Rachel Schommer Reviews: 8.4.25
- Rachel Schommer
- Aug 4
- 2 min read
Since it has been hot as sin and my state has spent basically all summer under a haze of smoke and air quality warnings, this bookish asthmatic has been trying to read summer-ish stories instead of experiencing summer for myself. This week I bring you a summer-long writing retreat:
THE DARK GAME by Jonathan Janz
1. As a horror lover who enjoys indie authors and mainstream alike, I feel bad admitting I hadn’t read anything from Jonathan Janz until I picked this one up, eek. I enjoyed the heck out of this book and will be reading more by him, thankfully I have 3 more awaiting me on my shelf.
2. I love a book about books or a book about writers/readers/libraries, etc. As someone who grew up in my local library (it literally acted as my babysitter some summer days) and had delusions about being a writer someday, something just hits right when it’s a book with bookish content. And yes, you heard me right: delusions – I haven’t a creative bone in my body which is why I strictly read instead of write. I could perhaps benefit from some sort of writing class, which brings me to the plotline of this particular book: 10 writers are lucky enough to be selected to attend a months long writing retreat where they expect to learn from the incredibly celebrated author who runs the retreat. They do learn, it’s just not the knowledge they were hoping to walk away with…
3. I spent a good chunk of this book wondering if A, B, or C were happening. Turns out it was D – all the above, LOL. Little by little things were revealed and each time I’m like ‘I KNEW IT, BUT’ and shortly the next bomb would drop. This was such a good story, even the non-action parts, the background and ancillary plots were so well written and so intriguing. Janz essentially had to write multiple books within this one book; told from different authors perspectives. That could not have been easy, not only formulating the concept of his book, but then writing excerpts from multiple other books coming from the voices of his characters…well, that seems like a nightmare to me, but he absolutely nailed it.
4. With that said, we need to chat about the characters. With 10 retreat writers + the benefactor and his staff, one could be under the impression it would get clunky - it doesn’t. There are so many different voices and personalities that it’s so easy to remember and feel each person. Some you’ll hate, some you’ll love, but in the end past sins are likely forgiven when you find out what happens to those who lose the dark game.
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