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Gone to See the River Man #1
Gone to See the River Man
Super fans. Groupies. Stalkers.
These people will give anything for the idols they worship, be they rock stars, actors or authors. Or even serial killers.
Lori is just such a fanatic. Her obsession is with Edmund Cox, a man of sadistic cruelty who butchered more than twenty women. She’s gone so far as to forge a relationship with him, visiting him in prison and sending him letters on a regular basis. She will do anything to get close to him, so when he gives her a task, she eagerly accepts it.
She has no idea of the horror that awaits her.
Edmund tells her she must go to his cabin in the woods of Killen and retrieve a key to deliver to a mysterious figure known only as The River Man.
In her quest, she brings along her handicapped sister, and they journey through the deep, dark valley, beginning their trip upriver. The trip quickly becomes a surreal nightmare, one that digs up Lori’s personal demons, the ones she feels bonds her to Edmund. The river runs with flesh, the cabin is a vault of horrors, and ghostly blues music echoes through the mountains. Soon they will learn that The River Man is not quite fact or folklore, and definitely not human -- at least, not anymore. And the key is just the beginning of what is required of Lori to prove she’s worthy of a madman’s love.
These people will give anything for the idols they worship, be they rock stars, actors or authors. Or even serial killers.
Lori is just such a fanatic. Her obsession is with Edmund Cox, a man of sadistic cruelty who butchered more than twenty women. She’s gone so far as to forge a relationship with him, visiting him in prison and sending him letters on a regular basis. She will do anything to get close to him, so when he gives her a task, she eagerly accepts it.
She has no idea of the horror that awaits her.
Edmund tells her she must go to his cabin in the woods of Killen and retrieve a key to deliver to a mysterious figure known only as The River Man.
In her quest, she brings along her handicapped sister, and they journey through the deep, dark valley, beginning their trip upriver. The trip quickly becomes a surreal nightmare, one that digs up Lori’s personal demons, the ones she feels bonds her to Edmund. The river runs with flesh, the cabin is a vault of horrors, and ghostly blues music echoes through the mountains. Soon they will learn that The River Man is not quite fact or folklore, and definitely not human -- at least, not anymore. And the key is just the beginning of what is required of Lori to prove she’s worthy of a madman’s love.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2020
About the author
Kristopher Triana
64 books1,830 followersKristopher Triana is the author of Gone to See the River Man, Full Brutal, They All Died Screaming, Shepherd of the Black Sheep, Toxic Love, and more.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,548 reviews
June 13, 2024
I put off reading this for a few months, as all the reviews I scanned through referenced how disturbing and twisted it was. I just didn't feel ready, but I finally saw it through and I am just in total awe. This was probably the most haunting and perturbing work I've ever come across (And I'm a huge Carlton Mellick fan!). I was utterly irked during the whole story, but had to keep reading. It's not long at all, but the writing was so beautifully done that it felt like a more developed story. And there was so many moving pieces and plot points that kept my undivided attention. I found myself trying to get a lock on how I felt about our main character, Lori, but she's so badly damaged, that I couldn't. You don't love or hate her, but at the same time you don't want to see harm come to her, also while wishing she is served justice for all her misdeeds. Kristopher Triana created this world and characters that just throw you off balance, and just when you hope the story doesn't get more deranged, it goes there and beyond. This was a truly original and unsettling psychological horror book that I fully and wholeheartedly endorse as a fellow horror author.
October 21, 2023
I CAN NOT BELIEVE I WASTED PRECIOUS TIME ON THIS BOOK. AND I KNEW IT GOING IN THAT IT MIGHT BE A LET DOWN SO I ACTIVELY LOOKED FOR SPOILERS. AND NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO EVEN DO THAT CORRECTLY SO FOR THOSE WHO MAY GO INTO THIS AND ARE OVERLY BORED AND WANT PROPER SPOILERS. YOUVE COME TO THE RIGHT GIRL, CAUSE I HAVE TIME TODAY
1. LORI IS JEALOUS OF HER OLDER SISTER AND WANTS THE LOVE THAT SHE DOESNT HAVE FROM ANYONE BECAUSE HER SISTER STOLE HER " CRUSH" AND HER SISTER IS THE ALL AROUND PERFECT GIRL AND STUFF ETC ETC
2.LORI CATCHES HER SISTER AND HER BF DAVID DOING THE "DEVILS TANGO" THAT AWAKENS SOMETHING IN HER TO GO TO HER BROTHERS ROOM AND "DEVILS TANGO WITH HIM"
3. BIG SIS CATCHES THEM
4. LORI AND HER BROTHER KEEP DEVILS TANGOING. HE WANTS TO STOP, SHE FORCES HIM TO CONTINUE AND THREATS TO TELL THEIR PARENTS. THE BROTHER SHUTS DOWN MENTAL * NO EATING NOTHING COMPLETELY WITHDRAWS FROM LIFE*
5. OLDER SIS GO TO LORI " YO I SAW YOU WITH OUR BROTHER LET GET YOU HELP, BRO WONT GET HELP IF HE WONT SPEAK UP" LORI" NOO NOO WAH WAH * PUSHES HER SISTER OFF A CLIFF AND NOW SHE HAS THE MENTAL CAPACITY OF A CHILD AND USES SHOULDER CRUTCHES TO WALK *
6.LORI SO DESPERATE FOR P3N1S AND LOVE SHES ATTACHES HERSELF TO A SERIAL KILLER SHE MET THROUGH PENPAL CRAP AND GO TO SEE THE RIVER MAN BECAUSE THE BF TOLD HER TO RETURN A KEY. HER SISTER " NOOOO DONT WEAVE ME NOOO SISSY DONT WEAVE ME LIKE PETEY (BROTHER) DID* LORI IS FORCED TO TAKE HER SISTER ALONG
7. THEY MEET UNNECESSARY CHARACTERS ALONG THE WAY LIKE A FREAKING TWISTED EPISODE OF DORA THE EXPLORER. ( SERIOUSLY I SKIMMED OVER THESE CHARACTERS IDC AND YOU DONT CARE EITHER OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN'T BE READING MY SPOILERS LOL)
