Like Robert Jordan (Conan) or David Gemmell (White Knight, Black Swan), writers are often writing for other authors or for other genres they are less known for - after all, they have a living to make. Whilst not producing quantities at the levels of the old pulp writers, admittedly, when writing a book a day was not uncommon, it still happens. There are a few fantasy, horror and SF writers I know of out there who have written under pseudonyms in other genres.

The latest one I’ve found in print is from AJ Ryan. Not a name you may immediately recognise, although genre writers will probably know AJ Ryan as Anthony Ryan, the writer of the Raven’s Shadow series and the Covenant of Steel series. (The name change isn’t that difficult to accept.) Here he has a go at a more conventional thriller. It's more Jason Bourne than Vaelin Al Sorna.

The story begins with a bang, and perhaps a nod to Jason Bourne in style. In the first chapter our hero wakes up on a boat with no memory of who he is, or where he is. He finds a name of an author tattooed on his arm and a scar on his head where clearly some sort of brain surgery has taken place. Furthermore, the person we now call Huxley finds himself next to a dead body and on a boat in the middle of the sea, with six other passengers. Each of the passengers – the dead Conrad, Golding Dickinson, Plath, Rhys and Pynchon, like Huxley, have had surgery and have no memory of where they were previously.

The story then becomes a bit like Mission Impossible. The boat issues instructions, and persuades our mystery crew, each of whom appear to have particular skills, to follow them out. The reasons for this are initially unclear, but eventually we discover that they have an important mission, which will involve them sailing up the River Thames. What appeared to be a thriller actually becomes a post-apocalyptic mutated zombie story - anyone with an aversion to body horror is recommended to stay away from this novel.

Of recent genre novels, the book reminds me most of Mike Carey 's The Girl with All the Gifts, which I really liked, or perhaps Jeff Vandermeer’s Southern Reach Trilogy.

Anthony also has lots of little nods to other stories we could mention throughout his story. As well as a character’s name, some literary readers may notice a touch of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness as our crew sail up the River Thames into an unknown nightmare. (More recent filmwatchers might prefer a connection to the movie Apocalypse Now, also influenced by Conrad.)

It is interesting that the book is dedicated to Nigel Kneale, originator of the character who became a TV series and a film, Quatermass. The ending of Red River Seven may be recognised by fans of Kneale’s work, especially Quatermass and the Pit, but also perhaps Quatermass IV (The Quatermass Conclusion.) It’s not essential to know this, but it’s a nice touch. Fans of shoot-em-up games will appreciate the action sequences written here, which are fast and gory.

The emphasis here is on the action rather than the characterisation, although there are details along the way. We discover that the team have had their memories removed for a good reason, which means that the characters themselves are pretty mysterious, although it's not long before their real traits become clearer. It is a book that you are best reading without knowing too much about before reading – much of the fun is because you don’t know what will happen next, and Anthony does a good job of keeping you guessing here.

Tension is created along the way by a number of time-targets, where our crew have a limited time to complete the tasks they have undertaken. This does keep the pages turning until the end. The emphasis here is on pace rather than complex detail, which is a little different to those big fantasy stories you may know.

All in all, Red River Seven is a solidly written thriller with horrific elements which is fast-paced and easily readable. It is an interesting variation on what readers may think of as Anthony's usual writing, and is worth a look at, just for that reason.

A man awakes on a boat at sea with no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. He’s not alone – there are six others. None of them can remember their names, but all bear the scars of recent surgery.

When a message appears on the onboard computer – Proceeding to Point A – the group agrees to work together to survive whatever is coming.

But as the boat moves through the mist-shrouded waters, divisions begin to form, and the group is plagued by questions. Who is directing them, why have they lost their memories, and what are the screams they can hear beyond the mist?

Regular readers of The Eloquent Page know I’m drawn to apocalyptic fiction like a moth to a flame. When it comes to the fall of humanity, I just can’t get enough. I’m not entirely sure what that says about me but we dont have time to unpick that right now. We’re here to discuss Red River Seven by A J Ryan.

That first paragraph is about as close to a spoiler as I can get when it comes to talking about this book. Something, somewhere has gone horribly wrong. The details of said horribleness are not immediately clear. A small group of people have been brought together to uncover the truth. The problem is our group starts off with more questions than answers. They have no idea who they are, no idea why they’ve been chosen and no clue about what lies in store.

I’ll be honest, I don’t even know how to begin discussing the characters. The opportunity to blurt out a spoiler raises its head once again. All I’ll say is that each member of the group has a purpose, a reason for being there.

