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jinjer's review
5.0
OMG!!! This is my 3rd Kilborn book this week! Can't put them down. Can't get enough. Once again, on the edge of my seat from cover to cover.
I like that the author doesn't relent. Any other author would kill off a few people and then let all the others miraculously survive. Not Kilborn! He's going to kill off A WHOLE BUNCH of characters and then maybe, MAYBE some will get out alive.
And most authors play the game of looking in the closet or under the bed and nothing is there. Not Kilborn. You might have to open several closet doors and peer under 2 or 3 beds, but eventually something is going to be lurking somewhere.
Great stuff! Oh, and ignore all the people complaining about typo-s, grammar, inconsistencies, or whatever. Obviously they skipped the Author's Notes in the books where he said his editors wanted him to make changes / rewrite stuff and he refused and ended up self-publishing. That means he didn't get the benefit of having highly-paid editors to fix stuff. He probably just used spellcheck and hoped for the best. lol Give the guy a break and be glad he gave us his unedited stories.
I like that the author doesn't relent. Any other author would kill off a few people and then let all the others miraculously survive. Not Kilborn! He's going to kill off A WHOLE BUNCH of characters and then maybe, MAYBE some will get out alive.
And most authors play the game of looking in the closet or under the bed and nothing is there. Not Kilborn. You might have to open several closet doors and peer under 2 or 3 beds, but eventually something is going to be lurking somewhere.
Great stuff! Oh, and ignore all the people complaining about typo-s, grammar, inconsistencies, or whatever. Obviously they skipped the Author's Notes in the books where he said his editors wanted him to make changes / rewrite stuff and he refused and ended up self-publishing. That means he didn't get the benefit of having highly-paid editors to fix stuff. He probably just used spellcheck and hoped for the best. lol Give the guy a break and be glad he gave us his unedited stories.
strangebrewreviews's review
4.0
Unrelenting horror with a solid cast of characters are the staples of "Endurance". Author Jack Kilborn (as terrific as ever) spins a yarn that will reach the soul of even the most jaded horror genre' fans. In this novel, Kilborn creates a story created on some unfortunate participants in an Iron Woman Triathlon competition. A small group of these women find themselves having to secure lodging at the out-of-the-way Rushmore Inn because all the hotel rooms at the site of the competition are booked.
The bad thing about the Rushmore Inn is that once you check in, you check out in a much different way that expected. You see, the Rushmore Inn is populated by the worst collection of psychos, miscreants, and mutants that one will every find in a single book. This group is headed up by the biggest, baddest mama of them all, Eleanor Roosevelt. No, not THAT one, but rather a delusional sociopath who believes that her lineage goes back to royal blood and she's going to do everything in her power to keep her sadistic brood (all named for different US President - hence Rushmore Inn) alive.
Kilborn creates a harsh, imaginative, brutality graphic novel that's sprinkled with a little humor. Not for the faint-of-heart, but definitely memorable, readers who are fans of Bryan Smith, Edward Lee, Jack Ketchum, and Kealan Patrick Burke should absolutely LOVE "Endurance."
My biggest disappointment in the book was the lack of proof reading. While it wasn't terrible, there were many points in the book where a letter was forgot, he/she was mixed up, or the wrong word used entirely. While it didn't happen often enough to warrant me giving up on the book, it did warrant a loss in a star rating. NOTE TO SELF PUBLISHERS: if you need someone to proofread your book, send it my way. I'd be more than happy to to do it, free of charge. I read 3-4 books a week.
The bad thing about the Rushmore Inn is that once you check in, you check out in a much different way that expected. You see, the Rushmore Inn is populated by the worst collection of psychos, miscreants, and mutants that one will every find in a single book. This group is headed up by the biggest, baddest mama of them all, Eleanor Roosevelt. No, not THAT one, but rather a delusional sociopath who believes that her lineage goes back to royal blood and she's going to do everything in her power to keep her sadistic brood (all named for different US President - hence Rushmore Inn) alive.