8. ALONG THE WAY THE OLDER SISTER IS GETTING POSSESSED AND SAYING WEIRD STUFF AS WELL AS SEEING HER DEAD BROTHER?
9. THEY HEAR A BOY LAUGHTER AND TELLING LORI ITS YOUR TURN YOUR TURN ETC ETC
10. THE OLDER SISTER KILLS ONE OF THE UNNECESSARY CHARCTERS TO HELP LORI BECAUSE " LORI WANTS TO BANG HER BF (THE KILLER") AND LORI PROMISED SHED MAKE HER SISTER A MOH AT THE WEDDING IF HER AND HER SERIAL KILLER GET MARRIED
11. ANYWAYS THEY REACH THE RIVER DUDE, HE TELLS LORI IN ORDER TO GET HER DEXTER VERISON BF SHE GOTTA FINISH WHAT SHE STARTED SO SHE MAKES THE DEAL WITH THE FLOATING GUITAR PLAYING DEMON (THE RIVER MAN) OR WHATEVER ACTUALLY OFFS HER SISTER COMPLETELY ( THE TASK SHE HAD TO FINISH)
12. DEXTER DUDE ESCAPE PRISON, LORI GIDDY HER KILLER BF IS FREE. SHE FINDS HIM NAKED WITH ANOTHER GIRLS HEAD ON HIS JUNK ( DONT NEED TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED THERE SO) HE SAY COME HERE , SHE GOES, GETS NAKED, HE GRABS A KNIFE ( A CLEAN ONE CAUSE YOU KNOW JUST BECAUSE HES A KILLER DOESNT MEAN CHIVALRY IS DEAD YOU KNOW?)
LORI: WILL IT HURT DARLING
DEXTER DUDE: LOVE ALWAYS DOES
BASICALLY LORIS AN IDIOT SHE COULD HAVE JUST BOUGHT A ROSE FROM AMAZON AND BEEN HAPPY, BUT NO SHES OFFS HER SISTER, R@PES HER BROTHER INTO SLEEPING WITH HER ALL TO WIND UP DEAD ANYWAYS BY HER DEXTER NON BF?!
WASTE OF TIME
AND YEAH I KNOW MY CAPS LOCK IS ON ITS STRESSES HOW MAD I AM FOR HAVING SIT THROUGH THIS CRAP
1. LORI IS JEALOUS OF HER OLDER SISTER AND WANTS THE LOVE THAT SHE DOESNT HAVE FROM ANYONE BECAUSE HER SISTER STOLE HER " CRUSH" AND HER SISTER IS THE ALL AROUND PERFECT GIRL AND STUFF ETC ETC
2.LORI CATCHES HER SISTER AND HER BF DAVID DOING THE "DEVILS TANGO" THAT AWAKENS SOMETHING IN HER TO GO TO HER BROTHERS ROOM AND "DEVILS TANGO WITH HIM"
3. BIG SIS CATCHES THEM
4. LORI AND HER BROTHER KEEP DEVILS TANGOING. HE WANTS TO STOP, SHE FORCES HIM TO CONTINUE AND THREATS TO TELL THEIR PARENTS. THE BROTHER SHUTS DOWN MENTAL * NO EATING NOTHING COMPLETELY WITHDRAWS FROM LIFE*
5. OLDER SIS GO TO LORI " YO I SAW YOU WITH OUR BROTHER LET GET YOU HELP, BRO WONT GET HELP IF HE WONT SPEAK UP" LORI" NOO NOO WAH WAH * PUSHES HER SISTER OFF A CLIFF AND NOW SHE HAS THE MENTAL CAPACITY OF A CHILD AND USES SHOULDER CRUTCHES TO WALK *
6.LORI SO DESPERATE FOR P3N1S AND LOVE SHES ATTACHES HERSELF TO A SERIAL KILLER SHE MET THROUGH PENPAL CRAP AND GO TO SEE THE RIVER MAN BECAUSE THE BF TOLD HER TO RETURN A KEY. HER SISTER " NOOOO DONT WEAVE ME NOOO SISSY DONT WEAVE ME LIKE PETEY (BROTHER) DID* LORI IS FORCED TO TAKE HER SISTER ALONG
7. THEY MEET UNNECESSARY CHARACTERS ALONG THE WAY LIKE A FREAKING TWISTED EPISODE OF DORA THE EXPLORER. ( SERIOUSLY I SKIMMED OVER THESE CHARACTERS IDC AND YOU DONT CARE EITHER OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN'T BE READING MY SPOILERS LOL)
