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The Warrior Retreat
SOME WOUNDS DON'T HEAL...
For some servicemen and women, coming home means the end of the war. But for the Marines of Weapons Company, it's not so simple. Sometimes the war follows you home.
After the suicide of a fellow brother in arms, Marine turned veteran advocate, Marcus Simpson, organizes a weekend getaway through a Nonprofit agency.
Marcus has seen too much to allow another brother to become a statistic. He knows that one weekend isn't enough, but maybe if he can get through to them, he can convince them to seek professional help.
But what happens when a man's mind has been broken beyond repair?
What happens at...
The Warrior Retreat.
For some servicemen and women, coming home means the end of the war. But for the Marines of Weapons Company, it's not so simple. Sometimes the war follows you home.
After the suicide of a fellow brother in arms, Marine turned veteran advocate, Marcus Simpson, organizes a weekend getaway through a Nonprofit agency.
Marcus has seen too much to allow another brother to become a statistic. He knows that one weekend isn't enough, but maybe if he can get through to them, he can convince them to seek professional help.
But what happens when a man's mind has been broken beyond repair?
What happens at...
The Warrior Retreat.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2022
37 people are currently reading
1361 people want to read
About the author
John Lynch
14 books180 followersJohn Lynch is a United States Marine Corps Veteran. He writes horror in Rhode Island with his cat, and English Bulldog.
He is most known for his debut novel, The Warrior Retreat.
Sign up for for my newsletter here https://johnlynchbooks.substack.com/ and follow him over on book bub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/john-... for sales notifications
He is most known for his debut novel, The Warrior Retreat.
Sign up for for my newsletter here https://johnlynchbooks.substack.com/ and follow him over on book bub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/john-... for sales notifications
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
November 13, 2022
Full review available at The Mort Report:
https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/bla...
I am going to start this review by saying that I do not have a single funny thing to say here.
John Lynch wrote a horror story about ex-soldiers with PTSD and while some might consider this an extreme idea of the worst case scenario, who can say that something like this is not plausible.
It is a heavy story, in my opinion, because the reality is that men who go to war will come back changed. How can they not?
And while this story doesn’t address it as the main issue, how can the people who made them what they are not help them when they don’t need to be those killing machines anymore?
This is the way the world works:
The men who make the decisions to fight are not the men who are doing the fighting. They can throw words like ‘pride’ and ‘honor’ out there all they want, in the end they will destroy all that is honorable by discarding those who enriched their pockets.
I hate war. I stopped believing the good guys will win. But if you look at the situation in Asia at the moment, you have to take a step back and think to yourself that those who were invaded are not fighting for pride and honor, but survival.
Should the world help them? Of course they have to! If they don’t, it will not stop. The bully will never have enough, and the longer he gets away with it, the more damage he will do. It is not in your backyard, yet, but it will get there.
I have deleted most of what I originally wrote in this review, because this story is not about my views of what goes on in the world. This is a story of why it is important to help those who did what their country asked of them.
I hope people will be able to look past the horror aspect of the book into the deeper story underneath.
5 Stars!!
https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/bla...
I am going to start this review by saying that I do not have a single funny thing to say here.
John Lynch wrote a horror story about ex-soldiers with PTSD and while some might consider this an extreme idea of the worst case scenario, who can say that something like this is not plausible.
It is a heavy story, in my opinion, because the reality is that men who go to war will come back changed. How can they not?
And while this story doesn’t address it as the main issue, how can the people who made them what they are not help them when they don’t need to be those killing machines anymore?
This is the way the world works:
The men who make the decisions to fight are not the men who are doing the fighting. They can throw words like ‘pride’ and ‘honor’ out there all they want, in the end they will destroy all that is honorable by discarding those who enriched their pockets.
I hate war. I stopped believing the good guys will win. But if you look at the situation in Asia at the moment, you have to take a step back and think to yourself that those who were invaded are not fighting for pride and honor, but survival.
Should the world help them? Of course they have to! If they don’t, it will not stop. The bully will never have enough, and the longer he gets away with it, the more damage he will do. It is not in your backyard, yet, but it will get there.
I have deleted most of what I originally wrote in this review, because this story is not about my views of what goes on in the world. This is a story of why it is important to help those who did what their country asked of them.
I hope people will be able to look past the horror aspect of the book into the deeper story underneath.
5 Stars!!
January 6, 2024
Holy shit. This was amazing. This made me cry and then made me nauseous. As someone who suffers from PTSD myself this was incredibly profound and real. I appreciated how Lynch took the time to tell all the men’s stories and struggles with their mental health.
I don’t know where I was expecting this to go but it’s certainly not where it ended up. This book checks all the boxes from me. How Lynch managed to pack incredible, intricate characters and such real subject matter into a classic Splatterpunk story in 184 pages is quite honestly mind blowing. I really can’t recommend this enough.
I don’t know where I was expecting this to go but it’s certainly not where it ended up. This book checks all the boxes from me. How Lynch managed to pack incredible, intricate characters and such real subject matter into a classic Splatterpunk story in 184 pages is quite honestly mind blowing. I really can’t recommend this enough.
September 14, 2025
3.5 stars. I definitely wouldn’t call this a horror. Maybe a psychological thriller? But not a horror, which is my arena, so I spent most of the book looking for those elements, not finding them. I really liked how we got time know Ray, Marcus, and everyone else in past times. PTSD in military personnel is very real and it’s disgusting how they serve their country only to be disposed of after their service is over. So the author did some great work developing the characters and bringing them all together at the retreat present day. I did question why the retreat aspect was so short, as it seemed to be the selling point of the book. We were only given a select few pages there, as things unraveled, and then the book just ended. So the pacing felt very off. I would have either lengthened the story to balance it all out, or reduce all the initial developmental aspects, which would be a shame. Good premise and writing, but with a handful of core issues took away from the overall experience.
