Jonathan Winn

I really enjoyed this collection of stories! The first was a 5⭐️, one in the middle was a 3⭐️, and the others were all 4⭐️. Not bad at all for a short story collection!

I love the concept of each story being set in the same otherworldly building. Though Ediolon Avenue works it’s demented machinations a little differently in each tale, these are all stories of people having to deal with the ghosts of their past in varying bizarre and vicious ways. I loved the grotesque imagery (lots of Clive Barker and Silent Hill vibes) and the writing is excellent! In fact the writing is so vivid it made some of the scenes hard to read because they were almost too much (I’ve also never seen so much vomit in a collection of stories haha).

Overall Eidolon Avenue is a fantastically brutal, weird, and mournful collection of dark mortality tales. I don’t think the term “fever dream” has ever been captured so well in literary form. It’s a phantasmagorical blend of human monsters and the ghosts that haunt them, and I certainly hope there will be future feasts to enjoy!… (more)

You ever read a book and then wonder why more people aren't reading it? A book so provocative, so engrossing, and with such style that you instantly want to put it in the hands of everyone you know? Well for me Eidelon Avenue: The Second Feast is one of those books (and really all books by Jonathan Winn, who seems to be a criminally underrated author).

To be completely upfront, I was asked by the author to write a blurb for the book. As flattering as that proposition was, I knew I couldn't accept if I didn't think the book was worth reading. Well, you can probably tell by now I found the collection worthy of praise and adoration. The pull quote they went with is "A new level of dread, heartache, and nightmare", but here are some additional thoughts.

The return to Eidolon Avenue is a triumphant one. Five new stories of darkness and disturbing imagery, both shocking and delightful in their depravity. Five decaying rooms of ghosts and guilt. Five dark scenarios of perverse pleasure and hellish consequences. You'll be begging to leave but unwilling to go, caught in the mesmerizing pull that is Eidolon.

Submerged in the lucid dream world the author has created, I was sufficiently disturbed yet compelled to read on with squirming stomach and heavy heart. These stories are DARK. But they are also infused with intriguing themes and broken characters that make you want to keep reading, eyes half-covered as you read through mounting tension towards a gut-wrenching climax.

I absolutely love the author's writing style. It may not be for everyone (it's very poetic yet intentionally disjointed), but for me it really works. It's also extremely vivid, and there were several times I had to momentarily put the book down because certain scenes were so graphic and disgusting (and yes, in this case that is a compliment). Winn delves into the darkest recesses of humanity, spinning tales of terror and grotesque imagery that will linger in your mind long after you close the book.… (more)

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. When Martuk was a child, he was unknowingly cursed by a golden god with immortality. He has a gift of seeing through the veil, having visions, and seeing ones soul. His land is ruled by a sickly king and he is called to speak with him. After the king’s demise, Martuk is forced to drink from the golden cup, he’s supposed to die. He sees his ancestors reaching for him then… He finds himself alive! This is how his journey begins.

Although a little slow in some parts, Martuk… the Unholy is a pretty good read. It spans thousands of years, so it’s also a semi-historical horror story. The violent scenes were pretty graphic, so this novel certainly isn’t for the sensitive stomachs. But if you can get past that, this book has awesome “wow” moments. You connect with Martuk immediately and sympathize with his desire to die. I know lots of people in today’s society wish they could live forever. But this book looks at the harsh reality of it. You may garner fantastic riches but what’s the point of it all if you have no one to share it with? Definitely a great October read!
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As indicated in the synopsis, Eidolon Avenue: The Second Feast by Jonathan Winn is a collection about an apartment building that is basically a dark alter where one is sacrificed to one’s own inner demons. As I read each story, I found myself filled with a building awe and growing dread as characters were revealed and events unfolded. This, of course, was followed by shock and/or horror at the respective climax and conclusion of each tale, which varied accordingly. The story of apartment 2B in particular was uncomfortably evocative, while the story of 2C might need a warning label for those of sensitive emotional constitutions.

I am ridiculously enamored with Jonathan Winn’s writing style. It flows like dark poetry, evocative and enthralling. I was honestly reminded of Poe. Just as his horror poetry and prose can invade your mind and heart and dreams for days, so, too, are the works of Winn. But Winn’s stories are his own, each unique in its fashion in spite of the connection that is the physical setting.

This shelf-worthy collection of tales will indeed grace the shelves of my library as soon as it is available. Not only do I recommend it highly, I encourage you to seek out The First Feast as I intend to do.… (more)