Wow, it turns out that writing a review of a novel where almost every action and reaction the characters take has the potential to be a huge plot spoiler is trickier than I expected. I dont want to give away anything when it comes to the story either. Re-read the book blurb at the top of the page. It’s all rather vague, isn’t it? I think that’s kind of the point. As a reader, we’re going in cold. Reading Red River Seven is all about the discovery. Having those revelatory moments along with the characters as they have them.

While reading Red River Seven you’re going to pick up on homages to the best cinematic examples of the horror genre. I’ve seen Resident Evil and Apocalypse Now mentioned elsewhere while discussing the novel, but I’d also add The Thing* into the mix. There is a subtle undercurrent of paranoia that infuses each character. As things go from bad to worse, trust is in short supply. Ryan even manages to make the setting feel stifling, almost claustrophobic.

I suspect the novel’s ending has the potential to be divisive amongst some readers. Again, I’ll not go into any detail in an effort to avoid spoilers. Suffice it to say you’ll either love it or hate it. There’s really no middle ground here. Personally, I loved it but then I’m a sucker for that sort of thing**.

The only thing I’m not sure about, and I know I’ll probably get grief for this, is the book’s title. Every time I read it I kept thinking about westerns***. I am so sorry A J Ryan. I don’t know why my brain works the way it does.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. There is all manner of bloody nastiness interspersed with a good old chunk of mystery. Once the pace of events picks up it never lets up. I’ve not read any of Anthony Ryan’s fantasy novels but his first foray into horror is a blast so it looks like I’m going to have to remedy that oversight sharpish.

Red River Seven is published by Orbit and is available now.

My musical recommendation to accompany this novel is the dark and broody soundtrack to 28 Weeks Later by John Murphy. The music has an increasingly downbeat vibe that I think dovetails nicely with the book’s narrative. The covers of the book and the album are also the same colour but I think that might just be a coincidence and probably not as relevant as I thought it might be.

*For clarity’s sake – I’m talking about tone here. There isn’t any snow in Red River Seven.

**Yes I know, I’ve not provided any detail about what “that sort of thing” is. I can’t. It would be yet another huge spoiler.

*** It’s not a western…I’m pretty sure that’s not a spoiler.

Granted some kf the plot points are predictable but omg what a ride this was! I loved the premise and the kystery. The characters weren't that developed but I loved how action packed ths story was and thst the plot was constantly moving forward. The writing style took me into thr boat and had me invested in the outcome. Loved it

https://lynns-books.com/2023/11/02/red-river-seven-by-aj-ryan/
3.5 of 5 stars (rounded to 4)
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Post apocalyptic with a twist

Red River Seven is a fast paced, well written story that brings together seven complete strangers on a small boat, none of them know who they are or why they’re here and each seems to possess individual talents that they have clearly been chosen for. But why?

The river in question is the Thames, the ‘Red’ in question seems to relate to the swirling-red-tinged mist that constantly surrounds the small boat giving the space a small claustrophobic feeling and the seven are of course the members on board. I can’t really say too much more without giving away spoilers other than this is a mystery set in what should be a familiar setting but has been changed by circumstances beyond our knowledge. Perhaps post apocalyptic, certainly populated with some strange and dangerous new inhabitants. That’s all I can really say. The real mystery is how the occupants came to be there and what their task will be. Eventually, a computerised voice at the other end of a phone, will give them dispassionate directions that they are expected to follow to the letter. And so the story begins.

My overall thoughts.

This is certainly a fast paced novel and one that I was keen to press on with to find out what was going on. Of course, a little way into the read you begin to get a feel for the place and what’s happening around our characters and whilst I wouldn’t exactly call this particularly unique the eventual objective does manage to be the opposite of what I expected.

The characters are all suffering from what can only be described as selective amnesia. They each seem to have an area of expertise that will be important to the mission. The character that we predominantly follow is Huxley, believed to be a detective by the other members. In fact all the characters are named for authors, Plath, Rhys, Pynchon, Golding, Dickinson and Conrad and as with Huxley they all have there own capabilities such as weapons expert, knowledge of medical procedures, information about history, etc. I’m not overly fond of the use of ‘amnesia’ to be honest but I think it works well here although clearly it has the disadvantage of not really allowing you to get to know your characters or form real attachments. That said, you immediately have the strong sense that you can trust Huxley and that he’s a straightforward, no nonsense sort of guy and in spite of the limitations Ryan manages to tease out individual characteristics making some characters a lot less likeable than others.

