davemusson85's review
5.0
To make a great debut, as opposed to just a good one, you must cover a few bases. Your writing needs to be excellent – obviously – likewise your story, which needs to be compelling and original, but you also need to have that certain added extra, an additional hook to burst through the noise and convince people to start reading the damned thing in the first place. Jack Harding’s debut collection, Ripper Country, has all of that in spades.
As you might have guessed from its title, this book transports you to the East End of Victorian London – Whitechapel during late 1888 to be precise, a tough community living in fear of a mysterious madman with a thirst for blood. But this is about so much more than just another examination of Jack the Ripper, and a pondering of who that maniac might have been. Across the stories gathered in this one, Jack Harding manages to both weave his own fictional world while also pulling in enough fact to make you wonder if this talented author hasn’t secretly perfected time travel and has spent his time writing this one by watching live, huddled in a dark alleyway with cobbles under your feet and the stench of piss, poverty, and death all around.
Over the course of the 18 pieces collected here, Harding holds your hand and guides you round this horrid little place and not only lets you peek into its dark corners – he forcibly shoves you into them and blocks your exit when the horror becomes too much, and you want to turn and run. The stories introduce us to a range of folk, all haunted by the actions of the Ripper, and takes us through several years – from the ill-fated 1888 right up to 1940s London by the end. It’s so immersive; through Harding’s cutting prose you can see, taste, and feel everything…and it’ll set your heart thumping.
There is plenty here that is noteworthy – especially from a debut release. First, the way in which Harding brings this whole piece together over the course of its pages, with occasional lines of dialogue that crop up more than once, or references to events we’ve already seen happen is all impressive. It’s done effortlessly, and far less hackneyed than many established authors can manage.
Second, well, there’s the horror. This book is unashamedly scary. The blood of its victims dribbles through its pages, the fear of everyone involved digs under your skin the further you go, and the overwhelming feeling of paranoia and suspicion will have you checking over your own shoulder more than once.
But third, it’s the quality of writing here that really shines through. If Ray Bradbury had a fucked up, street-hardened, dark-souled transatlantic cousin, chances are he goes by the name of Jack Harding. It’s equal parts nasty and elegant – much like the range of incredible illustrations that act as the cherry on top of this delicious cake, courtesy of Joe Worral, Tim Childs, and Nicola Spencer.
In short, this one is a triumph and marks its publisher – Blood Rites Horror – as one with a fine ear for sounding out exciting new talent, following on as this one does from recent debuts by Jamie Stewart and Christopher Badcock, who happens to introduce Ripper Country. It leaves you wanting more from Harding, which is handy as not only can you already find two terrific short stories out there (React and Driving in the Dark), but he’s got a second collection coming out later this year.
Ripper Country, will hook you in, chill you to the bone, and leave you feeling like you’ve had a close shave with something unfathomably sinister…what’s not to love about that?
As you might have guessed from its title, this book transports you to the East End of Victorian London – Whitechapel during late 1888 to be precise, a tough community living in fear of a mysterious madman with a thirst for blood. But this is about so much more than just another examination of Jack the Ripper, and a pondering of who that maniac might have been. Across the stories gathered in this one, Jack Harding manages to both weave his own fictional world while also pulling in enough fact to make you wonder if this talented author hasn’t secretly perfected time travel and has spent his time writing this one by watching live, huddled in a dark alleyway with cobbles under your feet and the stench of piss, poverty, and death all around.
Over the course of the 18 pieces collected here, Harding holds your hand and guides you round this horrid little place and not only lets you peek into its dark corners – he forcibly shoves you into them and blocks your exit when the horror becomes too much, and you want to turn and run. The stories introduce us to a range of folk, all haunted by the actions of the Ripper, and takes us through several years – from the ill-fated 1888 right up to 1940s London by the end. It’s so immersive; through Harding’s cutting prose you can see, taste, and feel everything…and it’ll set your heart thumping.
There is plenty here that is noteworthy – especially from a debut release. First, the way in which Harding brings this whole piece together over the course of its pages, with occasional lines of dialogue that crop up more than once, or references to events we’ve already seen happen is all impressive. It’s done effortlessly, and far less hackneyed than many established authors can manage.
Second, well, there’s the horror. This book is unashamedly scary. The blood of its victims dribbles through its pages, the fear of everyone involved digs under your skin the further you go, and the overwhelming feeling of paranoia and suspicion will have you checking over your own shoulder more than once.
But third, it’s the quality of writing here that really shines through. If Ray Bradbury had a fucked up, street-hardened, dark-souled transatlantic cousin, chances are he goes by the name of Jack Harding. It’s equal parts nasty and elegant – much like the range of incredible illustrations that act as the cherry on top of this delicious cake, courtesy of Joe Worral, Tim Childs, and Nicola Spencer.
