghost attacks, and characters I wanted to get to know even more. The pace was relentless and I liked how despite the action never letting up, there were satisfying answers and a fitting end to the novel. Looking forward to reading more by Tim Waggoner!
November 12, 2022
This book was SO good. I loved everything about it, honestly, and the ending was perfect.
July 25, 2022
This book is creepy and gory and most definitely not for the faint hearted.
There was so much going on and it had me hooked right from the start. We are introduced to lots of different characters at the beginning as so many different scenarios are occurring.
I was rooting for most of the characters hoping they would manage to escape ‘The Homecoming’ but there were a few I disliked and hoped they would meet a nasty end 🤣🤣
If are a horror fan and not squeamish definitely give this a read.
Thank you to Random Things Tours and Flame Tree Press for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.
There was so much going on and it had me hooked right from the start. We are introduced to lots of different characters at the beginning as so many different scenarios are occurring.
I was rooting for most of the characters hoping they would manage to escape ‘The Homecoming’ but there were a few I disliked and hoped they would meet a nasty end 🤣🤣
If are a horror fan and not squeamish definitely give this a read.
Thank you to Random Things Tours and Flame Tree Press for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.
July 17, 2022
Tim Waggoner is an ever-present source of delight. As a writer, Waggoner understands horror on a technical level. He knows the building blocks of the genre, how to construct a scene to hit all the proper beats for terror. He understands exactly how to craft his books from beginning, middle, and end while providing unique and innovative stories. We Will Rise is no different.
You can read Zach's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Zach's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
April 18, 2025
A horror that was character driven and full of nostalgia; with King and Herbert vibes it was also a slow burn but one that packed a hell of a punch. Multiple MCs come together, with some experiencing their worst nightmares and others divulging in their most sordid and violent desires culminating in an end of the world climax like no other. Interesting and terrifying this was a hard read but for all the right reasons.
August 13, 2022
The dead want payback and return to haunt their former loved ones
Tim Waggoner is undoubtedly one of the busiest authors in the horror business, writing well over twenty novels since appearing on the scene two decades ago. Those I have read include They Kill (2019), The Forever House (2020) and The Mouth of the Dark (2018) all of which have eye-catching plots but are relatively restrained in comparison to the supernatural madness featured in his latest offering We Will Rise. This was a particularly intense novel and I sped through the unrelenting 294 pages in no time whatsoever.
We Will Rise is presented in the same way as an anthology film with an ensemble cast of characters, who have their own unique narratives which are nicely developed particularly in the first half, which eventually converge together as crisis kicks in. Not everybody featured are good guys and I enjoyed the fact that it was not initially clear which side of the fence each of the protagonists sat on, with some turning into real evil and nasty pieces of work. If you like your violence bloody and creative there is much to savour here also (if this is not your cup of tea then you better avoid) including necrophilia, young children exploding like balloons, a woman ripping her own eyes out, and a dead baby ghost trying to force itself into the throat of its mother to renter the womb! It’s wild stuff and the characters truly go through the wringer.
The sheer level of visual creativeness of We Will Rise was outstanding and I did not think Waggoner would be able to pull it off for nearly 300-pages, but somehow he kept it going. There were several genuinely nasty creations, but my personal favourite was probably a giant tooth monster which also had tiny real people implanted into it. What made them more unpleasant was the fact that the entities had personal connections with those they were both hunting and haunting.
We Will Rise starts fast and quickly turns into a high-speed train wreck which is set over a noticeably short space of time in the small town of Echo Hill, Ohio. Eddie Herrera is having a shower and has a flashback to when his young brother drowns on a fishing trip with his father decades earlier. Whilst bathing he sees his brother’s ghost who pulls him into the water (whilst he is in the shower) and drowns him, telling him with great glee that his death is long overdue. Eddie’s wife returns home from work to find him curled up on the floor dead. And so, the hauntings begin.
