I love sci-fi horror, so I was expecting to love this book. The first 30% had me intrigued. We follow seven strangers who wake up on a boat with no memory of who they are or how they got there. I flew through the beginning because I wanted answers.

Unfortunately, the book lost me in the middle. I found myself losing interest and not caring what happened to our seven characters. The final reveals were interesting but a bit too out there for me.

The premise of this novel sounded excellent, but I didn't make it far into it due to the writing- very stilted and juvenile.

Not for me. This one was hard to get through. Seemed overly wordy and not a pleasant read. Kind of like a padded out school essay.

As I dove into this story, it felt somehow familiar. I knew it wasn’t another book as the premise is unlike anything I have come across on the page before, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Then it came to me, it was similar in theme and tone to the series The Last Of Us.

This novel starts with one of our characters waking to a blood-soaked room. As he struggles to shake off the sluggishness, he realizes he’s on a boat with a dead man.

In short order, he begins to grasp that he cannot remember who he is or what he is doing there. And neither can the others that are with him.

As they start talking, it’s evident they each seem to have a certain area of expertise, a soldier, an investigator, a historian, a doctor, a scientist, and an explorer. The question is how they all got here, and why. None expect to find themselves contending with a plague that turns you into your worst nightmare.

When a phone rings with certain instructions, they realize they are on a mission of some kind. One that they volunteered for. One that requires that they eradicate an infestation of some sort. One that will likely cost them their lives.

Turns out a pathogen has been unleashed on the world, one that is connected to brain function and memory. Maybe their memories were stolen to protect them. But what happens when they start to form new memories, can they keep the infection at bay?

Despite at times lightly sketched characters, Red River Seven is an engaging, mysterious, and brutal journey through a post-apocalyptic London overrun with monsters where the tension never lets up.

Seven people wake up on a boat with no memory of who they are or how they got there. Their only clues and directions come from a satellite phone. One member has already committed suicide to avoid what lies ahead… I don’t want to say much more because a lot of the joy of reading Red River Seven comes from the gradual and expert reveal of its mysteries. In general though, it reads a lot like a videogame—the satellite phone even gives the characters specific mission objectives to complete before the boat will move—as if a more sci-fi heavy version of The Last of Us was transported to London.

The prose is strong, creating a foreboding, vivid, and atmospheric world. The action is in-your-face and visceral, while also being easy to follow. The pacing is rapid, there is hardly a down moment in the entire story, but also deliberate—chaotic, but a carefully controlled chaos. In short, the novel sucks you in so that at times it feels like you’re walking alongside the characters.

The novel’s only significant strike is that, especially in the beginning, the characters feel only minimally developed. So, while you are fully immersed in the world, you aren’t as vested in the characters. They lack the usual backstories and wants that come with memory, so it takes time for their characteristics to come to the fore. It was around page 50 in a rare quiet moment that I started to become invested. Overall, I wasn’t too bothered as the novel’s strengths carried me along, but it might be more of a sticking point for some readers.

Red River Seven is a quick read with surprising staying power. You could easily devour it in a few sittings as it, in turn, devours you in its horror-filled maw.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

I wasn't sure what this book was truly about, but sounded fascinating.

A man wakes up on a boat with no knowledge of who he is, but still posses the knowledge of his prior skills. He is on the boat with 6 other individuals who are in the same situation. They have no control of where the boat is taking them on the river and a mysterious voice on a phone asking if anyone remembers anything....

It is well written and keeps you wondering what is around the next bend of the river.

Seven people wake up on a boat drifting through a heavy mist - all with recent surgical scars, an author’s name tattooed on their arm, and absolutely no memories. It’s hard to talk much more about the plot without giving anything away. It could be seen as a unique take on the hero and quest genre. The first half really pulled me in, the second half seemed to wander a bit. All in all, very entertaining! Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book!

Red River Seven by A.J. Ryan follows a group of people with disconnected abilities, stranded on a ship with no idea who they were or why they were there. But surely they’ve been thrown together for a reason, as they’re obviously connected, based off their names. It’s up to them to figure out why…and what it has to do with the creepy mist swirling around them. Red River Seven is a dystopian thriller in which mysteries and dangers abound. The truth, for me, though, is the “high stakes” weren’t climactic enough. Red River Seven dropped the proverbial ball.

