Publishers Weekly
★ 08/14/2023
Bestseller Ryan (the Covenant of Steel series, as Anthony Ryan) demonstrates that his narrative gifts extend well beyond epic fantasy in this nail-biting postapocalyptic thriller. A man wakes up on a boat to the sound of a gunshot with no memory of who he is or why he’s there but with the word “Huxley” tattooed on one wrist. Huxley finds that the gun was fired by a man with a “Conrad” wrist tattoo, who shot himself. There are five additional people onboard the vessel, all with famous writers’ last names similarly tattooed on them and all with no personal memories, though they still retain some hyperspecific knowledge. (“The lung capacity of an average adult human male is six litres,” recalls a woman sporting a “Rhys” tattoo.) Their helplessness increases when they find that they can’t control the boat’s path. Their only direction comes from an anonymous female voice on a satellite phone, who offers a dire warning: “Any member of your crew who recalls personal memories must be considered a danger.” As the tension—and violence—ramps up, Ryan’s worldbuilding comes into focus and he makes it easy to suspend disbelief. With thoughtful characterization and an innovative variation on a familiar theme, this impressive horror tale wows. Agent: Paul Lucas, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"Bestseller Ryan demonstrates that his narrative gifts extend well beyond epic fantasy in this nail-biting postapocalyptic thriller ... With thoughtful characterization and an innovative variation on a familiar theme, this impressive horror tale wows."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“A. J. Ryan’s Red River Seven bursts onto the page like a riveting ride into a monstrous heart of darkness, starting out as a locked-room mystery and steadily stomping the gas to become an edge-of-your seat apocalyptic thriller. Gripping, fast-paced, and bloody good fun.”—Craig DiLouie, author of Episode Thirteen
“Bird Box meets World War Z in the genre-bending Red River Seven, a madly entertaining amalgam of locked-room mystery, heart-racing thriller, and terror-inducing horror show that will keep you up late into the night and darken your dreams long after you turn the last page.”—Philip Fracassi, author of Boys in the Valley
"Full of both suspense and action, Red River Seven is Apocalypse Now meets Resident Evil."—RJ Barker, author of Gods of the Wyrdwood
"A.J. Ryan charts a relentlessly inventive course to the dark heart of an extinction-level event. Soaked in terror and shrouded in fog, this book demands to be gulped down in one sitting. It’s Apocalypse Now ripped from its moorings, transfigured for a time when the apocalypse is, literally, now." —Andy Marino, author of It Rides a Pale Horse
"With well-drawn characters, an engrossing story, and a spectacular finale, this one is a triumph."—Booklist
author of It Rides a Pale Horse Andy Marino
A.J. Ryan charts a relentlessly inventive course to the dark heart of an extinction-level event. Soaked in terror and shrouded in fog, this book demands to be gulped down in one sitting. It’s Apocalypse Now ripped from its moorings, transfigured for a time when the apocalypse is, literally, now.
author of Boys in the Valley Philip Fracassi
Bird Box meets World War Z in the genre-bending Red River Seven, a madly entertaining amalgam of locked-room mystery, heart-racing thriller, and terror-inducing horror show that will keep you up late into the night and darken your dreams long after you turn the last page.
author of Episode Thirteen Craig DiLouie
A. J. Ryan’s Red River Seven bursts onto the page like a riveting ride into a monstrous heart of darkness, starting out as a locked-room mystery and steadily stomping the gas to become an edge-of-your seat apocalyptic thriller. Gripping, fast-paced, and bloody good fun.
author of Gods of the Wyrdwood RJ Barker
Full of both suspense and action, Red River Seven is Apocalypse Now meets Resident Evil.
