I've got good news and bad news. Here's the bad news: I'm shutting down this website, The Illusion Exotic. It was once free to operate, then I had to pay, and now I have to pay a lot. The cost of maintaining this website has been going up and up, much like everything else. The price is going up again next month and I'm done with it. I simply do not get enough website traffic to justify the expense. 

The good news - everything here will be moving to one of my social media platforms starting this month. Rule One Book Reviews's new home is on Substack. I've been  mirroring this blog on Substack for a while, but now will be taking over 100%. Please click the link and head over there and follow/subscribe.  

If you are a follower of my fiction, such as Black Sea Gods and my other titles, you can still get updates on the series on X @IllusionExotic. 

My Instagram, "Abandoned Wiregrass" will be the primary place to check out my photography, followed by my Facebook, "Abandoned Wiregrass." 

"RECOMMENDED" - A positive reading experience. This book provides the reader a satisfying experience, especially if the reader is already a fan the genre. This may not hold true for readers outside the genre. This book approaches the level of a contemporary traditionally-published book in its genre. This book met or exceeded the minimal editing quality of a traditionally published book. If spelling or mechanical errors were present, they were rare, hard to notice, and didn't detract from the novel's overall experience. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc.) allowed reader to reasonably experience the story without unnecessary effort or distraction.  The story met genre expectations, though did not necessarily bring anything new to the literary form. ​

​Click here to read more on Rule One Book Reviews rating system.

​
TITLE: Rapture
PUBLISHER: Independently Published
AUTHOR: Steffen Jack
GENRE(S): Literary Fiction/Horror 
PUBLICATION DATE: 3 March 2012
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 5/5.0 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #1,559,151
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
The author and I followed each other on X.  This one has been out there since 2012 with only five reviews.  The blurb didn't necessarily get my attention, but I saw nothing wrong with the sample. It had that gritty noir vibe with a great cover that matches. I feel  like it hits effectively at the heart of its genre. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 22 November 2025
​STATUS: Reviewed 30 March 2026

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT -  Well-written but brutal, Steffen Jack’s Rapture is a physiological horror novella akin to the 1990 film Jacob’s Ladder—but in reverse. It offers no painful journey toward redemption, only a coldly numb slide into personal damnation. If Hell had its own version of Purgatory, this would be it.

PLOT 

Jim is an addict and an alcoholic who exists solely for his next hit or drink. As Christmas approaches in a winter-locked town, he staggers through life—numb, poisoned, and dead inside. His only real companion is the revolver in his pocket, which he checks like a ritual after each recurring blackout. Each time he regains consciousness, the world around him has grown a little darker and colder, and the gun is missing one more round. Jim drifts through his existence like the ghost of the man he used to be—or perhaps never was.

The plot follows Jim as he drifts from place to place and friend to friend in an alcohol- and drug-fueled haze, while his world shrinks and darkens. In the background, a social contagion—a suicide cult—creeps across society, claiming lives. At first it’s mere background noise, whispered about but not yet a direct threat. As the story progresses, the cult draws closer to Jim like an infection. I won’t spoil the ending, other than to say: “All ye who enter here, abandon all hope.”

THEMES

Rapture is unapologetically dark. On the surface, it’s a study of addiction and self-destruction. Unlike many addiction stories, which feature internal tension as the protagonist fights for a way out, Jim has already surrendered. He knows his addiction intimately but has fully embraced the darkness. One might think this lack of internal struggle would kill the necessary tension, but Steffen Jack makes it work by externalizing that conflict—something I’ll touch on in the characters section.

The book takes the theme of addiction a step further into outright self-destruction. Jim is slowly killing himself, and the revolver in his pocket serves as a potent symbol of that slow suicide. The story begins with a few remaining bridges to redemption—girlfriend, job, family, friends—but these are systematically destroyed one by one. Part of Jim’s tragedy is his deliberate self-isolation.

