Dez The Raven) survives the nuclear attack on mankind, which was engineered by scientists to reawaken monster DNA in humans. The monster DNA that has been laying dormant for years has not created a world of creatures only read about in fictional books. The monsters are real but the suppressed DNA has no special powers so regular humans like Dez have only a small chance of survival.



The Raven opens with with jaw dropping action involving Dez, which immediately hooks the reader’s attention. At the start of the book, Dez is looking for a character that sells souls to monsters because his love, Susan, has disappeared in this post apocalyptic world.



The Raven a fast-paced book with monsters of epic proportions that do not relent. Janz’s fresh perspectives on this type of novel was refreshing because there were no zombies. There was a healthy mix of traditional monsters and mythical creatures like werewolves, satyrs, vampires, cannibals, Minotaurs and more.




The book ended on a cliffhanger which leaves the story open for another book. I hope there is a sequel because that would be mind blowing. Janz never disappoints me. I loved the entire book. I recommend this book 100%. It was pure genius.

The world is pretty screwed as things stand, so I thought I would dive headfirst into the new Jonathan Janz novel from Flame Tree Press called The Raven. Janz has long been a go-to author for me. His books rock, it is as simple as that. Before I turn a single page of a Janz novel, I know I will get relatable characters, plenty of blood and guts, fast pacing and an engaging plot. The end is nigh.

The leather-clad, faceless Robin Hood that adorns the cover is Dez McClane. Dez is desperately searching for his missing wife, Susan. He is a man with nothing left to lose, a man on a mission. Unfortunately, vampires, werewolves, satyrs, cannibals and all manner of wicked creatures now wander the wastelands making Dez's search much more challenging. Inhuman beasts rule, and those unaffected by the change must fight to stay alive.

The Raven is an orgy of gore and violence. Whether it is cannibals v werewolves, vampires v telekinetics, anything goes. Blood certainly is not in short supply, and some of the killings are downright nasty. Dez is far from superhuman. He is a Latent, which means he has no special abilities, but he is driven and determined to do whatever it takes to find Susan. The cast of characters in The Raven is quite large, and some have silly names (Stomper!) which can be a little off-putting, but it’s easy to differentiate between them.

The Raven reminds me of Quentin Tarantino’s From Dusk Till Dawn. A large portion of the novel takes place in a bar called The Four Winds. Despite this seemingly closed-in setting, the world outside feels very real. The world-building is solid, and I always felt there was more to be explored. As I mentioned earlier, Janz knows how to keep the reader engaged. The Raven is wonderfully paced. I never felt a chapter unnecessary, and it bodes well for future books in the series should he choose to continue Dez’s journey.

The Raven isn’t perfect. As I mentioned earlier, some of the character names are just too silly and often gave me a chuckle which took me out of the story. Also, the story can feel a little campy, and Dez’s constant ability to escape from every situation might also peeve a few readers, but hey, it’s fiction, folks.

The Raven is the kind of escape I needed, something hugely enjoyable, a little silly, gory and fun. If that’s what Jonathan intended when he wrote it, mission accomplished. And so…

4/5 miraculous escapes from the Grim Reader.

A dystopian thriller - instead of the nuclear wasteland, we have a world where our DNA has been unlocked and people have become the monsters of legend - vampires, werewolves, cannibals and more. In this world a man who has had the luck (good or bad) to be a latent without any powers, is driven by his past to a near suicidal destination.

Overall I enjoyed the premise of the novel but I was never wowed by it. There was gore and abject horror aplenty - terrible fates befalling innocent people. The mythology felt clunkily put together with western vampires blended with random creek myths. There was also an overt focus on sex and violence in ways that often added little to the story.

It was an ok read, but not really for me.

This book was so surprising, as in it jumped out of nowhere and slapped me in the face. It took me a little while to get into, and then suddenly I could not out it down. The story was quite unique with some normal apocalyptic tones, and while you may not like the main character for some of it, you hate the baddies more.

Well worth your time, just strap in, its a bumpy ride!

Another exceptional novel by Jonathan Janz, The Raven includes just about everything anyone could want in a horror novel--especially if monsters are your thing. Vampires, werewolves, cannibals, psychics, telekinetics, and, to top it all off, a centaur.
How Janz manages to pull this off and keep the reader in suspension of disbelief is masterful.
In a world populated by monsters with very few humans remaining, any reader will be captivated with the book's main character--a human (Dez McClane) and his dealings/battles/and tribulations trying to survive in this apocalyptic madness.
Most definitely recommended for fans of Janz - and a superior place to jump on it you're not already a fan.