8. ALONG THE WAY THE OLDER SISTER IS GETTING POSSESSED AND SAYING WEIRD STUFF AS WELL AS SEEING HER DEAD BROTHER?
9. THEY HEAR A BOY LAUGHTER AND TELLING LORI ITS YOUR TURN YOUR TURN ETC ETC
10. THE OLDER SISTER KILLS ONE OF THE UNNECESSARY CHARCTERS TO HELP LORI BECAUSE " LORI WANTS TO BANG HER BF (THE KILLER") AND LORI PROMISED SHED MAKE HER SISTER A MOH AT THE WEDDING IF HER AND HER SERIAL KILLER GET MARRIED
11. ANYWAYS THEY REACH THE RIVER DUDE, HE TELLS LORI IN ORDER TO GET HER DEXTER VERISON BF SHE GOTTA FINISH WHAT SHE STARTED SO SHE MAKES THE DEAL WITH THE FLOATING GUITAR PLAYING DEMON (THE RIVER MAN) OR WHATEVER ACTUALLY OFFS HER SISTER COMPLETELY ( THE TASK SHE HAD TO FINISH)
12. DEXTER DUDE ESCAPE PRISON, LORI GIDDY HER KILLER BF IS FREE. SHE FINDS HIM NAKED WITH ANOTHER GIRLS HEAD ON HIS JUNK ( DONT NEED TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED THERE SO) HE SAY COME HERE , SHE GOES, GETS NAKED, HE GRABS A KNIFE ( A CLEAN ONE CAUSE YOU KNOW JUST BECAUSE HES A KILLER DOESNT MEAN CHIVALRY IS DEAD YOU KNOW?)
LORI: WILL IT HURT DARLING
DEXTER DUDE: LOVE ALWAYS DOES
BASICALLY LORIS AN IDIOT SHE COULD HAVE JUST BOUGHT A ROSE FROM AMAZON AND BEEN HAPPY, BUT NO SHES OFFS HER SISTER, R@PES HER BROTHER INTO SLEEPING WITH HER ALL TO WIND UP DEAD ANYWAYS BY HER DEXTER NON BF?!
WASTE OF TIME
AND YEAH I KNOW MY CAPS LOCK IS ON ITS STRESSES HOW MAD I AM FOR HAVING SIT THROUGH THIS CRAP
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2022
4.5 stars
Wow, this has got to be one of the most fucked up books I've ever read. I wouldn't necessarily say I enjoyed reading this book, because the subject matter is not pleasant and I felt so disturbed and unsettled while reading this, but it was also so gripping, I couldn't put it down. I had to know where it was going. I wouldn't necessarily say I recommend this book, because it's A LOT. But I think it's one of the most disturbing horror books I've ever read.
Here's the vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/6nxHw18djXg
Wow, this has got to be one of the most fucked up books I've ever read. I wouldn't necessarily say I enjoyed reading this book, because the subject matter is not pleasant and I felt so disturbed and unsettled while reading this, but it was also so gripping, I couldn't put it down. I had to know where it was going. I wouldn't necessarily say I recommend this book, because it's A LOT. But I think it's one of the most disturbing horror books I've ever read.
Here's the vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/6nxHw18djXg
December 14, 2020
Gritty, graphic and darkly disturbing, this book will take you to the depths of hell and back. Unhealthy obsessions and dysfunctional backgrounds are well described and broken down into bloody pieces. The author creates a story of pure evil and greed, utilizing solid development of characters and atmosphere. The darkness of this novel is palpable and will leave a distinctly sour taste on your palate. Triana builds a riveting tale that keeps its blood-slicked grip on you long past the final page.
June 14, 2024
There's Only Two Places to Find Peace...
The Woods and the Grave...
GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN
by Kristopher Triana
No spoilers: 5 stars. Lori corresponds with Edmund, a brutal rapist/serial killer whose magic is as black as the grave...
While visiting Edmund in prison and pampering him with cheese doodles and yoo-hoo, Edmund sends Lori on a quest...
He asks her to travel to the valley of Killen along the Hollow River to his family's shack. The shack "they" never knew about and...
...get the old key from a chest in the shack and take it to the River Man who lives in a cabin on the opposite side of the river...
Edmund tells Lori that there's only two places to find peace: the woods and the grave... and she must always finish what she starts...
Lori loves Edmund and wants to gain his trust and love so she packs up her disabled sister and herself to fulfill his quest...
When they arrive at the trailhead to the river, they meet a tall man dressed in a black suit and tie who tells them they can't go empty-handed to see the River Man....
On the trail...
The girls meet a black man, Buzz Fledderjohn, who asks if they are lost... Buzz tells them the ghost story of the River Man...
With the reluctant help of Buzz and his little boat, the three follow the old wooden sign reading: INTO THE HOLLOW...
This was a very riveting story that I couldn't put down. I would classify this tale as a southern gothic horror and a good one, I might add. It has the feel of another excellent novel, WICKED TEMPER by Randy Thornhorn.
If you liked this story, the sequel, ALONG THE RIVER OF FLESH, is equally good.
The Woods and the Grave...
GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN
by Kristopher Triana
No spoilers: 5 stars. Lori corresponds with Edmund, a brutal rapist/serial killer whose magic is as black as the grave...
While visiting Edmund in prison and pampering him with cheese doodles and yoo-hoo, Edmund sends Lori on a quest...
He asks her to travel to the valley of Killen along the Hollow River to his family's shack. The shack "they" never knew about and...
...get the old key from a chest in the shack and take it to the River Man who lives in a cabin on the opposite side of the river...