The story is something of an onion with layers being removed one by one to allow the characters and the readers to find out what’s really going on at the same time. There’s plenty of drama and action, small on-board scuffles as our cast stand up to each other and much larger skirmishes as they come to grips with what’s out there.

In terms of criticisms. Well, more an observation really. I wouldn’t particularly say there’s anything astonishingly new here in fact I’d say the author really plays into the idea of ‘tropes’ by allowing us initially to only define the characters by their own abilities and place in the mission, in fact I kind of like this really, it feels a little tongue in cheek almost. There were a couple of elements that I am puzzled about but I can’t really discuss them here – one of them it’s possible I missed something but the other is more a question relating to the members chosen for the mission.

I don’t want to go any further with this review as it would be very easy to spoil the story for others so I’ll conclude by saying this was a fast paced, easy to read, well written mystery with an ending that was not what I expected. Entertaining, easy to imagine and with a quality that would easily adapt to the big screen.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Red River Seven
Sci-Fi
A.J. Ryan
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise itself was great and it really made me curious. However, there were a few things that didn't really work for me.

The characters were ok but none of them were developed past a certain point and it made them hard to connect with.

The pacing was fast but the plot itself felt very predictable sometimes. I think it's because it relies on a lot of tropes that are heavily used in most sci-fi/post-apocalyptic books already. Not much of it felt unique or new, which is a shame.

The writing style was ok. It flowed nicely and was quite descriptive. I did like some of the plot twists and their slow reveal was interesting.

I don't think I'd read anything else by this author but that being said, I'm sure other people would enjoy this book.

*Thank you to @Netgalley, the author and the publishers for providing this ARC. This is my own opinion and an honest review, which I am leaving voluntarily*

Proper pulp doesn't stop to ask why, proper pulp asks why along the way. Red River Seven is a propulsive piece of horror adventure pulp, with a boat full of amnesiacs tasked to head into what could easily be described as the heat of darkness, as well as more accurately being described as a post-apocalyptic London. The seven strangers are all have the names of famous writers, and all discover they have particular distinct skill sets (historian, mercenary, doctor etc). They also discover early on from their remote controlling taskmaster that they should not try to regain their memory in any way, and if they do, they are likely to go made and kill everyone.

This is another pseudo-zombie apocalypse, which we discover along with the crew. Something is refreshing about having amnesiac protagonists who cannot discover their origins, and this has a lot of fun with the paranoia both about each other and themselves before personality traits come out, and we see the kind of people they are. And that is all before they interact with the brutal humans left, and what they have turned into. Ryan understands how written horror works, that it can be psychological and visceral at the same time, and whilst there is much that is secondhand about the scenario and even the journey, it has been hand-tooled to create a tight, nasty bit of adventure with some gooey bits and grisly murders on the side. A short sharp shock of fun.

After an unusual start with an amnesiac trying to understand why the man in front of him has just committed suicide the book just gets better and better.
The whole premise of a group of amnesiacs on a boat in a strange weird red fog trying to figure out not only who they are but what they're doing there just keeps you wanting to find out more.
The story is great and is full of various characters who you will either want to succeed or want to fail.
With a new idea as far as I'm aware the plot just keeps growing and changing as you realise what is actually happening.
Really enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down until I had completed it.
Definitely worth a try if you want a real page turner.

The start of this book started strong but I struggled to relate to any of the characters so I found the book dragged. It was very plot-driven, which is fine I don’t mind those kind of novels, I just wish the characters had been developed more. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

As someone who lived in London for many years it's always interesting to see fiction set there, be it movies or books. Getting the tone of the city is a difficult thing - and that's in a 'normal' story of everyday life.

This book captures the atmosphere of strangers entering the bustling metropolis from an entirely different angle, and it is amazing.

Our characters wake up on a boat as it moves up the Thames. None of them have any recollection of who they are or why they're there. A radio provides some information, but on a very limited need-to-know basis. And then they begin to see what they're steering into.

I went into this with only the cover synopsis to go on, expecting something akin to '28 Days Later'. It is that, but as if the atmosphere of the movie's opening moments were maintained throughout the entire adventure.

I love how we as readers are kept precisely on a level with the characters: our experience starts as we open our eyes on the first page. We've no recollection of what's happened or any objectives. Everything unfolds for us at exactly the same time as the 'crew', each of whom are quickly memorised with varying degrees of empathy. This is 'Night of the Living Dead' style, shut in a space with some likeable folk and others not.

