THE horror debut of 2010
Robert Jackson Bennett has had such incredible reviews that we just had to share…
‘Mr Shivers is a startling debut, a deft amalgam of thriller, cerebral horror and American gothic, written with a stark and artful simplicity that complements the examination of struggling humanity pushed to its limits.’
The Guardian
‘Bennett’s novel is as riveting in its slow-burning accumulation of tension as it is atmospheric in its period evocation … The economical, persuasive characterisation and the sudden shocking outbursts of horror owe something to [Stephen] King, the master of contemporary horror, but the brilliantly realised picture of dustbowl America is firmly in the [John] Steinbeck tradition. It’s not stretching a point to say that, at times, Bennett’s stinging but hauntingly poetic prose aspires to the quality of that author’s best work … This terrifying odyssey through a blighted period in American history will stick in readers’ minds for a long time.’
Daily Express
‘A ravishing debut … Supremely chilling, it never loses its grip in its journey to the edge of the apocalypse.’
Daily Mail
‘Bennett is clearly a writer to watch’
The Times
‘From start to bloody conclusion, the tension slowly crescendos to a climax of high violence. This bloody, uncomfortable read will be relished by any fan of early Stephen King or Peter Straub.’
Waterstone’s Books Quarterly
‘Bennett is a clear name to watch in the field’
Scotland on Sunday
‘Bennett’s prose grips like a chokehold… This is an impressive, menacing debut that marks Bennett as a new talent to expect great things from.’
Sci-Fi Now
‘[Robert Jackson Bennett] has a gift for the macabre’
SFX
‘Bennett’s tale is a powerful and singular one… with a great evocation of the John Steinbeck era… a powerful story…’
Total Sci-Fi Online
‘Wow. I loved this book… in fact, in casting about for something I didn’t like; I’m rather lost for words. I loved the writing, which is stylish and understated… the dialogue is absolutely wonderful with a great deal said in admirably few words… I think Orbit have a hit on their hands.’
The BookBag.co.uk
‘With a book this good, I don’t mind stumbling blindly into the world of clichéd endorsements: if you only read one book this month, make it Mr Shivers… A powerful, haunting, Gothic western that is the best new thing published for a long time. Unmissable. 10/10’
Emotionally Fourteen.com