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![The Dark Game (Fiction Without Frontiers) by [Jonathan Janz]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513ov0VK9rL._SY346_.jpg)
The Dark Game (Fiction Without Frontiers) Kindle Edition
Jonathan Janz (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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Ten writers are selected for a summer-long writing retreat with the most celebrated and reclusive author in the world. Their host is the legendary Roderick Wells. Handsome, enigmatic, and fiendishly talented, Wells promises to teach his pupils about writing, about magic, about the untapped potential that each of them possesses. Most of all, he plans to teach them about the darkness in their hearts.
The writers think they are signing up for a chance at riches and literary prestige. But they are really entering the twisted imagination of a deranged genius, a lethal contest pitting them against one another in a struggle for their sanity and their lives. They have entered into Roderick Wells’s most brilliant and horrible creation.
The Dark Game.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherFlame Tree Press
- Publication date11 April 2019
- File size3994 KB
Product description
About the Author
Review
"...incredible whirlwind of nightmarish suspense..."--Howling Libraries
"I'm sure we've all heard authors explain how, often as they write a character will take over the story and will take it in directions the author never intended. Well, The Dark Game is this idea on acid."--Frank Michaels Errington
"If someone told you this is actually a novel Stephen King had written and forgotten about [...] this is without a doubt the end result of that long-winded metaphor."--Splattergeist
"If you enjoy reading books with eeriness and suspense, then pick up this book."--Terror Tree
"If you love horror stories featuring plenty of characters and plenty of gruesome moments, I definitely recommend checking this book out."--Tara's Book Addiction
"Janz spins a nasty little tale of psychological and supernatural horror"--Reclusive Reads
"Janz's writing has a way of pulling rabbits out of hats with his plots that fit well within the confines of his story"--Lit Podcast
"Jonathan Janz may be rising above the "rising star" of horror status with several highly regarded novels under his belt. The Dark Game is another great novel to add to his list."--Real Dead Review
"The end result is a story showcasing an author at the top of his own dark game."--High fever Books
Dark, violent, and twisted, The Dark Game blends horror with a character study to disturbing effect.--John M. Murray Foreword Reviews
Equal parts Lord of the Flies mixed with The Girl on the Train with a cast of unreliable and shifty personalities, this novel belongs with the best thrillers on the bookshelf and should be on yours, stat.--A.E Siraki
Full of wicked imagery and precision placed scare tactics, The Dark Game doesn't disappoint on the spooky scale.--Just a Guy Who Liked to Read
In his latest pulp horror gem, Janz channels early Stephen King to twist the story of a secluded writers' retreat into something unique and thought-provoking.--Booklist
In THE DARK GAME Janz showcases this ability to virtually bring his characters to life.--Horror After Dark
Mr. Janz has a fine eye for the layers of personality and character usually hidden from the world.--The Haunted Reading Room
One of the best writers in modern horror to come along in the last decade. Janz is one of my new favorites.--Brian Keene
The game he plays may be dark, but his writing shines brightest in the shadows.--Kendall Reviews
The Dark Game is a book I would highly recommend and sits high on my list of favorite reads this year.--The Scary Reviews
The Dark Game is a creepy and fast-paced read with excellent characterization--Little Miss Zombie
This novel is a treat for horror fans, yes, but it will have wider appeal as it manages to both scare and comment on the joy of reading. Many will be drawn into this fast-paced thriller, readers who love the pulp horror of Brian Keene, the dark twists of Sarah Pinborough, or the terrifying and emotional storytelling of Paul Tremblay.--Booklist Online --This text refers to the hardcover edition.
Product details
- ASIN : B07QFX8XLY
- Publisher : Flame Tree Press (11 April 2019)
- Language : English
- File size : 3994 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 341 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: 257,512 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 1,641 in Occult Horror
- 2,199 in Occult Stories
- 3,505 in Supernatural Thrillers (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Jonathan Janz is the author of more than a dozen novels and numerous short stories. His work has been championed by authors like Josh Malerman, Caroline Kepnes, Joe R. Lansdale, Stephen Graham Jones, Brian Keene, and Jack Ketchum. His ghost story THE SIREN AND THE SPECTER was selected as a Goodreads Choice Awards nominee for Best Horror. Additionally, his novels CHILDREN OF THE DARK and THE DARK GAME were chosen by Booklist and Library Journal, respectively, as Top Ten Horror Books of the Year. He is represented for TV & Film by Ryan Lewis (executive producer of BIRD BOX). Jonathan’s main interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children. You can sign up for his newsletter, and you can follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and Goodreads.
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Customer reviews
Top review from Australia
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Many thanks to Flame Tree Press. My review is my honest, voluntary opinion. If they keep publishing works like this, they have a very bright future!
Top reviews from other countries