After Eddie’s death sets the scene, the novel then moves into the afore mentioned anthology mode and introduces Mari, Faizan, Oliver, Karen, Jerome and Julie a chapter at a time. Obviously, each of the six characters has their own personal demons, problems and lives and the supernatural occurrence which is at the centre of the book impacts them all in unique ways. Having six distinct character with their own back stories was a smart way of keeping the story fresh and I enjoyed seeing how they interconnected together, some much quicker than others. Waggoner also spent time building interesting back stories, such as a transgender boy (Oliver) and a woman recovering from a miscarriage (Mari).
The core plot was an ingenious idea: all across the world people are being haunted by somebody from their past. The novel focusses entirely on Echo Hill and as readers we are not privy to the bigger picture except through random snatches of television and what starts as isolated incidents begins to spread and impact more people. I loved the way this supernatural ripple was portrayed through the destruction of this small town and how the internal demons varied. For example, Faizan is haunted by his dead father who saw him as a failure, whilst paramedic Julie is persecuted by all the people she failed to save, whether it was her fault or not. This was genuine, in-your-face, supernatural horror and if you enjoy no holds bar fiction which ramps up the action then this is a great read. Unrelenting action does not mean the novel lacks suspense or creepiness with the dead baby and sleazeball serial killer obsessed librarian hard to beat in those stakes. The fact that the entities liked to torment before killing added another unsettling dimension as the cross section of survivors were hunted by their very own demons who did not want to necessarily kill them straight of the bat.
The six characters are initially presented as interconnected short stories and the blending was first rate as they did their best to hold onto their sanity. Six perspectives were a nice number which helped portray the apocalypse through a wide lens. This was visceral stuff and a highly entertaining fast paced read which was a bleak exploration of the human psyche.
Tim Waggoner is undoubtedly one of the busiest authors in the horror business, writing well over twenty novels since appearing on the scene two decades ago. Those I have read include They Kill (2019), The Forever House (2020) and The Mouth of the Dark (2018) all of which have eye-catching plots but are relatively restrained in comparison to the supernatural madness featured in his latest offering We Will Rise. This was a particularly intense novel and I sped through the unrelenting 294 pages in no time whatsoever.
We Will Rise is presented in the same way as an anthology film with an ensemble cast of characters, who have their own unique narratives which are nicely developed particularly in the first half, which eventually converge together as crisis kicks in. Not everybody featured are good guys and I enjoyed the fact that it was not initially clear which side of the fence each of the protagonists sat on, with some turning into real evil and nasty pieces of work. If you like your violence bloody and creative there is much to savour here also (if this is not your cup of tea then you better avoid) including necrophilia, young children exploding like balloons, a woman ripping her own eyes out, and a dead baby ghost trying to force itself into the throat of its mother to renter the womb! It’s wild stuff and the characters truly go through the wringer.
The sheer level of visual creativeness of We Will Rise was outstanding and I did not think Waggoner would be able to pull it off for nearly 300-pages, but somehow he kept it going. There were several genuinely nasty creations, but my personal favourite was probably a giant tooth monster which also had tiny real people implanted into it. What made them more unpleasant was the fact that the entities had personal connections with those they were both hunting and haunting.
We Will Rise starts fast and quickly turns into a high-speed train wreck which is set over a noticeably short space of time in the small town of Echo Hill, Ohio. Eddie Herrera is having a shower and has a flashback to when his young brother drowns on a fishing trip with his father decades earlier. Whilst bathing he sees his brother’s ghost who pulls him into the water (whilst he is in the shower) and drowns him, telling him with great glee that his death is long overdue. Eddie’s wife returns home from work to find him curled up on the floor dead. And so, the hauntings begin.
After Eddie’s death sets the scene, the novel then moves into the afore mentioned anthology mode and introduces Mari, Faizan, Oliver, Karen, Jerome and Julie a chapter at a time. Obviously, each of the six characters has their own personal demons, problems and lives and the supernatural occurrence which is at the centre of the book impacts them all in unique ways. Having six distinct character with their own back stories was a smart way of keeping the story fresh and I enjoyed seeing how they interconnected together, some much quicker than others. Waggoner also spent time building interesting back stories, such as a transgender boy (Oliver) and a woman recovering from a miscarriage (Mari).
