Review of Jason King

[abstactlemon]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Jason King" by Gordon Horton.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Jason King by Gordon Horton is a hard pill to swallow. It’s not a bad book by any means, but it is grating at nearly every turn. The book follows Jason, a rancher from Wyoming, as he faces the end of the world. It happened over a year ago, and it shook the earth to its very core. A link in the chain that holds the world together is broken, and the dead walk among the living. This is not a zombie apocalypse, however, and the dead are spirits or shades, but not reanimated. With the aid of his dead wife, Jason is tasked with repairing the damage done to the world. The journey is cruel, and the first step in his path is the murder of his granddaughter. It only gets harder from there.

The concept of this book is easily the best thing about it. There are so many fascinating character interactions between the living and the dead. Imagine that you have found closure after the death of a loved one, only for them to appear and reopen old wounds. Maybe you’ve barely finished burying them when you start to see them walking around your house. It’s a brutal aspect that Horton never shies away from. However, it isn’t all bad. This isn’t a romance, but there is a very heavy theme of love that permeates the book, evident in Jason and his wife, and the people he comes across during his journey. Jason is forced to make many grueling decisions, and although his story is very much a tragedy, it was still fun to dive into his psyche as he made those tough choices.

I also really like the more fantastical aspects of the book. The scenes where Jason experiments with shamanism were very interesting to read. As he gathers infamy and slowly becomes a legend, Jason learns more about the nature of the damage that has been done to the world. I never found myself confused by jargon or wondering about holes in the plot, which is something I am always a fan of.

There were some problems, however. The beginning felt a bit rushed, almost as if Horton just wanted to get it over with and start the main part of the story. There were also some inconsistencies with Jason’s character. Sometimes he seemed almost too comfortable killing people he knew, even making jokes. Other times, he was overly emotional about it. Horton may have been trying to portray humor and apathy as a coping mechanism, but it didn’t really land for me. For those reasons, I have to give this book 3 out of 4 stars. It’s very close to a 4, but it just couldn’t get over that last hump.

It was still a very enjoyable read. This is the first of a series. It does a good job of setting up the next installment while still being its own book. I think this will be a good read for lovers of paranormal fiction. Those who like post-apocalyptic settings might also find something in it. I’m looking forward to the next book.

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Jason King
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[Amy Luman]

This has repercussions for those left living, but I can only imagine that their reappearance caused plenty of problems for the recently departed as well. I look forward to seeing how Jason plans to repair the damage.

[abstactlemon]

I look forward to seeing how Jason plans to repair the damage.

Its wildly interesting.

[Bri Denzel]

Reader who love post-apocalyptic books will have a great time reading this one. It's really not my forte so I'll pass on it.

[Shillah Andeso]

This is a fantastic fictional story. I haven't heard of a plot close to this one before and I would love to know what happens. Jason seems to be very courageous going through this mission. I hope he succeeds in the end.

[Sarah tianna]

Based on the rating, it is evident that the book is interesting and amazing. Another amazing feature is that this review is well-detailed. Captivating review.

[NetMassimo]

The consequences of the dead "invading" the works are interesting and make the novel engaging despite the flaws you pointed out. I'll look into this series. Thank you for your great review!