We Sold Our Souls in a word? Epic! In three words? Epic, epic, epic! I mean- it’s about heavy metal- how can it not be epic, right? Am I saying ‘epic’ too much? 😀

Anywhoo, what a satanic ride this one was… I mean, not only was the plot utterly devilish and filled with dark, sinister agendas and death and gore and other horror-y stuff, I also- seriously- laughed at some scenes… Like the piss-scene in a Best Western lobby. It was disgusting and horrible but I laughed. So hard. Sue me.

The book starts off by filling the reader the detail of the background, of the beginning of it all slowly, but surely… and epically, naturlich! We get to know the beginnings of Dürt Würk and the members of the band. Ambitious group of young ones with individuality in spades, wanting to take over the world with heavy metal one location, one club at a time.

But it’s tough going for them… and just as Dürt Würk are certain they’re going to have a breakthrough, everything flops, like a limp, wet sock. Not only did Terry break up the band but he went and started his own- Koffin- and it’s freaking nu metal! Sacrilege of the highest order!

Now, 20 years later, most Dürt Würk members have settled in to their lovely suburban mansions with a partner and kids. But not Kris. She’s just a Best Western worker and, rightly so, bitter. The light of her life- music- has been taken from her.

Nothing stays hidden behind closed doors, though, especially in a horror novel. Behind the doors- this is where the monster is! Or escape… You know how it goes- they always open the door and go looking for trouble! Kris can no longer sit back and as Terry, who left all of the Dürt Würk members coughing up the dust as he took off towards his stardom, makes his comeback on stage, Kris knows that it’s time to dig up the bones of the past.

Thus begins the incredible unravelling of the plot as Kris insists on going head first into that one night 20 years ago that changed everything. What ensues is truly quite difficult to describe. It’s fast-paced, hard-core and totally gripping. But it’s also covered in conspiracy, madness and death. And betrayal and escapes. But, tap into metal, and you can do anything…

And then… We Sold Our Souls is about more than just revenge by ex-band mates. It’s an example of a heavy metal way of life, it’s a case study of the value of music and a piss-take on the mainstream auto-tuned radio waves. It’s a shout out to calloused fingers and aching necks and certain kind of passion… No excuses made for what matters most in this book…

… and it’s made good with that added bit of craziness… Kris is a helluva woman. She’s heavy metal down to her very core and her stamina and willpower alone are the driving force of this novel. She finds herself in situations that would break a person mentally in half, but Kris? She’s no quitter and she will see things through to the very bitter end against the most powerful evil. To the bitter end, I said… well, that is actually open for debate… 😉

We Sold Our Souls is a novel of strong beginnings, unbelievable realities, claustrophobic crescendos, gruesome deaths and unimaginable prophecies looking for heroes… Oh! And the chapters are named after the best albums- Bathory, Manowar, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth and so on… ! Thoroughly enjoyable, much recommended!

Full disclosure, I am a huge Grady Hendrix fan. His novel Horrorstor is one of may favorites and I had the pleasure of attending his two presentations at the 2018 Overlook Film Festival…I am also a metalhead. It’s like this book was written for me and it did not disappoint. 

We Sold Our Souls opens on young Kris Pulaski learning to play Black Sabbath’s metal classic Iron Man. A few years later as she’s playing those opening riffs for the thousandth time, she hears a knock at her window and a voice ask “is that Sabbath?”, beginning her friendship with Terry Hunt. Kris and Terry start the heavy metal band Dürt Würk, that along with bandmates Scottie Rocket, Tuck and Bill (who replaced the original drummer, JD), enjoyed success playing bars then moving up to larger clubs, the pinnacle of their career being opening for Heavy Metal legends, Slayer, until Terry got them booted off the tour.

Terry decides that in order to make it big he needs to leave the band and go solo. He starts the Nu Metal band Koffin, dubs himself The Blind King and has his bandmates sign contracts that they will never play any Durt Wurk again- including the un-released album “Troglodyte” that Kris thought would have been their ticket to stardom. 

Years later Terry is a rock god about to embark on his final tour, while Kris is working at a Best Western, living at her mom’s house and no longer making music. After a tragedy strikes one of her former bandmates, Kris sets out across country, facing horrific obstacles along the way, to confront the person who stole her dreams of a life of playing music, and to find out what really happened the night the members of Dürt Würk signed those contracts.

Hendrix punctuates his novel with pop culture reference, drives the story forward with interviews, news pieces and uses classic metal albums to title each chapter. We Soul Our Souls is Darker than Hendrix’s previous novels, touching on subjects like rampant consumerism and how women are represented in the heavy metal community, but it remains a rocking good time of a book that promises you will never look at the UPS man the same way again. I wish this book came with a soundtrack because you are going to be ready to rock by the time it reaches its last epic notes.

Read this in your basement after you’ve learned the opening riffs to Iron Man.