In short, this one is a triumph and marks its publisher – Blood Rites Horror – as one with a fine ear for sounding out exciting new talent, following on as this one does from recent debuts by Jamie Stewart and Christopher Badcock, who happens to introduce Ripper Country. It leaves you wanting more from Harding, which is handy as not only can you already find two terrific short stories out there (React and Driving in the Dark), but he’s got a second collection coming out later this year.
Ripper Country, will hook you in, chill you to the bone, and leave you feeling like you’ve had a close shave with something unfathomably sinister…what’s not to love about that?
magpie_666's review
4.0
I'm not the target audience for this collection as my brain glazes over when the setting is Victorian times. But, I've enjoyed what I've read of Jack's short stories so far and so wanted to show some support to a great writer.
I really loved how the stories were connected and I think this, along with the good writing kept me invested right to the end.
For anyone who has an interest in Jack the Ripper or a Victorian setting I'd really recommend this collection.
I really loved how the stories were connected and I think this, along with the good writing kept me invested right to the end.
For anyone who has an interest in Jack the Ripper or a Victorian setting I'd really recommend this collection.
cristinamirzoi's review
5.0
Since I’m a big fan of Victorian-age ghost stories, once I saw this collection, I thought it would fit like a glove. And it did because I enjoyed it much more than I expected to.
The author reframes the mythos of Jack the Ripper into several interconnected stories. Each could be read on its own, but together they create this murky stream of gloom and macabre from which precious things such as humanity, hope and friendship surface scarcely. And it’s the most beautiful thing, that despite the raw imagery, the cruelty, madness and overall dark narrative, you see these glimpses of hope that bring warmth and candour to the overall tragic and gruesome tales.
I loved how each story was told from another person’s point of view, that sometimes the ominous narrator disappears, and the villain is the one addressing you nonchalantly while making you a witness to his endless cruelty. Another story is written from the 2nd person perspective, so you feel like a small child scarred by the Bogeyman.
I liked the small insertion of classical literary pieces in the dialogue: Alice in Wonderland, Dorian Gray, Sherlock Holmes or Dracula, as a tribute to this great legacy of weird and surreal tales.
I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction, gothic fiction, and to those who savour old ghost stories from the Victorian era.
The author reframes the mythos of Jack the Ripper into several interconnected stories. Each could be read on its own, but together they create this murky stream of gloom and macabre from which precious things such as humanity, hope and friendship surface scarcely. And it’s the most beautiful thing, that despite the raw imagery, the cruelty, madness and overall dark narrative, you see these glimpses of hope that bring warmth and candour to the overall tragic and gruesome tales.
I loved how each story was told from another person’s point of view, that sometimes the ominous narrator disappears, and the villain is the one addressing you nonchalantly while making you a witness to his endless cruelty. Another story is written from the 2nd person perspective, so you feel like a small child scarred by the Bogeyman.
I liked the small insertion of classical literary pieces in the dialogue: Alice in Wonderland, Dorian Gray, Sherlock Holmes or Dracula, as a tribute to this great legacy of weird and surreal tales.
I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction, gothic fiction, and to those who savour old ghost stories from the Victorian era.
booksweread's review
5.0
Loved this creepy, gothic, ripper set of short stories.
Some gore but mostly dark, intense and spooky.
I honestly never thought I’d say horror prose was beautiful but Jack is genuinely a good writer, not just someone who likes to tell scary stories.
Fact and fiction blended with what seems like a lot of research (over my head since I’m not a London east ender).
Loved all the well defined characters, the connected stories and the reinvented villains.
So much intense punch in such short stories.
Some gore but mostly dark, intense and spooky.
I honestly never thought I’d say horror prose was beautiful but Jack is genuinely a good writer, not just someone who likes to tell scary stories.
Fact and fiction blended with what seems like a lot of research (over my head since I’m not a London east ender).
Loved all the well defined characters, the connected stories and the reinvented villains.
So much intense punch in such short stories.
mark_reads_books's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I've been wanting to get around to reading Ripper Country for a while now, for a very good reason. Everything of Jacks that I have read so far has been nothing short of exceptional. But I wasn't prepared for Ripper Country, it far exceeded my expectation and, in my opinion, is about as close to literary perfection as you can get!!! Jacks writing ability is unreal, its so damn clever and well structured down to the smallest detail. Each story in this collection tense, gripping and exciting and although separate works of fiction, they are all seamlessly and cleverly linked with details that were so well thought out! I absolutely love this collection and Jack Harding is one of those authors I will never stop getting excited about. Go follow him and if you haven't read any of his work yet, you ate in for such a wild ride!
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