October 18, 2022
3.5/5
I connected with John some time back, when he was a full-time reviewer, and it’s been great seeing how he slowly began to the writing journey. I remember beta-reading a short story a few years ago (that ultimately got published) and was stoked to see how he’d progressed and how he was finding homes for his short fiction. That all lead up to the inevitable – the debut novel. So, when he announced this, I’ll admit, I was tentatively excited.
Excited for John to have created something longer than a short and was packaging it and getting it out there, but also tentative because of the subject matter. I’m not an overly ‘war-centric’ reader. Nor do I watch much war-based movies/shows. The PTSD aspect though, and how the synopsis reads still had me keen. When John reached out I happily agreed to give this one ago and see what we find when these guys arrive in the woods.
What I liked: The story follows a group of soldiers stationed together who get rocked by an unseen explosive device. Each suffers various injuries – mentally and physically – and each are changed forever from this event.
Lynch does a great job of bringing us to that place, based off of his own time serving in the military, and the characters are fleshed out and (while frustratingly at times sophomoric) feel like guys you’ve met before.
We do open with a unique sleep paralysis moment, which gives us a mildly touching character moment that will steer you in one direction.
When we do get to the cabin, the events that occur are horrific and (while all too-brief) showed their survival instincts and their ability to pull from deep within, no matter how many years it’s been since the deployment ended.
Lynch did a stellar job of showing how much the deployment took a toll on each one of the characters and how horribly it affected them.
What I didn’t like: While I liked this novel, there were a few things that ground my gears. The first is that the novel sets us up for a retreat in the woods. I kind of expected that to be the majority of the novel, but in actuality it’s only the last 25% or so and that time goes by really fast. I think it would’ve been more powerful if the entire novel would’ve taken place there and we see the events leading up to it in flashback form, but that’s just my thoughts.
The characters are cartoonish at times, and we get a significant amount of juvenile/sophomoric humor and insults. We also get a few random moments of depravity – an encounter in public at a bar and two guys picking up a bartender that didn’t add much to the characters storylines. It could very well be inspired by real convos (I won’t spoil anything from the afterword), but it could very well put a lot of readers off.
Lastly, and this was a big one, the opening sleep paralysis moment definitely makes the reader think this is going somewhere and then it essentially forgotten about, only briefly returning at the end. I really wished this would’ve been more expanded upon and the supernatural aspects heightened.
Why you should buy this: For me, and I’m just one reader, this is a solid debut novel that had a few-missteps. What I didn’t jive with may very well be the parts others love the most. I thought the idea was fantastic and I was really, very excited to get into the crux of all of these damaged soldiers going through group therapy together.
If you like Military-based horror with a side-serving of extreme Splatterpunk, look no further. I think many folks will really dig what Lynch has to offer and I’m very excited to see where he goes from here.
I connected with John some time back, when he was a full-time reviewer, and it’s been great seeing how he slowly began to the writing journey. I remember beta-reading a short story a few years ago (that ultimately got published) and was stoked to see how he’d progressed and how he was finding homes for his short fiction. That all lead up to the inevitable – the debut novel. So, when he announced this, I’ll admit, I was tentatively excited.
Excited for John to have created something longer than a short and was packaging it and getting it out there, but also tentative because of the subject matter. I’m not an overly ‘war-centric’ reader. Nor do I watch much war-based movies/shows. The PTSD aspect though, and how the synopsis reads still had me keen. When John reached out I happily agreed to give this one ago and see what we find when these guys arrive in the woods.
What I liked: The story follows a group of soldiers stationed together who get rocked by an unseen explosive device. Each suffers various injuries – mentally and physically – and each are changed forever from this event.
Lynch does a great job of bringing us to that place, based off of his own time serving in the military, and the characters are fleshed out and (while frustratingly at times sophomoric) feel like guys you’ve met before.
We do open with a unique sleep paralysis moment, which gives us a mildly touching character moment that will steer you in one direction.
When we do get to the cabin, the events that occur are horrific and (while all too-brief) showed their survival instincts and their ability to pull from deep within, no matter how many years it’s been since the deployment ended.
Lynch did a stellar job of showing how much the deployment took a toll on each one of the characters and how horribly it affected them.
What I didn’t like: While I liked this novel, there were a few things that ground my gears. The first is that the novel sets us up for a retreat in the woods. I kind of expected that to be the majority of the novel, but in actuality it’s only the last 25% or so and that time goes by really fast. I think it would’ve been more powerful if the entire novel would’ve taken place there and we see the events leading up to it in flashback form, but that’s just my thoughts.
The characters are cartoonish at times, and we get a significant amount of juvenile/sophomoric humor and insults. We also get a few random moments of depravity – an encounter in public at a bar and two guys picking up a bartender that didn’t add much to the characters storylines. It could very well be inspired by real convos (I won’t spoil anything from the afterword), but it could very well put a lot of readers off.
Lastly, and this was a big one, the opening sleep paralysis moment definitely makes the reader think this is going somewhere and then it essentially forgotten about, only briefly returning at the end. I really wished this would’ve been more expanded upon and the supernatural aspects heightened.