The plot was not strong enough, and it took far too long to get anything done. Each individual has different skills, but no history. Because…reasons. Ryan had to figure out a way to give them their abilities without their memories. It also was an easy way out, in my opinion. “I don’t want to develop backgrounds for all these characters, so they’re all just going to have muscle memory!” Which, maybe Ryan did create stories for them. He did mention some, but not very much. The book is written in third person but from the view of the “police officer” character. I don’t understand why he was at the center, and I didn’t like his attitude. Which…maybe that was the point?

I didn’t find a “deadly mist” to be all that original. Amnesia wasn’t either. Overall, I thought the characters to be a bit too similar. The way they stood apart: Lectures/actions from their unique skillsets. The doctor blabs about a medical condition. The historian monologues about…well, history. I felt like the story could’ve done just fine with two or three characters rather than seven. But then the name Red River Seven wouldn’t have worked, would it?

Granted, my opinion of Red River Seven by A.J. Ryan may have been influenced by context. It’s tainted by some…not so pleasant circumstances. I did enjoy…parts of it, though I still don’t understand portions of the story. While I found snippets exciting, I also literally fell asleep in others. Red River Seven probably would’ve held my attention better if I’d listened to it rather than read it, honestly. It’s not that the book is bad. I’ve read far worse this year; that’s for certain. But I’ve read better science fiction, and I’m not inclined to read any more of Ryan’s work.

I stopped after chapter 1 (9%). The prose felt like it was trying to be edgy and bold, but it wasn’t quite there. Probably a solid three stars for the target audience, and four for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

While I was very intrigued by the premise and beginning of this book, I found the back half of the story a bit flat. It was repetitive in nature and while it felt like we were building to a big reveal, it never really came. As a positive, Ryan definitely created a creepy atmosphere and I kept wanted to flip the page until about the 50% mark.

I think the ending would have been more impactful if there had been more time to develop the characters.

I will hold off on my review on my social channels until 2 weeks prior to book launch as requested.

My thanks to Orbit books, A.J. Ryan and Netgalley.
Well. I just freaking loved this oddly strange and messed up tale!
I kept waiting for a clue. Just one lousy damn clue!
Crikey! By the time I found it I was all in.
Anthony Ryan can leave off fantasy anytime and if he keeps writing like this, then I'm going to be spending a lot of time reading all his books.
Yeah, I liked this one a hell of a lot!

I got a couple chapters into this one before DNFing. I don’t think it’s a bad book, just not for me.

It’s got a bit of a LOST feel because the situation is so odd and mysterious (and on the water). Also feels like The Martian in that there’s very specific technical knowledge involved. It’s a plot forward book.

I was hoping for more characterization personally, but it’s understandably hard to include that when no one can remember who they are! But that’s not my cup of tea in a book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I read Red River Seven in one sitting. The combination of mystery and creepiness was perfect, and A.J. Ryan wrote it perfectly to make this something that couldn’t be put down. I also liked the thoughts on memory as dangerous and found the characters interesting despite them missing a huge chunk of who they are. This was definitely a five star read for me and one that is worth picking up.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

Red River Seven - A.J. Ryan (2023)

A man awakens, remembering nothing biographical, though otherwise retaining what he knows. He finds himself on a boat on a river shrouded in dense pinkish mist. There are others with him and they all share surgical scars and have the same memory loss. They seem to be on a mission as they realize they have a certain set of complementary skills that would be useful for survival and for carrying out a special operation. A voice from elsewhere speaks to them. It says they must obey or they will die. Whatever their purpose may be, they must follow their directions, because at the least the boat can be remotely deactivated, leaving them stranded. Precautions have been taken to minimize how much they can tamper with anything. Their greatest danger is each other, at least until they discover the current circumstances of the world.

As per the title, there's red mist, they're on a river, and there's seven of them. It's literal and suits it well. The amnesia is functional and serves a greater purpose than being for plot convenience. In terms of the plot, that they can't remember their lives is integral to everything. However, even if they did have their memories it wouldn't really be that different for several of them. This does limit them as a cast of characters because they're reduced to what their specialty is and a few other core personality traits.