Edmund tells Lori that there's only two places to find peace: the woods and the grave... and she must always finish what she starts...
Lori loves Edmund and wants to gain his trust and love so she packs up her disabled sister and herself to fulfill his quest...
When they arrive at the trailhead to the river, they meet a tall man dressed in a black suit and tie who tells them they can't go empty-handed to see the River Man....
On the trail...
The girls meet a black man, Buzz Fledderjohn, who asks if they are lost... Buzz tells them the ghost story of the River Man...
With the reluctant help of Buzz and his little boat, the three follow the old wooden sign reading: INTO THE HOLLOW...
This was a very riveting story that I couldn't put down. I would classify this tale as a southern gothic horror and a good one, I might add. It has the feel of another excellent novel, WICKED TEMPER by Randy Thornhorn.
If you liked this story, the sequel, ALONG THE RIVER OF FLESH, is equally good.
October 30, 2020
Kristopher Triana first came onto my radar when I heard him talk with Brian Keene on a recent episode of The Horror Show. I’ve been wanting to take a deeper dive into the genre of Splatterpunk so learning that Triana was a Splatterpunk Award winner, I quickly added him to my “must read” list.
After acquiring and binge-reading his latest novel, GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN, I can now confidently recommend the works of Kristopher Triana to anyone who will listen. This book has teeth and I’m not talking about a story that scratches at the surface and causes a little discomfort. When I say teeth, I mean words that penetrate beyond what is tolerable, inducing extreme, lasting pain.
This book hurts.
This is the story of a woman named Lori who has an unhealthy infatuation with a prison inmate named, Edmund. He’s not your garden variety “one and done” murderer. Edmund did unspeakable things to his female victims. It’s inconceivable why our protagonist Lori is so enamored with him.
As the story progresses and the intimacy between Lori and Edmund grows, he eventually asks her to go on an errand and she accepts. She sees his request as a test of her love and loyalty.
She brings along her older sister, Abby, who clearly suffers mentally and physically from a childhood accident. The reader learns more and more about Lori as she embarks on her mysterious errand to prove to her new flame that she’s serious about her love for him.
This synopsis sounds so tame but believe me when I say it’s anything but. On one hand, I feel like rolling out a huge list of trigger warnings, but on the other hand, readers don’t fall into the pages of extreme horror to be coddled or protected. I’m going to trust that after reading this review, if you decide to pick this one up, you’re fully capable of handling what this book throws at you. Triana did not write this book just for shock value and that’s what I loved about it the most. One of the very first things I noticed was the underlying intentionality assigned to each character’s motivations. A huge pet peeve of mine is a horror story with a 2 dimensional antagonist who does all this crazy shit but the author doesn’t give us any backstory or motivation. It’s wildly unbelievable and not the least bit disturbing. Triana is an example of the pendulum swinging the other way. His characters are very dimensional and complex. Everything is explicitly explained with care and attention; nothing is spoon-fed to the reader. Triana trusts his audience to dance back and forth between a present day narrative and a past timeline in order to gather evidence of the protagonist’s motivations. He lets us speculate, meditate, and assume.
There’s an intense character study on Lori, every dark deed exposed to the light. The reader is given copious amounts of unflinching details in order for us to play judge and jury. And she's not even the one behind bars. The result is an insanely compelling, addictive storyline that marches right up to the conclusion and bares down on any hope of redemption the reader has left. I was left feeling gutted and at the same time, a sense of urgency to buy more of Kristopher Triana’s books.
After acquiring and binge-reading his latest novel, GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN, I can now confidently recommend the works of Kristopher Triana to anyone who will listen. This book has teeth and I’m not talking about a story that scratches at the surface and causes a little discomfort. When I say teeth, I mean words that penetrate beyond what is tolerable, inducing extreme, lasting pain.
This book hurts.
This is the story of a woman named Lori who has an unhealthy infatuation with a prison inmate named, Edmund. He’s not your garden variety “one and done” murderer. Edmund did unspeakable things to his female victims. It’s inconceivable why our protagonist Lori is so enamored with him.
As the story progresses and the intimacy between Lori and Edmund grows, he eventually asks her to go on an errand and she accepts. She sees his request as a test of her love and loyalty.
She brings along her older sister, Abby, who clearly suffers mentally and physically from a childhood accident. The reader learns more and more about Lori as she embarks on her mysterious errand to prove to her new flame that she’s serious about her love for him.
This synopsis sounds so tame but believe me when I say it’s anything but. On one hand, I feel like rolling out a huge list of trigger warnings, but on the other hand, readers don’t fall into the pages of extreme horror to be coddled or protected. I’m going to trust that after reading this review, if you decide to pick this one up, you’re fully capable of handling what this book throws at you. Triana did not write this book just for shock value and that’s what I loved about it the most. One of the very first things I noticed was the underlying intentionality assigned to each character’s motivations. A huge pet peeve of mine is a horror story with a 2 dimensional antagonist who does all this crazy shit but the author doesn’t give us any backstory or motivation. It’s wildly unbelievable and not the least bit disturbing. Triana is an example of the pendulum swinging the other way. His characters are very dimensional and complex. Everything is explicitly explained with care and attention; nothing is spoon-fed to the reader. Triana trusts his audience to dance back and forth between a present day narrative and a past timeline in order to gather evidence of the protagonist’s motivations. He lets us speculate, meditate, and assume.