Why you should buy this: For me, and I’m just one reader, this is a solid debut novel that had a few-missteps. What I didn’t jive with may very well be the parts others love the most. I thought the idea was fantastic and I was really, very excited to get into the crux of all of these damaged soldiers going through group therapy together.
If you like Military-based horror with a side-serving of extreme Splatterpunk, look no further. I think many folks will really dig what Lynch has to offer and I’m very excited to see where he goes from here.
November 17, 2023
Marines that’s been in war, come home, one tries to be the healer and save everyone from their mental illnesses by taking them to a getaway cabin in the woods. One completely goes off the rails. Slasher. Sad. War. Suicide.
February 21, 2023
A brutal, and visceral tale about the trauma suffered by our vets. The plot moves along quickly, introducing a great cast of characters and situations. Very impressive, especially for a first novel.
February 13, 2023
Harrowing read at times with the amount of stuff that feels very real In this book. While the last act reads like extreme fiction the first 3/4 feels like an education in some of the real horrors of life. Excellently written with strong characters and a raw story that takes a toll. Really good and definitely going to be reading more of John's work.
June 29, 2025
THE WARRIOR RETREAT [2022] By John Lynch
My Review 5-Stars
This debut work by John Lynch was released about three years ago and was well received by the target audience and the book reviewers in general. The novel was nominated by a good buddy to be considered for the “Group Read” on Splatterpunk Horror Book Club. He was very interested in reading the book, so we arranged for a Buddy Read to tackle the book together. That proved to be a sound decision, because I have really enjoyed the novel.
The sage advice that seems to loom large at seminars on creative writing is quite simply “write about what you know”. John Lynch is in fact a Marine Corps veteran. All of the words, the descriptions, and the feelings that are described in the story “ring true”. The narrative is absolutely telling a story about something this author knows about, and never once did I doubt the authenticity of the storyline.
I liked the way the book was structured too, divided into sections I, II, and III dedicated to the stages of the marine experience (“The War Abroad”, “The War At Home”, and “The End Of The War”).
“The War Abroad” takes the reader behind the lines of the Iraqi War. The book opens with one of the main characters (Ray) experiencing sleep paralysis and hallucinations which are terrifying. (The author later explains that he endured the exact experience as he depicted Ray going through in his bunk). This part of the novel is filled with pages of real-life experiences from the lives of our soldiers who volunteer to serve our proud country. The writing talent of Lynch in bringing these episodes to life is incredible. I felt like an action movie was playing behind my eyelids.
“The War At Home” read like a familiar refrain. The trained marines are reprogramed to function as soldiers for our country but must somehow forget all of the training and reconditioning when they return to the soil of their homeland. There are inadequate assets in place to render treatment, financial help, or even temporary assistance for reacclimating. Medical assistance and psychiatric outpatient treatment are unavailable in a timely manner in many cases. Impressive, heart-rendering story of the effects of "boots on the ground" and what happens to the warriors who return home to a peace-loving country.
“The End Of The War”
A group of the former marines who served in Iraq together are reunited for a get-together with recreation and emotional support at a beautiful woodsy retreat. The arrival at The Cabin was uneventful and it gave the ex-marine who orchestrated the get-together to appreciate the first-class accommodations, and to be thankful all over again that his appeal to the “Leathernecks for Leathernecks” had come through for him and in a big way, providing such a beautiful cabin for him to choose, and to cover all of the expenses including travel fees for all of the attendees who were unable to afford it. Marcus Simpson was that retired marine who made the retreat a reality, a man who had returned from the war wanting to fight and to inflict pain, but after a while one judge told him that he was using his last (“Get Out Of Jail Card”) and next time he was going to prison. He had gotten all of the mileage out of being a war hero that he was going to get. So, Marcus reinvented himself into the picture and product of success. The beginning of the retreat was idyllic, no other words come to mind describing it. There were loads of booze at the ready. The sweltering heat and humidity made you feel like you were trekking along a path in the jungle. But despite the brutal heat the men were clustered around the modern fireplace. The ambience was just “too perfect” not to get a fire going in the fireplace. Haney pulled out two joints which initially rattled Simpson a little, but he let it go and said nothing. Micha gave Ray the onceover and asked him when he had gotten “all tatted up like that”? Micha was poking the bear and continued to do so after Ray told him about the tattoo art. Ray reacted but was controlled. By the time the joints made it around to all the guys, everyone was stoned. First night at the cabin Ray had another sleepless night of being haunted by an accidental death he had felt accountable for in the desert. Ray was AWOL that morning.
Haney was online when one of his viewers noted a large man lurking in the frame. The man grabbed Haney by the back of his head and smashed his skull into the set up. Ray’s mind had fractured and he was unable to discern whether he was in the cabin or in the jungle. He simply could not think straight, and could not separate the elaborate delusional design of his mind from the real world. Ray entered and held the false belief that Haney was an enemy combatant. The extreme violence levelled against the former marine named Haney was broadcast in poor resolution across the world. The situation at the cabin goes from deadly serious to def-con 1 pistol alert very quickly. The extreme horror is primarily contained in the final section entitled “The End Of The War”. The end of the story leaves only bloody carnage and a loss of human life behind.
ORIGINAL, REALISTIC, AND AUTHENTIC FIVE STARS*****
My Review 5-Stars
This debut work by John Lynch was released about three years ago and was well received by the target audience and the book reviewers in general. The novel was nominated by a good buddy to be considered for the “Group Read” on Splatterpunk Horror Book Club. He was very interested in reading the book, so we arranged for a Buddy Read to tackle the book together. That proved to be a sound decision, because I have really enjoyed the novel.