I haven't read anything else by Anthony Ryan, so I'm unable to compare this SF/horror/mystery/thriller to his fantasy novels. What I do know is this seems like it was written to be a movie. Everything extraneous is removed and all there is, is the characters and their mission. I don't see that as necessarily a bad thing, though it's definitely notable. I would watch it if it were made into one because it seems like it could easily transition into a primarily action movie.

The last 15% started leaning into political allegory, or at least that's what I read it as. The only hint before that was that it was mentioned that the 45th president was someone whose name shouldn't be said in polite company. That was fine, though I don't think it was handled all that well. There wasn't an epilogue, which from a reader perspective would've been nice in terms of pay-off. Having one though would've gone against the allegory that had been established and the narrow focus of the narrative. Maybe it's just because it's not that long of a novel that there didn't seem to be any need to do so.

This was a nice read, though it's not really notable in any way. There was a good bit that this story had going in its favor for me. I like amnesiac group stories, which has lead me to read books that I might otherwise wouldn't, for better and worse. I also appreciate it when authors try writing in different genres than what they're known. If I had enjoyed it just a bit more I would've rounded it up.

I received this DRC from Orbit through NetGalley.

Rating: 3.5/5

For those of y'all that do not know this book is written by The One and Only Anthony Ryan the fantasy writer, the same one that wrote Blood Song, at least that's one of his most popular books not my favorite just his most popular to date, either way this book has nothing to do with that kind of world.
Looks like Mr Ryan has stepped out of the fantasy world and into the oversaturated world of post-apocalyptic writing. I will say going into this reading I've read quite a few post-apocalyptic books before and I was kind of expecting the same old thing,what I got was not the same old thing in my opinion this book at the heart is a mystery, 7 unknown to each other,people wake up on a boat, that turns into a wild ride in the later chapters. I can't give away too much because if I say the wrong thing or describe the wrong thing I will give the whole book Away and I'm not one for giving spoilers. I can say that Mr Ryan has brought something fresh and new to the genre with this book and I couldn't be more pleased with how it all turned out and ended. If you've read this author before I don't see you being disappointed in this book give it a shot.
Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for the ARC

Imagine waking up to the sound of a gun shot. You have no idea where you are, who you are, or why there is a dead body laying near you. Now imagine you find six other people on the boat with you. This is the start of Red River Seven by A. J. Ryan, from there it is an action packed thrill ride to the end.
Red River Seven is a mixture of a thriller, a horror, and a dystopian sci-fi novel. It keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wonder what happened to the seven and what their purpose is.
I liked the slow reveal plot line that keeps you interested. The characters were all unique and the slowing evolving personalities, made the story tense as you tried to figure out what everyone's role was. The action and vagueness increased the intensity of the plot and made the story impossible to put down. I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys being kept in the dark as the author slowly reveals the clues needed to understand the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

4 Stars

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was extreme fast pace as soon as I started it and never really slowed down.

The first part of the book I found to be super fascinating. This idea of waking up on a boat, no idea who you are and others in the same state made it super eery and isolating. I also really enjoyed that these characters recognized that they knew some specific stuff and could make guesses what the specialties were. Such as knowing history of anything and everything, or having medical knowledge. Still zero personal memories and if they do surface, it quickly turns into a dangerous situation.

The middle of the book I still enjoyed my time, but found my self a bit more lost and having a difficult time tracking everything that was happening. It was very action packed with a ton of details regarding the situation on hand and how it was impacting each person differently, It just gave me a bit of whip lash. Where I had to pause and get my bearings again.

Overall I thought this was a really great dystopian, horror, scifi debut from this acclaimed author. I am really excited to see what else Anthony Ryan creates under this pen name. I really think he has a talent for this genre. As this book was very unique and not something I had read before.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit books for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting my review to my Instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites close or on publication.

Red River Seven is such an interesting read! I’m giving it 3.5 stars rounded down.

Huxley awakens on a boat to the sound of a gunshot. Before he can even investigate the sound, he realizes he doesn’t know- doesn’t know who he is, where he is, or what he is.