There’s an intense character study on Lori, every dark deed exposed to the light. The reader is given copious amounts of unflinching details in order for us to play judge and jury. And she's not even the one behind bars. The result is an insanely compelling, addictive storyline that marches right up to the conclusion and bares down on any hope of redemption the reader has left. I was left feeling gutted and at the same time, a sense of urgency to buy more of Kristopher Triana’s books.
April 15, 2023
Gone to see the hypnotist - so I can erase this book from my mind.
March 2, 2022
Fan Flipping Tastic!!!
This was like nothing else I’d read before!!! Beautifully written and immediately you’re immersed in the book from the beginning!
Nothing more to be said!!!
This was like nothing else I’d read before!!! Beautifully written and immediately you’re immersed in the book from the beginning!
Nothing more to be said!!!
February 3, 2022
Another great book by Triana. I am slowly working my way through his list. Every one so far I have enjoyed and gave 4 stars. This story is dark, the plot moves at a fast pace, and the suspense builds nicely. Just the right amount of gore and blood. I guess the moral of this story is to be careful what you ask for, you just might get it. Lori got it....and a lot more.
😻😻😻😻
😻😻😻😻
February 7, 2021
If I had a dollar for every time I said "What the fuck, Lori" out loud, I'd give half to Kristopher Triana and half to narrator Dani George. Easily the most expertly hateable MC in ages.
"So this is what happiness feels like."
It sure is, you selfish whore. It surrrre is.
"So this is what happiness feels like."
It sure is, you selfish whore. It surrrre is.
June 18, 2022
Wow, one of the best book I ever read, so dark and beautiful
December 12, 2023
Stories like this is why I love horror. The twist and turns never seem to stop. I was always on the edge of my seat, the characters never feeling safe.
The story starts off similarly, with a straight line for a plot. With me care to that makes your ask how someone could be the way they are (no when there’s so many people in the real world that obsess over serial killers in real life) and that’s the story on apology. All the answers as to why are characters are the way they are, and it was a fantastic journey finding out.
This was compressed awesomeness, it was long enough to get the story that I needed to tell out and it cut everything else live in nothing but pure gold. They give you characters that you care about (even if you don’t always like them) I have blocked on grow in the deep are you get in.
This will be a story that I will re-read many times!
The story starts off similarly, with a straight line for a plot. With me care to that makes your ask how someone could be the way they are (no when there’s so many people in the real world that obsess over serial killers in real life) and that’s the story on apology. All the answers as to why are characters are the way they are, and it was a fantastic journey finding out.
This was compressed awesomeness, it was long enough to get the story that I needed to tell out and it cut everything else live in nothing but pure gold. They give you characters that you care about (even if you don’t always like them) I have blocked on grow in the deep are you get in.
This will be a story that I will re-read many times!
June 13, 2022
Slapping the most disturbing things you can think of onto the page for “shock value” doesn’t actually make a good story
March 4, 2021
Edmund wiped away her tears and she gazed into his eyes, seeing a tenderness that had never been there before. She realized then that he truly loved her. There was no hate in what he was about to do. What most would see as cruelties were actually signs of the deepest affection he could muster. Violence was his love letter. Death was all his soul.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2022
haven’t even finished this yet and i already know it’s going to be one star.
1) it is incredible how bad of a writer you can be and still be praised for it because you’re a man.
2) this book is written so poorly. it is so boring. the characters are absolutely unreachable. it sounds like a high schooler wrote it.
3) gore means nothing if it’s just there to be there. this was a saw movie without a cool plot.
4) men write women so shallowly. this is the first book i’ve read by a man in a while and i won’t be doing it again.
i recommend quite literally ANY other horror novel written by a women / non binary / trans author and i promise you it’ll be a much more enjoyable experience.
EDIT: finished the book solely out of spite and it is bad. start to finish. 0 stars.
1) it is incredible how bad of a writer you can be and still be praised for it because you’re a man.
2) this book is written so poorly. it is so boring. the characters are absolutely unreachable. it sounds like a high schooler wrote it.
3) gore means nothing if it’s just there to be there. this was a saw movie without a cool plot.
4) men write women so shallowly. this is the first book i’ve read by a man in a while and i won’t be doing it again.
i recommend quite literally ANY other horror novel written by a women / non binary / trans author and i promise you it’ll be a much more enjoyable experience.
EDIT: finished the book solely out of spite and it is bad. start to finish. 0 stars.
September 3, 2022
i have thoughts
March 1, 2021
This book is very good !
I love the heavy atmosphere kristopher Triana created in this book.
I was immersed in this intense dark tragedy with those two sisters. I was in the woods , and on the river , with them in the journey of their lives .
The story is flawless, the characters are well developed . It’s a great horror story.
I highly recommend it !!
I love the heavy atmosphere kristopher Triana created in this book.
I was immersed in this intense dark tragedy with those two sisters. I was in the woods , and on the river , with them in the journey of their lives .
The story is flawless, the characters are well developed . It’s a great horror story.
I highly recommend it !!
July 17, 2023
♬"Going to see the river man
going to tell him all I can
about the ban on feeling free."♬
En este mes de julio para la conjunta con @DevoradoraDeLibros decidí escoger una lectura que me estaba llamando a gritos desde hacía meses. Tenía muchísimas ganas de estrenarme con algún título de la editorial Dimensiones Ocultas y he acertado de pleno con la elección.