The sage advice that seems to loom large at seminars on creative writing is quite simply “write about what you know”. John Lynch is in fact a Marine Corps veteran. All of the words, the descriptions, and the feelings that are described in the story “ring true”. The narrative is absolutely telling a story about something this author knows about, and never once did I doubt the authenticity of the storyline.
I liked the way the book was structured too, divided into sections I, II, and III dedicated to the stages of the marine experience (“The War Abroad”, “The War At Home”, and “The End Of The War”).
“The War Abroad” takes the reader behind the lines of the Iraqi War. The book opens with one of the main characters (Ray) experiencing sleep paralysis and hallucinations which are terrifying. (The author later explains that he endured the exact experience as he depicted Ray going through in his bunk). This part of the novel is filled with pages of real-life experiences from the lives of our soldiers who volunteer to serve our proud country. The writing talent of Lynch in bringing these episodes to life is incredible. I felt like an action movie was playing behind my eyelids.
“The War At Home” read like a familiar refrain. The trained marines are reprogramed to function as soldiers for our country but must somehow forget all of the training and reconditioning when they return to the soil of their homeland. There are inadequate assets in place to render treatment, financial help, or even temporary assistance for reacclimating. Medical assistance and psychiatric outpatient treatment are unavailable in a timely manner in many cases. Impressive, heart-rendering story of the effects of "boots on the ground" and what happens to the warriors who return home to a peace-loving country.
“The End Of The War”
A group of the former marines who served in Iraq together are reunited for a get-together with recreation and emotional support at a beautiful woodsy retreat. The arrival at The Cabin was uneventful and it gave the ex-marine who orchestrated the get-together to appreciate the first-class accommodations, and to be thankful all over again that his appeal to the “Leathernecks for Leathernecks” had come through for him and in a big way, providing such a beautiful cabin for him to choose, and to cover all of the expenses including travel fees for all of the attendees who were unable to afford it. Marcus Simpson was that retired marine who made the retreat a reality, a man who had returned from the war wanting to fight and to inflict pain, but after a while one judge told him that he was using his last (“Get Out Of Jail Card”) and next time he was going to prison. He had gotten all of the mileage out of being a war hero that he was going to get. So, Marcus reinvented himself into the picture and product of success. The beginning of the retreat was idyllic, no other words come to mind describing it. There were loads of booze at the ready. The sweltering heat and humidity made you feel like you were trekking along a path in the jungle. But despite the brutal heat the men were clustered around the modern fireplace. The ambience was just “too perfect” not to get a fire going in the fireplace. Haney pulled out two joints which initially rattled Simpson a little, but he let it go and said nothing. Micha gave Ray the onceover and asked him when he had gotten “all tatted up like that”? Micha was poking the bear and continued to do so after Ray told him about the tattoo art. Ray reacted but was controlled. By the time the joints made it around to all the guys, everyone was stoned. First night at the cabin Ray had another sleepless night of being haunted by an accidental death he had felt accountable for in the desert. Ray was AWOL that morning.
Haney was online when one of his viewers noted a large man lurking in the frame. The man grabbed Haney by the back of his head and smashed his skull into the set up. Ray’s mind had fractured and he was unable to discern whether he was in the cabin or in the jungle. He simply could not think straight, and could not separate the elaborate delusional design of his mind from the real world. Ray entered and held the false belief that Haney was an enemy combatant. The extreme violence levelled against the former marine named Haney was broadcast in poor resolution across the world. The situation at the cabin goes from deadly serious to def-con 1 pistol alert very quickly. The extreme horror is primarily contained in the final section entitled “The End Of The War”. The end of the story leaves only bloody carnage and a loss of human life behind.
ORIGINAL, REALISTIC, AND AUTHENTIC FIVE STARS*****
July 7, 2023
Rumor has it John Lynch wrote this book in a dirty spiral notepad while huddled in a foxhole in Iraq with Brian Berry. It was very hot that day so both John and Brian took off their clothes and wrote war horror books. They definitely did not have sex during this time. Certainly not. Allegedly. All sweaty and dirty in a foxhole. Nothing to do but write. Right.
October 14, 2022
With a razor sharp Ka-Bar knife, John Lynch carves his own niche in the genres of military and extreme horror. The Warrior Retreat blends authenticity with accessibility, always creating a dialogue with the reader and never talking down to them. Lynch hints at supernatural threads, using the idea to lead to unexpected and harrowing places as he slowly draws the curtain back. Bloody, vicious, but above all rooted in humanity, The Warrior Retreat is an excellent debut.
January 10, 2023
Well.... Holy fuck this book was bad ass. That being said this book was intense ,gritty, raw and emotional. The storytelling style of John Lynch is awesome. The realistic feel of the characters and the story is so good once I started reading I didn't want to stop. This is a slow burn that delivers from start to finish. If you want a good psychological thriller\horror this is for you. John Lynch is awesome and I can't wait to read more from him. Highly recommend
November 11, 2022
John Lynch is a good goddamn writer. This wasn't my first read by the author; I've read several of his short stories in various anthologies. Lynch is the sort of storyteller that keeps your attention. And this book, his debut novel, continues with that style. This is far separated from his other work and in this he focuses on the many grim and realistic aspects of veterans returning from the horrors inherent in war. This story is a page turner and I couldn't put it down at times. Plenty of good splatter, realistic interactions between characters popped a reality into these pages. Lynch, if you're reading this, keep killing it, brother. You're a beast. 🤘🙏📚 5/5
April 9, 2025
What starts as a military thriller soon blends into something almost slasher-esque.