In this way, everything is shocking. Not so much jump-scares as being constantly on edge, with no dramatic off-screen explanations; and we quickly discover that the memory loss may well be a good thing. Who's in charge? Don't know. What happened? Doesn't matter. How do we survive? Well...

I'm reminded of John Wyndham at his best, as the tension increases with every chapter. Hope drifts away as the little boat passes each bridge along the Thames, all of which I'm more than familiar with. This added an extra dimension of genuine fear, but I suspect it would apply to anyone who's ever lived in an urban environment. What if you were the only sane individual in a post-apocalyptic (apparently) world?

I never knew where the next turn would lead, and was utterly gripped to the very last moment. I'm very glad to say that this tale sticks the landing too! There's no cop-outs and I was genuinely invested at every stage, which led to some fiercely emotional moments.

An outstanding read, I gulped it down in one sitting. Horrifying, intense and gripping, this is definitely one of my books of the year, and one of the best in its genre that I have ever read.

Red River Seven is a unique story that hooks you instantly and keeps you guessing until the end. I like that I was kept on the edge of my seat, and although it was slow in parts I was desperate to know the answers to all my questions. If you like tense mystery thrillers then this is for you.

"Red River Seven" by AJ Ryan is a thrilling adventure that combines a well-known trope of memory loss with a heart-pounding journey into the unknown. The story revolves around seven strangers, each equipped with unique skills and armed with no memory of their past. As they embark on a perilous voyage toward an enigmatic destination, tensions rise, alliances shift, and questions mount.

Due to the characters lacking their memories, it was hard to connect or empathise with any of them. They seemed more like a collection of skills the way we see in movies like 'The cube".

The narrative often feels reminiscent of a video game, with a focus on action and skill utilization. The pacing is relentless, making it a genuine page-turner. The slow revelation of information keeps the tension consistently high, and the mist-shrouded world creates an atmosphere of eerie uncertainty.

"Red River Seven" is a 3.5-star read, offering a thrilling experience that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

Seven people wake up on a boat with no memory of who they are or how they got there. They all bear the scars of recent surgery, but can’t even remember their own names. As the boat sails through mist-covered waters, they begin to receive messages on the onboard computer, instructing them to proceed onwards and by no means try to remember who they are, as the memories will be fatal.

The set up of this story was very intriguing. Who are these people? What has been done to them, and why? The answers are drip-fed into the plot and not fully revealed right until the end, which kept the mysterious atmosphere alive throughout. However, there are a few aspects that don’t really make a lot of sense if you think about them too hard.

I felt the story had quite a slow start, but it grew on me (not like the infection, thankfully).

So… I was curious about this book, and I was also quite scared by it. Anthony Ryan has written, up until now, heroic (epic?) fantasy books, and his Blood Song is one of my favorite books (the rest of the series does not live up to it, but this is another story) and I have a lot of his other books waiting for me on my shelves (and so adding another one may not have been the most intelligent thing to do, really, but… oh well!) so obviously I was curious because this is the newest book by him, but since this is a completely different genre I was also scared because…. what if it’s not so good? But I decided to request the book all the same (because fears should be conquered and all that) and now I am here, to tell you all that I had a really great time with it!

When I requested it, I knew that this was sort of a horror book, but it was also said that it was a thriller and I went in seriously hoping for it to be more thriller than horror. And my hopes were crushed pretty soon. Sure, you can say that this is a sort of post-apocalyptic thriller if you want, but it is more horror than any other genre. And, for once, I was okay with it. Even more than okay. And this is strange. A lot. Because horror does not work for me. Never. And yet, here it works amazingly well. Because it does not give out strong horror vibes. Usually the sense of anticipation it’s what put me out the fastest, but here it was almost like we don’t get it, and… And it worked. I am pretty amazed by it, and to be honest, I am pretty amazed that this book worked for me so well because there are so many things that are not up my alley in there, aside from the horror part there is the post-apocalyptic vibes that are not my thing, and don’t get me started on the ending. It worked here, and I enjoyed it, but this is not usually an end that I enjoy. This kind of ending is a big no-no in my book.

Anyway, that aside, I don’t really know what to write in this review, aside from the fact that I enjoyed this one quite a lot, and that you should try it out for yourself if you are even the slightest interested in it, because I don’t want to spoiler anything for you. I think that one of the best features of the book is that you don’t have a clue about what’s happening, and you discover it slowly as the book progresses.
The book starts with seven people on a boat. They don’t remember who they are. They do not know where they are, or what they are doing. Or what’s happening in general. They don’t have a clue, they just awake in this boat somewhere and have to start figuring things out for themselves. And you are right there with them.
And I seriously think that this was the best part of my reading experience here. So I won’t spoil it for you.