I humbly thank the gods of horror fiction that Jonathan Janz is as addicted to telling stories as I am to reading them.

The Raven takes place in a world that had gone to shit and, as the blurb has it, there are a lot of crazy things happening that are worse than cannibals and sadistic human beings intent on recreating their own amateur scenes from the Saw franchise.

Firstly, if you don’t know who Clive Barker is or have a sensitive stomach (you shouldn’t be reading horror or watching horror at all if you do, suffice to say), be warned; Janz has cranked up his gore factor in this one.

The opening chapters of The Raven are akin to a show-reel of the author’s inventive mind and taste for the macabre; a head is caved in, arms are severed, and an old man loses his own head brought on by the culmination of bad ideas.

The protagonist, Dez McClane, is a vague Joel character from the video game The Last of Us, although both share similar backgrounds and scars from their past, they each have a dynamic curve to them that kept me rooting for this guy through all the things that happen to him. A realist, practical, and keen on convincing himself there’s still a bit of good in a world overrun by chaos, Dez is a character that I would remember for a while yet.

Janz brings a truly original perspective on the apocalypse and monsters and does it well in such a way that, given today’s technological advances, doesn’t seem that far-fetched at all.

Jonathan Janz is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! The action in this book kept me on the of my seat. Can't wait to add a physical copy to my ever-growing collection.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press, Jonathan Janz and Netgalley.
I can truly say that I never know what to expect with this man! I'm not sure what I was expecting with "The Raven."
I'm not certain, but I may have received more than I expected.
I need more. That's not to say that this tale is the bomb diggity! Because it's not. But, it's one of those stories that I feel I should reserve judgement on. Yeah!😤😍.I tend to do that on Fantasy.
I have a soft spot for fantasy. That's why I don't read much of it. Stupid? Sure. But, I once loved horror too!
I'm saving my judgement for the next book. Let's see how it all comes together.
Dear, mother nature!.I hope it's not a trilogy.

Well, it was inevitable. Jonathan Janz has paid a visit to pretty much every sub-genre of horror literature imaginable. Eventually he would have to hit post-apocalyptic. As soon as I got a few chapters in, The Raven made me say, Boy I wish I’d thought of that. Janz sets the table for a post-apocalyptic wasteland based on an act of terrorism (seemingly a staple of the genre) that unleashes monsters from folklore all over the world (less of a staple). Don’t worry, I didn’t spoil much, I left the part I wish I’d thought of for you, future Raven reader, to discover for yourself.
The main character, a perfectly normal human being awash in a sea of horrifying beasts, is Dez McClane. There are parts where he comes across as almost superhuman in areas like weapons training, fighting, planning, but it’s competently explained that in this new world, any latent (normal human) that makes mistakes, doesn’t survive. Dez’s motivations are clear enough, searching for his lost wife, kidnapped by Keaton, the main antagonist. Such clear-cut reasoning allows the reader to back off when Dez does something like enter a bar full of horrific creatures. While it might seem like it goes against the careful character who has somehow survived in this world, it also speaks of a man who is desperate to get back the only person left making it worth staying alive.
There is an aspect to this book that I can see not working for some people. An unwritten rule states that a post-apocalyptic book should be sprawling and epic. It should span 500 plus pages and even something thinner, like The Road, should explore a variety of different locales. By comparison, The Raven is relatively self-contained. Not counting some flashback scenes, we spend a very short period of time exploring about three different locations, all in close proximity to each other.
Forgive the minor spoiler, but the way this novel ends sets up future stories to be told in this world. The argument could be made here that exploring just this small corner of the newfound world actually contributes to Janz’s world-building. Let me explain. The exposition at the beginning names some of the more common creatures the narrator has had to contend with. Some of these characters make up a large part of the story, some make brief appearances, others are never heard from at all. Add to that, Dez discovers new monsters alongside the reader. My point is The Raven shows us the potential this world holds and leaves up to our imagination what some of the other corners might look like. I, for one, can’t wait to see what Dez does the first time he encounters Satyrs with us along for the ride.
I’m throwing in here for good measure that while Dez’s motivations served his actions and portion of story in this book well, readers will need to go deeper to see what makes him tick in future installments. It’s going to be vital for investment in the character. That being said, I can’t imagine Jonathan Janz allowing a main character to fester in one-dimension land.
I enjoyed the story told here, but admittedly might feel unsatisfied if this were the extent of the world Janz created as opposed to the tip of the iceberg. I would recommend this novel not necessarily to fans of typical post-apocalyptic faire, but to fans of folklore, Janz’s work with werewolves, or even just Janz fans in general. I have my favorites when it comes to his books, but I have yet to find a novel of his that doesn’t leave me satisfied when all is said and done.