Although I enjoyed the narrative of this novel and the fact that it talked about mental health issues, I thought it was pretty basic and repetitive. I dread to think how many times genitalia were mentioned or broken noses, or even how many unnecessary profanities were included, just for impact.
Yeah I know it's an extreme horror but even then it's lacking. Sorry to all those that love this book, this only my opinion.
Although I enjoyed the narrative of this novel and the fact that it talked about mental health issues, I thought it was pretty basic and repetitive. I dread to think how many times genitalia were mentioned or broken noses, or even how many unnecessary profanities were included, just for impact.
Yeah I know it's an extreme horror but even then it's lacking. Sorry to all those that love this book, this only my opinion.
April 23, 2023
As a Veteran, this book hit home for me, and I was glued to it through to the end.
In this explosive story, the author vividly details the real-life horrors soldiers face. The kind of horror which haunts all who return home from active service, and unfortunately for some, is the catalyst for PTSD.
This horror book put me through the emotional wringer, so I cannot give it any less than five stars!
In this explosive story, the author vividly details the real-life horrors soldiers face. The kind of horror which haunts all who return home from active service, and unfortunately for some, is the catalyst for PTSD.
This horror book put me through the emotional wringer, so I cannot give it any less than five stars!
April 28, 2024
I am a c*nts hair away from CRYING IN PUBLIC (bitch, I get emotional over veterans and what they’ve gone through and continue to go through). I have vets that are friends, former boyfriends, besties, and family members that served. I know of my Poppy were still kickin, he’d read this and want to shake John’s hand for writing this.
Wow, I’m so glad snagged the audiobook! The narrator was perfect! What a crazy, dookie joke filled, emotional, terrifying experience this book was.
Y’all know I don’t like the US but I will always thank veterans and always try my best to be as helpful as possible when they are my patients. I wasn’t even sure I could write a coherent review for this because I was feeling all sorts of feels…
But here I am, on Boston public transit with the sniffles like a lil bitch.
Thank you for your service John Lynch and thank you for writing this! 5/5 💩 🖤😂
Wow, I’m so glad snagged the audiobook! The narrator was perfect! What a crazy, dookie joke filled, emotional, terrifying experience this book was.
Y’all know I don’t like the US but I will always thank veterans and always try my best to be as helpful as possible when they are my patients. I wasn’t even sure I could write a coherent review for this because I was feeling all sorts of feels…
But here I am, on Boston public transit with the sniffles like a lil bitch.
Thank you for your service John Lynch and thank you for writing this! 5/5 💩 🖤😂
November 30, 2022
This is a heartbreaking and horrifying read!
Readers should note, just like war, the book pulls no punches. It's graphic and absolutely unsettling.
Our characters are vivid - they live and breathe - making what happens to some of them all the more heartbreaking.
If I had one tiny complaint (and not one worth reducing stars on this), it would be that I was extremely interested in the retreat and what might happen there. It takes a bit to get to that point. However, that was minor - I was just so into our characters and their despair!
An excellent read!
Readers should note, just like war, the book pulls no punches. It's graphic and absolutely unsettling.
Our characters are vivid - they live and breathe - making what happens to some of them all the more heartbreaking.
If I had one tiny complaint (and not one worth reducing stars on this), it would be that I was extremely interested in the retreat and what might happen there. It takes a bit to get to that point. However, that was minor - I was just so into our characters and their despair!
An excellent read!
February 8, 2023
Intense!
THE WARRIOR RETREAT is a brilliant debut. It's fast-paced, brutal, and filled with great writing and authenticity. I'm looking forward to reading more from Lynch. Highly recommended!
THE WARRIOR RETREAT is a brilliant debut. It's fast-paced, brutal, and filled with great writing and authenticity. I'm looking forward to reading more from Lynch. Highly recommended!
January 12, 2023
Wow! I really dug this book. As someone who has never served, I can only imagine the impact war has on those lucky enough to make it home. Lynch really shed some light on that and knowing much of what takes place in the book is everyday stuff that many veterans deal/cope with, it really made the real life horror aspects of the book shine. And when sh*t hits the fan, IT HITS THE FAN! The only thing that held this back from being a 5 star book to me was I just wanted more. I wanted more of the retreat, more of getting to know the guys, and more of the ghost aspects. To me, that’s a good thing. It means I loved Lynch’s writing, his gritty prose that fit the story perfectly, and the way he tells a story. I’ll be first in line for his next novel!
Read
February 20, 2023The Warrior Retreat by John Lynch is a punishing read, a debut that doesn’t pull any punches; some call it Splatterpunk (I didn’t feel that though myself) - I thought it more deeply written than that (although the gore and horror is there) and with Lynch’s deft exposure of the horrors of PTSD survivors and mental health it was certainly a horror with bite.
Having said this, let me just say that there are times when you read a book and for whatever reason, you just can’t gel with it - I wanted to love this book, I really did, soldiers spending time in a cabin where crazy stuff happens… it’s something that hasn’t been done before (that I can think of) but I ended up feeling quite indifferent by it, and that’s probably all on me John and not on you.
There were a few things that happened in the book which pulled me out of the story - firstly some of the characters came across quite one dimensional - like these are characters we’ve seen portrayed time and time again in books and films about army life - wise cracking, shit talking veterans etc. the majority of them were quite predictable in that sense.