Kilborn creates a harsh, imaginative, brutality graphic novel that's sprinkled with a little humor. Not for the faint-of-heart, but definitely memorable, readers who are fans of Bryan Smith, Edward Lee, Jack Ketchum, and Kealan Patrick Burke should absolutely LOVE "Endurance."
My biggest disappointment in the book was the lack of proof reading. While it wasn't terrible, there were many points in the book where a letter was forgot, he/she was mixed up, or the wrong word used entirely. While it didn't happen often enough to warrant me giving up on the book, it did warrant a loss in a star rating. NOTE TO SELF PUBLISHERS: if you need someone to proofread your book, send it my way. I'd be more than happy to to do it, free of charge. I read 3-4 books a week.
acknud's review
5.0
Another grotesque, gory slaughterfest by Jack Kilborn. Kilborn/Konrath is the master of this genre.
Imagine being trapped, no hope, being raped and tortured repeatedly. Kilborn can describe theses scenes in amazing detail. If you are squeamish then don't read these book.
Imagine being trapped, no hope, being raped and tortured repeatedly. Kilborn can describe theses scenes in amazing detail. If you are squeamish then don't read these book.
paulabellman's review
3.0
If you enjoy "gore porn" type of movies like Saw, Hostel, etc.,you'll love this book. The horrific descriptions of torture were too much for me to bear.
The author tried to make you care for the cast of prisioners, but I could muster no feelings towards them except pity. I also felt rather apathetic towards the bad guys. Seriously, we're going to have that many freaks living in an inn and NO ONE knows about them? How did they get $$ to buy groceries?
The in-breeding plot has been done to death. The X-Files did a better, spookier job with this topic back in the 90s.
While I don't feel 3.99 was an unfair price to pay for this book, I do feel the week I spent reading it could have been better spent.
The author tried to make you care for the cast of prisioners, but I could muster no feelings towards them except pity. I also felt rather apathetic towards the bad guys. Seriously, we're going to have that many freaks living in an inn and NO ONE knows about them? How did they get $$ to buy groceries?
The in-breeding plot has been done to death. The X-Files did a better, spookier job with this topic back in the 90s.
While I don't feel 3.99 was an unfair price to pay for this book, I do feel the week I spent reading it could have been better spent.
cturn16's review
4.0
This book does grab you from the beginning until the end. When you have bad things happen to you before you even get to the creepy hotel that focuses on the presidents you might want to rethink staying at this hotel. I don't know that even with the thought of a free stay should keep you here. To say that this book didn't make me very thankful that my family while not normal is much better than what could be possible would be crazy. I do have to say the word of warning is something you should listen to if you have concerns before reading.
trevert's review
3.0
A DNF for me, BUT... It may seem odd to give a DNF book 3 stars but I've always questioned the folks who give one star to a book they didn't finish, because they didn't finish it. Plus, in this case it's actually a very well written horror novel - I commented in an early status update that it was heads above the typical "cannibal hillbilly" book and it certainly is. The characters are interesting and occasionally downright fun (The old lady is a hoot) and you care about their plight. Also, the inn is a creepy setting and the suspense builds well. That said, in the end, it's STILL Yet Another Cannibal Hillbilly book, and it just turned dull for me in the final quarter because we've all seen the movies and read the same story before and we know the climax is just going to be an extended chase scene as the cast gets picked off in gruesome ways.
So, ultimately, even being a solidly written example of its genre, it still wasn't grabbing enough to keep me reading all the way to the end. If anyone out there is a mega-fan of cannibal hillbilly books, though, this is your LOTR.
So, ultimately, even being a solidly written example of its genre, it still wasn't grabbing enough to keep me reading all the way to the end. If anyone out there is a mega-fan of cannibal hillbilly books, though, this is your LOTR.
sheri_reads's review
3.0
Crazyiness! This was the first book I've read that was a horror novel like this. So i thought it was good. I can't wait to read other disturbing books like this!