Several times, the author injects ambiguous elements that blur the line between reality and hallucination. Are these substance-fueled visions, or has the story slipped into supernatural horror? Is the suicide cult real, or is Jim already dead and descending into Hell? These questions are never answered definitively, which adds to the book’s unsettling power. You’ll have to read it yourself and draw your own conclusions.

CHARACTERS

Rapture is 100% character-driven, and literary/psychological horror lives or dies on believable characters. Steffen Jack mostly succeeds here.

We learn little of Jim’s backstory: he’s unmarried, works a dead-end job at a trophy shop (when he bothers to show up), and lives in his hometown near his parents. His apartment is dark and cold, his town is dark and cold, and his relationships are dark and cold. Jack portrays him almost like a living zombie—covered in unhealed sores, his digestive system ruined by nonstop alcohol. He is a man without hope who has lost even the instinct to seek it. Jim stands with his toes hanging over the edge of the abyss, and the author invites the reader to take his hand as he steps over.

Jim is bitter, hateful, and seething with razor-edged rage. His complete lack of hope or internal struggle was the element that bothered me most. How can a reader care about a protagonist (or anti-protagonist) who no longer cares about himself? If Jim had to carry the novel alone, it might have failed. Instead, the supporting characters externalize the missing tension and make the story work.

The author provides thin backstories for Jim’s two closest companions, Tony and Natalie, focusing instead on the present moment. Rapture has no real past and no future. Natalie represents the last remnants of humanity in Jim, externalizing the inner conflict he lacks.

Tony, Jim’s best (and perhaps only) friend, embodies his past and memories of better times—yet he is also an addict who fuels Jim’s downward spiral. Tony appears sporadically, and his life outside Jim’s perception remains mysterious. I wasn’t always sure whether Tony was real, a hallucination, or something supernatural. His interactions often left me questioning reality, much like the Danny Aiello character in Jacob’s Ladder. Tony serves as a dark catalyst—part divine messenger, part spiritual guide, or perhaps a schizophrenic manifestation. His pivotal late reappearance made me rethink what the book was truly about: personal self-destruction, mental illness, or supernatural horror?

Natalie, a fragile waif and Jim’s girlfriend, feels like his final offramp before the gates of Hell. She is one of the most fully realized characters in the book. She seems to seek redemption through Jim as much as she offers it to him, though it’s ultimately in vain. I never fully understood why she kept returning—perhaps she simply wanted company on her own slide into the abyss. Yet she provides the story’s only dim glimmer of hope. Whenever anyone offers Jim even a taste of something beyond his personal Hell, he steps outside into the cold for another smoke and drink. Through Natalie, it becomes clear there is no going back for Jim—even if he doesn’t fully realize it.

Jim’s parents still live in his childhood home, but their relationship is strained by past bitterness that’s only hinted at toward the end. As the story progresses, Jim gravitates toward home, desperately seeking comfort that no longer exists as emptiness closes in.

None of these characters—Jim, Tony, Natalie, or his parents—are seeking a way out, a better life, or a break from the cycle. They’re all trapped in their own private Hells, sliding toward nihilistic oblivion with no self-awareness or desire for help.

SETTING

Steffen Jack crafts a blighted winter city where life and color have been sucked dry. The bleak, icy landscape becomes another character, mirroring Jim’s frozen heart. Temperature and texture are used masterfully to evoke grit, decay, and constant discomfort. Brief pockets of warmth—such as his parents’ house or Natalie’s family condo—only repel Jim until it’s too late.

STYLE, PACING AND LANGUAGE

The style is gritty and steeped in drug- and alcohol-fueled undertones. Abrupt scene shifts sometimes disorient the reader, heightening the discomfort. Dialogue varies—excellent in places, merely functional in others. The pacing is intentionally brutal: it spirals slowly at first, like icy water circling a drain, then accelerates toward the end without ever rushing. Though shorter than a full novel, Rapture feels weighty; its emotional impact far exceeds its page count.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Steffen Jack’s tale is a relentless tumble into the abyss—an unflinching exploration of nihilism, addiction, and psychological horror. I recommend Rapture to anyone who enjoys dark, literary fiction or existential horror. Do not pick this up expecting a redemption arc or happy ending.