Also the book starts with a bang - sleep paralysis and this creepy creature - it’s something that many countries have as folklore and when that landed I was like ‘Hell Yeah… here we go! In Scandinavian folklore, sleep paralysis is caused by a mare, a supernatural creature related to incubi and succubi. In Turkey sleep paralysis is called Karabasan, and is similar to other stories of demonic visitation during sleep. (Thanks Wiki - because I couldn’t remember them all).
John Lynch goes for the common Old Hag - but with a twist - and it’s shocking and scary and sets the story off with a creepy bang - but the thing is, that visitation and the reasons behind it are brilliantly put across but vanish all too soon and are not seen again until much later in the book - like much later - which was a shame. I though the set up deserved this creepy theme to appear throughout.
Then we have the whole premise of the book, the cabin in the woods. I foolishly thought the majority of this book would take place there, but it only appears in the final third of the book and as it’s a novella I feel that the premise wasn’t used to it’s maximum - don’t get me wrong when they’re there, the thrills and spills and horrors unfold but I wanted to be there for longer, like most of the book… readers preference I guess.
And lastly I almost put the book down when I read chapter nine - I really struggled here. The writing itself is quite triggering in the way it objectifies women, and when I see writing like this I usually switch off - being a husband and a father to two girls this type of stuff I steer clear of.
‘A scantily-clad brunette approached them. Her top hardly contained her massive breasts, and her ass threatened to burst out of the scant cloth she dared to call shorts.’
‘SHE DARED to call shorts’ - that line came across like it was her fault. She didn’t dare to call them anything… did she?
The thing I found difficult in this chapter in particular is that it seemed to be the narrators voice and not the characters voice making these statements - like I’m all for horrible, deplorable characters - I’ve written many - but the things they say and do and how they see the world is told through their eyes not through the narration.
And then this statement was followed by ‘intentionally placing her generous backside in front of Micha while giving Mark a prime view of the frontal wedgie she was rocking.’
And then there’s this ‘This woman was a pro at selling drinks. How could either of them say no when their faces were close enough to her snatch they could smell it.’
The chapter just continues in much the same vein - was Lynch trying to put across the deplorable characters here? If so, for me it didn’t come across that way. The chapter becomes even more painful to read as some deplorable acts where carried out… read it to find out, I won’t mention them here.
If John Lynch wanted to cause offence he certainly managed that, and bravo - but if he didn’t, then that’s problematic for me. The writing style of this chapter seemed to cheapen all that had gone before and it just didn’t work for me.
Will I read more John Lynch?
Yes… I’ve got his short story collection to get to.
Was this book for me?
Not entirely.
I liked what John did at the start of the book, the set up for the story, the sleep paralysis and the way he wrote the action of an explosion and gunfight and his deft work at addressing various mental health issues should be applauded.
In the end I guess this book just didn’t hit me like it has many other authors who I trust and who are honest with their reviews and have rated this highly - I reached out to some to see if I’d got it all wrong about The Warrior Retreat and all of whom said that some books just don’t land and that’s nothing to be worried about.
It wasn’t for me… and that’s okay.
I need to remind myself of that.
But this book could be for you… don’t just take my review as gospel, find out for yourself! I guess that’s what I love about books, they’re personal to the reader, and they are for the reader!
Having said this, let me just say that there are times when you read a book and for whatever reason, you just can’t gel with it - I wanted to love this book, I really did, soldiers spending time in a cabin where crazy stuff happens… it’s something that hasn’t been done before (that I can think of) but I ended up feeling quite indifferent by it, and that’s probably all on me John and not on you.
There were a few things that happened in the book which pulled me out of the story - firstly some of the characters came across quite one dimensional - like these are characters we’ve seen portrayed time and time again in books and films about army life - wise cracking, shit talking veterans etc. the majority of them were quite predictable in that sense.
Also the book starts with a bang - sleep paralysis and this creepy creature - it’s something that many countries have as folklore and when that landed I was like ‘Hell Yeah… here we go! In Scandinavian folklore, sleep paralysis is caused by a mare, a supernatural creature related to incubi and succubi. In Turkey sleep paralysis is called Karabasan, and is similar to other stories of demonic visitation during sleep. (Thanks Wiki - because I couldn’t remember them all).
John Lynch goes for the common Old Hag - but with a twist - and it’s shocking and scary and sets the story off with a creepy bang - but the thing is, that visitation and the reasons behind it are brilliantly put across but vanish all too soon and are not seen again until much later in the book - like much later - which was a shame. I though the set up deserved this creepy theme to appear throughout.
Then we have the whole premise of the book, the cabin in the woods. I foolishly thought the majority of this book would take place there, but it only appears in the final third of the book and as it’s a novella I feel that the premise wasn’t used to it’s maximum - don’t get me wrong when they’re there, the thrills and spills and horrors unfold but I wanted to be there for longer, like most of the book… readers preference I guess.
And lastly I almost put the book down when I read chapter nine - I really struggled here. The writing itself is quite triggering in the way it objectifies women, and when I see writing like this I usually switch off - being a husband and a father to two girls this type of stuff I steer clear of.
‘A scantily-clad brunette approached them. Her top hardly contained her massive breasts, and her ass threatened to burst out of the scant cloth she dared to call shorts.’
‘SHE DARED to call shorts’ - that line came across like it was her fault. She didn’t dare to call them anything… did she?
The thing I found difficult in this chapter in particular is that it seemed to be the narrators voice and not the characters voice making these statements - like I’m all for horrible, deplorable characters - I’ve written many - but the things they say and do and how they see the world is told through their eyes not through the narration.