Fast paced and full of gore, this has all the makings of a cult classic. The concept of selling out; literally selling your soul, your creativity, your passion and your spark for fame and fortune rings true in this age of plastic pop culture. With tributes and nods to some of the biggest names in metal, this is a celebration of all things great and good about heavy metal.

As several reviews have already posted - this book centers on Kris- forty something washed up musician who was once in an up and coming metal band and tries to find out where things went wrong. Describing any more than that isn't really going to do it justice- other than it is a extremely creative story that I wouldn't recommend missing! I'm not sure what it is about Grady Hendrix's writing but I am always so excited to get to the end to see what happens! I am not the biggest fan of this particular genre- but have really enjoyed some of his previous books (My Best Friend's Exorcism, Horrorstore) and this one was no exception. It wasn't necessarily scary but definitely had a creepy factor to it- in a good way. I confess I did have to skim through a couple parts when it came to some particularly gory details- but nothing that I'd deem offensive. In short, he's a great writer- I finished this book in one day.

Nothing makes me sadder than the fact that Grady Hendrix is a dude. He continually writes the most complex and inspiring female leads, it is a true tragedy to me that buy buying his books I am not supporting more female writers in the world of genre fiction. This isn’t to say that I don’t think men shouldn’t write women, in the same way that I think that being white or straight shouldn’t stop you from writing POC or queer characters – hell, everyone needs more representation and I can never get enough of a good thing – but there is something about finishing a really good book filled with truly awesome female characters and remembering that it was all written by a man that leaves me feeling a little empty.

WE SOLD OUR SOULS is one helluva guitar solo. Grady Hendrix brings the heavy metal to the horror masses. I really enjoyed PAPERBACKS FROM HELL, so I figured I'd give this one a read. It's a compelling page-turner.

The story centers around a heavy metal band from the 1990s called Dürt Würk. The band was about to hit it big, but the lead singer Terry Hunt went solo. He rocketed to stardom as Koffin, while his former bandmates got mundane jobs. Two decades later, former Dürt Würk guitarist Kris Pulaski uncovers a disturbing secret from her past. Terry Hunt's success may have come at the price of his former bandmates. The title tells you everything you need to know, or does it?

Kris Pulaski must find answers. She hits the open road, reconnects with her bandmates, and confronts the man who destroyed her life. Grady Hendrix takes you from Pennsylvania to a Satanic rehab center and finally to a Las Vegas music festival. Some of the scenes are vividly brutal. Kris Pulaski is a top-notch hero. She kicks so much ass!

I like the author's writing style. WE SOLD OUR SOULS reads quick and the story flows smoothly. The feel-good ending wasn't what I was expecting, but it does leave hope, which is a good thing. I was expecting something darker, but it was still good. I felt like I kind of heard and read this story somewhere else before. It felt like a familiar story.

Overall, this story is enjoyable. If I'm being honest, I finished it rather quickly. The cover art caught my eye, but what kept me reading is Kris Pulaski, the female protagonist. She made the book better. I was right there with her the entire journey. I was cheering for her to kick some ass and she does. She is intelligent, strong, and she can handle her business.

I love books and stories based on/around music, especially rock and roll and heavy metal. It makes for a great read. WE SOLD OUR SOULS is heavy metal turned up to 11. You should give this one a read.

Recommend!

In 1975 Black Sabbath, the band that many believe originated ‘heavy metal’, had released what we would probably call a ‘greatest hits album’ these days, with tracks from their previous six albums. Called We Sold Our Soul For Rock & Roll, it cherry-picked the tracks that fans counted as favourites.

The problem? It was released without the band or their manager’s knowledge, part of a deal between their new record label and their last. Allegedly, the first the band knew of the album was when fans brought them to concerts to be signed.

Why this is relevant here? Well, author Grady Hendrix clearly knows this. I’m sure that the name of his latest novel is no coincidence, a story where the rise and fall of a rock and roll band meets Stranger Things, where corporate sell-out and backroom shenanigans are part of the deal.

The story is told through Kris Pulaski, founding member and guitarist of Dürt Würk, a rock band brought up by learning Black Sabbath guitar riffs, who almost made it big in the ‘90’s, and then broke up for reasons that will be explained through the novel. Now twenty years on, Kris, having given up on the big dream, spends her time working as a receptionist at a Best Western in a small backward hometown and generally being abused by the local clientele.

Her life is changed when she sees hears of Terry Hunt, Dürt Würk’s ex-singer, planning a reunion-farewell tour of the band he created after Dürt Würk. We discover through backstory how the demise of Dürt Würk led to the formation of Koffin by the ex-singer, in a deal that took away Kris’s rights to her material and left her ruined. Dürt Würk’s last album, Troglodyte, which was never released, and has become something of legendary status. Made in a rundown house in the woods, the rumours about Kris’ masterwork album, and why it was never released have become mythical.