The core plot was an ingenious idea: all across the world people are being haunted by somebody from their past. The novel focusses entirely on Echo Hill and as readers we are not privy to the bigger picture except through random snatches of television and what starts as isolated incidents begins to spread and impact more people. I loved the way this supernatural ripple was portrayed through the destruction of this small town and how the internal demons varied. For example, Faizan is haunted by his dead father who saw him as a failure, whilst paramedic Julie is persecuted by all the people she failed to save, whether it was her fault or not. This was genuine, in-your-face, supernatural horror and if you enjoy no holds bar fiction which ramps up the action then this is a great read. Unrelenting action does not mean the novel lacks suspense or creepiness with the dead baby and sleazeball serial killer obsessed librarian hard to beat in those stakes. The fact that the entities liked to torment before killing added another unsettling dimension as the cross section of survivors were hunted by their very own demons who did not want to necessarily kill them straight of the bat.
The six characters are initially presented as interconnected short stories and the blending was first rate as they did their best to hold onto their sanity. Six perspectives were a nice number which helped portray the apocalypse through a wide lens. This was visceral stuff and a highly entertaining fast paced read which was a bleak exploration of the human psyche.
December 4, 2022
I often talk about the books I’m reading to a friend at work. I told him “the book I’m reading has a tooth monster in it; it’s a human made of teeth, but the tooth monster’s actual teeth are living humans buried waist-high in the tooth monster’s gums. The main character has to remove them like a dentist without maiming or killing anybody.”
He shook his head at me. “No, man, you’re weird! You’re too f’ing weird.”—
I liked this reaction. I laughed. It is bizarre, isn’t it? This book is complete madness! Pure chaos from the get-go. But it’s so entertaining. I’ve seen other reviewers say they found it exhausting— but to be honest, I needed this. I just read Dracula, a dense, slow-paced, albeit awesome novel, and it took a lot out of me— “We Will Rise” is a fast-paced, action, horror novel, and was exactly what I needed to get through the potential book reading slump in Dracula’s wake.
Chaos ensues when ghosts return to Echo Hill to extract “The Homecoming” upon the living relatives, friends, enemies, and loved ones of the dead; this includes haunting, abusing, and murdering. The ghosts are vengeful, and there’s no limit to their cruelty.
The first few chapters play out like individual short stories; the characters go about their day, we learn a brief history about them, then witness their incredulity when a dead figure of their mournful past returns in a myriad of evil, yet innovative, ways.
A trigger warning though, there is a character whose enemy is her miscarried baby, which you might want to understandably avoid. There’s a lot in here that could cause upset to anyone who’s recently suffered a trauma, but not far beyond what’s typical for a horror novel.
After finishing Tim Waggoner’s “We will Rise” I looked at the cover image on my kindle app, a ghostly skull with a vengeful countenance, thinking: Not one chapter went by without something insane happening. This is a fast-paced, action-packed, book-slump-buster of a horror novel, and if you’re looking for a ride, I highly recommend it.
He shook his head at me. “No, man, you’re weird! You’re too f’ing weird.”—
I liked this reaction. I laughed. It is bizarre, isn’t it? This book is complete madness! Pure chaos from the get-go. But it’s so entertaining. I’ve seen other reviewers say they found it exhausting— but to be honest, I needed this. I just read Dracula, a dense, slow-paced, albeit awesome novel, and it took a lot out of me— “We Will Rise” is a fast-paced, action, horror novel, and was exactly what I needed to get through the potential book reading slump in Dracula’s wake.
Chaos ensues when ghosts return to Echo Hill to extract “The Homecoming” upon the living relatives, friends, enemies, and loved ones of the dead; this includes haunting, abusing, and murdering. The ghosts are vengeful, and there’s no limit to their cruelty.