And then this statement was followed by ‘intentionally placing her generous backside in front of Micha while giving Mark a prime view of the frontal wedgie she was rocking.’
And then there’s this ‘This woman was a pro at selling drinks. How could either of them say no when their faces were close enough to her snatch they could smell it.’
The chapter just continues in much the same vein - was Lynch trying to put across the deplorable characters here? If so, for me it didn’t come across that way. The chapter becomes even more painful to read as some deplorable acts where carried out… read it to find out, I won’t mention them here.
If John Lynch wanted to cause offence he certainly managed that, and bravo - but if he didn’t, then that’s problematic for me. The writing style of this chapter seemed to cheapen all that had gone before and it just didn’t work for me.
Will I read more John Lynch?
Yes… I’ve got his short story collection to get to.
Was this book for me?
Not entirely.
I liked what John did at the start of the book, the set up for the story, the sleep paralysis and the way he wrote the action of an explosion and gunfight and his deft work at addressing various mental health issues should be applauded.
In the end I guess this book just didn’t hit me like it has many other authors who I trust and who are honest with their reviews and have rated this highly - I reached out to some to see if I’d got it all wrong about The Warrior Retreat and all of whom said that some books just don’t land and that’s nothing to be worried about.
It wasn’t for me… and that’s okay.
I need to remind myself of that.
But this book could be for you… don’t just take my review as gospel, find out for yourself! I guess that’s what I love about books, they’re personal to the reader, and they are for the reader!
July 14, 2023
Wow, what a great read. The struggle the team goes through in war is real and gut-wrenching. Dealing with their own demons, they meet up on a Warriors retreat to help each other heal. But what they didn't expect was for one of the warriors to be severally broken. Extremely well written and great character development. I wasn't expecting the end at all.
November 10, 2022
You know those books you plow through in one sitting? This is one of those. Lynch has one hell of a debut here. Warrior Retreat is a horror story that takes on PTSD and other struggles service members face after combat. It's one hell of an intense ride! One of the best books I've read this year!
December 11, 2022
The Warrior Retreat was a very unique horror novel detailing the effects of war on those who served. The story on the whole is something that can definitely happen as many veterans deal with this on a daily basis. Overall I’d recommend giving this one a shot, and will be reading any new releases from Lynch.
July 16, 2023
I've been sitting here staring at my blinking cursor, trying to come up with the right words to describe this book. I'll try my best.
The Warrior Retreat is a heartbreaking story about Marines fighting overseas, just to come back home and continue those battles while adjusting to civilian life. The reality of this story is a punch to the gut. The daily horrors many of our servicemen face and the lack of help they receive from the government that was supposed to protect them are very much real.
The Warrior Retreat is extremely well written by a USMC veteran who knows firsthand about what our soldiers face and has included some of his own experiences in this story.
John, I want to thank you for your service, and I want to thank you for writing a book so damn good that you managed to bring tears to my eyes, something I don't often do.
The Warrior Retreat is a heartbreaking story about Marines fighting overseas, just to come back home and continue those battles while adjusting to civilian life. The reality of this story is a punch to the gut. The daily horrors many of our servicemen face and the lack of help they receive from the government that was supposed to protect them are very much real.
The Warrior Retreat is extremely well written by a USMC veteran who knows firsthand about what our soldiers face and has included some of his own experiences in this story.
John, I want to thank you for your service, and I want to thank you for writing a book so damn good that you managed to bring tears to my eyes, something I don't often do.
October 8, 2022
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started The Warrior Retreat, John Lynch’s debut novel. While the genre is horror, this book goes well beyond two dimensional blood and guts, and delivers an emotional tribute to our brave fighting men and women (with plenty of blood and guts too).
This book delves into what happens when the atrocities of war follow you home, and some of the toughest aspects of this book are seeing how those horrors can rob a person of their humanity and leave them a shell of their former selves. John is able to skillfully weave a tale that not only genuinely makes you feel for all of the characters, but also keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can. This is a very fast paced novel that never gets too bogged down in any one area, moving at a good speed throughout. I lost sleep over this book and shirked my responsibilities at work to finish it, I’m very serious when I say I couldn’t put this down.
This book has completely blown me away and taken me by surprise and I look forward to seeing what else comes out of the mind of John Lynch in the future.
This book delves into what happens when the atrocities of war follow you home, and some of the toughest aspects of this book are seeing how those horrors can rob a person of their humanity and leave them a shell of their former selves. John is able to skillfully weave a tale that not only genuinely makes you feel for all of the characters, but also keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can. This is a very fast paced novel that never gets too bogged down in any one area, moving at a good speed throughout. I lost sleep over this book and shirked my responsibilities at work to finish it, I’m very serious when I say I couldn’t put this down.
This book has completely blown me away and taken me by surprise and I look forward to seeing what else comes out of the mind of John Lynch in the future.
April 11, 2023
The Warrior Retreat is a horror novel. But, it is also a novel that tackles the horrors of war as well as the abuse and self-destruction the soldiers who come back alive endure and put themselves through in order to cope. I loved this novel!
In the main narrative, we follow the post-war exploits of Marcus Simpson and company. They've all gone down different paths since parting ways. Their adventures range from drug and alcohol excess, sexcapades and even getting rough with fellow bar patrons and serving time. Simpson decides to turn his life around and gets involved with veterans rights advocacy. He wants to get his old war buddies together for a weekend retreat so they can blow off steam and talk about getting help to better handle civilian life. The rest of the squad is on board...except for Ray Hughes, the roughneck Leatherneck who was serving time for a bar brawl. He has experienced the same troubles as everyone else, but has also been fighting sleep paralysis (the specter taking the shape of the dead girl haunting their dreams). As a condition of his bail, Hughes is required to go to this retreat, so he ultimately gives in and joins his mates. The Warrior Retreat, however, is about to become the venue for a new war for these soldiers. Will any of them make it home alive this time?