Come to find out- there are 6 other people on this boat in the same condition. But, why? The boat’s mechanisms are in lock down and they have no choice but to go wherever it’s taking them. Each person has a certain set of skills to enable them to complete a mission, but the mission objective is a mystery. Encompassed in a red-tinged fog, Huxley and his crew are guided by a voice through a phone to complete certain tasks leading to their objective.

I can’t say much more without giving anything away. Which is a pity, because this book turned into a lot more than I thought it would.

The author did a great job revealing clues and plot twists with restraint, but also just enough to keep the read engaging. However, I had trouble imagining certain aspects. I’m not sure if that was a fault of mine or if the imagery in his prose needed work. There were a lot of weapons and military components that I’m not familiar with.

Overall, I enjoyed this quick sci-fi thriller. I don’t know if I would eagerly recommend it to others, but I appreciate that this was different.

A great thank you goes out to A.J. Ryan, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5

This was an unusual book. If you peeled back several layers there is probably an interesting story but it's covered by so much chaff.

I don't mind the premise - amnesiac strangers drifting down a river with an unknown objective. It's not an especially original idea to start but there are some creative ideas tossed in to shake things up a bit.

The tough part is the characters and their dialogue... not strong. Everyone is unlikeable and after waking up they realize they're specialized in a certain field. Immediately they all start spouting jargon and conversating in the most unnatural way.

Part 28 Days Later, The Last of Us with a little Annihilation and Heart of Darkness thrown in - an interesting idea with a few misteps in the execution.

A.J. Ryan (pseudonym for highly acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan) has written some of my very favorite books over the years. Admittedly at first I had no idea this book was written by the same person until I saw Anthony posting about it on social media one day. I was immediately intrigued to see how he would make the transition from heroic epic fantasy to a story that seemed to be of the dystopian thriller variety. Well it didn't take long for me to find out as I was immediately sucked into this book from the very opening pages.

The story begins shrouded in mystery as the scene is set depicting seven people adrift on a boat just coming out of unconsciousness. Confusion and uncertainty abound as none of the passengers on the boat have any recollection of their identity, their previous lives, or their professions. and if things couldn't get worse, they quickly discover a dead body on board with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Needless to say, "what the hell is going on" is the question on everyone's lips at this point.

A ringing phone breaks the silence and a robotic voice on the other end gives an emphatic directive as to how they should proceed. The voice vows to call back periodically with new instructions. As the seven proceed through a dense fog toward a destination that the onboard computer shows as the southeast coast of England, the distorted screams of humans (or possibly something less than human) begin to get louder with each passing minute. That's where this book goes from an intriguing mystery of the unexplained to a flat out terror-induced dystopian thriller the likes of which I haven't read in a long time.

RED RIVER SEVEN had me so damn riveted throughout as Ryan does a fantastic job of keeping the mystery as thick as the all consuming fog that menacingly surrounds the main characters throughout much of their journey toward discovery. There are little hints given throughout as every time the sat-phone rings and the "person" on the other end emotionlessly gives out new directives, certain aspects of what is happening start to come into sharper focus. And all the while the screams of those who are largely obscured by the fog and just out of sight give off an air of imminent terror that we just know is eventually going to be that mind-blowing answer to all of the questions posed in the early stages of this book.

I think this book came at the right time for me because up to now I have been reading a ton of epic fantasy. So this was a really refreshing departure from that and a wonderful palate cleanser so to speak. But I also believe that I would have loved this book no matter what because every element of it is brilliantly written and I couldn't help but keep reading to get to the bottom of the central mystery. Not only that, but upon finishing it my thoughts immediately went to what an amazing tv or film adaptation it would make.
I'll just wrap things up by highly recommending this book for anyone who loves a good techno/bio thriller with a dash of sci-fi and horror thrown in the mix. 28 Days Later meets The Passage in this addictive story that has everything you could ever want in an entertaining and intense thrill ride. Do yourself a favor and get those preorders in for the October 10th release of RED RIVER SEVEN. It appears undeniable that author Anthony Ryan can excel in whatever genre he chooses.