J. R. Park

It’s always a pleasure to read a book by J. R. Park and this time is no exception. The book is entitled Upon Waking and it serves as a platform for the author’s wicked mind. Those who love to read about endless torture and completely hopeless situations, gather around, because Park has definitely found his calling.

It all starts with a phone call to a guy by the name of Gary. The only thing that is revealed through the conversation is that the person he is looking for will be found shortly. As Gary tries to go back to sleep the other characters make their way into the story. Adam, Kathryn, Chris, David, Charlotte and many other names make up the following chapters, each with a story of their own. But the one thing they all have in common is a woman by the name of Cassie. For most of the characters the process of waking up is very disturbing. They typically find themselves wounded and tied up in a dark room. Nobody outside can hear them scream and apparently nobody is coming to save them.

Unfortunately, that’s as far as the summary can go without revealing very intriguing plot details, but there are some other things to look at as well. For starters, the book was clearly written with passion. This can be seen in the author’s eagerness to provide expression and small detail. Having read previous books of Park it has become obvious that he doesn’t have a lack in terms of imagination. The sheer gore that comes from this writer’s mind is astounding. In fact, it’s the type of style that honors the backbone of horror.

The plot-line is also well thought out and planned, seeing as each character is a key to unlocking the story and they were used effectively. A typical characteristic for the writer is the added mystery. Don’t expect to pick up one of Park’s books without some kind of puzzle to form as the pages turn. On a personal note, these above mentioned elements are the main reasons why I enjoy reading his work. One can literally feel the excitement of his writings, which is a rare quality.

There are one or two small factors that might be somewhat of a hang-up for some readers. For example, the writing style doesn’t always feel polished and at times the amount of detail comes forward as a little forced. It’s understandable that Park wants the reader to see a vivid image and this is great for the graphic scenes, but they tend to lose their power if used too much during the story.

Nevertheless, it’s still an impressive book. Despite minor faults Park creates amazing amounts of tension and achieves what only the best writers can, which is connecting with the audience. I’m still a fan and after reading three books now I’ve seen Park grow as an author. He has no fear of taking on different challenges, topics and characters. The latest attempt might not see the New York bestseller list, but the writer is getting close to clinching the winning formula.

Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha  is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.

JR Park has been writing horror fiction for just over a year, releasing three books so far: Terror Byte, Punch & Upon Waking.

Along with two other authors from the South West, UK, he has set up the Sinister Horror Company.  A brand created to release exciting and original genre fiction.

His influences are Guy N Smith, Clive Barker and exploitation cinema of the 1970s/80s.

also by J.R. Park:
Terror Byte
Punch

More Horror Book Reviews

J. R. Park is the author of “Punch”, a short novel that definitely justifies the title. Unlike his previous book “Terror Byte”, the focus isn’t so much on mystery as it is character relation. In fact, “Punch” is proof that Park is progressing as a writer in many ways. Where “Terror Byte” had some aspects and sections that didn’t seem necessarily relevant to the story, “Punch” has been slimmed down. Even though I enjoyed both books, the latter is my definite favorite.

It starts with a man called Martin, who is returning to his hometown after being away for 10 years. At the age of 50 he still feels like an excited child upon seeing all the old sites. However, a sense of fear accompanies his excitement. On his first day back he befriends Polly, a newcomer to the town and the woman he falls in love with. But he also bumps into some familiar faces, more specifically, Pippa and Jo. The last time Martin saw them they were 9 years old and they are the reason he was gone in the first place.

Unfortunately, Martin’s return is filled with horror instead of happiness. Long ago he used to be the beloved puppeteer who entertained families with shows that were based on everyone’s favorite character, Mr. Punch. Now he is shunned and ostracized because of what happened ten years ago. As the story unfolds Martin has to deal with numerous problems within the community, and no matter how hard he tries to conceal his identity, everyone recognizes him. Apart from the nightmares that haunt him, he loses his new found friends in addition to everything that he owns thanks to two little girls. Ultimately he breaks down and goes on a rampage the town of Stanswick Sands will never forget.

This is somewhat of a difficult book to review, because the slightest detail can be considered a “spoiler”. But at the same time it’s a great book to write about given the progression. The small amount of mystery that surrounds Martin and the two girls doesn’t take long to come to light, showing that Park decided to build the story on emotion. Anyone who reads the book shouldn’t be surprised if they feel torn between what they believe is fundamentally right and sympathy for Martin. His rather graphical nightmares effectively place the reader in an uneasy position for some time, or at least until the truth comes out.

Once I reached clarity regarding Martin’s situation, it was difficult not to feel his anger and frustration. One can even say that his actions that followed were completely natural. Halfway into the book I found myself wondering whether it actually falls into the horror genre, but these thoughts were quickly put to bed as Martin picked up his bat and lost his sanity.

Parks did an all-round great job with this book. His timing was precise and he even addressed a scenario that holds many bias views. Apart from the unnerving violence and graphical descriptions regarding busted heads, the reader will definitely think about the way in which a society functions, especially when it comes to small town communities. During a large part of Martin’s killing spree I found myself almost justifying his actions.

Reviewed by Damnetha Jules

Damnetha  is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.

Also by J.R Park:

Upon Waking
Terror Byte

More Horro.r Book Reviews

A mysterious flashdrive ends up in the hands of an unsuspecting victim. Unaware of its power, the victim explores the content of the flashdrive. Within a matter of minutes 30 people die a violent and horrendous death with no explanation or witnesses to the source of the mass murder. The case proves to be one that police logic won’t be able to figure out without some extraordinary theories, in addition to taking some extraordinary risks.

Detective Norton is the experienced individual who is responsible for figuring out the mystery. Unfortunately, he still has some demons to deal with and this only complicates matters for him. As he tries to pull himself together and find whatever is behind all the dead bodies, things take a dramatic turn for the worst. He comes into contact with a mysterious woman who gives him even more trouble, but she also might have the answers he is looking for. As they meet for a second time the case becomes more complicated and difficult to solve.

With a highly unlikely partner, Norton faces a wall of resistance towards clarity. All his experience and skill come into play as he partakes in high speed chases and life threatening confrontations. The odds are squarely stacked against him and nobody can be trusted. Will Norton survive long enough to find the truth?

The author, J.R. Park, has a great way of coloring the scene. He provides a lot of attention to details, both physically and mentally. Park also makes it easy to paint the scenario within the imagination and for a short story this can be difficult to do. The characters are well thought out as the story touches on the important aspects that give them life so-to-speak. Even though some of them play a tiny role they are quickly summed up within a single page.

The real magic of the story lies in the the action scenes along with the graphic explanations that accompany the death of the characters. Park leaves no stone unturned in describing the feeling of the horror as well as the tiny details of how injuries are inflicted. In this manner Park brings another dimension to horror and death.

Shrouded in mystery, the story takes unexpected turns. There is no telling who is going to die next or where the horror behind the mysterious murders is going to end. It’s suspenseful and sometimes even sincere, especially the leading character Norton. His internal turmoil over a situation he wanted to prevent keeps on surfacing throughout the case. Silently he wishes for death while his principles to see justice served keeps him from committing suicide. The lack of closure and the constant memory flashes only makes his mission more difficult. In some cases it places him in more danger.

Overall “Terror Byte” was written with a great pace and a nice build-up towards a surprising climax. The plot is original in terms of the threat, although some of the characteristics Norton shows have been used before. It’s definitely a book that can go into the “memorable” category.

Reviewed by Damnetha Jules

Damnetha  is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.

Other books by J.R. Park:
Upon Waking
Punch

More Horror Book Reviews