When reading this novel, I laughed, I was outraged and I even felt emotionally gutted at some points. The narrative is very well done, mixing cohesive storytelling with military jargon, giving this story a much more realistic perspective. Much like several of the stories in Woe to Those Who Dwell on Earth, John Lynch uses his own career in the USMC to give weight and breathe life into the tale. In fact, this concept works very well for a full-length novel. So many of those stories were excellent, but I think I love the novel just a little bit more.
Mr. Lynch, I appreciate you for your sacrifices during the war and thank you for your service.
I'm giving this one ☠️ x5!
In the main narrative, we follow the post-war exploits of Marcus Simpson and company. They've all gone down different paths since parting ways. Their adventures range from drug and alcohol excess, sexcapades and even getting rough with fellow bar patrons and serving time. Simpson decides to turn his life around and gets involved with veterans rights advocacy. He wants to get his old war buddies together for a weekend retreat so they can blow off steam and talk about getting help to better handle civilian life. The rest of the squad is on board...except for Ray Hughes, the roughneck Leatherneck who was serving time for a bar brawl. He has experienced the same troubles as everyone else, but has also been fighting sleep paralysis (the specter taking the shape of the dead girl haunting their dreams). As a condition of his bail, Hughes is required to go to this retreat, so he ultimately gives in and joins his mates. The Warrior Retreat, however, is about to become the venue for a new war for these soldiers. Will any of them make it home alive this time?
When reading this novel, I laughed, I was outraged and I even felt emotionally gutted at some points. The narrative is very well done, mixing cohesive storytelling with military jargon, giving this story a much more realistic perspective. Much like several of the stories in Woe to Those Who Dwell on Earth, John Lynch uses his own career in the USMC to give weight and breathe life into the tale. In fact, this concept works very well for a full-length novel. So many of those stories were excellent, but I think I love the novel just a little bit more.
Mr. Lynch, I appreciate you for your sacrifices during the war and thank you for your service.
I'm giving this one ☠️ x5!
April 21, 2024
3.75/4 stars - I quite enjoyed this! The first act was incredibly visceral, and the third act gore fest was exquisitely written. Harrowing, bleak ending too - definitely a winning combination for me.
I definitely have some critiques of this book, things I would have edited or changed or added to flesh out some characters, but overall I think what The Warrior Retreat has to say on PTSD and the effects of war on veterans was effective and poignant. You can tell this book comes from a very personal place in the author's life and I was happy to learn about the deeply flawed systems in place for American veterans when they do return home. Solid stuff for sure and I can't wait to read his campy Christmas slashers because I think those would probably be even more to my personal taste.
I definitely have some critiques of this book, things I would have edited or changed or added to flesh out some characters, but overall I think what The Warrior Retreat has to say on PTSD and the effects of war on veterans was effective and poignant. You can tell this book comes from a very personal place in the author's life and I was happy to learn about the deeply flawed systems in place for American veterans when they do return home. Solid stuff for sure and I can't wait to read his campy Christmas slashers because I think those would probably be even more to my personal taste.
April 11, 2023
Not being big on war books I gave this a chance because I heard good things about it. It's sad because this is a brutal story that could happen. It's an excellent story that was written with pain infused into each page. If you were on the fence about reading it, jump off the fence and order it now. Go I'll wait for you at the retreat.
June 24, 2023
Emotionally heavy, with many (intentionally?) misleading elements (at first I thought it was a ghost story, then a tale of psychological horror, then military horror, then a slasher...), John Lynch's 'The Warrior Retreat' ended up being genuinely horrific thanks to its being based on real situations and real people. Although I was disappointed the author didn't follow through on his original idea (mentioned in his afterword), I found the story riveting and quite original: PTSD-crippled former soldier machines gathering for a weekend in a cabin almost in the middle of nowhere is the perfect set-up for many horror scenarios, but thankfully Lynch sticks to what he knows, and the end result is a very believable story (unfortunately) that I highly recommend to all military horror lovers out there.
November 13, 2022
I read this book right after reading Lil' bastard by Matt Shaw. Amazon recommended it to me, I'm not sure why, the books really are nothing at all alike, and I knew that from the description but I enjoyed this one, so who am I to complain?
This book is a military horror, but it isn't what I thought it would be going in. I assumed it would be something supernatural, or some kind of monsters maybe? This one read like a combination of a few genres and I really enjoyed it. At times very violent and graphic, and other times it is sexually explicit with some spatterings of humor tossed in. I really enjoyed this one and want to check out more books like this.
This book is a military horror, but it isn't what I thought it would be going in. I assumed it would be something supernatural, or some kind of monsters maybe? This one read like a combination of a few genres and I really enjoyed it. At times very violent and graphic, and other times it is sexually explicit with some spatterings of humor tossed in. I really enjoyed this one and want to check out more books like this.
November 7, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, even though splatterpunk is not my favorite subgenre. The story involves a group of Marines and the hardships they face both at home and overseas. John Lynch pulls no punches regarding graphic sex and violence—there is plenty of it here. The story, too, is true to life, flirting with the supernatural yet firmly rooted in the earthly nightmares between an ex-warrior's ears. You'll be surprised this is a debut effort.
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