As the backstory develops, we determine what caused the breakup of the band, something that will be familiar to anyone who knows their rock-band history. And as this is a Grady Hendrix story, we discover, with a Lovecraftian twist, what really happened that night the band broke up. Kris cannot remember what happened herself (drugs & rock and roll, right?), but is determined to finally get to the meaning of what happened that night by meeting up with the ex-members of her band and even Terry Hunt – who may have a more sinister reason for his success.

For anyone who knows Grady’s previous work - Horrorstor, My Best Friend’s Exorcism and the non-fictional Paperbacks from Hell - will know that he excels in reinvigorating the 80’s tone of those mass-produced novels of the 1980’s. This one clearly plays homage to Stephen King, but also any of those books from that time. (I’d personally recommend George RR Martin’s The Armageddon Rag as a similar, alternative read.)

It’s not particularly deep, nor meaningful, but it does what it does right. Fans of Stranger Things will ‘get it’. Anyone who has formed a band in a garage or basement and *nearly* made it big will sympathise (and perhaps wince!) at some of the things that happen here. And what is most important is that Grady elicits the emotion, the power, the almighty good created by being part of a band – the camaraderie, the sheer buzz of creating and playing music, to fans who love your work. This is never a book that attempts to poke fun at its material – instead, through empathy, it makes the reader’s inner-teenager want to go start a band all over again.

In my youth I was never part of a band – but this book makes me wish I was. And therein lies its secret. This is a book written by someone that cares about its subject matter, and you can tell. Moreover, Grady manages to make the reader feel, to care about his characters and to connect with emotions from a time when things were simpler. Sometimes you just need a guitar….

When such relatable elements of youth are added to the more supernatural elements, the result is that the combination works. There are moments of horror that I found quite creepy, and there’s definitely parts that claustrophobic readers will cringe at.

In short, if you are a Horror fan and are/were a fan of ‘90’s rock/metal, you will love this book. If you’ve ever felt yourself to be an outsider, and that your love of music is not understood, if you’ve been derided for your enjoyment of rock and metal, and yet, despite this, have stayed true to your own beliefs, We Sold Our Souls will speak to you.

It’s a great read. Just be careful next time you feel the need to include some occult leanings in your lyrics….

Thank you ! so much for the opportunity to review this book. I received a free copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

By far my favorite book by Grady Hendrix! loved it! This book grabbed me by my soul and did not leave my thoughts until I finished it. And yet , it still lingers...

An imperfect leading lady taking on an adventure to find herself while seeking revenge for being wronged. Add a dose of paranormal, sprinkle in some Metal Rock and you have yourself a party. Wow! The whole premise of this book was a refreshing, Good old fashioned Horror at it's finest!

I have read Horrorstor and My Best Friend's Exorcism , which I completely enjoyed but this book took horror to a new level. Bravo to Mr. Hendrix... I have become a true fan.

4.0 Stars

Kris was in a heavy metal band called Durt Wurk, but right before they were about to hit it big, the band fell apart. Twenty years later, she's the night manager at a Best Western and her life has been miserable since the split. Her former bandmate has skyrocketed to Stardom as Koffin. Kris learns that her and her bandmates souls may have been the price for Koffin's success. She embarks on a journey and will stop at NOTHING until she confronts him.

This was a fun, fast-paced story. I personally, don't have a relationship with heavy metal specifcally, but that did not keep me from connecting with the story. There were some great brutal scenes in there that really made the story. Grady Hendrix also took the Faustian bargain device and wrote a story for modern audiences. It left me thinking about the state of our "soul".

Incredibly fun and entertaining horror novel! I found this really engaging and readable and think it will appeal to a wide audience, including those who don't think they like horror. Great work from Grady Hendrix.

We Sold Our Souls does a clever spin on the Faustian ‘bargain with the devil’ premise by setting it in the world of heavy metal music. It’s like a mash-up of an old VH-1 Behind The Music and The Devil’s Advocate. There were some harrowing scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. The one that sticks out is when the heroine, Kris, is crawling through a tunnel that is gradually getting smaller and tighter. I’m not claustrophobic, but that scene made it hard to catch my breath! Though for all the scenes like that (and giving Grady Hendrix credit for finding a new take on this age-old tale), something was missing in it, something that made me want to flip the page excitedly to find out what was going to happen next. I found myself putting the book down for several days before picking it up again. All the ingredients were there, but for me the sum was not greater than the parts.