Casi nunca tardo tan poco en leerme una novela, a pesar de que solo tiene 280 me la hubiera bebido aún teniendo doscientas páginas más. Fue empezar a leer y no poder soltarlo. La historia te atrapa irremediablemente y no te da respiro, eso siempre es buena señal, y tiene todos los elementos que me gustan a mi; un asesino en serie, una extraña leyenda, una cabaña mohosa en medio de un bosque y situaciones escabrosas, muchas.
Pero empecemos por el principio.
En esta historia tenemos a una mujer de mediana edad, Lori, obsesionada con un despiadado asesino en serie; Edmund Cox. Hasta tal punto que incluso mantienen conversaciones por correspondencia y le visita en la cárcel, desvelándose mutuamente sus más oscuros secretos.
Lori siente que no es tan distinta a él, algo le atrae, siente que no es más que un ser incomprendido por la sociedad, como ella.
Por eso decide sin dudarlo ni un momento, emprender una misión que le encomienda él en una de esas visitas, ella ha sido la elegida de entre todas sus admiradoras. Tiene que emprender un viaje e ir en busca de El hombre del río.
¿Leyenda o realidad?
Pero no puede ir con las manos vacías, antes tendrá que buscar una llave en la destartalada cabaña donde pasó Edmund gran parte de su vida antes de cometer los asesinatos. Las instrucciones son precisas pero llenas de incógnitas: la llave se encuentra en una caja.
No se imagina qué clase de caja.
Nada le resultará fácil a Lori en este viaje, y más teniendo en cuenta que debe llevarse a su hermana con ella. Abby es mayor que ella pero tiene algunos problemas que debéis descubrir leyendo esta oscura historia.
Según avances río arriba más asfixiante será la experiencia.
Un viaje en el que Lori recorrerá sus propios miedos, esos que siente que la unen a ese psicópata depravado.
Y así, dando bandazos entre pasado y presente, seremos testigos de hechos terribles a los que no daremos crédito.
Para mi ha sido una novela redonda y con un final que a pesar de ser obvio y tenerlo delante de las narices todo el tiempo, me ha dado en toda la cara 👏👏👏👏 Brutal de principio a fin.
Mención aparte a la fantástica traducción por parte de @JavierMartos.
Relaciones familiares tóxicas, celos, y mucha, mucha sangre, serán los pilares de Buscando al hombre del río.
Una experiencia tan aterradora como imprescindible para todo amante del terror.
¿Te lo vas a perder?
📖 Próxima lectura:
"La esposa y la viuda" - Christian White.
https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
going to tell him all I can
about the ban on feeling free."♬
En este mes de julio para la conjunta con @DevoradoraDeLibros decidí escoger una lectura que me estaba llamando a gritos desde hacía meses. Tenía muchísimas ganas de estrenarme con algún título de la editorial Dimensiones Ocultas y he acertado de pleno con la elección.
Casi nunca tardo tan poco en leerme una novela, a pesar de que solo tiene 280 me la hubiera bebido aún teniendo doscientas páginas más. Fue empezar a leer y no poder soltarlo. La historia te atrapa irremediablemente y no te da respiro, eso siempre es buena señal, y tiene todos los elementos que me gustan a mi; un asesino en serie, una extraña leyenda, una cabaña mohosa en medio de un bosque y situaciones escabrosas, muchas.
Pero empecemos por el principio.
En esta historia tenemos a una mujer de mediana edad, Lori, obsesionada con un despiadado asesino en serie; Edmund Cox. Hasta tal punto que incluso mantienen conversaciones por correspondencia y le visita en la cárcel, desvelándose mutuamente sus más oscuros secretos.
Lori siente que no es tan distinta a él, algo le atrae, siente que no es más que un ser incomprendido por la sociedad, como ella.
Por eso decide sin dudarlo ni un momento, emprender una misión que le encomienda él en una de esas visitas, ella ha sido la elegida de entre todas sus admiradoras. Tiene que emprender un viaje e ir en busca de El hombre del río.
¿Leyenda o realidad?
Pero no puede ir con las manos vacías, antes tendrá que buscar una llave en la destartalada cabaña donde pasó Edmund gran parte de su vida antes de cometer los asesinatos. Las instrucciones son precisas pero llenas de incógnitas: la llave se encuentra en una caja.
No se imagina qué clase de caja.
Nada le resultará fácil a Lori en este viaje, y más teniendo en cuenta que debe llevarse a su hermana con ella. Abby es mayor que ella pero tiene algunos problemas que debéis descubrir leyendo esta oscura historia.
Según avances río arriba más asfixiante será la experiencia.
Un viaje en el que Lori recorrerá sus propios miedos, esos que siente que la unen a ese psicópata depravado.
Y así, dando bandazos entre pasado y presente, seremos testigos de hechos terribles a los que no daremos crédito.
Para mi ha sido una novela redonda y con un final que a pesar de ser obvio y tenerlo delante de las narices todo el tiempo, me ha dado en toda la cara 👏👏👏👏 Brutal de principio a fin.
Mención aparte a la fantástica traducción por parte de @JavierMartos.
Relaciones familiares tóxicas, celos, y mucha, mucha sangre, serán los pilares de Buscando al hombre del río.
Una experiencia tan aterradora como imprescindible para todo amante del terror.
¿Te lo vas a perder?
📖 Próxima lectura:
"La esposa y la viuda" - Christian White.
https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
April 18, 2024
This book was definitely not what I expected. At first I was a bit disappointed since I found it had been a bit of a slow start, but after halfway I really became invested as some parts of the story unraveled.
