The Raven

June 19, 2020

Dez is a survivor in a world decimated by a biological weapon, an attack engineered by terrorists who sought to reactivate the long-buried genes of monsters thought to exist only in fiction. Yet while the monsters' genes may have been suppressed, their markers still lurked in human DNA. Now most people have transformed into werewolves, vampires, satyrs, and other supernatural terrors. And the Latents (people with no special powers), like Dez, must fight to stay alive. Searching desperately for his girlfriend, who disappeared six months earlier, he encounters a terrifying variety of creatures who may or may not be out to hurt him. Janz (Children of the Dark) offers an original take on the postapocalyptic trope, with a dogged focus on detailed worldbuilding and character development. He takes time crafting this possible future so it feels believable, peppering it with exciting fight sequences. VERDICT Readers will root for Dez's success and find the species he meets along the way fascinating. A perfect choice for fans of horror-sf hybrids, such as Rebecca Roanhorse's "Sixth World" series or Josh Malerman's "Bird Box" novels.--Becky Spratford, La Grange, IL

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 27, 2020
The promising premise of this horror extravaganza from Janz (The Dark Game)—a near future in which rogue genetic experiments have liberated traits latent in human DNA and turned many people into creatures out of monster stories—is underserved by the novel’s thin, meandering plot. Crossbow-wielding Dez McClane—nicknamed Raven from his days teaching English students the works of Edgar Allan Poe—traverses the post-apocalyptic terrain of northern Indiana searching for his kidnapped girlfriend, Susan. Along the way, he has dustups with cannibals, lycanthropes, and, finally, the were-minotaur who abducted Susan to sell as livestock months earlier. The action scenes crackle with considerable energy, but as the tale careens from one moment of mayhem to the next it becomes repetitive, as does Dez’s nonstop self-flagellation over how he believes he failed both Susan and his family. The novel ends with several subplots unresolved and no clear indication that they’ll be tied up in a sequel. The gore is successful, but readers hoping for robust scares should look elsewhere.

August 1, 2020
Janz's latest (after The Dark Game, 2019) is a distinct sort of postapocalyptic novel, one set in a world where rogue scientists have activated dormant DNA in order to transform ordinary humans into legendary creatures like werewolves and satyrs. The few people left who lack powers are called Latents, and they're in constant danger of being drained dry by vampires or devoured by cannibals. Dez McClane is such a Latent, walking this perilous new world in hopes of finding his missing girlfriend. But his path leads to the greatest threat of all: a man who has somehow become a kingpin among monsters. The novel eschews traditional spooky horror in favor of hard-charging action, with new creatures lining up to fight in practically every chapter. At times, the book feels closer to Lee Child than Stephen King, with its monsters indulging in car chases and bar brawls, and all of the action is perfectly controlled by Janz. It's a fun, rapid read that should whet the reader's appetite for the future installments that the ending hints at.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)