What I can say is that the author has some good ideas, and he did a good job with them. I was pretty invested in the characters’ fate, even if, for the most part, they are not all so likable. I was intrigued by the story and by the slow discovery of this “new” world in which they find themselves. (I have put the “new” here because the world has changed, but they are still on Earth, it’s not literally another world). And even the horror parts worked for me. Also, I enjoyed the names of the characters, and when we finally got some answers, because our group of amnesiacs is guided by a voice through a phone that gave them instruction and info (even if it is quite stingy with info, to be honest) from time to time, I got a strong Plague Inc. vibes (this videogame is brilliant, and I appreciated the feeling a lot).

So… I know, this review won’t win any prize for the most informative review, but really, I don’t want to spoiler something for you, because, as I said, discovering what was going on was the best part for me. But I can say that I really enjoyed this book and that if it seems even remotely like your cup of tea, you should give it a try!

Well I gave it a go but this book was nit what I expected nor to my taste. Others may love but it wasn't for me. I really didn't like the writing style. I don't feel it suited the genre

This book was very boring and I hated all the characters. I was skim reading it by the end. The plot reveals meant nothing to me because I just wanted it to be over. Stick to high fantasy I guess, Anthony Ryan.

Well this was a bit different! In a good way I hasten to add.
We start with a bunch of people waking up. They have no memory of who they are, recall no personal details at all. They are armed and, nearly as soon as they wake up, one of their number is found dead with a gunshot to their head. To say they are all confused would be an understatement. But then they are summoned, and given instructions via a sat phone via a robotic voice. Instructions that they MUST follow. They have no choice. They are on a boat in the middle of a dense fog with strange noises coming out of it.
And that's all I am saying. Apart from try and go in as blind as you can. You will spend quite a while, like the characters, wondering what in the heck is going on, but then there's that light-bulb which will make is all worthwhile. As we watch the characters as they descend into a horrifying dystopian nightmare...
This book was a bit of a slow burn for me initially. Not for long though. There's just a bit of scene, world, and character building to be had before the action can really kick off. That actually correlates with the way the characters start at the beginning and go through a lot of confusion as they wake up. As they try and work out who they are and why they are there. And then later as they try NOT to work out who they are...!
But once it does get going, you are in for a wild ride. Both action packed and also quite poignant too, but I'm leaving that there as if I try and go further... spoilers. Suffice to say there is an awful lot going on in this book. It all culminates in a thoroughly satisfying, but slightly worrying, end!
So, as I always do when I "meet" a new author, I went to check them out and find out that this is a pseudonym for Anthony Ryan who is better known as a fantasy genre author. Well, not really genre but as I really liked his writing style herein, I'm definitely going to have a peek at his back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Red River Seven by A.J. Ryan is a great blend of mystery, thriller and horror that will have the reader turning pages to the very end.
The book opens with the reveal of a group of seven individuals on a boat that is afloat but not adrift in a dense fog, the course has been predetermined and there is nothing they can do to change it. At first that is the least of their worries since none of them can remember their name, but all of them seem to have the same mysterious scars on their skulls and each has the name of an author tattooed on their wrist. In fact one of them is so traumatised that he kills himself before most of the others even wake up from their drug induced coma.
When a mysterious voice on the other end of a satellite phone asks if any of them are experiencing signs of illness or if any of them have recovered personal memories , it is the first clue as to their mission's purpose , but the terrifying instruction to kill anyone who starts to remember is a signal that something truly strange is going on. Their objective will be revealed eventually , but until then they are to continue on course and clear any barricades that block their way.
Each of the group has some unusual expertise, from someone with medical skills to a historian and an explosive expert, and they establish that the boat is heading towards the Thames estuary. Very quickly one of the group starts to remember fragments of their past, and suddenly becomes aggressive and violent resulting in a skirmish where she is killed. The crew is alarmed to see some morphological changes to her jaw and brow. and are mystified as to what is going on. While clearing a barricade on the river they find a laptop and are able to watch a few minutes of a video diary that reveals that that a mysterious illness has swept through the city characterised by spontaneous eruptions of violence and strange physical and physiological transformations of the victims. Will the crew members be able to figure out what is going on and what they have been sent to do before they succumb to whatever this mysterious illness is or before they start to turn on each other ?
This was a real page turner of a story , it felt like it would make a good tv series or video game. The action was fast paced and there were plenty of thrills and surprises along the way. While reading it I was immediately reminded of the film 28 Days Later, it very much had those kind of vibes. This is a book that asks you to leave your rational mind at the door and jump in for the ride, readers who need to connect with characters may struggle a bit as it is something of a necessity for the plot that they are not given much depth but that does not mean that there was no depth to be found in the book. I particularly liked the emphasis on memory and how important it is for us as humans, it made me think a lot about that idea while reading,
"Having no idea about who you are isn't just confusing, it hurts. Without memory, what are we? No one, nothing. We don't come from anywhere, we don't belong anywhere, It's like being dead except for some reason you keep breathing"
Does the science always make sense? No, but it doesn't have to, this is not an educational book, it is one that is written to entertain, and entertain it certainly does.
When fear and memory collide you get nightmares, and in this book that might just be enough to kill you.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own