Some of the imagery near the end of the book were super interesting and creepy. I was afraid this book wasn’t going to live up to the hype but it definitely made up for it in the end.
Some of the imagery near the end of the book were super interesting and creepy. I was afraid this book wasn’t going to live up to the hype but it definitely made up for it in the end.
July 9, 2022
A heart of darkness.
This was one hell of a ride!
A dark and very twisted slow-burn psychological horror.
A story about two sisters who embark on a trip to find a key, hidden in a chest, to give to the mysterious man known only as "The River Man". I'll say no more.
I absolutely loved this one. The previous book that I read by Christopher Triana "Full Brutal" was great, but this one takes the number one spot for me. This one will stick with you long after you're done with it. I don't say that often.
Highly recommended. 5 Stars.
This was one hell of a ride!
A dark and very twisted slow-burn psychological horror.
A story about two sisters who embark on a trip to find a key, hidden in a chest, to give to the mysterious man known only as "The River Man". I'll say no more.
I absolutely loved this one. The previous book that I read by Christopher Triana "Full Brutal" was great, but this one takes the number one spot for me. This one will stick with you long after you're done with it. I don't say that often.
Highly recommended. 5 Stars.
May 24, 2022
This is what the horror genre is all about, folks.
I've always been a sucker for allegorical journeys in my fantasy fiction, from Dante's Divine Comedy to Fowler Wright's "Amphibians" to Cormac McCarthy's "The Road." Kristopher Triana weaves, or rather unravels, a similar tale in "Gone to See the River Man."
Lori is a lonely woman pushing forty who works a dead-end job and takes care of her older sister Abby who has been childlike her whole adult life due to a traumatic brain injury as a teen. She develops a fascination with an imprisoned serial killer and begins to correspond with him. He chooses her to go on a quest for a hidden key, which she is to present to a mysterious figure called the "River Man." Lugging her sister with her, Lori travels to the small river town of Killen and heads out in the rain along a rural trail where she encounters a creepy reverend and a noble blues man.
Thematically, this book has a lot in common with two others that I just happen to have read simultaneously: Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" and Ed Lee's "Witch-Water." All three books penetrate the veil that covers the dark heart of an individual human being as well as an entire historical period. So it was interesting that I chose to read these books together.
"Gone to See the River Man" handles this theme well, surprising the reader with each bend of the river and turn of the page. There is an ethereal, dream like quality very fitting for this allegory, using literary color and sound just as effectively as Dario Argento in the visual medium of film. The whole thing is an unsettling psychological analysis that will leave you shouting obscenities at the main protagonist.
Though not the most gory or action-packed, this is a prime example of the genre done right, and should be read by all horror fans. Highly recommended!
MUSICAL PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: "G.R." by Deathpile; "Soul of a Man" by Blind Willie Johnson; "Hellbound on My Trail" by Robert Johnson
I've always been a sucker for allegorical journeys in my fantasy fiction, from Dante's Divine Comedy to Fowler Wright's "Amphibians" to Cormac McCarthy's "The Road." Kristopher Triana weaves, or rather unravels, a similar tale in "Gone to See the River Man."
Lori is a lonely woman pushing forty who works a dead-end job and takes care of her older sister Abby who has been childlike her whole adult life due to a traumatic brain injury as a teen. She develops a fascination with an imprisoned serial killer and begins to correspond with him. He chooses her to go on a quest for a hidden key, which she is to present to a mysterious figure called the "River Man." Lugging her sister with her, Lori travels to the small river town of Killen and heads out in the rain along a rural trail where she encounters a creepy reverend and a noble blues man.
Thematically, this book has a lot in common with two others that I just happen to have read simultaneously: Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" and Ed Lee's "Witch-Water." All three books penetrate the veil that covers the dark heart of an individual human being as well as an entire historical period. So it was interesting that I chose to read these books together.
"Gone to See the River Man" handles this theme well, surprising the reader with each bend of the river and turn of the page. There is an ethereal, dream like quality very fitting for this allegory, using literary color and sound just as effectively as Dario Argento in the visual medium of film. The whole thing is an unsettling psychological analysis that will leave you shouting obscenities at the main protagonist.
Though not the most gory or action-packed, this is a prime example of the genre done right, and should be read by all horror fans. Highly recommended!
MUSICAL PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: "G.R." by Deathpile; "Soul of a Man" by Blind Willie Johnson; "Hellbound on My Trail" by Robert Johnson
September 20, 2021
Brutal, in the best way possible.
August 3, 2022
"there’s only two places anyone can find peace — the woods and the grave."
✦ disturbing, creepy and fucked up. a really good read overall. the author created a truly harrowing atmosphere.
✦ i really want to check out more of this author's work asap, because what i've read so far has really intrigued me.
✦ disturbing, creepy and fucked up. a really good read overall. the author created a truly harrowing atmosphere.
✦ i really want to check out more of this author's work asap, because what i've read so far has really intrigued me.