Rapture is intelligently written, with strong characters and dialogue that lingers. There’s a lot packed into this slim volume. I found myself rereading sections to catch missed clues, and it stayed with me long after I finished. Nothing is spelled out; the reader must engage and interpret. For those willing to descend with Jim, it’s a haunting, thought-provoking experience.

WHY IT WAS SELECTED
I just started reading it, and I kept reading. It's nothing more complicated than that. My flirtation with this book led to to purchase another book from this author. So far, it's dark and gritty and very out of my lane. I like getting out of my lane. 

READER CHALLENGE 

Pick up this book and give it a read. Meet me back here in late March and let's compare notes. 

​TITLE: Hedgehogs: Zombie hogs attack in this hilarious horror comedy mashup
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
AUTHOR: Iseult Murphy
GENRE(S): Comedy, Horror
PUBLICATION DATE: July 26, 2022
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 34/4.6 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #553,699 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
This author and I are in the same X writing community, hence book cover popped up on my feed. The title is blatantly campy and is almost as long as the blurb. Hell, the title is the blurb. Come to think about it, with a title like that this book doesn't need a blurb. I'll tell you what this novella is, it's a 1980s straight-to-VHS-horror-flick. It's like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, or The Evil Dead, or Fright Night. The cover hits all those feels dead-on (win). Sometimes horror is intentionally funny because it's so bad it falls into the campy realm. Horror is not easy to write, especially in this age of desensitized readers. Comedy is difficult enough on its own.  Intentionally trying to make horror funny is EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT.  I read the sample, expecting a big fail because, even for what appears to be a campy novella, this is ambitious project for any writer. What did I find? Tension, instant character development, and what might be a promising set-up.   
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 July 2025
​STATUS: Selected for February 2026 Review

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT -  Short but satisfying, Iseult Murphy's "Hedgehogs" is "The Secret of NIHM" meets "Dawn of the Dead." This novella is a fun and original take on the zombie genre for horror lovers, but not necessarily for those looking for a laugh. 

PLOT 

Harry is a hedgehog who lives in a burrow on the edge of a farmer's field. One night, a seductive aroma summons the hedgehogs to a midnight feast of dead bugs. Those that partake in this devil's dinner are transformed into bloodthirsty zombies. Somehow, Harry manages to override his instincts and resist the aroma's siren call. He flees across fields, roads, and ditches, with the hedgehog horde fast on his heels. Along the way, he desperately warns all he encounters, yet few listen and quickly meet their doom. Finally, Harry and several other creatures barricade themselves in a human lair and prepare for the zombie hedgehog apocalypse.

Amazon lists this as a "Comedy Horror Mashup." I didn't find the story funny. The premise is clearly amusing, but the novella's execution was, in my opinion, fully serious. It wasn't that there were comedic setups that failed—there were no comedic setups at all. The author seemed to forget this was supposed to be a comedy and instead executed (and fairly well) a full-blown horror plot. The book may be campy in a 1980s straight-to-VHS way, but it's still straight-up horror. On the surface, the novella had the potential for absurdity, but the author executed it in a sincere manner, without a drop of tongue-in-cheek humor.

​And as the reader, I was good with that. I enjoyed the way it was written, and as I plowed through the story, I quickly forgot it was supposed to be comedic.

THEMES

The central theme of this novella is "RUN!"An underpinning theme is that when a terrified hedgehog goes running by, screaming warnings of impending zombie doom, one should listen. Once again, the premise is amusing, but the author infuses the concept with dead-serious terror. She doesn't treat the protagonist with anything except legitimate sincerity.

Okay, there were other themes too. Murphy infuses positive elements of compassion, and even loyalty and friendship, into this unique novella. Harry forms temporary cross-species alliances with other creatures—like a fox and a cat—who band together to survive. I particularly enjoyed the budding friendship between Harry and the mouse Tina. Harry also represents themes of personal courage and listening to your better sense even when everyone around you is doing something you know isn't right. It's through listening to that inner voice of reason, and not giving in to blind instinct, that Harry avoids the dark fate that engulfs all the other hedgehogs.