10 writers are invited to a retreat hosted by legendary writer. Thereafter - let the games begin!
I was sucked into this story right from the off, a large part thanks to the calibre of writing. My only reserve about the book was i got a bit confused as to who was who a lot of the time. Suppose this can't be helped when you have multiple characters set in one location. Overall though i loved it - i felt there were lessons in there as well for aspiring writers and also like the Ketchum reference. Also like the reference to one of Janz' own books.
Brilliant story telling!

When a group of writers arrive at the mansion of their host for a writing retreat and competition, fueled by their hopes and dreams of becoming famous, they have no idea what is within the walls, waiting for them.
I found this story intriguing and gripping. The mansion is breathing with horrifying surprises. Another, thicker layer of horror is revealed as the darkest secrets of each of the contestants begin to seep from within.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Right off the bat, this synopsis ticked so many boxes for me. I love books about writers, I love plots involving competitions, and I love “retreat” settings (camps, secluded mansions, etc.). Most of all, I love when a horror story features multiple characters plagued by their own personal demons—but it’s not an easy trick to pull off, because telling these layered stories-within-a-story requires a nuanced and talented creator. Luckily, Jonathan Janz is precisely that.
As is typically the case with one of Jonathan’s stories, there’s a wide and varied cast of characters, but I didn’t find myself losing track of who’s who or disliking the number of perspectives; if anything, it was so intriguing to watch the story-telling style change as the players began to exit the game. And boy, do they ever exit quickly; The Dark Game’s action picks up early and never lets up.
Up until now, I’ve always recommended that readers who are unfamiliar with Jonathan Janz titles begin with Siren, but after finishing up this incredible whirlwind of nightmarish suspense, you can’t go wrong with The Dark Game as an introduction to his work, either. I know this is going to be a new all-time favorite that I’ll be raving about for a long time to come, and I can’t wait to see what Jonathan does next to top it.
**I was provided with a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, though I loved The Dark Game so much that, as you can see by my verified purchase, I also bought a finished copy - it's THAT good!**


Reviewed in the United States on 15 April 2019
Right off the bat, this synopsis ticked so many boxes for me. I love books about writers, I love plots involving competitions, and I love “retreat” settings (camps, secluded mansions, etc.). Most of all, I love when a horror story features multiple characters plagued by their own personal demons—but it’s not an easy trick to pull off, because telling these layered stories-within-a-story requires a nuanced and talented creator. Luckily, Jonathan Janz is precisely that.
As is typically the case with one of Jonathan’s stories, there’s a wide and varied cast of characters, but I didn’t find myself losing track of who’s who or disliking the number of perspectives; if anything, it was so intriguing to watch the story-telling style change as the players began to exit the game. And boy, do they ever exit quickly; The Dark Game’s action picks up early and never lets up.
Up until now, I’ve always recommended that readers who are unfamiliar with Jonathan Janz titles begin with Siren, but after finishing up this incredible whirlwind of nightmarish suspense, you can’t go wrong with The Dark Game as an introduction to his work, either. I know this is going to be a new all-time favorite that I’ll be raving about for a long time to come, and I can’t wait to see what Jonathan does next to top it.
**I was provided with a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, though I loved The Dark Game so much that, as you can see by my verified purchase, I also bought a finished copy - it's THAT good!**


The book began simply as a competition among some fledgling writers to seek counseling and tutorship with one of the most renowned writers in the world – Roderick Wells. The personalities for each character were all deep and well written. I found a little to like, and a lot to despise, in most of the characters. The story leads you to believe it will be about one thing, and then quickly evolve into numerous other possibilities, and I was quite happy with the way it ended. This won’t spoil anything, so I will stop there.
Characters: They were all so great and tragic, that I sympathized with some and was disgusted with others. He did a great job describing them and their backstories. 5/5
Story: Janz included some of the stories the characters were writing, which I thought was a great way to show character depth and a deeper look into their minds. The main story was good also and I was satisfied with how it ended. 5/5
Environment: The book progressively cranked up the creepy factor and I found myself cringing a few times. Janz is great at describing the surrounding, weather, the time of day, and the overall feel of the places. 5/5
Overall: Jonathan did a great job with this and I have already added a few of his other books to my reading list. Great job!
5/5