I don't read a lot of post-apocalyptic type fiction so this took me out of my depth a little. With the real life news full of the pandemic, and racial clashes, I had to put it aside a few times. Some of the aspects of the book were mirroring reality in a way that was too close for comfort.
The narrative is bleak, gritty and often violent, but with a protagonist, Dez, who is identifiable with and real. With Dez at the helm, a lot of scenes that could have been too dark with another character in the role are instead fitting, even while remaining confronting.
The plot rockets along with a constant sense of uncertainty and suspense, with a conclusion that feels like it's the end of part of a series, even as most of the main story arcs are resolved. If there are more books, I'll be happy to continue the ride.

I love the idea of Raven by Jonathan Janz. An apocalypse is brought about by rogue scientists who find a way to release mythological creatures that lie dormant in our genes. Human survivors who do not mutate are forced to play cat and mouse in order to survive in this new post-apocalyptic world. The book was chock full of gory action and I definitely got a feel for how it might feel to live in this new world. I understood a bit of the main character's background and what made them tick but was left wanting to know a bit more about them and also more details about the mythological creatures themselves. I keep hearing that he is planning to continue this story and I hope so because I really enjoyed the storyline and found the book tantalizing and just not enough for only one book.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press, Jonathan Janz, and Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book by Jonathan Janz that I have read, and I really enjoyed it! It had a lot of action and the writing was sharp and snappy and witty, and I really do want to know what happens next!

Oh my goodness, The Raven is such a colossal cocktail of monstrosities!

When the story opens, the world is unrecognizable. Janz drops us right into the middle of what’s ostensibly the mortal apocalypse. Very little remains of humankind. Most Latents, those who didn’t devolve due to the virus, are dead; the rest are either in hiding or actively fighting every night to stay alive. In a way, the choice to begin here feels like starting a TV show with its third season, which is actually okay by me—since there are enough clues sprinkled throughout to grasp the context of it all. Plus, it gets us right to the action.

Janz is particularly adept at crafting fight scenes on the page—something that very few authors do well, in my opinion. His sequences reminded me of reading R.A. Salvatore’s Forgotten Realms chronicles many moons ago in middle school. Because Janz’s combat choreography so riveting. Not high-octane, ball-to-the-wall stuff, but gripping nonetheless—and fitting for the narrative.

A first-rate post-apocalyptic thrill ride. Janz has created a fascinating world where humans become monsters in the wake of a viral attack. Some of the best action scenes I’ve read in years will keep you glued to the page. Janz has written some great novels and this one just may be the best.

Here's the weird thing about this book. I wasn't crazy about it but I really, really want to read the next one (and there better be a next one) so I can find out the rest of the story.

Jonathan Janz never fails to deliver with his novels. The Raven is a heart-pounding, post apocalyptic masterpiece. Monsters and Mayhem. I loved the premise of humans being changed and almost wiped out. We are left with werewolves and vampires, and all kinds of mythology based creatures of the night.

It's a wild ride of chaos, carnage and cannibals.

Our protagonist Dez is on a mission to find his partner Susan, taken by an unruly gang. His journey is nothing less that hazardous at the best of times.

This is a wonderfully crafter monster mash. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.

Enjoy!!

I received an electronic ARC of The Raven from Netgalley and the publisher Flame Tree Press in return for my honest review, which follows below. I thank both for the opportunity.

The setting is two years after a world changing event, put into action by scientists hoping to divert countries from starting nuclear war. Biological bombs with the ability to unlock long dormant DNA in humankind are unleashed, infecting people who then unknowingly spread it to the rest of Earth's population. All but a small percentage of humanity would be forcefully changed. The world was free from the danger of nuclear fallout, but now more bestial than civilized, society still fell.

