NeverEnd
by
Blake Rudman
HellBound Books, 2025
Genre: Fiction
I have read many novels but the prologue of this one was so shocking that it pulls the reader in and keeps them reading the book. Nothing is predictable as all of it comes as a surprise.
Dr. Jon Edom leaves a medical conference on the relation between violence in society and addictive online gaming only to reach home to find his wife Rochelle and his two young sons, Luke and Paul have disappeared into thin air. When he files the complaint, the police suspect Jon though he was miles away during the disappearance. That there are no corpses is puzzling. Step in Rochelle's family who run a cult thanks to Rochelle programming a violent addictive game which brings them loads of money. Then there are the enemies of the cult, and with biblical references, you are in for a ride.
An addictive role playing game. This book reminded me of "Blue Whale" game which made adults do crazy things in real life until it was banned by multiple governments. It also shows the danger of priming in the police department that destroys objective investigation. Priming is a social psychological term which means focusing on something/someone because that is what has been made prominent. But is the story just about that, absolutely not.
Rudman gives a masterclass in writing - how to create tension and terror with simple characterization. He creates chaos without usual terror tricks like spirits and gore as the reader is pulled into the story with its ever increasing tension. As a reader, you know something is off from the beginning but you are not left to ponder what it could be as the next piece of chaos is thrown in. You watch characters unravel at a speed that leaves you dazed and the end is a zinger, though it is not the end. The writing is so crisp and visual that you feel you are seated next to Dr. Jon Edom.
If you are in the mood for a dark thriller page turner, this book would be it.
You can buy the book here on Amazon
