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Black River Orchard
by Chuck Wendig
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It’s autumn in the town of Harrow, but something besides the season is changing there. Because in that town there is an orchard, and in that orchard, seven most unusual trees. And from those trees grows a new sort of apple: strange, beautiful, with skin so red it’s nearly black. Take a bite of one of these apples, and you will desire only to devour another. And another. You will become stronger. More vital. More yourself, you will believe. But then your appetite for the apples and their peculiar gifts will keep growing—and become darker. This is what happens when the townsfolk discover the secret of the orchard. Soon it seems that everyone is consumed by an obsession with the magic of the apples... and what’s the harm, if it is making them all happier, more confident, more powerful?…
Recommended by
"A demon, a farmer, a cat, a teen wannabe influencer, a cheating wife, a dom, a Richie Rich type, and a rare fruit hunter walk into an apple orchard. At 640 pages, this horror novel might feel daunting to some. But it’s so good that, if you’re anything like me, you’ll end up bingeing it over a couple of days. The story crisscrosses through time and characters as author Chuck Wendig shows readers the consequences of power. It’s intense, frightening, and a little bit gross, but also wonderfully diverse. Also: evil apples."
"In this unsettling, parable-like novel, a community’s obsession with a mysterious new fruit grown from only seven trees soon turns sour—and forces them to face up to their hometown’s dark history. It is, promises the Los Angeles Review of Books , “at once a commentary on contemporary culture and a timeless and wholly American horror novel that will appeal to longtime genre aficionados and newcomers alike.” Browse all our year-end lists highlighting the best books of 2024 here"
The Best Horror Novels: The 2024 Bram Stoker Awards ·
fivebooks.com