With fiction one is given the freedom to imagine as far as one could wish; the ability to make it seem possible is the difficult task given to the author so we can see their vision through their words. I felt Jonathan Janz accomplished this and more, because the fantastical changes were still steeped in the realm of scientific possibility. He also put his own spin on some the lore associated with reality of the creatures in this novel, which I thought were well thought out and added to the overall immersion for me. I'm not going go into detail about them because I am trying to keep this spoiler free, the book was a pleasure to discover for me and I hope others get to enjoy it the same way.

The protagonist falls into the small number of unchanged humans. In this new world he and others are (often derisively) referred to as latent, and survival is more difficult for them to carve out. We follow his travels as he searches for Susan, a woman traveling with him who was stolen by a group of men. He has guilt that grips him, this often guides his hand in this dystopian landscape. I felt he was a sympathetic narrator.

The book ends, not on what I would consider a cliffhanger but a nod to the series continuing. There are things introduced in passing that I imagine will be explained in further detail in subsequent books, as well as characters just met that will be given more page time. But I feel the author did a great job of not cutting the story off abruptly so you felt pressured in buying the next book to find closure. This first book came to a natural end, promising more, an invitation to keep reading if you so wanted.

I rated this book 5 stars because I really enjoyed all aspects of it, I would recommend it others or give as a gift. I will continue to read if this indeed becomes a series, and I would re-read this one.

Jonathan Janz’s new release through Flame Tree Press is another excellent entry into this author’s work.

The Raven is set in a post-apocalyptic world that takes a new look on a genre that seems to be overrun with zombies or post nuclear wasteland and twists it to make a genre of his very own. Using a biochemical attack on the world and spinning this so it brings out latent mystical qualities in the human race. It seems that vampires, werewolves, sprites, etc. were once real and with a band of ecowarriors, they found a way to unleash these within the human population by turning on these latent genes to turn the human race into a deadly force. As this take on most of the human race, unfortunately we have normal humans that have to fight to stay alive in this new landscape.

The characters are well rounded and loved every single one. There are members of the populace who use this to their advantage in a menacing life threatening way whilst others have a more sad story where they are caught in their new personas and want to be left alone. The main character Dez is a hero to root for and thorough his human frailties, you can’t help but root for him as he goes on his opus to find his lost love whilst dealing with guilt over the loss of his family.

The supporting characters are all very well designed and though most tend to stay on that line between good and evil, we are introduced to the grey in which they use to survive in this new hostile world. Every single character is so well flushed out that you are emotionally entangled with each one to its fantastic conclusion.

The plot is very well thought of and keeps the reader interested. As we go from episode to episode to its exciting conclusion, one cannot stop to take a breath because the story yearns to be read its finale. This is a real page turner in every sense of the word. This is what makes a good book great and Janz never disappoints.

Overall, this is well constructed and thought out piece of literature and Janz is proving time and time again that he is giving a new look to horror and dark fiction with his incredible characters and plots. He always has an original voice that excels most of his contemporaries. He is one of the true voices of a new generation that is taking a genre and making it their very own. This is highly recommended and I urge every reader who loves horror to take a chance on Janz because you will never be disappointed.

Jonathan Janz is back! Few things in life satisfy the way a Janz novel does, and so obviously, this is an eagerly anticipated book for me.

The apocalypse has come to earth. An act of terrorism unleashes literal monsters upon the world. Turns out, they were just stories.

We follow Dez on a mission to save his companion, Susan. We’re dropped a few years into the apocalypse, where Dez has managed to survive despite having no abilities.

This was a fun read. There’s plenty of action, blood and guts and monster fun to be had. The book itself reads quick, and Janz ‘s writing is always easy to get into. I really enjoyed the action scenes here and I’m interested to see what Janz can do with this world. It’s one that I hope he will eventually come back to.

The sole complaint I had with this one is that maybe a third of the way in, we get to a point that feels like a huge chunk of the book is just one scene. It isn’t, but a lot of the book takes place in a certain area in a short time frame. For me it made an epic journey feel slightly less epic. I do want to make it a point to say that it’s not that big of a deal, it was just something I noticed.

I had a lot of fun with The Raven. Janz fans looking for something a bit more action oriented, while still maintaining horror and gore will find a lot to love here.

This another good story by Jonathan Janz. It's a different and interesting take on the apocalyptic/dystopian world. It was not what I was expecting, and that was a good thing. This seems like it is a book 1 of a series and I can very much see that this story needs to continue. I am a big fan of Jonathan Janz, and I will be reading more of his books. Thank you for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review.