The first few chapters play out like individual short stories; the characters go about their day, we learn a brief history about them, then witness their incredulity when a dead figure of their mournful past returns in a myriad of evil, yet innovative, ways.
A trigger warning though, there is a character whose enemy is her miscarried baby, which you might want to understandably avoid. There’s a lot in here that could cause upset to anyone who’s recently suffered a trauma, but not far beyond what’s typical for a horror novel.
After finishing Tim Waggoner’s “We will Rise” I looked at the cover image on my kindle app, a ghostly skull with a vengeful countenance, thinking: Not one chapter went by without something insane happening. This is a fast-paced, action-packed, book-slump-buster of a horror novel, and if you’re looking for a ride, I highly recommend it.
July 31, 2022
As always I want to start by saying that I was given an ARC of this to review. My review is honest and left voluntarily.
We Will Rise has the staples of Waggoner’s story telling with a narrative that will appeal to anyone who loves horror greats such as The Walking Dead, Day of the Dead or Evil Dead Army of Darkness. Fair warning this contains a lot of gore but with a hint of dark humour to even things out.
Across the world the dead are reappearing, some as ghosts, some invisible, some as walking corpses. In Echo Hill, Ohio a group of survivors end up coming together to try and escape the vengeful dead and escape the town. But each is plagued by their own haunting and even if they make it will they still be sane?
The premises already had me interested but Waggoner’s storytelling and style manages to bring it to life (pun intend) in a way that makes this an addictive read. From the first few pages I was hooked. With a cross section of interesting characters each trying to survive the onslaught of a vengeful undead. It’s unnerving at times, unsettling and visceral. Everything you could want from a good horror book.
As always the characters are fleshed out, each with their own flaws and strengths. It might just be me but not all of them were likable either but I felt this made it all the more believable. I will definitely be re-reading this when it is spooky season arrives. A must read for horror fans who love guts and gore but more than that who love to explore the human psyche in times of unspeakable horror.
We Will Rise has the staples of Waggoner’s story telling with a narrative that will appeal to anyone who loves horror greats such as The Walking Dead, Day of the Dead or Evil Dead Army of Darkness. Fair warning this contains a lot of gore but with a hint of dark humour to even things out.
Across the world the dead are reappearing, some as ghosts, some invisible, some as walking corpses. In Echo Hill, Ohio a group of survivors end up coming together to try and escape the vengeful dead and escape the town. But each is plagued by their own haunting and even if they make it will they still be sane?
The premises already had me interested but Waggoner’s storytelling and style manages to bring it to life (pun intend) in a way that makes this an addictive read. From the first few pages I was hooked. With a cross section of interesting characters each trying to survive the onslaught of a vengeful undead. It’s unnerving at times, unsettling and visceral. Everything you could want from a good horror book.
As always the characters are fleshed out, each with their own flaws and strengths. It might just be me but not all of them were likable either but I felt this made it all the more believable. I will definitely be re-reading this when it is spooky season arrives. A must read for horror fans who love guts and gore but more than that who love to explore the human psyche in times of unspeakable horror.
January 12, 2024
fun but at what price
I bought this book hoping to get a fun , fast , violent, uncomplicated , ridiculous ,serie B movie entertaining read. And that , this book delivers.
What i was not expecting was that ,even before the first 50 pages ,the autor manage to put references to bigotry against transsexual persons , churches and religions issues and wrongdoing , pickups owners are racists and dont care about the environment and the topic of white people being racist against all races.
The cherry on the top was this charater , a white sadistic , racist evil women named ...of course , Karen.
The racism is going to be a subject through out the all book , the main characters , a transsexual person , an asian girl ,a middle east men ,all make reference to how important it is to not judge others and that all lifes matter.
Karen , goes for the "foreigners take all the american jobs".
I finished reading the book for respect for the money i spent ,beacuse there are so many clichés , so many generalizations ,so many lectures in the plot that i lost interest several times.