This books' greatest strength is in its main character, Kris. Hendrix has always been so good at writing flawed and well rounded protagonists, and I think that Kris is his strongest yet. While she is rash and makes some questionable decisions throughout the book, you completely understand why she does what she does. She lives, breathes, loves metal, and having that taken away from her has driven her to the point of desperation. I loved following her as she goes to confront her former friend Terry, and loved that we get information and a background of not only her band, but many aspects of metal as a whole as she makes her journey. The references to metal always felt organic and well placed, and it gave a wider scope to the narrative. That said, once again Hendrix gets a little bogged down in the 'horror' aspects of this book, and I felt like he relied on cliches within the genre in spite of the fact he made a valiant effort at avoiding them. I was more freaked out by real world horrors within the story than by the demonic aspects, and sometimes it led to moments that felt rushed and haphazard for the sake of a 'scary' moment.

With all that in mind, I did enjoy reading "We Sold Our Souls", and I think that people who like Hendrix will find a lot of like within its pages.

I swear...Grady Hendrix made a deal with the devil to write something this damned good. An amazing mash-up of really uncomfortable horror, metal music & culture, scathing commentary on consumerism, humor, and insight as to how/why bands have such dysfunctional relationships.

Once again, Grady Hendrix is back with another fantastic, self-aware horror novel.

Playing with the classics tropes of the genre, this novel was smart and well written. The narrative was very fast paced and action packed, bringing along the reader for an entertaining adventure.

This novel will particularly appeal to readers with a background in music, specifically heavy metal. This is book was still accessible to less musically-inclined people, like myself, but I know I was the perfect target audience for the book.

If you enjoy Grady Hendrix's novels, heavy metal or deals with the devil, I definitely recommend checking out this one!

I received a copy from Penguin Random House Canada.

what i love about the grady hendrix books i've read is that though the books don't take themselves too seriously, it's pretty obvious the respect hendrix has for the subject. we sold our souls is no exception. though i'm not a heavy metal fan by any means, i appreciate the love letter to music this book essentially is (with a loving mention of my girl dolly too!)

it's not a perfect book; some of the characterization is inconsistent, (sometimes kris is ok with killing, sometimes she's not. why is terry fairly chill about allowing her to play with him on stage after all they've been through?) and the ending left me feeling lukewarm. but it is a really, really fun book to read. i loved that the main character was a middle aged rocker chick who bonds with a latina metal fan named melanie part way through the novel. melanie is a small but important character, and i love seeing women having each other's backs.

also, just want to give a brief content warning for sexual assault. if you know anything about the disaster that was woodstock '99 then that'll give you an idea of what i mean.

so to sum it up: not my favorite hendrix novel (hello, my best friend's exorcism, will anything top you ever?) but lots of fun and some truly creepy imagery. now i'm off to listen to dolly!

Grady Hendrix might be the best voice writing horror today. There’s something special about the way his books pay homage to classic horror, yet manage to feel fresh and unique. Just as I felt I was being lulled by a formulaic piece of 80s horror like I read as a kid, Hendrix just lets loose, and just like when I was a kid, I’m basically unable to do anything but read until I finish this book. Another amazing thing? One of the most terrifying elements of the book, the UPS Men, are sparingly used, and not explained. I both hope he has the wherewithal to not write a book about them, and obsessively hope they are featured in more stories.

I usually give myself a 100 pages before I throw in the towel but I only made it to 90 pages with this book. Difficult to read, story all over the place, mired down in superfluous paragraphs.

2/5

This felt like a story that could have worked with a different tone. It felt like it took itself too seriously for the type of story it was. If it had been written in a similar style as John Dies at the End I think I would have loved it. But as it was, I just couldn't get into it and it felt ridiculous. 

The first thing that put me off this story was the incessant references to bands in the beginning. Now, I love all those bands, but it felt really unnecessary and took me out of the story. Nostalgia and pop culture references can work really well (e.g. Ready Player One) but they have to feel like they are part of the narrative and not just added for the sake of having them there. For me, nothing I have read before has truly epitomised the meaning of 'Member berries' quite like this book.

Member Judas Priest? Yeah, I member! 

Nostalgia for the sake of nostalgia. It got better as the story went on, or at least it felt less heavy handed, but I really wish it had been dialled back in the beginning.

I will give this story credit for having the most claustrophobic scene I have ever read. Well done. It didn't feel particularly realistic how the protagonist got to that moment, but it genuinely had my heart racing during those pages.

Overall it was hard work finishing this book and the ending felt underwhelming.

Thank you to Quirk Books and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this title to review!

A girl with a guitar doesn't have to apologize for anything.

A fantastic book that hits the right notes every step of the way. Part heavy metal horror fantasy, part road book. This is yet another reason Grady Hendrix is one of my favorite authors.

Sure to be another hit from the writer of nostalgic quirky fiction, Hendrix once again exhibits his uncanny ability to weave a story from madness.

Tense, gripping and loaded with the hellfire of metal. We Sold Our Souls will leave you second guessing UPS drivers everywhere because when you're faced with a soul-sucking day job and very real soul-eating demons, there's only one thing left to do. You get the band back together.