​Maybe I'm overthinking this. On second thought, the only real theme here is "RUN!"

SETTING

The novella takes place in rural/suburban environment amongst the small creatures, both wild and domestic. The setting is appropriately functional  the plot, nothing more or less. 

WHY IT WAS SELECTED
​I really need a light, humorous read. My personal reading list has been heavy lately. I'm hoping this author delivers the diversion I'm looking for.  I mean, c'mon, zombie hedgehogs!

READER CHALLENGE 

Pick up this book and give it a read. Meet me back here in February and lets compare notes. 

TITLE: Hedgehogs: Zombie hogs attack in this hilarious horror comedy mashup
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
AUTHOR: Iseult Murphy
GENRE(S): Comedy, Horror
PUBLICATION DATE: July 26, 2022
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 34/4.6 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #553,699 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
This author and I are in the same X writing community, hence book cover popped up on my feed. The title is blatantly campy and is almost as long as the blurb. Hell, the title is the blurb. Come to think about it, with a title like that this book doesn't need a blurb. I'll tell you what this novella is, it's a 1980s straight-to-VHS-horror-flick. It's like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, or The Evil Dead, or Fright Night. The cover hits all those feels dead-on (win). Sometimes horror is intentionally funny because it's so bad it falls into the campy realm. Horror is not easy to write, especially in this age of desensitized readers. Comedy is difficult enough on its own.  Intentionally trying to make horror funny is EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT.  I read the sample, expecting a big fail because, even for what appears to be a campy novella, this is ambitious project for any writer. What did I find? Tension, instant character development, and what might be a promising set-up.   
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 July 2025
​STATUS: Selected for February 2026 Review

"STRONGLY RECOMMENDED" - A rewarding and memorable reading experience. ​ ​This book provides the reader of any genre a deeply rich,  rewarding and memorable experience.  This novel fully met or exceeded the editing quality of traditionally published novels. Spelling or mechanical errors were virtually undetectable to the average reader.  The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc) sweeps up the reader, exceeds genre expectations, and introduces a new dimension to the art form.

​Click here to read more on Rule One Book Reviews rating system.

PLOT

THEMES

CHARACTERS

“Oddly, at such times, he missed Jane. When he slept beside her, he never woke in the night, never had bad dreams. Sometimes when he woke, he would find himself wrapped about her, and she nestled into him as if he was protecting her and she him, as if in sleep and dreams they knew this solid truth of mutual protection, of the worth of being cherished and could find one another, true souls touching. It was as if she sheltered him from all the demons chasing him in the night. There was in him at such times an understanding that when he was with her, he was where he was supposed to be. Something about Jane felt like home. He did not want to lose that, and yet he never seemed able to treat her well.”

— All the King's Bastards: A Succession of Chaos by G. Lawrence
https://a.co/aWXPrOl

SETTING

“He had never liked the River Thames, Chapuys thought as nervously he waited on his barge hovering off the Water Gate of the Tower. It was so grey and choppy, even on a good day when one could see the fish swimming beneath the water, it still seemed an angry river, dark of mood and ominous of intent. It was not a river that would flood often, it was true, not one to rush into the city, but still, there always seemed something resentful about it, a simmering rage kept captive just under the lapping skin of the water, as if something buried there long ago had not died but haunted the river, waiting for a chance to return.”

— All the King's Bastards: A Succession of Chaos by G. Lawrence
https://a.co/5Oq8unE

“People think death is one moment, and perhaps for the person who has died this is so, but for those left behind, death never ends. The dead die, and the living live with death then always in their lives. It is the space left behind when a loved one leaves, the shadow always missing at one’s side. It is the gap in heart, in mind, in the daylight and night that a person leaves behind. It is the silence when their voice might have answered. Never does it leave, never does it go.”