I dont understand the need for this subjects in this kind of story, it just feel that the autor needed to fill in and might as well score some points with social critique.
It makes me put on a suspicious face when i look at the other books from this autor on my list.
With that said , it was still a fun , imaginative , gory read but i can't give it a higher score.
I bought this book hoping to get a fun , fast , violent, uncomplicated , ridiculous ,serie B movie entertaining read. And that , this book delivers.
What i was not expecting was that ,even before the first 50 pages ,the autor manage to put references to bigotry against transsexual persons , churches and religions issues and wrongdoing , pickups owners are racists and dont care about the environment and the topic of white people being racist against all races.
The cherry on the top was this charater , a white sadistic , racist evil women named ...of course , Karen.
The racism is going to be a subject through out the all book , the main characters , a transsexual person , an asian girl ,a middle east men ,all make reference to how important it is to not judge others and that all lifes matter.
Karen , goes for the "foreigners take all the american jobs".
I finished reading the book for respect for the money i spent ,beacuse there are so many clichés , so many generalizations ,so many lectures in the plot that i lost interest several times.
I dont understand the need for this subjects in this kind of story, it just feel that the autor needed to fill in and might as well score some points with social critique.
It makes me put on a suspicious face when i look at the other books from this autor on my list.
With that said , it was still a fun , imaginative , gory read but i can't give it a higher score.
September 28, 2022
This multi-layered narrative strong horror story from the mind of Waggoner is a sure fire winner that fires on all narratives and gives an interesting view on what would happen if the dead should be brought to our world.
This character driven story is well managed with a strong narrative that enables things to build slowly to their exploding finale. The characters are strong and three dimensional and you care about them which is sometimes lacking in a book of this ilk. Waggoner has shown that he can take a large cast and manage them excellently within the confines the story telling.
The narrative is strong and though this could have been a tangled mess in a less experienced writer, Waggonner evenly paces to ensure that this does not happening. Even in the explanation of why and how the events happen are plausible in this world. This is a real treat for horror and thriller readers because you never quite know where it will go and how it ends and it keeps you on your toes through each metered plot.
Overall, this is an excellent read and one that many will enjoy from the horror and thriller and ask questions of those that die, how restful are they really? I highly recommend this book for its originality, characters and a plot that is unstoppable and not able to be put down. A real page turner. Excellent.
This character driven story is well managed with a strong narrative that enables things to build slowly to their exploding finale. The characters are strong and three dimensional and you care about them which is sometimes lacking in a book of this ilk. Waggoner has shown that he can take a large cast and manage them excellently within the confines the story telling.
The narrative is strong and though this could have been a tangled mess in a less experienced writer, Waggonner evenly paces to ensure that this does not happening. Even in the explanation of why and how the events happen are plausible in this world. This is a real treat for horror and thriller readers because you never quite know where it will go and how it ends and it keeps you on your toes through each metered plot.
Overall, this is an excellent read and one that many will enjoy from the horror and thriller and ask questions of those that die, how restful are they really? I highly recommend this book for its originality, characters and a plot that is unstoppable and not able to be put down. A real page turner. Excellent.
July 26, 2022
Originally published here: https://joyfulantidotes.com/2022/07/2...
I’m reading more horror at the moment and am trying to lose myself in it. This can be difficult when the logical part of me doesn’t want to shut up and keeps questioning the possibility of things actually happening.
There are a lot of things that happen in We Will Rise that most certainly would not happen in real life. Thankfully, I was able to let go and enjoy this book. Part of that was due to The Walking Dead and It vibes it gave, two horror stories which I very much enjoyed. This book is both gory and creepy, two things that don’t often come together in horror. How some of the ghosts appeared really sent chills down my spine.
I also liked the variety of characters We Will Rise had, both dead and alive. The thing is, it gives you a lot to keep up with and, for the first quarter of the book, the differing stories are very much separated. I can’t quite put my finger on why I didn’t like this but it did result in me loosing excitement much too early on. Saying that, eventually I did feel more connected to the characters and ended up liking the book overall in the end.