August 25, 2022
What to say about this one… I liked the story fine and even the flashbacks covering the history of the main protagonists, however, as I kept getting to know the main character, Lori, it became apparent that I simply didn’t wanna root for her and inevitably I didn’t care what bad things might befall her... I leave this story feeling somber but mostly gloomy. Onto the next one…
January 24, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
An unnecessarily bloated cast of characters guides the depraved set pieces of this novel, all stemming from what purports to be a macabre and intense depiction of psychopathy—except the cartoonish violence, mind-numbingly repetitive plot progression, and cringeworthy “psycho dialogue” make that journey more of an eye-rolling hassle than anything momentously bleak or bearing the true weight of the violation of flesh (less Guyotat, more GWAR concert with blood flying everywhere). There WAS a scene, however, concerning the anti-hero’s brother, that I thought was executed with great finesse and care for the fragility of the human psyche. I wanted more of that, but it did not arrive.
One thing I will say: Although the style of the prose did bore me, this novel contains a pretty competent handling of grammar and sentence structure, which seems to be rare for extreme horror.
An unnecessarily bloated cast of characters guides the depraved set pieces of this novel, all stemming from what purports to be a macabre and intense depiction of psychopathy—except the cartoonish violence, mind-numbingly repetitive plot progression, and cringeworthy “psycho dialogue” make that journey more of an eye-rolling hassle than anything momentously bleak or bearing the true weight of the violation of flesh (less Guyotat, more GWAR concert with blood flying everywhere). There WAS a scene, however, concerning the anti-hero’s brother, that I thought was executed with great finesse and care for the fragility of the human psyche. I wanted more of that, but it did not arrive.
One thing I will say: Although the style of the prose did bore me, this novel contains a pretty competent handling of grammar and sentence structure, which seems to be rare for extreme horror.
March 31, 2024
Triana knows how to throw a literary punch, and this one hits you right in the gut. While Gone to See the River Man may meander around a bit, the story revolves around Lori and her quest to find the River Man. Why? Lori, for complicated reasons, sees convicted and incarcerated serial killer Edmund Cox as her soul-mate. They write letters back and forth and she visits him often in jail. It seems even serial killers have groupies!
Lori, about 40, has become tired of her life, working bullshit jobs and taking care of her brain damaged older sister; her dalliance with Edmund has become the highlight of her life. One day he asks her to go back to his home town and find his shack; in a chest there will be a key that she needs to give to the River Man. So she sets out to the town of Killen, and rather than deal with her sister's temper tantrum, takes her along with her. Once she begins her journey, Triana peppers the text with scenes from her childhood interspersed with letters between her and Edmund. So we really have two journeys here-- the one to find the River Man and one exploring Lori's life and soul. You just know neither journey will end well, and Triana creates an atmosphere so unsettling I needed to take a few breaks. Whew!
I really love Triana's style and prose; he leads you along nicely all the while throwing sucker punches when you least expect it. Lore emerged as a complex character, maybe a bit off (she is infatuated with a serial killer after all!), but one you pull for, even while Triana unravels her personal demons via flashbacks and such. I love his stories and this is no exception. 4.5 River Men!!
Lori, about 40, has become tired of her life, working bullshit jobs and taking care of her brain damaged older sister; her dalliance with Edmund has become the highlight of her life. One day he asks her to go back to his home town and find his shack; in a chest there will be a key that she needs to give to the River Man. So she sets out to the town of Killen, and rather than deal with her sister's temper tantrum, takes her along with her. Once she begins her journey, Triana peppers the text with scenes from her childhood interspersed with letters between her and Edmund. So we really have two journeys here-- the one to find the River Man and one exploring Lori's life and soul. You just know neither journey will end well, and Triana creates an atmosphere so unsettling I needed to take a few breaks. Whew!
I really love Triana's style and prose; he leads you along nicely all the while throwing sucker punches when you least expect it. Lore emerged as a complex character, maybe a bit off (she is infatuated with a serial killer after all!), but one you pull for, even while Triana unravels her personal demons via flashbacks and such. I love his stories and this is no exception. 4.5 River Men!!
July 2, 2022
Now why would you write this
November 15, 2021
This book totally stunned me. I felt detached for a while trying to comprehend what just happened. My heart broke a couple of times because of the injustice and blatant disregard of morality. When the twists started to unravel, I felt sick and angry. What the hell?
If you ever get the chance to read this book, maybe you’ll understand my reaction. Gone To See The River Man will be one of those books that will haunt me for a long time. Even the ending didn’t make me feel better.
Insanely good.
If you ever get the chance to read this book, maybe you’ll understand my reaction. Gone To See The River Man will be one of those books that will haunt me for a long time. Even the ending didn’t make me feel better.
Insanely good.
October 13, 2022
3.5 stars. Pretty brutal and disturbing. All the trigger warnings!!
December 26, 2024
Unbreathable!
The kind of book that makes you hold your breath while reading it. This is what Gone to See the River Man is like.
Lori is in love with a violent, vicious serial killer, who likes to kill women and cut their bodies up. It is to him, an act of love.
He is so evil that he sees nothing wrong with what he does. This is the man Lori is in love with.
Flashbacks to her childhood shows that she was likely to become the person she has become. She is a freak who knows what she is.
The story ends the way it deserves to end.
Five fantastic stars. 💫💫💫💫💫
The kind of book that makes you hold your breath while reading it. This is what Gone to See the River Man is like.
Lori is in love with a violent, vicious serial killer, who likes to kill women and cut their bodies up. It is to him, an act of love.
He is so evil that he sees nothing wrong with what he does. This is the man Lori is in love with.
Flashbacks to her childhood shows that she was likely to become the person she has become. She is a freak who knows what she is.
The story ends the way it deserves to end.
Five fantastic stars. 💫💫💫💫💫
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