— All the King's Bastards: A Succession of Chaos by G. Lawrence
https://a.co/2MN3R2a

​TITLE: Whispers of the Storm
PUBLISHER: Independently Published
AUTHOR: Z.B. Steele
GENRE(S): Fantasy
PUBLICATION DATE: ‎ 25 March 2025
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 266/4.4 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY:#32,944
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
Someone I follow on X had reposted this. Then I realized this author and I already follow one another. I guess the algorithm has been keeping us apart (damn you, algorithm!).  This indie has many reviews with good ratings and respectable sales, so word of mouth appears promising. The opening dialogue is good with quick character-builds and plot immersion. It  feels very "conventional fantasy trope", but reads like it's executed properly by a writer who understands and loves the genre.   
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 1 January 2026
​STATUS: Active

Thank you to all the readers and authors who have either visited or been a part of Rule One Book Reviews this year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you. See you in 2026 with more books to talk about. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Rule One Book Reviews!

I'm happy to announce "This Burdened Clay" by Thomas Norford is the Rule One Book Reviews Novel of the Year for 2025. It won this by having the highest review recommendation of all the books reviewed this year, STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.  I wish I had a prize or a fancy sticker he could slap on his cover. Maybe next year. My hearty congratulations will have to suffice. 

Thank you to all the readers who visited Rule One Book Reviews (ROBR) in its inaugural year. I'd also like to thank the authors for writing the novels I've enjoyed so much.  ROBR's first organic review debuted 7 August, with Dragons in the Dungeons. We've posted one review a month since then, plus one special review.  In the 6 months since I've been posting ROBR's readership has gone from about 3 viewers a day to about 50. Some of the books below have seen measurable spikes in Amazon reviews and sales since the review debuted. Is that attributable to their review here on ROBR? I don't know, but I'd like to think it is. There is only one way to find out - post more reviews. 

I plan to review twelve novels in 2026, plus at least two Special Reviews. The first review o 2026 will be "All The King's Bastards" by G. Lawrence, which will be posted in January. Also expect another round of review candidates early in the new year. 

In the meantime, I've provided a list of the year's reviews, as well as all the current review candidate books that will carry over to 2026. Please browse the titles and maybe you'll find a book or maybe one that might make a good Christmas gift for that special reader in your life. 
​

I'm officially "fan-boying" these two authors. I've picked up more of their books and plan to read and review them in the coming year as "Special Reviews" - dates TBD.  Special Reviews are above and beyond the regular review line-up. I'm reading another Susana Imaginario book because she scratches my mythology itch.  I'm reading the sequel to Richard Massie's The Cube because the first novel built a fantasy world and characters so compelling I have to return. 

These novels are still eligible for a book review. Keep an eye on them, because they may still show up in 2026 with a review. 

WHY IT WAS SELECTED
This one has been in the back of my mind since I first read the sample, and it earned its review strictly on its sample. I hope it doesn't disappoint. I was going to get to it earlier, but I'm glad I held off so I can use this review to kick off  2026. Expect this review later in the month of January because the holidays have me completely overwhelmed. I'm going to have to revert to my typical slow-reading style. ​

READER CHALLENGE 
 My reader challenge is always the same - read this book and meet me back here in January and let's compare notes. 

TITLE: All the King's Bastards
PUBLISHER: None
AUTHOR: G. Lawrence
GENRE(S): Speculative Historical Fiction.(multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: June 11, 2025​
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 19/4.4 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #79,105 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
Once again, the X algorithm served me a book post from an author account I did not follow. This one appeals directly to history buffs and sets its hooks into the reader's like me fast and hard. The cover is outstanding! It sets a mood that that reflects the book's content and vibe. The pitch is solid, but the sample really pulled me in. I was hit by some great lines in just the first few paragraphs to include this gem: "She supposed this was what they meant by pale as death, for nothing in life was this shade of white, this shade of white with a touch of grey." In only a few pages I came the conclusion this is a highly promising novel. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST:7 July 2025
​STATUS: Scheduled for January 2026 Review