I’m reading more horror at the moment and am trying to lose myself in it. This can be difficult when the logical part of me doesn’t want to shut up and keeps questioning the possibility of things actually happening.
There are a lot of things that happen in We Will Rise that most certainly would not happen in real life. Thankfully, I was able to let go and enjoy this book. Part of that was due to The Walking Dead and It vibes it gave, two horror stories which I very much enjoyed. This book is both gory and creepy, two things that don’t often come together in horror. How some of the ghosts appeared really sent chills down my spine.
I also liked the variety of characters We Will Rise had, both dead and alive. The thing is, it gives you a lot to keep up with and, for the first quarter of the book, the differing stories are very much separated. I can’t quite put my finger on why I didn’t like this but it did result in me loosing excitement much too early on. Saying that, eventually I did feel more connected to the characters and ended up liking the book overall in the end.
February 6, 2023
Something is happening in the town of Echo Springs. The dead are coming back...
Randy Herrera was the first. Eddie has mourned the loss of his little brother for decades after he drowned in a terrible accident. And it's taken that long for Eddie to get over his fear of water. None of that matters when Randy comes back, though. Because he's taking Eddie with him this time!
All over town, people are faced with dead friends and relatives. No one knows why they're back but it's clear they're determined to increase their ranks, taking as many of Echo Springs' living as they can!
Tim Waggoner is something of a legend in the horror world. With umpteen short stories under his belt and almost as many books, he is definitely someone every horror fan should be reading! (Plus, he's a pretty nice dude!)
We Will Rise is a fun and creepy ghost story. Definitely different from anything else I've read in quite a while.
A town plagued by its dead—and they're not zombies! That alone makes this a stand out :)
If you're looking for a great chiller to read this summer, you should absolutely add We Will Rise to your TBR pile!
Randy Herrera was the first. Eddie has mourned the loss of his little brother for decades after he drowned in a terrible accident. And it's taken that long for Eddie to get over his fear of water. None of that matters when Randy comes back, though. Because he's taking Eddie with him this time!
All over town, people are faced with dead friends and relatives. No one knows why they're back but it's clear they're determined to increase their ranks, taking as many of Echo Springs' living as they can!
Tim Waggoner is something of a legend in the horror world. With umpteen short stories under his belt and almost as many books, he is definitely someone every horror fan should be reading! (Plus, he's a pretty nice dude!)
We Will Rise is a fun and creepy ghost story. Definitely different from anything else I've read in quite a while.
A town plagued by its dead—and they're not zombies! That alone makes this a stand out :)
If you're looking for a great chiller to read this summer, you should absolutely add We Will Rise to your TBR pile!
July 28, 2022
What if dead people in your life suddenly reappear? And they were mean and vengeful? And that is despite them being loving and good people when they were still living.
This is the premise of this novel and I find the interpretation of the author really interesting. And WARNING, there are loads of gore. And the extent of how these vengeful ghosts started killing people was really creative. And I liked how some characters, due to the circumstance, started standing up to their demons. Both literally and metaphorically.
My only misgiving was that the killings, despite their creativity, get tedious. That is especially if you’re already more than halfway through the book and there was still no explanation of the phenomenon.
I don’t read much horror but this book gives a new perspective on the ‘what if’ questions about dead people coming back. Which any ghost/horror fans will find to be a treat.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is the premise of this novel and I find the interpretation of the author really interesting. And WARNING, there are loads of gore. And the extent of how these vengeful ghosts started killing people was really creative. And I liked how some characters, due to the circumstance, started standing up to their demons. Both literally and metaphorically.
My only misgiving was that the killings, despite their creativity, get tedious. That is especially if you’re already more than halfway through the book and there was still no explanation of the phenomenon.
I don’t read much horror but this book gives a new perspective on the ‘what if’ questions about dead people coming back. Which any ghost/horror fans will find to be a treat.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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