An intriguing unique thriller that is very hard to put down once you pick it up, the story fairly rocks along.

It's a thriller horror mash up with a really compelling central storyline and provides genuine reading entertainment, this would make a brilliant movie.

The characters are flawed and divisive, the action exciting and it really is a right old page turner.

Excellent.

AJ Ryan is the science fiction author name of prolific fantasy author Anthony Ryan. Ryan has been responsible for the propulsive steampunk dragon series Draconis Memoria (which started with The Waking Fire) and more recently the Game of Thrones style epic fantasy Covenant of Steel series (which started with The Pariah). With a name change perhaps indicating a change of direction, comes Red River Seven - an action-packed, post-apocalyptic puzzlebox novel.
A man wakes up on a boat. He has no idea who he is, only that the person who is with him has just shot themselves. His head has been shaved and he has a long scar on his scalp. And the name “Huxley” has been tattooed on his arm. He soon finds that there are five other passengers on the boat, all have names of famous writers tattooed on their arms, none of them can remember who they are. What they do quickly work out is that each has a specific skill set – including soldier, doctor, historian, detective, physicist – and all are pretty handy with the guns they have been given. Soon they also learn they are on a critical mission of some sort and that if they do start to remember their pasts they are likely to need to be killed. As they navigate their way into London the six start to discover a whole lot more about the situation they are in and why they have been sent there in the way that they have.
Red River Seven is super-contrived and often feels like a narrative version of a video game. While the reason for the memory wipe becomes central to the plot, it is a fairly tired trope and boils the characters down to a set of skills which makes them fairly uninteresting. Again, this feels a bit like a videogame standard. While Ryan manages to generate a bit of tension, a lack of connection to the characters makes that tension more about the mysterious mission than the characters themselves. And while ever the mission remains mysterious, that tension is also undermined. Reader’s enjoyment of Red River Seven will ultimately depend on their capacity to suspend their disbelief and just go with the conceit and then on how much they enjoy gun and flame-thrower infused violence.

Seven strangers wake up onboard a ship with a preset destination. None of them can remember who they are, but a mysterious phone call from the satellite phone throws up more questions than it answers…

I really enjoy locked-room style mysteries, thrillers and horror books so Red River Seven was right up my street. It’s a short book and it feels extremely fast paced as orders are followed from the voice on the telephone giving them missions and drama ensues on the boat in-between these tasks as well. I would actually say it’s a little too fast-paced in places, particularly at the end which almost felt rushed. It’s rare in my reviews that I suggest adding some more content and pages, but I think it would have rounded this book out in a good way and allowed for the ending to have more of an impact, in this case.

Although sometimes seven main characters can feel like a lot to keep track of, I actually didn’t feel that I really empathised with any of the characters, even the ‘leads’ who stick it out until the end. This is mainly down to the problem of them all having no memory to start with which means you don’t feel like you can properly get to know them. Each character also has a strength or job that makes them useful in this environment – from a Detective to an army soldier, to scientists and mountaineers. However, this is mainly explored or found out from the characters just knowing and sharing a lot of specific information about, for example types of gun or heights of a mountain which seemed very unrealistic.

The plot itself reminded me a lot of another horror book which I really enjoyed (I won’t name it to avoid spoilers) and I did enjoy the creepiness of the setting. There are a lot of unanswered questions and some convenient plot-points which didn’t feel realistic, but I was gripped throughout and enjoyed reading it. I also liked how information was drip-fed to the reader (and the characters) which kept me reading to find out more.

Overall Red River Seven is a gripping horror read, it has it’s flaws with a rushed ending and unlikeable characters but it’s well worth a read this Halloween season! Thank you to NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and Orbit Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.